The Curse of Thir

Neither girl had slept well after Xylees’ nightmare, even though Naveen had insisted that she sleep in her bed in case she was plagued by another nightmare. Unfortunately just as both allowed the experience of nightmarish screams to slip away and relaxed into a reasonable state, the sun rose and with it Lady Francis who upon seeing Xylee laying in the bed with the princess, began screaming bloody murder.

“Get off My Princesses sheets you vile creature! How dare you be so close to her with your demonic presence, attempting to taint her perfection with whatever you are, how dare you, vile creature!”

Xylee slipped off the high four post bed and sat on the left side facing the window, she didn’t feel it necessary that Francis should shout so loudly, this early in the morning. But even though she was no longer on the bed Francis felt the need to continue with her belittling outburst of harsh words.

“... Francis... please refrain yourself from shouting so early in the morning. My ear drums are not yet suitably dressed for your verbal onslaught of terrible insults.” Naveen sat up with a groggy expression upon her face, staring in the general direction of her rude hand maid.

“My Princess! Did she harm you in anyway?” Her plump body moved swiftly to the princesses side, her arms dramatically explaining her worry.

“I didn’t sleep a wink Princess, I was so fraught with worry at leaving you alone with that creature...”

“Xylee...”

“I checked up on you every half hour, I must have missed this devil sneaking into your bed...

“..of course you did...” Naveen flopped back down.

“....you look terrible... Did she hurt you?”

“No.”

“...did she... touch you?” Francis glared at Xylee who stared vacantly out the window.

Naveen sat up quickly her mouth slightly ajar with surprise, a touch of colour hinted at her cheeks and her eyebrows shot together.

“No, she did not touch me!”

“Are you certain....?”

“Yes I am certain! Now stop your nonsense questioning woman!” She looked down at Xylee, her expression softened as she clambered over the light purple satin sheets towards her. She climbed down next to Xylee.

“Are you alright Xylee?”

Xylee looked at Naveen and then back out the window.

“Yes Princess Naveen, I’m sorry for the trouble I caused last night. It won’t happen again.”

“Don’t apologies or promise something like that.” She followed Xylees’ gaze out the window, Francis continued with her verbal parade of malicious words.

“What frightened you so badly Xylee?”

“....I don’t remember...I just remember... waking.” It was the truth. She didn’t remember why she woke up screaming and crying.

“Well, maybe that’s for the best then. But if you do remember you are welcome to discuss it with me and I’ll do my best to help however I can.”

“If I remember I will, Princess Naveen.”

“Good.” Naveen a stood up and held out her hand. “Let’s get dressed and I’ll show you the gardens today.”

Pink and sky-blue flowers littered the bushes in careless clumps, a few weeping willows swept dramatically about in the wind with a single fruit tree dangling some strangely scented blossoms and oddly shaped fruits, stood closest to the small hill overlooking a crystal clear lagoon closed off from the main lake by a gigantic smooth wall. They had recently escaped Francis with a quick burst of speed close to the kitchens; regrettably the guardsmen had easily kept up all the way down the passage ways and stairs and into the private gardens where Xylee now found herself standing.

“What do you think Xylee?”

Naveen sat on the green sea of grass and stared at the two guardsmen she had shouted, commanded, threatened and eventually convinced to stay as far away from her as possible. Her tongue stuck out at them but she doubted she would get a rise out of them.

“It’s beautiful Princess Naveen.” Smells of clean water and soft grass wafted up her nose as she sniffed the air, roses from the princess and something soft and sweet tingled her nostrils. Her nose twitched.

“Do you always sniff the air like that?”

Xylee stopped inhaling the many smells and turned to Naveen, there were grass stains on the princess tights and hands, her fair brown skin warmed in the sun.

“Sniff the air like what, Princess Naveen?”

She pointed at Xylees face and moved her finger like a worm.

“Your nose wriggles every time you smell something. Is it normal..., normal for you?”

“I guess it is normal, I don’t really pay attention to what my nose looks like Princess, but if it disturbs you I’ll try to stop it.”

Xylee caught movement from where the guards stood, looking more closely she noticed them bow as three figures swept past them. King Tyres gave the two men disapproving looks as he noted the distance between them and the princess.

“Oh Thir be damned,” Naveen stood up and motioned for Xylee to stand behind her, “here comes mighty King Tyres the Peaceful. Such a lie and a contradiction I think.”

An older looking gentleman with hundreds of wrinkles on his hands and face, followed by a pretty woman with red hair and a stern face followed the king.

“Naveen, why are the guards so far from you and that creature?” He waved in disgust at Xylee. “They won’t be able to reach you in time if anything were to happen.”

Naveen puffed herself up and folded her arms.

“I ordered them to stay there because I do not want them breathing down my neck. Besides nothing will happen, you made sure of that.”

“Oh for... Naveen, it’s not human and potentially very dangerous. The Necklace and the guards are for your protection until we figure out if that thing can truly be trusted with you!”

Naveen glared at him then at the two strangers. The bright sun brought sweat to the kings’ brow.

“Who are they?”

King Tyres sighed loudly in frustration at his daughters’ stubbornness. “This is Master Lemoine and his assistant Theophilia.” Both individuals bowed uncomfortably at their seeming intrusion on a family discussion. “They have come from Dan-hare at my request to help me.... with that creature.”

“Help how, are you diseased from her presence father?”

Xylee glanced at the king and his company waiting for a reply. But the answer came from the wrinkly old man the king had called Lemoine.

“I have no intention of hurting it Princess. I only need to ask a few questions with a truth spell.”

“Her name is Xylee.”

“My apologies Princess Naveen. I have no intention of hurting her.”

“This, truth spell, can it be done out here?”She spread her arms to bring the wizard mans attention to the large open space the garden provided, surrounded on all four sides, even the lake, by walls.

“It’s unusual to do such things in the open, but it is quiet and I sense a certain amount of calm and comfort, so if you wish and if your father agrees it can be done here.”

“Fine, as long as it gets done as quickly as possible, I must know what its intentions are.”

Lemoine looked about, frowned then sat down on the ground. The King looked back and saw the old man sitting attempting to cross his legs.

“Master Lemoine! I do not think that, that is appropriate or wise for someone your age?”

His leg finally hooked into place.

“With age comes wisdom Majesty, so I pretend everything I do is wise.”

Theophilia smirked and insulted the old man in a language that none of them knew and left a grating feeling in the ears.

“Bring the girl here and seat her in front of me if you please Princess.”

Princess Naveen turned about to face Xylee who was now attempting to back away.

“Xylee, please don’t be scared. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.” She held out her hand. “Hopefully my father will leave you alone as soon as this funny old man from Dun-hare is done.”Looking at Naveens hand, then at the old man and then at the king, who scolded something dreadful, Xylee nodded and walked slowly around the princess ignoring her friendly gesture. Naveen dropped her hand and followed Xylee with her eyes, she side stepped the king who moved backwards and bumped into Theophilia, who would’ve said something if she hadn’t remembered who the bearded man was.

Xylee sat down slowly in front of the old man, her eyes not once leaving his.

“I’m going to ask you questions and with one of them I want you to lie,” Xylee frowned, “you don’t need to worry, when you lie we’ll see a small light in your palm.” She looked down at her hands and splayed them open. He gently touched the middle of her palm with his index finger.

“Ready?”

She nodded.

“Is your name truly Xylee?”

“Yes.”

Everybody stared at her hands, nothing happened.

“I want you to lie with this question. Is the Princesses name Naveen?”

Xylee hesitated and focused her eyes on her palms.

“No.” A small blue light appeared in her right hand, the king nodded at this proof that the wizards magic worked.

“Doesn’t hurt does it?”

“No it doesn’t.”

“Good, I’m going to continue with the questions then. Do you have any idea what type of creature you are?”

“No.” A small blue light appeared in her palm. This confused Xylee.

“I’ll ask again, please be honest.” The kings’ angry glare was now glued to Xylees palm.

“Do you know what type of creature you are?”

“No I honestly do not.” The blue light returned accusingly.

“The demon creature lies to your face Master Lemoine! It’s a lying beast. If it lies it is untrustworthy and cannot be trusted with my daughter.”

Xylee looked up at the king.

“Do not cast your eyes upon me demon spawn!”

Lemoine looked from the kings angry face to Xylees, noting her doe like ears had fallen back slightly.

“Do you believe you are a demon Xylee, answer truthfully.”

’I’m not a demon... am I?’ Her mind was unsure and said no but her heart quivered at the thought. She did believe she was a demon.

“..yes..” She looked down for the blue spark but it didn’t come.

“No... You are no demon Xylee!” Naveen knelt next to her, her tights accumulating more grass stains. “You are not a demon Xylee, You only think you are because that’s what everybody else tell you.”

“Do not interfere with Master Lemoines work Naveen, he will expose this demon and it will expose itself with its’ own lies.”

Lemoine looked at Naveen and considered her words.

“Your Majesty. Have you ever called her anything else but demon, devil or creature?”

“Of course, I’ve called it, it. But I am right it is a demon creature. It even admitted it”

Lemoine looked back at Xylee.

“Has anybody ever called you anything besides your name and creature, demon or it?”

“...yes...”

“What else then did they call you then my dear?”

Theophilia complained at how long this thing was taking and sat down on the ground, listening carefully although not showing it.

“...whore...or... stupid. Just...insulting words mostly...”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.” A blue flame appeared again, it was beginning to get on her nerves.

“What else then?”

“Stop asking these stupid questions Lemoine, she admitted she’s a demon. There is no need to delve into the psychological workings of something evil.”

“Your Majesty, I beg for your patients. But knowing everything allows me to make a fair assessment of how dangerous she truly is. It would not be fair to believe the words of a girl who clearly does believe the things she has been told by those around her.” He spoke again to Xylee. “What else?”

Xylee thought for a moment and realised she’d been called something new recently, and it was far more shocking than being called a whore. She whispered the word friend and was asked to repeat herself.

“...Friend...” The king laughed at this and looked at her palm. No blue light.

“Your demon friends probably called you friend then.” King Tyres crossed his arm and waited for her response.

“I don’t have demon friends your Majesty.”

“Well then who on Thir would call you a demon, friend then? Maybe it has followers in some evil cult?”

“I called her friend father...” Naveen hissed through her teeth and stared critically at both the wizard and the king. “You see now wizard. She does not know what she is, she only believes what others have said.” She made a point of looking at her father as she spoke.

“You are a very smart young woman Princess. She truly does not know. It is a pity.”

“She just said she was a demon! How can you go against the truth?”

“There are many truths your majesty. The fact that she believes that she is a demon is because that’s the only truth she knows, and your truth too it seems. You’ve already decided that she is a demon.” Theophilia sat up turned to the wizard and nodded her approval at his words.

“Fine, then forget what it is and ask what it wants.” The Kings behaviour had become stubborn and childish in a sense.

“Yes Majesty. What do you intend to do here Xylee?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t intend to come here.” No flame.

“Do you wish to harm the Princess at all?” Xylee glanced at the princess, who smiled back.

“No.” No flame. The princesses’ smile broadened and she glared at her father.

“Do you wish to harm the King?”

“... a little bit....” no flame. King Tyres stood back and pointed at Xylee.

“Ha! You see it intends on harming me!”

“FATHER! If you set anybody alight with magic and called them it and demon, I am a hundred percent sure that they would want to do more than harm you a little.”

“Do you wish to kill the King?”

“No.” No matter how hard the King stared at her palm, no flame appeared.

“I believe you have an answer your Majesty.”

“I don’t trust it, check the future Master Lemoine. I must be sure.”

“As you wish your Majesty. Please give me your hands Xylee; this will not hurt either so you have no need to fear.”

Xylee placed her hands in Lemoines waiting grasp.

Images, bits of her past flickered about, her feelings on being there and her fear then large shifting trees flooded the old wizards mind. His eyes glazed over as Theophilia got up and knelt behind him, supporting him from the back.

He breathed deeply and puffed air out of his nostrils, his eyes flickered and he gazed intently into Xylees deep yellow irises.

“Her future is not clear your majesty, I seem to be blocked by some old magic and I can’t see anything clearly.” He felt saddened within his very core

“It’s that horrid necklace Gelnane spelled. He said he used Tree-beast magic.”

Helping Lemoine up to his feet and lending him an arm to lean on Theophilia spoke.

“Well that is the only magic that blasted man knows Princess, and it’s very strong too. Not that I’m complementing him or anything.”

“Is there any way to see around that spell then Master Lemoine? I need to know.”

The King hovered close to Lemoine but far enough from Xylee.

“Yes, there is. But it’ll require de-spelling the necklace. Are you willing to do that Majesty?”

“Thir be damned. No.”

“Then it’ll be near impossible, although if I could remove the spell from the necklace in a magic environment of my creation, then you’ll be safe, she’ll be unharmed and you’ll get everything you require.”

“Perfect! When can it be done?”

“In approximately half a years’ time, if I begin now.”

“What?”

“Spells of a certain nature require ingredients, and those ingredients require time to prepare, and these specific ingredients are only available in the fourth week of winter which is half a year from now and the rest... well the rest of the ingredients are spread throughout the lands.”

“But, what should I do with it till then?”

“She will not harm you your majesty, and from what I can tell, Gelnane gave you some powerful magic to control her.”

“But my daughter?”

“I doubt she’s as concerned about this as you are.” He looked thoughtfully at the princess helping Xylee up. “She’s wise for someone so young, you would be wise to trust in her King Tyres.”

Naveen stood excitedly besides a less enthusiastic Xylee, who was still staring at her palms.

“Please prepare this spell then.”

Lemoine bowed and left with Theophilia supporting him. King Tyres looked once more at Naveen and followed.