Eye of Prophecy

Chapter Naoi: Death, Drunks, and Dopplegangers

Chapter Naoi: Death, Drunks, and Doppelgängers

Another day, another horse...no wait, another back ass of a horse...and me...the unluckiest Prophetic Legacy known to man, uhmmm and beast alive.
"I DID not agree to this!" I shout.
"You have no choice."
I always have a choice.  This wasn't going to be fun, but I braced myself and let myself fall from the horse. I was terribly winded and I wondered if I broke a rib or two. All worth it, when being kidnapped by some deranged Fae. Eiroahen yelled back at me and pulled his mount to a stop.  He dismounted, no weapons in sight—stupid.  I drew my dagger that I had hidden and I see real surprise and admiration on Eiroahens face.
   "You will come with me, one way or the other."
   "Want to bet on it, Fairy Boy?"  We circle each other and it only takes me a second to realize that he hadn't taken out his weapons because he didn't want to do "damage" to me. 
Well, I'd show him.  I lunged forward and got his side—good.  Now Eiroahen's face was turned red, whether from embarrassment or anger I'm not sure.
   "So you know your way around a blade."
   "You sort of have to, living where I live."
   "And where is that, little Del" We were both beginning to sweat now.  Totally focused on one another,
   "Oh no you're not tricking me into telling you where I live."
   "I had to take the chance," Eiroahen said.
I was getting tired of this,  I stepped back focused my magic and created an ice prison around Eiroahen.  Eiroahen seemed amazed as he touched the bars and found them solid and smooth. 

   "No little power is this.  Power over the elements.  Very few Fae have such abilities since the Great War." With that Eiroahen let out fireballs out of his palms and melted the bars and stepped out.  "Now, are we going to do this the civilized way, or much we fight this out.  I do have several more tricks up my sleeve, Lady Del."
Did I really want to continued fighting this clearly strong Fae?  Or should I allow fickle fate have her way and lead me to Theoahannder.  It was clear this was all where it was leading.
   "I sit behind you." I said tartly.  If I'm a Lady as you call me you don't cart me around like some vagabond or criminal.
   "I believe I can promise that as long as you do not throw yourself from my horse again." He cringed when he saw the bruises already forming.
"Do you need medical help, Lady Del...your ribs?"
   I fished something out of by skirts and gave him a look.  "Aren't you going to turn around? It would be the polite thing to do." Eiroahen immediately turns around and I unlace the stays of my dress and drop it down to my waist.  Thank goodness I had insisted on loose stays and no additional undergarments.  I open the tin and spread a good amount of the good over my ribs, immediately I can feel the relief and I sigh.  I hide the tin and right my bodice.  "OKay, I'm decent."
   Eiroahen smiles you look as fetching as ever, Lady."
   I roll my eyes.  "You don't have to butter me up.  You got your way, lets go meet this king of yours."

                             *****

King Theoahannder's palace was just as ginormous as King Caedmon's. But where Caed's was lit up like a million stars, this was was gloomy and dark. A true medieval castle, only bigger, if possible.
"Yeah don't trust him already." I mutter.
"What did you say Lady?"
"Oh, nothing." I breeze back. The guardsman who see Eiroahen immediately let him pass. I had been right, he was some big wig around here. He helps me to dismount and I slip his hands away. I know how to freaking dismount. This only puts a smile on Eiroahen's face. Eiroahen grabs the first courtier he sees and asks where the kind is. They mention that he's in "secession" and Eiroahen grins. "Good, good. Somehow I believe you will lighten up these procedures considerably." He tubs my hand and all but pulls me through a bunch of dark and spooky hallways. We reach two huge doors, each door is engraved with a violent battle scene.
"Fun," I murmur.
"Oh yes the king likes to immortalize his wins over his enemies."
I roll my eyes. "Y'all are just sick puppies aren't you."
"We're not puppies, definitely not sick."
"Expression again, Earthen expression."
"I do not like them."
I laugh, "Don't worry, most people don't."
Eiroahen wraps on the door until a loud booming voice says, "Enter, Eiroahen and friend."
My eyes flare, "How did he know..."
"The king knows much about everything and a bit of advice, do not defy him, he makes my magic look like a flame from a match."
"Can't promise that Eiroahen. My mouth sort has a brain of itself."
"Then Goddess help us." He pushes the door open and we enter a ginormous room. The courtiers are banked on each side of the room and at the end of the room there is a black throne, made from some shiny stone, because it reflects off the lights that light the room (he couldn''t put some of that light in the hallways?) It's not that he's saving on an electricity bill. And I chuckle a little.
"What makes you laugh Lady Delphine?" The King asks.
"Just a foolish thought I had a minute ago." I say demurely, while feeling anything but.
"No I wish to hear it" His voice grows thunderous.
I draw back, not in fear but in surprise. "And do you always get what you want, Your Majesty?" I ask him saucily.
""OUT NOW!" Theoahannder yells to the throng of people. "You," He points to Eiroahen, "You stay."
I place hands on my hips and say, "Hey Eiroahen did nothing wrong. He followed your orders to the letter even when I jumped off his damned horse."
Theoahannder raises an eyebrow and leaves his throne. He begins to walk toward us, and Jeez a face like his should be illegal. Perfectly patrician features. Eyes that tilted ever so slightly. Cheekbones that could break glass. Unblemished, beautifully porcelain skin. He was, in a word, stunning. Of course that said nothing about his attitude which was already grating on me.  "Do tell me this part where you threw yourself from his horse."
   "It's not a very interesting story, actually, you Majesty." I counter
   "I doubt that." The King's eyes wander over to Eiroahen and narrow.
   "And how long has this girls been in our midst?"
   "I am not sure, your majesty.  She appeared, Shorgus says, out of nowhere, and scared his horse."
   "Scared HIS horse? His horse could've run me over and broken every bone in my body."
   Finally a small, a really small smile crosses King Theoahannder face.  "You are much more than you appear to be, aren't you Lady Del."
   "Del, it's just Del."
   "Hardly a name fitting such a lady of yourself, what is your Christian name."
   I narrow my eyes but answer him, "Delphine, your majesty."
   "Then you are Lady Delphine."
   Somehow that sounded even worse than Lady Del.  I didn't stand on circumstance.
   "Seriously, can you not just call me Del."
  The King makes a moue of distaste and nods slowly.  Lady Del, then.  Although Delphine is a lovely name."
   "Thanks, I don't care for it much."
   "So we will talk about how you came to my lands."
   "Uhmmm no."
   "No?"  It was clearly not a word the kind heard often.
   "That's right now.  Now now." Frankly I was waiting for another vision to try to clear some images up and tell me the larger story.  I couldn't go on knowing these two beautiful kingdoms would tear themselves apart needlessly.
   "Take her to the cells, maybe a night down in the cells will make you reconsider."
I'd outlasted better than him, so bring it on.
   "My king," Eiroahen beseeches the king.  "Do you think that wise."
   "They are magically spelled, she won't get out of them.  And then maybe she'll learn a little obedience."
   I gave him the bird as I was dragged away.  I knew he probably had no idea what I'd done, but it made me feel marginally better.

                                           *****

The cells were cold, damp and yucky.  I tried another spell and watched as my magic poofed and popped like bubblegum.  He hadn't been wrong, a strong witch must have spelled these cells.  This was no Fae magic that I felt around me.  I hear a shuffling of feet and I peer through to see Eiroahen standing at the bars.
   "I am sorry my lady Del.  I did say to not aggravate him."
   "No Eiroahen, I don't remember our conversation going that way.  You definitely didn't tell me that your king was a total nut job."
   "What nonsense of nut job do you speak of?" And the king himself steps through the shadows and appears next to Eiroahen.
Great he could travel through shadow too.  How wonderful.  We've got a powerful one here, babe.   I told myself.
"  To what do I owe this lovely visit to, your majesty?"
   "I thought I'd see if I'd given you enough time to come to reason.  Of course," he tossed Eiroahen a dirty look.  "I didn't know you already had company."
    "Yeah a lot nicer than yours," I mutter under my breath.
   Theoahannder narrows his eyes.  "What did you just say?"
   "Nothing." Oh greatest Del, great answer.  You're lame.
   "I have excellent hearing and it sounded Ike you preferred my general's presence to mine."
   "Your majesty she was just—"
   "Quiet!" Theoahannder roars.  "I find I need nothing said by you."  Theoahannder quirks his head to the side and narrows hiss eyes.  It's like he's regarding an insect.  "You tried the bars, didn't you." He laughs, "Let me guess nothing happened.  Yes I do not particularly enjoy dealing with witches, but sometimes it's required."
   Of course he could feel the ghost residue of my magic.  But the thing is, everyone always underestimates me.  My parents had, what few friends I had through the years, did as well.  And now this arrogant king thought he had seen everything I had up my sleeve.  I had a moment to decide.  Remain within these bars, or give him the show of his life and force him to let me out of this cell.  I walked slowly, menacingly over to the cell bars.  I gripped both bars with my hands, and gave him a feral smile, that even had the great king looking at my cautiously.  Powering up my body and concentrated on my hands.  Everyone can do it differently, but I tend to power up by my hands.  I felt the shockwaves of the power growing and growing.  My body was consumed with the electricity of my power,  suddenly I thrust a hand forth and the bars and top of the ceiling and floor turned to pure ice.  Before they had a chance to get themselves together I executed a perfect roundhouse kick to the bar and they crumbled, what I hadn't expected was parts of the ceiling to come reigning down on me.  "Stupid Del," I said before a rock his my head and everything went black.

                                  *****