by A J Park
Contents
Cast of Characters
CHAPTER 1
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 2
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 3
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 4
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 5
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 6
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 7
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
Lord Olthorin Almorin
CHAPTER 8
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 9
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 10
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
Hannal, Second Guardian of the Yalkur
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 11
Hannal, Second Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 12
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 13
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 14
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 15
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 16
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 17
Sinnar, Third Guardian of the Yalkur, Clan Chief of the Hunter Clan
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 18
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 19
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 20
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 21
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 22
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 23
Kellji of the Hunter Clan
CHAPTER 24
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 25
Hannal, Second Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 26
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 27
Lorelei, Lady Shalyrie’s Lady-in-Waiting
CHAPTER 28
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 29
Telthan Almorin, King of Almoria
CHAPTER 30
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 31
Hannal, Second Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 32
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 33
Hannal, Second Guardian of the Yalku
CHAPTER 34
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 35
Tarkan, Second Leader of the Hunter Cla
CHAPTER 36
Hannal, Second Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 37
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 38
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 39
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 40
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 41
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
CHAPTER 42
Kalleck, Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur
CHAPTER 43
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
War’s Ending
Copyright © 2019 A.J. Park
Cover design © 2019 by Brian Halley
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ISBN:978-1-945847-20-2(paperback)
978-1-945847-21-9(ebook)
Library of Congress Control Number: pending
Cast of Characters
(in alphabetical order)
Addia: Wife of Tarkan, formerly Second Leader of the Hunter Clan.
Allemi: Mother of Kalleck and High Priestess of the Yalkur.
Ammur: Clan Chief of the Iron Clan.
Calreth: Galenor’s second-in-command.
Farak: A priest belonging to Allemi’s order.
Finn: An Almorian soldier in Galenor’s Guard.
Galenor: Governor of the Almorian colony of Newport.
Gallidack: Former First Guardian, husband of Allemi and father of Kalleck.
Gareth: An Almorian soldier in Galenor’s Guard and married to Karrah.
Hannal: Second Guardian of the Yalkur. Kalleck’s second-in-command.
Kalleck: Son of Gallidack, First Guardian of the Yalkur and leader of the Yalkur nation.
Kallia: Wife of Hannal and mother of Kemman.
Karrah: A Yalkur woman living in Newport and wife of Gareth.
Kellji: Kalleck’s cousin and apprentice to Kern.
Kemman: Hannal’s fourteen-year-old son.
Kern: Head of the healers working in the Hidden City.
Lorelei: Shalyrie’s lady-in-waiting and friend.
Olthorin Almorin: Nephew of the King of Almoria, Shalyrie’s older brother and married to Lady Camaria.
Ren: A trusted member of the Hunter Clan.
Shalyrie Almorin: Niece of the King of Almoria and Olthorin’s younger sister.
Sinnar: Chief of the Hunter Clan and Third Guardian of the Yalkur.
Tarkan: Sinnar’s younger brother, former Second Leader of the Hunter Clan, and husband to Addia.
Telthan Almorin: King of the island nation Almoria.
CHAPTER 1
Lady Shalyrie Almorin
A fresh sea breeze filled the sails and pushed the ship steadily toward the harbor. Lady Shalyrie Almorin, niece of the King of Almoria, stood on the prow, watching the land grow nearer. They were headed north, and the early sun was shining on tall mountain peaks. They stood against the sky like giant stone teeth, white with snow.
“Can you see anything yet?” Lorelei asked excitedly, coming up behind her. “Aren’t you freezing out here?” She wrapped a long blue cloak around Shalyrie’s shoulders.
“Thank you.” It was cool on deck, but Shalyrie hadn’t wanted to break away from her first view of Newport. Already she could begin to see the city, clusters of buildings climbing up the hill from the harbor and the outline of an imposing fortress at the top. Newport was the newest and most exciting colony of the island nation Almoria, and this was the king’s first visit here.
“Are you ready?” Lorelei asked, looking over Shalyrie’s gown of pale yellow silk. “You should let me tidy your hair before we arrive,” she suggested, tucking in a strand of Shalyrie’s blond hair. “You’re windblown.”
“All right. I’ll come in a moment,” Shalyrie said.
“I’ll check again to make sure everything is packed,” Lorelei said.
“Thank you.”
&nbs
p; Shalyrie turned back to the view of the mountains, towers of bare rock and white snow. She’d never seen snow before. Fascinating… It covered the mountain peaks like white caps on ocean waves. She tore her gaze away and went back to her cabin. They would be arriving soon.
When Shalyrie returned to the deck, her older brother Olthorin was already there. He looked a little stiff and formal in his long coat with the shiny buttons and his high, polished boots. They shared the same coloring, pale hair and blue-green eyes, but so did most Almorians. Olthorin had just finished growing a short beard, now neatly trimmed. He looked older with the beard, or more like their uncle.
Olthorin grinned at her. “Ready for your first look at Newport, Ree?”
She smiled at the childhood nickname. “I’m looking forward to it,” she said. She knew he loved seeing new places as much as she did. “So far, it’s beautiful.”
He nodded in agreement, looking around. “It’s one of the most spectacular places we’ve visited. I want to see more of this place. It’s our most profitable colony.”
“Does Camaria mind you being gone so long, especially with the new baby?”
“I miss them every moment, but she understands the duties I must perform for Almoria. She knows that Uncle Telthan needs me here. He’s asked me to stay behind when he continues his journey so that I can learn more about how the city is functioning and assess the opportunities here.”
They were near enough now to see that the docks were crowded with people. Some of them were waving blue and white Almorian flags. It was always exciting to travel with the king.
Just as the ship was pulling gracefully up to the dock, King Telthan Almorin appeared on the deck. He was dressed in a formal coat, reminiscent of their soldiers’ uniforms but with more medals and decorations. Shalyrie had always thought he was a distinguished-looking man, tall and energetic. His hair and short beard were graying now, but his blue eyes were still bright. And they twinkled when he smiled that special smile he reserved only for her. He had been a father to them since their own father had been lost at sea when she was a child.
The king, surrounded by his guards, walked up to the rail. Shalyrie and Olthorin followed him.
The crowd quieted when one of the generals said in a loud voice, “King Telthan Almorin!”
The crowd cheered enthusiastically as the king descended to the dock. A tall young man stepped forward to greet him. He bowed and said, “Welcome to Newport, Your Majesty.”
“Can this be young Galenor, the son of my old friend Rothar?” The king embraced him warmly. “It’s been years. Look at you, Governor already. You’ve done well. Rothar would have been proud.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. We’re so pleased that you’ve come. We can hardly wait to show you everything we’ve accomplished here.”
Shalyrie vaguely remembered Rothar as a tall lean man with gray hair. She must have seen his son before, but the young man talking to the king didn’t look at all familiar. He was tall, but broad-shouldered rather than lean. He had strong regular features and his eyes were a deep blue.
Abruptly, Shalyrie realized that the king had been speaking and she hadn’t heard a word of what he said while she was pre-occupied with observing the young man.
She re-focused her attention just in time. “…and this is my nephew, Lord Olthorin, and my niece, Lady Shalyrie.” Galenor shook Olthorin’s hand with a smile, and then he looked at her.
He smiled slowly, brought her hand to his lips, and kissed it. “Welcome, Lady Shalyrie,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said graciously. For a moment, his eyes held hers and she found herself smiling back at him. Then the moment passed and they were moving away from the dock and out into the wide city streets. It looked like every person in the colony must have turned out for the king’s arrival.
The city was larger than it had looked, larger than she’d expected from a colony only five years old. Many of the buildings were stone, giving a sense of permanence to the place.
Shalyrie and her brother followed the king and the governor up the central street. It had a slow, steady incline, not too steep, and it wound from the harbor through the city, around the hill, until it ended at the gates of the fortress, which they passed through to enter the courtyard beyond. There were more soldiers inside, not crowding around, but standing at attention in neat rows, each looking the same in their dark blue uniforms. As they passed, the one at the end of the front row caught her eye and winked at her.
“…done so much in such a short time here, Governor Galenor,” the king was saying.
“We’ve worked very hard,” Galenor agreed. “And we’re so pleased to have you here to see what we’ve accomplished. Now, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you around the fortress and escort you to your rooms. Then we’ll leave you some time to settle in before lunch.”
They followed Galenor across a wide central courtyard and into the main hall. They went through many more rooms and up the stairs to the top of the walls looking out over the harbor.
“The view is amazing, Governor,” Shalyrie exclaimed, looking out over the ocean.
He smiled. “I’ve always thought so,” he said. “That was one reason I have chosen to make this place my home.”
“I can see why,” she agreed, turning to look the other way, at the mountain peaks.
“Well, I think we’ve walked far enough for now,” Galenor said. “We’ll show you to your rooms, and I’ll send someone to inform you when lunch is served.” He bowed to the king and turned to face Shalyrie.
“May I escort you to your room, Lady Shalyrie?”
“You’re very kind,” she said, taking his arm. They followed the others back down into the fortress.
“Your father was the king’s friend for many years,” Shalyrie said, nodding toward her uncle, who was walking down the hall ahead of them.
“Yes,” he agreed.
“Then maybe you and I have met before?”
“I remember meeting you years ago, before we came here,” he said. “But it’s been a very long time. So much has changed since then.”
Still Shalyrie could bring only a vague recollection of him to mind, but hid it well.
“I’m glad you came with the king,” he said. “I hoped you would.”
“It’s already been an amazing voyage,” she said. “Traveling with him has been a great opportunity. I love seeing new places.”
“So you’ve already been to the other colonies?”
“Some of them,” she said. “I want to see them all.”
“I’m sure you won’t find any of them more beautiful than Newport,” he said.
She laughed lightly. “Every one of the colonists has told us how their colony is the best, the most unique and valuable, and has the most potential for growth and profit.”
He smiled back at her, his blue eyes intense. “Well, the others were only boasting, of course. Newport is the most valuable and by far has the most potential.”
“Of course,” she smiled back.
“You’ll see,” he said, sounding more serious. “We’ve barely begun to grow here. Give us a few more years and we’ll rival Almoria itself.”
“You do have big plans,” Shalyrie said.
“Yes, and we can’t wait to share them with you.”
They stopped in a hall, and Galenor gestured to the doors. “Here are your rooms. Your luggage will be brought up shortly. Lady Shalyrie, in here. King Telthan, in the middle, and Lord Olthorin, on the end. There are more rooms across the hall for your staff. We’ll give you some time and then, after lunch, we will show you around. With your permission, Your Majesty, we will have a celebration tomorrow night in honor of your arrival.”
“You’re very kind, Governor. We appreciate your welcome,” King Telthan said.
“I thought we should have a party,” Galenor said to Shalyrie.
“I wanted you to meet everyone and to have a wonderful time while you’re here. I’m looking forward to it.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. His eyes lingered on hers for a moment longer, and then he was gone.
To Shalyrie, it seemed like all the warmth exited the hall with him. The banquet couldn’t come too soon.
When Shalyrie entered her room with Lorelei following, she saw that their luggage had already arrived. A girl with long black hair was hanging dresses in the wardrobe. When she saw Shalyrie, she stopped abruptly, stood up straight, and curtsied respectfully. The girl was beautiful, with large dark eyes rimmed by black lashes.
She looked afraid. That was not usual or something that Shalyrie expected. She was used to being treated with respect, but she’d never given anyone cause to fear her. Looking directly at the girl, she said graciously, “Thank you for helping me. Will you tell me your name?”
“Karrah, my lady,” the girl said. She had an accent that Shalyrie had never heard before. “They sent me to serve you. I will do whatever you command.” She bowed her head again.
“Thank you, Karrah,” Shalyrie said. “I appreciate your service. We have never been here before and we would love to hear anything you might tell us about Newport.”
Karrah looked even more frightened. “I don’t know anything to tell you,” she said hastily.
“That’s all right,” Shalyrie said, startled that the request had bothered Karrah. “For now, we’ll concentrate on unpacking.”
With obvious relief, Karrah turned back to hanging the gowns. Lorelei was already looking over the baggage. “Everything is here,” she announced. “Where would you like your things?”
Shalyrie surveyed the room. It was large and welcoming. There were two big beds, with a sitting area opposite them, and another room attached where a bath was set up. “Would you put my small trunk next to the bed?” she asked. “Everything else can be unpacked.”
“Of course.” Lorelei set the small trunk down, then directed Karrah where everything else should be placed.
When they had finished, Karrah turned back to Shalyrie. “Is there anything else I may do for you, my lady?”
“No, thank you,” Shalyrie said.
“If you need me, ask one of the guards to send for me,” Karrah said, curtsying again.
