The Future King’s Love-Child (16 page)

Two crowns, two islands, one legacy

A royal family, torn apart by pride and its lust
for power, reunited by purity and passion

The islands of Adamas have been torn into
two rival kingdoms:

TWO CROWNS

The Stefani diamond has been split as a
symbol of their feud

TWO ISLANDS

Gorgeous Greek princes reign supreme
over glamorous Aristo
Smouldering sheikhs rule the desert island of Calista

ONE LEGACY

Whoever reunites the diamonds will rule all.

Turn the page to discover more!

The islands of Calista and Aristo have always been a temptation to world powers. Initially this was because of their excellent positions for trading and the agricultural potential of Aristo’s luscious, fertile land. The discovery of diamonds on Calista in the Middle Ages made the kingdom a target for invaders.

The kingdom passed through the hands of many foreign powers throughout the ages. Originally part of the Ancient Greek Empire, Adamas then came under the control of Rome from 150 BC onwards. Following the fall of the Roman Empire approximately four hundred years later, the islands were annexed to Byzantine control.

It was not until Richard the Lionheart seized Adamas in the twelfth century that the family of Karedes, local island nobility, was installed on the throne. When the republic of Venice briefly took control in the fifteenth century the Karedes dynasty continued to rule as mere figureheads.

Thereafter followed a period of struggle for the royal family. The Ottoman Empire claimed the islands in the sixteenth century and they were forced into an exile that lasted nearly two hundred years. When the Turks finally sold the islands to the British in 1750 the royal family was finally reinstated but the kingdom did not gain its independence until 1921.

The death of King Christos in 1974 marked the end of the kingdom of Adamas. The islands have functioned under separate rule ever since.

Diamonds have been prized since the dawn of human history for their unique qualities. The jewels were first discovered in India in 800 BC, and brought to Europe by Alexander the Great five hundred years later.

In 1477, Mary of Burgundy became the first known recipient of a diamond engagement ring given to her by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria. This begins the history and tradition of diamond engagement rings.

The Koh-i-Noor and the Hope diamonds were brought to Europe in 1631. In 1792, the Hope Diamond was stolen from the French crown jewels during the French Revolution. In 1851, The Koh-i-Noor diamond was re-cut to one hundred and five carats for Queen Victoria (Empress of India). This famous diamond is part of the British Crown jewels.

In the medieval period, a beautiful pink diamond was discovered on Calista, and used in the Karedes crown to symbolise the power of the Karedes’s rule. The jewel became known as the Stefani (meaning: Crown) diamond. It quickly took on a deeply symbolic role in the kingdom of Adamas. Believing that their power resided in the stone, the Karedes family vowed that it would never leave
their hands. If the jewel was lost, their kingdom would fall. The existence of this diamond fuelled treasure-hunters’ dreams for centuries, but no other diamond of any size was found on Calista until the 1940s.

In 1972, faced with increasing tension from his kingdom, the islands of Aristo and Calista and with family pressure, King Christos announced that after his death the two islands would split. In the presence of his children Anya and Aegeus, witnessed by the court, Christos declared:

“You will rule each island for the good of the people,
and bring out the best in your kingdom, but my wish is
that eventually these two jewels, like the islands, will be
reunited. Aristo and Calista are more successful, more
beautiful and more powerful as one nation, Adamas.”

After King Christos died in 1974, the one Stefani diamond was split into two, to form two stones for the coronation crowns of Aristo and Calista and fulfil the ancient charter.

The island of Aristo

The island’s name itself means best – and it certainly lives up to that as a holiday destination! The sunny climate and beautiful coastline have made it a favourite destination for jet-set holidaymakers. It is an incredibly rich principality, a world-renowned financial centre and provides tranquil luxury and a decadent party scene, complete with fabulous restaurants and nightclubs, a golf course, a marina and a casino.

Things to see

Don’t miss the impressive Royal Palace in the centre of the island, just inland from the bay of Apollonia. The beautiful old quarter and port of Messaria are well worth a visit – especially to spend your casino winnings in fabulous boutiques! Long white sandy beaches on the north-east coast are banked by fertile plains. A number of fabulous tourist resorts are dotted along the north-east coast where the rich and famous can relax in five-star hotels and spas, or in gated mansions with infinity pools, private tennis courts and landscaped gardens. If your taste is more for city life, enjoy the ultra-modern city, Ellos, where high-rise corporations reach for the sky.

Things to do

Ellos is packed with exclusive bars, restaurants and spas and is famous for its glittering nightlife. The Grand Hotel is the centre of Ellos’s nightlife – don’t miss your chance to spot celebrities in its fabulous restaurant!

The island of calista

Calista (meaning: beautiful one) is the destination of choice for more laid-back tourism. The sleepy island is an unspoiled paradise with an understated tourism industry. In contrast to neighbouring island Aristo, Calista has a hot, dry climate and arid terrain. The central portion of the island is entirely desert and inhabitants reside on the more hospitable north-facing coast. As its agricultural prospects have never been great, the island has retained its stunning natural beauty. Famous for the wealth of diamonds below the surface of the rock, the main river Kordela is also source of glittering diamond deposits.

Things to see

Modern Calista has an intact historical centre called Serapolis which is still the beating heart of the city. It retains a strong middle-eastern influence both culturally and architecturally and noisy, colourful markets fill the labyrinth of winding streets. Don’t miss the beautiful Royal Palace.

Things to do

You’ll pick up bargains and enjoy some delicious street food in the marketplace of Serapolis. Explore the Azahar desert – on the back of a camel for the intrepid – and spend a night in an oasis. Walk the diamond fields and try to find your own glittering stone as a souvenir of your stay in this peaceful place. For an injection of glamour and luxury, visit the new town and resort of Jaladhar.

A hastily scribbled note to Andonis, grounds keeper at the Royal Palace, from Princess Anya:

Andonis,

It is all over. I have lost our baby because of Aegeus. My
brother discovered our affair and he was angry – so angry
that he hit me. I fell and now our child is gone, Andonis.
I cannot bear it. My brother has ruined everything. I will
never forgive Aegeus for the hurt that he has caused, but our
love is cursed. We cannot be together
.

Anya

Aegeus to Lydia, his maid, in 1974 on the death of his father:

Dearest Lydia,

Love, you must put me from your mind. Forced by duty
and by circumstance, I must go through with my betrothal.
Tia deserves better than this, but my family and my loyalty
demand this farce of a wedding
.

It would be better if you were to go to Calista for now. I
don’t trust myself to remain near you and remember my duty.
We must part. But come to me in Aristo every year on the
anniversary of our wedding. It is not enough. It will never be
enough. Wear the diamond for me
.

I know you will understand, my beautiful Lydia. It is a
son’s duty and the king’s command
.

Yours eternally,

Aegeu
s

MELANIE MILBURNE

says: “One of the greatest joys of being a writer is the process of falling in love with the characters and then watching as they fall in love with each other. I am an absolutely hopeless romantic. I fell in love with my husband on our second date, and we even had a secret engagement, so you see it must have been destined for me to be a Harlequin Mills & Boon author! The other great joy of being a romance writer is hearing from readers. You can hear all about the other things I do when I’m not writing, and even drop me a line at: www.melaniemilburne.com.au”

Read on for our exclusive interview with
Melanie Milburne!

We chatted to Melanie Milburne about the world of THE ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES. Here are her insights!

Would you prefer to live on Aristo or
C
alista? What appeals to you most about
either island

I would definitely like to live on Aristo! All those resorts and beaches and majestic buildings such as the Karedes Palace and secluded hideaway.

What did you enjoy about writing about
The Royal House of Karedes?

I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing them develop as they realised their destiny, in particular Sebastian who had so much responsibility and pressure on his shoulders. Cassie was one of my favourite heroines as she was so courageous and her love for Sebastian had withstood almost impossible odds.

How did you find writing as part of
continuity?

It is always an amazing privilege to be part of a continuity, knowing you are amongst brilliant authors and that you have been specially chosen to join them. It’s quite daunting, in fact!

When you are writing, what is your
typical day?

I am quite a disciplined person (some would say obsessive!), so I like to get all my other tasks out of the way before I write. I swim first thing and then catch up on e-mails and do any shopping that needs to be done, plus take my dogs for a walk. I
usually write all afternoon with lots of breaks for cups of tea and cookies.

Where do you get your inspiration for the
characters that you write?

I am a voracious reader and a people-watcher, so I guess I would have to say a combination of life and reading, both fiction and non-fiction. Often it is just a phrase I have read that triggers a “what if” question in my head and then away I go.

What did you like most about your hero
and heroine in this continuity?

I loved Cassie’s spirit that in spite of all she had suffered had not been broken. I loved Sebastian’s self-sacrifice in that he was prepared to give up his right to the throne for the woman he loved.

What would be the best – and worst –
things about being part of a royal dynasty?

I have a friend whose sister is a princess so I know how hard it is to have any real privacy. It would be so difficult to have hundreds of cameras thrust in your face all the time and not have any normalcy in your life. No ducking out for a coffee and a quick browse through the shops, for instance. But then a handsome prince more than makes up for it, right?

Are diamonds really a girl’s best friend?

No, I think a loving partner who stands by you no matter what is a girl’s best friend. Diamonds are definitely a bonus though!

Who will reunite the Stefani Diamond
and rule Adamas?

Don’t miss the next book in the fabulous
ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES:

R
UTHLESS
B
OSS
, R
OYAL
M
istress

B
Y
N
ATALIE
A
nderson

From boardroom to the boss’s bedroom!

Princess Lissa Karedes, socialite and renowned party-girl, has been packed off to Australia to learn the meaning of work!

But billionaire James Black, her wickedly sexy new boss, has different ideas.

He won’t be treating her any differently just because she’s royal. But he is tempted to break a golden rule and bed his assistant! Lissa is dreadful at business… though there’s no denying she’s giving him pleasure! However, when she nearly costs him his reputation, he issues her an ultimatum: she’s banned from his boardroom, but welcome to take a permanent promotion…
to his bedroom!

Turn the page for
an exclusive extract!

JAMES LEANED back in his chair, rubbed his face with both hands and then ruffled them through his hair. The flight from Kuala Lumpur had landed just after five this morning and he’d come straight to the office, showering and changing on site. He’d already caught up on most of the essentials and now he desperately wanted another coffee and something more substantial than a rubbery in-flight muffin. He’d read the paper and relax for ten.

Thankfully he heard sounds of movement in the office outside his door. Good. His secretary must have arrived. A little later than usual but he didn’t mind – she was the best there was – usually.

He picked up the papers he’d been skimming earlier, grinning as he walked to the door.

“Bridge, did you break all your fingers and thumbs or something? The typos in this report are appalling. I can hardly read it.”

He looked up from the page he’d been chuckling over and stopped on the threshold, stared at the stranger rising from behind the desk.

She was tall, she was dark, she was stunning,
she was…

“Not Bridget,” he said stupidly.

“No.” Her voice was quiet but firm, with a foreign lilt and a tinge of guilt to it.

And in that one beat he lost all power of thought – couldn’t process a thing. Could only look at the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. The only word remaining in his brain was, “Wow!”. It seemed to take an age for his heart to beat again. When it finally did, he walked closer. The colour in her cheeks seemed to rise higher with every step he took nearer.

“I’m –”

“Princess Elissa.” He remembered now, kicking the grey cells back on. He’d told her brother he’d give her a job. He’d forgotten that in the hype of the conference. She must have been here in Sydney at least a month already?

He couldn’t help himself – kept staring and stared some more. He’d seen her photo countless times in papers, magazines, on telly. But this was the first time he’d ever met her in person. He’d never thought she’d be such a stunner in real life – so often these model types were actually a disappointment up close, without the benefit of tons of makeup, accentuating lighting and airbrushing. But in truth no photo could capture the dancing lights in her dark eyes, or the richness of colour in her long brown hair. Hair that invited the touch of fingers, and that would feel like silk brushing across skin. And nothing could prepare anyone for the perfection of her body – both slim and curvy, womanly and tantalising.

“Bridget is on holiday. I was told to work up here while she’s away.”

James nodded, still too busy processing her presence to be able to speak much.

“I’ll re-do that report.” The colour in her cheeks was deeper, she wouldn’t look him in the eye, and as she held out her hand for the document, he saw it shook a little.

It brought him back to reality. A smidge of compassion made him feel the need to give her some sort of excuse, to ease her embarrassment. “Some of the buttons on the keyboard are probably different in Europe.”

She looked up at him then, for just a second before looking back down to take the report. Apology shone in her eyes and something akin to – panic?

“Must be.”

Fascinated, he watched the dull red splotches spread over her lightly golden skin, his fingers itched to trace over the patterns – to see if it felt as hot as it looked. Then he realised he was still holding onto the paper that she was trying to take back. He let it go and in the same instant turned away. He’d been staring a little too long. But it had been a bit of a shock – she really was something else. Hell, he must be more tired than he thought – damn jetlag.

He shook his head, wanting to flick away the haze. But all he could see was red – the colour of temptation. It was interesting how someone who must be so used to scrutiny still had an allover body blush like that. It never showed in the photos of her. It must be airbrushed out.

He retreated into his office and told himself to get a grip. Intriguing blushes or not, he didn’t want her taking up any of his brain space. She was way too beautiful for him – the kind of woman every man would want and one who would want the attention of every man. And he wasn’t one for sharing.