Queen of Blood

That night, Arline could barely sleep. Her thoughts rambled all throughout the conversation over and over again, until she decided to give her mind some rest when she considered the dangers she was going to be exposed to in the mountains. But her dozing only lasted for a moment, when she got up before sunrise to get ready and in the armory she picked her bow and arrows and a few knives.

Once in the stables, Arline was preparing her dark Percheron horse for the adventure ahead when a familiar voice called her out. “You are early.” Zeroun rubbed his eyes.

“You are coming?” Her surprise was visible and her face lit up a little at the sight of her friend who had just rolled out of bed.

“We are coming.” Zeroun corrected her, signaling Calix. Arline couldn’t hide her content and her mind took her back to the first time she had met them, where it all began. The funny coincidence was that they were also searching for dragons this time.

The King approached them, alongside his Purser and Counselor. Cadel took advantage to greet Arline while his son spoke to Calix and Zeroun. “It is nice to see you again, dear Arline.” His sweet voice hugged her and made her feel safe.

Arline was startled to see him, let alone that he was speaking to her. “Your Majesty, it is nice to see you too.” She bowed her head in his presence. “How have you been?” She dared to ask.

“It would be easier if he could focus entirely.”

“I will bring her back, your Majesty.” She ensured him.

“I have no doubt you will.” Cadel familiarly smiled at her naiveness.

For some odd reason this time, Arline wanted to begin the trip while Merrick was filled with nerves of not wanting to let her go. But he approached the Huntress with his distinctive head held high, perfect posture and well-hidden nervousness. Cadel left them alone.

“I need you-” He began.

“To do well?” Arline said with a side smile and her head down, remembering every time he set challenges for her.

“To survive and come back.” He corrected her instantly. “I hate the idea of sending a Huntress to the mountains but you are my last resort.”

“Death escapes from me, I don’t know if you realized it.” She said with a funny tone in her voice. And for the first time since their paths have come together again, Merrick looked at her the way he used to.

He escaped from the trance her compelling eyes put him on once again. “You will need this.” Merrick said and handed her the sword with pearls in the handle, her sword. “Trust me, the mountains host every kind of beast you can imagine.” He said when he read the expression of doubt on her face.

Arline took the sword hesitantly, admiring it over again and caressing the pearls on the handle. “I will find her.” She finally said.

“I know.” Merrick didn’t nor couldn’t doubt her ability for a second, not after everything they have been through together. “Don’t be reckless.” He thought for himself, knowing she would go to any extents to accomplish her mission.

The three adventurers hopped onto their horses and rode away from the main roads of the kingdom and headed to the mountains. It was a complicated way. Rocky, sinuous and dangerous on its own kind of way.

It was the point of summer that was already allowing the entrance of the characteristic winds of fall. This threatened their safety when they were high above, but Zeroun misdirected the gusts of wind that crossed in between the mountains. It was a sunny day with some clouds that formed a mattress across the mountains, taking her breath every time she focused a little too long.

Zeydar flew over their heads, guarding the perimeter and sending some wind as she battled her immense wings and they continued their paths, following the clues left in the rock for them to follow the trace of dragons.

No kind of surprises disturbed their peace for the day, something they were happy and thankful for. Just like the old times, Arline hunted a goat that was leaping in between the mountains while Calix lit a fire as the sun was hiding and the temperature descended.

Calix cleared his throat and stretched his body in front of the cozy fire. “Do you plan to tell us about your relationship with our beloved King?”

Arline lifted her head rapidly from the silver shackles she was putting on to spend the night and her eyes were wide open.“What?” She sounded both confused and scandalized.

“It is not a secret that he is madly in love with you, Arline.” Zeroun mocked her, knowing perfectly well that he was right about it. He was one of the closest soldiers and friends of Merrick.

“That look you give him drives him insane.” Calix added and laughed at their friend that blushed in the dark, rolled her eyes and cuddled in the wool blanket.

Arline sat in front of the fire without saying a word, thinking how it could be that no matter who she was with, everyone said the same thing. “What do people see that I don’t?”

“How he looks at you when you are around, the way his entire demeanor changes when you approach him.” Zeroun explained to her. “When you left, he almost destroyed the entire castle.” He explained for her. “Do you love him?”

After a minute of thinking, she confessed. “I don’t know.”

Arline knew her feelings towards Merrick were all over the place. She found him physically attractive and always enjoyed his company, even now that he barely spoke to her. But he managed to drive her insane, and Arline didn’t know if it was a good or a bad thing. “Go to sleep, both of you.” She ordered them, choosing to end the talking and the introspection on her feelings.

“Yes ma’am.”

The next few days of the expedition were mysteriously calm and it was becoming unsettling. They knew the path that they were following was the correct one. Zeydar was the one guiding them and they could hear distant roaring, but didn’t know if it were dragons or any other monsters.

The air was becoming humid and warmer as they entered a valley in between mountains, with various small bodies of hot water.

“What the hell are you doing?” Zeroun called out Calix for taking his shirt off, but he only signaled one of the ponds that spat steam.

“Don’t touch the water.” Arline quickly grabbed him from the back edge of his pants to pull him far away from one of the warm pools that was sitting on a rock. Calix was ready to fight her when he saw Arline on her knees, grabbing her head in pain, almost to the point of pulling her hair to have other kind of pain to focus on.“Not again.” She thought.

The boys could hear them too. The melodic singing voices that once hunted them in a cave and have been closer to her since she abandoned Reiska. Similar to the mermaids but at last she recognized them as naiads, who worked as messengers for the Deity of Water. They didn’t need to ask Arline who they were. Beautiful, naked, young women, with the skin the color of snow emerged from the water and steam, and opened their mouths with sharp teeth, reading to begin singing.

“Even try to and I cut your heads off.” Arline threatened from the ground, to which the creatures backed away but with a proud smile knowing they could still get into the Heir’s head.

“Your Father has a message for you.” One of them whispered with malice. That threw Arline off, she had forgotten how he chose to be related to her, knowing well enough Arline despised it. Pelagius officials considered her his direct descendant. Everyone around a body of water did.

“Your beauty is truly beyond compare.” Another one said caressing her dark hair, while other grabbed her wrist. Arline pulled away instantly and slashed the arm of one of the naiads.

Calix called for his friend to show her how Zeydar was in hunting stance, following the women with her crimson eyes, ready to attack in case they chose to hurt her master.

Arline couldn’t deny she was curious to hear what he had to say, even if they only were threats. She thought about it for a second or two and then began taking her boots off while her friends questioned her from a respectful distance, not daring to get any closer.

The naiads took her wrists gently and guided her to the center of the shallow lake and let herself get held by the women with a strong grip and cold touch. Air didn’t lack on her lungs and her eyes viewed everything crystal clear. Arline heard him again. His hissing voice that made her skin crawl.

His presence could be felt in the water despite his body not being there. The still water, trembled a little bit and the naiads seemed scared by the spiritual presence of their master. “Have you not learned anything?” She heard on her right but didn’t move her head. “That Prince of yours is holding you back.” Arline rolled her eyes. “And you still crave a trust that has disintegrated because of your actions.” He claimed and Arline could feel the golden necklace floating around her neck “Consider who you give your loyalty to, daughter. ”

That hit her last bit of patience she could have with Pelagius. “Daughter”. She wasn’t his daughter, she was the daughter of two people who didn’t know who she was anymore. With long-time stored violence, Arline pushed the naiads away and propelled to the surface, reappearing in front of her friends who came to her aid.

His slaves began following her, to bring her back to the water, for Arline to join them. But she grabbed her sword and pointed to one of them while her other hand managed the water to get around another naiad’s neck, like a rope. The rest of them were about to jump on the Heir, but Zeydar roared, making the water around them shake, making them return to the ponds.

“Tell him to leave me alone.” She whispered at her two captives with darker eyes than usual, Arline felt the need to kill them but contained herself. “I will come for him when I see fit.” She finished delivering the message and freed them.

Arline sent Zeydar to the skies and headed to her horse, her mind was rambling. Both of her companions didn’t say a word and were staring at her in disbelief as to how she could be so calm after hearing Pelagius. “We have to leave this place.” She finally said and realized her hair was full of sea pearls, and shook them out.

“Are you fine?” Zeroun asked her, worried.

She nodded. “He is getting weaker.” Arline hoped this could ease their thoughts. She didn’t even know if this was true but she assumed it was because he didn’t make an appearance as healways did when he wanted to torment her.

They continued their path without stopping on the way, barely sleeping and eating while riding, while they followed the roaring that became louder every kilometer they got closer.