Six Rulers

6

Chapter 6

Olivin

I woke up in my bed, very confused. My mouth tasted like sand, and my entire body ached. I hadn't felt like this since-

Oh.

Crap.

I hadn't felt like this since Mock War 2020.

Oh well.

I sat up and immediately regretted it. My head swam and I had to force myself to not flop back onto my pillow and go back to sleep. I closed my eyes and waited for my had to feel less loopy.

When it finally did, I grabbed my phone off my bedside table and checked my texts. Syric had texted while the battle was going on:

Sy: u need help or sm

Sy: im taking ur silence as a no

I chuckled and went to shove my phone in my pocket. I quickly realised that I was not wearing the shorts and t-shirt I'd put on that morning. Instead, I was in my sleep shorts and favourite shirt – it was blue and had ducklings on it, but those ducklings were wielding water pistols and wearing bandanas. Yellow text across the top said 'Pew Pew, Muddafuggahs.'

(My friend Sage had given me the shirt as a gift for my 16th birthday, and it was easily one of my most prized possessions.)

I rolled out of bed and stumbled out into the corridor. Elaine and another guard were stationed outside my door. The former leaned against the wall, playing with the end of her white braid.

"Your Highness," Elaine snapped to attention, dropping her hair. "Aelyn told us to tell you that she wants you to stay in bed for at least-"

"Respectfully, Elaine, I don't give a rat's ass what Aelyn wants me to do. I am a grown woman, and she is not my mother." I caught her turquoise eyes. "She does not dictate what I do. At the end of the day, I outrank her. She might be your General, but I am your Queen. Dig?"

Elaine's face reddened. "Yes, Your Majesty. I'm sorry."

"Hey. None of that." I smiled. "You've gotta loosen up a bit."

She nodded, but her face got even redder.

Crap, I thought. The one time I try to be reassuring, I end up embarrassing the poor girl. Who am I kidding, girl? She looks like she's my age – or older.

"I've actually been meaning to talk to you about something," I said.
Her brow furrowed."What do you mean?"
"Well, I've been looking for the soldiers who will make up the new Fatesguard. You're one of the ones I've selected."

"Seriously?" Elaine's eyes went wide.

"Yeah. Your brother too." I gestured down the corridor. "You two go see Blacksmith Tommy tomorrow for your medallions."

Elaine bowed deeply. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Your Majesty."

"Nothing to it."

The other guard looked on hopefully. "Your Majesty?"
"What?"

"You didn't choose me, did you?'

I patted his arm. "Sorry dude."

He wilted, like a cut flower. "It's alright."

I gave Elaine one last smile and continued down the hall in search of food.

—

I got kicked out of the kitchen. The head cook couldn't provide a real answer, only that I was "disturbing his kitchen with my chaos energy." I wanted to punch him and insult his gods-awful man bun, but it had taken a long time to find a chef who wasn't a total jerk who could actually cook and not just lie about it. Much to my chagrin, Sookie St. James isn't real, and therefore cannot cook for me.

I managed to snag a few warm snickerdoodles from an unattended cookie sheet before I fled. I took my cookies and wounded pride and went in search of a place to eat them in peace. My head had stopped hurting, but my body still ached like I'd done a total body workout. (Something you couldn't even pay me to do.)

I had a few moments of peace and solitude before my phone started playing 'Breakin' Dishes', which was my latest obnoxious ringtone. Rolling my eyes and setting my remaining cookies aside, I brushed my hands off and answered the call.

"What's up?"

It was Syric on the other end, and he did not sound happy. "He took over my castle."

"Hello to you too."
"Hello," he said curtly. "He took over my castle."

My stomach lurched. Already knowing but wanting to clarify, I asked, "Who's he?"
"Dingbat Dylos. Is he like, possessed, or something?"

I sighed. "I have no idea. He has been acting weird lately... Have you asked Sage about any of it? She might be able to glean something out of him."

"Already tried it." Syric sounded tired. "She said that he hasn't spoken to her in days. He even kicked Zadiah out of his study the other night."
"Oh dang," I blinked. If he was kicking Zadiah Gray out of somewhere... "I don't get it. Their wedding is in two months. Those two are so perfect it's nauseating. Why would he do that to her?"

"I have no idea. I tried talking to his brothers, but Axel didn't respond and Jay is too stupid to get that something's up."

I bit into another cookie. "That ambush... I can't believe he'd do that. To me, of all people."
"You do tick him off sometimes." he paused. "Are you eating something?"

I stopped chewing. "...no."

"You're eating something. What are you eating."

"...a cookie."

Syric didn't speak for about thirty seconds. "You have no idea how much I want to smack you right now."

"Well thank the gods you're not here."

"Maybe I'll come bug you and steal your cookies."

I scoffed. "Try stealing my cookies and lose your fingers."
"Muahaha. FEAR FOR YOUR COOKIES, OLIVIN. I AM SYRIC THE COOKIE STEALER."

"You're Syric the toddler. But, if you want to come over, have at it. I'm recovering from battle."

"Oooooh." I could hear him hiss through his teeth. "Mock War 2020?"

"More like 2019."

"I see. I'll be there in 15."

"See ya, loser."
"Right back at you."

I hung up and crammed the rest of the cookie in my mouth. Since Syric was coming over, I decided that I might as well invite Sage too. Make it a party. I opened my messages to Sage.

O: hey syric's coming over wanna come

Sa: sure

Sa: what should i bring

O: idc

O: yourself

Sa: very funny

I followed that with a middle finger emoji and texted Syric that Sage was coming too.

Sy: great now it's a party lol

O: fr

I inhaled the salty coastal air and gazed out at the spread of Faerie's Landing. The sun was starting to set, turning the sky into a beautiful mess of watercolour; purple on blue on gold on orange, bleeding into the skimpy white tufts of clouds that lazily floated by.

The light from the dying sun turned the metal buildings of the city into molten lava, casting everything in topaz and maple syrup coloured light. I loved to sit on the balconies that peppered the sides of Darkmoon Castle and watch the sun do down. My mother had instilled in me an appreciation for the beauty of nature and everything it contains. Sunsets, forests, lakes, fields. I loved them all.

I closed my eyes and let the warmth soak into my skin.

This was true peace.