Sapphire and Ruby

By Mark King

Stephen Sapphire, a film major in search of a Hollywood romance, discovers he is the heir apparent to the throne of Cordonia, a mysterious kingdom off the coast of Portugal. The current queen, Marcela, invites him for a royal visit, and provides him with a noble escort, the irksome, but irresistible, Terrence Rubino.

The Book of Trou, an ancient prophecy, says Stephen must marry the queen. His mother, Leocadia, a powerful witch, prepares a love potion to actualize the prophecy, unaware that he is gay. Stephen would much rather spend time with Terrence than the queen. But he may not get a choice in the matter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: Sep 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781632160515

Book preview

Sapphire and Ruby

STEPHEN SAPPHIRE was in love with the movies. He particularly loved the golden age of Technicolor. The stars, the glamour, the romance—ah yes, the romance. As far as Stephen was concerned, the movies were the best place to find romance, and if not true romance, the next best thing—tragic romance. Sometimes the true and the tragic happened together. Sometimes they didn’t.

At UCLA, he passionately pursued a Masters in Film History. After three years of screenings, sunbathing, and cell phoning his mother, he decided to write his thesis Making Melodrama in Art. The subject was Douglas Sirk, the ’60s director who introduced America to the woman’s weepie, popularly known as the four-handkerchief matinee. Low on cash, Stephen reluctantly returned home to Northern Virginia to write his epic treatise. Today, like yesterday and the day before, he had spent the entire afternoon studying films in an antiquated screening booth at the Library of Congress.

In the evening, over a plate of diner fries, he reviewed his notes and Skyped his advisor. He was on a roll and wanted to make as much progress as possible, but he knew better than to come home late. His mother was not the kind of person you wanted to worry. The main problem was she was a witch. Officially Leocadia Sapphire was an herbalist and a doctor of naturopathy. Unofficially she was a pagan. Stephen believed in his mother’s work in the healing arts but was spooked by her involvement in the craft. He tried to avoid her during the full moon—that was prime time for mojo-making and divination. And tonight the moon was full.

Stephen drove slowly down one of the few remaining cobblestone streets in Old Town, Alexandria, bumping all the way. He spotted his house covered with creeping ivy and pulled into the narrow driveway. A tall man dressed all in black, with a flowing cloak, was leaving by the front door. As Stephen got out of his Altima, the man tipped his hat.

Greetings, young man.

Hi, Aurelius. How was your night?

We got a lot done.

Stephen gulped.

Aurelius winked.

I’m sure your mother will tell you all about it.

No doubt.

Aurelius stroked his long red beard.

I was just trying to convince your mother into going to Portugal with me this summer.

Aurelius was a skilled seaman with many voyages on his resume. Two years ago, he had sailed around the world on his yacht.

Portugal? Stephen asked. That sounds like the end of world.

Not really. Just across the Atlantic.

What did she say?

She said she has something else brewing, but she would think about it.

Even though Aurelius was his mother’s closest friend in the coven and a decent man by all appearances, Stephen didn’t like talking to him. He didn’t like talking to any witch for that matter.

We’ll have to see what the summer brings, Stephen said.

Hopefully, something fortuitous for all of us.

Yes, well, good evening to you, Aurelius, and safe home. Stephen nodded good-bye.

A good evening to you as well.

Stephen took a breath and went in. He was not surprised to find his mother sitting in the candlelit living room with a book whose cover appeared to be the bark of a tree. The red lettering of the title, The Book of Trou, looked as if it was cut into the bark with a bloodstained knife. She was waiting intently in her red priestess robe on the black couch. Stephen sank into the plush armchair next to her.

Stephen, my love, she said, somewhat theatrically, as she ran a finger slowly through a tangle in her straight black hair.

Hello, Mother.

I’ve received some significant news tonight, and it concerns you, my dear.

Not from the other side, I hope?

No, even better—from this side. She opened The Book of Trou. A wisp of dust fell from its cover. Frankly, I don’t know a better way to tell you than to tell you.

Yes?

She hesitated. You are a royal.

Stephen raised his brows. Excuse me?

You are of royal lineage.

As in king and queen? Stephen asked.

Exactly. And not only a royal, you are the heir apparent to the throne of Cordonia.

The throne of who?

Cordonia.

Where had he heard that name recently? Cordonia? Wasn’t there a documentary that came out recently? Yes, it was called The Most Beautiful Place You Wouldn’t Want To Live. The island was supposed to be heavenly, tropical and serene, but the government oppressive. There was also some run-in with Portugal a while back.

Just listen, Stephen. She picked up the heavy book and began to read in her incantatory tone. Verily, verily, the time shall come to pass into the second decade of the twenty-first century, in the town that is called Old in fair Alexandria of the New World. There living alongside his mother in a house on a street of cobblestone, shall reside a young swain with hair of gold—comely and virgin, shortly returned from study, whose last name sparkles like a gem.

Mother, is this a Pagan Book of the Month selection?

"The Book of Trou is ancient sacred text. I’ve read it since childhood. She turned a page of the rusty book. The page actually creaked. There on the next page was a portrait of Stephen’s grandmother. He recognized the photo—an identical one stood on the mantel. I never told you about your grandmother. Leocadia Rosario Sapphire was Duchess of Cordonia."

Duchess? Mother, I think you are going way too fast. Didn’t you used to say Grandma Leo came from Madeira?

Madeira was easier to say, what with Cordonia’s infamous past. Besides, they both border the Azores. Why borrow trouble, I say. There’s enough of it as is. At any rate, your grandmother was a royal.

You’re kidding.

Yes, Stephen. She was a noted natural healer in Cordonia. She practiced Reiki and what we now refer to as healing touch therapy. I still use many of her methods today, and as you know, they work quite well. However, unlike myself, she was drawn to the black arts. The rumors were that she resorted to them because of unrequited love. At any rate, she was caught with a voodoo doll that resembled some woman of note, most likely a rival, and the throne of Cordonia had her exiled. And since that day, all homeopaths and natural healers were banned in Cordonia.

Is this true?

"As true