The Carnelian Legacy

by Cheryl Koevoet

  “Is the birthday girl ready to go?” Arrie asked, smiling cheerfully and offering her his arm.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said with a sigh.

  CHAPTER 27

  EXCURSION

  THE CASTLE WAS BUSTLING with activity as Marisa followed Arrie across the ancient courtyard. She was amazed at how the citadel had been totally transformed from the somber, dreary house of mourning the day before into a festive, party-like atmosphere for her birthday ball.

  Colorful, velvet banners hung on poles all the way from the castle gate up to the entrance of the Knights’ Hall. The purple carpet had been rolled out, and in just a few short hours, guests would be lining up for their chance to walk down it to attend the masked ball. Anybody who was anybody would be arriving soon in their fancy costume, ready to mingle with royalty and the country’s elite.

  “I gotta say, I’m pretty intimidated,” Marisa said.

  “Nonsense!” Arrie replied. “You’re the most exotic creature these people have ever seen.”

  “They must not get out much.”

  “Now, remember—we must keep up the pretense that you are a mute around Savino, his minions, and Lady Matilda, at least until this evening,” he cautioned her.

  “What happens this evening?” she asked curiously.

  He held his finger to his lips as they approached and entered the stables. Inside, there was a small circle of guests waiting to go on their outing. Savino saw her approach and rushed over with a sly smile.

  “Marisa, come—you must ride with me in my carriage.”

  He took her hand and led her over to a white carriage. She noticed Darian was engaged in a private conversation with Lady Matilda and she quickly looked away.

  On the surface, Marisa was calm and smiling, but deep down she was trembling with fear. The nightmarish images of Savino were still fresh in her mind. Perhaps she had only imagined it, but when he took her hand, it felt like a chunk of ice. She glanced over her shoulder at Arrie and relayed a silent SOS message to him.

  He saw her plight and strolled over. “I will be acting as my cousin’s chaperone this afternoon,” Arrie said sternly.

  Savino’s jaw dropped as Arrie hopped in and plunked down across from them. When Gaspar climbed in and sat down next to Arrie, Savino was unable to hide his disappointment and he turned to stare out the window. Marisa breathed a sigh of relief as she realized she wouldn’t be forced to ride alone with him.

  The carriage lurched forward and Marisa peered through the rear window. Darian’s attention was focused on Lady Matilda. He helped her into the carriage and sat down next to her. Helena, Adalina, and Cinzia stepped into the last carriage at the rear.

  As they rode in a convoy down through the streets toward the edge of the city, the people stopped to look, bow, and wave. Savino ignored the crowds, calling them “peasants,” but Marisa and Arrie waved politely to the people as they passed.

  Savino held Marisa’s hand in the carriage, but for the most part, he remained formal toward her. Arrie stared at him during the journey, almost daring him to make a move. Marisa tried not to giggle at the frown of disapproval on Arrie’s face. His antics in playing the role of the austere chaperone were highly entertaining.

  She glanced out the window as they passed the gated entrance to Castle Beauriél. She exchanged knowing glances with Arrie.

  “Is there something interesting to see here?” Savino asked suspiciously.

  “Only if you’re a Fiore,” Arrie said.

  Savino exhaled a puff of air and stared out the window. She smiled at Arrie when she saw his triumphant smirk. Clearly he didn’t like Savino any more than Darian did.

  Thirty minutes later, the three carriages arrived at a boat landing on the edge of a large lake. The water was surrounded on three sides by mountains, and it reminded Marisa a little of Crater Lake. She stepped out of the carriage and gasped as Arrie pointed to the royal ship moored to the dock.

  The beak of the galleon rose and fell slightly as the waves lapped softly against the hull. Three tall masts were connected by a tangled mass of ropes and ladders. A royal standard whipped in the wind at the peak of the tallest mast. Crew members scurried all around the ship, preparing to set sail.

  Darian led the guests down to the dock and invited everyone to board. Savino had not let go of Marisa’s hand since the moment they’d first stepped into the carriage. As each guest crossed the narrow gangplank to board the vessel one by one, she finally had the excuse to wrestle free of his grasp. She noticed that Darian and Savino seemed to be avoiding each other like the plague.

  Once everyone was aboard, Darian gave orders to set sail, and the captain signaled the men to unfurl the sails. The burgundy-colored canvas unrolled to catch the wind and a cold wind hit Marisa’s face.

  The oak timbers creaked and groaned with every rise and fall of the ship. She gripped the railing firmly as she admired the view of the high, snow-capped mountains on the other side. The weather was cloudy but dry, and her cape flapped in the breeze as the wind whipped across her face and hair.

  On the opposite side of the ship, Darian and Matilda were engaged in deep conversation. Unable to watch them together, Marisa turned to stare out across the cold waves. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be expected to attend the royal wedding. The worst thing she could imagine would be to stand by and watch the man she loved marry someone else. She needed time and space away from Darian to allow her heart to heal. Although she was happy for him and wished him well, she could not bear to stick around to watch him pledge his life to someone else. Just a few more hours and you won’t have to see the two lovebirds anymore.

  Cinzia noticed Marisa standing at the railing alone and she approached her cautiously. “Why is there such gloom on this beautiful young face?” she asked so the others couldn’t hear.

  Marisa hesitated, not sure if she could share her secret. Finally, she glanced over her shoulder at Darian and laid her hand over her heart, motioning the thumping rhythm of a human heartbeat. A single tear slipped down her cheek.

  Without a word, Cinzia followed Marisa’s gaze to Darian and Matilda. The intimate manner in which the two of them conducted themselves could not have been mistaken for anything else except mutual love and respect and the source of Marisa’s pain was all too apparent. The middle-aged woman who had lost her husband years ago was sympathetic to all forms of unrequited love.

  Although the two women’s circumstances were different, they were bound together though their own versions of heartbreak and disappointment. Marisa knew in that instant that even after she left the palace, she would still have true friends in Carnelia. It energized her with fresh hope.

  Arrie found Marisa and Cinzia and offered to escort them below for afternoon tea. They descended the steps into the spacious captain’s quarters at the rear of the ship, where a large table had been set with an assortment of exotic food and drinks.

  Savino coaxed Marisa to sit next to him at the end of the table. Darian, Matilda, and Darian’s mother sat and the opposite end. Unable to hear the conversation on the opposite side, Marisa decided that it was probably for the best. Darian stood and raised his glass to make a toast.

  “First of all, I would like to welcome you all for joining us today. We’ve all withstood some very difficult times, but tonight we will be celebrating a new start for our country. This afternoon is simply a taste of things yet to come.”

  Savino coughed loudly.

  Darian ignored his cousin’s thinly-veiled distraction. “Second of all, I hope that you will all join me in wishing a supremely happy birthday to our lovely guest, Lady Marisa. Ap eirie!”

  “Ap eirie,” everyone shouted in unison as they all stood to toast.

  Marisa stood and raised her glass as she dipped a small curtsey. Everyone around the table raised their glasses and took a sip of wine. As he sat back down, Arrie missed his chair. His hand flew out to catch himself, but instead he accidentally knocked over Matilda’s wine and water goblets
. The wine quickly bled into the linen tablecloth, and a servant appeared to clean up the mess.

  “Oh, do forgive me, Lady Matilda,” Arrie said as he scrambled to sop up the dampened tablecloth with his napkin.

  “No harm done, Lord Arrigo,” Matilda said sweetly. The steward quickly replaced her empty glass with a full one as Marisa looked at Arrie and giggled.

  When the meal had concluded, Darian suggested they all try their hand at fishing before returning to the dock. Everyone jumped up from the table and hurried outside on the deck.

  “Marisa, you are going to love this!” Arrie said excitedly as he shoved a fishing rod in her hand. “Have you ever caught a fish with wings?”

  Her eyes widened. “Wings?”

  “We call it flegan fishing. Flegan means flying in Crocine. The fish are quite large, sometimes as large as a man, and they have enormous wings they use when trying to get away. If you aren’t careful, they can pull you right up out of the boat!”

  Arrie laughed at her stunned expression and stuck a chunk of bait on the hook. “Now, let’s see if you can fish,” he said, squinting into the sun as he tossed the line into the water.

  Marisa’s eyes scanned the deck. Savino had gone below and everyone else was on the other side of the ship. “Arrie,” she whispered, “have Darian and Matilda set a wedding date yet?”

  “What are you talking about? What gave you the idea those two are to be married?” He glanced over his shoulder and watched as Darian helped Matilda slip the bait on her hook.

  She lowered her voice. “C’mon, Arrie, I’m not stupid. I can see what’s going on here.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “If you don’t tell me right now what’s going on, I’m gonna go to Darian and ask him.”

  He glanced around nervously. “Please, Marisa—I’m not supposed to talk about this. You don’t understand what’s at stake.”

  “You’re right, I don’t, but I’d sure like to.”

  “I can’t explain it right now. Trust me—I want to, but I can’t.”

  Her shoulders sank. “All right, I won’t make you break your promise. You’ve been such a good friend to me.”

  He stopped. “Wait a minute. What promise?”

  “Arrie, I know everything. I heard you and Darian discussing the engagement that night after I fell in the ice caves. I was in my tent, and you were lying next to the fire. He made you promise not to say anything.”

  A look of realization came over him. “Oh, that. Wait a minute—you heard that?”

  She nodded at him knowingly.

  He sighed. “How much did you hear?”

  “Enough to know that Darian is secretly engaged to Matilda.”

  Arrie rubbed his beard, eyeing her thoughtfully. His expression turned serious. “Marisa, you must promise to keep silent about all of this. Savino must not discover this or there will be extremely serious consequences for Darian.”

  Just then, Savino ascended the steps and approached them. Right before he came within earshot, she whispered, “I promise.”

  “Well, it appears that I’ve interrupted something here,” Savino said suspiciously as his gaze shifted between their faces.

  She gasped at the sharp tug on her fishing pole. If she hadn’t been holding it so tightly in her hands, it would have been ripped right out of them.

  “Marisa, you’ve got something on your hook!” Arrie cried.

  He grabbed the pole to help her steady it. Her rod bent over into a C as the fishing line disappeared down deep under the boat. They struggled to hold on as the others ran over to their side of the boat.

  “Let go of the pole!” Arrie yelled.

  Marisa let it go. Arrie was yanked up and over the side of the ship just as an enormous fish with webbed wings burst out of the water and took flight. The gigantic, blue-green sparkling fish whipped its wings furiously as it tried to escape its captor. Arrie laughed and whooped as he was pulled through the air behind the monstrous fish. He screamed at the horrified spectators below.

  “Look at me! I’m flying!”

  All of a sudden, the fish dove down into the water, pulling Arrie along with it. For a moment, there was no sign of either fish or man. The people on the boat scanned the water’s surface for any sign of Arrie, but it was calm.

  Without warning, the fish burst up out of the water. Marisa was relieved to see Arrie still clutching the pole as he gasped for air. He coughed and sputtered, shaking the water from his head. The fish shot upwards and Arrie was dragged once more up into the sky.

  Darian spun around and ran down into the ship. He reappeared seconds later with a long bow in one hand and six arrows in the other. He drew the bow and aimed it carefully, letting the first arrow fly. It missed the fish, shooting past it, and Darian quickly reloaded.

  Shooting once again, the second arrow pierced the fish near the tail, but it didn’t wound it enough to bring it down. The third arrow struck the fish just under the wing, and the mighty creature fell down to the water.

  Both the fish and Arrie hit the surface with a gigantic splash. The large beast began to sink beneath the waves, but Arrie was nowhere in sight. Cinzia and Marisa stood helplessly at the ship’s railing as they leaned over and scanned the water in search of the redheaded young man.

  Finally, Arrie broke the surface and inhaled a gulp of air. Darian tossed him a rope which he quickly tied around his waist. Several members of the crew pulled him back onboard. He collapsed onto the deck, drenched and exhausted.

  Taking deep breaths, Arrie slowly rose to his feet and strutted across the deck toward Marisa. He grinned triumphantly at her and handed Darian the fishing rod, which was still intact.

  “Milady, I have risked life and limb to catch for you a choice delicacy to be served to your birthday guests this evening. Are you not pleased with my efforts?” He bowed proudly to Marisa, grinning at her and dripping wet.

  She laughed and hugged him, shaking her head.

  Arrie saluted Darian and dismissed himself to go change his clothes below decks. The captain collected everyone’s fishing gear in preparation to return to the docks. Everyone watched as the crew drug the giant dead fish out of the water and heaved it into the boat.

  Gazing out over the water, Marisa hated to admit it, but she was going to miss the outings, carriage rides, beautiful dresses, lavish dinners, enchanting balls, plus all the other amazing perks that came with royal life. It certainly had its charms.

  Without warning, the sounds of someone retching filled the air and everyone turned to look. Matilda was buckled over the railing and vomiting heavily over the side. Darian hurried to her side and offered her his handkerchief. “Mattie, are you all right? Are you seasick?”

  When she turned to him, her face was as white as a sheet. “Why yes, I am a little queasy, I must be—” Unable to finish her sentence, she threw up over the side again and again. All of a sudden, she sank to the deck.

  Darian moved to catch her and he carried her down into the captain’s stateroom. The guests huddled together as they exchanged concerned glances. A few minutes later, Darian emerged.

  “Matilda is seriously ill and in need of a physician’s attention. I’m afraid we must cut our trip short and return immediately.”

  A somber mood fell over the ship as they moved full speed ahead back toward the dock. Within minutes, the ship had returned to their starting point. As soon as the ship had berthed and the lines had been secured to the dock, Darian quickly carried Matilda ashore. The waiting carriage sped off the moment the door closed behind them.

  While everyone quietly and calmly disembarked the ship to return to their carriages, Marisa was troubled by Matilda’s sudden illness. Not a word was spoken as the carriage sped back to Crocetta.

  When it came to a stop inside the stables, Savino hopped out and extended his hand to Marisa. “I shall see you again this evening, but for now I must go tend to my sister,” he said, hastily kissing her hand.

  She nodded at him.
Savino and Gaspar hurried out of the stables and up toward the citadel. Marisa just stood there quietly, still trying to decide what to make of it all.

  Arrie’s face was puzzled. “What was all that about?” he asked.

  “I don’t know—but he was sure acting strange.”

  “You mean more than usual?”

  She stopped, bothered. “You don’t think he would poison Matilda intentionally, do you?”

  “What? Poison his sister? Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “I’m just sayin…”

  “To be certain, the man cannot be trusted, but I do not believe he would try to kill his own flesh and blood.”

  She shook her head. “I’ve been deep-sea fishing enough to know that she wasn’t seasick.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Seasickness comes on more gradual than that. Matilda was chatting and laughing one minute, and then, bam! The next minute she’s losing her lunch over the side.”

  “Hmm, perhaps…”

  “Did you see that pastiness in her face? When someone is seasick, they have that nasty yellow or green tinge, but never that pale color.”

  “But what could his motivation possibly be?” Arrie asked.

  “Maybe he’d rather see Matilda dead than married to Darian.”

  “Savino cares too much about his sister to kill her.”

  Marisa shook her head. “In any case, we’ve got to let Darian know. He could still be in danger. I just hope it’s not too late for Matilda.”

  “She’ll recover. If he had actually intended to poison her, she would have been dead on the boat.”

  “Not necessarily…”

  “I still think it was seasickness.”

  “Not me. I’m not convinced.”

  “Marisa, it’s getting late now. I think you should go get ready for the ball while I find out what’s going on.”

  “Okay. Wait—do you think the ball is even still happening with her being sick and all?”

  “I’m certain it would not be cancelled on such short notice.”

  “Why not?”

  “There are far too many people who have traveled from considerable distances. Now please don’t worry about a thing. I shall meet you at the main staircase at half past six.”