Andreanna Ulery, age 11
Emerson Elementary
Prologue
Kiana paced back and forth. Back, forth, back. The news her scouts had brought was distressing. Lady Amber had learned of her plans to find the amulet of the Valley of the Forgotten. The Lady had had her scouts knock Lady Kiana’s scouts out and find her plans. Her scouts had been found without the map.
Part One
Lady Amber read the map. Lady Kiana had planned to go down the Black Mountains and through the Cold Moor. Then she would go to the Isle of the Blest and find the map that would show the way. The she could find the amulet, which would bring her power over Lady Kiana.
Lady Kiana was furious. “HOW COULD YOU LET THEM TAKE THE MAP?” she yelled. But still she had to get the map to get to the Isle of the Blest. She called her maid.
“Yes my lady?” answered Christina, her maid.
“Go to the armory and get my armour and sword. We leave tomorrow,” Lady Kiana commanded.
“Yes, my lady,” Christina replied.
And she left the chamber. Lady Kiana walked over to the mirror. A face stared back at her. Cold blue eyes, raven black hair, and a scar running down her cheek. One Lady Amber had given her in battle. She vowed to get revenge. She would find the amulet.
The next morning, Christina woke early to put the armour on Lady Kiana. When she was done sharpening Lady Kiana’s sword, she got her horse ready. She would go across the Black Mountain Ridge and attack Lady Amber. But Lady Amber had a forest pass she only knew about. They came to the forest tunnel and Lady Amber stopped her knights. She lead and they followed single-file. All five.
Part Two
Kiana and her knights finally reached Black Mountain Ridge. They rode to the edge and looked over. They were looking at the Cold Moor. But to get down to the Cold Moor, she had to go down the side of the Black Mountains. Alone.
“Leave me. I must go alone.”
“But . . . ” her knights protested.
She rode down the side of the mountain. Later it was time for Lady Kiana to make camp. The wind howled and the few trees swayed in the fierce wing. A branch broke with a crack! Kiana gathered her wood for a fire. As she set up the wood, she heard rustling. A knight on a horse stepped out. It was unmistakable. It was Lady Amber. Lady Amber dismounted.
“Nice to see you again Kiana,” she said bitterly. Lady Amber began to circle Lady Kiana. She stood up.
“Amber, what do you want?” Lady Kiana asked.
“You should know,” Lady Amber replied.
Without warning, Lady Kiana drew her sword and lunged. Amber parried and sidestepped, then lunged and Lady Kiana blocked. She drew her shield and blocked. Kiana was getting her sword and Amber pushed her down and hit her in the head. She fell.
Lady Kiana woke up, dizzy and unfocused. Blood ran warm and hot down her neck. Lady Amber, she thought. Lady Amber picked up her sword and got up on her horse. She kicked the hose and they set off to the Isle of the Blest. To catch up with Amber she had to go full speed. But she came across a lake. It was not the Isle of the Blest. She unhooked the boat and rowed.
Lady Amber rode through the forest about an hour before she came to the Lake of the Isle of the Blest. She had used the boat to get to the Isle of the Blest. The rowing was hard and long. But she got there before Lady Kiana. She was searching for the key, the key to unlock the amulet in the Castle of Shadows. Kiana finished rowing, and she was at the Isle of the Blest. She found a door. The door lead to an open courtyard. It was dark brick and it was falling apart. Amber was there. Her back was turned.
Part Three
Click, click. Kiana’s heels stabbed the stone floor. Amber turned around.
“Well, well, well,” said Kiana.
“Hello Kiana,” Amber snarled.
All of a sudden, a lady walked into the room. The queens turned around. She had pale skin and blue eyes and her hair was raven black. Her dress was tattered and red. It flew about in the wind. When she spoke it came out as a rasp.
“It will take the truly good lady. That is the one who will have the power. You must be truly good.”
Then both ladies felt compelled to close their eyes. With a crack, one of them disappeared. When Amber opened her eyes, she expected to be in the Castle of the Shadows, but she wasn’t. She was in The Valley of the Forgotten. Fear struck her. Legend told of: a forest that could change in the blink of an eye.
These ladies know not what they seek; they race for power. But that is their fall.
Amber knew that she was in the Valley of the Forgotten. She had to make it home by nightfall.
“I will show you the room where we keep the amulet. But with one condition.”
“What condition?” asked Kiana.
“I am Queen Nikki. I have the amulet in my care,” she said. Kiana bowed down.
“My lady, where is the amulet?” asked Kiana. She had to admit it sounded weird to call someone other than Amber or herself “my lady.”
Amber rode back into the courtyard of her castle. Her knights immediately inquired, “My lady, do you have the amulet?” And very surprisingly, Amber felt lucky. She didn’t know why, though. She jumped off her horse and hugged her very startled knights. Then she disappeared into her chambers.
Kiana found her bearings in the castle. It was quite a bit bigger than her castle. Queen Nikki lead her down two enormous flights of stairs. It seemed they would never get to the amulet room.
But then Queen Nikki stopped.
She took out her keys and unlocked the heavy iron door. For such a young woman, she was very strong. Inside the room was a case made of glass.
Amber headed out for training. Now she felt her life had so much more meaning. This isn’t how she imagined she would feel if she got skipped. (She didn’t get the amulet.) She was learning to shoot archery and throw knives. She wasn’t planning a battle or anything. She felt this really helped herself, who she really was.
Everything was going well in Amber’s kingdom and surrounding villages. She taught how to fight and horseback riding to the people so they could defend their kingdom with pride, not run to the protection of the castle walls. For the first time in ten years, she felt pride and happiness at this wonderful kingdom she helped build. This was hers, and she was proud.
Kiana looked in awe at the case. It held the amulet of Amber. Funny, just now she realized Amber and the amulet shared a name. The amulet was inlaid with silver and a ruby in the center.
This was the amulet. She took it from its case and wrapped it up in a piece of velvet that Queen Nikki gave her.
Then she galloped as fast as she could home to the castle. But she realized she didn’t need the amulet. She buried it in the Moor, where it would be at home with all the heather, and wind.
Kiana didn’t regret it one bit. The end.
