Sapphire

by Sarah Olson

  I found her in the room she was confined to. She was sitting in a chair by the fire, staring out the frosted window into the blackened and crumbled remains of the fort. She stood quickly when I entered. “Your Highness.”

  Her greeting surprised me. “You may sit,” I said, sitting down on her bed.

  James hated keeping them here, but after he destroyed the fort, he did not have much of a choice.

  “I heard Richard is here,” she said. “Can I see him before you kill him?”

  “I’m not going to kill him,” I said. “My quarrel was not with him and not with you.”

  She looked up, surprised. “So what’s going to happen to us?”

  “Richard is going to be exiled. As for you, it’s your decision.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I spent most of my life without ever knowing the truth of who I was,” I said. “When I found out everyone had been lying to me about who I was and where I came from, it destroyed me. No one turned out to be who I thought they were. I went from commoner to lost princess within a day.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” Rebecca asked.

  “Because I don’t know what Richard told you, and I want to make sure you have the full truth of everything before you decide what you want to do.”

  “Full truth about what?”

  “What did Richard tell you about me?” I asked her.

  She wrinkled her forehead. “Nothing,” she said. “I had heard of you through rumors about being the princess.”

  “He said nothing about how I was engaged to him?”

  Rebecca’s eyes widened. “What?” she gasped. “You’re lying!”

  “I wish I were,” I said. “Didn’t you ever hear of him courting another girl?”

  “I did,” she stammered, “but he told me they were only rumors.”

  “They weren’t. I met Richard at the Autumn Ball three years ago. We fell in love—at least I thought we did. We were engaged and a month later, I found out I was with child. That is when my aunt and uncle told me who my parents had been—a secret that had been kept for my whole life. I told Richard and he would not believe the child was his. He threw me out and his father sent his soldiers after me. They killed my uncle and almost killed me.”

  “I didn’t know any of that,” Rebecca said, tears flooding her eyes.

  I placed a comforting hand on hers. “As I said, I only came here to tell you the truth.”

  She nodded and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.

  “I know it hurts now, but as life goes on it gets better. Trust me.”

  “Is that everything?” she asked.

  “Yes,” I said, “now, it’s up to you. You can stay in Asteria and live out the rest of your life however you want, or you can leave with Richard.”

  She wiped her eyes and looked up at me. “May I see the child?” she asked. “I have to be sure.”

  “Of course,” I said.

  I got up and sent a guard to find Betsy and Aria. After about fifteen minutes, there was a knock on the door. Betsy and Aria walked in hand in hand.

  “This is Aria,” I said as she came closer.

  Rebecca watched her carefully, her eyes becoming glassy again. “She has his eyes,” she said, pain and sadness flashing across her face.

  “When you make your decision, let me know.”

  Rebecca nodded.

  I hated seeing her get hurt by the things I told her, but knew how important the truth was. Had the truth of my parents not been kept from me, I would not have made the same mistakes. It is amazing how much a lie could change everything.

  A week before my coronation, Luther was sentenced before the people, who came from the far corners of the kingdom to witness his death. He was then beheaded before them. When they went to retrieve the queen for her execution, the soldiers found that she had gotten a hold of a dagger and had taken her own life, leaving a note stating that she could not bear the death of her husband or let her death become a spectacle. The nobles were then hung one at a time. James had to talk me out of any guilt I began feeling by reminding me of the sacrifices Mitchell and Robert had made for this victory to be possible.

  On the day that Richard, Emily, and Rupert were being sent away, Rebecca gave me her decision.

  “I’m going with him,” she said. “You may not understand, but when I married him, I made a commitment. I only hope the man I married is still there.”

  “Just remember that you will always be welcomed in Asteria,” I said.

  “Thank you, your Highness,” she said with a curtsy. “I wish you the best of luck in putting it back together.”

  I smiled and had a guard lead her to the carriage that would take them across the Eastern Desert to the Malanese Seaport. Even though James did not want me to, I waited at the palace entrance for the guard bringing Richard.

  When he saw me, he kept his head low.

  “Rebecca knows everything,” I told him. “She knows all about the lies you told her and the things you kept from her. But you will be happy to hear that despite it all, she has decided to be exiled with you.”

  Richard looked up. It was as if he were a different man all together. There was not a trace of the carefree smile I had once loved or the eyes that lit up every time they saw me. They were dead, killed by defeat and the deaths of his parents.”

  “You have a chance for another life now,” I said. “Don’t ruin it.”

  “Take care of Aria,” came his response. “And please don’t lie to her and tell her the general is her father.”

  “I won’t,” I replied. “She will know all about you. I’ve already learned the hard way that lies don’t make life better.”

  “As have I,” he said. “Goodbye, your Highness.”

  It was the first time I had heard him refer to me as that. It was as if he was finally accepting the way everything was now.

  The guards led him to the carriage as others packed it with the few belongings we had allowed them to take. I watched it roll away towards Maplewood Forest, soldiers riding on either side. Within the next week and a half, they would be on a ship heading to whichever destination they chose. I could only hope they would put their pasts behind them and start a new life.

  ☐☐☐☐

  When James came into our room that night, he carried a package under his arm. “I wanted to give you something before tomorrow,” he said.

  I looked at the package and then back at him.

  “Open it,” he prodded with a laugh.

  I pulled off the wrapping and gasped. It was the painting of my mother I had seen in Malan—the one the man did not want to sell.

  “How did you get this?” I exclaimed. “How did you know?”

  “I wanted to get you something special so I asked Charlotte if she knew of anything. She told me there was this painting you had seen in Malan so I sent a few soldiers to track it down and here it is.”

  I was completely taken in by it. It looked so real that it seemed like my mother would come alive at any moment. I placed it down on the table next to the bed.

  “Thank you,” I said, leaning in to kiss him.

  James came forward and brushed his lips on mine.

  “But you haven’t heard the best part,” he whispered into my ear. “I got you that painting so you can hang it in our new home.”

  I pulled away far enough to look at him. “What new home?”

  “The old castle of Asteria,” he said with a smile. “When the citizens of Eagle’s Nest received word Luther had been defeated, they began to restore it for you. It’s just the first step to rebuilding this kingdom back up from the ground.”

  Happiness swelled through my chest as I thought of the musty halls and cobwebbed ceilings—it was all going to come back to life. Luther was gone and now we could fix the things he destroyed.

  I threw my arms around him and gave him a long kiss. “At last we will be home.”

  Chapter 59

  THE DAY OF my coronation finally
arrived. As I stood in the front of the mirror in my coronation gown, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. It had been given to me by a group of women from Eagle’s Nest. Betsy had told me the women in the town worked together to make it. It was breathtaking. The gown was a sapphire blue material with silver lining. It was strapless with a gently dipped neckline that allowed for my necklace to be seen. Sparkling silver designs were embroidered all throughout the blue velvet bodice and a silver ribbon laced up the back. Small silver beads had been sewn into the tulle that was draped over the skirt reminding me of the stars in the night sky. Blue silk wrapped around the skirt covering the tulle and opening in the front of the dress like curtains. A long blue velvet cape with silver embroidery was tied neatly around my neck and dragged behind me. It was absolutely beautiful.

  Today I would stand before thousands and be entrusted with ruling Asteria. It was hard to believe that only three years before I had been a simple farm girl.

  “You look like a queen,” Betsy said as Charlotte handed me my necklace.

  I put it on and watched the sapphire begin to glow.

  There was a knock on the door and Charlotte went to see who it was. “They are ready for you,” she said with a smile when she returned.

  It was wonderful to see Charlotte beaming again. Her stomach had grown immensely and it was only a matter of time before she gave birth.

  I took a deep breath. “Do I look okay?”

  “You look perfect,” she said.

  Betsy opened the door for me and I walked out into the hall. The guards bowed as I passed them and made my way to the grand staircase where James and I would be walking down together. As I reached the top of the stairs, I spotted him. He stood at the end of the hall watching me. A smile formed on his lips and his blue eyes would not leave me. James was dressed in a formal doublet that was the traditional wear of a king in Asteria. The blue of his doublet matched that of my dress and his sword gleamed at his side.

  “You are stunning,” he said as I walked towards him.

  “Thank you,” I said, taking his arm. “And you look incredibly handsome.”

  “It won’t matter how I look,” he said quietly as we reached the top of the stairs. “All eyes will be on you tonight.”

  I blushed and the trumpets sounded.

  “Presenting Princess Layla of Asteria and her husband General James Hamilton,” the herald announced.

  The guests all turned to watch as an old tune that had not been heard in the kingdom since the death of my parents was played. We walked down the stairs arm in arm and then down the aisle that led to the thrones. Sir Nicholas stood proudly at the end. He had been chosen by the council to crown me. I walked to the front and stood before my throne as James stood before his and faced the guests. Their faces were filled with joy, and some with tears. It reminded me of the painting in the old castle of my father being crowned. The warmth of contentment filled me.

  A servant presented my crown, which was silver with sapphires and diamonds, to Sir Nicholas.

  “Princess Layla of Asteria,” Sir Nicholas said. “Do you solemnly swear to uphold the laws and protect the people of the kingdom of Asteria?”

  “I solemnly swear,” I said.

  Sir Nicholas took the crown and raised it over my head as I kept my eyes forward on the crowd. “Then I now crown you Queen Layla of Asteria,” he said placing it on my head.

  I smiled and then turned to James.

  He got down on one knee before me as I took his crown from a servant.

  “General James Hamilton, do you solemnly swear to uphold the laws and protect the people of the kingdom of Asteria? Will you serve beside me as an equal and be a just king for the citizens of this kingdom?” I said.

  “I will,” he said.

  “Then by the power vested in me as queen of Asteria, I crown you King James of Asteria.”

  I placed the crown on his head and he stood, piercing me with the incredible intensity of his eyes. Together, we turned and faced our people.

  “I now present to you,” Sir Nicholas began, “for the first time in history, Queen Layla and King James of the kingdom of Asteria.”

  Our people bowed as one, as James and I sat on our thrones.

  When we were seated they all stood and as one said, “Long live Queen Layla! Long live King James!” They then began to applaud and cheer excitedly.

  I found King Darius, in the front, watching us proudly. He smiled when his eyes met mine. Next to him, I spotted Aria watching us eagerly. A small tiara had been placed on her blonde head and she could not keep her hands from reaching up and touching it. Betsy reached down and tried to stop her from pulling it off her head, but it was too late. The tiara was in her hands and Aria was staring at it in awe. She held it up for me to see and I heard James laughing at her little charade.

  It was hard to believe so many had sacrificed so much for this moment. Here I was with the love of my life continuing the legacy my family before me had created. As I looked out at the people I would be ruling, I did not feel anxious—I felt honored.

  James reached for my hand and took it.

  “Thank you,” I said to him.

  “For what?”

  “For everything,” I replied. “I couldn’t have done this alone.”

  “And you will never have to,” James said. “I will always be there for you.”

  “Promise?” I asked.

  “I promise.”

  Epilogue

  WHEN THE OLD castle was finally restored, James and I took the first opportunity to move into it. It was heartwarming to see life had entered it again, after spending so long exploring it desolate and broken. Sunlight streamed in through the windows and when they were opened, the ocean breeze filled the halls.

  Charlotte gave birth to a healthy little boy she named Mitchell, and moved back to Eagle’s Nest. Tristan became captain of the guard while Raphael became general of the Asterian Army. King Darius returned to his castle in Malan as an ally of Asteria and dear friend of mine. James convinced Davorin to find his family, which he did. He had been wrong when he thought they had not cared when he left King Luther’s Army. They actually missed him and right before the war had begun, they had joined the rebel resistance in their province.

  Betsy moved into the castle with us where she insisted on watching over Aria when I was not able to. Our lives had finally settled down and Asteria was prospering.

  ☐☐☐☐

  I stood on the balcony of our bedroom staring out into the sunset and listening to the water crash onto the cliffs. I watched the waves glitter as the sun’s rays touched them. James came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me resting his hands on my growing stomach.

  “It’s going to be a boy,” he said.

  “And how are you so sure?” I asked with a laugh.

  “I just know,” he said.

  “I guess we will just have to see then,” I said.

  “Mommy! Daddy!” three-year-old Aria exclaimed, running onto the balcony.

  James scooped her up and she gave him a hug. I watched them both feeling my heart fill with joy. We were a family now, the way we were always meant to be.

  “I love you,” I said to James.

  “And I love you,” he whispered, pressing his lips to mine.

  An excerpt from

  Serpent

  Book II of The Asterian Trilogy

  Aria

  The ring glinted in the sunlight as I twisted it on my finger, watching the three sparkling diamonds, and I could not help but smile. This was the ring I would wear for the rest of my days—the ring that proved Thomas' love. Nothing could dampen the joy I felt each time I admired it.

  I leaned against the railing of the balcony and looked down into the waves crashing onto the cliffs far below in a never-ending struggle. I could still smell the sweet scent of the flowers intermingling with the salty air as we strolled through the royal gardens. It was there where Thomas had lowered himself to one knee and asked me to be hi
s wife.

  "I love you, Aria," he had said. "And I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

  Since he had been courting me for almost two years to the day, there was no real surprise in the proposal. Thomas was twenty-two—three years my senior—and the son of a wealthy lord in the Maplewood Forest province of Asteria. Even though his family was pressuring him to marry a royal, I quickly learned that Thomas' courtship had little to do with my status. He had fallen in love with me and couldn’t care less that I was a princess—not that he’d ever be king since I was not in line for the crown.

  "Do you think you will marry him?" my younger sister Juliette asked when I had accepted him as a suitor. She was such a romantic—dreaming of falling in love and living happily ever after. It was amusing since she was only eleven at the time. When I told her that I didn’t know yet, her disappointment was evident.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t like him at the time—I did—I just wanted to be careful. While my mother was more than supportive of our union, there was always an undertone of warning. She had been engaged once after only knowing the man for a couple of months, and things did not end well. She thought she was in love, but was young and did not understand love’s meaning.

  I sighed and squinted out into the setting sun. I was in love with Thomas, and while the two years of courting had been long, it was long enough to for me to think about what I wanted. Now I was to be married at the end of spring in an extravagant royal wedding. After the official announcement the following day, it would be the talk of the kingdom. Tonight was for the governors and lords to celebrate the engagement.

  "Milady?"

  I turned from the sea and found Lydia, my lady-in-waiting, standing in the open doorway of my chambers.

  "I believe it is time for you to dress for the feast," she said with a smile.

  Lydia was a middle-aged woman with rosy cheeks and light brown hair that she always kept up in a bun. She had dedicated her life to my family when my parents took power over the kingdom of Asteria.

  "I believe it is," I said. "Have any guests arrived?"