Chapter 2: From the Flicker of Dying Candle Hope Rises

Seventeen years have past and the Serindraile have held true to their word. Aldrayas has been rebuilt. Sadly, the hole in their hearts has not healed King Derrick is not certain if the sacrifice they had to endure during war was really worth it. The cou

  

 

            He stood in the doorway of his bedroom and looked at his wife who was starring out the window at the newly falling flakes of snow as they slowly disappeared becoming indistinguishable from its brothers. She was wearing nothing but her undergarments and he noticed one stray tear fall from her face. He sighed startling her she spun on her heels and in one swift motion wiped the tear away like it had never existed and she smiled at him. Her soft curls wrapping around the front of the waist then falling back behind her as she turned.
            "Hello love, you are out of bed I see," He said as he crossed the floor over to her and wrapped his arms around her she placed hers over his, "I love you, too." She said smiling to him and turning in his embrace.  He looked down at her and returned her smile with a kiss on her forehead, "I will always love you Callie." He stared into her chocolate brown eyes.
            "Did you see the weather?" She asked innocently and barley above a whisper
            "Yes," He sighed, "every year now the first snow is on his birthday I don't think we are allowed to forget the 17th of November." He peered out the window then looked around the stone room and the four-poster bed with the curtains pulled back and the sheets awry for several days of it being used. The sheets were satin and a deep black the Curtains were a crimson and open on one side. On either side of the bed were two nightstands with pictures of his and her parents their daughter and Jet’s family. There were also to wardrobe on opposite walls. The lights were off the reflected light off the snow were enough light for the both of them.
            "I wonder what he's doing right now." She asked with her head in the crook of his shoulder, "He's sixteen today."
            "I bet, if he's anything like me, he trying to steal some pretty girl's heart and failing miserably." This made her smile as she wondered silently what he looked like today.
            "So," He said, "to change the subject," are you feeling up to the ball tomorrow night?" He asked hopefully
"I'm feeling much better I’d love to go." She smiled her eyes sparkling
"Good," he said spinning her around forcing a giggle from her, "that sounds more like you. I'm glad that you feel better." He smiled with relief.
            "Hannah actually will be her soon with the clothes I believe." As if on cue the Derrick turned as the door opened and Hannah walked in and laid his and clothes the bed. "And this arrived for you madam she squeaked excitedly, " I couldn't help it I had to look it’s so pretty!" She opened the box before the Queen and pulled the dress from under the many layers of the thin paper that protected it. It was a deep royal blue imperial dress with a deep green down the center with red rose vines running up the right side.
            "He out did me again." The King Chuckled
            "You said it yourself love you’re not the best at stealing a young girl's heart." she teased as Dominique entered the room.

            "Daddy you said that I was only going to dance at the ball Caroling said this morning how excited she was that I was going to be engaged tomorrow night? You lied to me and I didn't want to go in the first place.  All those insufferable pigs you call
for suitors will want to dance with me because they think you have money and want your thrown I am nothing but a pawn to you.”

            “Now honey wait a minute,” He soothed chuckling, “ yes I was toying with the idea of an arranged marriage but we were going to let you choose from those that come tomorrow night, and any wedding you might have would be a year from now.”

            “I should have known. Then again all you have ever cared about is Tierney anyway, getting rid of me means more time for you find him." she Crossed her arms glared at him and Callie.
            "Excuse me young lady? Just who do you think you are? I have not given you almost everything you have ever asked for? Do your mother I make sure you are safe when attacks have happened? We even let you go to school against Jet's better Judgment and you got hurt do you remember that, and as for the Suitors you call pigs you will go, you will dance with them and if you ever talk to us like that again you can forget leaving this castle for as long as I live or until you marry do you understand me?"
He was almost bellowing by the end.
            She turned away and put her hands over her face, "I'm sorry daddy I'm just tired of hearing about him all the time when is it going to be about me I'm still here am I not?" She turned to face him tears brimming in her eyes.
            "Honey it will always be about you I just want to piece the country back together and get my family back to what its supposed
to be." He smiled, "I'm sorry I yelled at you, will you forgive me?"
            She nodded slowly and left silently as she passed the bathroom she made sure no one was looking and stepped in enough stand over the garbage and wiped the onions off her hands knowing what she'd done.
            Derrick turned to Callie, "I think that I am going to go clear my head for a while. Jet should be here soon we're meeting up in my study."
            "You've been up there an awful lot lately is everything alright?" She asked concerned
            "Yes Callie I know I have I've just...been really stressed out is all when I know exactly what is going on I will tell you everything until then I don't want you worry now why don't you rest awhile and I'll be back to get you for dinner?"
            "Alright, I love you don't work to hard okay? Your people need you, I need you." She smiled as he scooped her off her feet and laid her on the bed. He pulled the covers up over her and said, "Now that is where you are wrong my Queen it is I that needs you. Sleep well." He said pressing a kiss to her lips then left the room.
Derrick left the room and walked down the torch lit hallway that led to his study. As he walked he passed various pantings of the old kings and queens of the past. He stopped in front of the one that portrayed his parents and sighed, “Dad I know that you can give me advise and talking to your painting is useless, but I sure wish you were here now. I will fix the country though. I can do this alone I know I can. .
 with that he walked the rest of the way to his study.         

   Once he reached his study he noticed his door ajar and lights out he pulled his sword from its sheath and pushed the door open with his sword braced above his head ready to accept any attacks. The attack came from his left side he blocked it effortlessly and pushed the assailant back and he stepped forward and swung he sword and was met with a sword from the other with not sign of relenting he backed up and the person followed if he moved left then they followed in every direction no matter what he tried it seemed as if the person knew his every move like anticipated each one and countered it with one of his own. Then without his knowledge he stepped back again and found himself on the floor and his head made a sickening thud as it hit the stone floor he also dropped his sword. He had tripped over his office chair. The lights came on blinding him as he heard a chuckle and squinted against light and looked at the man in the corner who turned on the lights as he looked over his eyes came back into focus, "Jet is that you?" Derrick said a little hazily.
            "Hey Derrick sorry about that but I uh... won this one." Jet said triumphantly

            "No, no you did not win this one," he said pushed the chair away and grabbing his sword he stood up.  "You cheated you broke the rules of engagement Jet."
            "Fine I give this one to you." He sighed "What is it now like 10-1?"
            "Something like that." He said rubbing his head with his hand. "So do you have any news about the war? Are we heading back into one again?"
            “King Edward is ready and asked that we be ready and he will form and alliance with you up here I am carrying the contract with me, but I have even better then news on the war I have really big news about Tierney, it seems that he has been working at the local school as a janitor and has become really good friends with my daughter Alexiel. He has been attending classes some the history lectures actually with her to learn about the country. There are some things we need to be worried about, Caleb that is the name his master gave him, may have fed him incorrect views on how the monarchy is run. we’ll have to be careful when we talk to him.”

            “What do you mean we will have to be careful when we talk to him?” Derrick said as he picked up the chair he stumbled over during the fight and sat down and reached into his desk and sat down want a drink?” He asked while he took this all in

            “Depends on what we’re having Derrick.” Jet answered

            “Just whiskey.” Derrick answer casually.

            “Are you okay Derrick you’ve seemed off lately, oh here is a picture of the two them together well he’s actually almost identical to you I thought one day that I was talking to him until I looked at how tall he is. He has a good four inches on you right now.” Jet smiled

            “When can we get him here?” Derrick asked his voice filling with hope even though he tried to hide it.

            “My daughter is working on that as we speak. I sent her to tell his master that my servant is out for the night and we need a replacement. She has been instructed to also tell him that we had heard through the grapevine that he has the best trained servants. Finally she is to tell him that he will be compensated for the use of his servant.” Jet finished

            “Yes but you didn’t answer my question when will I meet him?” Derrick as he leaned forward in his seat handed Jet the glass of whiskey then sat back in seat like a five year old waiting to be told they could play outside.

            “Tonight sire if all goes to plan he will be here, tonight.” Jet smiled

            “Oh I should wait and to tell Callie until we know it’s him, and I should be off to see Edward.” Derrick wondered off in his thoughts until Jet called his name.

            “Derrick,” Jet called him back to reality before he continued, “Deal with King Edward and I will deal with Caleb okay?” Jet finished

            “Yeah I can do that.” Derrick replied in almost a whisper

            “Hey don’t forget your King so start acting like it we need to get a war plan together and look at building an army.” Jet sighed

            “I guess we a can handle a round two but can the countries? Will they stand by us a second time?” Jet asked no one standing to leave

            “I sure hope so. Is Edward coming here since the ball is tomorrow night?” Derrick asked

            “Yes he will be here soon. By the way how is Callie I heard she was out of bed this morning?” Jet smiled hopefully

 

            “She was she is doing much better it just took a while for her to get better, though, Dominique coming home and screaming at me didn’t help much.” He sighed and rubbed his neck with the palm of his right hand then stood. “I shall see you tonight my friend thank you so much for all you do.” Derrick smiled and they shook hand and walked though the door before closing the door Derrick turned out the lights left.

Author's Note

Please enjoy sorry that this took so long to get posted!

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[Jerome Malenfant]

Could use some work on the punctuation, to break up the long sentences into phrases. E.g., the first paragraph:
"He stood in the doorway of his bedroom and looked at his wife, who was starring out the window at the newly falling flakes of snow as they slowly disappeared, becoming indistinguishable from THEIR brothers" (OR "each becoming indistinguishable from its brothers"; but why are the snowflakes "slowly disappearing"? Maybe "newly falling flakes of snow, each indistinguishable from its brothers"). "She was wearing nothing but her undergarments and he noticed one stray tear fall from her face. He sighed, startling her; she spun on her heels and, in one swift motion, wiped the tear away like it had never existed and smiled at him, her soft curls wrapping around the front of HER waist, then falling back behind her as she turned."