Witch Of The White Wood

Right or left

(On this episode of 'I have no motivation')

The air was warm and carried a light smell of death on the breeze. The trees were quivering under it.

"There's someone outside the forest M'lady." A beautiful voice whispered into my ear as I sat at the table discussing military matters with elders and council members. I looked over my shoulder into the pretty blue eyes of my lady in waiting and whispered back into hers. "Are they a threat to us?" She shrugged her shoulders lightly. Members of the council argued back and forth in front of us, ignoring the words I was silently sharing with Bebe. "They have no discernable weapon attached, no signs of injury. A friend of yours follows them." I quirked an eyebrow as she continued. "Butters." she groaned. 

Of course, he'd be the one to bring someone to the kingdom. I nodded and rose in my seat, letting the council members stop their bickering as the attention was drawn to me. "We will continue this discussion again at a later date, I declare this meeting over." I bowed lightly before turning around, letting the long train of my dress shift around on the floor as Bebe ushered me out. 

"Wait a minute. What will we do with our forces? They are ready to fight now, later isn't an option!" I looked over my shoulder with cold eyes, staring back into the woman who asked the question as she shivered under my intense stare. I didn't have to speak. Instead, I just left the room, walking through the halls at a slightly rushed pace. "What a bitch..." Bebe muttered under her breath when we were out of earshot which made me give a little snort, trying to cover it up so I wouldn't gain any attention from those passing. "She's adamant on us joining with the humans. I'm not wholly convinced of her reasoning though." I admitted. Many council members suggested marrying into the different lands to strengthen our own but that was not a good enough reason to destroy the elves to me.

Once we had left the palace a guard had rushed up. He looked weary and his uniform was a bit scruffy. "M'lady, there is an unauthorised member at the gate. What should we do with him?" I continued to walk, the soldier trying to keep up with my thundering steps on the wood. "Do not let him enter until I have arrived." He nodded with starry eyes and dashed away. I would have loved to run after him but dresses with trains weren't things to run freely in. Villagers seeing their queen act childish was also not a good thing.

People were whispering to themselves as we passed, probably due to the heavy steps and angry faces we sported as we clattered closer. Eventually, Bebe and I had reached the front gate, the brambles were growing slowly higher and blocked out more light, they were on their way to becoming a dome around the main city. I noticed the numerous guards with their spears standing around the closed gates. The bramble forest acted like a maze, only people who knew the path could get through. It just so happened that Butters knew the path. 

I saw his head of blonde hair before I saw his face. Pushing my arm out I made the guards move from the gate to behind me. Bebe stood at my side, arms crossed and unimpressed he had brought a stranger. I looked closely at the two, they looked close to an extent. Butters pulled on a grin when our eyes met and he stood closer to the gate only to have guards point their spears at him. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Bebe spoke for me as I examined the boy on his right side. He had normal features for a human but something about him looked a bit off. He wasn't human. "My queen may we request an audience with you?" I looked to Butters in curiosity. "What for!" Bebe scowled with angry eyes, still speaking in my turn. 

"We are on orders of the king to pray for your aid in the upcoming battle against the elven kingdom." I felt my jaw flex and my teeth grit together inside my mouth. "What makes your king think we want to be in any part of this war huh?!" Bebe shouted to him, jabbing a finger into his chest through the gates. I still had yet to speak and so had his friend. I put a hand on her shoulder and ushered her back. "We will speak with you under the conditions we define." I nodded to the guards to unlock the gate and let the two follow us as Bebe spluttered in disbelief. 

Butters kept up in step next to me. We had seen each other months ago but this visit didn't seem like a friendly one so I couldnt just treat him as such. This was business so I would treat it as business. I noticed Bebe watching his friend in angry curiosity. 

We sat adjacent to each other, Christophe and Gregory taking the place of Bebe and Annie as the two had been sent elsewhere. I laced my hands together in front of me at the table. "So what is it your kind wishes of us?" I asked harshly, making Butters shudder at my harsh tone. "W-well M'lady... A week ago the stick was taken from us in our own kingdom by the elves. We are readying our forces to retrieve it and wipe out the elves all together..." He looked away a little as my eyes harshened on his form as he spoke. The boy he was with slipped me a closed letter from across the table. Gregory stopped my hand from reaching for it and instead silently asked me to let him read it as I nodded. Christophe stared angrily at the boys across from us with his arms crossed as he leant back in his chair."We would like to ask for your aid in this. We don't have enough soldiers after the last battle and we are running low on food due to the famine." I watched Gregory's eyes dart across the page quickly before he scowled and handed Christophe the letter.

"What could you offer us?" Christophes accent rang out as he took a breath in, almost as if he was smoking with no smoke coming out of his mouth. "We can offer you anything you'd like! The king said we can do anything you ask of us if you agree to our terms!" Butters jumped up a little bit, he looked enthusiastic to see us mulling over an alliance.

"And your terms are?"  Gregory leant forward in his chair with furrowed eyebrows, slipping a hand over his blonde hair and slicking it back further. Butters visibly gulped under our three stares. "W-well the king proposes marriage-" Christophe laughed before slamming the letter on the table. "Not happening." He growled out as Butters nodded, looking slightly relieved. "We also request full access to your land and military as well as instalments of food in weekly intervals if marriage is declined." I shifted my eyes to the boys at my sides, they had conflicting faces. Gregory looked uncomfortable and upset at the proposition and Christophe had a smirk on his face. 

I sighed. Personally, engaging in the war was something I very much did not want. Having the military there for defence was the furthest I felt comfortable stretching it but actually taking lives of people fighting for their country was something else. And against the elves of all people. 

I shook my head. "M'lady I believe this could be beneficial to us. The humans have revolutionary technology which could benefit us greatly..." Christophe whispered into my right ear. I saw Gregory's eyes roll at my left. "But, the elves are better-equipped fighters, they will plough through most of our troops in a moment. As well as that, we have better ties politically with their kingdom, they are closer and they are overall more agreeable and stick to their word..." I nodded to Gregory. 

"I am sorry but I can not accept the terms of this offer. Tell Eric we decline." Butters fidgeted in his seat before nodding as he was escorted out. I watched the four leave the room, the unspoken one lagging far behind. Placing a hand to my head I sighed, mulling over my decision as a light hand made its way in front of me. 

I looked up, meeting the eyes of Butters' entourage. "Yes?" He slipped me a letter before placing a hand to his lips and wandering off as the faces of my guards looked at him suspiciously. Staying seated I had every soldier or guard leave the room, plunging me in silence before I opened the letter. 

It was marked with a seal I knew all too well. 

'My dearest Queen (Y/N),

Although you refuse to see me, I have a proposition of peace for you...'

I couldnt hold back the grin that took over my face. 

"As formal as ever Kyle." I shook my head lightly, reading on. 

Two offers in one day?  The boys were making this almost too easy...