The Destiny of Amalah (81 page)

‘You are not going to die Michael,’ she said, trembling inside at the thought.

‘We do not know that Amara,’ he said quietly. ‘Raynor, members of the council all murdered – Kalon too. You saw Santeb and Aradene and we have not fought our last fight yet.’

‘Michael... I…’

‘I know,’ he said, moving closer to her.

As he moved closer to her, the closest he had been, Amara was all too aware of how good Michael smelled; she breathed in and his scent drifted up her nostrils and it excited her and made her tingle. He took hold of both her hands that were by her sides and he held on to them there and then he looked deep into her eyes and as she looked at him, her breath became slow and heavy and she trembled slightly.

He pulled her even closer to him and he bent down slightly and kissed her softly on the lips, he pulled back slightly and then he kissed her again; this time, his kiss became firmer and Amara felt her chest heave and fill with a feeling that she had never felt before and then her knees became weak, she kissed him back and he let go of one of hands and brought his arm around her neck and then ran his hand through her ebony hair. She placed her free arm around his waist and moved in even closer until she was pressed hard against his firm body and she yielded to the moment of her first kiss and what it was doing to her body.

When the kiss was over Michael held onto Amara and she rested her head on his chest; he loosened his grip and moved back slightly and looked into her eyes again. He looked at her with a mixture of love and desire that a man only gives when he loves and wants the woman he is with. Amara felt hot under Michael’s gaze and he broke into a smile that made his brown eyes sparkle.

‘That kiss, it was the kiss that I have dreamed of for so long,’ he said to her as he smiled.

‘I hope it was all that you dreamt it would be,’ she said coyly.

‘It was,’ he said smiling; ‘and more.’

‘Then kiss me again Michael,’ she said, wanting to be in his embrace and kissing him again herself.

Michael stepped forward and happily obliged, he pulled Amara back towards him and kissed her passionately and deeply and she kissed him back. She loved kissing him and she loved being in his strong arms and deep down, she knew she loved him and something inside her awoke. The kiss came to an end and as it ended, thoughts came rushing to Amara’s mind and she became worried. Michael saw the expression on her face and his expression changed to one of concern.

‘Empress?’

‘Amara,’ she said, slightly scolding him.

‘Amara, What is it?’

‘I just...I…’

Michael took hold of her and took her to the settee and sat her down and then sat down next to her and took hold of her hands and faced her.

‘Amara, what is it?’

Amara was hesitant and nervous and she was feeling unsure of what to say and how to say it.

‘You can tell me anything,’ he said genuinely.

‘I…I don’t know how to be a woman for you.’

‘You are the woman for me.’

‘No I mean I don’t ... I’ve never... and...’

Michael knew what she was trying to say and he calmed her fears.

‘Amara my love, you are the woman for me and you always will be. I want you to know that I will wait and I will wait gladly and when you are ready – I know that you will be all the woman I want and need,’ he said tenderly.

‘I hope so,’ she said nervously.

‘I know so,’ he said, cupping her face in his hand. ‘In time my love, in time.’

Michael leaned back and Amara leaned against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. They sat a while and then they took their evening meal together in the study. They talked and ate and held hands and smiled at each other with the twinkle in their eyes that new found lovers have.

The next day, Michael and Häkan prepared for Kalon’s funeral which was to be the day after. All was quiet in the palace, for they knew what tomorrow held and the people went about their day in a sombre and solemn manner. Garrick spent the day with Ellora and the two of them could not bear to be without the other.

Amara spent the day working and every now and then she would think of Michael, she thought of her first kiss and him holding her and she closed her eyes to try and re-live the moment and she wished she could feel him holding her again. Amara worked through the day but she was surprised how distracted she was regarding Michael. The days end finally came and she took dinner alone for Michael was nowhere to be seen, she then returned to her room to read, and a few hours later, Michael knocked at her door and she rose, walked to the door and let him in.

‘Good evening Michael,’ she said beckoning him to come in.

‘Hello my love,’ he said stepping inside and taking her by the waist and then kissing her.

Amara returned his kiss and Michael made his way to her sofa and sat down on it. He grabbed hold of Amara’s hand and pulled her down with him; she smiled at him and he smiled back.

‘You look tired,’ she said sympathetically.

‘I am,’ he said, leaning back and resting his head on the sofa. ‘The arrangements for Kalon, they took all day and most of this evening.’

Amara turned to Michael and ran her hands through his hair and rested her hand on his face and her other hand on his lap. He placed his hand over hers and turned to face her.

‘It was draining. When I think of him, I realise that he is no longer here with us and the grief within me is so acute.’

‘I know.’

‘Garrick must be beside himself.’

‘He is and so is Ellora.’

‘I will never forget that day when I saw Garrick crying for his son and Ellora weeping for her lover. It will haunt me forever,’ Michael said sadly.

Amara put her arms around Michael’s neck and hugged him. He put his arms around her and kissed her on the lips and then kissed her on the forehead.

‘Have you seen Garrick today?’ she asked him.

‘No I have not. He stayed out of sight and away from Häkan and I. He could not face what was going on today.’

‘Nor could I,’ said Amara.

‘Who could ever have thought that we would outlive Kalon? Garrick, Häkan, Thaddeus and I, never thought we would outlive any of the six of you. We hoped that the world would be a wonderful place for you all to be. We fought for peace and to secure your futures – we failed,’ he said miserably.

‘No Michael you did not,’ Amara said emphatically.

‘Look at the world Amara, look how it turned out. The complete opposite of what we hoped it would be.’

‘Through no fault of yours, or Garrick’s, Raynor’s, Thaddeus’ or Häkan’s. All of you and my father fought to change the world, to make it better for everyone and you succeeded. For the longest time there was peace, prosperity and happiness – you did that. It did not last but that is because of Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz – not because of anything you did or did not do.’

‘I am not sure.’

‘I am,’ she said, cutting him off. ‘Salwar and his lackey Adriel are behind this; they are determined to bring us to our knees so that the gods will interfere. Nothing could have been done to prevent it, for we did not know.’

‘Now we do.’

‘Yes we do and now we will make another stand to turn the world back to what it once was.’

‘I wonder if the gods will interfere?’

‘So far they have not.’

‘I wonder why?’

‘Perhaps they do not know of Adriel’s antics.’

‘I think they must.’

‘Then perhaps faith is a two-way thing. We have faith in them; maybe they have faith in us. Faith that, whatever happens, whatever darkness and despair descends upon us we will not give up the fight. We will not give up our humanity and everything we hold dear and nor will we turn our backs on the one thing that binds us all together – love.’

Michael looked at Amara and he scooped her up so that she was lying on his lap and on the settee, he looked down at her and smiled a warm smile.

‘As long as there are people like you my love, then their faith is well placed.’

Amara sat up and put her arm around Michael’s neck. ‘And you,’ she said, before she leaned in and kissed him.

He returned her kiss and held on to her and at the same time he ran his fingers through her hair and when he reached the end of her mane, he held her hair gently in his hands. He loved her hair, it was so soft and silky and it shined in the light, like nothing he had ever seen before. Their kissing came to an end and Amara remained in Michael’s arms and the two of them sat together, happy and content to be where they were; alone and with each other.

The day of Kalon’s funeral finally arrived and everyone in Amalah awoke with a heavy heart. The guard donned their ceremonial dress and swords and the council dressed in their official dress. Garrick and Ellora, both wore black from head to toe. When they had awoken that day, they had wanted to remain in their beds and they had wanted the day to pass them by but they knew it could not. They knew that this was their chance to say goodbye and pay their last respects to Kalon and so they steeled themselves for what lay ahead and with all the energy they could muster, they got out of bed and began their day.

There was to be a service for Kalon at the palace in the gardens and when the time came, the guard filed into the garden and stood to attention. Those who had come to pay their respects, also stood behind the guard: they included the Zulus’ from the village where Kalon had survived the bite of the deadly mamba snake all of those years ago. They were all saddened by the little warrior’s death but they took small comfort in the knowledge that he had died like a true warrior – fighting to the end.

The council arrived and stood in front of the guard and then they were followed by Häkan, Thaddeus, Michael and Amara and then came Garrick and Ellora. They walked together hand in hand holding onto each other and they took one step at a time; to them, it seemed like an eternity as they walked down the aisle to reach the front row.

Ellora had never imagined walking towards Kalon at his funeral; she had only ever imagined their wedding and the thought of what could have been, caused her so much pain and she began to breathe heavily and falter in her step. Garrick squeezed her hand and she took another step forward and then after a few more agonising steps, they were at the front row and they took their seats and when they were seated, everyone else followed suit and sat down after them.

The celebrant stepped forward and began his service for Kalon. Garrick listened to the man talk about his son and his life and about the man he was; it was all so surreal to him, all he could think was: “this is not the way it was supposed to be.” He had pictured himself in the coffin, years from now, when he was old and grey; Kalon and Rakan would have been there too and although they would have been sad, they would still be living. They would be living fulfilling and happy lives and each of them would have a wife and children of their own. That’s how he imagined it, that’s how he wanted it to be and that was what he pictured in his head; over and over again as the celebrant talked.

Ellora did not hear much of what the celebrant said either, she listened to him at first but as he spoke she thought that there was so much more to be said, so much more to Kalon. Her mind flooded with memories of the times she had spent with him. They came flashing back to her and they were so clear and so vivid like a film playing in her mind; she thought of their first kiss, the first time they had made love and the times that they had said they loved each other.

She thought of the times that they had laughed and argued and when they had just held each other, saying nothing just being happy and content and together, and she thought of the times she had posed for him as he drew her, and how he had seen all of her, not just the contours of her body but also what was deep within in her soul and he had captured it all in the sketches he had made of her. Those thoughts, they made her happy and they stopped her from looking at Kalon in his glass coffin and so she kept them coming: the kissing, the laughing, hugging, the quiet time together while he was sketching her and their love making. As she thought of him, she looked down and made sure that she did not make eye contact with anyone and when the celebrant finished his service, Ellora was still thinking of Kalon and was locked in her own world until she became aware of Garrick talking to her.

‘Are you ready Ellora?’ he said, looking searchingly at her and then at the aisle.

She looked up at the celebrant who was leaving the Dais and then back at Garrick; she nodded a few times and then stood up. Garrick also stood up and the two of them left their seats and made their way to Garrick’s home, where the celebrant would hold the funeral. Kalon was to be buried next to Sarah, it was what Kalon and Sarah would have wanted and Garrick knew it.

The six waited at the front of the palace and two horse and carriages arrived. Garrick, Ellora, Amara and Michael got into one and Häkan and Thaddeus into another. The carriages turned and slowly made their way to Garrick’s house. Both carriages were silent as everyone remained lost in their own thoughts. Amara held Ellora’s hand and hugged her every now and then and Michael looked on his friend Garrick. Michael looked intently at Garrick and Garrick nodded a slow nod, acknowledging that he knew Michael was there for him if need be. Garrick looked at Michael for a few seconds longer and then turned to look out of the carriage window so that he could remain looking at no one or nothing in particular.