Awakening (Telindell Book 1) (13 page)

Lyssa pulled away, smiling.  “Having you here with me, of course.”

Lian chuckled and shook his head.  “It doesn’t seem real, does it?”

“What doesn’t?” Lyssa asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

Lian tilted his head and looked around.  “Just all of it.”

“Meaning?” said Lyssa.

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Lian while he began to grin.  “We’re the descendants of an ancient hero, Kane is a wolf who is smarter than most people, and my mother--”

“And what about your mother?” asked Lyssa, interrupting Lian with an intimidating glare.

Lian shifted his eyes and looked away.  “Nothing.”

Lyssa continued to glare.  “I am your mother, and if you want to eat, I strongly suggest you open your mouth.”

“As you wish, mother.” said Lian while he smiled.  He stepped in to Lyssa and picked her up, causing her to gasp.  Lian chuckled lightly.  “My mother hasn’t aged a single day since I found her, and I love her more with each passing day.”

Lyssa giggled and struggled against Lian, forcing him to put her down.  “What am I to do with such a strong and mischievous son?”

Lian looked to Kane and raised an eyebrow.  “Feed him, and his faithful best friend?” said Lian, looking back to Lyssa hopefully.

Lyssa smirked and shook her head.  “Come in, both of you.”

A few hours passed while the three ate, conversed, and laughed.  Lian spent every moment he could with Lyssa, trying to make up for the twelve lost years.  Lyssa stood and walked around the table collecting dirty dishes.

Lian took a deep breath.  “Mother, what was my father’s name?”

Lyssa paused for a moment then took Lian’s plate.  “We have spoken of this before.”

Lian sighed.  “Why won’t you tell me of him?”

“Because,” said Lyssa, shaking her head.

Lian snorted and stood.  “I deserve to know my name!”  Lian glared at Lyssa.  “For years I was called ‘Lian No-name’ and a bastard!”

Lian’s words echoed through Lyssa’s mind.  She dropped the dishes.  The sound of glass shattering against the tile floor led to a moment of silence.

Lian walked to his mother and wrapped his arms around her.  “Mother, I’m sorry.”

Lyssa began to sob as she wrapped her arms around Lian.  “You have nothing to be sorry for,” said Lyssa, her voice low and sorrowful.  Lyssa pulled away from Lian and sat down at the table.  “Sit. I’ll tell you of him.”

Lian shook his head.  “You don’t have to.”

“Please,” said Lyssa.  Lian nodded and sat down next to her.  Lyssa struggled to smile.  “You know that your father was a hunter and tracker,” Lyssa said as she wiped away her tears.  “What you don’t know is what happened to him…”  A pained expression overtook Lyssa’s face.  “And why I will never say his name again.”

Lian looked upon his mother and shook his head.  “What happened to him?”

A slight smile of satisfaction crept across Lyssa’s face.  “Elinar killed him.”

Lian’s eyes widened.  He squinted and gritted his teeth, struggling to contain the rage growing within him.  “Why?”

Lyssa smiled slightly and placed her hand upon Lian’s shoulder.  “Calm down.  It isn’t what you think.”

Lian shook his head.  “Then what is it?”

“You know the story of how I fled with you to keep you away from Lord Draken,” said Lyssa.  “They never would’ve found me, if not for him.”

Lian’s mouth dropped open at the revelation of his father’s betrayal.  “Why… Why would he?”

“I don’t know,” said Lyssa.  “He was very vain.  Maybe they promised him riches.  They were scouring the forest behind me before I slipped into Shana’s Pass with you.  When I returned to lead them deep into the pass, they had been slain by Elinar and his Elves.  Elinar promptly asked if you had survived.  I told him no; I was fearful of what they would do with you.  I now regret that decision.”

Lian nodded and held Lyssa’s hand.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t know.”

Lyssa smiled.  “Of course you didn’t.  I just wanted to spare you of the hurt.  You’ve suffered and lost far too much in your life…”  Lyssa paused and sniffled.  “And I fear you may yet find more loss and suffering.”

Lian smiled slightly.  “Don’t be afraid.  Whatever comes…” Lian squeezed his mother’s hand.  “We face it together.”

The days turned into weeks, then months, then years.  Dragon attacks continued to ravage the lands of Kynlynn, and the King’s forces were unable to vanquish the vastly powerful creature.  Roxees enthralled Draken even further while she rose to be his most trusted advisor, much to Elanna’s dismay and distrust.  Roxees sat next to the Lord on her own throne.

Draken shook his head and looked to Roxees.  “It has been six years since that dragon started terrorizing us.”  Draken’s shouts echoed through the throne room.  “And yet the King will not listen to me.  Time and time again, I petition for him to act and nothing!  Just patrols that continue to get wiped out every time that infernal beast shows its wretched head!”

Roxees smiled at Draken.  “Calm yourself, my lord.  Today is to be a joyous day.  Your son is to wed.”

Draken took a deep breath and nodded his head.  “You are right, as usual.”

Roxees giggled.  “Of course I am.”  She looked around the court at all the servants, busy preparing for the ceremony.  “I don’t see Arthur’s plaything.  I’m assuming she did not take being replaced very well.”

Draken shook his head.  “Not well? That is an understatement.  I had her confined to the kitchen for the evening.  She is to be executed if she leaves.”

Roxees smiled maliciously.  “The poor dear.  She did grow up to be quite stunning.  I’m surprised Arthur did not take her to be his wife.”

Draken chuckled.  “She is nothing but common filth.  Her mother and father could not pay their dues, so I took her instead.  Surprisingly, they willingly agreed, unlike some of the others.”

“I see,” said Roxees.  “That is why you are most suited to be King.  You demand respect and your people bow to your wishes.”

“Unfortunately,” said Draken.  “I was not born into the correct family to be King.”

“It is unfortunate,” said Roxees.  “And it is unfortunate that I am going to retire for the day.”

Draken gave Roxees an annoyed look.  “Retire?  The ceremony is beginning shortly!”

Roxees giggled.  “Yes, and they bore me dreadfully.”  Roxees stood and turned to Draken.  “I’m going to fetch some wine from the kitchen and retire.  Besides, Elanna should be sitting here.  She is Arthur’s mother, after all.”

Draken nodded.  “Very well.”

Roxees bowed before the lord and walked across the throne room to a door leading to the kitchen.  “This,” she said to herself.  “Could be the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.”  Roxees entered the kitchen to hear Sarath crying.  “Come out, girl.  I hear you!”

Sarath slowly emerged from the storage area of the kitchen. Her eyes were swollen from grief and her face was soaked with tears.  Sarath’s dark blonde hair draped over her shoulders.  She wore on loosely fitting rags, hiding any details about her figure.

Sarath looked at Roxees, still sobbing.  “Yes?”

Roxees stared at Sarath sternly.  “Fetch me a glass of wine.”

“Yes, my lady,” she said, quickly nodding her head.

Roxees watched the young lady scurry about.  “It’s awful being just a plaything, isn’t it?  And one that was carelessly cast aside, don’t you think?”

Sarath poured the wine slowly.  She started sobbing once again.  Sarath dropped the wine bottle and shattered it on the stone floor.  “I… I thought he loved me,” she said between sobs.

Roxees gave her a slight but seemingly sincere smile.  “Nonsense, my dear.  Think of all those years, even when you were a flat chested child, when he would use you, touch you, and make you touch him.  Those were not the actions of a man that loves you, but the actions of a vile monster.”  Roxees approached Sarath and hugged her.  “Such awful things you were subjected to as a child.”

Sarath laid her head against Roxees’ shoulder.  “Maybe you’re right… I remember hating it when Lord Draken gave me to him.”  Sarath took a deep breath.  “It would hurt so bad.  At first, I suppose I didn’t know what he was doing.”  Sarath pulled away from Roxees while tears dripped from her face.

Roxees placed her hand on Sarath’s shoulder.  “Of course you didn’t.  It doesn’t seem fair, does it?”

Sarath shook her head.  “What doesn’t seem fair?  Arthur is a noble.  He gets his choice, and I am nothing but…” she said, dropping her head.  “Well, I might as well be a slave.”

Roxees slowly grinned.  She spoke slowly and sternly, “It doesn’t seem fair that his crimes will go unpunished.” 

“What would anybody do?” said Sarath.  “He is Lord Draken’s son.”

Malice shined in Roxees’ eyes while she stared at Sarath.  “You should do something.”

Sarath’s eyes widened.  “Me?”  Sarath shook her head and turned away from Roxees.  “If I leave this kitchen, the guards will kill me on sight.”

Roxees smiled.  “They will not see you.”

Sarath stared at Roxees with a confused expression.  “What?  What do you mean?”

“You have been around me enough to know that I possess magnificent power,” said Roxees.  “I can make you invisible.  For a short time.”

“Invisible?  With magic?” Sarath asked in disbelief.

Roxees nodded her head.  “Yes, with magic.  I can give you enough time to make it to Arthur’s room.  There, you can get your revenge.”

Sarath looked at her, feeling a darkness bloom inside her innocent heart.  Sarath squinted.  Her lips trembled as she took a deep breath.  “I want him to watch her die.  Then, I want him to die by my hand.”

Roxees giggled.  “Yes. Yes, that is what he deserves!”  Roxees smiled at Sarath.  “Once you commit the act, the only way out of the castle is his tower window.  You most likely will not survive the fall, but it would be a quick death.  If you remain, the Lord will give you to the guards before a slow, torturous execution.”

Sarath nodded her head before shouting, “Death is better than another night in this awful place!”

Roxees smiled devilishly.  “You shall have your revenge, and you will learn it is best served in cold blood.”

Roxees grabbed a wooden cup, filling it with water, and picked up a piece of the shattered wine bottle.  She pricked the end of her finger and let a few drops of her blood fall into the water.  Roxees closed her eyes and placed her hand over the cup.  Sarath shivered as the temperature in the kitchen dropped to near freezing.

Roxees opened her eyes just as the temperature returned to normal.  She handed the enchanted cup to Sarath.  “When the ceremony begins, drink this.  It will begin working immediately.  You must hurry, though.  You will only have a few moments.”

Sarath nodded.  “Thank you.”

Roxees smiled.  “Don’t thank me.  If he looks at my tits one more time, I’m going to kill him myself.  But I think you deserve this more than I do.  Now, I must be leaving.”  Roxees opened the door to the kitchen, looking back at Sarath.  “Do not disappoint me.”

Sarath quickly nodded.  “I won’t.”

Roxees walked through the kitchen doorway.  “You had best not.  Goodbye, my dear.”

Roxees climbed the stairs to her chamber.  She entered and sat upon her bed.  “If she comes through, Arthur will be gone.  Then, I can deal with his whore of a mother.”  Roxees began laughing maniacally.

Sarath sat in the kitchen.  She stared at the cup and a crude dagger she had found.  She listened intently for the ceremony to begin.  “He’ll pay,” she said to herself.  “He’ll pay for everything.”  Moments later, the castle bells began to ring, followed by the sound of wedding music.  Sarath repeated to herself, “You must do this Sarath, you must do this!”  She raised the cup of water to her lips and drank it all.  She felt a strange sensation come over her.  She closed her eyes and cringed in pain.  Sarath let out a gasp of air as she opened her eyes.  She held her hand to her face.  She could no longer see her hand or the cup.  She looked down.  Her body was invisible as were her clothing and the dagger.  She dropped the cup, opened the kitchen door and ran quickly to the throne room.  She slipped past the guards standing at the doorway.  She saw Lord Draken and Elanna sitting at the front of the court.  Arthur stood in front of them, watching his bride slowly walk down the aisle.  The room was filled with members of Kynlynn’s nobility.  Sarath walked into the room with no one even suspecting she was there.  She looked at the ginger-haired bride walking down the aisle.

Sarath shook her head.  “That should have been me,” she said to herself.  “I’m far prettier, too.”  Sarath felt a single tear drop from her face.  She looked down to see the small damp spot on the floor, then continued on.  She made her way up the tower to Arthur’s chamber.  Sarath entered and quietly shut the door behind her.  She looked at her hands as they phased back into visibility.  “I can’t believe that worked,” she said to herself.

Sarath crouched down and quickly crawled under Arthur’s bed.  She lay on her back, staring up at the wooden planks of the bed.  She waited for what felt like an eternity.  Bells rang once again.  The ceremony was over.  In a few moments, she would have the opportunity to exact her revenge.  Arthur’s door swung open a few minutes later, allowing the sound of passionate kissing to echo through his chambers.  Sarath closed her eyes and listened to the painful sound of passion as her anger swelled.  She heard Arthur slam the door, followed by a satisfying click of the lock.  The bed shuddered as the two sat down.  Sarath gritted her teeth as she listened to them kissing.

Sarath heard something hit the floor.  She looked over and saw the bride’s dress.  “No more!” she said to herself.  “I will kill them now!”  She slowly and quietly inched out from under the bed.  Sarath stood and looked over the two.  The bride lay upon her back, completely undressed.  Arthur kissed between her breasts passionately.  Sarath snarled, tightening her grip on the dagger.  She quickly ran the dagger across the bride’s throat.  Her blood spewed forth and drenched her body.  Arthur let out a gasp as his bride’s blood spurted onto his face.  He quickly rose up looking upon his bride in horror.  Arthur finally looked to see vengeful Sarath standing over him.  Before he could say anything, Sarath rammed the dagger into his stomach.  He gagged on his own blood.

Sarath shoved Arthur into the floor and screamed, “It won’t be quick!”  Sarath slowly walked toward, Arthur, who was trying to crawl away.  Tears streamed down her face while she stared at him in vengeful fury.  “It won’t be painless.  It will hurt!  I promise you that!”

Arthur gasped and gurgled on his blood.  “Help!”

Sarath smiled devilishly.  “There is no help Arthur,” she said calmly.  “You used me.  You allowed me to believe you loved me.”  Sarath took a deep breath and screamed, “Now your ‘plaything’ plays no longer!”  Sarath stepped closer to the dying man.  “You ripped out my heart!” Sarath screamed.  “Now I shall cut yours from your chest, monster!”  Arthur watched as she inched closer.  Sarath kicked him with all of her might.  Arthur gagged and coughed out more blood.  Sarath knelt down, pushed him onto his back and screamed, “Now, feel the pain that you have caused me!”  She jabbed the dagger into Arthur’s chest.  He attempted to scream but no sound escaped his body.  Sarath hacked at his chest.  She reached in and pulled the heart from his body.  Arthur’s pale face grew still in death.  Sarath dropped the heart onto the floor.

The sound of banging began coming from the locked door.  “Son!  Open up now!” said Draken.  “There’s no answer!  Break it down!”

Sarath looked back to the door.  Then, she looked at the heart lying on the floor in a pool of blood.  She screamed and stabbed the dagger into the heart.  Sarath stood and walked to the window.  She opened the window and climbed upon the seal.  She turned just as the door caved in.  Lord Draken looked at his lifeless son lying on the floor.  He pointed and screamed at Sarath.  Sarath turned back to the window.  She spread her arms and let herself fall forward.  Draken ran across the room to the window and peered downward.  He looked at the river in the distance below as he sobbed.  The daughter he had taken away, had taken his son.