Red Snow (The Shadows bk.3)

Chapter 29: Scars

Having left Mirkwood behind, Sairene and her guards swiftly made their way back to Irrelia. Having departed in the morning gave the Queen and her men a good part of the day to travel. Even when the sun began to hang low in the sky, they did not stop. Sairene was determined to reach her Kingdom as soon as possible.

Irrelia's border could be seen at a distance. Grey clouds hovered over the Kingdom and a cold wind greeted the travelers as they neared the border. Sairene felt a smile form as the wintry wind ruffled her hair and breathing deep, she inhaled the cold air.

Once they crossed the border however, Sairene broke off from the group; she gave no explanation and only pointed them in the direction of the palace.

She rode north. The cold wind tore at her hair and loosened it from the tight braids. Bending low, the Queen and her horse became one, they all but flew over the snow-covered ground. The softly falling snow felt like pebbles against the young Queen's skin.

Upon nearing the Kingdom's northern border, Sairene gently pulled on the reins, slowing her mount to a steady walk. Going as far as she could on horseback, Sairene only dismounted once the paths became too narrow. Leaving her horse at the foot of the mountains, she proceeded to make her way up the mountain. The sun had set, leaving her with no light save for the small flame she had brought to life in her palm.

~ At the Palace ~

"My Lord."

Einarr looked up from the book he had retrieved from the library. "Yes? What is it?"

The servant, a young girl, further opened the door into his chambers and bobbed a quick curtsy. "Forgive me for disturbing you, but it seems as though Her Majesty has returned."

This caught his attention, swinging his legs down from where they had been resting on his desk, Einarr closed the book and stood up. "She is back?"

The maid nodded, "yes My Lord."

Nodding more to himself than to the maid, Einarr ran his fingers through his hair. "Alright, she's back, she's back." His hands trembled slightly and taking a deep breath, he looked up at the maid, "very good. Thank you, you may go." Bobbing a second curtsy, the maid left the room, leaving Einarr pacing. After a short while, he stopped and mentally scolded himself, he had no reason to be nervous around her, he had done nothing wrong after all.

Leaving his chambers, Einarr made his way to the palace's main entrance. There he was greeted with the sight of only the guards that had accompanied the Queen, not the Queen herself. Descending the steps, he approached the nearest guard. "Where is Her Majesty? I assume she returned in your company?"

The guards exchanged looks before turning back to face Einarr. "She left us at the border."

Einarr's eyes narrowed in confusion. "And where did she go from there?"

"North."

It was only one word but Einarr knew full well what it meant. She had gone to see her beloved dragons. Nodding, he called for the Queen's personal maids to come and collect her belongings.

Heading back to his chambers, Einarr resumed his pacing. He knew what it meant when she went off to visit those four beasts she was so proud of, no one knew when or if she would come back. He did not understand it, she showed them more affection and care than to her own people! She spent more time in their company than she did with her own kind! But then again, Einarr recalled her saying, rather proudly, that she wasn't even human!

~ At the Cave ~

Snuggled between two of the four dragons, Sairene did not feel the cold that permeated every crack and crevice in the Kingdom. She slept soundly that night and only woke when the weak light of the wintry sun pierced the clouds. Her cautious movements caused the two dragons around her to stir.