21
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When I had last seen Queen Tonn of Uisge, it had been on the back of a creature as she bellowed a cry of war and led her people into a mass slaughter opposite the Rachainn.
Now, the Queen of Uisge was a queen once more. The long, sea-blue hair of her was still tucked gently and easily behind her shoulders, where the same strands of seaweed and accents of small shells were wound throughout the vibrant colours.
Her eyes were darker beneath the surface, not quite blue but more of that indigo colour, that hue that suggested a slow leak of purple across her iris’. But that was not the major difference in our last meeting to now. No, that would be her attire. And her legs.
Of which, she had neither.
Other than the sandstone crown with small gems and intricate carvings upon her head, Queen Tonn was revealed to the water around her.
But like Bryn, she had skin that appeared to be more rubber in nature than the skin Killian and I had, and it stretched from her hairline down to her, well, tail.
Also like Bryn, Queen Tonn no longer had two powerful limbs beneath her waist but one, long and twirling, covered in scales and ending in a fanned out fin.
Queen Tonn regarded both Killian and I with a long scrape of her eyes from our feet – no tail in sight – to the tops of our heads – out of which our hair flowed without control from us.
“I wish for your audience, Queen Tonn,” I tried, and failed, to curtsey to the Queen of Uisge. The water around me contorting my movements until I looked as if I was trying to twist myself into that of a pretzel.
“And you shall have it, Olivia.”
~
There was nothing more to say as Queen Tonn turned away and led us deep into her castle. To my surprise, it was not so dissimilar to the castles I had already walked within Saoghal, other than it being completely underwater of course.
Long hallways composed of that pearl-like substance surrounded us, which was a new frustration as I had planned to use a somewhat rough surface to drag my exhausted body along.
Instead, I continued to paddle behind her, occasionally glancing at Killian as I went.
In a way, I was sure I hated him a little bit as I saw him swimming along with ease, his muscles large and useful unlike mine.
But that hate slid away and made room for something else as I watched him use his body, staring at the power at which he controlled himself.
He caught me staring at him and winked. I was glad the water was cold enough to cool my heating cheeks.
“My throne room,” Queen Tonn at last announced from where she slithered along in front of us, graceful in every way compared to the two paddling-ducks behind her.
She nodded to two guards standing post outside of the throne room, both of which looked like something out of a mythology book with their exposed, toned abs and their pecks so large I could’ve buried my face in them.
Now this was where I thought Uisge was a bit cliche.
That, or perhaps humans that had visited this kingdom had ghostly memories of being here once upon a time, influencing the arts and the internet.
Because instead of a throne, like in Choilltean or Cluaineach, Queen Tonn lowered herself into what I wanted to call an open clam.
I know.
I know.
Just, I know.
Again, I chose to believe that modern-day cheesy movies, shows, and art were based on Uisge. On the extravagant kingdom and the magnificent throne within.
To be fair to Queen Tonn, it wasn’t entirely a shell. It was more like… a raised tomb crafted of clam-shells. A bench or bed-like shape that she settled herself on and allowed her tail to flop along.
That was why it wasn’t a full chair. Of course! How awkward would hoisting a tail be on a chair?
To my relief, there were chairs in the room, set at the round-table-like design that she had next to her throne. There were eight chairs, one missing where her throne instead had been positioned, enabling her to lean her elbows against the marbled-table.
“Come,” she commanded. “Sit.”
I didn’t want to ask how, considering my body kept wanting to float up to the ceiling.
And, thankfully, I didn’t need to ask how.
Because as Killian and I swam over there, I realized quite quickly that Queen Tonn had, at some point, had non-sea visitors.
That’s why, when I grabbed onto the arm of the closest chair, some sort of gravity took over and allowed me to sink against it.
Once in the chair, I had a feeling it would be quite a task to get out of it.
“Comfortable?” she asked, almost genuinely.
“Sure.” I was comfortable, other than the fact that everyone around me was completely naked. Or as naked as a fish-like pixie in the water could be.
I wasn’t the only one who had that thought, apparently. Except Killian was less polite with it.
His head cocked to the side. “You do not have nipples?”
“Killian!” I gasped, grabbing onto him and letting my nails bite into his forearm.
“What?” He blanched at me, then turned his attention back to her. “How then do you feed your young?”
“Ki–” smack, “li–”, smack, “an!” smack.
He didn’t make a single move as I smacked at his bicep.
I shot an apologetic look her way. “I’m so sorry.” Then I turned into him and scowled. “You’re such a brute, be quiet.”
He simply shrugged. “What? It’s a genuine question.”
“One that I don’t believe I’ll be answering,” Queen Tonn said, her voice even and giving no indication as to if she was insulted.
“I do not blame you one bit,” I snarled, my gaze furious in Killian’s direction. It was hard to remain angry with him, though, because the genuine confusion on his face made me roll my eyes.
I needed to get my task over with, ideally as soon as possible, before Killian and his Choilltean-charm sealed us both a death sentence in Uisge.
“Queen Tonn, I–”
“Ah!” she shouted, looking right over my head and in the direction that we had entered. Frowning, I turned away from her and followed her line of sight, only to see–
Oh, shit.
The first thing I saw was that wavy, seaweed-verdant hair, slicked back into neat patterns that resembled the crashing of the ocean against the shoreline.
The pixie interrupted us, striding in – or swimming in – to the throne room on a tail similar to Queen Tonn’s: thick, muscular, and powerful in every way, the greenish tinge to it glinting as the lit corals in the throne room haloed him.
Tadgh, Prince of Uisge, flicked those hauntingly-mystical lavender eyes across the room until they landed on me. Then they creased, his smile grew wild, and he placed a hand to his chest to bow to me.
Tadgh, the son of Queen Tonn, had been full of natural charm and prince-like charisma since the day I rescued him from the oil-spill.
Never had he made it so obvious as he did now, going the extra mile to dip his chin at me as if the bow wasn’t enough.
Then again, perhaps there had always been another pixie in the room keeping him from doing so.
Killian wasn’t thrilled about it at my side, but he had the good mind to stay quiet about it. Something that his best friend lacked, and I was all the more glad that he wasn’t here.
“Olivia Loughty,” Tadgh said, his voice smooth and alluring in every way as his eyes glistened. “What an honour to see you again – to bestow upon you my utmost gratitude once more.”
“Tadgh,” Queen Tonn grumbled. “Sit down, foolish boy.”
Foolish boy was the best way to describe Tadgh as that sarcastic grin of his remained firm on his face while he sought the seat directly across from me.
I was glad of the distraction, because up until that moment, I had been staring at him.
Not his face, nor the slight-blue colour to his skin, but his body.
Everything from his shoulders to his biceps, his abs to his back, it was all a collected mass of muscle that only swimming every hour of every day could craft.
I was glad we were underwater, because I was quite sure I drooled. Which was as disgusting as it sounds.
He wasn’t exactly making it easy as he stared at me across the table, that suggestive curve to his lips as enticing as ever.
Killian nudged me and I snapped back into the Olivia that had more than a lizard brain.
“What is it that you want, Olivia?”
Queen Tonn had such a sweet face, such a soft voice, that it would have been easy to consider that a genuine question. Except my time with the pixies had revealed their sly, ulterior motives.
Killian went to pull the necklace from his pocket, but I placed a hand on his and stilled him.
“Saoghal is changing, Your Majesty, and I wish to speak to you about it.”
She scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I knew that slimy King would stoop so low, but I am surprised that you would.”
Killian was quick to object. “Hold on–”
Queen Tonn turned a furious, seaweed-shrivelling gaze to him. “You are her shield, are you not?”
Killian looked so proud as he nodded.
“Then stay as one. Be quiet.”
Prepared to protest in support of his honour I went to open my mouth, only for Killian to grab onto my hand and squeeze.
Not the time, that silent statement said.
I was just so sick of everyone looking at Killian that way. Like he was nothing more than a sword and a shield. There was so much more to him.
But he was right, this wasn’t the time.
“We shall hear her out all the same, Mother.” Tadgh was a whole new level of sly, something a little more malicious yet mischievous than Raegan. Something that I knew not to completely trust, whereas I saw Raegan as one of the only ones I could trust.
I nodded my thanks to him and turned back to Queen Tonn. “I am not here on behalf of King Raegan.”
I didn’t miss the way her face scrunched at his title or his name.
“Yes, he wanted me to speak with you, but my reasons for coming are my own.”
That was enough to intrigue her. Killian, too, who looked at me as if he didn’t know me.
“I am listening,” Queen Tonn said.
“I do not claim to be well versed in politics. Even less in the ways of the pixies. So let me put this as simply as I can, Queen Tonn – Saoghal will not survive a war of the kingdoms.”
Tadgh’s interest piqued then, too. He placed his elbows on the table and leaned against his wrists.
“You are correct,” Queen Tonn sighed. “I do not believe there will be much of it left. But that does not mean it will not come to pass.”
“How can you say that?” I forgot myself so quickly. “Saoghal might be divided into four, but it is one, as it has always been. How can you wish its downfall so easily?”
Killian warned me by tightening his grip on my hand but I yanked it away from him.
“I owe you a great life debt,” Queen Tonn hissed. “So I shall accept your poor manners and your quick tongue. But do not push it.”
“I am sorry. I… I love this world, Your Majesty. I love it like I’ve never loved another thing. So it is passion that drives me to talk freely, it is fear that allows me to forget myself. I do not know what to do with either.”
Her features softened somewhat. “Saoghal is, and always will be, eternal. It has survived many risings and many fallings. In a thousand years, pixies will roam it just as we do, now. Do not fear for what you cannot control, sweet Olivia.”
I shook my head several times. “I cannot let it go so easily. I cannot accept that blood will spill, red from the skies, red in the waters, red across the meadows, and red in the trees. It is not right.”
“Perhaps. But it is necessary.”
“Why?” I was aware how nasally and whiny it came out, but I was truly ready to beg the Queen of Uisge if I must. Tadgh must have known, because he leant even heavier into his wrists, watching me with a predatory intrigue.
“Do you remember the day Choilltean was attacked?”
Of course I did. I would never forget it. It was my first day here and blood rained down from the heavens, limbs scattered across the beauty of the forest floor, and I still awoke to the screams.
So I nodded.
“And you recall the poisoning of Uisge?”
Another horror that I would never forget, another nod.
“The Rachainn were cruel, yes. There is no arguing that. But what you do not understand is that it is a learned behaviour. For decades – centuries – the pixies of Saoghal have waged war on one another. Before the Rachainn, it was for the division of Saoghal itself. Before that, it was for the ways in which we varied. At some point, it started with one King against another King, and Saoghal has only known war since.”
I was shaking my head again. “So be better. We can be better. The four kingdoms can be better.”
Her smile was pitiful and made me sink against my chair.
“My point is that King Ronan of Choilltean believed that treaties and pacts would keep Saoghal safe. Before him, King Tearlach of Speur believed that bloodying his sword and denting his shield would keep Saoghal safe. Before that, Queen Tara of Reultan believed that removing her kingdom altogether would save her people. Before her, King Cillian of Uisge, King Kealan of Cluaineach, King Finnian of Speur, and King Ellery of Choilltean believed that the division of their kingdoms would bring Saoghal peace. And in between them all, there have been dozens of others, dozens of plans, dozens of good intentions.”
I couldn’t help but to frown.
“And yet they all ended in the same way.”
“So, what? You truly believe that fighting, slaughtering, and mass-destruction is the only way forward? Are you that barbaric?”
“Mother…” Tadgh snarled as he watched Queen Tonn shift into a far more terrifying version of herself. “Olivia means well.”
I did. Sort of.
“When people challenge our most sacred of ways, the very things set by the gods that do keep Saoghal safe, yes. Yes, Olivia, fighting is the only way to right it. And Raegan… Oh, that poor boy, he made a grave mistake.”