Chapter 10 - Queen M'Lady

“Oi! You there!” he yelled up at me. “Why’re you walkin’ on the soils o’ M’Lady?”
The little man could have been no higher than my knee.
“I wanted to pick some apples off the tree.”
“You wanted our apples?!” the little mans face flamed red, and he grabbed a fistful of my skirts.
“Aah!” I had no choice but to follow him. He led me through the bushes to another apple tree. This tree was nearly identical to the first, but it had green apples, not red. The little man walked straight into the tree, taking me with him. The illusion around me cleared. There were houses so small they could only accommodate people as mall as the man who led me. Rising from the middle was a regal palace. The landscape was a blur as I was quickly dragged towards that palace. It wasn’t long before I was pushed into a large empty room, with stairs at one end.
“Introducing Her Majesty, the Queen M’Lady.”
Two doors at the top of the stairs opened. A stunningly exquisite Lady stepped out. As she started to walk towards the little man still hanging onto my skirts and I, I could see that her golden hair was so long it would have dragged on the floor, if not for the child holding it up. Her eyes were emerald green, and glinting in the light, bearing even more resemblance to the jewel. The wings on her back were like a dragonflies, and very delicate. Her skirt was a deep, eternal green, and her bodice was also green, but in a lighter shade. She stopped. The little man bowed. I quickly followed with a curtsy.
“Norm, what have you brought in front of me?” the Queens clear, sweet voice rang through the room.
“She was ‘bout to pick some apples offa our tree, that, and she had the stench o’ a witch on ‘er. Both good and bad majics, M’Lady.” Norm said. M’Lady turned her gaze on me. “Is that so?”
“My friends – and I – were starving. I didn’t realise I was stealing.”
“What magic’s do you practice, Witch?”
“I practice healing, but I’m trained in battle magic should I need it.”
“What is your business in our forest?”
“Not to be rude Your Majesty, but its not just your forest. A village of Anthro and a dragon live in this forest as well. But in answer to your question, my companions and I spent the last year in the Anthro Village. Now, we are traveling to the palace. To kill the king.” I could tell that I could trust the faerie queen.
The Queens dainty eyebrows went up. “Kill the King? But why?”
“He destroyed our village, killing our mothers. That,” another thought made its way to the front of my mind “and we have the rightful heir.”
The Queen looked at me, long and hard. “How did you know?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, but still loud.
“About Brach? He’s lived in my village all of his life.” I was slightly bewildered.
“Brach? Who is this Brach? I thought you were talking about the king.”
“The king? The dead king? What about him?”
“Can I trust you?” the queen asked seriously.
“Of course, your Majesty.” Now I was intrigued.
“The rightful king, King Salven is here, being hidden.”
“What? Oh, my God. I have to go tell Brach!”
“Who is this Brach?” the Queen repeated.
“Oh, Brach. He’s the prince. Salven's son.” I waved a hand dismissively.
“Salven has a son?”
“Yeah. Brach. May I see the King?”
M’Lady gave a nod. “Follow me.”
The Queen turned and left the room. I hurried to keep up with her.
“Uh, M’Lady? I don’t think the king is being kept here.”
“of course not. These are my quarters.”
“why are we here?”
“You can’t go see the king wearing that.”
I looked down. As I had refused to wear the skimpy clothes of the Anthro, my dress was very tattered. The Queen was rustling through her closet. “aha!” she exclaimed as she found what she was looking for. M’Lady held it up. It was a set of black pants that would reach halfway down my calf, a black long sleeved shirt, and a pair of knee – high flat soled black boots.
“my old battle attire.” The Queen said proudly. “I do not need it anymore. You will. Take care when you go through towns though. You will need to put your skirts on over it.”
“thank you M’Lady.” I took the clothes and was led into another room to change. I went back to the Queens quarters, clutching my old clothes. There was no one there but Norm.
“I’ve bin instructed by M’Lady tuh take you tuh see King Salven.” Finding that he could no longer grab my skirts, Norm strode off.
“Norm?”
“Yah?”
“why is the queens hair so long?”
“nuna us faeries cut our hair.”
“really?”
“Yah.”
“why is the Queen taller?”
“because she’sa royal.”
Norm had led me through a maze of corridors, finally stopping in front of a door.
“king Salven? You gotsa visitor.” Norm motioned for me to go in. King Salven looked up. A frown creased his brow.
“who are you?”
“ I am Amile Rosna. I am traveling with your son.”
“my son?”
“yes. His name is Brach.”
“he would be eighteen now.”
“he is. Were traveling to Amyras Castle. Were going to kill him. He burnt down our villages, which killed our mothers.”
King Salven looked up sharply. “Angeel is dead?”
“yes. I’m sorry.”
King Salven looked at the floor, devastated.
“would you like to come with us?” I offered.
King Salven stood, his back straight. “ I would be honored.”
I nodded. “we should go tell the Queen of our plans.”
I walked out of the room, looking for Norm.
“Norm?” I called, the corridors echoing ‘Orm…orm…orm’ back at me. I looked at the King. “ if you know the way, could you lead?”
The king gave a nod and strode off down the corridor. He led me back through the maze of hallways and doors until we reached somewhere I recognized.
“hey.” I looked around with interest. “I think I know where we are.”
“Norm?” the King called.
Norm appeared from nowhere. “yah, King Salven?”
“I would like an audience with the Queen.”
“I’ll see what I c’n do.” Norm bowed his head and flew off. The King and I waited for about five minutes before Norm came back.
“My Queen’ll see yuh now.” Norm led us in before going to stand behind the Queen who was already inside. Norm only came up to her knee.
“Queen M’Lady.” King Salven bowed. Unable to curtsy anymore, I bowed clumsily.
“We have come to inform you that Miss Amile has invited me to journey with her and my son. I have accepted.” King Salven continued.
“as you wish.” M’Lady said. “But you will need a disguising spell. If you want to keep the element of surprise, no one can know who you are.” The Queen raised her hand. King Salven vanished. In his place stood a man who looked like me.
“you will go posing as Miss Amile’s father. And you will go by the name of Ordan.” King Salven bowed.
“Before we go, Your Majesty, can we get some food to take with us?”
“Give me your bag.” The Queen ordered. I handed over my bag, which was stuffed with my old clothes. The Queen raised her hand. “your bag is now full of food that will never run out or go off.”
I looked at my bag, disbelieving. It didn’t look any bigger. I opened it and looked inside. Sure enough, it was stuffed. I bowed my head.
“thank you Your Majesty. We will go now.” King Salven and I turned to leave.
“Wait.” The Queens sweet voice reverberated through the chamber.. King Salven and I turned back.
“ I wish to bestow a final parting gift upon your traveling party. Picture the rest of them on your head.”
I obediently pictured Brach, Malidan, Sensa and Apiia in my head.
“My gift is bestowed.” The Queen said. “None of your traveling party will tire until you’re your journey is over.”
Now that the Queen mentioned it, I did feel less tired.
“Thank you, My Queen.” I said.
“You may go now. And good luck to you.”
King Salven and I bowed again, and then turned away. We navigated back to where Brach, Sensa, Malidan and Apiia waited. I burst into the clearing.
“I’m back!” I said. “And I have a surprise for you Brach!”
“I hope its food!” Brach said, rubbing his hands together.
“Better.” I said, pulling Salven out of the trees. Brach looked confused.
“Who’s this?”
“Brach, this is your father.”
“No, its not. My father’s dead. Besides, he looks more like you than me.”
“Well, that’s because the Faerie Queen put a disguising spell on him.” I said impatiently.
“Faerie Queen? What are you talking about Amile?”
I gave a little sigh, and proceeded to tell the whole story. When I was finished, Brach peered at Salven.
“So, you really are my father?”
“Of course.” Salven’s voice was raspy with emotion.
“Then why don’t you look like me?”
“The disguise spell like of Queen M’Lady’s, like Amile said. I am supposed to pose as Ordan, Amile’s father.”
At this point, two big, fat tears rolled down Brach’s cheeks. I was shocked. In all the time I’d known Brach, he had never cried.
“Why are you crying?” Salven asked.
“I didn’t think I had anyone left. I thought you were dead, and then mother died. But you’re alive! I’m not crying for sadness, I’m crying for joy.”
While Brach was speaking, I had started crying myself.
“Oh, stop it Amile. You cry too much.” Brach said with a smile. I wiped my tears. While we were talking, night had fallen.
“Come on then.” Malidan grumbled.
We climbed onto Malidan’s back, now having to fit Salven. Apiia, not yet big enough to fly, nestled herself between Malidan’s claws. He took off. Malidan was a silent flyer, and being a deep purple, he blended in with the black night. We flew on until sunrise, whereupon we had to put a disguise spell on both Malidan and Apiia.
“Sensa, we have to go through Muti.”
“So?”
“People aren’t used to seeing Anthro walking around.”
“Oh.” Sensa magicked herself some new clothes – a full skirt and bodice. She then put a small disguising spell on herself to hide her other fox traits.
“Better.” I nodded.
“Now, we have to lay low for the day. Until its safe for Malidan to fly again.” Brach said.
“Ok, Mr. Boss.” I said. “So will we go into Muti or what?”
Brach nodded. “We can’t exactly stay out here all day. Besides, some of us need new clothes.”
Brach, Salven, Sensa and I walked into Muti, stopping at the tailors. Brach and Salven went in leaving Sensa and I to roam. A little while later Brach and Salven left the tailor to join us. At that moment I spotted a squadron of Amyras’ soldiers.
“Hey. Amyras’ soldiers.” A passer-by commented. “I wonder what they’re doing here?”
“Probably just passing through.” Someone else said.

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