Jupiter Rising

Chapter Twenty Two- Addressing Olamoore

"Good Morn, Olamoore. I stand here now before you as your loyal and devoted Queen. I promise to be honest with you, to always be honest, even when it's painful to be. As you are aware, Olamoore was attacked last night, it is a rare occurrence in our history that direct contact would be made within our Kingdom. I know it was terrifying. I failed to protect you within those moments, and I deeply apologise and regret that. I though, am not terrified. I am ready to fight. This Attack was orchestrated by a threat that we have recently been made aware of, a threat from a so called Seventh Kingdom"

The people of Olamoore who stood beneath the balcony, all looked to one another in shock. A Seventh Kingdom had never been imagined.

"This so called Seventh Kingdom, as far as we are aware lies close to Valendoor. Its leader, goes by the 'King of Gloam' We don't acknowledge this title. He is but a threat who deems himself worthy of a crown, and he has let it be known that he desires mine. I can tell you that no Queen in existence is accepting a Seventh Kingdom, let alone a King with an invisible crown. He threatens each and every Kingdom, and already, both Princess Mirren of Thistle and Princess Emerland of Valendoor have been kidnapped by this threat. King Caspian too is missing and presumed abducted"

I took a breath and looked upon my Kingdom, so many Fae that depended on my ability to keep them safe. They needed to know that I had this under control, for a weak Queen would result in an uprising. Fear made Fae out of control and reckless. I had to prove that I wasn't afraid, and all then would follow.

"I want you to know that all Queens are safe, and steps have been made in every Kingdom to lock down and protect the heirs. We are working closely to distinguish this threat from our world, and wipe it from existence. All armies are ready, the North, the South, the West and the East. He of course has already made contact with Olamoore directly, gaining access from North of us knowing that we cannot see them with the naked eye, and this was our weakness last night. We were not prepared for a threat to emerge from under the ground. Our Captive, caught last night within the forest, he gave that up to save himself. This will not happen again. We will retaliate, stronger, faster, and with more force. Not one Queen will bow down to this King. I promise it"

The Kingdom seemed stunned into silence, and the lack of a reaction concerned me. My people were scared, and numb. A threat had never directly hit the centre of our Kingdom, or destroyed homes and maimed the Fae folk who resided here. Armies usually dissolved threats beyond the borders, and any that got close, could never strike, for our veil was strong and unwavering in keeping out a magic threat. This threat was new, but unlike the humans who didn't know we existed beyond fiction, this threat saw us, and he aimed his human weapons right upon us. We had never been faced with weapons from that world before, for any man made threat had always been driven away by our magic. Once upon a moon, a man did come and try to build a home within the forest, it was said the gate keepers made him lose his mind long enough to send him on his way, but he made a perfect study, and study him we did.

Humans were forbidden in the deepest part of the forest. They were observed to destroy nature, pollute our rivers, hunt our animals, and eachother. Humans would pick us apart if they ever found one of us, in an attempt to understand us. In my opinion, humans were threatening our very planet. They were the enemy of the natural world. We had done a perfect job of keeping them away. These changelings, they were part human now, and if they had only come in peace I was sure I could have accepted them and given them shelter to return. Olamoore would have accepted them. This though, this threat, the abduction of our Princess's and the slaying of our people and creatures... this was all out war. The lines were drawn. It was too late for them. The possibility of acceptance was now zero.

"Those that take orders from the Gloam are now our enemy. They have a name you've heard before, and I want you to cast your minds
back to what you know of it. Changelings"

The balcony of family and advisors all looked nervous for me to mention this detail, but I had to be honest with my people.

"In our history there have been moments that Fae infants whom were sick, rather than die, they would be sent to the human world beyond the Veil. The parents of those Fae would either swap their child, and bring home a human that would be concealed and grow to be Fae, or they would come back and try again for another whom was healthy. I know it's happened, and I've heard stories of their existence, but I must ask you all now, if you've any knowledge of this or have any idea if this has happened in your lines, to come forth today and speak to my Advisors. You will not be punished. We need to know numbers, and we need to know them today. So, any knowledge will be valuable, even if you deem it not so. Just tell us. From this day forward however, I will be creating a Law on the creation of Changelings. Taking a child born in Olamoore out of the Veil, will now be punishable by death. A Fae should live within their own world, and to abandon a child to the human world is an act of cruelty. Our medicine is greatly improved, and if a child is sick, you seek assistance from your own people. Human children that exist here already, hidden in place of Fae infants, they will be more Fae than not now, and they can of course stay. It is the practice and the existence of the Changeling that we must wipe out. Any Fae that crosses the Veil to the Human world will never be able to return. From this day forth, if you leave, there will not be a way back. The same applies to those who come in, you don't ever go back. The magic that binds and guards our worlds, has been cast anew to reflect this. A one way door if you will"

"What if they are human?" Someone called out below. "Are you saying a human could come through and never leave. What would we do?!"

Others agreed with him, and a chorus erupted below me, of questions.

Andromeda stepped into my line of vision beside me, and she took my hand "They will die" she promised. "Any who dare cross... won't make it"

The crowd cheered, and questions came thick and fast. Andy took some and I took others, and before you knew it our entire Kingdom were united in the plan to move forward, just as Andy and I were united in our desire to rule Olamoore together. It felt good that she had arrived beside me to show a unified front, and the presence of not one, but two Queens, it comforted our people. We were the only Kingdom with two powerful Queens at the helm, and we planned to tag team the life out of Gloam, one dusk at a time.

Andromeda would be in charge of the guard and the gate keepers in and around Olamoore. She would lead from home, safe keeping the Kingdoms gates, and creating a team to implement our new law around the boarders. From dusk the boarders would be locked down, and it would be impossible to leave or return.

"So, that is our plan. Our army, and any of age and willing...We strike back at dusk, and we strike repeatedly until all Kingdoms have recovered their kin, and then we don't let up... not until the Gloam is eliminated. We will approach from beneath, just as they. I of course do not expect the Fae here to charge into battle, if I as your Queen do not do the same"

My Brothers and Andromeda lost their composure. I hadn't told them this part, and I did so publicly so that not one of them could talk me out of it. Andy's hand slipped from mine. I reached down and claimed it back tightly. 

No turning back.

I focused on my people "So, battle we will, you and I, from Dusk until Dawn"

The crowds cheered. The King Of Gloam's demise would be a celebration.

I turned to Andromeda "From Dusk until Dawn" I repeated.

She reluctantly stopped fighting to release her hand from mine, her eyes drawn to mine, seeing the way I begged her with one gaze to stand with me.

"You and I"  she hesitantly agreed.

***

From tunnels they snuck in
Beneath us they crawled
An act of terror
Cruel.
Retrace their steps
To their core we sneak
Plucking them from beneath
With bird beak
An eye for an eye
Beneath we spy
From Dusk till Dawn
They die