Moonlit Meditations

The dungeon had taken most of the day to complete and to travel back from. It was dark when the carriage clattered down the cobbled streets of Alynthir and rolled through the gates of the citadel. The city was lit by the soft glow of oil burning in lamps and crystals shining in the more prosperous districts. A guard inspected the contents of our carriage when we arrived at the gates of the Citadel before waving us on through, satisfied that we didn’t pose any danger.

The carriage slowed down and taxied into a bay for it to park up, there were other carriages arriving at the same time, presumably returning from other dungeons. We had recovered our energy during the journey back and had nothing to do but sit in the carriage as it was pulled along the road by horses. Rayall had also recovered from his injuries and seemed to be back to his usual self, except for an ugly bruise where he had been struck.

We left the carriage and gathered outside of the Citadel, looking along the row of carriages I saw Zarin with his group. Unlike most others, he wasn’t wearing the clothing that the Citadel had provided but instead wore his signature white suit. He met my gaze as I looked towards him, and his face twisted into a smirk. He had an arm around Elsie’s waist and had another woman that I didn’t recognise holding onto his other arm. As much as I wanted to I couldn’t look away from him, there was just something about him, I felt the need to memorise every detail of his face, to give me something to fixate my hatred on.

As I was staring at him, he ran his hand along Elsie’s waist who shuddered, I couldn’t tell whether it was from revulsion or arousal. I hated not knowing what she was thinking in that moment. I looked away from Zarin and focused on Elsie’s face, why did she have to be with him? I thought to myself. If I had stayed in Blue-Rock, could I have saved her from him.

“Come on Aucus” Sara said, pulling at my arm and dragging my sight away from the ghosts of my past. I turned back to them and realised just how long I had been staring. I walked away from the carriage and into the Citadel, hearing a distant chortle coming from where Zarin had been standing.

I was still seething as we went up to the rooms, the sight of Elsie’s face as Zarin touched her was etched into my mind. The others were exhausted and quickly went to their rooms to get some sleep. Rayall excused himself and explained that he had arranged to have another training session with the elf who was bonded to the Paladin spirit who had trained us for a day last week. It was strange that he was training so late, but I was still too angry to think anything of it.

Korin made a poor attempt at flirting with Sybil, but she did not give him any time and simply walked past him and returned to her room. Sara and Cleo both went to the same room, it seemed that perhaps Sara was trying to take things a little seriously between the two of them. With everyone either in their rooms or elsewhere in the Citadel, I went to my room hoping to do some reading and calm down from the anger I was feeling.

I tried hard to read and to focus on the words inscribed to the parchment, I couldn’t. The image of Elsie’s face as Zarin touched her plagued my thoughts. I shut the book in frustration, I had to get some air, to take my mind off of things.

I rose from my seat and left my room, stepping out of the living chamber and into the hallways of the Citadel. I walked the corridors of the grand building, looking at the artwork that adorned the walls and admiring the feat in masonry that had designed the place. As I walked through the passageways I found myself stepping out through an arch and into a garden.

The garden was beautiful, lit by the moonlight as it sparkled off of the still water that filled a pond in the centre. There were peculiar plants that spotted the garden, silver lilies were planted and drooping forth. Roses, lilacs, Magnolias, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, and other flowers were planted in beds throughout the garden. A willow tree drooped over the pond, green tendrils flowing down and blowing in the gentle breeze. An old bench of exquisitely carved wood sat in the centre of the garden at the far end, it was on an elevated patch of land and overlooking the pond.

The simple sight of the garden soothed my anger a bit and stepped forward, sitting myself on the bench and letting my thoughts flow through my mind, not taking the time to grasp any one of them. It almost felt like meditation as I stared into the reflection of the full moon that was reflected in the pond.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it” a voice came from next to me on the bench. I turned my head in shock, in my single-minded meditation I hadn’t noticed anyone else come into the gardens, not even when she sat next to me. I was even more shocked when I realised who she was. Queen Celeste.

“Your majesty” I said surprised, my face reddening at not having noticed her, “Uh, yes. It is beautiful” I added quickly.

She smiled, “I think it’s my favourite place in the citadel, I enjoy coming here at night, especially under the full moon” she said, glancing up at the shining rock in the sky. “I’ve loved it ever since I was a girl”

“uh huh” I said, lifting my head up to look at the moon as well. I found it difficult to tear my gaze away from her cleavage, she was a gorgeous woman. “I’m sorry my queen, I can leave if you wish” I said, feeling a little uncomfortable.

“Oh shush, the garden was meant to be shared. And you can stop with all of that my queen formality, there’s no one else here” she said, brushing back a lock of her auburn hair.

“Oh, of course” I said, lowering my gaze back down to look at the pond, my sight sometimes drifting to the impressive cleavage of my queen.

We sat together in silence for a while longer, “What is it that Calendis finds so interesting about you?” she asked at last, turning away from the pond and towards me. “It seems to me that you are just another adventurer, stronger than most perhaps but you are no Lion or Light spirit”

I blushed again at her interest in me, I stayed quiet for a moment as I thought what to say. I had been warned by Orsat not to tell her of the dark spirit, for fear of what she may do, “I’m not actually sure to be honest” I said in the end, “I think he’s just looking out for me, I have had people trying to kill me. I kind of have an enemy with the new lion spirit” I explained.

She let out a short but sharp laugh at that, “You certainly know how to pick them, don’t you” she said with a smile on her gentle face. “I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of him, I’ve seen him train and I think he could face down any enemy in his way”

I went silent again, having came to the gardens to escape my thoughts of Zarin and now finding myself talking about him.

The queen was silent too, she let out a long sigh after a while. “Ah, it has been a long day. I received some troubling news from my forces in the east, it seems that the crack is widening” she said wistfully, as though talking to herself. She looked at me after saying that “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be telling you about that”

“You mean the shadow gates?” I asked, intrigued by the mention of the crack.

She frowned at me, “Yes” she said carefully, “How do you know about that? It is a state secret” she asked, something cold frosting her voice.

I swallowed nervously at her question, “Prince Orsat told me” I said truthfully, “I met him in a meeting I had with Calendis” I saw her still looking at me with focus. “I haven’t told anyone” I quickly assured her

“Hmm” she grumbled to herself, “he shouldn’t have told you that, if rumours of it start circulating I will know who to question first” she said, making it clear by her tone what would happen if I didn’t keep the secret. She continued, “but yes, the crack in the shadow gates is widening… and there is another matter. If you have family in the east, I would suggest that you bring them to the capital” she added, not going into further detail about what kind of threat would require such action.

“Uh, yes. I only have my mother, and I think she’s coming here anyway” I said, getting a nod from her.

“And dedicate yourself to your training” she said, drifting off into the garden vista, “It seems that war may be coming, the goddesses need us” she added quietly. She seemed sad and grave in her final statement,.

I didn’t know what to say to that and simply nodded my head as we both looked back towards the garden, taking in the colourful flowers, and shining waters. Even hearing such terrible news, I couldn’t help but be calmed by the view, I could tell why the queen enjoyed coming there.

We stayed there in silence for a while longer until at last she stirred, “I should go, duties await” she said with a sigh. I turned my gaze to her, seeing her breasts bounce as she stood up. She couldn’t even be ten years older than me I thought for a moment and quickly scolded myself for thinking about my queen like that. But still… I looked at her beauty again

“Yes, of course. Have a good night, your majesty” I said as I rose as well, to give her a bow. She smiled as she turned to leave and I stepped back as I saw two more figures that had gone unnoticed to my gaze, step out of the shadows and follow behind her.