The Beautiful Newness

By Selvin Reid

Luccius and Neive never realised the consequences of their love for each other, it was never their intention to have to fight a strong and powerful force. Their love causes the past and the future to collide, transporting them both into a world of gun crime and gangs. Where the language of the day consists of Street slang and the music is consumed in Hip Hop and Rap , all played out on the inner city streets of the UK Luccius is a prince from a Kingdom called Alpha; he falls for a peasant girl, called Nieve. Their love is instant and powerful.

Maximillius, Luccius's elder brother, wants to be King, is jealous of his little brother. He is driven by lust and desire for Nieve, in an effort to fulfil his desires Maximillius makes a pact with the devil in exchange for his soul.

Luccius senses that there is a malevolence affecting the kingdom, he conveys his feelings to Nieve, she tells him of a mystical woman that lives in the forest, the oracle. Luccius and Nieve visit this woman, who tells them of a prophecy, foretelling of a perfect moment when two worlds combine to form the Beautiful Newness.

Tragedy catapults Luccius and Nieve into a parallel world, a world where the prophecy and Luccius destiny are slowly revealed.

The Beautiful Newness is a fast paced urban gritty novella, featuring characters you love, hate and feel pity for all at the same time, leaving your emotions confused and in turmoil. The theme of undying love permeates through the pages, and the mix of fantasy, magic and sorcery combined with the social economic and morality issues of modern day society makes The Beautiful Newness original and unique.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Nov 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781493125906

Selvin Reid

My Name is Selvin Lloyd Reid, I was born in Jamaica, but came to England at an early age Spending most of my formative years in the inner city, where aspirations were low, and the primary emphasis was to survive by just getting a job or trade as my father used to Constantly remind me Wanting to be a writer in this environment, was at the very least problematic, so my dreams were shelved A few years later I secretly entered a poetry competition and won, my poem was displayed locally and I realised at that point, I had something? Having lived a very full and interesting life, I am blessed with the opportunity to reach for the stars The Beautiful newness is the third book I have written, but the first one to be published Preacher boy my second book will be published shortly I know it is a cliché but you really can achieve anything you want in this world as long as you believe in yourself.

Book preview

Copyright © 2013 by Selvin Reid.

ISBN:      Softcover   978-1-4931-2589-0

                Ebook         978-1-4931-2590-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 11/04/2013

Xlibris LLC

0-800-056-3182

www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk

307860

Contents

A Beautiful Newness

Alpha

The Oracle

Maximillius

Angelou

The Pledge

Angelou

Maximillius

Angelou

The Decision

Angelou Spoke

Nieve

Luccius

Nieve

Luccius

Bitch Nigga

Judah

Judah

Deez

Camille

Shortie

The Visions

Shortie

Judah

Saul

Noah and Troy

The Visions

Eli

Troy

Camille

The Journey

Judah and Eli

Noah

Saul

Camille

Troy

Saul

Noah

The Gig

Troy

The Gig

Ava

Camille

Troy

Saul, Ava, and Noah

Camille

Troy

As the Tide Turns

Noah

Ava

Judah and Eli

Ava

Saul

Noah

Ava

Noah

Judah and Eli

Alpha

Ava and Saul

Noah

Ava

Judah and Eli

Saul and Ava

Saul

Eli

Visit to Grandma’s

Alpha

Eli

Saul

Noah

Clint Carlisle

Saul

Eli

Ava

Saul

Ava

Saul

Ava

The Lady of the Manor

Saul

Luccius

Alpha

Epilogue

A Beautiful Newness

T heir eyes met as children. He, a son of a king; she, a peasant. The love was immediate, powerful, and consuming—breathtakingly pure in its simplicity. They loved each other from that very moment.

‘Luccius!’

Maximillius’s call came from that thing she disgusted—filthy, dirty animal. Maximillius was Luccius’s older brother, heir to the kingdom of Alpha—strikingly handsome, dark hair and dark skin with piercing blue eyes. Athletic and strong, his beauty, however, was only external. Maximillius was evil; his heart was cold, unforgiving, empty, dark, and ugly. He despised his younger brother, hated his sensitivity, his kindness, his love for all things—his love for life. Luccius treated the peasants as his equal.

Luccius and Nieve were smitten; they met secretly. Luccius stole out in the dead of night under the cover of darkness, scaled the castle walls, and risked his life to see his one, true love.

Nieve’s life was one of toil and struggle. Her family was poor, and she was the youngest of nine siblings. Nieve was born prematurely; she hadn’t been given much hope of survival but had clung to life defiantly.

Nieve possessed an inner strength that defied logic; she was fiercely determined and resolute. Her family farmed the land beyond the castle walls, working tirelessly for meagre rewards existing in this hellhole called Alpha. Nieve’s family knew nothing of her relationship with Luccius; she feared them finding out. Nieve’s family would deem a relationship such as theirs as an abomination punishable by death for Nieve and her family.

As Luccius left the castle grounds, he was oblivious to the gaze staring intently at him through the darkness. Maximillius watched, jealousy and envy raging inside of him. He despised the creature they called Nieve, and he reminded himself of this daily. But in truth, Maximillius was driven by lust. His hatred was a conduit for the lust and passion he possessed for Nieve.

That fateful day his brother saw Nieve, he too had fallen for her bewitching looks, her olive skin, and her body that oozed sensuality. He wanted her, but he had seen the connection. He could not deny that unexplainable instant when Luccius and Nieve had connected. He saw it, he hated it, and he wanted to destroy it. After all, he was the heir to the kingdom of Alpha; he could do anything, especially if he was to become king.

But he wasn’t—not for now; his father, King Simon, was.

The thought of becoming king excited Maximillius. This is my time, this is my time to rule, and I will become king, Maximillius thought to himself.

Alpha

King Simon ruled the kingdom of Alpha. He had two sons: Maximillius and Luccius. His wife, Queen Lorray, had died while giving birth to Luccius. Maximillius had resented Luccius for this and resented him even more for inheriting his mother’s kindness, beauty, strength, and wisdom.

Alpha had once been a happy and prosperous kingdom, full of enchantment and beauty. Humans and the universe lived together in harmonious understanding.

Living, breathing, existing as one. Then came the Great War.

Maximillius, unhappy with King Simon’s reluctance to broaden the kingdom and to invade bordering Omega, had initiated discontentment amongst the military ranks. They in turn, driven by greed and the desire for power, had sent small battalions into Omega on reconnaissance missions, plundering, stealing, raping, and pillaging for fun.

One such mission had led to a particularly bloody encounter which resulted in the death of the princess of Omega. The king, on hearing news of his daughter’s death, beset by grief, declared war on the neighbouring Alpha. It is now AD 24. There was a darkness, a malevolence, that inhabited Alpha. Years of bloodshed, war, and murder had plunged Alpha into an abyss of hell and damnation.

The Oracle

Luccius and Nieve ran into each other’s arms; their bodies embracing, arms entwining, and lips locking a perfect fusion of love.

Luccius kissed her passionately, breathlessly. Nieve lost herself in the whirlwind of emotion, desire, and longing, intoxicated by her love for Luccius. ‘What shall we do, Nieve? Where shall we go?’

‘Luccius, I will follow you anywhere,’ Nieve replied.

‘Nieve, I fear for you, I fear for my father, and I fear for this kingdom. Each morning that I wake, I’m filled with dread that there is a great evil here. The impiety grows daily. My brother, Maximillius, avoids my gaze. He keeps himself locked in his tower at night.

‘Nieve, I hear chanting and low-pitched murmuring coming from the tower in which he sleeps. Dark-clothed figures leave in the dead of night. There is great debauchery there, men and women fornicating.

‘My father, the king, has virtually become a recluse. He does not court my presence. He does not command his army. He does not lead his people. He has changed, and it is almost as if he is under some sort of spell.

‘What are we to do, my love?’ Luccius continued.

‘Luccius, let us consult Angelou. She will tell us what to do,’ Nieve replied.

‘Do not speak of such things, Nieve, I do not believe in heresy and witchcraft. That woman is evil, she walks with the horned one, she sees things that are not of this earth. To have such visions must mean she too is evil.’

Luccius quoted a passage from the book he read each night, a book given to him by a vision, written in a strange language. This book gave Luccius comfort. He knew not why, but the book felt almost alive.

‘Blessed is the man who walketh not in the council of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. And he shall be like a tree planteth in the rivers of water. The ungodly or not so but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away, for the lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.’

Luccius felt comforted; he believed in this power.

‘Luccius, do you trust me?’ Nieve questioned. ‘This passage you talk of, Luccius,

Angelou reads from the very same book, she comforts me with such sayings. Will you please come, my love? We don’t have much time.’

Luccius saw the pleading expression in Nieve’s eyes and could not resist, and so he conceded when Nieve held out her hand.

Maximillius

Maximillius stared from his tower. Behind him were male and female bodies entwined in various stages of sexual depravity. The red liquid that the peasants made burned in his stomach, and the sensation it caused in his head made him feel giddy. They laughed and drank this fiery liquid whilst they writhed in pleasure.

I want to be king, Maximillius thought to himself. Behind him a voice said, ‘Come to me, my son, I hear your thoughts, I will make you king.’ Maximillius slowly turned around, his eyes widening into an expression of terror. Then Maximillius saw darkness.