Re: In The Refiner’s Fire
Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 4:17 pm
I LOVE IT. Especially the part about thin ice.
We'll leave the lamppost on for you.
https://www.thelionscall.com/forum/
Footsteps echoed in the hallway as guards escorted the young kitchen maid to their sovereigns. As she walked along she pondered her circumstances.
It had been a normal morning and everyone was still talking about the ball, giggling over the handsome lords and the antics of the mouse soldiers, and saying they liked the music performed by the fauns more than song by some of the talking dogs. As Dalia listened to the chatter of the other maids, she prepared the linens for lunch and tea.
"Marie, remember when those dogs asked to sing to Queen Lucy?"
"Awoooo!" Marie howled in an off-key imitation of the dog choir. "That was really funny. Have you got those linens ready, Dalia?"
"Almost I'm just…" Dalia replied, breaking off as a centaur and two fauns rushed into the kitchen. The room fell suddenly quiet.
"By order of their Majesties, Maid Dalia is to appear before them."
From the head cook, a jolly female Dwarf from Clearwater, all the way down to Cecilia, the snooty laundress to Queen Susan, everyone just stood for a moment with their mouths hanging open. Unless it was a special event or they were in trouble, nobody from the kitchen was ever escorted about by guards.
She stepped forward, puzzled but obedient. "I am she."
She could not remember a time before when the kings and queens had sent for her this way. Usually they rang a bell or sent a page to fetch her. Upon
seeing her, the fauns had grasped her arms firmly but not painfully and marched her to the door.
"What did you do now, silly dilly? Poison the Kings?" Cecilia's sneering voice called out as Dalia was marched out the door.
"Quiet, Cecilia!" the top cook's voice rang out over buzz of whispered voices. "And close you mouth. It makes you look like a fish."
Dalia's brow furrowed in worry as they approached the receiving room. She had never been in that room except to clean it, as it was used for important
visitors. Upon entering a sudden fear leapt into her heart as she found herself standing before three of Narnia's rulers. They did not look as pleased to see her as they usually did.
"The serving maid Dalia, Your Highnesses," the centaur behind her voiced as she stepped forward, dropping into a deep curtsy.
"Thank you, Marius," Peter replied, his voice cold and formal.
"Your Majesties, do you require something?" she asked, trying to keep calm. Her young voice trembled with fear and uncertainty as she dropped into another deep curtsy.
"Where is Queen Susan and what you have done to her?" The younger king's accusing words struck Dalia like a blow and she fell back a step, cringing.
So surprised was she at this pronouncement that she stumbled over her own words. "Your Majesty, I k-know not of what y-you speak. I have n-n-not seen her g-grace since the n-night before l-last."
She looked desperately to Queen Lucy and King Peter, pleading for them to come to her defense, desperate to understand what was happening, what she
was being charged with. Queen Lucy gave her a sad, sorry look as if to say she was hurt and disappointed in the younger girl and that pained Dalia more
than any physical attack could have. King Peter's expression was stony, his eyes only betraying a hint of the fury that was being held within.
"Dalia, we've known you since you were eleven and you've always been a good and faithful servant and friend. Why would you to bring hurt upon Susan? Why
would you betray us?"
"Y-Your Majesty, n-n-no! I didn't! I wouldn't! Never!" She pressed cold fingers to her lips and she slowly shook her head as she sunk to her knees, feeling lost, alone, confused that she should be blamed for any misdeed.
Then door opened and two centaurs came in dragging a girl. Although just a small, slim maid, her uncooperativeness and struggling caused the centaurs more trouble and extra energy than being cooperative. Her stormy face and glaring eyes faded instantly to an expression so deliberately sweet as to be a mockery to the very monarchs the monarchs of Narnia ranged before her.
"King Peter, Dalia the serving…" Fidelia, the centaur, said, breaking off in shock as she saw the serving girl already there. Everyone, all the way down to the real Dalia, stared in astonishment, for this newcomer with her sneering manners was a twin to the Galman maid. In the daylight she looked a few inches taller and while Dalia had fallen to her knees before her sovereigns, this girl stood proudly, even daring to hold her nose in the air as if she had no fear.
"Good morning, Your Majesties. I trust you slept well. Perhaps, I could get you some more milk? Or perhaps . . . " she said, as she turned to Peter, her jade eyes glittering with malice, her voice as cloying as syrup. "You would like to know what became of your darling sister?"
"You forget to whom you speak, waif. You speak to the High King, "shouted an indignant guard.
"Who are you and for whom do you work?" Edmund demanded firmly.
"Who am I? Just a citizen of Narnia like everyone elssse," she said, her last sentence coming out with a snake-like hiss as she twisted in the centaurs' grip. "My Masster…? You will meet him if you care anything about this sister of yours. Such a beauty. Such a shame."
"Where is my sister?" Lucy shouted impulsively, but quieted at the look her dark-haired brother shot her.
"Hmm, what happened to Gentle Queen Susan? That is what you wanted to know, isn't it? You'll never see her again. She's well hidden." The maid retorted smugly, looking contemptuously down on Lucy as if the youngest queen was a sniveling child.
"But don't worry, she's safe..." the false maid said, stopping to gauge the response to the assurance of the queen's safety. "Unless some hunter shoots her down. Swan feathers are in great demand in the Islands these days, or so I hear." she finished with a knowing look at both kings, a look that held no sorrow or regret for what she had done or the pain she had caused.
"You are walking on thin ice, lady," Edmund said, courteously but with warning in his tone.
"You would know, wouldn't you King Edmund? You served the Queen of Ice. I wonder how can a traitor try other traitors?"
"Take her away. Double the guards on her cell," the Just king commanded, his expression and voice unchanging.
"With pleasure, Your Majesty," Marius said, bowing, then he marched the spiteful maid out the door. A collective sigh was heard as the door closed behind the viper.
Leaning over to a faun guard standing beside him, Peter whispered, "Question her. I want to know who she is, who she's working for and why she put the potion in Queen Susan's glass." Then turning to his sister, his voice comforting, he slid out of his chair to help Dalia to her feet.
"Lucy, would you take our faithful little maid in hand? Perhaps some hot chocolate would be in order. Express our deepest apologies for wrongly
charging her. Edmund and I have something to discuss, but we'll join you soon so we may render our apologies in person."
"Your Majesty, King Peter!" exclaimed a young faun, running into the receiving room. He caught himself, bowed, and waited for approval to approach.
"What is your name, young sir?
"Page, Your Majesty."
"Now Page, what news have you?"
"The dryads believe the potion in this phial is what was put into Queen Susan's drink last night. They say it is extracted from a tree found only in the Dark Woods. They ask if King Edmund could help them identify it."
"Where did the phial come from?" questioned King Peter.
"It was found in the pocket of the false maid's apron, Sire. Fidelia and Marius have questioned her, but she has revealed nothing."
"Is that all?"
"Only that Queen Lucy asks that both you and King Edmund meet her in the
library."
"Thank you, Page. You may leave now."
Quickly the young faun bowed and left. The High King turned toward his brother. Edmund lifted the top and cautiously sniffed the substance left on the rim. Shutting the lid hastily and coughing, he nodded to his brother, wincing as his headache set upon him again. This was the same potion.
Alarmed, Peter quickly jumped up, taking the phial from his brother's fingers and leading him over to the nearby window
"This headache isn't from the wine, is it?" he confronted his brother as soon as the teen caught his breath.
"I don't know, Peter. I've felt strange all day. I almost collapsed this morning getting out of bed. We both know you and I've drunk more than I did last night and not had as strong a reaction," the dark-haired youth replied with confusion.
"Ed, maybe you should go rest. I'll be fine by myself," the High King stated worriedly.
"I'm fine now," Edmund lied. "But we must look up this Dark Woods. Surely we'll find some clues to where Susan is being held."
-
"Peter! Edmund! Look at what I found," Lucy exclaimed, dragging Peter over to a small table in the dark recesses of the library. Edmund followed behind at a more dignified pace until he met them at a small, round table upon which rested an ancient tome. The book's pages were of parchment, cracked and yellowed with time, and it was open to a page showing bold, flowing script and fanciful illustrations.
Dark Woods / The Black Woods of Ettinsmuir.
The Black Woods of Ettinsmoor, known to legend as the Dark Woods, is said to cover that dread land of fell creatures and poisoned waters between the Dark Castle of Lake Misery and the Ebony Mountains. A nameless Evil dwells here in the forest deep and dark, said to consume all who dare to cross the mountains and enter that malignant land.
"Lu, what does the have to do with finding Susan?"
"Read on, Peter. Right here," she exclaimed, her slim finger pointing to the paragraph below.
It is said a wizard of terrible power and intent dwells in the castle, ageless and cunning, and he keeps unto him a flock of enchanted swans. Each swan is said to have been a noble maiden that fell under his spell, unable to leave the lake unless the enchantment is broken . . .
"Lu, where did you find this book?" Peter questioned, astonishment written clearly across his countenance.
"At back of the library, on the farthest shelf. It was stuffed in at the end of the shelf between two fairy tales. Ed, are you alright?" Lucy asked, suddenly anxious. Edmund's face had taken on a sickly pallor.
"I think I'll just go sit down," he said weakly, sounding as if that morning's breakfast was about to be released.
"Peter, what has befallen our brother?" Lucy questioned, her concern evident as they watched Edmund lower himself into a chair and rest his head in his hands.