Princess of the Emerald Valleys

by Cassandra Finnerty

  The surgeon continued. “This is a warning shot. You need to eat well, and I recommend that you rest for at least a week.”

  “I understand, Patrick. Thank you.”

  He motioned to the prince on his way to the door. “Try to find out what occurred right before she fainted. This seems like a case of extreme stress.”

  Drayaen nodded. “I appreciate your help,” he said in a low voice. As the surgeon disappeared from view, the prince wondered what event could have created such a reaction in his unflappable wife.

  He sat on the side of the bed, and held her hand. After awhile, he climbed in next to her and pulled her close. “Everything will be fine. I’ll make sure of it,” he murmured.

  It was the middle of the night when he moved his arm across the blankets, and felt an empty space. He sat up, and saw her sitting at the desk.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  He held out his hand. She sighed and climbed back into bed. Her tensions eased as he ran his fingers through her hair.

  “What happened earlier?” he asked, in a casual voice.

  “I received a threat.”

  “From whom?” he said, as he bolted upright, his calm demeanor shifting into agitation.

  She sighed. “It’s upsetting to talk about.”

  “Tell me,” he insisted.

  “King Gardari.”

  “How?” he demanded.

  “Through one of my daggers. He appeared, and we had a conversation.”

  “From Insula?”

  “No, he was with his fleet, in Amsterdam.”

  “And?”

  As her eyes became misty, he regretted his tone. Even to his own ears, he sounded like a military general, barking out orders. “I’m sorry, I know it was disturbing.”

  She nodded. “He’s threatened to have you killed.”

  The prince wrapped his arms around Aisling, and spoke in a deep, soothing voice. “He’s tried to hurt us before, and all his attempts have failed.” He could feel her inhaling deep breaths. “We need a plan, that’s all.”

  “I’m so worried.”

  “I know, but this is what he wants. I’m sure he delivered warnings to throw you off balance. He’s laughing right now, thinking that you’re cowering in a corner somewhere. Let’s not give him the satisfaction.”

  She sat up. “You’re right. He does specialize in spreading vicious lies and rumors.”

  “More than anything, you need to restore your health.”

  “You don’t mind overseeing the fleet while I’m resting?”

  “Not at all. Remember that everything I do will be in our best interests.”

  “All right,” she said. “In the morning, I’ll tell Ryen and Sean that you’re in charge.”

  “Fine, that’s settled then. Let’s get you back to sleep.” He pulled her next to him, and they lay in the dark, listening to the sounds of the wind and the sea.

  The prince and Ryen huddled in the planning room.

  “Is Aisling all right?” asked the first officer, as he clasped his hands.

  “With uninterrupted rest, she should be fine, according to Patrick.”

  “That’s a relief. In her absence, I’ll help you any way I can.”

  “Good,” said Drayaen. “That’s appreciated. You’ll be in charge of the ship. I’m not a navigational expert, and you do a superb job of managing the crew. There is something I’d like to discuss, though.”

  “What is it?”

  “We won the last battle with King Gardari, but he’s more enraged than ever. It seems he’s directed his hostilities at us.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He’s made threats to Aisling.”

  “What can we do?”

  “Prepare for another confrontation.”

  “When?”

  “It may be later this week. The princess believes that King Gardari may be in Amsterdam. My intent is to hunt him down before he returns to Insula.”

  “What about our ammunition and supplies?”

  “In spite of our last skirmish, we’re well stocked.”

  “I’ll tell the crew and re-chart our course.”

  “Let the Cara know as well. We’re on full alert, until Gardari is defeated.”

  As Ryen hurried down the deck, the prince thought about Aisling. No one could threaten his wife and get away with it. The king has declared his intentions, thought Drayaen.

  He vowed to unleash a fury that his enemy would never forget.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  ACROSS THE MILES

  Aisling replayed her encounter with the King of Insula. She tried to dismiss the vile exchange, but it remained in the foreground. Aside from the obvious threats, she was bothered by his capabilities. If I can transport others to a different location, she thought, I should be able to use my swords to establish a dialogue with others.

  While the prince worked with Ryen and Sean to supervise the fleet, she retrieved her Book of Magic and tried to make sense of it all.

  After a few hours, she fell asleep, and had a dream. She was talking with the other members of the secret society, asking them to help defeat Gardari. As the group blocked his ability to do harm, the sovereign became infuriated. Aisling could hear his screams and rants.

  She gasped for air and woke up, rattled by the vivid images. After propping herself up with pillows, she rifled through her manual and searched for solutions. At last, she came to a paragraph that seemed to hold the key.

  Alone, it’s difficult to stand against evil, but if the powers of good form a coalition, the vile will be defeated.

  She had her answer.

  It wasn’t enough to have a covert society of members who all stood alone. They must coordinate their activities to defeat those who defected to the dark side. This was what the wizard meant when he talked about forming alliances. It was about a collaboration of positive force. Together, they would be able to conquer all their enemies.

  Aisling flung back the covers and retrieved her daggers. She had to practice first, she realized, in case anything went wrong. I’ll contact the Nawab, she thought. He doesn’t have his wand, but perhaps there’s a way to get through to him. If the attempt was successful, then it should work with those members who had a sword, she reasoned.

  She summoned her third wand. “I command a conversation with the Nawab, using my saber as the intermediary.”

  Heavy mist swirled over the instrument. As the fog cleared, there was an image. It was her friend from India, sitting in his garden. Aisling recognized the landscape from her trip to the estate the previous year. As she moved her dagger to glimpse the background, it appeared he was alone.

  “Nawab, this is Princess Aisling. Can you hear me?”

  She saw his startled expression, as he looked around him.

  “I’m not with you in person, but I can see you through my magic wand.”

  He smiled, and became animated. “It’s wonderful to hear from you.”

  “Nawab, we don’t have much time. King Gardari has waged war against the secret society. If our members are known to each other, we can fight him.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea. How can I help?”

  “Your stepmother has been working against you. She must be stopped.”

  “I’ve suspected this for a long time.”

  “You need to act now.”

  “I will.”

  “Other members will also take action against the King of Insula. If each one of us fulfills our obligation, he will be defeated. Connect through the wand if you need to reach me.”

  “Goodbye, princess,” he said, smiling.

  It was the first time Aisling had seen him look happy.

  “Farewell, Nawab, and stay well.”

  She stowed her daggers and leaned back on the pillows, exhausted but elated. The game had changed, she realized. Through her swords, she had instant access to the members, and they could communicate with each other.


  It was a new weapon.

  One that King Gardari would never expect.

  Later that day, Patrick stopped by to see how Aisling was feeling. He gave her some minerals and a sleeping draught. When she awoke the next morning, the prince had already left for the day.

  The sun was shining. Aisling looked out the window at the sparkling waters, the whitecaps churning as the winds floated over the glassy surface. She was excited about her newfound capabilities with the wand. After eating breakfast, she sat in bed with her Book of Magic and retrieved her swords.

  Her first communication was to King Carlos, in Spain. He seemed positive about her idea of a coalition, and agreed to cut off trading agreements with Insula. She also proposed the creation of a private channel to announce new developments in agriculture, science, and medicine, which was met with enthusiastic endorsement.

  She reached out to other members, including those she’d never met.

  Her contact in Prussia agreed to block Gardari from entering the country.

  The representative in the Netherlands expressed gratitude for the prince’s help the previous year with his rescue of the crew from the New Amsterdam. They were all too happy to comply, and signed an order to prevent Insula from conducting trades in their ports.

  In France, the king committed to borrowing money from other sources, so that Gardari would no longer make profits on soaring interest rates.

  When she checked in with the Land of Penge, new advisors were working on behalf of the king to put improvements in place. They had also declared Gardari an enemy of the people.

  As the sun sank into the horizon, Aisling realized that she had never created so many consecutive magical events.

  It had been an extraordinary day.

  It was dawn when Aisling woke. The skies were lit with brilliant streaks of amber, orange, and red. She inhaled a deep breath and looked outside the window. A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her.

  She smiled and turned to face the prince.

  “What have you been doing with yourself?” she asked, her eyes sparkling.

  “I’ve been making a feeble attempt to play commander, but it’s no use. I’m better as a warrior, I’m afraid.” He laughed as he pulled her closer. “I could ask you the same thing. Have you been getting enough rest?”

  “I’m feeling much better, and I have a surprise for you.”

  “What is it?” he asked, turning his head to the side.

  “I have a new ability.” She proceeded to tell him about her plans for the secret society, and her conversations with some of its members. He listened in astonishment.

  “And it hasn’t been too taxing?” he asked.

  “So far, I’ve managed. But I’ve saved the best for last.”

  “How so?”

  “Sit here, and I’ll show you.”

  Aisling retrieved her wand and issued a command. A few minutes later, the instrument sprang to life, and a familiar image surfaced.

  It was King Yi.

  The prince bolted upright.

  “Hello, my son,” said the sovereign. “This is an unexpected surprise.”

  “For me, too, Father. I hope all is well with you and my brothers?”

  “Yes, the drought has ended. The Crown Prince is fine, and I’ve just appointed Zo to the position of military commander.”

  “That’s good news,” said Drayaen.

  “Your Highness,” said Aisling, “I wanted to tell you about some new plans for the secret society.” She related to him the recent updates.

  “That makes perfect sense,” he said. “If I can help in any way, let me know.”

  “You already have. Your potions for treating ship’s fever saved many lives.”

  “That’s excellent. Our doctors will be most pleased.”

  Aisling motioned to the prince.

  “Goodbye, Father,” he said.

  “Farewell to you both,” said the sovereign, as he faded from view.

  The prince turned to Aisling and swept her off her feet. She laughed, as he placed her back on solid ground.

  “You always surprise me,” he said. “I’m amazed at your talents.”

  “I have some help,” she said, gesturing to her wands, “but I’m glad you were able to see your father. It feels strange to be connected, even when we’re thousands of miles apart.”

  As Drayaen glanced down at her burgeoning shape, he took a step back. “I forgot to tell Father than we’re expecting a new member of the royal family,” he lamented.

  “Don’t worry,” she said with a smile. “We’ll surprise him after it’s born. Then he can see the baby for himself.”

  Aisling’s mind raced as she thought about recent events. A new world had opened up, she realized, and there was no limit to what she could do.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  UPROAR

  The next day, Aisling awoke before dawn. She was surprised to see the prince sitting next to her, on the side of the bed. She studied his expression, and braced herself for bad news.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “I’ve been delaying a difficult conversation,” he said, “and can put it off no longer.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’ve been preparing for battle with King Gardari.”

  “But the coalition is moving against him. His powers are diminishing.”

  “You’re the expert when it comes to magic. But the realm I understand is physical. Gardari has amassed an army and a fleet of ships. He’s become a formidable player. I don’t want to underestimate him. Until his assets are decimated, he’ll continue to be a threat.”

  “So what are you planning?”

  “To blast him out of the water.”

  “And you’ve been working on this all week? Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked.

  He looked at her hurt expression, and realized he should have confided in her earlier.

  “I didn’t want to burden you, but I see now I should have brought it up sooner.”

  Aisling sighed, and got out of bed to pace across the chamber.

  “All right, but I’d like to request one condition.”

  “Which is?”

  “I will summon him with my wand. After I speak with him, you can do what you will.”

  “That’s not a good idea.”

  “What’s your objection?”

  “I have several. It’s dangerous, not to mention your health.”

  “The lives of our crew will be at stake, though.”

  “I know you want to confront him, but what if something goes wrong?”

  She grasped his arm. “I have unanswered questions. Gardari may have the answers. I’ve wanted to put the death of my parents behind me for a long time, but I can’t let it go until I know what role he played in their demise. We can combine the magical and physical elements to defeat him, once and for all. Let’s go back to Ireland without any shadows hanging over our heads.”

  He ran his hands through his hair. Every fiber of his being warned of the peril, but as he looked at her earnest expression, he couldn’t refuse.

  “All right. I’m not happy about it, but I’ll support you.”

  She looked up and brushed her lips against his. “Tell me what you’re planning and we can do this together. I may have a strategy for minimizing the risk.”

  They sat at the table and mapped out their options.

  In a matter of hours, thought Aisling, I will be confronting King Gardari.

  They dropped anchor outside the harbor. Aisling and the prince stood on the deck with their spyglasses and scanned the terrain.

  “Is he still there?” he asked.

  “It’s hard to tell. There are several unmarked ships,” said Aisling. “I suspect his fleet is at the end of the pier.”

  “We’ll need to wait until they make a move.”

  “No need to hold our breath much longer. It looks like the ships are leaving port. As they come closer, we can look for any telltale markings.”
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  Their discussion was interrupted as Ryen sprinted down the deck. “The lookout tower has spotted ships from Insula. There’s evidence of fire damage on the starboard side, where we shot the flaming arrows.”

  “Good,” said the prince. “At least we’ve confirmed our targets.”

  As the first officer headed back to his crew, Drayaen turned to Aisling, and grasped her hand. “Be careful.”

  “I will,” she said, as she headed off to orchestrate the most complex magical feat of her life.

  Aisling paced in the Captain’s Quarters, and took a deep breath. I can do this, she thought with determination. I will do this.

  She retrieved her wand and issued a series of rapid commands. In the next moment, she was looking at her enemy.

  He reared back, his brows furrowed. “What do you want?” he sneered.

  “It seems that you’re very powerful. I’d like to know how you do it.”

  He tilted his head as he tried to process her question. “I destroy my enemies, before they have the chance to obliterate me.”

  “Interesting. Is that why you had my parents killed?”

  “Well, since you’re complimenting me on my prowess, I’ll tell you. I told Lord Bailey that I would kidnap or kill you. It seems he didn’t like either option.”

  “What was your intention?”

  “To steal your powers before you inherited them from your father. It didn’t work of course, but I must say it was a relief to be rid of him.”

  Aisling could feel her heart pound as she struggled to maintain a calm demeanor.

  “What about the activities of Lord Thrain? Why send him to Ireland?”

  “He was an able spy. I had great satisfaction blaming the Sons of Tarn.”

  “Is there such an organization?”

  “A few scattered people, here and there. Nothing of consequence.”

  “And the dead person on the beach?”

  “He worked for Thrain. Then the fool grew a conscience and threatened to reveal our activities.”

  “So you had him killed?”

  “One of many.”

  “Why sabotage the Nawab? He never hurt you.”

  “That was Floe’s idea. If he hadn’t told the wrong people about the wand, I’d have it in my possession now. My brother should have finished you off in Spain.” He shook his head. “His people were too incompetent.”