Chapter 9 Mortal Enemies

Remembering the spell Ilio used to send them back into time, Edwina decided to use it alone while he was out rescuing Nastia. She recited the spell as she got into bed. She had the most peculiar dream visiting her father. King Dracon sat alone in his private sitting room and writing on parchment at his desk now used by Demetrius. She stared at the father she lost as a small girl trying to remember something about him. He sniffed the warm air and glanced up expecting The Wizard to jump out of his chair in fear.

“Who are you? The Wizard does not teach magic on holy days. Witches are not allowed in my private chambers. Now be gone, demon.” spoke Dracon.

“Father, you can see me? But this is all a dream.” answered Edwina.

“Father?” whispered Dracon. “Dream?”

“I am sorry to frighten you. I just wanted to know what you were like.” apologized Edwina. “This has to be a dream, you’re dead.”

“I’m dead and you want to know what I’m like?” spoke Dracon gathering his courage after being startled. He stared at his grown daughter’s ghost asking, “Which of my daughters are you, you look like so much like my wife?”

“Princess Edwina, Your Majesty.” replied the princess with a curtsy.

“You believe this all a dream.” observed Dracon with a smirk walking towards Edwina. “How is your life now? You are dressed strange for a princess.”

“Quite well, thank you. I am sleeping in my house on Blue Island while Ilio is rescuing a Dacian queen for a friend of his. Her husband is burning her for adultery for carrying his friend’s child.”

“Homer’s Ilio? You marry Homer’s boy.” inquired Dracon.

“Yes, he said when I was walking down the dock as a grown maiden he couldn’t let another man touch me.” replied Edwina.

“How romantic. And your mother and siblings are doing well too?”

“Yes, very well. Mother helps out Demetrius who is Emperor of Rikia after the second Dacian War. Sadly, Lucius died in the first Dacian War. Phoebe is in Alesia fighting the Teutons. And Sarah is about to become Queen of Lotan and future Empress of Rikia since our nephew and niece died from sickness. She has a son we hope will inherit the throne. Ilio is immortal so Demetrius refuses to make him heir. We have a son Jaden and two daughters, Mahalah and Selena. I should stop talking, you are busy right now.”

“I was signing orders to appoint tours for our guests to view the large marketplace and majestic temples around the city. I even ordered entertainments in the evenings for them.” answered Dracon.

“Really? What festival are you celebrating? I used to the spell to visit you, but I failed to specify when.” asked Edwina.

“You do not know what year this is and this is a dream to you. I must leave you when you are very young not to remember me?” questioned Dracon.

“You were gone fighting wars so I did not see much of you. I got amnesia after being shipwrecked and nearly drowning. I use this spell to help me remember things in my dreams.” answered Edwina.

“Well Princess Edwina, you are visiting me during the Harvest Games. I arranged a grand harvest games for all our allies. Mermaids are here. Nomads are here. Amazons and Lotans are here. They all sent their best athletes to compete.” asked Dracon.

“I long to see mother, I have not seen her much since I left Rikia. I should not say this, but this is just a dream so I will, we think mother is dying soon and will not be with us for much longer. The Wizard gives her medicines, but he cannot fight against a banshee. Ilio saved his friend’s life with his magic crystal giving up years off his own life and now part of his crystal is black from that. He refuses to do that again.” spoke Edwina.

“I will not tell anyone your secret, my love.” replied Dracon.

“Shall I take you to The Games then. I am done with these orders.” said Dracon.

Edwina found she could walk through walls, fly, and even sit in mid-air. Only Dracon could see her, not even her family noticed her. They descended the stairs to ride the chariots to the stadium of the chariot races. Edwina sat in mid-air in the royal box. The Wizard noticed her ghost and asked why she was there. She replied to see her father. He advised her not to speak too much about future events to her father, for she nor he can undo what has already been written. He would not wish her father to fear the future he cannot change. Funny, Edwina was unsure what year this even was, her father refused to mention it. The chariot races begin and Edwina glances around the royal box. She saw Queen Lexie next to Dracon with Homer and Ilio beside her mother. Immortal elf gods failed to take notice of her and she wondered how The Wizard saw her. Demetrius, Lucius, Phoebe, and baby Sarah were there too. She saw her tiny girl self admiring the spectacle of horse prancing demonstration between races. Ilio had said he did not fall in love with her until she came down the dock as a princess bride, but she felt very attached to his boy image. Time seemed to go by so quickly and soon the final race was under way. Suddenly, the warning beacons were lit and the guard Ricky disappeared. He came back almost instantly with an arrow in his shoulder to fall on her father’s and Lexie’s shoes.

“I’m sorry, I tried to hide on a roof but they saw me.” said Ricky before fainting.

Homer and a woman named Anastia took Ricky down below to heal his injury. Dracon ordered a guard that The Games continue until the reason for the beacons is found. Edwina remembered this story from Ilio. Dracon listened intently to her reciting the tale. The Nubians invaded Kara and Dracon the Great battled the Nubian king. The Nubian king cheated and the charioteer Hathor speared the Nubian king. A great battle ensued and the snowfall the next day frightened the Nubians thinking it was black magic into retreating. Her father came home to a great parade to the Shrine of Eris. Then Edwina felt the spell unbinding and bid farewell to her father and The Wizard. She awoke in her dark bed chamber alone. She rested looking at the ceiling wondering if in fact it was all a dream and regretted reciting her life in the current time. She implied her father will die while she is too young to remember him, but she did not say how. In the morning, Ilio returned using his magic cape stating they were safe in Alesia. Edwina decided to keep her dream to herself. They did not visit the past anymore when Ilio announced she needed time to reflect on her memories. Soon, Ilio was out sailing to Vinland and Kassia to trade. He met a ship of pirates who hurled a spear at his ship to demand surrender to The Firefox. His father was The Firefox and he was miffed a water rat would assume his title. His first mate Trevor laughed how these ragamuffins could not be The Firefox because Ilio would be the real one. Ilio on the other hand admired the pirate ship, perhaps they should battle for it instead of sinking it with the gatlas. It looked from the region Kassia with square sails rolled up to form triangle sails that elf ships use.

Ilio kept his distance from the pirates ready to ram his ship into the abyss by circling around. Oars pulled in and men prepared for battle lined up on the deck. He hurled his own spear at the ship with a note attached declaring he was the true Firefox and demanded their ship. Refusing to accept the challenge to his title, the pirate turned to ram the challenger. Ilio turned to avoid collision and sideswiped the pirate ship. Graphooks were tossed to attach the ships and thus, fight a land war at sea. Lusting after this find piece work, Ilio jumped onto the pirate to find the leader. The pirate leader also leaped onto Ilio’s ship. The pirates slashed and cut at each other. Ilio knocked a few into the water. A hard boot kicked him down to the deck and he swung his sword to strike the sailor behind him. He saw his wife as a ghost. His fall made him miss the sail that swayed as the ship rocked from a whale thumping it. Quicklime grenades fell into the water to explode and separated the ships. Ilio glared as his wife no one else could see and jumped into the water to swim back to his ship. He inspected damage and climbed into the ship. He spotted Trevor and asked what happened with the quicklime. Trevor explained the large whale thumping the ship caused the grenades to drop into the water. Ilio asked if he saw his wife during the fight. Trevor only saw sailors on the ship. Ilio wondered what Edwina was up to appearing like that. He pondered this sailing towards Vinland. Then he heard a prayer requesting his help and used his magic cape to disappear.

King Dinu of Dacia died with honor in the Teutonic Forest chasing his escaped wife. The newly married Princess Tanith with her husband Sorin were crowned King and Queen of Dacia. Her younger sister Princess Raluca took over raising Prince Danut. Before the celebration of spring, the new king offered membership into a temple brotherhood for young Prince Danut. Upon arriving for the initiation ceremony, he was required to sacrifice a slave from Varrika. Prince Danut looked at the boy shaking in fear and spoke an unknown language. Then, he refused to kill the boy because it looked like an elf and elves are peaceful and allies to humans. King Sorin asked where he heard such things. Danut replied Ilio at Radu’s wedding to Tawny told stories of elves. Ilio said elves only burn incense and plants to carry their prayers to the gods. Animals they kill are prayed to in forgiveness and they never kill infant animals. Sorin insulted what the elf said and demanded Danut kill the slave so they could continue the ceremony. Danut refused again and the slave boy appeared to be praying. Sorin struck Danut across the cheek and handed him a dagger. Danut fell to his knees and dropped the knife. He began holding a charm pendant Ilio gave him hanging from a leather necklace and cried for forgiveness from the slave he must kill. Then a soft glow appeared overhead and Danut saw Ilio sitting on the rafters. A loud roar of thunder filled the temple and everyone searched where thunder in the middle of a sunny day came from. A statue of a ram carved into the side of the altar suddenly came to life as a golden winged ram. The slave boy and Danut jumped on the animal and flew out the smoke hole in the ceiling. King Sorin then gave orders to kill Danut and his sister Raluca to remove any usurpers of his throne. He promised to knight into a prince anyone who killed the winged ram and return with its golden fleece. The winged ram flew across the city into the palace garden where Princess Raluca was enjoying the blossoms and smelling the newly made perfumes. Prince Danut begged her to come with him and away they flew above the Teutonic Forest to Alesia. Nastia was most pleased to see her children and Radu welcomed them into his house. Nastia had a new son, Fane. His half-brother Nelu loved picking him up. The elf boy from Armorica said his village was burned and all the villagers were made into slaves. Ilio took him into service as cabin boy. Ilio guiding the magic ram decided to take him into his home. He sent to magic ram to Blue Island and returned to his ship mooring at a Vinland city. Edwina and the children enjoyed their new pet. When he returned home, he celebrated the wedding of his son Cambri to Lexie’s daughter Tara.

The wedding was the gossip of the Mermaid Islands all summer. Queen Ishtar held a wedding feast and ball where inhabitants of Adea gave gifts for the couple. The guests danced most of the night. The next day, Cambri came with his mother Tixi and elf stepfather to Blue Island’s Temple of Elexi, the sea god, on a patrol boat. They met Ilio with chariot and horses ready to take them to Cambri’s new home on Blue Island. Tara came with her family upriver dressed in a linen robe, a feather wreath on her head held a piece of lace over her hair, and leather boots. She carried a bouquet of sunflowers. The elf High Priestess blessed the couple meeting at the altar inside. She anointed them with honey and seawater. They pledged devotion to the goddess Queen Lexie and father of the bride King Wilz announced the dowry of islands, gems, seashells, and gold spear points. Songs of celebration were sung by mermaids as candles were lit in honor of fertility goddess Amalia. Cambri presented his bride with a gold and sapphire necklace. Tara gave her groom an earbob of gold and turquoise beads. The marriage contract was read and sealed. Cambri and Tara rode Ilio’s chariot to their new home further inland. The wedding party followed a trail into the forest and stopped at a stone cottage near a waterfall. A temple dedicated with murals and small statues to the holy beings on land, sea, and sky. A grand feast was held in the glen. Elves and mermaids performed dances telling love stories of gods and goddesses. King Wilz presented gold tableware for the couple. Lord Ilio presented bronze candlesticks and silver mirrors. Music filled the air until dusk. Ilio danced with his family and even reserved a conversation with Lexie. Soon after Cambri was given gold handled iron sword from Ilio to appoint him First Mate on his new ship The Edwina. After years of sailing with old friend Captain Ivhar on The Sea Serpent, he felt Cambri was ready for this opportunity. A month later, they set sail for Carthage. In Dacia, word spread of the golden fleece from the magic ram demanded by King Sorin. Colonists from Varrika sailed down the Masha River to the North Sea in search of the Mermaid Islands. Dacians only navigate rivers and lakes, they have no ships for the torrential sea. Elves from the Dark Mountains said they did not visit them and refused to mention where they possibly could be. General Radu said this Blue Island was south of Kadacia and took some time to get there. One Dacian charmed a young elf maiden and she confessed the islands are a day south of the city Kara. Elf ships go to trade there, but few human ships are allowed since humans kill mermaids for magic potions. She advised seeking advice from goddess Gilda in the Black Forest.

The Dacians boarded an elf ship to take them to the Black Forest. They were met with obsidian tipped arrows and spears hitting the ship. The elves replied with a cow’s horn bellow. They moored their ship along the black sand beach. They were greeted by centaurs (centaurs covered in bronze armor according to the tale recited by the sailors to the Blue Island elves). One with a plumed helmet approached and demanded their cause for landing here. An elf replied the humans wished to see the goddess. A fairy flew up into the trees to disappear. The elves and humans made camp on the beach waiting for Gilda’s reply. The fairy returned to grant the humans request. Humans march with centaur guard all the way up the mountain fortress. Faun greeted them at the door to take their cloaks and sprites offered refreshments. They were guided to a pool of warm water to wash and given clean robes. An old blind man was guided to the pool and instructed that the goddess only sees visitors who are cleansed. At the banquet in their honor, they will meet the goddess and be entertained by his subjects. The humans were guided to guest rooms to rest after their long journey. The elf ship sailed back to the Dark Mountains. The men and elf maiden enjoyed the courtyard gardens to glimpse the goddess from a window. The blind man offered a tour by scent of the flowers. He gave the elf maiden blossoms to enjoy in her guest room. The evening meal came and the guests were guided to the great hall. Musicians played, actors in masks danced, and the guests took turns telling stories.

Daxus, the blind agriculture god, had a good story. He recited the birth of goddess Lexie from a magic rock than opened like an oyster shell once her father’s knife penetrated it. She grew up in the Haunted Forest and Illium to make her home in the Mermaid Islands. She married a merman prince awestruck by her beauty and had a son and daughter. The winged golden ram they seek is made from magic and cannot be killed by a mere mortal human. He wished them well on their journey to kill the animal that saved Prince Danut, Princess Raluca, and the elf slave from Varrika. Gilda asked to see the one human in another room. She asked this man why he wanted to be a prince under a king who would kill anyone who could usurp him. Princess Tanith weeps from loss of her family and fears her cruel husband. The man replied he wanted riches and fame like anyone else. He must follow whatever king the gods give him. Gilda said her magic mirror showed her Prince Danut was not King Dinu’s son, and King Sorin gained his crown by this belief so this is not the work of the gods. The human said he serves whoever is King of Dacia. Gilda assured the human that King Sorin will be overturned by his enemy. The best place for him to be would be in the Dacian colony along the lake in Varrika. If he wants riches, then own a trading ship. He wants fame, then be great. She hid her fury over Prince Danut being the son of Ilio. These colonists were sure to tell Edwina when they arrive to capture the golden ram. Ilio got a heavy storm upon his ship sailing home from Kadacia.

Edwina upon hearing stories from the Dacians on her island used the time travel spell to visit Ilio before he saved Prince Danut to see if this story of his betrayal was true. She saved him from being hit by a sail and then followed him as he arrived at the Dacian temple to save the prince and elf. She saw him in the rafters making a statue into live animal. He looked at her ghost sitting across from him. After Danut and the elf flew from the smoke hole in the ceiling, she asked Ilio if Prince Danut was his son and that is why he has an amulet to pray to him. Ilio could not speak without making his presence known to the Dacians below him and so he nodded before leaving to guide the golden ram. Devastated, she wrote a letter sent by phoenix messenger to her brother Emperor Demetrius to ask the cause for Ilio’s sudden departure home in the middle of a war with Dacia. In a moment, the phoenix returned in a blaze of fire. Demetrius answered Ilio’s mission was complete and needed him to bring supplies for the troops. Dissatisfied, she used the magic spell to visit her father sitting alone in his tent during the Nubian invasion of Blythe. He was unsure what advice he could give. Clearly, Ilio committed an unforgivable transgression and yet they remain allies. Edwina asked what to do with Prince Danut, the boy and whole of Dacia know his father is Ilio, Nastia almost burned for it. Is this Fane infant Ilio’s son also? Could Radu fulfill his life debt to Ilio by protecting Nastia and the children? Ilio and Radu became very close friends while he was his servant, they even saved Chloe together. Edwina felt so betrayed and hurt that she wept upon her father’s shoulder.

Then the child Ilio entered the king’s tent and asked who the beautiful lady was. He saw her during the last chariot race and thought she was a goddess friend of the king. Dracon explained she was a goddess helping him with his strategy to winning the coming battles. Ilio declared his hope of this goddess entering his tent when he needed help with battle and tried to kiss her hand. She longed to be touched by her husband that suddenly she became real to have young Ilio grab her hand. She felt herself forgive Ilio, how can she break this heart who adores her so much. She stayed in her father’s tent near the Yishay River and listened to reports from scouts. Edwina asked if the Battle of Tirzah had occurred and Nubian army frightened of black magic they call snow. Her father said not yet. Since she had said her mother was ill the last time she visited her father during the Games, Dracon asked about his queen Andromeda. Edwina shed a tear and announced she had passed to be buried near Dracon’s statue in the courtyard of the Temple of Athena. Then a scout entered and announced as Fletcher. Dracon asked how Homer was doing. Edwina was confused when she had come, Fletcher was killed by Nubians and her father so furious over gazing upon his beheaded scouts set the Tirzah Plains on fire. She realized she had said too much and searched for the spell to return her back to her time. Dracon begged her to stay and held her real life hand. He explained it was getting late and he should sleep. His valet entered and Dracon explained the goddess visiting him. She watched her father lie down and rest. She stroked his hair and he turned his head to look up at her. Edwina confessed the thing she missed the most about her father was sitting on his lap smelling his musk cologne from the mountains. His arms made her feel so safe and his voice was so calming. She snuggled against him and he kissed her cheek. The next time she saw Ilio she would ask what his intentions were with Prince Danut and Queen Nastia. A storm was crashing against the island so it would be very soon. Edwina woke up alone in her bed chamber and one of the Dacians knocked on her door jamb. News had come that the golden ram had been spotted and they would like help capturing it. Edwina would need to think about it.

The Dacians continued their story to the elves. They left The Black Forest with food from goddess Gilda. They walked across the mountains into Varrika to find a Blythan colony of war veterans with their families. They took them to city Kara and explained ships go to the city Adea frequently. They had to wait a month for a ship full of cargo heading for the Mermaid Islands, willing to take them. In the meantime, the Dacians learned about ships and navigation. A fishing boat captain took them on as apprentices. He would sail off shore enough to no longer see land. The curved horizon and stars were lessons in navigation. The captain showed the Dacians the polished crystals used to enlarge stars and see things far away. Then pointed out signs from the gods in the dusk, stars, and dawn. In the sunlight, he demonstrated the lodestone in water always points north and the shadow of the sunlight on the stick inside a circle gave position on the sea. They learned about sails and steering the helm. They returned to Kara with fish packed in brine casks and loaded onto carts. The carts were taken to a large building where women lined up to cut up the fish and store them in pottery vessels filled with brine. Deliveries were next made by the Dacians learning the routes of inns and taverns. Whatever was leftover went to the marketplace stall for the house wives to buy. After passage to Adea was secure, the Dacians arrived to ask for an audience to see Queen Ishtar. She refused to see them. Lord of Adea Briar and his wife Mariah entertained the foreigners. Once they mentioned capturing the golden winged ram for their king any available assistance became unavailable. The Dacians found few would reveal the place of Blue Island. Queen Lexie holds her court there and dislikes intruders, elves must ask her permission to settle there. They decided to swipe a patrol boat from the boat houses on a moonlit night. They used their sailing knowledge to sail around the islands. Blue Island was named for its ice capped blue mountains. They followed currents and visited fishing villages who knew nothing about their visit. They found harpies on Thors Isle who protected the hidden goldsmiths who made weapons for merfish and shot one with an arrow. Quickly they sailed away and found shelter on Eires Isle where they hid in abandoned mermaid shacks along the beach. One fishing village they found heavily advised not disturbing the Hydra on Blue Island.

The only human on the mysterious island was Lady Edwina who was curious about the few humans she has met. Much of her life that she can remember has been around elves and mermaids. The mermaids, including Lexie, were gone having swam back into the sea for winter. They just celebrated the New Year and waiting for Ilio to return for the winter. The cold and choppy waters are no time for sailing. Edwina decided, they could have a piece of the golden fleece. Edwina would bring their group to the river where it sleeps in the phoenix nest. She brings her magic wand Ilio made for her to pass the snake that never sleeps living in apple trees where elves hang their wool filled with minerals. She enchants the snake to sleep with singing to let them pass. Lexie has it under a spell to never sleep when she is gone, but she removes the enchantment with singing when she returns. The humans spot the fleeces drying in the apple trees and exclaim how so many pieces of shiny gold are in them. Edwina picked up a piece and struck it against her steel blade to watch it spark. It was not gold. They hiked up a mountain trail and spent the night in a cave. The phoenix came to her at dawn. When she heard reports of humans hunting for the golden winged ram, she sent it away until it would be safe again. The phoenix took Edwina to the ram shivering in fear. She assured the beast that the humans would only take its wool and not harm it. Shortly after, she would use her wand to regrown its wool for winter. The ram came with Edwina on its back. The Dacians got busy removing the tough curly hair and each one had to take a turn when a hand got exhausted. Once the fleece was removed, Edwina waved her wand and the hair regrew for winter. Edwina warned of the magic contained in the fleece they held in their palms. Magic that could easily harm them as well as aid them if they failed to understand how to control the force inside it. Ignoring the advice, the ram flew back up to the phoenix nest and the humans went on their way. They returned to Edwina’s home by dusk and a patrol came by announcing Ilio’s arrival in Adea. Edwina gathered food for the sailors to reach Blythe and they can make their way home from there.

The Dacians left before Ilio had the chance to see them. The elves welcomed their lord home and held a feast in his homecoming. The elves told him about the Dacians coming there and Edwina taking them to the mountains to sheer the wool so they would not kill it. Edwina said it was a small sacrifice. Ilio asked Edwina when they settled into bed about her adventures in time traveling without him. Edwina asked about Prince Fane and his plans on Prince Danut. Ilio agreed to a truce. Word spread of the golden fleece held by King Sorin and woven into a magic cape. Quickly, Sorin had murdered any relatives of Queen Tanith who could snatch his crown. One young man of the palace guard slipped into anonymity and disappeared into the forested mountains surrounding the capital. He presented himself to Queen Ishtar in Adea requesting sanctuary. She sent Prince Azriel with a regular patrol to Blue Island for Ilio to accept this human into his service. Few knew where Ilio placed Queen Nastia’s children who could overthrow this cruel King Sorin. Prince Azriel returned with Edwina to announce Lord Ilio had disappeared into the fairy realm.