Chronicles of the Old Continent: Twins

IV.

Moments later she reappeared, thousands of miles away from the Ogre's Inn, in front of the gates of the Ikari palace. She had never visited the Ikari lands before, but she had read a great deal about them as a child. Their culture was based on the extraction of black ore, a mineral that existed only in their territory and nowhere else across the known worlds. It was a particularly strange mineral, for its extraction could only take place between the strike of midnight and one, for that was the only time when the ore was visible to the eye. But, once cut free from the stone, the ore lost its ability to disappear and could be molded into all sorts of things. The most beautiful jewelry was made of black ore and it was extremely expensive. Of course it possessed magical abilities as well. The most dangerous use of it was when its powder was mixed with unicorn blood and applied like a salve on one's hands; that person could then bind anyone to their will with a bond that could only be broken by death itself. Binding Fae was a skill naturally possessed by witches and warlocks, a relative minority in the Old Continent and hardly ever malicious. This potion in the wrong hands, however, could cause great trouble. That was one of the reasons she was never allowed to train with black ore, as she grew up, because it was extremely dangerous.

The Ikari were also known for their exotic beauty. And indeed, the Ikari she saw coming and going through the palace gates were strikingly beautiful. She had, however, no time to sit and stare, for the moment she popped up in front of the gates, the palace guards came running, and surrounded her, their lances pointing towards her.

"Stand down, stranger! You are in violation of the Ikari perimeter!" their leader barked.

Red expected this reaction and had her reply ready. It was still surprising to her to see how everything she had been taught as a child about how things worked in the Old Continent, came back to her. As if she had never left.

"I seek an audience with the Lady of the Ikari. I mean her and her people no harm. I come with only peace in my heart," she replied steadfastly, without hesitation.

The head guard motioned to his subordinates to drop their lances and stepped forward. He stood right in front of her and inspected her from head to toe. From this close, Red could marvel at his beautiful face. His eyes had yellow irises, but not the poisonous kind of yellow; his nose was elegant, his mouth small with thin lips. He was well built and very muscular. He had to be, he was a soldier. His skin was pale blue, which, according to what she knew, would glow slightly in the darkness. The Ikari – her childhood books echoed in her head – were generally peaceful and had no magical powers of their own. Their palace guard was essentially the only form of an organized army they could show off. If there was to be a major war, the Ikari would have to rely on the benevolence of their allies to not be occupied immediately – which was also why, traditionally, whenever major conflict arose, they chose a neutral position.

"And who, might I say to my Lady, is requesting an audience with her?"

The guard's voice, when it was not barking orders, was quite soothing. Red remembered the Ogre's suggestion to keep a low profile and trust as few people as possible. For that reason, she leaned in to the guard's ear and whispered:

"Tell her that Red of the House of Ionia and twin sister to Devon the Enchanter is here to see her on an urgent matter."

The guard backed away and bowed respectfully. But he refrained from mentioning her name out loud and simply signaled her to follow him. Before entering the palace grounds he dismissed the guards back to their positions and then he led the way through the maze that was the Ikari royal residence. She would have loved to have the time to linger in this amazing building, but her guide was walking quickly reminding her that she should get things over and done with. From the passing glances she could cast about herself, however, she could understand why black ore was held in such esteem by everyone in the Continent. It was obvious that the Ikari were not just the miners, but also the most qualified artisans to handle the precious product. The magnificence of the palace put to shame the Great Palace of the Emperors in the Capital. For what the place lacked in grounds, it made up with the craftsmen's unsurpassable artistry that molded the ore into every conceivable shape and size. Everything around her, from furniture to chandeliers, was exquisite. Still marveling at what she had just witnessed, Red found herself standing in front of the Lady of the Ikari in her personal study. The guard approached her and whispered in her ear.