Kaina's Dawn (Kaina Saga Book 1)

by Brittany Comeaux

  KAINA'S

  DAWN

  KAINA SAGA

  book 1

  by

  Brittany Comeaux

  This book may not be produced, copied, or edited without permission from the author. The world and characters of the Kaina Saga are fiction. Any resemblance to real world people, places, or other works of fiction are purely coincidence.

  Copyright (c) 2019 Brittany Comeaux

  All rights reserved

  Cover Art (c) 2019 Brittany Comeaux

  Kindle Edition

  Chapter 1

  The grand library of Haventhorn Manor served not only as the epitome of knowledge in the southeast corner of Ilesia, but it was also the only room in the manor that Kaina considered home.

  The library took up two floors separated by a mahogany walkway and a wooden spiral staircase connecting the two in the corner. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling in shelves stacked with thousands of books, tomes, and manuscripts so much so that Kaina didn't even know the color of the wall behind them. Several reading chairs stood mostly near windows, with cushions of green velvet and deep, ebony-colored wood frames. A sofa and two matching chairs sat facing a grand fireplace on one end of the room. Across from that was a long table that may very well have belonged in the dining room at some point, judging by its size and the fact that Kaina often imagined a plump-faced noble sitting at the end stuffing his face.

  Kaina sat at the table with a history book open in front of her as she read along with her lesson. Aldis Cunningham, a dedicated mentor and brilliant scholar, paced the floor with another copy of the same book open in one hand and his other hand waving as he read aloud. Although the old scholar had only been tutoring her for a few hours a month since she was twelve years old, it was the one thing that her parents gave her that she actually considered a gift. The thought that her education was solely for her family's and not her own benefit was enough to dampen Kaina's spirits in spite of her best efforts.

  Aldis must have noticed the shift in her mood, for he interrupted his lecture and said, “My dear, is something troubling you?”

  Kaina nearly jumped at the sudden interruption and quickly tried to gather her thoughts. “I'm fine, Master Aldis,” she replied with shifting eyes. “What makes you think something is wrong?”

  Aldis chuckled, closed his book, and said, “Well for starters, you're still on page seventy-two when I was just reading from eighty-one.”

  Kaina's blue eyes fell on her book. Upon realizing that her mentor was correct, she sheepishly turned to the correct page.

  Aldis pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his round nose and added, “Also, you normally would have asked me a question or two about the subject at hand by now, so it's safe to assume that something else is on your mind.”

  Kaina rubbed her temples and stared down at her book. “If it's all the same to you, Master Aldis, I would prefer to simply focus on my studies.”

  She looked up at Aldis' soft blue eyes. A smile formed on his lips, one that Kaina imagined a loving father would give his child. He was certainly old enough to be her father, or even her grandfather. He never told her his age, but she presumed by his white hair that he was well on in years.

  Aldis pulled the chair directly across from Kaina's and sat down in front of her. He placed the book on the table just to his right, he folded his hands, and said, “Kaina, I know I have said that knowledge is the key to a healthy mind, but only an open mind and a comforting friend can help produce a healthy heart. Now, tell me what's troubling you.”

  Kaina knew she couldn't lie to Aldis. It was as though he could see into her mind and pluck out things she wished to hide, but nothing could escape Aldis' prying third eye. Even if he couldn't read her thoughts, his kind eyes and warm heart made her feel too guilty to even try to lie.

  Kaina sighed, defeated, and said, “My family is hosting a ball tonight, and it's had me a nervous wreck for several days now.”

  “Why is that?” Aldis asked.

  Kaina shrugged. “It's infuriating enough to be around them on a daily basis, but to do so while they put on an act for everyone of importance at their party is simply too much. The last time my family hosted a ball, my aunt drank so much that she had to be carried off to her room and my uncle kept bragging about my cousin Hugo's conquests as a Crimson Knight. In fact, tonight's ball is to celebrate Hugo's return home from a mission in the Ashlands when only a fortnight ago we held another part for his and his wife's wedding anniversary.”

  Aldis laughed. “Not to dismiss your concerns, Kaina, but it's no sin to throw a party from time to time.”

  Kaina stared him in the eye and said, “When my brother, Gabriel, was eleven, he was chosen as the town's Prince of the Harvest festival, so my grandfather threw him a ball.”

  “Well that's not that frivolous.”

  “My grandfather is the one who chose him, along with Hugo, my brother Devon, and every other man in the Haventhorn family.”

  “Aldis shrugged. “Well that may be a little silly, but I'm certain you can get through this night just like any other night. Just keep your chin up and it will be over before you know it.”

  Kaina peered down at her book, staring at the space between two expertly printed lines, and said, “Can I tell you something?”

  Aldis nodded. “Of course. You know you can tell me anything.”

  Kaina scanned the library and when she saw that they were alone, she leaned closer to him and said, “You know how you told me how you used to be a traveler, and that you would go to various places and learn new things along the way?”

  When Aldis nodded again, Kaina continued, “I've decided that I want to do the same thing. I want to leave Eboncrest far behind me and travel the world just like you did. I want to see the places I've only read about in books, discover new things and ideas, and feel like I can do something that truly matters.”

  Aldis nodded and offered a sympathetic smile. “I have no doubt you will excel at anything you try, but as you and I both agree, your family isn't likely to support this venture. What will happen if you cannot make it on your own? Do you think you can face your family after something like that?”

  Kaina nodded. “I'm not foolish enough to think I know everything, but I could always get a job and pay for my own housing, couldn't I?”

  “Yes, but Ilesia is a dangerous place for a girl to travel alone; I fear your naive nature may make you open to some less than favorable situations.”

  Kaina pursed her lips. “If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were trying to talk me out of this.”

  Aldis smiled. “And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you've made up your mind.”

  Kaina nodded. “I understand your concerns, but I have full confidence that I can handle myself. I know better than to trust just anyone.”

  Aldis shrugged and stood. “Well, if you're sure, we'd better get back to our lesson. I believe I had just begun to cover the first king of Ilesia?”

  “Oh, right,” Kaina said as she searched for the spot on the page. She placed her fingers underneath the neatly printed text and found the section he was talking about.

  “King Roric” was printed in bold lettering on the parchment, and also written underneath in slightly smaller print was “also known as Roric the Spellcrusher.”

  Aldis opened his book to the same page and read,“'Born to peasants in the late fifth era, Roric would inevitably become a pivotal figure in the history of Ilesia. At the time, the land was ruled by separate warring factions, all of which were attempting to hoard magical power. The most notable leaders of these factions were wizards.'”

  Kaina shifted her gaze to Aldis again and
said, “Wizards?”

  “Yes,” Aldis replied. “I'm not surprised you have never heard of them, and you'll find out why soon enough.”

  Aldis cleared his throat and continued, “'These wizards hoarded powerful artifacts to keep themselves in power, while forcing the lower class citizens lived in constant fear. All those who opposed this rule were either killed or vanished entirely.

  “'Upon the loss of his entire family, Roric rose up and led the rebellion that eventually led to the founding of the new kingdom. Even with their immense power, the wizards proved to be no match for Roric and his forces. Roric proclaimed himself the first king of Ilesia upon his victory, and his descendants still rule the land to this day.'”

  Aldis adjusted his glasses and added, “Your ancestor, Mikael Haventhorn, was one of Roric's most notable and loyal allies. This is why he was granted a title of nobility as well as this house and land, as was all three of his other right hand men. The four noble families of Ilesia still maintain their loyalty to the crown to this day.”

  Kaina nodded, not wanting to discuss her family further. She flipped over to the next page in her book and her eyes fell on a new section.

  “'The Lost Library?'” Kaina asked. Her eyes darted back up to Aldis, waiting for a response.

  Aldis turned his page and glanced over the section she was referring to. “Ah, yes. I've only heard about it in legends, but we can discuss it if you are truly curious about it.”

  Aldis cleared his throat again, and read, “'After realizing that the wizards would lose the war, a man by the name of Zion built an enormous library somewhere in the kingdom and left clues to find it. This library supposedly contained every magic book in the world that hadn't yet been destroyed by Roric's forces. Although it has never been found, it is rumored that Zion left clues to its whereabouts so that one day, the wizards could return to power.

  “'Even decades after Roric assumed the throne, he searched for The Lost Library. No evidence has ever been found to suggest he discovered any such place, and many skeptics believe that the library was nothing more than a rumor started by Roric's enemies in order to keep him searching in the wrong places. Whatever the case, The Lost Library has gone down in history as one of the most mysterious and illusive anomalies in all of recorded history.'”

  Aldis folded up his book and placed it under his arm and said, “Well my dear, I believe that concludes our lesson for today. I must rest for my journey back to Eldercliff tomorrow morning.”

  Kaina frowned as she closed up her own book and said, “I wonder if The Lost Library truly does exist? And if it does, how is it that no one has discovered such a large structure, if it truly is that large, of course...”

  “I'm afraid I don't know,” Aldis said, “A few of my fellow scholars in Eldercliff have studied various texts on the subject, but so little is known about the library that there really aren't any clues on where to find it or even any solid evidence of its existence.”

  “That's a shame,” Kaina said. “Could you imagine a library with such rich knowledge inside? I could live in a place like that.”

  Aldis chuckled. “Well, I suppose we will meet up again next month, same time as always.”

  Kaina suffered a smile, and only for a moment, all her other cares in the world simply melted away. “Safe travels, Master Aldis, and thank you.”

  Aldis bowed slightly and replied, “Good bye, Kaina, and good luck.”

  After gathering her books and supplies, Kaina returned to her bed chamber. She watched from her window as Aldis walked down the pathway leading from the front door of the Manor to a simple, wooden coach. A coachman waited for him several yards down by the old black iron gate and helped him board the coach when he arrived.

  Kaina kept watch as the coach pulled away from the manor to take him to the inn. The town of Eboncrest lay just at the bottom of the hill underneath the manor, and if one looked out of any window of the Manor, even the ground floor, they could always see the entire town and the mountains surrounding them. The only trees around the property were purely for decoration, which not only gave the manor a perfect view of Eboncrest, but it also gave Eboncrest a perfect view of the manor.

  As her grandfather always said, “What good is a lavish estate if the common folk don't get to envy it?”

  Kaina's desk sat directly in front of this window, and on the next wall to the left sat a small book case. Beside that was her fireplace, and in the corner to the left was a changing screen, and on the next wall beside that was her wardrobe. Where the next corner would have been was a flat stretch of wall that her door was connected to, so that it faced the room at an angle. On the last wall was her canopy bed with a nightstand on either side.

  Kaina's stone walls were decorated with paintings on most of the empty spaces. A red and gold ornate rug lay in the middle of the wooden floor between the foot of the bed and the fireplace, and it was so soft that Kaina often sat in front of the fire to read on warm nights.

  Kaina turned away from the window once she could no longer see Aldis' coach and decided to read the book she had started that morning. She removed the book from her book case, positioned herself in her chair so that she had the perfect lighting, and opened to the correct page. For a short while, the only sound she could hear was the flipping of each page as she took in each and every word of the story. The hypnotic melody would have been enough to lull Kaina to sleep had it not been for the horrid shrieking that followed.

  “What do you mean, my dress isn't ready?”

  The sound of her mother's voice might as well have been a thief snatching Kaina's book away, for when Matilde Haventhorn raised her voice even once, she'd at it for at least a few hours. Kaina sighed, put the book back on the shelf, and approached her bedroom door to aid whichever unfortunate servant was currently enduring her mother's wrath.

  She soon heard a soft voice respond, “The seamstress sent word that she only needed another hour to complete it, Milady.”

  Kaina's heart dropped at the sound of Elaine's voice. She opened her door and spotted Matilde, her dark hair wrapped in a tight up-do in a vain attempt to stretch her face enough to appear five years younger. Her pale skin was further blanched by layers of face powder.

  Elaine, on the other hand, had nothing on her cheeks save for soot from cleaning the fireplaces. Her ashy hair had been tied in a loose knot and covered with a stained white bonnet, and her ragged, patchy dress only added to her plain appearance. In spite of this, Elaine's sweet disposition and patience made her the last person who deserved Matilde's venom.

  “I gave her orders to make my dress her top priority. It was supposed to be ready by this morning!”

  Kaina noted a break in Elaine's voice as she replied, “Yes, Milady, but her daughter has been ill, and--”

  “Her daughter is not the one making dresses,” Matilde hissed.

  Neither Matilde nor Elaine noticed as Kaina emerged from her quarters, so she took the opportunity to listen in while being undetected.

  “I could send someone to fetch it for you when it's ready, Lady Matilde,” Elaine offered. “I could even go and get it myself--”

  “You aren't going anywhere, you little fool,” Matilde spat. “I need every servant on hand to prepare for the ball tonight. The dress was supposed to be delivered this morning.”

  Elaine hesitated as though she expected Matilde to reach out and grab her throat and said, “My Lady, the seamstress has no way of delivering today, as her husband is tied up at the mill. That is why she sent a request for someone to pick it up instead.”

  Matilde's face turned a deeper shade than the rose red curtains that adorned the manor. In an effort to diffuse the situation before it began, Kaina stepped up to them and said, “What if I went to get your dress? That way the servants can stay here and work and you get your dress in time for the ball.”

  Matilde's jaw dropped as though Kaina had just kissed a toad and stammered, “T-that's servant work. No Haventhorn would ever subject themselves t
o such menial tasks...”

  “Nor would any Haventhorn pass up the opportunity to make a public appearance. I could stroll up to the dress shop in our finest coach, wave a bag of gold around, and ensure the seamstress would know to never cross the Haventhorn clan again.”

  That caught Matilde's attention. Kaina could almost envision what little existed of her mother's mind working and contemplating. When her frown faded into pursed lips, Kaina knew that she had her answer.

  Matilde took in a sharp breath, pointed her finger at Kaina, and said, “Fine, you can go, but make it quick. You still need to get ready for the ball.” She lowered her hand, eyed Kaina up and down, and added, “And I hope you don't plan on wearing that.”

  As Matilde stomped off, Kaina looked down at her dress. It was one of her favorites, faded, deep blue with a modest collar, long sleeves, and a skirt that reached just above her ankles. Not to mention the fact that she coupled this with a pair of dark brown laced boots that came up to her calves. Such a common display would never befit a young lady of her status, which was precisely why Kaina adored it.

  “Thank you, Lady Kaina,” Elaine said. “I don't think I could have handled that situation without your help.”

  Kaina nearly jumped at the sudden sound of the girl's voice. “Oh...of course.”

  Elaine twirled her fingers together and said, “Shall I help you get changed to go into town, Milady?”

  “That won't be necessary, thank you,” Kaina replied. “My mother will be so focused on getting ready for the ball that I doubt she will even notice what I wear into town.”

  “Very well,” Elaine said. “I'll send word to the coach to pick you up at the front gate.” Elaine then turned and darted down the stairs before Kaina had a chance to thank her again.

  Haventhorn Manor had four floors in total with several bed chambers from the second floor on up. Kaina, her parents, and her brothers lived on the second floor, her uncle, aunt, cousin, in-laws, and grandfather all lived on the third floor, and the servants lived on the fourth floor. Kaina had been given her bedroom by chance, but it worked out well in her favor, because her bedroom was only a stone's throw away from the manor's library. She spent many nights throughout her childhood sneaking out after bed time just to go and fetch an extra book and rushing back before she was discovered.