The Conquest of Mytheyr
Chapter 4

The wind quietly rustled the trees’ leaves. The only othersound was the quiet plod, plod oftheir horses’ hooves on the forest floor. Morgan was concerned, for both horseswere acting strange. Raven’s mount, Caspian, a hot-blooded stallion Morgannamed after a book character she liked, was antsy, shifting his weightunevenly, as if prepared to turn about and flee at a moments notice.Nightshade, the black mare Morgan rode, was not so perturbed, but her ears werelaid back and she stepped more lightly then usual, as if she did not wish to beheard. Morgan met Raven’s eyes, and they both nodded to each other.

Morgan andRaven had been friends for the better half of forever. Strangers often mistookthem for sisters. After all, they almost shared a mind and, except for a fewmajor bones and sore subjects, they normally agreed on everything. And rightnow, they agreed on one important thing; there was trouble nearby.

The twoelves reached a huge clearing in the forest that permeated Mytheyr. Well,clearing is a bad term, as three-fourths of it was dominated by the luxurious Palace of Mytheyr.

Most of the people of Mytheyr buildvillages among the canopy, but that wouldn’t do for a construct as large as thepalace. A long time ago, Humans and Dark Elves lived in harmony in Mytheyr, anda large council of both species governed it, overseen by two co-ruling monarchsfrom each race. The palace was built to hold all the people needed to governMytheyr’s large population, as well as the servants needed to keep the noblesand officials. Usually, the palace would be an impressive sight, and aheartening one to Morgan, but not today.

Above the great arch entrance, fourbodies hung, dangling from nooses that twisted in the wind. Raven and Morganwere too far away to see who they were, but the sight sickened them. The grassand shrubs around the palace were limp and dying, but the physical appearancewas not the worst of it.

Always, the quiet voices of thetrees whispered in the back of Morgan’s and Raven’s heads, as familiar as thebuzz of a city. Now they were painfully silent. They always felt auras on theirskins, as natural to them as the air. Now the auras felt uncomfortable, heavy.The horses shifted their weight anxiously as they were reined to a stop. Caspianwas almost to the point of fleeing. Nightshade would follow Morgan to hell andback, but she was making it very clear she didn’t want Morgan going anyfurther, laying back her ears and lifting her front right hoof high, neighingurgently.

“Hush.” Morgan said soothingly, pulling gently on the reins.“Shh, shh.”

“Raven?”Morgan asked softly, dropping into an Elvish accent, something she usually didwhen she was upset or nervous. “You… feel that, right? And… hear it?”

“I do.” Raven said simply, wishing she could come up with aconvincing reason to say it must be nothing. Last time any Dragonkin Elf feltthis way, a lot of voices were silenced. But this feeling was different fromlast time… it was blacker, denser.

“I’ve been waiting.” an evil voice broke the tense silence.

Pandemoniumbroke loose. Caspian lost it, rearing in what may have been an attempt to throwRaven. Caspian was a usually brave horse, but he perhaps had better knowledgeof the danger they were in then the elves did. Unfortunately for him, Raven’sfavorite stunts on dragonback were corkscrews and barrel rolls, so staying on abucking horse was little issue. Morgan’s thin, silver bracelet turned liquidand re-formed in her hands as a silver bow and a single arrow. It was knockedand drawn at a tall, pale figure, which radiated the terrible, black aura. Shedid not get a good look at the figure before the ground in front of herexploded, sending debris flying and blocking her view. Nightshade shied away asa golem pulled itself out of the hole. It snatched Morgan straight off themare’s back, holding the struggling Elf high in the air. Morgan’s bow waswrenched out of her hand, turning into a dagger and becoming dull as it hit theground. Morgan’s eyes widened as she realized the significance. She shouted awarning to Raven. Raven however, had been busy trying to get Caspian undercontrol, and she was already grabbed by a second golem by the time her friend’swarning reached her ears.

“How verykeen of you.” The figure said. “I expected it would take longer for you torealize I had mixed Blood Iron into my golems.”

“Murderer.” Raven hissed through her teeth. Blood Iron wasactually mostly steel, and it was created only when a weapon spilled the bloodof a dragon, whom the Dragonkin (obviously) had a close bond with. It was tomagic as rubber is to electricity, and Elves were powerless in such closeproximity to it. Morgan and Raven already felt sick, and they could fall into acoma if exposed to it too long.

“Who areyou?” Morgan demanded. “What have you done?” She took in his appearance. Helooked like a Sylvan Elf, but no elf, especially a race as pure as the Sylvan,radiated that kind of….

“Yes, that is Black magic you feel.” he said tilting hishead. “None of that petty Darkness others deal in. I know who you are, QueenMorgan of the Dragonkin of Irideth. It seems hardly fair I keep you in thedark.”

He cameforward, until his face was a foot from Morgan’s. She was forced into anawkward position because of the way the golem had its massive, stony arm aroundher neck, but she managed to make eye contact with him. She narrowed her eyesand growled in the back of her throat. All Fey can see the soul in one’s eyes,regardless of whether or not they know what they’re seeing. Morgan looked. Shesaw nothing, not a trace, not even a scrap.

He smiledsoftly at her reaction.

“I am Semele. I have been waiting a long time to meet you inperson.”

“What. Have. You. Done?” Morgan snarled, her Elvish accentgetting heavier by the word.

“Why, I have only done what is my right. I am, you see, aking. A king needs a kingdom. And every kingdom,” he started the sentencesoftly, bringing up his hand to touch Morgan’s face, “needs a queen.”

“Remove your hand.” Morgan warned, “Or I fucking will removeit for you.”

“Now, now, that is not language befitting a queen.”

“Morgan…”Raven said. Morgan knew that tone. Two quiet beeps reached her ears.

“Fuck.” she said, and made all her muscles limp.