Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part five of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
The tunnel seems to go on forever. Not able to see anything in the darkness, I negotiate by feel, as well as the faint sounds of Julun's progress ahead of me. Every now and then, he pauses, as though checking if he is being followed. Each time he does, I freeze, remaining silent until he moves again.
We go for so long that it feels like we have crawled under a whole city three times over. When the tunnel finally begins to rise, it is all I can do to hold in a sigh of relief.
I hang back until Julun has exited, then follow him. We are in a forest I recognise as being a little way out of the city. Julun doesn't hesitate, but strides straight into the thicket of trees.
"I thought we had a deal!" he says loudly, stopping in a small, empty clearing. "You said if I told you who the real queen was, you'd let my wife go. You didn't say anything about killing the queen! It was supposed to be so that you could manipulate traders with your inside knowledge."
Though I see no one, I can hear a woman laughing. "And you believed me, like the fool you are. Honourable men are so easy to manipulate."
As though appearing from thin air, the woman materialises in front of Julun. He starts, but holds his ground. "Where is she?" he growls.
"She's safe, for the time being," the woman says. She has a singsong voice, one that you may mistake for the voice of an innocent girl... if you couldn't see her now. I narrow my eyes, trying to figure out if I recognise her, but her long blonde hair and green eyes are generic. I have no idea why she would want to kill me. Then again, I must have any number of unknown enemies; who doesn't want a shot at the crown for themselves?
"Now, I want you to do one more thing for me," the woman says. "As you know, my attempt on the queen's life failed. You are to do it for me."
"What? You know I could never do that!"
She laughs sweetly. "Well, it's that or watch your wife die before your eyes and not be able to stop it."
"Let - let me see her."
The woman calls back. "Oh Sarah? Why don't you come over here a minute, darling?"
My eyes scan the woods as a dishevelled woman comes staggering forward, her hands bound in front of her. Julun makes to rush to her, but the woman holds out a hand. "One more step and she's dead."
Julun stops in his tracks. "Sarah, I'll get you out of this, I promise."
"Julun," she sobs. I can't hear the rest of what she says over the woman's voice.
"You have until the full moon. Deliver me the queen's head, and your wife shall be free. Go, now, before I lose my patience."
Julun turns and staggers back to the hole. For a second, I get a glimpse of the expression on his face, and it nearly brings me to my knees. I have known Julun for years, even from before I was queen, when he was still protecting my parents. Now, he protects me, and I know I will do anything to protect him.
As I follow him in the tunnel, keeping my distance, I try to think. What is best? Go to Julun and trust he will let me talk before trying to kill me? Lead a squad of guards to rescue Sarah myself? No, surely if that were a possibility he would have done it already? There must be more going on here than what meets the eye.
It is not until we are nearly back at Julun's house that I make my decision. As he opens the door, I find I can't stand him going home to an empty house of despair, battling between loyalty and love with no one to help him.
"Julun."
He jumps as I knock on the door. "Kim. My queen. Please, come in. Here, have a seat, I'll get you some tea."
"Julun, the time for pretending is over," I say seriously. "Sit. Let's talk."
Julun listens as I tell him everything I have seen and heard when following him. He opens his mouth, whether to apologise or to plead with me, I don't know.
"What we need to decide now," I say over him, "is how to rescue Sarah."
Julun's head falls into his hands, a groan of despair making its way out of him. "We can't. That woman, she's a sorceress. She'd know if anyone was coming, and kill Sarah right away."
That explains it. Looking at Julun, though, that same sense that tipped me off yesterday tells me that he is holding something back. "What else?"
"I don't know, Kim. I don't understand half the stuff she says. She said that I couldn't sneak up on her undetected, that nobody but a TruthTeller could. Really, I don't know what she was talking about."
"Well it's your lucky day, Julun," I say softly as comprehension washes over me. TruthTeller. The ability to know if someone is telling the truth. The ability I inherited from my mother. "I think I do."
I sweep out of the room. "Meet me at the wagon where thee tunnel begins at first light tomorrow," I say. "I will rescue your wife.""
I ignore his frantic questions, already in a world of my own. Even if I can sneak up on a sorceress undetected, taking her out will be another story. I have trained with a knife from since I could hold one, but that will be no match for magic. I'll need to take her by surprise if I am to have a chance.
"Kim?"
I whirl around to see Nick standing right behind the door, as white as a ghost.
"Nick! What are you doing here?"
"I was worried, so I went up to the palace to look for you. Lene said you hadn't come in today, and I asked around. People said they had seem you going to Julun's. I heard the last part of the conversation."
Nick simply looks at me, waiting for me to explain.
"Nick... it's complicated."
"Complicated like you going off alone to rescue the wife of the guards' commander?"
I nod.
"Kim, what's going on?"
I close my eyes, praying for strength. I can't tell Nick; my cover protects him as well as me. Yet I may die tomorrow - probably will die tomorrow.
What difference could it make, really? To let Nick know the truth? Whatever difference it will or won't make, I suddenly find that I can't lie anymore. As much as I love Nick and want to protect him, I can't do it.
"Julun's wife was kidnapped," I whisper, my eyes still closed. "The sorceress who did it wanted information, so that she could kill me. I'm the only one who can save Sarah."
"Why would a sorceress want to kill you? Kim?"
I turn my eyes up to look into Nick's face, wondering if he'll ever look at me tenderly after I confess that I have lied for all the time I have been with him. It's just like I imagined saying it, only worse. I didn't imagine the fear, and that makes it a thousand times worse.
"Because Lene isn't the queen, Nick. I am."
To be continued
Monday, 29 July 2013
Friday, 26 July 2013
Secrets - part 4
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part four of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
"Kim, I was worried," Nick says, closing the door behind me. Turning to look at me, he pauses. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Nothing," I say, fumbling to come up with a believable story. "I'm just... just worried that whoever it is who tried to poison me will try again."
Nick wraps his arms around me, pulling me tightly to him. "It's ok. We won't let anything happen to you. I'll find whoever it is before they have a chance to try and hurt you again."
I nod against his chest, secure in the knowledge that the poisoner will be found tomorrow in Nick's sight. Ghart won't let us down, and once his part is played, Nick will be convinced there is no more danger and drop it.
As I lie awake in bed that night, I wonder how I am going to proceed. Julun is in trouble, and if I want to help him, I need to do it quietly, before anyone else finds out. I also need to talk to Heleta again, I decide. Whatever she knows about my headaches, she hasn't told me everything. I fall asleep contemplating complex plans and back up plans.
In the morning, it doesn't take long to persuade Sophie and Nick to come into court with me - they both think they will pick up leads on whoever poisoned me. They don't know how right they are.
Lene must have people watching for us, because we are only in the courtyard for a few minutes before soldiers come running.
Ghart is fleeing very convincingly, but the other guards don't take long to chase him down. Conveniently, the takedown happens just a few yards away from Nick, Sophie and me.
"You tried to poison the queen's servant, do you deny it?" one of the officers demands.
I watch anxiously, but I needn't have worried. Ghart's performance is perfect. "Others will follow along my path!" he yells, a truly manic glint in his eyes. "Those loyal to the queen will be taken down one by one, then she will die at our hands!"
They drag him away. I glance at Sophie and Nick, judging their reactions. Thankfully, they look convinced, if shaken.
"I should go," I say. "I'll try to find out more from Lene."
"Be careful," Nick says, kissing me on the cheek.
"No need - he's been caught."
I smile brightly over my shoulder as I leave, and see them looking relieved. I make a mental note to Lene to put about that Ghart's execution was done in private, so as not to fan the flames of whatever he is planning. The court magician will have to give him a new appearance so that he can continue as a soldier of the palace; when we told him he could choose whatever look he wanted, he was quite excited.
I don't go to the palace, where Lene will surely be expecting me. She'll have to manage without me for a day. I head straight to Heleta's rooms.
She cringes when she sees who it is, knowing that I will demand answers. Opening the door very reluctantly, she tries to hide the rest of the room, but it's all too easy to spot.
"Heleta, where are you going?" I ask, gesturing to the obvious signs of packing.
"Kim, I told you yesterday, I need to deal with something. It's better that you don't know anything about it."
I don't have time for word games. "Tell me," I command. Heleta sighs, knowing she can't refuse a direct order from me.
"For as long as anyone can remember, there has been a trait among your family. Some call it a blessing, others a curse. It is passed down only to the females of your family, and only the strongest of those survive it."
Heleta takes a deep breath, seeming to steel herself. "On your nineteenth birthday, it started. You will always be able to tell when you are being lied to - an invaluable skill as queen, one of the reasons your family has retained the throne for so long - but it comes with a price. Headaches for the remainder of your life, which no cure can touch. Worse, hallucinations. You will see things that can't possibly be there, things that terrify you. Your mother made sure she was never alone, so that she always had someone with her to tell her what was real and what wasn't. If she could touch them, she knew they were real; otherwise, there was no way to tell illusion from reality. It was a terrible burden she bore.
"When you were born, she decided that the cycle had to be broken. No queen had ever dared before to give up the advantage the curse gave her over her opponents, but your mother wanted to spare you the pain of it, no matter what else it might mean. She travelled to the high mountains of Unee and entered the deepest cave, hidden in the bowels of the mountain.
"There, she burned the tree growing in the darkness - the tree that brings on both the abilities and the terrors you live through.
"We thought it was the end, then. Apparently, it isn't. I don't see how the tree could have grown back, but it has to be destroyed."
I look around at her bags, finally understanding. "You mean to do it alone?"
"It's not a dangerous mission. It only took this long in the first place because no one wanted to give up the ability to see lies."
I lean back on the bed, trying to think through everything. Somehow, I am not shocked. Maybe some part of me always knew the headaches weren't normal; maybe I just have a strange ability to take these kinds of things in my stride. Whatever the reason, I am calm.
"Don't destroy it," I say. Heleta opens her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. "Bring it here. I want to make the decision to do it myself, and destroy it myself if I decide to."
Heleta doesn't look happy, but has little choice but to agree. "Your mother thought you would be better off having to deal with it."
"I am not my mother. I will make decisions based on my life now, not my life when I was a new-born, as she did. I will do what is best for the kingdom."
Heleta nods, tears in her eyes. "Don't lose yourself for the sake of your people."
I wonder what terrifying visions my mum could have confided in her to give Heleta such a haunted look.
"I won't," I promise. "Go to Lene, tell her that I want soldiers sent with you to protect you, and help bring the tree back here."
When I leave, my head is oddly clear. At least I know what is happening, now. I can deal with what to do with the damn tree when it gets here. Now, I need to help Julun. First, I go to his house, wanting to check that everything seems alright before finding his patrol.
I am surprised when I get there. Julun is at home, sitting on the sofa. I barely duck out of the way in time to avoid being seen. He must have called in sick to get out of work today. Frowning, I try to reason it out. Julun is fiercely loyal to the kingdom, and believes in protecting it. He wouldn't skip out on his unit without a powerful reason.
Carefully, I position myself in a bush, watching him without being seen by passers-by.
My feet go numb, and Julun still hasn't moved from the sofa. I am on the verge of giving up when he stands and crosses briskly to the back door, glancing out of the window as he does. Glancing at the sun. I look up - mid-afternoon. Julun was waiting all day for something.
I sneak around, watching as he slips into the shadows of buildings, taking great care not to be seen. I was taught tracking by the best in the kingdom, though, and Julun is no match for me.
We make our way through the city, right to the outskirts. I expect Julun will have to reveal himself here - the only way to get out is past the guards. Again, he surprises me. He lifts the end of a wagon that has been there so long it almost looks like part of the ground, crawls underneath and disappears.
Glancing around and seeing that no one is watching me, I follow him.
Under the wagon, I find a hastily replaced tarp, covering a deep hole. A tunnel.
As unhappy as I am about the prospect, there is little choice now: I've come too far to go back. I crawl into the dank hole, following Julun's trail.
To be continued
"Kim, I was worried," Nick says, closing the door behind me. Turning to look at me, he pauses. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Nothing," I say, fumbling to come up with a believable story. "I'm just... just worried that whoever it is who tried to poison me will try again."
Nick wraps his arms around me, pulling me tightly to him. "It's ok. We won't let anything happen to you. I'll find whoever it is before they have a chance to try and hurt you again."
I nod against his chest, secure in the knowledge that the poisoner will be found tomorrow in Nick's sight. Ghart won't let us down, and once his part is played, Nick will be convinced there is no more danger and drop it.
As I lie awake in bed that night, I wonder how I am going to proceed. Julun is in trouble, and if I want to help him, I need to do it quietly, before anyone else finds out. I also need to talk to Heleta again, I decide. Whatever she knows about my headaches, she hasn't told me everything. I fall asleep contemplating complex plans and back up plans.
In the morning, it doesn't take long to persuade Sophie and Nick to come into court with me - they both think they will pick up leads on whoever poisoned me. They don't know how right they are.
Lene must have people watching for us, because we are only in the courtyard for a few minutes before soldiers come running.
Ghart is fleeing very convincingly, but the other guards don't take long to chase him down. Conveniently, the takedown happens just a few yards away from Nick, Sophie and me.
"You tried to poison the queen's servant, do you deny it?" one of the officers demands.
I watch anxiously, but I needn't have worried. Ghart's performance is perfect. "Others will follow along my path!" he yells, a truly manic glint in his eyes. "Those loyal to the queen will be taken down one by one, then she will die at our hands!"
They drag him away. I glance at Sophie and Nick, judging their reactions. Thankfully, they look convinced, if shaken.
"I should go," I say. "I'll try to find out more from Lene."
"Be careful," Nick says, kissing me on the cheek.
"No need - he's been caught."
I smile brightly over my shoulder as I leave, and see them looking relieved. I make a mental note to Lene to put about that Ghart's execution was done in private, so as not to fan the flames of whatever he is planning. The court magician will have to give him a new appearance so that he can continue as a soldier of the palace; when we told him he could choose whatever look he wanted, he was quite excited.
I don't go to the palace, where Lene will surely be expecting me. She'll have to manage without me for a day. I head straight to Heleta's rooms.
She cringes when she sees who it is, knowing that I will demand answers. Opening the door very reluctantly, she tries to hide the rest of the room, but it's all too easy to spot.
"Heleta, where are you going?" I ask, gesturing to the obvious signs of packing.
"Kim, I told you yesterday, I need to deal with something. It's better that you don't know anything about it."
I don't have time for word games. "Tell me," I command. Heleta sighs, knowing she can't refuse a direct order from me.
"For as long as anyone can remember, there has been a trait among your family. Some call it a blessing, others a curse. It is passed down only to the females of your family, and only the strongest of those survive it."
Heleta takes a deep breath, seeming to steel herself. "On your nineteenth birthday, it started. You will always be able to tell when you are being lied to - an invaluable skill as queen, one of the reasons your family has retained the throne for so long - but it comes with a price. Headaches for the remainder of your life, which no cure can touch. Worse, hallucinations. You will see things that can't possibly be there, things that terrify you. Your mother made sure she was never alone, so that she always had someone with her to tell her what was real and what wasn't. If she could touch them, she knew they were real; otherwise, there was no way to tell illusion from reality. It was a terrible burden she bore.
"When you were born, she decided that the cycle had to be broken. No queen had ever dared before to give up the advantage the curse gave her over her opponents, but your mother wanted to spare you the pain of it, no matter what else it might mean. She travelled to the high mountains of Unee and entered the deepest cave, hidden in the bowels of the mountain.
"There, she burned the tree growing in the darkness - the tree that brings on both the abilities and the terrors you live through.
"We thought it was the end, then. Apparently, it isn't. I don't see how the tree could have grown back, but it has to be destroyed."
I look around at her bags, finally understanding. "You mean to do it alone?"
"It's not a dangerous mission. It only took this long in the first place because no one wanted to give up the ability to see lies."
I lean back on the bed, trying to think through everything. Somehow, I am not shocked. Maybe some part of me always knew the headaches weren't normal; maybe I just have a strange ability to take these kinds of things in my stride. Whatever the reason, I am calm.
"Don't destroy it," I say. Heleta opens her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. "Bring it here. I want to make the decision to do it myself, and destroy it myself if I decide to."
Heleta doesn't look happy, but has little choice but to agree. "Your mother thought you would be better off having to deal with it."
"I am not my mother. I will make decisions based on my life now, not my life when I was a new-born, as she did. I will do what is best for the kingdom."
Heleta nods, tears in her eyes. "Don't lose yourself for the sake of your people."
I wonder what terrifying visions my mum could have confided in her to give Heleta such a haunted look.
"I won't," I promise. "Go to Lene, tell her that I want soldiers sent with you to protect you, and help bring the tree back here."
When I leave, my head is oddly clear. At least I know what is happening, now. I can deal with what to do with the damn tree when it gets here. Now, I need to help Julun. First, I go to his house, wanting to check that everything seems alright before finding his patrol.
I am surprised when I get there. Julun is at home, sitting on the sofa. I barely duck out of the way in time to avoid being seen. He must have called in sick to get out of work today. Frowning, I try to reason it out. Julun is fiercely loyal to the kingdom, and believes in protecting it. He wouldn't skip out on his unit without a powerful reason.
Carefully, I position myself in a bush, watching him without being seen by passers-by.
My feet go numb, and Julun still hasn't moved from the sofa. I am on the verge of giving up when he stands and crosses briskly to the back door, glancing out of the window as he does. Glancing at the sun. I look up - mid-afternoon. Julun was waiting all day for something.
I sneak around, watching as he slips into the shadows of buildings, taking great care not to be seen. I was taught tracking by the best in the kingdom, though, and Julun is no match for me.
We make our way through the city, right to the outskirts. I expect Julun will have to reveal himself here - the only way to get out is past the guards. Again, he surprises me. He lifts the end of a wagon that has been there so long it almost looks like part of the ground, crawls underneath and disappears.
Glancing around and seeing that no one is watching me, I follow him.
Under the wagon, I find a hastily replaced tarp, covering a deep hole. A tunnel.
As unhappy as I am about the prospect, there is little choice now: I've come too far to go back. I crawl into the dank hole, following Julun's trail.
To be continued
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
The Sword of Truth - Terry Goodkind
Ok, so I know I'm deviating from my usual story posts, but I feel that this is something I really need to write about.
I first read The Sword of Truth many years ago, and since then my life has become unrecognisable - unrecognisably better! The Sword of Truth is the most amazing fantasy story, spanning over 11 books, but it's so much more than that. I love the story and read it over and over again, but I have benefited from it far more than just the joy a beautiful story brings me.
Terry Goodkind goes out of his way to teach his readers. Many of the things I have learned are things I knew or should have known anyway, but I was never confident to back them up, even to myself. Things like the fact that every human life has value, that everyone has the right to freedom... I was so inspired by the books and lessons that I learned, and still am. It's all very well sitting in the psychologist's office listening to them tell you that no matter how pointless you feel, your life has value, but sometimes it takes more than just telling. Terry Goodkind doesn't tell - he shows. So many of the things I have learned from him, I have heard before, but never really believed until he illustrated them in a story for me. Others were complete revelations, helping some things make sense to me for the first time in my life.
Now, I use The Sword of Truth daily to solve problems, to motivate myself to do better and be great.
If I was in the education department, I would make The Sword of Truth compulsory reading for everyone in school. So many of the world's problems could be solved if people just took Terry Goodkind's lessons to heart.
So the point of this post is to give you a chance to change your life. Ever since I read The Sword of Truth, I have been promoting it to everyone I meet. I feel that my life has been so positively changed by this series, I can't just keep it to myself - I owe it to the world to give other people the same chance I had.
Truly, you will not regret reading it. Even if you don't often read fantasy, The Sword of Truth transcends matters of genre, speaking in a universal language understood by all. Read it. Really, that's all I can say: read it!
Book one if Wizard's First Rule
Look out for book 6 when you get there - Faith of the Fallen - it's the best! My mind was blown away after reading it.
Here is the link to amazon where you can order it: http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-First-Rule-RosettaBooks-ebook/dp/B00433TO4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374661699&sr=8-1&keywords=wizard%27s+first+rule
Or check out a library near you - you can bet they will have it!
Follow Terry Goodkind on Twitter! https://twitter.com/terrygoodkind
Please join my Terry Goodkind fan club on LibraryThing! It's a new group, and I'm always looking for new members :) http://www.librarything.com/groups/terrygoodkindfanclub
Are you on Goodreads? Check this out! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2812-sword-of-truth
Join the Terry Goodkind page on Facebook and get all the updates on his latest works. https://www.facebook.com/terrygoodkind?fref=ts
Check out his website, where you can order Sword of Truth jewellery, clothes, and much more! http://www.terrygoodkindstore.com/collections/all-products
Here's the official Terry Goodkind website: http://www.terrygoodkind.com/
Take this chance to do something great: take your life under your control and start on the journey of a lifetime. As Terry Goodkind says, "Your life is yours alone. Rise up and live it."
I first read The Sword of Truth many years ago, and since then my life has become unrecognisable - unrecognisably better! The Sword of Truth is the most amazing fantasy story, spanning over 11 books, but it's so much more than that. I love the story and read it over and over again, but I have benefited from it far more than just the joy a beautiful story brings me.
Terry Goodkind goes out of his way to teach his readers. Many of the things I have learned are things I knew or should have known anyway, but I was never confident to back them up, even to myself. Things like the fact that every human life has value, that everyone has the right to freedom... I was so inspired by the books and lessons that I learned, and still am. It's all very well sitting in the psychologist's office listening to them tell you that no matter how pointless you feel, your life has value, but sometimes it takes more than just telling. Terry Goodkind doesn't tell - he shows. So many of the things I have learned from him, I have heard before, but never really believed until he illustrated them in a story for me. Others were complete revelations, helping some things make sense to me for the first time in my life.
Now, I use The Sword of Truth daily to solve problems, to motivate myself to do better and be great.
If I was in the education department, I would make The Sword of Truth compulsory reading for everyone in school. So many of the world's problems could be solved if people just took Terry Goodkind's lessons to heart.
So the point of this post is to give you a chance to change your life. Ever since I read The Sword of Truth, I have been promoting it to everyone I meet. I feel that my life has been so positively changed by this series, I can't just keep it to myself - I owe it to the world to give other people the same chance I had.
Truly, you will not regret reading it. Even if you don't often read fantasy, The Sword of Truth transcends matters of genre, speaking in a universal language understood by all. Read it. Really, that's all I can say: read it!
Book one if Wizard's First Rule
Look out for book 6 when you get there - Faith of the Fallen - it's the best! My mind was blown away after reading it.
Here is the link to amazon where you can order it: http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-First-Rule-RosettaBooks-ebook/dp/B00433TO4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374661699&sr=8-1&keywords=wizard%27s+first+rule
Or check out a library near you - you can bet they will have it!
Follow Terry Goodkind on Twitter! https://twitter.com/terrygoodkind
Please join my Terry Goodkind fan club on LibraryThing! It's a new group, and I'm always looking for new members :) http://www.librarything.com/groups/terrygoodkindfanclub
Are you on Goodreads? Check this out! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2812-sword-of-truth
Join the Terry Goodkind page on Facebook and get all the updates on his latest works. https://www.facebook.com/terrygoodkind?fref=ts
Check out his website, where you can order Sword of Truth jewellery, clothes, and much more! http://www.terrygoodkindstore.com/collections/all-products
Here's the official Terry Goodkind website: http://www.terrygoodkind.com/
Take this chance to do something great: take your life under your control and start on the journey of a lifetime. As Terry Goodkind says, "Your life is yours alone. Rise up and live it."
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
Secrets - part 3
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part three of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
I think I must fall asleep in the chair, for the next thing I know, Lene is shaking me. "Kim? Kim, it's getting dark. You need to get going."
"Yes, of course," I mumble, getting up. "Have you arranged the ploy?"
Lene nods. "Ghart is going to do it. You just make sure Nick and Sophie are in the courtyard at noon tomorrow."
"I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Lene opens the door for me, but doesn't follow me out. In public, we must maintain the pretence that she is the queen and I am the servant. I slip through the halls, invisible to those who don't know who I am. The few who do know, I trust with my life. Apparently, that trust is mistaken, at least in one of them.
I go through it in my head. Obviously, Lene and I know. Then there are my parents - well, Lene's parents, really, but they feel like mine more than hers, the man and woman who raised me and Sophie. Though I know the king and queen were my birth parents, they never felt like home, like my foster parents did.
Julun knows - he's the head of the guards, so he had to be brought in. He misses nothing that goes on in the palace. Lene's governess also knows. I think of Heleta, strict but kind in her own way. She had to know why she was teaching me things only of relevance to a princess when she was supposed to be tutoring Lene.
I frown. That's all. None of these people would betray us. Yet obviously, someone has. I told Lene to investigate quietly, not letting anyone know what she's up to. The first thing she needs to do is catch the real poisoner. Then she can find out who gave up my secret to them.
I have something Lene doesn't have, though. I have the good instincts that have been bred into generations of kings and queens of the land. Though I can't imagine any one of the people I have trusted betraying me, denial won't help now. Heleta's quarters are closest. I turn and make straight for them.
"Kim, dear, how nice to see you," she says, beaming as she opens the door. As soon as I am safely inside, she dips her head in a neat curtsey.
"Heleta, someone tried to poison me. Someone told them who I am."
She clasps her hands over her mouth, horrified. "How? What happened?"
I don't pay much attention to the conversation after that, other than to answer her frantic questions. I could tell from the first second that she is being truthful. I manage to calm her down, convince her that I am in no immediate danger, and make to leave.
Before I can do it, she grabs my arm. "Kim? You knew I wasn't lying, didn't you?"
"Of course," I say. "I know you would never betray me."
Heleta looks worried. "You turned nineteen three months ago. Has everything been ok since then?"
"Yes, of course, why -?"
"You haven't had any headaches, I suppose?"
I gape at her. "How did you know that?"
Heleta goes white. "Dear Gods, this wasn't supposed to happen to her," she whispers, her eyes not on me but on some deity I can't see. "Her mother promised me the cycle was broken, said it was for the best..."
"Heleta, what's going on?"
Her eyes snap back to me, seemingly just realising I am still here. "Go home, Kim," she says with more authority than she ever uses when we're not in public. "Go home and rest. I'll sort this out, don't you worry."
"Sort what...?"
Bewildered, I find myself being shoved from the room. I am too surprised to protest, and the next thing I know, the door is slamming in my face.
Slightly dazed, I wander off, vaguely heading for Julun's rooms, but getting lost several times, due to my head being in the clouds. What could Heleta have meant? I have absolutely no idea what could spook her so badly...
"Kim. Please come in," Julun says. I let him lead me to the couch and offer me some wine. Since my head is already spinning, I think it unwise and ask for a glass of water.
"Julun, someone has betrayed me. I was poisoned."
His horrified response is much the same as Heleta's. There is only one difference. I'm not even totally sure what it is. Some hardening in the eyes? Some kind of brittleness in his voice? I'm not sure what it is that tips me off, but I trust my instincts. Julun knows more than he's saying.
Stalling for time, not knowing what to do, I look around for inspiration, anything to change the topic. "How's Sarah doing?" I ask, looking around for Julun's wife.
"Oh, she's good... she's just out at the market, getting things for supper."
The markets are closed by now.
"Well, I just thought I'd check in," I say. "I really should be going."
Julun's attempts to persuade me to stay for supper are perfect; I would never guess he didn't want me to stay, if I didn't know that something is seriously wrong.
As I walk slowly to my and Nick's house, I try to think. Julun would never willingly betray me, yet he knows something more about this, something he's too scared to say. If I tell Lene, she won't take risks. She'll have him taken in for questioning, but without knowing what kind of trouble Julun is in, it may just make things worse for him.
I guess I'll just have to help him on my own. Whatever is wrong, I'll have to find it.
As I open the door, I pause as my head throbs painfully. The sporadic headaches that have plagued me since my nineteenth birthday are painful, but they have never really caused me much worry; after all, everyone gets headaches.
Now, I wonder if these aren't more than just headaches. What did Heleta mean?
As I step inside, I realise I have no answer. I also realise that if I want to be truly safe, I'll need to find one.
To be continued
I think I must fall asleep in the chair, for the next thing I know, Lene is shaking me. "Kim? Kim, it's getting dark. You need to get going."
"Yes, of course," I mumble, getting up. "Have you arranged the ploy?"
Lene nods. "Ghart is going to do it. You just make sure Nick and Sophie are in the courtyard at noon tomorrow."
"I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Lene opens the door for me, but doesn't follow me out. In public, we must maintain the pretence that she is the queen and I am the servant. I slip through the halls, invisible to those who don't know who I am. The few who do know, I trust with my life. Apparently, that trust is mistaken, at least in one of them.
I go through it in my head. Obviously, Lene and I know. Then there are my parents - well, Lene's parents, really, but they feel like mine more than hers, the man and woman who raised me and Sophie. Though I know the king and queen were my birth parents, they never felt like home, like my foster parents did.
Julun knows - he's the head of the guards, so he had to be brought in. He misses nothing that goes on in the palace. Lene's governess also knows. I think of Heleta, strict but kind in her own way. She had to know why she was teaching me things only of relevance to a princess when she was supposed to be tutoring Lene.
I frown. That's all. None of these people would betray us. Yet obviously, someone has. I told Lene to investigate quietly, not letting anyone know what she's up to. The first thing she needs to do is catch the real poisoner. Then she can find out who gave up my secret to them.
I have something Lene doesn't have, though. I have the good instincts that have been bred into generations of kings and queens of the land. Though I can't imagine any one of the people I have trusted betraying me, denial won't help now. Heleta's quarters are closest. I turn and make straight for them.
"Kim, dear, how nice to see you," she says, beaming as she opens the door. As soon as I am safely inside, she dips her head in a neat curtsey.
"Heleta, someone tried to poison me. Someone told them who I am."
She clasps her hands over her mouth, horrified. "How? What happened?"
I don't pay much attention to the conversation after that, other than to answer her frantic questions. I could tell from the first second that she is being truthful. I manage to calm her down, convince her that I am in no immediate danger, and make to leave.
Before I can do it, she grabs my arm. "Kim? You knew I wasn't lying, didn't you?"
"Of course," I say. "I know you would never betray me."
Heleta looks worried. "You turned nineteen three months ago. Has everything been ok since then?"
"Yes, of course, why -?"
"You haven't had any headaches, I suppose?"
I gape at her. "How did you know that?"
Heleta goes white. "Dear Gods, this wasn't supposed to happen to her," she whispers, her eyes not on me but on some deity I can't see. "Her mother promised me the cycle was broken, said it was for the best..."
"Heleta, what's going on?"
Her eyes snap back to me, seemingly just realising I am still here. "Go home, Kim," she says with more authority than she ever uses when we're not in public. "Go home and rest. I'll sort this out, don't you worry."
"Sort what...?"
Bewildered, I find myself being shoved from the room. I am too surprised to protest, and the next thing I know, the door is slamming in my face.
Slightly dazed, I wander off, vaguely heading for Julun's rooms, but getting lost several times, due to my head being in the clouds. What could Heleta have meant? I have absolutely no idea what could spook her so badly...
"Kim. Please come in," Julun says. I let him lead me to the couch and offer me some wine. Since my head is already spinning, I think it unwise and ask for a glass of water.
"Julun, someone has betrayed me. I was poisoned."
His horrified response is much the same as Heleta's. There is only one difference. I'm not even totally sure what it is. Some hardening in the eyes? Some kind of brittleness in his voice? I'm not sure what it is that tips me off, but I trust my instincts. Julun knows more than he's saying.
Stalling for time, not knowing what to do, I look around for inspiration, anything to change the topic. "How's Sarah doing?" I ask, looking around for Julun's wife.
"Oh, she's good... she's just out at the market, getting things for supper."
The markets are closed by now.
"Well, I just thought I'd check in," I say. "I really should be going."
Julun's attempts to persuade me to stay for supper are perfect; I would never guess he didn't want me to stay, if I didn't know that something is seriously wrong.
As I walk slowly to my and Nick's house, I try to think. Julun would never willingly betray me, yet he knows something more about this, something he's too scared to say. If I tell Lene, she won't take risks. She'll have him taken in for questioning, but without knowing what kind of trouble Julun is in, it may just make things worse for him.
I guess I'll just have to help him on my own. Whatever is wrong, I'll have to find it.
As I open the door, I pause as my head throbs painfully. The sporadic headaches that have plagued me since my nineteenth birthday are painful, but they have never really caused me much worry; after all, everyone gets headaches.
Now, I wonder if these aren't more than just headaches. What did Heleta mean?
As I step inside, I realise I have no answer. I also realise that if I want to be truly safe, I'll need to find one.
To be continued
Saturday, 20 July 2013
Secrets - part 2
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part two of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
"Kim? Are you alright?"
"Fine," I say, quickly tuning back in to the conversation.
"What do you think?" Nick asks.
"Um... I think the poison was meant for the queen," I say.
"We've already discussed that," Sophie moans, frustrated by our lack of progress. "If someone was aiming for the queen, they'd have gotten her drink, not confused her with her servant. There's no way they got your drink by mistake."
"They did get the queen's drink," I say softly.
"What?"
I quickly decide what lie to tell. It needs to be convincing, but I can never tell them the truth - that will just put them in more danger. "Lene was being nice. She let me have a sip of her wine. When I collapsed, they obviously realised it was poisoned, and she didn't drink it."
"Maybe she was trying to poison you," Nick suggests. "I mean, it's a bit of a strange coincidence that the one time the wine is poisoned, you are the one to drink it."
"Lene would never do that," I say firmly. "She's the queen. She protects her subjects, not murders them. Besides, she has no reason to want to kill me."
Sophie and Nick keep discussing it, but I retreat back to my own silent world. How did they find out? My secret is one of the most closely guarded in court, one that only a couple of people know. That can mean only one thing: we have a traitor in our midst. I look sadly at my sister and the man I love. How can I get them to drop this? If they don't, they will become targets at once.
"I need to go," I say abruptly. "Lene will be worried. I need to tell her I'm ok."
"Come right back," Nick says.
"Really, I'm feeling fine now. I can work for the rest of the day."
"Kim, you need to rest," Nick says gently. "Lene can manage for one day without you."
I turn away and murmur so quietly that Nick can't hear me. "No. No, she can't."
I walk through the palace as though I am invisible. No one notices servants - one of the reasons we chose a servant as my cover. The guards at Lene's door let me in without a second glance. She is sitting by the window, doing her embroidery.
"Kim! Oh, thank goodness you're ok," she bursts out, rushing to hug me. "I don't know what we would have done if you had died."
"I'm ok," I say. "Nick and Sophie are in trouble, though. They are determined to find out who did this, and they're going to paint great big targets on their backs if they keep on like this."
"We'll have to stop them, then," Lene says. "Come on, Kim, you've solved worse problems than this."
Away from Nick and Sophie, I find my mind is clearer, not watching them, worrying about what trouble they are going to get themselves into.
"Yes... yes, we could find the poisoner," I say slowly. "One of the guards could play the part. We could make sure they're there for a public capture."
"And the reason he would want to kill you?" Lene prompts.
"He... he wanted to kill you, but he knew he needed to get me out of the way first. I'm at your side almost all the time. He didn't want any witnesses."
"Good," Lene says. "I'll arrange it."
I smile, feeling slightly calmer. Lene and I have been working as a team for so many years, solving what seem like the insurmountable problems of rule, that we work seamlessly, without any strain or effort.
"Have you thought about what I said?" Lene asks hesitantly.
"You know I can't tell him," I say heavily. "The fewer people who know, the safer everyone would be. This proves it - we obviously have a traitor. We'll have to start an investigation, but quietly."
Lene nods. "How?"
I think about it, and spend a few minutes describing the best strategy to her. When she gets it, of course, she has to get back to the issue. "You've been with Nick for a year, now," she says. "Don't you think it's time to tell him? You can't live your whole lives based on a lie..."
"Don't," I say. "Don't pretend. Nick and I can never have lives together - not in the way you're thinking. It would be way too dangerous for him."
"Not if you told him," Lene says.
"No, Lene. I will not put him in danger like that. I love him too much to see him die."
"But -"
"I don't want to discuss the matter any further," I say firmly.
She bows her head. "Of course. Forgive me."
"It's ok, Lene," I say. "You're my friend and you're just looking out for me."
She nods, still looking embarrassed.
"I'd like some time alone," I say.
Lene retreats to the adjoining room while I go to stare out of the window.
I have been living with my secret for my whole life, but ever since I met Nick, it has been harder and harder to keep. Of course, I don't remember when my parents did the swap, when Lene was taken to the palace as a young baby and I was given to her parents to foster. Sophie is my sister in every way that matters... but she shares her parents with Lene, not me.
From a young age, I was trained in the ways of a servant... and other ways, by the king himself. I was assigned to Lene, so that I may be close to her and learn the ways of court for when I had need of that knowledge. Lene and I have shared in the deception so long, it is not surprising we've become good friends.
When the king died, Lene officially took his place. I was always there, though. With my training, and the good instincts I inherited from my real parents, I have been able to guide her in making the right decisions, all the while she protected me.
Now, someone has found out about my secret, and is trying to kill me.
I close my eyes, and imagine telling Nick. Of course, I never can, but for a minute, I go through the scene in my head, as though imagining it vividly enough will make it possible.
"Nick, My parents aren't the same as Sophie's parents. I was hidden at a young age for my own protection. My father was the late king, and his wife my mother.
"Lene isn't the queen. I am."
To be continued
"Kim? Are you alright?"
"Fine," I say, quickly tuning back in to the conversation.
"What do you think?" Nick asks.
"Um... I think the poison was meant for the queen," I say.
"We've already discussed that," Sophie moans, frustrated by our lack of progress. "If someone was aiming for the queen, they'd have gotten her drink, not confused her with her servant. There's no way they got your drink by mistake."
"They did get the queen's drink," I say softly.
"What?"
I quickly decide what lie to tell. It needs to be convincing, but I can never tell them the truth - that will just put them in more danger. "Lene was being nice. She let me have a sip of her wine. When I collapsed, they obviously realised it was poisoned, and she didn't drink it."
"Maybe she was trying to poison you," Nick suggests. "I mean, it's a bit of a strange coincidence that the one time the wine is poisoned, you are the one to drink it."
"Lene would never do that," I say firmly. "She's the queen. She protects her subjects, not murders them. Besides, she has no reason to want to kill me."
Sophie and Nick keep discussing it, but I retreat back to my own silent world. How did they find out? My secret is one of the most closely guarded in court, one that only a couple of people know. That can mean only one thing: we have a traitor in our midst. I look sadly at my sister and the man I love. How can I get them to drop this? If they don't, they will become targets at once.
"I need to go," I say abruptly. "Lene will be worried. I need to tell her I'm ok."
"Come right back," Nick says.
"Really, I'm feeling fine now. I can work for the rest of the day."
"Kim, you need to rest," Nick says gently. "Lene can manage for one day without you."
I turn away and murmur so quietly that Nick can't hear me. "No. No, she can't."
I walk through the palace as though I am invisible. No one notices servants - one of the reasons we chose a servant as my cover. The guards at Lene's door let me in without a second glance. She is sitting by the window, doing her embroidery.
"Kim! Oh, thank goodness you're ok," she bursts out, rushing to hug me. "I don't know what we would have done if you had died."
"I'm ok," I say. "Nick and Sophie are in trouble, though. They are determined to find out who did this, and they're going to paint great big targets on their backs if they keep on like this."
"We'll have to stop them, then," Lene says. "Come on, Kim, you've solved worse problems than this."
Away from Nick and Sophie, I find my mind is clearer, not watching them, worrying about what trouble they are going to get themselves into.
"Yes... yes, we could find the poisoner," I say slowly. "One of the guards could play the part. We could make sure they're there for a public capture."
"And the reason he would want to kill you?" Lene prompts.
"He... he wanted to kill you, but he knew he needed to get me out of the way first. I'm at your side almost all the time. He didn't want any witnesses."
"Good," Lene says. "I'll arrange it."
I smile, feeling slightly calmer. Lene and I have been working as a team for so many years, solving what seem like the insurmountable problems of rule, that we work seamlessly, without any strain or effort.
"Have you thought about what I said?" Lene asks hesitantly.
"You know I can't tell him," I say heavily. "The fewer people who know, the safer everyone would be. This proves it - we obviously have a traitor. We'll have to start an investigation, but quietly."
Lene nods. "How?"
I think about it, and spend a few minutes describing the best strategy to her. When she gets it, of course, she has to get back to the issue. "You've been with Nick for a year, now," she says. "Don't you think it's time to tell him? You can't live your whole lives based on a lie..."
"Don't," I say. "Don't pretend. Nick and I can never have lives together - not in the way you're thinking. It would be way too dangerous for him."
"Not if you told him," Lene says.
"No, Lene. I will not put him in danger like that. I love him too much to see him die."
"But -"
"I don't want to discuss the matter any further," I say firmly.
She bows her head. "Of course. Forgive me."
"It's ok, Lene," I say. "You're my friend and you're just looking out for me."
She nods, still looking embarrassed.
"I'd like some time alone," I say.
Lene retreats to the adjoining room while I go to stare out of the window.
I have been living with my secret for my whole life, but ever since I met Nick, it has been harder and harder to keep. Of course, I don't remember when my parents did the swap, when Lene was taken to the palace as a young baby and I was given to her parents to foster. Sophie is my sister in every way that matters... but she shares her parents with Lene, not me.
From a young age, I was trained in the ways of a servant... and other ways, by the king himself. I was assigned to Lene, so that I may be close to her and learn the ways of court for when I had need of that knowledge. Lene and I have shared in the deception so long, it is not surprising we've become good friends.
When the king died, Lene officially took his place. I was always there, though. With my training, and the good instincts I inherited from my real parents, I have been able to guide her in making the right decisions, all the while she protected me.
Now, someone has found out about my secret, and is trying to kill me.
I close my eyes, and imagine telling Nick. Of course, I never can, but for a minute, I go through the scene in my head, as though imagining it vividly enough will make it possible.
"Nick, My parents aren't the same as Sophie's parents. I was hidden at a young age for my own protection. My father was the late king, and his wife my mother.
"Lene isn't the queen. I am."
To be continued
Wednesday, 17 July 2013
Secrets - part 1
"If she doesn't get it..."
"She'll get it," I hiss. "Relax."
Nick twitches anxiously. "She's been too long. Someone must have spotted her."
"No one has spotted her," I say patiently. "We'd know if they had."
Nick's eyes flick to the distress beacon in my hand. It's really just a branch taken from a tree - but a branch infused with magic. If Sophie was in trouble, she'd be able to let us know instantly with that.
"Kim... she's been so long in there."
"Has my sister ever let us down?" I whisper harshly. "Do you think she will now, when the stakes are so high?"
Nick reluctantly shakes his head. I turn back to the door, just visible through the leaves of the bush we are hiding in. Nick waits with me in silence. A spasm of pain goes through me, and though I try to stifle it, Nick sees it on my face at once. His hands clench.
"I'm going after -""
"Nick, no -"
Before either of us can move, the door opens and Sophie bounces out, laughing and shouting something over her shoulder as she goes. As soon as the door has closed, her face descends into lines of worry and her pace quickens. She walks straight into the street, vanishing among the houses around.
Nick and I carefully crawl backwards out of the bush until we, too, can blend with the late afternoon traffic. Sophie is waiting for us at Nick's house, just as we agreed.
"Do you have it?" Nick demands before even opening the door.
"Here," she says, holding out a small bottle to me. Without hesitation, I take it.
"Are you sure it's the right one?" Nick asks.
Sophie nods.
"What's wrong?" I say sharply, looking at her expression. "Did you have trouble?"
"We'll talk about all that later, just take the antidote," she says, waving her hands impatiently at the bottle. My stomach cramps up again and it is all I can do not to double over. Not needing to be told twice, I open the bottle and down it in one go.
"Better?" Nick asks anxiously.
"Not yet," I say. "Don't worry, it'll take time to work."
Nick leads me over to the couch and helps me lie down. "Get better," he commands, kissing me before pulling my head onto his lap.
"So what happened?" I ask Sophie.
"He wasn't really in the mood for visitors. I had to... distract him if I wanted to get it."
I close my eyes. "I'm sorry. I never wanted that."
"I want you alive, so it's a fair trade," Sophie says firmly. "Now, we need to deal with the real issue. Nick, focus!"
Nick has been staring at me, not taking in a word of the conversation. "Are you feeling better yet?" he asks.
"Yes," I say quickly, and am surprised to find that it is actually true.
"As I was saying," continues Sophie, "we need to find out why someone would want to poison Kim."
"It was probably meant for the queen," Nick says. "No big mystery there."
"If it was meant for the queen then how did Kim get it? The queen hardly shares her drinks with her servants, even ones she's had as long as Kim. No, this was deliberate."
Sophie and Nick keep discussing possibilities, seeming to get nowhere. In truth, I am not really listening. I know exactly why someone would want to poison me. That's not the question. The real question is how do I get them to stop digging before they get themselves killed?
I'll have to tell them the truth - at least some of it. The whole truth will get them killed just as surely as saying nothing. I'll have to pick carefully what I say.
I look at the two people who I trust most in the world and wonder if they know I am keeping secrets from them.
To be continued
"She'll get it," I hiss. "Relax."
Nick twitches anxiously. "She's been too long. Someone must have spotted her."
"No one has spotted her," I say patiently. "We'd know if they had."
Nick's eyes flick to the distress beacon in my hand. It's really just a branch taken from a tree - but a branch infused with magic. If Sophie was in trouble, she'd be able to let us know instantly with that.
"Kim... she's been so long in there."
"Has my sister ever let us down?" I whisper harshly. "Do you think she will now, when the stakes are so high?"
Nick reluctantly shakes his head. I turn back to the door, just visible through the leaves of the bush we are hiding in. Nick waits with me in silence. A spasm of pain goes through me, and though I try to stifle it, Nick sees it on my face at once. His hands clench.
"I'm going after -""
"Nick, no -"
Before either of us can move, the door opens and Sophie bounces out, laughing and shouting something over her shoulder as she goes. As soon as the door has closed, her face descends into lines of worry and her pace quickens. She walks straight into the street, vanishing among the houses around.
Nick and I carefully crawl backwards out of the bush until we, too, can blend with the late afternoon traffic. Sophie is waiting for us at Nick's house, just as we agreed.
"Do you have it?" Nick demands before even opening the door.
"Here," she says, holding out a small bottle to me. Without hesitation, I take it.
"Are you sure it's the right one?" Nick asks.
Sophie nods.
"What's wrong?" I say sharply, looking at her expression. "Did you have trouble?"
"We'll talk about all that later, just take the antidote," she says, waving her hands impatiently at the bottle. My stomach cramps up again and it is all I can do not to double over. Not needing to be told twice, I open the bottle and down it in one go.
"Better?" Nick asks anxiously.
"Not yet," I say. "Don't worry, it'll take time to work."
Nick leads me over to the couch and helps me lie down. "Get better," he commands, kissing me before pulling my head onto his lap.
"So what happened?" I ask Sophie.
"He wasn't really in the mood for visitors. I had to... distract him if I wanted to get it."
I close my eyes. "I'm sorry. I never wanted that."
"I want you alive, so it's a fair trade," Sophie says firmly. "Now, we need to deal with the real issue. Nick, focus!"
Nick has been staring at me, not taking in a word of the conversation. "Are you feeling better yet?" he asks.
"Yes," I say quickly, and am surprised to find that it is actually true.
"As I was saying," continues Sophie, "we need to find out why someone would want to poison Kim."
"It was probably meant for the queen," Nick says. "No big mystery there."
"If it was meant for the queen then how did Kim get it? The queen hardly shares her drinks with her servants, even ones she's had as long as Kim. No, this was deliberate."
Sophie and Nick keep discussing possibilities, seeming to get nowhere. In truth, I am not really listening. I know exactly why someone would want to poison me. That's not the question. The real question is how do I get them to stop digging before they get themselves killed?
I'll have to tell them the truth - at least some of it. The whole truth will get them killed just as surely as saying nothing. I'll have to pick carefully what I say.
I look at the two people who I trust most in the world and wonder if they know I am keeping secrets from them.
To be continued
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Taken - part 7 - final part
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part seven (the final part) of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
As the sun rises, I wait for the screams to start.
I don't have to wait long.
"Just ignore them, they can't hurt us," Erele says.
"They can't hurt you, but if they start shooting arrows, we'll be in trouble," Max points out. "Your scales may be impervious, but our skin isn't."
"If that happens, hold on, and I'll try to dodge them."
My hands tighten automatically on the spike on Erele's back in front of me. "Has she ever done that before?" I whisper.
"No. Let's hope she doesn't have to."
I try to ignore the panicked sounds of people below us. Dragons are rare, but more than that, most of them are vicious. Down below, they won't be able to see Max and me on Erele's back. They'll be expecting her to breathe fire down on them at any second. No wonder they are screaming.
The ground streaks below us, faster than I would have imagined possible. I can see the king's palace in the distance. As it gets closer, the army starts forming up a defensive wall around the building.
"Hold on!" Erele shouts as a hail of arrows flies towards us. She breathes fire into the onslaught, and the blazing arrows veer of course with the power of the flame.
I hear something below us worse than arrows. Glancing down, I see Haen stirring.
"Erele! He's waking up!"
She flaps faster, but there is nothing else she can do.
"If he wakes up, we're done for," I mutter.
Max just holds tightly to my waist as Erele swerves to avoid another volley of arrows.
Right over the palace, Erele folds her wings and drops straight down. Max yells and I grip her spike more tightly as I feel our bodies lifting off her back. At the last second, she opens her wings again, dropping lightly to the ground.
"Stop!" I yell, sliding off her back to face the oncoming guards. "Stop, she's not a threat."
They slow their charge bewildered. They are taught to kill dragons but defend people. Seeing me defending Erele has them stumped.
Before they can decide what to do, Haen staggers upright, released from Erele's claws when she landed.
"Arrest these -"
He is cut off mid-yell when Max grabs a stone from the ground and hits him on the head with it. Haen falls like a sack of potatoes. The guards start running towards us again, sure that anyone who would attack a king's wizard is the enemy.
Erele snakes her head threateningly towards them, not attacking, but protecting Max and me.
"You have to listen to us," Max says urgently, leaning around Erele to speak to the soldiers. "Haen was using black magic. We need to speak to the king."
"Lay down your weapons -"
"Stop! What is going on here?"
I sigh in relief when I see who it is. The king himself is coming down the steps.
"Sire, go back," one of the guards says. "It is too dangerous for you here."
"Let me hear what they have to say," the king says, looking surprisingly unintimidated by Erele.
"Your Majesty, Haen is using black magic," Max says before anyone can interrupt him. "We saw him with our own eyes."
"Have you any proof of this?" the king asks. "Haen has been a good and loyal servant."
"Sire, please, search his chambers. There, you will find the evidence you seek. But you must keep Haen unconscious - once he wakes, he will use magic to escape."
One of the soldiers snorts in disbelief, but the king is looking quizzically at Max and me.
The one who seems to be the leader of the guards steps forwards and whispers something in the king's ear. The king nods reluctantly, and I feel my hopes fading.
"Seize them," the king says.
Then the guards are advancing on us, weapons drawn. Max, Erele and I are fighting, but there are too many of them. The last thing I feel is a blow to the back of the head, then everything dissolves into blackness.
I wake in a dark cell. Max is lying beside me, and he groans when I roll him over. "Halie? Where are we?"
"I think we're in the dungeon."
Max slumps back against the hard stone. "Then everything is lost. Haen will cover his tracks as soon as he wakes up."
"I really thought the king believed us," I murmur.
"Me, too," says Max. "I just hope Erele escaped..."
We lie in the dark, waiting to find out our fate.
Fate comes sooner than expected. The door is opened, and I cringe against the sudden bright light, expecting it to reveal Haen any second. Instead, the king stands in the doorway.
"You have done a great service to the kingdom," he says.
"What?" I murmur, sitting up, wondering if I am dreaming. "I thought you didn't believe us..."
"As soon as you told me about Haen, I could see that you were telling the truth. I also knew that there must be other traitors here. Pretending to imprison you gave me the element of surprise. We have found them and imprisoned them. Haen is being kept asleep by our best healers."
"Erele?" Max asks fearfully.
"The dragon? Our army may be fearsome, but it is no match for a dragon. She got away, unhurt, I think." The king holds the door open. "Come, it is safe now. I am sorry I had to lock you up."
Max and I walk hesitantly out, wary of a trap. The king is smiling warmly at us, though, and I see sincerity in his gaze.
"I know how Haen hurt you," he says gently, looking at me. "I will have guards escort you home, but first, I wanted to give you something." He holds out a crystal bottle, filled with some kind of purple liquid. "The memories Haen took, if you want them."
I take the bottle with shaking hands. The king is leading Max and me up to the gardens, but I am not concentrating on where we are going. My focus is entirely on the bottle in my hands, on what it means. Of course, I want my memories back... but I am afraid. Who will I be after taking this?
I realise that the king has left, and Max and I are alone on a bench in the gardens.
"Halie?" He gently lifts my chin so that I am looking at him.
I meet his gaze, and I find there are tears in my eyes. "I'm scared, Max."
"I know. You'll be ok, though. I love you, Halie. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."
He holds my gaze steadily, and I am the first one to break away. I hardly know Max right now, yet I can't help but trust him.
I take a deep breath, then uncap the bottle. In one swift motion, I swallow the contents.
Memories wash over me. I remember meeting Max for the first time. I remember every moment we have shared. I remember our wedding, and all the days since. I remember my love for him.
When I look up, I see the Max I know and love looking at me, and I am filled with a sudden joy. Of course I love him. How could I ever have forgotten that?
"There you are," he whispers, stroking my cheek. "Are you alright?"
I lean up to kiss him, and it feels as comfortable and familiar as anything I have ever felt.
"Yes," I say. "Yes, I am."
The End
As the sun rises, I wait for the screams to start.
I don't have to wait long.
"Just ignore them, they can't hurt us," Erele says.
"They can't hurt you, but if they start shooting arrows, we'll be in trouble," Max points out. "Your scales may be impervious, but our skin isn't."
"If that happens, hold on, and I'll try to dodge them."
My hands tighten automatically on the spike on Erele's back in front of me. "Has she ever done that before?" I whisper.
"No. Let's hope she doesn't have to."
I try to ignore the panicked sounds of people below us. Dragons are rare, but more than that, most of them are vicious. Down below, they won't be able to see Max and me on Erele's back. They'll be expecting her to breathe fire down on them at any second. No wonder they are screaming.
The ground streaks below us, faster than I would have imagined possible. I can see the king's palace in the distance. As it gets closer, the army starts forming up a defensive wall around the building.
"Hold on!" Erele shouts as a hail of arrows flies towards us. She breathes fire into the onslaught, and the blazing arrows veer of course with the power of the flame.
I hear something below us worse than arrows. Glancing down, I see Haen stirring.
"Erele! He's waking up!"
She flaps faster, but there is nothing else she can do.
"If he wakes up, we're done for," I mutter.
Max just holds tightly to my waist as Erele swerves to avoid another volley of arrows.
Right over the palace, Erele folds her wings and drops straight down. Max yells and I grip her spike more tightly as I feel our bodies lifting off her back. At the last second, she opens her wings again, dropping lightly to the ground.
"Stop!" I yell, sliding off her back to face the oncoming guards. "Stop, she's not a threat."
They slow their charge bewildered. They are taught to kill dragons but defend people. Seeing me defending Erele has them stumped.
Before they can decide what to do, Haen staggers upright, released from Erele's claws when she landed.
"Arrest these -"
He is cut off mid-yell when Max grabs a stone from the ground and hits him on the head with it. Haen falls like a sack of potatoes. The guards start running towards us again, sure that anyone who would attack a king's wizard is the enemy.
Erele snakes her head threateningly towards them, not attacking, but protecting Max and me.
"You have to listen to us," Max says urgently, leaning around Erele to speak to the soldiers. "Haen was using black magic. We need to speak to the king."
"Lay down your weapons -"
"Stop! What is going on here?"
I sigh in relief when I see who it is. The king himself is coming down the steps.
"Sire, go back," one of the guards says. "It is too dangerous for you here."
"Let me hear what they have to say," the king says, looking surprisingly unintimidated by Erele.
"Your Majesty, Haen is using black magic," Max says before anyone can interrupt him. "We saw him with our own eyes."
"Have you any proof of this?" the king asks. "Haen has been a good and loyal servant."
"Sire, please, search his chambers. There, you will find the evidence you seek. But you must keep Haen unconscious - once he wakes, he will use magic to escape."
One of the soldiers snorts in disbelief, but the king is looking quizzically at Max and me.
The one who seems to be the leader of the guards steps forwards and whispers something in the king's ear. The king nods reluctantly, and I feel my hopes fading.
"Seize them," the king says.
Then the guards are advancing on us, weapons drawn. Max, Erele and I are fighting, but there are too many of them. The last thing I feel is a blow to the back of the head, then everything dissolves into blackness.
I wake in a dark cell. Max is lying beside me, and he groans when I roll him over. "Halie? Where are we?"
"I think we're in the dungeon."
Max slumps back against the hard stone. "Then everything is lost. Haen will cover his tracks as soon as he wakes up."
"I really thought the king believed us," I murmur.
"Me, too," says Max. "I just hope Erele escaped..."
We lie in the dark, waiting to find out our fate.
Fate comes sooner than expected. The door is opened, and I cringe against the sudden bright light, expecting it to reveal Haen any second. Instead, the king stands in the doorway.
"You have done a great service to the kingdom," he says.
"What?" I murmur, sitting up, wondering if I am dreaming. "I thought you didn't believe us..."
"As soon as you told me about Haen, I could see that you were telling the truth. I also knew that there must be other traitors here. Pretending to imprison you gave me the element of surprise. We have found them and imprisoned them. Haen is being kept asleep by our best healers."
"Erele?" Max asks fearfully.
"The dragon? Our army may be fearsome, but it is no match for a dragon. She got away, unhurt, I think." The king holds the door open. "Come, it is safe now. I am sorry I had to lock you up."
Max and I walk hesitantly out, wary of a trap. The king is smiling warmly at us, though, and I see sincerity in his gaze.
"I know how Haen hurt you," he says gently, looking at me. "I will have guards escort you home, but first, I wanted to give you something." He holds out a crystal bottle, filled with some kind of purple liquid. "The memories Haen took, if you want them."
I take the bottle with shaking hands. The king is leading Max and me up to the gardens, but I am not concentrating on where we are going. My focus is entirely on the bottle in my hands, on what it means. Of course, I want my memories back... but I am afraid. Who will I be after taking this?
I realise that the king has left, and Max and I are alone on a bench in the gardens.
"Halie?" He gently lifts my chin so that I am looking at him.
I meet his gaze, and I find there are tears in my eyes. "I'm scared, Max."
"I know. You'll be ok, though. I love you, Halie. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."
He holds my gaze steadily, and I am the first one to break away. I hardly know Max right now, yet I can't help but trust him.
I take a deep breath, then uncap the bottle. In one swift motion, I swallow the contents.
Memories wash over me. I remember meeting Max for the first time. I remember every moment we have shared. I remember our wedding, and all the days since. I remember my love for him.
When I look up, I see the Max I know and love looking at me, and I am filled with a sudden joy. Of course I love him. How could I ever have forgotten that?
"There you are," he whispers, stroking my cheek. "Are you alright?"
I lean up to kiss him, and it feels as comfortable and familiar as anything I have ever felt.
"Yes," I say. "Yes, I am."
The End
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