The Traitor's Heir

Chapter Twenty-Three

Quara was so shocked by her introduction that she sat for a moment with her mouth slightly agape, frozen in place.  Ausfela had indicated that they were some sort of royalty, but hearing the introduction from Henel made her head spin.  In what world could these insane claims that they belonged to some sort of hidden royal family really be true?  Quara suppressed the sudden impulse to jump up and run from the room, to find Ausfela and demand answers from the dragon, who she now realized she had come to trust.  Unfortunately her feet made any movement an impossibility and so she mustered all of her courage and closed her mouth, forcing the corners up into a smile.

            One by one the members of the council filed into the room.  First there was a tall, broad shouldered man with tan skin and silver hair.  He wore practical brown breeches and a brown leather vest, and his muted green shirt was the only flash of color that he allowed.  He bowed deeply as Henel announced that he was Unilar, the leader of the Southern Za'Reekan contingent within the city.

            The next person who came through the door was a slight woman with light blue hair streaked with lavender, that fell in a cascade to her waist.  She moved with the smoothly gliding gate that Quara had come to realize was typical of the naiads, and was announced as Silvalin, of the Naiads of the Crater.

            Maliam, a tall, thin naiad man, with sharp features and piercing green eyes who followed Silvlin, was announced as the representative of the River Naiads.  Another male naiad, Huniar, was introduced as the envoy from the lake naiads, followed by an elderly man named Nanmar, who dropped to one knee before Quara and kissed her hand.  Last came Ashren, a slight woman with dark brown hair and a deeply tanned complexion, who was introduced as the envoy from the Crater Mermaids, although she would be representing all the mermaids in the realm as none of the others could be convinced to transform themselves and put on two legs when dragons had been seen in the skies overhead.  She wore a pale blue dress uncomfortably, but her movements were surprisingly graceful for someone who was not accustomed to walking about on human legs.

            Last to come into the room was Tallinia, the purple haired elderly woman that Quara had seen outside teaching the children.  She dipped her head in greeting as the others took their seats around the room on various couches and cushions, and the conversation that had begun to fill the silence faded away as the slight woman took stepped into the middle of the room.

            "Many times has the story been told of how our world came to this moment, how we came to be balanced, upon the edge of a blade, surrounded by peril on all sides, forced to struggle to survive as a great darkness presses down our land.  I will tell now how it is that we came to be here, as the tale has been passed down to us through three thousand years of darkness."

            "The Halanta dynasty had ruled the country of Hlant, in the south of what is now Charcha, for fifty-nine peaceful generations.  Well, perhaps we should not say that they were entirely peaceful, for even in good times life seldom is, but the troubles they faced and wars that they fought seem light when compared with the years of darkness that followed and so it shall suffice to say that in those days things were good and the leaders, for the most part, were fair.  If leaders who passed by had shortcomings it was largely made up for by the great plenty that some believed was the happy fate of the land."

            "King Hortrobe the seventeenth was a young man when he assumed the throne.  His father had died quite unexpectedly and the boy did not quite seem to understand what was expected of him.  It had been known by almost everyone in the land that he would marry the princess of a small realm on the north eastern border of the kingdom, but the young king delayed meetings with the princess' representatives time and time again.  His advisors pressured him to do what they believed was right for the kingdom and to begin to arrange the wedding immediately.  Paintings brought from the northern kingdom again and again showed that the girl was exceedingly beautiful, with golden curls and skin like alabaster."