Prince of Malorn (Annals of Alasia Book 3)

by Annie Douglass Lima

There was a pause, and her eyes sparkled like the sunshine reflecting off patches of snow on the granite around them. “It means that our futures are going to be connected in some way.”

  Oh. “Well, they will be,” Korram told her, searching for an explanation that she would accept. “I’ll be a better king because of you. Because of all of you, and the things I’ve learned from you and from my time in the mountains.”

  She frowned at him. Obviously that was not the answer she wanted or the meaning she had in mind.

  “And Malorn will be a better place for everyone as a result,” Korram hastened to add. “So, in a way, you’ll be connected with the whole kingdom’s future.”

  Thel still didn’t look satisfied, but she finally sighed, resigned. “I know you have a lot of responsibilities in the Lowlands. And I’m certain you’re going to be a wonderful king. I can’t wait to see how you’re going to change things for our people and everyone else.” She squeezed his hand proudly, and he was surprised to realize how much her approval meant to him.

  Korram turned to look down into the Lowlands again, at the scattered farms and villages, the wide silver ribbon of the Grenn. Sazellia was too far away to see from here, but he gazed in the direction of the capital, thinking of all he wanted and would finally be able to do as king. He smiled, imagining the changes soon to come in the government. In just two more months I can start doing all sorts of things for Malorn and for the Mountain Folk. I can make the kingdom a better place for everyone.

  Those trade negotiations with Alasia would help. Glass windows, Korram decided. That would come first. Surely they’ll agree to sell us glass for gold, and we have plenty of gold available. But he would have to do something about the Grenn. The old ferry system would never be sufficient for trade in the volume Korram was picturing. The new floating bridge was better, but not really safe, and not sturdy enough for loaded carts or wagons. I’ll have a permanent bridge built – a wide one that will make it easy for travelers to go back and forth. Then the two kings could visit each other regularly, and, through their friendship, set an example of peace and reconciliation for their citizens.

  Thel was watching him with a smile. “You look happy. Are you thinking of what it will be like when you’re king?”

  “Yes.” Korram smiled back. “I’m going to do all sorts of good things for Malorn. Just watch and see.”

  And everyone would be watching. Korram would be the youngest Malornian ruler in nearly two centuries. The whole kingdom would wonder whether he knew what he was doing. Well, he would show them. True, he had a difficult High Council to deal with, but Mother and Arden and even Kalendria would be there to advise him, and Rampus could no longer stand in his way. At last he would be able to focus on how to rule instead of just how to live long enough to rule.

  Excitement stirred within Korram at the thought of all that lay ahead. Smiling in anticipation, he turned back to Thel one last time. “I have to go now. My job is waiting, and I’m finally ready to do it.”

  Prince of Malorn

  Copyright © 2014 by Annie Douglass Lima

  All Rights Reserved

  About the Author

  Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published ten books (one YA action and adventure novel, four fantasies, a puppet script, and four anthologies of her students’ poetry). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.

  Discover Other Titles by Annie Douglass Lima:

  Prince of Alasia

  Twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin, heir to the throne of Alasia, barely escapes with his life when invaders from neighboring Malorn attack. Accompanied by Erik, his young bodyguard and friend, Jaymin flees to a nearby town to live in hiding. There, coming face to face with the hardships suffered by the poor, he determines to improve his people’s lives someday when he takes the throne, assuming he can reclaim his kingdom.

  In his struggle to retain his identity and yet blend in with children in the local school, Jaymin’s life depends on his ability to protect his secret from both enemy troops and unsuspecting townsfolk. Meanwhile, Erik must resort to his skills in unarmed combat to defend Jaymin against everyone from a gang of schoolyard bullies to the Malornian soldiers who regularly patrol the streets looking for trouble – and for the missing prince.

  As the search intensifies and his enemies’ suspicions grow, Jaymin seeks desperately for a way to save his kingdom and himself. Then he stumbles upon a startling discovery that will challenge his assumptions and forever change his view of Malorn and of the events that altered his life.

  Buy Prince of Alasia in paperback: https://www.createspace.com/3631413

  Buy Prince of Alasia for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/PrinceofAlasia

  In the Enemy's Service

  When the Malornian army invaded Alasia and Prince Jaymin was forced to flee for his life, what happened to those left behind? In the Enemy’s Service tells the story of ten-year-old Anya, imprisoned among other survivors and forced to work for the occupying troops. While pretending to follow orders and serve diligently in the palace, Anya discovers ingenious ways to spy on enemy officers and slip valuable information to the Alasian resistance.

  But as she helps to craft plans that may eventually free Alasia, Anya accidentally uncovers a disturbing reference to her own family. Her fears are strengthened when she is confronted by a mysterious Malornian who seems somehow to know the truth behind the role she has been playing. Holding her life in his hands with that knowledge, he claims to bear information implicating her father in the betrayal that led to the Invasion itself.

  Buy In the Enemy’s Service in paperback: http://bit.ly/enemyserv

  Buy In the Enemy’s Service for Kindle: http://bit.ly/intheenemyservice

  Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews

  “I never thought I’d have to dress in rags or sleep on the floor. But hiding my identity as the Prince of Alasia is better than being killed.”

  “Information? Manipulation? Assassination? I have lots of talents! How can I help you?”

  “They said it wouldn’t hurt anything. They said no harm would come of it. They said my troubles would be over the moment I did them that one tiny favor. What other choice was I supposed to make after everything started going wrong?”

  An orphaned prince desperate to keep his identity a secret. A double agent happy to offer a variety of services … for a price. A well-meaning merchant who may have just caused the biggest disaster in his kingdom’s history. Meet the citizens of Alasia and Malorn and prepare to be drawn into a tangled web of war and intrigue.

  This collection of twenty-four character interviews is designed to complement the first three books in the Annals of Alasia but can also be enjoyed on its own.

  Buy Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/AlasiaInterviews

  The Collar and the Cavvarach

  Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire's most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie's escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?

  Buy The Collar and the Cavvarach for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/cavvarach

  Squawky Learns About Love

  In this humorous puppet skit, Squawky the parrot helps children memorize I Corinthians 13:4 and learn what the Bible has to say about loving others God’s way.

  Performance time: approximately 7 minutes

  Buy Squawky Learns About Love for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/Squawkylove

  A Boom in the Room

>   From naughty children to Navy SEALS, gooey bacteria to Greek triremes, crunchy cars to annoying alarm clocks, these poems are filled with imagination and fun. Experience the excitement of world travel, from the sounds and smells of a Korean winter to an outdoor scene in Soltau, Germany, pausing along the way to explore the wilderness of Africa and take in a Texan rodeo. Ready for a break? Sit down and watch a soccer game, listen to the forest orchestra, or dig up some worms and go fishing. When you get hungry, stop by the noodle shop across the street and then catch one of those falling pies for dessert. Just remember to watch out for playful dragons, sharp sharks, and thieving monkeys!

  Created by fifth grade students, A Boom in the Room features poetry in a variety of styles, from free verse to tanka and haiku. Proceeds from the sale of this anthology will benefit Watoto Childcare Ministries, a nonprofit organization that provides food, medical care, and education to needy children and their families in East Africa.

  Buy A Boom in the Room for Kindle: http://bit.ly/BoomInRoom

  Sunshine Leaking

  In the mood for adventure? Step inside these pages and experience crazy coasters and soaring stunt planes, a terrifying tsunami and an atomic bomb. You’ll meet characters ranging from heroic Jedi to monsters of all varieties; sprinting soccer stars to a malicious doctor who eats his patient (who happens to be a chicken). Join us for a trip around the world: listen to nature singing in harmony in the peaceful countryside of Ostfriesland, Germany; run barefoot across a beach in Busan, Korea; dodge the noisy traffic of a street in Vietnam; sample a soft pineapple mooncake in Hsinchu, Taiwan; and wrap yourself in the dangers and charms of New York City. Prepare to mourn the tragic deaths of a lovely butterfly and a lonely wolf; then console yourself with music as relaxing as blankets and comforting as pillows. Along the way, watch out for wayward Frisbees and the sun about to crash into the earth. Hold your breath as you’re blasted with ash from that erupting volcano and sprayed with the seeds of an evil tomato. But who needs a shower when you have liquid sunshine leaking over you?

  Created by fifth-grade students, Sunshine Leaking features poetry in a variety of styles, from free verse to diamond poetry, tanka, and haiku. Proceeds from the sale of this anthology will benefit Josie’s Angels, a nonprofit organization that provides food, education, and a secure living environment for impoverished, abused, and at-risk girls in the Philippines.

  Buy Sunshine Leaking for Kindle: http://bit.ly/SunshineLeaking

  Better than Cotton Candy

  Are you ready for a world tour? Within these pages you can watch a Chinese New Year dragon dance, go snowboarding at Mountain High in California, experience Christmas in the Philippines, spend money on fun in a video game center in Odaiba, Japan; catch shrimp in Australia, and play soccer at Sacramento’s Don Nottoli Park. Step into the Amazon rainforest to hear a croaking frog as loud as a car engine and onto the streets of Taiwan to be serenaded by a putrid-smelling trash truck that plays Beethoven’s “Für Elise”.

  You’ll have the opportunity to sample such delicacies as spiky giant crabs, milk tea, tiramisu, spicy curry, dried squid, and fizzy melon soda. Here you can visit a garden to meet zombie-fighting plants and see for yourself how war can be like a broken ATM. Take a break by an icy lake that reflects the stars’ smiles like a sheet of glass. While you’re waiting for the morning sun, wrap yourself in the night, the most beautiful blanket in the world; but don’t let your dad’s raucous snoring ruin your sleep. Finally, beware of insubordinate monkeys, the horrors that lurk in a messy desk, and that house-crushing hailstorm. See the journey through to the end and you’ll discover the one substance on earth that is better than cotton candy!

  Proceeds from the sale of Better than Cotton Candy will benefit Taiwan Sunshine, a nonprofit organization that provides support and encouragement for families of disabled children in Taiwan.

  Buy Better than Cotton Candy for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/cottoncandy

  What's that Noise?

  What’s that noise?

  It’s the laughter of friends, the boink of a cute kangaroo, the click of umbrellas opening as we splash home through the rain. It’s the piercing whistle of Chinese New Year fireworks, a clarinet as loud as a siren, waves from the endless teal ocean crashing on Dundrive Beach. It’s a squeaking hamster, the beeeep of a whistle announcing a victorious end to a basketball game, and jazzy music welcoming us to the lobby of a ski resort in Hokkaido, Japan.

  What’s that noise? It’s the sound of happiness.

  Created by fifth-grade students, What’s That Noise? features poetry in a variety of styles, from free verse to diamond poetry, acrostics, and haiku. Proceeds from the sale of this anthology will benefit Heart for Africa, an organization that provides food, clothing, shelter, health care, and education to orphans and vulnerable children in Swaziland, Southern Africa.

  Buy What’s That Noise? for Kindle: http://smarturl.it/thatnoise

  Connect with Me Online

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor

  Facebook Book Page: http://www.facebook.com/princeofalasia

  Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnieDouglassLima

  Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads

  Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia

  Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com

  Sign up for my mailing list so I can let you know when new books are available: http://bit.ly/LimaUpdates

  I’m deeply grateful to the following people for their advice, suggestions, and editing expertise: Frank and Carolyn Jordan (Grandpa and Grandma – I couldn’t have done it without you!), David Bergsland, Patricia Porter, Melinda Pinto, Kessie Carroll, and William Woodall.

  Thanks also to my fifth grade students at Morrison Academy (class of 2021) and my Friends of Alasia reading club for your helpful feedback.

  Andy Wu, I appreciate your technical expertise and help with my map.

  Finally, I want to thank Floyd, my beloved husband, who has supported me through the writing process and given me the time I needed to put this book together. I could never have finished Prince of Malorn without your love and encouragement.