Embers and Ashes

Chapter 36

Melona

   Waking up from a month of bleeding is like waking up from a bad dream. You wake up expecting there to be pain and suffering waiting for you, but all you’re greeted with is silence. The pain is completely gone, fading from memory as I sit up from the bed, only to find that I don’t recognize this place at all. It is not Hedone. It is not Embry. Nor my rooms at the Dawn Court, or my tent in Wind Haven.

   I don’t know these red rock walls, but the sheets and pillows of this dusty bed smells faintly of spice. Eris has been here, the tell tales of his habits I can now pick out amongst the clutter of the room, but he hasn’t been here in a very long time.

   The air is heavy and stale. Dust covering the table tops and book cases of broken spine books. Papers littered the floor. Cobwebs on the chandler that now burnt with candle light. It’s as if time had creeped into this place and covered it with a ghostly blanket.

   That was when Pomona decided to come back to the room with a wet cloth in hand. Looking slightly startled to find me up but releif flooded her as she set down the towel and rushes to hug me.

   “You’re okay Mel. You’re safe”, she insists as she squeezes me tightly.

   “Where is Eris?”, is my first question.

   She stiffens and whimper softly.

   “Pom, what has happened? Where are we?”, I ask pulling away to see distress on her face.

   “Do you not remember?”, she asks timidly.

   I shake my head as I try to remember what had happened. Mostly I just remember the pain of it all. A lot of pain.

   Then slowly I start to remember the running. The dark and shadows. The reek of sewers. Then there was screaming, and burning, and the world crumbling around me.

   Jolting out of bed I push Pomona to the side and charge for the door. My maid, and friend, calls after me but I am too far to stop. Rushing down twisting and spiralling halls of old wood and red rock.

   Not only searching through the dark of this strange place, but also down the bond. Reaching and trying to grasp down the bridge between Eris’ mind and my own. Grabbing at the rock that walled me from his. Trying to cut my way through, begging him to let me in, but he refused to let me in. Coiling closer around himself.

   That’s when I bragged through the doors into a massive open space. The room a perfect circle dug into the earth, beam and stairs spiralling upward around it’s hollow edges. Doors and branching off at each level. Light by chandeliers and faery lights.

   At the center of the room lay a table where many had gathered. Only three I recognized.

   The East Wind, Zathrian. The lesser Lord, Moros. As well as Jon, the Firestone male I had met in Hedone.

   “Lady Melona”, Zathrian greets softly as he parts from the table.

   “Where is Eris? Where is my mate!?”, I demand.

   “Your Ladyship, please you must calm yourself. There is much to explain”, his tone calm but chipped at the edges with worry.

   “Then start explaining. Now”, I insisted.

   “Please take a seat”, he offers a chair at the table. “You’ll want to be sitting for what we are about to tell you.”

   I sat, and they all took their turns in explaining everything that happened during the month I was incapable of movement.

   The so call peace treaty gathering had indeed been a trap. All these years the general of Hybern, Amarantha, had wriggled herself into the Courts. Making trade and whispering sweet nothings as promises to whomever in power would listen. There was speculation about her intensions, but the only ones that seemed to have any sort of brains was Eris and Rhysand.

   As far as everybody has been told, she had tricked them into giving her their powers through some sort of old spell. Now she reigned supreme under our sacred mountain. Ruling over the High Lords, and those who attended the gathering with them. All of our leaders where now captured. All except Moros and myself.

   “So, you are telling me that my mate, the High Lord, and many of my friends, and family, are all being held captive by an ancient war tyrant who now holds the powers of all High Lords. Who has now attacked my court in hopes of concurring it, and forcing my subjects into submission?”, I let out.

   Zathrian nods slowly as the other’s gathered around bowed their heads.

   My head was reeling. How in Prythian am I supposed to do this on my own. To look after an entire court of fae looking to me for support and hope.

   I thought of Eris. How he would sit for hours sorting through piles of paperwork in search of issues that mattered. He’d take his time. Always dealing with matters that would affect the people first. The people would always have to come first.

    “Where are those who have fled Hedone?”, I ask after taking a breath and sitting up in my seat. It’s time to wear the crown weather I’m ready for it or not.

   We rarely know how brave we are until being brave is our only choice. Eris voice murmured in my mind.

   I could be brave. I could be brave for others – I’m good at that.

   “Hiding in surrounding woods, and townships”, Moros answers with his arms folded over his chest.

   “The news of invasion will move quickly with them and the lesser fae in Hedone’s surrounding forests”, I nod.

   “Was the attack focused on Hedone, or are there other cities under attack?”, I ask

   “A few small towns have been ransacked as they came down from the Winter Court. They have been hit the hardest, but within our borders it was the capital city that was the main target”, answers one from the crowd. A soldier of sorts by the look of him.

   “What is the state of our armies?”

   There was a pause in the room. As if it were shocking that my first order would be to collect an army.

   “Scattered”, was Moros grumbling answer. “. . . You wish to strike back?”

   “Not unless I have to, but I want my people safe. Who here has authority over regiments?”

   Several hands slowly go up.

   “Good. Go and collect who you can and bring me back the numbers. I want barricades as protection around each settlement. We will collect them in larger ones if need be. If they must be moved, move them southward, away from the mountain. Collect food goods as you go along. We have to start preparing long term. No one should go against Hybern until we are organized”, is my firm answer. Many looked at me in surprise. Moros simply let’s out a low chuckle.

   “This is not funny in the least”, I scold the older male.

   “No”, he shakes his head in agreement. “It is not humorous in the least, but I do not think this Court was expecting you to be so well prepared for the role of Regent. Even Beron has given up at this point, it has been rumoured.”

   “. . . I am not Beron. I will protect this Court in any way I can as long as there are Fae to protect. Now please, I know I might not be the ruler you where hoping for, but as following the chain of command by Autumn Court law, as the wife of the High Lord’s sun, and of royal lineage, I am next in line to the throne. Still, that doesn’t mean that I don’t need your help, from everyone in this room”, I looked to each fae standing at the table I sat at. Each slowly started to smile. Some even had tears rimming their eyes.

   “Her soul matches his”, one of the females murmured.

   I look to Zathrian for an explanation as to what she meant. He smiled softly and comes to stand behind my chair.

   “Hail to the soul Embry Woods, Lady of the Shrouded”, he states firmly.

   “Hail!”, was the chorus as each places a palm to the center of their chests where a gold pendant hung. The Ouroboros. Just like the one I had made into a ring for Eris birthday. He already knew the symbol, he smiled at it, it was his. The symbol of the Court he made when he was filled with hope.

   So I let Zathrian settle my own chain and snake around my neck. Raised my head a little higher before bowing it to the Hidden Court in thanks.

   Eris’ Court, and now my own Court.

~

  Slowly Zathrain had introduced me to the whole of the Court. Each I gave a task to gather civilians into safe area, to gather the scattered armies, to put the court back into as much a working order as it could be at this moment.

   Then once that was settled, and much to, Zathrian’s horror I ordered him to have me brought me back to the Embry manor so that I could collect a few items that would be essential for the coming years.

   That’s how I ended up standing in front of my half destroyed home with Zathrian and Jon at each side as an escort. Seeing what lay before me, I was glade I didn’t come alone. My legs quacked under me like the earth was being pulled out from under me. My heart breaking at seeing the shambles of my home, but I drew up my tears. Gathering up my courage and stepped forward.

  Trying not to notice the webbing of shattered stain glass that had held afternoon sun as Eris and I danced down our hallways of rich wood. Now splintering under my boots and bleached in blacken as from scorch marks. The vine like cracks splitting up plastered walls, flecks of gold drifting in stale air like the autumn leaves. Vases older than the court itself lay shattered on the ground, and canvas of ancient landscapes torn to shreds by clawed hands.

   My mate, my court, my home; all stolen from me.

   So, I stood in the wreckage of my life, and I had to decide who I was going to be from this point forward. I could break. I could curl in on myself and break into a million pieces.

   Or I could prove to the world the strength I had. That I could be a leader. That I could be strong.

   Again, Eris’ words rang in my ears like a mantra. So, I tied those words over my flesh and bound it in my bonds as I reached down the bridge that held us together. Brushing my fingers over the sharp black rock of my mate’s mind.

   I will be strong. I will protect this Court. I will protect our Court, I promise him before pulling back into my body.

   I took one step, then another, and another until I was down halls and through shambles. Standing at in the bedroom we shared and ripped open the wardrobe we shared.

   Jon looked like he wanted to make a comment about me having a priority to fashion, but shut his trap when I pulled Hadres, my Illyrian sword, out instead. Only after tying it to my waist did I turn to him.

   “You and Eris trained in the war camps together, didn’t you?”, I ask.

   He nods slowly as I bring out Eris’ beloved weapons. His twin harvest sickles that symbolized his home. Holding each now brought both pride and sorrow. It dawned on me that I might never get a chance to see him fight with them again.

  Taking a few steps towards Jon I reach them out to him.

   “He’s never told me much about his time as Embery Woods, but I know it was the best part of his life. He misses it greatly. Misses his Hidden Court, his friends, who he used to be. He carried it with these all the days of his life thus far. I think he’d want you to carry them now”, I offer.

   “My Lady. . . are you sure?”, he asks uncertain.

   “Yes, even if you still hate him for abandoning it all, he would want you to protect this Court as you did as brothers”, I smile. “I hope you know that you meant everything to him. You still do. You’re the brother he never got to have, and he gave up all he was to keep you from getting hurt.”

   He grits his teeth and grumbled a bit but nodded and took them from my hands. Sighing as if wood handles touch was that of an old friend. Familiar as he tested the weight in his hands. Twirling them before settling them on his belt. Nodding to me.

   “And you can call me Melona. Anyone Eris trusted his life with, I will too”, I smile and he smiles back.

   “Zath, go to dressers and bag as much of my jewelry as you can. We’ll need to melt it down for coin to pay the soldiers”, I order. Hanging my wedding ring on a gold chain around my neck. The only piece I intended to keep. Not even the engagement ring Beron had so unceremoniously stuck on my finger.

   “Are you sure?”, he asks.

   “I have no use for it”, I nod and start collecting what I can as well. The only article of clothing I take from the wardrobe is a couple pairs of my pants, and a worn jacket that Eris never left the house without on our outings. It still smelled of cinnamon and aged paper. I quickly wrapped myself in it.

   It only took us a few minutes before we heard chaos outside. Both the males at my side wanted me to stay hidden, to sneak away, but I refused. I needed to see.

   Peeking from behind pillar and shadow I witnessed several town families being corralled by attors. Large bat like creatures with forked tongues and less inclined towards manners then Illyrians.

   My heart raged as I watched the children and women crying. It burned watching the men and fathers doing all they could to shield their families from these beasts. Lesser and High Fae a like in this group, all of them my people.

   So, I let that fire given to me by Eris flicker and crackle like flame rising from hot embers. I fed it their tears and their screams until there was no fear holding me back as I step out from the safety of shadows. Stepping out in front of the party of Hybern soldiers with Hadres in hand. Spinning the Illyrian steel so that it rang against the chilled autumn air before taking my place. Firmly grounded as a mountain.

   “Who the Hell are you?”, sneered one of the black hearted soldiers.

   “The Vixen of Embry Woods. Reina of the Shrouded Court. Lady of the Golden Shield”, I state as fact. Raising my chin with pride at the name I would now carry.

   “Is that supposed to mean something?”, an attor cackles as it pushes towards the front.

   I’m pleasantly surprised to now find Jon, and Zathrian at each my hands. Jon standing firm at my right ready with the twin sickles in hand. Zath at my left with his grey cloak drawn over his face transforming him into an ethereal being with tendrils thick grey mist spilling over his body.

   I smile at my enemies.

   “No”, I answer simply and point Hadres at the leading attor, “But it will.”

~

(Hello Dearest Readers,

   And here we come to the end of the story of Melona. At least, as far as I had planned out in my mind. Now she is off to cause havoc, and be a complete pain in the arse for Amarantha until our Feyre Cursebreaker comes to save us all. 

   I am not sure if I will be making a sequel to this or not. I am planning on taking a break from posting for a while and invest more time in my personal original work. I have my own stories that I want to share, as much as I adore the worlds Sarah has made, I have my own to share.

   Before I go, I just wanted to thank you all for giving my story a chance. I really hope you enjoyed this little adventure. I hope it brought you some comfort, or even a small bit of joy. Thank you for your patience with my constant delays and wack posting schedule. It means the world to me.

   Thank you all so much, and I hope to start posting my original work soon.

   To the stars that listen – and the dreams that are answered

Love,
Lady Thyme