Theseus straightened his shoulders, drew in a deep breath, and mentally asked the Door to take him to the Court of Swordmaidens.
When he yanked open the Door, it showed a sunny courtyard surrounded by ivy-draped white columns.Beyond the columns, the spires of a sand-colored palace rose toward the sky.
Without a backward glance, Theseus stepped through the Door and closed it behind him.As soon as the Door closed, two swords flashed, one pointing at his neck, the other at his heart.
Theseus raised his hands, not even daring to turn his head to either side to get a glimpse of the swordmaidens that he could just see out of the corners of his eyes.
“What is your business here?”one of the swordmaidens asked, her sword never wavering from Theseus’s neck.“You must know that males are forbidden on this island.”
This was it.No going back now.
“I am King Theseus of the Court of Knowledge, and I have come to win the hand of Hippolyta, queen of this Court.”
ChapterTwo
Theseus held still as one swordmaiden kept the sword pressed to his neck while the other divested him of his sword and his belt, then patted him down, searching for any other weapons tucked away.She didn’t find any as he had only taken his sword, assuming that this thorough search would occur.
Once she finished her search, the swordmaiden hurried away, leaving Theseus still menaced at sword point.He resisted the urge to shift or make any gesture that could be construed as discomfort or weakness.From this point onward, he would have to be a warrior, not a librarian king.
That resolution became harder and harder to keep as the time dragged on.What was taking Hippolyta so long to see him?Was she purposely keeping him waiting as a first test?
Probably.He should assume that everything from this point forward was a test of some kind.
Finally, the swordmaiden returned, followed by two more female warriors.A lot of unnecessary security, considering Theseus was just one unarmed man.
The swordmaidens marched Theseus from the outdoor pavilion containing the Anywhere Door, along a broad avenue with lush gardens on either side, and into the cool interior of the stone palace.
After crossing the entry hall, Theseus was led into a grand throne room.Each side of the room was lined with rows of fully armed and armored swordmaidens, their faces stern and eyes hard.Behind them stood more women, wearing plain white dresses.These must be the servants and other women who lived on the swordmaidens’ island.
At the far end of the room, Queen Hippolyta sat regally on a golden throne, her black hair wound in braids and decorated with diamonds.She stared down her nose at him, her dark eyes calculating.
Theseus stood straighter, refusing to be bowed beneath the weight of her glare.He knew what she would see.A fae king with short black hair and wearing a blue coat cut in nearly the same style as the coat worn by the librarians serving at the Great Library.He was not intimidating like many of the kings of other Courts, though he was not as pathetically paunchy either.
Queen Hippolyta lifted her chin, the twist of her mouth disdainful.“What is your business here, Theseus of the Court of Knowledge?”
Theseus refused to flinch under the ice in her voice.“As I told your swordmaidens, I am here to win your hand, Queen Hippolyta.”
If anything, Queen Hippolyta’s gaze darkened, her posture stiffening.“Why do you seek the hand of the queen of the Court of Swordmaidens?”
There was something odd about the way that was phrased, but he didn’t have the luxury to dwell on it now.Instead, he tried to appear every inch a king, matching her regal glare for regal glare.“As you must know, an especially deadly Midsummer Night is quickly approaching our region of the Fae Realm.The Court of Knowledge does not consist of trained warriors, and we will be overwhelmed if we do not have aid from a warrior Court.Thus I come to you, Queen Hippolyta, to win your hand and bargain with you for swordmaidens to protect the Great Library and the precious knowledge it contains.”
If she felt any sympathy for the plight of the Great Library, her face and voice didn’t soften.“You have told us what you wish from the Court of Swordmaidens.But what benefit will you provide to my Court?Why should I even entertain your request and not throw you out here and now?”
Theseus studied Queen Hippolyta for a long moment.What could the Court of Knowledge give to this Court?
This had been his hesitation in going to another Court.He had nothing to bargain with.Thus he needed a marriage, not a bargain.He drew a deep breath.All he could do was bluff it out.“I am the king of the Court of Knowledge.I can provide you with unlimited access to the Great Library.”
“We already have that, or nearly.”Queen Hippolyta waved her hand breezily.“It is the foundational tradition of your Court that you may not deny knowledge to one who comes seeking it.”
She had called his bluff.Theseus held her gaze and remained silent.He truly had nothing he could tell her.
“If you are here, then you must have done your research.Or tried to do so.”Queen Hippolyta’s mouth gave that twist again, this time something almost like a glint of humor in her dark eyes.“You must have realized the lengths we will go to guard our secrets even from the Great Library.Perhaps you could offer to help with that effort, should you win the hand of the queen of swordmaidens.”
A spear of ice stabbed his stomach.He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut.Was this all that Queen Hippolyta wanted from him?The one thing he couldn’t give.He shook his head firmly.“You know I can’t offer that.As king of the Court of Knowledge, I am sworn to conserve knowledge when I find it, not destroy it or hide it.”
It was the wrong answer.Of course it was.Theseus struggled not to slump.Had he already failed?Would Queen Hippolyta throw him out immediately?It was her right to deny him even a chance to win her hand, if he was deemed so unacceptable.
But as desperate as he was, he could not break his honor nor ignore a foundational tradition of his Court.
