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

Chapter 19 Princess of The Elven Kingdom

"Havah we don't have much time, we have to leave." Jutu was firm the next day.
"How can we leave the rest of them here without protection.  I told you what happened to Eve." Havah was still shaken by the events the previous night.  Her worry over the safety of the rest under her brothers care left her hesitating.
"I am deeply saddened by what you have witnessed but the time is crucial.  Everyone who came on this journey were ready to sacrifice their lives for the royals.  If we don't leave now, more of them will face the same danger."
"When Evaline gets here he might...." Havah paused.
"He won't, he gave you his word.  He has his own agenda."
"That's what worries me" her brother was not to be trusted.  He made his own rules to suit him.
"I suspect whatever trials Evaline has faced with the Lord Fenwick has given her enough ammunition to face your brother. My vision was clear."Jutu said firmly. "She will know what to do.  The faster we find Vesna or what's left of her the closer we will be to saving the rest. I assure you Caspian has come into his own, your brother would be a fool to Provoke him."
They were sitting in the bathhouse within the citadel where the team was allowed to bath and clean themselves. Food had been delivered to their room by some demons.  So far her brother was being amicable. What happened to Eve hopefully will not be a portent of what would happen to the rest.
"And if he does?"
"You and I know he would be a fool to cross that line." Jutu reached out and touched her hand gently. "You have done all you could to protect them. Evaline and Lord Fenwick are not far behind. The visions are quite clear, there is more that can be accomplished once we gather our allies, we have to remain steadfast in our plan and we will prevail. This darkness must shift, you have to have faith in yourself Havah. You will make it right. "
Once everyone had returned to chambers wearing new clothing and looking better then they had it was time for Havah to depart with Jutu. Still it took some convincing to reassure the others. Once they bade their farewells to the rest Jutu warned them not to leave the chambers at any point without Caspian. They agreed, Caspian rather reluctantly but he came around after receiving a stern warning from his mother.
"What about Evaline and Lord Fenwick?" Erica asked , she studied the Mangalese priestess warily
"They will be here shortly" Jutu supplied.
"How can you be so sure? Are they even alive?"
"Very much so warior." Jutu regarded Erica "you will have nothing to worry about for as long as you remain together. Do not breach your barier, you must be together at all times." Jutu and Havah left the chambers.
They were escorted to the throne room by the demon guards who quickly returned to guard the rest of the team. Havah's eyes continued to watch the guards as they departed until she heard Damos clear his throat.
"You don't have to worry about your people." He stated. "As long as you keep your end of the bargain."
"It would be easier if we had a portal Damos."Havah told him sharply watching as a Nocturis female emerged from behind the throne and pearched on one arm. Her dark hair cascading behind her, red glowing eyes regarding Havah with interest.
"The portal you seek to Mangalene is far North, you know where I'm referring." he said coldly as he eyed the two women.
"Then we shall take our leave" Havah nodded once.
"It seems I'm expecting two more guests, is that right Havah?" His pointed question arrested her movement.
"Yes, I told you about them. They are to join the others in my suit of chambers and wait until I return."
"How long do you think this would take?"
His next question caught her off guard "Until I retrieve........"
"You told me that, there's no sense repeating yourself. I would prefer not to stretch it too much Havah. Five days, that's all I'm willing to give you. If your not back in the allotted time, what happens next will be on your head."
She stood stood still simmering with wrath as she eyed her brother with distaste.
"Oh and by the way...." with a snap of his fingers her eye patch flew from her face surprising her somewhat as she hoped her ruined eye. The patch had become a second skin, having it snatched from her face left her disconcerted. "You won't be needing that," he glowered at her as she felt the left side of her cheek burn. The searing heat causing her to scream as her eyes socket began to throb with an ache that was like being flayed alive.
Jutu ran to her as she started sinking to her knees on the ground, she wanted desperately to claw her cheek out but the priestess held her hands turning a wrathful gaze at Damos. "What have you done.....you monster!"
"You won't be so quick to judge Mangalese priestess. You have a lot to learn about demon magic." He grinned malevolently. The woman beside him did the same as Havah's cries grew from wracking screams to whimpers. Jutu held her down worried about her friend. She was powerless to break the spell that surrounded Havah but as her cries subsided and she started to calm, Havah lifted her face and to Jutu's Surprise both her eyes were blinking furiously.
"You can thank me later little sister. Now go! Before I decide that eyepatch looks better on you."
Damos May be twisted but deep down he did do Havah a favor, he restored her bad eye that she could see with both of them after three years. It was a strange feeling to see so clearly and yet she wondered if it was all just temporary.
They turned around and left the citadel, the doors shutting with a loud thud as they rounded the bailey. Havah blinked at the light, grateful that Jutu still held her upright.
"For a moment I thought he cursed you." Jutu remarked looking at Havah carefully before cupping her cheeks to check.
"I'm feeling better." Havah reassured her friend. "We travel through the forest and we head east into the Elven territory. They will have a portal that will lead to Mangalene much faster than if we go North."
"Will we be safe?"
"Talyan the eleven princess is my friend. I sent a message to expect us. I have placed some runes in the forest not long ago for a quicker way to get there." Havah reassured.
Once they travelled into the forest, they found Havah's rune embedded in a tree. Smearing her blood on the symbol they were immediately transported into another forest, tumbling through an invisible wall that threw them both to the ground face down.
"So much for cleaning up." Jutu stood dusting her skirts but when she looked up an arrow head was pointed directly between her eyes. "Are you sure your friend expects us."
"This is rather a warm welcome" Havah eyed the arrow head pointed to her chest. The tip was made of gold dipped in poison that would surely end her if she took one false move. Lifting her eyes to the elven soldier that held her gaze, his form unwavering. "Where is Princess Talyan?" She asked keeping her hands steady at her side.
More elven fanned out around them and from in front of them a woman with flaxen hair and the strangest yellow eyes regarded Havah with hostility.
"Talyan" Havah acknowledge. Her friend remained essentially the same. Tall, dressed in golden chain mail with her bow jutting from behind her and a sword drawn for battle, golden eyes still watching Havah with caution. The beautiful elven princess had perfect features that rivaled the seelie. Indeed most elven were golden and beautiful, their hair flowing gold and long having bodies as svelte as the seelie. They were quick and agile, wary to a fault.
"Havah" she said, her voice soft and firm as she regarded the demon princess with disdain perusing her from head to foot.  Havah sensed something wasn't right but she remained stalwart.
"I'm assuming you receive my message." She eyed the arrow pointed to her heart before inclining her head toward Talyan.
"That your seeking safe passage to Mangalene" Talyan replied shifting her gaze to Jutu. "I'm assuming your companion is a Mangalese."
"She is a high priestess and daughter of the current chief."
"I'm surprised considering that she hails from there. Why is she with you?"Her tone curt.
"I arrived into the mortal lands through ships, that was along time ago before the oceans were riddled with beasts.  The unseelie have made it difficult to leave the mortal lands ever since the darkness fell upon us." Jutu lifted her head a fraction.
"Unfortunate indeed." Talyan turned back to Havah. "Now, however you are in my territory I have a few questions of my own before I grant what has been requested."
"We would answer without arrows threatening our lives, as you can see we are unarmed." Havah's response was clear, eyes slashing through the thick hostility emanating from the elven princess.
Talyan spoke to her guards in Elven, the arrows pointed to the women disappeared and the rest stood at attention. "Good, let us have this conversation in a more amicable setting."
The elven teritory was vastly different from the citadel in that their fortresses were built around the the existing forest. They passed a village of some sort where elven folk dwelled within the thick barks of trees.  Large vines were woven into bridges that formed passage ways from tree to tree.  Venturing through a meadow that formed a network of roads  that crossed into more forests with similar types of dwelling places.  Tracking a rock bridge that had water streaming underneath it until they came to a massive stark of buildings surrounded by a moat. Crossing the draw bridge, Jutu looked down at the moat, it's clear blue water was transparent enough to reveal different types of fishes darting about.  A huge turtle sat in the center of the opening before walking slowly away to allow the princess to pass.
"Fascinating isn't she." Talyan quirked a smile at Jutu's surprised look. "She is the guardian  of this castle.  If she remained in front, you wouldn't have been granted entry."
"A tortoise?" Jutu remarked in fascination, watching as the turtle disappeared into a corpse.
"Her spirit is as old as time.  My people believe she was a gift from the gods and that her spirit holds the soul of one of the gods."
A huge emblem of a tortoise marked the doorway of the elven fortress, carved in gold. It parted as the door opened to receive them.  The elven guards fanned around the main hallway and stood straight like statues carved out of marble. Two guards followed in Talyan's wake as they walked passed the hallway into a domed hall that opened out into a huge garden teaming with all kinds of miniature foliage. Colorful shrubs dotted the garden in circles and in each center were small fountains. There was a paved trail that led into a circular sundial made of inlaid agates. In the center was a huge canopy made from cloth that were gathered against four pillars. Cushions were lined up around it on the floor and at the center was a small table with fruits and nuts.
Talyan gestured to the women to sit while she took one across from them, her guards disappeared to the sides as servers came forward to pour drink on the goblet. Jutu took her drink and sniffed the fruity smelling drink before taking a sip.
"It's not poison high priestess of Mangalene."Talyan said as she took her own drink. "The walk must have been tiring."
"I'm used to it. Where I live we walk everywhere."Jutu replied appreciating the tangy taste of the drink.
"In the mortal lands? How did you come to live with them?"
"I followed the king of Pretoria to his kingdom as a gift from my people."Jutu replied looking around her with interest. The elven had a keen affinity for nature. "I became his consort."
Talyan raised an incredulous brow. "Your people thought it wise to hand you you over to the mortals? "
"They didn't hand me over, I went voluntarily. I share an affection for the king."
"I find that rather bizarre. The mortals live such short lives and their penchant for intrigue is legendary. You did not regret this decision."
"My son reminds me everyday that my decision was worth it." Jutu responded plainly.
"How quaint." Turning to Havah . "How did you meet?"
"Jutu's son Caspian found me three years ago when I escaped after the millennial games. I lived with them."
"We thought you were dead. " Talyan scoffed. "How did Damos react to your resurrection?"
"Not very well as you can surmise but he came around." Havah avoided her drink, instead she bit into a peach and studied Talyan.
"Damos isn't easily swayed, there must have been a catch. I take it that catch involves your desire to travel to Mangalene." Talyan sat back.
Havah turned to Jutu who looked at her knowingly. "I'm not here to play games Talyan, what l'm going to say should hopefully fill in the gaps." She paused eyeing her friend thoughtfully then she began to unravel the events that led up to the games up until their journey to Erinthar.
Talyan remained patiently listening her eyes narrowing into slits at the mention of the unseelie attack. Leaning forward she picked up her drink and gulped. "Your telling me they took the royal mortal heirs for ransom on the condition that you bring them the seelie heir.  What makes them think the heir is hiding among the mortals?"
Havah took a deep breath. "Perhaps they were referring to me?"
"They didn't sense you?"
"That's because, Soldar ripped the part that makes me unseelie and rammed it down Loot's throat. It happened right before the Mellenial games."Havah explained without batting an eyelash.
"Damos was with them when they left for the mortal lands, he would have sensed you being his half sister." Talyan argued.
Havah pretended shock. "Damos was?"
"Then he didn't sense you. It makes me wonder what your hiding?"
"I'm not hiding anything. We need to travel to Mangalene to retrieve Vesna."
"Vesna?" Talyan sputtered in surprise
"Remember the Oracle, the one where it states that the only way to defeat Soldar is through the autumn court heir, that would be Vesna who is rumored to reside in Mangalene."
"And you know this because?" Talyan prodded.
"My mother told me.  You know how she loathes King Soldar for rejecting her in front of the Fae court when she presented me.  She never forgave him for it. She told me once that a time would come when Vesna had to rise and defeat them just as the oracle predicted."
"Why would Vesna be in Mangalene?"
"My mother was obsessed with the Oracle, she made it her mission to learn as much as she could about it. I was young then and she took me on her journeys through the bowels of demon land hunting for any information she could gather.  She amassed a whole tomb of texts that spoke of a seelies that resided in Mangalene. One such text referred to a possibility that a child may have been smuggled out of the seelie court into Mangalene. I've never journeyed there but my mother did once and she never returned.  I suspect she found something important."
"From what I gather, this is just a hunch but something tells me you believe this Vesna exists."
"What other choice do we have?  There is no seelie heir hiding among the mortals but Mangalene is teeming with possibilities. We need to go there to find out what my mother discovered." Havah finished omitting Evaline entirely.
"Are you insane? What makes you think King Soldar hasn't had his minions search the whole of Mangalene already.  From what I understand he's been searching through every seelie stronghold including their allies." Talyan said.
"Mangalene has never allied with any Fae court, it has remained neutral just like Erinthar."
"But when Soldar took the reigns of the Fae court the Mangalene didn't bat an eye when they chose to support him." Talyan stated before catching herself, her eyes widening in shock. With a snap of her fingers the three women were transported into a simple chamber. A dim light surface from somewhere above them. There was a chill to the room that sent a shiver down Jutus spine.
"Where are we?" She asked
"In my chambers. It's warded in case Damos planted spies around my demense. The demons can glamour and shape shift."
"Shape shift?" Jutu turned to Havah who only shrugged.
"I've caught several among my people but I've kept them enthralled."Talyan assured them. "There may be something to your story Havah. The mangalese were quick to respond to King Soldars request, normally they don't as you well know priestess."
"So you believe us." Havah was hopeful.
"If the Mangalese participated in the atrocities of Soldar, it could only mean one thing, they are trying to keep the unseelie out of Mangalene which could mean they are hiding something." Talyan turned to Jutu.
"You would know more than anyone if it were true."
"Mangalene have temples devoted to the old gods but they have gone to ruin every since the gods left, I was taken as a child to serve one of these temples but I never thought to question the ways of my tribe. If Havah's mother made the journey I had never seen her in my lands. When visitors come we hold a coven but no such coven took place for a demon queen." Jutu remained looking at Havah
"Unless she went there under a guise of sort and they never knew. I did point out that demons can glamour."Talyan remarked. " The unseelie have no interest in the old Gods and they would have left Mangalene to follow their traditions without question." Talyan pondered on this as she paced in front of the women. "If it is true and your mother found something Havah your taking a big risk. She disappeared after her journey. What makes you think you would be able to find the missing seelie."
"The Oracle never mentioned a time frame, their visions were always shrouded in many layers of riddles. If we don't act now we will never know exactly when the right time would come."Havah replied.
"The Gods have always protected the mortals." Talyan argued. "That was a tacit agreement between the Gods and the Fae"
"You think Soldar cares?" Havah replied. "I know what he did to me, he wouldn't think twice about destroying the mortals. I can't let that happen."
"Why do you care so much about these mortals?"
"Because after having lived with them for three years I've come to admire them. They are no better than the rest of us. They laugh, they cry, they have a deep understanding of love and they can hate with such passion. Their very existence is vulnerable and yet they survive in their children they leave a legacy. We may live for hundreds, even thousands of years if we are lucky however we get bored. We play with our lives as if it didn't matter but they don't. They know that they can loose their lives quickly so they make every day matter and for that reason alone I am willing to risk everything."
Talyan listened intently, her eyes sharp as they rested on Havah. "Fine then, I will lead you to the portal. Do what must be done Havah, once you have fulfilled your quest and you find Vesna you can count on the elven kingdom to be your ally when the time comes."
Havah sighed inwardly, she hoped her trip wouldn't fail. Turning to Jutu she nodded.