Chapter 19

“Amaya!” Amarei gasped. The queen looked towards the door where the princess stood.

“You’re still alive?”
“No thanks to you,” Amaya snapped. Nikolai appeared behind Amaya.

“YOU!” Amarei yelled. Amaya drew her sword.

“Stay away, Amarei.”

“Relax Amaya, I can handle her,” Nikolai replied.

“Amaya, did he hurt you?”

“NO! Amarei, he loves me! Why can’t you understand that?”

“My son is incapable of love.”

“FATHER!”

“Andrew!” Morgana exclaimed. Amarei glared towards her former love.

“Amarei, love, watch as I destroy our obstacle.”

“Than I’ll kill your new love,” Amarei said.

“Morgana means nothing to me,” Morgana’s blood boiled and she grabbed her dagger. If he does not see only me, than I’ll force him too. Amaya saw the dagger and ran to Amarei distracting everyone.

“I’ll kill Amarei!”

“Morgana, be reasonable! I’ll make you queen of all Dawnacia,” Andrew pleaded realizing Amarei’s plan.

“Queenship means nothing to me, if you are not my king.”

“Doesn’t that sound familiar,” Amaya muttered. Amarei heard her.

“I do not have time for some love affair,” Marcus stated. “Amarei surrender your brat and I’ll make her death swift.”

“You will not harm her.” Marcus looked at his son.
“You dare challenge me?”

“Yes Father.”

“Than prepare to die!” The blades clashed together as father and son faced off. Amaya watched on a prayed Nikolai would be safe. Amarei viewed the situation as well; she saw the look that only a woman in love would have. Amaya really does love him and he’s willing to kill for her, but than what makes him different from Andrew?

Andrew had restrained Morgana now. She easily gave into him as he whispered promises in her ear. Amaya grabbed her little dagger and moved to help her love, when Amarei stopped her.

“It is not your battle, Amaya,” she reminded. Amaya’s eyes darkened.

“You are right, my battle is with you.”

“Battle?”

“You dare forbid me of something that is at the very least moral when your lover is trying to kill me!”

“Former, get the facts straight, and if there was anything I could do again, that would be it!” Amarei swore. Amaya starred at her queen. “You still cannot find it in you to kill me.”

“I do not wish you dead.”

“What is it you wish?”

“To be allowed to love!”

“Amaya I’m trying to protect you!”

“You can’t always protect me.”

“I know that,” Amarei sighed. She knew what tonight would end in. “It doesn’t matter if I forbid you now, your destiny is already set.”

“Destiny?”

“Your mother knew, I suppose.”

“Mother knew what?”

“About your destiny?”

“What about it? This is always so frustrating! We constantly go in circles and you never answer the question!” Amaya screamed. The room froze as everyone turned to stare at the princess.

“I’ll end your circling!” Marcus announced. He made to charge for Amaya but met the tip of Nikolai’s sword. Amaya turned away unable to look at the death. She felt Amarei reach for her and heard Andrew scream. Amaya felt Amarei push her and she turned.

Amaya felt time stop. Slowly ever so slow she saw Amarei’s body fall to the marble floor in front of her. Images flashed through her mind: Amarei waiting to receive her with open arms, Amarei behind her in the garden, sitting on Amarei’s lap with a storybook, the fantasy portrait, Amarei sleeping, watching the sunrise, and so many more finally come to her falling to the ground. Amaya felt her blood run colder than ice and her hands sweat as though she were holding a burning object. She saw Nikolai trying to get up, Marcus’ lifeless body, Morgana, and Andrew the Black Knight. Amaya tightened her grip on her dagger and the one she’d pulled from Amarei’s heart, and than she let them fly. Morgana’s screams were ear piercing and Andrew’s fall caused the room to shake. They were both dead. All the deaths had been avenged, but as Amaya looked around she wondered at what cost.

Amarei lay without air passing through her lips or the light pulsing of a heartbeat. She was dead, but Amaya could not believe it. She leaned down and put her ear against Amarei’s chest like she had when she was younger. The sound was not there, gone, just like the rain when the sun comes out or the stars when the sun rises. It can’t be, Amarei just can’t be dead!

Melaine, Jilliana, Lydia, Chelsea, Peter, and Rupert thundered into the room stopping at once. The knights saw the bodies and knew they’d been to late. Melaine went to the opposite side of the queen’s body and knelt in front of Amaya. The rest of the people in the room followed suit. Nikolai, however, stood and approached his love with effort. He offered her a hand and she accepted but everyone remained kneeling.

“All hail Queen Amaya of Dawnacia and Eveana!” Nikolai announced.

“Long live Queen Amaya! Long live Queen Amaya,” they shouted.

“Dawnacia AND Eveana?” Amaya gasped.

“It was in her will, my queen,” Jilliana answered. “Amarei choose you as her heir.”

“BUT I CAN’T BE THE QUEEN! Don’t you see? Amarei will come back! I know it!

“No I will not.”

“AMAREI!” Amaya exclaimed. Amarei’s soul emerged from her dead body. Amaya was stunned. “Amarei, you’re a…a ghost!”

“I’m a deity, I suppose the prophecy has come true.”

“The prophecy?”

“I have become the deity to protect the new realm and advise the rulers, mainly you.”

“But Queen Amarei…I mean Deity, the prophecy speaks of three into one, we only have two kingdoms,” Rupert pointed out.

“We have three, that is if Amaya, you’ll accept me as your king?” Nikolai asked. Amaya was shocked speechless and so she simply nodded. “In joining with you as man and wife, I bring the kingdom of Fooville into this union.”

Amaya smiled as best she could and Amarei glowed in happiness. She could hear the calling and wanted to go yet wanted to stay and watch over her princess. She shimmered over to Amaya. Nikolai stepped back and left the two rulers. Amaya was trying to find some hint that Amarei was going to return, but failed. Amarei starred into Amaya’s green eyes. She was surprised she could still feel pain and realized it was double. Oh heaven, I can feel her feelings. Amarei went to embrace her but Amaya stepped back. This is not really, Gods tell me this is not real, Amaya silently prayed. Amarei, who had always been good at hiding pain, heard Amaya’s prayer but her expression did not change. Amarei could not longer resist the calling and disappeared. Amaya fell to her knees and bowed her head, finally letting her tears fall.

“Leave me,” she softly ordered. Melaine corralled everyone, including Nikolai, out of the room. Amaya felt more alone than she had ever felt before. Amarei is not coming back, but I just can be this new queen! Dawnacia no longer felt like home to her. She wanted to run as far and as fast as she could. Amaya decided than and there what had to be done. She slipped out of the ballroom and ran to the stable. Everyone must have been off mourning because there was no one to stop her. She took SunDew out of her stall and mounted her. Amaya galloped off into the darkened day. She went to Aurora’s Field, through the Dark Forest and finally arrived on the shores of Alicione’s Lake.

Amaya darted down the steep embankment and upon reaching the level ground slid off SunDew. She ran into the water till it covered her ankles and re-soaked her dress. Amaya felt her emotions swirling around inside of her and just wanted it to stop.

“Gods, if you can hear me, this sucks! You are taking the only queen away and leaving a DISASTER in her place! I hate this! I cannot be the queen of this realm! I cannot and will not! BRING AMAREI BACK! Please Gods! If you must have someone take me, she died protecting me! Please give her back!” Amaya screamed tearfully to the heavens.

“I died protecting you and I’d do it again.” Amaya looked up and saw bright light descending from the black clouds

“Amarei?” she whispered. The light cleared and Amarei hovered above the water.

“Amaya, you are the chosen one. You cannot escape a destiny that was set long ago!”

“Amarei, I CAN’T! I just can’t be the queen!” she sobbed.

“You may think that now, but you better start realizing you can. Life is going to challenge you and you must be ready to face those challenges!”

“Amarei please, I’m only seventeen! I cannot rule! I wasn’t even supposed to be Queen until I was eighteen…”

“Or until I died. I became Queen at the same age, I had a long rule and you know what? I didn’t think I would last five minutes,” Amarei informed.

“I will not become the queen!”

“You don’t have a choice! You ARE the queen, it’s in your blood, your destiny…”

“Is it my destiny to lead a country to ruin? Is it?” Amaya challenged.

“You will lead your country to prosperity, peace, and happiness!”

“Maybe you would…”
“Amaya, please don’t argue with me. You CAN do this! I believe in you, you court believes in you, you have a man who loves you! What more do you need?”

“I need a Queen who will take her title back.”

“Amaya, if I could I would return, but I just can’t.”

“Some deity,” Amaya mumbled.

“Amaya, if I had that type of power don’t you think I would bring your parents back so you could meet them?” Amarei asked.

“I don’t need my parents! I need my Queen!”

“Amaya, please, I will be with you no matter what,” Amarei swore. She leaned in closer to Amaya and kissed her forehead. “Take the crown, Amaya, Queen of the United Realm,” the dead queen whispered.

“Amarei, I just can’t be the queen you were,” Amaya admitted.

“You do not want to be the queen I was. You want to be the queen is lying within you.”

Amarei smiled at the new queen, who although, she smiled was unsure of herself. Amaya stood in the water, but felt warmth from above that consumed her. SunDew entered the water came to Amaya’s side. Amaya mounted her and Amarei handed the reins to her. The deity hovered next to her and than like a shooting star bolted through the sky. Amaya followed the light. She galloped straight through the town where the bells were tolling the end of Amarei’s time. Amaya rode straight through the stables and stopped in front of the entrance to the palace. A crowd of people had gathered to hear the terrible news and greeted Amaya with the respect due a queen. Amaya dismounted and stood in front of the crowd. Her court appeared in the threshold and stepped out into the day. The clouds closed in and the blue rain fell. Amaya took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“People of Dawnacia,” she began, “today ends the Regent rule of Queen Amarei over Dawnacia. It ends the queen’s rule over Eveana and it ends the rule of King Marcus over Fooville. Today, the deaths of Queen Aurora and King Sol and all killed in the Dawn’s Massacre have been avenged.” At this there was a loud cheer and a chorus of praise. “Today the lands of Dawnacia, Eveana, and Fooville enter into one realm, one kingdom, one land united under the rule of myself and the new King Nikolai,” the young queen announced. Nikolai stepped to his queen’s side and took her hand.

“Hail Queen Amaya, Hail King Nikolai!” The voices of the people filled the air and caused Amaya some relief.

Amaya returned to the ballroom after the announcement. The bodies were being removed, but the queen’s still remained where she’d fallen. Amaya knelt next to the queen. There were flowers laid next to her body from some mourners. Roses, Amarei liked roses, the new queen thought. Amaya tried hard not to let her tears fall. The stars had been out for hours when she finally emerged. Nikolai was waiting patiently outside.

“Hello love,” he greeted. Amaya smiled at him.

“Nikolai.” He did not kiss her but he held her in a loving embrace. A glow appeared around them.

“Take my blessing and marry tomorrow,” a voice whispered.

“Amarei!” she gasped.

“Thank you, majesty,” Nikolai responded.

The following morning, Amaya awoke in her bed with her tear stained pillow. She bathed and fixed herself up and went to her closet. In the back hung a deep blue gown and a golden one. My mother’s coronation gown and Amarei’s, but which should I wear? She could not decide. It would be proper to wear gold because she was born to Dawnacia, but it would be respectful to wear blue because today was also going to be Amarei’s funeral. Amaya found a frock and put that on. She left her room and went to Amarei’s. Perhaps I shall find comfort in her room, I know I shall not find it in here. Amaya heard voices coming from within the room as she approached.

“Hurry, Amaya will be awake soon.”

“It’s almost finished!”

“A little divine intervention wouldn’t be so bad.” Amaya become confused, Melaine, Lydia, and Jilliana are in there, but why? Amaya pulled open the doors.

“What is the meaning of this?” All three dropped into curtsies.

“Amarei must have sent for this, it is your size, my queen.” On the bed lay a deep purple gown. She took it into her hands and went into the bath chamber. Amaya did not know what to do. It was as if Amarei had known about this ending. A new color for a new realm and era, she thought. When she reentered the room the court had gathered and complimented her beauty.

“We must be going,” Amaya announced. The new queen wanted to get this over with. She knew the hole in her heart would never go away, but perhaps she could ease the pain a little.

Amaya led the group to the stables where they saddled up and rode towards Alicione’s Lake. The queen’s body was brought in a carriage. When they reached the lake, people from all three of the former kingdoms had arrived. They bowed their heads respectfully as the carriage passed by. A set of guards led by Knights Rupert and Peter lifted the queen’s body on a wooden raft. They pushed it into the shallows where Amaya and Nikolai were standing. Amaya stood over the raft that came up above her waist.

She looked at the queen’s pale face, her eyes were closed, as she appeared to be peacefully dreaming, but Amaya could not help the lump in her throat. Amaya’s eyes began to tear up; she put her hand on Amarei’s and tried to smile. Amaya leaned down and kissed Amarei’s forehead.

“I’ll try to be a good queen,” she whispered. The guards gave the raft a light push and the tides carried it out. Amaya watched it go, her eyes never left the raft. Upon the shores of Alicione’s Lake, Amaya and Nikolai were crowned. As the golden crown was placed upon Amaya’s head, the raft drifted out of sight.

-THE END-