Lily of the valley

18

"Stand down." The elven Queen Eithene stood and commanded of the warring Kings, her voice was deep and powerful, like clashing thunder. "Take your seats gentlemen." Omar of Maequil backed away from the mountain King, there was no use fighting there. Stephan of the mountain brushed himself down and seated himself, Omar did the same. Eithene always led the council, elves are not as easily swayed as men, some had taken to calling her the Queen of peace and she wore the title with grace. "Omar, please calmly and respectfully express your grievances to the council." Queen Eithene sat and gave the floor to him, this upset was the reason for the council being called.

"Ladies, gentlemen. My beloved eldest daughter has been missing for over two months now. It is my belief, and the belief of the people of Maequil, that she has eloped with the mountain prince!" King Omar's tone was increasingly rageful and accusatory, a vein on his forehead pulsated and rose out of the skin.

"Warmongering lies!" King Stephan of the mountain roared, "My son is at home, educating himself and ruling in my absence, I saw him not three days past." King Omar spat on the flagstones.

"I saw the way your brat looked at her! He's taken her and hidden her away somewhere."

"How dare you insult my son!" Eithene intervened with her deep, cool voice.

"When did your daughter go missing Omar?"

"Two months ago Stephan and his family visited Maequil, she vanished the same day they left!" There was a stirring of energy in the council chambers, in the beginning they had believed Omar to be false in accusing Stephan's heir but now they were not so sure. Omar was clearly distressed, those that knew him well knew that he adored that girl, he doted upon her far more than he did his other children. It was her charming intellect and musical ability that so enamoured him.

"I feel for your loss Omar, truly I do, but I swear to you we do not have the child. I wish we did so that we might return her."

"Allow me to speak with your son." King Omar demanded of Stephan, and to those sat around the council circle this seemed a just request. They nodded, satisfied that a solution may be soon found. However the hearts of Kings are prideful and stubborn, Stephan found himself offended at the request, irritated that his words were not being believed when he knew them to be true. He outright refused the desert King this audience.

"No. You will learn nothing I have not already told you. It is a waste of time. Search for her elsewhere." Omar was enraged, he was bewildered at Stephan's deliberate obstruction.

"He is hiding her from you! Do not deny me this!" There was a scrabbling desperation in his tone.

"My son would do no such thing!" Stephan boomed, knowing this to be a lie.

"Then there can be no harm in granting Omar an audience." Interrupted Queen Anne of the meadow, she found herself confused by Stephan's insistent refusal.

"It's a matter of pride!" Stephan snapped back at her. He did not wish to confess to the council the shame of what his heir was, a thoughtless brute. A master of cruelty.

"Damn your pride, the man's child is missing!" The dwarven King rallied to Omar's side. As Stephan felt increasingly attacked by the council he only became more stubborn.

"The mountain is innocent," Stephan clenched his jaw as he spoke, his body was filled with tension.

"This is not about guilt or innocence, this is about the folly of young love." Anne of the meadow did her best to calm Stephan, "please allow this." The King of the mountain shook his head slowly and thoughtfully.

"I cannot." The room erupted into layered shouting, only Queen Eithene sat in silence, pondering her next move and massaging her forehead from the stress.

"Damn you Stephan!"

"Pride clouds your judgement, allow this!"

"You'd do the same for your daughters!"

"My son has done nothing, you are wasting time!"

"Compromise!"

"The council demands this of you Stephan!"

"Where is your goodwill?"

"Search elsewhere!"

"Your stubbornness will be your downfall!"

"Keep the peace Stephan, I beg of you!"

"Do this or we will force you!"

"You do not know what you are asking!"

"Summon the prince!"

"You will leave my son alone! All of you!"

The shouting match continued for some time, the wind howled in the rafters, adding its voice to the chaos. King Stephan was as unmoving and stony as the mountain he had come from, his hand would have to be forced. Lady Eithene was beginning to realise this, the man could not bend to reason and so she must find an alternative solution. Eithene stood and bellowed, her voice filled the room, its power travelled across the centuries to give Katherine and Lily goosebumps.

"Enough." The Kings and Queens of old fell silent, their gaze turned to her, for whom they all had great respect. "We cannot force King Stephan to host this audience, but it is his sworn duty as a ruler of the twelve kingdoms to allow a member of his household to be summoned when the council sees fit. Do you recall your oath Stephen?" The King of the mountain scowled, he had been bested, to break the oath would be to declare war. A war he could never win.

"I do."

"We will convene again in two weeks time, with the boy, I will send the raven to him personally." It was clear that Eithene did not trust Stephan to deliver the message himself, Stephan scoffed at her, feeling more and more alienated as the meeting progressed. "In the meantime we will each focus our efforts on scouring our separate kingdoms, this child will be found." Omar pressed his hand to his heart and bowed before the Queen of peace, she had done him a great service.

"Thank you your grace." To her she had done nothing worth thanking, she had only done her duty.

"Rise all and depart, we will meet again in a fortnight." The ancient monarchs did as told and filtered from the throne room until only Eithene and Gabriel, the virtuous King of the moorland remained, the castle did belong to him after all.

"Do you think the mountain has the girl?" Gabriel enquired of the sagacious elf who pursed her lips with consideration.

"I do not think so, but I hope they do." King Gabriel nodded slowly, he felt the same way.

"Do you think Stephan will comply?" Gabriel thought his worries aloud to Eithene.

"He had better."