Return to Arrazuole

Return to Arrazuole

Prologue

         Oryarko swept through the darkened gallery towards the stairs that led to the turret.  In the midst of all the noise she could still hear the sound of her own frantic breathing, and the pounding of her terrified heart.  Gathering her vast skirts in her hands, she mounted the first stair, and began the perilous ascent.
         With every step, she could hear them getting closer. Among the blasts and explosions, she could distinctly make out the thud of armoured feet coming after her.  The sconces threw a sallow light on the stone walls and floors, but as she passed a window the turret was suddenly illuminated from the roaring fires raging outside. She didn’t have time to pause and reflect on the destruction of the kingdom, the many lives lost, of Zanthar….she had no time to morn now.
         Her stomach tightened as she heard the clatter of metal on the stairs below her. Fear engulfed her entire body. My God, they’re right behind me!
She couldn’t let them catch her; she had to make it to the top. The fate of everything depended on it. But her legs were so tired and the pain in her abdomen grew with every movement, her throat burned with the effort to breath, and she could taste blood….
         Digging deep into her soul, Oryarko summoned all her strength and forced herself up the remaining steps, the small room at the top of the turret at last coming into view. She almost collapsed onto the cold floor, but managed instead to drag herself over to the arched window. Inhaling the freezing air, tinged with the acrid smell of smoke, she allowed herself a moment to think about all that had happened.
         “Your Majesty….”
The voice was directly behind her, but she refused to show any fear. Slowly, very slowly, she turned herself around and faced her enemy.
         “You are too late, why bother trying to escape?”
Oryarko surveyed the dozen or so knights crowded into the room, all brandishing their weapons. Ready to defend their leader. She drew a deep breath and tried to steady her voice. Now was the time….
         “I will not allow another member of the house Allamar to perish on your sword” Her voice dripped with loathing and contempt.  Clearly this was detected, for Sarne quickly reached for the sword at his side,
         “Your family was always too arrogant. It gives me extreme pleasure to end the great dynasty!” A sadistic smile crossed his face, “ I shall especially enjoy killing you…”
         Now, she couldn’t afford to wait another second. Before anyone had time to move, she mounted the ledge of the window, turned around to face the night sky, and threw herself into the deep, cold waters surrounding the castle.
         Immediately, knights swarmed to the window.
         “She’s dead master. The house of Allamar has been destroyed.”  The knights began to slowly make their way back down the turret. All except Sarne, who hadn’t moved, and remained staring at the window…



Chapter One

18 Years Later….

         “Mr Rockford, I have something important I need to say to you, and I’m afraid you are going to have to listen,” Jenna Fulton squared her shoulders and raised the authority in her voice, “ I will not continue to be treated as a second-rate employee. You are going to have to start showing me the respect I have earned and deserve. I have given you two years of loyal, dedicated service, but I will not stand for this treatment any longer!” Jenna lifted her chin as she delivered the final onslaught,
         “And I demand a pay-rise, or I will leave tonight!....Perfect!”
Jenna smiled to herself in the mirror as she finished rehearsing the speech for the third time. She hurriedly pulled her hair back into a tight knot and placed the red and white baseball cap over the top. Checking her uniform quickly, she hoped her boss wouldn’t notice the mustard stain on one sleeve.
         “Oh, God…” Jenna glanced at the clock on the wall and saw she was running late. If she didn’t get a move on she would miss the train.
         Running into the lounge, she grabbed her handbag and jacket before charging out of the door, cursing to herself as she had forgotten to pick up her umbrella, and it looked like rain.
         The icy November wind hit her as soon as she emerged from the apartment block. Pulling her collar up to her nose, she braced herself against the powerful gusts, and ran to the subway station at the end of her street.
         Fortunately, at this time of night, the subway was fairly quiet and Jenna was able to find a seat easily. The ride passed quickly, and she soon found herself back out on the street. She was pleased the diner was only a block away, for a few drops of rain had started to fall.
         As she made her way swiftly through the dark streets, she suddenly had the odd feeling she was being followed. A quick glance over her shoulder showed a crowded street, with various people hurrying to their respective destinations. She laughed to herself and continued on, picking up her pace slightly.   
         At last the neon lights of the diner came into view. Through the floor to ceiling windows, she could see it was going to be a busy night. The smell of chip fat filled her nostrils from several feet away, and as she entered the warm, central heated building, she braced herself for the inevitable confrontation.  Though tonight, things were going to be different….
         “Fulton!” The angry Irish voice came booming out of the kitchen and soon the head it belonged to followed. “You’re five minutes late. When I pay you to start work at seven, you start at seven!”
         This is it, thought Jenna….
“Mr Rockford, I have something important I need to say to you, and I’m afraid you are going to have to…..
         “No, I’m afraid you’re going to have to get to work! There’s six tables that need clearing, all the condiments need refilling, the ice cream machine is jammed and the cappuccino maker isn’t going to clean itself!” The head disappeared back into the kitchen.
         Heaving a heavy sigh, Jenna made her way to the staff area at the back of the diner. Tomorrow, she’d do it tomorrow…She dug out the apron from the back of her locker and mentally prepared herself for the long shift ahead of her. But, what was really on her mind, was the fact that she had never managed to shake the feeling that she was being followed…


Chapter Two

         Kingdom of Arrazuole          

         Sarne marched through the ransacked hallways and passages of the castle, oblivious to the chaos that surrounded him. Screams of pain and fear echoed all around, armoured knights swarmed everywhere-bringing destruction to all that they touched-blood and body parts littered the elaborately carved marble floors, and the smell of death filled the air. Still he marched on, his gaze never diverting from in front of him, even as he stepped over the body of a small child, his fair hair tinged with a bright red stain.
         He had planned everything so well!
Tonight, this night, everything had to go according to plan. It was imperative for the future of the Justai.  As he spied his Chief of Surveillance, he altered his direction slightly, but didn’t slow his relentless march until he was inches from the man’s face.
         “Well?” 
         Fear and anxiety diffused throughout the group of knights from this single word.  The men knew how temperamental their master could be; he could order a man’s execution with a click of his fingers. No-one wanted to evoke his wrath now.   
         With the bravery befitting his post, the Chief of Surveillance addressed his master.
         “We have searched high and low master, and have found nothing to cause concern. I firmly believe the royal family had no knowledge of the siege, and now with their deaths…”
         “Fools!” Sarne ruthlessly barged his way through the men. He knew what he was looking for, he just wasn’t sure where to find it. Ahead of him, he saw the richly decorated gallery that led to the royal family’s private quarters. He began his march again, his speed increasing with every step. He could hear the sound of his men behind him trying to keep up with his effortless pace.  At last he reached the copper inlaid oak door, already slightly ajar.
         Nothing could disguise the sheer beauty of the room. Not the overturned furniture, the smashed mirrors, the portraits and wall-hangings now lying discarded on the floor, the torn tapestries or the broken pottery, thrown carelessly against the walls. This had clearly been a room for royalty, a room for a princess….
         Sarne made his was over to the imposing four-poster bed in the centre of the room, the gauzy lace drapes torn down. The jewel encrusted quilt had already been pulled back halfway, revealing the golden silk sheet underneath.  He stared for several seconds, and was about to turn away when something caught his eye. On the sheet, just barely exposed, was a small mark. Black….no, very dark red. 
         Sarne whipped the quilt off the bed in one swift movement, and felt a fist close around his heart! Blood and an unmistakeable fluid saturated the bottom of the bed.  Reaching for the hilt of his sword, he drew it from it’s leather sheaf, raised it high over his head, and drove it deep into the mattress.
         “Arrghh!” The Allamar family had deceived him again! The child lived….
The Chief of Surveillance was at once by his side.
         “Master, what has happened?”
Slowly, Sarne extracted his sword from the dense fabric.
         “It appears the Princess was smarter than we gave her credit for….”
Turning to face his knights, he began to issue his orders.
         “Gather all the available men, go out into the kingdom. “ His voice filled the room. “Find all the new born babies, every one of them. Be sure to search everywhere. Leave no stone unturned. When you find them-kill them! When you’ve killed them, bring the bodies back to the castle, and burn them in the courtyard! Go!!”


Chapter Three

         As she wiped the sweat from her forehead, Jenna appreciated the cool breeze blowing down the street as she exited the diner.  It had been a busy shift, her feet and back ached, and her stomach growled angrily for food. The pavement glistened from the earlier shower as Jenna tried to avoid the numerous puddles.  She hoped the weather wouldn’t make it too hard to find a cab. Then again, at this time of night, there were very few people around.
         Turning the corner onto the main street, she relaxed slightly as the streetlights punctured the darkness and other signs of life appeared before her.  She hailed a cab in no time, and was soon on her way home.
         Jenna rested her head against the cool window, closing her eyes until she felt the cab began to slow down outside her apartment block.  She dug around in her purse for the fare, and then slowly extracted herself out into the cold, night air.
         “Four a.m!” Jenna groaned as she registered the time on her watch.  All she wanted to do was to get to her apartment, climb into her bed….
         She stopped.  Even in the darkened courtyard, she could clearly make out a figure stood in front of the main door. She gripped her keys tightly in one hand, and began to gradually move towards the door. 
         “Hey, do you mind stepping away from the door?” Jenna tried to make herself sound more confident than she was feeling.
         The figure pushed itself away from the wall and pulled itself up straight, every movement controlled and unhurried.  Jenna felt her heart squeeze into throat.  She contemplated running back into the street, but then the figure spoke.
         “At last, you have returned. I have been waiting a long time.” It was an accent she didn’t recognise.
         “What do you mean? Who are you?” Jenna’s fear was now turning into annoyance. She was so tired, and needed to go to sleep.
         “There is no time to explain now.” The voice betrayed a hint of impatience. “We need to move quickly, there’s every chance we are being followed.”
         “What are you talk….” Jenna instinctively took a step back as the figure moved away from the porch and into the pale light of the courtyard. 
         “I’ve already said there’s no time to explain, we have to get to…” The figure stopped abruptly as it finally emerged into the light. Now that he was no longer shrouded in darkness, Jenna was able to finally get a good look at her mystery companion. 
         He was much taller than she was, with a slender build that nonetheless showed the sinewy curve of concealed muscles. The angles of his face were sharp yet graceful and his skin had the appearance of fine porcelain. His thick black hair flopped boyishly over his forehead, while his eyes, which were almost black themselves, seemed to penetrate through the night. Eyes, which she now realised, were studying her intently.
His powerful gaze travelled from her messed-up hair, still partially hidden under the baseball cap, down her polyester uniform, which was at this point covered in a myriad of stains and grease-spots, to the dirty, faded sneakers she wore to and from work, currently dotted with splashes of mud. As he continued to stare, Jenna became acutely aware of her recent eight-hour shift….
         “No, this can not be correct…,” he muttered more to himself than to her. “Are you Jenna Fulton?” He sounded as if he hoped she would contradict him.
         “Yes I am, how do you know my….”
Jenna took another step back as the mysterious stranger began pacing up and down, shaking his head. His paused for a moment to survey her again, then laughed to himself.
         “You are Jenna Fulton.” It was a statement, not a question this time. “And, umm…. what is this?” He indicated her uniform with his hand.  Jenna started to feel an indignation creeping over her.
         “I’m a waitress, I serve food over at a dinner on 42nd street.”
An incredulous look crossed over his face.
         ‘You are a….servant?” He spoke the last word as though it was an effort for him to say it.
         “I suppose you could put it that way. Look, I’m sorry, but its late, and I really need to be getting….” Jenna jumped as a harsh sound came from the stranger’s throat.
         “They send me all this way to bring back the royal blood line, and instead I bring back a servant! The fate of the Kingdom is certainly sealed.”
         Ok…thought Jenna, this guy is definitely crazy.
         “Well, good luck with that!” Jenna feigned enthusiasm and started to manoeuvre herself towards the door. “Hope it all works out for you.”  She gasped as he took her arm in a vice like grip.
         “Regardless, I have a mission to complete, and I shall not fail in it.” Jenna felt the fear rise up in her again.
         “Let go of me you…” But her protests were interrupted by a low rumble that grew in magnitude until it seemed to fill the courtyard. That was soon replaced by a terrifying sound that stabbed through Jenna’s heart. A high-pitched shriek, like nothing she had ever heard before, came out of the darkness.  She turned to her companion, and was dismayed to see that his face was contorted with fear.
         “They found us.”

Return to Arrazuole (Part2)  (E) a new york waitress discovers her destiny.... #1452922 by tag2412