The tall woman whom she now knew was called Haynah returned to the section of the large hut that they had placed her in, and her gaze immediately went to Diamond’s painting, which Ruby had leaned against the wall, next to her bags. But she said nothing, instead she placed a large book on the table between them. She smiled pleasantly, a strange look on her stern face.
"This is delicious," Ruby said.
"Nectar," the woman replied, "long ago we used to be a part of the trade between territories. Our produce was our famous nectar," she smiled as she reminisced, "you used to love it as a baby. Your mother would say don’t give that to her, too sweet for baby. But your father would always sneak a drop or two on your tongue."
Haynah, Ruby had learned was her father’s cousin and a member of the leadership council of Neru. The council apparently was the form of leadership Neru had resorted to in the absence of a rightful ruler. Ruby learned this in the brief lesson she had been given by Acha on their way up. Nerubians believed in a rightful leader being selected from birth by El himself. Once that leader was chosen, no one could take their place in their lifetime. When a leader was chosen as a baby, that child would be taken down a path of training and preparation for their appointed time. According to Acha, Ruby had been found to be chosen during her birthright ceremony as was confirmed by the necklace that she currently wore. There was a lot Ruby still did not understand about Neru but she had a feeling she was due for a crash course in it all.
Ruby lowered the bowl-like cup to her lap, "can you tell me about her? My mother?"
Haynah beamed, "I have longed for this day Nketa," she said with a sigh.
She leaned forward and opened the large book. She flipped through a few pages then turned the book to face Ruby. A charcoal drawing of a beautiful woman with bright eyes stared back at her. She was looking at Ruby with an intense love, like she knew this day would come when she had posed to be drawn. The artist seemed to capture every emotion on her flawless youthful face.
"Your father did these sketches," Lady Haynah said, "He was a bit of a history keeper for our people."
Ruby's eyes widened and she reached out to run her fingers along the confident strokes made by the hands of her birth father. Her breath hitched at the thought of her parents sitting together while her father sketched her mother. Now the loving look in her mother's eyes made sense to her, she loved the man who was capturing the image.
Her eyes burned with unshed tears, "she was beautiful."
"Yes, you look a lot like her. She was a healer; she knew all there was to know about herbs and remedies. She had a gentle touch for those she served," as she said this her hand unconsciously went to a spot below her shoulder.
"She was working on my wounds during the attack. Brave woman she was, coming out on the battlefield to help the wounded," her eyes seemed to glaze over as she spoke, her fingers absently rubbing the spot on her chest, "she did not see it coming, but I did. I can still see the light fade from her eyes as the blade pierced her heart."
The tears fell freely from Ruby's eyes now, she sat back so they wouldn't ruin her father's drawing of her mother, "all this time," she whispered, "I wondered who I was, what my parents were like. I felt so... alone."
Haynah smiled through her own sadness as she reached across the table. She took Ruby's hand and squeezed it, "you were never alone. El has watched over you all this time and returned you to us.”
Ruby smiled, “I have so much to learn,” she said.
She still could not understand how they had managed to remain hidden behind the mountains, how they had managed to create an entire civilization in secret. How they had managed to pull themselves together after such a tragedy.
“Yes, and you will learn.” The woman said.
“Have you found out about my family, the battle? Did they win?”
Haynah’s expression was unreadable, then she smiled softly, “as the Aldorians like to say… all is well.”
Ruby breathed a sigh of relief, “I knew it. I knew they could defeat Haddin. Makes me wonder what I was so worried about.”
Haynah smiled, “indeed.”
“And Ryder? My horse?” Ruby asked eagerly, he was not really her horse, but she had made a promise and she knew that the best way to get him the best help was to claim him as her own.
“Our healers are trying their best… but he has been without his gem for so long, you should prepare yourself for anything.”
Ruby nodded solemnly, “please try, he means a lot to me,” she whispered.
Hayna got up and bowed, “the council will see you tomorrow. We know your journey here has been a hard one, that you are not acquainted with such lengths of travel. So, make yourself at home and get some rest, for you are indeed home.”
Ruby smiled, “can I keep this?” she placed a hand over the book on the table.
“It is yours.”
✽✽✽
As Haynah exited Nketa’s room Odi fell into step with her, “how is she?” he asked.
“Very good,” Haynah said, “you did good. Your commitment to your task will be greatly rewarded.”
Odi did not miss the bitter twist of her lips, everyone knew how Nketa’s presence here threatened her own hopes.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Did you tell her about Stone Vale? About her father and sisters?”
Haynah stopped and turned to look directly at him, “no, the council has decided it is in her best interest that she does not know about the outcome of the attack.”
Odi frowned, “but she should know that her father is dead, that her sisters have been captured, that her brother has fled.”
Haynah looked at him with those dark brown eyes, “no she should not. That man was not her father. Those girls are not her sisters, that boy… well you get the idea. She has a lot to unlearn, a lot to forget.”
She turned to leave, but Odi persisted, “but they were the only family she has ever known. This tragedy will be as much as part of her as our own is a part of us. Have you forgotten?”
Haynah turned slightly, “I will never forget!” she hissed, “But now she must know a different family. Your new task is to ensure that she does that and you are ordered to keep silent. She already trusts you, do not ruin that.”
Odi did not like the idea of being given baby sitter duties, he had already spent a great portion of his service watching Nketa, he was hoping to be given something more interesting upon his success. El knew that being around her brought him growing discomfort, as the memories and self-blame he had tried to bury for years floated closer and closer to the surface. Regardless, he bowed his head until Haynah walked away.
✽✽✽
As Haynah walked away Ruby pulled the door to her room shut and leaned against it. She did not understand a word Haynah and Odi was saying, but she could tell that Odi was not happy with whatever it was. This was going to take some getting used to, she knew it. Already she missed her family. But knowing that they were all safe made her feel better about her decision to leave them. She took in her new space. It was nothing like her room back home, just neat wooden space with simple wooden furniture and a rectangular straw weaved mat laid down in the middle. But even void of the finery of the life she once had; she knew that she was right where she belonged. She smiled as she looked at the painting once more, her future awaited and it looked bright.
And so, it was that Ruby Stone, orphan princess of Aldor found her home and her people. While everything she had ever known lay in ruins, her brother and his small company still running for their lives, her sisters beholding their heartless captor and her father alone in the darkness. In her joy she was clueless, ignorant of the fact that the greatest enemy she would ever know, now sat upon the throne of Aldor. In the distance, in the lands before the mountains and behind the border that once meant sanctuary and light, the invisible darkness extended its tentacles as Aldor’s light stones breathed their last.
Epilogue
From the moment he ent
ered his lab within the North castle he sensed his presence. It felt like the air stood suspended in the room as darkness descended around him. He removed his coat and tossed his advisors cord from around his neck. The marks of his walking prison, the walls of which he longed to shed. When he stepped forward, the sounded of dry ash crunched beneath his boot, as the room was enveloped with darkness. An eerie wind could be heard in the distance and suddenly the walls of his lab was no more. In its placed was the open space of a treeless forest, rotting stumps remained where trees once stood proudly, and in the expanse only darkness could be seen.
He took another step forward. As always he was walking in a direction that he was never consciously aware of. All he knew was where it would lead. To him. The air was icy cold around him, but it barely registered as he made his way to the lonely well. Sitting amidst the desolation as a proud ruler of the vast wasteland. As he neared it, the ashes around him swirled into the air around him and a voice grumbled in the quiet.
“Come closer,” it beckoned.
He nodded, swallowing his own fear that seemed to grow weaker each time the darkness beckoned. He braced his hands against the wall of the edge and leaned forward, peering in, always with the expectation to see his elusive face. Yet again he was met with disappointment. The ripples in the dark tar like liquid was all he saw as that familiar voice rumbled from its depths.
“You have managed to accomplish what many have failed to do. Your faithfulness will be greatly rewarded. It won’t be long now… my freedom is at hand. And soon you will stand beside me according to our deal, as I reign over Saharia, as is my right.”
He bowed, closing his eyes in reverence, “Yes master,” he said, “everything has gone just as you have said it would. And no one suspects me, not in this form you have given me,” he touched the ring on his finger in gratitude.
“Yes, I admit. I doubted that Demeris boy had it in him. Conquering Kalgary, and in a way no one had thought to do before. Turning the people against each other, causing them to compromise their own security and their precious light stones while blaming their own king.”
He nodded, “yes indeed. He did pull it off. But what now my lord? Haddin has the throne, his minions hold the North and East, but the South still hold their ground, the Ilks still have not chosen a side and the Aldorian prince has escaped.”
“Matters of concern I am sure,” the voice said, “But I have no doubt that you will find a way to make them yield.”
He nodded, “they do not suspect me. They even trust me. This gives me an advantage.”
“Yet I sense conflict in you,” the voice grumbled.
The man took a deep breath, “pardon me master. But…” he hesitated, how ridiculous he was to harbour such fear of a talking pool of water. But he knew that in its depths was great power, power beyond man's wildest imagination.
“You are worried about your son,” the voice said.
He nodded, “yes,” he said, “you promised that you would spare him from your wrath and bring him into your service. So that we can be reunited.”
“And my promise still remains. No human can resist the allure of the darkness for long. He is stronger than we thought. But he is closer than he was before. I can feel him coming closer to the darkness, sinking deeper as he grabs greedily for the power of the dagger. Something you doubted he would do.”
The man nodded, “in many ways he takes after his mother. He is strong willed and like her has an attraction to the light. I thought this would pose a problem to his conversion. But I trust you master and you know that none of this would matter for me without my son at my side.”
“You are right to do so. Deswald will come to the darkness, you will be reunited and soon you will be able to shed the disguise you so despise.”
He nodded, “what shall I do in the meantime?”
“Advise,” came the cunning hiss, even as a sharp knock echoed behind him.
Instantly the darkness was sucked from around him and into the well and with it the ashy ground and icy stillness. And he found his gaze focused on the tip of his scuffed boots, standing on the stone floors of his lab.
The knock resounded on his door again, “Lord Drafer,” came the call.
He took a deep breath, turning the ring around his finger. He longed to shed this disguise and to behold the world and his son through his own eyes again. But he had to be patient, there was still a part to play before his master’s plans could be realized.
Drafer turned towards the door and opened it. A frightened young guard stood before it, and behind him stood the reason for his fright. Haddin’s hideous henchman looked right at him with his dark eyes, a cruel smirk on his lips as if he expected his visage to frighten him too. Little did he know that he had just behld the worst of the darkness.
He bowed, “how can I assist?” he said.
Serin stepped forward, “assist?” he asked.
He looked up at him without a hint of cunning in his eyes, “are you not the new lord of this territory?”
Serin frowned, “I am,” he said, “under the command of the new king of Aldor, Haddin Demeris.”
Drafer bowed, “my lord,” he said, “I offer my humble services to you as I have to others before you. My only desire is to serve the governor of this territory.”
Serin narrowed his eyes, “I know you; and you are loyal to Kalgary.”
Drafer lifted his gaze and held the dark uncertain pools of the clueless minion, “Am I?” he said in that soothing tone he had mastered.
As expected, Serin stepped back, the aggression gone from his face.
“Alright then,” he said, and motioned to someone outside of Drafer’s field of vision.
A young girl was brought to Serin and he held her before Drafer. She looked up and for a moment the way she looked at him jarred him. It was almost as if she could see right through his disguise. But no one ever could, he knew his master’s magic was leaps and bounds above any other in this world.
“How do you advise?” Serin asked.
He leaned forward and smiled sweetly, “you’re Kalgary’s little girl,” he held her chin and gently nudged it upward, “his little secret weapon. Do not worry dear, I’m a friend of your father. I’ll take good care of you.”
###
Note From the Author
Hey Royals! Here we go again. Another adventure complete, another story told. But this is by no means the end. The story continues in the upcoming installment of the GSR series. Yet again I want to thank you my readers, supporters and encouragers for continuing with me on this journey, as we continue to witness the growth of the characters and the expansion of the plot.
Kingdom’s Darkness was fun to write just like the other installments before it. I’m happy for the opportunity to explore themes like light and darkness, good vs evil, identity confusion, self-discovery, fate vs choice and much more. I hope you would have noticed how these would have played itself out in this story and my hope is that it speaks to you in some way about the struggles we face within and without ourselves. We live in a world of unexpected twists and turns, which often pushes us into places of uncertainty. But I hope that these moments brings you closer to your purpose, exposes your strengths and gives you the weapons you need to keep fighting. And that you do not remain trapped in the swamp of fear and hopelessness. More and more, let us encourage each other! The adventure continues and I hope you continue to stick around for the ride.
If you liked this story or any other GSR release make it known, leave your comments on Amazon, like my Facebook page, or connect with me on Twitter. You can even send me an email about how this story might have impacted you! If you would like something more while you wait, I recommend taking a look at my website, where I have a lot to say about lifestyle, faith and relationships. See the connect page that follows for more information, and remember…
Be a blessing,
Kelly
Connect
Facebook Page: Kelly A. Purcell
Twitter: @KellyAPurcell
Website: royaltypressutd.online
Email: [email protected]
Books in the series
Kingdom's Darkness (Gemstone Royals Book 2) Page 29
