A New Era: Kalparainia Chronicles Book One

Chapter Five

I have no idea how I managed to avoid Mother all together while leaving the castle with the Royal Guard, Jillian, and Williem, but I was glad that I did. Celeste was with our mother... I knew that she wasn't going to like what I was going to do, but I wanted to know the truth. I couldn't rely on the truth from Jillian no matter how much I wanted to. Little over a week ago, she had been Mother's favorite handmaiden, and now she claimed to be completely loyal to me because my birth-mother was Jaylen Byrds. It sounded too far fetched to be true.

The castle village was charming in its own way. It was busy with people running around, doing their own jobs, and it made me wonder how there could be a war waging on the border while this village was so peaceful. Children were chasing after a boarder collie around one of the cottages, the smell of freshly baked bread came from one of the homes nearby, a group of young women around my age were gossiping by the water well, an older woman was shouting at her sons who were caked in mud...everything seemed so normal and peaceful.

"Here we are," Williem smiled at me. "I'll go inside while you enjoy the views."

"Thank you, Williem," I smiled back at the Stewart.

"It's my pleasure to serve you, my Queen," Williem bowed deeply before he entered the "witch's" cottage.

"Please, Master, stop!" the peacefulness was broken by a woman's shout.

I moved around the edge of the cottage and peaked over at where the commotion was. A big, burly man was standing over a young woman with platinum white hair, kicking her over and over again while she curled up into a ball on the ground.

I immediately found myself running towards the commotion, "Hey, stop!"

I rushed forward as the man kicked the young woman again, "I should have put you down like the mutt you are. You know better than to speak out of turn, bitch."

"I said stop!" I called out.

The man ignored me and continued to kick the woman. Just as I wondered how I'd get the man to listen, Theodor yanked the man back and threw him onto the ground.

"How dare you disrespect your Queen!" Theodor snarled.

I stopped Theodor from unsheathing his sword and frowned at the man, "Why were you beating this woman?"

"Your Grace..." Erik cleared his throat. "This woman...she's a spoil from the war Kyrain was in during King Harem's reign."

"She's a slave passed on through generations," Jamison clarified, his eyes were on the woman's skirts. "She's his property to do with as he pleases. Though I'm sure she's an endangered species now."

"I don't care what she is," I glared at my Royal Guard. "I thought s*****y was outlawed in Kyrain."

Maurice cleared his throat, "An exception was made for the Kitsune Clans."

I blinked several times. My last Governess had told me that there were maybe ten Kitsune left in all of Kalparainia. Why would they allow it to be treated like this if it was one of the very last of its kind? I could feel myself becoming angry. It wasn't the anger I usually felt at myself...or the anger I felt when one of my siblings irritated me. This was a completely different sense of anger, and I wanted hurt the man who was standing before me.

"The only way they learn is through force, Your Grace," the man coughed. "My gteat-great grandfather had a Kitsune who happened to be pregnant. This is that monster's child."

"So you beat her whenever you get a chance? What happened to her mother?" I demanded.

"My grandfather drowned her when he realized the two were drawing power from one-another," the man stated as though he was proud of that little fact.

The altercation drew the attention of some of the villagers, I was in shock how they could just walk by while the poor woman was being beaten. It disgusted me completely, the fact that they acted like it was normal made me sick to my stomach.

"How many are here in Kyrain?" I asked the man while trying to keep my voice even.

"I believe Sora is the last one," the man puffed out his chest as if showing off.

"How many are left in Kalparainia?" I pressed.

"I'm not sure, my Queen," the man narrowed his eyes at me.

"Again, Sora is the last one," Williem stated from beside me.

"In the known world?" I turned my attention to Williem.

"Ten was the last count twenty years ago, Your Grace," Williem bowed his head.

"So if this Kitsune was freed from slavery...there'd be no slaves in Kyrain?" I asked.

"That's correct, Your Grace," Williem nodded.

I turned back to the man and stood tall, "As your Queen, I demand that you free this woman."

"Are you insane? Sora's belonged to my family for nearly four generations. She's to go to my son when he returns from defending Kyrain," the man barked at me angrily. The kitsune, Sora, looked up at me for the first time, her midnight blue eyes were widened with hope. Possibly for the first time in her long life. "The King's word is law-not the Queen's word."

"The law states-that during times of war and the absence of the King, the Queen's word is law," Williem corrected the man sternly. "King Jarred had wanted you to free Sora during his reign of Kyrain. It was only out of respect for your family that he agreed to grandfather you in on keeping a slave in your household." Williem looked at me, "The Queen wishes for you to free this woman. If you do not-then you'll face the wrath of King Xander when he returns home, and I'm certain he will agree with his wife in this matter."

The man's face was bright red as he thought about what he was going to say. He looked down at Sora with a look of loathing on his face, and then he spat at her, "You're free to go."

Without another word, the man went into his cottage and slammed the door. The villagers started to whisper around me. "I can't believe she just did that", "Xander was right to marry this one", "I hope she doesn't abuse the power she has", "I can already see her trying to change more things in this village", "she should have waited for her husband to handle things"... Every sentence seemed to go on at once, but I was able to hear it all. As Williem looked around, the villagers hurried to continue with their daily routines.

Sora got to her knees, held the end of my gown, and kissed the hem of my dress as she whispered to herself so lightly I couldn't hear. Tears were streaming out of her midnight blue eyes, "Thank you, my Queen. I can't ever repay you for your kindness."

"There's no need," I shook my head at her.

Sora's eyes went wide as she bowed her head down until her forehead was touching the ground, "I, Sora of the Mountain Clan swear to you a life-debt." Williem coughed and his eyes went wide, all eight of the Royal Guard shifted in their armor, Jillian narrowed her eyes at Sora, and I took a step back-not fully understanding what was going on. "From this moment forward, I swear myself to you and your bloodline until the day I die."

"What a thing to earn, Your Grace," Williem coughed out. "You are the second human we know of to hold a life-debt from a Kitsune."

"I only know of them from my mother, but I will hold to it," Sora kept herself knelt over. "I will serve your bloodline alone. I will take every slight against you as if it happened to me. Your enemies will be my enemies, and your wishes will be my wishes."

I had forced the villager to free her, only for her to swear herself into servitude once again. How does that even work? What right do I have to accept this? I shook my head, "I cannot accept this life-dept."

"My Queen," Williem frowned at me, "Kitsune are bound to their life-debts. Her life is linked to your bloodline now. If you deny this, she'll die."

I gawked at Williem, "You cannot be serious."

"I'm not sure how it works. I read it in a book on the history of Kalparainia," Williem stated. "Ultimately its up to you, my Queen."

I looked down at Sora, who was still bowed down so much that there was no way it was comfortable. I was pretty sure that I would be plagued with guilt if Sora died just because I refused her life-debt. I nodded my head and helped her to her feet, "Very well, I accept."

This will be fun to explain to Xander when he returns. I could tell that Williem was thinking the same exact thing that I was.

"Thank you, my Queen," Sora gave a smile of relief as she stood, and she began to glow brightly.

I had to look away from the brightness of the glow. When I looked back-in the same spot Sora had been standing-a small white fox with two black-tipped tails and a black crescent moon on its forehead stood in her place.

"You've given me many gifts this day, my Queen," Sora's voice came into my mind. "I hope you don't mind me being in this form, it's been too long since I'd been in my fur."

"I don't mind," I told her-earning strange looks from everyone around me.

"Only you can hear me, my Queen," Sora bowed in her fox form.

"My Queen, I got the potion," Williem informed me. "Shall we get back to the castle? I've already informed Queen Charlotte that you'll be joining her for dinner."

And so it begins, I let out a sigh.

"And I will be by your side, Your Grace," Sora's voice answered my thought.

How in the world was I supposed to get used to this? Was I going to spend the rest of my life with Sora in my head? I had a feeling that I already knew that the answer was "yes".

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I sat across from Mother-Williem had insisted that I make the dinner as personal as possible, which meant that Jillian couldn't be there, it'd be suspicious if I told Celeste that she couldn't be there, and my Royal Guard had to be there no matter what. I had Sora stay with Jillian, because I didn't want too many questions.

"I should have known that this meal would be mediocre," Mother let out a snobbish sigh into her wine goblet. "At least the wine is good."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time," I forced a smile.

I wondered how long it would take for the truth potion to start working...or if it already was. It was hard to tell, so I figured that I would just wait it out. At least until I could tell.

"Mother, isn't Alyse a gracious hostess, like you taught her to be?" Celeste pressed Mother, trying to get some kind of compliment for me.

"Who are you kidding? The only reason she's a half-decent hostess is due to all the Governesses I pushed her under," Mother took a large gulp off of her wine.

"Are you complimenting Alyse, Mother?" Celeste asked hopefully.

"No," Mother looked at me completely. "I try to avoid filling the poor girl with hope. I won't ever approve of her choices-even if she were to impress me, I wouldn't say."

"I appreciate your honesty, Mother," I looked down at the table.

Mother snorted into her wine goblet and shook her head, "I can't believe that you haven't put two-and-two together after all of these years. You're not my daughter, Alyse. You look like the harlot my husband brought into our marriage to ensure the people loyal to the Green River crown stayed in their place. If it wasn't for the threat of rebellion from those awful peasants, I would have smothered you in your sleep when you were an infant."

"Mother!" Celeste stood quickly, disgusted by what she was hearing.

"Do you think I've been happy having the constant reminder that my husband brought another woman into our marriage to make the child 'legitimate'?" Queen Charlotte spat out. "The happiest day of my life was when I was able to watch the executioner put Jaylen Byrds down like the animal she was. My only regret was that her daughter didn't join her."

So, Jillian was right. Charlotte wasn't my birth mother...as relieved as I was to hear that-a deep sadness entered my heart. That meant that everything Jillian had told me was true. I was looking at the table, taking deep breaths as anger began to consume me.

Celeste shook her head and looked at me, "Alyse, forgive Mother. She doesn't know what she's saying."

"That's because I've given her a truth potion," I spoke numbly. "Was there ever a time you cared about me?"

"No," Charlotte stated coldly. "Many nights I've stood over you while you slept with a dagger in my hand-wanting to slit your throat. Your father stopped me the last time after Byron caught me. Once we got rid of you, I had no idea your father would send me to Kyrain for 'safety'. What a joke."

"Were you planning anything against our Queen during this visit?" Williem demanded.

"Stop!" Celeste jumped to her feet.

"Yes, I have an herb I was going to slip into her tea the next time we drink together to make it so she cannot carry children," Charlotte smiled coldly. "If she's carrying the King of Kyrain's child-it would cause an automatic miscarriage."

I looked at Williem, who looked even angrier than I was. I could only imagine how the Royal Guard looked beneath their helmets. Celeste looked as though she felt disgusted, but not with Charlotte. No, the look of disgust was pointed at me.

"You've drugged her! How do you know what she's saying is the truth?!" Celeste jumped to her feet.

"It's in the name of the potion," I stated numbly. "It is called 'Truth Potion'."

"As your sister, I demand that you leave her alone," Celeste glared at me.

"So...knowing that your mother killed my mother... that doesn't bother you?" I frowned at her.

"It's in the past! Leave it there!" Celeste ordered.

"Keep her out of my sight," I ordered Williem. "If I see Charlotte again, I will have her held in the tower here, and see how my own husband feels about this."

"That's breeching the alliance," Celeste glared at me.

"Didn't Queen Charlotte just admit that she intended to use a herb to cause Queen Alyse to go barren?" Williem asked Celeste. "While you were speaking, I've ordered men to search the Queen of Heartstone's room for such an herb. We have an entire room of witnesses as well to the threat. Queen Charlotte breeched the alliance by wishing harm upon the Queen of Kyrain."

"Then we'll return to Silverwood," Celeste stood.

"Forgive me, Queen Celeste, but Silverwood's borders are under attack. Your husband didn't even have the men to leave here with you because he trusted my King and Queen's men to protect you," Williem rationalized. "You're hearing the truth and want it to stop. All my Queen wanted was the truth from your mother, and it was my duty to make sure she got the truth. If you want to pretend that Queen Charlotte didn't do anything that she had admitted to-that's on you, but Queen Alyse is to be left out of your anger. I am the one who gave it to her."

I bit my bottom lip and began to play with my locket. I hadn't meant to anger Celeste by doing this, but I had to know the truth. I had thought of all people, she would understand. Rather than constantly trying to get Charlotte to at least give me one little compliment, Williem had saved us from bothering with such niceties ever again.

"I'm sorry, Alyse... Mother and I need some time to ourselves," Celeste stood and helped her mother to her feet.

"She's your mother, not mine," I stood as well. "I will not breech the alliance, but if your mother does anything to harm me or my future children-I don't think my Royal Guards would care about any alliance then. Until our husbands return to Kyrain, you're a guest here."

I collapsed as soon as Celeste and the woman I had spent my entire life calling my mother had left the dinning hall. All at once, bitter betrayal from a mother who showed me no love, the loss of a mother I never even knew, and the raging anger of knowing that there was nothing I could do unless I wanted my husband at war with his new allies. I felt as though Celeste was angry with me for what had happened. Were was the anger towards her mother, who had admitted to plotting my death as a child? Or that she planned to ensure that my bloodline ended with me?

"You did wonderfully, my Queen," Williem helped me to my feet, his sharp blue eyes sparkled with kindness. "Now that you know the truth, you can avoid the Queen of Heartstone."

"What would you have done?" I asked.

Williem gave a small smile as he bowed his head, "I would not have been so kind, my Queen."

"Aye, I would have probably executed her to make things even," Theodor stated bluntly. He cleared his throat, "Speaking honestly, Your Grace."

"Do you all swear you'll be completely honest with me?" I asked the men.

"We all swear on our lives, my Queen," Williem nodded. He looked at the night sky and let out a sigh, "Where has the day gone? Tomorrow we will go over what is needed to start up the Royal Court. I will bar Queen Charlotte from attending as well."

I straightened myself completely, "Let her be there. I want to prove to her and myself that I can take the higher road."

Williem beamed at me happily, "Very well, Your Grace."

I closed my eyes and silently hoped that this wouldn't turn around and bite me. That Charlotte wouldn't try anything during her stay in Kyrain...something told me that I wasn't going to get what I hoped for when it came to the Queen of Heartstone. I just kept on hoping that I was wrong.