A Tale as Old as Time
The musicians struck up a melody both happy and sorrowful as Njall led Zaya into the middle of the dancefloor. They clasped hands, and Zaya held up a corner of her voluminous skirt, as Njall’s hand went around her hip. They spun around the dance floor just as the full moon shone through the windows casting a pearly light around the ballroom. Njall raised a finger, and the dance floor was enveloped in a thick fog, casting an even dreamier scene to the courtiers who all gasped. Zaya couldn’t help but giggle, Njall grinning widely as he spun Zaya around the floor.
“Happy?” He asked, as he pulled her closer, than propriety deemed proper.
“As happy as I can be, with my sister gone.” Zaya murmured.
“You’re not worried, are you?” Njall asked.
“You trusted Seraphina, so I will too. It’s more that I think this life, of pirates, and adventures on the high seas is what she truly has always wanted.” Zaya murmured, her eyes going to the huge windows where a beautiful full moon turned the ocean silver in the light. “I’ve worried often, in the years past that our banishment should have always just been mine. That Zara could’ve led quite a different life in a world of adventure and promise, instead of being imprisoned by the shackles of royalty as I have so often been.”
“She will have that adventure, now.” Njall smiled. “Nasir has never been one to lead a quiet life.”
Zaya grinned looking at her court, in their finery smiling down at the two of them dancing, her eyes drifting to where the nine (currently eight as Kailani had disappeared to the terrace) stood in their new finery as the royal guard.
“Somehow I think the court itself will be its own kind of adventure.” Zaya murmured.
“Court’s usually are. There are the political arrangements,” Njall murmured his eyes landing on where Lord Einer stood smiling at them like a proud grandfather.
“The Hidden lovers,” Zaya murmured, thinking of Kailani and the lover that they both thought the court did not know about.
“Not to mention the forbidden trysts.” Njall murmured with a smile, as he looked at the crowd at the courtiers that had secret smiles, and long lingering looks at those that weren’t their betrothed.
“Ah, we can never forget those.” Zaya grinned back. “Lingering looks, longer than necessary touches, dances that are a little too close than necessary.”
“Ah, Tales as old as time itself. Even more trouble than curses themselves.” Njall murmured. “There are always those within courts, that believe they can rule through others, that manipulate, push and prod to get their way.”
“At least, I will have you, who is well versed in how courts work, to lead me.” Zaya smoothly murmured, as the song dwindled to the end.
As they swayed to the last dregs to the song, Njall pressed a kiss to Zaya’s forehead and watched as she pulled Lord Einer to a dance, the old man smiling hugely. Njall stepped off the dancefloor as other courtiers joined the dance. Standing off the throne to watch the court dance and frolic with their Queen. No doubt something they never would have done with Shazir. As he watched, he felt a stirring, within the castle. He straightened trying not to show the concern he now felt. He looked back at the dancefloor and waited until Zaya’s back was to him, before he exited the ballroom.
He did a small hand gesture, and suddenly a trail appeared before him. The trail was covered in black magic, that he’d never seen before, that made his skin crawl. He carefully walked around the trail looking up in dread, as it led him to the tower that had been Shazir’s realm within the Castle. As he walked through the doors of the room, he saw that all the magic, and potions ingredients that had once cluttered this place, was now completely gone.
All traces of Shazir gone.
“Lord Njall?” Kailani’s voice echoed in the empty room as she walked in. Surprise lacing her face as she took it’s now empty state. “It’s all gone. Did you do this?”
“This was something else.” Njall murmured bending down slightly, to watch the magic trail closer. It didn’t seem to come from a sorcerer, didn’t have the signature that most sorcerers usually have.
“Was it the same person that fixed the crack within the castle?” Kailani asked, seeming unnerved when Njall turned to her sharply. “The one that Seraphina caused.”
Njall rose from his crouch his eyes narrowed, “What?” he barked, moving from the room to where the crack had been, only to discover that the crack had vanished as if it had never been there before. He put a hand to the newly formed wall in wonder.
Kailani ran up to him slightly breathless. “If this wasn’t you, who did this?” Her eyes flicked the corridor wildly. “Is the Queen in danger?”
“This was someone hiding the tracks that Seraphina left behind. Whoever this was also took the remaining magic Shazir had left behind. Magic that had been Seraphina’s originally.” Njall looked at Kailani. “The Queen isn’t in danger, but I fear that whatever dark shadow is moving behind Seraphina’s footsteps will soon be at Zara’s door.”