Chapter 25 Vivid colors swirled around Tolian, all the hues of the rainbow and some that had no correlation in the mortal world. Dowbreth held her securely in front of him on the horse, but she had stopped struggling. Her tears still gushed down her cheeks in a veritable torrent as they progressed through the portal between the world and the Realm of the Fay. Flashes of prismatic light danced before her eyes. A powerful sound permeated the air, like the rush of a strong, steady wind, yet the air around them was still. Physical sensations now moved throughout her being—a tingling feeling that started at her toes and shot up her body until her head was spinning. The sound, the colors, and the tingling all merged into a single wave of energy, and then passed quickly. She was left with a sinking feeling in her stomach. And blurry vision.

She rubbed her eyes, but it did nothing to relieve the indistinct images swimming there. Lights and shapes, but without order or cohesion.

“It may take a little time for your eyes to become used to seeing here,” explained Dowbreth.

She said nothing. What was there to say? She was in Faerie. Beyond hope of escape or rescue. Forever apart from Brythia. To have been so close to her, and then to lose her in an instant. She closed her eyes. She could envision Brythia charging after her. Her face full of fury, but still Brythia’s face, graceful and delicate. Then she was lost in the raging snow. Lost to her for all time. The agony of that knowledge tore at her bitterly. She coughed in broken sobs.

“Oh, don’t worry yourself about your girlfriend,” said the faerie. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t get hurt. She is my insurance. Perhaps that will comfort you.”

Comfort. She knew she would never know comfort again. Not without her beloved’s sweet embrace.

She attempted to look about, but things were still far too blurred. It was extremely disconcerting. She could see nothing whatsoever. She could hear the sounds of the horse’s hooves on a stone-paved road. She could hear the songs of birds, but these melodies were far more intricate and lyrical than those of terrestrial avians. Distant shouts of greeting sung out from several voices.

“We draw nigh to my house,” announced Dowbreth. “We will rest there, at least until your vision returns.”

They rode on for only a few more minutes before Tolian became aware that a small crowd of people surrounded them. She could not see them and rather than strain to comprehend the jumbled images her sight gave her, she kept her eyes closed.

“Lord Dowbreth is home.” Fay voices shouted in surprisingly (to Tolian) mirth-filled tones.

“Well met,” said Dowbreth with much less malice than usual in his voice. “This is our special guest. She is an important lady. You must treat her with the utmost care at your disposal. See that she has no wants.”

A murmur of agreement and obedience ensued; calls of welcome greeted her.

Tolian felt Dowbreth’s grip tighten about her as he lifted her off the horse and down to the ground.

“Be careful and gentle,” the faerie warlord commanded. “She is still blind with the mortal world. Capreesh and Delotti, you shall be her handmaidens. Have her bathed and dressed as befitting her status. Make note—there are none in Faerie who are her equal. None.”

“Yes, my lord,” the two faerie women chimed in unison.

Each of the women took one of Tolian’s hands.

“Come, Lady,” said one.

“We shall guide you well, fear not,” said the other.

She allowed herself to be led wherever her two elfin guides desired. They were filled with a bubbly enthusiasm, which was, initially, annoying, but which eventually lightened even Tolian’s heavy heart.

“We’re turning right, my Lady.”

“Now, left.”

“Duck, my Lady, the doorway here is low.”

“We’re about to head up a flight of stairs.”

“Another right, my Lady.”

They punctuated each advisory instruction with a round of giggling. But they proved to be careful guides, and they led her without incident.

“Here we are, my Lady.”

“Where is here, precisely?” she asked with a weary indifference.

“The finest guest room in Lord Dowbreth’s estate,” answered one of the faerie girls (though Tolian still could not tell who was Capreesh and who was Delotti).

“Would you like a bath first or some rest, Lady?”

Tolian had to admit that a bath sounded like a wonderful idea, but she was exhausted, both emotionally and physically.

“I think I need to sleep first,” answered Tolian.

“Very well, Lady, we’ll help you get undressed. Delotti, would you fetch a nightgown for her Ladyship? Oh, and I think I should treat your injuries first. But, don’t worry, Faerie medicine is speedy.”

Before Tolian could tell what was happening, they had her soiled and tattered gown off and the softest, silkiest nightgown she had ever worn on her womanly form. Cool compresses were applied quite briefly to her bruises and wounds. Tolian could not tell entirely if they were really cool or hot after a few seconds, but they were soothing, that much was definite. The girls treated every injury, every cut, every bruise, even her broken wrist and cracked ribs. The wounds felt better immediately. One of the girls tugged on her bracelet.

“How does this come off, my Lady? I can’t seem to figure it out. It doesn’t seem like mortal technology, and it’s not Faerie. It is lovely though.”

Not mortal technology? The girl was obviously mistaken.

“My cousin gave it to me,” Tolian explained, “I’m sure it is mortal craft. But, I haven’t tried to take it off.”

“Hmmm,” said Delotti (Tolian was beginning to be able to distinguish their voices—Capreesh’s voice was higher, had more of a lisp and a slightly more melodious tone). “I can’t get it. It must have some sort of mortal magick to it. It’s glowing a little.”

Capreesh came and tugged at the bracelet for a few moments, “I’ll get it.” She had no success either.

“Look, let’s not worry about it right now,” said the princess. “We’ll figure it out after I get some sleep.”

They led her over to a comfortable bed and helped her into it. The sheets had an extremely sensual quality to them, and the mattress provided the most astonishing support.

“Sleep well, Lady,” said Capreesh.

“We’ll be right here if you require anything,” added Delotti.

The princess’ head hit the pillow and she fell instantly to sleep. She slipped right into a dream.

In the dream, Tolian was walking through the palace of Lorm, but something was not right. He was male. He starred down at himself in surprise. No, this wasn’t right. Or was it?. He was a woman, wasn’t he? Didn’t the druids transform him? What was going on? Where was Brythia? Perhaps all of that had been some sort of bizarre dream. Maybe none of it had really happened. No, Brythia was real. There was nothing more real than her memory. Then why was he a man? It felt so strange now, but still familiar enough. People smiled at him or bowed low with great respect as he passed them by.

Wait, he wasn’t even in the palace was he? What about Dowbreth? He walked on. He saw a mirror hanging on a nearby wall. He looked at his reflection. His rugged, bearded face stared dumbly back at him.

His father’s voice came from behind him, “Ah, you’re yourself again, at last.”

Tolian turned to look at him. “Is this who I am?” He wasn’t so certain.

Why was he feeling this way? He was born male after all. He had always been happy enough as a man. Already, he was enjoying feeling the strength in his male muscles, the respect that shone it the eyes of those around him. Now, the feeling of vulnerability was gone. He felt strength and confidence grow in its place. This was all well and good, but he had been transformed into a woman, hadn’t he? What had happened to him? Confusion boiled and churned.

Now he was wearing a blue silk dress. It looked quite out of place on his muscular body. He started to run frantically throughout the palace, his dress fluttering behind him.

He was shouting, “Brythia, Brythia, Brythia.”

She awoke with her shouts echoing on her lips. Her eyes opened. The blurriness was gone. She could see again. In fact, everything was more distinct than she had ever seen it before. Images sharper, colors more vibrant, with the occasional hue that had no parallel in the mortal world. She starred up at the canopy over the bed. It was a deep azure and, unless her eyes were deceiving her, white fluffy clouds seemed to blow across the canopy’s surface with a slow, gradual pace. Sunbeams streamed in, golden bright, through the nearby window. The room’s walls were a glistening, polished stone, mostly covered with rich tapestries depicting fantastic scenes. They appeared to move in some impossible animation, similar to the clouds in the canopy. On one tapestry, a field of sunflowers sprouted from the ground, grew tall and blossomed. On another, the one nearest to her in fact, was a structure that resembled the palace of Lorm. The sky around the palace was filled with dragons. Out of nowhere an army of winged faerie warriors appeared and began to battle the reptiles.

Her observations lighted quickly across her consciousness. Her hand went instinctively to her crouch. She was somewhat disappointed as her hand found her soft, feminine genitalia. It had been a dream, after all. She sighed.

Capreesh and Delotti appeared on either side of the bed. Capreesh, on her right side, had a thin, delicate face, pale and framed by her short, silver-metallic hair with pointed ears protruding. Delotti had a rounder face with more color than most of the faeries Tolian had seen. Her cheeks were positively rosy, her bright purple eyes were beaming with concern, and she had long, black hair. Both appeared to be young, but Tolian knew enough about the Good Folk to know that they could be a great deal older than they looked. Their faces were both cheerful and worried at the same time as they looked down at her.

“Is everything all right, my Lady,” asked Delotti.

Tolian quickly, yet discretely, removed her hand from her womanhood (though hidden under the covers) before she replied. “Yes, everything is fine, I suppose. Or as fine as it’s ever going to get.”

“Are you sure?” asked Capreesh. “You look so sad. Like all the sorrow of the mortal world has found a home on your brow.”

Tolian directed a half smile at her. “Well, let’s see. I’ve been drugged, kidnapped from my home, separated forever from the woman I love, robbed of my magically enhanced strength, beaten up, coerced, threatened. And that’s since the day before yesterday.”

The elfin girls’ jaws dropped in shock and disbelief.

“Don’t worry, Lady,” Delotti said. “You’re safe here. Lord Dowbreth won’t let anything happen to you.”

Tolian sat up in bed and looked into her eyes. She saw only sincerity and honesty. She reminded herself, once again, to not necessary trust what her eyes showed her when it came to dealing with faeries. Take what you see as a starting point, she told herself, but be wary and keep an open mind.

“Dear,” Tolian shook her head slightly. “Lord Dowbreth is the person responsible for virtually all of my problems. It was he that kidnapped me.”

Delotti took no time to defend her master. “Our master is a noble faerie. Perhaps his ways are not always clear to us, but we can be assured that his purposes are directed towards the best interests of the realm. Now, my Lady, if you would like, the bath is ready for you.”

There was no use arguing with them, she could sense that immediately. They evidently had a great deal of respect, if not love, for Dowbreth. And, a bath sounded like a truly wonderful idea. With a turn, she brought her feet to the floor.

“A bath sounds excellent,” she said.

“I’ll go get the bath, then, Lady,” declared Capreesh, and with a remarkably light step the girl left the room.

“She won’t be a minute, Lady,” stated Delotti. “Would you like to take off your nightgown?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” Tolian replied.

She stood up and raised her arms, and the faerie pulled the gown up and off her. Recalling her dream, the princess looked down in fleeting regret at her ample, shapely breasts.

“Ah, here they are already,” said the servant girl, glancing to the doorway.

They? thought Tolian. She turned just in time to see Capreesh enter the room, followed by a large, bronze bath tub walking under its own power. It would have been a marvelous piece of craftsmanship for the intricate etchings adorning it alone, but the four sturdy legs by which it propelled itself flabbergasted Tolian. It was filled full of sudsy, steaming water, fragrant with the scent of honeysuckle and lavender. Tolian felt herself relax the moment she first detected the fragrance.

“I think by the window,” Capreesh advised the tub. “But mind you, not too close.”

The tub located itself precisely where the faerie indicated, with complete obedience, and then lowered itself to an easily accessible position. Capreesh gestured. “My Lady, your bath awaits.”

Tolian crossed the room, and with just a little timidity, climbed in to the tub. She sunk herself into the warm water, immediately feeling the tension melt away from her limbs. She submerged herself completely so that only her head remained above the soapy foam. It felt fantastic. She had to admit, that the faeries had the concept of the bath perfected. It was almost as though the water itself were massaging her muscles. Unknotting the stress from her neck and shoulders.

“Oh, my,” she cooed.

Capreesh’s smile spread across her face. “I took a chance,” she explained. “I wasn’t sure you liked undines in your bath water.”

“Undines?” Tolian queried.

“Undines are the elemental spirits of water.”

Normally, the thought of mysterious creatures in her bath water would have filled her with dread, but she had to admit the undines definitely knew what they were doing.

“Yes,” said the princess reassuringly. “The undines are fine.”

“Shall we shave your legs and wash your hair, Lady?” Delottie asked.

“Oh absolutely,” replied Tolian.

Capreesh took an exceptionally fine razor over Tolian’s legs with precision while Delotti washed her long, curly chestnut brown tresses with the most delightfully scented shampoo Tolian had ever smelled. As she worked the lather through the princess’ hair, Delotti asked her, “May we know your name, Lady, so that we may be more polite when addressing you.”

“Of course,” agreed Tolian, who was so relaxed she would have agreed to just about anything. “I am Princess Tolian of Lorm.”

Delotti stopped lathering the princess’ hair.. Tolian opened her eyes to see what had happened. She was surprised to see both girls on the floor in the lowest bow she had ever seen.

“Great Goddess, forgive us,” they cried.

“We did not know it was you,” explained Delotti.

“Oh, please, not you too,” Tolian said.

Much to Tolian’s chagrin, the girls groveled lower to the floor, and Capressh shook with fear.

“This isn’t going to work,” sighed Tolian. “I don’t want you to do that. Please get up.”

They scrambled to their feet, awe and terror mixed in their eyes.

“Well, that’s a little better, but I still have shampoo in my hair and it’s starting to run into my eyes,” observed the Princess of Lorm.

“Oh,” Delotti shrieked in horror.

“You’re burning the Goddess’ eyes,” Capreesh screamed, handing the other girl a pitcher.

“Great Goddess of the Moon, I beg your forgiveness,” apologized Delotti, rinsing the lather out of Tolian’s hair.

“Relax, please,” suggested Tolian with her softest, most reassuring tone.

“Of course, O Holy One,” whimpered the terror-stricken girl.

And Tolian had thought the druids were bad enough with their adoration and worship. This was even worse. She had to stop this behavior immediately.

“Look, I don’t know how long I’m going to be here. Or what’s going to happen,” she said. “But,

you two seem nice, and I’d like us to be friends. Do you think that’s possible?”

The faeries looked at each other, unsure of how to respond to her request. Capreesh spoke first. “If that is your wish, O Magnificent Goddess of the Astral Light.”

“Great,” began Tolian with as much patience as she could muster. “You’re going to have to drop all the epithets, at least when it’s just us. Please just call me Tolian, or Lady Tolian, if you must. Even Princess Tolian would be fine, that’s my actual title in the mortal world, though some people still use the male version of the title being as I was born the son of a king.”

Again the girls exchanged doubtful looks, before Delotti finally said, “If that is your wish...Lady Tolian.”

Tolian looked for agreement from Capreesh, who avoided eye contact, but nonetheless whispered, “We live to obey you ... Princess.” She squirmed as her mouth formed the syllables.

“See, isn’t that better?” asked Tolian. “Now, we’re all friends.”

Delotti smiled. “Thank you, Princess Tolian, for the honor you have shown us.” She punctuated her comment with a curtsey.

Capreesh was still quiet, frightened, and uncomfortable.

“Pshah,” dismissed the princess, “now, although I was considering spending the rest of my life in this tub, I should probably get out and put some clothes on.”

“Yes, Tolian,” agreed Delotti. The girl was starting to take a delight in the familiarity Tolian had allowed her.

Capreesh produced a towel and wrapped it around Tolian as she emerged from the bath water. Delotti immediately brought another, smaller towel around her wet hair. Much to Tolian’s amazement, she instantly removed the towel and the princess’ long brown tresses were completely dry.

“Incredible,” She exclaimed.

“There are no towels in the mortal world?” Delotti asked, confused by her reaction.

“Of course, we have towels in the mortal world,” explained Tolian. “It’s just that, well, they take longer to dry hair there, a lot longer.”

“How inconvenient for someone like yourself to have to endure, Your Majesty,” sympathized the faerie.

Capreesh finished drying her off, wrapped and tucked the larger towel around her so that it kept her covered.

“I’ll go and get the dress Lord Dowbreth wishes you to wear today, Princess Tolian,” she said. She curtsied and disappeared into what was presumably a large closet. She emerged with a brilliant purple gown that actually seemed to throw off mysterious sparks of iridescent energy.

Tolian removed her towel and handed it to Delotti as Capreesh pulled the garment over Tolian. It was the most sensual, mesmerizing material she had ever felt, and it fit her like glove. They led her over to a full-length mirror, where she stared at herself in wonder. She knew that she was beautiful, but the faerie gown made her radiant, literally. The neckline plunged down below her navel, and revealed much of her cleavage. Every curve of her body was accented perfectly. And, it was no trick of her eyes; sparks of purple and silver arced and leaped off of her. Delotti stepped up to her and ran a comb through her hair. With one pass, her hair was perfectly teased, styled, and held in place. Capreesh speedily applied eye liner and painted her lids and lips with complimentary shades of purple. Lastly, she added a light blush. Tolian had to admit that she looked like the Goddess of the Moon.

“To be true,” confessed Capreesh, “O Glorious One, um, but, well... As I was saying, I thought it was the height of fashion cheek for someone to wear this dress, when our master ordered us to make it. It seemed sacrilegious for a lady, faerie or mortal to assume the colors of Our Most Holy Goddess, but now it makes sense. You look magnificent, Empress of Faerie. I’m sorry, but I cannot look at your brilliance and call you anything less.”

“She’s right,” agreed Delotti. “You cannot deny your Goddesshood now.”

Capreesh slipped crescent-shaped earrings through her pierced ears, then a necklace, also moon shaped around her neck. She held up a matching bracelet.

“Oh, Princess, did you want to show us how to take your magick bracelet off? Or would you prefer to wear it instead of this one?” she inquired.

She had forgotten about the bracelet again. How odd. She examined it carefully. There appeared no seams or fasteners to hold it secure, yet some mechanism must exist, or how else could she have put it on. Then she remembered that Kelvris had actually put it on her. How would he have even come across a magick bracelet to begin with? She tugged at and twisted it, but she could not figure out how to remove it either.

“Huh?” she said.

“You don’t know how to take it off, either?”

“No, like I said, my cousin gave it to me right before I was kidnapped by your master. I haven’t tried to take it off since,” said Tolian. A slow dawning of understanding was entering her brain. That bastard. Kelvris was in league with Dowbreth, of course. He had drugged the wine as Dowbreth entered. He gave her the bracelet. Now she was pulling at the suspected jewelry with all her might. He had gotten rid of her to progress his status, and get that much closer to the throne of Lorm. She became worried for Relinder, suddenly, and then sad as she realized that she would probably never see her son again. Or anyone else that had ever mattered to her.

No one had ever returned from Faerie, or if they did, it was three hundred years after they left. Findelbres had once confirmed to her that time did indeed run differently between the two worlds, sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes one way, and sometimes the other. It was impossible to predict, but the immortal faeries were untroubled by the discrepancy. To them time was without consequence or real meaning. That said, he had pointed out the Good Folk could in fact control the temporal fluctuation to a large degree, allowing them to enter and exit as they saw fit. The disorientation and the despair at her parting from Brythia and her trek between worlds were suddenly diminished. Hope flickered. The Folk of the Sidhe could, in fact, travel between the worlds at will, and Findelbres, and Dowbreth had been able to control the timing of their visits with great accuracy. But no mortals could. Of course, he had added that. He had said that even if the Fay wanted to transport mortals back from Faerie (he didn’t deny many were taken) they could not be returned with accuracy. But she wasn’t really mortal anymore as the faerie maids had reminded her. Or at least she hadn’t been mortal. Before Kelvris gave her the bracelet.

Her wrists were badly bruised already from her vigorous assault. Delotti and Capreesh stared numbly in horror as the princess tore madly at the stubborn jewelry.

“Holy One,” shouted Capreesh, “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

She stopped her frantic efforts. She tried hard to seem calm and reasonable, though her emotions and thoughts were churning.

“You’re right,” she agreed. “Do we have something sharp around here? I think I could pry it open right here.”

She held the bracelet up, quickly, as if to show them, but not let them really get a look at it. For there was no crease, to pry. She had formulated another plan already. It was desperate, and it depended entirely on their believing her to be far too rational to intend what she was indeed intending.

She smiled brightly and batted her eyelashes innocently at Delotti, who had seemed to have taken charge.

“You know, like a knife, or maybe a sword,” Tolian sang out her request in her most melodic tome. “Something pointed, sharp, that will give me some leverage. Yeah, I think I could do it with a sharp sword. Can you get me one, please?”

The girl looked up at Tolian and then over to Capreesh, who shrugged. Tolian knew that they wanted to obey her. As long as they didn’t suspect that she would try to do what she was going to.

“Of course, Holy Goddess,” Delotti replied.

As she left to fetch a sword, Tolian tried to put Capreesh at ease.

“That bracelet matches this gown perfectly,” the princess said indicating the one Capreesh held.

“Yes, Goddess of the Silver Light Most Blessed,” agreed the girl cheerfully.

“I can’t wait to try it on,” Tolian added in mock anticipation.

Delotti offered her a short sword, it wasn’t as sharp as she was hoping for, but it would have to do.

“Hold out your arm, and I’ll get it for you,” the servant offered.

“Oh no, that’s okay,” said Tolian brightly. “I know just what to do, and where I have to do it. I’ll get it.”

She held her hand out for the sword. Delotti handed it to her with a bow.

“Great,” she said examining it in closer detail. She walked over to a nearby table. “Fine, I’ll just use this to hold it still, so I can get at it.”

She lay her wrist down on the table. She inhaled. She knew what she had to do, but she had to admit that she was frightened. It was not an easy thing to do. She could only hesitate for so long before the girls would become suspicious.

“I will hold no fear,” she began silently in her mind. “Fear is for my enemy. Fear is defeat, and the forerunner of defeat. I will hold no fear.”

She looked one last time at her wrist and at the bracelet. She pulled the short sword back, held it high in the air for only a moment, then brought it back with as much strength as she could muster towards her wrist.

The Silver Light

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Empress of Clouds - Chapter 25

Chapter 25