Oriana, Girl of Legend

Chapter One

In the land of the fairies called Verlynn, in the middle of the Forest of Andulin, King Kheelan felt restless as his son, Lucas, approached the throne, wearing an expression that showed worry and fear. He feared that for worst and that the time he dreaded coming was now at hand and he wasn't sure if he was really ready to do what he had to do.

"Father," Lucas began slowly as he stood before King Kheelan. "Salome is released and she's after the Book of Legend."

King Kheelan stood, the features on his face turned grave. Dread filled his whole being and the nearby vine plant started to wilt showing the turmoil that the king was feeling. "Celeste?"

Lucas's eyes filled with tears. "Dying." he answered. "Oriana is with her. As she has always been since she was a child. But Father, why are you so worried? What is going on that I don't know about? Why do you want me to keep an eye on her?"

The king turned abruptly away from his song as tears filled his eyes. No, he was not ready for this. Oriana was not ready for this.

But more importantly now, the fairy king had a secret that he had meant to be kept hidden was about to be revealed and the first person he needed to tell was his own son.

"Oriana, where are you?" Oriana's mistress, Lady Celeste, called from her bed chambers. She had been in her bed for a month now and her health was continuing to fail her with each and passing day. But this was the first time she had heard her lady's voice sound so bright in a long time.

Oriana looked up from the book that she was reading in the window at the end of the hall, not far from Lady Celeste's room. Her white curls flew behind her and over her shoulder as she stared down the hall towards her mistress' room. Her emerald green eyes that were usually bright turned into a moss green as she realized what the cry meant.

Lady Celeste had been very much like a mother to her when she took her in her home. Lady Celeste didn't care much for stations so everyone who worked in her household was treated like family and everyone loved her and her husband, Lord Cornar. She smiled sadly as she started down the hall to the room. She stopped short when her friend, Vera, came out white faced.

Vera was Oriana's best friend and they have known each other since childhood. Her dark red hair hung like a curtain around her freckled face and brought out the blue in her eyes. But the red puffiness told Oriana that the drop in her stomach confirmed it was just a matter of time.

"Vera?" Oriana asked as she touched her arm gently, alreaydy knowing the answer to her question that she felt she didn't need to ask. Vera looked as if she was about to crumble as she turned her sapphire eyes to her friend.

"She's dying, Ori." Vera whispered as a tear slipped down her paled cheek. "She's barely holding on. Ori, this woman has been like our mother since we were children. What are we going to do?"

Vera's voice broke into sobs and she fell against Oriana's slim and sturdy form and cried. The sobs shook Vera so hard that Oriana was supporting all her weight and she held her while she wept. She knew the pain Vera was feeling. They had both come to Lady Celeste as babies and to lose the woman they had come to love like a mother was more than they could bear.

"Vera, she wouldn't want you to be like this." Oriana whispered quietly as she held her friend tightly as she felt her own tears fill her eyes, as she fought to keep her voice steady and strong her friend. "She would want you to be happy that she won't feel pain any more. She'll be in a place that is beautiful and peaceful. Picking all the flowers that's she wants without Lord Cornar telling her to get back inside before she gets sick or prick her fingers on the those thorns that have her favorite roses blooming."