by Lana Axe
“Shall we play a game, my lady?” Shala asked, trying to calm the princess. She produced a deck of cards from her bag and shuffled them.
Aubriana only pretended to care about the game. Her mind was whirling with possibilities, and it was too difficult to concentrate on the rules. After losing two hands, she bid Shala to put the cards away.
As the carriage continued to roll, Aubriana stared out her window, hoping to see familiar terrain that would indicate her arrival at the palace. Finally, after days of travel, the palace came into view. Aubriana could hardly contain her excitement. “We’ve arrived!” she shouted. “The palace is just ahead!”
Shala sighed, relieved to finally be back at the palace. Any longer and she was certain the princess would have clawed her way through the carriage walls.
Aubriana barely waited for the carriage to come to a stop before she flung open the door. Without the aid of any servants, she exited the carriage and ran up the palace steps. The marble floors echoed beneath her feet as she ran through the palace to her son’s room. To her delight, he had not been moved. His laughter filled her ears, nearly stopping her heart. Pushing open the door to his chamber, she beheld Ryshel seated on the floor, with Rayne in her arms. She was reading him a story, and he was elated.
Looking up from the book, Ryshel smiled warmly at the princess. Pointing, she whispered to Rayne, “Look who’s home.”
The little boy looked up to see his mother, and immediately jumped to his feet. “Mommy!” he cried as he ran to her.
With tears rolling down her cheeks, Aubriana scooped her son into her arms and squeezed him tightly. Showering him with kisses, she said, “I love you so much.” Rising to her feet, she also hugged Ryshel. “You have risked your life for my son, and I shall never forget it. Thank you, Sister.” She kissed Ryshel on both cheeks.
“He’s a sweet little boy,” Ryshel said. “He has missed you greatly.”
Hugging Rayne to her side, she said, “You must be missing your own children, but will you at least stay the night? We could have dinner together, and you could depart first thing in the morning.”
Ryshel did not want to refuse Aubriana’s offer, but she was aching to return to her home. “I’ve been away too long already,” she said. “I was hoping to return immediately upon your arrival.”
“I understand,” Aubriana replied. “My journey here felt like an eternity.” Reaching out to hug Ryshel one last time, she added, “Have a safe journey, Sister.”
With a nod, Ryshel rushed to her room, which was situated next to Rayne’s. Without the aid of servants, she packed the few possessions she had acquired into a small bag and exited the palace. Aubriana’s coach had not yet departed. Her belongings were still being unloaded.
Approaching the coachman, Ryshel asked, “Can you take me back to Ra’jhou?”
“I can, Your Majesty,” he replied. “But I’ll need some time to get fresh horses.”
“Of course,” she said with a sigh. Any delay was painful, as she desired nothing more than to return home to her family. A carriage, however, was not the only means of transportation. Deciding on another course of action, she headed to the royal stables.
Hurrying to the rear of the palace, she paid no mind to the dirt that was collecting upon the tail of her dress. This was no time to bother with proper manners. Her heart desired home, and she did not care if she arrived a mess. Stepping inside the stables, she declared, “I desire a horse.”
“These horses belong to the king, my lady,” the stable hand replied, looking down at his shoes.
“The king has given his permission, I assure you. I am Queen Ryshel of Ra’jhou, and I need you to saddle a horse for me this instant.”
“Right away, Your Majesty,” the boy said, running to obey her command. Within minutes, he had a black horse saddled and ready to go.
“Do you have anything I can use for a bed along the trail?” she asked, knowing she would have to make camp at night since she would not be sleeping inside a carriage.
“I have a bedroll here,” the boy said. “And a blanket too. They are stored for servant use and not fit for a queen.” The boy spoke in a hushed tone, almost ashamed he had mentioned such poor items to a noble lady.
“Those will do nicely,” she replied.
Without question, the boy retrieved the items and tied them behind the horse’s saddle. He led the horse to the queen and offered her the reins.
Taking the reins, Ryshel hopped up onto the horse’s back. Reaching into her purse, she drew out two gold coins and tossed them to the boy. “For your services,” she said. Nudging the horse forward, she set out toward Ra’jhou.
Chapter 46
Racing across the landscape with the wind rippling through her hair, Ryshel felt truly free. It had been too long since she’d enjoyed the simple pleasure of going for a ride. She dreaded the thought of having to stop and make camp, but neither she nor the horse were capable of going forever. Her journey would take time, but she would push herself as far as she could before stopping.
As she crossed the border into Ra’jhou, she witnessed firsthand the devastation that had occurred in her kingdom. Villages stood in ruins, farmlands were burned, and there was no sign of life. Staring at the remains, she realized she had slowed the horse to a walk. Though she yearned to be home, she could not take her eyes off the senseless waste of life and land. Dismounting, she entered the burned-out village for a closer look.
A charred doll caught her eye among the rubble. Kneeling down to pick it up, she turned the blackened toy over in her hand. Had the child survived? Would Na’zora’s mages have spared her? Ryshel was certain they wouldn’t. How better to instill fear into your prey than to murder children? A gentle rain began to fall, stirring the soot that remained. Ryshel coughed slightly, taking one last look at the village. Mounting her horse, she continued along her way, dreading what else she might see.
A full day passed before she came upon the next village. This time, she did not stop. Her heart was still heavy from the first, and this would only add to her sorrow. How could such loss ever be replaced? She knew many of her citizens were safe within the castle, but she wondered how many had been lost. Even one was too many.
For days she rode on, passing village after village. No place was left untouched by the war. Finally, the mountains came into view, and the castle was visible in the distance. Her mood turned lighter as she imagined her reunion with her children. Never again would she leave them, not even for a day.
As she approached the castle, trumpets rang out. A scout had spotted her and recognized her as the queen. Duke Arden took note of the commotion and made his way to the castle steps. Ryshel was dismounting her horse as he reached her.
“Daughter,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “It’s good to see you.”
She squeezed her father tightly. “I feel like I’ve been away forever,” she said. “You must tell me everything. How did Efren manage this victory?”
“He arranged an alliance with the dwarves,” he explained. “Not only that, he stopped all supplies to Na’zora’s mages from the elves of the islands, and he invented a weapon that explodes on impact.”
Ryshel stared open-mouthed at her father. “How did he manage these things? And how did he keep them secret?”
“After Aubriana’s betrayal, he trusted no one fully. He’s had servants switched out repeatedly, and told the rest of us only bits and pieces of his plans.”
“He probably needed me,” she said with regret. Her eyes looked to the ground. “I should have been here.”
“Things here could not have gone better,” Arden replied. “You did what you felt you should do, and Rayne is safe and sound because of it.” He hugged his daughter once more before ascending the steps at her side. “Let’s let the king know you’ve returned,” he said with a smile.
The sound of the trumpets had already alerted the king. A servant had announced the queen’s arrival and had summoned the royal children. They sto
od together with their father in the corridor, awaiting Ryshel’s entrance.
Upon seeing her children, Ryshel dropped to her knees and spread her arms wide. Hugging all three of them together, she could not contain her tears. “I’ve missed you so much,” she declared. Kissing each of them, she repeated “I love you” to each one.
Rising to her feet, she stepped forward to her husband, who stood patiently waiting for her to finish kissing the children. Without a word, Ryshel wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on tiptoe to squeeze him as tightly as possible. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as tears filled his eyes.
As they finished their embrace, Efren said, “I am incomplete without you, my love.” Kissing her softly, he felt whole once more. Her familiar touch and the warmth of her presence had been sorely missed.
Taking his hand in hers, she promised, “I will never leave again without you at my side.” This was a promise she intended to keep. From now on, they would act as a single unit, rather than two individuals.
“I guess we can send King Tyrol home now,” Arden said, chuckling.
“He’s still here?” Ryshel asked.
“Indeed,” Efren replied. “He has been a guest in our cellars, awaiting your safe arrival.”
“Is it safe to release him?” she wondered. “He might return with an army.”
“That’s unlikely,” Efren responded. “The dwarf army is still here, and they’ve agreed to stay during the rebuilding. He will have to wait until he’s sure they’re gone before he tries anything. I don’t think he’ll be too eager to face those firebombs again. He has no mages left and little chance of gaining more.”
“I’ve seen the devastation he caused our kingdom,” she said, looking down. “He does not deserve to go free. He should answer for his crimes.”
“Punishing him further may result in a renewal of hostilities with Na’zora,” Arden cautioned. “Rayne is far too young to ascend the throne, and rivals might come forward should King Tyrol meet his demise.”
“I agree,” Efren replied. “We must send him home unharmed. For now, only his pride is wounded. Causing strife within his kingdom might prove detrimental to our own.”
“Then let him go,” she said. “Perhaps he will bring punishment upon himself someday.”
“Our dwarf friends are helping strengthen our army,” Efren informed her. “We will not be so weak if Tyrol chooses to invade again in the future.”
Ryshel nodded, trusting in her husband’s wisdom. He had already proved himself a competent wartime leader. Gathering her children to her side, she asked, “Shall we sit in the gardens? I long to look upon the mountains awhile.”
Together they stepped out into the sunlight, making their way to the gardens. The gardens were green and pleasant, as if no war had visited the kingdom. The battle had ceased before they were destroyed, as the villages on the outskirts had been. In time, Ryshel knew the entire kingdom would be restored to this same level of beauty. Soon the people would have new homes and farms, and once again the kingdom would prosper. All they needed was time and the leadership of a devoted king.
Taking his wife in his arms, Efren said, “It’s good to have you back.” He kissed her soft lips and hugged her tightly. His family was once again complete, and his kingdom had not been lost. Despite his reluctance to take the throne, he had proved himself a capable and loving ruler. He took joy in the presence of his reunited family. With Ryshel at his side, he would rule over many long years of peace.
About the Author
Lana Axe lives in the Missouri countryside surrounded by dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles. She spends most of her free time daydreaming about elves, magic, and far-away lands.
For more information, please visit: lana-axe.com.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
About the Author