by C C Morgen
I was hoping to see Alphard today to soothe my concerns, but she didn’t show up as expected. My nervousness took the better of me and I summoned two Fairies into my hut. A maroon and blue fairy came as I requested. I picked up a small piece of parchment and wrote a note to hear if she was alright and started another one for Yuna.
For Yuna I scribbled:
“What went on last night? Why were representatives of Swift Wing causing conflict in the castle after hours?”
The Fairies remained devoted and brought the messages to both my friends. Something was peculiar about the news I obtained later in the evening from Yuna.
“Amphis, you shouldn’t have been near the castle last night. Luna would slaughter you. Someone made an attempt, and now the entire castle is on patrol. The Queen is not happy. No one leaves until all is more secure. Stay by the cove at all costs. Don’t come near the castle until it's safe. Luna was ordered to annihilate all who ventures near.”
What did she mean by an attempt was made? Her reply was unclear as ever with no real detail about what actually happened. And Alphard replied in astonishment that Fairies could deliver letters so efficiently. She reported that the other tribes made an assassination attempt on the Queen and she was on duty until further notice, which seemed to line up with Yuna’s story. But why in the tower? Of all places for the Harpy to be. The Queen’s chamber is in the lower floors, not the tower. And it made little sense that attempts are still being made even though Luna is here. The Harpys fled when Yuna cast them out and Luna being outside, away from the Queen to pursue them down. It was bizarre. Who was in the tower that night they were seeking? It wasn’t the Queen they were after.
The detail lasted a lengthy time, and I didn’t see Alphard or Yuna for days. I sent for Manee to bring me the magical Aqua stone that his people designed to help land-walkers to breathe in our world. Alphard had been training so hard, so it was a well-deserved reward. Mostly, I desired to use it to declare my love. It terrified me to ask her anything, but I called for guidance to shed clarity on what should be done next. Yuna tells me to stay away even though my soul didn’t wish to heed that warning.
Manee arrived the next day after receiving my message. He swam into the cove at mid-day with a large smirk, knowing he was right about me and Alphard.
“Ocean Goddess. What’s with the face of dissatisfaction?” He asked sarcastically. “Don’t you hate it when I’m right?”
“Yes, my beautiful, Manatee. You were right, and I was naïve,” I displayed annoyance in my attitude. “Must you always make the obvious known?”
“It’s a gift to have such awareness!” he acted with pride. “To think you would ask for this stone finally.” He showed me the glowing Aqua green stone imbedded into a leather strap made to be a choker necklace. “You should know how this works.” He dropped it in my hand. “It will only work for the one who first wears it. After that its magical property will not work on anyone else.”
“I remember,” I murmured as I admired the stone’s beauty. “She will have to wear this against her skin for it to work.” The light glowed brighter in my hand. “It’s just as beautiful as her.”
“She will love it,” he assured me. “It’s a gift few will receive. She will appreciate it.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.” My mind wandered to how I felt. “I want to confess to her.”
“Then why don’t you?” he asked. “What’s stopping you?”
“She avoids me in that way,” I responded in sadness. “I tried to kiss her, but she turned away. She might not feel the same way I do.”
“Ocean Goddess. You are the closest to her,” he made it clear. “Your connection is strong. Every time I come here, you have so much to say about the Succubus girl. She has been with you all this time. Why would you falter now because there're no words spoken about it? You should just open up about how you feel and ask if she feels the same. That’s the only way for your heart to be at rest.”
“I’ve never been this fearful over someone before,” I answered. “Rejection for the first time in my life is the hardest.”
“Yes. This would be the first time for you, but Alphard is complex,” he explained. “All this time, I’ve heard about her. Knowing she has been reserved about her life. It’s likely she’s afraid. She doesn’t even know she’s a Demon! Her home is here with the Queen, and most likely she has secrets that is not yet ready to shed light on. Maybe all this time with you protecting her—she has been protecting you. She doesn’t seem the type to hurt people. There’s a reason behind her decisions but there’s one thing that is clear. Your connection brings you together. The link that never breaks. To be so in tuned to one another is something most only dream of!”
“You’re right,” I gained more confidence as my spirits were lifting. “I don’t want to hold back about how I feel. I want her to know, and I want to show her what she means to me.”
“Oh, thank the ninth heavens,” he rejoiced. “You are finally back. That fire burns with a heart of passion. When is the next time you meet?”
“I don’t know right now,” I said. “They have imprisoned her in the castle. She and Yuna have been on duty with no leeway to visit. The Swift Wing clan invaded the castle a while ago. It was strange that night. Yuna hasn’t been honest with me about that night, and Alphard will not speak the truth either.”
“The castle was under attack?” Manee gasped. “Is Alphard and Yuna ok? Were they harmed?
“No. They both are well,” I answered. “Manatee something was off about that night. I can’t really place it all together yet. Alphard said they were after the Queen. But the Queen’s chamber is not in the tower. That tower had always been abandoned. The Queen left it empty for a reason that has been kept a secret on this island. I don’t understand why the secrecy.”
“Maybe the Queen has a daughter,” he produced an imaginative assumption.
“What?”
“It would make sense to keep the tower empty. And the other clans only attack when they want to eliminate any heir to the throne. Maybe the Dark Queen had a child in secrecy. It’s probably why Yuna and Alphard have been distant from you in regard to the affairs of the castle.”
“That’s impossible,” I replied in a state of denial. “There’s no chance that woman could have a child on this island without someone knowing about it.”
“Maybe everyone on this island follows the Queen’s rule regarding, spilling the secrets of the castle,” he retorted. “It is a possibility. The woman has withheld from having a child for this long even though she needs an heir to continue the dark clan’s bloodline. It would only make sense to have a child in secrecy.”
“So, you are saying the reason the Swift Wing clan invaded the castle in the dead of night was to kill the Queen’s child,” I reacted in disbelief. “The heir to the throne.”
“I’m just giving ideas, but yes. Maybe they invaded at night to assassinate the heir. Did anything else happen?”
“Yuna was there,” I said. “I sensed her magic and saw her in the balcony. She’s been keeping quiet about it all. She knows what truly happened. I worry for Alphard if she has to protect some hidden heir from those Night Angels of death.”
“I’m sure Alphard can protect herself,” he tried to ease my mind. “You have been training her, and she’s been learning to fight with Luna. She will be fine against the clan, and the Queen seems to like the girl. Alphard is a Demon and considered an enemy so that has to mean something. Everything will be ok between you two. Have faith. If she can’t visit now, then send her a message to get your questions answered. The important thing is to know what she really feels.”
“We have been able to communicate with each other with the help of the Fairies." I replied. "I will send her another message when I can."
“That’s fantastic,” he clapped his hand. “I can see you two having a passionate romance."
I laughed. “That is not for certain. I just want to know how she feels. And t
his necklace, it will make her so happy. She wants to swim out to sea with me.”
“You will show her the depths, huh?” he nudged my arm. “Show her our world.”
“She was extremely excited about it when I made her the promise a long time ago. I haven’t forgotten, I will fulfill my promise to her.” I hugged Manee. “Thank you so much.”
“I wish you luck,” he squeezed me in a gentle embrace. “Alphard will see your heart. Just be more honest with yourself. Then maybe it will inspire her to do the same.”
“Go again, right?”
“Yes, I’m afraid I have to go again.” He expressed regret. “My father is waiting for me to come home. I told him you needed the stone.”
“Thank him for me,” I said. “The stone is beautiful.”
“I will,” he replied. “Farewell Ocean Goddess.” He let go of me and swam out to sea and into the horizon.
Watching him leave once again planted a seed of sadness in my heart. I missed home. The hut was quiet and empty and lacked Alphard’s presence. I rolled out a piece of parchment on the table and took out my ink and quill. The words flowed from me like water, etching my soul into the paper, everything I wanted to say to my dearest solitary one. She will finally know of the love I feel for her.
CHAPTER XXII
The Queen’s Daughter
OUR MESSAGES MADE IT BACK AND FORTH to each other. Alphard managed to say how she felt, and it gave me peace to know she had the same feelings for me. My gift for her was going to be a way to convince her to give our relationship a chance. I wanted her to give me a chance, because the love I feel can no longer be ignored.
The days faded into months before Alphard was able to visit me in the cove. I awaited her entry that day, wanting to embrace her the moment she arrived. My heart missed her, and it was unusual to feel this attached to someone. When I presented her the magical stone, her excited face said enough to not hold back what was between us. We swam passed the cove into the deep sea. She caught me in her gaze, while I showed her just a taste of what my world was like. The colors of the sea and life opened her eager eyes, darting around, wanting to see more. However, I wanted her for myself. I guided her to the sandbar, confessing my feelings with pure action by embracing her lips. The connection was like fire. The link created a heightened sensation in our bodies and our kisses made my thoughts smolder in my mind. Our surroundings were a blur with only her in my sight.
Her body slowly awakened in my arms, my lips caressing her skin. She tried to pull away, but I didn’t want to stop. I didn’t care if she matured right in my arms. Her body was addictive and she was all that I could think about. Her body heat raised too high against mine and she became hot where she lost her balance. I was concerned when she leaned her forehead on my chest. I held her for a good while until I was able to get her back to the shoreline. She looked so sad and so hungry. She can’t keep holding back her desires or it might break her completely. A Succubus that smothered their maturity eventually becomes ill and die. It frightened me that she could get sick. The healing energy has only helped prolong the illness. If only I can have her forget about the fear she felt about what was happening to her. I would have to push for her to have sex, but I don’t want her to feel forced. Hopefully, she will not resist any more when we take our relationship to the next level.
I hugged her while we were still in the water and I whispered. “I’m all yours. I’ll wait until you’re ready.” Alphard leaned on me as if she wanted to stay attached longer. Her face nestled in my neck and I kissed her cheek, not trying to force another episode. She held me even tighter. “What’s wrong?” I asked feeling her sadness rise up. “You act like I’m going to disappear.” She stayed quiet in my arms. “I’m not going anywhere, okay.”
After a while Alphard headed back to the castle and I sensed Yuna in the brush near my hut. “Yuna,” I called out to her making her aware that she was noticed. “What’s with the eavesdropping?”
She came out of the brush, nodding her head. “You didn’t heed my warning. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Why are you so concerned?” I asked. “Alphard isn’t the type to hurt me.”
“But the Queen is!” She replied in agitation. “She is the Queen… Only she decides everything, including our fate here in her kingdom. Remember Alphard’s life depends on her.”
“What can I do to convince the Queen to let her go?” I asked in anger.
“Let her go? Are you serious?” She asked abruptly. “There’s nothing you can say or do to release Alphard from the Queen. She has already planned to force her to mature. And believe me, she’s going to get one of the servants to do the deed.”
I became speechless with both rage and sadness. “Most likely she will have me bed her, since I’m the most connected to her in the castle. She trusts me more than the others and she’s more comfortable around me. It will be easy when I remove this charm.” Yuna referred to the necklace. “The pheromones will help it along.”
“Damn this all!” I said faintly, not knowing anything else to say.
“The Queen has no intention of letting her die,” she stated. “This is the reason why I didn’t want you to pursue your feelings for her any further. There’s so much you don’t know and it’s not my place to say. You need to let her go.”
“I won’t do that,” I responded with more confidence. “Alphard is my Twin Soul. I cannot let her go when we have that connection. She means everything to me now and I will bend the world to protect that girl before the Queen can have her way!”
Yuna’s eyes widened knowing the bond between Twin Souls. “Huh. Who would have thought it was possible to meet a twin? You are in an unfortunate circumstance.” She sighed. “I let you reflect on what you want. When secrets are finally revealed, will you even say the same, and not just that; will you uphold the vow you just made? Your vow will only bring pain.” She turned away and left the cove without another word.
Her words left a dead feeling in the pit of my stomach. I felt sick. To think the Queen would go as far as to force sex on Alphard for her to mature. I needed to clear my head about what should be done. If the Queen doesn’t release her to me, then I just have to accept that our relationship will continue even though I wouldn’t be her first and only.
The night left an uneasiness in my heart, thinking about Yuna’s words. The risk was high to confront the Queen; however, Alphard’s kiss still lingered on my lips and the touch of her hands that grasped me. Her essence was left on my body throughout the night until morning.
Yuna entered my hut in sadness. “I don’t want you to lose your love for Alphard. She has been so happy since you found each other.” Her inner voice weakened. “I’ll do my best to stall the Queen on forcing Alphard to mature. Your water healing has prolonged it this long, so why not wait until she’s willing.”
“I’ll continue to heal her until she is ready,” I said.
“I’ll support you both,” she added. “But Amphis, you are the one who will have to deal with the consequences later.”
“I can handle the Dark Queen,” I said with no fear.
“It’s not the Queen you should be worried about,” she answered, yet again vaguely. “It’s Alphard…” I was puzzled by what she meant. “Alphard will be late this evening. She has dinner with the Queen tonight.”
“Dinner with the Queen?” I asked in confusion.
“It’s like I said. The youngling is special to her.” She bowed her head in respect. “Be well today. I must get back to my duties before the Queen notices my absence.” She left the hut in a hurry and I was left with more questions than ever before. What were they all hiding?
The sun reached high in the sky behind the clouds. It was cooler today and the sand wasn’t as hot to sit on while waiting for Alphard. Normally I would be out in the sea, swimming to the edge of the Queen’s border, but I wasn’t in the right mood to greet my ocean friends. The tide had changed, and the water had grown closer to me, covering the beac
h more and more where I sat. It should be the hour of evening dining for the Queen.
Suddenly, a sensation of rage overwhelmed my emotions. It was Alphard. Why was she so angry? I grasped my chest from a tight feeling constricting my breathing. There was a slight pain as if I was being cut by a blade. Then I felt something pierce into my arm. Alphard! I jumped to my feet and raced across the sand. The pain was excruciating like it was my own. She was hurt and worse. I could feel her life slowly slip away into the darkness.
I ran towards the stone arch far in the distance. Two figures had already stumbled through the archway and were struggling to keep moving. It was Yuna and Alphard. My legs throbbed, and my mind screamed to run faster. Alphard’s heartbeat was pumping faintly in my mind. She was going to die soon. When I approached her, Yuna could no longer keep her grip on Alphard’s bloodied body. She slipped and landed on me. Her body slid down my chest and I sat so her head could lay on my lap. Blood spilled on the sand. Her body covered in deep cuts that was ghastly to see.
“Alphard! Stay awake!” I said sternly, trying not to yell in fright. However, she could sense my fear by the look she gave me, trying to reach out her hand to touch my face. I desperately tried to focus on healing her, but her heart decreased to the point of death. Her eyes shut, and I could feel her consciousness disappearing. “Stay with me,” I sent energy into her. The wounds were barely healing since she was near death. “Please stay. Just a little more time and I promise I can make you better.” Tears fell from my eyes, because the magic stopped healing her.
