Chap. 9
The previous night’s memory and events still stayed in Serenity’s mind. Serenity had clearly remembered what she and Esmera had discussed after Jason left to talk with Isabella.
“Who do you think was behind it all?” Serenity had asked Esmera.
I don’t know, but whoever it was had almost succeeded in killing you, Esmera mused.
“But who?”
Well, think about it. I think there is a traitor present. I mean, Isabella told me that no one knew when you and Jason went out to hunt a hundred years ago. Isabella was the only one Jason told, and she didn’t tell anyone. So someone found out and probably reported back to Rellark, and he made plans for you to get killed.
“Who has been around for a hundred years?” questioned Serenity, making sense of what Esmera’s theory was.
They don’t have to be around for a hundred years, explained Esmera, It could be a chain of traitors that Rellark hired to spy and leak out information on us.
“That’s interesting...”
Esmera and Serenity stayed up talking a little bit longer until Jason once again came and invited to a meeting.
* * * *
Jason, Serenity, Isabella, Esmera, Shinku, and YoKo sat around a table and was talking, discussing, and thinking. The castle doors were large enough to fit Shinku through, and the throne room’s door was wide enough so Esmera and Shinku could participate.
“Last night, Ilea, our leader for the rebel group was almost killed,” began Isabella. “It was bad enough the last time; we don’t want to have it happen again.”
How do we make sure it doesn’t? Questioned YoKo.
Jason glared at YoKo from the opposite side of the table. “That’s easy; we—that is Shinku and I—take her and Esmera to a safer place.”
Serenity wondered why Jason was speaking so harshly to YoKo. He probably still blamed her for the incident last night. However, Serenity didn’t. “Where are you thinking about?” asked Isabella.
Jason paused for a minute, talked with Shinku in his mind, and then answered, “The elf city, Mirthira, where I came from fifty years ago. We’d be under King Gelmir’s protection and it is so well-protected that Rellark would never attack.”
It’s on the other side of Alercaria! Exclaimed YoKo.
“Yes, I know that,” Jason responded coolly.
Again there was that moment where Jason seemed to have a grudge against YoKo.
YoKo spoke up, after carefully pondering what Jason had just suggested. How are you planning on getting there? If you and Serenity fly on dragon-back, you’ll surely be seen. If you walk, it will be too long. If you—
Just then, Jason cut what YoKo was about to say. “Well we’ll just find another way then!” he snapped.
Serenity was taken back; she never heard him raise his voice at someone else before.
Why can’t you go somewhere closer, or, better yet, stay here?
“Because,” Jason sighed, “If I made it here from Mirthira to Albyra fifty years ago without a scratch, then I can definitely lead Serenity and Esmera from Albyra to Mirthira.”
Yes, I have to agree with you there, YoKo said, but, fifty years ago, you didn’t have Rellark, Malks, and an army of men after you and—more importantly—Ilea.
This is getting us nowhere, observed Shinku and Esmera together. You guys can argue for days without solving anything. Let’s have Isabella, the queen of Albyra, decide. Okay?
YoKo and Serenity nodded at the same time while Jason hesitated before nodding slowly.
Everyone turned and looked at Isabella. If you choose Jason’s side, I will not be angry with you, YoKo told Isabella. Jason heard and snorted.
“Thank you, YoKo,” Isabella started to say. “Here is my opinion. I think that both Jason and YoKo have good statements and good facts that support it. YoKo, I totally agree with you when you said it was too far and too dangerous. Jason, I agree with you when you said that Mirthira was a well-protected city.
“I have to go with what Jason said. Mirthira is the best place for Serenity right now. However, we must be quick. We do not want to give Rellark too much time to plan his next attack.
“Jason, I suggest a plan. You will have a day or two to train Serenity and Esmera on how they should protect themselves on the journey. I hope that you guys will hurry and hopefully get to Mirthira unscratched. Everyone else, you may be excused.”
YoKo was the first to get up, and she looked once at Jason before trotting out of the room, a look of sadness in her eyes. Jason, however, didn’t notice. Instead, he grabbed Serenity’s hand and pulled her out of her chair, saying, “Come on, Serenity! You and Esmera have some learning to do!”
Jason, Shinku, Serenity, and Esmera were right behind Isabella’s castle with a bow, some dozen arrows, and a beautiful sleek black horse. “What are we going to do?” wondered Serenity.
For now, we need to teach you how to ride a horse. Do you know how? Explained Shinku.
“No, not really,” Serenity replied, slightly blushing.
“That’s fine. I’m betting you’re a quick learner,” Jason assured. He pointed to the black horse and said, “That’s Arabella. She’s a sweetie. You may have her once you learn how to ride. She’s quick and intelligent; she can lead you away from danger and choose the fastest way to a certain place.”
Jason put on Arabella’s gear and helped Serenity onto her. I’m going to take Esmera somewhere else and train her. Shinku told Jason.
“That’s fine. I’ll call when we’re done.”
Come, Esmera.
“Okay,” Jason said after Shinku and Esmera disappeared into the mountains. “Let’s start by...”
The sun was beginning to set when Jason announced that they were done for that day. Serenity helped Jason pack up Arabella’s gear and then she led her to the castle’s stable. After doing that, Esmera arrived and told Serenity she would see her after dinner with Isabella.
Serenity had learned how to prepare Arabella for riding, but she also had to learn how to ride bareback incase they had to escape quickly. Jason was right about Serenity being a quick learner; she had learned everything there was to learn about riding and caring for a horse.
Esmera had learned complex moves to dodge arrows and magic in the air. She had also learned how to be able to sense what was in the air before seeing it by reaching out with her mind.
The dinner was divine. They had apple cider from the orchard behind the castle, and they had ham and rabbit for the meat. In the middle of the dinner, Isabella spoke up. “So, Serenity, how was today? Did you learn all you needed to learn?”
“Yes, thank you for asking, Isabella.” Serenity responded in between bites.
“Serenity,” Jason stated, “Tomorrow, you will have the day off. Shinku and I have some business to attend to.”
Serenity nodded to show she understood, but in the back of her mind, she wondered if Jason and Isabella weren’t telling her something.
Serenity scooted her chair back and announced, “I’m going to go to sleep. I’ll see you all tomorrow morning.”
Jason and Isabella nodded and let her go. Serenity thanked them and walked out of the room.
Serenity wandered through the empty halls of the castle. Every time Serenity tried to concentrate on where she was going, her mind kept on going back to YoKo and Jason. She thought it was like some kind of broken connection, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Serenity finally managed to walk back to where she and Esmera slept. She just told Esmera she was tired and wanted to go to sleep; Esmera didn’t question her. Serenity went to her bed which was made out of blankets and cotton and dozed off with her mind swarming with questions that had no answers.
It was in the middle of the night when Serenity awoke. She stood up, and then walked outside the door, but first checking if Esmera was soundly asleep. She was.
Serenity had no idea where her feet were leading her; she just followed without complaint. She turned past where some servants bedrooms and walked a few more minutes to who knows where. She rounded a corner and stopped before Isabella’s throne room. The door had a tiny crack in it, but Serenity decided that she shouldn’t snoop, and was about to go back to sleep before hearing a voice that caught her attention.
Serenity defined the two voices as Isabella and Jason. “What, oh what am I supposed to do?” Serenity defined the voice as Jason, which, she noted, was clearly distressed.
“Calm down, Rivon. There’s nothing for you to worry about,” Isabella assured.
Serenity moved closer to the crack in the door, and peeked inside. She saw Isabella sitting on her throne and Jason pacing up and down the aisle.
“I just wished she would face me as herself,” Jason pouted.
“Well, you can’t really blame her. She’s still upset about what happened.”
“She should get over it, then!” Jason roared.
“Would you get over it, if it happened to you?” Isabella reasoned.
This silenced Jason. Then he spoke up. “I’m just saying that she should. . . . She should not act like such a baby and that she should. . . . Oh, I don’t know!”
“Exactly. If you don’t know, then she doesn’t either. Cut her some slack.”
Are they talking about me? Wondered Serenity from outside the door.
“What I do know is this,” Jason said, calming down a little, “She should stop acting wimpy and get involved with everything that’s going on! We need her to stop Rellark! You need her, Ilea needs her, Alercaria needs her. . . . I need her.” The last part was barely a whisper, like he wanted himself to hear it, but not anyone else. All signs of anger vanished at those last words.
So it’s not me, Serenity realized. Then who is it?
“You still care for her,” murmured Isabella.
The anger returned to Jason’s voice. “No, I don’t! in fact, I’m furious with her! She’s not who she used to be. She’s changed. . . . ”
“I think,” Isabella hesitantly said, choosing her words with care, “That you should tell Islaria that face-to-face.”
Aha! So her name is Islaria! Serenity exclaimed.
“Don’t say her name!” Jason barked.
“Why? I think she has a beautiful name. Islaria. I love that, why don’t you?”
“Don’t,” begged Jason. “It brings back memories. Sad ones, happy ones, ones I never want to remember again.”
“Fine,” Isabella agreed.
There was a long pause where Jason still paced up and down and Isabella just looked at him. Then, finally, she spoke. “Rivon, listen to me. It is late and I want you to get some sleep right this instant. I swear, you worry way to much.”
Jason sighed, and then answered, his voice weary. “I’m sorry, Isabella. Please, I just want to do something about,”—he gulped—“Her. I want her to help like she used to. I miss the old days, when we were all best friends: Me, Shinku, her, Ivora, Ilea—I should really call her Serenity—and Esmera. The good thing about Serenity loosing her memory is that she doesn’t remember any of this. I’d rather she didn’t, it’s too painful.”
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