👑👑👑👑Eleven👑👑👑👑
The Sacred Grove
[Deamonia]
The vast ancient grove was both surrounded and centered by the roots of the great elven sage tree. The roots served as walkways, waterways, and bridges. The sky of the grove was filtered by green leaves that extended far beyond the grove. The ground was carpeted with lush grass, diverse vegetation, and flora of all types. The bundle of natural diversity that was the sacred grove represented the protection and natural affinity that the elves stood for.
Elven workers took buckets of water from the streams, and others worked in the fruit patches in various areas around the grove. Deeper in the grove, higher-status elves and scholars were shuffling about.
Deamonia’s entourage trotted in and was received by many elven servants and some ambassadors awaiting them. The soldiers were decimated, their armor worn and bloodied, their horses shared between each other, and their faces covered in mud and fatigue. Elven servants swarmed all the knights, greeting them and helping them off their horses.
Queen Deamonia was seated on the lead horse and was greeted by a familiar face. “It’s good to see you commander- I mean.. My Queen! Apologies, Your Grace,” the girl bowed her head.
The frost queen dismounted her horse and greeted her shy friend. “I’m glad to see you look well, Geneve. I haven’t changed. You may still refer to me by name.”
Geneve smiled with relief. “Well, I’m glad you feel that way Dea. But I can see your caravan doesn’t look too good. What happened out there? Where you attacked?”
The frost queen glanced at her entourage of soldiers and nobles. “Yes, giants attacked us on the border pass, and a few of my knights met an avoidable end.”
Geneve looked surprised. “Oh... I’m sorry... I don’t know how that’s possible. The giants are usually passive.”
The Queen stepped closer to her friend and started whispering to her. “Listen, Geneve, I put you as warden of this zone for a reason. I need to trust you. You have to tell me everything you know. I will keep my promise; I’m working on it. I just can’t do it when issues like these blow up in my face.”
Just then, A very mannerful gentleman appeared in front of them, speaking clearly and precisely. “Lady Deamonia, I’m glad you could accept our request and come with such swiftness.” The man looked toward the caravan. “Run into a little trouble, did we? I will have the healers look into them at once.”
“Don’t worry, we have mage healers... And you are?”
The man looked surprised and then adjusted himself. “Apologies, I realize you don’t visit very often and, therefore, don’t know who I am. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Hescor, Queen Lourissa’s loyal advisor and first ear.”
Deamonia eyed him up and down, then replied, “Very well. Yes, thank you, my men are weary. Where can we set up camp?”
“We have already prepared quarters for your group; the west side of the grove just before the sage tree behind me. There is also food and refreshments there,” the advisor replied politely, “Anything else they may require, they can request from any of the servants there. As for you, Lady Deamonia, you may rest in the sage tree’s royal quarters as a gesture of goodwill from Queen Lourissa.”
“That’s ‘Your Highness’ to you.” Brutus stormed up to him. “Better show your queen some respect, Hescor, or you might lose that tongue.”
Hescor gave a simple smile.
“Why, of course. My apologies. Please, forgive me, my grace! Why it felt as if it was only yesterday when you were galloping up here to unite us all. Hard to forget that day. Isn’t that right, Brutus? I remember you were such a weed lad, always sneaking about gossiping to your former master. How is he these days? I forget which master had claimed your ownership before you disappeared all those years ago.”
“Are you speaking of Master Heldagaurd, whose head was fed to the crows? Or, perhaps, Master Kreal, who died in the mountaineer siege? Oh... I think you mean Master Hescor Forwood, who is currency serving as Queen Lourissa’s Loyal Advisor and first ear who otherwise would have faced trial if not for the protections bestowed upon him.”
“I forget Kreal left you in my charge right before he ran off to support Radan. Our time was brief but fun, to my memory. I still wonder who sprung you from your cage.” Hescor smiled devilishly.
“You conniving little-”
The frost queen cut them off. “Brutus, you can have a chat with your friend later. I have a camp to set and business to discuss.”
“Right. Of course, Your Highness. Apologies.”
Brutus glared at Hescor, who only appeared amused.
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The Frost Queen’s group settled into their camp. The knights were either sleeping in their tents or gathering around the fires talking with the elven servants. The human nobles spoke to the elven natives, and some of the mages were paired with the local mages sharing their work. It seems the frost queen’s group was the first to arrive. There were three other groups on the way: the angelic, insect, and mountaineer.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
The Queen was alone in the camp’s main tent with Warden Geneve and Brutus.
“So, Geneve, mind telling us how the hell wild giants came to attack us on the border along with them having magical resistance?”
The direct question caused Geneve to stutter and scratch her ear nervously. “Well- that’s.. cuz.. maybe.. I don’t know! I’ll have to investigate further. But I do know they’ve exhibited some… rather suspicious activity. That’s all I can say-for now,” Geneve looked nervous as she bowed, her eyes fixed on the frost queen, but her mind clearly somewhere else.
“What’s the problem, Geneve?” the frost queen pressed.
Brutus interrupted with a cough.
“My Queen, maybe some of this will come to light at the meeting. It’s the safest bet. We just got in, let’s relax a bit; I think that would be for the best.” He motioned with his eyes, and the frost queen caught on.
“Very well, you may take your leave Geneve. You can relax in our camp if you like. I bet some soldiers would love to talk to you again.”
“As... As you wish, my Queen.” She bowed once again before leaving the tent.
Brutus quickly picked up on Geneve’s dialogue, and now the Queen knew too. They were being watched.
At the entrance to the grove, servants were shuffling around to receive the next entourage, “Let’s go, let’s go, get those refreshments ready! Greeting girls, move it!” The head servant was yelling orders. The servants were ready to receive the next group. A single angel with green eyes was walking into the grove. His face was straight, his posture was perfect, and he walked slow and with a sense of nobility. He radiated what looked like white magic that almost distorted vision. He had a slight smug look about him. He looked around before being received by Hescor, who went to introduce himself.
“Hello, allow me to introduce myself; I am-”
“Hescor, Queen Lourissa’s hand, or dog, yes, we know. Why wouldn’t we when you stamped the letter yourself.”
Hescor was caught by surprise by that remark.
“Ah, yes, of course! Someone of the angel race would fully assess the situation and be prepared.” He smiled devilishly. Hescor then looked behind the angel, seeing where the rest of his group was.
“Are you scouting for your group? Rest assured that it is safe several kilometers from the sage tree,” the angel said with his chin up.
“My name is Michael; I am the representative of the Angelic Civilisation.”
“You are a representative? Forgive me, but it’s just that this meeting was for the leaders-”
“This meeting is a meeting, and I am all that’s needed to see our wishes voiced. If anybody else were to accompany me, it would have been a waste of valuable resources for us. Therefore, the first angel entrusts me with his word, and so shall you.”
“Yes, of course, forgive me, Sir Micheal-”
“You may address me as Angel Micheal, ‘Sir’ is a lower life form title and would have been insulting had I not been aware of your ignorance.”
“Forgive my ignorance, Angel Micheal,” Hescor bowed, “We have prepared quarters for your entourage, but seeing as it is just you representing the leadership, you may stay in the royal quarters.”
“I expect nothing less.”
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Daemonia sneezed. Brutus looked up at her before giving her his handkerchief, “Pollen? My Queen.”
“No, more like angel dust.”
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Hescor kneeled before the great sage tree, at the elven throne and the Queen sitting upon it. He gave his report.
“Twelve magic immune giants, and still she lives without disrupting the forest?! How is that possible?! Did she not use her power?!!” she slammed her hand on the rooted throne’s armrest.
“My Queen, based on the stories the knights told, she led them perfectly, spearheading all the giants and changing their formations just before every attack. As a result, they defeated the giants without the use of the frost.”
“This just goes to show that, even without her power, she is a huge threat, a threat you severely underestimated, Hescor. Now, I hope you’re taking steps to cut the loose ends out of your failed plan.”
“I’ve already dispatched the bone hunters to locate and kill the only surviving giant.”
Queen Lourissa leaned back and looked up, her eyes staring carelessly at the branches of the sage tree.
“See it done because if she finds the giant before we do, it will ruin everything.”
“On my life, my queen, I swear it.”
Queen Lourissa tapped her fingers on her throne.
“Deamonia, Deamonia, what are we going to do with you?” she whispered, “You’re keeping a close eye on the warden, correct?”
Hescor opened his hand; a misty green light showing Geneve appeared.
“Yes.. very close. Thanks to that spell from the golden mage, we have her under control. Don’t worry, she won’t utter a word against us.”
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Randal, the young driver, was lying down on a cot, wrapped in several blankets in the medical tent. Still recovering from slight hypothermia after the ambush on the border. Deamonia entered the tent looking for him. “Randal.” Randal shifted himself, trying to get up.
“Your majesty-”
“Stay down.” She halted him as she took a seat at the foot of his cot.
“Listen, Randal, I know from experience that couldn’t have been easy.”
“Yeah, But it was no excuse for failing. You could have died. I’m a failure of a driver, I’m sorry.”
Deamonia smiled and patted his leg,
“Oh, Randal, it was quite the opposite in my eyes. I’m here to thank you, any other driver would have gotten us killed before we got to the water. You have special talent. Your reining skills already echoes your father’s. I even thought he was the one driving us for a moment.”
“Also,” she leaned into his ear to whisper something, “Brutus is also putting on a few pounds, so driving would be more difficult, right?”
Randal’s grim face cracked into a smile.
They both began to laugh.
Deamonia decided to sleep in her camp instead of the royal quarters; she already distrusted Lourissa. The grove then fell into quiet darkness and went to sleep. The only things heard were the various wildlife of animals and birds.