Kingdom's Darkness (Gemstone Royals Book 2)

by Kelly A. Purcell

  He rolled his eyes, “oh look who is still here,” he said, “but it makes sense to warn Princess Pearl about what is roaming our woods.”

  He consoled himself with the task given to him with the fact that no shepherd was safe with that creature walking around, it was the right thing to do. He knew that he should leave out the part about being directed to do so by a kind of sixth sense that has haunted his peace for the past year.

  ✽✽✽

  Where she could run, he could swing

  and with his sword he drew her in.

  A simple man with sword and friends

  braved the darkness and saved his princess.

  Oh, what power of love I see,

  enough to make the evil prince flee.

  And now with princess, safely home,

  she gave her heart to make his own.

  If love could make her light feet steady,

  Love could make his armoured feet dance.

  So Dance, dance with song and laughter,

  Dance, dance before your king

  Dance, dance forever after,

  Dance, dance of true love we sing

  Jahreed sat enthralled by Rusly, he loved his rhymes and his music. Rusly was so skilful with his stringed instrument, and was always backed by the best percussive players in the city. This way, every appearance he made could easily turn into a celebration. Jahreed’s fingers tapped out the lively timing of the bard’s song on his knees as his head swayed to the music. Three-fourths timing, perfectly arranged, closing his eyes he focused in on each part. He was sure that the people now dancing around did not fully grasp the musical genius that was Rusly’s arrangement.

  Next to him was his lost sheep’s replacement, bleating impatiently. He knew he should hurry back with it before he was found out. His father would not like to know he bought a sheep from his competitor, but he always found it hard to tear himself away when he came to the City known as Nevea. Rusly always made an appearance in the market place upon the day's end. While the vendors packed up their stalls, the jolly man would entertain them with his music. Sometimes with a witty lively tune or with a sorrowful ballad, whichever he chose, it brought light to the tired vendors faces and they worked quickly so they could dance in the cleared spaces.

  Jahreed wanted to do this one day, to bring joy to others with his music and his songs. The bard's song about Princess Ruby's love story was popular in the north; the villagers loved his work because he kept everyone abreast with what was happening in the wider kingdom. Jahreed loved the story of the princess and her soldier. Yes, it was true that Rusly was known to embellish for effect and there was likely little truth in his song about a soldier being loved by a princess. Yet Jahreed wondered if one day he could find such love or even a bit of that courage to make such a sacrificial declaration of his love. He imagined that a man had to be a brave fighter to win the heart of a beautiful princess.

  If that was the case, he knew that could never be his lot. He was skilled with a dagger and a staff, for herding and shearing. He frowned, there was that one time he had protected his sheep from a starved wolf, or that other time when he had climbed down a rocky cliff to retrieve a wandering sheep that had gotten stuck. He doubted those would be impressive feats in the eyes of a princess. He had almost passed out at the sight of the Ma’jion, he imagined the princess' soldier would have looked it in the eyes and shoved his blade through its heart. The image made him nauseous.

  "Jahreed," a girl's voice broke through his dreaming and he looked up to see Feather walking toward him.

  He smiled at her as he waved. She was a long-time friend of his, two years his senior but they had always been very good friends. Her presence instantly banished thoughts of winning the heart of princesses, for he would be satisfied with the heart of a farmer’s daughter. Feather would often come to market with her father, while Jahreed accompanied his father in the days when he was well. Since those early days, they had forged a long-lasting friendship, playing hide and seek beneath the table and around the stalls, or tormenting the vendors with their mischief.

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him off the stool, "you promised me a dance," she said.

  He grinned and reached up to tighten the strap of the sheep skin case holding his lute, "aye, I remember."

  They ran into the cleared area amidst the stalls, giggling as he twirled her around to the chorus of 'A princess and her soldier'.

  “How are you Jahreed?” she asked breathlessly, her grin wide.

  “Oh, I have been better.”

  She smiled as she danced around him, “I see you lost another of your father’s sheep. How do you manage to be so absent minded?” she teased.

  He laughed, “If I told you, you would not believe me.”

  They both stepped forward simultaneously, instantly invading each other’s space. Feather chuckled and took a step back, that familiar mischievous twinkle in her dark brown eyes. As she bent her knees and proceeded into a popular Northern dance move, that very few had mastered. Jahreed’s eyes lit up at her proud demonstration of her skill.

  “Try me,” she replied, breathlessly.

  He grinned, “one day I might,” he said with a mysterious smirk.

  Feather narrowed her eyes at him, and stopped dancing abruptly, “I cannot see how, when I hardly see you now. How is it that you missed temple this week? You never miss temple.”

  Jahreed sighed, “things have been busy since father took ill. It’s all on me and my brothers now to make sure the sheep farm runs as always. Father may not be able to work as before but he is just as hard as he was then. But mostly I thought I should put some space between me and the priest, I may have said some things he may have found offensive.”

  Feather arched an eyebrow and he waved her off, “I would rather not repeat it.”

  She nodded, “sounds to me like you need a rest.”

  He shrugged, “always.”

  “If only you came to Stone Vale for the harvest festival.”

  He surprised himself when he actually waited for that familiar feeling, when nothing happened, he shook his head at the silliness of his actions.

  “Other than standing around in the sun hoping that uppity Stone Valians will buy my produce, what else is there at Harvest festival to make me want to go?”

  Feather shook her head, “you are so silly. Stone Vale has the liveliest night life, especially during this time. You think Rusly’s music is great, wait till you hear the palace minstrels from outside the palace on the night of the royal feast.”

  Jahreed shook his head, “I do not care for night life. My brothers have turned me off enough with their pursuit of pleasure in ways that are displeasing to El. It turns my stomach knowing that there are places within Aldor promoting that godless Dravian way.”

  Feather smirked at his predictable righteous tirade, “What’s so funny?” he asked.

  “You always get so worked up when it comes to upholding the ways of Aldor. What a committed follower of El you are, I must say it is one of the things that makes me glad to be your friend. So much persons our age has become disenchanted with Aldor, the promises, the prophecy,” she sighed, “faith is dwindling.”

  Jahreed’s frown deepened, “Old man Rahir, says that if Aldorians lose faith, we lose the protection of the light stones. That’s what I asked the priest about, and he thought my question was too upsetting to those who heard me ask it. The condition of our kingdom is a troubling matter indeed.”

  His thoughts instantly went to what he had witnessed in the woods earlier and the task he had yet to perform.

  “Well if you are eager to find like minded individuals, as a comfort that hope is not yet lost, come with me to Stone Vale,” she reached out and offered him her hand, which he used to twirl her around as they stepped back into timing with the music.

  “I already told you...”

  “Ugh just give it a try Jahreed! There is this gathering I have discovered on my trips there. It is truly an experience, to
see people our age standing on El’s side and making a difference in the kingdom. It would be nice if you could come with me?”

  He sighed in resignation, his eyes alight with a smile, “That is wishful thinking Feather. Father never lets me go; I think he’s afraid it will make me want to be a minstrel even more.”

  “Knowing you Jahreed, you always find a way,”

  “Thank you for your confidence in my ability to break the rules.”

  His dance with Feather ended shortly after their chat, when the first shower burst from the heavy clouds. He had rushed her back to her parents’ stall, and with his new sheep on the back of his hand drawn wagon, hurried down the cobblestone streets of the North city, in the direction of home.

  He dashed across the meadow now, with sheep in tow and sprinted towards the fence. After tossing over his makeshift wagon and newly purchased sheep, he leapt over the fence and landed in a muddy puddle on the other side. He groaned as he felt the coldness seep through the top of his boots, he loved those boots, not to mention his feet were the only part of his body not utterly drenched. That and his lute, carefully protected in its casing and strapped across his back. He loved roaming the city but he lived on the pasture lands. A place where shepherds had lived for generations, on the outskirts of the city, just at the edge of the forest. He was a direct descendent of the leader of the clan of Aron, one of the clans which had fought for the conquest of what they now called the North Territory of Aldor. Once the North was claimed for Aldor his ancestors settled there as sheep herders. His father was proud to be following in the footsteps of his ancestors and insisted that Jahreed do the same. Shepherds from all over respected his father because of his bloodline. But all Jahreed’s lineage meant to him was that he was an Aldorian to the core and as such he would do whatever it took to safeguard his people.

  After dropping off the new Ninety with the rest of the flock, he hurried toward the back of the house. He shoved up the wood framed window he had left open in preparation for his hasty return and he lifted himself up, kicked off his boots and swung his body inside.

  He landed on his behind, his prized instrument snuggled safely in his arms and breathed a sigh of relief; he had made it home in time after another one of his escapades and his brothers had not found him out.

  "Had a good run?"

  Or not.

  He looked over to see his aged father sitting back in his chair, peering at him from beneath his thick brows.

  "Father?" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet and wincing at the annoying squelching sound his soaked goat skin trousers made as he moved.

  His father was shaking his head, his greying locked hair falling over his shoulder onto his lap. Quite a contrast to the top of his head, where his hair line had receded to about half of the top of his head. Jahreed slipped his lute across his shoulders.

  "You were at that old man's cottage again eh?"

  The house was dark, save for the dying fire that was keeping the room warm, he made a mental note to add some wood once the lecture was over. The truth was that he had not gone to lessons at Rahir’s house today. Rahir was a cherished old friend of his, despite being an aged, ailing man, he was a skilled musician and faithful keeper of El’s laws. He was the only person Jahreed had ever told about the mind feelings as he called them. Rahir had not called him an abomination but instead had encouraged him that it was possible that El had bestowed upon him a rare gift in these dark times. He would have loved to keep Rahir out of his father’s cross hairs, but he knew that the truth would make his father much more furious. So he pressed his lips together and steeled himself for what was coming.

  "Jahreed," his father pleaded, "I do not mind this hobby of yours. It comes in quite handy when your mother is in a sour mood but our family duty..."

  "We are Shepherds, I know," Jahreed interjected, the twitching in his jaw the only indication that that reality displeased him.

  “Good, you need to remember that. Aldor is a perfectly organized kingdom. Since our ancestors arrived here, they fought and earned their place in Saharia, so that we can live peacefully, serving our God. Each one of us does our part to ensure that the kingdom functions according…”

  “To the will of El…” Jahreed interjected, earning him a glare from his father.

  “Yes,” his father said, “Your place has been designated by the blood that flows through your veins and that is generations of Sheep herders. You must not lose sight of your purpose in this kingdom. If we all decide to pursue our hapless dreams this kingdom will not stand.”

  “But father, I get that. I do. Yet still my heart yearns for the chance to lighten the hearts of men. Does this not bring El joy? Things are changing in Aldor, we have a princess who is not even Aldorian, people from all over Saharia live here now. I am really good father,” he extended his hands towards his father.

  “Why would El give me this passion and this ability and then expect me to never use it?”

  His father glared at him, “Do not speak of that nonsense in this house!” he growled, “If the king is not careful that girl will be the downfall of Aldor yet. As for you, music will not put gold and silver pieces in your pocket or food on the table for your family. You want to live on the pity coins of the villagers in the city? Well no son of mine will bring such shame to my name.”

  His father grunted and pushed himself to his feet, his movements slow and stiff as he hobbled out of the room, "your mother left your supper out, as she always does," he muttered.

  Jahreed dropped his chin onto his chest, he often wished someone could see what he did, what he loved for what it was, and not some silly hobby that cheered up his mother. But right now, there was something he wished for more, he turned and looked out the window, his mind going back to what he had encountered just this morning. Would anyone believe him if he told them what he had faced? The very fact that he lived to tell of it, would probably earn him the title of liar. He was already considered to be many things, but he was not about to let dishonest be one of them. Tearing his gaze away from the misty mountains of Krev in the distance, he pulled the window shut and turned towards the dying fireplace.

  Chapter 5

  Ruby pulled her hair back and looked into the mirror at the new gold earrings she had gotten from her father. She then hiked her arms on her hips and scrutinized her look in the full-length mirror at the far end of her room. Tilting her head, she frowned at her appearance.

  “What do you think? Too much?”

  Bianca looked up from a chair nearby, her fingers busy embroidering a pattern for one of Ruby’s new outfits.

  “You look lovely as always Ruby… nervous but lovely,” she said with a smirk.

  Ruby glared at her playfully, “I admit I am nervous. I know what father wants to discuss, I just… don’t know what I would do when Des gets here. I haven’t seen him in months. After all this time of waiting eagerly for his return instead of finally being able to give him the answer he has been waiting for, I have the most heartbreaking news.”

  “Have you told Topaz? You know she knows you are keeping something from her.”

  She walked over to her bed and sat on it’s edge, “I know but I am afraid of how she would react. She has become so protective of me that I am worried she will blame herself for this too. Besides I cannot tell her until I am completely sure. It has not been finalized as yet.”

  “This is ridiculous,” Bianca said matter-of-factly, “to be apart for so long and having faced your true feelings for Deswald. And almost at the exact moment when you are eager to tell him how much you love him the council throws this enormous responsibility on you. Can the king not go against it?”

  Ruby sighed, “He would… if he thought it was a bad idea. He thinks it is a… sensible match. With the instability in the south, I think he hopes an announcement of my engagement will return a sense of stability to the territory.”

  “Well won’t you look at that. Just a few months ago you were pining away over the possibility of never fi
nding love and being heartbroken. Now you are the one breaking hearts.”

  “It does not bring me joy Bee.”

  “I know, I know.”

  She sighed as she twirled a red curl around her finger. She knew Deswald would love to see her wear her hair down. She could still remember the first time he had seen her as she truly was. The adoration she had seen in his eyes at that moment had erased years of worrying about what people would think of her if they found out. And even though her fears were realized in what many boldly vocalized about her, she could always hold on to Deswald’s love and acceptance. Those last few days they had spent together before he left for his quest had been close to magical. Together they had constructed an invisible bubble in which their affection for each other could grow. Her father, being preoccupied with the fall out of his announcement and Jasper’s absence had allowed them more freedom.

  She could still remember him running his fingers through her hair, that look of awe and intrigue in his eyes. She knew he understood the difficulties she faced being different in Aldor. He too stood apart from native Aldorians, with his almost golden hair, light complexion and very Dravian blue eyes. And so, he became a needed companion during that time of healing, after having endured captivity by the Dravian prince.

  “Alright now, do not go into dream state. You do not want to be late for your meeting with the king.”

  Ruby shook her head and sighed, “Unless my father has changed his mind, I have no desire to hurry there. Oh Bianca, I do not know what I will do when Deswald comes home.”

  Bianca gave her a wry smile, “Well you may have some time yet or the day may come upon you suddenly. These quests can be unpredictable.”