Kingdoms of Lies and Intrigues (Return of Vesna book 2)

Chapter 5 Havah

Havah walked the familiar path toward the nearby forest. A gentle breeze wafted through the air, it was getting chillier. Sinking deeper into her cloak, she pulled up the hood and breathed in the air enjoying the simplicity of just talking a walk.
When was the last time she just enjoyed a simple stroll by herself she mused, it seemed like ages now for Pretoria was far behind her and the life she knew for three mortal years.  Onward was a journey that would change the course of all their destinies most especially hers.  She would be going home.
Home! It seemed like ages since she'd been back to Irinthar. So much had happened, memories that lay buried in a tangle of pain and loss. The last time she roamed these parts was before the mellenial games. A memory she hoped would remain buried except the presence of Loot brought it crashing back.
A few nights before the games she had paid a visit to Knut  alone. She had been restless, couldn't sleep or eat much, instead she found herself summoning the familiar spell that would elicit a visit with her friend. There they had a talk, Knut had a vision and gave her the potion that would would temporarily cease her life so she could escape.
She had knowledge of a plot that would overthrow the light queen but she never expected King Soldar to kill her. The games were triggered to make the unseelie victorious, although the knowledge of it left a bitter taste in her mouth she never expected her brother would turn on her and that Loot.........she shook her memories, but they kept returning.
She was in the center of the Arena, her opponent had been a Light lord, someone she knew. It wasn't difficult to defeat him for she had been privy to his weakness.  The point was only to defeat him but when he was down his life was ended not by her hand. She had turned on the general that backed her team and was about to berate him when another had come and engaged her.  It was a dark Lord she was familiar with, he had been armed with her weakness and tried to render her immobile but she had quickly drunk the potion that Knut had given her.  She knew nothing after that until her body was dragged away along with others that were defeated. She regained consciousness and slipped from the arena, still weak she barely managed to creat the portal that led her to the mortal gates of Pretoria.
"You seem lost in your thoughts."
She swiveled around and came face to face with Knut.
"That's the truth of it.  The past cannot be buried so easily. Fragments of memories always escape." She sighed.
Knut walked to her side his gentle gaze steady as he pointed forward. " Let us continue to have clarity."
They walked side by side for a moment his calm demeanor seemed like a balm against her agitated body.
"Do they know?"
His question was broad. "That depends.  They know where we have to go, the journey is all about retrieving the mortal royals."
"They are mortal themselves, their lives can be easily snuffed out by a simple snap." He demonstrated this to get his point across. "They are ignorant in the ways of the courts and yet they have allowed themselves to be pawns in game."
"They were not meant to be so many, Xion had his retinue who wouldn't leave his side. The king felt it necessary. It's the way they plan things."
"Ignorance is bliss," the elf mocked. "However each one has a purpose for being here. Now that we are alone perhaps you could shed some light."
Sighing Havah crossed her arms against her chest. "Jutu is Mangalene, she knows the way of the Mangalese, she will aid me there in finding where they keep Vesna, Caspian is her son as you know, he will help in retrieving his brother, the prince heir of Pretoria along with the rest of the royals."
"And the rest?" He prodded
"Lord Fenwick was tasked to help retrieve the royals, he and his team know the ways of unseelie, they have been on Fenwick land, therefore they are familiar with surviving them. Captain Jacob, well his main task is to retrieve the Pretorian prince but they took a mortal woman, someone special to his heart, and so he comes. Cem came for Evaline I suspect, thinking he would protect her until he saw what she has become. Now I don't think he's so sure."
"And the seelie?"
Havah paused for a moment "They took her brother."
"I see. Does he show signs of his origin?"
She didn't have to be told he was seelie. "He started speaking to animals recently which got him into heeps of trouble with the prince of Pretoria. Now they have him."Havah's voice caught.
"Let's hope they don't discover a seelie among their captives, that wouldn't bode well for your quest."
"I've warded him just like I did with Evaline, he won't manifest anything beyond the ability to speak with animals,"  she reassured.
Knut nodded his head in understanding. "Going to the citadel is a daunting task, are you ready to face Damos?"
"The thought has played in my mind for several days, Damos enjoys his mind games, I've always been able to deal with that."
"He knows your weakness"
"Correction, he knew my weakness but ever since, my priorities have changed."
"Still......" Knut left the rest fo what he was about to say.
"He wouldn't risk the wrath of my father if he tried anything, of that I'm certain. My mother, despite her short comings, has given me the privilege of having two fathers. One of them may have banished me because I turned out to be a female, yet the other uses me to his advantage. I understand Damos may hate the the idea but if he tries anything he will have to face the wrath of one of them. Beside he may think he knows my weakness, but I certainly know his," she said with conviction.
"Yet you've sought me out." Knut reminded.
"I can't protect them all, there are dangers yet to unfold, I was hoping you could help me in that respect."
"Of course. I believe I have what they might need in order to strengthen their position. However my knowledge can go so far.  The seelie will need much more than what I can give."
"I understand."
"What I can do is help them survive, but their lives are not in my hands only their own. I will need this night and perhaps a better part of the early morning." He stated
"I knew I could count on you," she replied with satisfaction.
He turned to her then. "This may be the last time I would see you," he said sadly.
She inhaled a deep breath before releasing it into the air. "Then so be it."
"A word of caution, the court of Damos is fickle. Many of the Solitary are divided in their ranks."
"That has been brewing for some time, yet Damos seemed to be holding them together for Soldar. I believe his own mortality depends on it." She stated Mater of fact.
"He is constantly watched.  After the unseelie claimed the soul of Loot he has been tasked to watch Damos very carefully." Knut warned.
"I'm not surprised.  I thought they would assign Golen to do it but if they chose Loot then I suppose they want to rub my treachery in his face. " She recalled that Damos had warned Havah of her affinity with the seelie. She always suspected that he had been the one to betray them, another score she would settle when the time came. "I presume Damos hates that most, that would fall to my favor albeit temporarily."
"The court is not as you left it. The trolls and orcs have conceded to the unseelie."
"Those traitors have never been my allies, but I have been always welcome in the Elven court and the Nocturis hold no allegiance to anyone."
"The elven court is changed Havah. What you remember of them is no longer, ever since King Soldar seized powers their allegence is not quite as it seems."Knut warned.
Havah glanced at him sharply. "Talyan and I have known each other since we were little and Thorus  has always been contemptuous of Damos."
"Thorus is dead, the unseelie killed him before Princess Talyan's eyes." Knut informed her.
Havah started at him in shock. "That can't be. Thorus is unbeatable!"
"They have beaten him and enslaved his demense, princess Talyan submits to the will of the unseelie."
"By the Gods!" Havah stood still as her heart hammered in her chest.
"Much has changed since you left these parts."Knut said solemnly
"And the Nocturis?"
"I don't know. I cannot sense the demons only you have that gift. I would presume, they would retreat to the underworld."his reply was strained.
"Then I have that chance to take." She said reluctantly.
"Morok is not to be trifled with,"he reminded.
"Neither am I"
"Then take heed for you tread on treacherous waters."
"My whole life has been treacherous, I believe I know how to play it well." She replied firmly.
"Then so be it ." He nodded sighing as he felt the burden of her responsibility.
The death of the elven prince was indeed a portent of disaster for the elves had always welcome Havah into their hearth. Much had changed when she left but what did she expect? The unseelie were not merciful in their dealings with anyone.  They thrived on hate and bred disaster wherever they went she only hoped that princess Talyan would remember their friendship and be merciful to Havah's cause.
Suddenly the responsibility that rested on her shoulders became heavy.  She had a plan and it was simple, she counted the elves as her allies and they were powerful enough to keep Damos at bay but now she wasn't so sure.
Talyan and Thorus were very close and if the latter was killed then the former would become something else.
Suddenly her plan didn't seem so clear anymore. The death of her friend clouded her mind. She never truly grieved but her heart felt heavy at the loss. How much more did she stand to loose?
Never the less it was too late to turn back now. The journey had just begun and she would have to turn to others to save her friends or keep them alive until she completed the task of retrieving Vesna from Mangalene.