Chương 20: The Queen

Ch 20: The Queen Isavey thought she'd been summoned to her father's court. Her hands were sweaty and she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was all the attention. Or maybe it was the guilt of kissing Felix. The herald shook his head at the door.

"He would like to see you later, my lady. In his study. After the third meal." She'd been relieved, sort of, but still waited anxiously. Her usually busy days were currently cleared as she served her father. It was strange (and pleasant) to have nothing to do, no kind of schedule or tutors or handmaidens watching her every move. Except Cara, of course.

"You're thinking about going back and checking on him, aren't you?"

"I am not." When it was obvious she'd lied terribly she sat down and sighed. She wanted to walk the palace grounds but Cara wouldn't let her on account of the whole 'assassins trying to kill her' thing. So she ended up laying on her bed and reading an old, long poem about a wizard who turned into a kraken to marry a goddess. She read it out loud to Cara. As usual she lay there with her eyes closed promising she was listening right up until she started snoring.

Isa had the thought to race down to see Felix, then hated herself a little and maybe napped. Then it was the evening meal surrounded by cousins and servants and guards, and finally her father.

"I'll just be outside," Cara said, when one of her father's bodyguards gave her a head shake at the door. Isa's father didn't often meet with his children alone. When he did, it was to impart some life lesson, usually on the back of behavior he didn't like. But with Isa it was a little different. She was his only daughter, and he had always doted on her. She wasn't a fool and saw the way he'd treated her. She was never afraid of him like her brothers were.

And he had always seemed to enjoy what she had to say, and never criticized her except mildly. But he was also going to marry her to a man twice her age—a man who loved nothing but power, who already had a wife and two concubines and several children. She knew it wasn't easy to be a king. Which is why she was obedient and served her father as she served her house, knowing the lord of House Amadi did his duty nearly every waking moment. He was no exception to his rules, no hypocrite to his teachings.

And she was of royal blood, born with responsibilities that came with the many privileges. For her people and family she would do no less than her brothers. But it wasn't always easy to be a princess, either. The door opened and her father smiled at her with tired eyes.

"Come in, my flower. It's nice to see you."

"And you." Isa smiled and took her father's hand, putting it to her forehead in respect. Then she followed him inside and closed the door, feeling a bit less anxious.

"Tell me about the barbarian," her father said, pouring two drinks from his cabinet of alcohol. This was rare for him, and even rarer for her. He set the glass on the desk and watched her with those damned insightful eyes.

"He's very unusual, but knowledgeable of the world. He professes to have used no channeled mana since he discovered his gift as a boy of maybe ten, or even younger."

"That's impossible." Her father sipped his drink and watched her. The way he said it was almost reflexive, like he wasn't surprised and just parroting the words. Did that mean he believed it? That he knew it was possible?

"What ability has he demonstrated?" he said when she said nothing.

"Have you seen it yourself?"

"Only in the temple, father, when his soul was tested. I've never seen anything like it. He destroyed a dozen dampening wards like it was nothing. In the testing room."

"But then you have almost no experience with fire wizards," her father said.

"Powerful or otherwise." For a moment Isa said nothing because that was true.

"The priestesses…"

"Those priestesses know less about being a fire wizard than you do, Isa. The temples are useless and have been for decades. We both know that. And it's not just them. All our gifts are getting weaker. Every generation is less powerful than the last. We're failing, daughter. Our house. Our island." He looked away and sipped his drink like this was all obvious. But his words hit her like a series of slaps. Isa had never heard him speak like this. So bluntly, harshly. He looked… afraid.

Vulnerable in a way she'd never seen in her life.

"What do you mean?" she whispered.

"You're not a child anymore, Isa. I'm going to need you, and all your brothers." He turned and met her eyes.

"It's time for a hard truth you aren't likely to even comprehend. At least not yet. The island's wards are failing. The magic that has protected us for so long isn't working right, and we don't know how to fix it. It's possible we've grown too weak to fix it. We don't know why." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Isa felt like her world was spinning out of control. She couldn't seem to think of anything to say.

"That's likely why this 'Felix' found us," her father said.

"It's likely why your uncle couldn't wipe his memory, too. But it's not certain. I need to know how powerful he is. If he's typical of the continental 'mages', or if he's special. Because if he's typical than we are in incredible danger. But perhaps we can train a new generation from continental stock. My breeders think we're…" here he shrugged, "we're too insular. Like dogs bred too often from the same pack. That we need new blood." Isa tried to catch up.

Her father sat and sipped his drink as he watched her, probably testing how she handled it all. The idea of the island's wards failing was terrifying. Would that mean they'd have to join the rest of the world? What would that even look like? He was right when he said she probably wouldn't comprehend, though she tried.

"The House of Tustan, they were given limited access to the coastal lands for decades now. Shouldn't they know all about the world's wizards? Can't we ask them?" Her father smiled and sipped.

"Yes. They should. But the Pact of Mythus gave them too much power. We knew it would, which was why your grandfather made sure they sacrificed their seat on the guilds and the bank. We thought it would constrain them, force them to deal with us so they couldn't horde too many secrets. But we were wrong."

"So they're traitors? Spies? Plotting against us? What? Why don't the other houses do something?"

"We've no proof of anything, Isa. They carry on as directed, conducting trade for us and keeping track of everything we give them. Feigning ignorance isn't a crime. Silence isn't a crime. And we have no way of tracking their behavior outside the isles, no way of ordering them to do anything. As you know, we have no king." The way her father said 'king' raised little bumps all over her skin.

"You're planning something. With Lord Saloy." She could see the pride in her father's eyes, and also the sadness.

"Yes, Flower. The houses of fire and water will unite. Despite all their power and cleverness, the house of air can't resist us together. Lord Saloy will be the first king of the isles since the ancient days. His laws will force the air houses to show us everything, to put them on their knees." Isa said nothing, knowing it wasn't everything. He had never explicitly told her she'd be married to the fire lord, but everyone in her family knew it was so. Lord Saloy was the most powerful fire wizard in two generations.

He was cunning and well-liked. It made sense he'd be chosen as king. But why would Isa's father possibly agree to such a thing? It was only a political union—useful only for a generation, because the man already had male heirs, and…

"Saloy will divorce his other wives," her father said, still watching her eyes.

"He will disinherit his male children, sending the eldest away. You will be his queen, Isa. You will be the queen of all Altis. And your sons will rule this island." Isa felt struck. Numb. She understood the words, and what her father was saying, but she just couldn't process it. In the course of a couple minutes she'd learned that everything she'd ever known was failing, at risk. Now she'd be directly responsible for all of it, in the bed of a man she respected but disliked. She knew her life was meant for duty.

That she was born to bring peace and advantage to her house through marriage and children. But this… she had to be a queen? To give a harsh man children and let him raise them?

"Lord Savoy," Isa said, not sure she had the words.

"I know he's not…perfect," her father said, teeth clenching and unclenching before he took a breath.

"He's quick to anger. Hot and cold with his family. But he's not cruel, Isa." Her father leaned forward and took her hands.

"I have spies—I've watched him for years. If you're clever and obedient. If you give the man what he wants, you can survive it. Even thrive. And once there's an heir, you'll be protected. He'll honor you. I wouldn't send you to a monster." Isa felt water welling in her eyes.

"Like his first wife was protected, father? You just said he's abandoning his whole family."

"It's not the same," he said.

"This marriage buys him a throne." It's exactly the same, Isa thought. Maybe his next marriage will buy him a better throne! But she could see this had been planned for years, maybe decades. There would be no changing her father's mind, and he wasn't a fool. This might work as he intended. It might protect their family and maybe even the island from civil war.

"We'll never survive another Kin War, flower, and it's coming. This is the best way. The only way. Will you help me? Will you serve your house and lord?"

"Yes, father." Isa kissed her father's hands and let the tears flow. It was even worse than she'd imagined. Worse for her, worse for Cara, worse for everyone on the paradise isles. Her girlhood crush on the foreigner seemed almost ridiculous now. Banished with nothing but words. A dream no more solid than a puff of smoke blown into the breeze. She would never see him again, that was the only way. Because she knew to do otherwise would break her heart.

"Please, father," she said.

"Can you put someone else in charge of Feli…of the barbarian? I don't think I should be near him. He's powerful, and we can't know if he might pollute my mana, or…"

"You're right. Of course. Good thinking." Her father nodded and seemed guileless as to her real reason.

"I'll send some other, much less pretty girl." Here he smiled.

"I'm sure any island flower will be more than enough to entice a savage from the continent. It needn't be my water rose." Isa smiled and nodded, trying to fight back the tears.

"Can I go now, father? This is a lot to think about. I'd like to be alone now and maybe…"

"Go, go, of course." He stood and helped her to her feet.

"I'm sorry, daughter, to put this burden on you. But I couldn't be more proud. I would never agree if I didn't think… if I didn't know you would prevail. You'll be a wonderful queen. And your whole family will help you. I will always protect you." Isa smiled and bowed, nothing left to say. It was time to break the news to Cara. That she'd be a king's concubine and somehow expected to protect a queen from who knew how many enemies. The assassins at least were starting to make sense.

But it also meant the 'secret plan' between her father and the fire lord wasn't so secret. It must have been killers sent from one of the air houses—some of their rare fire wizards used to keep the guilt from their house. And if they were willing to attack her in broad daylight, what might they be willing to do next? She shivered and fought the urge to use her mana as a shield—a kind of bubble of force that would protect her from almost anything for a little while.

It was the only thing in her whole life besides Cara and her father that had made her feel protected. Except now there was one more thing—an impossible thing that made no sense and couldn't be considered or thought about ever. Even then, in that moment, all Isa wanted to do was find Felix. She wanted to wrap his strong arms around her and bury her face in his shoulder. Because she knew then that she had lost the most important and comforting thing she'd ever known.

That her father could not protect her, no matter what he said. And somehow, she knew Felix was the only man on the entirety of the isles that could.