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    The Legacy of Kings: The New Realms Saga, #0.5
    The Legacy of Kings: The New Realms Saga, #0.5
    The Legacy of Kings: The New Realms Saga, #0.5
    Ebook110 pages1 hour

    The Legacy of Kings: The New Realms Saga, #0.5

    By R. E. Steele

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    About this ebook

    King Elias is dead. With his death, the Kalarian Empire threatens to invade the Kingdom of Oreias. How will his three daughters, Roxanna, Estella, and Celina, deal with the tragedy? The Kalarians have succeeded before under similar circumstances with the Kingdom of Achlys. What will Elias's death mean for two Achlysian outlaws, Vasilis and Theodoros? Also, what will young Emperor Nikolos do when rumors of his enemy's death reach him? Will God still reassure them all, despite the misfortune? Find out in The Legacy of Kings!

     

    This a collection of three short stories of about 8000 words each. It serves as a prequel for The New Realms Saga.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherR. E. Steele
    Release dateJul 1, 2021
    ISBN9798201133368
    The Legacy of Kings: The New Realms Saga, #0.5
    Author

    R. E. Steele

    R. E. Steele loved reading when she was a kid. As she grew older, she began to enjoy intriguing storylines that left her thinking about them long after she finished reading or watching them. When she felt God calling her to write, she answered, and wrote The Temporan Chronicles series. R. E. Steele is a former homeschooler and college graduate. She currently lives in Idaho.

    Read more from R. E. Steele

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      Book preview

      The Legacy of Kings - R. E. Steele

      And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

      Romans 8:28

      Roxanna and Vasilis

      Chapter 1

      But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

      ~ Psalm 49:15

      K ing Elias is dead , announced the doctor after he checked the king’s pulse.

      This announcement was met with the sound of quiet crying. Had King Elias’s death been more unexpected, like if it had happened on the field of battle, there might have been more outcry. But the King had been in decline for some time. He had taken to his bed months ago, and had shown signs of failing health in the years prior. His death wasn’t unanticipated. The only mystery that had remained in his inevitable demise, was when it would occur. But that question had at last been sadly answered.

      Still, there was grief, and there would be mourning. Elias had been a beloved king in Oreias. Had he been unpopular, the distress shown for him might have been louder, but less sincere. The attendants at his deathbed were respecting his wishes, by keeping their sorrow as restrained as they were. He had ordered that news of his death be delayed for as long as possible. Oreias was in danger, and the duty that now rested on the shoulders of his oldest daughter, Roxanna, would be heavy.

      Roxanna took the announcement rather well. She was at her father’s bedside when he passed, along with her two sisters. She didn’t cry, though her eyes filled with tears at the declaration. But she managed to suppress her sobs, and maintain her composure. As the oldest child of the king, and trained up to be his heir from an early age, Roxanna had long been in the practice of concealing her feelings in situations like these. A queen had to be resilient for her people, and in such a time as now, she had to be as strong as possible.

      Once she had collected herself enough to feel she was no longer in danger of bursting out in sobs, she was able to look around the room and see the reactions of the others. Her sister Estella, the middle child of the three, was nearly as quiet as herself. This was no surprise to Roxanna, for Estella preferred to focus on facts rather than emotions. But Estella still had feelings, and the telltale wet tracks that ran down her cheeks, showed that even Estella was not as stone-faced as Roxanna.

      Celina, the youngest of the three, had lost all composure, and was crying by Roxanna’s side. This wasn’t unexpected, for Celina was a sensitive, gentle soul. She felt all emotions strongly. But Celina was able to quiet her sobs enough that they didn’t escape the room. Even she was able to make the effort, to ensure that news of her father’s death didn’t leak beyond the castle walls.

      The rest of the servants and attendants ranged between the three sisters in their reactions. None were as overcome as Celina, but nor were they as stoic as Roxanna, with the exception of a few of the guards, and even they seemed more moved than she was. But Roxanna took this as more of a sign that she was performing her duty, rather than an indication that she was exerting herself too much. She was queen now. She must be strong.

      The three sisters were pulled away by their attendants, when the doctor and his assistants began preparing the body for burial. Roxanna hadn’t noticed, or she would have moved without prompting. She silently scolded herself for not paying better attention. But considering the circumstances, she supposed it was to be expected. Still, as Oreias’s new Queen, she couldn’t afford to be so inattentive.

      She met the eye of Bedros, her personal bodyguard, as she exited the bedchamber. He looked at her enquiringly. She nodded to him, to show she was alright, which satisfied him. He had long watched over her, and her welfare was close to his heart. She wasn’t hiding her emotions now either. If anything, she felt more numbness than sadness.

      Roxanna and her sisters were taken to a secluded chamber, where they were allowed to express their grief, without alerting anyone else to what had just taken place. Estella began crying out loud, and Celina’s sobs now came out in shrill, wailing tones. Roxanna had a harder time keeping her own tears in check, but she must. She had to be steady for her sisters too, not just her subjects.

      After about a half an hour, Estella was able to console herself enough that Roxanna felt safe leaving her. Celina took more comforting, but even she was able to compose herself enough, that there weren’t likely to be anymore outbursts. She hadn’t been able to check the tears rolling down her cheeks, but that could be attributed to the anticipation of their father’s death, rather than its actual occurrence. Once satisfied her sisters were sufficiently comforted, Roxanna left them, to go to the study her father once used for his royal duties. It was hers now, and much needed to be done.

      When she reached it however, and realized she was alone, Roxanna collapsed into the chair, and buried her face in her hands. She cried quietly, not wanting to alert anyone to the true state of her feelings, but weep she must. Her father was dead. He had been her support, her protector, and the one person she felt she could show her true feelings towards, without danger to their nation. Now he was there no longer. She had to protect herself, her sisters, and their kingdom. It was all on her.

      In more worldly terms, King Elias’s death was unfortunate in the sense that it left her, a young woman, scarcely eighteen years in age, in charge of a kingdom that was on the brink of being invaded by a much larger and wealthier enemy, the Kalarian Empire. Roxanna didn’t doubt this fact had something to do with her reaction now, for her father’s study reminded her of just how much depended on her. But that would be dealt with soon. For now, she just wanted to mourn in solitude, the death of her beloved father.

      Chapter 2

      The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

      ~ Proverbs 12:24

      Atall figure in a dark cloak made his way around the forest surrounding Oreiasan Castle. Such a sight might have been seen as an intimidating threat, for the man underneath the cloak was clearly well-built. But he took care not to be seen. He seemed content to merely observe, rather than act.

      When he pulled the hood down, it revealed the face of youth, rather handsome, with tousled blonde hair and twinkling blue eyes. At least, the eyes probably would have twinkled, had they not looked so serious. Indeed, Vasilis had good reason to be serious at the moment, for he could well guess what had just taken place. The servants of the castle were talking in hushed tones, and many looked as if they had been crying. They made a noble effort to suppress their feelings when outside the castle’s concealing walls, but it wasn’t enough to shield them from the observation of someone like him.

      Vasilis bowed

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