The Awakening (Book 1 The Destiny Chronicles) Read online

  ‘What’s the problem in here?’ a gruff old man asked Aislinn. ‘You children are making a nuisance of yourselves and distracting us old people from sleep on the next floor.’

  ‘Please sir,’ Aislinn mustered as much courage as she could, ‘my brother has a bad infection and a high fever. He needs medicine or he may die,’ she begged.

  ‘And what makes you think that I would care.’ It was said cruelly. ‘It would be one less noisy child to deal with each day.’

  ‘Please sir,’ she continued to plead, ‘the Dark Lord would be angry if he had plans for us and they were ruined because we were not cared for. Who would help do his laundry and muck out the stables for him?’ Manipulation would be the method to get what she needed. She had observed how everyone in this castle was terrified of the Dark Lord and she knew this was her best shot at getting help. This was her only chance. At the mention of the Dark Lord’s name, the old man’s demeanour changed. ‘I’ll see what I can do about getting some salve for the infection, but that’s all I can do. In the meantime, keep the noise down in here’ he grumbled as he exited the room.

  ***

  Deep below in the dungeon was another in pain. Ziah lay on the hard, cold stone floor, his body bruised and aching in every way. He had crushed ribs and was covered in welts from the whipping he had received. He could barely move; the pain so severe each time he tried to change position.

  ‘Father, father, please be with me,’ he cried, but there was silence in response. He felt alone, small in this overwhelming, evil place. Where was his father?

  ***

  Heading across the plains of Griswold, a thunderous noise of thousands of horses’ hooves as the Great One’s army stormed the plains in urgent strides. Leading the procession was the Great One himself, riding Pegasus, his winged, white horse. They were racing against time and the urgency of their mission changed the landscape from peaceful flowing hills to a moving mass of warriors. To the onlooker it appeared as though a dangerous and powerful storm was about to unleash itself upon the Dark Lord’s territory.

  ***

  Aislinn heard the approach of footsteps outside the tower door. She breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a while since the old man had left and she was afraid he had gone back to bed ignoring their plight. The key turned in the lock, revealing a woman behind the disgruntled old man. The wrinkled old woman entered the room with a jar of ointment in her hand and some bandages. The old man carried a pitcher of fresh water.

  ‘Let’s see what we can do for the young man,’ she said in a wavering voice. Her face looked worn and creased as though she had worked hard all her life but Aislinn could see that she had once been a beautiful woman. Is this what living here did to one? Slowly she bathed Struan’s wounds and rubbed salve on his cuts before binding them with fresh bandages all the while soothing him in a motherly voice. Aislinn mopped his feverish brow and he mumbled incoherently as he fought the fever. Thankfully Maddy and Mitchell had fallen into an exhausted sleep.

  ‘His fever looks very bad, young one. I’m not sure whether he will make it through the night, but if he does, he will have a chance of surviving.’ Aislinn could see a measure of compassion in the woman’s eyes, but as fast as she saw it, it was covered over with a glazed expression. Emotion was not encouraged in Griswold –it was for the weak. Her heart sank at this news and for the first time she felt totally alone and helpless. The old couple stood up and left the room, locking the door behind them as they went. Aislinn felt spent and sank to her knees on the floor, her tears wetting the edge of the bed as they flowed freely down her face.

  ‘Help us Great One,’ she begged. ‘Please, don’t leave us now!’

  ‘They’re coming to get me….. help me please,’ Struan mumbled in his delirious sleep. He tossed and turned and beat the air as feverish dreams filled his mind with all sorts of evil. Aislinn continued to cool his brow as she watched over his weak body. She felt helpless. I’m sorry Mama, Papa. I have not protected them.

  ***

  Imogene tossed and turned on her bracken bed under the stars. She could not let go of the feeling that her children were in danger and that something was wrong. ‘Please protect them and keep them safe,’ she whispered. Legion also tossed and turned in his chamber. Sleep eluded him - he was troubled by Ziah’s confidence at being rescued. The night watch had been trebled to make certain no attack would take place while they were sleeping. He could feel the taste of victory in his mouth, but he still had a sense of unease in his gut. He would need to convince Ziah to join him – he needed him more than he wished to admit. A son turning against his father would be even more painful than his death. Dying for the Hamilton children would be a noble thing to do in his father’s eyes, however, betraying him would crush the old fool. Still, if Ziah could not be turned he would have to kill him. Time was of the essence and he could not take too long to persuade the young man. With a sigh he turned over again and tried to get some sleep.

  CHAPTER 16 - STOLEN

  The sun rose, the sky exploding in beautiful orange and pink streaks. The Great One’s army settled into the valley just below the Dark Lord’s castle. They blended into the shadows to remain concealed - the element of surprise vital. There they would remain for the day and plan their attack carefully for nightfall. Imogene and Mac awoke to the smell of coffee brewing on the fire. Aedan smiled at them as they stretched and rubbed the sleep from their eyes. Imogene looked exhausted and Aedan handed her a mug of coffee - he was aware of her restless sleep the previous night.

  ‘Today will be a day like none other. Things are going to happen that will change our history and we need to keep our energy and strength up.’

  ‘What do you mean, Aedan?’ Mac asked nervously. ‘What do you know?’

  ‘I’ve been in contact with the Great One. His army is camped in the next valley below the castle. We will meet with them later today and we’ll show them where the secret tunnel is. When nightfall comes, we are going in.’

  ‘Finally, we get to take back what is ours,’ Mac sighed.

  ***

  It was a difficult night for Ziah. His body and muscles ached and resisted movement. He groaned inwardly and his head throbbed as though a million daggers pierced his brain. The lashes on his bare back had dried in caked blood and as he moved they began to seep again. His body and heart felt bruised. The magnitude of Sephtis’ evil and hatred was evident to him - he knew death was a real possibility. His frustration at not being able to help the Hamilton children kept him going. He would do whatever he could to secure their freedom. He recalled his conversation with Sephtis the previous night. He would never sell himself. Nothing would lower him to that level. Besides, Sephtis had proved he was not trustworthy when it came to making deals.

  ‘I know you’re on your way Father,’ he whispered to himself. ‘You would never leave me at the mercy of this evil.’ As he spoke his heart lifted a little – his body may be battered, but his spirit would not give in.

  ***

  Legion woke feeling positive. He had made a decision during the night. He would approach Ziah once more before breakfast and offer him a chance to change his allegiance. If he should refuse, then he would make sure that by the end of the day he would be breathing no more. He took great pleasure in thinking how he would first torture Ziah before the final, fatal blow.

  ‘Today is the day I finally reach the pinnacle of my success. Either Ziah will join me, which would be first prize, or he will die – whichever way it goes things can only get better from now on.’ He strutted around his chamber arrogantly allowing himself to dream of the power he so desperately desired. He rang the bell for his valet to come and ready him for breakfast. ‘Get my clothes and have the wizards join me for breakfast,’ he snapped at the little goblin dutifully assembling his attire. The goblin scuttled off to notify the wizards of the Dark Lord’s request, leaving him to dress and preen before his mirror. As soon as he was ready, he made his way down to the dungeon to offer Ziah his fina
l opportunity to become an ally of Griswold. He descended the stairs, convinced that Ziah would have changed his mind after the brutal beating he had received.

  ‘Surely no man is stupid or brave enough to endure further unnecessary torture,’ he muttered to himself. ‘The offer of a better future will surely sway him now.’ He expected to find the beaten Ziah crumpled in a heap, defeated and alone as he approached the dungeon. He was to be disappointed. ‘What’s that noise?’ he asked the guard trying to tune his ear to the unusual sound he could hear coming from within the cell.

  ‘It’s the prisoner, my lord. He has been singing since early this morning and it has increased in the last hour.’ Legion looked incredulous. Singing? Was the man mad? This was followed by a fury that erupted deep within his soul. His face turned crimson, a sneer of disdain appearing across it. ‘Is he trying to mock me? I will have the last laugh yet. Open this door,’ he commanded. The door swung open to reveal Ziah’s bruised form, but instead of defeat he appeared confident and defiant to the Dark Lord.

  ‘Good morning,’ Ziah said jovially. ‘I hope you slept as well as I did?’

  ‘So you want to play that little game do you?’ replied Legion sarcastically.

  ‘I trust you have thought about my proposition overnight and are ready to reconsider?’

  ‘I thought I had made myself rather clear last night that you would be the last person on this earth that I would ever align myself with. Nothing has changed since then other than the fact that you have tried to beat me into submission. Thank you for strengthening my resolve.’ He watched, Legion’s face, a frozen mask as the insult sank in.

  ‘Suit yourself then, you have just signed your own death warrant. I hope it was worth it? Enjoy your breakfast Ziah - it will be the last you ever have!’

  ***

  Aislinn was relieved to see Struan looking a little better in the morning. He seemed more peaceful and rested. She fed Mitchell his breakfast while picking at her own. She wished she could get Struan to eat something as it would strengthen him, but at the same time she didn’t want to wake him as he needed the rest. Her thoughts were interrupted as the tower door swung open and the old woman who had helped her the night before came into the room.

  ‘How’s he doing?’ she asked glancing at Struan.

  ‘He seems much better, thank you,’ Aislinn replied.

  ‘I’ve come to take the little one,’ the woman said quickly, noting the alarm in Aislinn’s eyes.

  ‘Wha… what do mean?’ Aislinn stammered unsure she had heard correctly. ‘Where are you taking him? You can’t take him. He’s just little. He needs me.’

  ‘I’m sorry lass. It’s the Dark Lord’s decision – he has decided there is no use for him here and that he hinders your work. He is giving the little one to one of the wizards and his wife. They have been trying to have a child for years, but not even his magic has been able to produce an heir for them,’ she explained looking down at the floor, unable to look Aislinn in the eye.

  ‘No…’she wailed. ‘You can’t take him. He’s not a possession.’ She jumped up reaching out for the little boy. Before she could reach him he was scooped up by the guard accompanying the woman. Helplessly she watched as the crying little boy was carried out the door. ‘Linnie…’ he wailed using his pronunciation of her name -it broke her heart to hear it. Would they ever see him again? Maddy sat hunched in the corner, her shoulders shaking as she wept uncontrollably.

  ‘W…w…will they take me away Aislinn?’ she asked. ‘Please don’t let them take me, I’ll work hard,’ she pleaded. All Aislinn could do was wrap her in her arms and comfort her. The Dark Lord did not realize that he had undone all his ‘kindness’ by taking Mitchell Hamilton. Aislinn despised him now more than ever.

  ***

  The Great One’s army readied themselves for battle, determined to get Ziah and the Hamilton children back safely. They prepared their weapons and planned their attack carefully. They would wait until dark and then use the secret tunnel to breach the castle. Some of the warriors would creep up onto the battlements and quietly silence the lookout guards. Others would head for the dungeon and release Ziah. They knew that the children were not in the dungeon as Aedan had passed this information on to them, so another team of warriors would look for them.

  ‘Where do you think they could be?’ Morgan asked.

  ‘We know,’ resonated a voice that was familiar but had not been heard for a while.

  ‘Ryder! It’s good to see you again – how are you?’ Morgan asked embracing his friend.

  ‘We are well, and glad you are here. This place is so evil and those children need you,’ Ryder said seriously. ‘They are being held captive in the tower room on the south side of the castle.’

  ‘That is good news to hear,’ Morgan said. ‘The more we know the easier it will be to put our plan into action without drawing too much attention to ourselves,’ he said.

  ‘Let’s go and meet Aedan and the Hamilton’s. We need to make sure everyone knows exactly what they have to do tonight.’

  ***

  Legion was still very angry as he sat at breakfast. How dare that impertinent young man turn down his offer! It fuelled his fury just thinking about it. His wizards were talking animatedly amongst themselves and his youngest wizard Morelock was especially excited and gracious as he had been granted the request of a child in the form of Mitchell Hamilton. His wife had seen the little boy playing in the kitchen while Aislinn had worked and his beautiful blond curls and angelic face had won her heart. It was a sore point for Morelock that they were unable to have a child of their own. He felt useless as a wizard as this was one wish he could not perform or grant. He had no spell for creating life and his wife’s nagging and tears were beginning to wear him down, so much so that he had been tempted to turn her into a frog. Fortunately for her it was only a fleeting thought. This was a new beginning for them both. He had dreamed of a son to teach all his wizardry skills to.

  ‘Summon my heralds,’ Legion ordered. Instantly there was scurrying of goblin feet as they hurried off to call for the heralds. This usually meant the Dark Lord had an important announcement to make.

  ‘You called Master.’ They entered the banquet hall.

  ‘Yes, I want you to notify everyone in Griswold that at the ninth hour today there will be a public execution of a traitor to my kingdom. Everyone is welcome and there will be a feast provided for all who attend afterwards.’

  ‘Yes Master,’ they answered preparing themselves to head out into all of Griswold with this news. Griswold wasn’t particularly big and the news would travel fast, but people required time to travel to the castle and the Dark Lord wanted as many of his subjects to witness the demise of the Great One’s power.

  ‘Dispatch this news quickly to the furthest parts of my kingdom by the Monwings,’ he said. Legion knew the promise of a feast in his castle would draw in many people from Griswold who were not only curious, but who also wanted a sumptuous meal and an endless supply of fine wine and ale. The villagers would come in their droves. Ziah must feel humiliated in front of an audience. He would be cut down to size. ‘It’s all coming together, at last,’ he said gleefully.

  ***

  Aislinn was still trying to come to terms with Mitchell’s absence. She felt as though another piece of her heart had been ripped out and she wondered how much was left of it. If another piece were to be stolen, she felt sure she would die. The key turned in the lock attracting her attention and instantly Maddy cowered under the rickety bed, convinced she was next to be taken.

  ‘Come with me,’ the guard said to Aislinn. ‘The Dark Lord has a big feast happening tonight and he needs all the help he can get preparing for it.’ Aislinn stood to her feet, worry etched into her face as she glanced over at Struan who still lay weak upon the bed.

  ‘My brother is very ill - who will take care of him?’

  ‘That is none of my concern,’ he replied impatiently. ‘You need to come too,’ he said waving
at Maddy. ‘Hurry up we don’t have all day.’ The girls followed him down the tower stairs to the kitchen they were so familiar with. They could hear the kitchen staff talking about the execution that was going to take place that day, and Aislinn felt her blood run cold. Who were they going to execute?

  ‘It’s someone very important,’ she heard the head cook say to one of the kitchen hands.

  ‘Apparently, he’s a traitor in the Dark Lord’s kingdom and we all know what that means. He’s likely to be tortured on the rack first.’

  ‘I heard he turned down great riches and power the Dark Lord offered him,’ one young kitchen maid said.

  ‘Don’t believe everything you hear, silly girl,’ the cook chided. ‘No one would be stupid enough to turn down the Dark Lord.’ They became aware of Aislinn, staring open mouthed at their conversation and the cook chased her off to help with polishing the silverware. She was most curious. Who was this mystery person to be executed? Clearly it was someone who recognized the Dark Lord’s complete evil and wanted no part of it. You had to admire him for that. She had heard rumours around the castle they were to be exchanged for the Great One’s son, but she wasn’t sure about that, as no one had said anything to them. As far as she knew, that was just a tale. She had never heard that the Great One had a son – certainly her father had never mentioned it to her. She really hoped it wasn’t his son that was going to be executed – that would be terrible. Before long she completed her polishing. It seemed like a quick task as her mind was preoccupied with Struan, the execution and Mitchell. She hoped Struan was okay. It worried her that she was not there to monitor his fever.

  ‘The Master has called for tea in his chamber,’ the head cook said. ‘Make up a tray for him and take it up,’ she said to Aislinn. ‘We’re too busy here to stop our preparations.’

  ***