A Prince's Pride

*Twenty Years Ago*

*Elaine*

Her Royal Majesty, Elaine Heris, Queen of Midoor had earned her title of the Righteous Queen in many ways. The most prolific way by far was the righteous fury she would invoke against those who dared to spurn her family or citizens. She was especially keen, able to know when people planned to deceive her or her husband, King Theodore largely due to her divining powers as a seer. 

Most people are unaware of Elaine's abilities. Indeed, it is from those abilities her husband has been as successful as he is. Not to deny the fact that Theodore is a great king, for he is.

However, if Elaine had not been able to warn her husband that King Zannir was intending to increase tariffs on ore, Theodore would not have began to trade ore with Queen Allandra of the Southern Tribes, saving the Kingdom of Midoor hundreds of thousands of crowns. 

If Elaine had not been able to warn Theodore that the then Sultan of Sandalia, Ruj'ar Alatti, was intending to poison him at a banquet Theodore had invited him to, Theodore would be dead now. 

Yes, Elaine's abilities had helped many people in her life, but it had yet show her much regarding the person who was likely to be the most important in her life: her son. 

This day, Elaine was in the most pain she'd experienced in her life, but she was happy for it. Today was the day her son was to be born. She knew it was a boy, for this was the only vision regarding her child she'd had. A vision of her holding him in her arms. She'd spent hours upon hours clutching her stomach, hoping to get another glimpse at what was to come, but none had been forthcoming. 

She felt guilty about this, as she believed some things in life were best left a mystery. Therefore, she tried to avoid having visions about her family and friends, unless she thought there was danger. When she used her ability, she could feel powerful emotions. If the vision was about someone in her daily life and the emotion wasn’t sadness, grief, or fear, she let it go. But with her son, she couldn’t help herself. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t see his future. 

This was especially frustrating for Elaine, who had mastered her powers to the point she could almost always predict the future without much fuss. And, unlike with most seers, her visions were crisp and easy to decipher, much different from the confusing flashes and feelings most of her peers experienced, though there was a limitation. 

Oftentimes, a seer would see a vision of something happening to someone on the other side of the world and never discover who they were or if their vision came to pass. They can focus their power with physical touch or by holding an object owned by a person, but not always. In contrast, Elaine was able to project her mind into her future self and experience what she would experience in the future; learn anything she learned. This meant she was unable to predict anything she specifically wouldn't know about. 

A scream tore from Elaine's throat as she lay upon a bed in the Grand Palace's infirmary, clutching the hand of Zelda Offrand so hard, Elaine feared she'd break the poor woman's hand. 

"You're doing great, Your Majesty," said Zelda. "Not much longer now. Just keep pushing."

Zelda was an oddity in and of herself. Elaine's power seemed to have something of a block in regards to Zelda. Elaine had predicted things, of course. She knew, for instance, that Zelda would not only be the first woman Grand Physician in Midoorian history, but that she would also be the first woman on the king's Small Council. 

However, farther into Zelda's future is a blank. This could be for several reasons. Zelda's future may not be entirely decided yet. The future is a fickle thing. Sometimes, Elaine will have the same vision multiple times, all different because her actions changed. Or perhaps Elaine is simply not around to see what Zelda's future entails, whether that means Elaine just doesn't discover or is dead, she doesn't know. The final reason could be because Zelda herself is dead. Elaine hoped not. Zelda was such a kind woman. 

Elaine pushed with all of her might, feeling as though she were being ripped apart as her child came into the world. As another scream rolled up her throat, she squeezed Zelda's hand even harder. Elaine put her entire might, her entire being into this one thing, and pushed with everything she had. 

As her son was born, a vision overtook Elaine. 

 

Elaine stood in what appeared to be the throne room of the Grand Palace, though it looked different from before. As though some great tragedy had befallen it. Dust covered every surface, including the walls. The windows seemed to have been recently repaired, as the glass was in place, but the frames around them were missing. 

Before her, standing in front of a crowd she was a part of, was her son. She wasn't sure how she knew he was her son, but a mother always knows. 

"A great force of dark magic threatens Midoor," he said, "but by standing together as one, we will defeat them. Our unity, our strength is a stronger force than any can imagine. Together, we will prevail! Amor vincit omnia!"

The crowd, Elaine included, began a chant of, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" 

Aaron reached out and hold the hand of a handsome man with blonde hair. He was wearing fine clothing, similar to what a royal would wear, with a crown upon his head. The blonde boy turned his head to Elaine and gave her a wide smile.

 

When Elaine came out of her vision, she was exhausted from giving birth. While they cleaned the babe, Elaine had a moment to consider her vision. And she really needed to consider it, for there were some strange things there. 

First, her son had announced that a great force of evil magic had come to Midoor. She would need to tell her husband. 

Next, they had called him "Emperor". She can only assume that means he's united the Five Kingdoms into one. 

Finally, who was that man he'd held hands with? Perhaps she was to have another son? But why hold hands with his brother? She supposed only time would tell. 

"Did you have a vision, my queen?" asked Zelda. 

"I did. I saw my son's future. He will unite the kingdoms and rid this land of great evil."

"That's wonderful," said Zelda, beaming. "I guess we have great things to expect of the little prince."

"We must take care to raise him well," said Elaine. "It can be a destructive thing, a prince's pride."

"Here is your son," said a nurse as she brought him over to Elaine. "He is perfectly healthy."

Elaine took the bundle of blankets, in the middle of which sat her son. As she gazed down at his face, she realized this moment was the vision she had had. 

"He's perfect in every way," said Elaine. She hadn't heard him cry, but that didn't worry her. She had been preoccupied, thinking about her vision. 

"What will you name him, Your Majesty?" asked Zelda. 

"Aaron," she replied at once. "Aaron Heris, Prince of Midoor."

*Present Day*

*Milo*

Sitting on the floor of the old throne room with my hands bound behind my back, I stare up at the face of Zelda as she gazes down at me like a lion deciding which part of a gazelle to rip into first. 

"Why?" I ask. "Why do you want to kill us so badly?"

"Do you want me to gag him, Madam Offrand?" asks one of the guards behind me. "What if he uses his magic?"

"We don't need to worry about that," says Zelda. "Shevor and Shevra will protect us from his witchcraft. Besides, he can barely do anything with it. He is no threat to us."

She's not wrong. I'm not going to try to use magic so they won't gag me, but I don't think I could anyway. 

"I suppose it won't hurt, at this point, to tell you," says Zelda. She walks up the dais and sits on the top step. The dais looks so empty without the four thrones sitting there. 

Before saying anything to me, Zelda looks at one of her guards. 

"Take Delgara to the prison cells and bring me the girl."

 As the guard leaves, Zelda takes a deep breath then begins to speak. 

"On the day Aaron was born, Queen Elaine had a vision. She said he was to unite the kingdoms and erase a great evil from the land of Midoor. When I joined the Shevorian faith later, I took this to mean he would eradicate sin from this land. I believed Shevor sent her to me as his agent to deliver his message. 

"I spent years helping to raise Aaron. I tried to keep him on the right path. But I was a fool. Shevor would never have sent someone with magic to me. Still, I had hoped. When I discovered Aaron was a filthy homosexual, I knew just how misguided my beliefs had been. 

"Then, I realized something. You see, there's an old Shevorian prophecy stating that a child would be born under sinful pretenses and that this child would help to rid the land of sin. I originally interpreted this to mean Aaron being born to a mother who was a seer. But that wasn't it at all."

I hear the throne room door open and close, but don't take my eyes off Zelda. Not until a guard pushes a beautiful woman with long black hair and an upturned button nose in front of me. 

"Who is this?" I ask. 

"This," says Zelda, standing and walking toward the woman, "is Olivia Rendara. She's pregnant with Aaron's child. You see, the prophecy was referring to this child, I'm sure of it. Once I've performed the ritual and Olivia has given birth, it will be raised by the Red Hand and it will protect this land from sin."

Olivia looks at me pleadingly, but there's nothing I can do for her. I can see the slight bump in her stomach and know Zelda isn't lying. She's carrying Aaron's baby. 

"And why sacrifice us? Why kill me and Aaron?"

"As leaders of Midoor, you represent all it is now. You're festering with sin. When Aaron is here, I will perform a ritual on you both that will allow the collective sin of Midoor to reside within you both. Upon your execution, your tainted blood will run and the land will be washed of its sins."

"You're insane!" I say. I can't help it. None of this makes sense. None of it.

"Believe what you will. It changes nothing. You and Aaron did me a favor by fortifying the palace so heavily. The Red Hands have overtaken your guards and the army will be unable to penetrate the palace. Piper's work protecting the palace from magical penetration will prevent any magical practitioners from getting in. Aaron will have no choice but to turn himself in and you will both die."

"How do you expect to get out of here alive?" I ask. 

In answer, Zelda points at the tapestry behind the dias. 

"We've been secretly unblocking this passage for the last couple months. I will leave through there. None of your guards, servants, or even Aaron knows we cleared it. But even if I don’t get out of here alive, the Red Hand will carry on my work. I will die happy, knowing I served Shevor to the last."

This is, by far, the most concerning thing she's said to me. If she isn’t worried about getting out of here alive, there's likely nothing I can say to change her mind. And, worse, there’s probably nothing she wouldn’t do to achieve her goals.

All I can think now is that Aaron and I are going to die. 

*Aaron*

By riding through the night, switching horses at stables along the way, and Piper using herbs to concoct a potion to re-energize the horses, Oswald, General Braid, Piper, and I are able to shorten our journey back to Midoor from three days to just under two. 

The sun is rising as the spires of the Grand Palace rise above the horizon while we travel down the main road leading up to the city. As we draw closer, I'm surprised when I see three Crown Guards loitering by the side of the road. 

I pull up to them, bringing my entourage to a halt. We look down from our horses at the small group of guards. 

"What are you guys doing out here?" I ask. 

"Your Majesty!" one of them exclaims, bowing to me. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You, too, Earnhart,” I say to the guard, whom I recognize. “What are you guys doing out here?”

“We were stationed here by King Milo to protect the cabin. We…” He trails off for a moment, as though he’s not sure what to say next.

“What is it, Earnhart?”

“Well, I’m just confused, Your Majesty. Normally the king’s word supercedes any other royal, but with Milo also being a king…” He trails off again, scratching his chin. “We were told to let noone know about this. I apologize, King Aaron, I’m not sure what to do.”

“It’s Emperor Aaron now,” says Oswald. “We are now in control of the Lower Reach and the empire of Theo has been established. As for this matter, Emperor Aaron supercedes Emperor Milo in every aspect of the empire.”

“Yes, sir!” says Earnhart, saluting to Oswald. As a sworn protector for a member of the Royal Family, Sir Oswald is only outranked by Commander Delgara.

“Sire, your mother is in the cabin. Would you like us to escort you there?”

My heart leaps into my throat as I croak out, “My mother? She’s here?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, er…is that right? Or is it, ‘Your Imperial Majesty’?”

“Your Majesty is fine,” I say. “You guys stay here and make sure nobody enters the woods here. I can find the cabin on my own."

Oswald, Piper, General Braid, and I ride through the trees and find the cabin easily enough. It’s surrounded by guards and a few servants that mill about. I’m actually surprised when Piper acts like she’s been here before, walking her horse to the hitching post as if she’d done it before. When I dismount my horse, a servant rushes forward to take care of him.

“Let him rest plenty before taking him up to the palace,” I instruct the servant. “He’s ridden hard the last couple of days.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” she says with a bow.

“I do so love this cabin,” says Piper, walking up to stand beside me.

“So you’ve been here before?” I ask.

“Oh, yes. I was part of the team that helped to bring the Queen down here. Before we go in, Your Majesty, may I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” I say, though I really want to see my mother. To make sure she’s okay.

“I know we didn’t start out on the best of terms,” she says.

“You could say that,” I reply with a chuckle, remembering how I had accused her of drugging me. 

“When we spoke in the throne room, you decided to trust me. Gave me a job, even. I’ve spent the last week that you’ve been gone trying to help Milo in every way. He says he trusts me now. I’m just hoping you do, too.”

I look at her seriously and consider. If I’m being honest with myself, the only people I truly trust are Milo, Riley, Oswald, Delgara, and my mother. I believed I could trust Zelda. She practically raised me. She was at my birth, for crying out loud. If I can’t trust her, how can I be sure I trust anyone?

“I’m not sure,” I say, deciding on the truth. “Zelda’s betrayal cut pretty deep. I feel it would be prudent of me to be wary of anyone I’m not entirely sure on. But if Milo trusts you, I will until you give me a reason. I trust Milo more than anything."

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I know words can be empty and promises can be lost on the wind, but I really have no intentions of hurting either of you. You made magic legal again. You offered me a job where I can make things better for my people. And, truth be told, Milo and I are becoming good friends.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Let’s let it rest for now. I really want to see my mother.”

Piper gives me a smile and nods her head, then follows me to the cabin door. When I reach to open the door, I freeze. I can hear my mother inside, singing an old song. I’ve heard her sing it before, enough times I know she’s near the end.

 

See way above, the clouds float along

Up in the heavens is where I belong

Here we are safe, here we are whole

We’ve spent our time down there,

We’ve paid the heavy toll

Together you and I will soar

And be together forevermore

 

I open the cabin door. Several guards are sitting on tables and counters, on chairs or on the floor. My mother is in the middle of their circle, singing to them all.

 

Forevermore, my love, you and I

We’re here in the clouds and it’s time to fly

The clouds, oh the clouds, floating along,

This is the place where I belong

 

My mother only just notices the door is open and turns to see who’s standing in it. When she sees me, her face breaks into the first real smile I’ve seen since my father died.

“Aaron,” she says, holding her arms up. I rush forward into them, not caring that I roughly pushed past a guard. Not caring that he fell to the ground.

“Mother,” I say, holding her as if this will prevent her descend into insanity again. “So Milo was right? Zelda was drugging you?”

“Aaron,” croaks my mother, “I can’t breathe, dear.”

I break away from her with a quiet, “Oh, sorry.” 

I can feel tears welling in my eyes, but I won’t let them fall. I won’t let them fall. I won’t—

I lose the battle against my tears. They start running down my cheeks and dripping onto the floor. Luckily, I’m not in danger of sobbing. 

“You’re back to your old self,” I say. 

“We should let the Emperor and his mother have some privacy,” says Piper beside me. 

Murmurs erupt around me, the word “emperor” bouncing around the crowd.

“You heard Piper right,” I say, wiping my face. “We are now in control of the Lower Reach and they have joined Theo, the name of my new empire. Spread the word for all to hear!”

The guards cheer and, as they make their way toward the exit, hug each other, give nods or bows to me and my mother, and I can tell they needed this win. 

“Oh, Piper, please stay,” says Mother. She turns to me. “If that’s alright with you?”

“Of course Piper can stay,” I say. I look at her and try to put as much earnestness into my voice as possible. “She’s a friend.”

“Good. First of all, how are you?” asks Mother.

“I’m fine, but why are we talking about me? How are you? Do you remember anything? Who’s in charge here? What’s happening at the palace?”

“Oh, wow,” says Mother. “That’s a lot of questions. That reminds me of Theodore, actually. First of all, I’m fine. I’m still weak, but I’m recovering. I should let you know now that I’m a seer. I’m sorry for hiding it for so long, but it was for the best. And, no—” she adds, forestalling my question, “I can’t use my ability right now. I’m still far too weak.

“As for my memories, they are shaky at best. I can remember certain things. Some of my conversations with Milo, hearing the Whisperer in the walls, but not much. Next, I’m currently in charge here, though my orders are being relayed to our forces in the city by Captain Lisa Mare. We tried to attack the palace, but Zelda threatened to slit Milo’s throat. We don’t know why she’s keeping him alive, but we can use it to our advantage. 

“As for the palace, it’s completely under the control of Zelda and the Red Hand. We have no idea where Riley or Delgara are. And, most unfortunately, the fortifications that were placed on it after the attack on your wedding are preventing us from getting inside.”

“And since I’ve cast several protection spells, we can’t get in by magic either,” says Piper.

“Really?” says Mother. “Damn, I was hoping that would be an option.”

“Wait, you’re a seer?” I ask.

“After everything I’ve just told you, that’s the thing you choose to focus on?” asks Mother. “Yes, I’m a seer. It’s why your father never outlawed divination. I’m afraid it won’t be much use to us, though. As I said, I can’t use my abilities.”

“I understand. General Braid is with me. As of now, I’m taking command from you, Mother.”

“Thank you, dear,” Mother says, hugging me tightly before sitting down in a chair. “I want to rest.”

I head out of the cabin and find General Braid talking to several soldiers, Oswald beside her.

“Are you guys ready?” I ask Oswald, Piper, and Braid. They nod.

“What are we doing?” asks Piper.

“The Red Hand only controls the palace,” I reply. “Surely, the soldiers and guards inside the city have set up a perimeter. We’re going to go in, take command, and try to penetrate the palace.”

“How are we going to get in?” asks Piper.

“Will those exploding phials work on the doors?”

“It’s unlikely,” she says. “Something like this is tricky. Enchanting an object doesn’t need a catalyst, if the practitioner is sufficient in magic. It’s possible the sunburst will be expelled as an actual sunburst and not magic, but it’s impossible to say.”

I didn't understand most of what she said, but now isn't the time to be asking a load of questions. 

“Can you drop the protective enchantments?”

“Unfortunately, no. I tied them to runes in the palace itself. Only by destroying the runes can the spells be lifted. They will dissipate over time, but we’re talking years.”

“Is there any part of the palace that isn’t protected by your spells?”

“Not really. I cast it to cover the entire palace. We could throw a lot of magic at it, force the runes to use more of their power, but Zelda could just kill Milo when she realizes we’re doing it.”

I stay silent for a moment, looking at the ground. I’m not sure how to solve this, but I know we’ll figure it out.

“Let’s just get up to the city,” I say, “and figure it out there.”

*Milo*

The last two days that I’ve been a prisoner in the palace, I haven’t been taken to a cell. In fact, I’ve spent most of my time in my room with a guard outside. That’s where I am now, lying in bed. I’m left alone most of the day, except when they bring me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the couple of times Zelda has visited me.

When I hear a knock on my door, I know it’s going to be her. The sun is high in the sky and I’ve just finished lunch. If Aaron is traveling at normal speed, he won’t reach Crown City until tomorrow morning. Hopefully, he’s traveling as quickly as he can. I just know he’ll find a way into the palace and rescue me.

When I don’t say anything for several moments, the door opens and Zelda comes in cautiously. She knows I don’t have any weapons on me. They searched the room top to bottom to make sure and they’ve stationed a guard below the balcony so I can’t escape that way. No, she’s acting this way because she walked in on me jerking off yesterday. I know it’s kind of weird to masturbate when you’re a prisoner, but I needed to relieve some stress.

“You’re fully clothed,” she says with a surprised tone, as though wearing clothes was the odd thing.

“That was your fault,” I remind her. “You shouldn't come into my room without knocking.”

“Need I remind you that masturbation is a sin against Shevor? And maybe even Shevra.”

“You mean you don’t know?” I say with a laugh, hoping to incense her, but it doesn’t work. She walks over to the table in the middle of my room and sits down, gesturing at the chair on the other side. 

Reluctantly, I join her.

“Shevor is the God of Man. He created us and guides us. Affronts to him are things that harm your own body or other people. He’s the stronger of the two. Piercings, tattoos, drugs, and alcohol are examples of sins that go against Shevor. Shevra is the Goddess of Nature. Hunting animals for sport, rather than for sustenance, destroying nature for no good reason, such as pollution, and defying the true nature of man are sins against Shevra.

“They do share some sins, however. Premarital sex is a sin against both. It is unnatural and a violation of a body to have sex before marriage. Being gay, like you, is a sin against both. Homosexuality is unnatural and vile and it makes you turn your back on your true path as a man: to find a wife and father children.”

“You’re seriously insane,” I say. “Didn’t you just say that killing someone is a sin against Shevor? If that’s so, why are you killing me and Aaron?”

“The ritual we are going to perform on the two of you is part of the Shevorian faith. Besides, you’re both vile sinners. Your souls and hearts are unclean. I do not want to kill you, Milo. I like you a lot. I remember how smart you were when you did your first aid training before you became Aaron’s Royal Attendant. If you pray to Shevor and Shevra, they can wipe the sin from your body.”

“But you’ll still sacrifice Aaron,” I say. It’s not a question, but a statement.

“As the true born King of Midoor, he is essential to this ritual. You can survive, but he cannot.”

“Then you’ll have to kill me, too. There’s no point in living if Aaron isn’t part of my life.”

“What a waste,” Zelda snaps. “You could make some girl very happy, but you cannot resist temptation.”

“It’s not temptation, Zelda. This is just who I am. I’m gay. I can’t change it and I wouldn’t for anything.”

She stares at me, stony-faced, for several moments. 

“Fine,” she finally says. She places her right hand over her face, not covering her eyes, and raises the other one toward the ceiling.

“Shevor, God of All, please forgive me for what I must do. It is the only way to cleanse this land of sin. Shevra, Goddess of Beauty, please protect my true nature as I take on this task. You both know I’m no murderer, but I will do what I must.”

“Nice prayer,” I say sarcastically. She looks at me, placing her hands on the table, fingers laced together.

“Let’s talk about something else,” she says. “Do you know the whereabouts of Princess Riley?”

This actually gives me pause. “You don’t have her in your custody?”

“Obviously not, or I wouldn’t be asking. We’ve checked her room, the towers, the library, the basement, and the kitchens. It’s like she’s just vanished.”

I have a hunch she’s in her alcove, but I’m not telling Zelda that.

“I have no idea. Last I knew, she was going to bed the night before you took over the palace.”

“What a shame,” she says. “Oh well, we will find her.”

“What are you going to do to her when you do?” I ask.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she says. “We’re not going to hurt the Princess. You and Aaron are the only ones who will die.”

She stands and starts toward the door, but turns back to me before opening it when I call out to her.

“Wait, I have a question for you,” I say.

“Go on.”

“Why did you drug Elaine? Why didn’t you just kill her?”

“Aaron had just lost his father. If I killed Elaine, he would have been more distraught and would have taken longer marrying you, which was key to my success. You violated the laws of marriage as laid out by Shevor. Plus, she’s a powerful seer, though her power works in a different way. She can see what her future self sees. I knew once Aaron took the throne my plan would begin. By drugging her during this time, she was unable to detect me and, since she has been drugged this whole time, she wasn’t able to see me before she was on the drug because she couldn’t experience it. What she doesn’t experience, she doesn’t see.”

I understand. If Elaine’s power is to see what her future self sees and her future self is drugged, she won’t be able to have a vision of what’s to come during that time. Zelda has been playing this game for decades and she’s currently winning.

Zelda hesitates for a moment before speaking again.

“I’m going to give you one more chance,” she says. “Just one. Turn to the Shevorian faith and I’ll let you go. I’ll have my guards escort you out of the city and you will be safe. You can return and be king if you want. I don’t really care.”

“No,” I reply. “If Aaron is to die here, so am I. And I refuse to worship your imaginary gods.”

This is the first thing I’ve said that’s made her angry.

“They are not imaginary!” she spits. “At the moment of your death, you’ll see just how real they are. And, for your insolence, I’m going to sacrifice Aaron first. You’re going to watch the man you love die before I end your own life.”

Zelda pulls the door open, passes through it, and slams it with all her might.

Honestly, I’m glad she’s going to kill Aaron first. I don’t want Aaron to die, and I really don’t want to watch it happen, but if I can spare Aaron the pain of watching me die, I’m happy to do it.

Once I’m sure she’s gone, I walk over to the balcony and open the doors. I reach above the door and take the wand Piper gave me from the window sill. I’m thankful this shirt is long enough to cover my ass as I slip the wand into the waistband of my pants.

*Aaron*

As night falls on the second day since leaving the Lower Reach, Sir Oswald, General Braid, Captain Mare, and I stand around a kitchen table in a house located in the Upper Ring, just four streets from the palace gates.

“The Red Hand has archers up on the walls of the palace gates and foot soldiers inside the entry square, so far as we can tell. The gates haven’t opened since they were closed when Emperor Milo ordered a lockdown of the palace when we were pretending Queen Elaine was missing,” says Mare. “As you’re all aware, the palace wall completely wraps around the Grand Palace, ending at Sasha’s Drop, the cliff the palace sits upon. Several years ago, the cliffside was carved by order of the then king, Rudolphus Heris, so it’s impossible to climb. The walls have been fortified by both construction and magic, so blasting through the walls is unlikely.”

“Not only that, but if we start blowing stuff up, we’ll alert the Red Hand and Zelda might kill Emperor Milo,” says Oswald.

“I don’t think she will,” I say. “If she wanted to kill Milo, why not just do it? Why send Piper to me with a message? No, she wants me. Or, perhaps both of us for some reason.”

“It’s probably something to do with that cracked religion of theirs,” says Braid.

“I agree,” I say. “We need to ponder this some more. Brainstorm ideas and report to me if anything seems promising.”

“Oh, here’s an idea!” says Captain Mare, looking at Piper. “You’re a witch, aren’t you? Why not just fly in?”

“I can’t fly,” says Piper. “Some practitioners can, but not me. It takes an enormous amount of effort to lift yourself up and a high level of concentration.”

I leave them to it and head farther down the road toward the palace gates. I stop at the end of the block, where there are no more houses between the gates and the point I stand. I can see the archers standing on the wall, looking around for someone to shoot. 

Getting past those archers is impossible, even with a small team. If someone were to make it to the wall undetected, there’s no way to climb it. The stone is smooth, with no handholds or footholds to speak of. Using a grapplehook might work. But once I was up on the wall, what would stop them from shooting me or overwhelming me with forces and taking me to Zelda?

As Piper said, we can’t use magic to get in. We can’t destroy part of the wall. There are no underground tunnels leading into the palace, like Mount Zannir had. The only secret tunnel was the one leading from throne room and, not only is that caved in, it was only meant to be used as a way for the monarch to get to one of the bunkers. 

There’s only one way for me to get into the palace. If I let myself get captured and taken to Zelda, maybe she’ll put me in a cell with Milo. Together, we could figure out a way to leave the palace, to find Riley and Delgara. Without them as bargaining chips, we could slam the might of our forces against them and take them down. 

“Don’t do it, Your Majesty,” says Oswald behind me. There’s no point in lying to him. He knows me well enough; he knows what I’m planning to do.

“I have to, Oswald,” I say, turning to face him and see Piper is standing next to him. “I can’t let Milo die.”

“I’ll go with you,” says Piper. 

“No,” I say. “Zelda will likely have you executed on sight. Stay out here and try to figure out a way to lower the protective enchantments on the palace. If you can help get soldiers in, that would help more than you dying. I’ll get to Milo and keep him safe.”

Piper nods, and says, “Be safe, then. I’ll get to work on lowering the enchantments.”

“Thank you, Piper. For everything.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. See you in a few hours.”

“We can’t just let him go!” says Oswald, too loud. I glance around, but nobody is around to hear him. If too many people know I’m planning to get captured, someone will surely try to stop me.

“Oswald, I have to. It’s the only way. Unless you have a better solution?”

“I don’t yet, but we—”

“She has Milo,” I say, forestalling him. “I have to go.”

“But, sire, you—”

“Sir Oswald,” I say in a commanding voice. “I’m ordering you to stand down and let me go get captured. Are you disobeying an order?”

Oswald looks pissed, but I don’t care. Saving Milo is the only thing that matters to me now. Even if I have to trade my life for his.

“No, sir,” says Oswald. He looks at me for a moment as though I’m already dead. When he speaks again, his voice is slightly hoarse, as though he’s holding back tears. “Goodbye, Your Majesty.” And with that, he turns and walks away.

I look at Piper for just a moment and she gives me a reassuring smile, though I can see in her eyes she thinks I’ll be dead within the hour. I give her a single nod before ducking into the shadows and heading for the palace wall.

When I come out onto the main road just before the palace gates, a guard yells, “Halt!”

“It’s me!” I shout, raising my hands. “I’m turning myself in to Zelda!”

The gates open and several Red Hands come out, looking at me warily.

“What’s the catch?” asks the Red Hand, looking around suspiciously.

“No catch,” I say. “I can’t let her occupy the palace forever. I have a greater duty.”

Two Red Hands move forward and bind my hands behind my back, then march me into the palace, straight to the old throne room where I find Zelda standing before the dais where the four thrones used to sit. The Red Hands behind me force me to my knees before her.

“Well, well, well,” says Zelda, smiling at me evilly. “I’ll admit, I was worried you wouldn’t come.”

“I won’t let you kill Milo,” I say. “Let him go. You can have me.”

“Why would I do that,” asks Zelda, “when I can have you both?”

“When are you taking me to a cell?” I ask.

“A cell?” she asks, laughing. “We aren’t going to put you in a cell. Our preparations are complete. We will begin the ritual at once, culminating in both of your executions.”

A moment later, Milo is brought to me, his hands tied behind his back, his mouth gagged.

“Wait, it’s me you want!” I shout at Zelda. “Let Milo go. Please, Zelda, you owe me that much after you lied to me and drugged my mother!”

“Bring me the sword,” says Zelda, sounding almost bored as she ignores my pleas.

A Red Hand brings her a large sword, the edge of which appears to be honed to perfection, and stands before me. 

I look to Milo and everything we haven’t been able to say to each other while I was gone and everything we can’t say now, everything we don’t have time to say, passes between us.

“I love you,” I say. I can tell in his eyes and the muffled sound of his voice that he loves me, too.

This was a mistake, I know that now. I’m going to die right here and now, by Zelda’s hand, and she’s going to kill Milo. I should have waited for us to come up with a better solution. I thought we’d be imprisoned together, that we could come up with a plan.

Zelda puts the point of the blade against the ground, her hand wrapped around the hilt. She places the hand over her face, looks up toward the sky, and begins to speak.

“Shevor, God of Man, hear me. I call upon you now as your faithful pawn. I ask you to take all the sin from the land of Midoor and allow it to pass into these two false kings. These two, who engaged in premarital sex, who have committed the sin of homosexuality, who have defiled the sacred ceremony of marriage, all while rejecting your name.

“Shevra, Goddess of Nature, hear me. I call upon you now as your faithful pawn. I ask you to take the sin in these men upon their death and use their blood to wash the lands of Midoor free of sin so we may start anew. In your names, I pray.”

Zelda lifts the sword with both hands, the point aiming straight for me.

“Any last words, Aaron?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I say. “Fuck you!”

She narrows her eyes in what I take as vengeful anger and thrusts the sword downward toward my chest.

Time slows to a crawl as Milo screams into his gag. His scream becomes louder and louder until it feels like it’s in the air around us, filling the space in the throne room. It echoes and shakes my bones. I have to close my eyes as if this will protect me from Milo’s scream, which is shattering my heart. Then, his screaming stops. Not slowly, but abruptly, all at once.

When I open my eyes, I see Zelda is pulling at the hilt of the blade as though unable to move it. A flat disk of milky white light has formed around the middle of the blade, stopping it an inch from my chest. Zelda pulls, seemingly as hard as she can, but loses her grip and stumbles backward, leaving the sword hanging in midair, suspended by the disk of light.

I look to Milo and see him staring at the disk, his eyes completely white, as though his iris and pupil shrunk to nothingness.

“Milo?” I ask, but he doesn’t respond. 

The white disk begins to expand until it’s enveloped me in an egg-shaped bubble, protected from all sides. 

Milo begins to float upward and hovers a few feet off the ground. The bindings around his mouth and wrists falls away as if he’d gone intangible for a moment.

“What is this?” asks Zelda, backing away. “Guards, kill him!”

Milo, still hovering in the air, snaps his fingers, and tendrils of light form off the bubble around me. As the Red Hands encroach upon us, Milo waves his hand and the tendrils of light snake out, then whip around the room in a frenzy, then vanish along with the bubble.

All of this happens in a second but when I look around, I see the tendrils of light have cut every Red Hand in the room to ribbons.

Milo looks to me and snaps his fingers again. I feel the bindings behind me fall away as if they’d been severed. I stand, looking around at the massacre.

“Milo?” I ask again, but he lands on his feet and walks toward Zelda, the sword in his hand. I don’t know when he picked it up, but that doesn’t matter. 

Zelda screams in fear and runs toward the tapestry that concealed the secret passageway. She starts to move it, but Milo snaps his fingers and the tapestry straightens out, then melts into the wall, sealing off the space behind it. Zelda claws at and it sounds like nails on stone. She turns back to Milo, back pressed up against the tapestry, fear etched into her face.

“Shevor, God of Man, please aid me now. Strike down this sorcerer and protect your pawn!”

“There is no god who can help you now,” says Milo, but his voice sounds different. It’s similar to when Piper healed me. His voice echoes and crashes, but with one, like his voice but deeper, more discernible than the rest.

“Milo, stop!” I say, but he ignores me, walking up to Zelda until he’s only two feet away. 

He looks down at the sword, then throws it, lodging it into a wall halfway down the blade.

“Not personal enough,” he says. Then, he reaches his hand out as though grabbing something from the air.

Zelda begins to clutch at her throat, gasping and sputtering.

I run up to Milo and grab his arm, but I can’t force it down.

“Milo, stop, this isn’t you. This isn’t the way!” I shout. I glance at Zelda and see her face is turning blue. Milo is clearly out of his mind, overtaken by his magic or something.

I duck under his hand and stand before him, but can’t tell where he’s looking. Not sure what else to do, I kiss him. When our lips touch, I feel a powerful burst of energy escape him. The force of it blows our hair up as his body begins to relax and I feel his arm fall to his side. After a moment, his arms wrap around me and he kisses me back.

“Aaron?” he asks when we break apart. “What-what happened?”

“It doesn’t matter right now,” I say. “We’ve won.”

I look back to Zelda to see her lying on the ground, clutching her throat and gasping for breath.

At that moment, the throne room doors burst open. Piper, Oswald, and Riley burst in, weapons raised as if ready for a fight.

“What the fuck happened in here?” asks Piper, looking at the dead bodies around the room.

“I’ll explain later,” I say as the three of them walk up to join us. I look at my sister and say, “Thank the gods you’re okay.”

“You!” shouts Zelda. I turn, ready to fight her off, when I see she isn’t looking at us. She’s looking at the throne room doors. Together, Milo, Oswald, Riley, Piper, and I turn to see a hooded figure standing in the doorway.

“You!” she shouts again. “Pawn of Shevor, help me!”

The hooded figure takes a few steps into the room and the five of us stand between Zelda and them.

“Stop!” I say, and the figure does. “If you’re with the Red Hand, it’s over. We have your leader and we’re prepared to take down anyone we need to!”

“Please,” says the figure, and I know who she is. “The Red Hand was just a tool of mine. It might have failed, but I won’t.”

Phoebe steps forward and throws her hood off. When he cloak is pulled back, I see she was concealing a small cane that glows. It’s crooked and bent in several places, kind of like a bolt of lighting.

“Now die!” yells Phoebe, thrusting the cane out. 

I don’t need Piper’s shout of “Move!” to tell me to get out of the way. Oswald and I jump to the right while Milo, Piper, and Riley jump to the left just as a bolt of lightning erupts from Phoebe’s cane.

I hear a woman screaming in agony, but know better than to look at the bolt arching across the throne room. When the light of it vanishes, I look back to see Zelda’s body on the ground, twitching as electricity crackles over her. The five of us stand and face Phoebe.

“What do we do, Piper?” I ask, but she doesn’t answer. I glance at her and see she’s completely stunned by her sister’s treachery.

“Phoebe,” she says. “Why’re you doing this? What do you mean the Red Hand was your tool?”

“I created the Red Hand when King Theodore made magic illegal. He came after my people, so I came after his. I used magic to send messages to Zelda, making her think she was communicating with Shevor. Thanks to you, sister, I was able to enter the palace myself. I’d rather kill Aaron myself for what his father did to us.”

Phoebe doesn’t give anyone a chance to say anything in response to this as she thrusts the cane out toward me and I see a bolt of lightning heading straight for me as Milo jumps between me and Phoebe.

*Milo*

I see the moment Phoebe raises her cane toward Aaron. I don’t know if this will work, but I have to do something. I can’t let Aaron die. As I move between him and Phoebe, I hear him call out to me, but I ignore him. I reach behind me and pull the wand out of my waistband. I don’t have time to try and speak to magic, but that doesn’t matter anymore. 

I hold the wand out, pointing it at Phoebe’s cane and, at the moment the lightning hits it, I put as much effort as I can into what I want the wand to do and think, Absorb!

When the lightning hits the wand, it isn’t a quick flash as it was when it hit Zelda. The lightning keeps going, arcing in midair and hitting walls, the floor, and the ceiling until Phoebe’s cane goes dark, then turns to sand in her hand. My wand, however, glows brightly. 

I thrust the wand out and send a bolt of lightning at Phoebe, who shouts something and waves her hand, sending the bolt of lightning into the window. It shatters and the bolt is sent into the sky outside.

“You’re an advocate?” she asks. 

I realized this when Aaron was about to die. Something in my mind broke and I was able to commune with magic without speaking. I somehow know without knowing that I can’t command it as I had in that moment. That was a fear response. I’m not afraid anymore.

“Oh, Gods,” I hear Piper say, and I glance back at her.

“Look out!” shouts Riley. 

I look back to Phoebe to see her holding a phial, black outside, with swirling purple smoke inside.

“Take her!” Aaron shouts.

As Phoebe throws the phial at her feet, I shoot a bolt of lightning, Riley fires an arrow, Oswald throws a dagger, and Piper sends a fireball at Phoebe.

When the phial shatters against the ground, a cloud of swirling purple smoke rises around Phoebe, enveloping her. Our weapons enter the smoke as it starts to dissipate. All of our chosen weapons crash against the wall opposite of the throne room doors and Phoebe is gone.

“Damn it!” shouts Piper.

“How did she leave?” asks Aaron. “I thought your spells would protect us.”

“I broke them,” I say. “When you kissed me, I sent a wave of energy out, destroying the runes.”

“I felt it happen,” says Piper. I used magic to open a hole in the wall while Oswald told General Braid to storm the gates. We met Riley in the halls and rushed here.”

“I’d still like to know what happened with Milo,” says Aaron, putting his arm around me. “Maybe you can explain it to us, Piper?”

“Not tonight,” I say. “I just want to get to sleep. I’m exhausted.”

“Me too,” says Aaron.

At that moment, several soldiers, led by General Braid, come rushing into the throne room. They fall short, looking around at the bodies.

“What happened here?” asks General Braid.

“Not tonight, General. Please find someone to get this cleaned up,” says Aaron.

“After that, we have to go after my sister,” says Piper. “She can’t be left out there to her own devices.”

“True. We do need to find her,” agrees Aaron. He looks to me and adds, “But first, I think we should go on a honeymoon.”

“A honeymoon?” I echo. 

“Sure. Why not? Now that our mother is healthy, we can leave her in charge while we go do something normal for a change.”

“Normal,” I say. “Normal sounds nice.”

“Wait, our mother is healthy now?” asks Riley.

“We’ll tell you everything in the morning,” Aaron promises.

“She’s in the cabin in the woods,” I tell Riley. “Will you see to it she is brought back safely?”

“Of course. I’ll go right now,” says Riley. She turns on her heel and heads for the door.

“I’m so glad I have you back,” I tell Aaron. He kisses me and smiles.

“Me, too. Now, come on. Let’s go to bed.”

Aaron grabs my hand, lacing his fingers through mine and we start heading for our room.