Lily of the valley

19

The scene before them froze, Eithene and Gabriel became like statues. The witch and the travellers stood in silence, absorbing what they had just seen. When Katherine and Lily had been told stories about the breakdown of the two hundred years of peace it had always been told as a failure of Queen Eithene. That she had failed to keep civility and compromise in the council, never before had they considered just how difficult that job might have been. Katherine remembered learning about Kings and Queens passed, of walking through the royal crypt deep in the mountain side and gazing up at the marble faces of dead monarchs. She remembered clearly the face of Stephan, 'King Stephan the proud' his headstone had read, as if pride were a virtue not a folly.

"Are you ready to see more?" The mistress of time asked the ladies of the mountain and Katherine nodded, astounded by the things the witch was able to do and fascinated by the scenes that had been put in front of her. Lily found herself lost, she did not know the histories of these Kings and Queens like Katherine did. She had heard of the seat of Kings and of the centuries of peace but knew little more.

Time began to spin and race, the sun rose and set fourteen times, the witch had returned to her state of deep meditation. This time change did not take long, the council was reconvened in less than a minute. An ornate wooden chair had been brought out for prince Hans of the mountain, he sat to the left of his father and to the right of the Queen of canyons. King Omar started at the boy and seethed, his fists and jaw were painfully clenched. Lady Eithene stood to address the council,

"Welcome back ladies, gentlemen. First of all have any of you discovered any news of the lost princess?" There was an unanimous, sorrowful, shake of heads.

"She has not passed through the forest, the trees would have sensed her." Spoke Mora the Dryad Queen with her enchanting voice, like wind through woodland canopies. The girl had been missing for near three months, hope was fading. Isa Queen of canyons stood and approached Omar,

"One of my soldiers found this in the southern canyons, is it hers?" She handed a gold and ruby earring to Omar, it was a large golden desert flower with a deep ruby at the centre. He had to hold back weeping when she placed it into his palm.

"Yes. Thank you." The southern canyon led to Maequil, it was proof that she had headed north though it could not be said with who, why or to where.

"My men will continue to search the area." Isa of the canyons bowed her head and returned to her throne. Prince Hans had a smug expression painted across his face, he was impatiently awaiting his chance to speak before the council.

"Thank you Isa." Spoke Eithene. "Now for the task at hand, welcome prince Hans to your first council meeting, I am sure you will attend many in future."

"Thank you for having me." His smug grin turned into a vicious smirk that made King Omar's stomach tighten and drop.

"Do you know why you have been summoned?" Eithene began to tread the water of the boy's knowledge.

"I can only assume because of my father's incompetence?" The room was dumbfounded, King Stephan ground his teeth in frustration. Eithene paled, she had heard rumours of Hans' difficult disposition. She did not know how to respond, the room was silent as Hans sat back and basked in the discord. "A joke, a joke! You are all so serious. I know it's because of the lost princess, I don't have her, though I wish I did." Hans then winked at Omar, King Stephan put his head in his hands, ashamed of his child. Even more ashamed of the heir he was leaving behind. The most shameful part of all is how he used to spend evenings in the chapel praying for some disease or accident, so that his fair and just second son may rule instead. Eithene was at a complete loss for words. The boy just grinned.

"Control your son Stephan." Queen Isa scolded.

"I cannot." Hans laughed at his father's despair, his snide cackling filled the castle halls and echoed about the rafters.

"I am his life's greatest misery!" Hans announced this as if it were some grand achievement. The council members were put on edge, they now understood why Stephan preferred to hide his heir away. The King of the mountain was humiliated.

"Yes you damn well are!" Stephan shouted at his child, though none could blame him. Hans caused Eithene substantial dread, she feared for the future with him as King of the mountain. A ruler like that would not only topple peace but plunge the twelve kingdoms into total war. Hans seemed determined for chaos. Hans stood and began to pace about the room, his smirk grew and grew as the councillors sat and watched him with baited breath.

"It's true I did charm little princess Amina on our visit, she was besotted, young fool. Told me she'd follow me anywhere, couldn't bare to be parted from me. Yes I could have given her safe passage in my carriage but where would the fun in that be?" Hans stopped his pacing to grin at Omar who flew into a passionate frenzy, he knocked the prince onto the flagstones and straddled him, beating fist upon fist down on Hans' face. No one moved to stop him. There was a spine tingling crunch as the boy's nose broke, splattering blood across the floor. Omar paused his relentless beating to compose himself, the prince lay still, unconscious. For a moment Stephan thought the boy may have been killed, hope filled his heart with quiet relief. He was met with disappointment when the boy began to splutter thick blood onto his white and gold silken shirt.

"Enough Omar." Eithene commanded and Omar fell back, not entirely satiated but he wasn't sure he ever would be.

"The boy must be punished." The Queen of dryads decreed and there was a murmur of agreement.

"That is your responsibility Stephan." Eithene said to the mountain King who was deep in consideration, he tugged at his white beard while he thought.

"There is a monastery of the wisdom goddess in the far north, the monks there are harsh and strict. I have wanted to send him there for some time. There he will remain until it is his time to rule." Stephan slapped his hand onto the stone arm of his throne to show his decision had been made.

"Omar do you accept this justice?" Eithene asked of the grieving father who nodded once. He had heard of that monastery, of the monk's sadistic torments for those who stepped out of line. At the very least Hans would spend decades suffering, reform of character and a deep piety would be the best possible outcome. "Then that is what shall be done."

"We will find the girl Omar, for better or for worse." Isa of the canyons promised the King solemnly.

"Thank you Isa." Omar's voice was as heavy as his heart.

"Isa, if you would allow it I will come to the canyon lands and speak with the trees and the flowers. They will tell me what they have seen." Queen Mora offered her services humbly, the dryads had long acted as a conduit between man and earth. The meeting was held in the first days of spring and her body took on the seasons, small white and yellow flowers sprouted from her moss flesh and created a crown about her head. She had been bare in winter.

"Of course, you are more than welcome to stay in my palace." Isa offered her graciously, the forest was a long way from the canyons.

"Thank you, but I prefer to sleep amongst the flora." Isa bowed her head to accept the dryad's terms. The meeting was adjourned with promise to regroup once Mora had parleyed with the canyon's flowers and trees.