Chapter 11. Lady Sage and Eve of Orion.
Far from all the action Lady Sage and Queen Rosemary were the steadfast guardians of the Western Farmlands Castle. It had been so long since King Mallus had been present that the ladies had the measure of everything and the realm was running smoothly. They were producing as much food as they could for the armies and the people, and the population had every confidence in their wise rule.
One day as morning was getting underway, there was a slight flurry of anxiety amongst the women. Lady Sage hurried to Queen Rosemary’s chambers. Eve was already there. The room was set to receive important visitors. They had received messages that heralded this unusual visit and they were curious to know what the dignitary from The Eastern Flatlands could possibly want.
Whilst there had been no trouble on the borders along The Wall of Destiny within living memory, there had also been no trade, no communication and no easy passage of the population between them. They had lived side by side but not intertwined.
“We shall welcome our guests in the proper manner and listen with dignity. We must ascertain their purpose and say little until we have privately discussed their propositions,” stated the Queen.
“Agreed,” said Lady Sage. “There is no reason to believe that this is a hostile visit, and your majesty has governed wisely while the Kings are at war, but we must be on our guard if they believe us to be vulnerable.”
“True. We are a small band of women now that Diana and Celeste have gone to find the portal. Their travels have taken them deep into the coastal lands and who knows when we shall have news of them. It has been some time since they sent dispatches,” replied the Queen.
Eve, Lady sage and Queen Rosemary sat formally waiting while the visitor was shown in. She surprised them all with her stature and elegance.
As the striking lady talked they all warmed to her. She spoke with all the grace and intelligence of a leader and was interested in one thing and one thing only, to create a formal peace treaty with The Queen.
“ I am most grateful for your audience your majesty. For too long have we been neighbours yet strangers,” she said. “My people are content and have no reason to display unrest within our realm or outside it. It has taken some generations to recover the population from their poorer existence, they are now a united people and have many trades and goods to supply as merchants. Our councils and boroughs have expressed the wish for free trade and peaceable relations with your majesty. I have listened to my people and I come in person with great hope that you are of a willing nature. We have much to offer which I have outlined in the records that I have brought for your inspection. I do not expect you to make this decision lightly or hastily, but if you permit me to stay a while I shall be glad to enter into serious negotiations with you and see what we can make of a pact.”
“Madame Venus of The Water, you speak most graciously and I welcome you to our court. Please reside with us while we pursue this interesting request. Your small entourage are most welcome here. I shall see to it that they are housed most comfortably and have the use of our stables. We desire that you to have the finest quarters and dine with us this very evening after you have rested and been made comfortable. Your ladies in waiting, scribe and courtiers shall feast with us this very night. We shall be most pleased to discuss our situations on the morrow.”
With that Madame Venus and her maid withdrew and all were present in the evening as the Queen had commanded.
Privately Lady Sage, the Queen and Eve spoke most positively of this development. For some time, with the growing harmony between the realms, the Queen had hoped that a happy resolution would be found regarding the crossing to and fro across the Wall. The potential for peaceful trade existed and would be of benefit to both realms if it were fostered with regulation and fair guidance. They prepared for the evening’s feast with the hope that the morning they would start serious negotiations and possible agreements.
This time of war had been of great sadness to Queen Rosemary, she was still inwardly grief stricken after the safe removal of her daughter Genia. To wait for a full eighteen years in the desperate hope of seeing her again was at times almost too hard to bear, but as Queen she would not show this outwardly. She was a strong leader and her duty was to rule with strength and pride. However, it was a glorious relief to entertain in the castle for the first time in four long years. To host a joyous visit of such an elegant and respectable leader as Venus of the Water was, in fact, cause for genuine celebration and gaiety. The whole castle came alive with merriment that night and music was heard as it had not been since before the war. A lifting of spirits and a gladdening of hearts was felt by all. The harvest had been plentiful that year so there was a glad sharing of food. The grand toast was to those still away in this fourth year of fighting and for those lost on the field. The whole assembly allowed themselves to be happy for the first time in many years.
Amidst the joyful gathering there was the sudden blowing of trumpets and horns, the noisy clattering of hooves through the gate and much activity in the stables. Many courtiers were running over to the windows and squires were rushing into the great hall.
In a tremendous flurry of noise and urgency the company in the hall was astounded to see the returning heroes. For here, entering with a wide opening of the great doors and clanking of their armour, more triumphant blowing of trumpets, those who entered were none other than prince Demetri, Benedict, Honeybee and Lilliana with other Knights and Ladies and some of The Senior Ravens.
The cheering was tremendous, the shouting, the excitement and the stamping loudly of everyone’s feet.
“Hoorah!” cried the congregation and again “Hoorah!”.
The warriors reached the Queen’s dais. She rose to greet them with a broadly beaming smile, they all knelt before her. Tousled, tired, dirty, battle scarred and thrilled to be at their final destination, their heads bowed low before her.
“Rise my wonderful band, rise and be proclaimed as our heroes and let us drink to you. Come fill deep glasses of the best wine for our warriors and we shall drink together in the joy of victory, for I see on your faces that this is what has occurred.
“Yes Lady,” claimed Demetri, “We are victorious, we have ridden hard to bring you the glad tidings, it is over! The land is now at peace. Your husband, The Good King Mallus, follows with little distance between us. He is bringing his Knights and Ladies home as befits the good leader that he is. I now commend my company to you, the victorious fighters, Benedict, you know Honeybee and Lilliana who are now esteemed Raven Warriors, and the mighty leaders of the Ravens themselves who are Sholar, Grey-Stream, Eleanor of Pines and Black-Wing.” He introduced them one by one and the Queen was only too happy to meet the saviours of the Greiglands folk.
“Welcome one and all, please make our royal household your home, go where you please and have the freedom of all that we can offer you. Come squires, come servants, help these fine warriors to food and drink, be seated and tell us as little or as much as you can manage.”
Indeed the warriors were at their end, they had ridden hard and were almost beyond speech, but the pulsating joy they felt in their hearts to be safety back at the castle meant that there was no rest for them yet. Now was a time to eat, drink and rejoice and tell many a tale of the brave and heroic deeds of their fellows. What a night, what a glorious and rather surreal night. By the time they all fell into bed the sun was nearly risen and the negotiations of the next day started a great deal later than anyone could have foreseen. Duly they met and were delighted to become better acquainted with Madame Venus of the Water, they all agreed that a harmonious treaty with the two realms would be of great advantage to them both and their scribes began to draw up documents. These things did not happen quickly and as the days stretched into weeks Madame Venus became good friends with the Queen and Lady sage. Eve was thrilled to have Honeybee and Lilliana back. They had so much to say, so much news to share.
Eve had been working tirelessly over the years with the aid of magic and the stars to attempt to communicate beyond the portal but it had come to nothing. They would have to wait for Diana and Celeste to find out from the old soothsayer where the portal was. They believed the ladies to be happily venturing forth, little did they know that Diana and Celeste were trapped in an evil enchantment.
The warriors restored themselves to full health and began to lead quite tame lives for some years, tame but necessary for the kingdoms. They were governing, assisting with new trade routes to the east of The Wall. There was always much to do to manage a kingdom. For years they travelled around the Farmlands to tell the people of the wars and to reassure them that the realm was safe and protected. This stretched endlessly on, but eventually Lady Sage said,
“We approach the eighteenth year of Princess Genia’s departure. She is now under no threat from Lord Ivy. You must make your way to King Sorre’s castle. Await Diana and see if she has found the one great secret, the place of the magic portal between the universes and across time and space. This is the greatest quest of all and must be fulfilled or Genia will be lost to us forever. You have all proven yourself in battle and Eve is the greatest star gazers in our land, you will need her magic and foresight when you travel beyond this galaxy.”
With Eve they prepared to journey to King Sorre’s castle and await news from Diana. It was yet again with sadness but enormous hope in her breaking heart that Queen Rosemary parted with these dear ones. As they passed the statue to Fysi when galloping out of the castle the bejewelled eyes flashed with immense brightness. This was indeed a good omen.
By the time they had reached King Sorre’s castle in The Coastal Lands they hoped to discover the whereabouts of the portal. It was with utter dismay that the King and his Princely sons revealed that they had not seen or even heard from Diana and Celeste. All was not well. The time was getting near. The portal must be found before it closed at the end of the eighteenth year.
With fresh horses they set out for Twycross where the ladies had last been heard of. What dastardly trick was this? Was there menacing magic in the way again? What if, horror of all horrors the portal should close at the end of the eighteenth year and Genia would be lost and gone forever?
Very little information was to be gathered at Twycross. It had been many years since two princesses had passed that way, it was but a distant memory. They had heard that the two were on their way to the town but had never arrived, they had been seen near The Glan but had not crossed by the usual bridge and had ridden south for some reason.
“That is our clue!” shouted Demetri, “They must have been looking for another crossing. To the south!”
It was not long before they spied the ancient dwarves’ bridge. They were about to cross when Honeybee spotted smoke from behind some trees. Low and behold they followed the path that led to a strange and ugly tower. A most ugly pale maiden, hunched with bitterness sat in the garden there.
“Lady we seek our friends, lost some time ago. Two princesses from the court of King Mallus, do you have any news?” asked Benedict.
“No sir, I am just a lowly maiden who lives with my old father. No one comes by here, this road is on the way to nowhere. We haven’t seen anyone for many a year,” replied the Yellow Maiden.
Here is where the disgusting old man made a curious and stupid mistake. He hobbled out of the tower and inquired who these good folk were. Even in this dangerous position he thought he might be able to make some money out of them and sell them his herbal wares. However he was rather too emphatic that they had seen no travellers however many years ago. As he reached for his bag around his waist Lilliana saw Diana’s hunting knife as clear as day slung on the old man’s belt.
“Fie Sir, where did you get that knife? I know this to be the property of one of the princesses,” she asked aggressively.
The old man started and withdrew slightly while he was muttering his excuses.
“I found this many years ago in on the tack to Twycross, I know not who it belonged to before that.”
Demetri, Honeybee and the others sensed his lies and as they looked up at the tower they could see the glint of Diana’s armour from the window of their grandest room. The Yellow maiden was reaching into her dirty bag for something, a weapon? Some potion? They knew not. At once Honeybee ran the old man through with her sword and Demetri swung his blade and sliced the head of the Yellow Maiden. They were instantly dead. In a great hurry and thunder of feet upon the stone steps of the tower they rushed higher and higher to find Diana and Celeste.
What a sorry sight it was to find their friends weaving away in a locked room. They had no recollection of their friends and stood back weakly afeared of who they thought were strangers. In no time they were brought carefully outside into the fresh air and reviving sunlight. Honeybee immediately gave them the most wondrous healing potion and gradually over two hours they came back to their senses. They were very weak and had to be fed upon proper food and drink and cleansed of their years of capture by healing herbs and magic that Honeybee cast over them. They were not their former selves but as the hours passed they remembered everything and knew that they must now ride on to find the portal while there was still time.
“Pray let us leave this forsaken place before dark should fall. For here we have lived a half-life and I want to see this tower no more,” pleaded Diana.
Diana rode with Lilliana and Celeste rode with Honeybee. They held them tightly on their ponies, Lilliana cried as they galloped along to see that the fiery Diana had been broken by those weak and evil enemies.
In a very serious mood they galloped on across the River Fetch and reached the shores of Lake Yame by nightfall. They camped in relative comfort, ate and nursed the princesses back to full health. As luck would have it the song of an old traveller could be heard as they camped so Demetri and Benedict sought him out beside the lake to enquire about an Old Soothsayer that they had heard of. What joy, what wonder, the dear old fellow was indeed the Soothsayer, he had been expecting them even though he knew not when. They wrote down all that he told them on parchment that they safely stowed in Demetri’s bag. They rushed back to the others and exclaimed,
“We have found the Old Soothsayer, he has told us where the portal is! Tomorrow we must take a boat down The Fetch to the Long Sea. Then we must sail up the northern coast to The Great Cleft and there row up the estuary of The White River until we see a dark cave on the western bank. In that cave there is a final quest and when that quest is fulfilled we can travel through the portal to rescue Genia.”
With that Demetri sank down and held his head in his hands and sobbed. Benedict knelt by him and placed his hand on is back. Demetri, after all this toil and all these years, finally had hope of seeing his lady love again.
