The Mad Queen

Chapter Forty-Four

It has been a while since I have written anything. The King has grown suspicious of me. I can feel his spies watching me almost all the time. I get very few moments alone to be able to study the book and write my findings.

I have managed to find an old scroll in the great library. It is about the ancient Lupine language and its evolution. With that, I have been able to translate a few texts from the book. The passages I've translated so far have been interesting. Though they have not provided me with any new information. What I can theorise is that the two books are not the same. This one describes a little black book identical to this one. One that Visara keeps on her at all time and has been enchanted by strange, godly magic. I have come to believe that this book is meant to look identical in every way. From the writing inside to the pages. However, the other book contains a deeper story. Hidden behind the simple Lupine texts. This one is served to be a distraction. So that if anyone unwanted gets a hold of it, they cannot tell which is the real book or not. I am just glad that I managed to hand the real one to the Princess. The secrets inside are very intriguing. I hope I live long enough to be able to ask her what secrets it holds.

On another note, I was approached by one of the Princesses a few days ago. She claims to have been having strange, realistic dreams. She won't tell me what they are about. However, it is my guess that she has developed the Gift of Visions. The same Gift that turned Queen Orianna mad and stated the barbaric Queen's Trial. Of course, that brings about many new questions about The Gift. Why surface now? Are any other Princesses experiencing any signs of the Gift appearing?  What does this mean for the future of the Dulavelle line? So many questions needing answer yet I fear I won't be around much longer to find out the answers.

I am not scared of my death. I have lived for many years. What I am afraid of are all the hidden truths never being discovered. I am scared that lies will continue to spread around these lands and I am scared that the Dulavelle daughters and the rest of Vivelle will never be free.  Then there is my own selfish fear. That I will die without knowing finding out the answer to all these mysteries. Which I fear is the most probable outcome...

The Rising of the True Queen. Written by Master Audwin. Master Scholar during the Reign of King Orion and King Chosen Matthias.

The Mer and Sirens all pass odd looks between each other. I guess they are communicating. Finally, there is a voice in my head again.

"We are so out of touch with the surface world. The last King we remember is King Niklaus. Just after he took over the throne and announced the Queen's Trial is when we came back to these lakes. The lakes where our ancestors hid during the First War before Queen Visara set them free. It was clear as soon as Niklaus took the throne that our people would be in danger. Though he may not have legalised the slave trade of Waterfolk, it was clear he wasn't going to stand in the way of the Fae. Behind the scenes, where the people of Vivelle couldn't see, he gave the Fae full permission to hunt us down," King Zuriel snarls angrily in my head. Seraphina's smooth voice then fills my mind.

"We managed to bring as many of our people with us as possible. Some were taken in our escape to get back onto land before the Fae set their traps along the coast. Others couldn't escape before the traps were put in place. They suffered one of two fates. They either starved out in the oceans, not able to come back to the lands to feed. Or, those who did risk coming back to Vivelle were caught."

An image of Si enters my mind.

"Mer and Sirens live for a long time, much like the Fae. We live hundreds of years longer than you humans. Those caught have been tortured for hundreds of years. Living without their magic," she shudders. "When I think of my sisters all I can see is blood. I can see the Fae taking blunt knives to hack away at their tongues and disfigure their faces. I see them sometimes sew their lips shut! I've watched it happen to so many of my kind. I have tried to save some but I have had very little success. I could not get to them inside the brothels where they were being raped and beaten. I couldn't get to them in the estates where the rich used them as their prize possession. Eventually, King Zuriel convinced me it was better to stay hidden away down here and protect the last remaining free Sirens. All twenty-two of us..." She stops and looks around the room. Their eyes all glow with anger as they glare at me. I'm not sure what to say. She looks back at me with sad eyes.