Jupiter Rising

Chapter Seventeen - Domino effect

The round table had been fraught with emotion, and every Queen was heated and fuelled with fearful apprehension and anger.

I got the brunt of the finger pointing, for I had not kept them safe. I had to repeat the facts though.

"Mirren stepped out of the veil" I remind them agitatedly "need I remind you of the eyes and what they have shown us. Mirren knew that the threat existed beyond it, and she purposefully passed by her Ravens and stepped out of the protection I had in place. This is not my fault. She left the sanctuary of Olamoore and stepped into darkness, of her own free will"

"Tha eyes conveniently didnae see wha teuk her" Sorcha spat back, angered.

I agreed with that, it was strange. Mirren was witnessed stepping out of the veil, but the eyes lost her the second she did so. Almost impossible. Almost.

"And Emerald?" Anemone asked.

I sat back down in my chair and rubbed at my temple. "Same thing. The eyes lost her through the forest pass, south of Valendoor. She was almost home"

Demelza sat beside me, she too was nursing her head in her hands. This wasn't making sense.

"I can't understand how a Princess with guards can vanish from between them all without anybody noticing" Demelza thought out loud.

I nodded "her guard came out dazed and confused. She was said to be there one minute and vanished the next. Prince Arthur was escorted back to the kingdom. He will now be Regent, until Emerald or King Caspian is found"

"What if he is part of this?" Demelza asked, her hand falling to her lap, and her body erecting with that thought "what if he's overthrown her"

Anwen shook her head "I don't think we should jump to conclusions, not every male in the kingdoms is against us"

Demelza lifted an eyebrow in disbelief "Well, no Anwen. Not all, but could some have been radicalised... what if this has been quietly happening over time and we had no idea"

"My Brothers have not been approached by this darkness. Wouldn't he have started with me?!" I asked, "since I was the one whom had the threat made against me?!"

Demelza shook her head "He wants your throne for himself" she reminded me.

"True....but he would still need an ally in the Oak" I shook that notion away "Not a one of my kin would ever betray me in this way. I know it"

Demelza sighed, all Queens looked to her. "Im afraid to say it out loud... but my Brothers, all of them, they would absolutely all overthrow me if given half a chance"

It was true. Demelza didn't have a close relationship with any of her brothers. Most were older than her and would have taken that throne before her, if it wasn't for the accession of only the female in the line.

"It is not safe for me to return to Windlere without my army. I will call for them, and ride back with my army at my back. My brothers will be removed from the Palace until I am sure this is over"

"Good idea" I replied, taking a deep breath.

"You should do the same" Demelza suggested, leaning over her chair to whisper "immediately"

"I won't" I whispered back "my Brothers are not a threat to me"

"I'm not throwing out King Rhys either" Anwen stood, flustered "my husband stays by my side. I'm not feeding into this hysteria. Let us gather our armies and sit tight. Mine will take us home to Tylwyth Teg. I suggest each Queen does the same"

I stood, hands on the table "Agreed. Every Queen shall return home with her army. But not tonight, I don't want anyone heading out into the darkness. You leave with the light. Nobody should travel by night, not until this threat is neutralised"

All Queens agreed to that, but Sorcha.

She threw back her chair, her red velvet and black gown swishing over the floor as she moved around the table toward the door "A'm going tae find mah daughter"

My voice boomed in the direction of her back "Sorcha if you also vanish. That leaves Thistle vulnerable. Your eldest daughter Flora would be regent..."

She turned on her heel, her usual stone features were alive with anguish. Merrin looked very much like her Mother, with the flame red hair, and the fair porcelain skin. Sorcha lacked her daughter's natural beauty though, and her forehead was marked with deep frown lines from decades of being miserable.

"She isnae fit fur th' throne" Sorcha barked back. "Mah Eldest son would rule Thistle,until his own daughter came of age"

Alastair was known to be drunk by lunchtime, and always with a plethora of female fae in his bed.

"Exactly" I put to her "another King takes a throne. Don't you see how the dominoes are falling. A Queen is responsible for the safety of her Kingdom. You have to keep yourself safe first, or the Kingdom falls"

"Mah kingdom will na'er fall" she snarled. "Ah kin see quite well in th' murk, fur thistle resides in th' murk shadows o th' mountains. Let him dare try me"

Demelza stood and came to my side, as we both looked to Sorcha.

Demelza spoke softly "Mirren has always been a strong, successful and competent member of your fallen. I have it on good authority that she spends her life in the dark, sneaking around the Kingdoms for you, gathering information and doing your dirty work. If your daughter... with all of her ability and magic has vanished without a trace... I'm pretty sure all of us, even you Sorcha... are not safe"

I stepped toward Sorcha, closing the distance between us. "We will find her... together" I promised.

A loud knock came upon the door and broke through the atmosphere, followed by another and another, more urgently.

"Queen Rowan" Came Eris's panicked voice.

I strode to the doors and threw them open. Eris stood there, with blood upon her gown "It's Andromeda... she is in labour... the Princess is coming"

Everything else vanished from my mind, and even with this meeting, and every Queen at my table, I left and I didn't turn back, leaving my advisors and council to stand in for me. My only duty in that moment, was to my Wife.