Chapter 16
The Emperor
Dearekk ran through the corridors, buttoning up his bright green garment as he went. He was late. He was late for the One forsaken meeting with the Emperor of the fay. After his encounter with Sonya, he had gone back to his room only to be plagued by more nightmares. To top all that off, he had slept late, not realizing that he needed to meet with one of the most powerful leaders in the land.
And he sure couldn't let Sonya do the talking. That girl was like a political time bomb, always saying the worst things at the worst moments.
When he arrived at a pair of immense oak doors, he noticed that Sonya was already there.
"What took you so long?" she hissed under her breath.
Not wanting to tell her about his dreams, he simply replied, "I'm here aren't I?" As the doors opened, Dearekk forced a smile at all the fay dressed like nobles. Leaning over he whispered to Sonya, "Remember, it's all just an act, like a play. Pretend to be happy and let me do the talking."
Sonya nodded once, took a deep breath, and let Dearekk drag her through the staring courtiers. There were so many of them. Everywhere he looked, Dearekk saw bright colors, flashing jewelry and even some colorful pets. Whispers carried across the halls as a mix of approving stares and angry glances rained down on them.
When they finally reached the end, Dearekk saw the Fay Emperor sitting on a throne. He was like a great lion, surveying his kingdom. His purple robes had gold trim and patters of golden vines crawling up the side. On his head rested a gold crown with jewels of amethyst, diamonds and rubies. A young girl in a blue dress and a silver tiara stood at his side. Her features would have been beautiful had there not been an arrogant expression on her face. Untamed aqua hair cascaded down her back and her iridescent dragonfly wings glimmered in the sunlight.
When the Emperor spoke, the whole room fell silent, hanging on every word that he said. "Welcome to Summerwell Court. I am the Emperor of Imperia and this is my daughter, Princess Nyx," his voice was fatherly as he gestured to the girl next to him. She had a haughty look in her lilac eyes as she gazed down at them. "We hope this is a beginning of many visits of your kind. But tell me this: how did two people so untrusting of each other stumble into a tunnel that tests their love?"
"How did you know that we were in there?" Sonya blurted out. Dearekk shot her a glare. How stupid could this girl be? She had no negotiating skills whatsoever. None!
The Emperor looked her like a cat would look at a mouse, but this just made her stand taller under his gaze.
"You are not the only one the shape-shifters converse with."
Dearekk stepped forward before a furious Sonya could respond. "Our story is not quite a short one, so I suggest you make yourself comfortable." Then he told them everything.
Well, almost everything.
He told them of the King's reign, of the Elf Hunts, of meeting Sonya and of the shattered sword that tried to take the life of the King. But he did not tell them of his dreams or of the word that was on the cave's wall. He was also intentionally vague about their traveling with the Guardian. When he finished his story, he suddenly realized that almost everyone in the room was dead silent, all gazing at him in awe. Even the proud princess seemed impressed.
"We cannot do this alone!" Dearekk spoke, "The King and his men are too strong. Years of resistance alone have done nothingto weaken him." He knelt and finished with a passion in his voice that surprised even himself. "We must join together if we ever wish to walk in the sunlight free."
The Emperor stood from his throne, a look of fire in his eyes. He towered over a still kneeling Dearekk, raw power etched in his stance. "Very well," he spoke, his voice rumbling in the silence, "the fay have hidden in our secret paradise, hoping that somehow that the world outside would change by itself. But no more! Now is the time to rejoin the world and to go into battle. We cannot just hope anymore, we must take action! We must fight for what we believe in!" He turned to Dearekk, "You have made a strong alliance here today, boy. The fay will not be remembered as those who hid away in their secret fortress while the lives of others were lost for their freedom. Starting this very day, my people will prepare to be called into the final battle." He gently pulled Dearekk to his feet. "Stand, Dearekk Half-elf, we are equals in this fight for liberation."
Dearekk hesitated for a moment; did he really want to risk everything? A small voice in his head told him that he never really had a choice. "My liege," he began, "as your equal there is one request I must make." Taking a deep breath, Dearekk tossed the die of fate and hoped that he would win this gamble.
"Ventar. The Sword of Mist and Flame."
The chaos was instant. Shouts filled the room like the roar of a waterfall as courtiers began arguing and yelling. Nyx, the fay Princess, pointed at Dearekk and began yelling at her father, rage evident in her eyes.
The Emperor held his hand up and the room went silent. Not even the courtiers' strange pets made a sound. "Why," he began with fury in his voice, "do you wish to take something so valuable, so sacred, from us? The fay are the rightful owners of the Sword of Mist and Flame, not the elves, not the humans, the fay." The fire in his eyes was no longer inspirational and excited, but dangerous and livid.
Dearekk had anticipated this question, but by the stunned look on Sonya's face she had not predicted any of this. For a moment, he felt almost guilty for not telling her about it on the wall the night before, but he pushed it away. "No weapon can touch the man I once called 'father'," Dearekk spoke, his voice sounding foreign in his own ears. "But I believe that the weapons of legend, those from the Era of Dusk, will prevail against the evil the King has brought in to our world."
"So you are planning to take away our prized possession because of a guess?" the Emperor fumed.
Dearekk stiffened. "I would never ask anyone to do anything I wouldn't do myself," he whispered, his voice dangerous. "I gave up more than a sword. I gave up my way of life, my birthright, my family, my friends, I have joined forces with those whom I have called enemies all of my life, but not on a guess. No, I did this all on a hope for freedom. So I ask you to sacrifice, as I have, for a hope, not for a guess."
Suddenly there came a hiss behind him. "Do not listen to this boy." Turning around, Dearekk's eyes landed on a woman in all red, standing behind the throne. She looked middle-aged, her hair braided up around her head adorned with a red headpiece. Red ribbons seemed to be braided into her dark hair. What startled Dearekk the most was that her pupils were a milky white color.
"Do not listen to him. He has been tainted by the language of the Broken, their words have imbedded themselves into his very soul. If you trust this boy, everything will change." Her voice was raspy, but filled with raw power. She turned her head to look at him, her milky pupils staring through him, before she spoke, this time her words directed at him. "I know you," she whispered, "You were there at the dawn of the Dusk, when this world came crashing down. You spoke the Broken so recklessly, as if it was your native tongue, never heading the impact your every word made. You should have never existed, but you did. You somehow fought through your nothingness and Became." She raised a shaking hand and pointed at him, "You changed everything."
The Emperor cut in. "This is my Sibyl and wife, Empress Isvi," he said, his voice low and suspicious, "She is one who Knows. But that is not the point. What are you, boy?"
Dearekk's eyes darted about, looking for someone who could explain to him what just happened. The woman's words kept running through his head, but none of them made sense. "I am eighteen years old and I haven't really 'changed' anything yet..." he said slowly, confusion prominent in his tone.
The look in the Emperor's eyes told him that he didn't believe a word Dearekk was saying. "Well, there is a small flaw in your request for Ventar," the Emperor stated.
"And that is?" Dearekk shot back, trying to regain himself after the strange encounter with the woman in red.
The Emperor grimaced. "No one knows where it is. The Sword of Mist and Flame had been missing for centuries."
Without another word, the Emperor turned away. Fay guards arrived and Dearekk and Sonya were ushered out of Summerwell Court and into their separate rooms.
(A/N Hmmmm. Create any questions? Freak you out at all? Wondering what in the world just happened? Haha well I know what just happened...kind of. :P The picture on the side is of the Queen-Sibyl Isvi. Vote and comment!!)