Whilst James had been busy conversing with her brother, Crystaline had opted to play around with her little chugga friend. As the effects of the gold fruit were beginning to wear off, the little chugga had laid on his back, yearning for soppy strokes instead of play fighting. Crystaline was only too happy to comply.
As the evening wore on, Crystaline began to notice how heavy her eyelids felt, and how tired everyone else looked. Once she’d proclaimed her intentions of turning in for the night, Crystaline decided that she would take a look over the wall, checking to see that no harmful predators were waiting to ambush the sleeping group.
The princess walked over to where Morcees and Borcees were both sat. Both of them had their backs propped up against the wall, as their silver irises followed Crystaline’s every move.
The princess dug her feet into the grooves of the wall, hoisting her shoulders above the the top of the rocky mass. The coast was clear. There appeared to be no harmful creatures lurking around at least.
Crystaline freed herself from the wall, landing back down on the ground on her two feet. As she turned to walk back to her group, the raspy voice of Morcees caught her by surprise.
“Seeing if your infantile behaviour caused a bit of a stir amongst the wild creatures?”
“What?”
“Your little sworsha fighting with the humans. If I were a dangerous predator, I’d be stirred by that.”
Crystaline placed both of her hands on her hips,
“Actually, Crystos and I did most of the fighting. And for the record, I just had a look up there, and there’s not a creature in sight.”
Morcees sighed sarcastically.
“Well, I hope it was worth it, Crystaline. I hope you had fun.”
Crystaline’s mouth creased into a smile, though her eyes remained fierce.
“Actually, now that you mention it, I did have fun. Maybe the two of you might like to try it every once in a while. It could be good for you.”
Not wanting to converse with Morcees or Borcees, Crystaline began to turn away from the duo. However, before she could take a second step away from the pair, the princess was halted, crippled by Morcees’ next words.
“Your father! Wouldn’t it be interesting if he could have been here. Or if he could have seen tonight’s events unfolding right in front of his very own eyes?”
Crystaline turned to face the snidy man who was now up on his feet, his words penetrating her heart like a thousand razor sharp pins.
“I mean, if you, Crystos, myself, Borcees, and maybe even that little chugga. If we had all eaten the gold fruit, and if we had all had fun, then I am sure your father could put up with that, he could stand for that. But the fact that you chose to eat with them, haha! Your father would not be happy, he wouldn’t be happy at all and you know it.”
Crystaline’s heart was racing, and her palms were beginning to sweat. Morcees, he would not stop.
“Dear, oh dear, oh dear! My dear Princess, what have you become? Do you not feel it?”
“Feel what?” Crystaline whispered, her heart writhing and convulsing inside her.
“Do you not feel lost? Poor Princess Crystaline, she got lost in the forest, and I’m wondering if she’ll ever find her way back home.”
Crystaline’s breathing hitched, just as she felt her heart collapsing right in on itself. Abruptly, she turned on her heels, briskly walking away from Morcees as quick as her legs could carry her.
Chapter 15
Lottie sat, twirling her drink straw around and around in her apocoli. It was interesting, to see the shapes and patterns swirling deep inside the pinky fluid. It was a relaxing sight...well, as relaxing as it could possibly be in this stupid restaurant. Lottie could not believe that she was sat here, in this derogatory place. Okay, so tonight the restaurant was actually pretty quiet. It did not resemble the overly loud chaotic place which had been filled with half naked exotic dancers, whom of which, clearly had no self esteem or respect for themselves. No, tonight the palace restaurant was quiet, like that of a small little country pub on a weekday evening.
Oh how Lottie missed those cosy little pubs from back home. They were far nicer than this shit hole, that was for sure. The only reason Lottie had come down here was because of Lisa. The woman had insisted that they’d better both make the most of the free drinks being offered during their stay here on this god awful planet. God awful; those two words wouldn’t exactly be Lisa’s choice of words, but they were Lottie’s.
Karl, on the other hand, where could Lottie even start exactly? The elderly fellow was far too comfortable on this planet, spending little time with his actual human allies, and more time with those sneaky Urashans. Even now, as Lottie sat with Lisa, she could see the man table hopping, endeavouring to befriend the entire Urashan population.
Lottie sighed, being left with Lisa wasn’t such a bad thing. In fact, Lottie liked the woman. Lisa was a right tough nut, and a real tomboy. Okay, so Lottie didn’t exactly class herself as a tough nut, but she was definitely a tomboy. And besides, not only that, Lottie could tell, she could tell that Lisa was just as uncomfortable as she was. She could tell that Lisa was just as suspicious. It was just, frustratingly, the woman wouldn’t admit it. If James were here, would he admit it? James! Gently, Lottie felt the green jewel in her hands, embracing its warmth, wondering if there were any remnants of James’ very own warmth left in the necklace. Of course there was! Lottie concluded. There just had to be. James was the warmest person she had ever met in her entire life. She would even feel his loving heat if he were on a completely different planet, in some Galaxy billions upon billions of lightyears away. Lottie missed James, and she wanted him back.
As Lottie took a sip of her drink, she nearly spat it straight back out again, all over an unfortunately positioned Lisa. That man was here. The king of Urasha was here, in this restaurant, surrounded by his usual little entourage of depressing looking individuals. Lottie could feel it, she could feel her head getting hot. She could feel that little vein in her temple beginning to throb. If it throbbed any harder, her glasses would snap straight off her head.
Taking Lottie by surprise, and perhaps soothing Lottie’s flaring anger, Lisa’s voice sounded.
“The others will be back soon.”
As Lottie’s eyes flitted over to Lisa, her lips began to tremble.
“You think? Because I’m not so sure myself.”
“And what makes you say that?”
“Well,” Lottie began, “they’re stuck with them, aren’t they? Plus they’re having to face who knows what out there.”
Lisa took a sip of her drink, sitting back in her chair to sympathetically assess the troubled young woman.
“Phil knows what he’s doing y’know. And they, they’re not actually that bad.”
Lottie gasped, shaking her head in disbelief,
“You know, if one of them had ended up crash landing on our planet, we would help them, we wouldn’t ask for anything in return. We certainly wouldn’t expect them to risk their lives like that. It takes a cruel bad race of people to make a species do that, seriously.”
Lisa took a big frustrated breath of air into her lungs. Lottie was not entirely wrong.
“Maybe they’re not as kind as we are. But that still doesn’t make them bad, Lottie. James and the others will be fine, trust me.”
Lottie shook her head. This was her only problem with Lisa. The woman just would not admit to how she really felt about all of this. She had to take on that annoyingly calm leader act. Lisa was not Phil.
“You can stop doing that, you know.” Lottie mumbled petulantly.
“Stop doing what?”
“Trying to be...I don’t know, rational about all of this.”
Lisa chuckled into her drink as she took another straw-less sip.
“How else can I be, Lottie? Neither of us may like this, but what choice do we have?”
“So you do admit that something’s not right?”
Lisa sighed.
“I never said that, Lottie. I just...I don’t like the situation any more than you do, but I’m trying to deal with it in the best, and the only way that I can. For now we just have to sit and wait it out.”
“But you admit that something isn’t quite right?”
Lisa stared into Lottie’s determined, all seeing eyes. There was no keeping the truth from that girl.
“Fine,” Lisa admitted, “yes, I agree with you. Something about all this just doesn’t add up.”
Chapter 16
With a gentle little flutter, Crystaline’s eyelids opened. As she watched the baby blue in front of her taking the shape of the little chugga, the princess felt the warm puffs of air coming from the creature’s mouth. Feeling the warm smooth rubberiness of Chugga-chugga’s skin, Crystaline began to caress his little stomach, feeling soothed by his warmth and his sleepy breathing.
As Crystaline propped herself up onto her elbow, her heart gave a little leap. It wasn’t just Chugga-chugga, James was there, too, spooning the little creature, cuddling him. Crystaline couldn’t help it, her lips quirked up into a genuine little smile. The two of them together, they looked so cute, so adorable.
Tentatively, Crystaline hovered her trembling hand over James’ sleeping face. The young human had a stray strand of hair on his forehead, threatening to flick into his resting eyes. With a soft gentle sweep, Crystaline brushed away the stray strand, eyeing the kind face of the human sleeping beside her. James was a handsome man. That could not be denied. It was kind of nice, the way his sideburns trailed his ears, and those arms, the way they bulged against the chugga’s skin, they were strong.
Crystaline freed her hand from James, watching as the young space warrior’s body gave a little jerk, and his mouth made random little sloshy chomping sounds. To the princess’ relief, James merely returned to his deep sleep, wrapping his arms and his legs even more tightly around the chugga.
It was at that point that Crystaline began to remember. She’d readied herself for the night’s sleep, only to be forced straight out of rest by the little chugga. The creature had insisted on sleeping next to both herself and James, despite what had happened. Despite what Morcees had said.
Crystaline’s heart began to ache. It was all coming back to her now, everything. The princess always hated this moment. The moment when she would wake up and remember her life for what it actually was.
There was something magnificent about sleep. The way it could just make her forget. The princess could literally wake up and relish those first few seconds of remembering nothing - or very little at least. Sleep was Crystaline’s solace, her only chance to escape from the harsh realities of the real world. Those vital first few seconds of being awake, of living in reality and in solace, they were a blessing. Remembering - that was the curse.
Startling Crystaline, Crystos’ voice sounded. He was crouched right by the fire.
“Sleep well?” He called.
Hoping that her brother had not just seen her stroking James’ forehead, Crystaline rolled onto her feet, joining Crystos by the purple flame.
“You know me, brother, I cherish what I can get of sleep.”
Crystos smiled shyly.
“I know what you mean. Though for once, and even on this dry uncomfortable land, I managed a decent night’s sleep. I think it was the evening. I...I enjoyed it. I had fun.”
Crystaline’s arteries constricted around her heart, remembering Morcees’ harsh words to her.
“Well make the most of it, Crystos. Because this will all be over soon.”
“I know,” Crystos agreed. “Though I think we’ve made a friend for life in James.”
Crystaline gave a nervous little shuffle, avoiding eye contact with her brother.
“I very much doubt that.” she whispered.
“He’s taken to you. He’s not like the others, Crystaline. He’s a good man…”
“He’s not one of us.”
Crystos shook his head, baffled by his sister’s unexpected reaction.
“I thought the boy was growing on you? What difference does it make if he’s not one of us? Chugga-chugga is not one...”
“Chugga-chugga is from this planet. He is not a human.”
Ignoring Crystos’ gaping speechless mouth, Crystaline stood on her feet, her arteries tightening their grip around her heart as she watched Morcees awakening.
***
It didn’t take long for everyone else to awaken from their slumbers. James had been woken up by the little chugga. The baby blue animal had pounced on the young space warrior, endeavouring to awaken the golden haired man. Chugga-chugga’s plan had worked, and although James ached, he’d actually slept surprisingly well. Perhaps it had been the gold fruit? Then again, the fruit’s effects had practically worn off by the time the young space warrior had actually turned in for the night.
As James’ eyes danced their way over to the Urashan princess, he felt his heart give a little flutter, a warm flutter. Yesterday had been awesome. Okay, so it had started off rather shit, but Crystaline and Chugga-chugga had changed all of that. The day had been the funnest day James had had since...well...a long time ago.
Already feeling the boost of this warming thought, James wandered over to Crystaline, sensing the little chugga’s footsteps right behind him.
“Morning, Crystaline. Did you sleep well?”
The princess looked into James’ eyes, with a startled expression at first. Then Crystaline’s expression changed. Her face hardened, freezing itself into an ice cold stare. The princess said nothing in response to James’ friendly greeting. Instead she just merely walked away from him.
It was at that point that James suddenly felt despondent. He’d not expected that, not at all. Crystaline, yesterday, she had been so friendly, so fun, a far cry from that depressive, ice cold statue.
James felt the little chugga tenderly rubbing its smooth head on his leg. Although the creature was purring, James could tell that the little animal had sensed Crystaline’s stone cold reaction just now. As James stroked the little chugga, he felt Crystos’ firm, yet reassuring grip on his shoulder. At least the prince wasn’t as mercurial as his sister. James was glad to have a friend in Crystos.
***
Once everyone had watered down some bruc for breakfast, the group had resumed travel. As usual, Crystaline and her brother took the frontmost position, leading the group through this dry purple landscape.
Unlike the barren scene right next to the city, this new dusty scene was covered in cliffs, tall purple cliffs of many different shapes and sizes. James didn’t have a problem with climbing as such, but his limbs were aching, he was tired, he was hungry, and he was thirsty. Climbing one of those mega structures wasn’t exactly an appealing thought.
James scoffed at his own thoughts. Right now, his brain was swirling around and around, delving too deeply into thoughts he didn’t really want to think about. Crystaline! James just did not get that woman. He didn’t understand her. The way she would just switch, changing from one mood to the next, it was impossible to keep up with.
James eyed the chugga with sympathy. The loyal little creature had decided to walk alongside the Urashan princess this morning. James could tell that the little animal wanted to cheer Crystaline up, or gain some kind of reassurance from the princess that she still loved him at least. Crystaline would not even stroke the little creature. She wouldn’t even look at him. Poor little fella.
James felt the ache in his heart. It was a new ache, one he’d never actually felt before. The ache extended right the way up to his throat, tightening it, constricting it, making him feel what? Guilty? James watched the princess silently walking through the sunlit terrain. Maybe he’d done something? Maybe he’d done or said something to upset her? But what? What could he have possibly done? James felt his heart give a sudden little lurch. Maybe he’d said something, in his sleep? Something incriminating?
James sighed out more air than his lungs would have wanted. Wh
at could he have said in his sleep that would offend the princess? James liked the woman, he liked her a lot. Too much maybe.
James fantasised about catching Crystaline in a better mood. He imagined her telling him about why she had woken up in such an awful mood. The reason, it was nothing to do with him. It was something else, something which he would then coax out of her. Crystaline would then feel completely and utterly liberated. She would realise that he was her friend, and maybe, just maybe, she would give him a little hug.
James snapped out of his reverie. What was going on? What was he doing? Why was he thinking like this? Imagining ideal situations involving him and the Urashan princess? This was new. Frighteningly uncomprehendingly new.
As the sun continued to relentlessly glare down on him, James realised that his throat felt like ash. He needed water.
“Hey er, Borcees, can you hand me that bag a second?”
Borcees rolled his eye to one side, eyeing James suspiciously, before handing the young space warrior his bag.
“Thanks.” James said, rummaging through the bag for water. One container was empty, so was the next. Uh oh! This was not good. Where had all the water gone? James grabbed the third cylinder, feeling that it was half full at least. The young space warrior thought about opening the cylinder, about drinking the lot. But then he remembered, he remembered that there wasn’t a single river in sight. This water had to be used sparingly.
“Crystaline!” James called, before he had the chance to back out of such a move. “Did you know that we’re running very low on water?”
Crystaline’s steps reached a halt.
“How low?” She hissed.
James gave the half filled bottle a gentle little shake.
“I think that’s all we have left - just half a bottle.”
Crystaline shook her head, exasperated. This was not music to her ears, not decent music anyway.
“Until we locate more water, we must drink sparingly.”
Phil eyed the half empty bottle in James’ hand. Half a bottle? That was nowhere near enough, surely?
Diversion To Urasha (Space Era Book 1) Page 19