The Elemental Diaries - Complete Series Read online

  The Elemental Diaries – The Complete Series

  Copyright © 2020 Andrea B Lamoureux

  All rights reserved

  ISBN-13: 978-1-989462-08-9 (mobi)

  ISBN-13: 978-1-989462-07-2 (epub)

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the above author of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Cover Art @ Fotolia

  Cover Design: Art4Artists www.art4artists.com.au

  Map: John Renehan

  Formatting: Integrity Formatting

  Table of Contents

  The Elemental Kingdoms of Sarantoa

  Zephyra - Book One

  Chelela - Book Two

  Sepheus - Book Three

  Auralina - Book Four

  A Message from the Author

  Also By Andrea B Lamoureux

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  The Elemental Kingdoms of Sarantoa

  Solis

  The Caldura Royal Bloodline:

  Queen Jelena (YEL-EN-AH) - Queen of Solis

  Princess Adelaide (AD-AH-LEHD) - Queen Jelena’s oldest granddaughter

  Faya (FAY-AH) - Adelaide’s mother

  Bardin (BAR-DIN) – Adelaide’s father, son of Queen Jelena

  Zephyra (ZEF-EER-AH) – Fire Elemental, Adelaide’s younger cousin

  Mirrabel (MEER-AH-BELL) – Zephyra’s mother

  Lucian (LOOS-EE-AN) – Zephyra’s father, son of Queen Jelena

  Peyton (PAY-TON) – Adelaide’s suitor.

  Emmalina (EM-AH-LEEN-AH) – Daughter of Adelaide

  Ysabel (IS-AH-BEL) – Daughter of Adelaide

  Others of Great Importance:

  Gisela (GIS-EL-AH) – Handmaiden of Zephyra

  Algor (AL-GOR) – Rich man who lives in Lottenheim

  Meleini (MEL-EE-NEE)- Prisoner

  Aquila

  The De Thryst Royal Bloodline:

  King Zaeden (ZAY-DEN) – King of Aquila

  Queen Thea (THEE-AH) – King Zaeden’s wife

  The Lacrima’s

  Chelela (SHELL-LEH-LAH) – Water Elemental

  Tyrell (TEYE_REL) – King Zaeden’s friend and Chelela’s father

  Dulcina (DUL-SEEN-AH) – Chelela’s mother

  Percifal (PURS-IF-ALL) – Chelela’s older brother

  Others of Great Importance:

  Sreda (SRED-AH) – Sorceress

  Thaimis (THAME-IS) – Friend of Percifal

  Admiral Ruess (ROOS) – Owner of The Blue Angel, friend of Percifal

  Valron (VAHL-RON) – Chelela’s betrothed

  Lanbert (LAHN-BURT) – Valron’s brother

  Terra

  The Dirva Royal Bloodline:

  King Lelund (LEE-LUND) – King of Terra (deceased)

  Queen Vivienne (VIV-EE-EN) – King Lelund’s wife (deceased)

  King Corbin (COR-BIN) – Current King of Terra

  Queen Nicola (NIC-OH-LAH) – King Corbin’s wife

  The Lequerc Bloodline:

  Sepheus (SEF-EE-US) – Earth Elemental

  Cedric (SED-RIC) – Sepheus’s father

  Otta (AW-TAH) – Sepheus’s mother

  Others of Great Importance:

  Maud (MAWD) – An old banished witch

  Blaise (BLAYZ) – An orphan guard

  Gerard (JER-ARD) – A seasoned guard, friend of Sepheus

  Ventosa

  The Pavanas Royal Bloodline:

  Queen Ingrid (ING-GRID) – Queen of Ventosa

  King Elis (EL-IS) – Queen Ingrid’s husband

  Auralina (OR-AH-LEEN-AH) – Oldest daughter of Queen Ingrid and King Elis, air elemental

  Starella (STAR-EL-LAH) – Youngest daughter of Queen Ingrid and King Elis

  Others of Great Importance:

  Hilda (HIL-DAH) – Head Handmaid of Auralina and Starella

  Aslaug (AZ-LOG) – Handmaiden of Auralina

  Ramiel (RAM-EE-EL) – Guardian of the air element

  Vidar (VID-ARE) – Auralina’s suitor

  *The Island, Gwon:

  Malyi (MAL-YEE) – Mistress of Death, Madam of the Ladies of Gwon

  Khadji (KAHD-JEE) – Ruler of the island, Gwon

  *The Gods:

  Celestia (SEL-LEST-EE-AH) – Godess of Light

  Vesirus (VES-EYE-RUS) – God of Darkness

  *Means not from one of the four kingdoms.

  For my mom, who has always believed in me; and my dad, who I miss dearly.

  Some say our destinies are written in the stars, others believe we’re in control of our own fate. I believe both to be true. While my own choices led me down the path I took, certain people and situations were put in my way to lead me there. To help you understand how I discovered my own destiny, and the great importance of it, I will start from the beginning. I am Zephyra Caldura, and this is my tale.

  Chapter 1

  The spring before my first Noctis De Celestia.

  On my way to seek out my handmaiden, I paused outside of my cousin’s unoccupied bedchamber. Her absence felt like a pinch in my heart, and my lower lip stuck out a little. I quickly sucked it back in, my mother’s words echoing in my head about how it wasn’t proper etiquette for a royal lady to pout.

  My entire family had gone to Noctis De Celestia without me. At the age of nine, I was the only royal not permitted to attend. All guests of the celebration of our goddess had to have lived at least one decade, like Adelaide. The princess had turned ten the previous winter.

  I pictured her arriving at Terra, the Kingdom of Earth, with our parents and grandmother, Queen Jelena. The four kingdoms took turns hosting the night each spring, and those of high status travelled the realm of Sarantoa to spend the night together in honour of Celestia.

  Two boys a little older than me rounded a corner down the hall.

  I tried to make myself small and insignificant as they neared, but one flicked my bright red hair and said, “Good day, Tomato Head.”

  His friend called as they passed, “I think you have dirt on your face! Oh, wait. That’s your skin.”

  The pair snickered, continuing on down the hall.

  My throat tightened as I tried not to let their words bother me. My mother would be furious if she found out someone had found me a weeping mess. According to her, royals weren’t permitted to shed tears.

  Other children had teased me for my bright coloured hair and freckles since I could remember.

  Adelaide told me they were only jealous, but I couldn’t help but believe their insults.

  I continued on in search of my handmaiden.

  I found her in the servant’s quarters with the other handmaidens, chatting and giggling amongst themselves. Gisela and another handmaiden, whose straight hair was almost as red as mine, looked up as I entered.

  “Good morning, milady,” Gisela greeted me with a curtsy.

  The other women followed suit.

  “Good morning, ladies. Gisela, would you prepare me for the day?” I asked.

  “Of course,” she answered before turning to the others. “Ladies, happy Noctis to you a
ll.”

  “Happy Noctis,” they replied in unison as she took my hand and led me back to my chambers.

  “Today we wear white,” my handmaiden told me as we entered my dressing chamber. She grabbed a decorative comb and beckoned for me to sit.

  Sitting on my wooden chair in front of my golden framed mirror, I declared, “I’ve never been told to wear white before.” Usually my mother ordered Gisela to dress me in one of our kingdom, Solis’s colours; red, orange or yellow… shades representing the Kingdom of Fire.

  “Right,” she paused, “but that’s because I have a special surprise for you. Being that this is the last Noctis De Celestia before you are old enough to attend the celebration with the other royals; I thought I would take you to Celestia’s Temple so you can see how us who aren’t of high status celebrate this night.”

  My heart lightened. “You would celebrate this night with me?”

  “Yes, I would be honoured to share this night with you—if it would please you, that is.”

  I thought for a moment, and then I smiled at her in the mirror’s reflection. “I would very much like that.”

  I remember how humble I felt in that moment when Gisela had decided to celebrate the last full moon of spring with me. She was free to do as she pleased during the special night, but she had chosen to spend it with her mistress. It made me feel as though we were truly more than just mistress and handmaiden, regardless of our age difference; we had become friends.

  That night, once the sun had set, my handmaiden and I ambled our way along the path to the Temple of Celestia. A cool, calm breeze sometimes blew my hair causing it to tickle my cheek. We walked down the packed dirt path leading from the palace courtyard to the large, stone building. The simple white gown that Gisela had picked out for me earlier hung lightly around my legs, and my unrestrained hair made me feel free. I got the urge to skip with laughter like the little girl I was, but I knew better.

  “We are to stand before Celestia in our most simple form,” Gisela informed me. “She does not care for fashion and glamour. She loves us as we are.”

  I thought about this information and decided I loved my goddess for it.

  As we neared the Temple, its stone archways came into view. The elegant building had three spires reaching up to the stars.

  A line of people waited outside of its tall entrance door, all waiting to give thanks to our maker, our goddess.

  “Good people of Solis; Lady Zephyra, the granddaughter of Queen Jelena, is here to give thanks to our goddess,” Gisela announced.

  My cheeks grew warm at her words. I suddenly felt like I was on display.

  They all bowed or curtsied and moved aside to let us pass. Surely this would make them resent me. Who was I to be allowed to pass the line? Sure, royal blood ran through my veins, but I was no queen or princess. Not to mention, I had never celebrated at the Temple during previous springs. It only seemed fair that I wait in line too. I bit my lip and decided to keep my silence as I followed Gisela through the entrance. I would discuss this matter with her later. The Temple was no place for quarreling.

  Once inside, a priestess with long flaxen hair greeted us with a deep, straight bow. “Greetings, children of Celestia. Welcome, and happy Noctis De Celestia to you both.” She pressed her lips to each of our foreheads gracefully, her loose-fitting white robe swirling around her like mist.

  “Greetings, Priestess Saturnine, and happy Noctis De Celestia.” Gisela bowed her head to the beautiful priestess, who looked to be in her third decade.

  I followed suit and lowered my own head. “Happy Noctis De Celestia.”

  “Please remove the leather from your feet, and don these robes,” she replied as she handed us two white robes created in a simpler fashion than the one she wore.

  I looked around in wonder, noticing symbols etched upon the stone walls. I’d know those marks anywhere, the symbols of Celestia’s elements. I’d learned to read them shortly after I’d begun to speak.

  Once we’d tied the robes around ourselves and removed our boots, Priestess Saturnine handed us each a candle, incense, a small bag of sand and a pitcher of water. Her expression soft and peaceful, she indicated for us to move on further into the Temple. My handmaiden and I stepped up to the white marble statue of our beloved goddess.

  The packed earth floor cooled the bottoms of my feet as I approached the statue. I gazed up at the large glass window stained with colours of red, blue, green and purple above her. It portrayed Celestia in all her glory, with one element in each of the four corners. Red represented fire. Blue, water. Green, earth. And air was depicted with purple. The moonlight from the sky above cast a sparkle down on us through the window.

  The sight stole my breath away. This was my first time inside the Temple of Celestia. Children were not allowed inside unless an adult had invited them, and no one had invited me until now. My own mother didn’t believe I understood the Temple’s significance when I had asked to go with her to pray a few summers ago. This was the gift Gisela had given me; she believed me mature enough to understand.

  Standing before the statue, Gisela whispered to me, “Do as I do.”

  “On this night of our goddess, our mother, our maker, we give thanks to the earth that keeps us.” She poured the sand at the statue’s feet, so I did as she asked and followed suit.

  “To the water that quenches our thirst.” We poured the water from our pitchers at the goddess’s feet.

  “To the air that gives us breath.” She then bent and used a lit candle already burning beside the statue to light her incense and placed it at the statue’s feet. I did the same, the sandalwood scent filling my lungs and blanketing me in peace.

  “And to the fire that keeps us warm.” We then did the same with our candles and laid them in the empty candle holders beside the goddess.

  “We give thanks to Celestia on this night for the elements she has created to bring us life.” She bent and kissed the marble hand held out with its palm facing upwards. As she rose, I noticed tears of love glistening in her eyes.

  I repeated the last line and kissed the hand too.

  Our own hands now empty, the two of us walked back to the entrance. We thanked the priestess and returned our robes. She accepted them back with grace.

  We returned to the palace, and Gisela had me join her in one of the private dining halls, a small, but cozy room. Its large windows were covered by long, red velvet curtains. The square, dark wooden table at the center held silver dishes dotted with miniature lavender cheesecakes, prepared as a special treat only served on Noctis De Celestia.

  I picked one up between my thumb and finger and bit into it. I closed my eyes, salivating at its rich flavour. I had never tasted anything quite like it… so creamy and sweet.

  “I see you are enjoying the lavender cheesecakes. Are you ready for a taste of the official drink of Noctis De Celestia?” my handmaiden asked as she shifted over to a small cart that sat in the corner. She grabbed two crystal goblets and poured a deep, sparkling red liquid from a silver pitcher into each.

  “Oh, yes!” I exclaimed with excitement.

  She smiled as she passed me the goblet. “This is a drink we call Celestia Sanguis—which means Celestia’s blood.”

  “We’re going to drink blood?” I asked incredulously.

  “No, no. It’s not really blood, milady, ’tis only a name. It’s a special type of wine made from purple grapes during the coldest of seasons. This makes the wine sweeter than other wines. It also sparkles, unlike the other types we drink.”

  “I have never tasted wine. My mother said I’m not yet old enough. Are you sure this is allowed?”

  “Ah, but this is a special occasion. It may be our last Noctis De Celestia together. Besides, you will be allowed next Noctis once you are a decade old.” She paused, a pensive look crossed her face. “But it will be our little secret.” Her lips formed into a big grin, her golden-brown eyes lighting up.

  I smiled back at her. “You are so kind t
o me. I don’t know what I would do without you and Adelaide. I’m good with secrets. I shall keep ours.” I placed the goblet to my lips. The smooth, cool crystal contradicted the warm, bubbly wine that entered my mouth. And the taste! Oh, the taste was miraculous! The sacred beverage had just the right amount of sweetness. I could taste the hint of grapes. It was as if the very essence of life poured down my throat with the Sanguis. An instant after, my cheeks warmed, and everything truly seemed perfect for the first time I could remember. I would never forget my first taste of Celestia Sanguis. “That’s wonderful!”

  Gisela closed her eyes and breathed in with delight. “I know. There is nothing like it. But you must understand,” she grew solemn, “we only drink it on this night. It is a sacred drink. And so we also give thanks to Celestia for this… our food and drink… our health.” She closed her eyes once more, so I did too.

  “Thank you, Celestia, for this—for everything.” I opened my eyes. “Will you tell me the story of Celestia, and how we came to be of this earth? I have not heard it for many seasons.” I spoke the truth. Gisela had told me the story as a younger child quite often before bed, but she’d stopped at least two springs ago.

  “It would be my pleasure. ’Tis a perfect way to end this night.” She leaned back and started, “Before this world existed, there was only the universe. In the universe, a beautiful goddess lived with her brother, who was her polar opposite. We call him—” she leaned in closely and whispered the next word, as if she was afraid to speak it out loud, “Vesirus. Being opposites, it’s no surprise that Celestia and her brother never got along. She was the light, and he was the dark. So, they each decided they would not speak to one another. In fact, he wanted to be as far away from his sister as he could because he could not stand the light that eternally emanated from her. Celestia grew lonely, nonetheless. So she decided she would use her power to create the elements; and that’s how the birth of Fire, Water, Earth and Air came to be.