Kingdoms - Book 6 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Soft, velvety carpet gave little comfort as Jobyna lay in the carriage. Tears made paths down her dusty cheeks and she moaned uninhibitedly.

To be alone was to feel free to wallow privately in the misery that overwhelmed her. Not just the pain in her knee and ankle but thoughts of Konrad injured for her sake, of dead soldiers and slain servants.

Pictures of Elliad's gruesome head circled in her exhausted mind. The plush red upholstery of the carriage turned to blood as she closed her eyes and struggled to control the panic and desolation surging through her tormented emotions.

Maybe Kenrik was right! One could not depend upon people, even those close and dear. Her father and mother had been killed when she needed them most because they would not give Elliad the Gospel Books and a list of those to whom they had distributed the copies. For the first time, Jobyna wondered if it had been worth it...        

With a bitterness she had never known, she tried to imagine how her life would have been had her parents surrendered the books when commanded to do so. Elliad would have allowed them to live in the manor mouse; she would not have been captured by him; she would not be here today in this miserable land of Chezkovia.

Tears flowed more freely as Jobyna remembered that Luke would not have become king of Frencolia; the people in Frencolia would not know the freedom of having a God-fearing king; Cousin Leopold's body would not have been laid in the royal sepulcher; she would not have met Konrad; and finally, Elliad, the monster, would not have been brought to the end he so much deserved, freeing those oppressed by him and preventing further bloodshed and death. If he had been left in Frencolia, as king, what kind of life would we have had there? —she asked herself.

Unwittingly, her depressed thoughts reversed to the former. She tried to reconstruct her life, to have her father and mother still alive, to make Elliad a wise and just person, asking aloud, "Why does God allow killing, pain, heartache and death? If the Lord God is a God of love, why does He not step in and change people; force them to be peaceful and loving?"

Thirst became Jobyna's main enemy and she struggled to find the method by which Kenrik had triggered the panel under the seat. When it would not budge, she cried all the more, licking her hot salty tears, wishing for a drop of cool moisture to quench the overpowering dryness in her throat. Why do I have to suffer like this? Haven't I been through enough already? If only I could die.

    Sounds of cheering reverberated in her confused mind, she heard many voices calling out words she could not understand. She recognized the name 'Kenrik,' the word 'Czar' and 'Chezkovia'. More cheering! The noise surged, louder and louder.

She thought —We must be there— but no longer cared. Freedom had lost its luster, life its joy. To bask in self-pity seemed the most satisfying comfort to the depressed girl.

Hands reached for her; voices she recognized; and Jobyna tried to rouse from a prison of total exhaustion. Her lips strove to form words. Luke's voice came to her ear, but she was falling... falling... sliding into a deep abyss, and the many terrible memories in her vivid imagination were at last lost in the darkness.

Dorai, Maia and Ellice watched as Luke stepped up into the carriage. Taking Jobyna in his arms, he cradled her head and gently kissed her bruised, tear-stained cheeks. The message had arrived with the fore-riders that Jobyna had injured her leg, but Luke was unprepared to find her in such a state. She clung to him and he stroked her dusty forehead.

"A drink... please..." Jobyna's dry throat made her voice sound croaky. The brother looked around helplessly at his uncle. Luke sat up on the seat, allowing the doctor, Ruprecht, to examine his sister. The knee was his main concern. His prodding made her moan and cry.

Luke explained that it had been dislocated once before, a year ago. The doctor issued orders and Jobyna was lifted to an elaborate litter and carried into the palace with the subdued group walking behind.

Kenrik had been escorted away, jubilantly, in another direction.

A palace messenger arrived at their quarters with a request from Czarevitch Kenrik for the Frencolians to attend a celebration banquet that evening, and Luke sent a message back stating that Crown Prince Dorai and Princess Maia would be present, but he would stay with his sister who had not recovered from the ordeal she had been through.

Doctor Ruprecht manipulated Jobyna's knee, bandaging it tightly. He encouraged her to drink liquids he had laced with painkillers.

Ellice sponged Jobyna's face and arms, washing the dust away, and other servant women helped dress her in a fresh loose gown.

When permitted to visit the patient, Luke, Dorai and Maia hovered over her with great concern. Doctor Ruprecht assured them that with rest and nourishment, Jobyna would recover rapidly. She was exhausted and dehydrated; but both conditions would be cured rapidly with rest and fluids.

"The Princess's knee and ankle will take a few days more, maybe even a week or two," the doctor said.

In spite of Jobyna's state of oblivion, Luke stayed by her bedside all night, falling asleep in the chair. She dozed fitfully on the next day; Luke helped her to eat, and when she woke after a longer nap, he was pleased to see her smile at him.

The room was filled with vases of beautiful flowers, all of which, Luke said, the czarevitch had sent for her.

Maia and her father were absent, they were guests in the presence of the czar-to-be. Luke was happy to have them represent Frencolia. Care and concern were shown to the brother and sister and on the morning of the third day, Kenrik, Cynara and Kedar visited their quarters surrounded by a large group of officials and attendants.    

Doctor Ruprecht, who had been in constant attendance, spoke to the czarevitch in positive tones.

Kenrik stepped to her bedside, saying, "I'm glad you're feeling better, Princess Jobyna." He bowed, kissed her hand and then her cheeks before sitting on a chair beside her bed. "You'll be glad to know that King Konrad is making good progress and hopes to visit here as soon as he is well enough to travel. Doctor Sleven accompanied him to Landmari Castle and has been sending favorable reports."

He nodded to Luke, saying, "I'd like to borrow your brother. The citizens of Jydanski wish to greet the King of Frencolia, and we have planned to tour the city today."

Jobyna thanked Kenrik for sending the flowers, and he stood, self-conscious, indicating that Cynara sit. She was dressed in black. Kissing Jobyna's cheeks affectionately, Cynara spoke kindly to her and Jobyna felt warmed, though the conversation was trivial.

Kedar was officially introduced and Jobyna thought how much he looked like Kenrik. The boy gave an enthusiastic description of the contraptions that were being made to replace his hand.

"Soon," he said, "I'll have an artificial hand —you won't be able to tell it from the real thing. Best of all, I like the hook, as well as being useful, it will be a great defense weapon." The boy's buoyancy in the face of his disablement astounded Jobyna. Of all her injuries, she had never suffered an amputation.

Kedar lingered after Kenrik and Cynara moved with Luke to the sitting room. The czar's young brother sat by Jobyna's bed and confided, "Your brother taught me about God, when we were in the fortress. He told me of your faith, too, Princess Jobyna. Luke speaks highly of you. You are very brave."

Jobyna returned, "You have great courage Kedar, to accept such a loss without bitterness."

Kedar laughed, saying, "I lost my hand but I now have a brother... and a sister!" Aware of listening ears, he leaned to whisper in Jobyna's ear, "I was never close to either, especially Kenrik... we might as well have lived in different countries... but Father's death, and my hand changed it all!" He sat upright, his face shining, "I'd much rather have my life as it is now!" Switching subjects, he said brightly, "Did you know that Moritz is a believer?"

Jobyna was not sure how Moritz came into the conversation, but as Kedar chattered on, she was told that the older brother intended offering Moritz a position in his court, after the coronation.

Before Kedar left, she grasped his hand and said, "Thank you, Kedar, you have helped me today. You have raised my spirit. I must continue to believe that God is able to change the evil that man intends and use it for good in the lives of His children."