Long Live the ..........? [ONC 2024]

Chapter Five: Flames and Tears

Roz quietly closed the door to the Privy Chamber behind her, a cheeky grin on her face. She watched Cassien meticulously lay out his scrolls and wondered why such a handsome creature would waste his life in the dingy archives of the University. Cassien carefully unravelled each parchment from his satchel and placed weights on the ends to prevent them from rolling back up. Roz slowly moved around the table, walking her fingers over the parchments.

All of them were written in ancient writing that Roz could not understand. Not that she needed to, as that was the role of the archivists. Some documents appeared to be little more than lists. Others were diagrams with what looked to be people's names written at various intervals. Cassien looked up, a little startled by how close she now was.

Roz stepped closer, so that she was in line with his chest. A slight whiff of smoke escaped her lips as she gazed into his bright blue eyes. "Cassien, this all looks fascinating. Perhaps you could enlighten me on what you have discovered," she breathed.

Despite grinning, Cassien's gaze remained centred on his work. "All in good time, Your Grace. The Privy Council should be present first."

"Oh, they will be ages. Can't you give me a little hint?"

Cassien smiled politely, shook his head and resumed organising his scrolls.

Roz gave a little humph. Slightly put out that her attempts to flirt with him had failed. She had heard that the Fey were always up for a little fun. Perhaps she needed to be more obvious. "How long have you worked at the University?"

"Oh, about 800yrs."

"That long? You must have a few tales to tell."

"I do indeed, Your Grace. The University has a fascinating history. Did you not consider attending at all? Your father did."

This was not the response Roz was expecting. When he was alive, King Sylvannus had often spoken of his carefree days at university. But Roz had barely left the Palace compound. There was no need. Everything she could want or need was at her disposal.

"No, I preferred to keep an eye on things at home."

"I was sorry to hear of King Sylvannus's passing. May he dwell in the Mother Hen's downy embrace. As you Mallardians say."

Roz tried to brush off the sentiment. The last thing she wanted to concern herself with was her late father. "Er, thank you, it was..., it is a very sad time. But as Queen, I must do my duty. Which is why you are here to help me to fulfil that obligation."

"It must be difficult, though. Elves wed for love, not duty."

"Love? My parent's marriage was a love match. It is a rare thing in Royal Houses, but not unheard of. Don't Elves have Royal Houses?"

Cassien nodded. "We do, but we believe Arla, goddess of love, chooses our partners. So rank matters little."

"Oh yes, Elves believe in many gods."

"That is true. And you believe in the Holy Duck."

"I don't know what I believe. I was, of course, raised as a good Mallardian. But my mother always considered herself to be a kind of god. Then she died."

Cassien smiled sadly and sighed. "Ah, yes, I remember it well and such a freak accident, too. Who would have thought Mount Boom would have blown its top like that? And all those towns built around it were gone in an instant. Such a tragedy for the kingdom and the royal family, of course. You must have been very young at the time."

"I was seven." Roz's mind drifted back to that night. Metica had three Volcanos. Mount Spark was the smallest. Then came Mount Fizzle and Mount Boom, which was the largest. Mount Fizzle often spouted lava, but Mount Boom had not erupted for almost nine hundred and ninety nine years till that fateful night.

Nanny had woken her, wrapped her up and taken her to the palace gardens. The entire household watched excitedly as in the distance, Mount Boom threw out smoke, rock and lava, like some kind of fireworks show. But the mood soon changed when her father appeared in a terrible panic. Her mother was missing. She had turned Draco and gone off on a flight but had not yet returned.

Hours turned to days and still no sign of the Queen. Plus, King Sylvannus had to organise the rescue and re-homing of those who had survived the eruption. From those survivors, it became all too clear what had happened to Roz's mother. Many had seen the Queen, or rather a great dragon, flying up to the summit of Mount Boom and was last seen flying into its crater. It was not the first time she had done this, as dragons often bathed their scales in Volcanos. But who could have known that such an act could have such tragic consequences.

A tear dropped from Roz's cheek onto one parchment. Quickly realising what she had done, she gave a loud sniff and searched her pocket for her pipe.

Cassien gently dabbed the tear so that it could evaporate safely. "No harm done, Your Grace. I, too, know the pain of losing loved ones."

Roz lit her pipe and eyed him curiously. "I thought Elves were immortal."

"For the most part. But we can be killed."

"Did you lose your family?"

Cassien's eyes welled. "I lost my wives."

Roz was unsure she had heard right. "Wives? You are married?"

"I was. But they all died." and he wiped a stray tear.

"I am sorry. Who killed your wives?"

"No, you misunderstand. My wives died of old age."

Roz shook her head in confusion.

"Sorry, what I mean is, my wives were all mortal women. Arla has cursed me in that I never fell in love with one of my own kind. I have loved sixteen wives in my long life, with children, grandchildren and many more besides. And I have loved and lost every single one. Now I have taken a vow of celibacy, that I may never feel that pain again."

Roz was speechless. She had been trying to flirt with an Elf who had not only been married numerous times, likely populated half a kingdom and now had taken a vow of celibacy. But there was little time to process this information as the door opened and an excited group of elderly men led by Arlon spilled into the Privy Chamber. 

(W/C 1056)