The Queen's Curse (40 page)

Her face was a little milder
, it seemed.

‘You have found my bedroom
, as you have found my home. How can I punish a determined, clever person?’ she said in a serene voice.

You see? She is already changing by our mere presen
ce!
Artride thought.

‘Then you understand we have come here for you. Deep down inside
, you know this to be true. You want to be saved.’

Sempervirens
face screwed up a little before she smiled, but it was a wicked smile.

‘Save me by killing me, hmm?’ she said ironically and she made a hissing sound and smiled. ‘Wouldn’t I just have invited you over?’

‘You did by letting us stay,’ Artride said in a steady voice.

‘Well, you can believe what you want to believe, I won’t stop you. People tend to explain everything that happens to them in life; over analysing, how tiresome. Tss, saving me!’

‘Well, I just believe that things do not happen for nothing,’ Artride quickly responded.

Sempervirens narrowed her eyes somewhat. ‘I knew you were different and I’m not all
as displeased as I sound. I will be honest with you; now that you have been honest with me.’

And she looked straight through them when she said, ‘I want to meet more people like you if they exist. I want them to come to me.’

‘Why?’ Tirsa asked stepping forward with curious eyes.

‘Well, not to
save me!’ And she laughed at her own joke. ‘For my … ultimate revenge. The human race has not been … kind to me. But that does not matter anymore for their time is over. My time, however, is at hand, in which I and I alone shall rule.’

‘So you do want more people over to
… serve you?’ Tirsa asked.

She smiled. ‘Only those who succeed can join me, the rest
, which will be the majority, will fail and I will watch them stumble and fall with pleasure.’ Her eyes glittered with joy.

‘I should have known.’ Artride sighed disappointed, nodding her head.

‘Why would they even bother to come over here?’ Tirsa asked raising her hands.

‘Why did
you
come here?’ Sempervirens reminded her.

Tirsa rolled her eyes. ‘What makes you so sure other people will? We had no other option; there are very few advanced sorcerers. But most people will find it too risky to even try to travel through the
Magical Land.’

‘I will make sure they will come. I will lessen the dangers and I will send messengers, spreading word about a hidden treasure within this cave and the most powerful person in the world to grant them any wish. Greed and curiosity will make them come.’

‘What good would that do? Why bother?’ Artride asked suddenly, trying her new approach.

‘Why talk about revenge
?’ she sounded kind, stepping closer. ‘Can you not see you avenge yourself by simply hiding from the world? Watching people suffer, you are reminded of your own hurt. All you do, living all this time in here, is to avenge yourself really. Justice I believe in, but vengeance after all these years – after all these lives lost and everything gained: power, knowledge, wealth, what have you really learned? Do you think I have not lived with hate in my heart for the sorcerer who caused my people and me so much grief? But he is long dead now and I cannot kill him anymore; nor would it do any good to take it out on other people. I must deal with the consequences of his actions today. And I have learned to avenge my father and all those who have died because of this dangerous curse with love; love for my country, my people, my freedom and love for life itself. Hate only lets itself be beaten with love. A soldier like Tirsa fights with love in her heart too, not with hate. Let go of your hate that eats you up inside like a parasite. Be a soldier of peace. Fight your own hate with love.’ And she made a fist to empower her words and placed it over her heart.

Sempervirens stared plainly a
t Artride as she seemed to weigh up her words. Then her eyes seemed to glow as she said, ‘Was it your love that made you kill your father’s brother?’

Artride reddened and her mouth trembled slightly at the thought. But then she seemed to strengthen herself again and she spoke with a steady voice, ‘Yes, were it not for the love of my country and its people I wouldn’t have killed. I would not even be here. For this and my love for life I will do almost anything.’

‘Even take a life, your uncle and mine … Then we are not so very unalike, you and I.’

‘No
…
you
seem to be able to enjoy hurting people; torturing them, preventing them from a life of freedom, forcing your will upon them. That itself gives you power; that makes you feel good about yourself. I, however, detest this. I could never live with myself knowing I hurt other people intentionally.’

‘Perhaps you’ve never known true cruelty like I have.’ And Sempervirens seem
ed to shudder.

‘Most likely not. However
, no one can ever undo the hurt caused to you by people long gone. No matter how many souls you capture; no matter how many you torment, no matter how many innocent lives you take. It won’t heal you; you’ll never get yourself back doing this. You are more human than you will admit, Sempervirens. You talked about turning away from the pain the human world causes; that’s a start. But you yourself still live
with
pain. You brought it with you. You cannot seem to leave it behind.’

She sighed heavily, wanting to close her ears, getting restless.

‘Not only do you punish other creatures now for your revenge, whereby you think luring and testing human beings is the most thrilling of all. You are still punishing yourself at the same time, even if you live in luxury and pretty illusions; you’re still utterly alone and lonely, with no one who truly loves you. You even had to cast a spell on your poor TalamhClann servants to like you.’

Sempervirens’s eyes had grown bigger and redder while the queen had talked and a frown showed on her forehead. How did she know so much about her? It was like she was reading her so clearly
… It angered her, soothed and confused her at the same time. Had she, after all, found the book with Eolas trapped and … spoken to him?

‘Do not try to analyse me, Artride!’
she said out loudly, and stood her ground with narrowing, dangerous eyes.

‘I do not have to. I know
… we know … the truth about you.’

She saw Sempervirens swallow more nervous
ly than she expected, replying quickly,

‘What do you mean?’ and she flickered her eyes nervously as they had not seen her
do before. She was losing her control.

Artride pulled the amulet from underneath her night gown and showed it to her.

The eyes of the sorceress showed humour. It made sense to her now. The amulet of Honesty and Truth.

‘So, you found one of my pieces of jewellery?’ and she rose her shoulders lightly and sighed
, relieved.

‘Yes, but we know what it can do.’

‘Alright, you found that out; I told you I thought you most clever. You are indeed worthy.’

‘Yes, but you have underestimated us. We are more than clever. We have met your friend
… Eolas.’

Her whole body seemed to freeze in hearing his name
, and for a moment she could not speak. Then her almond shaped, dark eyes grew wide and she showed fear and fury at the same time.

‘That cannot be!’ she spat.

‘Don’t be alarmed. We only want to help you.’ And she pulled the amulet over her head.

‘Look
, and now you’ll believe all I’ll tell you to be true.’

‘You will not lecture me anymore!’ and an invisible hand grabbed the necklace from her neck, pulled so that the cord broke and threw it away. The women saw it hitting the wall before it fell with a sharp sound to the floor
… in tiny pieces … broken.

‘You will leave my room at once if you want to live to see the day!’

Artride swallowed away her fear and licked her lips before she replied, ‘I guess we won’t ever be seeing daylight again, if it’s up to you, will we?’

‘Not if I can help it, now be gone!’

The women turned to the door as if to leave, but as Tirsa left, Artride froze before turning.
If not now, when?

‘No, I will not leave.’

Sempervirens’ eyes grew narrow and her mouth twisted in scorn. Someone had disobeyed her and they would pay the price.

‘You dare to disobey
me
?’ her voice was loud and echoed through the room and beyond.

‘Please, listen to me
,’ Artride stepped back towards her.

‘I will not let you corrupt my mind any longer. I have tolerated it too long!’

Tirsa quickly grabbed Artride’s arm and pulled at her. ‘Come on.’

‘Yes, listen to your guardian angel, Artride
,’ she ironically said, and laughed wickedly.

‘No, Tirsa, we shall have it my way now.’ And as they walked away she shook her arm loose
.

‘Your way did not work, nor will it ever, can’t you see?’

Sempervirens laughed madly and it filled her bedroom. It would have shrunk them if they weren’t too angry for that.

‘Stop it! Stop your juvenile behaviour and listen to me!’ Artride screamed going back.

She stopped laughing alright, but her expression was not to be fooled with. The sorceress was furious and fire was building up inside of her. Her dark eyes grew scarlet.

‘I am sorry to speak to you like this; but only harsh words seem to work with you. Somehow you seem to respect that more than kindness. I only want to understand you and make you see that you have to stop hating! You have watched us all this time.’ And she looked at Tirsa. ‘And watched our friendship grow and our love for one another, haven’t you? But you make it look like something sick, while it is pure and real! Can’t you see, did you not learn anything? You have been playing with us and tried to destroy everything we have; yet you failed, because love is stronger than hate, stronger than you!’

‘Is it?’ and Artride felt herself being lifted up and up, and being thrown with force through the doorway against the wall of the corridor.

With a smack and a thud she fell to the floor. Tirsa ran to see to her and fell down on her knees
beside her. Gasping for air, the queen lay on her back and stared at Sempervirens in horror. She could not see her eyes, but was sure she saw a flicker of concern washing over her face.

‘Nothi
ng is more powerful than me!’ her voice thundered before the door slammed shut with a loud bang.

Tirsa stood up after she
had made sure Artride was alright, kicking the door open with her legs before Sempervirens could lock it and walking straight to the Queen of Dochas.

‘Have you no shame? She’s never thought badly of you; even af
ter all you’ve done! And now she knows your history, all she wants to do is help you. She even tends to forget her own worries and our own task, and you treat her like this?’

‘Aaaaah, she is so selfless she was not even tempted to stay once in Dochas?’

Tirsa’s eyes softened and she drew a deep breath. ‘The life of a queen is not always easy, and in order to be of use to others you sometimes have to treat yourself right and stay truthful to yourself. It is a spiritual need. She is however the most selfless person I have ever come across.’

Sempervirens smiled
, her arms crossed over her breasts. ‘How touching. Tell her again I do not want her help. I will not give her the credit. Now did I not tell you to leave?’

‘Or what, you’
ll smash me into a wall too? The same as you lock up the people who love you? Or smash them against a wall or even kill them if they’re mortal or disobey you? How convenient; not to deal with love anymore. Just throw it away!’ and Tirsa made a wide gesture with her arms.

‘Love!’ Sempervirens
spoke the word while she spat it out. ‘Love is not as ideal and perfect as one thinks. Do not be so naïve! Love means hurt!’ and she pointed a finger at Tirsa who backed away as she expected a blow of some sort, but nothing came.

Artride stood up, regaining her composure and softly said, ‘And you do not want to be hurt anymore, we know that. And we sym
pathise with you, really.’ Artride coughed, while a small stream of blood ran along her mouth.

‘You’re bleeding!’

Artride run a hand across her mouth and wiped it away carelessly, ignoring Tirsa.

‘I don’t ca
re.’ Artride came closer to the sorceress whose eyes grew bigger. Sempervirens had to admit this woman had courage and perseverance.

‘You cannot live without love, without friendship. Can you not at least begin to love yourself?’

‘I do love myself, greatly.’

‘You don’t really. You love what you have become. You must love
all
of you … call this little girl inside of you and love
her
. She needs you. Do not hide her. Love her like no one did and you can truly love the grown woman you have become.’