Chartile: Prophecy (10 page)

“
So?” Jayson shrugged.
“What do you need us for?”

“
Queen Isla of the
Tutarian Mountains would be the Elders’ first choice to become
Empress. She has been trained in the ways of war, and her princess,
Faeridae, would make a wonderful successor.”

“
That sounds great!” said
Leo.

“
Dimitri tells me he has
told you that our Princesses, Queens and Empresses may not wed.”
The boys nodded at Nefiri’s declaration. “And you are familiar with
The Black Diamonds?”

“
Yeah, but we aren’t Black
Diamonds,” said Leo. “Why do you need us? Or Piper?”

“
My informants in the
Tutarian Mountains tell me that Isla has been courting a known
member of The Black Diamonds. We believe her to be a sympathizer to
this rogue organization. Without sufficient evidence however, we
cannot commission the Elders to strip her of her
position.”

“
Why do you hate these
Black Diamond guys so much?” Jayson asked. “In our world, men and
women are equal. Why don’t you just give these people some of what
they have asked for?”

“
You are not Dwarvik, my
dears. The abilities of the genders between races are not equal.
Even if they were, I will never allow an organization to have a
voice amongst our Elders that finds ruthless methods of sabotaging
our mines and killing our innocent husbands a means of negotiation.
In the last five years nearly one hasana from every household has
gone missing. The entirety of House Sehtvar has disappeared, or was
found dead. These people are killers. We fear that Isla will work
to get them a voice on our Council if she is made
Empress.”

“
What are we supposed to
do?” asked Jack. He bit his lip and shuffled his feet on the floor
beneath him.

“
Queen Una of Mount
Kelsii, though younger than Isla, is trained in both war and peace.
She is the first queen in many generations to be trained thus, and
it was by her specific request. Though there may be many on the
Council that would vote for her, her successor, Princess Gemari is
very young. Many would argue that Gemari is not ready for the
responsibilities of Queenhood. We cannot allow Isla to become
Empress. I need your help to convince the Council of this, and I
will agree to continue to train Gemari, as I was Queen of Mount
Kelsii before my succession as Empress. It is the only foreseeable
solution.”

“
Why don’t you just stay
the Empress, at least until after we get this Taraniz situation
figured out? Wouldn’t that solve everything?” asked
Jack.

“
I am not trained in the
ways of war. This is how it has always been. If you truly are who
many believe you to be, then you should have little difficulty in
swaying the Council’s decision.” Nefiri’s face was beginning to
look more worn and lined as she continued.

“
You do realize we’re only
fourteen years old, right? I’m on the debate team and all, but this
is different,” argued Leo. “I don’t know how three teenagers who
aren’t even from around here are going to have any effect on
anything.”

“
But that’s it, isn’t it?”
asked Jayson after a moment’s silence. “The way we talk and act is
proof enough that we’re not from Chartile. So, even if we aren’t
actually these reincarnated kings, it’s not too hard for these
people to believe it. I mean, think about it. If aliens came to our
planet and they had this technology that was different from ours,
it might be thousands of years out dated to them, but we’d think
they were, like, super geniuses, just because of the stereo type
about aliens. You want to use our existence and presence here to
help you.”

Jack and Leo tried not to let their mouths
hang open as they stared at Jayson. Nefiri looked at the floor,
scowling and sighed.

“
I think that’s the
smartest thing you’ve ever said, Jay,” said Leo.

Jayson smiled. “What can I say?” he said. He
crossed his arms and attempted to lean against the wall behind him.
“This place seems to be rubbing off on me.” Instead, he misjudged
the distance and nearly fell over.

“
Will you at least
consider my offer?” asked Nefiri, “I will ensure that your use of
magic is never discovered. You would be awarded Ambassador status
among the Dwarves. I can find you permanent quarters of your
choosing at the Tutarian Mountains.”

“
We’ll think about it,”
said Leo. He smirked at Jack and Jayson who nodded in
agreement.

“
I can ask no more,” said
Nefiri, unable to entirely hide the defeat in her voice. “Do you
have any further questions I can answer?”

“
Yeah,” said Leo, leaning
back and refolding his arms again. “Who are these informants, and
how do they know about us?”

Nefiri nodded. “I can say only so much.
Please understand, as the leader of my people, it is my duty to
have eyes and ears everywhere. I have had them watching Piper for
many years now.”

“
Why?” Jack asked
quietly.

“
If you do not know the
answer to that, you will very soon. It is not information I feel is
my right to give.”

“
If you had all these
people watching Piper, how come they didn’t try to help her?” asked
Jayson. His face grew flush as he spoke. “I mean, she was starving
out there. If she’s so important, why did you let her
suffer?”

“
She is an elf. Though an
admittedly important one, her fate is in the hands of her people,
not mine. It is regrettable, but it is the way of
things.”

“
That’s bogus,” Jayson
huffed.

If there are no further questions, I would
like to continue to our next matter at hand,” Nefiri’s voice raised
with more enthusiasm. She rose, and headed for the door. Jayson,
Jack and Leo remained where they were. Nefiri opened the door and
bowed low. The young girl from the hall entered. She bowed stiffly
at the waist to the boys, her hands flat against her thighs. Jack,
Leo and Jayson hurried return the gesture, if rather clumsy.

“
My Lords, this is
Princess Gemari, Queen Una’s successor. I have charged her with
ensuring you are taught the proper etiquettes of our people. She
will be your guide in the days leading up to our meeting with the
Elders.”

“
My lords, it is an honor
to meet you,” Gemari said sweetly. Her eyes locked with Jack, and
she blushed scarlet before looking away.

“
I have arranged for our
tailors to outfit you in the best garments available. Please, rest
for today. Gemari will return tomorrow to take you on a tour of the
mines, and have you properly garbed. If you have no further need of
me, I shall take my leave of you.”

Jayson took a step forward as Nefiri and
Gemari turned for the door. “You’ll tell us as soon as Piper wakes
up, right?” he asked.

“
Of course,” said the
Empress before shutting the door behind her.



Piper’s eyes fluttered open. The mural on
the ceiling before her. Visions a unicorn and phoenix by a golden
fountain swirled together and made her dizzy. She closed her eyes
again, and concentrated on moving one part of her body at a time.
She was stiff and sore, but thankful for the softness beneath her.
For a moment, she thought she had died. The pain was horrible, and
had given way to terrifying nightmares. Her mind raced with
thoughts from the attack, and she sat up quickly. The room spun
around her, and she felt instantly sick. A firm hand pushed her
gently back to the bed. She resisted, but the pounding in her ears
became overwhelming.

“
Piper, everything is
alright,” said a male voice. A cold compress was placed on her
head.

“
Dimitri?” she asked. She
couldn’t focus. Her mind and her eyes were a blur. “What’s
happened?”

“
Piper,” said a different
voice, this time a woman. “My name is Nefiri. You are at Fortress
Kelsii. You and your companions are safe and well. Please stay
lying down. You are not yet fully healed.”

Piper did as she was bid. She focused
instead on grounding the pain that coursed through her. Very slowly
she moved first her toes, then her hands. She wiggled her fingers
and moved her shoulders up and down. The sharp pangs within each
muscle gradually diminished. After several minutes, she removed the
compress, and rolled to face the room. So much was still a blur,
but she could make out two figures sitting across from her. They
sat in the high backed, wooden chairs typical of the dwarves. She
could make out light through the small round window over their
shoulders.

“
What happened?” she
whispered. “I remember the— what was that? I fell unconscious. We
were at least a day from the fortress. How long have I been
sleeping?”

“
Your friends brought you
here swiftly, and we were able to heal you. You have been sleeping
for two days,” said the woman.

Piper sat up, though more carefully this
time. A cup of broth found its way into her hand, and she sipped at
it cautiously. Her stomach wanted to resist, but she fought it. She
knew she needed the nourishment. With each sip, the room began to
come into focus more clearly. Empress Nefiri sat across from her in
a plain wooden chair. The woman watched Piper with her usual stone
faced emotion. She remembered the woman from when she was a child
visiting the mountain with Gran. Nefiri had hardly aged since then,
though such was typical of dwarves.

A man she had never seen before was bent
over the hollow stone pillar, stoking the fine within. She was sure
he was Elven, but he bore no heraldry of the King or Taraniz. Piper
said nothing, but continued to sip her broth until it was gone. The
elf straightened the water basin resting on top of the pillar, and
resumed his post in the chair beside the Empress. At once Piper
recognized his blue gray eyes. Her heart began to pound and she
nearly dropped the mug in her hand. It was one of the men who
frequently accompanied Taraniz to Outland Post.

“
You!” Piper cried and
flung herself from her bed. “Why have you brought me here? When did
the Dwarves align with Taraniz? You’re not taking me to her!” She
scrambled for the door handle, her head spinning again. Nefiri
stood and stepped toward Piper.

“
He is not here for
Taraniz, Piper. He is here for the King. He is a friend. I would
not turn you over to her if my life depended on it. Please, calm
down. We are here to talk, nothing more. There are many things you
need to know. May we speak in peace?”

The Empress rested a hand on Piper’s
shoulder, and the girl stilled. She had finally found the handle of
the heavy wooden door. Her thumb pressed the latch. She need only
swing the door inward, and she could run. No doubt, though, there
were armed guards waiting outside if the Empress was in here. And,
if this man had come representing the King, it meant Aramor may not
dead. It meant there might still be a way to fight Taraniz— a way
that did not have to include her.

She released her grip on the door, and it
latched again loudly. She turned, her icy green eyes staring at the
man the entire way back to the sofa.

“
Let’s hear it then,”
Piper replied. Her firm and commanding tone had returned as she
sat. “What news have you that is so important it could not wait
until I was fully recovered?”

“
This is Valar Marion. He
is the head advisor to King Aramor. It was he who came to us
first,” Nefiri hesitated and glanced at the man beside her. “Well,
there is much to tell.”

“
Then do so quickly. I do
not wish to be hampered with nonsense in my condition. I do not
understand why this could not have waited until the council
hearing.” Piper snapped, waving her hand before her.

“
Because there is much
more than the issues of the council,” said Valar. He sighed and
rubbed the back of his neck. “Piper, I am sorry to be so direct
with you, and I regret if any of this comes as a shock. But we are
on limited time, and a decision must be reached.” He sighed again
and pulled a leather bound book from his pocket. “My lady, it was I
who brought you to Outland Post as a child. I brought you there
because King Aramor asked me to get rid of you eighteen years ago.
King Aramor did so because he could not bear to watch his kingdom
be torn apart by feuding twin sisters.”

Piper felt tears brim her eyes. She felt her
breathing quicken. Her grip tightened on the arm of the little
fainting couch as Valar continued.

“
King Aramor knowingly
married the daughter of a half human, but it was all kept very
quiet. Queen Runa was very beautiful and very kind. She was greatly
loved by all the people in Chartile, and the marriage made sense.
When she became with child, she was unable to control the magic she
had suppressed for years. It was believed she had grown out of her
magic, or that it simply had dried up for it had not been used for
so long. She was locked away in a tower wing of the palace, and the
people were told she was ill.

“
When she gave birth, she
could not control her magic, and she died. No one knew she carried
two heirs. King Aramor chose the first born and asked me to get rid
of you. I couldn’t kill you. Runa had been dear friend, and you
were only a few hours old. I took you to Outland Post. Your
grandmother was a friend of mine, and I knew her daughter could not
bear children of her own. I knew you would be safe there, far away
from the palace.

“
When she was thirteen,
Taraniz began acting… strange. It was as though she were using
magic, though there was no evidence of such. We found ourselves
unable to defy her, and King Aramor became weaker by the day. I
knew your grandmother and parents had raised you with all the
proper courtly etiquettes, as the granddaughter of a palace scribe
and retainer should. It was I who stopped Taraniz from killing you
that day at the rebellion, and it was I who asked the Dwarves to
watch you and protect you in secret all these years you have lived
in the mountain. I knew this would not be difficult, as you and
Dimitri had been close as children, and he was now liaison to the
Empress.” Valar stopped. He quickly wiped away the tears that had
fallen from his eyes. Piper had staunched hers some time ago. He
walked to the window, and Piper stood to face him.