Chartile: Prophecy (17 page)

The council broke into conversation once
more. Jayson, Jack and Leo looked at Piper. She smiled proudly at
them. They had grown so much in such a short time. She no longer
doubted they were the Kings of old. But, that could only mean one
thing. As soon as the boys turned away, her fear returned.

“
Fine!” shouted Jarvae
above the crowd. “If this is what it takes to save our people, then
so be it. However, Isla and Faeridae, you shall be placed on
probation and await trial for your actions. If you are found guilty
of conspiracy, regardless of this permanent or temporary change in
our ways, you will be stripped of your titles and banished outside
Dwarvik territory for the rest of your days. Nefiri, will you agree
to remain Empress until this matter is resolved?”

“
I will,” said Nefiri
coldly. She glared at Isla and Faeridae.

“
There still remains the
dilemma of who will take the throne once Princess Taraniz has been
killed or captured,” said Ulfwyn. “To our knowledge, there are no
other heirs to the Elven throne. With no one to claim the throne,
the Elven territories will fall to civil war. Noble and commoner
alike will vie for the crown. Usurping Taraniz may end one war and
launch Chartile, and us, into another.”

“
I believe I may be able
to assist in this matter, elders,” said Valar, rising from his
seat. He approached the council with a leather bound book and a
stack of papers.

“
Many of you remember our
Queen Runa, late wife of King Aramor. What few knew was her
grandfather was human, and she inherited his magic. For this
reason, she was hidden away when she came with child. The populace
was told she was ill, but truly she was locked away in a tower. She
was unable to hide her magic any longer while carrying. Orenite
cuffs were made for her, and she was often chained to the walls of
the tower. Our Elven council will say it is because she was prone
to sleep walking, but this is untrue. King Aramor believed the now
deceased Head of the Elven council, Taervane. He claimed Runa’s
magic during pregnancy had made her mad and unstable. He said it
was for the protection of all that she remain sequestered away in
the tower. I visited Runa and can say she was far from mad. She was
disheartened and afraid, and though her belly grew, she withered
away before my eyes.

“
I tell you this as only a
few of us were present when Runa gave birth. Aramor and the
physicians feared removing the orenite cuffs during this process.
As with Humans, there was the risk of injury to those present if
the orenite was removed. But the risk to her health was more
severe. Keeping the orenite cuffs intact was to her demise. She
died in childbirth. Yes, it could have been prevented. The decision
was made to cut the child from her dead body, and it was discovered
she carried twins.”

A muttering moved like a wave up one side of
the table and down the other. Valar waited several seconds before
continuing.

“
The first child was given
to Aramor. I watched him cry as I never have before. The second
child was thrust at me by the physician. Aramor paced the room for
several hours. Runa’s body lay on the bed between us. Both children
screamed and cried, but he would not look at the one I held.
Finally, Aramor asked me, “Is it a boy?” I answered him no. He told
me to be rid of the child. He refused to have his kingdom torn
apart by feuding sisters. He gave the first child back to the
physician and left the room.

“
I could not kill the
child. It had not asked for this. I had a friend, Kaytah Chaudoin,
a palace scribe, and her daughter and son-in-law, who lived at the
very edge of Elven territory. I knew they had not been blessed with
children, and were likely not to be. I decided to leave the child
in their care. She would grow up as far away from the palace as
possible. Several years later, I confided in Kaytah the true
identity of her granddaughter. I revealed to her that my intentions
were never to use the child as a pawn to gain the throne. Kaytah
was furious with me, and we spoke little afterward. But, I began to
see the child accompany her on her trips to the palace, and even
here to Mount Kelsii.”

“
You knowingly disobeyed
your king and assisted in raising an heir in secret?” asked one of
the elders. “Circumstances seem awfully convenient that Princess
Taraniz has started down a path to her own ruin, and you are the
only one able to guide this new heir.”

“
With Runa’s magic
becoming so strong during her pregnancy, I knew nothing good could
come of such omens,” said Valar calmly.

“
How do we know anything
good will come of this new heir?” asked another. “If she is of the
same blood as Taraniz, will she not be like her?”

“
Your story is all good
and well, Valar, but you know this council cannot make a decision
based on your word alone,” said Jarvae. “What proof do you have?
Where is Kaytah to support this? I know Kaytah well, and I remember
the child she used to bring with her. I know exactly whom we are
speaking of, Valar.”

Valar stepped forward. He laid the small
stack of papers in the center of the table before the elders.

“
As many of you know, each
year, a portrait is taken of each member of the royal family as
part of our genealogical records. I have here the last known
portraits of King Aramor, Queen Runa and Princess Taraniz.” He
stepped back and the elders passed the parchment between them. A
few, including Jarvae looked at Piper as they studied the
portraits. Some leaned in to their neighbors and discussed a facial
feature or two before passing the papers on.

Piper rose from her chair and took Valar’s
outstretched hand. “Elders, I present to you the heir of King
Aramor and Queen Runa, Princess Eva Ruani.”

“
What?” cried Jayson. Jack
had to stop him from running to her, though they were all
breathless with shock. Their minds raced with questions and
scenarios. It was hard to believe this rough and unkempt young
woman, who had been their only protector in a savage and unknown
world, was the secret heir to the Elven throne. They fought to stay
alert as Piper stepped from the platform. She smiled weakly and
winked at them as she passed by.

“
Valar, these portraits
cannot be the only evidence you have to prove that this child is
Runa’s daughter.” Frejah said standing to face him. “I believe we
can all agree that Piper looks almost exactly like Runa, but…” She
trailed off, looking to her fellow elders for support.

“
This is not enough,” said
Ygdalla firmly. “If this is truly the granddaughter of Kaytah, we
are aware she frequently companioned her during her travels. That
does not mean this child has any experience in diplomacy or making
decisions to govern an entire race.”

“
This is also not our
decision to make, Valar,” said Nefiri, her voice calm once more.
“Why are you not presenting her to the Elven council?”

“
The Elven council has
been corrupted by Princess Taraniz. Though she has not shown the
same signs of magic as Runa, I believe she has some form of power
over those people close to her. There is no other explanation as to
how she has been able to control the entire Elven army and most of
the council before Aramor’s death.”

“
Yet you were spared,” Una
sneered.

“
A few others as well that
I have been able to confide in these past three years. We have all
spent much time away from the palace. We believe it is for this
reason that her influence is not as strong over us.” The man’s eyes
became glassy and distant, and his voice turned to a whisper. “When
you are with her, you can feel a weight on your mind, and a
tightening in your chest. She is forcing her will upon you. She is
unpredictable. Three years ago, she was gregarious, intelligent, if
haughty at times. Aramor’s deterioration occurred when Taraniz
began having incidents of panic attacks and anxiety that quickly
turned to anger and downright madness at times. I believe she has a
magic in her she cannot control. And unless we can find a way to
dispel her of this magic, she is lost to us. If Piper has the
support of the Dwarvik council, then her case to the Elven council
once Taraniz has been dealt with, will be a much easier
fight.”

“
Cannot the heir of Aramor
and Runa speak for herself?” asked one of the younger elders who
had not yet spoke. She was short and stern, and crossed her arms
before her in defiance.

Piper looked at Valar and he nodded to her.
Piper unhooked her arm from Valar’s and walked the length of the
long table. She held her chin high, and glided across the floor so
unfamiliar to the boys. She turned to face the elders and royals,
and Jack, Leo and Jayson saw that the Piper they knew had
changed.

“
I will speak true and say
all that has been presented to you today was only told to me a few
days ago. I admit, I grew up in a small village believing myself to
be only the stubborn daughter of a blacksmith and healer. I believe
Valar with all my heart, even if I doubt myself. You are right, all
of you, to question my ability to rule. I question myself. But the
day a ruler believes themselves to be all righteous and without
fault is the day our people will fall. I have studied the laws of
my people, played court to learn the ways of the Elves in high
society with my grandmother, and I have an advisor willing and
ready to guide me the rest of the way.

“
I do not know if I will
be worse than Taraniz, or as wonderful as Runa. But, as I stand
before you this day, I vow to uphold the laws I believe to be true
and just, to govern the Elven people of Chartile with humility and
strength, and I will stand before the tides of life not as Eva
Ruani, but as Piper Romilly, for that is who I am. I ask for your
support as we work together for the good of our peoples, and the
strengthening of all of Chartile. Will you have me as your Elven
Queen, good elders? Will you stand with me as an equal to forge a
better tomorrow?

“
I ask you now, friends
and strangers alike, no more fancy words, no more talk. Let us
settle this and be done. For the good or ill of my future as Queen,
I implore you to make your decision so we may begin the necessary
preparations for defending our future together.”

Chapter Thirteen

Lessons

Jayson, Jack and Leo lounged in the common
area of their quarters after the council meeting. Several bottles
of pearl wine and trays of herb stuffed mushrooms, cheeses and some
sort of roasted mountain groundhog littered the floor and tables
around them. The council had almost unanimously decided to support
Piper, though they all agreed they had little choice. The meeting
dispelled thereafter, and the boys hurried back to their rooms. The
thought of being cornered and questioned by anyone was too
daunting, and Jack didn’t want to see Gemari try to hold back the
tears any longer.

They ordered as much food and drink as they
could think of, and attempted to put the stress of the day behind
them. Since there were no age restrictions on alcohol in Chartile,
Jack, Leo and Jayson were quite drunk soon into the evening. They
recalled their tales of the day with far more vigor and guffawing
than was really necessary. Leo told them about his encounter with
the Black Diamonds, and his meeting with Kylani and Brande. Jayson
and Jack drilled him for over an hour about the mines looked like.
Leo took another swig of pearl wine and forced them to change the
subject.

“
Jack finally kissed
Gemari,” Jayson blurted.

“
It’s not what you think,”
said Jack when Leo’s mouth fell open.

Jack launched into the story until Leo fell
out of his chair, and rolled on the floor, kicking his feet with
laughter. Jack was not amused and sent a piece of cheese flying at
his friend’s head. The night became a blur of stories and tales
from their past, laughing and drinking until at least two empty
bottles of wine rolled on the floor among the empty food trays.

The laughter died away, and silence hung in
the air between them. They looked at each other, sipping their
alcohol and watching the moon rise outside their window. It was
almost the same moon that shown down on them their first night in
Chartile. Their heads spun and their minds raced. They looked at
the empty bottles in front of them. A tingle ran up their backs,
and a knot formed in their stomachs that had little to do with the
wine.

Jayson set his chalice down. He re-corked
the wine bottle that sat on the table and placed it in the cupboard
by the window. Neither Jack nor Leo stopped him. They would be
attending a battle strategy meeting in the morning, followed by the
responsibility of acting as liaisons between The Black Diamonds and
the Council afterward. Leo and Jack poured the rest of their wine
into the stone basin sink. They did not look at each other, but
quietly headed to bed.

They wanted to believe the events they had
experienced and helped to shape these past few days had made them
grow up. Yet they couldn’t shake and uncertainty that grew inside
them. They doubted themselves, and they doubted each other. They
had tried to suppress it, but the pearl wine sitting heavy on their
stomachs made it far more difficult. Try as they might, they
couldn’t deny they were still just three kids from Swansdale, Ohio.
They really had no idea what they were doing.



Someone was using a sledge hammer in the
next room. It woke Jayson from his staggered sleep. He had gotten
up in the middle of the night to relieve his heaving stomach, but
that was the last thing he clearly remembered. He found himself
face down on the cold common area floor and tried to push himself
up. The room swam before him, and there was still that pounding. He
couldn’t focus. He laid back on the floor again, but he could not
seem to figure out what was going on. He tried to push himself to
his knees again, and suddenly felt sick. He ungracefully sprawled
back out on the floor, the side of his face finding comfort in the
cool marble. He had to decide whether to stay still so as not to
aggravate his dizzy head, or run for the chamber pot beside his bed
to relieve his stomach again.