Selvina and Tinkerbelle were suddenly woken up by the sound of trumpets and horns calling from all over inside the castle and outside in the city. There was a great commotion in the hall as hurried footsteps could be heard running back and forth.
Selvina exchanged a bewildered glance with Tinkerbelle and slid out of bed. There was a sense of urgency and near panic in the air and she wondered if the castle was besieged. She stood up and gazed outside but saw no armies coming from the south. Would one be coming from the north somehow?
Gripping her nightgown tightly with one hand, she crept to the door and opened it a crack, peeking out into the hall. Elven, dwarven, and human attendants hurried about with brooms, mops, cloths, pails of water, and various other cleaning utensils. Selvina even spotted several guards rushing down the hall, their faces sombre.
"What the hell is going on?" she muttered questioningly.
"Get dressed, Selvina," said Tinkerbelle. "I'll go find out."
Selvina moved to do just that but then stopped and hurriedly closed the door before the fairy could fly through. "No! You can't! Not yet."
"Why not?" Tinkerbelle asked, hands on her hips.
"I don't know how Rhiannon will react to you yet. I don't want you getting hurt, Tink. For now, I think it's best if you stay with me."
Tinkerbelle gave it some thought and eventually nodded. "I would feel safer around that elf-arrow, I suppose."
With that matter settled, Selvina set about getting herself dressed. As she was picking something out, there was a knock at her door. Tinkerbelle flew off to Selvina's bed and hid behind one of the canopy posts as the young woman walked to the door.
"My lady Selvina," said a familiar voice.
"Ytali?" Selvina asked, hoping she got his name right.
"Yes, it is I. Good morning."
Selvina opened the door wide, offering the elf a smile.
"I have no time to talk, unfortunately," he said before Selvina could say anything. "The Empress requests your presence on the main floor immediately. She wishes you to wear something blue or white, but nothing that glitters or shines too heavily."
"Um, yeah, sure. What exactly is going on?"
"Queen Svala of Sworden has arrived. She will be at the castle within the hour. It came as a...surprise to our empress, which...well, rarely happens."
"The Ice Queen is here?" Selvina asked in surprise.
Ytali nodded. "I do not wish to be a bother but....please hurry, lady Selvina. The queen of Sworden is not known for her patience."
Selvina nodded back and hurried into her huge closet. She soon found a suitable dress and donned it in record time. The dress was elegantly simple and not too low-cut, as to hide her elf-arrow necklace better. She struggled with the back for a time but had help when Tinkerbelle snuck into the closet. Ytali stood at the door, his back to the room, waiting patiently.
"How does the empress want my hair?" Selvina called as she gave it a good brushing.
"Nothing too elaborate," was Ytali's reply.
"Great," Selvina mumbled in frustration. "Because that narrows it down..."
"Just wear it down with a ribbon or something," offered Tinkerbelle. "I'm getting the hint that Queen Svala doesn't like being outshone. It's also easier for me to hide in your hair if it's not braided."
"You might be right," said Selvina before she straightened her hair as best as she could. She thought about the ribbon but decided against it. Best to play it safe.
Moments later, she was led down the hall by Ytali. He brought her to the lifts and down to the main floor. Hiding behind Selvina's neck, surrounded by hair, Tinkerbelle remained quiet and readied herself to meet not only the empress of Noyr but her ally, the queen of Sworden.
****
Whereas the empress was calm, studious, and elegant, the queen of Sworden was loud, spontaneous, and overly glamorous. The two women couldn't be any more opposite and Selvina was shocked they were allies.
Standing a few steps behind the empress before the open gates of Caer Gobiyth, she watched the grand procession approach the steps to the castle. Queen Svala arrived at the castle standing in a chariot pulled by not horses but two white reindeer with sparkling bells upon their necks and in their antlers. The woman was little older than Selvina, to her surprise, and wore a dress that seemed to be made of diamonds. It shimmered brightly and seemed to create its own rainbows when the light reflected off its surface. Unlike Selvina's this one was cut quite low, revealing ample cleavage, and upon the shoulders were mirror-like pauldrons that curved upward like crescents. Upon the Ice Queen's head was a tall, sparkling crown of ice with gold and silver coils wrapped around its spires.
As the queen traveled down the road to the castle she had her arms spread wide and blew kisses into the crowd of onlookers. Behind her trailed a band of men with drums, trumpets, violins, flutes, and other instruments Selvina didn't recognize. She called for praise from the watching Noyrans but received little, only hard stares.
Glancing at the empress, Selvina thought she saw a small grin upon her smooth face, as if she was proud of her people denying the egotistical queen her desires.
As the queen's chariot entered the courtyard she caught sight of the empress and made an exaggerated expression of pure joy. She called out to the empress in a loud voice, ensuring that everyone around could hear, praising her for her successes. When she reached the stairs she made a sweeping bow, her diamond-like dress swishing aside and her long, twisting blonde hair dangling.
"Great Empress Rhiannon!" Queen Svala said with a wide smile. "It is the greatest honour to meet you again. It has been far too long! We must visit one another more often!"
Rhiannon gave the queen a tiny bow and said, "It is a pleasure to greet you on this fine day, your highness. I must admit that I am rather surprised at your arrival. I was not expecting you so soon."
"Yes, I know I'm early but how can I not be? I was simply too excited to meet you again!"
Rhiannon blinked her half-closed eyes slowly. "Indeed." She gestured to the open doors of her castle. "Shall we take this inside?"
"As you wish, oh great and wonderful empress," said Svala, her smile unfaltering as she followed the empress inside, trailed by a retinue of guards and nobles.
Once the doors were closed behind them, the atmosphere changed instantly.
"You know, Rhiannon," said Svala, purposely stepping ahead of the empress, as if she was leading the way. "It should be you coming to my castle, considering what I've accomplished and what, well, you haven't."
"Your conquest of Nordara was impressive," Rhiannon stated flatly. "We shall celebrate it."
"Yes, we shall, but not now and definitely not here," the queen said, gesturing the entrance hall and its tapestries of war. "I'm not here to celebrate Nordara anyways."
"No, you are not."
Svala raised an eyebrow at the empress and glanced back, spotting Selvina for the first time. She looked her up and down and narrowed her eyes. "Who is this...commoner?"
"This is no commoner, Svala," said Rhiannon, giving the queen a hard look.
Svala waited for more but received nothing. With a frown, she asked, "Then who is she?!"
"I'm just Selvina," said the nervous blonde. "I am a...friend of the empress."
"More likely a handmaiden," Svala said, looking ahead once more. "It's about time you found yourself one, Rhiannon. You should tell her to fix your wardrobe. Must you always dress in the dark and drab?"
"What I wear is of no concern to you, Svala."
"No, of course not, but maybe one day it will."
Rhiannon furrowed her brows slightly. "Whatever do you mean by that?"
Selvina detected the guarded caution in the empress's voice. She glanced at Svala, immediately distrusting her and not at all enjoying being in her presence.
"I was talking about your wedding, Rhiannon," Svala said with a little laugh. "What else would I mean? I hear you and Accolon are hitting it off well. Now that is indeed good news to me. I always wondered if you even knew what affection meant. Whenever you do get married and make me your maid of honour, I will make certain to find you the most beautiful of dresses and it will most definitely not be in black!"
Rhiannon didn't look at the queen. She forced a smile but Selvina thought she looked troubled. Was she surprised Svala knew about her and Accolon? Was it a secret? If so, why?
They soon arrived at a large lounging room of sorts with several comfortable chairs and sofas strewn about, accompanied by small tables. Along the walls were huge windows that looked out into the castle courtyard. The queen and empress sat at one end of the room while the queen's retinue sat wherever they could. Selvina was about to sit near the middle of the room until Rhiannon gestured that she should sit closer.
Finding a chair a few feet away from Rhiannon, Selvina sat and made herself comfortable. The other nobles that had followed Svala set about talking and enjoying the food and drink offered to them by recently arrived servants.
Svala sipped on a cup of tea and gazed outside the window as Rhiannon did the same. Selvina blew on her hot tea and watched, feeling awkward and out of place.
"With the Frenisian capital under siege and its protectorate now flying my banners," Svala started, "it is clear who is investing into this war heavily and who isn't."
Rhiannon sipped at her tea, unperturbed. "New Alsar will stand strong, Svala, and Nordara may yet rise up against you. Winter will be upon us soon anyhow, and I will not send my soldiers into such weather."
Svala sniffed and smirked. "I will. My armies are not afraid of snow and cold. We Swordenish are born into it. If you will do nothing then I shall.
"I know of the Avalonian army to the south. I know its numbers and its strengths. New Avalon has nothing left of its army and King Arthur's Avalonians aren't accustomed to the cold here. Winter would be the perfect time to strike, Rhiannon."
"The weather has been harsher as of late," said the empress. "A heavy snowfall will halt any army and an extreme cold will kill many."
"Says you, Rhiannon. Sworden's armies are prepared for any weather. If your inaction continues, spring will come with New Avalon under Swordenish hands. It will be yet another victory for me. People will begin to wonder who is the true conqueror of this land. It will not be you!"
"Have you come here to taunt me, Svala?" Rhiannon asked in a hard tone.
"No! By the gods, that is not my intent!" Svala offered another of her fake smiles and put down her teacup. She then draped one leg over the other and folded her arms under her breasts, pointedly glancing at Rhiannon's less-endowed chest with a grin. "You cannot deny, Rhiannon, I was born for greatness. I have known nothing but victories and my people adore me. I am the greatest Ice Queen there ever was. That is what they say anyway. Will you simply stand back and let me claim all all the glory?"
"I did not start this war for glory, Svala."
"Neither did I, but here I am, covered in it. Nordara was impossible, they said. Nordara could not be breached. It could not be conquered. And yet, here I am, queen of Sworden and Nordara!"
"What have you done with the royal family?" Rhiannon asked calmly.
Queen Svala's smile twitched. "They fled like the cowards they are. I have men after them as we speak. They will not get far."
Rhiannon raised an eyebrow and grinned ever so slightly. "So long as the royal family lives, Nordara has hope, young queen. Nordarans are a stubborn lot. It comes from living alongside dwarves for so long. If you do not end the royal line they will forever deny you as their queen."
"I said I have men hunting them down! You don't need to lecture me in how to rule my kingdom! They couldn't have gone far anyway. I have fleets blocking all the ports. Wherever the king and his family are, they're in Nordara and I'll find them. That sleeping princess of theirs slows them down anyhow. It won't be long now."
"I received word that your siege ran into difficulties."
"It did not. There was a small issue with supplies but my siege of New Alsar is going perfectly fine. In any case, I am still committing more effort into this war than you! What have you done, great empress? Where are your armies?"
"Preparing for spring."
"Why wait? Attack now! New Avalon and King Arthur stand no chance! Or does winter frighten you so?"
"It most certainly does not. I have plans set into motion and like I told your general, I will not be rushed by anyone."
"Ah, Beowulf was here?"
"He was. He told me you would be coming, though not so soon. I am surprised to see he is not with you."
"I sent him to Frenis. He's going to turn that siege into a victory for me. Now there, Rhiannon, is loyalty. I can always place my faith in Beowulf. He has never failed me. When there is action to take, he acts. When there are battles to fight, he fights them. Unfortunately, this cannot be said about all my allies..."
"Presume what you will, Svala," Rhiannon said softly as the tension in the room rose. "Now, if you will, can you tell me the purpose of this visit? Or are you here to gloat about your incomplete victories?"
Svala snarled. "I am here, Rhiannon, to urge you to commit to this war! You started it, now do something about it!"
"I already said that—"
"Don't talk to me about your stupid plans! I want action, Rhiannon! There are rumours that you have lost your touch, that you no longer care for war. People are saying you have grown soft!"
"No they are not. Cease this childish display, Svala. You are better than this."
"Childish?! I pay you a visit as your humble guest and you insult me by calling me a child?!" Svala suddenly sat up and clenched her hands into fists. "I would pay attention to what you say, empress!"
Rhiannon sighed. "Sit down, Svala. Now."
"Do not order me like some dim-witted commoner! I am not your servant!" Svala then clenched her teeth and her fists began to vibrate. Her face reddened as she stood there and moments passed with nothing else happening. Her expression changed from anger to confusion and she opened her hands, gazing at them in near panic. "What have you done to me, Rhiannon?"
"I have done nothing, Svala. I know not what you speak of."
"You've cursed me! How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!"
"I have not cursed you."
"Then why can I not conjure any magic? I knew this would happen! You'd get so envious of my victories that you'd suppress my abilities and wish me to fail! I know how your mind works, Rhiannon! This is betrayal! This is utter betrayal!"
Rhiannon stood up so quickly that Selvina gasped audibly. She seemed like a shadow, one moment seated comfortably and the next standing tall, looming over the shorter and far younger queen like a dark spectre of doom. "I have done nothing but offer you refreshments and a seat in this room, Queen Svala! Cease these accusations before you say something you will forever regret. I am not your enemy, your highness. I am your friend and ally, as I have always been."
Svala slowly sat down, overcome by the empress's stern gaze, and struggled not to pout, failing miserably. "Tell me why my magic doesn't work then. If you did not curse me then what is happening?"
Rhiannon seated herself slowly and raised a hand and gazed at it for several minutes. She twisted her fingers, opened and closed her fist, and yet nothing happened. She too soon furrowed her brows in confusion. "Whatever has cursed you, has cursed me as well, Svala. I can conjure nothing, not even the simplest of spells."
"What is happening?"
Rhiannon narrowed her eyes. "I am not certain..." She gave it a few moments of thought before slowly turning her head to gaze in Selvina's direction.
But Selvina was gone.