by Tacori Bean
The guard seemed in deep thought before he held his hand out, “Go ahead, pup.”
The other guard, an older man, stared with wide eyes at the younger recruit. The recruit nodded towards us.
“I’d rather see him with a pup of his own kind than rotting in a castle cell, or worse find him dead on the streets.”
The elder guard pushed the pup to the ground in front of us, Basil scrambling to help him.
The recruit nodded at us and followed the angered guard back into the crowd of people.
“What’s your name, pup?” Basil finally asked when we got away from the noise of the dock.
He smiled up at her, “Kova.”
“Tough one… it suits you well.”
~24~
BASIL, KOVA, AND Tristan stayed outside in the gardens as Damon, Ozara, and I prepared to speak with the king.
A guard at the large wood doors stopped us, spoke with Damon, and had another guard escort us into the main hall where I stopped in awe. Out of all the castles throughout the region, this was the most stunning.
The large cathedral ceilings were lined with large windows illuminating the entire hall. At the back of the room, banners hung down with the kingdom's symbol: a fire and chisel. Off to the side, a regal looking man and girl probably my age entered the room.
The man, presumably the king, had a limp but it was hard to notice under his large, extravagant robes. His long gray hair showed his age, but his brown eyes were fiery with a passion for his kingdom.
A red-headed girl linked her arm with his, her bangs hung slightly over her pale face. Freckles covered her pink nose and cheeks. Her gray eyes looked sympathetically at us, before looking at the tiled ground. A metal chest piece was fastened around her and leather armor pieces were attached to her arms.
She raised her head and revealed a leather choker that matched the occupied, danger holsters on her exposed calves.
We all bowed as they approached.
“King Valor.” Damon held his bow slightly longer than the rest of us.
He held his hand out to each of us as did the girl.
“Amoret” She smiled.
I returned the smile, taking note of her posture. No matter how much I looked at her, to me she wore a mask. While biting her lip as Damon spoke, she tapped her foot, played with the ring on her finger, and smoothed out her skirt multiple times.
“No!” The king's booming voice made me jump.
“Neither has Evnock made a move to form an alliance with Tuhe, nor will I send my men to fight in this foolish child's play you call a war.”
Foolish?
“Sir, we have meant no disrespect… We merely wanted to insure the safety of your people and ours.” Ozara stepped forward, using a straight simple tone in her voice.
The look he gave us, like we had somehow offended him, made goosebumps encase my body, “Tuhe has the most capable and strong men of any kingdom in the region. None for any reason would dare go to the weak land of your kingdom, if you could even call it that.”
His arrogance, I could tell, had already put everyone on edge.
“Assured, I send my sympathy to Yaffu and what will soon come for… Se-Secret Hollow? But if you want my opinion on the matter, maybe Lady Ashton should have raised her children better. A runaway coward and a king with a thirst for power. Failed children rise from failed parents.”
I could almost feel Damon's anger rising from beside me, and I watched as he clenched his hands into fists. Reaching my own hand to grab his, I hesitated, and instead just stared at his wrist. The fresh skin was pink and not even fully healed, but yet he exposed it. A heavy feeling settled in my chest as I stared at the handprint that was permanently scarred on his wrist.
I dropped my hand and took a deep breath until turning back to the king.
“F-Father that was quite-” Amoret tried to speak, but was silenced by her father's hand.
“Whether Althea's relic accepts Calvin or not, will make no difference to the strength of Tuhe's people.”
“But Father, if my mother’s research is correct then this could be the battle that will unlock the journal from Althea's Realm and set Althea back on the quest to bring back the Mystics. The Mystics could finally return to our world!” Her tone sped up and a joy melted the mask she wore away.
“That is enough, Amoret. I will not sacrifice the people of Tuhe to an unjust cause.”
“But it is not unjust, Father, my recruits can go and I will lead them. They would be more than-”
“Enough Amoret!” He raised his hand to strike her.
Her body began to tremble and once again her gray eyes were fogged over, tears forming in them. The king glanced back at us and brought his hand down to his side, coughing a few times before he spoke to Amoret again.
“Until you take the throne, no orders will be given to Tuhe under you. Now if you wish to see my health worsen then you may stay, if not I excuse you to your chambers.”
She bowed her head and shuffled across the room before disappearing behind another large door.
This time my anger began to rise, balling my hands into fist, I was about to speak, but a gentle hand was placed on my armored soldier. My eyes jumped up to Damon’s calm, pleading blue eyes.
“With that motion, we excuse ourselves.” Damon glared back at the king, sharpness lingering in the back of his voice.
We bowed, Damon barely making a move to bow genuinely, and left the castle without another word to the king. Damon thanked the guard that escorted us and offered an understanding smile, before patting him on the shoulder with an empathic look filling his lapis eyes.
After gathering the others from the gardens, we started back towards the docks. We prepared to board when Amoret’s voice called over the calmed waves.
“Lady Journey!” My eyes widened at the smirk that crossed her face. She had a dozen or so men equipped in armor standing silently behind her.
They all climbed onto the deck of our small ship, “I have another ship with the other recruits preparing to follow you.”
“Recruits? But your father…” Damon spoke before I had the chance.
She shook her head, “These are my recruits, not Tuhe’s. They are more than glad to serve alongside me. Worry not about my father, he will not miss them, or me.”
An unbelief spread throughout me and the corners of my smile trembled, “W-What made you stand up to your father?”
Her gray eyes met mine and I could tell her mask had melted away. Courage and hope now shone in her eyes and a bright smile full of strength covered her face.
“My mother.”
~25~
I LEANED AGAINST the side of the small ship, almost close enough to reach down and touch the crashing waves.
It seems the time has come… The voice stirred in my head.
“How unfortunate…” I mumbled aloud to myself.
The few voices from the ship faded as the ocean breeze blew through escaped pieces of my hair. Goosebumps encased my body, but I welcomed the chill. It made my mind wander until it stopped in a comfortable emptiness.
“Lady Journey?” Pulling me away from my empty thoughts, Amoret’s small voice squeaked from beside me.
I smiled at her, noting how white her gray eyes seemed, “Is there a problem, Amoret?”
Her eyes lit up as I said her name and she shook her head, her short red hair cutting around it, “Quite the opposite, I assure. One of my recruits informed me that there are signs of the mainland on the horizon.”
“That’s wonderful, really Amoret, I could never repay you for what you have done for Secret Hollow. I can only say thank you on behalf of Secret Hollow and myself, you could very well be the reason we win this war.”
“My mother always told me to never turn a blind eye to what I knew was not right.” She joined me leaning on the side of the boat, staring out into the ocean.
Taking in every detail, I studied the side of her face, remembering what Piper told me about her the night befo
re.
“You must be careful around Amoret, she is not used to royalty.”
I was braiding my hair, trying to focus as I replied, “But isn’t she royalty?”
“No, her mother was just another maiden to the king and Amoret is nothing more than the daughter of a king who doesn’t remember her name.”
My thoughts of the night subsided, “Your mother seems very wise by the way you speak of her.”
“She was…” Her strained voice trailed, “One of the best scholars to the Mystics. Her intelligence and wisdom could live forever through her writings and scrolls. My father, though, thinks they are unnecessary.”
“Why would he think such a thing?” I inquired.
She sighed, “Tuhe is a kingdom built upon the physical strength and beauty of its people. Intelligence is not valued in the kingdom as it should be. That is why my father seemed so ill at the castle. He will not employ a medic because he does not want to look weak to the people, nor encourage intelligence among the crowd. It will be the first thing to change when I take over Tuhe.”
“It is true that Tuhe is a wicked and vain city, but there are still good people who want it to change. I hope one day I can help them succeed in that change.”
It was silent for a long moment before she turned back to face me, her eyes damp with tears, “Is it true that Calvin is after Althea’s relic?”
I nodded slowly.
“That within itself gives me enough reason to bring my recruits to fight,” She stared at the much larger ship following us with the other recruits, “My mother was hopeful that one day the Mystics would return and remind this world of their own hope and strength. She did not survive to see that day…” Her voice cracked, “But I promised her I would.”
By now I was used to the comments, but it didn’t stop the air around me from becoming suffocating. I took a deep breath and tried to regather my thoughts
“So, you will take over Tuhe?” I diverted from the subject.
She leaned her back onto the side of the ship and tilted her head against the breeze, “My father will not let me take hold of the kingdom until I marry.”
“Why would he force you to marry?”
“He is a traditional man, he believes that a kingdom should be ruled by a king. If it was up to him I would not take over the throne at all, but I am his only heir.”
“Will you marry, then?”
Staring off, she thought for a moment, “I’m undecided. I cannot do what is right for my people without marrying, but my mother always told me to never settle for someone who didn’t love me. So now I am torn… I am forced to choose between my heart and my people. Even when I know a queen is to give everything for her people.”
~~~
Staring into the flames that danced back and forth, I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my chin on them. I gazed at the recruits and townspeople that crowded around the fire.
Smiles.
My mind thought too deeply at Amoret’s words to smile with them. It fought too much against itself to rest in one place.
“Journey?” Tristan’s voice pulled through the endlessness.
My tired eyes met his as he took a seat next to me and leaned against the stone wall, releasing a sigh.
“Are you alright?” He spoke softly, searching my eyes.
Silence.
His eyes wandered. I followed his gaze into the depths of the fire. It flickered, rose and fell, like breathing. Flames grew and began sizzling as a recruit threw another log into the pile.
“My father used to tell me there was a fire in everyone.” The flames reflected in his eyes and made shadows dance across his dazed face. “No one could be passionate about anything unless their fire was fueled.” He paused and gazed around at all of the people. We are all here because you fueled our passion.”
‘We are all here because of you…’
I closed my eyes and listened to the people around us.
Almost as if it was right in front of me, Damon’s eyes sparkled with laughter. Piper’s kind smile graced her freckled face, and August’s laughter rippled around them.
I reopened my eyes and watched as Tristan smiled towards Ozara’s group.
His eyes lit up every time he saw her, and hers softened when he spoke. Between them was a bond that held strength in every moment. It was built upon two people who found strength in one another.
I smiled to myself and let a silent tear slip down my cheek.
Asmund.
The one hope this world had for the Mystics’ return. The one person who could fuel this dying flame in the world.
“Tristan.” His name was only a whisper, “How far do you think someone should go to protect their people?”
His eyes began to glow. The only sigh of his struggle to fight off the beast in his blood.
“If someone is responsible for others’ lives, I think they should do whatever they have to.”
I smiled at him as another tear slid down my cheek.
Out of everyone, he was the one I was going to miss the most. He was my closest friend, and the first person I ever considered family.
That’s when it hit me. These were not only my people, they were my family. This place that called to me from day one, was my home. My mind had been fighting over a choice, when my heart knew I never had a choice to begin with.
I was always going to protect the people I love.
~26~
I SAT ALONE on the end of the dock, staring off into the dark vast ocean. A shiver went down my spine from the cold ocean breeze, and I could taste the salt on my lips even now. There was no moon or stars in sight, only darkness and the soft crashing of waves.
The fresh ocean air cleared my head and the few moments away from everyone gave me time to think.
“Not as nice as the night I first brought you here.” I jumped at Damon’s voice as he took a seat next to me.
“Did Tristan send you?” I asked quietly, barely heard over the soft waves.
He shook his head, and a small smile tugged at his lips, “I saw you wander off. You looked dazed, I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
I offered a small smile and nodded before looking out to the ocean, but Damon’s lapis eyes lingered on me for a minute as a comfortable silence hung between us.
“Has anyone ever called you beautiful?” He asked.
My eyes shot up and met his, a laugh lingering in my voice, “W-What?” My face burned red and I self-consciously pulled my cloak tighter around me.
His lapis eyes sparkled as a smile crossed his face, “The first time I brought you here, you said I was the first person to call you special. So, has anyone ever called you beautiful?”
“And if someone has?” I teased.
He smirked, “I would have to think of a new complement. Not that it would be very difficult…”
A blush creeped onto my cheeks as my eyes wandered back out to the ocean.
Another silence hung between us as I stared off into the darkness.
“What keeps stealing your thoughts away?”
My head snapped up at his words, “It’s n-nothing really.”
His face became serious and his smile dropped, “Journey, I may not know where I stand with you, or what I mean to you, but I know you well enough to tell when you have something on your mind.”
“That easy to tell?”
“Only to me.”
I exhaled slowly, “I have caused these people so much heartache.”
“No you haven’t.” He stated with so much confidence in his tone.
I met his eyes with an intense stare, “We are separating families and using their home as a war zone. That has to be hard on them. And it’s because of me.”
“You cannot say that!” He stood, “You did not choose this fight.”
I looked up at him, startled, “But I did! I started this war. And I have to live with the fact that my decision will cost these people’s lives and homes.”
‘In the end there will
be one life lost and it will be yours.’ The words echoed in my head.
Bad time… I silently responded.
“We respect and stand by your decisions. You are a part of this kingdom as much as any of us.”
I stood barely comparing to his height, “But that doesn’t mean you should have to die for me!”
“I am a guard. It is my job to protect you.”
I shook my head, “Your job is to protect the people of Secret Hollow, not worry about my safety.”
“That is not your choice.”
“These people need you more than I do, Damon.” I tried to catch his stare.
He ran his fingers through his blond hair, “And what if I need you?” He paused but only for a moment, “Even if you are the one who started this war, that doesn’t mean you get to run into battle because you want to die a hero, o-or because you think you don’t deserve-”
“I can't keep doing this to them.” I interrupted, tears welling in my eyes.
His intense eyes met mine, “And I can't lose you.”
My breath caught and I reached my hand to cover my mouth.
“I would be lying if I ever said I could handle losing you.” He looked away, his voice straining, “To think I could never see you smile, or hear your voice, even make you flustered as I did only moments ago. If you only knew how much those little moments mean to me, you would understand why the thought of losing you is unbearable.”
His eyes met mine, sparkling, but with tears rather than laughter, “Ever since I met you in the forest, the need to protect and cherish you has grown to overtake me. So, again, Journey, I say I could never lose you. If I did, I would lose too much of myself.”
His words not only caused a blush to spread on my face, but an ache in my chest. Before I knew it I had run into his arms as tears slipped down my cheeks.
“I promised to always protect you.” His breath was only a whisper against my forehead. Chills ran down my spine as he reached his scarred wrist and pushed an escaped piece of hair behind my ear.
“You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.” I buried my flustered face in the exposed fabric of his shirt.