Wicked Game

Four

"She wasn't looking for a knight, she was looking for a sword."

~

The golden gates closed behind her with a clang. Although this was something she encountered every day, it still gave her a sense of foreboding, as if she was being trapped. As she was just a child during the war, for as long as she could remember, the gates of Arlana had always remained closed.

Inside the gates lay the last city of the elves. Over the years, Athena had still not gotten used to its beauty. The clouds parted to reveal a full moon, its white moonshine spilling over the city, illuminating the gardens and the sidewalks. Stars twinkled in the night sky. A soft breeze sprang up, bringing with it the scent of flowers in bloom.

However, unlike most days, her heart was beating at a frantic pace as she broke into a run. People stared at her in surprise, but today she couldn't stop until she reached the palace.

The Palace of Kings rose majestically against the night sky, its white domes gleaming in the moonlight, an example of elven architecture at its finest. It had been and continued to be the abode of the royal family. It was where she had been born, and trained. She remembered her childhood vividly, every winter night spent curled up in the library with a good book, and every summer afternoon spent in the garden, her mother holding her in her arms, lifting her high and tossing her up, and for one terrifying second she would think that she would fall and break her leg, but in the next moment would engulfed in the safety of her mother's arms, and then she would throw back her head and let out a high pitched giggle as she said, "One more time, mama, one more time."

No. She shook her head, as much to shake off the impending tears as to clear her head. She would not let the memories of her past get the better of her. She sighed as Daniel's voice rang through her mind.

Mind your surroundings, Princess.

She wished Daniel were there. No matter the number of times a day he gave her his typical look of disapproval, and reprimanded her for getting lost inside her head, it was he who kept her sane. He had seen her grow up, had trained her, and she yearned for his presence beside her, his unending support and loyalty towards her was a pillar of strength.

She barely acknowledged the guards as she ran through the gates. Rain made nature come alive, yet she ignored the scents and sights of the gardens as she made her way straight to the throne room.

She burst through the double doors and surged inside, before she finally stopped to catch her breath. Her breathing was labored, and she grabbed her stomach as she doubled over.

Lord Cadeyrn raised his head and smiled.

Standing near the window, the pure moonlight illuminating his elven face, the king of Arlana looked not a day over forty, yet the blue in his irises quivered with the knowledge of centuries. With his long hair falling to his waist, save for the braid of the house of Arlana, he was one of the most ancient things to walk the earth.

"Father," she managed to gasp as she straightened up.

"Princess." He smiled as she bristled slightly. She knew that he was aware she hated being called that.

Athena hesitated. "I found something interesting."

"I put that much together when you burst in here like a horse on fire." He looked amused. "What is it?"

She swallowed, and locked eyes with him, the intense blue of his gaze making her feel like she was under evaluation, as she opened the strings of the bag she carried in her left hand and tossed it on the floor.

As the contents of the bag spilled out, she heard hisses and curses all around, as the Guard recoiled at the sight of the red-eyed raven spilled on the floor of the throne room. She raised her head to look at her father. Their eyes met, and while the king's face remained impassive, she could see the resignation in his eyes, the knowledge of the inevitability of this moment.

She stood in respectful silence, waiting for him to speak. He closed his eyes and sighed, turning once again towards the window. The moon had now reached its apex.

"They've been back for months," he sighed, turning ever so slightly towards her.

She stared at him in disbelief. "Months?"

"Every elf in the city knows that the peace was temporary." He turned away from the window towards her. "And now it is coming to an end."

She could not believe how calm he was. "If they have been back for months, why haven't we done anything about it? Why didn't you tell me?"

The king shook his head gently. "The birds do not bother me. They are simply spies. Kill one, hundreds will take its place."

She narrowed her eyes. "I don't understand. Do you think the Ancients are back?"

The king sighed and closed his eyes. "I do not know," he said, "but that is not my worst fear either."

She raised her eyebrows slightly. "I don't follow, my lord."

Opening his eyes, the king met her gaze. "Child, even if the Ancients are back, they are only one of many other concerns. The Ancients are murderers, demons, but they were not created to lead."

Her blood went cold as it dawned upon her. "You mean-"

"They were foot soldiers to the Queen, bound to a higher authority." He closed his eyes, turning away. "Something commands them. Either an ancient, stirring evil, or a new power. Whatever it is, it is like nothing we have ever faced."