Treasures - Book 4 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter 20

Elliad congratulated himself over and over whilst he lounged on the throne. His mind schemed ahead into his future, where he would go, what he could do...

To him now, Frencolia was a lost cause. These riches would buy him great power and renown but he knew it would not be here in the kingdom of Frencolia. Aware that barely four days remained for him to act without his life being at extreme risk, he began making hasty plans with his men.

The next day, Elliad remembered Jobyna. She did not have any value, or use to him... or did she? Again, deeply hidden feelings from the depth of his heart willed that she lived. But if she lives, he told himself, she will live because I decree it, and she must obey me in everything.

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Jobyna remembered her mother telling her when she was depressed and could do nothing to change the circumstances, she should make her mind think of something, anything about which she could be thankful. Thankfulness, she had been told, would banish the clouds of depression. Jobyna was disillusioned with life. What could she be thankful for in a place like this? If only she would not think of this tomb with its dead body and haunting memories.

Luke! —She would think of Luke. How thankful she was to know he was safe. Then she thought of God.

Maybe I am just a little sparrow, but God says in His Word that He knows all about the sparrows and not one of them is away from his caring eye. Yes, God cares! And wasn't Joseph thrown into a pit by his own brothers? Jobyna was sure she felt as Joseph must have before one of his brothers hauled him out of the pit. Remembering that this same brother sold Joseph into slavery, she decided to think about something different. I don't like to think of Joseph being imprisoned. Oh, Lord, does everything have to get worse before it gets better? Please, help me to remember the good things in my life...

What wonderful memories she had of her family life... especially when her two brothers, Louis and Marcus, and her sister, Elissa, had been alive... before the plague had swept through the country... but how depressing it was to remember how she had lost them... and so many others...

Time slowly passed, and Jobyna began singing softly. She reaffirmed her philosophy regarding her life.

"If I die — I live! — There is nothing to lose," she whispered into the darkness...

Suddenly, the great wall swung open!

Followed by his knights carrying torches, Elliad strode into the tomb. He dragged the frightened girl to her feet. Elliad pushed a flask at her and supported her as she drank thirstily.

She let the cool water trickle down her parched throat. While she savored the liquid, the knights walked to the wall by the exit, some holding torches up, others examining it.

Elliad spoke menacingly, his voice loud in her ears, his breath pungent with the smell of some kind of liquor; "We can't find the maps and charts of the kingdom amongst the treasures!" He shook her, demanding, "Where are they? Where did you put the Gospel Book with the documents of the kingdom?" Shaking her harder, he bellowed, "Are they out in the valley?"

The thought of this man gaining possession of such valuable information caused Jobyna to shake her head. A feeling of faintness flooded her frame. Her body grew limp under her oppressor's vice-like grip and when he released his hold, she fell to the floor.

"You took the book with you, away from the valley didn't you?" he yelled, adding, "By now someone will have possession of the maps! Others could already be on the way to this cave and eventually to my throne room! We'll have to move fast to keep control over my treasures!" He clicked his fingers toward Berg.