Faylen's View
"You must say the Queen's Vows to truly have the power, Queen Faylen. Right now, all you have is the title."
"Can these vows not wait until after the war?" Lanquar shook his head.
"I am sorry, my queen. The people will listen to your orders for a short time because they respect you, but not for long. Not having a true king or queen that has said their vows will cause a revolt." I nodded and sighed.
“Alright. How long do I have before I must say the vows?”
“The sooner the better, but I think you have a week before our people will begin to question your authority.”
“I will say them tomorrow then, when the sun is at quarter height. I want to let my people mourn their loved ones and I need the night to review the vows. It has been years since my father worked with me on becoming queen and I do not want to mess up my Queen’s Vows.” He nodded and started to turn around to leave. “Do me a favor?”
“Absolutely.”
“Find out how much respect the people have to Desmond after tonight. I want them to see him as one of us. He is the reason we have won so many battles and deserves their respect for that and for staying at the burning this long when he has no reason to mourn the loss of our people.” Lanquar nodded and smiled, thanked me for promising my vows in the morning, and left the entrance hall just as Desmond walked in.
“Evening, Lanquar,” he said softly with sadness in his voice.
“Evening, Desmond. And what a sorrowful one it is.”
“Very. I am sorry for the loss of your daughter,” he murmured in Faejesh as he rested his right hand on Lanquar’s left shoulder.
“I am sorry for the loss of your friends,” Lanquar replied as he placed his hand on Desmond’s shoulder.
“They will never know pain or fear again, and they will aid with strength of mind and determination in the next battle. Those we have lost will be the cause of the human king’s fall. They will be the reason we win this war.” Lanquar bowed his head and left, but stopped at the door and turned to face me, speaking to me in my mind as Desmond started toward me again.
“Queen Faylen?”
“Yes, Lanquar?”
“I will still speak with others from the burning, but I want you to know that he has earned my full respect. With what he said, he does not seem to identify himself as a human, which helps me see him as one of our clan; although he will never be considered an elf either.”
“Thank you. Let me know the overall response from others when you have learned it.” I cut the connection and locked Lanquar out of my mind as I sat on the grand chair my father used to, standing up quickly.
“Faylen? Everything alright?”
“It does not feel right to sit there. That is where my father sits, not me,” I murmured. A tear slipped down my cheek and Desmond pulled me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me.
“Then don’t sit there yet. The loss is too soon. Sitting where he sat and sleeping where he slept will solidify that he's gone. It will bring it to a level of reality that you aren’t ready to deal with yet.”
“He should have stayed here like I told him. He would still be alive. Why did he not listen to me?” Desmond pushed me back to arm’s length, cupped my face, and ran his thumbs over my cheeks to dry my tears. I knew he shouldn't be showing me this level of affection outside of the room, but I couldn't get myself to back away from him and the comfort he was giving me.
“He did what he felt was best for his people. He knew you were ready to become queen, he knew the people love and respect you, he saw that you make wise choices even if they went against his orders, he saw that you easily have the loyalty of the people, and he saw that you instill hope and trust in the people when they begin to lose them. Those are all qualities of a great queen and having those qualities means that you are ready and able to bear the loss of your father and the pressures of ruling your people.”
“But he should have stayed here for safety. I do not feel ready to be queen.”
“If he had stayed, the human king would’ve taken your life instead. He believes that the people only follow you because your father told them to. Taking your life would’ve made your father and all the elven race leave. He thinks that taking your father’s life will make the people ignore your orders and leave for their own safety, so he feels that he will win either way. I've told you everything I know of his weaknesses and strengths so there's no more use for me as an adivsor for your battles. Allow me to train with a sword, Faylen. Allow me to help you and the people the way you have helped me. I will train as much and as often as I can. I will still give you any advice I can on the human king, but I want the chance to repay him for the lives he took, the lives he has ruined, and the pain he has caused you.” I nodded and Desmond smiled.
“You may train as a swordsman, Desmond. See Falinor when the sun rises and he will begin your training.”
“Thank you, Faylen. You may not feel ready to be queen, but you have always been one to me. I've never told you the information you wanted and needed because of my life vow to you. I give you the information because you are my ruler and you have asked for it. Even when your father was alive, you were the one that had my unwavering loyalty. That is why you are ready to become queen. You make wise decisions, you inspire the people to trust and hope, and you have their loyalty and respect. You will be a great queen, Faylen. I have faith in you and will stand beside you and your orders until you tell me to stop unless death takes me first.” I smiled and he dried another tear as it started to glide down my cheek, but I finally forced myself to back up a step.
“Thank you, but we cannot do this here. My father told me something before he died, but I need to research it and learn of its full truth first. Plus, I need to review my Queen’s Vows for tomorrow. I have a lot to do and it starts tonight.”
“Would you like help reviewing your Queen’s Vows?” I smiled and nodded.
“I would but you need sleep if you are to start training tomorrow.”
“I’ll be fine. You need my help, I’m happy to help.” I felt my smile grow just a bit.
“Then let us go to my father’s library where the most important scrolls are kept. My Queen’s Vows will be in there.” We headed up the stairs to my father’s library and immediately started looking for the correct scroll.
“Faylen, what does this say? I can see my family name in it, but I can’t make out any other words,” Desmond said as he handed me a scroll. I opened it and looked at it briefly but tucked it under my arm.
“It is one of the scrolls I needed to find, but it is not my Queen’s Vows.” Desmond nodded, but I saw a brief look of curiosity in his eyes. We kept searching and finally found the right scroll. As I wandered around the room, Desmond helped me review the vows until the moon was in the middle of the sky. “One final try and we will go to sleep for the night,” I said as I saw him try not to yawn. He nodded and I gave my final attempt for the night.
“Perfect. You said them word for word the way you said they’re written on here.” I let out a breath in happiness that I’d memorized them already. “Bedtime, Faylen. Nothing will help more than a good night’s sleep now.” I nodded and we headed out to the hall where I stalled. “Faylen?” he asked as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I should sleep in the queen’s room.”
“Is it a different room than where your father slept?” I shook my head. “Wait for the night. Give yourself the one night to mourn him. Let your Queen’s Vows be what solidifies that you are the elf in charge, not sleeping in the queen’s room.” I nodded and fought back more tears, but headed off toward my room. I set the scroll of Tebury’s bloodlines on my table, got in bed, and pulled the sheet over me as Desmond got in his bed on the other side of the room. A couple hours later, I woke up to find Desmond sitting next to me and tears on my cheeks as a Kukawk screeched somewhere outside my window.
“What happened?” I asked softly, trying to dry my tears.
“I don’t know. I woke up and came over when you cried out in pain. Your tears have been streaming down your face since before I got here.” I ran my hand across my cheeks again, but it didn’t help dry them. Desmond pressed a kiss to my forehead, then ran his thumbs across my cheeks. My tears slowed and he tugged me up to sit on my bed, pulling me into another embrace. “Would you like to talk about it, Faylen?” Seeing visions in my mind of what I'd been dreaming, I shook my head and drew in a shaky breath as my tears stopped.
“Stay with me for the rest of the night?”
“I’m always with you. I’m just on the other side of the room.” I shook my head.
“I mean in bed with me.” A look of pain crossed his face.
“You know I can’t, Faylen. Me being in your bed with you may not mean anything to you, but to me it means the world. It means that you have chosen to bond yourself to me and I would be a lying fool if I said that wasn’t what I want, but I cannot bear to think of you being imprisoned. And if I can stop that from happening, I will. If we were discovered in the same bed, you know what would happen to you.” Not caring about being imprisoned, I thought quickly on how I could get Desmond to agree to comfort me through the night.
“Hand me the scroll on my table, please. If I can prove something, then there may be a chance for us.”
“You need sleep. You’re to give your Queen’s Vows in just a few hours. There’s nothing so important in that scroll that it can’t wait just a few more hours.” I sighed and nodded, and laid back in my bed as Desmond tugged the sheet up to my chin. “Try to go back to sleep, Faylen,” he murmured. I turned my head so I’d see when Desmond fell back to sleep, but left my eyes open. He moved back to his bed and laid down, tugging his own sheet up and letting his breathing even out. I stood and went to my table, opening the scroll and reading it before going back to bed as I thought about what I’d found in the scroll.
I woke up a few hours later to find the sun was coming up. Desmond was still asleep in his bed and I smiled as I remembered our talk last night. I thought some more about what I’d found in the scroll as I stood and headed to my wardrobe, pulling out my formal attire and setting it to the side as I washed myself. I tugged on my formal attire and stepped around the barrier, seeing Desmond was just waking up. “Good morning, Desmond.”
“Good morning, Faylen. Feel any better?”
“A bit, though I do not understand why I dreamed of my father's death. I still do not feel ready to be queen, but I will do my duty and take the position I was born into and trained for.” He smiled and stood, walking over to me.
“You didn't have any Aldovice when you returned. Maybe that has something to do with the dream?" I nodded, planning to see Tsarra as soon as I could to ask about it and possibly get some if it would still help. "You will be a wonderful queen, Faylen. I believe in you.” I smiled and he pressed a kiss to my cheek. I stepped back to maintain some distance between us and he smiled again. “Good to see you’re stronger than you were last night. Come on. The queen shouldn’t be late to give her vows.” I took a deep breath as I grabbed the scroll from my table and walked out my door toward my father’s private library, put the scroll on a shelf, then headed to the entrance hall, seeing Lanquar open the door for me.
“Thank you, Lanquar.”
“You're welcome, Faylen. Ready to give your vows?” I nodded and stepped through the castle doorway to the top step. I held my head high with my shoulders back and my back straight, remembering what I’d been taught would be expected of me on this day. “Faylen of Gewood will make her Queen’s Vows when the sun reaches quarter height. All are welcome to attend,” Lanquar said loudly through his mind. I turned and looked at Desmond.
“You may go speak with Falinor if you wish, Desmond.” He smiled but shook his head.
“I'll wait until you have given your vows. Would you like me to stay standing behind you or would you like me to stand with your people?”
“Stay behind me. I need to feel your strength close to my side for this.” He nodded and said that he'd be back soon, then took off toward the human area as I kept running over my Queen’s Vows in my mind. Desmond returned with many of the humans following him when the sun had reached quarter height, and came back up to stand behind me. Everyone had collected in front of the castle by now and I grew worried that I might mess something up.
“You will be fine, Faylen. You can do this,” Desmond said softly in Faejesh. I turned to look at him and he gave me a smile with a soft nod. “You studied them all night and I already know you’ve been reviewing them this whole time. You’ll be fine. There’s nothing to worry about. I will translate what you say to my father and he will pass the translation to the rest of the humans.” My worry eased up as I gave him a nod, and I looked back at my people.
“I am Faylen of Gewood, daughter of King Delsaran of Gulonde and of Queen Meriel of Dragon's Veil. I was born into our clan as a princess but trained as a soldier, becoming the youngest general and battle strategist in elven history. With King Delsaran’s death, I stand before you now, ready to give my Queen’s Vows. As your queen, I swear to always make the best decisions I can. I will give my last breath to defend our clan, race, cities, and forest. My rule will be kind but firm. In war, I will not take lives out of revenge. I swear to put the needs of my people before my own so that we may survive. As queen, I swear to uphold all that I have said and I will do no less than that which I have sworn.”
My people cheered and I smiled as I let out a small breath of relief. “I present to you, Queen Faylen of Gewood,” Lanquar said loudly over the cheering. “Thank you, Queen Faylen. I did not want to see a revolt in the middle of a war. May we speak privately for a moment?” I nodded and turned to see Desmond.
“If you'll excuse me, Queen Faylen, I’ll go speak with Falinor now,” he said before I could open my mouth. I nodded and he bowed before leaving me with Lanquar.
“What did you wish to speak with me about?” I asked as we walked toward the grand chair.
“A couple of things. As you requested, I did ask others from the burning of their respect for Desmond. All gave the same response as I gave to you. He is well liked, fully respected, and seen as one of our clan, but he will never be considered an elf.” I nodded.
“I thought as much, but I feel I may be able to change that with something I found in my private library last night. More on that later. What was the other item that we needed to discuss?”
“Your bonding and an heir," he said, making me stop in the middle of the hall.
“Not in the middle of a war," I said with finality. "This is not the right time to think of providing an heir. I know that my people need and expect one, but I will not go to our final battle with an heir on the way.”
“There is no certainty that the next battle will be the last one. You cannot expect your people to wait forever for an heir. And to provide an heir, you still need to be bonded. Whom are bonding with? No elves claim to have been the center of your eye, though there are many that wish they have been.”
“I thought it would quickly come to this. Come with me. I need your knowledge before I can answer your question and make any decisions.” He followed me to my private library and I closed the door behind him. “What we are about to speak of does not leave this room, Lanquar. Understand?” He nodded. “When this war is over, I know there will still be humans that will be loyal to only a human. If I can prove the bloodline contains elvish blood, is it possible to bond with a Hybrid?”
“If the bloodline can be proven by something that is not newly written, yes. But as far as I know, there are no Hybrids in existence. Not since the Battle of Tebury killed all those that were confirmed Hybrids.” I took the scroll from the shelf and handed it to him.
“The Tebury humans are not human but neither are they elven. They are a mixture of the best aspects of our two races. All those from Tebury are still Hybrids,” I said as he began reading the scroll.
“This is definitely not new writing. This has knowledge that you have no way of knowing and knowledge that I had only heard rumor of - last words to your father, first bonded pair and their children, the physical and mental traits of Hybrids. How did you know of this scroll's existence?”
“My father told me of it before he died. This proves the bloodline of those from Tebury, correct?”
“It does, but all will need proof the person was born in Tebury as well. We cannot just take the word of someone, especially one that looks human.” I nodded, but refused to show that I was happy about his response.
“Understood. Give me some time to find that proof and if it is acceptable, I will find whom I wish to bond with at that point."
“May I ask why you are concerned on providing proof of a Hybrid’s bloodline rather than bonding with a full elf? There are many elven men that desire you,” he asked before I opened the door.
“Humans will only accept the rule of another human. By humans terms, a Hybrid would be considered more human than elf, regardless of the amount of elven blood in their veins. When we win this war and if I were to bond with a Hybrid, it will allow me to rule over all humans easier than having consistent battles that contest my rule over the humans.”
“Very wise and very well thought out, Queen Faylen. You seem determined to provide proof of a Hybrid’s bloodline. May I know whom you wish to bond with that has caused this determination?” I studied his eyes to make sure that he would keep his silence.
“Desmond. He is the only one that I have ever been romantically interested in.”
“What is his family name?” he asked as he looked over a page of the scroll.
“Timms.”
"Do you have the name of his parents or anyone else in his family?" he asked as he kept looking over the scroll.
"His father is Collen Timms and his mother is Aviryll, though I do not know what her family name was before her bonding to Collen." I saw a small smile curl Lanquar's lips and grew concerned.
“You may have no need to discover proof of his Tebury birth as you might already have it.” I felt my face scrunch in confusion and Lanquar laid the scrolls against the door. “Timms is the family name of the first bonded pair. The Timms’ sons always bear at least one son of their own to carry on the name and they only bond with those from Tebury or a full elf as well. Although Desmond's name is not included on this scroll, his father's name is. If the Collen Timms you speak of is the same Collen Timms listed here, his bloodline is the purest of all Hybrids, and your bonding to Desmond would be accepted easier than if you had chosen another Hybrid.” I smiled, happy that I may have been able to prove Desmond's hybrid bloodline and get my bonding approved at all once. “This also changes my opinion of him. He is not full elf but looking over his bloodline tells me that he is at least half elf, making him enough to be considered an elf. Shall I make the announcement that you have selected whom you will bond with?”
“Not yet. I will take care of that when I am ready and have truly verified the issue of Collen Timms name, but there will be no promise of an heir until after this war is finished.” He sighed but nodded his head.
“As you wish, Queen Faylen. I still do not agree that the next battle will be the last, but you have not led our people astray in battle yet,” he said as he handed the scroll back to me. "Is there anything I can do for you today, Queen Faylen?"
"As my bonding is a high priority for all, go to the human area and bring Collen Timms to me. I would like to verify his bloodline and need knowledge that only he has. His Monitingo may come as well if he desires." Lanquar didn't look happy about that last line, but nodded and headed out the door. “And our next battle will be the last,” I said to myself as a Flamifoutu landed in the window.