Fae, Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

“Reports from scouts have come in.” Damien said, over my shoulder. “Humans are closer than ever.”

I looked back at him, but my expression fell when I saw his concerned expression. “How close?”

“Four were spotted not far from the grounds, but they haven’t breached the barriers yet. The scout reported it before dawn broke.” Damien’s voice was impassive, but we shared the similar thoughts – it would only be a matter of time before they reached the barriers. Hopefully, the ancient seals would hold. I turned my body towards him patiently, but made no further moves. “Anything else?”

Damien nodded. “They’re preparing for the coronation.” Just as I’d expected, but no matter. I was calmer now, and more focused after the adventure of the morning. Damien had awoken to find me sitting there, staring at the sword in a meditative state. I’d already finished talking to it, but I’d continued to think there while the sword returned to a more dormant state. We’d gone to breakfast together, but had returned immediately following it. Damien had then went to answer a knock at my door while I stood on the balcony.

Now, we were faced with this situation.

I was wearing my fight clothing. I’d been focusing on each and every thought going through my head, and steadily I was realizing that I was getting less and less doubtful of my own abilities. Then this news sent my facade tumbling down. I took a hand and grasped at my throat where the stress suddenly had made it go tight.

Damien came and leaned against the stone barriers with me, our legs touching as we looked out over the grounds. I heard whinnies today, in the barns maintained by the Earth Fae on the grounds. I decided then, that I needed to walk around the castle. “I need to see how things are going,” my voice had supposed to have been firm. It cracked halfway through, but I’d already turned away from the beautiful scene.

The castle was being cleaned from ceiling to floor, corridor by corridor and room to room. So far, it was most of the way done. Karen, a Wind Fae, was scrubbing away at the bottom of a wall. “Don’t mind me,” I said as she started and bowed low. “Keep up the great work.”

She smiled gratefully and then got back to work. “Okay,” Damien said. “Let’s go.”

I walked briskly to the great hall, where I saw a few elders loitering regally by the almost empty breakfast tables. Aloriel was at a servant table, but she even from here I could see that she had been crying. I didn’t bother with an image as I ran over to her and put my hands on her shoulders.



“What’s wrong?” I asked her, looking at her face carefully while I waited for her answer. “They sent Galen out as a fresh scout,” she said quietly. “The humans are close – I know they are. What if he gets hurt?”

Her worry hit me hard, but I gripped her shoulders tight. “I promise you that no matter what he’ll come back alive for you, Aloriel. I promise that.” She looked up at me, her blue eyes pink with worry. She sniffed and nodded slowly. I couldn’t promise that he would come back unscathed, and she knew it. As friends, though, she accepted my promise, and for that, I was grateful.

I walked up to an Elder next. “How are the preparations going?” I asked. The grey haired Wind fae looked at me with a content smile. “They’re going well. We should be ready by tomorrow.”

I started. “Tomorrow?” I asked, but a knot had already formed in my stomach. She nodded. “Alright.” I said, then turned away. “Princess, you shouldn’t go around in such unfitting garb, it’s inappropriate for nobility.” I disregarded the comment. If I wanted to assure my own confidence, I couldn’t accept other’s opinions about my personal beliefs.

I walked out of the room and then ran to the front doors of the castle. The courtyard was a giant garden, decorated with fruit trees and giant flowering bushes. There was a returning scout dismounting a horse just inside the great archway, and I walked up to him with little notice of anyone else. “Scout, what have you to report?” I demanded, taking the reins of his horse. “More humans.” He looked out of breath. “An attack,” he groaned, and I realized that he was wounded in his shoulder. “And the farms on the outside of the border have been attacked. Another scout I was with stayed to help the people. I didn’t see what happened to him.”

My thoughts flashed immediately to Galen. Damien nodded to me as I looked at him, and called for a servant to help the scout. Then, I took off into the air towards the stables. It was always easier to ride the long distances than to fly.

I took my horse Stormstrider and saddled it quickly. In the back of my mind, I felt Firebird’s presence once more.

“You’re getting better already. I’m glad I’ve found a fast learner.”

I didn’t respond as I muttered into the horse’s ear. It ran at breakneck speed out of the barn and Damien’s horse Nighthawk followed quickly after. At the rate we were going at, we made it to the edge of the farm territories in a matter of an hour. There were humans everywhere. Dogs, too.

I didn’t stop as I drew Firebird, and then reared my horse to draw the human’s attention. “Over here, beasts!” I screamed, and it worked. The screams of the other injured Fae called to and drove me. I left three humans bleeding out on the ground before things got tricky. One human grabbed my leg as I whipped around to fight one on my horse’s flank. The horse was screaming as a dog snapped at it’s front legs. I got it to rear, but the human who’d grabbed my leg pulled me off in the next second.


The fall had caught me off-guard, but this time, I gave into Firebird’s power readily, and fire burned across the both of us as we cut our way out of two humans trying to pin me. My horse had fled some distance away, but now the dogs were focused on me. I stabbed one as it tried to bite my shoulder, and it went down with a sickening thud. The remaining humans looked confused, as if they suddenly realized their mistakes. One tried to flee, but Damien appeared in front of him, and the warrior began his own fountain of blood.

Damien’s moved were smoother than mine as he began flying across the ground, cutting and stabbing. I ran across to my horse and then began riding back. The flames on me had died, but my voice was Firebird’s as we screamed at them to flee if they didn’t wish to die like the true warriors they wished to be. Damien had left only four standing, and now, it was my job. I reared Stormstrider, and then charged them. When they ran, I halted, and then reversed course.

The farming community that had been attacked was ablaze. I quickly took the power from Firebird and summoned enough water to quench the flames that even the surviving Fae couldn’t with their buckets. The dead Fae were sickening to look upon, and as their princess, it was all the more devastating. “Galen!” I called, but no one appeared immediately. I dismounted and ran through the streets, thankful that no one seemed to notice that it was their princess, coated in blood, that was running past them.

Finally I came across someone in armor, holding a little girl in his arms. “Ga –” I choked off when Damien grasped my shoulder. Silenced, I knelt by him. The little girl was dead, and the soldier was shaking. “Tell me they’re dead.” The male voice was raging silently with anger, and when he looked up, I saw the bitterness in his eyes. “Most of them are. Three or four fled as cowards,” my voice was low. It was mine again, but I realized it was as comforting as what I’d once heard from my mother.

“I tried to help them,” he spoke more calmly this time. I put a hand on his shoulder, and then patted it.

“You tried your best.”

Galen’s azure eyes were cold as they looked up at mine.
“I failed.”

“There were many survivors. You did what you could.”

He shook his head and said no more. When I reached a hand to close the open eyes of the dead girl, I felt a tear flow down the side of my cheek. Damien stood behind Galen, silent as the grave. Nothing would fix this. 







The castle was silent with the exception of a few running soldiers and servants that night, when I returned that night.

The night was pitch black, not even the stars glowed tonight. The coronation was in the morning, and it was probably the only hope for this kingdom now.

“Rebirth.”

Why Firebird did this, I didn’t know. I ignored it as I left Stormstrider with stable hand, but ignored his look of shock at my blood soaked and torn clothing. Galen rode back with Damien, and I heard the two of them dismount behind me. Galen hadn’t spoken since we’d left the village. Aloriel sat, fast asleep, against the side of a doorway. Silently, Galen walked over to her.

I didn’t watch the reunion. Instead, I made my way quickly to my rooms. I knew a small room off of my quarters was already prepared with heated water and a tub to wash in.

I stripped the bloodied clothes of roughly, and washed myself thoroughly before returning to my bed chamber. Damien was there, clean already and changed when I finally turned around, dressed in a plain white nightgown. My long dark hair looked black now that it was damp, but the waves that it had always melted into gleamed in the light. “I must admit, you look the most beautiful when you’re not even trying,” his voice was low, and his perfect lips were curled on one side ever so slightly. Given the events of the day, I wondered why he was in such a mood. “Damien, I hardly think–,” I started to say, but he cut me off.

“Princess, don’t deny it.”

I blushed, and turned towards my clothes chest. I knew I would be wearing one of my mothers dresses again. They had always been finer than mine, and so I dug into the chest to hide my face from him.

I didn’t find what I was looking for in the chest. “Servants already took the dress you’re searching for. They’ve been ordered to prepare it more fully for tomorrow’s events,” his voice was still that low, warm purr it had been moments before, but now it began to lure me in. I stood and looked at him.

“Damien, not now.”

My wet hair fell over my shoulder when I slumped onto the bed in exhaustion. The covers didn’t call me to them. Haunting images filled my head, the events of today etched permanently into my psyche. “Where are Aloriel and Galen?” I asked, placing Firebird gently on my lap. An sudden urge for revenge filled me, and I gripped the sword tight as the muscles in my arms stood out.

“Stop it!” I thought at the sword in a rage. There was silence, as if the sword was waking up. “What did I do?” It asked, as if surprised.
The silence that fell in my own mind as I realized it had been my own anger that had flared filled and chilled me to the bone. I knew now that I had the strength to lead, and the passion, but I would now have to control my anger. Much like my father before me, I would still have much to learn if I wanted to save my people from what my own brother had caused. “Mira?” The gentle voice can from Damien as he knelt in front of me. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I said. It was true – I wasn’t injured, I wasn’t ill. But inside my mind was numb, my fingers warm from holding Firebird. Damien brushed strands of hair from my face, and then kissed me before leaving. 

Apparently, I was going to be alone tonight.

Another New One

Started another story; Don't know how long it's going to be, or if I'll bother to continue it. I don't know, really, because it's just the story concept that seems to have been nagging at me for a couple weeks now. A guardian/fallen angel style main character -- though the story starts out as I see myself in a few years if my dad really does go through with his threats.
(He threatens to emancipate me sometimes because I'm apparently the root of all evil when it comes to the problems with the kids in the house -- even though I don't do half the crap that they do. Oh well, I guess nine months of hell at a military school didn't prove to him just how damned commited I was to staying. I was smarter than most of the kids there -- If I had decided to leave, I would have been SO gone. But no. I stayed. I eventually got a boyfriend and it got easier, but my dad still seems bent on making me the scapegoat. Whatever.

Now to the story -- I don't have a name for it. I'm thinking I'm just going to title it Guardian, or Guardian Tales.  Don't know for sure. Tell me which ones you think will work, maybe?

School's in session now, but it's hard with all the college classes I'm taking -- my 15 year old head has trouble absorbing the massive amounts of information sometimes, you know? I'll work on getting more of my other stories up as well. I felt that I was doing pretty well with Fae.

Fae, Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

It was dark in the room when I woke again. Aloriel was in the room, asleep in a chair. Damien was near the balcony doorway, looking out. I was still in my dress, the tiara was still gently in my hand, but the Firebird sword was pressing itself uncomfortably in my side. When I groaned, sat up, and walked over to Damien, I heard my joints cracking. It was good, though, as I realized that my energy had returned. How, I didn’t know. I attributed it to the sword.

Damien sighed as I wrapped my arms around his chest. “How long has the sun been down?” I asked. “Quite a while. But dawn’s still far away,” his voice was calm, but he smiled at me when he turned his head. I smiled back, and then released him. “So you were going to test my skills, weren’t you?” I asked, belligerently. Walking over to my chest I stripped off my dress, and got into my fight garb. It was an outfit I had stolen from a washroom ages ago. It belonged to soldiers of the Fire Fae. It was the same outfit that Damien wore right now.

I put the sword and it’s scabbard back around my waist. The sword wasn’t heavy – the belt was. Drawing the sword and stepping onto the balcony, I dared him forward with a gesture. He raised an eyebrow in his sarcastic fashion, and drew his. “Princess,” he laughed.
“You’re sure about this?”

I nodded. “Would I be holding a weapon in front of one of the most deadly men in the Kingdom if I wasn’t sure?” I asked, and made sure my footing was light. The sword was maybe just a little bigger than a long human dagger. It didn’t have to be much bigger – when the true warriors went to kill humans and each other we were either deadly, or dead. My father had taught me how to fight. My mother had been, in her own right, a great warrior and magician.

Damien didn’t wait. He dashed forward, and our swords clanged as I deflected the blow with ease. My next move was simple, though I planned on getting more elaborate. I whipped my sword around with the momentum of his blow as I dodged the remainder of his attack. He rolled out of the way as the flat of my blade paddled the air where his back had just been.
 No fatal blows here – I still needed him.

We squared off once more, watching each other. Waiting for each other’s next move. We both went at the same time, and the blows were solid. I was weaker, though, and whereas he’d stumbled, I fell. “Princess?” He asked, but my fall was brief. I pushed myself up once more, strands of hair beginning to stick to my pale olive skin. Firebird began to warm up to the touch, and a surge of energy washed through me.

“Fight.”

The voice caught me off guard once more, but I did as Firebirds voice suggested. I dashed towards him, but took off into the air just short of his sword, which paddled under my feet. He didn’t have a chance to react as I landed on his shoulders, caught my balance, and then drove him to the stone of the balcony. I rolled away, but fire was dancing on the sword. “I won’t,” he muddled through the sentence, weary from the blow, “submit.”

I laughed.

“Come now, warrior,” my voice held two voices in one. “You can take more than this!” My own mind reacted to the change in my voice, but the spirit of the sword held me fast. “Princess?” Damien looked up, and his eyes widened.

“Fight me, warrior!”

I couldn’t believe myself. Damien rushed to his feet, but this time didn’t hold back. His blows were rapid, almost as quick as my parries as we moved around the balcony, and then off of it into the grounds. The flames in me, and around me grew as power and passion grew inside me for the fight. I couldn’t fight the drive as the blade cut close to Damien’s ear. Damien’s own sword came past my shoulder, but I rolled away on instinct, and then dropped the sword. It’s control didn’t break, but the flames on and around me died instantaneously.

“Foolish girl.” 
The voice still came from my mouth.
“You’ll need a lot more work.”

Then Firebird was gone from me. The sword lay abandoned feet away, and I stumbled to get it. I slipped it back into it’s sheath, and then lay on the grass, silent.

Damien didn’t come near. “I’m sorry,” he spoke softly. “For doubting you.”

I laughed weakly, sweaty and shaking. Damien stood over me, weak as well. He offered a hand out to me, and I accepted it gratefully. He hauled me up, and then we both made our way back to the room. Aloriel stood on the balcony, bleary eyed, when we got there. “What were you two up to? I heard a commotion,” her eyes looked at us two quietly when we didn’t answer for a moment. “Oh fine.”

“Go to your quarters,” Damien said quietly. Aloriel only nodded sleepily.

When she left, I examined Damien for wounds. He was unscathed except for a small scratch near his ear. So I had gotten him, in the end.

“Ha. I won.”

Damien looked at me bitterly. “That sword helped you,” his voice was still light, however, when he looked me over. “I’m fine,” I told him.

He nodded. “Yes you are.”

He kissed me briefly, and then unbuckled the belt on my waist. “Firebird has a lot of secrets, doesn’t it?” He asked. I nodded. “Even my father didn’t know all of them, apparently. Though, I must admit I never saw him fight. And he never spoke of anything the sword did.”

Damien sighed. “I think I’m lucky that I’m a good fighter, otherwise you’d have killed me.”

I shook my head. “I wouldn’t have let that happen. Never.” I watched him put the sword against the bedside, but in my head I could feel Firebird’s hold. The soul of the sword was powerful, I couldn’t deny it. But I had been scared by my own power when I wielded it. “I need more training. It said so.”

Damien looked up, a more tired eyebrow raised. “How do you plan on doing that?” He asked. “If you sparred somebody, you’d run the risk of killing them.” I sighed, but he continued. “I don’t think that would earn you points with the council.”

I shook my head. “My swordsmanship isn’t in question. It’s my powers itself. There are powers within that sword more fit for what we Fae once were, not the shells we are now.” Damien looked at my dejectedly. “You doubt your own strength, Princess.” I nodded. “I doubt it because it is the sword that doubts me as well!” I held my head in my hands, but my arms were weak and shaking. “It gives me energy when it wants, but leaves me with nothing when I need it. I need to be able to draw from it when I want,” I sighed. “I need this sword to be a partner in battle, not a user or a tool. Right now, I’m it’s tool, and I don’t want it to be mine.”

“There in lies the issue.” I concluded. “I need to hone my own powers to make them fuze better with the sword.” I summoned flames into my palms. “But I need rest first.”

Damien nodded, then folded his hands into mine, regardless of the flame. It licked his skin harmlessly, as fire did no damage to one of their own. His eyes locked on mine before we both surrendered to our weariness, and made it over to the bed.

At dawn, I slipped out of the bed again. Damien was still asleep, or appeared to be. Grabbing the sword, and walking out onto the balcony, I looked out at birds waking in the forest. The sword glowed with warmth, but no voices came. I searched for the mental connection, but it was dormant. The sword didn’t wish to communicate. “Damn it,” I muttered, and forced my fingers into my hair. It had come undone in the night, but a remainder of the braid had tangled my hair terribly.

Setting the sword in front of me, I sat cross legged in the middle of the balcony. Closing my eyes, I summoned orbs of the four elements, and set them in front of my, just short of the sword. “What do you want from me?” I asked it in my mind, feeding energy into the orbs. I felt no drain from this simple magic, so I started with the intricacies of an ice lattice around where I sat with the orbs and sword. 

“I want what you want. But I need what you don’t have.”

The voice didn’t come from me this time. It came from a curled Phoenix resting atop the sword. It’s pitch black eye watched me unfailingly. “What do I not have?” I asked aloud.

“Confidence.”
“How?”  I asked, startled at the answer.

“You know what you have to do, yet even though you have the means to do so, you fear that you will fail.” 

I sat there numbly, wondering how he could be right. I then realized the facts. “Even in the challenge last night, you doubted yourself.” It’s head came closer to me. “You cannot doubt yourself!” The Phoenix had began to glow more brightly, and hotly. Suddenly, my ice lattice wasn’t ice anymore, but wires of flame burning brightly in the dawn light. I reached up and touched it, but felt no pain.

 “I am the symbol of rebirth.”  The Phoenix was speaking once more, but when I looked back at it, I wasn’t on the balcony anymore. I was somewhere else in the castle, and I realized that it was the great hall. It was different though. Long before I had even been born.

...
I recognized the tall figures that stood in the hall. “The last true king,” I whispered, but no one heard. The Phoenix was nowhere to be seen, and then I saw the sword in the hands of King Ethos. Many other Fae of the royal family lay dead around him, and he too was wounded. I could hear the battle outside the walls. The wars of the Folk were waging, and now to stop the rivalry and corruption, he was sealing away the powers of the Fae. There was a blinding shock wave, and then it was all white.

“I am that sword who brought the scourge.” The Phoenix said, and I opened my eyes once more. My fingers had fallen from the lattice. “So why have you chosen me?” I asked. “You want the things that need to be done. You wish peace – I want to give it. You are the rebirth from this destruction.”

I stared at it for a few moments, then nodded. “So what now?” I asked. “Gather your strength. You need it. Then, I will show you what must be done.”