The Whispers Of Trees

11. Promises, Good And Bad

Against her mother's words of caution and wisdom, Faelyn had decided, through a sleepless night, that she would not bow down below Achillia and her scrutiny any longer.

If she truly was a faithful follower of Mirith, then she would have put such faith and belief in her father and Alimar. But instead, her mind and heart filled with hatred and paranoia.

Something she was sure to take advantage of if it meant scolding her to the extent she understood all she had brought upon her family.

Turning the corner rather sharply, her presence caught the guards by surprise and so she simply barged through their feeble attempts, into Achillia's office.

The woman, much like the guards, did not appreciate the sudden intrusion, and it showed as she shot to her feet in a blind fury, her hair having been yanked free of its braids and left to hang around her reddening face.

"How dare you barge in here without arranging a time with me!" she bellowed

"Well how dare you barge into my mother's house and endlessly accuse her of things we can't answer. Don't sit so high Achillia, you are no different than us villagers"

"That is where you are wrong" Achillia began to hiss "I am your leader, protector even-"

"Then perhaps act like one. Respect has to be earned not forced, but you clearly don't understand what that means. So I will put my words simply, don't harass my family, stay away from us and put aside you petty behaviour, because no one wants to follow a bully"

Ever more crimson she grew, and ever more spiteful.

Like a clack of lightning, her hand met the table and her face was pushed towards Faelyn's, but she refused to move. She refused to back down and show her belly in a sign of weakness, she would be strong. Just like her father.

"Do you have any idea the chaos I could bring down upon you and your family? Have you any idea the suffering I could inflict and the minds I could sway to do my bidding? My patience is reaching it's end, so push me again little girl, and you will be to blame" she said, her venomous words spewing from her tongue.

Faelyn, in one act some may call brave and others stupid, placed her hands flat on Achillia's desk and leant forwards.

"And what would everyone do if they found out you were threatening me? Like I said, respect needs to be earned. You are in no way worthy of any morsel of respect or honour, you are a coward and that will never change"

Slouching back into her chair, Achillia glared at the woman before her with such disdain that it began to close the room in around her. The leaders chest began to quicken as her hands trembled on the twisted wooden armrests. Behind all of the madness, she seemed to be thinking, although Faelyn didn't need to take a wild guess as to what could be coming next. Whatever the woman would have to say, would not be good.

"Do you know what you are trying to protect?" she asked quietly, focusing more on the view out of the window than anything else. "You think your family is worth saving, I would beg to differ"

"Maybe if you had family you would understand" Faelyn quipped, watching Achillia's head whip to glare daggers at her.

"Your mother is not who she says she is, she is dangerous"

Disbelief made itself known as Faelyn snickered aloud, her mind toying with the idea of leaving there and then. "Have you ever met my mother?"

"You have only known her for as long as you have lived, I have seen what her kind was like before, what they did"

"And what did she apparently do, or should I say her kind as you put it?"

"They tried to bring around another corruption, one that would see the world with no gods. Nothing but sorcery and their ritualistic ways." Achillia warned.