Etherea: The Lost Daughter

30

The Sapphire Court

Sweat laced the brow of the young Sapphire Lord as Nessa's eyes watched him. She had waited in that dark and damp chamber for centuries, patiently, for her moment to pounce. Ciar knew the Sapphire Court bordered the human lands and if his daughter was to return it would be through here, as cunning as Rionas plan had been; he had his own. The young Fae could not answer her. Nessa's sickly sweet smile unnerved him, it turned his palms clammy as his heart pounded in his chest. "Have you not longed for the day the world would stop treating you as a child?" He had not noticed her move behind him until those words were whispered in his ear. It was true, Rian resented his youthful appearance, each time he had been restricted by his age haunted his mind; every instance where he had been thrown into someone's arms because his short legs could not keep up with their pace.

Nessa could see the wheels turning in his head, and knew her words were working. She smirked at his back before continuing "think of it Rian, all that you could achieve if only you were returned to your rightful age. You could be the true High Lord of the Sapphire Court" At this his ears pricked, Nessa hid her grin as quickly as it had formed; the young Lord had turned to look at her. "Torrin is the true High Lord" He was sure he meant it to sound defiant, instead his voice had become a raspy whisper; betraying his curiosity at her words. They are just words, after all, he tried to convince himself.  

"Oh but you forget, Rian, the power that runs through my veins. I could grant whatever you desire... what a shame your brother is not loyal to you" Nessa sighed as she caressed his face, as a mother would. Rian frowned at the words she had spoken "Torrin is loyal to a fault" he argued, unwilling to allow Nessa to insult his brother any further. At this she tsked, "He is selfish and ignorant, only a fool would allow one of the most powerful beings to be whisked away into the arms of another, and I suppose he had no objections when Abbán said you must not find a cure to your curse?" How did she...? The glint in her eyes sent a whole new wave of nerves quaking through Rian.

"He does not wish to save you, because he knows your power will outmatch his; you are far more cunning and capable of leading your Court to do great things" Nessa continued, watching the turmoil in the young Fae's eyes with delight. She could sense Torrin's approach, knew her window was drawing to a close; they had forgotten to reinforce the wards once, she knew they would not do so again. Nessa pursed her lips as she thought, she had wished for more time to sow the seeds of doubt within the little Lord. 

She glanced towards the stairs and scowled before turning back to look down at Rian. Her cold, boney hands gripped his face once more, squeezing his cheeks into his eyes "oh how I shall miss our talks, little Lord, we will meet again soon; this I promise. I leave you with a gift, in return I ask that you think of what I have said; I will find you when you are ready" Rian cringed and squirmed in her grip as she kissed his forehead, his skin burned. As he slipped from consciousness, Rian barely heard his own scream before his body crashed against the floor.

Torrin had run, as fast as his legs could carry him, towards the gaping statue centering his courtyard; it was not fast enough. I should have spoken to him, Torrin realised, everything had spiralled out of his control. His lungs burned, his feet ached; yet still, he persisted. Torrin almost threw himself down the winding stone staircase. A child's scream echoed throughout the chamber, Torrin's heart skipped a beat. Terrified that he would find his brother's lifeless body at the bottom of the steps, he pushed himself forward. Nessa was gone, and in her wake; she had left Rian writhing in pain on the stone floor.

Without a second to spare, Torrin scooped his brother into his arms and sprinted towards his home. Cliodhna stood waiting in the doorway, with hot towels and blankets. Her lips pursed as Torrin hurried past her, into the dining room. Rian convulsed as he laid him down on the table, silver crockery clattered to the ground around them, his eyes rolled into his skull. Torrin did not care for the glass that fell and shattered; he cared for one thing alone, his brother. Cliodhna's hands shook as she wiped the sweat from the child's face, he wore a crown of barbed Sapphire light. Ruby embers flickered within the spell constricting the poor boy's mind.