The Realm Book 2
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Natalie Le Roux
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In a realm where interstellar politics and ancient powers collide, Queen Izzy and her loyal companions face a deadly virus outbreak on Earth. As they navigate threats from both within and beyond their world, they must balance their duty to protect humanity with the personal sacrifices that come with leadership. With the fate of two worlds hanging in the balance, Izzy's journey is one of courage, love, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
Chapter 1
Book 2: Integration
ISABELLE
âItâs been six months, Iz. Sheâs gone,â Amy said carefully.
âI know, but sheâs alive, out there somewhere. And I canât help the feeling that unless sheâs dead, sheâs going to come back for me. For us,â Izzy said.
She looked out at James, Lucas, and the men as they kicked a ball around in the garden of the palace. Silian was getting good at football, and even though Mikhlas liked to let the kids win, he still played a strong game.
âLook, Iz, if she is stupid enough to come back and try something, she wonât get far. You have every inch of this realm covered. The moment she shows her face, we will have her. She canât hide forever.â
âI know. Itâs just tough to focus sometimes.â
âYeah, I get that, but there are a lot of things that need your attention here. The dock clean-up is going well, but there are a few issues you need to decide on. Silianâs handling it, but some of the merchants arenât happy.
âYou need to start thinking about the problems here. If she comes back, which I doubt she will, we will deal with it then. You canât turn your back on the realm,â Amy said.
âYouâre right. I canât keep letting her win. First, it was the nightmares, then it was the panic attacks and fear. I donât want to live like that anymore. Moving on. Right now. No more dreading the thought of her.â
Izzy smiled at Amy and her friend put her hand on her leg.
âHey, Mom, come on!â James shouted at her. She waved him off and smiled.
âHave you thought about what Ali asked you?â Amy asked.
âYeah, I have. I really want her to be able to go, but getting the nobles to be okay with a rebel girl at the Academy is a lot harder than I thought.
âThey all agreed, but the chatter on the street is that if she does go, they will have her killed. I canât risk her life like that.â
âDid you tell her father?â
âYes, I did. He thinks she can handle herself.â
âMaybe she can. Besides, there are guards at the Academy. If you order them to protect her like they do the boys, she should be fine.â
âI was thinking of doing a trial run. Let her go for the six-week trip they have coming up. See how that goes.â
âYeah, that could work. James will be happy. I think he has a little crush on her,â Amy joked. Izzy laughed at that. She knew he did. It was as obvious as the sun in the sky.
âHeâs growing up, Aims. Where did my baby boy go?â Izzy asked, looking at James playing.
The last six months at the palace had done him good. He trained every day with Mikhlas and Silian, and his body had begun to fill out, not a skinny twig anymore. He was growing up to be a handsome young man.
âHeâs still there, kicking a ball around. You just need to look closer,â Amy said. Izzy bumped her gently with her shoulder and smiled.
âAre you ready for tonight?â Amy asked.
âNot even close. But itâs part of the rules here, so I guess it needs to be done,â Izzy said, her smile falling.
âCome on, itâs not so bad. What girl wouldnât want to be showered with gifts of wonder and beauty?â Amy mocked the tone of one of the advisors. Izzy let out a giggle.
âIt will be an evening of jewels and gifts like you have never seen before!â Izzy copied the tone.
They both laughed and didnât realize the men had stopped playing. Only when Amy was abruptly picked up by Silian, and then Izzy by Mikhlas, did they know the game was over.
âNo! Silian, donât you dare! Put me down!â Amy shouted as he walked up to the edge of the large blue pool Izzy had put in a few months ago. Mikhlas came to stand next to him as Izzy tried to wriggle out of his grip.
âDo you think we will be in trouble for this, brother?â Silian asked Mikhlas.
âYes! Big, big trouble!â Amy answered, and when Izzy looked up, she knew it was over. James and Lucas were sneaking up behind them, ready to push them all in.
She braced herself and waited for the water to hit her. James shoved hard on Mikhlasâs back and Lucas did the same to Silian. The men didnât put up much of a fight, and they all ended up in the pool, fully clothed and laughing.
âAhh! Iâm going to kill you, you little brat! Come here!â Amy shouted at Lucas and began chasing him in the water.
âAnd how fares my queen today?â Mikhlas asked her. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up to him. Her feet dangled in the water.
âGood. Better than yesterday,â she said quietly.
âWill you tell me what happened that day?â he asked. Izzyâs smile was gone, and she turned her face away.
âI lost it. I couldnât control the anger and it slipped out. I feel like a monster,â she said.
âYou are anything but a monster. You are a fair and just queen. What you did was a little unexpected, but not undeserving. The man was cruel to his children and to his woman, and the way he spoke to youâŠI would have done it myself, but you were quicker.â
âThanks, but still, beating a man to death, in front of everyone like that, with a stone statueâŠI save lives, Mikhlas. I donât take them away.â
âSometimes it is necessary to take a life, in order to save others. You saved Tilaria and her mother, Ameret. They are alive because of what you did.â
âI know. Iâve just never killed anyone. Not like that, anyway,â she said.
âFrom now on, let me do the killing if it needs to be done.â
âI donât want there to be death. Not unless itâs unavoidable, or justified. Iâm supposed to be fixing the realm, not ruining it.â
âIsabelle, my sweet, sweet Isabelle. You have saved this realm so much already. People are happy for the first time in a long time.
âThere are still many issues that need to be dealt with, but just the changes you have made so far have brought the spirits of everyone up. Your people adore you, even if you do not,â he said.
âForgive me, my queen, my king. It is time to get ready,â a small female voice said to them. Izzy looked at Ameret and smiled.
âDuty calls,â Izzy said, and fell back into the water.
They climbed out of the pool and made their way to the palace. Silian and Amy went off in the direction of the smallest tower, James and Lucas to the middle tower, and Izzy and Mikhlas went to the top of the tallest one.
They had decided that everyone needed their own space, and this worked best.
âPrime, update,â Mikhlas said as they walked into their mansion in the sky.
âAll border monitors are clear. Nothing unusual has come in. There has been a rise in trade at the docks. More and more vendors are coming to Homeworld. The Dock Cough is almost completely eradicated.
âThere are a few people that still refuse the help of the fleet, but they will either come around or be dead soonâŠâ
âPrime!â Izzy said.
âForgive me. I will send a command out for the fleet to find them and begin healing. The farm lands are growing well. Food production is reaching an optimal level.
âThere is still a large housing issue for all the displaced dockers. There is also no sign of Kasana and Zaftar.â Prime finished.
âIncrease security at the docks. Make sure all the vendors and locals are safe. We need to find the last of the dockers with the cough.
âThis sickness must be eradicated quickly, or it will spread again. How many still need a home?â Mikhlas asked.
âThere are over five million homes still needed. I cannot build that many. Not unless I repurpose my nanites. However, that will take them away from other functions, like water purification, food, and regeneration.â
âHow many still need work?â he asked.
âThere are over forty million without any source of income.â
âOh God. So many?â Izzy asked.
âThat is just Homeworld. In the rest of the realm there is more.â
âHow are we going to find jobs for so many people?â she asked. Mikhlas came over to her, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
âDo not think about how far you still need to go, but focus on how far you have come. Billions of people now have clean water, food, and basic medical assistance.
âThe schools you erected have ensured that millions of children will have an education. The law to have everyone fit and able join the Army once they finish school is far more appealing to the population than the taking,â he said.
âIt doesnât feel like itâs enough. There are still so many people who need help.â
âIzzy, you cannot help everyone. There will be people who still choose to live like they have.â
âI know. But there must be something we can do for the millions who are willing to work.â
âYou are already doing everything you can. These things take time. There is no instant solution.â
âWhat about the fleet? There was an issue with them a few days ago. You dealt with it, but I never fully understood what happened.â
âYes. The fleet was concerned. The commanders are all on edge as to how you will be punishing anyone who followed Kasanaâs orders.
âI assured them that you will look kindly on them, as long as they swore their loyalty to you. If it is broken again, then you will punish them severely.â
âOkay. Yeah, good. Thank you.â
âNow...,â he said, getting really close. âYou are dripping water all over the floor. Let me take these wet clothes off youâŠâ He had a naughty look in his eyes.
She saw Ameret quickly scurry out of the room from the corner of her eye.
âWe donât have time for that, Mikhlas. We need to get ready. Everyoneâs waiting for us,â she said with a smile.
âYou are the queen, and I, your king. Everyone...can wait,â he said, pulling off her wet shirt.
