The Destiny of Amalah (42 page)

Ellora got ready for bed and as she made her preparations, she danced and skipped around and was giddy, as she thought of Kalon and her first kiss. She closed her eyes so that she could remember and see it and feel it all over again and it made her even more excited. She finally climbed into bed but when she found that she was finally comfortable, she was unable to sleep as she thought about the night and what had happened between her and Kalon.

She thought back to the moment she first discovered her feelings for him, and when she first truly saw him; and then to the moment she kissed him and he kissed her back. She was elated that he had reciprocated her feelings but when she could no longer keep her thoughts going of those moment she drifted off into a contented deep sleep.

She woke up early, and hurriedly washed and dressed, before she rushed downstairs to find her sister. Amara was in her study taking breakfast and reading over council documents that needed her attention.

‘Good morning,’ Ellora said happily.

‘Good morning Ellora,’ Amara replied looking at her sister curiously.

‘How are you?’ Ellora asked.

‘I’m interested,’ Amara said with raised eyebrows. ‘Interested to know what could possibly make my sister lose the inability to form a comprehensive sentence and I wonder why she is so very happy at this hour.’

‘Kalon,’ Ellora answered simply before she beamed at her sister.

‘Kalon?’

‘Yes Kalon.’

‘What about him?’

‘I kissed him, he kissed me, we kissed,’ she said excitedly.

‘Kalon! You kissed Kalon?’ Amara said, completely surprised by her sister’s revelation and leaning forward in excitement. ‘Tell me, tell me,’ Amara said smiling.

‘Yes, we kissed, and oh what a kiss,’ she said dreamily. ‘I want to be with him and he wants to be with me.’

‘Since when?’

‘Since yesterday.’

‘I don’t know what to say – Kalon!’

‘Say you are happy for me.’

‘Oh Ellora I am – very happy for you,’ she said taking hold of her sister’s hand. ‘I know and love Kalon and I wish only the best for you both.’

‘Oh thank you Amara,’ Ellora said happily.

‘Does Garrick know?’

‘I don’t know, perhaps Kalon told him already.’

‘Perhaps not.’

‘Let me go and find Kalon and ask,’ Ellora said as she rose to her feet.

‘Very well,’ Amara said, as Ellora turned to go and find Kalon. ’I really am happy for you,’ she said, before Ellora opened the door.

‘Thank you,’ Ellora replied, as she opened the door and left the study.

Ellora went in search of Kalon and eventually found him in the west wing walking along the corridor.

‘Kalon,’ Ellora called.

Kalon turned around and smiled at Ellora.

‘Ellora,’ he said, as he broke into a smile and walked towards her. He took hold of her hand and drew her in close. He smiled his beautiful smile once more and then kissed her tenderly. ‘Good morning,’ he said, as he stroked her hair.

‘Good morning,’ she said softly, smiling back at him as they hugged each other tightly. ‘I was looking for you.’

‘Why?’

‘Mostly to say good morning and to see you.’

‘I’m glad,’ he said pulling her closer to him, as he continued stroking her hair.

‘I told Amara and she asked me if you had told your father and so I just wondered.’

‘Not yet, I’m going to see him now though to tell him. Do you want to come with me?’

‘Really?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then yes.’

The two of them walked hand in hand to find Garrick and eventually they found him in one of the rooms allocated for the guard. He was talking to two officers when the young couple knocked on the already open door. Garrick called them in and they stood to the side until he had finished his conversation; the two guards left, acknowledging Kalon and Ellora on the way out, and Garrick smiled at Kalon and Ellora as they approached him.

‘Good morning son, good morning princess. What brings you here?’ Garrick said pleasantly.

‘Good morning father,’ Kalon began. ‘We came because we have news.’

Garrick looked at Kalon and Ellora with new interest and studied them closely.

‘What news?’

‘Ellora and I – we wish to be together from now on.’

‘Together?’

‘As a couple father.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes,’ Kalon replied, certain of his answer but uncertain of his father’s reaction.

Garrick looked at Kalon and Ellora for a few seconds and the two of them wondered what was going through his mind and then Garrick broke into a wide smile and strode towards the two of them.

‘That is wonderful news,’ Garrick said, hugging his son. ‘I am so happy, happy for both of you,’ he said.

‘Really?’ Kalon asked.

‘Yes really,’ Garrick laughed hugging his son again before he went and hugged Ellora. ‘Does the Empress know?’

‘Yes and she is happy too.’

‘Excellent,’ Garrick replied happily.

The three of them stood in the guards’ room talking about last night, giving Garrick the edited version of what had happened and they talked for a while longer. Garrick was truly happy, he loved Kalon immeasurably and he loved Ellora too; he had seen them grow closer over the last few months and to him, they seemed so right together – so perfect. Ellora was good for Kalon and he was good for her, he thought about them for a few seconds more and he hoped Rakan would also find a good woman one day.

Later in the day, the three of them went to the main dining room and joined Amara and Michael for lunch and celebrated the news of Kalon and Ellora coming together.

What a year it was turning out to be; everything had changed for the six friends, starting with their separation. It hadn’t meant the end of their friendships though, for they kept in touch with each other and they sent each other letters and presents via the riders and whenever they could, they saw each other. Kalon and Ellora, and Waldon and Kenaz had the most contact with each other, as they were all still in Amalah but they hardly ever saw Rufus and Rakan while they were away in Lansten. As time went on, the friends all continued to work hard and play hard wherever they were and they began to realise that their lives were changing everyday.

Kalon and Ellora were seventeen now and Amara, Rakan, Rufus, Kenaz and Waldon were all twenty years old. As the year came to an end, they all reflected on how so much had changed in the time that they had spent apart. Rakan and Rufus had spent much time with Adriel since they had started Lansten. He had gained their trust quite quickly and soon, they began to confide in him – Rakan especially.

That was the problem with Adriel, he rarely lied to begin with, but he never told the whole truth either and when he did lie, they were so credible and so clever, he was rarely questioned but Rakan and Rufus – they didn’t know that – how could they! So there they were, in Lansten learning and trusting the man they knew as Rail; and Rail, as far as they were concerned, was good, for he had so very kindly dedicated so much of his time to teaching them and they learned a lot from him and trusted him and at the end of the Lansten School year Rakan and Rufus passed all of their exams with flying colours and were invited to return back for the second year.

When the school finished they prepared to leave Lansten by the magical bubble that had brought them there and they said their farewells to Rail, before they began their return journey back to Amalah.

‘You have done well this year,’ he said congratulating them, in a farewell meeting he had called.

‘With your help,’ Rakan said.

‘It was my pleasure. Now when you go to Amalah ensure you have plenty of time to holiday and relax, for when you return you will have to work even harder.’

‘We will,’ said Rufus.

‘Don’t tire yourself with magic’s either,’ Rail warned

‘We certainly won’t. I am sure we still will not be allowed to use our magical powers unsupervised,’ Rakan said, becoming quite irked at the thought of being under control again.

‘Do not let it get to you young Rakan,’ Rail said. ‘As I have said before, fear and misunderstanding is usual. Remember you will be back here and when you are, you will be able to practise your magic and powers with a free reign.’

‘I should have a free reign there too.’

‘But that is not the case,’ Rail said calmly. ‘Do not go home to pick a fight, or squabble. Go home to be with your loved ones and celebrate what you have.’

‘I think I’m going to be sick,’ Salwar said, as he let out a laugh from inside Adriel’s head. ‘Adriel the counsellor and humanist!’ he said laughing. ‘If I was in physical form, I would be doubled over with laughter.

‘Could you not speak when I am talking?’ Adriel said back to the voice in his head very annoyed. ‘It’s distracting and it looks like I have tic.’

Salwar went quiet and Adriel went back to his conversation.

‘It’s so frustrating,’ Rakan complained, as Adriel shook off his tic.

‘Yes, I can imagine it is but even though those in Amalah may in some way, be scared of your power. I am sure that your father loves you and only wishes to protect you and keep you safe. You love your father Rakan, do not go home to quarrel with him in the short time that you have in the holidays. You know what you can and cannot do in his home.’

‘I know,’ he said, still irked but Adriel’s words slightly abated his anger.

‘Then go, have a break and enjoy your time and when you return, you can have all the freedom you need with your magic’s,’ Rail promised him.

The two men parted company with Rail and made their way to the snow field where everyone was waiting to be transported back to south west Lansten. The two young men stepped onto the field with their horses and then, shortly afterwards, the teachers worked their magic and the pink transparent bubble surrounded them once again and they began their journey back.

***

In Amalah, Kenaz and Waldon had graduated from the school of the guard and so had everyone who trained with them. For the first time in the history of the guard, two people had won trainee guard of the year and they were of course, Waldon and Kenaz.

The graduation ceremony would not take place for another month and that pleased the two friends, as Rakan and Rufus would still be in Amalah. The two men packed their things and returned to Amalah City; as they prepared to leave, they looked at their training ground with affection and were quite sad to be leaving the place that had taught them so much.

They would only return here for the ceremony and then they would be full time officers in the guard at the rank of Lieutenant. They left the city with a feeling of ambivalence; a part of them was tinged with sadness and another part of them was happy to be going home and happy that most of the people they had gone through training with would be stationed at the palace or in the city. So with those thoughts in mind, they headed home to the city, to be with their family and to their friends.

Chapter 18

Finally – they were together again, the six friends reunited in Amalah. They all arrived at the palace on a late afternoon and once again, all of the families were there to greet them and each other.

‘I have so much to tell you,’ Ellora said excitedly to Rakan and Rufus as she hugged them both. ‘I missed you so much. We missed you so much,’ she added.

‘And we have much to tell you,’ Rakan said, hugging her back. ‘And I missed you too.’

‘It feels as though I have not left in some ways,’ said Rufus. ‘As though being here, now, at this moment, that the time and distance did not separate us.’

It was as though they had never been apart, they hugged and kissed and chatted and it seemed as though nothing had changed between them. Amara came and greeted everyone and they made their way to a dining room where they would all sit down to dinner and enjoy their reunion.

They stood in the room drinking wine and eating small hors d’oeuvres, talking to each other and as time went by, the older adults formed one group and the six formed another and Kalon began to speak.

‘We have news,’ he said quite nervously. The four men looked at him and waited for him to speak and as they waited, Ellora moved to Kalon’s side. ‘Ellora and I, we are together.’

‘Since when?’ Kenaz asked, clearly shocked.

‘A few months now,’ Kalon answered him.

‘Are you happy?’ Rakan asked.

‘Very,’ Kalon replied.

‘And you Ellora?’

‘I am the happiest woman alive,’ she said, looking at Kalon and then at Rakan as she smiled widely.

‘Then I am happy too,’ Rakan said, breaking into a smile as he went to hug his brother and then Ellora. ‘It is wonderful news.’

‘Yes it is,’ replied Waldon as he too went to hug and congratulate the young couple.

Kenaz and Rufus did the same and afterwards the four men talked for a while about Ellora and Kalon.

‘I never expected it,’ Rakan said.

‘I don’t think anyone did,’ Rufus replied.