Headlong Towards Destruction

Queen Thia'anthalas of the Elves was in her six hundredth year, the only traces of which were visible in the tiny worry lines which only served to enhance her ethereal beauty. Sagacious and Scarlett stood before her, bowed in respect, even as the cacophony of violence sounded outside the doors to the chamber. Tearing metal, screams of pain and gurgling death were all audible as the Queen regarded her visitors with a detached expression. To her right, a tall blonde elven warrior, clad in golden armor knelt and murmured to her quietly. She nodded and turned back to Sagacious and Scarlett.

"I welcome to you Caer Ashwynn. This," she gestured to the golden warrior beside her, "Is my son, Prince Tuara." The handsome young elf nodded at them somewhat stiffly. The queen continued smoothly, "I must apologize for not being more welcoming, we should regularly have a great welcome feast and celebration when someone of such importance," She nodded deferentially to Scarlett, "Returns home. But, alas," she gestured at the doors and the noise beyond them, "Circumstances do not allow it. It is an honor to see you again, divine one."

Scarlett watched all of this as though it was happening to someone else, it took her a gentle elbow from Sagacious before she realized that the Queen was speaking to HER!. The young prince had also taken a knee before her. Rattled, she attempted to salvage some dignity, "I er… thank you? Although, I'm honored, I fear that you may have mistaken me for someone, or something else, Your Grace." She attempted a graceful curtsey.

Queen Thia laughed brightly as behind her, an entire phalanx of knights and guards charged into the room and took up defensive positions in front of the massive double doors. Booming thuds reverberated through the room and Darruk's roars of rage and exertion could be heard with each impact.

The young knight in gold stepped forward, offering Scarlett his hand. "We know to whom we speak, gentle one. We will explain further, but you must come with us. We must get you and my Mother to safety." The Queen smiled gently and laid a perfect hand on her Son's cheek affectionately.

"Tuara, you're such a good boy." She laughed a little and a sad look crept onto her face, "Of course, you're right, we must go." She stood and waved at hand at the great wall behind them, it shimmered for a moment and then moved to the side, revealing a large quiet garden. Sagacious look through the gateway and tried to recognize the sun in the sky, and to his quick mind, the garden was far to the north, safely away from the violence that threatened them. Queen Thia gently stood and placed a hand on Sagacious' forearm, smiling up at him. He felt his fear evaporate in her huge, wise eyes.

The two of them walked towards the garden, Queen Thia gesturing at Scarlett. "Come along, dear ones. I will explain all that I can once we arrive." With that, the three of them, along with Prince Tuara and a small detachment of knights all filed through the wall and into the far off garden. It smelled of honeysuckle and fresh grass, and despite all that was happening behind them, Scarlett felt the tension leave her form, almost like she had come… home?

Once they had arrived, the knights and Tuara began to bustle about the place and prepare a comfortable seating area. The Queen herself, gestured for her guests to find a comfortable seat and began busying herself with the mundane task of making tea. Scarlett watched in amazement, despite all of the strange and fantastic events of the past few weeks, this was by far the most surreal. A Queen, THE Queen, was making her tea! Thia poured several cups of greenish tea into delicate porcelain cups brought to her by her staff, and then sat comfortably in the boughs of a massive cherry tree, its pink blossoms fluttering around her in the spring breeze. She took a sip and a deep breath, smiling serenely. "There," she sighed happily, "Isn't this nice?"

Sagacious spoke up, and for once Scarlett was happy about it. "It certainly is, Your Grace." He sipped his own tea, "Where is this place, if I may ask?"

"Several days to the north of Caer Ashwynn, a very special glade, a holy place to me. And to my son." She pointed and Sagacious and Scarlett's eyes followed her gesture to see the golden knight, head bowed before a simple stone grave marker by the edge of the garden. "During the Great Emergence, my husband… didn't survive." Her eyes were very sad as she continued, one hand now touching her belly as if the memories were all rushing back. "Before the Bastard King fell, we had an all too brief time together. Here. Ever since, this has been a sacred place, where he lays in rest."

Scarlett and Sagacious were both overcome with sadness and reverence, saying nothing with eyes downcast. Queen Thia's voice beckoned to them. "It is fitting that you," she smiled at Scarlett, who felt like a butterfly with one wing pinned, "have come back here to learn the truth."

Scarlett couldn't stay quiet any longer, a question forced itself from her lips almost unwillingly, "Why do you speak to me like you know me, your Grace?" Beside her Sagacious' eyes widened, he was clearly a bit better at puzzles than she was. Things were all coming together in his mind's eye.

"Because she does, Scarlett," he began quietly, "Isn't that right, your grace?"

Queen Thia nodded gravely at him and smiled. "Aren't you the bright boy?" She laughed lightly and approvingly at him, he blushed in pride. "Yes, Mr. Pleasant, I do. But you didn't look like this when I last saw you."

Scarlett's brow furrowed in confusion. "Look your highness," She began quietly, "I'm not as smart as he is, nor have I done my history home reading. Please explain it for the slow kids in the back?"

Delighted, Thia laughed again. "Of course my dear, my apologies, I didn't know how much you would remember, so I didn't want to talk down to you. Now then," she refilled her tea cup and smiled softly, "You Scarlett, have bonded with the child of Mercy and Annatar, which was severed in twain by your Father's own rage." Images of a beautiful elven man's face, twisted with rage sat in the air between them, Annatar severing the Tapestry of Fate in defiance of The Mother's judgement.

"Mae's cloak?" Scarlett whispered, the pieces finally coming together in her mind.

"Yes, the actual Tapestry of Fate, or a part of it." Queen Thia explained sagely. "You see, when everything happened, so few of us knew about Mercy's condition, we didn't realize that that severed symbol would also translate to severing the real child." She took another long sip before continuing, "You see, they were all so new at being Gods, they didn't realize that symbols were just manifested ideas. And so, you dear child," She smiled at Scarlett again, "Were sundered in two at your 'birth'. And for centuries, you lay within the tattered bit of cloth."

Scarlett sat stunned. She'd always felt like she didn't belong anywhere, never felt comfortable in her own skin. Could this be why? A lifetime of being an outcast malcontent, and it was because she had been fated to be this way? Seemed terribly unfair to her as she sat and listened.

"And you other half, your 'twin', sat within Fate itself, disguised as a little bit of Annatar's hate. It grew and gathered more ill will, beginning to see 'you' as the traitor, as the reason it too was cast out and exiled, though it had done no wrong." Thia looked very sad in that moment, her eyes staring very far away, "We erred. I see that now. But you must understand," She seemed smaller now, deflated somehow in her sorrow. "I had known him since we were children. We all loved him, at least a little." Her eyes again seemed very far away, and a small smile played across her beautiful face as she remembered private happiness, blushing slightly. "So, when the time came to deliver judgement on him, some of us were reluctant to kill him." She shook her head sadly, "If only we could have seen what our kindness would cost the world…"

"What do you mean, Your Grace?" Sagacious asked respectfully.

Queen Thia's eyes locked onto him. "All this? This could have been prevented, had Mercy, Shaylee and I had the stomach to execute him instead of exiling him and his followers." She sighed sadly and smiled at Scarlett. "And you, dear one, would never have been sundered and hidden from the world, nor would your other half. You see, the problem is," she began gravely, "It feels betrayed and feeds on that hate and anger. And it's right to be angry. But its angry at the wrong things. It blames you, wants to consume you in its rage. I am so very sorry, Everon. Your homecoming should have been a joyous moment, not a rushed and terror filled thing." The Queen began to weep then, extending her arms out to Scarlett, who stood in confusion, mind reeling.

"Everon?" She whispered, the name hitting her soul like a chord being stuck on a celestial piano. Her arms rose unbidden and collected the tiny queen in a great embrace.

"Yes, child, that was the name Mercy gave you." Shuddering sobs began to wrack Scarlett's form, the Queen's own sobs joining hers. "You are home now. I see you, I acknowledge you, and you will understand SO much more now, dear one."

Sagacious stood back and watched in awed silence for several moments. The golden armored form of Prince Tuara stood across from him, watching intently. He made eye contact with Sagacious and moved to stand beside him solemnly.

"What am I watching now, Ser Knight?" He murmured softly to the impassive Elf prince beside him.

"A family reunion, of sorts." Tuara's voice was soft and gentle. "Also, I think, the beginning of the end…" Sagacious nodded grimly, it did feel that way. The two women embraced for a long while until the Queen stepped back and rubbed her tears from her eyes with a silk cloth, before offering one to Scarlett.

"Now then, dear one, I must tell you the rest of the tale. And then you," she gestured at Sagacious, "And Scarlett, will have some difficult choices to make. Prepare yourselves and join me in the temple?" She broke the silence and began to walk towards a large wooden building with sweeping curves and a tall tower off in the distance. Prince Tuara held Sagacious' gaze for a moment, nodding as he went to escort his mother.

Sagacious stood and offered Scarlett his arm in a gentlemanly manner. She reached out and took it with a shaking crimson hand, the two of them following in stunned silence, while miles away Caer Ashwynn continued to die and burn.