A SNEEK PEEK OF ANOTHER ORGINAL STORY-
CHILDREN OF THE THRONE (Book 1 of The Royal Andrasian Chronicles)
Chapter 1- Matthew
1 Year Later
“Are you sure that there’s no other option?” Queen Elizabeth
of Andrasia asked her husband, King Nathan, as she stared into the precious
face of their newborn son.
“I’m sorry darling,” he whispered, his own voice cracking as
he held out his arms for the child. “We don’t have a choice.”
Pressing a kiss mingled with tears to the child’s forehead
she handed her newborn son to his father, “May Al-Razz be with you my child.”
Nathan took the baby and watched with a heavy heart as his
wife turned away from him, curling up in a ball and sobbing into her pillow.
Holding back his own tears he went to where his siblings were waiting for him
just outside the bedroom.
He let each of them hold the baby for a moment before sending
his youngest sister, Nichole, and his sister-in-law, Anna, in to tend to
Elizabeth while his brother, Jason, and his two brother-in-laws, Christopher
and Stephen walked with Rachel and himself down to the stables where they had
several servants waiting for them.
Rachel held the baby while Nathan mounted up on Mesremize,
his unicorn, before settling a sling around his neck and placing his son snugly
inside. Gideon, one of their most trusted servants, held Rachel’s horse while
she mounted. In moments they were ready.
“We’ll see you when we get back,” Jason told him, his eyes
telling of his sympathy even though he didn’t say it out loud. Nathan nodded
and clasped his brother’s arm before riding into the tunnels that led away from
the palace.
The portal that would carry them to Earth, America to be more
exact, stood in front of them but they couldn’t go through just yet. Taking
clothes out of the bag the brother and sister carefully disguised themselves,
they wouldn’t want to attract attention where they were going.
“I’m sorry Nathan.”
The voice behind them made them both jump as they turned and
bowed to their leader, Kasdrin, diplomat of Al-Razz.
“Rise King Nathan, rise Queen Rachel. May I hold the child?”
Silently Nathan handed the baby over and everyone turned to
watch as Kasdrin held him close, saying a few words that were too quiet for
them to hear.
“How long Kasdrin?” Rachel asked quietly, her voice broken
but with a note of strength that reminded everyone she was a queen of Andrasia.
“How long will he be away for?”
Kasdrin sent her a sympathetic look, “On his eighteenth
birthday if it is safe enough for the child to come home then he will be
returned to your family. I’m sorry Nathan, I know that isn’t what you wanted to
hear.”
Nathan nodded, “We understand Kasdrin.”
“What did you name him Nathan?”
“Matthew Jason der Madraline, Royal Prince of Andrasia.”
Chapter 2- Twins
“I don’t know if I can do this again Nathan,” Elizabeth
sobbed as he sat down on the bed next to her. “How can I give them up when I
already miss Matthew and Tucker so much?”
It had only been eighteen months since they had taken their
little boy to Boston to be given to his new family. Six months after that
Rachel had given birth to Tucker Nathan der Madraline, Prince of Andrasia. He
had been sent with two servants to Switzerland, the same world as Matthew but
on the completely other side. The thought of giving up another child was nearly
unbearable.
And Elizabeth had given birth to twins so they weren’t just
losing one child this time but two.
“I know that it’s hard darling,” he whispered. “But things
have only gotten worse since we sent our son away. We can’t keep the twins
here, not with the way things are. Gideon’s already found a good home for
them.”
“And they’ll be together?”
“That’s the plan,” he promised glancing at the two babies
who, even in sleep, clung to each other. “Nichole and I will take the eldes-“
“Skies Nathan! Can’t you say their names?” Elizabeth
demanded, “We’re in our bedroom!”
Understanding where the outburst came from he stroked her
dark hair back, “It’s not safe darling. You know that. If someone overheard and
managed to track the girls…”
“I know,” she cut him off and gave a heavy sigh. “I just wish
I could hear their names out loud.”
There was nothing to say so he just hugged her, holding his
wife and daughters close until there was a knock on the door. Nichole, his
youngest sister looked inside.
“I’ll be right there,” he promised but Elizabeth shook her
head.
“No,” she spoke up. “No, Nicky bring the others in.”
“Are you sure Lizzy? You must be exhausted.”
Elizabeth laughed lightly but there was no amusement in the
sound, “I am dear one but at least for a moment we can be together. I want to
introduce you to your nieces.”
Nichole disappeared for a moment then came back with her
husband, Stephen at her side. Jason and Anna were just behind them followed by
Rachel and Christopher. They all gathered around the bed to take turns holding
the girls. No one spoke or even jumped when Kasdrin appeared suddenly.
“Arise kings and queens of Andrasia,” he beckoned when they
all knelt then added, “Except for you Elizabeth, you’d better stay right where
you are. May I hold the princess’?”
Nathan took first the eldest and handed her to Kasdrin who
settled her gently in the crook of his arm. Both girls started to fuss until he
put the younger one in Kasdrin’s other arm and they were together again,
immediately they both settled down.
“What are their names?” Kasdrin asked quietly, Nathan opened
his mouth but no words came out. “What are your daughters’ names Nathan?” He
asked again, this time speaking telepathically.
Nathan grinned, “Juliana Nichole der Madraline and Colleen
Rachel der Madraline, Royal Princess’ of Andrasia. Juliana is the eldest.”
Kasdrin nodded, handing Colleen to Elizabeth and Juliana to
Nathan, addressing all the royals at once but still speaking in their minds,
“Things in the forest have gotten worse. I’m afraid you won’t be able to take
Colleen that way to get to the portal. Take Julia to the beach like you did
with Tucker, and Colleen over the mountain like you did with Matthew. But you
must hurry if you’re to make it back in time for the meeting tomorrow night
with the diplomats.”
“Will you be traveling with us Kasdrin?” Jason asked their
leader who shook his head.
“Sadly no, I have to go check on those at the orphan camp,
may Al-Razz be with you.”
Elizabeth put one hand on Juliana and held Colleen close,
“May Al-Razz guide you and reunite us at the end of the journey. I love you my
precious girls and I’ll miss you every day until you come home to me. Please,
come home to me someday.”
*
Something’s wrong, Rachel addressed her brother, Jason who
automatically reached up to hold on a little tighter to the baby in the sling
around his neck. They’d been out of the tunnels about half an hour but still
had quite a ways to go before they reached the portal.
“What is it?”
Not sure exactly, she admitted. But I think we’ve got
company.
“Queen Rachel! King Jason!” Lord Saddress who had accompanied
them called out urgently, they couldn’t see him but they knew he was somewhere
close by, keeping an eye on things as they traveled. “You have to turn around!”
“What’s wrong Saddress?” Jason demanded, drawing his sword.
“Is there trouble?”
“Some rebels are blocking the pass. It’s too dangerous to try
to bring the child this way, you have to turn around!”
“But where are we going to take her?” Rachel asked just as a
howl pierced the air and sent shivers down her spine. Safely tucked against her
uncle’s chest little Colleen started to cry as they tried desperately to shush
her, heeling their mounts around and heading as far from danger as they could
get.
“More trouble!” Lord Saddress called. “My pack is reporting
trouble all around the country! Every major road and passageway is being
patrolled, there’s nowhere to go! We have to get the child of out of here!”
But how? Rachel asked again.
“I know somewhere to go,” Saddress cut in. “But we won’t be
able to get her to her sister. They’ll have to be separated, the rebels are
looking for twins, they’re safer on their own.”
It seemed cruel to separate the girls but their safety had to
come above all else so after a moment both royals gave a nod of approval and
they headed down the mountain.
*
“They should’ve been here by now,” Nichole fretted as she
paced the hotel room, trying to calm Juliana with a bottle while the child
continued to cry. “Where are they?”
“I don’t know,” Nathan admitted. “But they only have another
hour and then we have to go with or without them.”
Nichole frowned as the child’s screams intensified, “She
wants her sister Nate.”
“I know,” he sighed and held out his hands. “Give her to me
for a bit, you should try to get some sleep.”
The young queen kissed the princess’ forehead before handing
her to her father and gratefully lying down in the bed. Juliana quieted a bit
but wouldn’t stop her fussing. She kept reaching out, searching for a twin that
wasn’t there.
“Hush now little one,” Nathan tried to quiet her. “Colleen
misses you too but if she’s not here it’s for a good reason. I promise Juliana,
now try to quiet down. We don’t want you crying when you go to meet your
adopted family do we?”
*
“Have you been able to get a hold of Nathan?” Jason asked as
they waited in the small shelter for the boat to arrive.
“No,” she sighed. “But I guess I should.”
“Can you reach him if he’s… out?”
She shrugged and focused on her older brother, Nathan can you
hear me?
“Rachel! Where are you? We just gave Juliana to Gideon to
take her to the family. What happened?”
The rebels, they’re everywhere. They cut us off and we can’t
get the portals. We have to take her elsewhere.
“Where?”
It’s not safe to tell you now but trust me. I’ll explain
later, will you make it back for the meeting?
“Yeah, will you?”
She bit her lip, trying to decide how she could manage it.
Only if you trust me. I can’t take her all the way and still make it back but
if we’re not there then people will start asking questions.
There was a moment’s pause and then, “I trust you Rach and
they’re safety is more important than who takes them. If you have a way to keep
her safe then do it. I’ll see you tonight.”
I’m sorry Nathan, but with the rebels everywhere it’s too
dangerous to leave them together.
“I know, I just wish they didn’t have to be apart.”
*
“So do we know what this is all about?” Claire Taylor asked
her Army officer husband, Jeffery, as she absently handed their three and a
half year old, Billy, his favorite toy to get him to quiet down. “We haven’t
heard anything more about adopting a child in months. Why now?”
“I don’t know,” Jeffery admitted. “But they want to see us
right away and we did say that we wanted a little brother or sister for Billy.”
“Well yeah but I didn’t think that we’d actually be getting
one!” Claire laughed, “And we’re moving to California in three weeks!”
Jeffery smiled at her as he pulled on his boots and laced
them up, “Does that mean if they offer us a baby you want me to say no?”
“Absolutely not!” Claire objected then laughed out loud,
“Okay, okay! I get your point!”
“We getting a baby?” Little Billy asked making his parents
laugh.
“I guess we’re going to find out,” Claire admitted. “Why
don’t we go with you?”
Jeffrey smiled and leaned down to pick up their son, “I was
kind of hoping you’d say that. Come on, let’s go find out if we have a baby or
not.”
*
“Didn’t Gideon say it was a family?” Nathan asked as he and
Nichole pulled their coats tighter around themselves, trying to stay warm in
the cold Washington winter weather as they sipped their hot tea at the outside
table across the street from the small church.
“I believe so, something about they go to this church and
they’ve talked to the pastor about adoption several times.”
Together they watched as a tall man helped his wife out of
the car before taking out a little boy. Both mother and father took one of his
hands then swung him up into the air, his laughter reached across the street to
their ears.
“They look nice,” he said, trying to sound sure of himself.
“Elizabeth would like that she’ll have an older brother.”
“She already does,” Nichole whispered, looking at him with
tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall. “But now she’ll have two.”
They waited a while longer, watching as the family came back
out again. The mother was holding Juliana’s baby carrier while the father
carried the little boy on his shoulders who was trying to look down into the
baby carrier.
“Come on Nicky,” Nathan took her by the hand. “Let’s go
home.”
“She’ll come back to us Nate,” she promised. “Someday, she’ll
come back to us.”
*
“Are you sure about this Rachel?” Todd asked as she pressed a
kiss to Colleen’s forehead and passed him to Jason.
“We don’t have a choice,” she replied. “You’re my best friend
Todd and you’ve always been a friend to the family. You have to do this,” she
looked down at where Saddress was sitting at her feet, “Both of you. Saddress,
you’ll be her guardian now. As long as she remains in this world she will be in
danger. Promise me you’ll take care of her?”
“Yes your majesty,” he bowed low. “I will protect the child
and when the other one comes home I’ll protect her too. My family has guarded
yours for a long time Queen Rachel and that tradition will continue for as long
as our families live.”
“Thank you Lord Saddress,” she curtsied to him then looked at
Todd. “Take her to Valadrine Todd, King Eric and Queen Alice will know what to
do. They have two boys of their own. They know what it means to want to protect
your child no matter what.”
“But then you must never speak of it again,” Jason reminded
him.
“I know,” Todd nodded. “I’ll take the child to them but I’ll
leave Saddress to guard her. For her own safety it’s better that I don’t know
who she goes to.”
Rachel’s face contorted for a moment before she kissed Todd’s
cheek and Jason handed the baby over before the two men clasped hands.
“Good-bye little one, I love you,” Rachel told Colleen.
“Come home to us darling girl,” Jason bid her. “We’ll be
waiting for you.”
*
“I don’t know if we’re the right people for this your
majesty,” Lord Brian admitted to King Eric as he stared at the screaming baby
in Queen Alice’s arms.
“Is she all right?” Lady Melissa, Brian’s wife, asked in
concern.
The Valadrinian queen smiled at her, “Why don’t you take her
for a bit Melissa. See if she’ll calm down for you.”
“If you’re sure,” she shrugged and took the child in her
arms. The little girl opened her eyes and stared at her in wonder, reaching out
her arms she tried to pull on the lady’s hair and Melissa smiled. “Well you
sure are a little thing aren’t you darling?”
“She likes you,” Queen Alice said with a smile. “And I know it
seems strange to suddenly ask you to adopt a child but that little one is a
princess.”
“She’s one of Queen Elizabeth’s isn’t she?” Lord Brian asked,
realizing the impact of what they were being asked to do.
“She is,” King Eric confirmed. “But she must not know the
truth. Not until Andrasia is safe. Lord Saddress will go everywhere you do, he
and his pack will be protect her. I’d like you to take a trip for a year and
when you get back you’ll have little girl. No one will assume she’s yours but
no one will ask questions. When the time’s right you’ll be given an ambassador
position.”
“As your daughter Colleen will be raised to learn the
protocols of not just Valadrine but also Andrasia, Tamnia, the islands and the
ways of the different races. That will come in handy when she goes home.”
“What will happen then?”
Brian sighed, “I know it seems strange but you won’t suddenly
be ex-communicated from her life. You will still be her parents, she’ll just
have two sets.”
“I know you never planned on having children,” Alice said
gently. “But as a favor to the royal family of both Valadrine and Andrasia will
you raise Colleen?”
Brian and Melissa exchanged a look before they both nodded,
“Yes your majesties.”
*
“Well Billy what do you think of your new sister?” Jeffrey asked
his son.
“Pippa!” The three and a half year old declared.
“Her name’s Juilana sweetheart,” Claire gently corrected as
they all stood over the cradle they’d pulled out of the attic to set up.
Looking down at the sleeping child she traced a finger down the little girl’s
cheek. “Juliana Nichole Taylor.”
“Pippa!” Billy laughed. “Sissy’s Pippa!”
Jeffrey laughed and kissed his wife, “Well I guess that
settles it then, she may be our Juliana but she’s Billy’s Pippa.”
*
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