Chapter 119

Evening everyone! Sorry for the late upload. My sleeping schedule has completely flipped and I am about to have to take measure to get back to actaully sleeping during the night. lol. On good news, Annihilation book 1 is done and sent to the editor. That means back to normal upload schedule! Yay! My next deadline is august which i plan to be Revenge Book 2. That means you guys need to keep on me to write it. haha. 

Louella

The Beneath party we encountered took us back to their camp. For now, it looked like they weren’t going to murder us, but that could change quickly. Nero appeared to have some idea of Beneath politics but was seemingly taken aback by the fact the dark elves and the Fallen Rose high races were working together. 

The smell of food made all our stomachs growl when we got into the perimeter of the camp. We certainly gained a bit more pep to our step. I almost shed a tear when they led us past the spot the cooking was taking place and to a tent in the back of the cave. 

Whoever this tent belonged to was important. I wasn’t sure, but I thought the lining was made from gold and other precious metals. A sigil of a pair of claws laid on the flaps to the entrance of the tent. When we reached it, the leader of the party bayed us to wait while he went inside. 

I expected we were going to have to wait, but that didn’t happen. Less than two or three minutes passed before the tent flap opened and we were beckoned inside. An old man and a dark elf sat at a table with a feast set for a king on its surface. I had to be careful or I would start to drool. 

We all came to a stop as the pair looked us over. Silence was king as I certainly had no idea who should speak first. I decided to let our hosts make the first move. It seemed like the safest option. 

“Welcome to the Beneath, surface dwellers. I am Lord Ferinight. A master of Fallen Rose.” The man gestured to his dark elf companion. “This is Lord Ondre of the house Greywall.”

The two were dressed in fine robes with more enchanted items then I could count. I could see an almost physical aura of mana coming from their bodies. The man had the same blue skin and twisted ears as I did. I felt like he was close to the same age as me, but something inside told me that might not be the case.

The dark elf was also quite handsome, but I knew you could never tell the age of an elf. He could have been twenty years old or four hundred. The dark elf’s ears were a few centimeters longer than a light skinned elf’s. This elf had vivid blond hair that was striking in the dim light of the tent.

“Thank you for your warm welcome. Lord Ferinight, Lord Ondre. We were worried we’d starve before we ran upon your patrol. We know there is no such thing as a free meal so if we can help or repay the debt in some way then we will do so.”

“We have heard some interesting things are happening in the world. High races dwelling on the surface again are the least of our problems. We are still interested in what you’re doing here,” Lord Ferinight said reaching forward to grab a glass of wine. 

“The dead stir. The undead that have guarded the Seal for longer than living memory have started to expand their influence. Fire floods the tunnels as none other than Glourios returns to the realm. Maybe our new friend here can explain.” Lord Ondre directed his gaze at me. I gulped as I wasn’t even sure what to tell them. 

Nero stepped forward drawing the two lord’s attention. “My Lords. Before you think we’re trying to lie to you. I just want to say the lady here has lost her memories. This is Queen Louella of Vaihdetta, a surface kingdom. There was a great battle that involved many spells. A fire mage used magic that.” He paused as he shook his head with a laugh. “That probably hadn’t been seen in a millennium. Even I tremble at the power she unleashed. Either way, she did not know to control the feedback and the excess fire mana sank into the ambient mana. Glourios used this as a spark for his return.”

“Then why does she bear his mark?” Lord Ondre asked with a gesture at me.

“I don’t know how he came to his decision, but he used ancient magic know only to even a few people of his time to mold her body into what it is now.”

The two lords stared at Nero for a tense moment. I kept count in my head ang we reached five minutes before one of them finally broke the silence. “Very well. I do not sense any falsely from you. Still for her people to leave her behind, she must not be very loved as a Queen,” Lord Ferinight said with a chuckle.

“Quite the contrary. Her people adore her, and it was her sacrifice that saved them all. Not to mention. The soul of metal has appeared.” Nero’s statement caused both of the lords to jump in their seats. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but kept my mouth shut. “HE has a keen interest in her majesty.”

“How do you know about the prophecy!?” Lord Ferinight demanded his mana starting to crackle around him.

“That… is none of your concern. Let us just say that I know quite a lot,” Nero replied. He stepped forward again then moved his hands in front of him where we couldn’t see. I felt a small fluctuation in the mana as a glow appeared. The two lords stepped back but nodded.

“We will make sure your needs are met. I wish we could escort you to the surface, but we are bound to our duty here.”

“That is more than sufficient. Thank you.” Nero bowed his head then turned to give me a grin. 

“We will call on you later. For now, I’m sure you all would like to rest and eat your fill. Liun. Please escort them to a tent where they might rest.”

“As you command, Lord Ondre.”

We all bowed our thanks to the lords then were escorted out of the tent. The man led us to what must serve as the kitchens in the camp and allowed us to take our fill. I wanted to be reserved but my stomach got the better of me. The two women in the kitchen area also shoved food into our hands even without us saying anything.

The tents they lent us were above most of the others in the camp as well. I was surprised they were going so far out of their way to help us, but whatever Nero had shown them had been effective. I hadn’t truly slept in the past week. Once I had eaten my fill and shown an actual comfortable place to rest. I was out in seconds.

~~~

A town that looked lived in but recently constructed was around me. The road had mud from a recent rain. A few buildings looked to have suffered damage from a fire though which cast an interesting contrast to the scenery. 

I blinked and a man was standing in front of me. Shadows of people that I couldn’t make any details out, streamed passed us. The man might have been scary in some regards but I felt… safe with him. 

“Oh, that’s right, Congratulations, Miss Viscountess, Hmmm doesn’t seem to roll off the tongue as well as Miss Baroness did,” the man made from metal said grinning. 

“Very funny. Just call me Louella,” I replied without a thought sporting a smile of my own. 

The metal man swept into a deep bow. “As you so command, My Lady Louella,” he replied before we broke into laughter. The scene started to break apart even as the man started to say something else. 

~~~

I snapped awake with images of the metal man, No, his name was Regan, flashing through my head. Whoever he was, he was important to me. Why else would I remember his name before my own? Even when the three said my name was Louella something inside me hadn’t been convinced.

After that dream though. I was sure that it was. I was surer than anything else in my life. I latched onto the dream and refused to let it fade from my memory. So much of everything around me was in flux. I wanted something that I knew was mine.

“Your Grace. Breakfast is ready if you feel up to it.”

I sat up and saw a female dark elf standing at the entrance to the tent. “Thank you. I will be there shortly.”

I got up and straighten myself up as best I could without a mirror. I was sure my hair looked like a mess, but that was the price for sleeping comfortably. I grabbed my staff and moved to join the attendant that stood waiting for me.

She led me to the Lords tent, and I found the others already waiting at a set table. A few more people had joined the two lords from yesterday. I took a deep breath and made my way to the only remaining free spot. Nero looked much cleaner than the last time I saw him. I was impressed he managed to find a way to clean himself in the middle of this camp.

“Welcome, your majesty. I hope you were able to rest well enough last night,” Lord Ferinight addressed me once I sat down. They had given me a spot at the end of the table, I suppose to show me respect.

“Thank you, but call me Louella, or at least Lady Louella. Honestly, I can’t remember being the queen as they say so I’ll feel awkward if you address me as such. Don’t worry. I won’t take it as a disrespect even when my memories come back. Yuno, please remind me if something happens once my memories come back, and I forget I told him that.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Very well. Lady Louella. Then we can get to the real discussion.”