The first breath of outside air felt… alien. Not the crisp, ozone-laced chill of my Underworld, nor the stale, wool-scented confines of the cottage. This was a medley of scents: the faint sweetness of blooming wildflowers carried on a gentle breeze, the sharp tang of woodsmoke, the subtle, underlying earthiness of damp soil. My senses, though still confined by the blindfold, drank it in, eagerly constructing a more complete picture of Noldor than Lyra's limited memories ever could.
Kaelen's grip on my elbow was firm, guiding, almost solicitous. The despised walking stick tapped a rhythm against the uneven dirt path. Each tiny stone, each rut, was a new sensation under this body's bare feet, a small indignity to my regal self, yet a wealth of information.
"The air feels… different out here," I murmured, allowing a note of genuine awe to color Lyra's voice. "Wider."
Kaelen chuckled, a warm, open sound. "Aye, Lyra. It's the whole world, out from under the roof. We're on the path to the market now. Can you feel the sun?"
I tilted my head, feeling the warmth spread across the blindfold, a gentle heat on my skin. "Yes," I whispered, absorbing the sensation. "It's very strong."
We walked slowly, the sounds of the village growing louder with every step. The distant clang of a blacksmith's hammer, the lowing of cattle, the chatter of voices. I focused, attempting to filter the mundane from the significant.
"What's that sound, Kaelen?" I asked, pointing vaguely ahead with my free hand. "Like a rushing water?"
"That's the village well," he explained, his voice amused. "Near the center of the market square. Folks are probably drawing water."
"And the smells?" I continued, inhaling deeply. "I smell… bread. And something sweet. Is that the bakery?"
"That's Master Finn's oven," Kaelen confirmed, sounding impressed. "And likely some honey cakes Maeve sells. You have a keen nose, Lyra."
My questions continued, relentless. I asked about the direction of the wind, the texture of the ground underfoot when we passed over a wooden bridge, the echoes of conversations from different parts of the square. Kaelen, initially amused and patient, slowly began to grow quieter. His responses became shorter, less eager. I sensed his shift, a growing unease.
"Lyra," he finally said, his voice hesitant, a distinct edge of confusion to it. "You're asking… very strange questions today. More than just wondering about missing the village. It's like you're… seeing it all for the first time, even though you can't. Something's off with you since the eclipse."
My internal self stiffened. He was far more perceptive than I had accounted for. I needed to rein in my curiosity, or risk exposing myself further. "Oh," I feigned, a soft, embarrassed tone. "Is it? I suppose… the fall really did rattle my head more than Master Oren thought. And with the eclipse… it just makes everything feel new, even the familiar."
He hummed, a noncommittal sound. His grip on my arm remained, but I felt a subtle tension in it, a cautious withdrawal. He wasn't entirely convinced, but he let it drop. For now.
We continued our slow progress towards the market square. The air grew thicker with human activity, the sounds a cacophony of life. Then, a sudden, almost immediate hush fell over the clamor. Footsteps, heavy and numerous, approached with an almost regal cadence. I felt a palpable shift in the air, a cold, cloying presence that sent a prickle of unease down Lyra's spine. It was a familiar malevolence, colder and darker than any common human fear.
A ripple of hushed whispers moved through the crowd, quickly followed by the rustle of clothes as people dropped to their knees. "The Queen! It's Queen Isolde!" I heard someone murmur. Then, a wave of fervent, almost desperate voices, rising in a strange chant: "Long live the Queen! Praise to Isolde! Light of our lives!"
My phantom heart jolted. Queen Isolde. Here. Now. And the darkness emanating from her was undeniable. Not merely the chill of power, but a deep, festering malevolence that twisted the very air around her. It was subtle, masked by the villagers' fawning, but my ancient senses recognized it instantly. It was a dark magic, carefully controlled, but undeniably present.
"What is happening, Kaelen?" I demanded, my voice unconsciously sharper than Lyra's usual timid tone, betraying my alarm. "Who is that? What is this… feeling?"
Kaelen stiffened beside me, his grip on my arm tightening in surprise and a hint of fear. "Lyra! It's… it's Queen Isolde! The Queen! You have to bow! Everyone is bowing!" He tugged at my arm, trying to pull me down with him. The fervor of the surrounding villagers, the sickening sweetness of their praises, pressed in on me.
I resisted, my muscles surprisingly rigid. Bow to a human queen? A practitioner of such crude, twisted magic? The very thought was an affront to my ancient being. But Lyra's body, instinctively compliant, began to waver, leaning in the direction Kaelen pulled.
The dark aura, the queen's presence, passed within an arm's length. It was a living shadow, a consuming void cloaked in human regalia. The praises of the villagers followed her, a strange, sickening chorus of adoration and fear. Her guards, a small retinue, moved with practiced efficiency, their own energies mundane compared to hers.
"Kaelen," I hissed, forcing Lyra's voice low, urgency cutting through the feigned innocence. "What is wrong with them? Why are they acting like this?" The reverence of the crowd, the almost cultish praise, struck me as deeply unnatural, especially given the palpable darkness I felt from the Queen.
Kaelen, still halfway bent in a bow, glanced at me, his eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and genuine alarm. "Lyra, what are you talking about? She's our Queen! We show respect! Are you… are you alright? You're acting so… odd."
His suspicion, now clear and open, was undeniable. My momentary loss of control had exposed me further. The cold dread of Queen Isolde's presence lingered, mingling with the chilling realization that my human façade was cracking. I had underestimated the humans of Noldor. They were not as simple as I believed. And their Queen was a power to be reckoned with.