Early summer was Ishaada’s favorite time of year in Euridean. The eastern garden of the White Hall exploded into life and color. Fruit trees were full of ripe cherries and apricots. There were bushes of berries intermixed with all the different flowers and shrubs, filling the air with their sweet fragrance in the heat of the day. As she and her handmaidens made their way through the flower garden, she would take a few cuttings here and there and tuck them in the basket. The other women were laughing as they all walked along. Valora, the matron amongst her handmaidens, walked at her side, keeping an eye on the younger women as they frolicked and danced about the garden. It wasn’t often they all got the chance to relax and be free of their duties.
Once they had made their way down the twisting paths back to the central patio. A pond sat at the back of the patio, with a massive willow shading it. There was a pair of swans in the center of the pond, undisturbed by the return of their boisterous group. Ishaada sat in the center, leaning her back against the trunk as they all shared the fruits they had picked. One of the girls had brought a basket of sandwiches from the kitchen, and another had traded a kiss on the cheek in exchange for a few bottles of strawberry wine from a kitchen boy.
“Do you feel relieved to be done with your training, Lady Ishaada?” One of her handmaidens, Sansi, asked.
“In a way, yes. It is nice to be home again. But, now I resume my duties with the Grand Mother. Twelve years was not long enough to spend away from her.” Ishaada gladly accepted the small glass of strawberry wine that one of the other women offered her. She couldn’t help but smile at the sweet taste. She had not been allowed spirits of any kind during the final leg of her military training. “She’s a witch and a hag.”
“Lady Ishaada, she is the Most Holy, and your mother. You should not disrespect her in such a way.” Valora tutted. Ishaada merely took a sip of her wine and looked away.
“She’s not my mother. She’s made that abundantly clear to me over the years. I’m the living proof of her husband’s infidelity, remember? The daughter she could never bear herself that superseded the inheritance of her only son.” Ishaada set her glass of wine down to avoid chucking it across the patio in frustration. The tantalizing fruit had become bitter on her tongue. Even her father knew that Kauthrynne was intentionally horrible to Ishaada. Nothing she did seemed to please the miserable, wretched queen. Ishaada would bleed for her people, die for them if circumstance demanded. All that, and still Kauthrynne expected more. “She hates me.” She said quietly. Even with the size of the palace grounds, there was no telling who was around listening in on her.
“To be fair to Most Holy, you don’t make things easy for her. Your father shields you from your duties as her heir, even though many of us old fae--“Valora elbowed Felsi, the youngest of all the handmaidens as she giggled—“would agree that you should have started learning your duties as the future Queen of Queens years ago.”
Ishaada was about to retort when she heard someone shout her name. Valora jumped to her feet, as did all the other attendants. She and a few other women stood in a protective half circle before Ishaada. A young man came running down the path from the west wing entrance, clearly out of breath. When he spotted the group of fifteen women armed to the teeth, he let out a surprised squeal.
“State your business with the holy daughter,” Valora said to him sternly.
“The Holy Father has summoned Lady Ishaada to his study at once. He says it is of the utmost urgency, Ma’am.” He made a salute to her, one that identified him as a Watcher—a guardian of the Grand Mother and her immediate family. Ishaada recognized his voice. He was one of his father’s Watchers, the newest recruit, if she was not mistaken.
“My father has returned? Take me to him at once.” Ishaada jumped to her feet, eager to be gone. She snatched up her basket of berries and flowers, hoping to at least be able to give him a small treat. Her lunch could wait until later. Her father would likely not have much time for speaking, and she wanted every second she could get.
“You mustn’t go without an escort, my lady. Six of us will accompany you,” Valora said. “The rest of you wait here for us.”
“Fine, fine, but let us make haste.” Ishaada was already starting down the path with the other Watcher. Valora and the others that came with her had to run to catch up to them.
They made their way to the end of the West Wing, where her father’s main office was. Four of his Watchers stood guard in the open doorway. They saluted Ishaada as she approached, stepping aside to let her enter. Valora lined up with her charges opposite the room while Ishaada went in alone, closing the door behind her. A rush of cold air brushed her fingers as the door latched and she let go of the handle.
Her father stood in front of his desk, waiting with his hands behind his back. A bright smile spread across his face as he rushed to close the distance, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Hello, Little Dove.”
“Where have you been? You didn’t write to me while you were away.” She couldn’t help but notice how skinny he felt compared to the last time she had seen him over three months prior.
“All over, really. There’s been some… unrest in the colonies, I guess we’ll call it. It is no small task trying to keep us all together.” He kept his hold on her for a while longer, which struck her as odd.
“Is everything alright, Papa?” Ishaada asked him.
“Everything is fine, Ishaada,” He said, fatigue weighing on every word. Things were most certainly not fine. “I’m sorry I missed your graduation. How was your last assignment in Elthora?”
She pushed herself out to arms length, only growing more worried the longer she looked at him. He had dark circles under his now sunken in eyes. With the long, dropping sleeves of his bright white robe extended, she could see bandages on both of his wrists, with just a touch of blood seeping through from underneath. Why was he lying to her? What had happened to him?
“Papa, I really want to know what is wrong. You come back as little more than skin and bone, with bloodied wrists and hollow eyes. Where have you been? Why were you gone so long? I know you weren’t in the colonies because I would have heard word of your efforts settling this supposed ‘unrest’. Instead I’ve had to bear the Grand Mother’s displeasure of your disappearance.” Ishaada had never known her father to lie to her before. At least, not this poorly. The sinking feeling in her stomach refused to leave her. “People have begun to question you lately. They think you’re unfit for duty, or a potential danger to the Queendoms. Your disappearance has only hurt your reputation further. I’m worried, Papa.”
His already weary face sagged even more. With a gentle hand, he wordlessly guided her around his desk, seeming to ignore how stiff she had become. She set her basket on the table, waiting to see what all of this was about. He unlocked the top drawer and pulled it out entirely. Behind it, there was a panel that he slid aside. From the hidden compartment, he produced a linen bundle, tied with leather cord. He brushed a hand over the linen for a brief moment before thrusting it into her hands and replacing the panel and the drawer to his desk.
“You are to take your full contingent of Watchers to Faulken Keep and deliver one of the letters within that bundle to King Koran without delay. We are very quickly running out of time, and I may already be too late. You will need all of your girls at your side for this task, Ishaada. They must keep you safe.”
“None of this makes any sense! What in the world is going on?” Ishaada demanded. His anxious behavior was scaring her. She had noticed a change in him the last few years, but never noticed just how much he was slipping until now. Could she even trust him at this point? For all she knew, he was involved in something sinister. Were the whispers of his use of dark magic true? “I need answers, Papa.”
“I cannot say any more, Ishaada. Koran needs that letter as soon as possible. I cannot stress that urgency enough.” He hugged her tightly again. Despite the rush of emotions and thoughts whirling in her brain, she hugged him back tightly. There was a finality to his words, as if this were some sort of goodbye. “You’ve always made me so proud, Ishaada. Never forget that. The book inside is for you, and will have the answers to the questions you’re asking. But promise me that you will not let Kauthrynne know where you are going. And make sure the book does not fall into her hands, or it could be disastrous.
“Now go, Little Dove; gather your Watchers and be off at once. Time is of the essence.”
Once he had let her go, he turned away, as if unable to bear the sight of her leaving. Wordlessly, she stuffed the book into the basket and hastily covered it with some of the flowers to hide it from view. She rushed to the door, being sure to exit the room looking as calm as possible. Despite her mixed feelings about her father’s words, something about them made her trust him. If Kauthrynne wasn’t to know, then that was all she needed to confirm that whatever was going on really was urgent. Her father was a good man—surely that meant she could trust him.
Once she and her escort had returned to the garden, Ishaada gathered her ladies around her. Quietly, she told them all what had transpired in her father’s office. To her relief, it seemed many of her girls shared the feeling that her father was on the right side of whatever was going on.
“My Lady, how do you know we can trust your father?” Sansi asked. “If he looks as bad as you say, who knows what he was up to while he was gone. He could be doing something devious.”
“I’ve never seen my father look scared like he did just now. Something is either already wrong or is about to be wrong in Sericuze. I won’t stand here idly while my friend and her family are in danger. I need to get this letter to His Majesty Koran now, before I’m too late.”
“I do not believe we have anything to fear of the Holy Father. Let us make haste, Ladies. The royals of Sericuze require our aid.” Valora assigned her second in command, Sansi, to fetch the other half of the retinue and meet them all back here. Discreetly, they made a temporary waypoint in the grass to jump through together. Kauthrynne would know immediately if they used any of the established waypoints in the palace or the city beyond. This way would buy them at least a few hours before its location was pinpointed by the Grand Mother’s own Watchers and investigated for security.
The whole while, Ishaada practically clutched her basket to her chest. Even though she was surrounded by over a dozen other women keeping watch for any intruders, the fear of being ambushed and the book being confiscated loomed over her. Desperately, she hoped that Adrea and her family were alright, and would remain so until they arrived at Faulken Keep.
At last, the remaining half of Ishaada’s retinue arrived, dressed in their casual attire to avoid suspicion. A few of them had managed to arm themselves with their swords or a kamarii—staffs designed to channel magic, with a blade for up close fighting. She was glad that at least some of them were prepared for a fight. She would have to rely on her own hands and magic if things went awry. Together, they joined hands around their waypoint and primed the portal. To avoid making the waypoint easier to detect, the Watchers passed through in groups of three until Ishaada, Sansi, and Valora were the last ones to go through.
The stone courtyard shook as Ishaada’s feet touched the ground on the other side of the waypoint. She covered her ears as the sound of cannon fire shook the keep again. The others were in defensive formation around her, taking in the area. In the distance, she could hear the clashing of metal and battle cries. It was nearing sunset in Sericuze. The sky was already ablaze in brilliant scarlet and golden hues, tinged with foul black smoke clouds billowing up from the city sprawling below the keep.
They were too late.
Undeterred, Ishaada urged the group onward. They needed to find Koran quickly. Perhaps the letter would provide an advantage in their favor. They exited the small courtyard that housed the waypoint and entered the main yard of the keep. Soldiers ran all around them, shouting for this and that. A small group fought its way over to them, giving a hasty salute in greeting.
“Lady Ishaada, did your father send you to reinforce the front line?” The soldier at the front of the group asked.
“I had no idea you were under attack. My father gave me an urgent letter for His Majesty, Koran. Where can I find him?” Ishaada said.
“The King is overseeing the battle with Prince Jora. Her Majesty and the princess are still inside. If you can, please protect them. Those dreadnoughts are wreaking havoc on the harbor. It won’t be long before they blast their way around to start firing on the keep from the east.”
“We’ll look after Her Majesty. If you can get a message to the king, tell him that I am here to help as best I can. We didn’t come equipped for battle, but we’re at his disposal.”
“Thank you, Lady Ishaada. Your presence is a blessing from the gods above.”
They parted ways, with Ishaada leading the way into the keep. It had been many years since she’d set foot in Faulken Keep, but she still remembered where the Royal Family would seek refuge from naval attacks in the past. But the keep wasn’t built to withstand steam-powered ships and their gunpowder cannons like those down in the harbor. The old fortress wouldn’t hold for long. It was best to evacuate the keep entirely for the time being.
Judging by how empty the halls were as Ishaada led the way to the western tower, many of the castle staff had already fled, or joined in the fighting. Only once they drew nearer to the bunker below the west tower did they run into anyone else. A group of twenty soldiers blocked the way forward, their weapons drawn and ready. Judging by the muffled voices floating their way from down the hall, there were more soldiers ahead. A rush of excited greeting filled the corridor as they made room to let Ishaada and her Watchers through.
The doors to the bunker were opening for them as they rounded the next few turns. Ishaada started to run, alarmed by the shouting that leaked from the opening door. Her friend, Judeas stood in the center of the room, his arms wrapped protectively around his younger cousin, Liera. Five soldiers stood around them with their spears all pointed at him. About thirty or so feet away, Queen Saira stood with a sword awkwardly held up before her. Behind her, Princess Adrea grabbed at her arms, pleading for her to stop.
Ishaada’s arrival drew everyone’s attention. Judeas and Liera both regarded her with relief as she brushed aside Saira’s guard to be at their side. She hugged both him and Liera, desperately wishing their reunion was under different circumstances.
“What is the meaning of this? What crime have the Crown Princess and Prince of Agmedus done to anger you?” Ishaada demanded, now marching up to Saira, unfazed by the guards that aimed their spears at her. “They are your allies, Your Majesty. And mine. I would not see them harassed or harmed in any way.”
“They were our allies until Agmedan dreadnoughts started bombing my harbor and storming my shores,” Saira hissed. “For all I know, Nerius has sent him here to kill us all. He is a threat I will not ignore.”
“Why would Nerius attack your keep with his nephew and daughter inside? None of this makes sense.” Ishaada stood her ground. The emperor was a kind man. A surprise attack on one of his greatest allies didn’t sound like something he would do.
“Why are you here? Are you in on this attack, too?” Saira asked. The sword was shaking violently in her hands now. Whatever had happened before Ishaada arrived, it was enough to shake the usually cool and collected Queen.
“Mother, for the last time, please stop with this nonsense! Ishaada has a good point. Agmedan ships do not necessarily mean Agmedus is behind the attack. What if something has happened to the emperor on his way here? We were expecting his arrival within the week.” Adrea placed her hands over her mother’s and finally managed to wrestle the sword away, which she promptly handed to one of their guards. “I am curious as to what brought you here, though, Ishaada. The coincidence is odd. Welcome, but odd.”
“I came bearing an emergency letter from my father to your father. He didn’t say why it was so important, but I believe it may have something to do with this attack. I fear I may have arrived too late.” Ishaada opened up her basket and untied the linen bundle she had stashed inside. An old and worn leather journal was inside. Tucked behind the front cover were three envelopes—one of which was addressed to herself. Ishaada pulled out the one addressed to Koran and handed it to Saira. The queen quickly tore the envelope open and began to silently skim the letter.
The room fell deathly silent as everyone waited for Saira to finish the letter. Her hands were trembling terribly as she read. As she seemed to reach the end of the letter, she raised a hand to cover her mouth. She turned to face Judeas, tears streaming down her face. Judeas’ eyes widened as he stared helplessly back at her.
“What did it say?” Judeas asked. “Your Majesty, please. What did it say?”
“Your father… returned from exile, Judeas.”
“What else did it say?” Judeas asked. Liera had begun to sniffle as she fought back tears, clearly terrified. “Surely that’s not all the letter said.”
“Father’s dead, isn’t he?” Liera sobbed. When Saira said nothing to correct her, she screamed, falling to her knees on the floor. Judeas followed close behind, pulling her tightly to his chest and rocking back and forth as he tried to soothe her. There were tears in his own eyes.
“Is it true? Is my uncle dead?” Judeas asked Saira.
“Yes,” Saira said quietly, wiping away her own tears. “Johanni tried to save him, but was too late. We need to leave before they turn the cannons on the keep. I won’t let Anamos get to the two of you or my daughter.”
“Your Majesty, we have no way of knowing whether the battle has reached the keep.” One of the queen’s guards said. “It isn’t safe to leave the shelter.”
“Then we send a squadron ahead to ensure the way is clear,” Saira replied. “Send twenty men to ensure the way to the waypoint is clear. Your ladies can help us evacuate, right, Ishaada?”
“We can take you wherever you wish to go,” Ishaada said.
“Good. Let’s get a move on. There are some things we need to grab before we leave. I won’t let Anamos get his hands on our family treasures.”
“My Watchers and I can help carry whatever it is that you wish to take with you.”
“Then let’s go.”