Jupiter Rising

Chapter Thirty Three- Escape

In an unfortunate turn of events, I was right behind Mirrens rear end as we crawled down a tunnel, her black tightly woven trousers were making it hard to see anything up ahead. Since I was the Queen consort I rather think she should have been following behind me, but this wasn't the time for formalities. Our aim was the same, to head deep into the Gloam and retrieve Rowan.

Sycamore had magicked us into an abandoned dank little home, of which he said his family used to live before Murgloom was left a ghost Kingdom.

Through the darkness had come voices, and Sycamore was now leading us to what sounded like a gathering. We became so close that the earth beneath our knees vibrated as we crawled. Murgloom's tunnels were not fit for those of us bigger than a flea.

Sycamore came to a stop up ahead and held a finger over his mouth, gesturing for us to remain quiet. We each crawled around to him, a semi circle formed around a hole in the earth beneath us, and down below a chamber filled with what must have been the leaders and the general of their army.

Mirren and Emerald both peeked down below, and I followed suit. Mirrens hand coming up and smothering Emeralds little gasp, as the enemy came into view.

We stay still, hardly a breath between us in fear of the eyes of the enemy searching out the sound above. There was only a few minutes of silence before they carried on, unfazed.

I looked down once more. Emeralds gasp was not misplaced, for all of us but Sycamore was shocked to see the army up close. The Gloams soldiers were Goblins, trolls, and creatures so hideous, as if the sun had not set upon their skin in decades if not centuries. With skin so translucent and sickly they looked like something nightmares were born from. The only enemy that resembled us, must have been the Changelings. Some resembled Fae but had no pointed ears. It was eerie to see them so closely, and observe them in greater detail.

They all took a bow, and a deep voice broke through the room below "Good Eve my kin"

"King Gloam" A Goblin bowed, taking his hand and kissing his ring.

King Gloam?! Were we about to finally set eyes on the Gloam?! A figure so shrouded in mystery that even Jupiter had drawn him without a face.

"We have much to celebrate" he gloated, taking a seat at the head of a table, his form just out of sight. "Valendoor is ours. I have the throne, and our people have taken any dwelling they see fit to reside in. Valendoor will kneel for all of us"

Emerald looked enraged, biting down her plump bottom lip to stifle her anger.

The room cheered. Gloam gloated further "Tonight we have even more news. A few short hours ago with the dusk... we successfully took The Islanders by surprise too. Queen Anemone is no longer"

"The old biddy is dead?!" A Changeling in armour asked.

Mirren and I exchanged a haunted look. A Queen had fallen. The Six had lost a Sovereign.

"She didn't wish to leave the Throne willingly. To be honest, I wouldn't have taken that old crone as a betrothed anyhow. Her daughters too, are as old as dirt. She was ready for the after. Not a one of us even had to touch her. She took a vial of something within her pocket... and folded forward. Her death however, is our gain, and now we have the Southern seas, and the Northern lakes. Our kin within the water will rise and take their places within the world they were once banished from"

The crowd cheered once more, deep booming, and odd how they sounded. Some voices were inaudible.

"They banished us all, not fit for their world... not pretty enough, not well enough, not fitting for their idea of how Fae should appear. They loved their fairy tales to be as the books in the human world depicted, pretty and light. They drove you all down into the ground for centuries, hoping to suffocate you and claim your lands, but they didn't count on a resurgence. They didn't count on those they left to die in the world of humanity to come back, to claim what was rightfully theirs. We have all been burned by the Queens of this world... and now we return them to their rightful places... upon their knees"