A Story of Love

A Story of Love: The Annals of Arusia

Written by:

April Kaye Pascia



Table of Contents Page

Prologue 1

Treachery in the Castle 3











Prologue

In the time of magic and early Christianity there were many races of people: Faeries were the people of small stature, Human were average man and woman, Death Walkers were a sect of people who lived with no belief in anything but survival, and the Eastern Peoples who were considered evil for their practices of both dark and light magicks. Queen Asandra of the Faerie and King Lawrence 1 of the Humans combined their kingdoms through proposed marriage of lil Andolys who was rescued from the Eastern kingdom by his mother and Lawrence 1 to Asandra’s daughter with Lawrence 1 named Ilya.

However, Andolys’s father High Priest in the East, Lord Jonas and Andolys’s older brother Losai knew God had given Princess Ilya a gift. Losai wanted that gift, and Jonas wanted to harness that gift for Evil’s use. With the gift of healing turned evil, Eastern Arusia would be able to conquer all of Arusia.

Thus Jonas led Asandra to the edge of the Faerie kingdom with a burning of her forests in her kingdom. When the Queen arrived, Jonas added a fire around her. Because Faeries are a part of the earth, the fire took away her oxygen and she began to die. Jonas leaned in through the flames and said the last words Asandra ever heard.

“My son Losai has infiltrated the Human kingdom where your husband and daughter are. He is pretending to become a Christian like Andolys. Soon he will vie for Ilya with his younger brother in mock love. She will be our instrument to destroying all the good in Arusia. She will be ours, and now you can do nothing to stop me.” Jonas now smiled and the flames receded and he disappeared leaving the Queen lying on the ground coughing and dying. He didn’t see the man in blue robes come to the Queen’s side.

The man leaned down to the Queen. He kissed her forehead and put his hand on her chest.

“May God take you into his bosom, Sister; I will go to the Humans and watch over my niece. Evil will not touch her, for God has given me gifts too,” he said, “And with my gifts I vow to keep Andolys in the good and the Princess safe.” He stood and vanished.





























2

Chapter OneTreachery in the Castle

Sixteen years later…….

In the Human kingdom, King Lawrence 1 stood up at the high board and raised a glass filled with ale. He looked to his left. There sat Princess Ilya, her step mother Queen Dahlia, and her two half brothers that were the Human kingdoms heirs; twins called Donavan and Daniel. He looked to his right where Andolys sat seemingly unhappily by his older brother Losai and the captains of Losai’s guard Maro and Lif. Down at the lower tables sat Losai, Lif, and Maro’s wives: comely creatures in black robes that hid the faces. Behind Ilya stood the man in blue robes, her Uncle Knygel, magus to the Royal Faeries.

“My friends! My family! Fellow visitors and dignitaries! All my loyal subjects, we are here to celebrate the union of the new Faerie Queen, Ilya, my daughter to the new Christian king of the Faeries, a human child named Andolys, who has converted his brother Losai and friends. The couple will leave this night for their new home in the South, thus uniting Human and Faerie in friendship. Let us raise our glasses to… *cough*.” King Lawrence began to convulse as he hit the floor. Ilya dropped her cup on the floor and ran to her father.

“Father! Father! Andolys,” Ilya said, checking Lawrence’s heart beat, “Andolys, he’s dead.”

At that moment chaos ensued as Andolys was pushed back to the wall by Losai’s men who suddenly poured into the Great Hall. Knygel made it to Andolys and held him against the wall. Losai waved his hands, and the hall went dark. People ran and fell as the black knights put them down. Two knights grabbed Ilya and pulled her out toward the tower. She screamed and Andolys tried unsuccessfully to get to her. Knygel grabbed him and said, “Not now. You will be killed.” Then he and Andolys vanished.

3

When the lights returned, Losai sat on Lawrence’s throne. Black knights held Dahlia, Donavan, and Daniel in custody. Losai looked at Maro.

“Show me your loyalty and killed Queen Dahlia! Lif you kill the twins, and while you are doing that, I am going to end Lawrence’s life completely. And I am going to make Ilya watch,” Losai said. He got up and headed to the tower.

Up in the tower, Princess Ilya held her father’s hand as he writhed in pain the poison had caused. He turned to his daughter.

“You look so much like your mother. I wish she had been here to see you married. You will be a wonderful Queen. I do believe the Human kingdom will be lost to the darkness. That Losai is a demon of a warlock. That poison has my body paralyzed and knocked me for a loop. Take my hand, your mom instilled special memories in my head that will pass to you if you ask to see them with your heart and God’s help.” Ilya wrapped both her hands around his now pale one.

“My Father in Heaven, my father on Earth, allow me to see this wondrous message my father, the king of Human Arusia, has for me,” Ilya prayed. Suddenly a flood of warmth flooded into her body and love held her on her knees. Memories of the Queen who was her mom: Asandra holding her as a baby and laying in a field of lowers as a toddler looking at the sky and clouds, her mother dying in a winter chill, her father taking her for rides in hunting trips; the memories ended as she was grabbed roughly and pulled back by General Maro. Queen Ilya screamed as Prince Losai moved to foot of King Lawrence’s bed. He lifted his hands and the dying king levitated off the bed and turned blue because he lost his ability to breathe.

4

“Your kingdom, your daughter, and your dead Faerie wife’s kingdom are mine now. My father tried to take Faerie to the place Faerie magic could go, we even wanted to merge with your kingdom, but you will never see it. Once you fall back to your bed, you will have lost all the air and not see me take your daughter as my wife. Good bye! Long did the last king of the Human live, long live the new High Priest of the North, son of the High Priest of the East,” Losai said, and with a loud thud fell King Lawrence dead in his bed.

“I will never take you as a husband, you fiend,” Ilya yelled at the triumphant Prince Losai.

Losai though ignored what Ilya screamed at him. He was now looking down at King Lawrence’s dead body.

“Disappointing,” Losai said, “I thought he had power being he had spent time with Faerie. Disappointing! ” Losai turned toward the chamber’s door as Lif entered holding a bloody claymore at his side. Losai looked at the lieutenant and then at Ilya and back to Lif.

“Queen Delandra and her two sons died quietly their gags swallowing most of their bleeding screams.” Lif kneeled in reverence of his master and said,” Long live Prince Losai, High Priest of the North, and son of High Priest of the East.”

“You murderer, how could you?!” Ilya yelled. “ Those boys were innocent little children.”

Losai backhanded Ilya. Lif stood and cupped the Queen’s bruised face in his hand and turned to Losai.

“Should I mingle this impudent Queen’s blood with that of her dead brothers’ ?”

“No, this insolent firebrand must be my bride for me to conquer both the Northern and the Southern kingdoms. I will never allow my brother to come back to consummate his marriage with her.

5

She is beauteous, and she is mine to do with. She will willingly accept me as her husband or she will wilt

away up in the tower as my hostage and slave. Now bind her hands and feet and gag her. I will visit her in the tower when I have made sure this whole castle belongs to me and is secure against any enemy.”

Maro and Lif then threw the struggling Ilya onto the bed beside her dead father’s body. They ripped her clothing off leaving only a torn chemise on her body.

“Why are you doing this? Losai, please don’t shame me like this!” Ilya cried and began to scream through the gag that now silenced her words. Losai kneeled down and said, “ Only the most lucky of women are taken this way to a bed and offered to the High Priest in a land.” Lif finished tightly binding Ilya’s hands behind her back. Then he and Maro stood her up and walked her up the steps into the tower. They threw her on the bed that waited for her. She lay whimpering on her stomach as leather cuffs were tightened around her ankles and secured to each of the foot posts of the bed spreading her legs preparing her for the loss of her virginity to Losai. They left then, and all of Ilya’s hopes fell as she heard the door at the foot of the steps being shut and locked.





Chapter Two

The Rescue



Andolys felt like he was stuck in a whirlwind of light. When he finally caught his breath, he opened his eyes to see that Knygel had brought him into a thicket that was open for miles and surrounded by large, gigantic oaks in circumference. In the center was a white oak standing proud and regal as a king amidst its army. Staring at Andolys and Knygel were a whole battalion of Faerie with battle axes, lances, claymores, long swords and bow and arrows. Two at the front pointed their weapons at Andolys with faces grim. However when they saw Knygel smiling, they lowered their weapons and kneeled.



“All of you swear your fealty to the husband of Queen Ilya, daughter of long dead Queen Asandra. At ease, for Andolys is now your king, husband to your Queen,” Knygel exclaimed. The Faerie army now all kneeled their weapons in reverent positions in front of them. The two men who were in the front now stood with their men. The first sword in hand, wearing golden mail walked forward taking King Andolys’s hands and pressed his forehead into Andolys’s hands.



“I am Commander Yerret. I am lord and master of your swordsmen and lance men.” The second man in silver male, small, and overweight stepped forward following his companion’s show of obeisance said, “I am General Nayrab. I am master of your axmen and bow and arrow bearers.” With that, Knygel now nodded at Andolys who looked out over this new army of his with trepidation.



"My men, King Lawrence has been poisoned and the Human kingdom has been sacked by the evil men of the East. I am only part of that by my father. My mother was a Faerie, which is why Lawrence probably made a match in marriage for me with his daughter, your Queen. My mother escaped with me, not Losai, because I am only a stepson, whom Jonas who only pretended to have affection for. The Queen is even now held hostage and slave by their leader my brother Losai. He plans to take Ilya as a slave and bearer of children which will be half Faerie like I was, pawns for the Eastern men who loved stealing my powers I carried. These powers were gifts from God to me.”



”He will not kill the Queen will he?” Yerret asked.



“No, men, Ilya must be alive to bear all the children the East need. They will be sacrificed to the Evil Ones’ gods. They will never know the true God, the one called Jesus, Spirit and Holy Father.” Knygel patted Yerret’s arm,” We must plan a great rescue if we are to prevent that. Ilya must not be harmed. She is an innocent and believing woman in the Holy Father.”



“Plans especially plans that rescue or thwart the enemy,” Nayrab stood up and looked at Knygel, “Well those kinds of plans are my specialty.”



Hours later……





It was now very dark in the tower. Surely it was nearly the midnight hour, and Ilya was in severe pain. She had tried and tried for hours unsuccessfully to remove the gag and the bindings holding her arms behind her back. She didn’t want to be defenseless when Losai entered this tower. With her legs spread behind her and tied to each bedpost, she was sure Losai would have his way with her and take her innocence shaming her for the Dark Priest wasn’t her husband from marriage. Where was Knygel? Where was her beloved Andolys? Were they dead, were they imprisoned in the dungeons that lay underground below the moat? Her father’s dead body had disappeared when the evil ones had left.



"‘O Lord, she silently prayed, please help me and protect my people; Human and Faerie."



Very fast, the room grew exceedingly cold and frozen. Goosebumps and icy waves covered her bare legs. A hand removed her gag. Her hair was gripped and pulled back. Her face was turned to the side, and a mouth covered hers kissing, a tongue forcing its way inside hers. Ilya closed her eyes afraid that the Dark Priest who called himself a Prince would see and enjoy the fear that hid there. The hand in her raven locks moved to her back. The lips grazed her cheek and nipped at her ears forcing her to open her eyes.



Losai looked at the captive on the bed as he let go of her hair after she fell back to her stomach.. He relished the fear he saw in the dark black pools as she turned as much as the chains allowed her to do and stared angrily at him. He freed her from the leather cuffs and rolled her onto her back, grinning as she moaned in pain that her hands bound behind her caused. Using both hands he ripped the front of Ilya’s bodice open exposing her creamy, tanned breasts. A shiver ran through her as his fingers circled the nipples and pinched the flesh. Her gag removed, Ilya screamed, “Dear Holy Father! Help me! Save me from this wicked demon!”



One hand smacked her hard, bloodying her nose. With another hard slap of his hand, he bruised both her cheeks. He laughed at the tears that ran down her face. As Losai began to pummel her more on her chest, he yelled, “With this beating, I will silence your screams. You will be obedient to me and avoid any physical, spiritual and emotional harm. You will behave, wont you?!”



With defiance in her eyes, Ilya shook her head. Losai raised his hand to strike her once more, when someone grabbled his arm.



“Get away from my wife, Losai!”



Losai jerked his hand free. Ilya realized it had just been the voice that had stopped the dark priest. She tried to scream, but Losai covered her mouth with his larger one and lifted her from the bed, removed the leg shackles, and held her against him. Losai leaned down and kissed Ilya on her cheek.



“We have visitors, my Queen. My brother has come. It is no good. Ilya is mine.” Losai once again kissed Ilya. His hand cupped her breast. Andolys watched this exchange wishing to put down his evil brother, but how could he with his love in danger’s path. Beside Losai, Maro and Lif appeared two more whom Andolys had despised, for they had bullied him when he was but a young boy.



“Maro! Lif! Strike down this intruder who wishes to remove our Queen of Virtue.”

Ilya found renewed strength and struggled free of Losai’s grasp and the bindings on her wrists, only to be tucked harder into Losai’s embrace, her arm twisted rough and painfully behind her back. However Losai’s cheerful expression was wiped away when Yerret and Nayrab appeared standing at Andolys’s side. Ilya, using luck that Losai was now distracted, struggled once again and ran to Andolys who pulled her into his arms. Before Losai could stop them, Andolys and his men used the gift of smoke to escape the castle. When they remerged from the smoke, they were in a new thicket where Knygel and the Faerie army were waiting. The soldiers had raised a tent in the center of the thicket where Andolys carried Ilya to. A Faerie healer came to Andolys and lifted Ilya from his arms.



“Please, your Majesty, we will take care of her Highness. You must guard this tent though. We are in a thicket that is outside the hidden boundary of the Faerie kingdom. We will take care of Ilya, but you must guard this place. I am sure the dark priest will come here with his men. When the Queen is ready to move, she will use her gift of transportation to take us to the castle and safety.” Andolys thanked the healer and left the tent. He was followed by Knygel.



“Do you think she will be okay? She had a lot of injuries both internal and physical,” Andolys asked Knygel, who patted King Andolys’s back.



“The healer says she is in good hands, but the camp cannot be moved until she is recovered enough to travel. God willing it will be soon. Remember I am just a guardian angel,” Knygel replied. He turned to Yerret and Nayrab.



“Secure the perimeter! We will attack any who approach from the North,” Andolys commanded. With a few commands from the three, soldiers were scurrying here and there to cover all areas that evil could attack from. Servants began to cook a dinner on a fire they built. Other servants were going here and there gathering wood for other fires to keep the occupants warm. Andolys re-entered the tent where Ilya was, smiling and holding her hand when the Faerie Queen’s eyes fluttered open.



“O Andolys, my love!” Ilya reached up and touched his face. She tried weakly to sit up.



“I thought I would never see you again. I thought you would never want me again. Father, Queen Dahlia, and my brothers are all gone. I am sad they are dead, but I am happy to be with you. Losai planned to break my will by spawning children of God to corrupting them to Evil. I will get up to organize our women who came to prepartions for coming to our castle for the first time.”



“Rest my love, relax, this area is secure. No harm will come to you. Knygel and I have made sure the camp is secure.”



A large clap of thundered sounded, and Ilya grabbed Andolys. The Faerie king held his beautiful bride. He laid Ilya back on her cotton mattress. Then he walked out of the tent. Knygel, Yerret, Nayrab and Andolys stood before the tent staring at smoke that billowed and the dark priest and his warriors appeared.



“Did you think the disappearance would save your Queen and her people? Those guards watching the perimeter were useless. They are frozen in time right now. If I had finished what I started in the tower, Ilya would have forgotten you, a spell to make her mineand mine only,” Losai said, “Now where are you hiding my property?”



“She isn’t property, Brother. She is my wife. We have consummated our relationship. If you wish to have peace, go back to the Northern castle and we will return to the South and no one will be bothered, “Andolys said. He looked at Knygel, Yerret and Nayrab. Lif pointed at the four men. Suddenly a gust wind blew the Faerie men into the air. Maro lifted his hands. The men flew up high and then dropped to the ground hard. Lif waved his finger and a black smoke entered the tent. A sleeping Ilya floated out of the tent into Maro’s arms. He turned to hand her into Losai’s arms.

Knygel pulled himself up into a standing position.



“No!” Knygel exclaimed. “You can’t have her. She belongs and is part of the Light. She is not a pawn in the will of Lords of Darkness.” Before Knygel could do anything, Lif waved his hand and sent rock flying toward the vizier. However Knygel avoided part of the flying debris and raised the Queen into the air. The last of the rocks flying at him, though, knocked Knygel to the ground and buried him like a corpse. Andolys unsheathed his sword and rushed to Losai.



“Let’s settle this like men.” Losai removed his spiked cape.



“No weapons!” Losai said.



“No magic!” Andolys said.



Andolys dropped his claymore and raised his hand to strike Losai. The Dark Priest vanished.



“No magic you coward,” Andolys said. Losai re-appeared behind Andolys, knocking into his brother. Andolys dropped to the ground and swept his evil brother off his feet. Nayrab and Yerret disarmed Lif and Maro. Before the evil trio could be captured, the three vanished in a cloud of black smoke like they arrived in. Thru the mist, King Andolys heard, “Ilya will be mine. I will make her come to me. She will forget you. This I vow!”



When the smoke cleared, Andolys turned to see his army encircling the area where Ilya knelt weeping over the semiconscious and injured Knygel. He rushed over and took the fatherly bodyguard’s hand.



“Protect your people. Go back home. Embrace the religion of your dead mother, Ilya. Rule with guiding help of God, the Father and his Son. Be comforted by the holy spirit.” Knygel closed his eyes and was gone.





Chapter Three

Home in the Grove



Three days it had been the faerie people had traveled to the grove. Ilya had smiled when she saw the tall white oak in the center of a grove of trees. Little houses were built into the tree walls and steps were carved around the trees. But the white oak is the sole home of the Queen and King. Its lower quarters were open to the peasants when they had to escape troubles or enemies. The women exited the lower part of the castle cheering the return of their men folk. The Queen and King stepped into a flower gilded elevator. The servant in it pulled the string and raised them to the entrance of the tree. The sleeping area consisted of a bed carved to look like a giant wooden leaf. In the sitting area was a huge fireplace with two leather chairs and a table to eat at. To the right was a nursery consisting a cradle carved to the shape of a leaf and shelves of fabric for quilting, making clothes, and lttle toys on the bottom shelf.



Once the guard turned and left on the elevator, Ilya turned to Andolys. She reached up and touched his grizzled beard. Andolys leaned down and kissed her. He picked Ilya up and carried her to the bed, pulling her silken robes over her head. His eyes took in her creamy skin, and his mouth descended to her chest enjoying the white light of the moon across it. King Andolys removed his tunic and mail. He climbed on the bed and lay next to her. He caressed her body moving along her chest, straddling her. Then suddenly , Ilya’s scream, pierced the night as Andolys began to piston her hard and passionately. Ilya grabbed Andolys’s hair and pulled at it when he entered her. They continued until both collapsed into unconsciousness after climaxing They were home and they were safe. Now with God’s help, they would build a future.