Despairing Tides (Fate's Intent Book 12)

Chapter 1

Seth

It’s been nearly two years since the Great War. Our days of peace proceeded with apologies from the other nations and the world was whole again. Cadence was at my side through it. Wherever she went, I went. It became routine to have us join them on missions like there was never a question if we wanted to go. Even our mothers came to terms with the idea and they no longer worried—well, openly. They were still our mothers so technically they would always worry.

It was early spring in Randal. The trees started to leaf and the flowers had begun to blossom when I’ve seen my mother look the most worried yet.

She walked into the dining hall while we sat for breakfast and my father took a verbal notice. “Love? What is it?”

“Jaylyn.” Mother held out her hand and tears began to gather in her eyes.

At this point, we were all becoming a bit worried and Jaylyn immediately got up from her chair to go to her. “What is it?” Mother leaned into her ear and told her something but we could only hear Jaylyn’s response. “Don’t worry. We’ll leave right now. Get what you need.”

My mother nodded and walked out of the dining hall like she didn’t have time to wait.

“What is it?” Zayden asked.

“It’s Aleksander. He’s sick and I have to go with Adele to Dorlin. We should only be gone for a little while.”

“No.” Troy said as he stood up. There was a pause as he looked around at the rest of us and we all nodded to the idea. “We’re coming with you.”

“Everyone? Then who’ll be in charge if we’re all gone?”

“We won’t be gone that long.” My father said. “The people will manage. Besides, Aleksander is family and we should be there. We’ll take the portal.”

“Fine. Come on.”

She turned and walked out and we quickly got up after her to the portal.

“What’s going on?” My mother asked.

“What’s it look like? We’re coming with you.” Father said.

“All of you?!”

“We’re not letting you do this alone.”

“All right. Open it. We have to get there quickly.”

She was obviously trying to keep her emotions under control and my father took off his crown to open the portal.

Nothing was happening.

“What’s it doing?” Mother asked, panicked. “Why isn’t it working?”

My father sighed and I think I already knew the harsh truth. I was right. “It appears the portal has been closed from the other side.”

“Why?”

He sighed again and we all let him be the one to do it. My mother was going to lose it when she heard this. “He doesn’t want to be healed.”

Tears came from her eyes instantly. “No! We still have to go there, Zayden! You have to take us now!”

“Okay, Love. Calm down. We will. Seth?”

“I’m ready, father.”

“We’ll get the horses after we change for a longer trip. This is now a mission.”

Everyone turned right from the portal with a new plan and we headed upstairs to dress appropriately for the mission.

We headed to the stables afterwards where attendants had prepared the horses for us and we rode out of the city before my father and I could take everyone the fast way once we were outside the walls.

I was determined. I wouldn’t want to see my mother’s reaction if we didn’t make it in time. There was no stopping, just one straight run to Dorlin.

Chapter 2

Adele

We didn’t reach the walls of Dorlin until the next morning but I thanked Zayden and Seth for not stopping. My father’s life was at stake here and I had to help him, whatever it took.

We all got off the horses when we reached the palace and Trever was right there to greet us at the gate like he could hear my mental screaming miles away. “Good, you made it. Come with me. There’s not much time.”

I nodded and walked with Trever to the King’s room on the second floor with the others following behind.

“You must be very quiet. He’s been overly stubborn towards recent visitors.”

“Just let us in.” I said. “We’ll take care of it.”

Trever nodded as he opened the door and entered first. “Father. Adele made it. She’s here to see you.”

The others and I walked over and surrounded the King in his bed. “Father? It’s me.”

He slowly opened his eyes and turn his head to me while breathing very slowly. His voice was faint as he held up his hand to my face. “Adele.”

I smiled as I took it and held it tightly. “I’m here. Everything is going to be just fine.”

I looked up at Jaylyn and she walked over to his other side. He noticed instantly. “Jaylyn.”

She gave a slight smile and touched his face. “You need not to worry. You will feel better again.”

She moved her hand from his face and was about to put it on his chest but he stopped her by grabbing her hand with what strength he had left. “No. Not this time.”

Jaylyn was confused as she looked up at me. I was worried Zayden’s explanation for the portal being closed was true and tried to get him to change his mind. “Father, you must let Jaylyn heal you.”

“No, Adele. This is how it was meant to be. I’ve lived long enough.”

“Father, no.” I couldn’t hide my tears.

“You must not cry for me, my daughter. For my life has been lived to its fullest and there is nothing left for me here.”

“Yes there is. What about me? I still need you.”

“You don’t need me. You haven’t from the day you met Zayden and I knew it.”

“Father, I—”

He put up his hand to silence me and it still worked after all of these years. “This was my choice. Only I can make it.”

“Don’t do this.”

“Everything must come to an end. Wars and peace will always come and go as even people have their ends. You cannot change this fate.”

“What shall you have me do?”

“Be strong for me—to make the right choice.” His breaths became weaker and I couldn’t hide what I was feeling. “And know that I will always love you.”

In his last dying breath, my father closed his eyes and seemed at peace. Everyone around him lowered their head in his honor and memory but I put my head on him and cried openly.

Zayden was there and took my arm. I was breathing heavily. I didn’t want to leave my father’s side but Zayden finally got me away and I turned into his arms to bury my face in his chest. He seemed to be better at this than me. In fact, I heard all the other women in the room crying but the men must have sucked it up to remain strong for us. We needed them to. My father was dead and I felt as though life couldn’t go on.

Chapter 3

Zayden

Within minutes of his death, word was sent and the entire city was mourning the loss of King Aleksander. Those of us closest to him gathered in the great Temple of Kings that afternoon for the ceremonial burning of his body. I remember what it was like for me to do this with my parents but this was much different because we wouldn’t let Adele be alone through this. She needed everyone and we were here for her.

We stood around a large stone slab as Aleksander’s body was placed upon it and bundles of dry wood surrounded him. Adele had gone passed the stage of crying grief as she stood emotionless by my side, looking upon her father. There was nothing more we could do but just be here but I knew deep down she appreciated it.

Being the King’s advisor, Trever stepped forward and began the ceremony with the opening speech. I’ve only seen him once in the past two years and he seemed to just get over Bianca’s loss, only to now have to deal with another. “We are regrettably gathered here today to celebrate the life of Aleksander Cornelius Balwin. The greatest leader as a General this country has ever seen but more so as a King. His time with us has been a joyous time as it will be forever missed in the coming days as we lay his body to rest today and free his soul to that greater place. Yet may we always remember him in life as the challenger as his measure of strength and courage for his country never failed and his lessons never forgotten. Aleksander was the father of many things as I’m sure you can all agree, he was like a father to all of us in some way, at some time, through some form of teaching but no more so than one of us as we share in the feeling of this loss. So, let us now express those feelings and thoughts as this is the time they should be shared.”

There was a pause as everyone looked around at each other, not knowing if someone was going to speak up. Adele still stood as still as ever with that emotionless look on her face and I felt I should say something. I started to speak while I looked upon Aleksander and the others held their heads down and just listened. “What defines a man? Is it the swing of his sword or the strength in his back or the courage that keeps him moving forward or maybe it’s his will to always do what’s right? No. It’s not any of those things. It’s the place in his heart to forgive that defines a man as Aleksander has shown me a long time ago. He saw fit to look passed what I was to the better in me and changed the outlook on my life. He saw what would become of me as I’m sure he saw what was to become of him and he’s watching now, listening to our praises and sorrows. Thinking that no one was a luckier man than I, to have some many who care and that he did because we all care. Though he has been taken from us, his love and memory can never be as we say not our final good-byes but a solemn farewell until we meet again.”

Everyone continued to hold their head down and I was enlightened by my own words. I truly meant every word. Adele continued to stand still, looking upon her father but then finally turned and took a burning torch off the wall. “Remember to hold my place beside you, father.”

She held the torched to the wood until it caught fire. She handed it off to her right and I took it to do the same. I then passed it to my right and the torch went around the circle so they would all get a hand in freeing his soul to that other place where he’ll forever reside in eternal peace.

We watched endlessly. After a while, others started to leave until it was just Adele and I remaining.

She probably would have wanted to spend the rest of her days in here and I know I was going to have to get her to move somehow.

“Come. He’s free now.”

I took her arm and she slowly started to let me turn her and we walked out through the main burial hall where the ashes of Kings to pass rested upon a statue of their former being. A statue of Aleksander was brought in and Adele had us stop in front of it, looking up.

“He’s had it made for a while now.” I said. “I think he knew it would have been done in time.”

“This is all still too hard to believe.” She said for the first time.

“I know it is. When my parents died I—”

“They would be proud of you now as I know my father is proud of me.”

“I know. Everything happens for a reason. Let us see what Fate wishes to become of this.”

Adele slightly smiled to agree with me and we turned away from Aleksander’s statue to join the others just outside of the temple. Adele held up her hand to guard her eyes from the sun. “For such a joyless day, the sun yet again chooses to shine upon us.”

“As it shall in the coming days.” Jaylyn said. “Even though our hearts are hurting, Fate is letting us know that the future proceeds to be bright for all of us.”

Adele smiled as she walked to Jaylyn and they put their arms around each other. “Come. Let us leave this place and leave our sorrows with it. There’s nothing more we can do here.”

Everyone agreed as we followed back to the palace.

When we got inside, the head chairman of the royal council approached and bowed before Adele. “My Lady. May I speak openly?”

“Of course.”

“We have reviewed your father’s will and he has left everything in his possession, including the throne, to you but he has also requested that you may be permitted to decline such offering and select a replacement.”

It wouldn’t be a hard choice. I’m sure she knew very well who would be her replacement. We all knew.

“Give me some time.”

“As you wish.” The head chairman bowed his head and turned away.

Adele turned around just after and looked at Trever with a smile. “Let’s talk.”

He sighed and we all went into the dining hall.

“Well?” Ruby wondered.

“This is going to be an easy choice for me. Since I already knew that this throne never belonged to me, I’m going to give it to whom it does belong to and he knows.”

She smiled as she looked over at Trever and everyone turned their heads to him. “Yeah, great. This day came too quick.”

“Not soon enough, if you ask me.” Jaylyn said.

Of course Trever was ready to retaliate but a heavy wind blew open the doors to the dining hall. My eyes widened when a familiar figure appeared before us at the other end of the table. “I do hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Father.” Adele said softly. “You’re—you’re—”

Aleksander’s transparent form laughed. “Young again? Yes. Apparently in this life you get to choose how old you wish to be as long as it’s not older then when you arrived.”

“But how is this possible?” Adele asked. “I thought the elders forbidden traveling between our worlds.”

“They did but now that I am one of them, I’ve stressed the importance of this crossing. They have seen things that will come of this world and I have brought one of them with me so that he may steer this country in the right direction.”

Trever lowered his head like he already knew and Jaylyn looked over. “What is it?”

“Father.”

Jaylyn gasped and she quickly turned her head up to the door. A slight haze filled the room and her father’s transparent figure appeared next to Aleksander. “Ah, my children. Look how you’ve grown.”

Jaylyn was getting shaky as she fought back her tears and Troy took her hand. “It’s all right.”

Her father gave her a slight smile as he walked around the table towards her. “You know how this works, Jaylyn. You’ve seen it before.”

“Not in a long time.”

“This shouldn’t be such a shock. You’ve known I’ve always been here and always will.” He reached out his hand to her face and it reformed its color to stroke her cheek. She let out her breath as her eyes closed and a tear escaped to her face. Bryce wiped it away. “Crying won’t help.”

“So, what exactly have you seen?” Trever cut in.

His father turned his attention to him and his mood immediately changed and got serious. “Things that will come if you don’t take your place. Aleksander’s death provided fuel for the winged-lion’s rage. If you don’t hold up to what was agreed during his last visit, he will take your place. That will be bad for everyone you care about.”

“And I’ll die, I already know that.”

“Maybe but you won’t be joining us. You’ll be lost to both world’s forever and we don’t want to see that happen. You have but two moons to make this right as I could not or he’ll come and it’ll be for the last time.”

It sounded like bad news to any of us but then Bryce cranked his head all the way to the left, looking down towards Aleksander and paused as his eyes started to narrow. Aleksander saw the look on his face and walked to him. “Bryce, what is it?”

“Trouble. The Black Witch is approaching the gates.”

“What does she want, Ellie?”

“That will never change but she wants something else. We have to go.”

“Wait!” Jaylyn shouted but before she could get out another word, her father disappeared.

“I’m sorry.” Aleksander said. “There isn’t peace everywhere.”

He vanished and everyone sat in silence.

“Does someone want to explain what the fuck that just was?” Seth asked. “Are the dead at war or something?”

“Ah, it’s a long story.” I said.

“Well, good. We have all day.”

Everyone looked around at each other and Adele sighed. “Yes. They are at war.”

“You mean a bunch of dead people are fighting each other?” Dirk wondered. The rest of the younger generation laughed at his comment but we just sat stiff with serious looks because we knew it was true. “Okay, then what’s the war about?”

“There are three sides.” Adele explained. “The neutrals. All the ones that chose to stay out of the fight and remain untouched. The league which consists of the ones you just saw and mostly everyone close to us. Then there’s the Dark Ones. They’re people who’ve held their hate from this world and choose to fight for power.”

Lana let out a quiet chuckle. “But isn’t that pointless? Why fight if you’re already dead?”

“They don’t fight with weapons. In the afterlife, everyone has powers but they have them all. Some are stronger than others and they use them against each other. The Dark Ones have been more determined than ever to take control of that world when they discovered Ellie.”

“Who’s Ellie?” Naomi asked.

There was a pause and Adele shared a look with Jaylyn and took a deep breath. “Ellie is a child. She was born of royal blood and because she is a child, her heart is pure. It hasn’t been corrupted by war, making her powers strongest of all. That’s why the Dark Ones want her, so they can use her to destroy everyone else to gain full power.”

“Wait a second.” Seth cut in. “A child of royal blood? Whose? Yours?”

Adele shook her head. “No. She’s a child of true royal blood which means she was born of a true royal.”

Jaylyn was clearly getting upset through this but she answered to only to add to everyone’s confusion. “She was mine.”

They looked shocked but no more than Bryce. “What?! You had another child and you never told me?”

“That was a long time ago.”

“What happened to her?” Cadence asked, her voice filling with sorrow already.

We looked at Jaylyn and she tried to keep her poised outer shell. We could see passed it to how she was really feeling and Troy rubbed her back. “Are you sure you’re okay to talk about this?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She pulled back tears of the past to keep her dignity. “She died when she was four.” Cadence, Lana and Naomi all awed in sadness at the same time but Bryce continued to sit in a dead silence while he listened. “This was when we were coming back to Seni to make peace and we left her with Kole’s witch of a mother.”

“Ooh, who’s Kole?” Lana asked as she leaned forward on the table.

Jaylyn laughed by her reaction. “Um—that’s a little complicated.”

“Oh, not really.” Ruby cut in. “Kole is Ellie’s father.”

Cadence and Naomi both gasped and Lana leaned back. “Ooh, awkward.”

“Kole, really?” Bryce sighed as he pushed back his chair and started to get up. “That just makes this worse.” He stood up from the table and started to walk away.

“Bryce!” Jaylyn called but he kept going. “Perfect.”

“It’s all right.” Troy said. “I’ll go.”

Jaylyn didn’t say anything and Troy went out after him.