THE LOON OF EUPHORIA

Chapter 2 - the storm

"Get up Maria," said Rosalind as she pulled the sheets of Maria. She curled into a ball on her bed and groaned softly to sleep in, eyes closed reaching for her blanket.
"No," said Rosalind as she snatched the blanket away and drew open the curtains. Rays of light glimmered into the cold dark room, December morning always was the most dreadful yet fantasia thing to wake up to.
"Leave me be," groaned Maria, "my soul is tired." She covered her head with a blanket. Rosalind pulled it off, "As are the souls of this world, but if we sit miserably, we are better off dead." Maria glared at her. Rosalind crossed her arms, "get up." Maria glared at her and mouthed the word "fine."
Maria slowly got up from her bed and stretched her arms in the air, before she could move any further. She felt a splash of cold water across her face, her clothes soaked in water. She looked up, her eyes like burning emeralds and her scarlet hair damp.
"Well we weren't going to wait forever your majesty," smiled Harriet Louis.
"I swear to the heavens Harriet I will burn those gold locks of yours to a crisp if you do that again."
She laughed lightly, "don't be a sour mouth," she stuck out her tongue.
Maria sighed, "lingua ligatum."
Harriet became extremely quiet while they're getting dressed, Maria smiled as she got into her emerald gown, unlikely the usual ladies of the court Maria wore her corset outside her gown. She believed she did not want her waist to be singed into a stick. Her scarlet locks fell to her waist, she sighed as Rosalind got into her pale blue dress, "What a bore."
"What on heaven's do you mean?"
"We are using magic for something so boring," she sighed, "we could just send spies into the northern kingdom."
Rosalind looked at Harriet who took a low bow and left the room, she came close to Maria who was sitting on the windowsill, "I know you don't want to do this but your art is much stronger than mine-"
She went to stroke her hair but Maria got up, "I for one do not care, either way, let's go, Lady Rosalind, she offered her arm."
Rosalind sighed and took it.

As they walked down the callous hallways towards the courtyard they intercepted the two most handsome men of the court or for told to be. Prince Morningstar and Prince Nathaniel were gathered in a rather great squabble, "Boy, boys must you always fight like children,"
"You shouldn't do this Maria," said Aaron.
"I have no choice oh handsome Prince," she smirked.
"This is no time to fool around Maria," commanded Nathaniel his voice stern, "you must be aware of the gravity of the situation-"
Her smirk turned into a glare, "I'm fully aware, now move before I rip your tongue out."
Nathaniel sighed as she walked past him, "doesn't she get it if she doesn't take this seriously her life could be at risk," said Nathaniel walking beside Aaron.
"That's why I told you not to make her do it-"
"It's not my choice!"
Aaron put an arm on his friend's shoulder, "look Nathaniel, I know you're concerned so am I but Maria is strong, have faith."
Nathaniel laughed, "you talking about faith, that girl just creates chaos everywhere she goes, if she would just be a lady-"
Aaron smirked, "that's unlikely, but you know chaos is where the wildflowers grow."

They finally reached the center of the courtyard, where King Soren and Solis awaited them. In the middle of the courtyard, a redwood table stood strong, on top of it lay a silver dagger alongside a fiberglass arrow. King Solis looked at Maria, his eyes sadden for he knew what would come next.
Maria unlinked her arm from Rosalind, "it's a simple location charm and an interlinking spell, if you feel unsafe I want you to unlink yourself in that instance, understood?"
Maria's eyes lay settled on the arrow.|
"Maria?"
Hearing her band startled her, she rubbed her arm and nodded.
She looked at Aaron, "You better have 10 bottles of rum coke ready for me when I get back." He smiled and mouthed a "be careful."
Maria smiled back at him and reached for the silver dagger, the embers of her emerald green eyes reflected in it. With the cold blade in her right hand, she lifted her pale palm and slowly cut through the surface of her skin, blood trickling down her palm onto the fiberglass arrow, it reminded her of the warm color of wine on a cold winter's night. She began her incantations,
regnum praebetur adsensio.
Her eyes began to glow, like green flames in the darkness. She spoke louder, repeating the incantation over and over again. The table began shaking, she reached for the arrow and called out, Rex Pugnatores, the king of fighters. She grasped the arrow tightly and began carving into the table, a circle and then an arrow point northeast.
"The sign of mars," whispered Aaron.
patentibus, she shouted.
It illuminated.
The light grew brighter and brighter, the table started shaking as a portal began opening.
Aaron looked over at Maria, her eyes glowing green and her body paralyzed instance, the incantations became louder and louder. He looked over at the portal. His eyes widened, "King Azril Tenebris," he whispered.
He could see a meeting around a round table, six lords and a masked lady sat next to him, soon he realized they were speaking but he couldn't hear anything.
"What's" he began speaking when Nathaniel hit his arm to be quiet.
They watched the meetings in silence until Aaron noticed something unusual, the woman sitting next to king Azril whispered in his ear and he stared directly at the portal. At that very moment, Aaron says Maria lost her focus, her eyes dimmed and she fell to her knees. Gripping her left arm.
All of them rushed towards her, Rosalind gripping her to stay conscious.
"What happened Maria?"
King Solis asked, his voice grave.
"They saw me," her voice shaking.
She grabbed her arm while Rosalind gave her water so she could speak.
She looked up at them, "We should talk inside," Aaron attempted to help her up but she gave him a cold shoulder and stood by herself.
ambushed
The table disintegrated and the ashes rolled with the wind in the cold morning air.