Fractured

By Rae Elliott

An android slave named Lough seeks to return to his previous life as a powerful human king.

But Lough begins to question that goal when what's left of his human heart is inspired by the Royal family he serves. Lough is in awe of Queen Darphina, a selfless mother who would face death in order to protect her children. Lough befriends young Prince Fenton, who seeks to liberate his oppressed people from the tyranny of his father, the King.

As Prince Fenton is about to come of age, the blood-thirsty and power-hungry King plots against his heir to the throne. But the Queen overhears his plans. Lough is determined to help the Queen save her family from a terrible demise while a burning secret encourages the Queen to free her servant of his duties. She not only reveals the shocking truth about Lough's past, but a way to return to his human body, and that a living heir to his ancient throne awaits his return.

With the knowledge given him, Lough is forced to make a choice that will hang lives in the balance challenging his desire for freedom and power. With a decision of the heart at hand, one can only hope an android will make the right choice.

Fractured: It's Scott Westerfield's Leviathan series meets Downton Abbey, with the dialogue of a classic Tolkien tale.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rae Elliott
• Release date: Jan 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310642289

Rae Elliott

I am an Indie author of science fiction, fantasy, young adult, and women's fiction novels. I am proud to say that I have accomplished the life-long dream of being a self-published author. The first book I have ever published is my science fiction novel Fractured. It is also the first book I have ever released as an audiobook on my Podcast. Fractured is the first in a series, I am currently writing its sequel Desolated. Desolated will hopefully be released by winter 2015. Other novels I'm preparing to publish include my Fantasy series Treefell: Legend of The Wood. I hope to release the first in this series by spring of 2015. I also have completed a women's fiction novel titled Life from the Rear View Mirror. This is the first book I have ever written as a modern narrative, but I have to say it is one of my favorite pieces. I have hopes of publishing this novel come spring 2015. Finally, I'm in the early stages of plotting out a Young adult fiction novel titled The Renaissance. More details about each book will be coming to my web page shortly! As a writer, I have dedicated myself to the science of storytelling. For years I have honed my craft by learning from fellow bloggers, writers, editors and published authors. I love sharing what I have learned with fellow writers via my blog and other social media networks. I also love to dissect excellent story lines and characters that I find in television series or movies to inspire my imagination. Just a few t.v faves include Freaks and Geeks, The Blacklist, Gilmore Girls, Criminal Minds, Downton Abbey, and Sherlock. And, a few movie faves include: Gladiator, Frequency, Forest Gump, The Planet of The Apes, Brave, Ever After, Wall-E, The Count of Monte Cristo- oh boy I'd better stop here! The thing for me is, I always have one question poking my brain as I write each and every story I invent. Why does the reader care? If my audience truly cares about my characters and where their journey leads, then they will most likely come back for more stories I have to give them. And I hope that audience includes you!

Book preview

Chapter One

Thousands of centuries ahead of the days of our time a piece of the past still lingered as a haunting reminder of history and tragedies befallen.

But for that piece of the past, an android slave named Lough, it was all a particular nightmare only hoped to be reversed in order to know his true life once again. He clung to the fractures of memories inside his mind with all desperation.

The memories were as precious as they were plaguing.

The image of his ancient crown he once used as effectively as a saber in war, now dominated his only thoughts. He held onto the shallow hope that he would meet this shadowed piece of the past again in some clouded future time. He dreamed that his old kingdom, he would return to and rule with the same power he had back when he once knew the feeling of a beating heart and racing blood.

They were the true blessings of being human. But he forsook them as a terrible king.

This lowly android slave left his echoes of demise in those ancient walls so far away to only be remembered in his cold, hollowed replacement of a body as an everlasting prison. Often he wished his few memories held any pieces of truth to enlighten the darkness of his dismal fate. But those few memories too were taken along with his precious crown and human form.

In the darkest confines of his thoughts, he truly feared that he could never return. Without any evidence for successful escape nor any knowledge on how to pick the lock of his eternal living prison to guide him, he simply held desperately onto the unproven theory that by studying those who treasured the gift it was to know life, to use one’s own heart for the good of others instead of the selfishness it compelled, it could perhaps reawaken what was left inside of his own silent, ancient heart and therefore begin to turn him back to his original human form.

And so it was that he was caught away again in thought over the plague of baseless possibility that consumed his rusting mind. So it was that the lost pieces of his puzzle remained an unknowable mystery. So it was that his silent heart only ached to beat again.

Lough! He was summoned. His body of iron, metals and replacement bolts jolted, scratching his main frame harshly. His glowing eyes burned from the sparks and he flinched at the voice.

Yes Mrs. Dagmer? His voice made no echo, a mere beam of constant droning was all he owned anymore.

This room needs to be finished before midday. We have guests coming and their room cannot look as though we are paupers begging for feathers to stuff our own pillows! Now stop stalling! Androids do not require rest anyhow! The Lady of the house's head servant Mrs. Dagmer, was charge over Lough for most occasions. She was a demanding, small woman with too much strength and too loud a voice. But Lough, a rusting Android slave with gears too ancient to be replaced and patchy metal coverings scratched free of their luster, was nothing more than a glorified house pet. In fact, he was hardly glorified at all.

We do not want The Lady's eyes to have to fall upon such disgraces. Dare I say, The Lord himself should have to suffer this image. No... we cannot have this happen.

Yes Mrs. Dagmer. It shall be done. He answered. Lough focused on her face, for her eyes fell to the floor. In a silent moment she held a desperate emotion, something even this Lough would pine to feel for himself. As his electric eyes focused on something for his metal to understand, he thought he finally caught it.

Fear, endless fear enveloped Mrs. Dagmer. For, she thought about the consequences that should befall her if she did not snap the whip at Lough hard enough. With a focused clicking he captured this image in his head, a new piece for his collection. He programmed it into his mind of wires where it would be sealed away in his memory program.

He felt these wires suddenly fray and spark again. For a moment he believed he was a step further toward the dream of awakening that ancient heart as he deeply examined her face in such a brief passing moment. He held another piece of his puzzle thanks to Mrs. Dagmer.

We must keep ourselves busy! her voice echoed as she left the great guest suite. Her heels hit hard enough to carve into the wood floor beneath upon exiting the room. Down Lough’s arms shifted over the unruly bedspread, exacting his fingers across every crease. A low beam in the core of his eyes scanned the bed for untempered rowdiness. Other maids and servants rushed about in and out of the rooms, dusting here and fluffing pillows there. Mrs. Dagmer's voice could be heard throughout the enormous house. It endlessly echoed off the glorious pillars of Kyrolene, a rare and delicate deep blue hewn crystal that was discovered deep in the caves off of The Foreign Lands.

It was a wild land The Lord had bragged about in connection to his conquests. Although Lough had no personal memory of them, his wired mind held every detail The Lord recorded in Lough's mind of endless capacity.

Therefore Lough knew of such lands, but felt nothing for them and so it was a useless thing to him.

A young maid with fiery red hair tied modestly into a bun, spread her hands across the bed. She looked up at Lough. I hope those sparks do not hurt you too badly. she whispered quickly to him. In an instant Lough retrieved every file he owned on the girl. His eyes beamed their low glow across her freckled face and at last he replied with an answer fit for his memories of her demeanor.

Good morning Miss Emalene. it is a fair question, but no they do not hurt me at all. Thank you for your concern. He could feel nothing and that was his deepest plight.

She smiled, her freckles dancing across her cheeks. Well if you need repairs I'd gladly send word.

His bolts cracked and metal scratched as he politely bowed his head.

Thank you Miss Emalene. I shall inform you the moment it is required.

Miss Emalene! Mrs. Dagmer wailed from the opposite corridor.

The overly thin redhead suddenly flinched. No rest for the wicked. She gave Lough a quick, saddened smile and rushed away at once.

Lough had heard that phrase before, but it struck him quite differently now. He had once been murmured about in this way. Of the few memories he had left of his previous life the phrase unlocked and instantly projected into his electric mind the image of himself as a human from days long past. Under his glorious crown of gold lay dark, searing eyes that roved like hungry predators searching for their next victim. Even darker though, was his shadow that dared to follow so close behind him. A vast and brutal anger pulsed through him much like electricity. Deep were the wounds he delivered and scars only were what he left behind. Upon his head that golden crown which instead should have fostered horns, was the only lover he kept ever faithful to. Blood and death were upon his hands alone. Servants, commoners and noblemen alike were strewn about beneath him, their blood on his hands. All of their faces held a recent piece of his puzzle. They had died in fear.

Lough's wires sparked making a connection. The sparks flew about dangerously and to his great dismay, they fell onto the delicate bedspread, searing black holes into it. His metal body began to comprehend, it began to react to the emotion. He was so close, but he did not know how to control it.

Suddenly two other servant girls in the room rushed to his side and instantly opened his chest barricade to look for the wires to shut him off.

Wa-wait pl-please! The words were broken and cut off. Lough tried again desperately. He was so close to reaching a natural human reaction. The girls pried at his bolts and wires with mindless haste. Pl-please. he was failing.

Girls! Suddenly Lough heard her voice. Miss Emalene rushed to his side at once. You cannot tear him apart! he will lose any recent data obtained!

Lough knew this sad truth. He was about to lose this vital piece. But before Miss Emalene could reach to stop them, his voice failed and the steady glow in his eyes burned out. He was shut down.

It was a wild land The Lord had bragged about in connection to his conquests. Although Lough had no personal memory of them, his wired mind held every detail The Lord recorded in Lough's mind of endless capacity.

Therefore Lough knew of such lands, but felt nothing for them and so it was a useless thing to him.

A young maid with fiery red hair tied modestly into a bun, spread her hands across the bed. She looked up at Lough. I hope those sparks do not hurt you too badly. she whispered quickly to him. In an instant Lough retrieved every file he owned on the girl. His eyes beamed their low glow across her freckled face and at last he replied with an answer fit for his memories of her demeanor.

Good morning Miss Emalene. it is a fair question, but no they do not hurt me at all. Thank you for your concern. He could feel nothing and that was his deepest plight.

She smiled, her freckles dancing across her cheeks. Well if you need repairs I'd gladly send word.

His bolts cracked and metal scratched as he politely bowed his head.

Thank you Miss Emalene. I shall inform you the moment it is required.

Miss Emalene! Mrs. Dagmer wailed from the opposite corridor.

The overly thin redhead suddenly flinched. No rest for the wicked. She gave Lough a quick, saddened smile and rushed away at once.

Lough had heard that phrase before, but it struck him quite differently now. He had once been murmured about in this way. Of the few memories he had left of his previous life the phrase unlocked and instantly projected into his electric mind the image of himself as a human from days long past. Under his glorious crown of gold lay dark, searing eyes that roved like hungry predators searching for their next victim. Even darker though, was his shadow that dared to follow so close behind him. A vast and brutal anger pulsed through him much like electricity. Deep were the wounds he delivered and scars only were what he left behind. Upon his head that golden crown which instead should have fostered horns, was the only lover he kept ever faithful to. Blood and death were upon his hands alone. Servants, commoners and noblemen alike were strewn about beneath him, their blood on his hands. All of their faces held a recent piece of his puzzle. They had died in fear.

Lough's wires sparked making a connection. The sparks flew about dangerously and to his great dismay, they fell onto the delicate bedspread, searing black holes into it. His metal body began to comprehend, it began to react to the emotion. He was so close, but he did not know how to control it.

Suddenly two other servant girls in the room rushed to his side and instantly opened his chest barricade to look for the wires to shut him off.

Wa-wait pl-please! The words were broken and cut off. Lough tried again desperately. He was so close to reaching a natural human reaction. The girls pried at his bolts and wires with mindless haste. Pl-please. he was failing.

Girls! Suddenly Lough heard her voice. Miss Emalene rushed to his side at once. You cannot tear him apart! he will lose any recent data obtained!

Lough knew this sad truth. He was about to lose this vital piece. But before Miss Emalene could reach to stop them, his voice failed and the steady glow in his eyes burned out. He was shut down.

Chapter Two

Slowly numbers lined up in the forefront of Lough's mind. Each was a symbol collaborating itself into his ancient software system. Each was an equation bringing all his functions gradually back to order. Suddenly the glow in his eyes flashed once more where in which he automatically scanned his presence giving a reading to those around.

The Lord's chambers. Hour: Ten in the evening. Day: September the third. Year: Sixty twenty-three.

Sound gradually returned. All he had the ability to register were the sounds of heavy heels slowly pacing the floor made of Cyanopaq. He automatically registered a memory of this stone. It transferred into his mind in numbers equating a full history of the stone's past. Suddenly though Lough was interrupted.

You are a pile of wires and bolts that are older than an era. His eyes outlined the image of The Lord. A long black robe swept over the floor, following behind him like a loyal servant. Lough felt his wires begin to spark again as he bowed his head before him.

My Lord, King Carthe...

Why bother bowing to me if you will never stand again afterward?

The king hastily made his way over to Lough. Lough knew better as a slave than to look him directly in the eye, for there were few penalties as harsh as disobeying this one. King Magnus Carthe III had ever dark eyes which now scanned Lough much how his own eyes scanned a room for information.

We have guests coming. What a pathetic welcome we give them when our own footman is a heaping pile of rusted metal and wires all over the floor.

His strong hand grazed over his head of metal cranking it backward, causing the gears to bend and spew bolts off like gunfire. Lough clearly comprehended that he was not living up to standard.

My deepest apologies my Lord. he dared to lift his head just slightly higher. My Lord, the queen once used an unusual powdered ore to help restore my mainframe. It glowed blue like crystal, perhaps she could-

Silence! Nothing of you is of anymore use to me here. Our guests must now use old moth riddled bed spreads and The Lady's best guest quilts have been spotted with unsightly, gaping black holes. You have embarrassed the Carthe name and therefore embarrassed the entire kingdom. Your era here has ended. he turned to his band of servants. Take him to the open markets for selling!

Silence interrupted The Lord's brooding.

"My Lord . " A deep but calming voice echoed across the cold room in delicate form.

As she entered the room, he stared down Lady Darphina, Queen of the Carthe Kingdom and far too loyal wife to the king.

Lough has helped me rear every child under our name. For ages he has worked loyally to your crown and to our every command. Do not be so harsh now if age and use has betrayed his stamina. Large, pearly blue eyes stared at the king, always portraying the wisdom in her heart, not the power in her hands. Her long hair of auburn was rolled carefully and daintily up, brushing slightly against her stiff, crimped collar exposing her neck in the smallest degree. Always her demeanor was just, considering only mercy. She had seen her own overwhelming share of shame and disgraces from the Lord King and Lough had tried many a time to erase the unspeakable memories that he had witnessed between them over the years.

The people wondered how their queen remained alive all these years since she was a smart, properly outspoken woman and the king never appreciated such a challenge. The people saw and knew full well how quickly the king delivered death to any opposed to his ultimate ideals. Absolutely any opposed.

I am quite certain you have wished this upon me haven't you Darphina?

His eyes glared toward her.

My Lord I would wish no such calamity upon you but surely you must see the worth in keeping an Android with so much of our family history saved away in his memory? You know it would take well over another century to transfer all his memories onto a new age bot. In fact you know we may lose precious data in the transfer.

Why should these things concern me? He is wasting space up there in that puny mind of his with all that nonsense and ruining his worth for any vital storage I actually require of him. All of that storage is causing his calculations to slow and result in numerous inaccuracies. He turned to Lough impatiently.

Calculate for me at once the amount of foxes left for the hunt this season. He turned back to the queen with a challenging grin. "Let us see just how invaluable he truly is."

The queen stood patiently without a hint of doubt over her placid face.

Lough quickly flickered the message through his wires, random numbers firing across his mind's eye trying to rearrange the amount and location of each fox in the kingdom. His radar system had certainly not been refreshed for quite some years and he was having difficulty working on this sort of demand with only the few ancient gears he had. But he knew this was his chance to stay in the only home he had ever known. He had to obtain that number.

His eyes scanned distant pictures hitting solar radar capsules that hovered around the outside skies. From there he could mentally fly across the valley and spot any red tail he could.

This is ten seconds too long. the king retorted angrily. Lough kept the search on desperately, calculating as fast as the numbers could reflect off the radar capsules and back to his rusting data chip.

The queen waited patiently, not allowing fear to fracture her heart.

Seventy-no... eighty- The rate of download versus the demand to obtain it was overheating his hard drive.

The king turned with a satisfied grin. You see? He cannot even calculate the amount of foxes left in our own kingdom! How will I know how to prepare the day's hunt or have any means with which to spoil our guests with good sport? He is an absolute waste. I will have him shipped out and sent to the village open market in the morning.

The Lord went rushing past to take his leave until The Lady carefully and gracefully blockaded the door. He stopped gruffly going to push directly passed her until she said upon the breath of a whisper, I would quietly back down from this one but may I remind you that the sellers are required to extract memories of bots before they are sold. I can certainly fill Lough's vital storage with all the facts and images obtained from the nights you have spent with many a woman but your wife before we have him sent away. I need not remind you the penalties to your crown for unfaithfulness to the queen and the laws of your forefathers that I would gladly adhere to. Therefore my silence for our family’s memories, my Lord.

A pause stirred the air. In a rare moment Lough witnessed the king submit.

Lough stared at them in that unusual moment capturing this image for his personal files once more. Fear now emerged from the most unusual place.

the king turned back to Lough with a dead face, much like his own.Very well.

He turned passed Queen Darphina to leave the room but Lough caught him in his last chance. My Lord, sire! The number is ninety-one.

Chapter Three

The moon held itself high in the blackened midnight sky. It was a beautiful pearl, delicate and precious in its light, a necklace adorning the vast velvet black above. It was central to peace and tranquility in the lore of the common people of the Carthe kingdom. The moon's dainty skirts of ivory lay all across the kingdom like a blessing, outlining each building in a heavenly glowing aura.

Lough found himself upon the lowest gape of the outer wall that surrounded the high castle, a place where only the immediate royal family members lived. He looked down over the servants' homes outside consisting of cottages or huts depending on work rank and status worth in the eyes of the king.

Most indeed were merely huts.

But Lough although seemingly worth so very little, was the only one allowed to stay within the high castle corridors. Because he was an Android and it was considered unnecessary for him to live in his own home of any kind he was granted by honor of the queen, no less, the smallest guest room in the castle. He was also considered important to have within the walls because he required no sleep and could be put to use for aid at any time.

Lough took up the rare opportunity he had now of peace and quiet to meditate over those lost memories he had long pined for. Years he drove himself mad trying to create a picture with permanently lost puzzle pieces. But his determination for life was great. His mind turned wheel and gear fixing to find files of any memory he had left of