It was a warm summer's night, the moon shone brightly above and little gray clouds rested over the mountains, promising rain. A nightingale sung a sad, slow song in the distance accompanied by the crickets and the hustle and bustle of the forest. A fox and her pups, now old enough to hunt with her, were out scavenging for food. An eagle owl hooted in the woods nearby, celebrating his kill.
"I wish I could travel in those woods," a young woman sighed, as she gazed up at the starry sky. She sat on a bench in a small round garden full of life. Mice, running everywhere, were picking up the bread the girl had dropped. Night birds cautiously crept forward toward her hand where more bread lay.
"It's okay little ones I won't hurt you, here have some more," she said, placing more bread on the ground near her. A twig snapped nearby making the birds take to the air and the mice scurry back to their hole.
"Who's there?" She asked, standing up and facing the direction of the noise.
"Your Majesty, it's me, Rye," came a voice from the shadows as Rye stepped into the light. A smile lit her face as she ran to give him a hug. The boy, who was almost a man now hugged her back, bringing her into a tight embrace. The woman pulled out first.
"I told you, when we're alone call me Arureyu," she said defiantly. Arureyu took Rye's hand and led him over to the bench she was sitting on earlier.
"I'm sorry I didn't know if you were alone or not," Rye apologized, taking Arureyu's hand and kissing it. The girl's face grew bright red. She turned to face him, moving a bit closer, the hem of her dress sweeping over his pearl white boots, she leaned in slowly.
"Your Majesty? Your Majesty! Where are you? Your Majesty!" came a frantic voice from behind them. Arureyu looked at the concrete wall behind her. She turned back to Rye.
"I'm sorry, I must go," she said, letting go of his hand as he sat there staring at her, love in his eyes. He nodded slowly to himself, watching her walk away. Not long after, Rye stood up and walked the other way.
The walkway took Arureyu to the outer gate of the garden. She peeked through the crack in the gate before opening it and silently slipping through. She walked toward the direction of the voice.
"Your Majesty!" the young woman exclaimed, as Arureyu walked up.
"Ah Coral! What is the matter that you must come searching for me after hours?" Arureyu asked in her most queen-like tone, already knowing the answer. Coral gave a little sob.
"Y-your Majesty, it is the k-king he has... has been taken to bed." Coral burst into tears. Arureyu looked at her dumbfounded; this wasn't what she was expecting to hear.
"What?" she said feeling weak. Coral sobbed on. "This, This can't be happening!" Arureyu took off in the direction of her father, the king's, rooms. "Tell me it's not so. Tell me father is not ill!" she yelled, bursting into his room. Her mother looked at her, tears streaming down her face. Arureyu barely made it to the chair before her legs gave way. A servant came over with a cold glass of water.
"Your Majesty," the servant said, handing Arureyu the glass. She stared at it not believing what was happening. Her mother got up from the chair next to the bed and came to sit next to her. Arureyu looked at her, and realized what would happen next, she would be officially made queen. Although she was already queen in a manor of speaking, with her father's passing away it would be made known to the public if her mother did not remarry.
"A-Arureyu dear, come here a second," came a rasping voice from the bed. Arureyu ran over to her father's side and took her mother's seat next to the bed.
"Yes Father?" she asked, staring down at his pale face. He took a gasping breath.
"I lie here now king over this castle and all of the lands," he said softly, Arureyu had to lean in closer just to hear. "And as I take my last breath I give everything I own to my daughter, Queen Princess Arureyu Leanne Adelaide Amerton Ellafeer Saphira Lockheart. If and only if my wife, my queen, does not remarry." The king turned to Arureyu "I leave my all to you, my heir," and with that he took his last breath. Arureyu bowed her head and left the room.
"Your Majesty! Please come back! Your Majesty!" Coral yelled after her, as she ran down the hall. As Arureyu reached the double stained glass doors that opened onto the outside chapel, tears were running wildly down her face. She opened the doors and walked in. It took her awhile for her eyes to adjust to the dim light of the alter candles. Arureyu walked over and kneeled in front of the wooden alter. A breeze swept through the courtyard chapel and the candles, her only source of light, flickered dangerously.
"Oh, God of Death, and God of Life please grant me this wish. Please let your devoted follower King Ameran Dillion Amer Amerton Ellafeer Lockheart make it to your realm safely," she sobbed into the wind, hoping it would send her message to the gods. A sudden gust of wind blew out the candles, the God of Death had heard. Another gust raised the flames back again, the God of Life had heard also. "Thank you," she whispered, laying her head down on the cold tiles. A door squeaked behind her. Arureyu turned around to face whoever had come in, but no one was there.
"Who's there?" she questioned the rising darkness around her. A figure rose out of the shadows and stepped into the dim light. The candles flickered, casting more light onto his face. "Rye? Is that you?" Arureyu asked him, as he walked toward her, his white cape billowing in the slight breeze of the night.
"I'm sorry Arureyu, I heard what happened," Rye said kindly, sitting next to her, feet tucked up under him. Arureyu took one look at his face then broke into tears. Rye grabbed her into a tight embrace. He could feel the warm tears on his shoulder. As a sob escaped Arureyu the night went quite, the wind stopped blowing and the forest animals settled down as if they were grieving for the king's death. An hour or so later, a rich musical sound filled the air as a small brown thorn bill flew down to land right beside Arureyu. The queen looked at the small bird and smiled. There was still hope.
"Rye, thank you," she said rising to her feet, the bird took to the air and life came back into the night. The nightingales started up their song, the countdown until dawn. Mice and bushy-tailed squirrels scuttled under the forest floor of leaves in search of nuts and fruit that had fallen from the trees. Arureyu looked down into Rye's sapphire blue eyes, love filled each corner. She turned to leave but was spun back around, Rye's hand still holding hers. He kissed it softly, his warm lips pressing against her pale skin.
"If you need me, you know where I am," he said, rising to his own feet. Letting go of Arureyu's hand he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a quick, tight kiss. Rye turned and left the chapel by the secret doorway behind the alter. Arureyu touched her lips, she could still feel the kiss there, still feel his presence in the chapel. Reluctantly she left the way she had come. Outside the door stood Coral, a handkerchief in her hands. She silently handed it to Arureyu who wiped her eyes and handed it back.
"Thank you Coral, you are always there for me," Arureyu said, tears forming in her eyes again. Coral smiled her sweetest smile and wiped away the tears with the handkerchief.
"Well of course Aru, that's what friends do," she said, taking Arureyu's arm and silently leading her back to her father's room. Coral knocked four times on the door before opening it. She curtsied then turned to Arureyu's mother. "She is back, Ma'am." Coral curtsied again and went to stand next to the window which looked out onto the lake.
"Mother, I'm sorry but I must know, will you remarry?" Arureyu already knew the answer, but she had to ask. Her mother attempted to smile.
"No dear, you are now the queen. I vow today on my love, my king's, body that I, Elizabeth Amer Amerton Ellafeer Saphira Lockheart, will not remarry." Elizabeth smiled meekly at what she had said. She looked over at the bed, where her love slept eternally, sat down, and cried