#and 'what if you hung a magic quartz lantern off it'

[yourdeepestfathoms]

Beside The Dying Fire (part nine)

[DnD AU with the tour!verse]

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Word count: 2313

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Queen Jane Seymour’s kingdom wasn’t always called “the Unbreakable City.” Before the land was ravaged by battles, it was called Babylon, the capital of Cyprus and the safest place to live on the entire continent. It got its name from the gorgeous hanging gardens decorating the palace and mountains the city was situated on.

But after five years of nonstop battles and attacks on the capital, its name was changed to the Unbreakable City to symbolize how much it had withstood against Henry’s army. 

The Unbreakable City was set up on the side of a mountain, boxed in by a deep chasm called The Great Crystal Cliffs, which glittered in streams of petrified rainbows in the sunlight. But there wasn’t much sun left in the capital, as Henry had cast an eternal storm over the city, buffeting it in rain and snow and sleet and wind as long as the queen continued to not surrender. 

A large ebony wall towered around the perimeter of The Great Crystal Cliffs, protecting the people that lived within. Five impenetrable bridges conjured by the strongest magic lay over the chasm, allowing people to come and go from the city as they pleased. A pitch-black gate wrapped in vines and clusters of violets creaked open when Katherine and her companions arrived, and they followed Cleves and Bessie into the queen’s kingdom with their heads held high.

The senses of the city overwhelm Katherine from every direction. First, there was the noise, the cacophony of hundreds of people: merchants hawking their wares; dozens of different conversations; the cries of animals and children; the rattle of carts; and a million other noises. It was all the bubbling babble of a village meeting magnified a thousandfold.

Then there were the smells: the sweat and stink of thousands of bodies; the stench of rotting food, smoke, and cooking grease; the mixed odor of grilling meat and sizzling vegetables; the pungent musk of farm animals on the outskirts of the city; the constant aroma of rain. Smells were everywhere, all slamming into her in powerful waves of stink.

Finally, her ears got used to the cacophony and her nose began to filter the overpowering stench, and she could see the glory that was the Unbreakable City: houses piled three or four stories high, stretching into the distance like a jumbled mass; the high, raised pillars of spires and turrets and crenelated bulwarks in ebony stone; the caves carved into the towering stretches of cliffs all around; and the plants. There were so many plants all over the place, roses and violets and bluebells and sunflowers bursting in barrages of color from building to building. 

And then, there was the palace.

Queen Jane Seymour’s palace had to be the most beautiful building Katherine had ever seen before. It was carved out of polished black marble, half-built deep into the mountain where dozens of rooms were chipped away from mossy stone for all the workers and nobles to live. A wide curtain of willow and lichen hung down from the cliff overhead, gently draping over the black beauty. Moss and blankets of tightly-woven flowers were cascading from several grand balconies, glowing with vibrant life, and vines crawling with roses were coiled delicately around intricately-carved spiral pillars. Waterfalls were pouring out from crevices in the mountain wall, falling into the chasm below like streams of crushed diamonds.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Katherine turned her head to see Cleves smiling at her. The Minotaur gazed up at the palace, and her golden-brown eyes glittered in the light drizzle. On her shoulder, Bessie’s black tail feathers were wagging like a happy dog’s.

  “It is,” Katherine said. “It’s amazing.”

Cleves smiled even wider before walking up the steps to the palace pavilion, Katherine and her companions following. A marble courtyard of lush greenery was built around a statue of an elegant quartz dragon sitting regally on a glittering throne. The entrance to the palace was a high arch with a curtain of vines that tickled Katherine’s shoulders when she passed through them.

  “Woah,” Joan murmured at her side.

The inside of the castle was just as incredible as the outside.

A huge foyer yawned out before them, with a visible catwalk stretched around the upper sections of the high-vaulted walls where maids and other workers bustled about. Several hallways were carved deep into the mountain, most likely leading to even more magnificent rooms. 

Cleves ended up taking them down the corridor at the very front of the foyer, which led into a giant throne room that was dressed in flowers and plants, fed by spring water streaming from the smooth stone walls and collecting into troughs edging the floors. The ceiling was completely covered in dark phosphorescent moss that was freckled in glowing bright blue speckles, mimicking the night sky. One of the two thrones was a beautiful marble creation, studded with opals and pearls and fluffed with silver velvet cushions. The other, however, was completely wrapped in prickly vines and painfully sharp thorns; it was clear that sitting in it was not allowed, though a freshly-polished silver circlet hung from one of the back points.

Cleves looked around the throne room, while Bessie jumped down from her shoulders. Her talons clicked against the shiny floor as she paced around.

  “Shiny?” She called out in a youthful voice. “Queenie?”

  “Hm,” Cleves said. “I’m disappointed but not surprised.”

  “What?” Katherine looked at her.

Cleves chuckled. “Nothing. It’s just very like Jane to not be on her throne. Come on, follow me.”

They took a hallway to the left and walked further into the castle. Instead of feeling claustrophobic from being inside a mountain, Katherine felt quite secure and protected within the stone walls of the palace.

They stepped into another huge room, and Katherine couldn’t help but gasp at its beauty.

It was a library, but also a forest. Giant thick trees towered out of the mossy stone floor, their twisted branches hanging with lanterns and writing materials. Holes were carved in the trunks, where scrolls were neatly slotted info and marked with letters in the bark. Several more cubbyholes were dug out into the walls, filled with ancient texts and grand stories, while high, shined mahogany bookshelves actually held all the books. Wooden tables dotted the space, along with several places to sit, like hollows in the trees and nests made of fluffy lichen. A spring burbled softly in the center of the library, giving off a natural bioluminescent glow, which bathed the two figures by the water in soft blue light.

The figure standing up was a Leonin woman, dressed in shiny glass armor and wielding two curved swords. Her fur was a dark sandy yellow color, speckled with light brown on her back and shoulders, and her eyes were bright amber, sharp and alert.

The figure sitting on the ground reading a book, however, was a beautiful dark-skinned human woman. Her skin was unblemished and shiny from the golden oils she bathed with, contrasting brightly with the silk silver dress she was wearing. Teardrop-shaped crystals were draped along her shoulders, cascading down her gown in a bright glittering stream. A metal circlet sat on her head, studded with diamonds and opals. When she looked up, her eyes were a warm golden-amber color.

Cleves and Bessie bowed, then Katherine and her companions copied. The queen smiled.

  “Anna, Bessie,” Queen Jane Seymour said, and her voice was smooth and husky. “It’s good to see you both again. I’m glad you’re home safe.”

  “Queenie!!” Bessie chirped. She launched herself forward and threw her arms around the queen, nuzzling her with happy bird coos. The queen chuckled and stroked the feathers on her head.

  “Hello, Bessie,” Jane said. She glanced at Katherine and her companions. “Hello there. Who are you three?”

  “Katherine Howard of Ghent,” Katherine dipped her head, despite already bowing. “These are Catalina and Joan. We request your assistance in something.”

Jane raised an eyebrow. She closed her book and stood up, suddenly looking very alert. “Oh? Is that so?”

  “They had a run-in with Mannox, My Lady,” Cleves informed.

Joan flinched slightly when the name was said, flicking her ears back. Katherine gently touched her shoulder for support.

  “Do tell,” Jane said. 

  “My village was destroyed by Henry’s forces,” Katherine said. “Ghent. It was in the Needle Forest.”

Jane frowned. “I heard about that. I’m terribly sorry.”

Katherine nodded slightly. “I’m here to urge you to get more involved in the war. Henry is tearing apart the continent. You need to start fighting back more than you are. Please.”

Jane stared at her and, without hesitation, said, “No.”

Katherine’s jaw actually fell open. She watched as Jane briskly turned around and began walking out of the library. The Leonin followed her, and Cleves and Bessie copied after glancing at Katherine to gauge her reaction. Katherine hurried after them, Catalina and Joan on her tail.

  “Wait!” Katherine shouted. “Your Majesty!”

Jane turned to her. “I can’t risk losing any more of my soldiers. By pushing out more, I anger Henry, and that is not what I want.”

  “But people are dying!” Katherine cried. “Innocent people! What about them?”

Jane sighed. “I feel bad, I do, but my people come first.”

  “You’re a fucking coward,” Catalina hissed.

The Leonin growled lowly, bristling her fur. “Watch what you say, Aasimar.”

  “What do you mean? Watch what I say about the truth?” Catalina scoffed. She narrowed her eyes at Jane. “What kind of queen are you, hiding inside your castle? Do you enjoy being blissfully ignorant towards the things going on outside your walls? Katherine is right, innocent people are DYING because of YOUR husband! Control him!”

Jane went quiet for a moment, rubbing her fingers over a sapphire pendant around her neck. “My husband,” She murmured. She shook her head. “Henry had been changing long before the war started. I couldn’t stop him then. I’m not sure what you expect me to do now.”

Catalina barked a cruel laugh. “You are unbelievable! So many people are dying, women and children, because of YOUR petty marriage issues, and for what? What is even the point of this stupid war?”

Jane stared at them, silent, then said, “Follow me.”

The queen led them all through a mossy hallway with sewing rooms and music rooms and learning rooms in them, then up a flight of smooth stone steps. She was quiet as she approached and opened a wooden door.

Inside was a room with walls that were decorated with bright, colorful flowers and sparkling crystals. A large light purple rug was stretched out across the stone floor, and several large pillows, blankets, books, and toys filled the rest of the space. A small castle was carved out of stone in one corner, fit with a slick flint slide and a woven rope swing. Long dark green curtains billowed in the wind streaming inside, and the doorway they blocked led out onto a balcony thriving with plant life. Stars whittled out of luminescent blue stones dangled from the ceiling, swaying slightly in the breeze.

It took Katherine only a moment to realize this was a playroom.

  “Mama!”

A little boy burst out of the stone castle and ran to Jane, hugging her leg tightly. He was small, with ivory skin, dark brown hair, and bright blue eyes. A purple blanket was tied around his neck like a cape, and he clutched a pegasus toy tightly in one of his little hands.

  “Mama! Mama, guess what!!!” The boy exclaimed. “Today when I was learning with Mister Hugo, I read ALL BY MYSELF!!!!”

Jane smiled, rubbing the child’s head. “My smart boy,” She said lovingly. “I’m so proud of you!”

The boy beamed, then noticed Katherine and her companions standing there. He perked up.

  “Woah!!!” He cried. “Mama, look!! New friends! And a TIEFLING!!! Look at her, Mama! She’s SO PRETTY! LIKE A DIAMOND!!!”

Joan blushed, folding her ears back bashfully. She clearly wasn’t used to be complimented for her strange coloration.

  “I see them, sweetheart,” Jane said, then looked at Katherine and her companions. “This is Edward. My son.”

/Her son/, Katherine repeated in her head. She remembered hearing rumors about the queen of the Unbreakable City giving birth to a prince, but never knew if they were true, as not much information came out about him. She had just assumed the prince had died somehow until that moment.

  “Eddie, why don’t you go show the pretty Tiefling your swing?” Jane said. 

  “Okay!!!” Edward chirped. He bounded over to Joan, but held out his free hand to her instead of just grabbing her own. Joan hesitated shyly, then took his head and was taken over to the rope swing on the castle.

  “Five years ago I gave birth to Edward,” Jane said to Catalina and Katherine quietly. “I barely survived. Henry wanted to take him to learn to be a ‘proper prince’, but I refused. I hadn’t almost died just to not be with my son. Henry didn’t like that. He had already been hanging by a few threads, but this did it. He left Cyprus and then declared war two months later.” She shook her head, looking up at Katherine. “Now do you see why I can’t risk fighting him further? I can’t lose my son.”

Katherine looked at Edward chatting excitedly with Joan as they swayed on his swing, taking in how happy he looked, despite the tragedy raging outside the city’s walls, then said, “Is there anything we can do to change your mind?”

Jane considered her. “There are these beasts in each of the other territories. Henry created them to scare the people out of the war. If you can kill them and get the other kingdoms on my side, then I’ll join the fight.”

Katherine chuckled. “Alright.”

After all, she had wanted to be a hero.

[mama-m1na]

My Dear Goddess...: Prologue

                                                    ~~~0~~~

“Kisetsu kurikaesu tabi hotsureteku kizuna wo tsuyoku, tsuyoku daki shimete

Nakusanuyou,” an eight-year-old girl sang as she sat on the back balcony, dangling her legs, “kakaeta kotoba no omotasani ugoke nakunatte tada atatakana yume ni oboreteta kizukeba kimi wo miushinai.”

“Tabane daki shimeteta sugata wo yawaraka ni chirashite akaku itai hodoni sore wa yakitsuite,” she continued as the forest seemed to sing with her, “hirari hirari hirari.”

“Rhamina!” called an older female causing the child to halt her singing and turn to her left.

A female in her early twenties who wore a long, red, hamaka, with a white haori, white socks, and wooden sandals sighed as she walked over to the child. She also had a set of turquoise prayer beads around her neck that reached just past her chest.

“Rhamina, come on we’re going to be late for breakfast,” the woman called as the child stood up.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Yuuei, the forest just looked so pretty today. I wanted to admire it,” the girl said staring off into the forest with a smile on her face as she brushed her shoulder length, black hair out of her face.

The girl’s attire was similar to the woman’s except that she wore a long red skirt instead of a hamaka and the girl’s prayer beads were of jade, obsidian, rose quartz, and pearls which hung closer to her stomach.

“It’s alright, let’s just go so we won’t be late,” the woman smiled as she ruffled the child’s hair, “We wouldn’t want Ocha to get mad at us would we?”

“No!” Rhamina exclaimed as she dashed over to the dining area with a smile on her face.

Once at the dining area with her specific housemates she took her spot at the table followed by the woman who got her.

“Finally, it took you guys long enough,” a fifteen-year-old girl chuckled.

“Hey, at least we got her before noon,” the woman chuckled, “Now let’s start our prayer first.

The twenty girls at the table took their prayer beads and wrapped them around their hands as they took a prayer position.

“Spirits of earth, heaven, and light we thank thee for thy bounty which we are about to receive. By your feast allow us to be more successful in our further studies to understand the gifts bestowed to us,” the girls said in unison.

As they spoke each individual was surrounded in a soft glow of a color which corresponded to them

“So mote it be.”

With the last four words the girls returned the prayer beads to either around their necks or wrapped around their dominant wrist before they began to eat the food in front of them.

The typical day of a Shrine Maiden usually consisted of studying, meditating, and practicing magic. On special occasions they would be in charge of rituals and rites as they and/or others passed different milestones.

They usually did this until nightfall, then they would bath and go to bed after reading some more if they wanted.

This night however, was different.

“Ahhhhh!” Crash! Bang!

Yueii ran towards the noise holding a lantern with worry written all over her face.

Upon entering Rhamina’s room she saw the lantern which was on the child’s nightstand was broken on the floor and Rhamina herself was curled up in a ball clutching onto the beads around her neck while sobbing.

“Mina, what’s wrong?” the brunette asked as she brought the child’s form into her arms.

“I had a nightmare, there- there was so much fire and-and everyone was dead!” the girl cried.

“Who?” Yueii asked as more females appeared in the doorway.

“Everyone in the Shrine! They were killed by men wearing purple and blue. They rode on horses with golden dragons on them!”

Yueii’s eyes widened and she handed the girl to another woman as she said, “Look after her for a bit.”

“Yueii, what happened?” the female asked as the brunette began walking to the main building of the shrine.

“I need to talk with Ocha.”

“So, she had the premonition as well?” the elderly woman asked once the female explained what had just happened.

“That was-was a premonition?” Yueii asked with widened eyes, “Then we-we need to evacuate now!”

“Yueii, there is no time,” Ocha answered in a calm tone, “They will be here by dawn and it will only be worse if all of us try to run.”

“Then we’re supposed to all die?” the brunette asked bringing a hand to her mouth.

“No, one of us will live,” the woman responded looking out her window, “The one who would’ve had the longest time left out of all of us.”

“Rhamina will escape?” Yueii asked, “Only her?”

“It’s better than none of us, Yueii,” the Head Maiden sighed, “She will try to help some of us escape but will not be able to.”

That morning men wearing blue and purple rode horseback up the path to the shrine where 500 women and girls stood in their red and white attire clutching their prayer beads in their hands.

As the whole property was surrounded a man with a scroll stepped forward and announced, “By orders of His Majesty, all Shrine Maidens of Tsukiko Shrine are found guilty of treason for conspiring against the King and are to be arrested for interrogation. Those who do not comply will be killed on sight!”

“We will not go along with those who are blinded by the vile man they call a king!” Ocha spoke standing in front of all the females.

The man smirked as he flicked his wrist forward and flaming arrows rained down over the females hitting some of them.

“Find and kill all of those wenches!” the same man commanded as the females began to scatter, “All five hundred of them must be accounted for!”

Rhamina screamed as the people she saw as her family were slaughtered in front of her eyes.

From under the porches of one of the housing buildings she watched as females of various ages dropped to the ground.

“Mia!” the ravenette called as she saw a twelve-year-old girl trip.

She unwedged herself from her hiding spot and dashed forward to heal the large gash on the girl’s arm.

Mia looked up with a smile as the ravenette’s glowing hands hovered above the wound.

“Mina, you need to go, if anyone of us should live it should at least be you,” the girl spoke as tears streamed down her face.

“No,” Rhamina hissed pulling the older girl to her feet when she heard feet running towards their location.

“Hey, come back here!” a man called.

Zip! Zip! Thud! “Ahhhh!”

“Mi-Mia!” squealed Rhamina as she looked behind her to see the blonde with two arrows sticking out of her back.

Zip! Zip! Zip!

The girl jumped back as three more arrows lodged themselves in where she previously stood.

As she began to run to the northern border of the shrine she grasped her prayer beads before jumping over the border fence as more arrows whizzed by her.

“Dear spirits I call upon thee please make me as limber and nimble as a fox so that I may escape my predators!” she chanted as a purple glow surrounded her form.

In a puff of smoke she had turned into a white fox with purple tipped ears and tail.

In her new form she was able to escape her death as she hid in the forest.

A few hours later she could only watch as the bodies of her companions were disrespectfully dragged off down the road by the men.

“Where is the last one?” the man who had announced the orders asked.

“We were unable to locate her, Sir,” another man said.

“Well, find her!” the first man spat, “His Majesty was quite clear when he said all five hundred of them were to be brought back!”

As she sat at the river watching the line of horses and bodies trot down the path to the capital city Hanyang, a white fox cried in despair at the loss of her whole family.

                                             ~~~Fin. Prologue~~~

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Songs used: “Hirari Hirari” by Hatsune Miku

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