Queen of Kalathan: The Kalathan Chronicles, #4

By Kate le Roux

Now the King of Kalathan, Theo is under pressure to find a wife. But as his brothers begin to settle down to domestic bliss, he finds that no one measures up to Trina, the only woman he has ever loved. When out of the blue a door shuts in his face, he finds he must look to an unexpected source for the love and support he so desperately needs.

 

(Please note this is a novella and not a full-length novel.)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kate le Roux
• Release date: Feb 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201269692

Kate le Roux

Kate le Roux lives in Cape Town, South Africa, where if she stands on tiptoes she can just about see Table Mountain from her kitchen window. She grew up on a diet of CS Lewis, LM Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott, and since being allowed into the Young Adult section at the local library at the age of thirteen she still hasn't really left. She spent a good number of years marking mostly horrible English essays and getting high school kids to act out bits of Shakespeare which she loved, leaving only to focus on being a mom to four crazy kids.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Happiness. It was thick in the air at the palace today, wafting along the cool passages and through the lush, rose-scented gardens. It was in the sugary aroma of cakes, spicy pastries and exotic teas, in the fresh blue of the morning sky and the brightness of sunshine spilling through windows onto marble floors. As Theo stood leaning over the balcony of his apartment looking down onto the lawns he could hear snippets of laughter, excited talking, soft music playing, and the hurried footsteps of servants carrying endless successions of trays back and forth from the kitchens to the gardens and the reception rooms. It seemed that everyone wanted to meet the visitors and share in the excitement. It felt as if everyone, from the newest scrubbing maid to the queen herself was happy, and that he was the only person in the world stuck under a stubborn cloud of grey doom.

He had tried to feel excited, for his brother’s sake. He had listened patiently as Jameth talked about the girl he loved, as he told over and over again how brave and good she was, how she had risked her life for him and taken care of him when he had been so ill and helpless. Theo had met her himself only briefly close to two years before when he had travelled out of Kalathan to the Empire to accompany the Empress Lydia and to help to establish her on her throne in Cedropolis, and although he appreciated what the girl had done for Jameth he found her small and uninteresting. She was mousy, he thought, pretty in an ordinary sort of way but too quiet and sweet and gentle for his tastes. But, as impossible as it might have been a few years ago to have believed it,  Jameth loved her steadily and faithfully even after all the time they had spent apart, and Theo supposed he should be happy for him. His brother had waited a long time for this day to arrive, and when he had finally presented Mira to his mother, fairly bursting with pride, the joy on his face had been briefly inspiring.

He watched as a servant girl hurried across the lawn below him on her way to the sheltered courtyard where the family were having yet another tea party. He had excused himself this time, pleading work, which of course no one had questioned. There was always work when there was a kingdom to rule. Kings could not be expected to spend whole mornings drinking tea and entertaining guests. But then he could have made some time. It was summer and things were quiet in Kalathan since his father’s death a few months before. There was much to do, as always, but he wasn’t working now. He had given up on reading over provincial reports and had come out into the sunshine on his balcony. He could go downstairs if he wanted to and join the party. But it was just hard, to see Jameth so happy at the prospect of marrying his sweetheart, hard also to watch his other brother Jandrin enjoy his beautiful wife’s affection and bounce his baby daughter on his knee. He knew he was feeling sorry for himself, but his solitude had felt more of a burden than ever lately. He was the king now, the weight of the kingdom heavy on his shoulders, and he had no one to lean on. He felt alone, more alone now than ever, ironically both the most eligible man in Kalathan and the loneliest.

He looked up and across towards the new tower which was growing taller every day. He was pleased that he was able to see the progress on the church from his rooms – in his planning he had not realised this bonus in its location. It helped to remind him of his most important dream for his country: liberation from the oppression of the old religion, and both freedom and opportunity to choose the new faith – which was in reality a much older one, just newly in the open. So far he had encountered everything from violent opposition to interested curiosity regarding his religious beliefs. But somehow, although sometimes the task seemed impossible, he had found that just to ask God every day to use him for whatever purposes he had for Kalathan was enough to drive away fear and apprehension. He felt it deeply: that he was a tool in God’s hands, that all he could do was to seek wisdom and do what he knew to be right. He felt completely incapable most of the time, often stupidly young, foolish and ignorant, but the church was growing taller every day while the Temple struggled along, plagued by corruption, disunity and the growing mistrust of many of the people. Kalathan was thirsty for truth, and he felt it a privilege to be part of revealing it.

Even the story of Jameth’s little wife-to-be seemed to be part of God’s plan, and although it was difficult for Theo to share in the jubilance of the day he was not unaware of the significance of this marriage for Kalthan. Jandrin’s wife Camila was from Cedropolis, had been brought up as a member of the State church but had been cleansed in the Kalathan Temple upon their marriage. She had not had a choice – Father had insisted on her conversion, and although she had not been exactly enthusiastic about having pigeon blood poured all over her and having to bathe in a freezing pool under the stares of leery bald red-robed priests chanting incomprehensible words over her, there was no other way to be legally married and she had had to endure it. Jandrin cared nothing for Christianity and she didn't seem to either, but Jameth was different. During his time in Cedropolis he had somehow met God, and Theo had found him a changed man after his ordeal. Mira and her brooding hulk of a guardian, the returned exile Korbin, had done what Theo had failed to do – convince Jameth of the truth of the Bible. In the time since his return Theo had found in his open-hearted, generous brother one of his greatest encouragements. Sometimes he wondered who was more excited about the church, Jameth or himself.

He heard a knock on his door. Come in! he called, thinking it was probably his valet. But it was Jameth, still as bright-eyed with excitement as he had been at the arrival of Mira and Korbin the day before.

Isn’t it a beautiful day? Jameth said, joining Theo at the balcony. Are you still working? Can you join us now?

I could, Theo said, shrugging. I should probably get through the reports, though. If I don't do it now I’ll just have to finish later. The provincial council meets tomorrow morning and I must be prepared.

That’s a pity, Jameth said. I’m planning a ride out to the river lodge tomorrow. Mira can't ride well enough yet but Korbin and Kessiah can, and I thought Mother could take Mira on the road in the little carriage.

Kessiah can ride? Theo was surprised that Mira’s tall, pale, older cousin, who had joined them for this visit, was the sort who could ride.

Oh yes, Jameth said. Almost as well as Mother, on a regular saddle too.

It sounds lovely, Theo said, glad he had an excuse not to come along. But I can’t miss the council. The viceroys have travelled to the city especially and it would be rude to postpone it.

I understand, Jameth said. But come down now, won’t you? I want you to get to know them, Theo.

I do too, Jay, Theo said, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. They are your new family.

They will be, after the wedding, Jameth said, his eyes lighting up at the happy thought. I do wish the church could be ready in time.

Theo grinned. That would be a miracle, Jay. But the builders still have a few months. They will make sure it is ready enough.

The first Christian wedding in Kalathan, Jameth said. I wonder how the people will react.

We won’t know until it happens, said Theo, both excited and apprehensive at the thought of it. Jandrin and Camila had married in the Temple, and Theo had made an exception to his usual refusal to set foot in the dim, musty-smelling building to attend the ceremony. Neither Theo nor Jameth said it now, but both knew it well – that if their father were alive this wedding would not be happening at the palace at all. The old king, loyal to the Temple until his death, had refused Jameth permission to marry in a Christian ceremony. Jameth had held off for a long time, hoping and praying for a change of heart, unwilling to either sacrifice his principles and marry in the Temple, or give up his status and his inheritance, perhaps even his relationship with his father, to make Mira his wife. Although he missed his father and had never hoped for his death, Theo was glad to have spared his brother that choice.

Korbin really does feel like family, Jameth said. Like something between another brother and a father.

He seems a good sort, Theo said. I’m always happy to meet devilclaws who prove the curse is a lie. Perhaps he would be interested in a government position.

Oh no, Jameth said, shaking his head and looking a little uncomfortable. I can't picture him doing something like that, even though he really is one of the wisest, most level-headed men I have ever met. He has his estate to manage in Fihlik.

All the more reason to get him involved, Theo said. "He is an educated, well-spoken man, clearly of noble birth, and openly devilclaw. I need my councillors and advisors to meet men like him so I