by CATT
“Who are you and how did you get to our world?” The fairy demanded.
“My name is Lana Livingston, and this is Rachel King” I said motioning toward Rachel that still has her head down. “We are here because one of your fairies took her brother and brought him to your world, and we want him back.”
“How did you get here?”
“I had the incantation” I tell him. Not mentioning that Rachel had given it to me. I want to keep the attention off Rachel as long as possible.
“Even if what you say is true, and you have the incantation, you’d have to be a fairy to open the door, and you’re not.”
“No I’m not a fairy. I'm a Keeper and a Keeper can open the door, as you already know. I said making sure my voice is strong and confident. My legs are shaking and I feel like I might piss my pants right now.
“Did you say your name was Lana Livingston?”
“That’s right" I said beginning to think maybe I should have lied about who I was.
“You’re the Keeper Princess.”
He made it a statement not a question. Then he said something to the little people with the wings and our hands, we’re untied. I noticed he spoke to them in their language whatever that is. “I’m sorry you were treated so harshly Princes but my friends here thought you were intruders out to harm us. Allow me to introduce myself, “I am Prince Osier of the Fairy Realm.”
I accept his out stretched hand and was a bit surprised when he bent his head and kissed the top of my hand. I glance over at Rachel and see she still has her head down.
“You are mesmerizing Princess. I've heard talk of your beauty from other fairies, but I have to say they didn’t do you justice.”
Pulling my hand back from his, I thank him. While studying the prince, I notice he looks to be in his early twenties. He’s about six-foot with a lanky build and short blonde hair that hangs down on his forehead and blue eyes. I’m sure a lot of girls find him very handsome and are attracted to him. I just wasn’t one of them. The Prince asked us to come join him in his home for a cup of tea.
Rachel and I follow the Prince into his hut and freeze. What was a little straw hut from the outside is unbelievable inside. It is huge with an Egyptian motif going on. Everything is red, blue and gold. The Prince sits down on a big red and gold-colored cushion and motion for us to sit in the ones across from him. When we sit down the Prince picks up a bell that sat on a table beside his huge cushion and rang it. It doesn’t take long for a little winged person to come in. The Prince orders our tea, or I guess he ordered tea. Considering I don’t speak whatever language they communicate in, I have no idea what he is saying. He could have been telling them to go put a couple of nooses in the crazy ass live trees to hang us with for all I know.
The prince looks at me again after his little servant leaves and lets me know our tea will be out in a few minutes. He approaches and Rachel and asked her what her brother’s name is. Rachel glances up for the first time. All though she doesn’t look the prince in the eyes as she tells him her brother’s name is Adam. The Prince tells her he is sorry for any problems that one of his fairies may have caused. He assures her that he will make sure the fairy responsible will be reprimanded for his behavior. I notice he never mentions when we could see Adam or where he is at. I watch the tension leave Rachel’s body as a smile crosses her face and for the first time she looks the Prince in the eyes.
I knew Rachel was beginning to think everything was going to be alright and that the prince is a good man. That’s fine with me if she thinks that. I don’t care what she thinks as long as she stays calm. If I have learned anything in all my training I know Fairies are liars! The prince is up to something I just don’t know what it is yet. “So when can we see Adam? I asked.”
“I will make sure Adam is found and see to it myself that he is delivered to your lodging Princess.”
“Thank you that is very kind" I said, “but we are in no need of lodging if we could just get Adam, we will be on our way I’m sure my parents are worried about me.” I hoped by adding the parts about my parents being worried, will scare the prince up enough to let us go.
“Awe my Princess you wouldn’t break my heart would you? By wanting to leave when we are just getting to know one another. Besides I’ve already informed the tree people to start preparing a party in your honor. It will take a few days to get everything together. Until then, I’m afraid I’ll have to insist you stay as my guest.”
I understood exactly what the prince meant. We were being held against our will, and we can either do it, the easy way or the hard way. Deciding I like the easy way far better, I smile at the prince and said, "Thank you that’s very kind.” Glancing over at Rachel, I can tell she didn’t comprehend what the prince had said. She is still staring at him like he is a God. The little person or the tree person as Prince Osier called them brings our tea out. The prince stands and hands us both a cup of tea, before sitting back down. He takes a sip then nods to the tree person letting him know that would be all.
“So now would you mind telling me how on earth, you managed to get the incantation?” The prince asked.
Rachel begins to talk before I have the chance. She tells him how she had hidden and wrote down the words the fairy had said when he took her brother. I glared at her hoping she would look at me and read the look on my face telling her to SHUT THE FUCK UP! However, Rachel never even glanced my way. She is smiling at the prince as she tells him everything. The prince is smiling back at her nodding his head, and occasionally he will throw in an ah…or a Mm…to let Rachel know he is really interested in what she is saying. By the time Rachel has stopped talking, she has told him every last detail of everything. I sit there trying to keep my mouth, from falling open unable to believe what she had done.
“I really enjoyed our time together ladies, but I’m afraid I have some business to take care of. I'll have the tree people show you to your lodgings.” The prince stands and rings his little bell again. The tree person comes out and the prince barks out orders before walking over to where we were now standing. He gives Rachel a nod and tells her, her brother will be back with her, as soon as he finds him. Turning his eyes towards me, he takes my hand and kisses the top. The kiss lasted a little too long for my comfort. He looks back up at me smiling and tells me he has enjoyed his time with me and is looking forward to our time together. He lets go of my hand and walks away without given us another look. I swear I heard Rachel moan.
CHAPTER 37
The tree people walk us to our lodging, which is another straw hut. The inside isn’t as lavish as the prince’s hut, but it isn’t anything to laugh at either. It is one big room with one bathroom and a few of the huge cushion chairs, like the prince has. All the colors are red, blue and gold and of course, it has the same motif going that the prince’s place has. When the door closes I notice the tree people are standing guard by the front door. The one and only way out of the place is blocked.
Sitting down on one of the cushions, I throw my head back and close my eyes in frustration. When I hear Rachel speak I sit up and asked her what she had said.
“I said, isn’t this great! I thought for sure when those little people took us they were going to kill us or something. Then Prince Osier stepped in and saved the day. He’s going to make sure I get my brother back, and he’s throwing us a party. God he’s awesome isn’t he. I mean look at this place we're staying in thanks to him.”
“Are you fucking crazy?” I shout, letting all my pinned up anger out. I see Rachel take a step back, and I watch as the smile leaves her face, but I didn’t care. I am yelling and can’t stop. “I can’t fucking believe you, how could you be so fucking stupid! How could you believe any of the shit Prince Osier said, you already know fairies are liar? I mean my God did you learn nothing, from the last fairy you dealt with? You just told him everything you know. Don’t you understand the prince has known your brother has been here from the moment he first arrived? We’re not his guest we’re his p
risoner!”
Rachel’s face drops even more as tears are roll down her cheeks. “Go look out the door if you don’t believe me. Look at the guards who have been posted by the door to make sure we don’t leave. I have an even better idea why not, walk your ass out the fucking door and let’s see how far you get!” I kick the cushion hard wishing I could break something.
Rachel walks over to the door and tries to open it. The door is slammed shut on her before she has even made a crack in it. Turning around she throws herself on the other cushion crying. I know I should feel guilty for the way I yelled at her. I know she doesn’t know any better. This is not the kind of life she’s used to. I also know I should be telling her I am sorry and trying to stop her from crying, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I lie back on my cushion and close my eyes trying to come up with a plan to get out of this mess. It would be really easy if I had my powers, but without them, I’m at a loss. Rachel finally cries herself to sleep a couple of hours later, and I am drifting in and out of sleep when one of the tree people opens the door. They brought food in and sit it on a table to the right of my cushion before turning around and walking back out the door.
Ultimately, I give in to my curiosity and peek to see what is under the lids. Uncovering the tray, I see crackers, cheese, sliced apples, pineapples, and strawberries. There is also some kind of green dip in a bowl. Sticking the tip of my finger in the dip, I taste it. I can’t figure out what it is, but it is good, and I’m really hungry. I thought about waking Rachel, but decide against it. I’m going to have to apologize to her but it can wait until morning right now I need some alone time.
Looking under another tray I see what appeared to be iced tea. Picking up a glass, I sit it on the tray with the food. I take it all back over to my cushion and sit down. As I eat I can’t help but thinking this is a better place to be held prisoner at than Hell would have been. But then I remember I wasn’t going to be held prisoner in Hell I was going to be killed. So this place is upped in ranks even more. At least, nothing has been said about me dying. I ate on the fruit until I decided if I ate any more I’d turn into a giant strawberry.
Sitting the food on the table I look around and find some blankets. I lay a blanket on Rachel before crawling on my cushion with my own blanket. I decide right now the best plan will be to play along with the prince and see what he want while praying Lisa will find a way to get us out of here. My mind turns to the same thing it always does Case and Dominick. I wonder what they are doing. I thought about how much I miss them both. Then I feel the same guilt I always have when I think about Dominick. The last thought I have before falling to sleep is how angry Case will be if he ever finds out how I have betrayed him. How I’m still betraying him by having feelings for Dominick.
Out of a deep sleep I wake myself with an uncontrollable cry. I glance over at Rachel to see if I had disturbed her. She is still sleeping in the same position she had been before I had fallen asleep. Lying back on my cushion again, I try to remember the details about the dream I just had.
In my dream, I had been in my bedroom back on the Keepers’ World. I was lying in my bed in the dark about to fall asleep when my bedroom door opened and closed. I felt my bed give to weight, and I rolled to my side as arms went around my waist, and my name was whispered. “Dominick" I said surprised. Dominick pulled me closer to his huge muscled body as he told me he couldn’t stay away from me another minute. That he missed me and had to touch me even if it was just for the night. Then he kissed me hard. My arms went around his neck my fingers untying the band holding his thick black hair. His hair covered both our faces as he deepened the kiss even more. His hand went under the back of my tank top. He was running his fingers up and down my spine. I remember the feeling of how right it felt. Dominick raised his head and told me I was beautiful before kissing my lips again. That had been when Case had walked in and turned on the light as he said my name. I had pushed Dominick away from me jumped from the bed and ran to Case telling him I was sorry. He looked at me with cold eyes and yelled, “I HATE YOU!” That was when I woke up. Running my hands across my face, I shut my eyes hoping I could go back to sleep without dreaming.
CHAPTER 38
It’s been three days since we have been put in this hut. The tree people deliver food throughout the day. Rachel and I play games to try and pass the time. To put it simple we are going crazy! We have not seen nor heard from the prince since we have been locked in the room. I told Rachel how sorry I was for the way I yelled at her, and she had told me she had deserved it for being so gullible. I told her she didn't deserve to be treated the way I had treated her, and she needed to accept my apology and stop arguing with me about it. After that we laughed and everything went back to the way it had been. To which I’m glad, because I can’t imagine being locked in this room without anyone to talk to for three days I’d be crazier than I am now.
Rachel and I are playing I spy when two of the tree people walk in. One standing on either side of the door two other tree people walk in dragging someone. They drop him on the floor and spun around and left. The two guards at the door go back outside taking their places once again.
Rachel is up and running to the body on the floor before I even stand up. I watch as she drops to her knees crying and rolls the person on his back. Rachel cries while she touches his face lightly as not to hurt him more than he already is. She is saying “Adam, Adam, it’s me Rachel can you hear me?” That’s when I know for sure that this is indeed her brother Adam and not just somebody Rachel felt sorry for. His face is covered with bruises. I’m pretty sure at least one of his eyes is swelled shut if not both.
The guy has been beaten very badly. Walking over I bend down beside Rachel and feel for a pulse on Adam’s neck. His pulse is strong, so I go to the bathroom and filled a bowl with cold water picking up a couple of rags and rush back to Rachel and Adam. Sitting on the floor across from Rachel, I wet the rags and handing one to her. Together we wipe his face for a long time without talking. I watch Rachel knowing she is blaming herself for the shape her brother is in. I’m still watching Rachel when I hear Adam say her name. I move my hand away from his face stand up and walk back to my cushion. I sit down. Wanting to give Rachel and Adam some privacy I lay back and close my eyes. I try my best to think of different things to keep from hearing their conversation. In spite of my efforts, I can still hear them talking. I hear Rachel tell Adam what had happened and how it was her fault. It didn’t take long for Adam to understand what Rachel had told him. When he did he pushed her and told her to go away. He doesn’t want to talk to her or see her.
Rachel runs to the bathroom crying. I sit there for a few minutes not knowing which one I should deal with first. But finally decide I need to get Adam on one of the giant cushions and off the floor. Then I’d go talk with Rachel. Getting up I walk over to Adam, I take his arm and start pulling him up, he jerks away from me. “Hey”, I said “my name is Lana, and I’m just trying to help you get someplace a little more comfortable to lie down.” He tries to open his eyes to see who is talking to him without any luck. Because sure enough both of his eyes are swollen shut.
"Stop trying to open your eyes you’re just causing yourself more pain” I said. This time when I take his arm, he doesn’t pull away. Getting him to his feet is a hard job, but I managed to do it. When he is on one of the extra cushions, I take my blanket and cover him up. Then I get the rag and wet it again and place it over his eyes. When he starts to pull the cold rag away from his eyes, I stop him. "Leave it on it will help the swelling go down so you can see.” I hear him whisper "thank you" before his hands fall back on the cushion, and he grows quiet. I lift the blanket and put his arms under it before going to knock on the bathroom door.
“Rachel, come on let me in, so we can talk.” Rachel opens the door then climbs into the empty tub and lies down. I sit on the edge of the tub and listen as she cries. While sitting there I try to figure out what I should say. Ugh…how did I go from being a bad-ass
World Keeper to a not so good councilor in the matter of three days? This is so fucked up! Finally I decide to start talking.
“Rachel your brother is upset right now, but after he calms down, he’ll come around.”
“Do you hold me responsible for us being stuck here?” She asked.
“No I don’t hold you responsible, why would you think that?”
“Well it seems as if everything else is my fault, so I thought maybe this is too.”
“Ok…first off Rachel, please don’t start that poor pitiful me act. I can’t deal with it. It’s not your fault that we’re stuck here, but I’m not going to tell you, you don’t hold some responsibly for what has happened to your brother because that would be a lie. I will tell you this though everybody makes mistakes and does things they wish they could take back or change, but they can’t. All they can do is move forward try to right the wrongs they’ve done. While making sure you never make the same mistakes again. The people that love you like your brother love's you will always forgive you no matter what. It just takes time.” Rachel wipes her eyes and tells me she will spend the rest of her life making things up to her brother and I believed every word she said.
“Come on get out of the tub. Go out there and take care of your brother. Just remember he’s hurt and angry right now so ignore whatever he says to you and just be there for him.”
