Part one of something I'm writing
I started working on this a long time ago... and I've worked on it sporadically ever since. Before I continue with it, I thought I would put the beginning up here to see what everyone thinks. I hope you enjoy it. It's titled "Elemental"
CHAPTER ONE
Lindarié had never felt such grief. She took the heavy crown off her aching head, but could still feel the incredible weight on her heart. She looked at the crown’s jewels, glinting in the warm summer sun and felt her eyes tear in their brilliance. She drifted out of herself and into memories of her parents, now dead these six months. With the breeze coming through the open window, she imagined that she could smell the brinnaelia flowers that her mother used in her perfume. She could almost hear her father’s echoing laughter in the sounds of the gathered party below. She dreamed, of the last summer with her parents, hosting parties, entertaining ambassadors, and lounging in the sweet sunsets. She felt the tears free flowing as she sat in the dying light. It wasn’t until the soft knock on her door that she realized she had spent the afternoon in her daydreams.
“My Lady,” came the servant’s muffled voice through the thick door, “are you ready for the procession?”
“Yes, I suppose I am.” Lindarié dashed the tears from her face and looked into the mirror once again. The majority of her long copper hair was still wound tightly around her head in its long thick plait. One long braid hung down the back of her head to her back and landed in the gold clasp her father had given her as a young girl. She smoothed the hair back and picked up the crown once again. As she placed it on her head, the same weary heaviness settled on her once again.
The servant came in and began bustling and fussing about the queen as she always did. Lindarié was too tired to stop her as the girl resettled the crown and smoothed out the train of Lindarié’s dress. She stood, accepting the ministrations as if she were a little child and not the Queen of her people. She even accepted the maid’s scolding when she saw the wrinkled back of the gown. She was finally rescued from the maid’s commotion when Tanya, her old nursemaid, entered the room.
“Bless the wind, girl, you’ll wear the Queen out with all your noise. Get out. I’ll see the Queen gets set aright before the final ceremony.” And without another word, the maid was out the door and Lindarié left in peace. She felt herself sink back down into the chair, feeling unable to bear the weight of the day any longer.
“Come child!” Tanya began to scold before she turned pink in the cheeks. “Forgive me, my Queen, I forgot I was not talking to my old charge.” Lindarié turned to her, deciding Tanya did look a little repentant. Lindarié tried to keep a serious, stern look on her face, but failed miserably at the twinkle in Tanya’ eyes. Instead of a sullen glare, Lindarié burst into a fit of near hysterical giggles.
“Oh Tanya, I doubt I’ll ever be anything but a child to you,” she laughed. But those laughs quickly dissolved into the tears she had been restraining all day. She seemed to dissolve with her tears, as if crying them meant parts of her were leaving with them. Tanya, bewildered for a moment, stared at the girl turned queen as she melted into the chair before her. Then, regaining her senses, she went towards Lindarié and held her in her capable arms.
“Hush now child. Can’t have tears like that on your coronation day. What’s gotten into you?” Tanya rocked her girl back and forth, soothing and crooning as she used to do when Lindarié was a little girl with nightmares.
“I’m sorry, Tanya.” Lindarié said, hiccupping through the last of her tears. “It’s just… I can’t seem to stop thinking about Mom and Dad.” The grief in her eyes seemed to deepen as the tears disappeared. “I can’t help but wish they were here today.”
“Begging your pardon, Lindi… but we wouldn’t be having this today if they were here.” Lindarié laughed. How could she not? Tanya was trying so hard to cheer her up and dry her eyes before she went downstairs, and the truth was undeniable.
“You’re right, Tanya. Of course you’re right.” and in a sudden flurry of movement, Lindarié was up and putting herself together again. As she resettled her crown, untwisted the train of her dress and vainly tried to smooth out the now permanent wrinkles, she looked and felt more like the Queen she needed to be. She turned to Tanya, a fire glowing in her cobalt eyes, “Shall we?” And without waiting for an answer turned to go downstairs to the waiting assembly. She paused as she reached the door, as the captain of the guard stood in the doorway.
“Are you ready for the procession my Lady?” the guard asked. He was terribly flushed and looked nervous. Lindarié smiled at him, to ease his nerves and to calm herself as well.
“Of course, Sertif. If you would escort me down, I would greatly appreciate it.” She smiled at Tanya and turned towards Sertif. He bowed low and deep, almost losing his cap and quiver all at once. Lindarié tried very hard not to laugh, and resisted the instinct to help him reset his outfit. She and Sertif had grown up together and he was no doubt finding it difficult to think of his childhood friend as a queen.
“Wait chi… your Majesty.” Tanya called just as Lindarié had reached the landing outside her door. “Don’t you think you had better go down in your, uh, full capacity?”
“Do you think I should?” Lindarié asked, frowning. “I hadn’t thought about it, though maybe you’re right. After all, the ambassadors need to know that I am Queen as much as my mother was, and it would hearten my people, no doubt.” With that, she reentered the room, leaving Sertif to wait for her on the landing.
The air around her seemed to shift and take on the qualities of water. Her hair, once a smooth, if bold, copper seemed to come to life looking almost like a serpent of fire atop her head. Her skin seemed to become transparent -- left to look like clouds held in shape by a strong wind. Her eyes, usually intense cobalt became a changing mixture of green and blue, a color to match the deep swift river Athon that ran along the borders of her land. Her dress, once gossamer green turned into moss and leaves. The overall effect was breathtaking. When she smiled, something feral showed in Lindarié’s face, something Tanya had only rarely seen.
“What do you think, Tanya?” Lindarié asked with a slow chuckle. It was not often, even among her people, for any Elemental to show forth all the elements at one time. It was not easy either.
“I think you are showing off, as usual.” Tanya replied, trying to look un-awed at the transformation. “But it should be enough to impress anyone -- ambassadors and servants alike.”
“I just hope I don’t scare anyone.”
“Yes you do.”
“Ok, maybe I want to scare them just a little.” Lindarié smiled. “But they have to see that the Artifial family still has power. There has been too much doubt of late…” she drifted off, a sad anger turning her eyes a more tumultuous blue.
“Then why didn’t you present yourself in all your majesty today for the crowning ceremony?” Tanya was confused. All the people had been disappointed to see their Queen present herself as if she were an ordinary elemental, or worse, a human.
“Because tradition dictates it. I know it has been a long time since there was a coronation ceremony and most of my people have forgotten it, but it is custom to come before them and the ambassadors in full corporeal form.” Lindarié paused, thinking about the scrolls she had read about her father’s coronation. “In fact,” she went on hurriedly, “I am not sure I should present myself for the procession is such fashion, but I think it may be necessary. Plus, I am in less danger this way.” Tanya nodded, knowing without having to be told that Lindarié was afraid she would be killed as her parents had been. At least in Elemental form she had the protection of her magic and her skill as the wind.