The Uzan Crystal

by Lisa S. Buchholz

  It was early evening and raining a fine summer mist. It was unduly quiet at the castle of Talenvar. A five year old girl with auburn hair and gray-blue eyes sat on a large wooden bench outside her mother's room waiting to hear of the birth of her sister or brother. Her name was Angelina and her mother was Queen Gwendolyn. She swung her legs back and forth watching the white lace of her slip peek out from under her green velvet dress. She didn't have anything else to do to entertain herself as she waited. Angelina's brother, Phillip, was in the throne room with their father, King Kalen. Phillip was twelve and he had thick black hair and blue eyes, just like his father. King Kalen was worried because his wife had been very ill during her pregnancy and was currently in labor with their third child. Angelina was subdued because she had a feeling that something wasn't right. The way that Persilla and Julin, the midwives, were acting didn't help that feeling.

  Phillip walked quietly down the hall and sat beside Angelina, putting his arm around her shoulder.

  "Do you think that she will be alright, Phillip?" asked Angelina in a hushed voice.

  Phillip glanced toward the far end of the hall at the windows with the rain outside. "I hope so, but I'm not the person who should say yes or no. I do know that father is very worried and he would be with us if it weren't for the land disagreement with Lord Strauss and Lord Huntley."

  "Do you really think that they'll agree to the terms that father gives them?" she questioned looking at her brother. "It's been years that their families have had this dispute."

  "I'm sure that they will, especially since they would never disagree with father when he is in this type of mood," he answered glancing at her.

  Julin, the younger of the midwives, opened the door facing Angelina and Phillip and quickly closed it behind her, shutting out the view of the room inside. Julin just had her first child not more than three months ago and knew what the Queen was going through. Angelina and Phillip got up quickly and walked over to her.

  "Is she going to be okay?" asked Phillip in a hopeful voice.

  Julin stopped in front of Angelina and Phillip. She looked at them like it was the first time that she was really seeing them and smiled. "Phillip, since all of the servants have been sent away, would you please run and get your father. Your mother is close to delivery and has asked for him."

  "Yes of course," he replied as he turned to leave, glancing once more at Angelina and giving her an encouraging smile and at Julin where his smile faded as he saw the concern in her hazel eyes.

  Phillip hurried off to get his father and Julin swiftly turned and reentered the room shutting the door behind her.

  Angelina again took her place on the bench to await the return of Phillip and her father. She was hoping that it wouldn't be too long. Father would make sure that mother was alright.

  Within a few minutes Phillip and the King did return, walking swiftly down the corridor to where Angelina sat.

  "Phillip, please wait with your sister. I'll be out as soon as I can and I am sure that your mother will be just fine," instructed their father giving his children an encouraging smile before he turned and entered the room, closing the door softly behind him.

  Julin stopped the King just inside the door to inform him that his wife was having a very difficult labor and was extremely weak and exhausted. She also stressed to him that she had seen many women who have had such difficulties as his wife and they have not made it past the birth of the child. "I'm not saying that anything will happen your majesty, I'm just telling you what could happen," she stressed as she saw the look on his face.

  "I'm sure she'll be just fine," he replied in a tight voice and left Julin standing by the door as he hurried over to his wife's side as she lay on the bed.

  "Thank you for coming, my love," exclaimed Gwendolyn in an exhausted yet relieved voice. "The baby is almost here." The Queen lay on the bed, her face was pale from the strain of her labor and sweat beaded on her face.

  "Take it easy," he soothed as he took his wife's hand and smoothed the damp hair from her face. "Everything is going to be fine."

  "Now Gwendolyn, all we need is one more push and it will be all over," encouraged Julin. She had moved to stand at the other side of the bed, opposite the King.

  "All right," she gasped. Squeezing Kalen's hand tightly, she pushed with the last of her strength before falling back on the bed in complete exhaustion.

  "It's a girl!" exclaimed Persilla as she held up the crying baby for Kalen and Gwendolyn to see before placing the newborn on her mother's stomach. Persilla was a thin older woman with gray hair which she wore tightly clasped in a bun. Persilla had been there as an assistant when King Kalen was born and had assisted in many births since then.

  "She's beautiful," beamed Kalen as he leaned over and gently kissed Gwendolyn and then the baby. "What shall we name her?" he questioned in a hushed voice.

  "Amberlynn," she stated as she smiled at her husband. "We'll name her Amberlynn after your grandmother."

  "Yes, that sounds wonderful," he replied returning her smile. "Now you must rest," he instructed as Julin took Amberlynn in her arms and he gently scooped his wife up in his arms so that clean, dry sheets could be placed on the bed and the soiled ones removed.

  After the clean linens were placed on the bed, Kalen gently laid Gwendolyn down and Julin brought the freshly bathed Amberlynn, now wrapped in a soft blanket, over to her and placed Amberlynn in her arms.

  "You must rest and regain your strength," Persilla instructed as she pulled the covers up around Queen Gwendolyn and Amberlynn. "Julin and I will be here to take care of Amberlynn while you rest."

  Queen Gwendolyn did not reply as she had already fallen asleep.

  Persilla and Julin motioned for Kalen to move away from the bed so as not to disturb the sleeping Queen.

  "You must realize that this has been a very trying experience for Gwendolyn and she needs all of the rest that she can get," informed Persilla, with a nod of agreement from Julin.

  "Yes, of course I realize how serious this labor has been and the toll it has taken on Gwen," he reassured them. "Now I will stay here while you two get cleaned up, get something to eat and please get some rest. I believe that Gwen is not the only one who is exhausted."

  "Thank you sire," responded Julin and Persilla as they both curtsied. Julin then went over to the fireplace and added a few more logs to keep the room nice and warm while Persilla gathered up the soiled bed clothes. Both Julin and Persilla took an armful of bed clothes and excused themselves.

  Kalen opened the door for the women, again thanking them for their help and followed them out of the room.

  "Phillip, Angelina," he called as both Phillip and Angelina rushed over to him when they noticed Julin and Persilla leaving, both asking at the same time how their mother and the baby were. "You must keep your voices down, mother is very tired and needs a lot of rest. Now let's go back in and I'll introduce you to your new sister," he said smiling at his children.

  "I knew she was going to have a girl," said Angelina giving Phillip a sideways glance and a smile.

  "Just so she doesn't turn out to be as much of a pain as you are," he replied as he gave a soft tug on her hair and returned the smile.

  "Children," softly whispered their father, "this is Amberlynn." He moved the blanket back so Phillip and Angelina could get a good look.

  "Oh, she's beautiful," breathed Angelina, "isn't she Phillip?"

  "Yes, she sure is," he agreed as he leaned over and caressed Amberlynn's little hand. "And so tiny."

  "Now that you know that your mother and your sister are okay, why don't you two get something to eat. I'm going to stay with your mother until Julin and Persilla are rested," their father informed them, still speaking quietly so not to disturb his wife.

  Kalen walked the children to the door and watched them until they disappeared around the bend in the corridor. He was so lucky to have such wonderful children and a wife that meant everything to him.

  For the next few
weeks, Phillip and Angelina only visited their mother and new sister once a day. They didn't want to bother her too much. Queen Gwendolyn did improve from her weakened state but had not fully recovered.

  "Sire," called Julin as she hurried down the hall toward King Kalen.

  "Yes, Julin," responded the King as he stopped and turned toward her, waiting for her to catch up.

  "Your highness," she greeted with a curtsy. "I wanted to speak with you regarding Queen Gwendolyn. In private," she added as she noticed the servants in the hall.

  "Of course," he replied as he noticed her gesture for privacy. "I was on my way to the study, we can talk there." He headed down the hall with Julin following behind.

  When they arrived at the study, Phillip was working at one end of a large oak table situated near the far left wall. The sunlight was streaming across his papers from the doors leading out to part of the garden.

  "Hello, father," greeted Phillip, "and hello to you Julin," he continued as Julin walked in behind the King.

  "If you'll excuse us," his father began, "Julin asked to speak with me in private."

  "Yes father. I can finish this in the library," Phillip replied as he gathered up the book, papers, quill pen and ink pot that he was using and headed out of the door that King Kalen and Julin had just entered.

  Kalen closed the door behind Phillip. "Now Julin, please tell me what you have on your mind," prompted the King as he motioned Julin to sit on one of the plush chairs as he sat in a chair across from her.

  "As you are aware, Queen Gwendolyn was ill and had a very rough delivery of Amberlynn and has not quite fully recovered," she began and paused to let the King respond; however, King Kalen sat patiently waiting for her to continue. "Well, after Tolmac, Lord Stapley, the healer Leyash as well as myself and Persilla examined Queen Gwendolyn this morning, we have determined that the Queen will not get much better than she is now."

  "What?!" he exclaimed taken by surprise, "there isn't anything that our healer can do for her or even Tolmac? Never mind," he continued, waving his hand as if to erase his last words. "I shouldn't even need to ask, for I know if there was something that could be done it would have been done already. Have you told Gwen what you've just told me?" he inquired.

  "We haven't come out directly and told her as yet, your highness. But I believe that she already knows," she replied and hurriedly continued as King Kalen gave her a look. "Well sire, you as anyone should know that the Queen is very perceptive."

  He sighed, "Yes, she is indeed. I would ask of you not to talk to anyone of this. I don't wish to have everyone treating Gwen as if she were an invalid. I think she would get quite angry if they did and I don't wish to upset her," he instructed.

  "Of course your highness," she agreed.

  "Would you please send Tolmac, Leyash, Lord Stapley and Persilla to see me," he requested.

  "Yes your highness," she replied as she took this as her dismissal and got up from the chair and headed out of the study, closing the door behind her.

  Kalen walked over to the pitcher of wine that was on the table and poured himself a goblet full. He walked over to the window, which overlooked the gardens, and took a long swallow of wine as he waited for the others to make their way to the study. It really wasn't a surprise to hear that Gwen wasn't getting better. He had noticed that she wasn't regaining her strength and energy as quickly as she had when she gave birth to the other children, but he had figured that it got harder every time you had another child. He wanted to believe that this was the case and before you knew it Gwen would be back to normal. He had been putting off what he knew to be the truth for quite some time.

  After Kalen spoke with Tolmac, Lord Stapley, Leyash and Persilla to inform them that he wished to keep Gwen's illness quiet, he went to the library to speak with Phillip. He wanted to speak to Phillip and Angelina about this because they should be told the truth.

  Phillip took his papers to the library where he found Angelina engrossed in a novel "The Jewels of Nebr" about two mythological people in search of hidden treasure, a book he remembered reading when he was younger.

  "I should have known I'd find you here," he said when he entered the room. Angelina spent a great deal of time reading in the library.

  "Oh, hello Phillip," she replied as she put her book down and got up from the chair where she was sitting and headed over to help him with the things he was carrying. "I thought you were working in the study?"

  "I was until father and Julin came in and father asked me if I'd leave them alone so they could talk. I'm sure it's about mother," he explained as he set his things next to the ink pot and quill pen that Angelina had put on the smaller round oak table of the library.

  "I'm sure father will let us know what Julin tells him," she said reassuringly.

  "Well, I guess there's no point in wasting time by just sitting around," he remarked as he took a seat, opened his book and began to work.

  Angelina went back to her book but was unable to concentrate. When she looked over at Phillip he had the pen on the paper but was looking across the room in thought. She was about to speak but changed her mind and decided not to disturb Phillip but to just sit and wait and see if their father summoned them.

  Angelina almost dozed off before the door of the library opened and in walked their father.

  "Ah, I'm glad you're here as well," began their father as he noticed Angelina sitting in a chair. "I wanted to speak with you both. Phillip, would you join us over here," he requested as he headed to a couch near his daughter. When Phillip sat down on the couch beside his father, Kalen began, "I'm telling you this because I wish to hold no secrets from you. I thought to go without telling you but didn't want you to find out and be angry with me. I spoke with Julin, Persilla, Tolmac, Lord Stapley and Leyash and have been informed that your mother will not get much better than she is now. She hasn't been able to regain her whole strength and is not expected to." Kalen was waiting for their response and noticed that they were sitting there like they had already been told this information. "Am I missing something? You both look as if you already know about your mother."

  "We didn't actually," responded Phillip glancing over at his sister. "Angelina had a feeling that things weren't right and she told me how she felt."

  Kalen took a long hard look at Angelina and sighed, "I guess if I weren't trying to keep myself so busy with every day duties of being a King, I would have accepted it a long time ago."

  "It's alright father," she reassured him, seeing how grave her father looked. "We'll just have to do a little extra for mother so she doesn't exhaust herself and Amberlynn can visit with us while mother rests."

  "That's a wonderful idea," he smiled and went over and hugged his young daughter.

  Everyone who knew about Queen Gwendolyn's illness went out of their way to do whatever they could to make sure the Queen rested and was not bothered by trivial things. A few of the personal servants of the King and Queen who had been in their service for quite a number of years were told that she was still weak and needed extra attention, but not so much to annoy her.

  King Kalen began delegating his less urgent paperwork to his son so that he was able to spend more time with his wife and young daughter. It was also good experience for Prince Phillip since he would one day rule the kingdom.

  Phillip was glad to have something to do to keep his mind off of his mother's illness. Since he was the Prince, it would not be proper for him to show his feelings openly. When he was King and an enemy believed that because he showed his feelings he was a weak King, that could begin a war; a war that was not needed. There were too many cutthroats in this world that would jump at a chance to bring down a kingdom, not caring how many innocent people died for them to reach their goal.

  Prince Phillip was also kept busy by Sir Matthew, the arms master, who trained the men in the art of swordplay. Sir Matthew was the son of Lord Jonathan and Lady Carolelyn Ivylett who owned the most prestigious inn in Pennington. Sir Matthew was a stock
y, solid built man with a short dark brown beard, which matched his short cropped hair. He loved to teach all forms of combat and would frequently challenge the men to friendly sword fights.

  Sir Taz also spent time with Prince Phillip, showing the prince his peoples' defensive and aggressive training for battle, training with all types of weapons and hand-to-hand combat. Prince Phillip showed exceptional skill with the sword and both Sir Matthew and Sir Taz were impressed.

  When the King wasn't needed in the throne room to settle some dispute or to decide upon this issue or that issue, he would visit with his wife. The King and Queen divided their time together between relaxing in their chambers or sitting out in the gardens. Amberlynn would nap during the day and while Persilla or Julin watched over her, the King and Queen would walk through the gardens or sit and have a bite to eat. It wouldn't be long before the air would begin to cool, with the onset of winter right around the corner. Even now, on some days when the King and Queen took walks in the evening, both donned light cloaks.