Her father allowed the silence to sit between them for a long moment. “I have mourned you Lucinda.” He said slowly. “I mourned you like I mourned your mother. Seven years you were dead to us. We endured stories of your sightings. Every day we would allow ourselves to have hope, and every day we would be disappointed when you did not return to us. In my heart I knew you were alive, but it was easier for me to believe you were dead. It was greater pain for you to be alive and for us to accept that you just did not want to be with us.” She had no words to respond. His words were true and they cut her deeply in her heart. He said nothing for a long moment. She did not separate her eyes from his. Finally, he continued. “Now that you have finally returned to us,” His voice broke. “That is all that matters. You are your own woman, and you will have to plead with each kingdom to have your castle legitimized, but for me and my kingdom, my daughter and our princess has come home. Nothing else matters. You can keep your castle in the water and your title as Queen. You are my daughter. You are the Princess of the East and you are home. My precious one has returned to me.” He left his throne and embraced her tightly as he wept into her. After several moments, he turned her around to the crowd in the throne room. “My daughter owes us many answers and I will see that she gives them, but now we will celebrate. The lost princess has returned to us.”
Denalyn and Erica embraced her again. Her brothers stood shyly at a distance and Drissa stood away from her looking unmoved. Her father’s men cheered although Lucinda saw the blatant fear and mistrust in their eyes. She looked around the throne room to try to recognize their faces. Tears were starting to blur her vision but an overwhelmed smile came to her face. She was home. Her father was in shock now, but it would calm tomorrow. He would interrogate her about her disappearance, but tonight she could rest. Her father continued speaking, but Lucinda could no longer focus on his words. The smile slowly dropped from her face as she focused on a man by the throne room doors. He was a tall man in his late forties. He had hair a little longer than she remembered; now more gray than brown. He had matching hair outlining his mouth.
Commander Jonathan? She thought. What was he doing here? She looked to his right and realized the commander was not alone. Standing next to him, staring back at her from the distance, was Matthew.
The celebrations lasted seven days, a day for each year she was gone. She had addressed the entire kingdom everyday sharing different bits about her disappearance into the water and her whereabouts the past seven years. The people were gracious, and if they thought of her as the evil Green Eyed Witch, they were courteous enough not to say it to her face.
She had not spoken to Matthew directly since she returned. There was always a crowd of people around her and it was difficult for her to find a moment alone. From what she knew, her father insisted that Matthew and Jonathan stay for the celebrations. Matthew retired to his quarters early every day, before the nightly banquets began. He had come to report that he had seen her in the sea and now he would return home to the West Kingdom and give the news of her return. Messengers had been sent to all the kingdoms already to address her return. How receptive the kings would be, she was uncertain. She would have to visit and address each king individually and make a plea for her kingdom to be legitimized, as her father had said. Then the kings and their councils would come to a decision together.
Lucinda approached the Prince’s door cautiously on the night of the seventh day. It was late and improper to call upon him at this hour, but she feared he would depart before day broke. She gently knocked upon the cold stone door of the guest chamber.
The door opened and the Prince presented himself, still clothed in his day attire. His eyes widened upon seeing her.
“Lucinda,” He started in surprise. “What—“
“I know it is indecent to come at such an hour,” She started before she lost her nerve. “But I couldn't think of you leaving without speaking in private. May I enter?” He hesitated a moment, then looked cautiously around the outside hall to his chambers before stepping aside to let her enter.
The guest chambers within her father’s kingdom were always bare besides a bed and a large window, which admitted moonlight upon the dark compartments. It was improper across the kingdoms for an unwed maiden and man to be in a bedchamber together. The West Kingdom was known to be stricter in upholding these rules than the other kingdoms, so it did not surprise Lucinda when Matthew left the stone door of the chamber open wide, as not to incriminate himself. He went and stood by the window, his arms crossed around him as he faced her from a distance.
From the first time she met him in the West Kingdom there was a feeling of recognition. It was not a feeling that came from her, she knew, but from the beginning she was drawn to him. She had not planned any words to say to him now. She had prepared to face her father but thought she would have more time before she had to face Matthew. “You look well.” She started clumsily. He grew into a striking man. She had no doubt that he would as he was handsome as a youth. He wore his hair a little shorter than she remembered it. His face was still clean shaved, but she could not ignore the dark lines that formed under his eyes. She wondered if she played a part in putting them there.
He gave a fleeting smile. “As do you, Princess. Or do you prefer Queen now?”
“Matthew, you must understand why I departed—“
“Yes, I understand. You owe me nothing, Lucinda. I have heard your reasons over the past seven days, and they are indeed reasonable. I need no further explanation.”
“You do not know the truth of it. I said that I feared and that is true. I feared returning. I feared my abilities, I feared everything would be taken away from me, but that is not what I feared the most. Fear the people understand, but what can I tell them about the shadows? What can I tell them about the memories?” She drew in a deep breath. “What can I tell them about you? And how I fear you?”
He looked at her in confusion. “I don’t understand. Why?”
“You helped me gain the power to restore the Kingdom, Matthew. You were just as much a part of fulfilling the prophecy as I was. Our lives seem to be intertwined by the shadows. I never felt the Ancient Queen’s presence before I came to the West. I knew something in your kingdom triggered her memories and spirit in me. Her memories were so vivid and her presence so strong. My powers were strong as a result.” She closed her eyes and thought of the prophecy. “Her Strength sought in the West. That is what the prophecy foretold, but it was not your kingdom that was the trigger to bring me into power.” She opened her eyes to meet his. “It was you. I have thought about it for some time now. For that first year after I was gone into the sea, I saw you every night. For a while I had dreams of you calling for me in the water. You were calling for me and I could say nothing in response before the waters consumed us both. Why you? Why not your brother, or your father or anyone else from the West? It was only you I saw night after night! I could not understand how you had such a hold on my mind when we knew each other only a short time.” His face softened at her words and she stepped closer to him. “Then I knew that it must have been you that I was meant to meet in the West. You ignited her spirit and her power in me and we restored the Kingdom. Now, I fear that the Ancient Queen’s presence will take hold of me once more if I allow you in my life again.”
“I ignite her spirit in you.” He said more as a statement than a question. He looked to the floor. “I wondered ‘Why me’ sometimes too Lucinda. That summer, I saw memories as well. They were memories that were not my own, but of Nycilla’s prince, Thomas. There were moments when my words were his. They persisted for a year after your disappearance and I suffered through the same dream as you. All of it ceased shortly after the tower came out of the water all those years ago. Since you saved me from Narka, the memories have returned, along with Thomas’ warnings. Yes, he warns me sometimes when I am in danger. I don’t know how, but I hear his voice in my head. It seems that we are both triggers. You bring forth Thomas’ spirit i
n me.”
“I am sorry for that.” She said gently. His gaze was steady upon her. “The memories have come back to me after Narka as well, although Nycilla has never had the courtesy of warning me of anything. Maybe it is best if her spirit returns to me. I have grown to fear her silence. I wonder if she has truly left me or if she is just waiting for her time to appear again.” She shook the thought out of her mind. “I am sorry for what happened to you in Narka.”
“You saved my life. If you had come even a moment later—“ He shook his head. “How did you know I was there?”
“I didn’t. I had seen a vision of you being pulled into the sea and then the sea brought me to you. I don’t know why, but I am thankful it did.”
“As am I.” He pulled her mother’s necklace from his pocket. “Why did you give this to me?”
She hesitated. Why had she given it to him? “In my heart I knew it was time to make my return. I suppose I thought that if I gave you something of importance to me I would be driven to come back to you.” He rose an eyebrow at her and she quickly corrected herself. “I meant come back to the land and retrieve it.” He nodded slowly and extended the necklace out to her. As she reached for it he gripped her hand. His eyes went to the gold band and emerald stone that ordained her finger. She felt a blush come across her tanned cheeks. It had survived her journey in the water and she had never taken it off.
You kept it.” He said softly.
“You were meant to bring it to me. It belonged to Nycilla. I have seen it in her memories.”
“Is that the only reason you continue to wear it?”
“No.” She said simply, not trusting herself to say more.
He kept her hand in his but said nothing in response. She let the silence stand between them, not parting her eyes from his though his stare was unnerving. “I thought of you often these passed years. I am not ashamed to admit it.” He started after some time. “A little less as the years went by, I suppose. Much less after my father passed, as I was sharply reminded of my duties then. Yet every year at the anniversary of your disappearance, on our birthday, I would take a set of my men and search the sea for you. We would aim for the castle in the water, yet the closer we felt we were getting to it, the further it looked. Your magic, I assume. Quite clever.” He tightened his grip of her hand. “Whether it be the will of the shadows or from my own heart and spirit, I needed to search for you. Some days, I would wonder if it was all for naught. It was quite clear you did not want to be found. As my brother would constantly tell me, if you were alive you would reveal yourself when and if you found fit.” He shook his head in disbelief. “And you finally have. Even though you fear me, or more so, what we ignite in each other.” He looked at her curiously. “So tell me. Since these memories have returned to us, do you fear that the shadows are not finished with us yet?”
She intertwined her fingers into his. “I fear more of what they will do when they are.” She said softly.
He pulled her toward him, closing the distance between them. He raised a hand to the side of her head and combed his fingers through her hair, before resting his hand at her neck. His eyes became dark and he looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. He gripped her throat. “You plan to leave me again, don’t you? Just as you did before. You will leave me again.”
“No,” Lucinda said in confusion, struggling to get his arm away from her. “You’re hurting me—“
“You have your kingdom back, and you have your followers. That’s all you truly wanted wasn’t it?”
“Matthew, stop! Please—“
“You just used me to bring you back to power!” He slammed her against the stone wall. “For centuries I searched for you! I waited for you to return to me, as you promised! But you are not driven by our love. You are driven by vengeance! You won’t be happy until you become all that they feared, will you?”
“Thomas,” Lucinda whispered.
He tightened his grip and she started to gasp for breath. “You want to be the one true Queen,” he said bitterly. “Then you will do it alone. I swear it, Nycilla, I won’t be part of the destruction to come!”
“I—am—not—Nycilla!” She said to him as she summoned the air around her and threw him backwards. “Leave him Thomas!” She placed both hands on the side of his head and sent a shock through his body. He looked up at her with remorseful eyes as he collapsed to the floor.
Lightening started to brighten the darkened room. Crackles of thunder and the sound of waves hitting the land outside filled her ears. She turned toward the window at the sound of screams. People were running away from the shores.
“What’s happening?” Commander Jonathan was at the entrance of the chamber. “Princess? What happened to him?”
Matthew’s eyes began to open. He sat up slowly and looked at her. “Lucinda—”
The screams became louder and the lightening more treacherous. “I have to go.” She called to Matthew as she left the bedchamber.
She ran through the castle doors and headed for the Green Sea. The green of the sea had become black by the loss of sunlight. The winds moved uncontrollably and massive, threatening black waves came crashing down. Each one larger than the one before. Lucinda entered the water and lifted her hands to the waves. She was pushed back and covered by the force of one of them. The wave threatened to drag her by force into the water. She struggled back to her feet, but the waves dragged her down again. Her father’s guards were coming from a distance. They stared helplessly at the angry sea as they tried to calm the frightened people.
“Princess!” One of them reached out to her but a large wave knocked him off his feet.
Matthew and Commander Jonathan had reached the shores, struggling with the wind and waves. The water seemed to be sucking her deeper into the sea. “Lucinda!” Matthew stepped into the shallow waters and reached out to her. It’s Matthew. It is not Thomas. She reassured herself as she grasped for his hand. The wind picked up around them and she dragged him deeper into the water with her. They both went under, but Matthew wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted them both to air. She raised her hands toward the waters. A wave that was about to make its way hard on top of them stopped in the air and created a dark wall separating them from the sea.
Commander Jonathan appeared behind them, deep into the water. “What’s happening?”
“Don’t be afraid!” She said to them as they stared in awe at the wall of water. In truth, she was afraid. Matthew tried to kill her. No, Thomas tried to kill Nycilla, but why? I won’t be a part of the destruction to come. He had said. What did he mean? And now the sea, her faithful companion since she was a child, was challenging her with angry waves.
“Don’t be afraid!” She repeated to them. Matthew tightened his grip around her. “Enough!” She said to the sea. “Enough!” The waves and wind started to calm as she dropped her hands and let the wave crash down upon them.
Chapter 7
I didn’t want to hurt her, but when I looked into her eyes, I only saw my Queen. How will the people know the difference when the spirits struggle to tell them apart? You must protect her Matthew. Even against herself. The choice will be difficult.
Matthew opened his eyes. Once again he was in a room he did not recognize. The walls were a shiny black. He looked out the window next to his bed. The vegetation was turning from the green of summer to the yellow and orange of autumn. Where am I? He thought. He stepped out into the hallway and faced more black walls, creating long hallways surrounding him. Embedded into the walls were small, green precious stones. It was a stark contrast to the white kingdoms of the Green Sea.
“My lord, you are awake.” He turned around quickly to face the voice that spoke. The familiar green eyes and long blond waves of Lucinda’s governess faced him.
“Lady Geenessa?” The governess had disappeared a few days following Lucinda’s disappearance seven years ago. She was one of the many missing in the West Kingdom.
“It is good to see you again,
sweet Prince. Welcome to our kingdom.”
“And what kingdom is that?”
She smiled warmly at him. “You can call it what you like. We call it the kingdom, others call it the center kingdom, the kingdom amidst the Green Sea, the Queen’s Kingdom or the Fifth Kingdom if you prefer.”
Lucinda’s kingdom. He thought back to the last moment he remembered. He tried to hurt Lucinda. Words that were not his own came out of him. Thomas, he thought. Thomas had returned. Thomas tried to hurt her. I didn’t want to hurt her, but when I looked into her eyes I only saw my Queen. He was angry at Nycilla for leaving him and not all of what he said was untrue to what Matthew felt. A mix of relief, longing and bitterness came over him in seeing Lucinda again. She was safe all these years. She had prospered. Yet, she had willingly not returned to the people who cared for her. She willingly did not return to him.
She explained herself. He was not being fair to her. “How did I get here?”
“The sea brought you here. You, your uncle and our Queen. The sea was very unsettled. We are uncertain what triggered it.”
The Sea. Matthew thought. They had almost drowned in sea. “Where is Lucinda? Is she hurt?”
Geenessa smiled at him. “No, my lord. She is not hurt. How are you feeling?”
The feeling of pain pulsating through his body came back to him. Lucinda had sent a tremor through him. Her powers had grown since she’d been gone. “I want to see her.”
“In time. It would please me to show you her kingdom, my lord. I will wait for you by the castle gate.” She handed Matthew black garments and a water basin to wash up before leaving him.
When he left the guest chamber again, he descended a black staircase, which led directly to a large open throne room. It was crowded with people. A few guards and castle maids stopped as they caught sight of him. They stared for a moment before averting their eyes.
A Castle of Ashes (The Fifth Kingdom Book 2) Page 6
