The Realms

16.The Seeking

Iris reached her chamber fast and in urgent need to release her frustration. She locked the door before sliding down.

The first tear drop was hot on her cheek. She wiped it away before the stubborn wrecking sobs followed. It was painful.

She cried for her kingdom. The impeding doom was thick in the air. Everyone seemed to be doing fine but no one slept at night. The facade they put on at daytime would melt at night. Then she cried for her father. He was not at fault, her fate had played a dirty trick and her destiny, she was not the writer and neither was he. She felt his love and guilt.
Then she cried for her brother. Even though he acted like he understood why she never acted like a sister to him, deep down he yearned for his sisters love and presence.

She cried for herself. She had no life of her own, she had been given a responsibility too big for her age and she had taken it with no complain. She had a husband who didn't belong to him but only physically. She was on her own.

She cried because she had no one to tell them of her momentary bought of magic because no one would believe her.

She cried because she was tired and mentally exhausted for the first time. She thought of herself and she didn't want to even start thinking of what she had done at the grounds. It was shameful.

As the hot tears stopped coming, she pushed herself off the floor and walked to the bath, stripped her clothes almost mechanically and slipped into the bath. She let the water sooth her stiff muscles.

****
She left without anyone knowing. Enoch, her white horse, glided almost silently across the palace grounds and out of the gate at almost midnight.

Iris knew her fate was not going to change whether she liked it or not. During the short time she took to prepare for her departure, she wondered why the dark realm showed no signs of activity. Was Palin planning something secretly? The dark magic she possessed was enough to do a lot in a short period of time while she was away on her seeking task.

She had expected to see a lot of bad things going on during this critical moments before an upcoming war but nothing was amiss or was it the silence before a storm?

****
At the intersection Iris brought her horse into a stop before pulling out the map she had, if sir Pai thought she was going to follow his instructions how wrong he was.

According to the map she had to take the left path? The dotted path was the less used if ever used at all. Nevertheless, she set off. With the light from the full moon Iris could make out a rather unusual pattern on how the trees aligned themselves. The path was hard to guess if not for the fact that the trees aligned in such a way that they left a space as if planted on opposite sides of the path.

****
Palin paced impatiently in her bed chambers. It had been about half an hour since she summoned the prince to her chambers. She had been watching before on her window and saw Iris leave. She had smiled almost mockingly when she disappeared out of the palace grounds.

Pakins plans were taking shape and it was time for the last stroke. The Prince.

****
A dead end. Iris unmounted and took a few steps ahead. She held her hands akibo and observed the sheer incredibility of her surroundings. She laughed in utter surprise at the scene.

After traveling for three hours without an opportunity to know she was on the right track she had to find a dead end? She wondered

The map still had a star at the spot where she stood.

Then she nearly dropped the map when she remembered the vision she had at the library. Looking up the scene was the same as she had seen it. The only missing piece was the goddess.

*****
When Kai received the message that his consort had summoned him, he saw an opportunity to speak with her about his new feelings. He hoped she would understand. When he passed by Iris's chambers, the lights were off and he couldn't see her when he cracked the door open. She was already gone.

He wondered how she was fairing on as he took difficult steps towards Palin's chamber. He felt nauseous and nervous. There was a voice in his head urging him to turn back and go as far from that place as possible but he couldn't.

He balanced his weight on his feet nervously in front of her door and decided to leave but before he turned to walk away, the door flew open and she stood there. Smiling, just like she always smiled when he was with her. That smile made him feel a good kind of nervousness but this time he felt an inkling of fear. Her smile had a bite of something else. If he looked closely, the smile was one of evil conspiracy. Inviting him to a space where doom awaited.

He smiled back before swallowing the lump of fear creeping up on him.

No one saw the predatory look on Palin's eyes as they turned a dark shade of all black magic she could have and then back to normal as she closed the door.

****
Iris felt the hair at the back of her neck stand and a cool breeze blew past making her shiver. She felt a presence behind her and she felt too stunned to turn and look.

"You're here," the voice was so silent so soothing she could have mistaken it.
She slowly turned around and came face to face with her.

Her dark purple hair cascaded down to her hips and some strands danced with the breeze.The crown sitting perfectly on her head looked so beautiful due to the combination of blue and white jewel stones on it. He eyes were a dark shade of purple also, so kind yet so magical. Her face, the color of honey held no sign of aging and her full lips, curved up into a smile. Her white and blue majestic robes shone under the moon and in her left hand she held a rose. White and blue rose.

It was the same person she had seen. The goddess was here. She knew it was her. The familiarity in her presence made her frown in surprise. Like she had met her before.

But where?