A Queenly Sight

((after court on the March 29th))


Mel escorted Caillie through the door from the main hall and closed the door behind them. He was very concerned. His wife asked him to take her hand in the main hall and acted as if she couldn't' see. He immediately sent for Ashly "Milove?" He waved his hand about two feet from her eyes.

"Darling...ye must remain calm....." Her voice shook as she spoke. "It has only lasted a few moments each time before. An' whatever ye are doing, I cannae see ye!" Her voice got louder and more panicked.

"Calm?? Caillie, ye need tae see Ashly. This be gone on far tae long." He then led her to her desk and helped her sit in the chair. "Now ye stay there until Ashly gets 'ere" He never let go of her hand.

As familiar with the room as the back of her hand, she took a seat, squeezing his hand tightly.

He then kneeled next to her. "I love ye, Caillie gal. We'll find oot wha' be causin' 't."

She sensed his movement. Her mind was reeling at what she saw when Vex left Court. It made no sense. She rubbed her temples repeatedly. Her eyes closed, the images made no more sense than with her eyes open. She had to almost laugh at that thought.


Aisling had missed court because she was blessed with getting to keep her granddaughter and they had been playing in her office when she was summoned rather abruptly with orders to report to the Queen's Chambers. Grabbing up Angelina and her medical bag, she walked quickly down the stairs of the Tower and through the castle and up the stairs once more to the royal chambers. Angelina stayed quiet but her eyes were round as saucers. As they neared the chambers, Angelina would look up to Aisling's face and spoke quietly. "It will be alright Grandmama." Aisling smiled to her but was quickly distracted as she neared the door. A guard openeding it. Once inside she observed the two. "Mel, Caille? What 'as 'appened?"

"Tis another spell...it will be gone in a moment. There was no need for ye tae come, Ashly."

He looked up to see Ashly. He pointed to her eyes. Waving her over quickly. "Ye jest needs ye tae look 'er o'er, Ashly." Trying to keep HIS panic from his voice.

She walked quickly to the majesties, no formal greeting given in such a time. Worry edged into her expression. The King seemed very guarded in his expression with a mixture of seldom seen emotion...fear.

Aisling nodded to him without words then turned to Caille. "Why do ye nae let me be the judge. Dae ye 'ave vision at all Caille?" This said as she placed Angelina down beside her and touched Mel's shoulder lightly in comfort before turning to Caille. Her hand going before her face and moving slightly.

He moved to the side but did not let go of Caillie's hand.

Caille was reluctant to answer. She could sense the panic just below the surface of them both.

Caille and Mel both would feel the sudden calming effect of having Angelina near them. It would not dissolve the panic but it would soothe it notably.

Her free hand reached out..."Is tha' ye, my favorite wee lass?"

Angelina shyly stepped closer to the Queen with a smile. "Uh huh...I mean yes majesty" Then she leaned closer. "Grandmama and I came to see you Kay Kay."

A faint smile given to Angelina who was bold enough and innocent enough to give the Queen a nickname. Carefully she settled a hand to Caillie's shoulder. "Caillie, I am going to open yer eyes wider with my fingers and I want you t'tell me if ye can see e'en the slightest o' shadows, aye?"

Caille took a deep breath. "Aye."

He smiled warmly to the young girl. "Ye keepin' yer gran' mama company fer a bit, lass?"

Angelina looked to the King and smiled. "mmm..hmmm. Mother says I should on account I should not be vunerrrraaabbbul." struggling with a word.

Aisling reached for the lit candle on the table by them and placed it close to Caillie's eye as she opened it wider.

"I see nothing," her voice sounding agitated.

"Alright Caille, let us try the other." She repeated the moves to the other eye hoping that some sort of response would come forth.

Caillie reached up to push her arm away. "Ye are wasting your time, Ashly."

Ash allowed her to push it away and sighed. "Caille, yer eyes dae nae appear problemed. Yer pupils grow and shrink as they should. 'ow long 'as it been total darkness?"

"As we were preparing tae leave Court. Figures began to fade in an' out. It was right as Vex was leaving...," her voice softened as she struggled with the vision. Again her fingers went to her temples as she rubbed repeatedly. "Did no one else see th' blood?"

Aisling creased her brows at the mention of those words. "Vex? What 'as 'e tae do wit' this? Ne'er ye mind." Aisling was touching her forehead to check for elevated temperature. Her own hand extremely warm as she placed it upon Caillie's forehead.

Mel took her a hand from her temple again and held it firmly.

Caillie hesitated saying more with Angelina so near.

Angelina then pulled at Aisling's dress sleeve but Ash was now counting the heartbeats of the Queen by placing fingers to the pulse in her wrist.

"This ha' 'appen'd a few times now, Ashley" The King's face seemed drawn with worry.

"They ha' nae lasted long...each time. It will be over this soon, surely."

Angelina was frustrated but sensitive and finally stepped back from them all and crawled up in a chair a few feet away, watching them. Her bottom lip a little protruded as she could not get their attention.

The darkness within her lids was suddenly splashed with red. Blood red. She stiffened.

Aisling looked back to the Queen. "I suspected as much." She sighed again in frustration. "I must be honest, I 'ave nae yet found a reason fer yer condition. I..." She felt the Queen stiffen. "What Caillie? Be ye in pain?" Realizing something was very different.

The rapid movement of her sightless eyes looked as if she were deep within a dream.

"Caille?" Her voice was softened as her brows furrowed and her head tilted slightly.

"Did ye see it...did ye see th' blood? It spilled from th' glyph on his cheek. Surely someone saw it besides me!"

Aisling's brow lifted. "I was nae at court Caillie." She looked to the King once more for understanding.

He knew it was the sight. She had seen it once before, just before she stabbed him with the glass.

Aisling calmly looked to Mel with a look that told him she was without understanding. Her hope would be that he would shed light on the situation. Then she turned to the Queen."Glyph? Ye mean Vex?"

"He is nae as he appears!"

He leaned to Caillie and Ashly. "Milove, ye saw this same vision years agae just b'fore ye stabbed me wi' tha' glass."

She shook her head violently. "Tis nae th' same."

"Th' blindness, aye, 'tis differ'nt."

Her brows knit as she struggled to remember. Nothing made sense. The man did not make sense.

Aisling was trying hard to understand the Queen's words and the King's. "Can ye explain what ye mean Caille, aboot Vex I mean." Aisling did not trust the man, perhaps derived from her own guilty conscious, and to hear Caille's words sent a shiver through her as she knew Kyriah had grown quite fond of him.

He let Caillie's hand loose and went to Angelina. Kneeling down he took her hands gently in his own. "Th' Queen is havin' a bit o' trouble seein', love. Tha's all."

"One minute there are angels....the next, dripping blood. I....I know from where he came...or so he says..."

Angelina looked up to the King with a smile. "Vex will make her see. Why doesn't she go to him?"

Aisling listened to her with quandary in her expression.

"Is...is 'e lying tae us Caille?"

The king raised an eyebrow. "Vex?" He picked the little girl up and perched her on his hip then walked over to the Queen and Ashly.

"Nae...nae...he is a good man...truly." She knew she making little sense.

"M'love, Ashly, Angelina said somethin' I thought ye might need to 'ear."

She put her fingers to the bridge of her nose and between her eyes, pushing gently. "Wha' is taking it so long this time??!"

Aisling turned to Mel a bit surprised by his words but saw the King's face and then looked to Angelina. "Aye Angelina? Ye 'ave somethin' ye wish tae tell us?"

Angelina nodded emphatically then wiggled to let Mel know she wanted down.

He put the child down.

"Wha' is it, Dear One?" She put her arms out toward the child.

Once her feet hit the ground, she moved until she was standing next to them both. Caille would feel her tiny body next to her leg. Angelina would then look to Caille. "Kay Kay, you have to go to Vex. Then you will see. It will be alright." Having said this in a non-chalant way, she turned to Aisling. "Grandmama...I'm tired." A yawn would escape her as if to prove that she truly was ready for her bed.

"Little 'un, 'ow is 't ye know this?"

Aisling just stared at her a moment, taken aback, trying to figure out what she meant. She picked her grandchild up. Angelina turned to Mel and grinned sleepily with a shrug. "The angel told me." Again it seemed nothing out of the ordinary to the child.

The other eyebrow went up. "Th' angel, lass?"

"Dear Goddess," Caillie murmured.

Aisling looked to Mel as bewildered as he was. Angelina yawned again, very largely. "mmm....hmmm." then she turned her face up, "Grandmama, can we go now?"

Mel nodded to Ashly.

Aisling pushed Angelina's small head into her shoulder and looked to the King. "Aye, give grandmama a moment and we shall leave."

"I shall make sure she is put abed, Ashly. Ha' ye anythin' tae ease 'er nerves?"

"There is nothing ye can do, Ashly. Tis beyond us both." She reached out for Ashly's hand. "There is a power here tha' neither o' us can control." Tears slid from her closed eyes.

He took the child into his arms and let her head rest on his shoulder but shook his head.

She let him take Angelina so she had free hands. "ye be right at the moment m'Queen. Ma'aps the night's sleep will let ye see the mornin' light. Boot I shall leave somethin' fer ye evenin' tea b'fore ye rest and it shall dae well in the King's ale as well. Ye shall both need the night's rest fer I shall nae let this go on much longer. I shall contact Kyriah and Vex and we shall get tae the bottom o' this. I promise."

"I'll nae sleep whilst she's havin' this probl'm."

She frowned to the King but understood his feeling of helplessness. Aisling was beginning to piece bits together. The Queen's sight seemed to override her vision. But what did Vex have to do with it? And why would Angelina think Vex was the answer? She left the powdered substance bottle upon the table. She leaned and kissed the Queen's cheek. "We shall figure this out and ye will see again Caille." She repeated this to enforce her determination and comfort her Queen and King.

She squeezed her hand tightly. "Aye," but it was said without conviction.

He handed the now very sleepy Angelina back to Ashly. Then picked Caillie up in his arms. "We shall see th' morn' wi' fresh eyes, I'm sure."

She only hoped she sounded more sure than she felt. Then she turned to the King and retrieved Angelina into her own arms gently. "G'd night yer majesties."

Mel carried her to their bed and gently placed her on it sitting up. "I'll call in yer ladies, milove. G'd night Duchess! Thank ye"

"Is something amiss, Ashly?" Caille's tear stained cheeks still wet. She was, however, oblivious to it.

Aisling followed the majesties into their chambers, her calm demeanor was still evident by a bead of sweat formed upon her forehead. "Ye tell me M'Queen." She looked to the King then back to Caille. "Tell me again what ye saw tonight please."

Her brows knit. "O' wha' do ye speak?"

"Ashly, she's been havin' sight problems."

"Come sit down Caille." She nodded to the King, a brow raised high. "Ye just announced tae the court that there be angels in the room that nae one else could see. Now tell me, 'ow could this be?" She was taking out her kerchief and leaned to wipe away the left over wetness of her tears as she looked into her eyes.

"Angels?" she laughed. "There is nae one o' them tha' could qualify as an angel, try as they might!"

She glanced to the King. "Caille, 'ave ye been 'aving anna trouble as o' late. Memory or vision or anything?" She decided to take a different route having been told by staff of their concerns.

"My memory never fails me." Again she laughed then sobered a bit. "I shall, however, be glad for th' arrival o' Spring. This darkness all th' time is starting tae annoy me. My ladies are beginning to chide me for th' number o' tapers I go through in a day." She shrugged lightly.

Aisling smiled. "As will I m'Queen. Caille, might I just take a closer look within' yer eyes. They seem tae be waterin' much and I just want tae make sure they be as they should be, aye?" She looked to Mel to bring the taper on the table to her.

She waved her hand lightly. "If ye must." She gave a quick glance to Meldrum. "An' tell my darling husband he has nothing tae worry for."
She raised her chin toward Aisling.

"I've a right tae worry milove. 'Tis m' main job in life." Mel said trying not to sound too worried.

She glanced at him lovingly then straight back for Aisling.

As he brought the candle closer she looked up at him. "Please, if ye will, 'old it just 'ere." She guided his hand to give the most amount of light. she opened first one eye's lids wide then the other. " 'e 'as a point m'Queen. B'sides, since when can a mere Duchess give command tae a King." Aisling tried to smile but her focus was in those eyes. She could find no abnormalty to them but knew something was wrong.

She concentrated on the light. "If there was something, th' Angels would ha' said so. Tis only th' wee lass an' Vex tha' needed their help, as ye could see." Her voice a monotone.

He held it steady

Aisling looked back to the King with a perplexed look then back to Caille. "Sae ye dae remember the angels and the lass in need?" She noted the monotone voice. She had heard her speak like this in the past. Long ago when....when she had come to her for her to use her sight to find Aiden.

"Is nae it odd th' way his tatoo glows bright bluer-white." She fell silent.

Aisling leaned back and motioned to Mel that she was through with the exam. She looked to Caille understanding she meant Severand's son. "Caillie? 'ow dae ye feel?"

He moved the candle to the table

"There...ye see? We are both fine. Ye, however, look very peaked, Ashly. Are ye well? sweetly to her. "An' how is Sir Vex...he did nae look well this evening," she stated very matteroffactly. "Poor man...an' so far from home."

"I shall be." She didn't want to keep her asking questions so she ask one of her own. "I be sure Kyriah will see tae 'im until I can get there. I be nae sure o' 'is condition as o yet. Caille, where might 'is 'ome be?"

"Perhaps a good night's rest will do us all good. Ye will laugh if I tell ye. He has returned from Hell. An' tha' 'is a long, long ways away." She answered as if it were common knowledge and not the least bit out of the ordinary.

Aisling smiled but she did not laugh. The Queen was acting strange. Perhaps this too was just an answer. "I suppose ye be right. I shall nae keep ye longer m'Queen. I wish ye fair sleep and sweet dreams, aye? And if ye need me, ye need only tae summon and I shall be 'ere."

He raise an eyebrow at THAT comment

She leaned forward to kiss Ashly's cheek. "Sweet dreams tae ye, Duchess."

She looked to the King and nodded her head towards the door wishing to speak with him outside Caille's hearing.

He stood and walked with Ashly to the door.

As the Duchess prepared to leave, Caillie's ladies in waiting appeared, ready to help her disrobe and brush her hair. She chatted gaily to them as they proceeded.

"I shall m'Queen."

She walked to the door to exit, waiting for Mel to follow.

He was right behing her.

Once outside she turned to him and put a hand on his arm, seeing the worry in his eyes. "Mel, I find nothin' physically wrong wit' 'er. Be there other things ye 'ave noticed that dae nae seem right?"

He nodded, the sadness in his eyes was prevalent.

Then she tried encouragement. " 'ow long 'as this been goin' on?"

"Seems like fer more'n a few months but 'tis gettin' worse by th' day."
He looked over his shoulder briefly. "I'm frighten'd fer 'er, Ashly"

She looked down then back up into his face. "M'King, I swear to ye, we will find out what 'as come upon 'er and make it right again. I need ye tae journal fer me, things that ye note that be out o' the ordinary. Can ye dae that
fer me?"

He nodded, "aye."

"I shall nae ask ye nae tae worry Meldrum, boot try tae keep calm. She seems in good phyisical 'ealth. We shall figure out together what be goin' on inside 'er mind, aye?"

He leaned down and kissed Ashly on the forehead. "Thank ye fer all ye dae, lass. Aye, I pray we find wha' is causin' 't."

"I shall pray as well M'King. I shall speak wit' ye again soon. Dae nae forget, journal all that seems unusual. Now sleep Mel, ye will need yer strength as will Caille need ye."

He turned to the door, opening it then turning back to her. Saying nothing but giving a brief smile and stepped in.