Chapter 44
"By the power of magic and the force of will,
I call upon the ancient spell to fulfill,
Open the portal, let the way be clear,
To a world beyond, let it now appear.
Through the veil of time and space,
Grant me passage to another place
Upon the mountain do the seers hide
Grant me access this one time."
Ingrid furrowed her brow and squinted at the ancient scroll in front of her, trying to decipher the instructions for opening the portal. She had been at it for hours, muttering the incantation under her breath and channeling all the magical energy she could muster into her fingertips. Yet, the air around her remained still and the portal refused to materialize.
She let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in her chair, her eyes scanning the words once again. Maybe she had missed something, a key ingredient or a specific gesture. She racked her brain, trying to recall all the knowledge she had acquired from her years of training as a sorceress.
Suddenly, she heard her name being called, snapping her out of her concentration. She rubbed her temples and descended the stairs to her study, where Lady Alessandra was waiting, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
Ingrid's heart sank at the sight of her the princesses distress. She took Alessandra's hands in hers and led her to a seat, offering her a glass of enchanted liquid to relax her.
"What happened?" she asked gently, sensing the urgency in Alessandra's voice.
Alessandra recounted the events of that morning, how Kollis had commanded her not to reveal their conversation to Axe, and how she had felt helpless and trapped. Ingrid listened attentively, her mind racing with possibilities.
"He made one very large mistake," she said with a glint in her eye.
Alessandra looked at her with confusion. "What do you mean?"
"He did not forbid you from telling me," Ingrid said, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
Realization dawned on Alessandra's face, and she gasped. "You can help me?"
Ingrid nodded, her mind already formulating a plan. "I can use my magic to extract the memory from your mind and show it to Axe. It won't be pleasant, but it's the only way to prove Kollis's treachery."
Alessandra nodded, her eyes full of gratitude. "Thank you, Ingrid. You truly are the best."
Ingrid squeezed her hand, her eyes filled with determination. "We'll get through this together, Alessandra. First we need to gather the neccessary supplies...."
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Have you seen Alessandra, Axe?" Velvet called out as she paced back and forth in their chambers. "She's usually here by now to help me with my dress selection. I have no idea what to wear."
Axe paused in the midst of getting dressed and turned to face her. "No, I have not. But I can send a servant to look for her."
Relief flooded through Velvet at his words. "Thank you, my love."
Axe quickly summoned a servant and instructed them to search for Alessandra. Within a few minutes, the servant returned with a message.
"It seems the princess is feeling unwell and has requested to skip the dinner," the servant informed them.
Axe immediately grew concerned at this news. He dismissed the servant and headed towards Alessandra's chambers. He knocked loudly on her door. "Alessandra, is everything alright? Would you like me to call for the palace physician?"
"No, that will not be necessary, brother," came Alessandra's weak voice from behind the door. "Please tell Velvet that I am sorry. I am just feeling unwell. It is nothing serious, just lady troubles. There is no need for concern."
Axe couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he didn't want to push Alessandra. Instead, he assured her that he would check on her later and then headed back to Velvet's chambers. As he entered, he found Velvet half dressed for the evening, looking worried.
"Well, where is she?" Velvet demanded.
"Alessandra is feeling unwell and will not be joining us for dinner," Axe explained. "She said it is just lady troubles."
A sympathetic look crossed Velvet's face. "Of course. We can check on her later."
Picking a dress from the pile on her bed, she gently pulls it over her head. Velvet turned her back to Axe. "I need you to help me lace this up," she said with a playful glint in her eye.
Axe slowly laces her up the back, teasing her skin as he goes. Every caress causes Velvets breath to hitch. "You know if we had more time, I would have my way with you right now" she teases out.
"We could always be late to our own event" He says with a wink, bending down to press a kiss against her neck.
"I wish we could, but I know how important this dinner is for you. You need everyone on the same page." she sighs. Velvet does the finishing touches by adding the new jewlery I brought for her.
"So, what do you think?" She says spinning around.
"As beautiful as the day I met you" Axe pulls her close mindful of not crushing her dress and softly kisses her. Velvet lets out a sigh. "Alright I'm ready whenever you are."
The Great Hall of the Fae palace was adorned with golden chandeliers and flower arrangements of magical blooms that changed colors as the Fae conversation shifted from one topic to another. The scent of wildflowers and sweet nectar filled the air, and the buzz of Fae magic hummed through the room.
Velvet, dressed in an elegant gown of silver and blue, presided over the dinner with grace and dignity. Axe had never been more proud of her. He could tell that some of the Fae still did not like her. Even if she was truly a fae, she was not raised in the fae ways. Changing their minds would be
Their guests, important lords and ladies from different regions of the Fae realm, sat at the long table, enjoying the delicacies of the Fae cuisine.
Axe raised his goblet, and the room fell silent. "I welcome you all to my palace, and I am honored to have you here. Tonight, we shall discuss matters of great importance to the realm."
The Fae lords and ladies nodded, their faces solemn and attentive.
"As you all know, the realm has been facing a crisis in recent times," Axe said. "The Dark Fae have been growing bolder and more aggressive with use of Raza, and their attacks on our borders have become more frequent."
The Fae lords and ladies murmured in agreement, their expressions grim.
"We must take action to defend our realm," Axe continued. "But we must also ensure that our actions are just and fair. We must not let fear and anger cloud our judgment."
The Fae lords and ladies nodded, some looking concerned.
"Our first course of action,"Axe said, "is to reinforce our borders and increase our defenses. We need to ensure that our sentinels are vigilant and well-trained, and that our magic barriers are strong enough to repel any attack."
The Fae lords and ladies nodded again, some looking relieved.
"But we cannot rely solely on our defenses," Axe said. "We must also seek allies and form alliances with others in our realm. We must show that we are united and willing to fight for our common cause."
Some Fae lords and ladies looked skeptical, but Axe continued. "I have already sent emissaries to some of our neighboring realms, and I have received positive responses. But we must be cautious in our negotiations and ensure that the terms of our alliances are favorable to us."
The Fae lords and ladies nodded in agreement, their expressions serious.
"Our final course of action," Axe said, "is to seek out the source of the Dark Fae's aggression. We must find out what is driving them to attack us, and we must try to resolve the underlying issues."
The Fae lords and ladies looked thoughtful, and some nodded in agreement.
"We shall form a task force to investigate this matter," Axe said. "I shall appoint the members of the task force, and I trust that they shall do their utmost to ensure the safety and prosperity of our realm."
The Fae lords and ladies raised their goblets in agreement, and the room filled with the sound of clinking glass. Axe zeroed in on Kollis sitting further down the table. His message had hit his intended target as Kollis' face paled slightly. If he hadn't been looking for a reaction, he wouldn't have seen it.
The rest of the dinner proceeded in a similar vein, with the Fae lords and ladies discussing the various issues facing the realm and proposing solutions. Velvet listened attentively, offering her own insights and suggestions. Some of them were receptive to her suggestions while others turned their noses up. Axe had to keep a tight rein on his anger. He wanted to strike them down where they sat.
He felt the light touch of Velvet and looked down to where her hand rest gently on his arm.
*These people are not worth your anger my love*
*They are worth my anger. You are my queen. You are THEIR queen*
*Yes, I understand this, but we I want to win them over naturally*
Axe audibly sighs *If this is your wish* He could accept this but he didn't have to like this.
As the doors to the dining hall suddenly swing open, the entire room falls silent and turns their heads in unison. Axe's eyes widen in surprise as he sees Alessandra marching confidently into the room, but even more suprising is seeing Ingrid marching in step next to her.