Things Unseen: (An epic fantasy adventure series) (The Caris Chronicles Book 1) (37 page)

Caris almost sobbed as a wave of love engulfed her; it flooded out of The King, filling her, making her feel like her whole body was expanding to contain it. A deep sense of peace, as she had never experienced before washed over her, wiping away all the hidden fears and anxieties she had held so deeply. As she stared into his eyes she realised she wasn’t worthless, she wasn’t faulty. She was a treasure; she was cherished by The King.

Finally, he spoke, “Daughter, I am glad to finally meet you. I have been waiting for this day for a long time. You are so precious to me and so beautiful, I made you especially beautiful.” He smiled at her and for some reason Caris believed him. “I am so proud of you, my child. You are lovely, worthy, so wonderful to me.”

He wrapped his arms around her in a fatherly hug and all the hurt Caris had been carrying for years melted away. She sobbed against the bottom of his chest, until she felt utterly drained, but somehow light as a feather and completely new. Finally, she drew back and smiled up at him, no longer afraid to look at him.

“Come,” he said smiling. “I have something to show you.” He led Caris to the back of the sparsely furnished tent. A large golden framed mirror rested on a stand. Caris approached it slowly, awed by its beauty. She looked into it and was shocked to see dark pictures flowing across its face. She realised in horror that it was the derk invasion of her home.

“No!” she protested, stepping back from it.

“Just watch, trust me daughter, this is something you need to see.”

So she watched as her mum ran toward the ladder, she watched herself quickly knocking an arrow to her bow string and firing with lightening speed and precision at a derk who still managed to kill her mum.

“No one could’ve gotten that shot off any quicker,” Caris whispered.

“No one could’ve,” The King agreed. She began to turn to him but he said, “There is something else I want you to see.”

She watched as the mirror’s picture changed to show a beautiful waterfall. Caris recognised the pool she had camped beside with Crispin and The Singer. And there was Crispin by the water’s edge, but it was not her with him, it was Kalen, laughing, her long black hair shining in the sunlight.
She
is
beautiful,
Caris realised for the first time. She looked closer. It wasn’t Kalen at all, it was herself. She watched in amazement.
I’m beautiful.
She remembered Syngar telling her, Jeniel telling her, Kalen telling her.
Why didn’t I believe them? My own parents didn’t believe me beautiful.

“They were blinded by ignorant prejudice and they were wrong,” The King said.

She stared at the mirror as the picture changed once again, this time showing her reflection as she stood gazing into it.

“I am not ugly,” she said wonderingly.

“All my children are beautiful,” The King said from behind her.

She turned to smile up at him and this time she hugged him. He laughed a laugh so full of joy that Caris couldn’t help but join him. They walked to the door together but before she left, he stopped and collected a bundle from a table.

“I have something for you, child.” He placed a uniform into her arms.

“Oh thank you so much! I have wanted one of these so badly!” she laughed. “Thank you for everything.”

“Thank you Caris, for everything you have done for me and mine. I know of your sacrifices, your acts of courage, and your efforts to improve your ability to serve, and I am grateful.”

She bowed her head and, humbled, left the tent.

I have to tell Janen;
she thought, as she raced back to the fire,
he has to meet The King. He will love him.
She stopped in her tracks.
I am not ugly! I can be with Janen, I can be with Janen!
She laughed and started running with renewed speed to find him.

She reached the campfire and looked for him but he was not sitting with the others. Jeniel came to stand by her side.

“Where’s Janen?” Caris asked softly.

“He went to his tent.”

Caris looked around; she didn’t know where his tent was or who he was sharing with. She felt entirely too uncomfortable with the idea of seeking him out in his tent and so discarded the idea.

“I’m for an early night,” Jeniel said.

Caris looked around at her friends by the fire. She didn’t want to join them. If she couldn’t share her joy with Janen then she wanted to savour it on her own.

“I’ll come with you,” Caris said. She took Jeniel’s hand, “I’m sorry about Minkre, she was lovely. I really liked her.”

“I really liked her too. It is a tragedy for an elf to die so young,” replied Jeniel.

Caris supposed it was a tragedy for anyone to die young, but in light of how long elves usually lived, she had been deprived of most of her life.

They walked to the tent they were sharing in silence. Caris entered it, feeling like it was a palace. It was just large enough for four bedrolls but had been allocated only two and set up with a beautiful red curtain dividing the room in half. Caris luxuriated in the privacy she hadn’t had since Telvendor. She readied herself for bed slowly, her mind full of thoughts of The King.

It was early when Caris woke; she was instantly alert and full of excitement. She had met The King and he was wonderful! She dressed quickly and proudly in her new uniform and raced to find Janen. She found Crispin at the still burning fire, putting on a pot of tea.

“Have you seen Janen, Crispin?”

“I have,” he replied sombrely.

“Is he up? Where is he?”

“He is gone.”

“Gone?”

“The King received word about Kalen’s betrothed during the night. She left on a rescue mission before sunrise with a small band. Janen went with them.”

“Why wasn’t I invited?”

“You cannot go Caris, you are a seer. It would be selfish for two seers to travel together while others fight with none. You are needed here.”

“But then why did she have to take Janen?”

“He asked to go,” Crispin replied gently.

Caris sat on the log beside him and watched as the sun crested the treetops in the distance.

“I’m sorry for looking away from The Singer.”

“I never held it against you Caris,” he paused, “Can you forgive yourself?”

She pictured The King smiling at her, his eyes brimming with love.

“Yes... I think I can.”

Melina Grace lives in Australia with her wonderful husband and two adorable kids. After 40 years of excessive daydreaming she is very grateful to be able to spend her days (in between running around after children) writing and pretending it’s work.

Melina has spent 25 years living in the worlds of brilliant fantasy writers and is loving the opportunity to share a new world of her own with people who, like her, have a vicarious love of adventure.

To continue with Caris and Janen, as they battle the Dark One’s hordes and travel through perilous lands in search of Kalen’s betrothed, follow this link to grab
Underneath
.

Acknowledgements

A huge thankyou goes out to my very talented mum for her countless hours editing this book. Thank you also to my dad who has spent many hours helping me out. Thanks to all my friends who have encouraged me and gotten excited about this story, especially Belinda for her technical assistance. I also want to say thanks to all the bloggers out there who give away their invaluable information about self-publishing, without whom this book may never have made it into the hands of anyone but my friends and family.

The biggest thanks go to my husband who has supported me in every way to make this book a possibility. Thank you, Mal, for always encouraging me to follow my dreams. Last of all, thanks to my kids for your encouragement and for the joy you bring to my life.