The Fenimeldiyaan: Stolen Time - Chapter 11

“Andreas!  What are you doing here?” Elsa exclaimed when he appeared in front of her in the little inn which was located a few streets away from the docks. 

“I be on an important mission and I don’t have time to explain properly” he replied.  “I know ye’ll be leaving to find Gerald soon.  What be so important that ye can’t wait for him to return from his trip overseas?”

“It’s not really Gerald anymore”.  Elsa wiped away a tear.  “Set’s taken control of him.  I thought he’d been acting strange because of the baby.  I know it’s a trap but I have to go regardless.  If I don’t, Set will kill Gerald.  I love him too much to let that happen to him”.

Andreas grimaced.  “Tis worse than I imagined.  That means I’ll need to tweak me plan a little.  I have to leave now.  After I’ve gone, ye won’t remember that we had this conversation.  Take care, Elsa, me dear.  If all goes well, I hope to see ye and Gerald back in yer rightful places”.

------------------------

The time-travellers materialised at the docks for their next attempt.  Olivia clung to Andreas while he outlined the new mission plan.

“I’ll translocate on board the boat and distract Gerald long enough for Gremeldah to capture him in a slow-time envelope.  She and the rest of ye will return to the shop while I impersonate Gerald.  Elsa will arrive and I’ll kill her”.  He paused and played with his hair for a moment.  “Well, at least give the impression of killing her.  Then I’ll wipe her memory and Gremeldah will retrieve both of us”.

“What should we do?” David asked.

“We keep a lookout for any of Set’s people” Merlin answered.  “I’m going to scout around nearby”.  He deliberately avoided mentioning the familiar mind signature which he had detected.  “Look after Olivia while Andreas is on the boat”.

He waited until Andreas had left, then headed off in the direction of the emanations.  They led him to a narrow alley which he recognised from their first disastrous attempt when he and David had failed to stop Elsa from reaching the docks.

Lana lay on the ground, writhing in pain.  Merlin scooped her up in his arms.  “I’m here.  I felt your pain.  Sleep now”.  He incanted a sleeping spell and carried her out of the alley.

-------------------------

Gerald’s face contorted in rage and his black eyes stared at Andreas.  “Get away from me!  Ye were never me friend!  I want nothing from ye!”

“I ain’t come asking for favours, Gerald”.  Andreas kept his voice calm despite the sorrow he felt at seeing his friend under Set’s control.  “In fact I came to warn ye about Set, but twould seem that I be too late.  I can’t undo what he’s done to ye, but mayhap someone else can”.

He sent a telepathic signal to Gremeldah and helped direct her in placing the slow-time envelope around Gerald. 

-----------------------

Six burly men in armour approached Merlin and David, surrounding them and closing in on them.  Black tendrils swirled around, attempting to latch onto the sorcerer and the Colnian.  Before they had a chance to unleash any energy strikes at the encroaching tendrils, little Olivia’s eyes glowed with a harsh white light, causing the inky ribbons of darkness to withdraw with an irritated hissing sound. 

The soldiers remained in place and tried using their mundane weapons instead.  However, Merlin heated up their spears, axes and swords while David used a blast of wind to force them backwards.  They scrambled to their feet and made a hasty retreat, leaving their red-hot glowing weapons behind.

“No wonder Andreas insisted on bringing her with us” David commented, glancing over at Olivia.

“It’s not only her” Merlin stated.  “Although my niece is gravely ill, her powers also helped to dispel the shadows.  She did not end up here by coincidence.  A higher power is working with us”.

-------------------------

The shapeshifted Andreas stood on the docks.  He could sense Elsa’s approach and stood ready to greet her, one hand in the pocket of his long leather coat, grasping hold of the rock which he had placed there earlier.

Elsa came up to him.  He slammed the rock into her head, knocking her to the ground.  However, before he kicked her into the water, he healed her wound and incanted a barrier of air around her which would prevent her from drowning.  He then sent the signal to Gremeldah.

-------------------------

Elsa awoke with a gasp, trying to work out what had happened.  Andreas leaned over her, holding a glass globe. 

“Where am I?” she spluttered.

“In a safe place” he answered, turning the globe around in his hands.  “Do ye remember anything?”

--------------------------

Elsa raised her eyes to Andreas, completely confused. She was in a bed in some old-looking place, rather musty-smelling. It was most definitely not the castle of Zor. “Andreas, what’s going on?” she asked finally. “Where am I?”

“Ye be safe,” he assured her again.

She remembered his question and shrugged helplessly. “I … I remember being in the castle,” she said, and her voice started to shake. It was unlike her, and Andreas watched her carefully. “We were waiting for you. You were supposed to come and Gerald — he was so excited. I don’t even know why.” She gave a laugh halfway between a sob and a bitter chuckle. “Then Set appeared. He somehow froze all of us, he laughed … we couldn’t even move. He turned Daren and Gerald into stone, right before our eyes, then … then …” She broke off, covering her face with her hands. Without warning, she started sobbing hysterically.

With his usual gentleness, Andreas laid a hand on Elsa’s arm, sending out reassuring emanations while doing a mind-merge with her. He was horrified at what he found. The entire week she had been kept asleep by Set, he had plagued her with horrible nightmares. Gory images of her friends’ deaths, Gerald being murdered, Elaine, slaughtered mercilessly … she had seen Apollo turn his back on her, Morgan attacking them all, seen Andreas abandon Gerald to his fate. Set had forced her to see Ursula Cadogan, holding Elsa’s newborn child, cackling over Gerald’s corpse. She’d had not a moment of rest the entire time Set had been holding her prisoner.

Reluctantly, he put her under a sleeping spell. He knew the strain of discovering what sort of a future she’d woken up in might be detrimental to Elsa and her unborn child’s health. Slowly, he covered her with a blanket he’d found and left the room.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merlin had taken Lana into one of the side rooms. Olivia sat in the corner, curling in on herself. Gremeldah found herself watching the girl; she was as quiet as the grave, even considering that she had no voice. The little girl glanced up at Gremeldah briefly before hastily looking away.

To Gremeldah’s surprise, David Smith sat down next to her. His good eye was facing away from her, and he surprised her once again when he pressed a piece of bread into her hands. “Got to keep your strength up,” he said.

She chewed mechanically. “Ye want something from me?” she asked.

David gave her a slightly-sardonic grin. “You always assume the worst of people, don’t you?” was his reply. Since the situation they were in had done so to her, she said nothing. He didn’t seem to require a response. “It occurred to me that you’ve kind of been shoved into this against your will. It shouldn’t be your problem to deal with,” he went on. “As the hero of Colnia, I should’ve stopped this. But I didn’t. I pushed King Cyrus into war because I was angry. When Morgan Shadowbinder went on a rampage in our country, he killed Luna — one of my friends. I demanded retribution for what he did. I gave in to the darkness inside of me.” Slowly, he tugged aside the collar of his shirt, revealing a black spot over where his heart was. “It was me who started the war.”

“It were me fault that it happened,” Gremeldah said, her voice trembling a little. “I let Set into me mind. It wouldn’t surprise me if he manipulated ye.”

“What matters is the end result,” David insisted. “What I’m trying to say is this. I respect you as a person and as a sorceress, and I think that you’ll be the one to save us all and fix … fix everything.”

“Yer friends were killed, weren’t they? And yer family?”

David nodded slowly. “Yes. I … I want to show you something. If I can?”

Gremeldah watched him. “I don’t want to see yer family die.”

When David turned to her, all she could see was unspeakable pain. “I need to know … I need to know that somebody … that I’m not wrong, in seeking revenge. Please.”

She didn’t know why. Maybe it was to get rid of the horribly sad expression on his face. Or maybe it was to alleviate her own guilt. But she nodded, and he laid his hands on either side of her head …

------------------------------------------------------------------

“What be going on?” Gremeldah demanded, sounding a little panicked. “We be standing right there!”

David and Gremeldah were both in a circular room, exposed to the sky with no roof. Rain fell in gentle splashes, soaking the entirety of the stone surrounding them. “This was King Cyrus’s favourite spot. Almost a garden,” David said softly.

“Have ye taken me back in time? Be ye a Chronomage?” Gremeldah stared at him.

“No. This is spirit-travelling. It’s an ability that’s mostly exclusive to elves, but I have it,” he explained. “We’re only here in spirit. Nobody can see us because it’s just a memory. My memory.”

Slowly, Gremeldah started to make out figures spread around the circular room. Elaine and Daren Lightshield were huddled together, the young Queen with her head buried in her husband’s shoulder. Near them were the Corttannians — Gremeldah recognised Terra Roland, already dead. It was evident that he had fought bitterly and paid the price. Blood covered his corpse. Lizzy Drenlin was sobbing, her tears mingling with the rain. Her three siblings were directly behind her, anxious. Milah Bramson held River protectively in her arms.

On the other side were the Colnians. Gremeldah felt her anger at Basil Sonelian return when she saw him, but all his arrogance seemed to have gone. His golden eyes were closed, cradling a dark-haired woman to him. She, like Terra, was dead. Tears streamed down Basil’s cheeks as he held her to his chest. A blonde woman — Lorelei — held a young woman who must have been her daughter. David looked much the same as the David standing beside Gremeldah, minus the scars and blinded eye. Three people — a blond man, a grey-skinned woman, and a dark haired young man — must have been the royal family. The young man crouched in front of his parents. Nearby, a girl with curly brown hair clung to David’s hand. A blond girl and dark-haired girl were near Basil and Angel, and it was evident that they were Basil’s children. “See what’s become of the man you despised,” David said sadly, pointing to Basil. “His wife, murdered in front of his eyes. He’s always so proud, so certain of victory. Now he’s crying, broken.”

Gremeldah said nothing. There were so many children … the spirit-David went to the curly-haired girl, his hand trying to caress her face. From the tears on his cheeks, Gremeldah gathered that the girl was his own daughter.

What came after was almost too horrible for Gremeldah to bear. Set and Jezebel swept in, mocking, laughing at the conquered heroes. Then, one by one, all of them, even the children, were brought up and killed. David was the last one and was dragged off by Set and Jezebel, who had been laughing the entire time.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David drew back, his hands trembling. “That’s why we have to stop Set,” he told her softly, tears still lurking on his cheeks. “Because of that. He massacres children for the fun of it. The blonde girl, and the dark-haired boy? Those were Basil and Angel’s twin children. Seventeen. Prince Bernard was twenty. Serena was sixteen. My daughter … the same.”

To both of their immense surprise, Olivia came over to him, reaching out and taking his hand. He looked at her, shocked. She put her book in front of him, open to a page of the exact image Gremeldah and David had just left. “You … you were there?” David gasped.

Olivia nodded, tears gushing down her cheeks. David pulled her into an embrace, and she buried her face in his chest. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”

--------------------------------------------------------------

Merlin sighed, touching Lana’s fevered brow. She was running out of time. How could he ever face any of his friends again if he let her die? Yet there seemed to be nothing he could do. Sharing his magic with her did nothing. She tossed and turned, mumbling in her sleep, occasionally crying out in pain. It hurt him to see her like that.

It also hurt that there was nothing he could do about it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

“This way!” Regina led Ilise and Joseph through the tunnel, and they emerged from the secret entrance once more on the streets of Zor. “Where do we go now?” she added.

Ilise and Joseph exchanged glances. “Follow us,” Joseph said. The three young people hurried through the streets, not willing to be exposed for too long. The Lightshields were only far too aware of what would happen if they were captured once more. Regina’s timely rescue had saved them from a terrible fate; they couldn’t expect it to happen a second time.

They led Regina to the old store that had been Leanora and Fitz’s home. After exchanging anxious looks, Joseph went to the door and knocked. “Hello?” he said. “It’s just us … me and Ilise. Andreas? Gremeldah?”

The door swung open and Andreas stood there. He gave a smile. “Ye escaped!” he said.

Joseph nodded. “Thanks to Regina. We should probably get off the streets, though.” Andreas closed the door behind them, and the three children tramped inside.

The shop seemed much smaller without all their friends. Joseph cast about, hoping to see Fitz, or Terra, but there was only the little mute girl, the green-haired Gremeldah, and the Colnian Councilman. David raised his eyes when they came in, and all colour fled from his face. “Wh-whoa. It …”

Regina let out a very childish squeal, her eyes shining, and pushed past Andreas, flinging herself into David’s arms. “Daddy!” she cried repeatedly, burying her face in his shoulder. “Daddy … you’re here. I thought — I thought —”

He couldn’t even say anything. He enfolded the young woman in his arms, his tears soaking into the top of her head, and didn’t look as if he’d let her go for a long time. Regina seemed to share that, and her sobs racked her whole body as she squeezed him as hard as she could.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Set was weary of his plans going wrong. By that time, he knew that Andreas Cesario was alive once more. Gerald’s mind had been enough to inform him of that. But now he’d lost control of the mercenary, unable to trace his location or current state. He blamed it all on Andreas. And he knew just how to get to the man.

He pulled Caratacuus out of the temporal prison and smiled at him thinly. “I know you’re hiding something from me,” he said with a sneer. “I can sense a massive amount of magic coming from you … it seems to be fuelling a disguising spell. If I’m correct, you’re hiding your true self. Now, I’m going to give you two options. You can reveal your true self to me, or … I can bring River Meer out of the prison and kill her. Disperse her energy so that she cannot go to the … what do you call it? To the Beyond.”

He took a step towards the man, completely sinister. “Make. Your. Choice. Will you be responsible for the death of that poor little girl, and the robbery of her afterlife?”

---------------------------------

Gremeldah used her sleeve to wipe away tears.  Yet again, she had been made to feel guilty, then cast aside like garbage.  She knew that she ought to feel joy for David being reunited with his daughter, but she could not even summon up a fake smile.  Would anyone notice if she left?

Ignoring the happy reunion, she headed for the open door.  Without a backward glance, she stepped across the threshold and out into the cobbled street, breathing a huge sigh of relief.  Freedom at last.  The risk of being captured by Set’s troops bothered her less than the thought of people only wanting to know her when they needed her skills. 

She had only gone a few paces when someone grabbed her by the arm.  “Need some air, eh?” a familiar and extremely irritating voice enquired.

She glared at the little Spy Master.  “Leave me alone!  I weren’t impressed by yer latest trick — getting Councillor David to pretend to be me new best friend.  I’ve done what ye wanted.  Yer friends be safe and the crucial point in the time-lines has been changed.  Ye’ve watched me manipulating the temporal interface enough times to know how tis done.  Ye don’t need me anymore”.

“Tisn’t a question of what I want or need” he stated, still keeping a firm grip on her.  “Ye know I can’t let ye go.  Like it or not, ye be under me protection.  I’ve failed enough people already on this mission, without adding ye to the total”.  His face crumpled and his eyes glinted with the hint of tears.

“Don’t give me yer fake guilt!” she raged, trying to tug her arm free.  “I don’t need to hear how ye’ve messed up or that ye’ve done worse things in serving yer Carpathian family.  Tisn’t a competition to see who can make the worst mistakes.  Like ye really feel guilt for anything ye’ve done!  Ye be a fake and a liar!”

“Whatever ye say, me dear”.  He made no attempt to wipe away the tears which ran down his cheeks and soaked his droopy moustache.  “Set has me wife and son in law.  They came to rescue me.  If I’d been more alert, I wouldn’t have gotten meself trapped here to need rescuing”.

His statement jolted her out of her self-pity.  “More lies!  I almost believed David until his daughter showed up along with the other two.  Spirit-travelling indeed!   Tis easy enough to create illusions and send visions.  Tis something that most adepts learn afore they reach the age of majority.  And spare me that dumb story about Set capturing yer wife.  Ye only be saying that to get me to rescue her”.

Andreas shook his head.  “Tis the last thing I want.  Set will be expecting me to attempt to rescue Anni and the others.  Besides, Anni be a powerful sorceress and I trust her to keep all the captives safe”.

“So what do ye want then?” Gremeldah asked. 

“I bring ye a message from the Goddess of Justice”.  He held out the whisper jar to her.

“I ain’t interested in anything yer Goddess says” she declared.  “If she wants to punish me, fine.  Bring it on!”

“Just listen” Andreas insisted, pressing the jar into her hand.  He touched the lid to activate it and the voice of the Goddess spoke.

“Welcome, Gremeldah Dowd.  Your own insecurity be your worst enemy.  You cannot outrun it, no matter where your adventurous spirit leads you.  Stop running and start living.  Your grandmother will always be proud of you.  You must fix yourself before you can fix anything else.  As a Chronomage you should know that nothing be set in stone.  Accept help when it be offered, even if you do not trust the source.  Look inside me to discover the truth.  Wind turns green and the Goddess smiles.  You will become the right size”.

The jar had previously been empty but after the Goddess had finished speaking, a white mist formed inside it.  Within the mist, Gremeldah could make out several figures, some of whom she recognised.  She realised that she was being shown the temporal prison which she had helped Set to construct.  One of the prisoners — a small, naked, dusky-skinned woman with dreadlocked hair — vanished, evidently taken away by Set to be tortured.

“Me wife” Andreas said by way of explanation.  “Like I already told ye, I don’t want ye to rescue her.  I want to help ye fix yerself.  But to do that, ye’ll have to come back to the shop”.

“Ye want to help me?” Gremeldah sneered.

“Aye, of course”.  He took back the glass jar, put it away in his jacket pocket and enfolded her in a warm hug, sending out emanations of love and reassurance.  “I put as much value on ye as I do on me own family.  Remember the Goddess’s words — Accept help when it be offered, even if ye don’t trust the source”. 

-----------------------------

Caratacuus bowed low in front of Set, his forehead touching the floor.  “Queen River Meer and all the other prisoners be under the protection of the Inner Circle Alliance and the Vyrdigaan Order.  This I vow in the name of Iraevesh, Goddess of Justice and Minestria, Goddess of Sorcery”.

Set had expected the Malvanian to put up more of a fight but he forced his disappointment aside.  He could not help smirking at the elderly mage’s humble posture.

The prostrated figure on the floor began to waver and shimmer, giving off strange energies which Set found most confusing.  The white hair, pale skin and grey robes melted away, to be replaced by black dreadlocked hair and a naked female form with darker skin.

She stood and faced him, showing no fear.  “I be Lady Anwyn Lyandra Menehari-Cesario, wife of Lord Andreas Cesario.  Not exactly what ye were expecting, eh?”

“A most pleasant surprise!” Set declared.  “No doubt your devoted husband will be along to rescue you, thus completing my victory.  So the Carpathians aren’t anywhere near as fearsome as they like to make out”.  He chuckled and stroked the side of her face.  “I will soon add the Fenian Galaxy to my long list of conquests.  Thank you so much for showing me the way”.

--------------------------

When Andreas and Gremeldah returned to the shop, David was the first to greet them.  “I’m sorry” he said.  “I should never have taken you spirit-travelling.  At least Andreas managed to find you before Set’s soldiers could capture you”.  He smiled at her.

---------------------------

Anwyn seemed undisturbed by Set’s plans and said nothing. He saw her dark eyes sweep over the room, taking in the statues of Basil and Daren, the sleeping figure of Elaine on the bed, the tied-up Lizzy Drenlin, and the injured and unconscious Leanora. “Impressive, isn’t it?” Set said. “Representatives of each of the major countries of Meldin. All bent to my will. And soon, all the other worlds as well.”

“Where be Elsa Silvereye, then?” Anwyn asked calmly, turning back to him. “Me husband? The Lightshields? Gerald Hunt? Gremeldah Dowd? Ye seem to be missing some important pieces of yer puzzle.”

Set’s face reddened at Anwyn’s words. He raised his hand as if to strike her, but changed his mind. “You, my dear, are a most vexing woman,” he told her.

She cocked her head. “What do ye plan to do?” she inquired after a moment passed in silence.

He smiled. “Send you back to the prison and send your beloved husband a message,” he answered, and sent her back to the temporal prison.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morgan looked astonished when he saw Anwyn come back into the temporal prison. “Whoa, wait,” he said. “Were you … you were Caratacuus?!”

She gave a small smile. “We thought it would be safer if Set didn’t know I were here,” she explained. Then she grabbed Apollo’s arm and pointed at River, obviously transmitting something to the healer.

Apollo just managed to grab her hands before she was pulled away, leaving him empty-handed. He turned to Anwyn, his face seeming to fall to pieces before her eyes. “Apollo, ye didn’t …” Anwyn’s voice trailed off.

“He didn’t what?” Terra sounded close to panicking. “What’s Set done with Queen River? Where is she?”

Anwyn bit down on her lip hard. “He’s taken her to be killed. I were hoping Apollo could prevent it, like his future version did with Gerald …”

“Apollo, you did it, didn’t you?” Morgan asked breathlessly. “You saved her?”

Instead of answering, Apollo put his head in his hands and cradled it there. No response seemed necessary.

“She … she can’t die,” Terra said, his voice breaking. “Please, tell me she’s going to be alright!”

When nobody answered, Terra covered his face and curled his knees to his chest. He really had failed everyone, even his Queen. “Queen River,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Set looked the young Queen up and down. Her gaze was on her feet, and she did nothing. He could feel no thoughts from her. “Well,” he said. “This is the second time I’ve had the pleasure of killing you, Queen River Meer.” He summoned a sword of shadows.

“NO!” It was Lizzy Drenlin, screaming at him. She’d somehow torn the gag from her lips. “Leave her alone! Please!”

Set ignored her and lunged forward with the sword. River still didn’t move as he impaled her, and when he yanked the sword from her chest, she collapsed to the floor, unmoving, her brown eyes staring at the ceiling blankly.

Queen River Meer was dead.