A Kingdom of Shadow

by Clara Johnson

  We rode in the same carriage which gave me little privacy to my own thoughts. When I told him I never rode in one before, he insisted he ride with me in case I became ill. The movement was unsettling—especially when we hit the holes in the road.

  “Something wrong?’

  The question startled me, making me jump from the sound. I hadn’t realized he was speaking to me.

  “I’m so sorry. What were you saying?”

  He frowned. “Nothing. You just seem upset about something.”

  Shaking my head, I said, “No, I’m alright, just lost in thought.” I considered changing the subject before he asked what I was thinking. “This dress is beautiful.” I gestured to the gown.

  “It suits you, Ellyn. You look beautiful.” He smiled.

  I blushed. “Thank you.”

  I found it more difficult to be around him. He was handsome—kind to me and my mother, but I couldn’t quite figure out why. Surely, we were a nuisance with everything else he had going on. It just seems like there was more to it then he’s told me.

  I looked out the window and watched the countryside passing me by. We were riding in a carriage with several guards accompanying us on horseback. I suppose it was to be expected traveling with the king. They wore metal armor with the lion symbol on their breastplate. Their swords by their side. Ready for anyone—or anything to approach. These men were knights. I couldn’t help but admire them.

  They were guardians—protecting the people as well as the royals.

  Our carriage stopped to let them water the horses and for us to stretch our legs. Jared stepped out and offered his hand. I took it, but I missed one of the steps and fell forward. Before I face planted into the ground, Jared reached out and caught me into his arms.

  Looking to him, I was mesmerized by his eyes. He held me tight for an instance, not letting go. I tried to find my footing, but I stood still when I felt the graze of his hand on my cheek.

  Abruptly, he released me and straightened his jacket as if he didn’t hold me so intimately.

  “Mind your step,” he said. “I must speak to one of my guards. I’ll be back in a few moments.” And he left.

  I tried to shake off the feeling of his arms around me. My heart beat faster in my chest. The way he looked at me made me feel like he . . . No, it must’ve been my imagination. It would make no sense that a king would be interested in me. He was supposed to marry a noble or princess—not someone like me. I removed any further thought in my mind.

  Over the hill, there was a town. Banners hung between the buildings, but I couldn’t read them from this distance. There were so many of them. It must’ve been Mightrun.

  ~ * ~

  The city was even larger than I’d presumed. People gathered on the side of the streets, cheering for their king. Some threw petals and seeds in the path of the carriage. Children were jumping in place. All their faces brightened as we approached. These were the people of a king. And each and every one of them loved him.

  We were at the center of the city. There was a large platform about fifty feet above the ground. Banners of red and golden filed the surroundings. The banners led to the flag above the platform which reminded me of the tapestry I saw at the palace.

  Looking around, I wondered how the people celebrated this holiday. I guessed it’d be with dances and feasts. At least I’d entered this unknown land in a time of peace, but peace never lasted forever. Men were always looking for more power and control. Evil never truly rested.

  Before Jared strode up the steps to the podium, he told me he had matters to tend to after his speech and that I was to be given a tour of the local markets with two of his guard until he was done. He gave me a pouch of coin and told me to buy whatever I wished. I protested it but he insisted that I have it regardless. I did not argue further.

  Jared’s speech was brief. He commended his people for their hard work and wished them the best on this upcoming summer season. He said the land was blessed by the Goddess herself. The future of the kingdom has and will continue to grow. The people cheered when they heard that. It was nice to see that Jared cared for the moral of his people. He wanted to give them hope that they will do better in the years to come. I felt proud of Jared.

  When the speech was over, the guards led me to the local market People scurried. Bargains were made between shopkeepers and their customers. There were a few unhappy faces but one really caught my attention.

  Dressed in ragged clothing, he had long gray hair and he looked as though he hadn’t bathed in months. He was arguing with passing victims about a brewing war. Saying that the peace was only a cover.

  “War is coming. The Darkness has returned to cover our lands in endless night, steal our children, soil our ground and destroy all who do not bow to it” he said. “King Jared is blind! He must take action before the Darkness kills us all!”

  He looked my way. “You there! Young woman, you are the guest of the king. You must tell him of the horrors that await us. He is the only one who can protect us.” He limped towards me and grabbed my arms. His grip was shaky but firm and his wild eyes gray as his hair.

  One of the guards pulled him off of me.

  “You will leave her alone, old man. Go stalk somewhere else or I will have your head on a spike!”

  The man cowered in fear and ran off.

  The guard groaned and turned to me.

  “I’m sorry, my lady. Are you hurt?” His voice was deep but offered true repentance.

  “I’m fine. He just startled me. Thank you . . . Um, I apologize but I don’t know your name.” I bit my lip.

  He pulled off his helmet to reveal his face. He was young—possibly Jared’s age. He had messy dirty black hair, hazel eyes, and youthful face. A distinct scar crossed his left cheek until it almost touched his mouth.

  He took my hand and bowed. “My name is Jonas Rojohn, my lady.”

  “Jonas, thank you for the assistance. Although, I don’t think he meant me harm.”

  He released my hand and stood.

  “He probably didn’t, but he is a very sick old man who has lost touch with his senses since the fire,” he explained.

  “What fire?”

  “There was a fire about twenty years ago. His farm was the first to be hit. He lost his wife and child in it and in his grief, he’s imagined that it was no mere fire but the Darkness itself come to claim their lives.”

  “The Darkness?”

  “It’s just a myth that there is this great source of power up in the north that many have believed that it could be used to harness an unstoppable army.” He waved his hand.

  “I see.”

  The Darkness. A great source of power with an unstoppable army. He didn’t seem to believe it himself. Could such an evil truly exist? In my mind, I couldn’t help but imagine the inferniwulf. That was the closest thing I’d seen to the Darkness the man spoke of. The red eyes still haunted my dreams. My brother laying there lifeless as it ripped this throat apart.

  I shook off the memory. The other guard insisted that we should keep moving instead of talking about children’s bedtime stories. Jonas agreed and led me through the market. As we walked, I asked him questions about the kingdom. He said Elra was known for its fertile land and busy ports. They exported food to other countries such as Grishway and Esneway. Isilda was known for its metal and smithing of weapons and armor. Their mines produced some of the strongest iron. Elra and Isilda were part of Armea. It was the hope of all the people that the king will eventually rule the entirety of Armea, so that the country would no longer be divided.

  “Was that because of the war?” I asked.

  “Yes,” he said. “The previous kings of Elra and Isilda demanded total power over the land and it broke into an all-out war. Many people died on both sides. It ended in the death of the king of Isilda, King Merek. After that King Borian decreed the war over and the losses were too great on either side to do anything but agree. A few weeks
later, King Borian died from an infected wound.

  You will find that some of the people never stopped believing the war ever ended. Most, however, believe it was a time of tyranny and that the Goddess herself met with King Borian and told him to end the war right before he struck his blade in King Merek.”

  I thought for a moment. “I suppose with such losses, it would be hard for anyone to move past it. When you lose the people you care about—the people you love—it creates an emptiness in your heart that can never be filled again. And as a result, you can become maddened by it if you do not find peace,” I said.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Have you lost people, my lady?”

  I frowned as I thought of Albert. My father.

  “Yes, I have.” It was all I could say.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, my lady.”

  He did not push the subject further.

  CHAPTER 11

  I checked on Mother the evening the market. She seemed . . . better than I would’ve thought. She’d made some of her crafts and shown them to servants in the palace. Impressed with her craftsmanship, they asked to learn from her and in return, show her some of the handiwork. She seemed to be adjusting to this place well, and I wanted to be happy for her, but part of me was still angry with her over Albert’s death. He deserved more than a few shed tears and a handful of prayers. And now she was acting like he never existed.

  Had it been that different when he was alive?

  No, no it hadn’t been. He’d lay in bed for days at a time and she’d only enter is his room to tell him to eat something or get dressed. She hadn’t comforted him and ignored his complaints. I never should’ve expected her to change. I should’ve known that the mother that was kind and gentle to me as a child was still in there. Father’s death destroyed that part of her—maybe forever.

  Mia was busy in the kitchen for the day so I did not have much company this evening. She mentioned that she oversaw the maids and two of them fell sick. I wandered the halls trying to keep away from my room. If I remained still for too long, I would remember Albert. That inferniwulf. The red eyes looking at me after it tore open my brother’s neck. Other times I’d think of the cottage and the work I had set out to do in the next season.

  But, mostly, I’d think of my father, wondering what he’d make of all this. He built that cottage for mother before I was born. He poured his heart and soul into it to give my mother a home she deserved—a home that they could raise children in. I couldn’t help but feel I was abandoning it—abandoning Father in some way. He was buried not too far from our cottage in a burial ground. As long as I was here, I was also away from him. I didn’t want to do that.

  I couldn’t stay here forever. I had to talk to Jared.

  I asked a passing guard where Jared was. He said he was in his study, and told me how to get there. I thanked him and proceeded as instructed. It was time to speak to Jared about our situation. While I’ll always appreciate what he did for me and my family, I couldn’t stay here abusing his kindness. It’d be ridiculous to ask him for us to stay here in his castle. This was a place for royalty and their servants and guests—not for people like my family.

  Two guards stood on either side of the door. I told them I wanted to see His Majesty and one of them peeked into his study to tell him I was here. The guard let me pass, but I hesitated, feeling too nervous for this conversation. With a deep breath, I entered the room.

  Jared was behind a large desk. He didn’t look at me right away, too focused on whatever he was reading. On the desk, there were two uneven piles of paper, making me assume he was working on something important that required his signatures.

  “Ellyn, what can I do for you?” He gestured to the seat before me.

  I sat down and pulled the chair closer to his desk.

  “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you,” I said.

  He shook his head.

  “I’m just finishing up. Something on your mind?” It seemed he wanted me to get to the point despite his smooth assurances.

  “You’ve done a lot for me and my family,” I said. “And I know I may have saved your life, but I feel that all you’ve done for us is far more than enough to repay that.”

  I paused for a moment to see his reaction. He remained focused on the next paper he’d pulled from the pile.

  “I’m grateful for all you have done, but I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything. If anything, I owe you for all the supplies you’ve given us.”

  He remained focused on the paper and started writing on it.

  “I wanted to see if my mother and I could go home.”

  He finally looked up and gave me an appalled expression.

  “Why would you ever want to go back there?” he said. “That . . . house of yours was barely holding together. It looked like it would topple right onto your heads at any second.”

  My pulse raced. “It’s still my home—my father built it himself—and to be frank, I can’t possibly pay you back for all of this.” I stared at my lap.

  “I haven’t had a single kindness from a stranger for as long as I can remember. You’re a king with a land and people to care for. I saw some of those people with barely anything to eat. I don’t want you to waste resources on us when I believe some of your people may need it far more than myself.”

  Pathetic. I knew I sounded like an ungrateful child, but I can’t let him do this when he had his own people to worry about. I can handle myself and my mother. Charity wasn’t something I needed or wanted. I prayed that he’d understand what I was saying.

  He put down the paper and leaned forward.

  “Waste resources?”

  I raised my head to look at him.

  “Yes. I know there are people far worse off than myself. People who don’t have a home to go to every night. No blankets or fire to warm them.” Like that old man in the market. He’d lost his home. His family.

  “Ellyn, the reason I brought you here was to not only protect you and your mother, but it was also because the very sight of that house made me want to tear it down. How could you live in something so . . . broken?” He rubbed his neck.

  “You can’t go back home. Even if it’s still there, you couldn’t go back.”

  Broken? Couldn’t go back? “What do you mean ‘if it’s still there?’”

  “The . . . creatures that attacked me and my men were not of your world. They were once pronounced wolves that were consumed by an evil you can’t imagine,” he said. “This is an evil from my world that, on rare occasions, manage to slip past my barriers and into your world.”

  It was hard to imagine that those inferniwulves were once anything but what they are now. The way they looked and sounded, it did seem that they were from Hell itself, but they were from here? He was hunting them down before they hurt anyone.

  “Your home, Ellyn, has been destroyed. My scouts reported it when they finished off the remaining inferniwulves. I’m sorry, but there was no way to save it,” he continued.

  My home. Destroyed. Somehow, I couldn’t imagine it. All I could see was my father working on the porch to replace some wood that had been damaged in the previous storm. My mother planting in her garden with Albert in a crib beside her. My sister helping my mother and my father telling me stories of his younger years. That broken place was my home. It was all I had left of my father. How could it just be . . . gone?

  “What should I do?” I pleaded. My home. This—all of this—didn’t feel right to me. How could all my father’s work be for nothing?

  “You will remain here under my care. I will provide you with everything you need,” he reaffirmed.

  ~ * ~

  I’d already had the distinct feeling that I wouldn’t be returning home, but hearing it from Jared made it a reality. It was a wishful dream that would never come true. I’d have to leave my old life behind me. There was no other choice.

  I wondered, would it be so bad living here? So many other
s would’ve killed to live under the care of a king. I should’ve been happy—grateful—but this life wasn’t for me. It wasn’t who I am. I’d spent my life helping my family survive and learn everything I could from my father. Idling away my life in gorgeous dresses, learning to knit, marrying some man I barely knew didn’t appeal to me.

  Why would you ever want to go back there?

  Why? Because it was all I’d ever known.

  Footsteps on the gravel interrupted my thoughts. I sniffed and straightened myself. It had been too much to hope for time alone outside my room for a couple hours.

  “My lady?”

  I stood up. “Jonas, how are you this evening?” He was still in uniform. The moonlight kissed his lightly tanned skin, his hair was messy.

  “May I join you?”

  I nodded and we sat together on the bench. I smoothed out my dress as he adjusted his sword. The hilt of the blade was steel with an engraved marking I didn’t recognize. It looked like a claw mark made by a huge beast. When I asked him about it, he told me it was the mark of a warrior. One who had bested in battle and protected the kingdom. It was one of the highest of honors.

  “What did you do to earn it?”

  He frowned, unsheathed his sword and stared at it as if he just polished it. The air between us was heavy. Something about the sword made him uncomfortable. I’ve must’ve looked the same whenever I held my father’s bow.

  “I didn’t earn it. My grandfather gave it to me before he died. He said he knew I would earn it one day.” His lip curved up. “I don’t know if I ever will, but a man’s got to try, right?” He chuckled.

  Somehow, I managed to laugh as well despite my worries. He told me about his grandfather. He’d been a decorated hero of Elra and Jonas when he was growing up. Apparently, he used to put on his grandfather’s uniform and giving out orders when he was a child. He was scolded for it but his grandfather insisted on training him with a sword when he was old enough. He trained Jonas until he became too ill.

  “He taught me everything I know,” he said.