4 She Who Rises

"Yes, my queen?" a young man in his late-twenties stood in front of Red. He wore linen shirt where a v-cut opened at the middle exposing his collar bones. His muscular bodice peeked where the cut had stopped mid-chest revealing a tiny scar. He had the same features as Archer except he was ash blonde, a bit shorter, and his eyes were a beautiful shade of hazel-green.

Silly of her to think of him at this time. Slowly, Red felt droplets touch her skin.

"I see you are still confused." He noted.

"Why are you calling me your queen? I know your name but who are you?" her head ached as if something was hammering its way out of her skull.

Something sealed that longed to be free.

"Ruby Rose Springfield, I am your Faey Warrior, tasked to protect and to serve you my queen candidate." Arikyer replied. Tiny drops turned into a raging storm in a blink of an eye. "Do you feel the magic?"

Magic?

Red clutched her head in pain.

"Make it stop! Please!" She begged.

Each time her head pounded; a random scene played in her brain. Rings of blue light, her parents meeting for the first time, citadels, babies born in a metal cage, the golden pocket watch, emerald eyes.

She saw grandmama in her favorite lounge, lifeless. A dark and ominous shadow loomed over. Blood-shot eyes shining, its razor-sharp teeth rotten and oozing with blood. Had it killed grandmama?

"NO!!!" she shrieked in real terror.

She felt her blood boil in rage and steam went out every pore of her body. She bolted back to the door shoving Arikyer aside. A tiny flicker of fire was almost imperceptible.

"My queen, stop!" he called out and dashed to catch Red who was in a frenzy. She hadn't noticed; and neither did Arikyer, but when she touched him, she had burned a hole in his sleeves with just the heat of her hands.

"Halta!" he yelled using a language unknown to man but ringed familiarity to her.

A magic spell.

Red who was halfway down the stairs immediately froze mid-step and lost her balance. This time instead of a flower shop owner catching her, someone else was there to grab her before she embraced the cold floor. Bright green eyes and hard chiseled body. Déjà vu hit her and she struggled from Arikyer's grasp.

"Calm down my lady." He hushed as the impermanent spell slowly lost its power against her. "What you see may sometimes not be reality. Calm down and let everything sink in."

"Who are you? Who am I?"

"Shhh.. Embrace the memories of Faey my queen." He rocked her back and forth slowly, like a child who had nightmares. He didn't mind the scalding heat her body made. "Trust me. Everything will be ok."

Another throbbing pain in her head and one last scene flashed.

This time it was more vivid than the others.

She was inside a huge glass pavilion, pristine sparkling water flowed from a fountain. Hooded people were gathered in front a throne of glowing crystals. They looked as if time was ephemeral and that the end is near. A beautiful woman sat in the throne, she had bone white complexion and her eyes were a blank dark void, scarlet hair that fell down to her sides beheld waves like fire.

Her eyes peered down an empty goblet, batted her long-curled lashes and with one fell sweep, all of the hooded people collapsed like puppets whose strings were cut off.

The woman in the throne stood up and gazed faraway. Then she spoke:

'The Faey Queen sees everything. What has been, what is being, and what will be. Many are those who seek after my kingdom. Many have tried, and many will fail. But I see that my end will come sooner than expected and a new queen shall rise out of the ashes of long forgotten queens. Out of five, only one shall prevail.'

She looked directly at Red as if she knew Red was watching. She smiled wickedly.

'Curious, should you be the one?'

Her vision blurred and when she opened her eyes, she saw Arikyer was saying something under his breath. Was he praying? No, not praying. He was chanting. He noticed Red had stopped shaking, yet her eyes told him she was exhausted.

"What do you need my lady?" he asked her.

"I need answers Arikyer."

"Ask away my queen. For I am but your humble servant."

"Who am I Arikyer??"

"You are one of the few chosen my lady. You will rise and I will be by your side. Always."

"Why me?" she broke from Arikyer's hold and saw her dirty reflection on the moldy greenhouse glass. Her hands had glowed a tinge of golden amber, the steam coming from her body slowly dissipated. "I am but ordinary and yet this?"

"You are very special indeed my queen."

Red felt her temperature ease down. She wanted, no, she needed to know more.

Of all people, why her?

As if Arikyer could read her mind, he bowed down and offering his right hand he said;

"Trust me my lady and I shall guide you to your rightful throne."