Ruby Treasure (The Tales of Happily Ever After Series Book 2) Read online

  Ruby Treasure

  K.E. Drake

  Ruby Treasure

  Kindle Direct Publishing

  © 2020 K.E. Drake

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

  For permissions, questions, or comments contact: [email protected]

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Cover Image by Kharchenko_irina7 at iStock.com and momo_sc at Pixabay.com

  Scene Break Image by Beata Swi at FreeImages.com

  Cover Editing By K.E. Drake

  Dedications

  God. Thank you for the journey it took to create this book. It was worth every second.

  Mom. Thanks for being a listening ear during the process of this book.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  Note From The Author

  I would love to hear from you!

  Special Note About Ruby Treasure

  The Story Behind Ruby Treasure

  About K.E. Drake

  Prologue

  One Month Earlier in the Kingdom of Avon

  The heels of Prince Samuel’s boots clicked on the polished, dark wood floor as he walked with quick, long-legged strides down the corridors leading to the royal breakfast nook of the castle of Avon.

  Samuel brought his right hand up and pushed his fingers through the disheveled locks of his sand-blond hair. Within his other hand he carried the rolled up map of the kingdoms that he had studied through the long hours of the night.

  A warm, late spring breeze swept in through the windows as a handful of servants pushed open the glass panes. The late morning sun rose above the gray mountains in the horizon and bathed the corridors of the castle in golden light.

  The young prince came to a set of dark-brown double doors and burst through the entrance without breaking stride, entering the sunlit breakfast nook.

  Samuel’s parents, king Preston and queen Ruth, looked up suddenly at the noise to see Samuel as he strode over the polished wood floors to the long dining table filling the center of the room.

  “Where have you been? Breakfast is nearly finished,” the queen lightly scolded her son.

  Samuel swooped down to give his mother a quick kiss on the cheek and then strode around the table to stand at his normal place across from her. “I was awake all last night planning and I lost track of the time.” He explained as he unrolled the aged, yellowing map and laid it out upon the table.

  “Samuel!” Preston exclaimed when a corner of the map fell onto his plate and the last bites of his breakfast.

  “Sorry, Dad,” Samuel apologized with a chuckle and adjusted the map a few inches further down the table.

  “What are you planning?” Ruth inquired as she placed her hands on the arms of her chair and pushed herself forward to study the ancient paper, the silver-gray highlighted tresses of her chestnut-brown hair brushing the table’s surface.

  “A quest.”

  “A quest? Of what kind?” A smile blossomed upon Ruth’s lips and she looked up at her son, her sapphire-blue irises sparkling. Samuel had gotten more than just a love of adventure from his mother.

  Samuel’s face lit with a grin. “I’m going to find the Kings’ Jewels.”

  Ruth’s smile transformed into a small frown. “The Kings’ Jewels? Aren’t they only a myth?”

  “Well, no one knows for sure,” Samuel admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I found this. It’s an old treasure map.” He dragged a finger over a road marked upon the yellowing map. “I was in the library late last evening. I was searching through the books on the top shelves when I discovered this.” The prince reached into a pocket on the inside of his unbuttoned coat and pulled out a folded, aged piece of parchment. He carefully unfolded the letter and handed it to his father.

  Ruth leaned across the arm of her chair to view the paper as her husband’s eyes scanned over the words written there. “Samuel...” She glanced up from the letter to look at her son. “This is your handwriting.”

  The king placed a hand to the waves of his thick, silvery-gray hair to scratch his head, the deep smile lines on his clean-shaven face disappearing as he frowned. “This letter is ancient. It must be centuries old at least.” He shook his head thoughtfully and also looked to Samuel. “Do you have any memory of writing this?”

  “No, none at all.” Samuel shrugged. “I’ve never seen it before now.”

  The king finished examining the note and handed it back to his son.

  The prince accepted the letter and once more studied the words scrawled in his handwriting. “It says here that I would find the map for a rare treasure below in the stones surrounding the flames. Naturally that meant the fireplace in the library. With a little searching, I soon discovered stones loose on the floor of the hearth. That’s where I found this map.” Samuel refolded the letter and placed it back in his coat pocket.

  “So you mean to go leave in search of another treasure?” Preston questioned. “Samuel, you know this could end up being nothing but a futile search throughout the kingdoms.”

  “I know, Dad,” Samuel acknowledged. “If the jewels aren’t real, then my journey will have been for nothing. But,” he placed a finger on one of the marked destinations on the map, “if the Kings’ Jewels are out there, just as this map and the letter say, then I am going to find them. We’ll be rich. Richer than we’ve ever been before.” The young prince’s emerald eyes met his mother’s sapphire-blue ones, the expression within them serious, but also there sparked a glimmer of hope. “We can pay off the debts we owe. We’ll no longer be dependent. Avon will thrive again. All of our problems will be solved, if I just go and find these jewels.”

  “That sounds wonderful, love.” Ruth smiled encouragingly at her son and then looked to her husband. “Doesn’t it, dear?”

  Preston shook his head and sat back in his chair, his brow creasing. “Samuel, you should not worry your mother and me by running about the kingdoms looking for a treasure you’re not even sure exists.” Though his words were gruff, the concern for his son’s safety was evident behind them.

  Samuel groaned. “Oh, Dad, not this again.”

  Preston ignored his son’s protest. “You would not need to go on a dangerous quest if you would just settle down and marry a nice young woman. Your mother and I only want you to be happy, you know.”

  “Dad, you know that when I marry, it will be for the good of the kingdom.”

  “Oh, that reminds me!” Ruth suddenly exclaimed, drawing Samuel’s attention back to her. “Queen Monet of Omrie is hosting the Summer’s Eve Masquerade Ball. It’s the first one since king Evander died two years ago. It’s on the first day of summer, in two weeks time, I believe. I’m sorry to say that your father and I have business to attend to and will be too busy to attend, but you could go, Samuel
.” The queen smiled brightly. “Maybe you’ll meet a nice lady there, and I am sure that the adopted princess will be there.”

  “Princess Melody?”

  “Yes.”

  Samuel considered his mother’s proposal. Besides Kently, Omrie is one of the richest kingdoms in the land. If I go to the ball, I could try to court the princess. An alliance between our kingdoms would solve most of our problems, even if my search for the jewels turns out to be a failure.

  “All right. I’ll go,” Samuel decided. “When did you say that it’s going to be?”

  “In two weeks,” Ruth reminded. “When were you going to start your journey?”

  “I intend to leave in just over one month. That should give me plenty of time to finish planning and make all the preparations for my journey.”

  “You’re not planning on going by yourself are you?” Preston asked, still firmly against his son’s plan.

  “I am.”

  “It might be dangerous, Samuel. You are the only prince of Avon. You shouldn’t be running around the kingdoms without any guards to accompany you.”

  “More people and supplies to carry would just slow me down. I can move faster on my own.” A sly smile turned up the corners of Samuel’s lips. “Besides, I can protect myself better than any of our soldiers could.”

  The king rolled his rich, brown eyes with a slow sigh. “I suppose that is true.”

  “Perfect, then it’s settled!” Samuel announced proudly. He rolled up the map, tucked it under his arm, and then started to leave the breakfast nook.

  “Aren’t you going to stay and eat your breakfast?” Ruth called after her retreating son.

  “I can’t. I have so much more to plan!” The prince called over his shoulder, snatching a cooled roll from a platter as he passed. He strode out of the breakfast nook entrance, leaving the door open behind him.

  One way or another, Samuel felt confident that this next journey would change his life forever.

  Chapter One

  A Woman’s Persuasion

  Present Day

  Ruby Trent dismounted from the back of her gentle mare, the soles of her thin slippers soaking through with the morning dew that coated the grass of the palace yards. She stroked her horse’s cocoa-colored mane before one of the young stable hands approached and took the reins to take her to the stables.

  The boy gave a long yawn and his eyes were still heavy with sleep, unlike Ruby, whose eyes were bright with high hopes for the day, despite arriving for work at the palace of Omrie earlier than usual.

  The golden sun had only an hour ago begun to brighten the sky, but it was hidden behind a curtain of thick, gray clouds that threatened to pour rain at any moment. But not even the gloomy skies could dampen her spirits.

  Ruby turned and started to make her way from the stables to the magnificent ivory and white stone palace, her pace so quick that she was almost skipping.

  This was it. Today was the day that she finally had a chance to go on an adventure of her own. Her heart gave a leap at the thought.

  Ruby had dreamed her entire life of going on journeys, of seeing the different kingdoms beyond her home and meeting new people. Her heart racing, she hurried the rest of the distance and entered the kitchens through the servants’ entrance. She stopped by the long counter in the center of the room.

  “Good morning, Gus,” Ruby greeted the palace chef.

  Gus flipped over some strips of crisp bacon in a skillet before looking at her. “Mornin’,” the older chef stifled a yawn and turned his attention back to the sizzling pan.

  Ruby brought her hands up and she found her late mother’s ruby wedding ring hanging on a thin, silver chain around her neck. She fiddled with the delicate piece of jewelry for a moment, trying to work up her courage. Squaring her shoulders, she tucked the ring securely back in its place beneath the front of the bodice of her brown and white maid’s dress and finally asked, “Has Prince Samuel taken his breakfast yet?”

  Gus gave her a curious glance. “He requested it just a few minutes ago.” The chef took three slices of bacon from the pan and placed them on a plate alongside a stack of steaming hotcakes, eggs, and a helping of freshly chopped mixed fruit. “I was just going to tell one of the girls to take it up to him.”

  “Oh, I can take the tray up to him if you’d like,” Ruby offered, hoping that he didn’t hear the eagerness in her voice.

  “All right,” Gus carelessly shrugged. He put a small pot of tea and a teacup on the tray and then pushed it across the white marble surface to Ruby.

  She smiled and picked up the tray. “Which room is the prince staying in?”

  “The red room,” he answered, naming one of the guest rooms on the fourth floor of the palace.

  Ruby nodded and thanked the chef before exiting the kitchens and stepping into a corridor that took her to a set of stairs leading up to the second floor.

  When Ruby had heard a rumor that the visiting prince Samuel of Avon was going on another journey, she saw her chance to go on the adventure that she had always dreamed of. Although she didn’t know what the quest was for, it didn’t matter. This was her chance.

  Ruby had made up her mind the day before, at the wedding of her best friend, the princess of Omrie. She had been practicing almost without stopping, planning on just exactly how she was going to ask the prince to take her along with him on his journey.

  Coming to the top of another set of stairs, she stepped off into the corridor that housed several guest chambers and passed two ladies who stood talking just inside an open guest room doorway. She walked at a slow pace and her eyes focused on the rug as she went, once again going back to thinking of how she was going to make her odd request. “You can’t just go up to a prince and say ‘Please take me with you, I’ve always dreamed of adventure!’” Ruby said to herself and swung her free arm out in exaggeration, earning odd looks from two ladies behind her.

  All too quickly, Ruby came to the red guest room door and stopped. She knocked and then stared at her hand in horror as she realized her mistake.

  “Come in,” a low voice called from behind the door.

  What am I going to say? I’m not ready!

  Taking a deep breath, Ruby placed a shaking hand on the curved knob and entered one of the grandest guest rooms the palace contained. The room was awash in rich shades of crimson and burgundy and was accented with brilliant shades of gold and complemented with flooring and woodwork a rich shade of dark-brown.

  “Good morning, Your Highness. I’ve brought your breakfast tray.” Ruby closed the door with her empty hand and dipped a small curtsy, although the prince wasn’t paying attention to her.

  He stood at a small table that stood beneath the sill of the only window in the room. His tall frame was bent slightly at the waist over as he studied a yellowing map laid out upon the table, looking like he had been awake for a long while now.

  Rays of golden morning sunlight broke past the clouds and shone in through the window, highlighting the flecks of light-brown in the short, wavy locks of the prince’s sand-blond hair. His strong build set off his defined jaw and straight nose. His mouth was set in a thin line and his striking, emerald-green eyes narrowed as he continued to study the map before him.

  “Just put it over there.” The prince waved distractedly to a small, round table with a dark, wooden arm chair pushed under it.

  Ruby walked past a small pile of packs and saddlebags near the door to the table and set the plate down on it. With her hands now empty, she nervously brushed the fringe of her side bangs to the left and turned back toward the prince. “Is there anything else you wanted?”

  “No, thank you.”

  “Very well.” Ruby went to the door and opened it, but she stopped herself. This may be the only chance I ever get. If I don’t do this now, I might regret it forever. She shut the door with a soft click and turned back, walking soundlessly across the thick rug laid out on the wood floor until she came to stand just behind prince Samuel’s r
ight arm.

  She raised herself on her toes to study the map over his shoulder. The prince put his hand on the paper and traced his fingers across a road that led through the kingdom of Tamall.

  “Is this the map for your journey?” Ruby asked suddenly in the quiet.

  Samuel lurched forward and bunched the map up beneath his hand with the abrupt movement. His eyes narrowed and he straightened, turning to the young maid. “What, may I ask, are you doing?”

  “I just wanted to see your map. Is it for your quest?” Ruby asked curiously.

  “It is,” Samuel answered with a furrowed brow. He then returned his attention back to the chart, straightening the aging paper and replacing the weights on the corners.

  “Where are you going?” Ruby looked down at the map. “Kently? Tamall?”

  “I’m going to be traveling to all five of the kingdoms in the continent.” Samuel watched the girl out of the corner of his eye as she intently studied the paper, a soft smile on her pink lips. She couldn’t have been more than about three or four years younger than his age of twenty-three. Her face was nothing special but not unflattering and her round eyes were an unexceptional shade of muddy-brown. She was short compared to him, with the top of her head barely coming up to his shoulders, and her brown maid’s dress and white apron fit nicely over her gentle curves. Except for her hair, which was a silken, unique shade of bright ruby-red, she was rather plain.

  “What will you be looking for?” the maid asked, not taking her attention from the map.

  “I’m going to find the Kings’ Jewels.”

  Ruby gave a small gasp and turned wide eyes to the prince. “The Kings’ Jewels? They’re real? I thought they were just an old legend.”

  “No one knows for certain,” Samuel admitted. “But I have reason to believe they exist. I’ve researched these jewels for weeks and I’ve narrowed it down to a few likely locations. All that’s left is to find them.”

  Ruby opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped and looked down to her slippers. She tucked a stray lock of hair back into her neat bun and then she finally lifted her face back up to meet the prince’s gaze. “When are you planning to set off?”