Amelia Merlin

Part 114: The End of Book One

Dear Al,

I thought I should let you know that Jeremy won't be coming back to Kalishterya with us. If he ever enters that kingdom I'll have him executed.

I'm sorry, I know the two of you were very close.

Oliver is coming with us, so are two of my other friends, Lavender and Parvati. They aren't safe back home anymore, there's a terrible wizard who's risen to power and I need to keep them safe from him. Don't worry, I explained everything to them.

We will be arriving on the East Coast shortly. I couldn't stay until the end of the year at Hogwarts. I had to leave. I know this changes some of your logistical plans and I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

See you soon,

Amelia

"Captain Dentt?" Amelia sat at the stern of The Red Tree, by the wheel so she could talk to the captain. Lavender and Parvati were flirting with sailors and Oliver was reading a book.

"Yes, your grace?"

"Tell me about the east coast. What's it like?"

He smiled, his leathery face pulled up in great big wrinkles. "There's a great big city. The City of Re'na. And in the middle, is this big lake. And in the middle of that is a big castle. Castle Ortus. And in the castle live the Dellisandro family."

"Do you know much about the Dellisandro's?"

"Lord Dellisandro's an idiot. But he's rich. Got a massive army, and a beautiful daughter. His son's already married, some country girl he found but his daughter isn't. Rose, is her name, she's said to be the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. She's kind. Everyone knows that. She's the kindest person in all of Kalishterya."

"She sounds lovely." Amelia mused thoughtlessly. "Too bad she has to marry Blaxton."

"You never know, you grace, sometimes these things work out nicely." Captian Dentt smile his wonderfully wrinkled smile.

Amelia felt peace on this boat. Maybe it was the ocean. Maybe it was the breeze or the sound of the waves caressing the hull. Perhaps it had something to do with vast open spaces. Whatever the case, peace was found on board a ship.

"Yes I suppose they do, captain." She smiled and stood up. "I think I see land."

"Yes. Good eye, you grace. That's land right there. We'll be on the East Coast within the hour." He yelled some commands to his sailors, "Sheet in the main! We're heading up! Bring in the jib sails!"

Amelia stood up and walked down to Oliver. Anytime she passed one of the sailors they would always stop and now and say your grace and smile nervously.

Oliver was looking rather studious. Nose only inches away from paper.

"What are you reading?" She sat down next to him.

"Political and Traditional Aspects of Kalishterya. Casey, the bowman, gave it to me." He smiled awkwardly. "I thought it would be better if it wasn't just Al advising you on this stuff. Not that he isn't great and all, but two heads is better than one." He shrugged.

"That's brilliant Oliver. Thank you. I should probably read that myself right?" She gave a small, forced laugh.

"Are you alright?"

Her throat constricted ever so slightly, making it difficult to swallow. "I'm sad. But I'm going to be okay. And I had time to grieve. And now it's time to do something. I can't let him die for nothing. Which means I have to win, I have to take back what's mine. I have to help these people escape Akkedis. I know what he does and I can't let anyone else go through what I went through."

"You're going to be the best queen that place has ever seen, Amy. I mean it." He smiled and pulled something out of his pocket. "I've been finding these flowers growing everywhere. Funny little white things. I don't know what to do with them. Here-." He leaned over and tucked them into Amelia's hair that was twisted back in an intricate knot.

"Ow." She complained. "You're stabbing my head."

"Hold still! You're going to look like a flower fairy when I'm done."

"Ow!" She yelped. "Watch it!"

"Amelia." He said in a falsely firm voice. "If you don't stop wiggling around I'm going to stab your eye out. And it won't even be on purpose."

"Fine." She grumbled, but a smile had spread across her face. "I'd better look amazing when you're done."

"Do you remember that time you gave me haircut in the girls bathroom?" 

"Yes. And you wouldn't stop freaking out because you thought I was going to make you ugly."

"Oh please. You could never do that."

"Someone's confident!" she chuckled. 

Oliver gave a small laugh, "Okay. I'm done." 

"Do you have a mirror?"

He held out his wand and conjured one from the air, "Here."

She looked into the mirror and gasped. "Oliver! I look terrible!" the flowers were stuck straight up and he had knotted her hair around them. She looked like a dear. Or a very poky rabbit. 

"I don't think you've ever looked better." he laughed and laughed and she couldn't help but join in. Soon she was laughing the first real laugh since before the graveyard and she couldn't stop and something just felt so right about this moment and it wasn't even that funny but she felt so unashamedly happy and her heart swelled and she felt a return of her old self. The Amelia that laughed at everything, the girl who's face hurt at the end of every day from smiling so much, the girl who wasn't afraid of being happy. 

Amelia and Oliver watched their friends flirt with sailors for the rest of the way to Kalishterya. She rested her head on his shoulder and they looked out to sea. The blue blanket that covered the world was rippling through the breeze, it was just enough to make the occasional wave white cap. 

They could see the City of Re'na from where they were. It was enormous, much bigger than Stone Garden with tall steeples and grand buildings that they could see from their far off view. It was slightly overcast but the city looked incredible. It shone with a sort of silver-grey light that emanated an inviting air. 

She stood on the bow with Oliver by her side, his dark hair rustled in the wind, his blue eyes mirroring the sea. Lavender and Parvati stood slightly behind them. The four young teenagers stared towards the Re'na. 

As they approached the strong wooden docks, Amelia felt something. She was no longer landing this place as  foreigner. She was landing as a queen, as a conqueror. Akkedis had murdered one of her friends, he had torn her family apart and now he was going to try to tear down everything Amelia knew. This man, this fanatical horror would not have power anymore. The Lord of Dreams would be Lord of Nothing when she was done. Amelia Merlin was going to take back what was hers and there wasn't a man alive who could stop her. 

The End of Book One.