by Todd, E. L.
Artremian took a step forward. “Drake, spare her, please.” He knelled to the floor and lowered the collar of his shirt, exposing his neck for a beheading. “I defied you, m’lord. Now kill me, please.”
Drake turned away from Penelope and walked to Artremian, who remained on his knees, hoping the king would end his life and spare his beloved wife. “Rise,” he said. “Get to your feet.”
“Please.” He begged.
The king’s voice turned angry. “NOW!”
Artremian rose to a stand and met the gaze of the king. He was disappointed that Drake didn’t kill him. He knew if he did, he would leave Penny alone. “Please let my wife go.” He begged. He felt the tears flow down his cheeks, but he felt no shame for his emotions. He would do anything to save his wife and their unborn child. “I beg you, sire.”
“You want me to let her go, Artremian?”
Artremian nodded.
Drake rubbed his chin with his fingers, pondering his request. “Hmm…I am a merciful king. I do grant pardons every now and then. But should I do it in this case?” Drake continued to think aloud while he stroked his chin. “Should I let her go? Or should I kill her? Maybe just have my way with her a few times.”
Artremian drop his face into his palms. “Please let her go. I will do anything you ask of me. Name it, m’lord. I am your vessel to command,” he said. “Please?” Artremian couldn’t stand the idea of Drake raping his wife. He wanted to vomit at the thought. Artremian would slit his own throat just to eliminate the possibility. “Please?” he repeated.
Drake stared at him. “I think it is too late for that, Artremian,” he said. “You just tried to kill me. I pardoned your crimes once. I have no reason to do it again.”
Art looked at the king. “What do you want from me?”
The king smiled. “Suffering,” he said. “I want you to suffer, Artremian.” Drake walked towards the guards and addressed them. “Send this woman to Paso Robles. She will be another slave for the mercantile project.” Drake placed his hand on her stomach. “She may be released after twenty years of service.” Drake met her gaze, which was flooded with tears. “Good luck.” He smiled. “You can thank your husband for your fate.”
Artremian ran to his wife and stood in front of her, protecting her with his body. He fixed his look of anger on the king. “You can’t do this, Drake. She won’t survive under the conditions! She is about to give birth to our child!”
Drake shook his head then raised his hands. “That’s not my problem.”
“Why are you doing this?” He ran his hands through his hair then clenched his fists at his side. He was desperate. This was the last thing he wanted to happen to this wife. This couldn’t be happening. “Just kill me, Drake! KILL ME!”
“That punishment wouldn’t be severe enough,” he said. “I have no tolerance for traitors. You have made it quite clear that you are more concerned about the well-being of others than yourself. You were willing to sacrifice your wife for a bunch of disgusting slaves you don’t even know.” Drake walked back to the head of the table and took his seat. “You’re the one who made this decision. You’re the one responsible for her death, not I.” Drake nodded to the guards. “Take her away.”
Artremian turned to his wife and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so sorry, Penny,” he cried into her shoulder. “I’ll come for you. I promise.”
“I’m scared, Art,” she cried. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you so much.”
The guards grabbed her by the arms and pulled her away. Artremian didn’t release his hold on her. “I love you too, Penny. Don’t be scared,” he said as he stroked her hair. “I’ll come for you—both of you.”
“I know.” The guards jerked her away and Artremian released his hold. He watched them escort her through the door and close the doorway behind them.
Artremian breathed through the sobs of his depression. His wife was doomed to the horrific conditions of slavery—heat, pain, infection, illness, rape—Artremian felt sick thinking about it. He wished he controlled his tongue, never defended the free people of the Continent—he wished Drake wasn’t their king. The man couldn’t be killed for some unknown reason and the knowledge overwhelmed him with anxiety. How was he going to save his wife? He understood the king well enough to know that this wasn’t the end of it—there was more up his sleeve. “What of me, m’lord? What will you do with me?” Artremian didn’t look at Drake. He stared at the closed doors of the library, hoping his wife would somehow return to him.
Drake smiled at him. It was obvious the king enjoyed seeing Artremian in pain. “Well, there is nothing more I can do to you, other than keep you alive. You will spend the next twenty years wondering if your wife and child survived the encounter—I don’t think I can punish you further than that.”
Artremian placed his hand on his hips and lowered his gaze to the floor. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, fighting the return of tears—he knew his family wouldn’t survive.
The king watched him, delighted at his obvious despair. “You will be locked inside the keep, of course. You will never be allowed to leave. You will never be able to save her.”
Art looked at the king. “Send me as well. I’m hearty and strong,” he said. “Make me a slave.”
The king shook his head. “No,” he said. “You are needed here, Artremian.”
Artremian looked away then walked towards the door, grabbing the handle to open the doorway.
“What do you think you are doing?” Drake rose from his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. Artremian lowered his hand from the doorknob and dropped it to his side. He still didn’t look at the king. “I never dismissed you,” he said. “We aren’t done here.”
Artremian defiantly grabbed the handhold again and opened the door. Now that Penny was gone, the king had no control over him—he had nothing to threaten him with.
Drake laughed. “Just because she has left my sight doesn’t mean I’ve lost my hold over her.” He patted the table before him, beckoning Artremian to return to his seat. “I can have her neck snapped any time I wish. Or do I need to prove it to you?”
The threat of his words lingered in the air. Artremian didn’t doubt the evil that plagued the king’s heart—he believed him. Art closed the door then returned to his seat, never looking at Drake as he did so.
The king nodded in approval. “Good,” he said. He turned to the council. “Now, where were we?”
Canu
12
The lime-green lanterns disappeared with the rising sun. The radiance of the sunstar outshone the intensity of their glow, or they were extinguished by the Asquithians in the city. Accacia felt her anxiety grow with every step toward Canu. She prayed they wouldn’t kill her.
Zyle seemed to trust her instantly, and that gave her comfort. If the rest of the Asquithians were as reasonable as he was, she shouldn’t be too concerned. Accacia realized he never asked why she was on the Continent in the first place—she thought it was odd. But after remembering his advice about asking personal questions about others, she realized he didn’t want her to question his past in return.
She followed behind Zyle as they approached the entrance of the city. It was hidden so well, camouflaged into their natural surroundings, that she never would have realized a large city was directly before her. The only indication of its presence was the sound of the birds in the trees. Thousands of them chirped from the branches within Canu. It was their home as much as was the Asquithians. The music of the songbirds calmed her soul.
Zyle traversed through the tightly enclosed tree line, his body covered in shadow from the wide canopy. Spots of sunlight sprinkled the forest floor and the thick leaves protected them from the sun’s penetrating rays, showering them in shade. It didn’t diminish the humidity, however.
Zyle stopped and turned around. “Are you ready?” He stared at her with his deep blue eyes, and she felt unnerved by his stare. The depth of his eyes was endless, and she coul
d see the years of his life layered within it. She knew he was a man lost in time.
“Yes.”
“Remember what I said.” He reminded her. Accacia knew he was referring to her staring problem. He saw the anxiety etched onto her face as she wiped her sweaty palms onto her pants. He walked over to her and grabbed her shoulder. Looking into her face, he said, “You’ll be fine.”
She tried to smile but her lips were uncooperative. She nodded instead. “Thank you for escorting me, Zyle. I appreciate everything you have done for me, especially deciding not to kill or hurt me.”
“You’re very welcome, Accacia. And I would only hurt you if you gave me a reason to,” he said with a smile. “Good luck.”
They entered through a line of trees and came to a weathered path where the grass was absent from the passing of foot traffic. The ground was the bare soil of the earth and the dust drifted in the air with their footfalls. Houses were built into the trees, which seemed to be an extension of the tree itself. Winding staircases reached from the canopy down to the forest floor. Accacia realized there was no gate to the city. It was completely open. The birds cried overhead, and Accacia looked up to see the winged creatures in the branches. They were a wide variety of colors. Every color of the rainbow was splashed onto their feathers randomly. No two birds were identical. Accacia stopped in her tracks and stared at the birds. Zyle noticed her appraisal, and he stopped and looked at her. “They are beautiful,” she said. The birds cried louder at her words. They flew to the branch directly above her and stared down at her. They fought each other to get a better glimpse of the woman who looked at them in awe. Accacia was certain they knew she was a stranger to the island.
Zyle nodded. “They are called Canu birds, which we named our city after. They are magnificent creatures—watchful protectors. Many Asquithians keep them as companions.”
“Like a pet?”
Zyle stared at her. “No, Accacia. Not like a pet. They are our equals and we treat them as such. Some people form special bonds with these winged beasts and they act as their companions. Canu birds will answer any call made by their Asquithian companion,” he said. “They can recognize their voice in a crowd—truly amazing.” Accacia smiled. “Let’s continue.”
Accacia reluctantly tore her gaze away from the birds and followed Zyle down the path. She spotted Asquithians walking through the streets as she entered deeper into the city. The women were adorned in dresses of deep green, the color of Accacia’s eyes. She considered the color to be an Asquithian green, unique in its rarity. Accacia never saw such a prominent color in her life. Others wore dark green shirts with brown shorts, revealing the tan color of their skin. The women were absolutely gorgeous with their petite waistlines and slender legs. Most women had long brown hair identical to Accacia’s, reaching down to their bosom. Their eyes were the most hypnotic feature. They were large and round, blazing with colors of green and blue. Some of the women noticed her stare and returned her look. Accacia quickly turned away, remembering Zyle’s previous command.
They walked into the city and entered the marketplace, which was a round formation that circled a very large tree in the center. The tree itself was humongous, stretching high into the air, and passing the height of any other sapling. She saw a man standing before the wide stump, tall with blond hair and wide shoulders. His eyes were closed, but he whispered words under his breath. He was worshipping the tree. Accacia couldn’t feel or hear a song emitting from the entity like she could with the Lorunien Tree. She wondered if it was wary of her.
The marketplace was filled with tables adorned with fruits, vegetables, jewelry and clothing. Accacia was admiring a pair of green earrings, which resembled the leaves of the palm trees she saw near the coast, when Zyle approached her from behind. The woman behind the counter stared at Accacia with a look of confusion. Accacia knew the Asquithian didn’t recognize her and felt alarmed at the presence of Accacia, a stranger. Zyle handed the Asquithian woman an ordinary ring, plain brown like withered stalks of grass. “Is this fair?” he asked.
She inspected the ring then nodded. The Asquithian turned her gaze toward Accacia. “They are yours to treasure.” She looked away and conversed with another customer.
Accacia looked down at the earrings in her hand. “Do I get to keep these?”
“Yes,” he said. “They are yours.”
“Did you buy them?”
“No. We have no concept of currency. We only barter. Most people give their items away freely, mainly the fruits and nuts.”
Accacia smiled. “Thank you for the earrings.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled. “They will bring out the green in your eyes. Make them brighter than they already are.” Accacia clipped the earrings onto her earlobes and noticed how light they felt. “I got you something else.” Zyle handed her a long green dress, identical to the gowns the women were wearing in the marketplace. She held the dress and felt the silk in her fingertips. The material reached down to her ankles, but didn’t cover her feet. It was the perfect length. Accacia never found clothes that fit correctly because of her petite size. The dress had only one strap and left the other shoulder bare. It was elegant and beautiful, but alluring at the same time. The slit in the gown revealed one leg and the tightness of the dress revealed every curve of her body. Accacia stared at the dress with adoration. She loved it. “I suggest you wear it before we enter the Tower. You will want to adopt our culture as soon as possible.”
Accacia admired the silk material. “I love it.”
“Good.” He smiled. “Let’s go to my eave. You can bathe and make yourself presentable. It is obvious you’ve been out at sea for many months.”
Accacia’s cheeks reddened at his observation. She must look hideous, especially in comparison to the other Asquithians, who were a beautiful race. She looked down at her weathered clothes, which were ripped in too many places to count. She was embarrassed by the sight. The dirt under her fingernails made her entire finger appear black. She ran her fingers through her hair and felt the oil along the strands as well as the tangled mess of her scalp. “Yes, I definitely need a bath.”
They left the market then walked away from the path, approaching a large tree hidden to the side. The wide stump had a staircase that circled around the bark until it reached a small house in the canopy. She was surprised to see that the eave had windows. Zyle walked up the steps. “Be careful.” He warned. “There are no hand rails.”
Accacia watched her footsteps as she climbed the wooden staircase. When they approached the eave, she was surprised to see that there was no door. The doorway was completely open. She wondered how he protected his privacy. He walked into the room and lit a few candles for extra light even though it wasn’t necessary. The sun still penetrated through the leaves in the trees and flooded the forest with light. Accacia saw a small kitchen, a sitting room that faced the window and two separate rooms. These areas both had doors.
“Please make yourself comfortable,” he said. “I’ll get your bath started and make you a cup of tea.” Accacia watched him prepare the kettle and was hardly able to hide her excitement. She could only imagine how delicious the refreshment would be. Zyle caught her glance. “You seem eager.”
“I’m looking forward to trying it. I am sure it is very different from the tea leaves I had on the Continent,” she said. “I know I will love it.”
Zyle smiled. “I’m sure you will.” Zyle left the pot of tea over the fire stove then prepared her bath in the next room. He returned a few minutes later. “Your bath is ready. When you are done, the tea will be finished as well. I hope you can wait that long.”
She could smell her nauseating body odor even though she wasn’t sweating. “No, I can definitely wait,” she said as she headed to the bathroom in a rush.
Zyle laughed at the disgusted look on her face. “It will be here when you are finished.”
After Accacia completed her bath, she donned the clothes Zyle got for her. She looked at her
self in the mirror. The image of her reflection made the hair on her arms stand on end. She looked just like the Asquithians she saw on the street, with their long dresses that complemented their sun-kissed skin and the deep brown hair that hung down to their waist. She hoped her appearance would increase her odds of acceptance.
Accacia walked into the room and sat at the wooden table across from Zyle. He looked up from the book he was reading and appraised her features. She was no longer filthy with pieces of seaweed imbedded in her hair and the dirt was absent from her arms and under her fingernails. Her brown locks were no longer tangled, but silky smooth, reaching pass her slender shoulders. Her tan skin complemented the dark green color of the dress and matched her eyes perfectly. It was a complete makeover. “You look lovely,” he said.
“Thank you.” She smiled. She felt comfortable with her new companion. Even though he was still a mere stranger, she knew he had no disrespectful intent toward her. It was obvious he had no desire to hurt her or seek anything else from her in return for his aid. She respected her guide and was delighted at having a friend in this new world. She knew his comment was one of politeness and not a sexual advance. Besides, after he saw her hideous features from her trip at sea, she knew there was no possibility of his attraction. She was certain of that.
“Now try some of the tea.” He pushed her glass closer to her. “It is a citrus-infused tea with pineapple and mango extract. If you liked the fruit you ate on our way here, you will enjoy this.”
She smelled the brown liquid before she drank it, letting the scent fill her nasal cavities with the sweet hint of citrus. She sipped her glass and savored the liquid on her tongue, enjoying the taste of the new concoction. Accacia downed the entire glass.
Zyle watched her swallow the contents. “I knew you would like it.”