Tamporlea (Tamporlea Trilogy, Book 1)

by Tiffany Lovering

  Cali went on to describe Jarnay which was ruled by King Zane. Jarnay was created when the Queen of Pyrencia started banishing people from her kingdom. No one there had any magic and it was smaller than Tamporlea. It was a weak community but we still included them in trade and official business because they were Gypsies and Tamporlea decided it would be best to know what was happening in other Gypsy kingdoms.

  There was no doubt that Tamporlea was the most important kingdom. We had the tunnels, the most magic and the most advanced technology of the three kingdoms. However, the history between Tamporlea and Pyrencia had not been forgotten and apparently there were a few conflicts even up to Queen Holly’s time. Jarnay just wanted our support and for the most part we gave them whatever we could and helped them when they needed it.

  When we were finished going over the history, I could tell that Cali was suddenly very excited. She reminded me of a little kid waiting to get something they really wanted. “Cali, what is it? You’re practically jumping out of your skin!”

  “Well, we have to go over the specifics of the crowning ceremony. Are you aware of what that means?”

  “Another history lesson?” I asked. Of course she would be excited about that.

  “No! Well, yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about.”

  “Okay…what then?”

  “C’mon,” she said grabbing my hand and pulling me out the door of the gold room and to Orion’s quarters. She knocked on the door, smiling widely. I was tempted to force her to just tell me because she was driving me nuts, but I couldn’t bear to spoil her fun. Orion opened the door and nodded for us to come in. All of his things were in boxes and his walls were bare. I was about to ask him where he was going but then it occurred to me that Cali would probably be taking over this room, although I couldn’t tell what was special about it. It looked to be an exact replica of my guest quarters.

  “Jasmine. What I am about to show you is a well-kept secret. Even within Tamporlea, only the assistant and the Queen know about this. It is important that the assistant and the Queen are able to sometimes meet in secret. If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you how that’s possible.” We followed him to his bedroom in the back of his dwelling. There was a large mirror that hung on the wall which he moved to the side as though it were on some type of invisible track. Once it was fully pushed aside, an elevator was revealed. “This elevator goes between the assistant’s quarters and the Queen’s. It’s important to only use this elevator when secret meetings are to take place. The people of the palace must see you using the incline to meet with each other.” He stepped into the small elevator and indicated for us to join him. There was barely enough room for the three of us as we ascended to the Queen’s quarters.

  When the doors opened to the Queen’s room and we stepped out of the elevator, I was astonished by the size of the Queen’s quarters. From where we stood, there was an unfurnished living room the size of the entire guest quarters. I was dying to take a tour but I was sure that’s not why we were here. Cali and I followed Orion down a hall to a large library that was filled floor to ceiling with books. There was a large maple desk in the middle with a beautiful chair. Orion told us to sit on the leather sofa against the wall and he went to a painting that swung open to reveal a safe. He entered a combination and pulled out a large wooden box. I looked at Cali questioningly and she just smiled wider, her eyes sparkling. Orion opened the box and gently took out a package wrapped in green velvet and he handed it to me.

  My hands were shaking as I reached inside and touched the cold metal inside. I knew it what it was, but I couldn’t look. I looked into the excited face of Cali and even Orion had the look of anticipation. Before now, I had glimpses of what my reality was to be but I could still escape in my own mind. I could pretend this was all a dream, that all of this was too good to be true. I knew my hand was clasped around the one thing that was bound to show me that this was all really happening to me. As I pulled out the crown, I let the tears fall from my eyes. I held it in my hands, still unable to look, I was already coming undone. Cali reached over and wiped the tears from my eyes with the sleeve of her shirt.

  “Go ahead and look,” she encouraged.

  I looked down at the platinum crown in my hand. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my entire life. There was absolutely nothing that could compare to this moment. It was delicate looking with platinum filigree and sparkling green emeralds, and pale jade stones throughout the grape vines. It sparkled relentlessly even in the dim light of the room. I touched the gems and metal taking it all in, memorizing the feel. All words had escaped me and my tears streamed again.

  “Jasmine, this crown is absolutely sacred to Tamporlea. Only the Queens have touched the metal and gems of the crown. The High Priestess designed and created this crown, without the help of any magic.

  “You will be officially presented with the crown at the ceremony. I will open the box and hand you the velvet bag, but you must remove it and place it on your head. Traditionally, the prior Queen would remove it and place it on your head. I’m sorry that you won’t have that experience,” he said truly sorry. “So much is different with you, it feels like everything is changing.”

  “I think Tamporlea is due for some change,” Cali said. “But I don’t think Jasmine would ever do anything to disgrace what her ancestors have done before her. She understands the importance of it all.”

  When I finally found my voice and could look away from the crown that rested in my hands, I said, “Orion, I think Queen Holly would be quite proud of you for the way you have handled these traditions that she couldn’t fulfill. I know it’s got to be hard on you emotionally for you to do the things that she was supposed to. As for me, as much as I would have liked to have met the Queen, I don’t feel as though I’m missing out on anything. I think you are doing an excellent job.”

  “Thank you for that,” Orion said. “I think I will leave you with Cali to make other preparations if you don’t mind. I’m feeling quite tired at the moment.”

  “Okay,” I agreed. I slid the crown back into its velvet bag and into the wooden box for Orion to put into the safe. Cali and I followed Orion back out to the elevator and we left him in his quarters to rest.

  The rest of the day was filled with more planning and discussions. We had to choose the flowers that were to decorate the kingdom for the ceremony, which wasn’t too difficult. We went over the basics of what was going to happen that day. She said the events always started just after lunch and that the whole kingdom would be outside, seated in chairs in the flower field. Cali also told me that Queen Aella from Pyrencia and King Zane from Jarnay would be seated in the front.

  Chapter 10

  An Apology

  A couple of days before the ceremony, King Zane from Jarnay arrived with his assistant, Griffin. The King was around my mother’s age I guessed, but who could be sure with age potions floating around. He was fairly good-looking with bright blue eyes and jet black hair, and a muscular build. However, he always had a look of worry on his face which was quite unsettling. Cali insisted this was normal for King Zane, he was overly nervous around anyone with powers because he didn’t possess any himself.

  King Zane ate dinner with us but spent most of his time with his assistant alone in his quarters. I tried to engage him in conversation at the dinner table, but he would just give short answers and never met my eyes. To be quite honest, he made me nervous.

  When Queen Aella arrived, she was alone. Her assistant was apparently ill which was why she was late in her arrival. She was hoping her assistant would be well enough so she wouldn’t have to make the trip on her own. Queen Aella wasn’t at all what I pictured her to be. She was tall and lean to the extreme. She had long red hair with gray streaks that rested at her waist in loose curls. Even after a long day of travel she looked flawless. It was her eyes that gave away her age, wrinkled at the corners that were more pronounced when she smiled. Cali told me that Aella was in her late sixties.<
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  Unlike King Zane, the Queen was confident and outspoken. She strutted around the palace with Orion and me for a tour she insisted on despite having been to the palace several times before.

  “So, you all still reside under the same roof. How quaint,” she said in her sneering voice. It made me immediately feel defensive and I had to respond.

  “I think it’s perfect. A close community is important,” I said mocking her tone.

  “Oh don’t get me wrong, I just can’t imagine having all of Pyrencia under one roof. Then again, we do have a lot more people in my kingdom than in Tamporlea.”

  “Maybe it’s not about numbers. Maybe it’s about loyalty,” I said defiantly.

  “Touché.”

  Orion gave me a glance of warning. Apparently he thought that I was pushing her too far but I didn’t care. She was insulting my kingdom. I wasn’t going to let her continue to do that.

  When the tour was over and Aella made a few more disparaging remarks, she announced that she would like to rest before tomorrow’s festivities. Orion showed her to her room and I went back to my room, slamming the door in frustration.

  “Hello,” Tyran said quietly but it still made me jump.

  “OH! What are you doing here?”

  “Coffee?” he asked extending a mug for me to take. “I thought you would need some after spending time with the wicked Queen of the west.”

  “Thank you,” I said taking the mug and sitting next to him. “She’s awful! What is with her?”

  “She’s a bitch. She thinks she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to the Gypsies.”

  “Why did she even come if she wasn’t going to at least be respectful?”

  “To be honest, I didn’t think she would come at all. She didn’t come for Queen Holly’s funeral, which is more disrespectful than anything she could say. Even if they detested each other, Queen Aella should have been there.”

  “They didn’t like each other?”

  “That’s putting it mildly actually. When Aella first took the crown, Holly had already been Queen for thirty years. Aella would call meetings with her and the King of Jarnay all the time. She had a million ideas to change the kingdoms however all of her ideas would make Pyrencia the strongest of the kingdoms.”

  “What would make her think that Holly would agree?”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, Aella is stubborn and thought she could bully Holly into whatever she wanted. Well, Holly was very kind and soft-spoken but she was quick as they come. After the first couple meetings, Holly started doing the exact opposite of what Aella wanted. Like Aella wanted to close the outgoing trade to Jarnay for five years because she felt Jarnay’s outgoing trade was enough to help Pyrencia at all. She said putting a halt on the trade would give Jarnay time to find a way to output more. Well, Holly shot that down immediately and instead sent some of our Commoners to Jarnay to help them become more efficient in making their goods and therefore having more to trade.”

  “Well, isn’t that the right thing to do?” I asked.

  “Of course but Aella didn’t want Jarnay to be stronger in anything. We think her idea was to halt the trade so that Jarnay would eventually collapse from not having any goods coming in. They depend on Tamporlea and Pyrencia for a lot of things. Aella was livid when Holly sent our Commoners to help.”

  “Ugh. Send her away! I don’t want her at my crowning ceremony,” I said dramatically. The more I was learning about her, the more I hated her.

  Tyran laughed and said, “You know you can’t do that. You aren’t Queen yet, Orion can’t even tell her to go. I actually think it’s a good thing she’s here. Ever since Queen Holly passed away, there has been some speculation that Aella is up to something. Maybe her being here no will stop the rumors.”

  “You don’t think she’s up to something?”

  “Not really. There isn’t much she could do to harm us.”

  “So, did you really just come to bring me coffee or did you have something you want to discuss?”

  “A couple of things actually. First I want to apologize for kissing you.”

  “Tyran, don’t.”

  “No, please, it was completely inappropriate and I want you to know that I am sorry for putting you in that situation. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was just overcome with emotions I guess.”

  “It’s okay Tyran,” I said uncomfortably. I hated that he was apologizing for something that I wanted so much.

  “There’s something else. Something serious, and I don’t know how you’re going to take it.”

  “Okay…”

  “Before you came here I though Orion was making a horrible mistake. I mean you aren’t the rightful heir. Lilliana should be Queen.”

  “Lilliana is dead. Do you think Tamporlea should have just died out then?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry but that was my opinion. Nothing lasts forever and I thought that it was the natural order of things. Plus, there was no guarantee that you would have any magical powers and no way of knowing until after you are crowned. Why should we take a chance like that?”

  Tyran was right. This was something I hadn’t even thought of. If I don’t end up having any magical powers, neither will my children or any of my descendants. Tamporlea should never be ruled by someone without magical powers. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.

  “Jasmine, are you okay?”

  “Tyran, I am sure that Orion has taken this into consideration. He has probably even discussed this with Queen Holly.”

  “I was apologizing for this because I know now that I was wrong. Even if you don’t have any magical powers, you are the right person to be our Queen.”

  “I believe your personal feelings are getting in the way.”

  He ignored my comment and continued, “I just wish I had realized this before I…”

  “Before what?”

  “Jasmine, I’ve done something awful.”

  As he was about to continue, my door burst open with Cali running through.

  “Jasmine! You must come! Orion and Queen Aella are arguing over you. You have to stop them!”

  Both Tyran and I followed Cali just outside the palace doors to where Orion and Queen Aella were standing practically nose to nose.

  “She’s going to ruin Tamporlea,” the Queen said through clenched teeth.

  “Well that should make you happy then. All you’ve wanted since you were crowned was to dismantle our kingdom.

  “She will never truly be Queen. She will never be respected the way Queen Holly was.”

  “Miss Jasmine has every quality we could hope for in a Queen.”

  “Except any magical qualities,” she sneered.

  “You don’t know that!”

  “You mark my words Orion. If Jasmine is crowned Queen, Tamporlea will be even weaker than if there were no Queen at all.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  Casper started barking at Orion and Queen Aella and they finally noticed we caught the tail end of their argument. The Queen was glaring at me and Orion looked extremely uncomfortable. I walked toward the two of them and faced Queen Aella.

  “You have a right to your opinion, Queen Aella. However nobody here wants to hear what you have to say about me being crowned. I cannot tell you to leave, but I suggest that if you are going to stay for the crowning ceremony, you should keep your mouth shut on these matters. Do you understand?”

  “You just wait, Jasmine. You have no idea what you’re in for.”

  “May I remind you that you are not in your own kingdom. There is very little respect for you here because of you not showing your face at Queen Holly’s funeral. If you want to keep what little respect you have, you should seriously think about what you say before you say it.”

  “Very well. I will see you in the morning. I wouldn’t miss this ceremony for the world.”

  When she finally went back inside the palace I breathed a sigh of relief and Cali, Orion and Tyran came to my side.

  “I can�
�t believe you did that!” Cali said.

  “She deserved it!” Tyran declared.

  “Miss Jasmine, I’m not sure how much you heard but I must apologize.”

  “Orion, don’t be ridiculous. I should be thanking you.”

  “Thanking me?”

  “Yes, you defended me very honorably.”

  “Well, of course. You are about to be crowned Queen. I couldn’t live with myself if I allowed her to talk about you like that.”

  “Orion, can I speak with you for a moment? In private?” I asked.

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Jasmine, I really need to finish my conversation with you,” Tyran reminded me.

  “Oh, I’m sorry Tyran. Can’t we talk tomorrow?”

  “The crowning ceremony is tomorrow.”

  “Well, after that then. I’m sorry, I just really need to talk to Orion.”

  “Okay, tomorrow then,” he said disappointed.

  “Jasmine, should I leave you or…” Cali asked.

  “No, come with us. You should probably get used to be attached at my hip,” I joked.

  “Why don’t we go to one of the bronze meeting rooms,” Orion said leading the way.

  When we sat at the table, Casper curled up on the floor next to me.

  “Orion, what’s going on?” I asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I know I haven’t been here very long, but I bet it’s safe to say it’s not very often you get into a shouting match with the Queen of Pyrencia.”

  “Well, luckily I only see her once a year or it might be a more common occurrence,” he joked.

  “So…” I pushed.

  “Aella is very angry that we have decided to go ahead and offer you the crown. I assume she thought that we would just let Tamporlea come to its natural end or even ask your mother a second time.”

  “I didn’t even think about that. Why didn’t you ask my mother again?”