Merlin

Birth of the Aetherverse – Chapter 3 (Serial Story)

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Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12

Chapter 3: God, Trickster, and Coward

We quickly realized, the other four and I, that we were different from the Fay. Our magic was inside and the world was linked to us. The Fay realms bent to our every whim and fantasy, while the Fay had immense magical power, but needed to pull it from the Aether. It limited them since they had to pull magic through the barrier.

We were gods among them and they loved us. For countless years, we were benevolent deities to adoring masses. I say we, but it was mostly the other four; I liked to disguise myself and live amongst the Fay. They were fascinating and overly serious. I spent most of the godly reign of my siblings pulling pranks and tricks throughout the realm.

I was a menace and I fully admit it. I’m not proud of those years, but everyone has some embarrassing moments tucked into their past. Mine just happen to be the basis for every trickster god in multiple realms. 

The problem with complete power is that it corrupts, even the gods. The four became capricious and mean. They treated the Fay like bugs and slaves. I’m not completely blameless either. 

The Fay grew angry and frustrated, as they should, and rose up. They discovered that worked metal hurt our magic as much as theirs and they took arms against us. The first great Fay civil war was a horrible thing where most of the Fay died. The fighting only stopped when Mav died, her heart pierced by cold iron.

That’s when the realm itself expelled all worked metal. I’m not sure what happens to the metal, but when it’s brought into Fay, it bubbles and boils and goes into the ground.

After Mav’s death, the remaining three disappeared, and we discovered that certain Fay had the strength and will to carve a kingdom out of the wild realm around them; they were the Fay Lords. And so was born the Fay Kingdoms, ruled by those who had killed their own gods. 

Again, I am not proud of my actions, but I left Fay completely. First I travelled to Earth, but it was controlled by wild magic and large reptiles, so I tried Everworld. It had been created with magic similar to my own and I had assumed it would greet me kindly. Although the people were kind, the realm itself fought my every move and one morning I awoke back in Fay. Everworld had expelled me the way Fay expels metal.

I had been gone long enough that when I returned there were nine kingdoms, the greatest of all being called Mav. After a few enquiries, I discovered its king and queen were Oberon and Titania. They had reinvented themselves as Fay Lords and started a kingdom. I was shocked to hear that they also had a son, Melchior.

In our time as gods, we’d had many children with the regular Fay. Most of those children went mad with power, so we stopped. In those countless days and nights, we had never successfully mated with each other.  

I had to see for myself what the child was. I’d convinced myself that he was just another Fay until I saw him. I looked at his magic; he had the same core of power as myself, but he was also capable of pulling power from the Aether.

That made him extremely dangerous and I grew fearful. With his power, he could rewrite the universe, maybe all universes. I did the only thing I knew what to do and I ran. I ran into the Deep realms until I couldn’t breath, think, or stay awake.

I woke up when someone slapped me. It was Peaseblossom and they looked different. Their magic was subdued and they looked peaceful. “Wake up, Robin,” they said, punctuating it with another slap.

“What if I don’t?” I asked petulantly. 

“Then the Deep realms will eat you, maybe.”

I laughed as much at their uncertainty as their joke. “What have you done to yourself, Sibling?”

Smiling, they said, “I travelled the Deep realms and came across a fox that walked in the shadows. I followed her and found her, I thought, eating another fox. When I approached I saw that she was transforming the fox’s core magic from internal to external. I watched her do it multiple times and finally with enough practice I was able to do it to myself. I am no better now than a common Fay.”

“Are you happy?” I asked, not sure how to respond. They nodded and I asked if they could show me where the fox had been.

My sibling did not explain the beauty that was this fox. She had fur as dark as night with shocks of bright red, her eyes were intelligent, and most interestingly, her magical core was the same as ours.

“Hello, my lady. You are magnificent. I thank you for teaching my sibling your magic.” I thought it best to be polite. I didn’t expect the fox to respond and I was surprised when she rushed forward and bit my leg. She yowled at me and bit again before turning and running.

“I think you’ve insulted her,” Peaseblossom said.

“I think she wants us to follow,” I replied and ran after the beauty.

I had no idea where we were going. I knew that to wander too far into the Deep was to lose yourself in time, but all that mattered was that fox. When I finally caught up with her she gave me a look that was what I assume was the fox equivalent to, About time. 

After that, we ran together until we reached the other end of the Deep realms, where reality just gave up, and it’s there that I saw the first gate. It was an arch of stone two stories high with sigils of magic all around it.

But it wasn’t the arch that chilled my blood and stopped my heart; it’s what was visible through the arch. An army dressed in some sort of silver metal lined up in rows that reached so far in the distance that together, they looked like a giant metal serpent.

“Mulciber,” I whispered in horror.

Read Chapter 4

While you wait for the next chapter, check out the previous serial stories:

Birth of the Aetherverse – Chapter 2 (Serial Story)

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Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12

Chapter 2: The Oldest Merlin

“Ooo-ooo-ooo the heroes of Westmeath, The Phantom and the Wraith!” sang Merlin as they slowly walked towards the forest. “I’ve had that stuck in my head, this time, for over a millenia.”

“What is this about and why are you so old?” Oberon asked.

Laughing slightly as if the man had made a great joke, Merlin replied, “Don’t be hasty. I am very old, but we’ll get there in time.”

Titania looked like she was going to say something, but instead rolled her eyes. 

“This is about magic isn’t it?” I asked.

“Astute observation, Robin,” Merlin replied. “Can you feel it?”

I shook my head. “You’re a wizard, so I assumed.”

We walked for a long time until the Fay realms started to thin. They were young and hadn’t solidified; they weren’t a planet like Everworld or Earth. They were just a giant plain of existence.

We came to the end where the Fay realms reverted into pure Aether and Merlin, with the ease of a school teacher, explained, “The Fay realms were built of pure inner power, magic from another universe completely. It’s not compatible with the magic from this universe. It’s too…” He paused and looked around.

When he didn’t say anything, I ventured, “Organized?”

“Yes,” he said and clapped his hands together. “Aether is partially sentient and always trying to convert order into chaos. The nascent universe over there—” he gestured back where we’d come from. “—It has a natural defence against Aether called a barrier. You do not have one.”

That’s when I saw that the ground in front of us was receding slowly. 

Peaseblossom made a high pitched sound and said, “Fay is being eaten?”

Merlin only nodded as the rest of us stared at him, wide-eyed. It was Titania that finally said, “What do we do?”

“Nothing. It’ll slowly eat at Fay until a barrier is put up or it consumes everything,” Merlin said casually.

“Can you do anything?” Mav asked, somehow sounding bored and worried at the same time.

“Me, yes. Me now, no. I wasn’t expecting to be here yet, but since I was the only me here, I figured I’d warn you. Just don’t go into the Aether and you’ll be okay for a while. I’ll be back after I see a girl about a ring.” He fidgeted with a large crystal ring before turning back and slowly walking back towards the Deep realms.

The other others walked away from Merlin to do whatever it was they wanted to do. I stayed back to walk with him. After a long time of walking, I asked him something that had bothered me my whole life, or less than a few hours, I suppose. “Why us? Who made us? Why are we here? What’s the goal?”

Merlin seemed to think it over and finally answered, “Chaos thrives on imbalance. The Fay balance out the Humans just like New Albion will balance Everdome.” When I looked confused, he said, “Fay are important to creating a balanced universe that won’t collapse back into chaos.” 

He went back to walking as if that had explained anything and just when I thought he’d forgotten what I’d asked he added, “You were magical crystals created when powerful creatures died. The Mulciber took those souls and experimented, creating superpowered crystals they could use as a powersource. A group of brave people fought them and took the crystals, redirecting a great gate into this universe and planned on building a better, less dangerous home. They succeeded in creating the universe, but not so much with the safer.”

“So I’m a rebirth of a bunch of magical souls?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied with a smile. “You were always my favourite Robin.” 

I watched Merlin walk towards the Deep realms forest as another version of him, somehow older, walked out. As they crossed each other, the younger said, “You dawdled.”

The elder replied, “Yes and you would have, will, do the same thing.”

They both burst into chuckles and then walked away from one another. The elder Merlin saw me and smiled like we’d not seen each other in a long time. “Robin, my old friend. If I had to choose who would be there when I die, you would have made the top one-hundred for sure.”

I ignored the bitterness in his voice and asked, “Die? Are you dying? What can I do to help you?” 

He patted my shoulder and said, “You’re so young. I’ve lived a long time. Not as long as you will, but longer than most humans should.”

“Why are you here if you’re dying?”

“I am the Guardian of Reality. The universe has given me everything I have ever wanted and it’s time I pay it back for that.” He said it as if it answered my question, but I felt like I was missing parts. 

“Are all wizards this cryptic?” I asked.

“Only the good ones and those that forget how much information they’re supposed to give.” We reached the fading parts of Fay again and I was alarmed to see how much had been lost. He nodded to me and said, “This is my stop. I’m going to become the barrier for Fay. The only advice I have for you is to take time to truly enjoy life. Sometimes we’re too busy living that we forget how much fun it is and take it too seriously.”

With that, and before I could ask any questions, he stepped back, and with a flash of white light, disappeared. When my vision cleared, the thinning was gone. I walked forward to where it had been and there was nothing but more of the realm. 

Our realm was complete and the universe set into motion. I didn’t appreciate what that meant at the time, but I wasn’t even a day old.

Read Chapter 3

While you wait for the next chapter, check out the previous serial stories:

Read more about Merlin in his Holiday Stories

Birth of the Aetherverse – Chapter 1 (Serial Story)

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Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12

Chapter 1: The Voices of Time and Reality

The first thing I remember is the voice of a young man saying, “Where are we?”

A second voice answered him, this time a young woman, “It’s not where but when, big brother.”

“Fine, Morgan. When are we?”

“We are at the beginning of our universe. This is the Aether, but the question is, what are those?”

A gentle, dark brown hand picked me up and the young man asked, “Don’t you know?”

“No. You never told me. Spoilers and all that.”

I tried to speak, but with no mouth or body per-say, I couldn’t. “These look a lot like the  Aetheria crystals. Its magic signature feels familiar.” The man finished what he was saying and I felt myself changing.

If you’ve never gone from crystal to humanoid, it sort of feels like the best stretch you’ve ever had. 

The woman, who I saw was dark with beautiful blue eyes said, “Ah. Robin Goodfellow.”

That is my name. I was named by the Guardian of Time. I am Robin, or Puck. Yes, that one, but my old friend William used little but my name.

“If this is the beginning of our universe, where’s Everworld?” the boy asked. He had the scraggly beginnings of a beard and close-cut brown hair. His skin was as dark as his sister’s.

I pointed at a large stone gate that seemed to float in the nothingness that surrounded us.

There were people walking through, lots of people. They were obviously carrying everything they owned into a vast nothingness. I felt bad for them and I didn’t know why.

“Wow. The original settlers of Everworld.” The man sounded awed. 

There were thousands walking through the gate and I started walking towards them, but the woman stopped me. “No, Robin. Those events are already decided and you aren’t part of them.”

I watched them walk away for what seemed like a very long time before seeing one man closing the gate with magic. He looked sad while he clung to two crystals. He turned to us; he and his crystals disappeared, replaced by a ball of golden light.

“I think we just watched the big bang,” Morgan said, her voice serene. 

“What about all these other crystals?” I asked, proud to have finally found my voice. “Are they like me?”

There were five other crystals, one of which had been shattered into three pieces. Morgana said to her brother, “Pick them up, you’ll know their names.”

In order, he picked them up and named them, “Oberon, Titania, Mav, and Peaseblossom.” As he touched and named them they became real and flesh like me. 

Oberon was of brown skin with a deep red beard, I knew him then as the king of all Fay, even if there were only five of us. His first sound was a deep rumble of laughter, it flowed from him and filled the Fay realms with water.

Titania was dark skinned and the queen of the day. Her eyes and smile became the sun.

Mav was as pale as the moonlight, queen of night and shadows. Her hair blanketed the night. 

Peaseblossom wasn’t tall and statuesque like the other three, they were short and furtive looking like a rabbit caught in the open. From them came all the plants and wildlife. They were the monarch of nature.  

They all looked at me expectantly. What was I compared to the kings and queens? I was all the rest, I was magic, hope, joy, luck, power, cunning, and everything in between. I wasn’t a king or queen, I was the first Fay lord. From me came the Fay themselves, in all their many forms and failures.

To the three pieces of the last crystal, Merlin whispered,” Charites, Horae, and Moirai, the Three Sisters. You belong in Everworld.” Their forms didn’t fill out, instead turning into balls of light that sped towards where Everworld had been.

“What are we?” I asked Merlin.

He looked pensive and answered, “You are souls made of magic from the old realms. You were brought here to kickstart a new universe where magic wasn’t based on the spiritual energy of its people, but was a fundamental element of the universe.”

Morgana cocked her head sideways and asked, “How did you figure it out? It took me millennia of studying the old texts.”

“My thesis supervisor told me. He lived through the Fay and Mulciber wars.” He looked at us and shrugged before adding, “Oops. Spoilers.”

Something about the word, Mulciber, made me shiver in disgust and fear. An image of a long line of metal, snaking around a mountain, popped into my mind. 

“So what do we do now?” asked Oberon. 

“Be Fay,” said Merlin. When we looked confused, he added, “You get to decide what that means and try to be kind.”

Oberon, Titania, and Mav scoffed at Merlin’s comment, but I’m not sure they understood it. Peaseblossom had wandered off part way through the conversation and was talking to a tree.

“Goodbye and good luck.” Merlin turned to Morgana and asked, “Is this where you…”

Giving him a dirty look, she replied, “No, it’s further in. Follow me.” They walked into the forest and they hugged each other. It was the kind of hug where they knew they’d never see each other again. As they hugged, the world melted around her and everything went a little distorted. Both of them disappeared.

That forest and it’s boundaries where Morgana died became the Deep realms of Fay, a place of wild magic and even wilder temporal effects. 

An old man walked out of the forest and looked at us in surprise. He looked like Merlin, but much older. His brown scruff had become a white beard, his brown skin turned a little grey, but his eyes hadn’t changed; they were still filled with mischief and curiosity. 

He smiled and said, “Oh my. I’ve gone a little too far back this time. Glad I stopped or I would have met myself. That would be awkward.”

Read Chapter 2

While you wait for the next chapter, check out the previous serial stories:

Read more about Merlin in his Holiday Stories

Making that left turn at New Albion

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This story takes place twelve years after the events in Parasomnia, seven years after Everdome, and six years after the event in Night of the Sisters and Stuck in a Cabin for the Holidays.

Parasomnia
Everdome

Both Parasomnia and Everdome are now available at your local book store and our store.

“MERLIN!” screamed all three little girls at once. They were small and graceful and loud. They were obviously sisters, despite their difference in colouring; one being metallic gold, another being black as ebony, and the last being the pale copper of the woman who was watching me with a raised eyebrow.

When I nodded at the woman, the three girls threw themselves at me. We hugged and I desperately tried to remember anything that would give me a hint of what was going on.

At the age of fifteen, I discovered I was destined to be the all-powerful and all-knowing Guardian of Reality known as Merlin. Or Emrys or the prophet Merlinus Ambrosius or Myrdin of Earth and Aether. No pressure right? The frustrating thing was that I’d met my older self and had even looked up to him, which had made the whole thing weird.

“What are we learning today?” asked the golden little girl.

“Well…” I trailed off.

She finished for me, “Ugh, not a review day.”

The woman, who was in her mid- to late-thirties, spoke with a slight accent I didn’t recognize and said, “Jamie, what’s a review day?”

The little girl with ebony skin replied, “It’s a day where he pretends he’s forgotten what he taught us and we have to teach it to him.”

Here’s the thing about being Merlin, it doesn’t happen in order. I haven’t been at it long, it’s hard being a Guardian and having a life. They obviously knew me well, but I had never met them. 

The one thing I’d told myself last time I saw me, yeah, my life is interesting, was that I had to try and fake it as much as possible or we’d lose our mysterious wizard vibes.

“That’s right,” I said. “What was the last thing I taught you?”

The three girls pouted and their mother smirked, “Jamie, Adelaide, and Ajay, please humour him. He’s told me multiple times that teaching someone something is a great way to remember.”

That sounded more like something my father would say, but it was right.

The third little girl said, “You taught us about the importance of the Day of the Sisters and how it wasn’t just our birthday or a reason to party, it was a way for the world to celebrate the light overcoming the dark.”

I had come to this festively decorated castle looking for my sister. She’d taught me a spell that would let me jump between realms, realities connected through magic. I’d expected to arrive where she was, but magic doesn’t care about what I expect.

I’d been studying the realms with my thesis supervisor Mr. Batudev, who was an actual knight of Everdome. This wasn’t Everdome. Though the sky was clear of floating islands, there was a heavy snowfall and lots of clouds.

“Anything else?” I asked.

“You told us that we needed to know the realms and be able to name them,” Jamie said, looking proud of herself.

The woman smiled at me and looked away from the girls as she laughed.

“Right. So go ahead,” I said.

The three girls screamed the answer in perfect, unsettling, unison. “The new realms are Earth, the Fay, Everdome, Make-Believe, and here.”

“It’s important to say the name,” the woman said, winking at me.

“New Albion,” the girls replied. It was a strange realm; the youngest technically, only being a full realm for ten years, but it had its own history that dated back several thousand. It had been created by a group of people with more magical know-how than ethics and was now ruled by a High Queen that was said to be a great ruler and a massive nerd.

I was about to thank Queen Ashley of Cambria, High Queen of New Albion, when the girls continued, “The ancient realms are Asgal, Seidrheim, Mulciber, and the Great Forest.” I’d only heard of one of those outside Norse mythology.

“Alright, girls. I think Merlin has had enough for one day. Why don’t you eat some of that candy from your birthday?”

That reminded me. “Speaking of which, I have something for you girls. It’s not much, but happy birthday.” I reached into the pocket dimension that was built into my jeans and pulled out three chocolate bars. My fiancée loved salted caramel and I always had some on hand for her.

The girls took their chocolates and ran off. After a deep breath, Ashley said, “So you just always have those on you?”

“Yes,” I said, not wanting to say too much.

“Did you know that’s their favourite?”

“I do now,” I replied, which got me a chuckle.

She patted my shoulder and said, “I’m always amazed at how they don’t notice your change of age. Especially now, you’re what? Eighteen?”

“Twenty-two, actually,” I said sheepishly.

Nodding, she said, “You’re not supposed to be here yet. You don’t go off travelling until your nineties.”

I desperately wanted to ask why, but decided it was best not to know my own future. When you know you’re going to live a few thousand years, it’s best not to dwell on what will happen because it’ll inevitably be sad.

“I was looking for—” A portal opened with a loud TARDIS sound next to us and my sister walked through.

“There you are,” she said, almost scolding. “I left you a message to find me.”

Feeling like an idiot, I replied, “I tried.”

“I forget how young you are,” my sister replied. She was my sister, no doubt about it, but she wasn’t the sister from my time. My little sister was just over ten right now and this version of her looked eighteen. I’d never seen a version of her that looked older and that worried me.

“Right, I’m young and naive and you’re the ancient one.” I paused and looked at her eyes. They were tired and I realized she was ancient. “How long do you have?”

Ashley looked awkward and said, “Um. Sorry. Nice to meet you. You must be Morgana.”

“I am and it’s nice to see you again,” my sister said and shook the queen’s hand. Turning back to me, she said, “I need to show you the birth of time in our universes.”

“Why?” both Ashley and I asked.

“Like you guessed, I’m dying and you need to teach my successor.” She was the Guardian of Time.

I didn’t like the idea of my sister dying, but I asked, “Who’s your successor?”

“Me,” she replied and opened a portal.

The TARDIS noise reminded me I had a SD card in my pocket. Giving it to Ashley, I said, “This has seasons ten to thirteen of Doctor Who on it.” 

Ashley squeed and hugged me, saying thank you.

As I left, I added, “Blessed Yule and may your hearts always be warmed by the fires of love and hope.”

As I walked through the gate with Morgana, I wondered what was ahead of me and if I was up to the challenge of teaching her younger self.

“It’s okay, big brother. You’ll do fine.” I hoped she was right; even though she’d lived it, time could always change. 

Vaguely from all around me, I heard the girls’ voices say, “Myrdin, as you walk the paths of time, don’t forget to bring us to life.”

I guess it really was the Day of the Sisters for me. May the Goddess light my way.

Read More holiday stories featuring Merlin:

Stuck in a Cabin for the Holidays

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This story takes place the winter after the events in Everdome and at the same time as The Night of the Sisters

Everdome is available as an Ebook or Hardcover at Renaissance Press’s Website. It’s Also available as an ebook at Amazon, Indigo/Chapters, and Kobo.

“Joyous Yule…” The tall dark-skinned man with an impressive white beard trailed off as he looked around the small cabin. Putting down a large red sack he asked, “Where am I?”

“Emrys, old friend. You look younger somehow.” The woman was covered in furs and looked to be both loving and hating the cold. Her wild curly red hair was tied in a semblance of a ponytail. 

The man looked confused at her and the only other occupant of the cabin, a woman with tan skin and the build of a fighter. She was wrapped in a thick cloak and looked miserable. “I’m sorry, who are you? And where is here?”

Sighing, the older woman replied, “Here, is a cabin in the mountains of Pakaha. I am Es’Sem and this is my descendant Jasmine.”

“Wait a second,” Jasmine said, “Are you telling me you’ve never been to Everdome before?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“So all my memories of you teaching me about chivalry and the history of Earth, Everdome, and King Arthur while growing up?”

It was Es’Sem, not Emrys, that replied, “Happened in your past and will happen in his future. What’s in the bag, old man?”

“I’m barely a hundred, thank you. They’re Yule presents for young Arthur.”

Jasmine stood with her mouth agape and Es’Sem whistled before saying, “This is the youngest I’ve ever seen you.”

“Alright then. I know who you are, kind of, and I know where I am. When am I?”

“We’re post Montrose, if that tells you anything.”

“Great, so after the Corrupter and all that stuff.” Emrys said.

“This is very strange.” Jasmine shook her head. Her dyed blonde braid barely moved. “You were there, but it’s not you. Yet?”

“You get used to it.” Es’Sem smiled and hugged the tall man.

“I’m glad it’s possible to get used to because it seems I must.” Emrys sat down in a comfortable chair near the door he’d come in from.

“Is it… What was your midwinter festival called? Night of the Sisters?”

Laughing Jasmine said, “No. We don’t worship them. We respect them. You’re thinking of New Albion.”

“Right. Parasomnia.”

Smiling, Es’Sem said, “I liked that one. It was fun to write.”

Emrys gasped. “Oh my. I have so many questions for you.” The two spent the next few hours discussing her book series Everdome. 

When she had had enough, Jasmine asked, “Why are you here and can you get us out?”

“We haven’t discussed this yet? Wow. I am getting old.”

Es’Sem took a drink of her rum and said, “Talk to me in a few thousand years about being old.”

“Outside is a magical storm. The kind that can transport a poor old wizard over thousands of years and an entire Realm. This cabin is protected against most of it by some clever magic, but we’re not going anywhere.”

“I’m going to miss Cataclysm Day with my people, aren’t I?” Jasmine sighed and sat down looking completely defeated.

“Cataclysm Day, of course. Where you celebrate surviving and give thanks for family and the magic that powers the Domes.” Emrys nodded. It was the only major celebration that all of Everdome followed and it always involved a massive party and ceremony where the High King or Queen presided. He bowed and said, “I’m sorry your majesty, but there is nothing I can do.”

“That’s okay. I’m actually a little relieved.”

Es’Sem sounded annoyed as she said, “Oh for Goddess’s sake, you’d be fine. I’ve known you your whole life and you’ll be a fantastic Queen.”

“Yeah but I shouldn’t be. This wasn’t my job. I’m the warrior not the diplomat. I’ve been Queen for less than two years and in that time the whole of Everdome almost fell.”

“Focus on the fact that it didn’t, dear.” Es’Sem sounded worried and her Australian accent became more pronounced.

“It should have been Daniel. It was his responsibility, not mine. I should be out there not trapped in here.”

The cabin fell quiet. Shifting awkwardly, making his chair squeak, Emrys said, “So I’m going to ask a few questions and pry.” The two women looked at him expectantly. “Jasmine, do you want help or do you want to complain?”

“You sound just like my father,” Jasmine said and smiled. 

His voice cracking, he replied, “Thank you.” There were tears in his eyes.

“I need help. I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve survived this long because I’ve been a wartime Queen. I don’t know what to do when we’re at peace.”

Taking her hand, he asked, “What happened to your brother?”

“He died heroically. The bastard.” Jasmine cursed. “He was raised to be King and he was going to be a great one. But when my father died, Daniel decided to take a tour of the kingdom before his coronation. ‘I must learn to know all the people not just those that live near us,’ he said. He insisted he didn’t need more guards and refused to let me go with him…” She trailed off.

Es’Sem continued the story, “He was in a remote village and there was a mudslide. He died saving the town’s children. Refused to leave until the last one was safe.”

“Stubborn fool!” Jasmine released a few more curses. 

Timidly, knowing the reaction, Emrys asked, “What would you have done differently?”

“Now you really sound like my father. Nothing. I would have died heroically. I’ve done the same damned fool thing a hundred times and survived. I have scars for proof. I’ve fought and defeated everything that should have killed me. Why didn’t he? Why did I survive and not him?”

“Fate, a Deity, or plain luck. Death is never easy and we all have our own ways of dealing with it.” Emrys stared out into nothing as he spoke.

“And how do you deal with it?”

“Don’t take my example. I wandered through fairy and the Realms for thirty years before stumbling onto a young boy destined to be king. Everyday I’m faced with my old grief and the knowledge that my charge must die.” 

“Not really one of my options. I have a kingdom and a world that looks to me for leadership. I don’t know what to do.” She turned to the window and didn’t see Emrys wink at Es’Sem.

The door burst in and a snowman wielding a large sword made of ice roared. Es’Sem looked at Emrys and cocked an eyebrow. He smiled and she sat next to her favourite sword and poured herself another drink.

As if she was expecting it, Jasmine took two long strides and unsheathed her two shortswords from their scabbards and attacked the snowman.

It got a lucky stab in and nicked her arm. Jasmine scowled and attacked in quick succession. The snowman was cut to pieces and a single scream could be heard from the storm. Jasmine ran out after the voice.

“What are you up too?” Es’Sem asked.

“Me? Up to something? I was brought here by a magical storm, nothing more.”

“Bullshit. That snowman was straight out of Calvin and Hobbs.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m not some conjurer of cheap tricks.” Emrys sat down with a warm cup of peppermint coffee that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

The storm outside was a wall of iridescence, snow reflected and refracted with every colour in existence. There was always a path however and a new snowman to fight. Jasmine threw herself into the battle. Part of her knew it was shadows and snow but she ignored that part.

When she was thoroughly exhausted and suffering from several cuts, the snow parted and Daniel walked through. He was dressed in his finest livery and the three-day stubble he liked so much. He smiled warmly at her and said, “Sister. Why are you lost in this storm?”

She cursed at him and pulled him into a hug. The roar of the storm covered her sobs and froze her tears to her face. “You’re dead.”

“You’re not.”

“You should be doing this. Everdome needs you, not me.”

“Everdome needs a monarch with heart and a sense of fairness. Ruling like living isn’t about how good you are at it, it’s what you do with it. The people need someone who is strong and lucky.”

“Are you real?”

“I have no idea JayJay, but I know that I love you and that I can’t think of a better person to take my place. You’re going to be a fantastic Queen, if you let yourself be one.”

“Thank you.”

He turned away and waved. She watched him walk back into the storm and softly said goodbye.

Back at the cabin, she hugged Emrys and said, “Thank you for letting me say goodbye.”

“I’m glad you got to say goodbye. But I’m just a poor wizard who’s been displaced by a magical storm.”

“But you didn’t?”

“People always accuse me of doing and knowing things. It’s a bit frustrating and—”

A knock at the door interrupted him. A woman walked in. She wore similar robes to Emrys and had the same skin tone. Her hair was long and black and was braided over one shoulder. “Brother, you’re missing the celebrations. Are you done meddling yet?”

Es’Sem snorted in laughter.

“I’ll be right there, Morgan.” The storm outside dissipated and Emrys turned to the other two in the cabin and said, “Well, look at that. The storm is gone.”

Es’Sem laughed harder and Jasmine shook her head. Neither said anything. Emrys picked up his sack and smiled, “May your fractured nights be followed by glorious dawns.” The traditional Cataclysm Day greeting given, he left.

“That was all rather melodramatic and over the top,” Es’Sem said before adding, “I loved it.”

The two women packed their gear and, dressed for the winter weather, headed back to the castle.

When they arrived at the castle, there were two presents wrapped in plain wrapping with garish red bows.

“Bless that man,” Es’Sem said as she opened her present to show a large jar of vegemite.

Unwrapping the larger, flatter of the two, Jasmine started to cry. It was a painting of her and her brother. It looked like it was from just before he left. “No painting was ever commissioned. How?”

“Look at the signature. J. M. Emrys.” Es’Sem then read the inscription on the frame, “Those who leave us are never gone as long as we remember them.”

This story is part of the Renaissance holiday blog roll! Find out what it’s all about here!