Conisha: The Ruby Prophecy

Family Secrets



“Where were you last night?” Savannah said softly through the large crack in the stone dungeon wall. “You sent me that delicious quiche down here for dinner and never came by. I missed talking with you.” She nestled in the corner nearer to the crack and stretched out her ragged skirt over her knees.. Her fiery red hair shielded her shoulders and scarred upper back from the cold wall.

Alexander laid down a small brown towel, before sitting on the dusty floor. He sat up straight, as to not ruin his purple silk shirt leaning against the wall. “My father abhors me coming down here. He doesn’t want me to talk with you. I had to wait until he went to sleep. He says that you are trouble.”

“Depending on who your family is, maybe. Who is your father? I don’t think I’ve ever seen your face to know who you resemble.”

“You’ve seen me as I’ve seen you, but I feared you wouldn’t talk to me because of my family.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will meet you face to face when you are released and you will see why I say these things.”

“I will be released tomorrow,” she said sarcastically.

“You will be. I’ll make sure of it. I’ve kept track. You’ve been in there six days. The king sentenced you to one week in here. I watched the guards to see which of the cells they put you in.”

“I’m glad you didn’t try to stop them. The king has a knack for trying to make my life miserable, so the less I see of him the better. You know why I was thrown in here?”

“Yes, the king caught you teaching lessons from the Bible. He forbids such things.”

“How do you know that?”

“I overheard the lesson. It was quite an intriguing lesson on the value of patience. However, my father walked into the room while I was listening to you. He didn’t find it so intriguing.”

“How is that possible that you can listen to me through your intercom? I’m the only servant that knows how to wire it up to do that, or at least I thought I was. Unless, of course, you are. . .” She tapped her index finger against her chapped lips as she paused in thought. “That would mean that you are either royalty or a supporter of King Caunto, which is one in the same. I don’t like that possibility. Caunto has ruined Conisha. This island was a superpower before he and his family strong-armed into power. He has destroyed the government with his ignorant atheistic views and can’t win the respect of the people because they are used to Christian leadership.”

“We should talk about something other than politics.”

“We are not talking about politics; we’re talking about family, where your bloodline is.”

Alexander breathed in through he clenched teeth as a deadened chill struck his body. “I don’t know where your bloodline comes from either, but I don’t care. I love you.”

Savannah sat in silence, her words trapped in her mind by the shock of his last three words. She heard him get up and heard his footsteps get further and further away. She pondered the question of his identity as she thought back on their conversation. King Caunto’s only son loves her. The grandson of the man who tortured and killed her entire family and made her an orphan at the age of six, loved her.