The Catastrophe of the Emerald Queen (41 page)

Sophie reached out and gently
cupped Mordalayn’s chin in her hand. Her jewelled fingers slowly
raised his face to look at her.

 
She
smiled again as butterflies flitted around her and then moved away
to the open window nearest the throne. Jared glanced quickly at
them as they flew to the outside world and then looked back to
Sophie. 

Sophie spoke
softly. “Mordalayn, my most precious. You are my most loyal friend
in this or any other world
.
I can forgive your indiscretions. I know how much
you love me and I would have no other for my personal
guardian.” 

Jared stared at Mordalayn whose
face was a mask of sadness. His former steel tough demeanour was
gone. The wall of his willpower had finally collapsed after so
long.

 
He made
a muffled sob and said in a choked voice. “I thought I’d never see
you again.”

Sophie took his face in both of
her hands and leaning forward she kissed his forehead gently.
 

“
You have
nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be proud of. Now please,
stand and embrace me my most beloved friend.”

 
Mordalayn struggled to his feet and Sophie flung her arms
around him, burying her face against his chest and hugging him
tightly. 

“
Take your
sword,” she said and Mordalayn retrieved his weapon from the floor
and silently sheathed it. Turning to the others she smiled. “Please
rise, loyal subjects of Alegria.”

 
The
soldiers rose as one and bowed their heads to their
queen.

 
The
room was adorned with flowers and the musk of blossom. Sophie
turned her head to Jared. 

“
You must be
the one who saved me from entrapment,” she said holding out her
hand. “Come,” and Jared moved to her. 

“
You have my
eternal gratitude,” Sophie said to him. “Now, before my people meet
their queen again I think you all need to tell me what has been
happening since I left.”

Chapter
43

The people came from the city
and from every village and hamlet in the kingdom. 

The green beacon signalling the
queen was in Alegria had been dulled for over a year now. As news
spread of Queen Sophie’s return and the vanquishing of the tyrant
James, they came in their hundreds to see their beloved ruler once
again. 

The emerald light in the castle
glowed for miles, as far as the untouched lands in the north and
the kingdoms of Estorlan and Flintor. Within half a day the palace
plaza, signs of the destruction that had taken place upon it long
gone, had filled with eager and excited citizens, buzzing with
conversation. Gossip flying thick and fast as to how the queen had
finally come back. Some said she had been kidnapped by King James
and had escaped just this morning. Others said she had been held
prisoner and had cunningly let King James think he had his victory
before destroying his army and letting her champion Mordalayn best
him in fair single combat. Others still said that the queen had
abandoned her kingdom but returned because she could not bear to
leave her beloved people behind to face the horrors of rule under
Anghofio.  

Whatever they said, it was
nearly always inaccurate and only a handful of people knew what had
really happened. 

Above all, no one hated the
queen any more. No one despised her for leaving and no one was
resentful that she had been gone for such a long time. The fact she
had returned was enough for them to love her once more. 

Thousands of people filled the
huge plaza and the feeling was almost something you could touch. A
buzz of excitement was everywhere. 

Jared looked
up at Mordalayn from near the windows of the throne room. Sophie
was talking with the members of her inner council who stood in
respectful audience in front of her. Below the window Jared could
see the multitudes thronging to welcome their ruler home. “So many
people,” he murmured in awe and Mordalayn turned to him and smiled.
The first time Jared had seen him smile since they’d
met. 

“
Our queen is
loved by her people Jared,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “They are
grateful she is here once more.” He placed one giant hand on
Jared’s shoulder. “You have been a true friend to Alegria Jared
Miller. For that you have earned my friendship.” Jared was slightly
uncomfortable under the Caracalic’s steel gaze but he realised that
the fire and anger had gone. Mordalayn’s eyes were still intense
but his face shone with something other than the fury that Jared
had seen over the last few days. 

“
Thank you,”
he said quietly and extended his hand. Mordalayn shook it firmly
and clapped Jared on the back. 

“
Soon you can
return home, I promise.” 

Jared bowed
his head. Wanting to go back but also wanting to stay. He had seen
so much here and he knew there was so much more he could
see. 

“
I’ve been
here for days. I probably have Interpol and God knows who looking
for me now,” he said shaking his head. “All that stuff at Heathrow
will be on the News you know.” 

Mordalayn
smiled again. “Your world’s people have a habit of trying to
explain everything. Even things they cannot explain. I believe what
happened will be given a rational, yet wholly untrue explanation by
those who think they know best.” 

Jared looked
outside, the echoing noise from the crowd still loud. Kloee flew up
next to him, smiling and perched on his shoulder. 

They turned as Sophie rose from
her throne and the councillors parted to let her through, bowing as
she glided between them.

 
It was
dark outside now, the daylight having faded and Sophie smiled at
Mordalayn and linked her arm through his. “Come my friends,” she
said, looking at Jared. “It is time for me to meet my people once
more.” 

Mordalayn
moved to the large glass doors near the window. Checking, by habit,
over both shoulders and also that the balcony was clear he pulled
the doors open and as Sophie stepped out into the cool night air,
there was a roar from the thousands gathered in the plaza. Sophie
walked forward to the carved ornamental wall at the front of the
balcony, Mordalayn striding purposefully one step behind. She
turned and looked back at Jared, then beckoned him forward. “Come,
you should be here too,” she said and Jared nervously stepped up
next to her.  

The crowd were going crazy.
Cheering and waving madly. The sight of their beloved queen
whipping them into a frenzy of joy. Sophie smiled and waved at her
people and they cheered and cheered. 

Jared stood transfixed by the
sight below him. He looked around and saw the moonlight casting
cool velvet shadows on the balcony around him and down to his left
onto the main landing and the staircase and its elegant carvings
and statues. Overhead the crescent moon was bright in the cloudless
sky. Like a sickle it hung in the starry void, casting its
protecting light over the crowd below it. 

The people below rippled gently
as if made of water and Jared could see them surging as one, their
arms raised in greeting to their queen, finally returned after so
long. Their hearts soared as they gazed upon her once more, the
terrible threat from Anghofio and King James now gone. 

Jared looked
up, beyond the vast entrance to the circular plaza and saw the huge
bridge vanishing behind it in the distance. The dark woods black as
ebony. Still more people were coming across to join the multitude
at the foot of the palace. He looked up at Mordalayn who leaned
forward and whispered quietly. “Now watch.” 

At that moment Sophie stepped
forward and raised her arms. Again the crowd roared. She sang
loudly in a sweet, lilting voice that carried loudly across the
plaza above all other noise, the word long and drawn out: 

“
ALEGRIA!!!” 

The crowd
roared back. “ALEGRIA!!!” 

Sophie smiled and again sang in
her high voice: 

“
ALEGRIA!” 

Once again the crowd answered
her. Then to Jared’s astonishment she floated up, her glittering
green gown sparkling in the moonlight and sailed up over the
balcony. 

The crowd
cheered even louder and yelled again. “ALEGRIA!!!”

 
Jared
looked at Mordalayn, alarmed but the Caracalic simply smiled
again. 

Sophie paused and looked around
and then sang:

 “
Alegria, for joy we are here.

In Alegria
there’s no hate or fear”
 

The crowd paused and then as
one sang the lines back, their voices deafening but sweet in the
night air. 

Sophie floated out in mid air
above the plaza and turned around, glittering whirls sparking
around her, like Jared had seen with the fairies in Maximo’s house.
Then she looked down and a random member of the huge crowd floated
up from the floor to join her high above the others. The man’s legs
kicked the air as if treading water and then he laughed as he came
face to face with Queen Sophie. She embraced him and then
sang: 

“
When the
demons of night reappear.

You are safe
if you are in Alegria”
 

The man laughed as he span
gently around and with the thousands below him he repeated the
line. 

Two other people floated at
random from the crowd, this time a little boy and an old woman.
Again Sophie embraced them as they came level to her, thirty metres
above the ground and they laughed with joy as they gently span in
the air like leaves on a calm river.

 
Around
them more and more people slowly began to rise out of the crowd.
With much laughing and murmurs of approval from their fellows below
they joined their queen. Singing their wonderful song of gratitude
for all that she and this kingdom had given to
them. 

Kloee tapped
Jared on the shoulder with a tiny hand. “Come on, let’s join
in.” 

Jared glanced
at Mordalayn who smiled. “Go Jared, this is as much for you as
anyone.” 

“
You coming?”
Jared said as Kloee began to glow again and he felt himself rising
off the balcony like in the Phase game. 

“
No, I will
remain to watch you.” 

His stomach flipping Jared
gulped as he looked down and saw the sea of heads below him. He
looked ahead as Kloee’s little wings beat fast as they moved to the
other people treading the air. They turned to them and the nearest
one smiled warmly and as Jared approached him he reached out and
hugged him. Sophie turned as about a dozen more people rose from
the crowd. All different. All the same. United by their love of
this moment and for their child queen. She smiled at Jared and then
at Kloee and Jared saw that there were now about fifty or so people
floating above the crowd. Sophie raised her arms again and from her
a bright green light slowly rose to encompass the whole square. The
crowd gasped and within a few seconds the square was as bright as
daylight. Jared glanced back and saw Mordalayn standing impassively
on the regal balcony. As steady as a rock and as reliable as steel.
The Queen’s Sword standing firm in his duty to his monarch and her
people. 

As the murmuring of the crowd
finally died down, Sophie sang again but this time the entire crowd
sang at the same time. 

“
Alegria.
Alegria for joy we are here.

In Alegria there’s no hate or
fear.

When the demons of night
reappear.

You are safe if you are in
Alegria.

The wrath of angels will not
touch you, nor suffer you harm.

The crown will protect you,
enclosed in the palm.

Peace is our journey and light
is our path.

Serene is our
temper but fearsome our wrath.”
 

Jared laughed as the people
either side of him linked hands with him and Kloee stood on tiptoes
on his shoulder. Her little red shoes shining in the bright light.
All the people in the air linked hands and formed a huge circle
around the queen. She span gently in a complete circle and then the
circle of people began to ever so gently rotate. The crowd below
were shouting and raising their hands in the air. Sophie paused and
then she and the crowd began again: 

“
For the lost
we will find you, for the sad there is joy.

No one need be lonely, no girl
and no boy.

We welcome you brother, sister
and friend.

Leave all woe behind you, your
troubles we’ll mend.

Alegria the joy, Alegria the
light.

Alegria the
torch through the darkness of night.”

 
The
crowd sang in harmony the sound carrying for miles and miles and
Jared hoped the singing would last forever.

Chapter
44

Siavy was tired and filthy.

He’d fled as
soon as he had seen the statues brought to life by Mordalayn’s
magic. As he galloped away, he had turned to see the destructive
force rip through the legion. No one else had made it out
alive.

He knew he had to get as far
from Alegria as he could and after an exhausting day’s riding he
finally reigned in his horse, the beast lathered in sweat and
panting roughly.

He lit a
small fire in the woods and sat near his tethered stallion as the
daylight faded. Cursing his luck he knew his life was in danger
now. He owed money to so many people for this grand venture. Money
he could no longer pay. With no victory there would be no reward
and with no reward Galfront Siavy was now a wanted man.