The Changeling

Chapter XXVIII- Keep Silence

Sophie:

As we dismounted the horses, I felt that same, eerie feeling I did when I was at Beltaine and I heard people calling my name. My true name. The same voices and whispers were flying around me as our feet crunched the dead leaves on the ground.

I looked up and around at the deadly beautiful world I had just found myself in. It sort of reminded me of a temperate rainforest, but there was no sound of birds, no crickets, just a terrifying silence absent the voices.

The stone building we were walking towards filled me with dread. It was huge, and giant. It was hard to tell what was older, it or the earth surrounding it. Roots, vines and moss seem to have taken the stone as its own.

Ciardha walked towards the tunnel-like entryway, into god knows what. I didn't even realize I had reached for his hand until the addicting, electric feeling sent shocks through my body.

As soon as we crossed the threshold, I felt a wave of something, I don't know what to call it besides inevitability falling over my body. I reflexively pulled my hood up to hide my hair. As we walked through the tunnel, everyone stayed silent. I itches to reach out and drag my hand along the cool, stone walls. But I decided better against it.

What felt like hours letter but was only moments, a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Once we exited, it was like we were thrust into what I'd always imagined fairyland to look like. Ruins and statues of creatures were strewn about the place, giant trees with flowering blossoms surrounded the place. It had such a defiant smell, I couldn't place my finger on what it was, but it brought back some sense of nostalgia in it.

I was so entranced by my surroundings I didn't notice our little group begin to head up a stone staircase like path, covered in moss with a trickling and gurgling spring rushing down it's side.

"Shall we?" I heard Ciardha whisper, and I turned to nod at him. My hand has never left his firm grip, and we followed everyone up.

As we did, I heard soft singing, and I found myself joining in.

"The fates are in their holy temple

The fates are in their holy temple

And all the earth keep silence

And all the earth keep silence

Before them

Keep silence, keep silence

Before them"

The sound continued in a round, and I sang it quietly, and kept my eyes on the trail, we entered a sort of alcove with plants surrounding us, and made a sort of roof. The bushes reminded me a bit of rhododendron from my summers in North Carolina.

When we exited that area, I found myself in front of a door on a tree, with statues of hooded women holding up the entrance. It reminded me of the cemeteries back home in New Orleans. My heart lurched at the thought of home, but I ignored it.

We entered the gates, and I found myself in front of a lake, and behind the lake was a beautiful, roman temple looking building.

As we boarded a small row boat, I looked around and thought, This is one hell of a confusing way to get to the Council.

But then again, I guess that made sense. From what I'd gathered, the fates were secretive to say the least.

Merrow dived into the pond, and I watched in surprise as her head popped out of the water, and she began to pull the boat. I noticed some sort of longing gaze she threw to Conrì, whose eyes didn't leave from her now bare body. I looked down in surprise at her blue-green tail.

With a merrow pulling us, we crossed the lake at a surprising speed. The lack of anyone talking had begun to let fear ring out across my body. When we landed on the other side, I rejoiced when Ciardha lifted me out of the boat with ease, his muscles flexing through his black shirt, and I felt myself melt at his touch.

I noticed Conrì and Merrow stayed outside. Merrow stayed laughing in the water while Conrì spoke to her in hushed whispers,

We walked through the towering column into the heart of the temple building, and my draw dropped at the sight. The room was huge and circular, with an insanely high ceiling, maybe towing 50 feet high. In the center of the room, a burning fire was lit, and the flames were dancing, making shadows fall around the room.

On each side of the room, there were four large thrones made from stone, carved into the walls. Each of the thrones was large enough to seat two people, even with the huge size of these muscular males. They were raised high, and each had carvings, no doubt signifying the owner of the chair. Already, in 5 of the chairs, were no doubt the kings and queens of the realm. On each side, a larger throne was positioned, both were empty.

I noticed Étain looking smug in her throne, carvings of palm trees and tropical flowers decorating her throne. I didn't have time to memorize the other faces, but I recognized them as all men, each wearing radically different clothes and styles, as if reflecting different time periods and regions.

On the opposite side of a room, on a raised platform, was a large balcony, where three veiled figures were standing. The fates, I thought and gulped nervously.

I was left alone on the floor by the fire, while I watched Alvar and Ciardha take their seats. Ciardha was seated in one of the larger of all the thrones, and I watched in awe at the power that was radiating off of him.

"We begin now," the three women spoke at once. 

Hey y'all! I'm excited to write the next chapter... I hope this one wasn't too short! thank you so much for commenting and reading- it means alot!