The Destiny of Amalah (80 page)

Garrick looked back at the window and stared. He did not want to do anything but curl up and die but he knew that Häkan was right. He knew that Kalon would want him to look after Ellora and so he took a deep breath, sighed and looked back at Häkan.

‘Alright,’ he said quietly.

Häkan nodded slowly in approval and patted Garrick on the shoulder.

‘If you need anything Garrick then call me. Do not worry for one second what the hour is, call on me and I will come – that I promise.’

‘Thank you,’ Garrick said, nodding his head in acknowledgment

‘I am glad you are back Häkan.’

‘As am I,’ said Häkan.

‘What happened in Basimine?’ Garrick asked. ‘We faced Rakan’s army but not all of it. There were perhaps two thousand strong and there was no sign of Rakan and Rufus. We fought and we fought but then they began to retreat and then, there came a wall of fire that stretched from north to south and became at least fifty feet high. We were barricaded from the east and from them.’

‘They have escaped to Equer.’

‘Yes, probably, I don’t think that they had any intention of taking Basimine.’

‘They did, but they were not there for the people,’ Garrick said thoughtfully. ‘They were there for the food and clothing – have you seen the cattle?’

‘Yes, it’s enough …enough to feed an army,’ Häkan said, nodding his head and banging his hand on the ledge in frustration.’

‘Exactly, they are feeding their army, not to mention clothing them.’

‘What now?’ Häkan asked.

‘Now, I am deeply troubled. They have an army at least seven thousand strong, or near to that, fully fed and clothed. They have former officers of the guard who know everything we know and they have conquered half the world before we could do anything about it.

‘It is grave indeed.’

‘Yes it is and when they leave Equer, I fear that they will easily conquer Lansten and Parades.’

‘We must meet with the council and the Empress.’

‘Yes we must.’

‘I will arrange it for tomorrow. Will you be in attendance?’

‘Yes I will, I do not want my son to have died for nothing.’

Häkan spent a long time with Garrick, they talked and they talked and they had moments of silence. Garrick was still in pain but that night at the windowsill with Häkan, he took a small step. He acknowledged that he was needed and that he had to honour his son’s wishes and even though his pain would be unbearable for a long time, he decided to go on. When Häkan eventually left him he went in search of Ellora and the two of them spent time together; they talked about Kalon and each other.

‘Before he left for Basimine, he asked me to marry him,’ Ellora said tearfully to Garrick.

‘I did not know that.’

‘No, no one did. We were going to tell everyone when he returned.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘I understand what happened to my mother now,’ she said, in a melancholy tone. ‘I see that she was so pained when my father died.’

‘Ellora, I feel your pain, I do. Every second for me has been nothing but torment but Häkan made me see – we have to live – we have to be here for each other; Kalon would have wanted that, I know it and he would want us to bring the world back to how it was.’

‘I know,’ Ellora said softly.

‘Promise me you will come to me. Promise me that if you need anything, then you will come. I will always be here for you Ellora – I swear it.’

‘Thank you Garrick and I promise, I will come to you.’

‘I must thank you too Ellora.’

‘Why?’

‘When Kalon was alive we talked a lot. He talked about you mostly, he was so happy to be with you,
you
made him happy. He loved you truly and deeply and with all of his heart and he felt loved by you. So thank you – thank you for loving my son and making him happy and feeling like a man: he was truly loved.’

Ellora was overcome by Garrick’s words and she burst into tears when he had finished, he rushed over to her to comfort her and he held her in his arms, where she cried until she could cry no more and then she held onto Garrick for just a little longer.

‘I’m so heartbroken,’ she said through gulps.

‘I know princess,’ he said softly.

Garrick sat back in his chair and the two sat in silence, they took comfort from each other; for they knew that the other was the only person in the world who knew how they felt.

Ellora eventually fell asleep and Garrick scooped her up and put her to bed. He took off her shoes and pulled the covers over her and kissed her on the forehead and when he did, he thought back to when she, Rakan and Kalon were all children and he smiled at the memories and then he thought of her father, his friend Kai and he smiled again. He left her room and stood outside the door.

‘Kalon my son and Kai, my dearest friend; I will protect her with my very last breath – of this I promise,’ Garrick said vehemently.

And with that, he went to his own room and went to bed. “Tomorrow is another day,” he thought. “Let me just get through it.” Garrick stared in the pitch black and thought of his son and then exhaustion came over him and he fell asleep – not knowing what the new day would bring.

The new day saw the council meet and many were surprised to see that Garrick was also in attendance, as they had heard the news about Kalon. Those members who had been callously murdered by Rakan, Waldon, Kenaz and Rufus had not yet been replaced but at that meeting some of their seats were filled by Zach, Callan Knight and John. They were dispirited and melancholy because of the events at Basimine and Callan Knight was even more saddened by the death of Kalon. She had only known him briefly but she liked him immensely; she felt loss and she truly felt for Garrick. Amara opened the meeting and Yakira was the first to speak:

‘Things did not bode well for us.’

‘No they did not,’ replied Amara.

‘The situation is grim,’ Garrick admitted.

‘Indeed,’ added Häkan. ‘Rakan and his friends have fled to Equer.’

‘Why do we not pursue them?’ asked Dale.

‘Because we are cut off from Equer and they are trapped there.’

‘Are they really trapped, or did they lock themselves in?’ Michael asked.

‘I fear they have barricaded themselves in Equer,’ Garrick said. ‘But in any event, they themselves cannot escape the nation just yet.’

‘Why would they do that?’ Amara asked.

‘To rest, regroup and re-supply,’ Garrick answered. ‘They did not pass through Basimine to fight because they stayed west. There are enough cattle to feed an army and enough animals to clothe them.’

‘Yes and there is plenty of wood and ore to arm them too.’

‘How long do you think they will stay in Equer?’ Amara asked.

‘Now it is winter, and the harshest of winters it has become. The guard we sent to Equer to uncover what was going on sent word that the snow, ice and freezing weather, arrived earlier this year and it grows worse by the day. The worst of winter lasts two months in Equer but this one may last three, maybe four or five,’ Garrick said.

‘Then that is good news for us,’ Callan said. ‘We can meet them at Parades and bring them down once and for all.’

‘Yes,’ agreed Amara.

‘I sense you cannot win in Parades,’ said Dale.

‘Why?’ asked Michael.

‘In Santeb there were four but when they moved east, another joined and their brotherhood became five. On they moved in to Aradene and Mantor but once in Filine, another joined; although he was not of the Filinians, and then they became six and complete. Princes of darkness they all are – power unparalleled they possess.’

‘Yes, but there are only six,’ John said.

‘Yes, but Equer, events in Equer change everything more power comes their way and they become – invulnerable,’ Dale said.

‘How can this be?’ Zach asked.

‘I do not know, but I see it and I feel it.’

‘We cannot stand by and do nothing,’ Amara said.

‘No you cannot. I see that you must fight but I warn you of great peril.’

‘Are we doomed Dale?’ Garrick asked profoundly.

‘Only if we all fall,’ she replied.

‘Will we fall?’ he asked.

‘I do not know Garrick; all of our lives hang precariously in the balance.’

‘Once again,’ Garrick said.

‘We have three months,’ Amara said. ‘We must use every minute of that time to prepare and to make a stand against the six and their army.’

‘I have an idea,’ Garrick said slowly as he looked at the Empress and then everyone else in turn.

He told the council of his plan and soon every member of the council put forward their ideas and suggestions; there were agreements and disagreements and they worked on their plans for hours until they were satisfied.

‘I hope it works,’ Häkan said.

‘Don’t we all,’ said Amara.

‘It is our only hope,’ said Häkan.

The Empress rose to her feet and so did everyone else and they dispersed to go on with whatever it was they had to do. Garrick and Häkan were leaving the room when Garrick suddenly stopped. He turned around and walked back to where Michael and Amara were standing. Garrick looked at Amara and for a while he felt uncomfortable; Amara sensed his discomfort and she sensed that she should speak with Garrick alone.

‘Michael and Häkan, please could you give me sometime to speak with Garrick alone?’

‘Of course Empress,’ they replied and left the Crest Room and Garrick and Amara alone.

Amara looked at Garrick sympathetically and then she spoke.

‘Garrick, I am so sorry for your loss and your pain,’ she said, taking hold of his hands and squeezing them. ‘I loved Kalon and I wish there were a way to bring him back.’

‘So do I Empress.’

‘I also thank you, for Ellora takes great comfort from you.’

‘And I from her.’ Garrick looked at the Empress intensely for a while before he spoke again: ‘Do you remember the day when you discovered you had magic powers?’

‘Yes,’ Amara replied, feeling uncomfortable as the memory of it flashed back at her. ‘I used them against Rakan,’ she said, quite ashamed.

‘And do you remember what you promised to me all of those years ago?’

‘Of course, I promised to never hurt your sons ever again and I will honour that.’

‘Empress you have to break your promise to me.’

‘No Garrick I…’

‘Empress you have to, you and I both know that you must. You will always have my allegiance and my friendship but the world depends on us to defeat Rakan, Waldon, Kenaz, Rufus and their army and you can ill afford to be bound by that promise you made.’

Amara was silent for a few moments and then she answered. ‘You are right Garrick, it is regrettable but you are right. If Rakan does not fall in battle and he is held here, no harm will come to him – I promise you that.

‘Thank you Amara,’ Garrick said. ‘Although, if I came across Rakan myself, I could not say the same thing,’ Garrick said, as he turned to leave.

‘Garrick, please do not destroy yourself.’

‘I am already destroyed,’ Garrick said quietly, as he continued to walk out of the room.

When Amara left the room, Garrick and Häkan were already out of sight but Michael was waiting patiently for her outside the door. The two of them walked to her study and when they went inside, Amara told Michael about her conversation with Garrick.

‘He is a good man and I know it must have killed him to say that to you but I also know that when he said it, he meant it.’

Amara shook her head slowly, these were dark days for her and for everyone around her but she knew she was expected to lead them out of the darkness. Michael stood opposite her and placed his hand on her shoulder ‘Empress, what is wrong?’

‘Everything Michael.’

‘We can face it together,’ he said reassuringly.

‘You are always by my side Michael,’ she said, appreciatively as she looked up at him.

‘And I always will be.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I swore to your father,’ he said, and then he paused for a long time and then to his own surprise and Amara’s, he said: ‘And because I love you and I am
in
love with you.’ He pursed his lips nervously and looked at the Empress, Michael was not easily scared but at that moment he was terrified.

‘Michael,’ she said taken aback. She stepped back from him and looked at him, still trying to take in what he had just said. ‘Why? Since when? I…’

‘For the longest time,’ he said, laughing nervously and then he looked longingly at her. ‘I saw you become a woman and I fell in love with the woman you became: strong, beautiful, intelligent, and so loving and giving; always putting others before yourself. How could I not fall in love with you? Your grace, your warmth and your charm – how could I not?’ he asked again.

‘Why now?’

‘When Kalon died; he was loved and he loved, and I do not want to die not having known a love like that. I do not want to die not having told you how I truly feel.’