"Lord save me" I whispered looking at the sight in font of me. The wall had opened like a door and a room appeared in front of me. Blue lights illuminated the room. I walked inside, looking around. Weapons were hanging on the walls and some were placed in glass box. There was a stone bowl in the middle of the room. A rectangular glass box was sitting on a stone shelf at the other far end of the room. The door closed behind us with a thud. I looked at Hayden in panic but he gave me a it-is-okay look. I walked up the stone steps to reach the stone bowl. I looked inside it to see that it was filled with transparent liquid, or it could be water. Hayden was standing in front of the glass box.
In the glass box was a sword in a white colored scabbard. A name was written on the glass in silver letters. "Adiuvat Talwar" (The brave sword). I opened the glass top. I held the sword by the hilt and took it out, examining it. It fitted my palm. I raised it and it felt like a feather in my hand, not like other weapons that are heavy. I removed the white scabbard that slid off with out any resistance. The gleam of the silver weapon left me astounded. I looked carefully to see latin words carved on the silver blade. Hayden stood beside me reading it. He was familiar with latin. "Solum adiuvat iustum, et de anima James" (Only for the brave and just souls of James). I looked at Hayden amazed.
"WOAH" I whispered out loud.
"The legend says that whenever a James held this sword, he first washed it in the water of the Lapis patera so his conquer would be just, fair and everlasting" I walked towards the stone bowl and dipped the sword in the water. The blade shimmered and glowed in the water. I took it out from the water and placed it back inside the scabbard and strapped it. I covered it with my sweatshirt and looked around watching other weapons that had the names of other families engraved on them. I walked towards the exit and placed my hands on the wall. The wall opened and we walked on the other side, in the basement and the wall behind us turned solid. The hook had disappeared.
"Once the true holder of the sword has it the hook disappears because the person can enter anytime. It will once appear when the true holder will be lost" Dad was there.
"I told you that you will stay strong whatever happens didn't I?" He held me by my shoulders.
"Dad, what happened?" I asked him alarmed seeing that his eyes were red.
"Your mother has left this world" He dropped the bomb on my head. I looked at him, my eyes widened in shock. I stood there devastated.
"Mom" I felt like I was deprived of oxygen. Somebody had sucked all the oxygen out of my lungs. I squatted down on the floor, tears spilling out of my eyes like waterworks.
"Who?" I asked him my voice breaking.
"Aubrey Blaine" Was his answer.
"She was disguised as Amy, wasn't she? I was right." I spoke in a small voice.
"I was right all along!" I screamed pulling my hairs.
"Clare" Hayden squatted beside me but I backed off in pure horror.
" 'Larie what did I tell you? You are the queen" He spoke hardly as he pulled me up.
"Not a single tear. It is not just you now" He patted my shoulder, pulling me in a fatherly hug. I walked out of the basement towards the backyard where everybody surrounded the body. I made my way towards it. Amy was standing there as Henry knelt beside the body.
"Who are you?" I asked Amy standing in front of her.
"The Queen" She mocked me.
"No more games Aubrey Blaine. No more games. Face the true monarch bravely. Don't hide behind a façade. Face me and end this. Remove your mask." I spoke pointedly at her.
"What mask?" She laughed. "I am Amy Daunter." I couldn't take no more and I took out my dagger hitting her in the face with the hilt. She fell backwards, spitting blood out of her mouth. I took of my sweat shirt, showing them the sword that was strapped on my back. The crowd gasped upon seeing the sword. I turned around and walked back inside the house. I walked up to my room, shutting the door behind me. I sat down on the bed defeated and fell back, running a hand through my hair.
At the start of the year I made a resolution that I would do something exciting. Well, being a queen was something I had never imagined happening in a million years.
My thoughts were disturbed by the knock on a door. The maid handed me my mourning clothes.
"The funeral is in two hours mam" She informed before leaving. I went inside the bathroom to change my clothes. After changing I wore my gear and strapped the sword in it. I went downstairs to see everyone ready for the funeral to begin. We walked outside to see a sea of people standing.
"Where did they come from?" I asked Hayden.
"All around the world, through portals mainly" Hayden replied, silence fell on the crowd. After a minutes silence they started chanting The Magna Poem of the Endowed.
Golden for the birth of crown
Red for bringing up the dawn
Niveus for the day of rebirth
Blue to bring the magic down
White for when one is wilted down
Scarlet when the hunt is back again
Silver blades rise on victory march
Love will patch our tattered hearts
Smoke on the summon of spirits you choose
Black coffins when endowed are buried down
Happiness when the lost returns
No forbearance for the illicit affairs
Lapis Patera when the pure blades rise
Nigreos for slaughter of the demonic souls
Taç for the pure and just reign.
Ending the chant they quietly raised their right hands on which they wore white ribbons. The ribbons burned and their ashes drifted towards the sky.
"May the soul of our queen rest in peace." The crowd of people chanted as the coffin lifted and flew towards the graveyard, burring itself in the ground. Dad looked at me, motioning me to step forward.
"Jane Daunter James, May your soul rest in peace" I raised my hand and the white ribbon that was knotted on my hand was burned. The royal court crier stepped forward and placed the crown on my head.
"Queen Clare Jane Daunter, may your rule bring prosperity to the throne." He stepped back and bowed to me. I stepped back, before running away back into the house. I stood in the foyer, as memories re surfaced in my head. I shook my head and took deep breaths. I straightened myself and glanced at the mirror. The crown was placed on my head.
"Never turn your back to where you belong,
hush little one and listen to this song"
The lullaby repeated itself inside my head as I surrendered to my fate.
"Clare you okay?" I turned around to face Hayden.
"This is who I am?. Nothing can change that. Even if I run away. I will still be me. Won't I? Now, I am not just me. Now, All the people standing out there are dependent on me, one way or another." I took a deep breath and looked at Dad who had arrived behind Hayden.
"Yes, no matter what you do you are still you. The coronation will be held tomorrow where you will take the oath. Many people before you have taken he oath, some have done the right thing while the others did against it. Some fell and some rose. But it matters to no one because it was their choice. History always remembers the valiant, not the coward. Learn from the mistakes of your elders." He advised me and walked up the stairs.
I looked back at Hayden who smiled at me, pulling me in a hug.
"How can I manage to accept the position for which my mother was killed?. Yet, I have to. Because I cannot run from where I belong. I belong there and I was born there and I will die there. Because there is where my fate lies. And that there is scaring me. I don't want to but I have to. Or more Clare will be born like me." I pulled away and he cupped my face, pecking my forehead.
"No matter what happens, I will always be there" He reassured me.
"Doesn't matter if I die, I will always and forever be loyal to my queen. I will always be there for her and I will always support her right decision and stand beside her" He spoke looking in my eyes, meaning every single word he said.