The Elven King's Consort

Epilogue

The borders where the lycans, elves, and vampires meet harbor those who have abandoned society or been banished forever. A thick marsh grows heavy while the treetops soar high above, blanketing the earth below with constant shade and keeping the temperatures cool and muggy. The ferns hide critters and small beasts from the prying eyes of their enemies, who conceal themselves in the branches high above.
It's a place that the everyday civilian from the inside world has forgotten about for centuries. No one from there comes in and out. The outside people forced to survive here do so in constant fear, fighting every day to prevail. The name of the land is known as Lost Ones, for at the time, the rulers agreed those people were forever gone.
Today marks the first year Cesteil and I have ruled over the Elven Kingdom after the previous battle we endured during Václav's reign. We restored order and rebuilt the colony from the ground up. So many innocent lives had endured an ill fate, leaving some areas barren. The life wiped out clean and unfit for a new one. It would take time and constant healing from the grace of the fairy queen and the Tree of Life to bless those areas. But the fairy queen can never leave the safety and comfort of the Fae kingdom. So Cesteil and I use what essence we have each day, and little by little, there will be change.
We find ourselves in the forbidden area, scouring it and taking in what's been made of it. The last of the kings to come here was Demetri's father about fifty years ago when a man serving the lycan was caught stealing from the people and the royals. Selling products for high prices on the black market and eventually being caught. Banished to this area as punishment.
Cesteil rode up ahead, speaking low, with Theron scanning a map of the area. The purpose was to ensure that none of the criminals had escaped and damaged neighboring villages. Many lands were farmed and used for trading. Some of the established promises we made as the new rulers of the Elven Kingdom was to ensure consistency with each village, safe borders, and fair taxes.
Looking to one side out in the distance, scanning the area, I kept finding myself falling into and out of memory lane. The forest becoming distorted, the images of the past year appearing in segments. Shutting my eyes, I sighed long and low, and when I opened them back up, the fairy queen stood in front of me on her knees, crying. I had just told her the news of her loved ones being murdered and made into powdery substances. How Václav had consumed them over the past eight years, enhancing his power, and that by the end, it was all too much for him, and he perished.
What I didn't do was tell her that Keyair had also used them a handful of times and that he survived. Only Cesteil knew of it and swore he wouldn't reveal it. We chose to keep it this way, for the fallen high elf had saved my life and assisted in helping defeat his father.
Scrunching my nose, I willed my mind to venture to a better memory, hating recalling that sad, heart-squeezing feeling while watching the fairy queen mourn, unable to comfort her properly. The image disappeared, and my mind went blank. I overheard Cesteil, and it was as if my hearing returned to me, and the memories died away, quieting. Opening my eyes, I stared out into the forest, almost feeling dazed.
Nothing moved out there in the endless forest. Everything was quiet aside from the occasional scurry of a squirrel or the flying of an insect. It looked so peaceful. Theron motioned for Nasyrn to join them, pointing at the map. She halted her horse. She ensured that we were safe by scouting the area ahead, but we hadn't ventured that far into these lands. For now, we were safe.
A field of white flowers began to appear, and soon, we were surrounded by them. The talking trees and marsh became more scarce until there weren't any left. The field of white flowers swayed knee-length back and forth against the cool breeze. Winter was upon us; however, here, no snow fell, and the frost did not steal the time. Looking out past the hills, a stream flowed, which parted the lands, and a forest grew only a few feet from it. That was the direction we needed to go.
Stepping down the horse and bending down while tucking a loose strand of hair, the crown threatened to fall over, but I stopped just in time. Taking a deep, quick sniff, I couldn't help but remember my mother, the late queen of the Vampire Kingdom.
After we left the Fae Kingdom, we held a grand wedding where Cesteil and I invited all the kingdoms to celebrate our matrimony. A few days before the big day, my mother and father came to stay with us. I requested to see them and discuss the matter regarding my magic, the tree of life sacrificing itself for me to survive, and as a result, I was born barren. That's when my mother explained to me what little she knew and when I told her what the two of us endured against Václav.
It was a cool, breezy day like this one. The four of us sat at a petition table outdoors in one of the many gardens the Elven Kingdom estate possessed. Mother had aged significantly and seemed sickly but reassured us she was fine. Father watched her like a hawk with loving and caring actions, ensuring she had all she needed.
"Why didn't you tell me I had magic?" I remembered asking, taking a sip from the stale, chilled tea. The flavor of rose and honey was exquisite, to the point that I didn't mind.
"We choose to wait until you and Cesteil became official. It was necessary because we didn't know if King Roen would cancel everything, forcing you to be without proper answers. His temper had grown significantly as the years passed. Even torturing Cesteil by taking away everything and anything he enjoyed or loved."
I frowned but nodded, willing to try to understand, and she continued.
"If we had revealed everything and somehow word of this reached his ears, we were convinced he'd forbid the matrimony out of spite. Once the two of you married, I would have asked Caelestis to sit with us and discuss everything. I'm sorry, Nadalia. I never meant to hide anything from you, I promise."
I smiled weakly and rested my hand on top of hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"It's fine, mother. I know that you didn't mean anything other than good for me. Your intentions have always been for our safety and benefit. But..." I trailed off, furring my brows and staring down at our hands, frowning. Now I worry about Maylyn. She's ill and unable to attend the wedding, nor has she answered any of my letters."
My father and mother verbally agreed, simultaneously nodding.
"She's refused guests, even the two of us." My mother began to cry, and I pulled her into a deep hug, comforting her.
"Once things have settled here, I will go see her. Even if she refuses, I will use any means necessary; I promise Mother and Father," I nodded to them both.
The calling of Caelestis snapped me out of the daydream, and I lifted my head away from the flowers, turning to look at him, who waved a few feet away to mount my horse and move on. I waved and smiled at him, letting him know I understood. Climbing up the stallion, it shuffled under me, whipping its tail around as it balanced itself.
My heart still felt pained; Maylyn had been too quiet for so long, refusing to be seen, stating she had contracted an illness, not wanting to accidentally give it to my mother and me since we were weaker. The letters have come less often, about once every two months, and the contents short and dry. I squeezed the reigns tightly, reddening my palms and the whites of my knuckles shown. There have been too many things to complete here that needed my everyday attention, and no matter how much I willed it, I could not leave and visit her. A few more weeks, I told myself now, and I will be free to go to her. Please, I prayed, let her be alright. Don't take her away from me.
After crossing the ice-cold stream, we guided our horses back into the forest, which grew thicker and received little sunlight. The leaves were wider than our heads, and every now and then, a sliver of the sun's rays peeked through, hitting the ground. It would sparkle and twinkle, bringing life to what little littered the ground.
My memories ran rampant, giving me no rest and distracting me from my purpose. Forcing them silent I scanned the area for anything suspicious. Cesteil fell back to match my pace; his crown sat atop his head neatly. His hair was pulled back in a half braid past his shoulders, the five o'clock shadow and coarse stubble gone shaven away, and he no longer held deep dark bags under his eyes. Those golden eyes of his glowed with warmth and happiness, making me smile, drawn completely in, unable to look away from him. He wore a thin black robe with red embellishments and a long chained golden locket that matched mine, a gift he had given to me on the day of our first anniversary. It held a painting of one another, mine in his and his in mine. His smile grew wide, revealing his perfect white teeth, and the butterflies within my stomach took flight.
" We are nearing the Lycan Kingdom border soon. For now, all is well. Many of the banished and rogues live in the center and have not ventured to the borders from the reports Theron and Nasyrn."
"Good," I stated, smiling at him, feeling relaxed now, knowing things were going well.
"Once we clear the area, we will return to our kingdom."
He grabbed my hand and pressed it against his lips, and my entire body warmed. Letting go, he pushed back a loose strand of my hair, and I allowed him to enjoy the way his fingers felt against my skin, regardless of how calloused or rough they were.
"You're majesties!" Caelestis yelled; his horse galloped to us, startling me.
"What is it?" Cesteil asked, worry befell his face.
"Nasyrn has something important to report just past those trees! She's found bodies!"
Bodies?! My heart was in my throat, and my pulse was in my ears. We raced as fast as possible past the trees and came to a sudden halt. My mouth hung open in shock. Two mutilated bodies lay face down under the brush of vines and leaves, Nasyrn squatting down inspecting them. Quickly, we dismounted and rushed over while keeping a sharp eye in case whoever had done this was still present.
"What on earth happened?"
The bodies had been mulled apart. The bones and meat torn and ragged. However, it was not fresh; clear signs of decay were present, as well as indications that animals had pestered them.
"Rogue lycans starved your highness. These were once humans traveling through from the empty satchels not too far from where the bodies lay."
"They've already gone, haven't they?"
"The lycans? Yes, a few days have passed since this occurred, unfortunately."
Theron stepped through the low-hanging branches, carrying a brown-stained blanket in his arms. His face was pale white like a ghost's.
"What is it?" I asked, stepping closer to him.
"This...this is..." he fumbled over his words and stared straight past us as if he had been possessed.
I reached out to uncover the mysterious item, and there in his arms was a baby fast asleep, dirty and thin. Something grew inside me, and I knew deep down who this child was. It was the prophesied child.