Chapter 26 - The Fifth Plague

Writer's POV:

 

In the Eleventh Month of the year 1748 the Fifth Plague attacked Prague, a Town in Eastern Europe.

 

Griffin:

The griffin, griffon, or gryphon, late and Medieval Latin: gryphes. Old French: griffon is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion, and the head and wings of an eagle with its talons on the front legs. They are said to possess the ability to fly and have immense strength. They are easily distracted especially by gold, but anything shiny will do. The lifespan of a griffon is very long, some serving several generations of a family. Actual lifespan is dependent on many factors but may extend as long as several centuries. One hundred and fifty years is considered average in the wild. If their mate is harmed in any way, shape or form, they will fly into a murderous rage, and kill anything they come across. A good way to kill a Griffin, is to stab it with a silver coated weapon, (a fairly common way of killing monsters) as it can penetrate their rough skin. Griffins are oviparous and lay their eggs in nests which often contain gold nuggets. The species, in fact, seems to have a penchant for collecting gold and other preciousness, and in some cases have been known to horde vast treasures, rivaling those collected by some Dragons. Griffins are a very proud and regal race, being part king of beasts, and part king of the sky. They, like lions, live in prides, with one dominant male, his harem, and their cubs. The cubs hatch from eggs laid in nests on the sides of cliffs.

 

 

IN QUEEN TRINAH'S GARDEN:

 

Queen Trinah and Keyleth are both seated on a Table sipping hot tea and exchanging jokes.

 

"I think she knows something." Keyleth said.

 

"Who?"

 

"Herdis."

 

"And why do you say that?" Asks Queen Trinah.

 

"She's been acting really weird recently, and earlier today she woke up looking really scared, almost as if she saw a ghost but she said nothing when she was asked."

 

"You don't have anything worthwhile to tell me, your theories are just based on assumptions. Get back to me when you found enough proof, if that's all you have to say then you may leave."

 

"No, not at all Mother, that's not all I had to say, I found out something else."

 

"And what could that be?"

 

"I think Herdis' Manta has stopped being dormant, I felt an outburst of her energy when she woke up a while ago, I am very sure that Creekside had something to do with it."

 

"Are you sure about this Keyleth?"

 

"Yes I am Mother."

 

Queen Trinah turned to a maid that stood at a corner and ordered her to fetch Herdis.

 

"Umm Mother, can I ask for a favor?"

 

"What do you want, Keyleth."

 

"Umm, I would like to introduce someone to you."

 

"Go ahead, Keyleth."

 

<< 

 

Herdis was getting ready for the day, with the help of Rebekah when a maid came to fetch her, apparently Queen Trinah sent for her. She wasn't even allowed to finish her, because it was quite urgent.

 

Herdis took my bath as fast as she could then rushed out to the garden. She had gotten quite close to the entrance when she heard a familiar voice which made her feet come to a halt.

 

"I truly love your daughter, all that I ask of you is that you let us wed, your Majesty." Ceres pleads.

 

'What's going on in Ceres' mind right now? this is not a good idea, he needs to get me out of the werewolf clan first before anything else, Queen Trinah will never agree to this.' Herdis said to herself.

 

"Listen to yourself speak, you want to wed a daughter of King Negah. How do you plan to prove your worth to him?"

 

"I am a Councilman now, I believe certainly that my status won't be questioned if I go before him with my request."

 

"You neither got this position by Merit nor achievement, you were given this position out of charity. Do you believe that the King will commend a status you were given after convincing his daughter to sell herself off to that Incompetent bastard?"

 

"It was of Your, Queen Dariell, and King Negah's request that I convince Herdis to marry Prince Razar, the King himself awarded that position to me after I accomplished the task. I never asked for the reward, I only wanted to ask for Keyleth's hand in return but she insisted that I wait until I was publicly assigned."

 

'This doesn't make sense at all, he said he loved me, he insisted that I waited for him, so why, why Keyleth, it's always Keyleth'

 

"I don't care on what terms you were given that position all I know is that there are far more important things to handle at the moment than your excuse of a wedding." Queen Trinah said coldly.

 

"But Mother, you promised that you would support me whenever I decided to do something for myself, why have you forsaken me now." Keyleth cried out.

 

"Can you hear yourself speak, we are still trying to recover from the fact that no heir has been Chosen for the position of Queen Creek, and here you are wanting to wed at such trying times. Do you really think that the King will commend this wedding? Well I for one think he would rather not, now leave my sight this instant."

 

Keyleth signaled for Ceres to leave.

 

"I meant the both of you." Queen Trinah's voice rang out.

 

Herdis wanted to leave before anyone saw her crying but her feet were stuck to the ground.

She could feel tears flowing down her eyes but she had no idea why she was crying. She had no idea if she was crying because the man she had loved for six years betrayed her or the sister she thought loved her back stabbed her.

 

'How humiliating.'

 

 Herdis took a deep breath, cleaned her eyes, then she walked back to her room.