The Queen's Garden Mage

“What in the Gods’ name happened to you?” Libeth asked the following morning as we stood on the Training Fields waiting for someone to announce the final stage of the first part of the Queen’s Tournament. I took a drink of my favorite tea, near black in color, but anyone who’d ever made it would say it was crimson, so dark a red as to be almost black. I sipped my tea, red like the petals of the succubus flower, illegal unless used to make tea and you could only be found with the petals not the full grown plant itself.

I breathed deeply, “I’d lie and say I fell if I thought for even a moment that you’d believe me.” Emery snorted turning to cover his amusement at my nonchalance about my battered appearance while Libeth glared at his turned back.

“Who dared to harm my Goddess?” Dahni asked completely serious, and all the more adorable because of it.

“She’s not a Goddess…” Emery countered.

“She’s an idiot.” Libeth supplied fuming.

I took another sip of my tea, throat aching slightly with each swallow. Though I’d healed the bruises that had blossomed on my face I still retained the cut above my brow now stitched closed and the bite mark on my neck startling in how obvious it was. I could count every tooth mark. “Why am I an idiot?” I asked calmly brow raised curiously.

“You let someone do this to you!” Libeth exclaimed waving at my face and neck.

“Trust me,” I countered. “I fought every step of the way…except the bite. That took me completely by surprise…” I rubbed my neck. “I wasn’t expecting her to bite me.” I murmured softly.

“I did not know you were into violence,” Emery sounded betrayed as if I should come to him first with such a thing, which I would have if I were.

“I’m not…”

“The vicious bite mark on your neck says otherwise.” Eden countered before I could even finish speaking.

I gave him a stern look causing him to raise his hands in surrender. “I’m not into to violence,” I turned to Emery. “I do not enjoy pain. I am still very unbroken…”

“Goodness Rhyme, you bedded someone and they didn’t get the opportunity to even touch you intimately.”

“I bedded no one.” I growled. “I got into an altercation, she hit me repeatedly in the face, split my brow open and bit me.”

“What did you do to her? Surely she looks the worse for wear?” Dahni questioned curiously.

I took another drink from my cup watching Princess Mariel conversing with her sister, “Hmm, I’d never harm a lady without probable cause.” Was all I said on the matter. Libeth, Emery and Eden shared looks between them. While Dahni looked on with a furrowed brow, Tailaan stood a little off to the side watching the other suitors.

“Does that mean you los…”

Before Dahni could finish her sentence her Majesty took the stand announcing those that we had lost the day prior, only three. A surprise in itself, I suppose we weren’t the only ones that thought to aid each other. I glanced at Prince Eris and the smug look on his face, I had never hated anyone in my life, not even now, but he did make me feel close to such a point.

We were down to seventeen an odd number but it was no matter, one lucky suitor would get to spar twice. My lips twitched at that announcement, two times the chance to lose. I hoped it wasn’t one of us. There would be nine matches, one person would spar twice, the winner of each individual match would proceed to the next phase of the Queen’s Tournament, the rules were very simple. For this challenge you had to incapacitate your opponent, in this you would show how you would defend the Heir if trouble ever arose. The suitor who chose to spar twice, would be rewarded if and only if they won their second match as well as the first. They would be able to exclude them self from another part of the coming Tournament. If they lost said challenge, they would of course lose the reward, as well as their previously won spot, it was a double edged sword and the choice of course was yours. That person would not be chosen until eight matched were fought and won. We all had time to think.

“Why do I get the feeling,” Emery said taking note of my expression, “That you’re going to take that challenge.”

“I would,” I conceded, “But this isn’t about me or what I would do in different circumstances, this is about the four of us, sticking together for as long as possible. After all there is always the possibility that I’d lose.”

“I find that unlikely,” I turned to find Arely standing close behind me, I was unsurprised that she’d sidled up close to us while we remained unaware. She wasn’t the Sol-Lea for nothing after all. “Once upon a time we sparred together and I always found myself hard pressed to win against you and that was without your gift involved.”

“Well it has been a few sun cycles…”

“I have a feeling your skills have only improved since then.” Arely countered not unkindly.

“With all due respect, Sol-Lea.” I stepped forward. “You don’t know me any longer. Don’t presume to.”

“Gardener Denarii will always be a Healer first.” Libeth stated sensing the tension.

“And yet you make an amazing warrior…”

Eden stepped between us causing us each to step back least he shove us aside with his bulk. Emery stepped up beside him on my other side. “Perhaps you should leave Sol-Lea. With all due respect.” He glanced at the blank expression on my face. “You aren’t welcome here.”

“Rhym…”

“My title,” I stated firmly raising my chin, back straight. “Is Gardener and to you my name, is Denarii. Any other privileges were lost long ago.” I finished throat aching with the emotion just seeing her face caused, so familiar and yet so very different, so much harder than it once was and yet slightly softer in my presence. The only difference now is that I was hard too and much like the ancient by the river I would not be moved and unlike the river, Arely could not carve a nook for herself in my heart, not any longer.

Arely cleared her throat, “I wish you good fortune Gardener, perhaps someday we can spar again if that day is not today.” She turned and walked away still the strong woman I knew her to be, but, perhaps it was my imagination, it looked as if she had tears in her eyes. I turned to my friends smiling my gratitude sure that I would always be something she’d regret. I’d long since learned that it was her loss not mine.

“Thank you.” I said sincerely giving Libeth a hug.

Emery smirked, “Hey you’re our fearless leader second to Rosen of course and we’ll always have your back. I can recall on more than one occasion as children that you had ours.”

Dahni hugged me as well just because she could I think, and Eden laughed as I tried to peel her off of me. “One step closer to being done with this thing.”

“Yes but the question is will we all make it?” Libeth asked brow furrowed, Emery hadn’t lied when he said that we weren’t all warriors.

“Let us just pray to the Goddess that if we don’t all make it that it’s enough to help her Highness in the long run.” I murmured when Dahni went over to figure out what had Tailaan so occupied.

Eden gave a solemn nod while the recruits etched glowing rings of magic into the ground, four spanning the entirety Training Fields.

“The match ends when someone can no longer continue, no killing, no crippling, you may use your gift and all other skills you have to win these matches. Your opponent will be selected at random.” The Queen held up one of the glowing orbs we’d used in the previous day’s challenge. “Each of you will be given one, within it holds the image of your opponent and a number, that’s when you’ll be called into a ring. Good Fortune to you all.”

Not long after her Majesty finished speaking the same recruit who’d handed me my arrows, who’s name I believe was Donta, the Guard Captain’s son, tossed each of us an orb. I gazed at the familiar face of my friend, rocks settling in the pit of my stomach. Number 17 and 18 we would go last. I glanced up into Libeth’s somber eyes, “If you go easy on me. I will never forgive you.”

She cracked a smile that didn’t completely reach her eyes. “Of course it would come down to one of us fighting each other.” I pulled her against my side allowing her to rest her head on my arm, while Eden and Emery looked on speechless. “I wanted so badly for all of us to make it to the end.”

“I know.” I rested my head atop hers sighing softly.

“Just promise me that no matter who wins, no matter what tricks we use, no matter the magic that we toss around this ring, that at the end of the day we’ll still be friends when the dust clears?” I stirred my tea while Eden gave me a strange look, Emery was focused on fixing his hair and Libeth couldn’t see my other side. I offered her my cup of tea absorbing her words.

She took it without hesitation, taking a sip of the dangerous brew, and sighing softly as it burned its way down her throat singing softly the entire way. “I promise, that no matter the outcome we’ll still be friends.”

Libeth squeezed my waist softly as Emery left us one of the first to fight and against Tailaan none the less. “Good fortune Rhyme.”

“Same to you Libeth.” She pulled away from me before walking off somewhere perhaps to plan out how she’d best me. Libeth would give her all, much like me she never did anything half way. I sheathed my blade. Eden didn’t ask any questions and Dahni was clueless as to what might be wrong. I drank the remainder of my tea before handing the cup to a passing recruit who walked off brow furrowed in confusion.

“Are you two going to be alright?” I glanced down at Dahni, smiling softly.

“Yeah,” I murmured. “If any of us could make it through fighting each other it would be Libeth and I. She’s been a good friend for a long time.”

Eden jabbed me lightly in the shoulder, “Good fortune to both of you. I promise I won’t let Emery place bets. Libeth would never forgive him.”

“Not unless he placed bets on the two of us.” I countered thinking it out.

“I’ll be sure to tell him you said that.” Eden chuckled as I tried to sputter my way out of approval I hadn’t meant to give.

Dahni left us next, a match was already over and she was fifth. I watched the matches from our place on the sidelines, ignoring the cheering of the crowd at our backs. “You two are last…if it goes for more than a few moments there’s no way that you’ll be able to hide your skill.” Eden said once he was sure no one lingered around us.

Eden was only perhaps a smidge shorter than I was, and even so his bulky stature made him appear taller, the point I was trying to make is that, it allowed me to look him in the eye without ducking my head. “I feel that’s the point.” I gazed up into the stands where the Royal Family sat observing the festivities below, Royal Guards standing at several points around them. “I cannot hide forever, as much as I wish I could.”

“Are you finally willing to admit that you are equal to Rosen?” Eden asked curious.

I smiled softly as I gazed into kind eyes, “I don’t think I ever will.” I admitted sighing softly.

“If it’s any consolation, neither do I.” He placed his hand on my shoulder. “You respect her too much, but it doesn’t stop others from seeing as much. Even though Rosen hasn’t announced her successor,” Eden made a face that said he didn’t believe his own words, “least we all start fighting amongst ourselves, we all know it’s you. You’re the best choice honestly and not just because you’re the strongest.” He countered before I could argue. “When it becomes official, we’ll all be very happy Rhyme you deserve it…”

“And yet…” I don’t want it went unsaid because at that moment we felt it… plant magic. Eden and I turned nearly as one to see a woman of about average height fighting against Dahni white petals making a vortex around her. “She has two…” I heard the petals singing a song for the wind but I couldn’t hear the reply.

“Two gifts,” Eden breathed as we watched Dahni trying to use her magic like a whip to escape, but the water lost form as she swayed eyes fluttering as she struggled to remain conscious to no avail. Whatever sleeping agent found in those petals was made more prevalent as the wind whipped it around her. “What flower is that?” Eden asked curiously as the woman using the aid of her magic slowly lowered Dahni’s slumbering form. She looked so peaceful and for that I was grateful, though I would miss her presence among us I was glad that she hadn’t suffered overly much.

“Blue Bell,” I murmured softly watching the spirit dance in the wind, “It’s much like child’s slumber but less potent, you’d have to breathe more heavily or ingest the plant for it to be effective in putting you to sleep as well you won’t sleep as deeply or as long. Indeed, I’m sure Dahni will wake up in just a few moments. It was a good trick…”

“You could recognize the flower from this distance?” Eden sounded impressed.

“I can hardly see the colors of the petals as they settle, no I recognized the flower’s song and the spirit now fading into the wind.”

Emery joined us, limping slightly and holding an ice pack to his cheek but that seemed to be the extent of his injuries. “Always more than just a pretty face.” I smiled softly as he brushed his hair from his face knuckles red but unbroken.

“I’d have lost if not for my gift, I’m not much of a fighter.” He proclaimed sighing softly. “These matches are ending pretty quickly. Prince Eris won his…and the Sol-Lea hers, in less than a minute no less. Dahni…”

“Lost,” I finished for him.

Eden shook his head, “She did not stand a chance.”

“As well we know who the plant mage is, but we still don’t have a name.” I offered as the remaining fights came to a close.

Eden left us to fight his match, “I missed the plant mage?” Emery asked as Eden stepped into a ring with a man far smaller than he was, I could see him quivering from here and I knew that Eden would win without even having to see him throw a punch.

“Yes…” I turned from the fight, “She’s a hybrid…” I hesitated thinking about the short hair cut in such a specific way. “I think…”

My orb glowed gently and I sighed softly, only two matches remained. I left Emery by himself, Eden passing me as I moved to enter one of the glowing rings. I stood breathing deeply waiting for my opponent, my friend. Libeth entered the ring just as the only remaining match ended leaving us the center of attention. The crowd grew silent.

I unbound my hair tucking the leather thong in my pocket. Libeth smiled at me unbuttoning her shirt and tossing it aside, the magic allowing the fabric to pass through. “No one will leave this circle as long one as one of you is still able to fight,” Donta said from the sidelines trying to remain serious. “You may surrender if you feel you are unable to go on. Do either of you have any questions?” He glanced back and forth between us, neither of us offered up a question. “The match begins once you each toss your orb into the air, they’ll vanish creating a show of light once it fades the match begins. Toss your orbs.” The recruit walked from the circle as we tossed our orbs into the air.

My heart raced in my chest as my ears rang with a beautiful melody, I felt as if I were moving in slow motion as I ducked vines shooting through the remaining magic, twisting and turning to avoid being captured. A whisper of my magic caused the vines to wither and die, I’d fallen for the distraction. Libeth leapt through the slowly dying web of vines and kicked me in the chest. I flew off my feet as the crowd began to cheer. I rolled across the ground chest aching as I pushed to my feet catching her leg before she could kick me again. “Good kick,” I grunted as she used the leverage I’d given her to jump up and kick me in the face freeing her other leg and leaving me slightly dazed.

She smirked looking a little blurry in my vision, “Thanks,” I chuckled as she struggled to release her feet from the grass now growing to wrap around her ankles smirk vanishing as I repaid her kick to the chest with one of my own, that sent her flying. I pulled the pouch from my belt as she struggled to her feet smiling softly while she watched me warily.

“Are you ready?” vines grew in my hair twining with the dark strands while I watched her, ensuring that it wouldn’t get in my way. I gently tossed the pouch of surprises in the air catching it again and again while she looked on slowly widening her stance.

“If you throw that, I can use it too.” Libeth warned taking a deep breath as she readied herself.

I bowed my head in acknowledgement, “You will finally discover all the things I hide in here.” I murmured softly smile growing. “Or some of the things anyway.”

Libeth grinned eyes sparking with challenge, she flicked her locks from her face only to have them fall back to cover her right eye. “Do it.”

Needing no more prompting I threw my pouch high into the air, vines, thick, thin, thorny, smooth vines mashed all together grew wild in the sky, creating an obstacle course of the ring they could not escape. Libeth laughed as she slid beneath the vines the grass pulling her along as she swept my feet from under me.

I should have jumped. “Is that all you got?” I questioned poison coating my skin as I was unable to keep myself from falling into a small patch of hornets’ nest, a small bramble like vine that when touched made you feel as if you’d been stung by hornets. I caught child’s slumber and threw it towards her moving form, watching it bloom as it smacked her in the face.

She froze where she stood, as still as any ancient, holding her breath while I cut a path through the vines magic causing them to shift aside to make room for me. I caught her in the jaw with my fist before she had time to blink. Libeth grabbed hold of my arm before I could pull it back, Goddess I felt so slow, all the while the vines shifted around us our magic struggling against each other while we exchanged blows in the center of it all. I grunted as she elbowed me in the throat, the wound from last night smarting. Thorny vines snagged at my clothing as I lost my focus.

I purposely fell into their embrace before she could strike me again, allowing them to drag me away as petals began to flutter on the wind around us, they resembled tiny flickering flames caught on the breeze. I rolled over panting softly as Libeth looked on eyes widening slowly at the trap she found herself in. She turned and leapt through a small hole in the vines as I took a deep breath and blew my magic touching on those petals creating a burst of fire. Dragon’s breath. The fire swept through the vines in a wide arch chasing her as she ran. Only fading once she’d climbed upwards towards the top of the dome of magic now surrounding us. A wide swatch of the ring laid bare but not for long, vines grew to replace the ones lost while I pushed myself to my feet shirt torn to shreds, arms aching and swollen from the thorns stuck there, little droplets of blood beading on my skin.

I blinked gazing at the spirits waging a battle all around me, the air filled with their song, crimson petals drifting on the breeze. Succubus I thought as I felt my magic wanting to fade, it remained steadfast where it belonged deep inside me. I listened to the green unable to see Libeth where I was on the ground. I saw her through the plants and couldn’t help but smirk softly as she tried to catch her breath hand quivering as she held her opposite arm now numb from coming in contact with a plant called Limp Limb in her mad dash trying to escape the fire. A moss like plant that could grow just about anywhere even on other plants and vines, just the slightest brush against it could cause an arm or leg to go completely limp for seeming no reason at all. You could still feel it, you just couldn’t move it, a very frustrating occurrence for sure. A few unsuspecting travelers had nearly died before it was discovered.

“Are you hiding Libeth?” I called magic touching on every vine, every petal, every bloom, echoing through the spirits of the green and becoming amplified by their song. Despite the confinement we found ourselves in I did not doubt that everyone in the stands heard my voice.

A path opened before me, her magic not mine, revealing Libeth seated on a platform of shifting vines. “You’re so bright Rhyme…”

“Your songs are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever heard.” I countered softly listening to the soothing melody we created together. It was beautiful…and destructive. I watched impressed as Libeth took a breath and blew imitating the trick I’d used just moment ago, a ball of fire heading straight towards me. “You just learn that from me?” I asked curious watching the fire approach.

“Yes…” I closed my eyes as the fire washed over me allowing the spirit to embrace me, I felt warmth, all-encompassing heat as it licked at my face, crawled over my skin and inside my clothing but it did not burn me. Slowly but surely the flames faded away. “That didn’t work half as well as I planned it to.” Libeth tsked as she took in my form completely unscathed.

“Why don’t you come down here so we can finish this?” I asked beckoning her forward.

A stairway of moss and vines formed before me, “Why don’t you meet me halfway?”

I tipped my head in acknowledgement placing my foot on the first step, “You tired yet Libeth?” I asked moving from a walk to a jog the vines pushing me upward as they forced her down, until we were racing towards each other our magic once more clashing.

“I’ve never used this much magic in a fight before.” She admitted voice weary.

We met in the middle, she blocked my fist, I ducked her punch, vines wrapping around my arm as she struck me in the throat for the second time that day. I gasped pulling my limb free, vines snaking up my arm, thorns biting into my flesh. “Low blow,” I rasped as more vines grabbed hold.

“I never said I’d play fair.” Libeth chirped before punching me in the face rocking my head back. I struggled eyes rolling as the world faded around me. Her fist struck my face again, and again darkness closed in as the green sang a beautiful song…

I felt her fingers in my hair, saw child’s slumber blooming in the palm of her hand. I held my breath while she waited, my throat burned, my lungs ached. I would need to breathe soon. I blinked watching twilight peonies blooming on the breeze, the signal I’d been waiting for, Libeth gazed at them curiously loosening her grip.

The vines around us loosened their hold, the flower in her hand falling from numb fingers, Libeth turned back to me shocked as she lost her grip on my hair and we tumbled to the ground together as our magic lessened in the vines. I hardly felt the pain of striking the ground. Libeth grunted.

“What did you do?” She choked out crawling towards me as the spirits slowly began to fade, faeries bursting from the flowers to settle all around us.

“Vipers wrath is very potent;” I murmured finally able to relax. “It can numb just about anything. I have a blade made of it actually…”

“You didn’t cut me,” she grumbled laying down beside me.

“No,” I smirked, “But I dipped my blade in my tea while you weren’t looking. It takes longer but still just as effective.”

“You drank it too,” Libeth murmured resting her head on my shoulder as she lost the remaining use of her limbs.

“Yeah…I drank the whole cup really…”

“How were you able to fight me at all?” Libeth questioned softly as the numbness fully set in.

My eyes sparkled with mirth, “Sheer will and determination.” I choked out through numb lips, I could no longer feel the pain in my throat or anywhere else for that matter.

“Why…” The last word she could speak, her throat likely going numb thereafter.

“Tied…we’ll stay together.” Her body shook with laughter she couldn’t release I closed my eyes smiling on the inside. It could have gone so many ways, I could have won before the numbness set in, it could have hit me first which it did and she could have won. Stalling had been the hardest part listening for that soft barely distinguishable song. And then just when I thought I couldn’t struggle through the growing numbness Libeth had felt it too. The twilight peonies my little signal to myself that I could stop fighting it.

One sip to my entire cup, it was perhaps the hardest sparring match I’d ever fought. Hardly able to control my magic or movements, taking a beating I would usually be able to easily avoid. All for what, for the sake of friendship I suppose. Though Libeth wouldn’t have held it against me if I’d won, she wanted us to stay together and now whether we go on or not she’ll have gotten what she wanted and I was okay with that.

I felt the gentle brush of warmth on my cheek and opened my eyes, the only thing I could still control on my body, to find Adri hovering above me in all her glory. She looked as beautiful as always. Right now she was shaking her head at me mirth sparkling in the depths of her twilight orbs, turning the lavender flakes into shinning stars. “Idiot,” She murmured softly my lips might have twitched but I couldn’t tell before I closed my eyes again. For once I didn’t argue, it had been a very stupid thing to do, but it was worth it and for the rest of my life regardless of what any one said against it. I would remember the mirth and happiness in Libeth’s at my eyes sacrifice and reply that it was worth it, because to me it was and that’s all that mattered.