Chapter 320

The second of Queen Draudillon's maids to die, died in the arms of her Queen.

"I tried… I tried… I tried…" The maid whispered as Draudillon dragged the woman's limp body down the long hall, her feet on the smooth wooden floor squeaking steadily until it drew the attention of some of the elf King's other attendants and they emerged out of the rooms where they worked and came to assist.

The Queen was so focused on the limp frame of the barely aware maid that she was unaware of the others until three elven women hefted the injured maid up at her legs and shoulders, and began to carry the woman back to the common quarters themselves.

"Th-Thank you…" The Draconic Queen whispered and scurried after them, taking her servant's hand as the seemingly mute elves did what kindness they could.

"I know you did… I know you did… I know, and… it's all right." The Queen whispered as close to the woman's ear as she could. Just what the woman meant, the Queen had no idea, but it didn't matter. Reassurance, no matter what it was for, was all she could offer to her people anymore.

Her dress, a gift of one of the elf maids, was a pathetic and patched up remnant of what was once very fine clothing. It was also practically 'pink' after constantly being washed from being stained with blood. The dress was loose around her waist and allowed her easy freedom of movement, and sleeveless, which was unusual, but the practicality of that became obvious after her many times doing what the women in the elf King's harem referred to as 'fieldcare'.

When they lay the woman down and Draudillon made to step away, she felt the woman's hand grab at the hem of the Queen's 'new' clothing, and the descendant of a dragon lord could only turn to meet those empty, hopeless, wild eyes again. "I tried." The maid mouthed again.

"I know." Draudillon whispered, "I'll get water… clean you up… it will be-" The Queen opened her mouth to speak, and it became a scream as the maid rolled herself over, and by the power of pure will, gave a stumbling rush to the fireplace, braced herself, and bashed her head against the stone. She fell back, the headwound spraying a red rain out through the air to arc across Draudillon's face and clothing.

"No! Not another one! Not another one!" The Queen shrieked and rushed to at least try to arrest the maid's fall, for all the good it did. "Fetch the healer!" The Queen wailed and pulled the maid's head into her lap.

The elves in the room rose to their feet, but none of them made to leave, nor did a guard rush in.

"Are you deaf?! Go and get the healer!" Draudillon cried, "Hold on! Just hold on! I'll take care of you!" The Queen commanded. "I forbid you from dying! You're sworn to serve me! You're not allowed to die on me! Please… don't leave…" The Queen's voice began to dim as the maid's disobedient dying continued unabated, the royal fingers, bloody and slick, slipped over the injury and she tried to pinch the gaping wound closed.

"Why aren't you helping her?!" Draudillon looked up and around as the elven women slowly surrounded the pair, and began to sway side to side, and hum a mournful dirge.

Close to Draudillon's side, the pregnant elf whose name… Draudillon could not bring herself to ask, and who had not offered it despite their time together, placed a hand on the Queen's shoulder, and quietly sang.

In the ever summerlands where no cruel touch abides

A seamless world where no woe betides

Where maiden's dreams of love grow strong

And there never is a mourning song

Rest ye angel, to freedom fly

Safe in death, in thy grave, lie…

The Queen barely registered the rest of the song as she came to understand.

'A death ritual… an elven death ritual…' The Queen realized as the spraying blood became a trickle, they hummed onward, their lyrics sung again, and again, and again. 'I can still save her!' The Queen thought, 'Even if they won't!' She made to rise, and the elf concubine's hold on the Draconic Royalty tightened.

"She's not dead!" The Queen shouted, spittle flying from her mouth as the elf women went on and the flow of blood began to diminish as there remained less and less to lose, a puddle of crimson spread out over the floor, rapidly expanding to the size of a small rug.

"Will you take her freedom, child? She could bear no more… now she is free. This was her choice, it is the choice that many make when they can bear no more of our King's cruelty. Honor her choice, or force more suffering on her." The elf asked, and Draudillon's lips curled up in a snarl of defiance until, as she darted her face up to the elf, she saw a river running down her eyes that were a mirror of the Queen's own.

"You are one of ours, so is she… this is all we can do… nobody can defeat the King… except her way. She beat him… and now she is safe." The elf woman whispered, and then moved her hand away as the tension fell away from Draudillon's body.

"She is still here, will you send her away without your voice to guide her to the land of endless summers?" The elf woman asked, and Draudillon began to sway back and forth with the others, the few human women who could rise, joined in the ring, and even those who could not properly move again, rocked back and forth where they lay.

First Draudillon, and then her maids and court ladies, picked up the lyrics as best they could, and uninterrupted, they sang their sister to the afterlife, never stopping, not until the maid's blood stopped flowing and her heart stopped beating, and her victory over her tormentor was complete.

When it was finally over and the last note faded, the Queen said to the ones who gathered, "Thank you… but we also have customs… we… we cremate our dead so that they can't be devoured by beasts… denying our own monsters their victory. It sends them skyward, away from all harm found here down below… will you help me gather what I need?"

"Of course, little Princess… that will be easy." The matronly elven woman stroked Draudillon's hair as if the Queen were merely another child among many.

"I hope so… I'll send her to the gods… and hope she is received." The Queen said, and lowering her nervous, fearful hand to the still wide eyes, she steadied herself, and closed the eyes of the dead for their eternal rest.