Aiden woke to her head pounding and looked around quickly to take in her surroundings so she could put together a plan of action now that she recalled what had happened. She was in a cell with thick stone walls and bars on the door still fully clothed but missing all weapons and could feel her magic but as if it was buried in tar and sluggish to come to the surface.
"Good. You are awake," Olc smiled coming in the door.
Aiden startled at the sound of that voice and stood trying to pull as much magic up as possible but finding only mere drops.
"Do not bother. Your power is negated and will not be any match for mine any time soon, but I do not want us to fight. You are not my enemy, Aiden. You will soon be transferred to more comfortable accommodations once the alterations I made to your condition take hold," he sneered.
She refused to respond to him in any way and just stared blank faced knowing it would annoy him and in hopes that it would also gain her some needed time to undo his unnatural spells.
"Fine. Say nothing. Sleep will find you soon as my magic takes full effect, and then, we will speak in your new living quarters."
He disappeared in a cloud of mist, but Aiden waited long minutes before she sat back down on the cold, hard floor internally searching through the thick fog over her magic looking for her son and finding him seemingly calm and safe as she released a breath in relief.
She closed her eyes and began desperately trying to access her power to bring it back to full strength and get out of there. Aiden finally got a good hold of her air magic after long minutes and began slowly making progress clearing the weight but felt sleep increasing steadily with every second that ticked by as if every moment she used her sluggish magic brought on deep rooted exhaustion. She knew that sleep was going to bring what she feared to fruition and began fighting it as it menacingly crept into her bones rendering her body lethargic.
She took a few seconds to check on her womb once again as she felt herself losing the battle with fatigue and could now sense a darkness surrounding it. She tried to pull from the stone of the cell, the water dripping from the walls, and the frigid, dry air blowing through so that she could send air, fire, and healing water at the evil spell surrounding her baby, but she was too tired and panicked for anything to be helpful. Just as she felt she had made a small hole with her fire that was drawing on nothing but anger and desperation, her eyelids closed putting her into a deep slumber.
Aiden came to feeling sore all over. She sat straight up and had to blink her eyes several times to rid them of sleep and take in her new surroundings. She was in what looked like chambers fit for royalty but sparsely decorated, and she was clothed in a white nightgown that covered her now swollen stomach.
She began to cry knowing that Olc succeeded in speeding up her pregnancy so that he could get rid of her child. A female servant walked into the room hearing her distress, and Aiden tried and failed to find something to use for a weapon. The female stopped wide eyed with fear as Aiden scrambled out of the bed away from her.
"Please, Your Majesty. I will not harm you. You must get back in bed and rest. I am only here to help you."
"Get out!" Aiden yelled.
"I cannot. He'll kill me if I leave these chambers," the female stammered in terror.
"I would rather die than do what that piece of filth asks! Where is your honor?"
"I am no warrior, Your Majesty," she replied head bowed in shame. "I never got to complete my battle. I was only days away when Olc kidnapped me and my twin sister. We were both working for the healers, but I probably would have died in my battle anyway."
"Where is your sister?"
"He killed her when she tried to run away."
"At least one of you had some sense. What is your name?"
"Imogen."
Aiden remained by the bed clutching her womb instinctively trying to protect the precious life within, but she now knew that the frightened female truly was no threat to her or her child while also realizing she could feel her magic present but again in that damn bogged down state. "Imogen, I need your help. I need you to find your courage so that we can both get out of here before Olc harms my baby. Do you know how far along I am now?"
"I checked on you and the babe just before you woke. You are only mere weeks from delivery, Your Majesty."
"Shit," she whispered. "Who changed my clothes? Has Olc touched me?"
"No, Your Majesty. He brought you here still fully clothed with no evidence of tampering and told me to wash you and dress you in that nightgown. He has only returned once since then I think to strengthen the spell keeping you in sleep."
"How long since he brought me in here?"
"It has been almost a full two days. I have been keeping an eye on you and the babe. You were only a few of months along when he brought you in here but are now at the end of the eighth month mark."
Aiden felt a gentle kick to her swollen belly and looked deep inside fighting the forbidden magic seeing only enough to know that her son seemed healthy, but he was not meant to be that size yet. "I need food, but it must be something that will replenish my strength."
"I, along with the kitchen staff, have been ordered to only serve you broth and to add bread with your evening serving. That is all I am allowed to eat as well."
"I need meat, vegetables, fruit, and water. If you can get me those things, I can get us away from this place."
"I'm not allowed to leave these chambers. He has placed a spell upon them keeping me inside. I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
"Fine. I would like a bath, Imogen," Aiden ordered as an idea formed in her mind.
"Right away, Your Majesty," the female chimed seemingly glad to be asked for something she could actually do.
As she scurried into the bathing chamber, Aiden took another moment to search the room trying to find anything that would help her but found nothing knowing that the lack of decor and furnishings was deliberate. She felt movement again from within and placed her hand at the point where she felt the sharpness of another tiny nudge as she smiled knowing her son was saying hello and seeking comfort. "Hello, little one. I'm going to do everything I can to get us out of here and back home," she whispered while drudging up enough of her magic to check on him once more seeing that he still had darkness surrounding the warm sack he was in.
She turned and went quickly to the bathing chamber where Imogen had drawn a warm bath in the large tub. Aiden stripped off the nightgown and sank down into the water laughing to herself as the female finished adding in soothing herbs and oils. How stupid to have these things available when dealing with a full elemental she thought enjoying her triumph.
Closing her eyes and submerging down into the water infused with holistic supplements, she pulled from the plants and oils clearing the fog from her magic so that she could begin also ridding her son of the dark surrounding him. She wondered if Olc truly was this careless thinking his magic stronger than what she could pull from the actual elements.
Once she knew she was back in control of her power, Aiden sat up in the tub and smiled sweetly at Imogen who looked relieved that she had not drowned herself.
"Are you ready to get out, Your Majesty?"
"No. I would like to sit a little while longer. Could you add some lavender and eucalyptus? My stomach muscles are feeling sore from the sudden stretch," she lied.
"Of course."
Aiden laid her head back against the edge of the tub and took everything from the soothing additions to eat away at the evil around her child much easier than before now that her power was not suffocated. As the obsidian dissolved, her son grew smaller, and her abdomen smoothed and tightened taking her back to the original stage of pregnancy she was in.
When she finally stood to exit the bath, Imogen gasped turning pale and clutching her apron at the sight of Aiden's flattened middle.
"I need clothing. Pants, a tunic, and boots if possible."
"What happened to the babe?" she worried.
"My child is fine and back to the stage he should be. Now, clothing."
She brought her a gown fit for a very pregnant queen explaining that was all that was available. Aiden rolled her eyes and stepped into the garment but then immediately used her magic to reshape the fabric made of earthly fibers to fit her once again trim figure.
She knew that Olc would come check in on her soon, so she threw a layer of air magic over the room ensuring that even the forbidden could not penetrate it. "Imogen, you can speak freely right now. Are you loyal to Olc?"
"I do not want to be, but I am terribly afraid and don't want to die at his hand. What he did to my sister was wretched," she squeaked as a tear escaped.
"I can protect you, but you have to do exactly as I say. It will require you to find your courage."
"I do not know if I can, Your Majesty," she admitted as another tear fell down her cheek.
"Can you do it for your sister?"
Aiden watched Imogen's face change at that seeing her straighten her shoulders and lift her chin a little. She took away the protection of her air magic so as to not alert anyone of her returned power while she and Imogen walked into the living area and sat down.
"He will be coming at any moment. He cares for you, Your Majesty, but he is furious that you are pregnant with the child of another. He will be even more enraged that his magic has been undone."
"Yes; I will be," Olc boomed as he appeared inside the room.
Imogen fled trying to avoid his wrath, but Aiden did not even stand and looked at him with a face that showed false weariness. She wanted him to believe that it had taken all her energy to reverse the progression of her pregnancy and that she was now weakened once more.
"Feeling a little sluggish, Aiden?" he asked with a smirk as he quickly threw his hands out and cast the dark magic upon her weighting her magic down before she could even blink.
She glared at him in response.
"No matter. Come. We will be taking a walk."
"No. I want to rest."
"You can manage," he barked as he grabbed her arm jerking her up out of the chair.
Aiden was again fatigued and not dangerous at all due to his cursed power, and it infuriated her to no end as she fought the urge to kill him right then. She would have but knew that she needed to be absolutely certain that she would succeed for the sake of her child, and with no weapons or magic to pull from, she knew she would fail.
They left her chambers and travelled along several hallways that she was noting every twist and turn of before coming to an elegant dining hall where there were two places set along with the food that Aiden needed and craved. Olc lead her to the head of the table and pulled out the throne-like chair motioning for her to sit as she eyed him warily.
"A female in your condition needs food."
"Why offer it to me?"
"I want to enjoy a meal with you is all."
She sat down cautiously as servants rushed in to serve the food before scurrying back out once more leaving their stench of fear behind as Olc commanded not to be disturbed no matter what. Aiden did not take a bite of anything despite feeling hunger and knowing she needed sustenance. Olc, however, began eating at once.
"Eat," he demanded around a bite of warm bread noticing she was refraining.
"I'm not hungry," she lied.
"Eat. Do not be difficult. Would you like me to trade plates with you?"
"Yes." He immediately reached over and swapped hers for his, but she still waited before taking a single bite while watching him begin to eat once more. "I'd like to switch back."
He rolled his brown eyes but obliged the request and then stared at Aiden with crossed, muscled arms refusing to look away until she brought a morsel to her lips. She discreetly sent a drop of her magic searching the plate but did not sense anything unnatural, so she relented.
"See. It is just a meal. Now, let us discuss our situation. I regret how I had to get you here, but I was tired of waiting for you to be brave enough to venture out yourself thinking you were going to save the day. I need you to see what we are doing and what we are fighting for so that you will understand that you are on the wrong side."
"Then explain," she whispered.
"I bet Danu and the others have come to Siog Riocht and sat their thrones upon your dais and are commanding your armies as we speak. Ask yourself, Aiden; what happens if I am gone? Do they go back to the realm and let you rule as you see fit, or do they stay and make themselves at home telling you how to run your kingdom? They will also expect you to be in their realm as you will have responsibilities there as the Elemental. They will assure you that they will take care of your kingdom when you must be gone, but they will spend their time winning over your people with their glamour and fantasy until they are beloved more so than you. You are in their way of taking back a land that they need. Siog Riocht is the main gate between the Fae realm and the human realm as well as being a gateway to multiple others."
"Go on," she prompted.
"I, on the other hand, want to help you keep your kingdom safe and not let them have control once again because that will put us all in danger. The Original Powers have alliances with other realms that they will allow to travel here as they now can. Those realms hold great dangers, and I want to make sure the humans of all kingdoms are safe from the Fae and those who would see harm come to them."
"Why do they want to harm the humans?"
"Humans are nothing to them, Aiden. They are disposable. If you do not believe me, I can let you talk to other Fae who have joined me because they know what I know. They have heard it from the Originals themselves. I have generals and nobles who remember wars with other realms and never want to face those terrible creatures again because they lost loved ones in those battles. The male warming your bed lost his wretched father in one of those wars. I have had history books sent to your room that describe it all and will confirm my story."
"What do you want me to do about this?"
"Join me. Together we can banish the Fae back to their realm and keep all the gates closed protecting your kingdom and others here in the human realm."
"I will become Fae as will my friends, so won't that banish us too?"
"No. You were born in the human realm which will anchor you here."
"What about Liam?"
"Forget him!" he snapped. "I am disgusted that you have let that piece of shit defile you! I will forgive that though. It will not be a problem much longer," Olc smiled maliciously looking at the goblet of water that Aiden had just sat back down after taking a sip.
She began to panic as she felt a sharp pain like a white hot blade running her through. That moment of instant panic cost her because when she tried to stand and run, Olc had already cast a spell suppressing her powers once more and also rendering her legs useless.
Aiden collapsed to the floor writhing in agonizing pain and soon began to vomit blood onto the stone floor of the dining hall while desperately trying to grasp any drop of magic that she could.
"Aiden, I expected more from you. You should have been smart enough to know that I did not need dark magic to rid your gorgeous body of that creature growing within you," he laughed.
Clawing through the agony and debilitating weakness taking over her body, she kept trying relentlessly to battle whatever the concoction was, but she could not. She screamed in despair feeling the life of her son draining away as she saw and felt blood start to stream down her legs and stain the floor.
She cried out loudly cracking the walls and shattering the windows still refusing to accept that her precious child was dying and that she could not save him. Aiden's desperation and heartbreak sent the dining hall table flying across the room landing in splinters as the entire mountain stronghold shook violently while lightening split open the sky as thunder roared announcing torrential rain and hail that began falling just as fast and hard as her tears.
Olc ran from the room in what appeared to be fear as she continued to bleed and scream while her heart completely broke, and the entire realm began to weep with its Elemental Queen.