Chapter 53

This chapter has been copied from the original and may contain typos and grammatical errors.

~*~

How was she supposed to recruit people for the cause if she couldn’t keep from using the privy every half hour? This stomach bug was pretty tough to get rid of, no matter how much she rested, ate all the hot soups, and followed the doctor’s recommendations. She just couldn’t shake it. At least her limbs still felt fine, but this nausea was awful.

Krista rinsed her mouth and made sure that while she felt like a carriage ride inside, she still looked pristine on the outside. She had to win over some more people to the cause, or else she would never be queen. So much rode on this revolt going right.

She reentered the party, smiling and folding into the small gathering. There were only about eight people in attendance, and while a small gathering made it harder for her to single out people to get to join the cause, it was easier to to hear from everyone and feel if they would be sympathetic to the rebellion.

She had to play her cards close to her chest tonight, though. The guest of honor was the Duchess herself, with her sister in tow. The very heart of the monarchy.

She had already consumed several glasses of alcohol, so her lips were rather loose, and why wouldn’t they be? She was in the company of close friends and supporters, was she not?

She spoke rather loudly and with wide gestures. “-And we had the best news we’ve had in years!” she said with a twinkle in her eyes and a flush in her cheeks.

“Is the king able to remarry? Has the Church relented?” one of the ladies asked. “It would be about time, this is a feud they can’t dream of winning.”

Krista nodded in support. The Duchess continued. “Even better than that! We’ve heard word that the heir from the missing queen has been found and is being secured in the south of the kingdom! They’re quite certain it’s the one we’ve been looking for!” she cheered.

“Why, that is good news! The king must be so relieved that his line is secure.” one of the Lords congratulated. “And who is doing the securing? The south is a harrowing place crawling with Templars and other ilk; surely you sent a battalion.”

“We’ve sent our best man to handle the situation. My son, who you all know has been bravely seeking the heir on his assignment, is in pursuit. He’ll bring the heir back safely for sure.” she said with a wink.

Krista’s heart went cold, but she plastered a smile onto her face. The Duchess's son was alive? But he had been captured by the Templars. Surely he was dead, hung on trial, or he was in prison somewhere to be used as leverage at a later time, just like Gloria. IF he was still alive, and the King knew that his heir was on the Mainland, they were all in danger. The rebellion had been able to fly under the radar by not being known publicly, but if Blake went looking for them, he would find them. He was unrelenting when given a mission.

“Are you alright my dear?” Asked the Duchess’s sister, Briella. “You look like you’re lost in thought.”

“Quite alright.” Krista smiled. “I was just thinking about how to add pockets to a design I’ve been constructing. Nothing important.”

~*~

Snow dripped from the heavy sky as Blake pulled up his hood. It was getting colder, and he thought it best to hide his light hair. His ill deeds would catch up to him soon enough, and the more time he had to be unnoticed the better.

The market was quiet, not many people walking around in the chilly weather. He needed to find his next lead. He had headed south, towards where he had landed on the mainland, but he still had found nothing. Maybe he should have kept one of those templars alive to tell wring more information out of…

The way he saw it, the compound couldn’t be too close to a town or it would be wider known, but it also couldn’t be that far away from a town or they wouldn’t be able to gather supplies. Though, they could be self sufficient… Who was this woman, and why did so many people know about her? Was it an open secret?

He was going to need help, as much as he didn’t want to go looking for any. He was already nefarious on his own, anyone willing to help him was going to be bad news. But he was going from inn to inn, trying to gather information for a month now, and nothing had come up.

What he needed was a seerer.

Only in the South could a seer have a business being a seer and be public about it. Blake didn’t know why the Templars- the Church’s own holy army- hadn’t burned the place to the ground. Perhaps the seer had made them a deal of sorts.

When Blake had asked around for a seer, people had seemed a bit weary but also giggled. One even said “It’s not the first time a young man has asked to go and see the seer.” It all had been enough to build up his apprehension.

He shook his head. I am searching for my love, the heir of the kingdom. I am the son of the duchess who sits at the right hand of the strongest leader this world has ever known. If this hack of a seer won’t help me willingly, I’ll just have to convince them otherwise, won’t I?

He knocked on the door of the hut, and waited for an answer. There was smoke coming out of the chimney, so there had to be someone home.

He waited, but no one came to the door. He knocked again, but still there was no answer. How dare they not answer the door to a prince of the court?!

He shoved the door open and was instantly taken aback. The room was much more elaborate than the exterior of the hut had led him to expect. There were potions lining the ceiling, a large cauldron, and so many additions he could spend hours finding new things to marvel at.

But he had no question what he should be looking at. In the center of the room was an ornate chair, and in it sat a woman with knowing eyes, silver hair, and dark clothes.

Blake huffed, steeling himself. “Seer, I require your services.” he said in a strong tone.

She looked him over. “You’re shorter than I thought you’d be.” she said with long, drawn out words. She was clearly not as much of a hurry as he was.

He wouldn’t let her bother him. “As unnatural as your craft is, I need you to show me-”

“-where the heir to the throne is being kept.” she looked him straight in the eyes, no fear whatsoever in her features. “But are you sure you want to find the heir? Or perhaps you want to find your love?”

His eyebrows knit together. This woman spoke in riddles and half truths. “Are they not one in the same?” he asked her.

She shrugged. “But don’t you already know the answer to that question?” She stood from the chair and walked towards him slowly. “You needn’t tell me your quest, child, for I already know what you’re here for. But can you pay the cost?”

“I’m sure that whatever you ask for can be acquired,” he said hesitantly.

“From yourfather? Don’t think of me as one of your fools, child. I’d never be so careless with my life without proper protection.” she purred.

“Then what is your price?” he asked. “Haste is important.” He kept his tongue in check, as much as he wanted to intimidate this woman, he sensed that her power would be stronger than his physical strength.

She raised an eyebrow. “First, business is business. I require a lock of your hair.”

“What for?” he asked. To give a sorceress part of you was to hand over part of your power, he knew that much. Gloria had never asked him for anything of his, and he doubted that the priestesses had taught her any malicious or controlling spells.

“As I said, business is business.” she said, not backing down. “And if you want to find something, what better way to locate it than to draw it out from your head through your hair?”

He took a deep breath and with a scowl cut off a lock of his hair. He handed it to her, and she placed it in a jar, his name appearing on it.

“The hair of a royal, that is something I’ve desired for some time.” she marvelled. “You must have good breeding to have such light hair. It’s quite uncommon. Quite the collector’s item, you could say.”

“I supplied you with what you wanted, now tell me where to find the woman they all speak of. She’s the next step to finding Gloria.” he urged with a scowl.

“Why look for her when we can look for the heir directly?” she grinned, opening a book of spells. “Get comfortable, child. The night is young.”

~*~

It had been a few days since she had been relieved of the equipment that had 🐸🐸🐸🐸 her powers, and she finally felt ready to try to contact Midshore.

She knew how Midshore would worry about her, and how she could sense things that other Spellcasters wouldn’t dream of being able to perceive, and maybe, if she could reach out to Midshore, she could let her parents know she was alive and well. That they shouldn’t worry about her.

Gloria settled on her little stool and tried to not think. Just let the world fall away, become one with the whims of the world, and accept the things coming to her and project herself out to the winds of chance. Just… be… and let Midshore find her.

As she reached inner balance, she lifted off the stool, and a vision appeared in her mind, of a deep cave with light streaming in from the distant ceiling. As the vision became more clear, focusing like the clearing of fog, she saw Midshore before her, shimmering in dress unlike she had ever seen. Was this what Midshore saw when she went to see the spirits?

“Gloria-” she looked like she couldn’t believe her eyes. “Gloria- is that you?”

Gloria smiled. “Midshore!” she pulled her close, happy to see the face of a friend.

Seneca stood away from Gloria as she floated. He watched as her face went from stern to relaxed, then to smiling in relief. He felt warmth spread from his sternum, and a happy bubbling in his stomach. Gloria was happy, truly happy, and he was happy for her, that she could be this weightless, at least for a short time.

Then he smiled to himself at his own pun.

The plot thickens!

I was able to get a good room from the gallery for the party, so I didn't have to worry about decorating for that scene, which means that I was able to put this out sooner! I kinda wanted to write about Anwyn's trio, but the chapter was already on the 5th google page, and that's generally what I shoot for, so that'll have to be the next chapter.

Funny story: I had started writing chapter 53 earlier and had forgotten I had, so then I started writing chapter 54 until I realized that I had forgotten to write more than a half page of chapter 53! That's why the first bit of Blake's scene doesn't have any pictures, I didn't feel like making a town to take pictures in.