Iszalie watched as her twin played with her latest catch, taunting him, torturing him, and then almost lovingly reassuring him that everything would be all right. Her twin’s appetite had increased ever since the people of Luia had arrived, ever since Jacob had arrived. Iszalie closed her eyes as she recalled his face. She felt sadness at his look of dissatisfaction at their last meeting. She ached that he was angry, and sad, but she had told him the truth. Well most of it.
‘I could make things right with your new plaything’
Iszalie opened her eyes and looked at her twin standing before her. She looked like a crazy woman, her hair all tangled. Her dress smeared in blood. Iszalie watched as she licked the blood from the corner of her mouth, Iszalie looked past her twin watching the man take his final breath, his body held by the shackles and chains hung limply swaying; looking back at her twin she smiled.
‘Thank you, that won’t be necessary’
Iszalie watched as her twin looked over her shoulder to the man and turned back, her eyes were void of anything. ‘I’m still hungry Iszalie’
Iszalie stood and walked to the stairway, she stopped and looked back
‘Goodnight, I’ll see you tomorrow’.
Removing her clothes Iszalie climbed onto her bed and laid down looking at the black ceiling, she closed her eyes and recalled memories of her mother, father, and brother. Times were so much easier, so much happier before her mother was taken. Iszalie tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable position, yelling in frustration she sat up and looked out the window. The moons had reached their peak; they almost mocked her as they shone down on her kingdom. Climbing off her bed Iszalie walked to the windows and looked down, a few little pin pricks of light still shone, they looked like stars.
‘It is time child’.
Defensively Iszalie turned. The shrouded figure stood next to her bed. She reached for her sword but realised she was naked. She turned to face the figure full on; defiantly she put her hands on her hips.
‘You need to learn to knock’
The figure laughed. Iszalie slowed her breathing and lifted her wrist. The figure lifted his hand to stop her, ‘That won’t be necessary, I am not your enemy’ Iszalie relaxed her arm a little, but called forth the power, holding it until she needed it.
‘What do you want?’
The figure moved. Iszalie blinked and the man stood directly in front of her. She could feel his body against her fingertips, she looked up into his eyes, and they were the clearest blue and were filled with so much passion, love and danger. Iszalie felt her gaze move to his lips and before she could stop herself she reached behind his head and pulled him towards her, kissing him passionately. She felt him respond, her lips curled into a smile, so easy, he pulled away and looked down into her eyes challenging.
‘Not every man is subject to your charms, Majesty’. Angrily Iszalie pushed the man. Lifting her wrist she tucked it up under his chin, she felt his throat constrict.
‘You have until I count to three to answer my question’ the man pulled Iszalies wrist away and shoved her against the window, the suddenness of the push and the coldness of the glass took Iszalie by surprise, his eyes looked down at her venomously.
‘I am here to remind you Majesty, not play your stupid childish games. You must fulfil your obligation, or you will pay the cost of breaking the treaty, I am allowing you to let those Luia scum live within your borders – remember that.’ Iszalie tried to pull her gaze away from the man, but she couldn't – she was his to command, like it had always been, she tried to catch her breath and felt her eyes fill with tears as she finally turned her head away from the man, he grabbed her chin and turned it back towards him ‘do not make me take your throne too, you have a part to play, remember!’
Iszalie tried to call the power, but the fear growing inside stopped her, she spat in the man’s face, who took her saliva with the edge of his tongue and leant in. Closing her eyes she could feel his breath, and then nothing.
Iszalie opened her eyes, her room was empty, sliding down the windowpane; she pulled her legs tight against her, and wept, 'No. I will not do what you want' she whispered.
Iszi?’
Opening her eyes Iszalie looked up into her brother’s face. She was still curled up next to the window. The morning sun was slowly warming the panes of glass,
‘Daon?’ Her brother slowly lifted her from the floor and carried her to her bed, laying her softly down he pulled a cover over her, he sat down next to her and gently stroked her arm, and she smiled up at him.
‘What time is it?’ Daon looked out the window and whispered, ‘it’s just after dawn.’
He looked back down at his sister, his face was filled with concern, and Iszalie gently squeezed his arm.
‘I’m all right. Don’t worry you won’t have to go through that again’ Daon sighed. Iszalie felt a tear slowly roll down her cheek, as children Daon had often found her curled up against a window or wall, every time he would tend to her.
‘What… what were you doing lying there?’
Iszalie slowly pulled herself up and hugged her brother; she couldn’t think of any reasonable answer, she hoped the hug would suffice. Daon pulled away and quickly headed for the doors. He turned looking over his shoulder and spoke firmly, ‘Get dressed you're needed in the chamber.’
Entering the royal chamber Iszalie stopped as she looked around the room at the gathered men. Jacob lowered his gaze as she looked at him. She looked at Daon who stood at attention. His usual boyish, carefree manner was replaced with a soldier,
‘What is this?’ Iszalie asked crossing the room. She sat down in her throne, not taking her eyes from Daon, he gestured to the soldiers waiting to either side of the door. Two more men entered dragging a figure between them; they threw him to the ground. The man looked around the room. Daon moved forward as the man started to rise and pushed his face to the floor with his foot.
‘Bow to the Queen’ the man gurgled an attempt at a response his face flat against the floor. Daon firmly pushed the man’s face against the floor again, a trickle of blood ran from his nose.
‘Majesty, we found this one and a few others scouting the surrounding areas of the plains, the Commander here captured this one.’
Iszalie turned to the man laying on the floor, his gaze fixed firmly on her. She felt the anger rise. ‘What is your reason for being here?’ the man grinned and spat out a mouthful of blood. He responded in a foreign tongue. Iszalie yelled at the two soldiers 'get a translator’.
As the men hurried off Daon approached Jacob and whispered in his ear, he nodded. Iszalie noted they seemed rather familiar with one another all of a sudden.
The old scholar Matthew finally entered. He looked around the room, bowed to Jacob, then turned to the Queen and bowed low. Matthew then looked down at the figure sitting on the floor, now cross-legged. Iszalie motioned Daon to make the man speak; he complied – there was no need for a translator from the obvious tone of his response.
‘Do you know what dialect he is speaking?’ Iszalie asked still looking at the man on the floor.
Matthew looked up at the Queen and politely smiled, ‘He is speaking a dialect from Mesi, Majesty.’
Iszalie eyed the man suspiciously, his eyes darting around the room. Iszalie smiled down at him; her eyes took on a deadly gaze. ‘Ask him what he was doing at the edge of the plains?’
Matthew moved closer to the man and asked. The man slowly lifted his head, and licked the blood from the corner of his mouth. His tone was venom.
‘Mi gat skilum long em masta, sambai long ples nilong pekatoman’
Matthew sighed and looked at the Queen, ‘He is patrolling the traitors’ lands on behalf of the Order Lords’
Iszalie stood and moved toward the man, her face was void of any emotion, but her eyes glowed with hatred. Iszalie could not stop thinking about the figure in her room. First the man shrouded in black, turns up warning her, telling her to fulfil her obligations
, and now a scout from Mesi was found within her borders, this was no coincidence.
‘Tell him that the Order Lords are not permitted within the borders of Aelia and that this is an act of aggression’ Matthew started to translate, but the man interrupted.
‘Tok tok long kwin, dispela pait nau istap bilong em; samting bilong mitupela em I brukin pinis’
Matthew translated that the act of aggression was hers, when she denied her obligation, and the treaty is broken. Matthew lowered his eyes to the floor.
Did the man in black hear her declaration as she lay on her chamber floor?
‘So he understands our tongue and yet still speaks his own’ Daon coldly asked.
‘I believe that soldiers of Mesi are not permitted to speak the common tongue, highness’
Frustrated Iszalie yelled at the two guards “Take him away – I’ll deal with him later’. Iszalie returned to her throne and sat down. She looked around and fixed her stare on Matthew
‘So old man, it seems your premise of bloodshed is here. Is this your alignment?’ Matthews’s shoulders slumped forward as he nodded. ‘So have you lost your tongue too?’
Jacob watched Matthew struggle for words, almost starting a reply, and then stopping himself. He pitied the old scholar. He turned his gaze to Iszalie, she was still the most beautiful woman he had seen, but sitting in her throne now, she looked like evil incarnate, waiting for any excuse to strike.
‘Answer me Matthew’ Iszalie yelled at the old man who seemed to shrink more in size.
‘Majesty, as you know I warned you that an alignment would begin. It foretells a shift in the balance of power, it does indeed premise bloodshed’
Iszalie slowly rose and moved towards the scholar. Stopping directly in front of him, she whispered. ‘Why are there scouts from Mesi in my land?’
Jacob watched as the old man slowly drew breath ‘The treaties have been broken, I believe by the people of Luia, they have triggered this series of events.’
Iszalie coldly looked at Jacob, he held her stare, and neither had missed the whispered treaties. Iszalie knew from Jacob’s expression he was aware of the other treaty. The true treaty.
Matthew pulled himself together and looked at his Queen,
‘There are people from another land within your borders Majesty, this breaks one treaty, and if there is truth in the words the Commanders friend has told. The Estrus has revealed itself, then it only reinforces that the other treaty is broken’ he carefully continued ‘if your mother returned the stone like she promised to the Order Lords. Then your land would not be a threat to them now - but she tried to call its power -she was not the true carrier that is why her life force fed the stone – she failed Aelia’.
Iszalie slapped Matthew so viciously across the face he fell to the floor. Jacob moved to the old man but stopped when Matthew gestured him not to approach.
Iszalie looked at Daon viciously. ‘Get him out of my sight; and start patrolling the borders I do not want anymore Mesi scum to even breathe our air. Do you understand me?’
Daon bowed and gestured the soldiers to gather Matthew, he looked at Jacob and smiled meekly then followed the men out of the royal chamber.
Jacob slowly turned to Iszalie. She was leaning, hands flat on the edge of the long table. Her shoulders were slumped forward. He moved to leave.
‘So you know of the other treaty Commander?
Jacob slowly turned to Iszalie. She was now looking at him, her eyes once again searching his soul.
‘Yes, Majesty’.
Iszalie moved back to her throne and slumped forward her head in her hands. Jacob moved closer towards the Queen and he didn’t know why but he lifted her chin towards him, she had tears in her eyes,
‘I only knew of the one that binds the four lands of this world’. Jacob pushed aside the longing to grab, and comfort her ‘but I learnt about the other. I was coming to consult you further on it, but ran into that little friend of ours’.
‘That treaty is a fairytale. Created to amuse children’ Iszalie replied coldly.
Jacob laughed at remembering Matthew say the same thing, ‘Matthew mentioned that’.
Iszalie’s eyes flashed with anger at the mention of his name. She sat back in her throne, once again composing her royal position. Jacob stammered trying to gain control of his thoughts.
‘He mentioned that an alignment is about to begin and with the Estrus being back it will bring bloodshed and war, he said the runes had predicted it’
Iszalie sat forward in her throne. Jacob moved back from her glare.
‘He has the message runes?’
‘I don’t know what they were, but there were four’
Iszalie stood up ‘Come with me’ as she walked past, her scent caught his nose. Jacob closed his eyes trying to block the returning sensations.
Iszalie lead him out into the hallway, and he watched as she lightly pressed her fingers to her lips and placed them on a crest as she walked by. She turned to make sure he was following. They left the hallway and headed down a spiral staircase that eventually opened to the courtyard near the room he had tended to Chev when she was ill. She quickened her pace as she crossed the courtyard, the servants all bowed low. Jacob smiled as he passed them; they remained low not daring to look after their Queen. Jacob had expected Iszalie to head towards the stairs leading to the forest below but instead she headed to the archway covered in purple flowers to the opposite end. Jacob had often wanted to venture there but somehow always felt it was forbidden, or dangerous to approach.
Inside the archway entrance, a hedge ran along both sides. It tunnelled towards a small building at the end behind a large steel gate. The two guards stationed at the end stood to attention caught by surprise at the approach of their Queen, ‘You may go.’ The two left quickly down the hedge tunnel. Iszalie turned to Jacob, her eyes reflected the purple flowers everywhere, ‘No one but the royal family are allowed here. What you see or experience cannot be revealed to anyone. I am breaking a thousand year tradition by bringing you here, do you understand?’
Jacob simply nodded. She smiled and took his hand. Jacob felt tingling run up his arm, he wasn’t sure if it was a reaction to the surroundings, or simply that she was touching him.
Iszalie held his hand tightly and with her other raised and twisted her wrist, the steel doors creaked open and they entered. Jacob felt his pulse quicken as they approached a small building. Iszalie stopped and looked up to the sky then to the ground, she extended her raised arm, and again turned her wrist. A glow slowly whirled around her arm, the light made Jacob squint as it grew brighter and bigger. Before he could catch his thoughts, the two stood before the building covered in the shimmering glow.
Iszalie let go of his hand and turned to him, looking up she smiled. Jacob smiled down at her. He followed Iszalie as she headed toward the building, it felt like an eternity before they stood before the building. Jacob could not see any door or way in or out. It resembled the rotunda in Luia, a little larger but it too housed a well like structure in the centre. As they approached, Jacob recalled what Chev had told him about the electricity surge she had felt when approaching the structure. He felt nothing.
Jacob watched Iszalie touch the four symbols on the lid. Instead of it moving, as he expected it to, the lid simply evaporated, Jacob noticed the top of a staircase. The hairs began to rise on the back of his neck as the similarities to Chevs story began revealing themselves. Iszalie however didn’t head down the staircase, taking both his hands she looked up to him and closed her eyes; he reluctantly closed his.
A loud thud quickly brought him to his senses; Jacob found it painful to open his eyes. Finally he forced them open. They were in a large room below the earth; he looked around trying to focus. The earthen walls were red in colour and seemed to glow, there were four doors like Chev had described, but there was no altar, instead a pool of water surrounded by the brightest purple flowers he had ever seen. They seemed t
o release their own light.
Jacob watched as Iszalie approached it, he could make out the reflected colours against her skin; it was similar to Wilfred’s river in the forest. Iszalie seated herself near it and cupping her hands took a slow drink.
‘Come please sit, it won’t be long’
Jacob moved to sit next to Iszalie. The shimmer of the glow around them started to fade. Jacob looked around. The room was beautiful in its brilliant simplicity. It reminded him of the forests and caves surrounding Luia that as a child he, Chev and Teanne would investigate. His heart suddenly fell as he thought about Teanne.
‘The magic I just performed, you did not seem startled by it?
Jacob recalled what had happened, he did not know why but it seemed normal.
‘Uh, no Majesty, It didn’t seem unusual. But now that you mention it, I guess I should have reacted somehow’ Iszalie smiled at Jacobs exasperated look.
‘Please call me Iszalie, if I may call you Jacob?’ Jacob nodded and continued to look around.
‘What is this place majes… Iszalie?’
‘This is the Earth temple. It is an ancient place, a sacred place’
Jacob continued to look around, noting the empty bookshelves and settled dusk on many a surface, he felt a shiver run up his spine as he felt a figure move behind him.
‘Iszalie what can I do for you’ the two turned.
An old woman slowly approached them. She was dressed in white, her long grey hair fell almost to the ground, and although she had a slight stoop she looked remarkably youthful. Jacob noticed her legs that were thin and worn from age, and surprisingly carried her. He glanced up to her face. Her smile was pure intoxication.
She leant over Iszalie and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. The Queen did not react affectionately, but respectfully smiled up at the woman.
‘This is Jacob Lee. He is the Commander of Luia’
The old woman looked at Jacob as he slowly stood and bowed. She looked at him head to toe and then cheekily grinned ‘Fine catch Iszalie, you going to marry this one?’
Jacob looked down at Iszalie; her face was scarlet as she shyly lowered her gaze. The old woman slowly moved to the pond and sat down. She too slowly cupped the water and drank. She looked back at Jacob, cocking her head to the side.
‘Well, well… you be a confusing one, Commander. You have an interesting time coming.’
Jacob slowly lowered himself to the ground. He met the old woman’s gaze again and her look sent another shiver down his spine. He looked at the Queen and the old woman in turn. Iszalie avoided his gaze.
‘I’m sorry Commander, I enjoy teasing you young folk’. The old woman laughed heartily as she slapped her knee. She slowly stretched her legs out and cupped some water from the pond, drizzling it over her worn legs, she sighed with relief.
Jacob sat dumfounded as he watched her wrinkled disabled legs slowly transform. He watched the gradual movement of the light move up her body. She stretched as the last of the light met her forehead. An old woman no longer sat in front of him. Now instead, there was a beautiful youthful woman with jet-black hair, no wrinkles, no sign of age. Jacob looked at both women. The resemblance was now unmistakable.
She slowly leaned down on one arm, and looked up at Jacob and smiled. He was lost for words. ‘Mother Earth provides Commander’ the woman turned to Iszalie and sharply asked ‘what do you want?’
Iszalie sat straight.
‘The Estrus has returned’. The woman not fazed by the information casually lifted herself into a crouch and leaned forward looking into the pond admiring her reflection, ‘And?’
Iszalie sighed in annoyance ‘And we have located a set of message runes’.
At that the woman sat back down. Her eyes no longer reflected the beauty surrounding her. They were empty pits. Jacob avoided her eyes they made him feel uncomfortable.
‘Really? Well now, anything else?’
‘I was visited last night by a man’
The woman smiled and casually glanced at Jacob, avoiding her grandmothers taunt Iszalie continued, ‘a messenger bringing a warning about my obligation, and my throne’.
Playing with the water in the pond, Jacob could sense the woman mulling over the information. He looked over at Iszalie; her gaze was firmly fixed on her grandmother. He could see her slowly losing patience
‘Where are the message runes now’?
Iszalie looked at Jacob to prompt an answer, he replied, ‘In Matthews’s home’
Iszalie’s grandmother slowly lifted herself up. Jacob gasped as the woman returned to her former self, and found it difficult looking at the frail woman that once again stood in front of him. He followed her as she moved around the pond and moved toward one of the empty bookshelves, and almost lovingly ran her palm across one of the shelves.
‘I would suggest that you get the message runes and read them. If the Estrus has truly returned, then your obligation as its protector and destroyer must be fulfilled. You do remember how to read them?’
Iszalie looked up at her grandmother and whispered, ‘yes’
‘The message runes are an important tool, Iszalie, use them for guidance. Is there anything else?’
Jacob watched both women go through the formalities of conversing and he felt his heart sadden at the lack of emotion and nurturing being exchanged.
'What obligation do you have Iszalie? Jacob asked mulling over all the information being shared. He felt himself cower a little at the intensity of Iszalies returning gaze.
'That is no concern of yours' Iszalie replied coldly, Jacob started to speak again but was cut off by Iszalie turning back to her grandmother and asking,
‘I want to know more about the treaty’
‘The treaty is irrelevant child; it was merely a parchment of scribbled nonsense’
‘The Order Lords do not think it is irrelevant, tell me everything.’
The determination in Iszalies voice seemed to persuade the older woman. She moved slowly away, they watched as she approached a small door then turned back to them,
‘Well come on then’.
Jacob slowly rose to join Iszalie at her prompting. The old woman led the two through a small doorway and into a low passageway. Jacob leant over to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling. A small door ahead slowly opened at their approach. Jacob entered and stretched his body to full height; the room was almost identical to Matthews, but more orderly. Jacob did not feel comfortable this time. He kept his guard up. The old woman approached her rocking chair and sat down, slowly settling herself. She motioned to Iszalie and Jacob to sit.
Iszalie watched as her grandmother slowly began rocking, and was growing more impatient, and knew her grandmother was toying with them, playing one of the many games she enjoyed, catching her eye Iszalie tried to urge her to begin.
‘The treaty is an agreement between the four lands; it’s merely an agreement to stay out of each other’s business.’
‘I know about that treaty already grandmother. I want to know about the one that demands the return of the Estrus. Why it was created and why the Order Lords seem so annoyed that it has been broken’
Iszalie watched her grandmother giggle and wave her hands in the air.
‘That’s easy child, because they won’t have complete control’
Iszalie looked at her grandmother. She ran her hand through her long hair. Calming herself she looked back and softly replied.
‘What is the exact nature of this treaty?’
The old woman continued rocking softly, and then finally let out a long breath.
‘It was an additional treaty between certain lands that if the Estrus was ever discovered it was to be returned to the Order Lords’ she looked at Jacob firmly ‘or face their wrath, same as the other, wouldn’t you say’
‘Is it true this agreement was between Aelia and Luia?’ Jacob asked carefully. She merely smiled and continued rocking.
?
??Matthew told you this?’ she asked coldly, finally looking at Jacob. He nodded. ‘Matthew was a part of the creation of this treaty. A long time ago my mother and I visited Luia in order to finalise this agreement’
‘Why?’ Jacob interrupted
‘So they would leave us alone. There was a small faction who believed that every land should be united. Under the power of the Estrus, they believed that we could all live in harmony, The ruling families of Aelia and Luia did not share that belief, and Mesi – well that is the order lords home so they of course would never follow that nonsensical’ the old woman shook her head despondently ‘stupid romantic nonsense’
‘You do not share these beliefs?’ the old woman looked at Jacob and smiled, he felt a chill run up his spine. Looking over to Iszalie he tried desperately to shake the uneasy feeling.
‘I have my own beliefs, commander’
Jacob thought through what had been discussed, and was finding it difficult coming to terms that there was another treaty created in secret. He thought about Elder Lin again, was she aware of this treaty, and if so why would she risk everything by going against this decision? The old woman interrupted his thoughts.
‘Tell me commander. Who had the Estrus?’
‘Our Head Elder.’ He replied softly. The old woman giggled to herself.
‘Lin, was always a sneaky one’ Jacob looked at the old woman coldly. She dismissed his look and stood.
‘And Matthew has the message runes. Lots of sneaky people about these days.’ She laughed to herself, and moved to her bookshelf where she removed a large rolled parchment.
‘This is the original treaty signed between Luia and Aelia.’ The old woman handed the parchment to Jacob and winked cheekily ‘You might want to ask your friends, Matthew, Chev and Wilfred further questions… if you have any?’
Jacob took the parchment and looked at Iszalie; she seemed lost in her own thoughts. She finally looked over and smiled softly. She stood and made to leave.
‘Grandmother?’ Iszalie said as she stopped.
The old woman looked casually toward her granddaughter
‘If the Elder of Luia had the Estrus, how was it my mother had it?’
The old woman slowly moved back to her rocking chair. Lowering herself heavily into her chair she looked at her firmly. ‘I gave it to her’
‘How did you have it’?
‘It was presented to us. That faction I mentioned, well at the head of that belief was a woman, who had f