Chapter Twelve, Reading 2

Kewero didn't feel like eating so she went instead to a storage room deep in the heart of the caverns. It was in this hidden room that she kept her dearest possessions. Among her treasures was the leather satchel King Meldh gave her when she left his court. She sat down beside the common looking bag and knew the greatest treasures of the world were hidden within its stiff leather sides. A wave of memories flooded over her when she opened the latch and peered inside.
Somehow, it seemed only yesterday when she had been summoned into the King and Queen's presence. It had been the last time she had seen them and the sorrow she felt now was as keen as it had been then. Tears streaked down her wrinkled cheeks and she made no attempt to stay them.
The first treasure she withdrew from the bag was King Meldh's crown. It looked like a solid circle of gold encrusted with precious jewels, including a huge diamond at the front of the crown. Kewero knew by experience that the wholeness was deceiving. The crown actually consisted of a dozen segments connected by concealed hinges. It could be taken apart, folded, and packed into a small space.
This design made perfect sense when one remembered that King Meldh's clan had originated as nomads - fierce and untamed - before they came to power. After that, the line had produced strong and able kings who had ruled justly and wisely. This crown had rested on the brow of many a good king. Kewero finally put down the crown and picked up the next treasure.
The scepter was a beautiful piece of workmanship. Along the shaft, the King's crest was engraved repeatedly so the heraldic symbol merged and formed a pleasing design and texture. There was a large ruby spinel set at the top of the scepter. This gem had been in the family's hands for so long that no one could remember the full history surrounding the jewel. The scepter had been made so it was no longer than the length of a saddle. It, too, was designed to be portable. There would be no problem stashing the scepter in the smuggler's saddle.
Kewero withdrew the final treasure from the satchel. It was a heavy neck chain that the King wore with his robes of state. In many ways, it was a simple piece, nothing more than interlocking links of yellow and white gold, but it had been a wedding gift from his Queen and had numbered among his most cherished possessions.