by T. Z. Leigh
“Yeah, we heard,” Jamie informed him.
“You know April! How would I be able to stop her doing anything?”
“Kind words, gentle explanation...and if all else fails, we’d tie her up,” Zachery offered.
“Yeah,” Sam laughed, “let's just hope she hasn’t learnt how to do the Illusion of Pain by then.”
He shivered, remembering the knives from Voklav’s illusion stabbing into him when they first met their grandparents. He felt a pang in his chest, wondering if he’d get the chance to see them again, maybe in better circumstances.
The boat started to move and except for Fyzer, they all got back into bed, though none of them slept any more that night.
◆◆◆
The day was hot, too hot, and the four teens were out on deck to catch whatever breeze they could. Fyzer and Sven were preparing for their arrival on land in the sitting room; the heat didn’t seem to bother them as much. April and Jamie were talking about makeup and perfume, so Sam and Zachery were sitting well away, scared they’d ask them to join in the conversation.
“So, everything’s cool with you and Jamie now?” Sam asked Zachery.
“Yeah, we’re cool. I realised what an idiot I was being.”
“You know, I kissed April,” he blurted out, unable to stop a smile from spreading on his face.
“Did you?” Zachery smiled back. “And?”
“Seems like we both enjoyed it, if that’s what you mean.”
“That’s good. What made you kiss her, anyway?”
“To be honest…I hated the idea of marrying her at first, but over these few weeks, I’ve been feeling differently, dunno why, though. It’s weird how we’ve gotten used to each other so quickly. I felt like trying over the last week to take things a little further, but I wasn’t sure how she’d react. Yesterday I heard her saying good stuff about me to Jamie, so I decided to take the risk.”
He looked at April, his fingertips tingling from wanting to touch her again. She must have sensed it because she looked at him and smiled. His insides blazed like the sun above them as they kept their eyes on each other before she turned around to carry on talking to Jamie.
“It’s good that you’ve moved on.”
Sam felt like he’d taken a blow to the stomach, and for a few seconds, he couldn’t breathe. He frowned at Zachery and didn’t speak for a very long moment.
“There’s no use dwelling on the past. She’s gone, and she isn’t coming back. I’m finally getting my head around that. Me and April need to get married, so we might as well be together because we want to, not just because we have to. Don’t ever mention...her again. Okay?”
“Sorry, Sam. I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth. I think you and April suit each other.”
Yeah, I do too.
“By the way, in case you didn’t know, you can’t sleep with her until after you’re married.”
Sam’s eyes widened. “What? Why not?”
His expression straightened because he was inwardly embarrassed that he had just admitted to thinking about April in a sexual way…but if he couldn’t confide in Zachery, who could he confide in?
“Sven told me the first night at the castle that we have to wait until after the marriage ceremony.”
Sam’s eyes showed disappointment, but then a smile tugged at his mouth, and they became warm and thoughtful.
“That’s better…it will be more special. I guess until then, I’ll just have to control myself.”
Zachery watched Jamie. She didn’t normally expose her skin, but only the four of them were there, so she’d obviously seen it as an opportunity to get a tan. She had taken her arms out of her shirt to get some sun, and her skirt was hitched up to mid-thigh. She must have been talking about lipstick or something because she puckered her lips and faked a sexy pose, making April laugh.
Zachery let out the biggest sigh of his life. “You and me both, man, you and me both."
◆◆◆
April was on the lookout for the coastline.
“I see it!”
“Thank God. I was starting to feel seasick,” Jamie muttered.
They had been sailing for over a week, and Jamie didn’t know where they were going or for what reason. As the boat came closer to shore, the unmistakable forest of the Mezatica Territory awaited them. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but Sam beat her to it.
“Why are we back here?” he asked Sven. “Is it safe?”
“For us, nowhere is truly safe, but it’s fine for now...and where we need to be.”
“Right. And the reason you’re being so cryptic is?” Sam questioned.
“Because I can be,” he replied, then left with a satisfied smirk on his face.
“You know,” Sam said to the others, “if it was someone else, I would have punched them in the face just now.”
Jamie laughed with the others, then told Sam light-heartedly, “They know where we’re going. It’ll be fine. He’s just having some fun with you.”
She knew they could trust Sven one hundred percent to protect them. His screams back in the prison they were held in echoed in her ears, and she began to feel nauseous. He endured that for her. For them.
She swallowed deeply and pushed it to the back of her mind, trying to forget. Although she vowed to give him a big hug the next time she saw him.
Half an hour later, the boat moored at a pier extending from a magnificent beach. Its crystallised sand as white as snow shimmered in the sunlight and was surrounded by a lush rainbow coloured forest. A green tide washed in and a blue tide washed out, as if someone was flipping a switch to change the colour of the water. It was the most striking scene Sam had ever seen. Fyzer was still inside gathering the last of their things, and Sven was securing the boat. The rest of them raced onto the beach as soon as they could.
The sand was incredibly soft under their feet, like freshly fallen snow. Jamie and Zachery started throwing sand at each other, laughing, while April was kneeling, running her hand along the sand, before laying down on her stomach. After being stuck on a boat for a week, Sam had the urge to expel some energy and began doing flips across the beach. April tossed her hair and sighed.
“Too bad I don’t have my bikini...I might just have to sunbathe in my bra and underwear.”
Sam was in mid-flip and fell flat on his back.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, April!” he said a bit too quickly, standing up.
“Why not? Look at this beach! I can’t wait to feel this sand on my skin.”
“Because…”
“Because?” she prompted.
Because I can’t see you like that! Are you trying to torture me?
“...there might be poisonous insects and things in the sand.”
“I don’t think so, Sam. Why would we have been brought here if it’s dangerous, or whatever?”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, we must be going,” Sven said, stifling a grin as he walked past. “No time to sunbathe now.”
Her mouth turned down and she looked genuinely sad as she gazed back at the sand. Sam exhaled heavily, grateful, even though Sven’s rescue had made him blush.
“Besides,” Sven muttered under his breath, “we wouldn’t want Sam to have a heart attack.”
“What?” April called out.
“Nothing!” he said as he passed Zachery and Jamie, who couldn’t suppress their laughter.
They had scrambled through the forest up a steep incline, having to push branches or kick shrubs out of the way to form a path.
“Did I seriously leave that gorgeous beach for this?” April whined. “Why are we even here, anyway?”
“You’ll see soon enough,” Fyzer reassured.
Sam heard the banging of drums in the distance at a slow but steady pace.
“Who’s doing that? Do they know we’re here?” he asked warily.
“Yes, they know. But they are not Irisena, or anything else to worry about. They are your fellow Mezats.”
&nbs
p; “Really?” Sam replied, his eyes brightening with anticipation.
“The drums are a part of the welcoming ceremony. Brace yourselves,” Fyzer warned them.
The forest opened out onto flat ground, a hidden plateau at the top of the hill. It had been stripped of all shrubs, so only the stony surface remained. The hilltop had a river running from right to left across the middle of it, separating the area into two halves. The half they were on had six tall squared pillars along the edge of the bank, with a male Mezat standing in front of each one. The drumming escalated, beating faster and louder as they came closer. The six Mezats now extended their right hands, which held necklaces made of multi-coloured flowers.
“Just do as we do,” Fyzer advised.
He walked to one of the men, took the necklace from his hand, and put it over his own head. The necklace began rotating around his neck, picking up speed for ten seconds before suddenly stopping. Fyzer took the necklace off, placed it around the man’s neck, and then shook his hand. The Mezat turned around, the drumming reached a climax, and he punched the pillar so it fell, forming a bridge to the other side of the river. Fyzer began walking across.
“One by one,” Sven told them, then did the same actions to get to the other side.
Sam went next. The feeling of being around his own kind was overwhelming and exciting. He was smiling the whole time because the positive energy from these skryts and the place made him feel somehow at peace. The only difference compared to when Fyzer and Sven went over was that when the Mezat shook Sam’s hand, he whispered brother, so Sam replied the same to him. Once they had all crossed over, a female Mezat led them towards a cluster of stone huts all positioned in a circle.
“No offence, Sam, but I can’t decide whether that was nice or annoying,” April said.
“The Mezat customs are somewhat outdated and ancient, even for skryts. However, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another race who are more genuine and kinder in nature,” Sven told her.
April recalled her intimate moment with Sam. A warmth filled her body; whatever feelings she had developed for Sam increased significantly.
“You’re right,” she agreed.
An elderly Mezat waited outside the biggest hut with his hands held out in front of him.
“Welcome,” he said, smiling, “how can we be of assistance?”
“We come here asking for help,” Fyzer explained. “Irisena forces have been seeking to destroy these children. They are the enlightened ones, the only hope for the survival of our worlds. They must be kept safe, and preparations need to be made. Can you provide this?”
“I will send word immediately. Everything should be ready in two days.”
“Our sincerest gratitude, Your Excellence,” Sven added.
“Come here, son,” the Mezat said to Sam.
“That’s how the elders speak to youths,” Fyzer whispered. “Go and embrace him.”
Sam embraced the Mezat awkwardly.
“There is much strength in you, young one,” he said to Sam quietly. “You will need to learn how to tame it so as not to be destructive. Go, all of you,” he said, letting go of Sam. “You will be shown where you may stay while you are here.”
The atmosphere was tranquil now that the drumming had stopped. The only sounds to be heard were the running of water, the wind blowing, and what sounded like birds chirping in the distance. The same female skryt led them to a hut on their left and gestured for them to enter. They walked through the doorway and found a bare room, except for four beds.
“The children will sleep here,” she informed Sven and Fyzer. “You two will stay in another hut. There are those who need to speak with you.”
The four teens stayed and the rest left. Fyzer and Sven smiled as they disappeared.
“Can you believe this place?” Sam’s eyes shone with excitement, “I actually feel...at home here.”
“That’s great. I wish I felt the same when we were in the Solkateen District,” April said, genuinely happy for him.
“May I enter?” a voice called from outside.
“Yes,” Sam said, obviously feeling at home.
The skryt came inside holding a pile of folded clothes and placing them on the nearest bed.
“I was told to give you these by the Royal Guardian. Food will be served at sunset by the river. Are you able to meet there, or shall I ask someone to escort you?”
“We can find it, don’t worry,” Zachery assured him.
He left, pulling a string next to the doorway so a piece of cloth fell.
“I was wondering how we would change our clothes without everyone seeing us,” Jamie said, then pointed to Zachery and Sam. “You two get out for a few minutes. I need to change out of these dirty, disgusting clothes."
◆◆◆
The next two days began as boring, but became educational as there was nothing else for them to do. Zachery and the others learnt about the Mezat’s way of life; cooking, fishing, hunting techniques, children’s games, and traditions. According to Sven, they were waiting for something that would help them although what it was, was still a mystery.
After a long day of work, they were finally invited to eat. They sat on one of the large pieces of cloth laid on the ground with some bowls of food placed near them so they could help themselves.
“I must admit,” Zachery managed with his mouth full of food, “when I first saw this fish, I thought it looked disgusting...but it’s actually one of the nicest things I’ve ever tasted.”
“It feels good to eat after putting in the hard work for it,” Sam added.
“The work I put in, you mean,” April beamed.
Zachery laughed. He would never have guessed that she’d catch the most fish. She didn’t seem like the sort to get her hands dirty, let alone covered in fish slime.
“You were doing great too...until you fell in,” Jamie laughed, then the others did too.
“Ha, ha, very funny. At least I caught something, Jamie,” she retorted, smiling.
“Doesn’t matter, I enjoyed playing with the kids more. They’re so cute and smart. They come up with such imaginative games and ideas.”
They continued to eat, but Zachery could see from the look on Sam’s face that he was feeling irritable, just before he turned to Sven.
“Come on, I need to know now. We’re supposed to be waiting for something. You haven’t told us what, or given any info about it. It’s going to be here by tomorrow, so how about coming clean, man?”
“It’s not a what, it’s a who, and more than one.”
“Okay, there are skryts coming here. What’s the need to be so mysterious?” April asked.
“It was imperative that your minds and bodies rest, as the following weeks will be physically and mentally draining.”
Sam was about to open his mouth to say something when the drums began to play again, slow and steady.
“Looks like they’re here,” Fyzer said. The four of them began to stand, but Fyzer motioned for them to stay where they were. “If you recall, this could take a while. Stay seated until they reach us.”
They watched, eager to see who was so important to warrant such secrecy. After five minutes, a lady headed in their direction, leading four individuals walking next to each other in a line.
“Now you can stand,” Fyzer mentioned quietly.
The lady moved to the side and the four skryts stood still, waiting to be introduced.
“Thank you for coming,” Sven announced, receiving gentle nods or smiles in return. “May I present Zachery, grandson of Ana Poresa; April, granddaughter of Teselda Doro; Jamie, granddaughter of Ryor Blixt; and Sam, grandson of Qayto Hashim. Heirs to the thrones of the four kingdoms.” Sven then gestured to a man furthest to his right. “This is Hamal Ruman of the Solkateen District...”
He was of mid-height, slim, with dark hair and dark eyes and stood casually, smiling.
“...Shalina Azul of the Dolatica Province...” he added, pointing to a middle-aged petite woman with l
ong blonde hair and blue eyes. She didn’t smile, but her eyes were kind and gentle.
“...Nehaya Karu of the Mezatica Territory...”
A small old woman with brown skin and dark hair stared at Sam, her eyes narrowed as if sizing him up.
“...and Mikael Yuter of the Shadateen Nation.”
A tall, regimental man stood to attention, straight-backed with his arms stiffly by his sides. He smiled, but his dark eyes and long nose accentuated his face, so it wasn’t very noticeable.
“These four Masters have come here for one purpose...to prepare you for battle.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Focus.”
“I’m trying, Mikael. It’s harder than it looks, you know.”
“Clear your mind, Jamie. You are doubting yourself, which won’t help you. This is only the first stage of training. If you are not able to accomplish the speed you require, how will you progress to the next one?”
Jamie stared at him. He had been training her for a week and she still wasn’t able to speed run, or kirosko as he called it.
If he says kirosko one more time!
“You are a clear night sky, calm and silent. Feel the tension rise as a charge builds up around you and then, boom! You are the lightning ruling the skies. You are the fastest, most dynamic element in the air. Kirosko, now!”
She tugged on her hair to stop herself from slapping him.
This is going to be another long day…
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Sam gazed intently at the boulder in front of him, trying his best not to scowl. “I’m punching this nice boulder you brought me, Nehaya.”
“So why isn’t it a pile of rubble yet?”
“I’ve only ever used my strength once, which must’ve been a fluke. Sven said that when I first came here and broke a tree, it must’ve been one of Voklav’s illusions, I’ve told you that already.”
“Yes, you’ve told me how much of a failure you are, plenty of times.”