The Destiny of Amalah (26 page)

‘I love it,’ he said quietly. ‘Thank you.’

‘No – thank you, you have been at my side and made the dark days light and the light days lighter. I thank you for everything you’ve given me and done for me so far. I could not have travelled the nations without you and I would not have wanted to.

Now that we are back home, I want you to know that I appreciate everything you do for me, for Ellora and for Amalah. That you are in my thoughts and heart everyday and you are more than my adviser, you are my friend and I am proud to call you so.’

‘Empress,’ he said, as a lump began to appear in his throat.

‘Amara,’ she said correcting him.

‘Amara,’ he began. ‘Thank you, it truly is a beautiful gift and a beautiful thought and deed and I am honoured to be your friend,’ he said, genuinely touched by her gesture.

She touched his hand and held it for a while as she looked him in the eye and then smiled.

‘I truly am glad you are here Michael.’

‘As am I,’ he said as he placed his hand on top of hers and held her gaze. ‘I
will
remain at with you Empress, do not fear,’ he said squeezing her hand.

‘I am glad.’

The two of them stayed in the moment for a while until Michael let go of Amara’s hand gently.

‘I will leave so that you may rest before tonight’s banquet.’

‘Thank you.’

Michael smiled at Amara before he turned and left her in her room and once he had gone, Amara found her nightclothes and after removing the clothes she had been travelling in; she slipped into them and got into bed. She looked around her room and wondered if she would be able to sleep in broad daylight but when she turned her head to the side and closed her eyes, she fell asleep before she could give any thought to that question.

She awoke a few hours later to see that it was early evening and that the sun was just setting. She got out of her bed and rang for a maid to attend to her and once she had pulled on the long corded rope, she sat at her dressing table and brushed her long mane of black hair while she waited. Eventually two maids appeared at the door, they knocked gently and after being given permission, they entered the room and bowed at Amara before speaking.

‘Good evening Empress,’ they said in a chorus.

‘Good evening,’ Amara replied smiling at her maid.

‘We have just prepared a bath for you if you wish to bathe, and your dress for this evening is laid out.’

‘Thank you,’ Amara said standing up.

She went to the door that was by her dresser and opened it, she stepped through it and entered her bathing room; there in the centre of the room, was an enormous marble square bath that was more akin to a swimming pool.

Amara removed her nightclothes and stepped into the milky bath that had been prepared for her. It was hot to the touch and aromatic to the senses, she breathed deeply and quietly as she sat and relaxed in the water, which quickly relaxed every muscle in her body. She sighed with pleasure as the water and the oils worked to soothe and relax her and she wished she could stay there for an age but she knew she could not, so she enjoyed the short time that she had, soaking in the bath and letting the water untie the knots in her muscles.

The maid handed her a sponge after a while and Amara washed herself and her hair. Amara eventually stepped out of the bath and made her way to the crude shower device and showered out the oils and soap from her hair and body and when she was done, the maids wrapped her in a long white towel and escorted her to her room.

They helped to prepare her skin and then dress her and when she was dressed, they did her hair and makeup. When they were finished, Amara stood up and slipped on a pair of chic black sandals and once they were securely on her feet, the maids led her to the mirror and there, Amara saw herself in a long pale blue satin dress, with her hair in an elegant chignon and small roses elegantly placed in it. Her make up was done to perfection and she gasped and then smiled approvingly at how she looked.

‘Every time you dress me for these occasions you outdo yourselves,’ she said happily to the girls.

‘We are so happy that you like it Empress,’ Daisy said.

‘I love it,’ Amara said as she reached for Daisy and kissed her on the cheek and then kissed the others in turn.

Amara stood at the mirror and looked at herself, she was in awe of the girls and how they always managed to make her look this way. She was still smiling when Ellora knocked and entered and when she saw her sister she stopped still and her eyes widened.

‘Amara you look beautiful,’ Ellora said, taken aback at her sister’s appearance. ‘Truly, truly, beautiful.’

‘Thank you.’ Amara smiled. ‘So do you,’ Amara said approvingly. ‘You really are turning into a woman now,’ Amara said, looking at her sister and the figure that she had constantly kept hidden away in her play clothes. ‘A very beautiful woman,’ Amara finished, as she appraised her sister up and down.

Ellora had always been and still was, a bit of a tomboy; she was always wearing trousers, baggy tops and boots, and her hair in a ponytail but that was mainly because she was always around the boys and the six of them were always adventuring through the palace and Amalah. Tonight though was different, tonight she wore a long white dress and her beautiful mane of long curly black hair was worn down; she was in no way an ugly duckling but tonight she truly was a swan. The two women looked at each other and smiled and Amara took hold of her sister’s hand and smiled.

‘Are you ready dear sister?’

‘Yes I am,’ Ellora said jubilantly.

‘Then let us go be the belles of the ball.’

The two women left the room with the maids behind them, they walked hand in hand to the bottom of the stairs were Michael was waiting. He stared wide eyed when he saw Amara coming down the stairs and he looked at Ellora and saw that she too was growing into a beautiful young woman.

‘Empress; Princess, the two of you look absolutely beautiful this evening – very stunning indeed,’ he said sincerely.

‘Thank you,’ Amara said.

‘Thank you,’ Ellora said, after her sister.

‘May I escort you to the Great Hall now? Everyone is seated and awaits the guest of honour.’

‘Please do,’ Amara said happily.

Michael stood in between the two of them and they each placed an arm through his and he led them to the Great Hall and when they reached the entrance, silence fell upon those who were already seated. They turned to see Amara, Michael and Ellora at the entrance and stood up and on command, the guard began to play trumpets along with a harp and other stringed instruments, and when the music started, the three of them walked along the aisle of the Great Hall towards the top table where Garrick, Häkan, Thaddeus, Raynor and the council were already seated.

When the three of them reached the table Michael pulled Amara’s chair out for her and waited until she was seated before he did the same for Ellora and then he took his seat next to Amara and along with everyone else on the table, he sat down. The rest of the people in the Great Hall sat down at their tables and when everyone had taken their seats, the maids served them the beginning of the banquet. Amara began to talk to Michael and Ellora and everyone else on the table and soon all the tables were talking happily and merrily eating and drinking, and the Great Hall was filled with the din of happy people and their banter.

When the meal came to an end, Garrick stood up and gave a speech welcoming the Empress back home to Amalah and the people in the Hall cheered and raised their glasses to the Empress. Amara then stood up and graciously acknowledged Garrick and those who had worked to keep Amalah running. She thanked Michael, Gaerwen, Häkan and Raynor and everyone who had journeyed with her to the nations and then she thanked everyone in the Hall and the people who had lined the streets for welcoming her home and for dining with her tonight. Her speech was met with thunderous applause and when Amara sat back down the entertainment began.

The entertainment was splendid and there were: jesters, jugglers, dancers and sorcerers who entertained the guests for a good part of the evening. Soon the tables and chairs were cleared away and the Great Hall became a dance hall and when the time came, the Empress rose and partnered with Michael to take the first dance of the evening and when it was over, the dance floor was filled with hundreds of people, who danced together in twos or in groups.

Ellora went in search of Rakan and the others and found them rather quickly and they all looked at her in astonishment when they saw her.

‘Ellora you look fantastic!’ Kalon exclaimed.

‘Yes you do,’ Rakan added.

‘You look gorgeous,’ Kenaz said smiling and winking at Ellora.

‘Beautiful,’ Waldon added.

‘Spectacular,’ Rufus said lastly.

‘Thank you,’ she said happily.

‘Will you dance with me?’ Kalon asked, having plucked up the courage to ask her.

‘Of course I will,’ Ellora said happily.

She walked towards Kalon and he took her hand and led her to the dance floor and everyone on the dance floor that saw Ellora and Kalon dancing together, thought they were beautiful and charming children.

The party had now spread to the halls and up to the balcony lounge; wine and ale flowed freely and as the hours passed by, everyone was merry and having a good time. Amara and Ellora were certainly the belles of the ball and they had many men and boys asking them to dance. Ellora danced with all of her friends in turn and then left the Hall with them to venture the party and socialise. Amara left the Hall too and made her way to the balcony lounge where she engaged in more conversation with Michael and her guests.

The first to tire out that evening was Ellora and then Kalon and as Garrick had been taking care of the children for the last nine months, he escorted both of them to their bedrooms and then bid them goodnight before returning to the party.

In the early hours of the morning, the party began to die down and the guests began to make their way home or return to their guest bedrooms. Soon, only the boys, Michael, his friends and the Empress remained. The four boys retired first, followed by Amara and once they had gone, Michael and his friends made their way to the tower where one of the officers’ bar was.

They helped themselves to some mead and began to talk at length, telling each other of what had taken place over the last nine months. Michael, Häkan and Raynor told of their travels that they had taken with the Empress; where they had been, what they had seen and done and what they had learned and the people they had met.

‘Truly amazing,’ Thaddeus said in awe of his three friends.

‘I have seen much of the world but it was not in peace time,’ Garrick said ruefully.

‘You should see it,’ Raynor suggested. ‘So much has changed over the years and for the better.’

‘I will,’ Garrick said with resolve.

Garrick recounted the story of Kenaz being frozen to the others and they were wide eyed one minute, gasping the next and moments later, roaring with laughter; especially when he told them about the children suggesting he become a piece of furniture for future use. The five men were laughing so hard it hurt and some of them had tears in their eyes and they laughed even more, when they found that Thaddeus had been thinking the same thing.

The five men eventually left the tower in the morning and when they departed, they were in high spirits and good humour, although they were all extremely tired and feeling the effects of the mead that they had consumed throughout the night. They retired for the morning and crept through the now silent palace and made their way to their rooms or to their houses just as the sun was beginning to rise.

Amara awoke mid morning and it took her a few moments to realise that she was now in her own room and at home in the palace and “it felt good to be back,” she thought to herself. She outstretched her arms and yawned and she looked around her room a couple of times before she got out of bed. She went to her dresser and then brushed her hair and covered it with a leather cap and made her way to her shower room. She took a long shower and then dressed herself, before making her way to the main kitchen where she found a maid who promised to bring her breakfast to the balcony.

When Amara reached the balcony she was pleased to see that a breakfast table had already been made up for her. She sat down and picked up the glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and drank it slowly, enjoying how refreshing it was. She looked out of the palace and took in the view, which never ceased to inspire her, regardless of how she was feeling.

The maid interrupted her train of thought and served her breakfast and shortly afterwards, she was joined by Ellora, who refused the maids offer of any more food having already eaten. The maid left the two women alone to catch up. Amara and Ellora chatted happily for a few hours catching up with each other, swapping stories and laughing with each other and at the end of breakfast, the two women went their separate ways.

Amara worked hard all day, she had administrative duties to attend to, she had to meet with Häkan and Garrick and she had to convene the council; not to mention arrange a new schedule for her own education and her teachings with Gaerwen. At the end of that long day, Amara was exhausted; she had been highly efficient and had managed to get everything done but there was also tomorrow to attend to, which brought with it a new set of tasks but for now she was content that she had finished work for the day and she spent the evening with Ellora and then Michael, before she retired for the night.