The Destiny of Amalah (12 page)

‘May the gods bless you on your journey brother Kai, wherever you may go,’ said the Celebrant, as he brought the ceremony to an end.

When it was over, Elana held onto her children and took them back to the palace and the mourners followed. The day was extremely long for Kai’s widow and his children and although the mourners meant well, they made the day even longer for Elana. Eventually Häkan and Garrick began to discreetly usher the mourners away and when the end finally came the three women spent a short time together in the reception room, they did not say much, they did not have to; simply being there was enough. Eventually Amara left her mother and her sister alone and went in search of Michael and when she finally found him she approached him and asked for his counsel.

‘What troubles you Empress?’ Michael asked perceptively.

‘Today while I was walking behind my father’s coffin, I saw a man. I would not have paid any more attention to him had I not seen the look on his face.’

‘What look?’

‘A cold look; most of the people at the funeral showed sympathy or grief or sorrow, but this man did not. In fact his face showed no feeling at all and I doubt that it is capable of doing so. He unnerved me Michael and I know he was not there for me or my father.’

‘What did he look like?’ Michael said, the concern growing within him.

‘A pale man, he was old and bald with cruel glinting eyes with thin lips and a long slim nose and he was dressed in dark clothes.’

‘It couldn’t be,’ Michael whispered.

‘Who?’

‘Adriel,’ said quietly.

‘The Adriel who started the war? He who killed indiscriminately and easily?’

‘We never found a body or confirmed a kill.’

‘But he was old, was he not when the war ended?’

‘But he was also powerful,’ Michael said, gravely alarmed. ‘Wait here!’ he said, almost commanding the Empress; before rushing out of the room. Michael found Garrick, Häkan, Raynor and Thaddeus having ale in one of the guard’s beer rooms and when he opened the door all four men saw the troubled look on Michael’s face.

‘What troubles you Michael?’ Häkan asked.

‘The Empress saw a man today who unnerved her, she described him to me and I am certain it was Adriel.’

‘What!’ Raynor said, putting down his drink as he stared sternly at Michael.

‘Do you really think Adriel could be alive after all of this time?’ Thaddeus asked, looking sceptical.

‘We do not know yet if it truly was Adriel,’ Garrick said calmly.

‘No we do not,’ Michael said, ‘but how many people have glinting eyes, a long thin nose and thin lips and would be indifferent about the death of Kai?’

‘Not too many,’ Garrick admitted.

‘Even if it was not Adriel, it sounds as though the man was hostile to the Emperor, and he could be a friend of Adriel’s,’ Thaddeus said.

‘Or worse, a relative,’ Raynor mused. ‘I hope the gods saw fit to not allow Adriel to produce any offspring.’

‘The Empress awaits us in the reception room,’ Michael said.

‘It has been a very sad and very long day for her today – must we trouble her with this now?’ Raynor asked.

‘Yes we must,’ Michael said rather sharply, causing the others to exchange glances. ‘I know the Empress is grieving but this cannot wait and we cannot act alone,’ he said in a softer tone. ‘I mentioned his name to her and she awaits us.’

‘Very well, let us not waste any further time,’ Garrick said, as he stood up and headed towards the door.

The four walked quickly to where the Empress was waiting, they knocked on the door and on hearing her give permission to go in they entered one at a time bowing and greeting her.

‘Good evening gentlemen, I gathered by the look on Michael’s face and the speed in which he fled out of the door earlier that we are convening this evening for an urgent reason – that reason being Adriel.’

‘You are correct Empress,’ Michael began, ‘and I apologise for my hasty exit but I fear that the man you saw today, was in all probability Adriel.’

‘I know that name all too well,’ said Amara.

‘We never knew what happened to him, after his disappearing act,’ Häkan admitted.

‘Can he be still be considered as a threat after all of this time has passed?’ Amara asked.

‘I believe so Empress,’ said Häkan.

‘He was much older than my father, if my memory serves me correctly,’ Amara said, recalling her lessons from her parents and their friends. ‘Surely he is too old to pose any kind of threat now?’

‘Yes he was much older,’ Michael said slowly; ‘but as you know, Adriel was a very powerful sorcerer who used dark magic. No one knew how he managed to harness such power, but many speculate that he did so with the help of some higher power. Of all the people who could and would survive the war: it comes as no surprise that he was one of them.’

‘And now, for some reason he appears at my father’s funeral,’ Amara said wistfully. ‘Do you know why?’

‘No Empress, I do not,’ Michael said regretfully.

‘Nor do I,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘Did anything change in the last months of my father’s reign?’

‘Not that I am aware,’ said Garrick.

‘No feuds, or rumblings of discontent?’ Amara pressed.

‘Nothing,’ said Thaddeus, as the others shook their heads in agreement with him.

‘Empress, I will send some of the guard out now to try and track him down and if they capture him they shall bring him back to the palace,’ Garrick said. ‘And unless there is anything else Empress, I will bid you goodnight as I recognise that today has been a very sad and difficult day for you.’

‘Thank you Garrick. If the guard capture Adriel then wake me immediately – regardless of the hour; if they do not, then we will convene again tomorrow.’

‘Yes Empress,’ he said and then bowed before leaving Amara’s quarters.

Garrick left hastily and found four members of the guard. He instructed them clearly and soon after, they were riding out of the palace gates to find Adriel.

Amara was left in the company of the four men and they looked at her curiously as her mind raced; she had not even been crowned as the Empress yet and she was already beginning to feel out of her depth, but somehow, she managed to remain calm and think clearly.

‘If it was indeed Adriel, then perhaps he thinks that now is a good time to put any nefarious plans that he may have into action because my father is no longer here.

I know I cannot show any weakness now and I thank you for coming to me with this. I know that you all swore to my father that you would protect me but you cannot do that if I am not aware of what is occurring. I ask that you promise, like now, to do what you have done this night and not to keep the truth from me to try and protect me.’

‘You have my word Empress,’ Michael said without hesitation.

‘And mine,’ agreed Thaddeus.

‘I speak for Garrick and myself, as your friend and Commanders of the Guard; you have our solemn word,’ said Häkan.

‘And you have my word,’ said Raynor.

‘Thank you one and all,’ said Amara, smiling weakly.

‘I think that for now Empress; you, Ellora and your mother should have a guard by your side at all times.’

‘Is that necessary,’ she asked anxiously.

‘It is precautionary,’ Häkan replied.

‘Very well Häkan. I also think that for now, the guard needs to be increased in number and I want them to be present in Amalah city.’

‘Yes Empress.’

‘Thaddeus and Raynor, do what you can to find this man, regardless if he is Adriel. Check with the schools of magic in Amalah and Lansten and use your own powers to find him if you can.’ The two men nodded indicating their agreement. ‘And now gentlemen, I shall retire, it has been a long day and a long night and I therefore bid you good night.’

Amara left the four men and made her way to Ellora’s room and to her surprise, her sister was still awake and her mother was with her.

‘She would not go to sleep until you said goodnight to her,’ Elana said gazing up at her eldest daughter.

‘I am here now, Amara said warmly. She went to her sister’s bed and looked at her sister. ‘Good night, dear Ellora my sweet, sweet sister,’ Amara said, as she bent down and hugged and kissed her sister.

‘Goodnight,’ Ellora said sleepily.

‘Sleep well,’ Amara said, as her sister made herself comfortable and got ready to go to sleep.

Elana bent over her daughter and kissed her again before she rose and left the room with Amara, blowing out most of the candles in the room. Elana walked Amara to her room and stayed with her until she was in bed. She looked at Amara and found it difficult to reconcile her being an Empress and a child at the same time. She hugged her daughter and kissed her goodnight.

It had been a long time since she had put her children to bed especially in Amara’s case but it was something that they all needed that night. When she had said goodnight to Ellora and Amara she made her way to her new room and went to bed. Tiredness quickly overcame her and her eyelids became heavy and soon she was sound asleep and in that sleep Elana dreamed of Kai and the happier times that they had shared.

A new day began in Amalah and it was one that started with a tone of melancholy. Amara called the council to an emergency meeting and told them of what had happened the day before and as expected they were all deeply worried. They were divided as to the identity of the man, but although some took comfort in the fact that the man’s identity had not been confirmed, the worry remained at the back of their minds. The guard had returned in the early hours of the morning and had found no sign of Adriel.

‘Let us not take any drastic measures at this stage. We must remain calm and vigilant and above all, do not speak of what has occurred here to anyone,’ the Empress commanded.

The council adjourned and went about their duties with a heavy heart and troubled mind, for most of them knew of Adriel’s powers and his wicked deeds, and for the rest of the day they – and Amara – had only one question at the forefront of their minds: had the troubles begun again and was Adriel really back?

Chapter 9

Many days passed by and there was no sign of Adriel anywhere in the nations. The council begun to relax again but Amara and the five men still felt some unease however, they soon turned their thoughts towards the upcoming coronation.

Amara hoped that she would rule as wisely as her father, as did the people. Most of them had faith in her and the council who surrounded her for they had surrounded her father and had advised him well.

On the day of the coronation, the people who lived and stayed in Amalah rose slowly and languidly and began to make their way to the streams to wash and find inns and bakers to have breakfast so that this new and exciting day could truly begin. As the day wore on, Amalah grew more crowded as people from the surrounding nations arrived in the City.

In the palace the mood was mixed as the staff continued to make the last minute preparations for the coronation. Elana had continued to grieve in private and only her children brought her any kind of comfort but today, her mood lifted as she began to look forward to the day ahead.

In the early hours, Amara had a final fitting of the dress that she was going to wear, the palace workers decorated the palace and the cooks and bakers began to prepare a feast and as they prepared their foods the palace was soon filling with delicious and tempting aromas that began to waft through the palace.

The guard had also begun to move out of their sombre mood as they polished their ceremonial dress and boots ready for the big day. The good mood was contagious and soon the city of Amalah was swept out of its grieving lull and the city began to buzz once again as the people milled around in anticipation of the ceremony that would take place.

That night was special to me, there were other nights in time that were special but that one really was. That’s when I began to realize that I loved humans, I loved your spirit so much, the people had lost their Emperor and they had mourned that loss and now they were doing him the greatest honour by going on with life. It was then I saw your capacity to change and your resilience and how you were determined to go on. I know things got darker for you as time went on but you never ever lost that spirit, no matter what occurred and that night was the first night I really and truly saw it.

Amara was in fairly joyous mood, it was her day and she was going to enjoy it: more than that, she was going to bask in it. There had been much sadness in Amalah of late but now the tide had turned and although she missed her father dearly, she was now able to take the first step to going on without him and so were the rest of the nations. Miraculously the people’s mood had changed. Within a week, they had gone from sombre and silent to excited and nervous and all of them were curious about their new Empress to be and the day that lay ahead.

Amara sat bathing in her quarters, thinking of the day ahead. She smiled to herself, wondering what the future held for her, Ellora and her mother. She climbed out of the bath and wrapped herself in a large towel and made her way back to her bedroom where her maids were waiting to help her dress.