Home / Fantasy / The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles / Chapter 1 - 10

All Chapters of The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

21 chapters

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

Three hundred years had passed and there were new rulers to the kingdoms on land and the empire under the sea. Gerardo had left his mark on the hearts of the seapeople and his name had gone down into history on land and throughout the five oceans. Gerardo's only child, a son he and Mira named Jaskaran, became emperor after he married a naiad named Renée. Renée was infertile, so she and Jaskaran adopted a mermaid and named her Nadia. After a ceremony to make her heir, Nadia became the only heir to the throne. It was not long after that Nadia became deathly ill and Renée refused to leave her child's bedside. A couple more months passed, and the miracle worker whom the emperor and empress hired said that Nadia was getting better and should be healthy again in a year, but when Renée looked at her daughter, she didn't believe the miracle worker and remained hopeless.

Chapter One: Hasty Assumptions

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

The day was only hitting its peak at the Obsidian Palace where Emperor Jaskaran and his two advisors held a meeting in the grand drawing room. They sat at a round, polished stone table with another naiad and a merman with a shark's tail. The dim light of the glowfish chandelier above them left dramatic shadows on their faces as they feasted on their luncheon and discussed matters light-heartedly. The meeting seemed to be going very well for the emperor and his advisors until a booming voice jolted the smooth current surrounding them."I require a word with His Majesty! Immediately."Jaskaran paused for a moment to eye who had dared interrupted them. When he recognized it was his wife, he breathed a heavy sigh and addressed his guests. "I apologize for this. Please wait outside, we shouldn't be long."

Chapter Two: The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

Unfortunately, Rein had not yet recovered from her regrettable episode three hundred years ago when the infamous Emperor Mentir tore her wings off her back. Ever since, she had been eating the petals of the burdania flower to keep alive as pixies cannot live without wings for the most part. To further Rein's misfortune, this flower was native to the Maja Forest and when she had left this forest the first time, she had not done so on good terms. Returning without wings was humiliating, and making amends was painful. Interestingly enough, even after spending another three hundred years in the forest, not all hard feelings had been amended and Rein was anxious for this opportunity to leave again.Throughout these years, Rein spent much of her time perfecting her hunting, running, climbing, and jumping skills. She now looked about the age of a twenty-year-old with a black design devel

Chapter Three: An Island for the Immoral

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

Arcor was an ungoverned city where the most dedicated criminals came to smuggle and trade, where the outcasts came to live, and where the bloodiest of pirates came to hire their crew. This gave it a reputation of being the most unpleasant city in the world and it nearly took up the entire island.Unlike Rein, Empress Renée was unmolested on her way to Arcor and she shored the same day as Rein was carried onto the pirate ship. The empress took cover in a snowed-out wooded area away from civilization as all the ports and beaches seemed to be in constant use by filthy, crazed Arcorians. She kept her light gray cloak wrapped tight around her and pulled her hood on to hide her streaming blonde hair and most of her face. Then she waited in the frozen air of the woods for a while where she struggled to invoke the courage required to enter the city.

Chapter Four: The Proposition

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

The two pirates who had taken Rein captive returned to the cabin with the captain just as the jar containing Rein began to tumble off the desk. Immediately the captain dove for the jar and caught it just moments before it shattered on the floor."What did ya do?" the captain scolded as he brought himself back to his feet."We left the jar on the desk so it wouldn't roll like that, Cap'n," the first pirate said. "She musta did that herself."The second pirate observed Rein closely. "She don't look so good.""You fools!" the captain exclaimed as he removed the lid. "She's suffocating 'cause ya put the lid on the jar!" He poured the limp pixie into his hand and set the jar on his desk. "Return to yer posts, ya bottle-h

Chapter Five: Desperate Times...

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

Rein buried her face in her hands. All species of fairies had witnessed the creation of Xyntriav and they knew of all the wonders of the world... almost every detail. For instance, they knew how the Cataras Springs worked, they knew about the two keys allotting people inside, and they were aware of the three entryways which existed."What interest, exactly, do you have in the Cataras Springs?" Rein asked as she sat on the edge of the cigar case."I desire to drink the waters of the Spring of Agelessness," answered the captain."You do realize it is only agelessness you will receive and not immortality.""I do realize this," he replied. "But it be agelessness I want and not immortality. If I wanted immortality, I wou

Chapter Six: The Oath

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

Rein jumped back with a yelp and kept low in the trinket box. She couldn't bring herself to look Captain Tzatara in the eye as he gazed down at her with an expression on his face which she couldn't read."There ya are, Little Pixie."Rein had no way to reply. She thought about begging for mercy, but quickly ruled that out as pointless. Without a word, the captain held out his large, musty hand for Rein to climb onto it. She hesitated and looked back and forth from the captain to his filthy hand. Finally, she reminded herself that it might be wise to cooperate."Now, ya know I have to punish ya for that," Captain Tzatara said as he carried Rein back to his desk.Rein hated the way his tone implied that he didn't want

Chapter Seven: The Key Goes Missing

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

Rein sat atop the tallest mast of the Blood Omen for several hours waiting for a bird—any bird—to come within her rope's reach. For the first hour, she didn't mind the wait. It felt grand to finally be out of that cigar case—out of the cabin entirely. Fresh air, even salty sea air, was healing. But at the end of this hour of breathing the odors of fish and low tide, Rein felt like she had enough and enacted the use of the bird calls she had taught herself during the past few centuries without wings. Just when she thought she would lose her voice, a seagull landed about two feet from her. She slowly pushed herself to her feet after learning it couldn't talk and grasped her small rope of twine.When Rein successfully looped the seagull's beak, the bird took off with her clinging desperately onto the end of the rope. She struggled to climb the twi

Chapter Eight: The White Castle

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

The silence which followed the thundering burst seemed to last for hours and the three trespassers almost decided to continue forward until they heard emphatic, synchronized marching. The footsteps echoed about the lair and grew fuller, louder, as though they increased in numbers. The girls and the mysterious man watched from their hiding spots as they finally caught sight of an army dressed in white and gray, slowly marching toward them. This army was made up of both men and women, and it was larger than any army any of them had ever seen. The soldiers were separated into groups, each turning down individual streets until every gap in the city, every alley and corner was occupied. Then all at once they stopped marching and for a moment all was eerily silent. Then followed the chant of a deep male's voice as it echoed about the realm, giving the soldiers orders, forcing them to rehearse.

Chapter Nine: Where is the Key Now??

The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles/J. D. Buchmiller

Jaska observed Empress Renée who held the precious key in her right hand and a glowing sprite creature in her other. A fiendish smirk stretched across his face. They had been caught and Rein wished that the empress would do something besides just stand there in stark terror. If she would at least release Rein..."Cloid!" Jaska called.The empress melted and surged into the creek, leaving Rein to fend for herself. The poor pixie, heavy from still being drenched, darted beneath a table as fast as she could with her wounded leg. Cloid and Lazar had exited the study right as the empress took refuge. Immediately Lazar grabbed an empty vase from a side table and scooped her up from the stream. Keeping her inside the vase was a tricky feat, but Cloid managed to plug the opening shut with a clay pot. They thought the fight wou

Previous Chapter Next Chapter