the haunted kingdom by Charles E.J. Moulton (snow like ashes txt) 📕

during it the sisters looked at their proud parents. Belinda pretended not to notice a wink from her father for she thought she knew what the wink meant: You see, it paid off to hold the speech.
When the applause ended, Belinda went on, "As Margeatanian descendants," Belinda said, "we felt compelled to take on this mission as sponsors and put in even some of our own savings into making this project work and we are therefore more than happy to find you all here to assist us in this cause.” Ten years ago the Margetanian economy stagnated due to unfortunate events such as pirate raids and dying crops. We have a country that has remarkable natural resources and marvelling expertise, but no money to have it grow and flourish. It is sad that my mother, Queen Sieglinde of Prosperania, sees her homeland in such misery. The wine, gold and livestock that we import is important for our country just as our export of silver and clothing are to them. We are here to ask you to join us in our efforts to save the country and bind all of us together. We are asking you to hold discussions, sign the papers, embracing each other in hope."
"We do this as Margetanian descendants," Morgana added, "to plead you to build up our neighbour's land again as an eventual hope of joining forces against a policy leaning against terror by threat against the attitude of this conference extreme retaliation from our side."
No one spoke, but everyone knew the word terror was directed against one representative, Zeekha. Belinda said: "We want peace and we will tell you that this is what we aim with this conference. You must wonder, what points are awaiting you here during the next month? But first let us welcome you individually. We start with Neapelonia. We welcome ...”

At the castle

Later that same day the king stood watching the old gift, of the clock, again. The old friar’s name had been Father Reland Mansicart. He had belonged to the faith of The Blessed Church of St. Michael. He had often come to the royal palace on religious errands or as a spiritual healer, or, indeed, as clockmaker. Constructed just last year for the king on his 52nd birthday on 26th August 1421 it had been much appreciated. Alexander could not help himself thinking there was hidden meaning behind the clock gift other than awarding the last efforts of a dying man. Reland had nodded slowly at Belinda with his half-closed eyes and elaborated without answering her question as to the figures in the clock. Alexander just felt slightly odd looking at that clock. He knew that the man had given him a brief history of the clock as an invention that day.
Around the year 1000 an old monk named Gerbert started making the first clock. He later became Pope Sylvester II. Around 1240 mechanics were built into clocks for the first time. The profession of clockmaker existed since around 1269. A Dominican Clerical named Humbertus de Romanis was the first one to specifically describe what clocks to count on or not. In Milano during 1336 a clock was invented that divided the day into four times six hours. In 1345 the hour was parted into 60 minutes and the minute into 60 seconds. In 1368 the mechanical clock found its place in most Medatlantian cities. In 1410, Reland was responsible for making the first completely mechanical clock that could be set on a mantelpiece or in a private home or palace.
Alex looked at this tenth ever-existing mantelpiece masterpiece once again and had to smile at something so beautiful and so mysterious. But the story the clock was telling about the figurines inside the work was the oldest myth in creation.
Lucifer and Michael had been brothers until Lucifer, the Archangel, fell away from God and became Lucifer, the Devil. It was a Medatlantian version of the Yin and Yang duology and represented Time. The elderly monk was an old friend of the family. There had been a warning there in the old man's eyes. He said that Night can be conquered only in the face of Daylight. He told them that if you made darkness your ally and naturally accept its role as tester of faiths, then he would let you be. He told Belinda that the clock was meant to bring luck, and although he loved it, he wondered what the old man had really meant. It had almost been as if the old man had eyes in his neck and was talking to him through his daughter's eyes.
His dreams of twelve young men of different colours and creeds warning him of challenges ahead left him puzzled. It all seemed to have its centre here on the mantle piece, inside the clockwork of this old now dead monk's clock. His last birthday was seven months back, but since then the monk had triggered the memory of his sister. What scared him more was the image he kept having of a messenger coming into a house and telling him something had happened. That image had first appeared shortly after Belinda's birth. It had appeared in a dream. Then it had come back two years later and not until the dream appeared a third time had the striking image made the connection within him. That it had something to do with Belinda.
He recognized the place, but could never place the details. That is, except for the mahogany doors and the tapestries. He knew the dream as a prophecy but the images had been too fuzzy to be recognized. When the old man gave him the clock, he realized it was his own festival hall on the third floor. It was a prophecy of his own sister returning to his palace at some point in the years to come. And he realized the old man’s clock had been a protector and that he knew she was coming back. Time. It was about time, wasn't it? He looked back at the document again. It showed a map of the Danish Channel and the routes the different fleets usually took.
The Britannic Empire was upset at Nocturania for using their flag as a cover-up to pass the border, only to throw it off and raid Margetania. How it somehow linked with Lucinda was hard to say, but it did. And in time, this too would be resolved. Or so he hoped. The story had always fascinated him and it was clear that he was just passing his time, looking at this thing, waiting for he did not know what. It was late now and he needed sleep, tomorrow would be a long day. One of the executive senators, who was sleeping in the castle, had been here to brief him on who had signed what papers and what problems were occurring with which party. He walked to the window and looked out at the moon and stars when Rolf walked in.
Alex turned around and looked at the door. Rolf smiled and bowed. "Hello, Rolf!"
"Hello, your majesty!" Rolf walked over to the king. "Is everything alright?"
Alexander smiled faintly. He nodded. "How is Belinda?"
"Overworked, I think. Otherwise she would not have fainted during the dance."
“How is she holding up? Sleeping still?"
"Yes, Sire. Last time she was up was when you two played chess. Geena said she would check."
Alex put his hands behind his back and sighed. "She did a good job today. They both did."
"Happy they got along." Rolf laughed, half in thought. “They are beauties.” Rolf looked out, enjoying this quiet, almost whispered conversation with the king. "All agree in that, even Zeekha."
"Even her?" he said, half in thought. “Although Belinda wondered why I invited her.”
"If we had not, then we would have had a bigger problem."
"Adnicul had unofficially said no. No invitation would mean war."
Rolf nodded. "You are thinking of something."
Alexander smiled. "Can’t I hide anything from you?"
Rolf looked down and shook his head. Alex sighed.
He paused. "I am afraid of having become too ..." He was searching for the word. "I cannot find the word." Rolf gave his majesty his silent support. "My girls received a verbal bashing yesterday."
Rolf shook his head. “They did cause quite a stir, didn’t they?”
Alex nodded. “I had to lecture them, Rolf. I just had to tell them that this was beyond bickering and beyond quarrels about male love. I think I startled Belinda by threatening to withdraw her crown.”
Rolf gave his majesty a solemn look. “She has to learn to separate politics and privacy.”
There was a soft silence. “I told her during the dinner she need not worry. Morgana seemed to be a little angry with me for saying that I would denounce her. She said that it wouldn’t be possible.”
Rolf shook his head. “She has turned the original guesthouse, The Rose, into a brothel.”
"Well it isn’t that, Rolf” Alex mused. “We have eleven nations represented in Iuventus tonight.
The least I can expect is a little professionalism. Even Zeekha commented on Morgana’s rudeness.”
“How so?” Rolf asked.
Alexander raised one eyebrow and looked at Rolf from the side. It was evident that the king was firmly in his cheek. Rolf cocked his head and laughed. “In that case I don’t blame her. How many did she conquer? Should I be glad I left early?”
The king nodded. “All said.”
The two men watched one of King Iwar’s stable boys, a blond gent with a round face with a big lantern, open the gate to the stables and walk out toward the servant wing and disappear.
“The stables have never ever been so full of carriages and horses. We are lucky we have extensive rooms."
“Seems,” Rolf shrugged and nodded “that everyone is happy about the alliance.”
Alex nodded. "Hope that this entire merger works out the way I hope it will."
"It will, your Highness. It will."
He chuckled, softly. "Sometimes I wonder why you are so extraordinarily worried about not being good enough. You should be aware of being that by now."
"I am afraid” Alexander muttered. “Strange thing, this emotion called fear.”
"Of what are you afraid, Alex?"
"Her promise haunts me, Rolf." Alex sneered, his eyes gazing at the stars. "She'd been searching the wine cellars. She knew I was coming when she heard the door to the East Wing slam shut. There was no question what would happen. Somehow, by sheer coincidence a Nocturanian courier had come in a carriage to deliver the return of a document that would supposedly seal an agreement between us and the man in power.” Rolf nodded. "His expression when I told him he would have an extra passenger was not a friendly one. She promised me revenge. ‘I'm coming to get you, Alexander .. One day you will be sorry you sent me away!’ I'll never ever forget that.”
"Belinda's marriage is the thirty year anniversary of Lucinda's exile." Rolf grew silent as Alexander spoke and grew still. "I booked the cathedral, invited the guests, ordered Bantrard to write the opera and then I realized it ... but it was too late to change it. Thirty years a magic spell.”
"You are afraid of being haunted."
Alex nodded. "I know the horror she has caused, Rolf. How Belinda suffered. How we all suffered. I don't want that to happen again."
For a brief moment, the king and his assistant were just men looking out at the night time sky, their faces lit by flickering torches on the wall, men hoping to escape the fears of things yet to come. Belinda was dreaming.

Belinda’s first dream

The party had been going on for almost three hours.