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| The Runic Eye | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Act eight: war | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Several weeks had passed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The armies of King Frederick relentlessly pressed their attack towards the heart of Eversky. But no matter how much ground he seemed to gain - he was always pushed back. More often than not- faster than he gained. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Queen Gwenyth - with her castle guards looked at what was left of the last attempted charge. Around her walls - the corpses of hundreds of mounts and enemy soldiers almost formed a trail all the way to the spot where the defenses had been breached. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I never wanted this," she said softly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "None of us did - but that fool Frederick," one of her advisors replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Any - any news? Of Samson or Gregory?" she asked hesitantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Samson - no one has seen or heard from him for weeks," one guard replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And - my brother?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We haven't seen him since he stormed away after your fight. Do you think he will come after you?" one guard asked. Gwenyth sighed and shook her head. "Do you want us to send scouts out to find him?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We don't have that luxury," she replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What do you want us to do? Our reports say that we pushed Frederick almost back to his home - but you know he will be back," one advisor asked. The queen had a distant look on her face. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know. I would normally ask Samson," she muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why not use the power of the Runic Heart? If you did - we could end this mess once and for all," an advisor asked. Gwenyth shook her head and looked out at what lied outside of her castle walls. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I cannot," she replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Because of Frederick?" one asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - because of my brother. He is out there - somewhere. He could be in trouble. If I call the Thorn away from him," she began but stopped herself. "I need to rest," she muttered as she began to walk away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The war is taking a heavy toll on her," her advisor began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She is young - she is not used to seeing such things. Once this - ugly affair is done with - she will be stronger for the experience," another suggested. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * * * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In another place - another time - Gwenyth slowly awoke. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| But something wasn't right. She wasn't in her room - she was back in the abbey. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What is happening?" she asked herself - but her voice didn't sound like her own. She looked down at what she was wearing and turned pale - she was wearing her mother's nightgown - the one that she was found dead in. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Angela. A voice whispered in her mind. She slowly looked up at the window and saw the curtains flutter. She watched as a mist crept in and took on the form of a woman - a woman named Tamina! Angela - it has been too long. The voice whispered. Gwenyth tried to cry out - but no sound was made. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have you missed me? No? I missed you. Everyday - that I lay trapped in the cold wet ground - every agonizing minute - throughout it all - I thought only of you," Tamina said as she crawled up onto the bed and slowly crawled up to where Gwenyth was. "You haven't changed a bit. You still look as innocent as you did back then," Tamina began as she lightly caressed the back of Gwenyth's cheek. Her hand felt cold as ice! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gwenyth tried to move - speak - anything - but nothing worked! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How does it feel to be helpless Lady Angela? It is a feeling I have had to endure for ten - long years. Paralyzed by agony undreamed of - caused by - Harmen - of all people him," she said - a look of madness in her eyes. Tamina placed her hand on Gwenyth's chest and slowly pushed her back down onto the bed. "Because of you - Angela - I lost everything. As such - I will take everything you value from you," Tamina began as she looked down into Gwenyth's eyes. "First - I will take away your husband - then that slut of a sister - and then your children - oh yes - I've seen you with them. So very innocent and precious. Especially the boy," she continued as she traced her finger down the center of her face. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What is happening to me? Gwenyth thought in a mild panic. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do you want to beg Angela? Hmm. Even if you did - it would change nothing. And if you think - that any will know - of my hand in this grand design - think again. Everyone knows I'm dead honey - just - like - you," she whispered as she lowered down. Gwenyth could feel Tamina's lips press against hers. But she wasn't kissing - she was drawing the breath from her body! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * * * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Just then - back in the castle - Gwenyth woke up gasping holding her chest tightly. It was just a dream - or was it. No - it had to be more. That woman - she kept calling her Angela. It was then that she realized - that she must have seen the last thing her mother had - but why now? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You look distressed my lady," a voice said quietly. Gwenyth looked over at the door and saw a maid walking towards her with a small tray. The queen slowly began to regain her composure. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - I just had a bad dream," she replied. The maid sat down beside her and poured some water into a goblet. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "With things as they are - no doubt. Would you like some water my lady?" she asked curiously. Gwenyth slowly sat up and sighed. She looked over at the window - the sky was dark. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What time is it?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Pretty late - most are asleep. The guard at the door told me that you had missed dinner. You must have been very tired. Are you worried about the war?" she asked as she handed the goblet to the queen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am more worried about my brother. Has there been any news of him?" she asked optimistically. The maid shrugged her shoulders and looked at the anxious queen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There is more troubling you than concerns for your brother. If it is not my place - I will be silent - but if you wish to talk - I can listen," the maid offered. Gwenyth smiled and took a sip from the goblet. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My mother - I know how she died," she replied calmly. The maid slowly got up and walked over to where one candle was burning and gently blew it out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I heard that it was - a dark act of fate," the maid stated as she slowly walked over to another and blew it out. She looked over at the queen and smiled. "You believe otherwise?" she asked curiously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I saw - I saw how it happened. It was Tamina - that Witch Queen," she replied as she took another sip. The maid smiled and walked over to where another candle was and blew it out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But I heard that your father - the good King Harmen - killed her," the maid commented - over half of the surrounding room - was now engulfed in darkness. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She - uh - she - survived," she strained. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Something wrong my lady?" the maid asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Must - must be something in my throat," she replied as she downed the remnants in her goblet. Another candle went out - leaving only the one by her bed still burning. Just then - her chest felt as though it was on fire. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are correct my queen - she did survive," the maid stated as she slowly walked through the darkness towards her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "P-poison," the queen gasped. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes - a very potent one at that," the maid replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "G-guard," she strained - but her voice was too weak. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But - you needn't worry about your brother highness," the maid began. She leaned over so that her face was inches from the terrified queen's. "Your brother - will be safe - with me!" Tamina hissed as she watched the last bit of life flicker out like a candle's fragile flame. The last candle - went out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||