More Fantasy in the City

The Deplorable Word

Not strictly speaking a Fantasy in the City story - more like a fan fiction.  However, it fits .  Apologies to CS Lewis and stealing his characters from The Magician's Nephew but my daughter and I giggled like idiots about this idea whilst walking near the Devil's Chair on Saturday.  Enjoy!

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From the Tower of the Dying Sun, Jadis, Queen of Charn, statuesque in her terrible beauty, gazed upon the smouldering ruins of the city wall, blasted into molten fragments by her sister's hellish sorcery. The rebel armies from Felinda, Sorlis and Bramandin swarmed before the huge gap in Charn's defences, mustering before the final assault. Trumpet calls could be heard, their signals to advance carried on the same breeze as the acrid smoke which drifted up to the Tower. She raised her eyes to the baleful red orb that gave the Tower it's name and threw her curses into the chill air.

A step behind her announced the commander of what was left of Charn's soldiery.

"The city is lost, your majesty," Captain-general Puthka said, unwilling bearer of ill-tidings. From the corner of his eye he could see the charred bones of the last messenger, swept into an untidy heap by the parapet. He swallowed before continuing in a quavering voice, "There is no way to hold the breach, our line is too thin. The next attack will wipe all from their path and the only thing that will be between them and us are the palace gates. There are none to hold those. Every last man was sent to the walls."

Jadis' head whirled around and her eyes blazed, fixing Puthka with a spear-like stare. "Worm!" she cried with scorn. "You dare come before me to speak of your failure! Charn is lost, I am lost, and you dare stand before me!"

Puthka quailed. Despite his years of soldiering a black tide of fear washed up through him, causing the once proud general to collapse. "Mercy!" he wailed. "Mercy, great queen! We could not stop them, there were too many! Your sister's betrayal was too much to counter. Our mages could not hold her!"

When she spoke again, her voice was like iron, driving into him like a spike. "You have condemned me, and she..." at this Jadis' arm pointed towards the advancing enemy. "And she has condemned you all!" The Queen strode past him to the stairwell leading down from the Tower. "You will pay, worm! You will all pay!"

With a cry of horror, Puthka covered his face and cowered.

At the foot of the tower, Jadis strode from room to room until she came to the Hall of Images, barely recognising  the golden bell and the past kings and queens of Charn that it could summon. Their time was gone, there was nothing that they could aid her in. A last throne, prepared and empty, waited at the end of the long line of the dead. Her throne. A throne for the last Queen of Charn.

She paused by it, fury clouding her thoughts. How could her sister have brought this upon Charn, on this realm of power? How could she have broken all in her desperate bid to depose Jadis? Wasn't Jadis the rightful Queen? Hadn't she been the one to throttle her father first, by ancient custom?

Jadis considered her choices. Surrender? No. Her sister had to pay for her treason. That left only one other option. Should she? Could she?

Would she utter The Deplorable Word?

The demonic power unleashed would extinguish all life. There would be no going back. There would only be Jadis left, queen of a dead world. There would only be the throne in the Hall of Images for her. A future of no future. An unending dream, locked in the ruins of Charn.

She stirred and walked grimly to the palace steps to await her conquerors.

There was little resistance left in the city and the clashes of swords, the anguished cries of fighting men and the clamour of horses soon abated. Within a short space of time all was silent save for the moans of the dying, harbingers on the wind.

The first creature to enter the palace was a diminutive soldier wearing the torn colours in the azure of Sorlis. He advanced into the the courtyard before the palace with caution, his halberd red with gore. Others soon followed. None approached the pale figure who stood as still as stone atop the stairs. The courtyard quickly filled with silent, watchful men, sweat dripping beneath their battered helms, unsure of what would happen next.

One figure in shining, unblemished armour entered the courtyard. It towered above the men around it. Long fingered hands removed the great helm revealing the proud and cruel face that was so similar to Jadis' own. The throng parted, leaving a clear space between the steel-clad woman and the fierce, silent queen.

"Jadis."

"Sister."

"You are defeated. Your armies are scattered, your mages are burnt. Charn is mine." Her sister's voice was clear and resolute, as she walked slowly to the foot of the steps. "Kneel before me and you will live. That I swear."

The queen's red lips parted in a sneer. "Kneel before you? Hah, I think not. I wear my father's crown, not you. You think to defy me? All of you?" She swept her arm wide, encompassing all within view. "I am the Queen! What are you here for but to do my will!"

One steel-shod foot placed itself on the first step with an audible scrape. "Jadis, you will submit."

"I will not."

There was another step. "Your power is broken. Submit or be destroyed."

"If that is my choice then destruction is what you will reap, sister." The Queen's eyes blazed with an eerie, inner light. "Ware thee! Another step will shatter all that you hold dear! I will utter The Deplorable Word!"

The armoured woman halted. "That you cannot do. The word is a myth and your power has fled!"

"You think so? Leave this place and live, sister. You will not have Charn!"

From her vantage point atop the steps, Jadis could see her sister's apprehension. The air was cold yet a trickle of perspiration gathered at the woman's temple. She licked her lips, and her eyes flicked between Jadis and the Palace behind her. She was so close, her hunger for the throne so obvious. It was then that, Jadis knew that there would be no going back. She gathered the remains of her power deep within her and prepared the dread spell.

Steel grated again on stone. "You are done, Jadis." Her sister swept her great sword from its scabbard in one fluid movement. The blade glittered redly under the dying sun. "And I am done with you." She raised the sword in preparation for the killing stroke and continued her advance.

As if from a dam deep in her mind, her carefully concealed power swept through sluice gates in a stream of raw energy. The spell bubbled up through it, unlocked from its many years of concealment, imprisoned as it had been through necessity, so awful was its power.

"Hold!" Jadis roared, stretching out her arms above her, fingers spread wide wide. All eyes were drawn to the Queen as magical energy crackled around the courtyard, sparking off the armour and weapons like a myriad bolts of lightning. A great sigh seemed to emanate from all who were present and the men stepped back, fearful of what was to come.

"Jadis?" her sister cried. "Stop!"

At last the spell was ready. Jadis looked at her sister, their eyes locking. She smiled at the longed-for fear that she saw there. It was time.

"THAT'S IT, I'VE HAD ENOUGH! YOU CAN ALL GO AND GET F...."

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