Children of Iverbourne: Take Me to Iverbourne, #1

By Aelina Isaacs

Children of Iverbourne occurs 236 years before the original story, following the original heroes of the war torn lands and the difficult choices they must make, all to ensure a better future.

A terrified slave, lacking bravery or free will, sent on an impossible journey.

A hardened Commander of the Eternal Machine, taking in his newest inmate. An hours old baby.

A half crazed Fae, former Hero of Borealis, hellbent on serving bloody justice.

Two Parents on a journey to deliver their child to Iverbourne, to freedom, no matter the cost.

A rising Captain defeats her demons and makes friends with a troublemaking orphan Fae.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aelina Isaacs
• Release date: Aug 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9781737828532

Book preview

Children of Iverbourne

Prequel to The Eternal Machine

Aelina Isaacs

Copyright © 2021 by Aelina Isaacs

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Contents

Preface

Dedication

Iverbourne

The Old Language

The Lost Teachings

Gentle

I've Done A Terrible Thing

Do You Always Speak In Riddles?

Shomer

Wanderer

When There's A Will

In The Softest, Softest Place

The Only Giant

Wild Rose

Today Was Supposed To Be Different

Pick On Someone Your Own Size

Sounds Like You're Afraid

About the Author

Also By Aelina

Preface

Please read before starting your adventure with Children of Iverbourne.

This is an adult fantasy fiction novella with mature themes such as violence, which are described in graphic detail. Mature themes include descriptions of physical and verbal abuse, loss, intense injury and alcoholism. References to past sexual assault are present as well.

I highly recommend reading The Eternal Machine before starting this prequel if you want to avoid spoilers. If you want to read the books in a chronological fashion, start here and continue with Prince of Sylvan and The Eternal Machine.

To those who survived their childhood.

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The Old Language

The Old Language is derived from Hebrew, some words have been adjusted to fit the story.

Ahuvi - My love

Le’hee pahred - Until we meet again

shomer - Guardian

ema - Mother

ayal - Deer

sela - Rock

h'orba - Desolate

Yareah - Goddess of the Silver Moon

Samson - God of the Sun

Aziel - God is my Strength

Khohesh - God of Darkness

aryeh - Lion

got - Epic Goat

shlameal - Derogatory term, i.e a jerk or ‘asshole’

akar - Troublemaker

varda - Rose

Hu hayá malé rakút; Hi haytá kasha Vechól káma shenistá lehishaér kach, Pashút, uvlí sibá tová, Lakách otá el toch atzmó, Veheníach Bamakóm hachí rach.

He was full of tenderness; but she was very hard. And as much as she tried to stay thus, simply, and with no good reason, he took her into himself, and set her down. In the softest, softest place.

The Lost Teachings

All life was created from Chaotic Aether and Darkness, and every God and Giant born thereafter was bound to serve the Highest Lord and Lady of creation, until the end of time.

10,000 years After Creation, Life and Aether was breathed into sentient beings, caretakers of the realm now known as Old Iverbourne. Wild beings blessed with eternal beauty, unlimited magic and untold knowledge. The self proclaimed ‘Ancients’ tended to the lands and each new species of beast, and the swelling various races of humanoid beings.

Hekat and Khohesh dwelled in their hidden realm together, far away from the grand world they built. The Golden Age swept through the realm. Old Iverbourne was absolutely brimming with life, knowledge and love for over 5,000 years, and soon the Gods of Old were forgotten.

Their memories and legends were entirely replaced by those of the most powerful Ancients, the Elementals. However, the Lord and Lady did not mind. They never thought to seek out praise or power, but a seed of that evil had somehow planted in their children’s hearts.

Shortly after The Golden Age began, the Four Elementals committed a serious misdeed against their creators, and thus was born a new race, lending further to their trickster power lust.

Fae.

Gentle

As decreed by The Four Ancients after the Civil War of Iverbourne in the year 15,095 A.C.

The High Court of Iron will preside over The Eternal Mountain and take charge of the criminals inside. Only the High Lord can recommend inmates to the prison and must delegate all High Fae to work on The Eternal Machine.

The Eternal Machine shall restrict Aether vented to the lands above from the depths of the earth. Each Court is responsible for monitoring the Aether usage of their inhabitants.

I've Done A Terrible Thing

Obsidivale, Iron Court

15,859 A.C

The cries of your firstborn child should bring joy, however the delightful sound is only followed by blood curdling screams.

One of my thick arms cradles the newborn babe, and my free hand dabs away the sweat from my mistress’ glistening forehead. I shoot my companion a death glare for reacting in such a way, and she scurries away from me, back to the ocean of blood between our mistress’ thighs. Within hours, a nightmare has unfolded.

Shh, it’ll be alright Mistress, I have you, I have you both. Everything will be alright. I whisper, bouncing the gurgling child in the crook of my bare arm. Despite my soothing, my mistress’ face is distraught with terror.

Mira, you must get her out of here before he sees her! She pleads with quiet desperation, tawny face carved with tears and fiery locks sticking to her slender cheeks and neck. The sweat soaked blouse slips off her shoulder, revealing her breast, but I slip the fabric back up with care. I glance to the iron door keeping us safe from the rest of the court, then back down to her.

But Mistress, I’m only a slave, I can’t possibly— I whisper, but am interrupted by another cry. The next contraction swells and twists my lady’s face from fear to agony. The twin. Camil has never attended a birth before, but she coaches our lady’s breathing the way I explained in the short time we had.

Thalassa wasn’t due to have the bairns for three more weeks and my own mentor is gone. My heart sinks with grief but I shake myself from the memory. I am distracted by the pair of round, black eyes waiting in my arm, no white visible at all. The babe is so perfect in every way, but one.

Two, actually.

"Please, Mira, you’re her only hope, please." Thalassa pleads once more with me after the contraction passes, pulling me from the babe’s Aetherless beauty. I clutch the swaddled babe closer to me with both arms and nod with feverance, but it’s too late.

Visha, High Lord of the Iron Court, bursts into the room.

Concern rides his terrible and handsome features as he strides through the room, his silk crimson cloak waving behind him. He kneels at the Queen’s side, grasping both her ashen hands in his. I step back casually from them and situate myself on the other side of the bed, close to my companion. Camil glances up to me from between Thalassa’s legs, she is covered up to her elbows in sticky dark crimson. My stomach drops, but we cannot speak without being spoken to, now.

Tally, I came as quick as I could, what happened? He whispers, cradling her face in a shaking hand.

Thalassa’s face is pallid, color gone from her full cracked lips. This pregnancy has been troublesome since the beginning, we had expected that of a twin gestation. What she has given life to is unheard of though, and unique beings are not welcome in Iverbourne. My heart thunders and I find comfort in the fact the babe is drifting to sleep.

Vish, listen. She attempts to persuade her husband, but when his attention focuses on me holding his child, the cruel mask he usually wears is visible. Another contraction takes hold and Thalassa struggles through it. Her focus isn’t on her breathing and body, but on the vicious High Lord sizing me up.

I know she only requested me as her midwife to save me from his clutches, and if she dies there will be nothing to keep his