Rhianna and the Magic Horse

Ch 43 - The Queen

She hadn't seen his face, but she knew it was Grayson. The barrier may be keeping the majority of his army busy, but by some magical means he had brought himself to the other side ahead of them.

As the black horse got closer it picked up speed, until it was charging.

Out of time to come up with a plan, Rhianna just planted her feet and trusted. It was time for those voices, those beings she always felt were looking out for her, to prove their worth. If they really cared what happened to her, they wouldn't let her die.

Grayson pummeled the ground as he rumbled toward her in dark fury. All those feelings of trust wriggled away—she was terrified, but she refused to run.

Suddenly, just before her most certain trampling, Kasubia reared up and slashed at the charging horse with her hooves. He veered away and Rhianna collapsed in relief.

"Well, so much for that plan."

The black horse was limping, but he did not go far.

"You have grown." A voice said behind her.

Rhianna spun around.

A woman stood at the crest of the hillock wearing a long flowing gown of a diaphanous fabric, possibly woven spider silk. Her hair was pure white and braided behind her. There was no crown on her head, but the way she held herself, the tilt of her chin, everything about her sang "Royalty."

"Wh-who are you?" Rhianna said. This was no ordinary Fae. This was one of Gretch's Goddesses. But not just that—a familiarity struck Rhianna, as though she had seen this Fae woman every day of her entire life.

She stepped forward with her bare feet and reached a hand up to caress Rhianna's cheek. A familiar touch.

"You were with me for only the briefest flare of time, little one. But you had my heart from the instant I laid eyes on you."

"I'm sorry." She wiped away the hot tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know why..."

The Fae woman hushed her and wrapped her in porcelain arms. "My name is Rhiannon, Queen of the Esstaline Court. I was your first mother."

Her tears became a flood as peace and love enveloped her. "But...I don't understand."

"You were born of magic in Fairy, and I was chosen to raise you—though every member of my court would have been there for you, it was my arms that cradled you, my voice that whispered words of love in your tiny ears." She pulled back and produced a hanky that looked like it might have been part of her dress a minute ago. "We never left you, though we were far away. We watch. We helped in whatever small way we were able."

"Helped?" Her stomach turned sour. "All the bouncing around from place to place. Always looking over my shoulder. Worrying if mom would zig when she was supposed to zag. And you were helping me?"

Now it was the Fae woman's turn to get misty eyed. She opened her mouth, but couldn't seem to find the words.

Rhianna felt instantly guilty. "You were far away. I get it."

Kasubia huffed and shook her head, bringing Rhianna back to the present.

"But you're here now. You can help with Greyson. Send him away or something."

The Fae woman's face crumpled. "If only I had the power. He is beyond all of us now. But I could take you away. Whisk you back to my court as I wished I could every moment of every day since you were taken."

"But what about my friends?"

"We could make room for them and keep them safe. Especially Gretch. She has won many hearts in my court following the old ways."

"But what about their friends and family—what about the human world? Who will stop Grayson from invading and hurting others?" Rhianna couldn't just leave the world behind. Not when she had finally found a home. "I was going to go to school in the fall."

"You would be safe, and loved. But you would have to stay inside the court, with the rest of us."

"And I wouldn't be free." Rhianna knew the truth despite the many reasons Rhiannon could come up with of why it would be better to live locked away in a magic bubble. Even with an all powerful Queen/Goddess of Fairy as one of her adoptive moms, she was on her own facing Grayson and whatever else the world—or worlds—was going to throw at her.

"I can't. It's a mess out here, and I am going to clean it up for the human world, and for Fairy—for you."

The Queen nodded. "I know. The time when you were small and helpless, is long gone—if there ever really was such a time. As soon as you were out of your swaddling, you were taking care of yourself and others. All I could do was watch. You have the power of two worlds. Grayson will regret the day he invoked your wrath."

They embraced one more time and then the Fae woman turned to Kasubia, who had begun prancing nervously.

"Kasubia, dear one, you have lived out your punishment and found bravery at last. Your curse is lifted. Your ability to transform is restored." The Queen paused, as if waiting.

Rhianna stared at her. Transform? What was she going to change into? Was she like a Darkling? But nothing happened. Kasubia shook her head again, either not able or not willing to change yet.

The Queen gave a sad sigh. "Remember, when this is done, balance must be restored." She turned to Rhianna. "If you change your mind, call my name and I will bring you to safety."

Then she was gone.

Kasubia came closer again. And nuzzled Rhianna's cheek. How will you defeat him?

"I have the power of two worlds. Didn't you hear?" She put all her confidence into her words, but she didn't have the first clue what it meant. She may have convinced her first mom, and her friends, who were hopefully safe and sound back at the farm by now, but she wasn't fooling herself—and she didn't think she could fool Kasubia either.

A/N: Hello my readers. I am so grateful you have read so far. We are so close to the end now. I am almost reluctant to finish...because that means the super hard job of editing must begin. 

So does anyone have any guesses as to Kasubia's true nature? Or how Rhianna will defeat Grayson? Is anybody just totally confused about how Rhianna has a Fae "mom"? This draft is a little rough so it might not be obvious.