Etherea: The Lost Daughter

26

Uaine and Maeve returned to a court in chaos, men and women alike were chained and paraded through the city as livestock. The twins shared a look of disdain as they stepped through the city, the hoods of their cloaks wrapped tightly around their faces. The situation had become much worse in the few days they had been gone. Neither stopped, until they reached the glimmering Emerald gates. Maeve gulped as the Manor sat half in ruins atop the hill. Guards scattered around the rubble, roaring orders to each other. Uaine took his sisters hand, and together, they walked towards the chaos. They were thankful for the weapons they had kept, as the Court Guards raised their swords at them. Maeve had not realised that the same note she used to divert the Silver Princes had also ceased their distribution of the antidote. 

Purple veins grew beneath the skin on their faces, the whites of their eyes had turned a sickly yellow. Uaine threw himself in front of his sister as the guards stormed her. Maeve grunted as she swung her sword in all directions. Uaine fell in step with her as they defended themselves against the masses. Sweat laced their brow and their arms grew tired as their swords grew heavier. Maeve faltered as a break formed in the line of men coming towards them, she had one ally in this entire court; and there he was, fighting against the plethora of navy adorned guards. Uaine jumped to block the sword whistling towards Maeve's head, and cursed her loss of focus. 

"We must help him!" She shouted above the growls of the men clambering to maim them, Uaine looked at his sister in disbelief as he glanced towards the man clad in emerald and gold armor. A sentry of the court. Their luck may change yet. "Rowan!" Maeve called to him, her voice drowned by the clattering of steel and silver, before she took off through the swarm towards him. Rowan's honey colored eyes widened as Maeve lashed whips of white magic against their attackers, clearing a path to him. They grew only wider as Uaine came crashing through behind her; cutting down any who reached for her. Rowan blinked twice at the pair. They were identical; save for the obvious difference. "Thank the Fates, I don't know what happened, we were on our way back from patrol when we saw the city in flames, I thought..." Maeve had just enough time to give his armor clad shoulder a reassuring squeeze before another sword whistled through the air at them. 

"What good is this damned scroll if no-one has a clear mind to understand it?" Uaine cursed as he struggled to keep hold of the parchment "Abbán would not have sent us if it would not work, but if it does not; I am glad to have tried" Maeve told her brother defiantly. Rowan eyed the glittering scroll as he ducked and dived away from the weapons whizzing at him "the councilmen have retreated to the high tower, perhaps they have not been effected" he reasoned, although he did not know what the scroll entailed; he would do all he could to assist Maeve. Rowan had kept her secret for decades, and been a faithful friend; they could not change the ways of the Court, but they could keep its cruelty from leaking past the borders. 

Uaine did not miss the warm look his sister gave the burgundy haired sentry; but he did not see the broad man barreling towards him. Rowan knocked Uaine to the side, both narrowly avoiding the blade the crazed man wielded. The scroll sprung from Uaine's hand in the turmoil, through the air it went before landing with a thud in the muck; as dozens of feet ran across it. The seal broke as the rocks scraped against it, Uaine cursed as the parchment unfurled. Blinding white light erupted from the scroll as it fully unraveled. 

The trio watched in wonder as the purple haze disappeared from the sky, the air cleared in the lungs of their people. The men around them blinked, as if seeing clearly for the first time in eons and paused their advance. Ciar had cursed this court too, it seemed; for they looked disgusted with themselves as they threw down their swords. One man, with fair hair and a gaunt disposition reached for the scroll. His eyes lit with realisation as he read aloud the words Abbán had written. "By order of her royal highness, rightful heir to the throne of Etherea, Elvinia Ó Mordha; The Emerald Court is hereby released of any and all curses set forth by Ciar, The Deceiver" murmurs filled the courtyard as the man cleared his throat "furthermore, for his willful crimes against the women of Etherea; the High Lord of the Emerald Court has been sentenced to death. The last remaining heirs to the Ó Loinsigh line have returned to reclaim their rightful titles as High Lord and Lady of the Emerald Court, to lead us back into the light" the men bowed instantly. Maeve could hardly believe it, she had spent centuries hidden and afraid; so sure that she would never be able to step back into the light of her court as its leader.

Uaines heart swelled, Nias presence had not just cracked Ciars hold on Etherea; she had blown it wide open. Nothing proved this more than the sun splitting through the clouds, illuminating the hill they stood upon. Maeve turned to the crumbling manor behind them and raised her shaking hands. Like the Sapphire Court, Ciar had dampered the power flowing to the Fae of the Emerald Court. Maeve felt a surge in her veins as his hold slipped away. The manor shook in its stead, Uaine raised his palms to aid her. Rowan and the crowd watched in awe as the siblings rebuilt the manor to its former glittering glory. 

The council men emerged then, from the adjacent tower. Uaine could have scoffed at their formal attire and stern faces. Their vision too had cleared, yet they remained skeptical of the legitimacy of the twins claim. One could not understand their reasoning, for it was obvious the emerald eyed pair were the heirs to the Court; but the old ways ran deep within Court officials. Uaine had never understood it, how some still clung to the politics of Ethereas nobility. Maeve had never met them, but knew of their stubbornness. 

She held her head high as she approached them, the Fae who had read the scroll handed it to the eldest councilman. They huddled together in their matching emerald robes, golden brooches adorned their chests. Maeve's eyes narrowed at that. They should be wearing emerald gems on their collars, not gold on their chests. The man holding the scroll pursed his lips and looked at Maeve, she cursed his eyes as they scanned her before turning to her brother "the council recognises your legitimacy, welcome Lord Uaine" the smile on his face did nothing to calm her nerves. Uaine felt Maeve's trepidation and found himself stepping towards his sister "you have forgotten your Lady, kind sir" Uaine said through grit teeth. The councilmen tittered behind their leader "forgive us, Lord Uaine but no woman may sit at the Courts helm, it simply is not done" he spoke with a smugness only a councilman could. 

Rowan snatched the scroll from the stubborn fools hands. "It is done, she is your High Lady. Now bow your fucking heads" Rowan snarled as he pointed to the writing which clearly stated they were to lead the court as a unit, the lead councilman scoffed. Maeve smiled at her friend and shook her head "good sirs" Maeve said politely, ignoring Rowan's incredulous look, as she stepped beside her brother "do tell us why you wear the sigil of the Golden Court, yet presume to tell us how our court should be led?" She asked, they paused. Uaine had noticed the gold on their chests, but did not realise it was out of place. The men's eyes widened. The bystanders watched with bated breath, realising they too had been misled. "By royal decree, we have been returned to our birthright; yet you presume to tell me it cannot be done, because the parts between my legs do not suit your preference?" The crowd around them murmured. More of her people climbed the hill to their High Lords home, the fog cleared from their minds; men and women alike, ashamed and confused. 

The councilman looked around, Rowan raised his sword "Lord Duane owns this court" the shortest of them called out. A gasp rippled through the crowd. Maeve howled with laughter before pointing a finger at the huddled councilmen. Uaine watched as streams of Emerald light burst towards the men "run, run far; and should you reach your precious Lord, tell him should he or his beasts set foot in my Court I will rip him to shreds" as if to prove her point, Maeve clenched her fists and the fine robes they wore fell to tatters on the ground. Naked, they ran through the crowd. Uaine stifled a laugh, Maeve gripped his hand and turned to their people. She is much better at this than I, he realised as she raised their joined hands in the air. Maeve smiled warmly at the concerned crowd "good people of the Emerald Court, we have been reunited at last; we must work together now, to uproot the evil which Ciar has sowed within our lands. No woman shall be harmed within our court, never again. General" Maeve turned to Rowan, his eyes widened at the title "please ensure that all devices used to enslave or torture the people of this court are destroyed. We would like to welcome you all, to our home. We shall throw a grand feast; but for now, go forth and rest. For we have much work ahead of us".

Uaine could hardly believe it, they cheered for them. Women wept with relief as men cheered, for it was not their nature to be so wicked towards their counterparts; Ciar had poisoned their minds, Duane had worked to keep it so. Maeve had been powerless to stop it. Up the steps they rose, to the chorus of cheers behind them. It was surreal, they were finally home.