Frozen Memories: Heirs of Ethra

The Marsh Coven

“Ah, I remember this one,” When Adanis met Amorah’s gaze, her expression showed that their first encounter was not an ideal one. 

“What is going on here?” Amorah’s question did not lower her guard. In fact, I noticed that her grip was noticeably tighter around me and presumably Max as she spoke, but her stare never dropped away from the prince of dark elves. “Are you two alright?”

“As you can see, both of your friends are fine, little vampire.” 

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Amorah snapped. She then looked at her friends. “Really…are you two okay? Has he hurt you in any way and-” She paused and seemed to finally survey us both. “What are you both wearing?”

“Don’t ask.” Max decided not to get into the whole wardrobe subject of our conversation as even she seemed to notice that there was something far more important worth talking about. “And never mind us, are you okay? Where is Keyvah?”

“Keyvah? Keyvah’s fine.” Amorah informed us.

 Though Keyvah was neither Max nor my favorite person, we were glad to know that she was alright nevertheless. Still, it was hard not to notice how frustrated Amorah seemed to be when we mentioned her best friend’s name.

“I hate to say this,” Max replied. “But…it doesn’t seem like you’re too happy about this,” 

“I’m-I’m fine about it! I’m glad she’s fine! It’s just-” She stopped herself. 

“Why are you out here alone, Amorah?” I asked her. 

“Fetching blood…taking a walk-” She shrugged. “Getting away from the prestige that is the Marsh coven.” Amorah rolled her eyes, irritatedly, she crossed her arms, her gloved hands, squeezing at her arm. 

Marsh was Keyvah’s surname, so I knew that whatever frustrated Morah had something to do with her. “Keyvah? Where is she-”

“Up there,” Amorah’s head nodded up towards the cave mountains behind her. 

We all looked up towards the towering peak where the intricately made delves were embedded into the mountainous alp. There were subtle glows emanating from each cavern.

“Where is the light coming from?” Max asked.

“The lights signify which delves are being taken up by families.” Adanis replied, inserting himself into the conversation, his eyes closely laid on Amorah. “Princess, are you ready to see the coven head? Or do you wish to continue idle chatter?” 

His comment really annoyed not only Amorah but Max and myself as well. However, Amorah’s comeback was quicker than either of us. 

“You’re a real d**k, you know that?”

“You’d do better to watch your tongue when talking to me, girl. Lest you want it cut from those luscious lips of yours.”

“Enough!” I stepped in front of Amorah. “I will not warn you again about threatening my friends, Adanis.” I looked around at every guard that was in his company. “I do not care how many soldiers you have at your feet. They will not stop me if any harm comes to either of my friends by your hand.”Adanis watched me, his jaw clenched as I  knew that I had touched a nerve in speaking to him this way. So, sarcastically, I added. “With all due respect…your highness.”

With a disgruntled groan, the dark elf prince straightened his shoulders, his guard glaring angrily at me and my company. I could tell that they were waiting for the moment in which to strike me and my friends down. So I watched the prince with determination and waited for what he’d do next. It was to my subtle surprise when he lifted his hand slightly and gestured his warriors to lower their weapons. He then turned away. “Come. I’m sure if your little friend is here, then she was sent by the head of the coven, Leolel.”

“Leolel, hm,” Max remarked. “That’s different. Who’s Leolel?” She asked. 

Amorah expelled harshly, her gaze toward the mountain. “Leolel Marsh…Keyvah’s father.”

“You seem not too fond of the vampire,” I guessed, judging by her not so subtle discord-riddled tone.

“He’s a prick!” Amorah hissed with frustration. “I definitely see why she ran away from her family.”

Max scoffed. “Guess that also explains why she’s such a bit-”

“Max,” I chastised with amusement. 

Moments later, we approached the base of the mountain. “How are we supposed to get in exactly?” Max asked. “Looks like a doorless mountain floor to me.”

“It does,” Morah said. I looked at her curiously. “One pro to this place.” Her fangs elongated from her gums and she pressed her teeth into her right wrist, drawing blood. She cupped her free hand under her wrist to gather blood into it. When the blood slowed, the wound healing itself, Amorah rubbed both hands together until they were covered with blood. She then placed them against the mountain’s wall, and whispered something. She backed away and they waited before the wall began to reveal an opening. 

“This is what you call a pro to this place?” Max asked incredulously. “Looks quite painful to me.”

Amorah chuckled. “To a vampire, a moment of pain is worth keeping a whole coven safe.” They marched forward. “That’s  the pro…they actually care about their kind here.”

“Sounds pretty nice to me,” I commented.

“It can be,” Amorah replied, though still sounding solemn when she said this. 

“What’s the catch?” Max asked as we entered the archway and into a significantly sized room. With her hands still covered with her blood, Amorah pressed her hand to the wall and immediately symbols started to reveal themselves in a yellowish glow. 

“You can read this?” I asked Amorah. 

She looked at me. “Apparently, the language of the vampires is an inherent trait…no matter what world you’re from.” Amorah pressed the highest number and immediately whatever we were in began to shoot up with a stunning speed. 

As we waited to get to our destination, I found a question to ask the dark elf prince. “If you are the prince…if you are ruler over this place, why do you not have access to this mountain?” I asked. Adanis, though was quite adept in accommodating me, still gave off a demeanor that spoke of a tyrant of sorts. So, admittedly, it surprised me to see that he actually had to be granted permission to enter the Vast Covens’ home. 

Adanis’s icy stare descended to mine. A small smile, not reaching, almost bitter, appeared across his lips. “Your presumptions of my character are quite…disheartening, princess.” His smile turned into something more stoic and suddenly I had the feeling that maybe I had hurt his. Before I could beg his pardon, however, he went on to explain himself further. “I may rule the moonlit lands of Ethra, but I do not own them, princess. I would never infringe on the lives of these people, unless it is absolutely necessary.” He said to me.

“Is that why you have a doorway that directly connects to this place?”

“That doorway leads me to whatever district I see fit,” The prince clarified. 

“So you could ambush a district if you chose-”

“It is a simple mode of transportation, princess.” Adanis spoke with impatience. He closed his eyes angrily and took a deep breath. “Everything is not about how to get the upper hand on others, princess.” Adanis looked at me again. “Your life must have been one of complete turmoil if war and fighting is the only thing on your mind, princess.”

His words resonated with me. I realized how volatile my world was. “I apologize, prince Adanis.” I apologized for my offensive thoughts and presumptions. “I guess…I…” I started to express completely why I seemed so pessimistic when I realized that now was not the time for it. “I’m sorry,” I instead decided to say. 

I could suddenly feel the prince’s gaze upon me. He surely noticed that I was about to say something more than what I did. “Apology accepted,” He said. I was glad that he decided not to press further.

I looked down and felt another pair of eyes on me now. When I looked up and there stood Amorah and Maxandria watching me. Both their brows were raised and when the shifted their gaze between me and the prince, I already knew that whatever was on their minds was something quite controversial. I huffed frustratedly and looked away and then the elevator came to a stop. Amorah reluctantly turned around and led us out into a large area, the most beautiful that I had ever seen. There were beams in the room created from the material of the mountains, and so were the tables and bars. It was quite beautiful. The colors of the natural interior looked as if an extremely high flame had been exposed to it, casting a natural glow of brown, amber, and grey. The scent was earthy and still sweet and musky. 

I was so busy admiring the decor, I was winced when I felt the presence of Max and Amorah near either side of my ear. “What are you doing?!” Amorah griped under her breath.

I looked at her, eyes wide. “Yeah, you seem to be letting the prince get a little too chummy!” Max hissed from the other side.

Rolling my eyes, I looked forward, deciding not to place too much stock in what they had said. “It’s a simple conversation.” I glanced at Amorah. “Shouldn’t you be leading us to the coven leader-”

“Don’t change the subject, Frosty!” Max cut off. “I’m sure the prince knows where to go from here!”

“Mina,” I looked at Amorah. “What about Roman?”

I stopped, surprised and confused about what Amorah could be insinuating. “I am doing this for Roman! I want to see him again. I want to see all of my friends again! But I do not understand why you’d bring Roman, out of all of you, into this.” frustratedly added.

“You’re still refusing to see it,” Amorah replied. She glanced at Adanis who had seemed to finally come across someone who could further direct us and then returned her attention back to me. “Do not get lost in the prince’s pretty words, Mina.” Amorah warned me and then quickly headed off.

“She’s right, Mina.” Max said. When I looked at Max, I saw the concern in my friend’s green eyes. “Don’t lose sight of our mission…please.”

“Max, I have not lost sight yet. Please do not lose faith in me now.” I said to her.

There was evident doubt in my friend’s eyes and it hurt me to see, but she was entitled to it and I would not comment further on what I saw. I simply waited for her to feign confidence in me. Just as I suspected, Max gave me a small smile and nodded. “Okay.”

Returning her smile, we started forward, though my countenance was a little less confident than before with the idea of Amorah and Max finding doubt in my intentions.

“Well if it isn’t the nymph who causes trouble.” 

The voice that interceded my warring thoughts quickly pushed me into reality. I never thought I’d have smiled as widely as I did when seeing the feisty and volatile vampire again.

“Wilhelmina Frost.” 

I grinned. “Keyvah Marsh.”

“In the perfect dead flesh,” She countered, gesturing toward her flawless form. “Welcome to the Marsh Coven.”