by C. Swallow
I'm so excited that I've stumbled across one of my most cherished places. I slowly walk forward and pray it is still here. When I round a bend of overgrown shrubs, I push through and find the spring exactly as I remembered.
Soft mud, warm stones and glittering clear water.
"This is a dream," I whisper, I couldn't believe it was still the same. Tears come to my eyes as I walk forward and lean down, wading a hand through the warm water.
I slide straight into the pool, while wearing my vines, knowing I'll dry off quickly on the long walk back anyway. I wade through the spring, completely in my element; Sapphire's element.
I smile as I think I should show her this place. I had always told her about it but had never shown her.
I want to stay longer but I know it is dangerous to stay in one spot for too long, so I decide to finally pull myself out of the spring.
But it is at that moment that I see a shadowy figure residing in the edges of the nearby forest.
It is not a girl – it is clearly a Dark Gem. I quickly find my feet and wait for the shadowy figure to move. Instead I hear a voice.
"I knew you'd come here eventually," it was Traegr.
I let out a shaky breath, wanting to run but finding myself frozen to the spot. He starts coming forward until the moonlight confirms it is the King of the Dark Gems.
"How?" I ask, it might be a stupid question but I was nervous. I didn't want to fight him – but I might have to.
"You always came here on a full moon, always, Celeste," Traegr seems unthreatening as he appears alone and stops his approach once he is in the vicinity of the spring, but keeps a few metres between us. I nervously glance up and down his torso and his face, the scars haunting me as much as they haunted him.
I pretended to hate him in front of Seraphine and told Sapphire how I despised him sometimes. But it was just a façade to how I really felt for the sadistic King.
Despite everything and all the messed up stories, I loved him; King of the Dark Gems.
"Are you alone?" I ask, quietly, dropping my arms by my side after nervously grabbing my elbow with my other hand. I didn't want to appear too nervous.
Traegr takes a while to reply and looks me up and down slowly, assessing my actions. Eventually his eyes soften and he takes a step forward onto a nearby rock, moving slowly all the while, his hands raised to show no weapons.
I watch him curiously as he slowly sits down to watch over the water in the spring, his arms over his knees, one hand clasping his other wrist.
"I am not accompanied tonight, Celeste," Traegr finally answers my question, "I simply checked to see if you'd come here and I was right."
I do not answer, transfixed by his presence. He was so close and we were alone.
"Are you okay?" I ask eventually, also slowly lowering myself down onto my knees, in the mud, keeping my distance, "I sense sadness from you."
"It's not sadness you sense," he growls but I don't know if he is lying or not.
I furrow my eyebrows while I think.
"Do you... do you feel betrayed, my King?" I instantly cringe at the term I give him without thinking that I am free of him. Argh, how embarrassing, already forgetting the circumstances.
He does not answer but I see a flash of humour in his eyes and a small, almost non-existent tilt to the corner of his mouth. He loved it when I was nervous, or if I stuttered –he had always told me it was adorable.
The memories make me blush and as he watches over the spring without approaching me, I make a decision that I am safe.
I slowly rise to my feet and walk over to his side. I'm impressed he doesn't move an inch as he lets me move closer on my own accord. I slowly reach for the scars on his left side of his face and neck, as I get down onto my knees once more, running my fingers over the marks.
I want to heal them.
"No use trying, Celeste, like a limb being amputated, scars cannot be healed... they are permanent," he says this quietly while I continue to feel the damage done by my hand when it had moved on that spaceships' throttle.
"When we left I didn't know if you – I mean ...I didn't know you'd come running. I had no idea. When I wanted to leave with the other girls it was because I had no idea if... you loved me... or just wanted to keep me around... as a toy for your desire and entertainment. You were so cruel those last few months, to me and to your Princess..." I mention Sapphire not with jealousy but with concern. She was my best friend and if he hurt her, it impacted on me, he knew how much I cared for her.
"I will not force you back with me tonight, Celeste," Traegr answers, "You can go."
I'm annoyed he will not answer me but Traegr hated to admit weakness and to him love was just that.
I want to yell at him and tell him to admit to me the truth; how he felt about me. But I didn't believe yelling would help.
Kindness can go a long way.
And I could still feel his immense anger about the betrayal.
"You will be okay... my King, I promise," it's the only words I can think of to say. As I lean in to kiss his cheek, he suddenly turns into me and cups my face in his hands instead, locking his lips with mine.
I instantly feel blissfully full of warmth and I lean into him further, biting his bottom lip and wanting to kiss him more deeply – but he is the first to pull back.
I'm left almost panting with want as he keeps a hand still on my cheek, his thumb running across my cheek bone.
"Until next time, my little sweetling," he mutters and smiles before he takes his hand away from my cheek, rising to his feet while I remain on my knees, full of mixed emotions, "Although next time I might not be so gentle..." as he turns to walk away I feel flushed with hot blood and an aching chest.
I hated what love did to me but I... I found it hard to watch him leave. I wanted him.
Eventually the cold air of the forest cools me off as it breezes past my wet body. I shake my head, trying to shake out my feelings as I get to my feet.
This is what he wanted. To confuse me.
I turn around and tell myself that, over and over again, as I walk back. It's just a game, don't buy into it, don't listen to him, don't trust him.
But deep down I could not fool myself, no matter how much I tried.
As much as he was messed up, I hoped one day I could be back with him. Hopefully at a peaceful resolution – which was unlikely. But I just wanted him – no...!
I continue my mantra all the way back to the hideout, desperate to believe it.
...don't trust him, he doesn't truly love you, he only cares about power, don't believe him, don't trust him, don't trust him, he doesn't love you...
S~35~C
Sapphire's POV
"We have two choices," Seraphine throws a stick into the golden-black coloured fire, while some of us crowd around to hear her thoughts, "Negotiate one on one with Traegr now – for a resolution which is unlikely. Our second choice is for us to come prepared to the negotiation. A small group of us will go to the nearest city and access the Golden Palace's top-secret records."
"What documents did you want off Traegr in the first place? Something about CU?" I ask, curious, and also trying to distract her from Celeste's absence. I had told her that Celeste was teaching some girls how to heal with herbs from the forest, in case Celeste was not there to heal them herself directly. Seraphine had believed me so far.
"The documents are not something I want to discuss," Seraphine replies sternly, picking up a small hand-made morta and pestle she grounds down some purple herbs, she was making the proper paint for her infamous mask, "I just need you to trust me with important information. I take everyone's safety very seriously. I wanted to suggest we go into the city to search for these documents but I want to know who is willing to come with me. We've prepared this place long enough."
"How can we search for documents if we don't even know what they are?" I ask, not wanting to disrespect her or push her too far.
She glances at me, I instantly feel s
tupid, and she looks back down to her purple paste, spitting in it to create a smoother texture.
Typical fire users; harsh and blunt, often with a refined temper.
Seraphine never showed her temper, however, she simply had well-honed attitude and sass.
In the end she does not answer me.
"I think we should find Kaelyn first –" Lilo speaks up for the thousandth time but is quickly shut down by Seraphine.
"Not happening, not yet. I told you it's totally out of our depth to search for someone, with no leads, no information, nothing. We don't even have a starting point to search for her –"
"The Volcan Labrotories is where she was last seen, what if she is still there?" I suggest.
"With all due respect, princess, if she was there, she would have escaped. She possesses my Shadow fire, it burns through everything. Kaelyn is a strong girl, we haven't heard from her yet, there is a strong possibility she's dead," Lilo gasps at Seraphine's honest words but she does not take them back, "I'm sorry to say it, but it's true. Who wants to come to the city with me? We'll be heading to Quartz Zone, that is where the ruling bodies are set up to store Dark Gem's teachings and beliefs. I will be the one to search for what I'm looking for – I just need back up. I also need distractions to stay here and visit the Golden Palace, prance around a bit and distract the dull-witted cave men behind the walls. But whoever volunteers to stay has to do it safely."
"Are we going to do anything about the humans?" I ask, "The ones in camps, being used to mine Gem stones."
"There is nothing we can do, not yet. We need to acquire the upper hand in the Golden Palace first – we need respect," Seraphine reminds us all.
"How do we do that?" I ask.
"I've been thinking about this since my memories have been completely restored. They will not submit to us, but we will rule with them. I want them to adhere to the first ever female council, a co-operative council that makes decisions beside the Dark Gem's own separate council. Separate ruling entities that exist together to create the best outcomes for everyone. Our greatest weakness is the magic-bond most of you girls have with the different Dark Gems back at the Golden Palace. Loving them is not an issue, lusting after them blind, is. You give them an inch, they take a mile."
"Pretty sure that phrase is originally from Earth," Pharis sticks his arm out, excited, "I'm coming with you into the Quartz Zone, it sounds cool."
"It is, the buildings are all made of Quartzite –" Lilo excitedly explains, however Seraphine interrupts.
"I like you, Pharis, but I don't trust you yet," Seraphine growls, "You can accompany us on missions when you're trained."
"I saved your life, talk about being ungrateful," Pharis rolls his eyes in disbelief at her words but he also knows she is being her typical tough self.
"I am grateful you saved my life, but what I don't trust is your age, your magic is untrained and you're impulsive. Don't give me that look, Pharis, you've already been flirting with everyone in this camp, keep in mind I don't take lightly to Dark Gems... you're not becoming one, I hope," I hear the humour in her tone now but Pharis just looks utterly offended.
"I'm not a mindless beast like the rest of the men on this planet. I hate this place sometimes, it's so barbaric here, despite all the cool technology...!" Pharis is standing by the fire and takes the opportunity to spin around and storm off, only to come to a staggered halt, "Celeste?"
Everyone perks up and I have to stand to see over everyone's raised heads. I see her running into the camp with tears, crying, her head in her hands.
Seraphine jumps up next, wanting to approach with me.
I put out a hand to stop Seraphine and shake my head.
"Allow me to talk to her, I know her," I ask and she nods, sitting back down.
"Leave it be," she commands the other girls, who then settle as they see me hop past the logs and run to Celeste.
"Hey! Wait up, what happened, are you hurt?" I call out after her as she jumps onto the nearest tree and starts climbing. I follow after her until she reaches the very top, she grows a bed made of vines into a small hammock that she curls into, literally hanging above everyone, higher even than the deck she had proudly made.
I'm not as fast a climber as she is, her legs were longer than mine. I eventually make it up though, and I quickly crawl along the thick branch and slide into the hammock with her.
"Why are you crying?" I prompt her to answer me and she slowly wipes away her tears – and she hiccups.
"No... r-reason," she gasps, tearing out the flowers from her hair she slowly wraps her arms around her legs and falls to her side into the fetal position. I mimic her so our knees are touching and we're facing each other.
"Tell me."
"I saw him," she whispers, "he found me."
"Traegr?" I whisper back.
"I just hate that I can't work out what I want," Celeste admits, "As much as I want to hold him and heal him and care for him – I know he will hurt me by hurting you and everyone else. He despises rebellion, he admires submission... do you remember when it wasn't so bad?"
"Look... the big picture is that they want us to submit but they take it too far. I don't mind them being dominant as long as they don't treat me like utter shit. Sabir takes his teasing to a whole new level that pisses me off. If I lived back their I just want to be able to explore the forest without being scolded, and not do so many damn chores. Some things just need to change first. I promise you they will. We're pretty much destined to be the female Gems who bring the Dark Gems down off their high horse – permanently. Not just in phases like in our past."
"What does Seraphine have in mind?" Celeste asks, her silver eyes full of hurt and suffering and want.
"Give me your hands, they're trembling," I pretend to order her the way Traegr would and she manages to laugh huskily through her soar throat. She gives me her hands and we clasp our fingers together, any sort of touch was comforting to her, I knew she loved to be reassured with actions rather than just words, "Seraphine wants to legally trap them. Don't quote me on that, she won't even tell me what documents she is searching for. All I know is that by finding out their top secret information that will somehow help us in starting a female council. The first to have ever been on Kiyr. So we rule side by side."
"We'll be back with them soon, then?" Celeste seems hopefully, "But we'll actually have peace?"
"We have to put our faith in Seraphine's leadership but in the mean-time... Celeste... I know you. Did Traegr try to sleep with you tonight – or did he?"
"No, no, he just kissed me," she admits, "He made me want him."
"You need to promise me you won't give into his 'charms'...pshh, if you can even call them that – of course you find that funny. Stop smiling I'm being serious. You can't give into him, not yet at least. We can't keep living the way we use to, it'll drive us crazy," I say this knowing she'll realise I'm referring to Sabir and I as well.
"I don't mind being The King's maid," Celeste says cheekily and shyly, obviously hoping Seraphine doesn't hear.
"Oh, I know you do. You love following his orders, you even welcomed me into his bed when he said I would be a part of it," I try not to laugh at the memory, "Most girls would have told me to fuck off!"
"Whatever makes him happy, makes me happy," Celeste sounds like a smitten school-girl talking about her first crush. She was a sucker for submission, "I'll do whatever he wants."
"I know," I giggle, "You'll even suck off Sabir if he ordered it."
"He has ordered it and I have done so, and it made Traegr smile so I didn't mind," Celeste blurts out, so happy about her resolve in what makes her happy – Traegr's smile; which was rare.
"You're nuts in your own way, Celeste, it's cute. You're so shy about everything but so confident and bold when it comes to sex, and the forest."
"Two things I love," she says cheekily, grinning, finally her tears are gone.
"Do you think Seraphine had a good time with Hraken when he beat her an
d won the right to fuck her afterwards?" I snicker, feeling at ease, two girls bitching; sometimes it was all you needed to feel a bit better.
"Don't be silly, of course she loved it. Hraken is the strong silent type but I guarantee he is a monster in the sheets."
"You really think so?" I can't help but burst out into a whizzing giggle as I try not to laugh louder.
My messed up laugh sets Celeste off and then we are both laughing.
"You sound like a piglet!" she accuses me, hardly breathing as she copies me.
"Shut the fuck up!... but it's so true, I did!"
We literally laugh ourselves to complete exhaustion and curl up into each other for warmth. We fall asleep that way, for once, our minds were at peace.
We'd have to soak up the calm while it lasted – because this peace sure as hell wasn't going to last forever.
S~36~C
Sapphire's POV
The next day Seraphine sets off to go to Quartz Zone with Lilo and three other girls. Celeste insists on staying in the camp with me and I know why. She desired the off chance she'd have another safe encounter with Traegr.
Call her naïve but our situation was complex. She was love-sick but also weary. We couldn't bargain until we had something to bargain with.
I lean back against a thick tree trunk as I wait for Pharis to show up in our training area. It was a small patch in the forest not filled with overgrown foliage. A small patch of space to move and practice fighting. Seraphine wanted me to help Pharis learn more about his unique abilities. He could harness magic on his own but drain as well. A true hybrid. Now he had to learn to refine each one of his powers.
I may be an average run of the mill Gem, but I had fine, graceful control of water. I could manipulate it with precision that was rare in most Royal Gems. It's why I use to dance with it, it helped me learn how to control it. As I wait for him I cross my arms over my chest and look up at the sky, breathing out a frustrated sigh.
I was on edge because just as Seraphine had left, not too long after, one of the girls scouting early this morning had reported a sighting of a lone Dark Gem wondering near the area.