“Well, I guess that it’s lucky for you that our species can only produce children when we truly want them.”
“Yeah,” he sighed.
“Did you tell her how you feel?”
“She will not listen to me about the subject.” He lifted his head. “I am sorry for trying to stir guilt for what happened with Kafkus. He is my best friend after all.”
“I know, but I’m your sister. I would have hoped that you would consider the fact that I am happy with Clifton, happier than I have been in a long time.”
He smiled at me. “I am happy to hear that. I hope for your sake that father changes his mind about him. And I am sorry for how your life panned out here, Quartessa. I would never say that I could understand how you feel, but I can empathize with your pain.”
“Thank you, Gader. That means a lot.”
He stood up. “It is good to have you home, Quartessa. You have been missed around here. Mother has gone crazy in your absence.”
“I noticed. Where did she get all the new furniture and decorations?”
“She has a connection in the human world, some guy named Magellan. She seems to have adapted a taste for human things.”
“I must admit, I like her new style.”
He cast a dismissive hand. “You have been living amongst the humans for too long.”
“It’s a pretty cool place. You should visit.”
He thought for a moment. “No. My place is here. I do not know what mother would do if both of us were to leave. Well, I guess I should get back to the wife. She has probably calmed down by now. Maybe I can even get some makeup-loving out of this fight.”
“Ewwww!” I shrieked while shoving him in a very sisteresque way. “I don’t want to hear about that!”
He grinned before heading back.
I sat on the driftwood for a while, trying hard to get the nauseating image of my brother and Gwinny out of my head. Feeling like I could get some rest, I hiked back up to my tower bedroom, climbed under the sheets next to Clifton and drifted off to sleep.
********************
“Good morning, my beautiful Princess,” Clifton whispered, causing me to stir.
I opened my eyes just a little. It was morning, but I didn’t feel quite like waking up just yet. I still felt exhausted, as though I hadn’t slept at all. I closed my eyes tight and pulled the covers over my head with a grunt.
“Come on, Tessa, wake up!” he said while plopping up and down on the bed over and over, making me slosh around with the ripples. It was hard to ignore.
“Why do you want me to get up so bad?”
“I want you to show me around.”
“Damn tourists.”
He laughed. “Besides, we should see if the guards are back with the answer to your little problem.”
“Fine.” I threw the covers off of me.
Clifton was already dressed and ready to go.
I got out of bed and pulled on my clothes from the previous day. I could have done with a cup of coffee, but coffee didn’t exist here. I stumbled my way down the stairs with Clifton almost skipping behind me. As I entered the kitchen I hoped that someone had invented coffee in my absence.
The kitchen was large with modern stainless steel appliances lining the walls. They didn’t use electricity; they ran purely on magic. A few cooks were darting around the room, busy making breakfast for the castle.
“Did you need something, Princess?” one of them stopped to ask me.
“I don’t suppose that you have any coffee?”
He gave me a bewildered look. “Kofey?”
“Never mind,” I said with a yawn. “Do you have a drink that helps a person to wake up?”
“Oh yes,” he boasted and went to fetch it. He came back with two mugs filled with what looked like watery mud and handed one to each of us.
I eyed my cup with apprehension. “And this will help me to feel awake?” I asked, trying to keep the revulsion out of my voice.
“Yes, Princess.” He stared at me, eager for me to sample it.
I brought the cup to my face and breathed it in. It smelt like salty cabbage mixed with something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, some kind of spice. Either way, it smelled disgusting. I glanced over at Clifton to see if he was drinking the concoction.
He looked as grossed out as I was and set the cup down on the counter. “I am feeling awake enough,” he said as polite as he could. “Thank you though.”
If I didn’t need the boost of energy I would never have drank it, but I did. It tasted like it smelled, except that it had a consistency that I was not expecting, it was slimy and a little chunky. I tried not to gag as I drank the whole glass down in a few big gulps.
The cook was still staring at me and I wasn’t sure what he was waiting for. That is, until I felt it. Suddenly, I felt like I had just woken up from a long and peaceful rest. I now felt awake and alert. This drink was better than coffee though the taste could do with some improvement.
“Wow, thanks!” I said to him and he smiled and bowed. “Would you please pack some food for us?”
He bowed again and walked away to do as I’d asked.
“I can’t believe you drank that stuff,” Clifton whispered as soon as the cook was out of earshot.
“Yes well, as disgusting as it was, it did help.”
The cook returned with a basket and handed it to Clifton and we both thanked him before leaving.
We passed my mother in the hallway so we stopped to ask her about whether the guards were back or not. They, of course, were not. Well, there was no need to let that get me down. I was going to have a good day here in Kortis with my Clifton.
“So, where are we going first?” Clifton asked with excitement.
“The first stop on our tour is the village.”
“I am not a tourist.”
“Well then quit acting like one. Just let me show you around.”
He held my hand as we walked. “Fine, take me everywhere. I want to see everything.”
“Don’t be so demanding. I will take you where I feel like taking you and you will be damn grateful for it,” I joked and he smiled.
We hiked up a rather steep mound of sand. Below us, in a valley, stood thousands of brick houses all sitting in neat little rows. “This is where all of the Zolera live that do not choose to live in the sea or crossover to the human world as I have.”
He looked down in amazement at all of the tiny structures. “There are that many of us?”
“Did you think us a dying species?”
“No, I just had no idea how many there were.”
“Let’s go down and I can introduce you to a few Zolera.”
“Alright,” he said but didn’t move.
“It’s ok. No one will hurt you while you are with me,” I said, correctly deciphering his misgivings.
As we made our way down the hill, the homes began to look much larger than they had from above. It was a beautiful community of neat multicolored brick houses with cute little fences bordering each one.
After we had passed a few homes I spotted a group of children playing in front of one. “Princess Quartessa!” a little girl shrieked and came running to meet me.
I sunk down to my knees so that I could interact with her better. “Hey girly.”
“Princess, why have you been gone so long?”
She was cute. She must have been about seven now. She was a petite little thing with light blue wavy hair that fell to her lower back. Her eyes were big and a brilliant light shade of navy blue with just a hint of purple around the edges. Her skin was almost white.
“Tweeny is that you? I almost didn’t recognize you. You have gotten so big since I last saw you.” She giggled and smiled up at me with glee. “I am just visiting, Tweeny. You know that I do not live here anymore.”
“I know.” She stared down at the ground in disappointment.
“Have you been taking good care of your sister for me while I have been away?”
<
br /> She lifted her head back up and smiled at me. “Yes,” she announced in her proudest voice.
I smiled back. “I am glad to hear it. Tweeny, I want you to meet a friend of mine.” I made a gesture to the man at my side. “This is Clifton.”
He bent down to her level, balancing on his heels. “Nice to meet you, Tweeny.”
She stared up at him with amazement. “You are the one that my sister has been talking about.”
“Who is your sister, Tweeny?”
“Violet,” she said with another giggle.
I felt a twinge of jealously that Violet had been talking about my Clifton, but I let it slide. Clifton was a rarity around here so it wasn’t too surprising.
“Is your sister home?” I asked her.
“Yes, she is helping mother with breakfast.”
“Ok, well you go have fun with your friends, Tweeny. Try to stay out of trouble.”
“I will.” She curtsied before running back to rejoin the group.
I watched them as they started up a game that was similar to the human’s game of tag. They were so cute.
“I would like to have children someday,” Clifton said as he watched them chasing after one another.
“So would I.” I thought about how nice it would be to have little ones running around, maybe a little boy that was the spitting image of Clifton. “But not anytime soon,” I added, just in case he’d gotten any ideas.
He pulled me close to him and stared into my eyes. “No, not now. I am happy just having you.”
“Me too.”
We walked past a few more houses before I turned down a path and up to a home. The brick was as yellow as the human sun and mint agolia root lined the stone path. I knocked on the door and Violet answered.
“Greetings, Quartessa, Clifton. What are you two doing here?” she asked with surprised delight.
“I am showing Clifton around and I thought that he might enjoy seeing a traditional Zolera home. If that’s ok with you?” I didn’t want to be rude.
“Of course, come on in. Breakfast is almost done if you are hungry.”
Violet’s house was small and cozy. Her home didn’t have any of the human touches that the castle had. The living room was small and consisted of a couch, a bookcase, a few extra chairs, and a large fireplace. There were several paintings hung along the walls, each of them portrayed a different member of her family.
“You two go sit down at the table,” Violet said while gesturing towards the kitchen. “I am sure that the food is ready by now.”
As I entered the kitchen I saw Lasora, Violet’s mother. You couldn’t miss her. Her skin was a neon shade of yellow and her short, spiky hair was as bright orange as the morning sun. Her face was soft and feminine with a refined quality about it. She was a witch, like her daughter, and like her mother before her. Violet had come from a long line of witches. I always figured that’s why she was so powerful. It was in her blood.
Violet’s kitchen didn’t have the modern appliances that the castle had either. A medium-sized wood-burning stove was the only appliance in it at all. Long wooden counters encased it on either side and they were covered with the bowels and utensils used to prepare the breakfast that we were about to enjoy.
When Lasora saw me, she pulled me into a gentle hug. “It is so nice to see you again, Quartessa. I hope that you are well?”
It was obvious that Violet had not told her mother about my little problem, and she didn’t seem to notice, so I chose not to fill her in. I didn’t need someone else to feel sorry for me at the moment.
“Yes, Lasora. Thank you for asking.”
“Please sit,” she said while pointing to the small wooden table in the corner.
I sat down next to Clifton and Lasora put a plate in front of each of us loaded with delectable food. Noodles and fish prepared in a naticia broth.
“You must tell me of your travels, Quartessa. The human world must be fascinating.”
“I’m sorry, but I really don’t feel like talking about that right now.” I didn’t want to think about my recent attack.
“It is ok, Quartessa,” she said with a cheery smile, “you do not have to speak of anything that makes you uncomfortable.” She had very good manners, perhaps from spending so much time around my father.
“Well, we’d better get going,” I said once we’d finished eating. “I am showing Clifton around Kortis, but I did want to stop in and say hello. Thank you for breakfast, Lasora. It was delicious.”
She smiled at me. “You know that you are welcome here anytime, Quartessa.”
“You two have fun,” said Violet. “Be sure to take him to our spot.”
“I will.”
********************
“Don’t be so talkative Clifton,” I said as we walked along the path. “I can’t get a word in edgewise.”
“Sorry. I’m just…trying to take it all in. It is very different here.”
“Yeah, I know. I love it and hate it at the same time.”
“This place reminds me of olden times, but without the horses.”
“Olden times?”
“The way human’s used to live a long time ago. This place is kinda similar.”
I stared at him, still not quite sure what he’d meant.
“They had no electricity, everything was made of wood, brick or stone, and women weren’t given the respect that they were deserved. In the simplest terms I can think of, this place is just not as evolved as the human world is now.”
“Oh, I never learned about human history. I was always trying to fit in with the present. That does sound similar to this place, primarily the part about how women were treated. I will have to read up on my human history when we return, it sounds interesting.”
“Some of it really is. I’ve always liked history. It was my favorite subject in school.”
“Well then, you will have to educate me on the subject.”
“Maybe I will. Are Violet and her mother mixed-blooded like me?”
“No, they are full-blooded Zolera. Why?”
“Oh, it’s just that they don’t look like anyone else I’ve seen here.”
“Zolera witches often look different. It separates them from the rest of us.”
“Oh.”
A large, stone fountain was before us now. My father, carved out of marble, stood alone in the center as jets of water shot up and around him in a pleasant pattern.
“That is a good likeness of your father.”
“Yes, it took years to get it just the way he wanted it.”
“Personally, I do not think it does him justice,” a voice said from behind us.
I didn’t bother to turn around. “Kafkus, will you please just leave us alone?” How dare he try to talk to me after trying his best to get Clifton killed.
“I just wanted to apologize for yesterday.” He sounded sincere.
Kafkus grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Clifton. I wasn’t sure why I let him. He led me over to a bench and we sat down next to each other. My eyes stayed on Clifton.
“I am truly sorry for my actions, Princess. Although I do not like to admit it, I am jealous. You know how I feel about you.”
I said nothing. I just sat there feeling awkward. Gader had indeed told me the previous night that Kafkus was in love with me. It was uncomfortable enough to be sitting next to him now for that reason alone, him bringing up his feelings made it even worse. I needed to crush the part of him that thought that someday I would reciprocate his love.
“Kafkus, I am sorry to have to do this.”
“You are sorry that you have to do what?”
“Kafkus, we will never be because I will never feel the same way about you that you feel about me. I need you to comprehend this. Do you understand?” If I was nice he wouldn’t believe me. He would think there was still hope. I had to be firm. I had to say it with certainty. I did.
He looked angry, rather than hurt. “I will never give up on you. Do you understand me?�
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I sighed out of annoyance. “Goodbye, Kafkus.”
“What did he want?” Clifton asked without a trace of the jealousy that I knew he felt.
“Nothing I feel like talking about.”
I didn’t feel much like discussing my past with Kafkus. Clifton didn’t know that he would have been my husband had I chosen to stay. And I didn’t plan on telling him that part. The last thing that I needed was a fight over my affection. Some women liked that kind of thing, not me. I liked my men alive.
I knew that Kafkus remained on that bench because I could still feel him staring. “Let’s go,” I said, unable to deal with Kafkus’ ogling anymore. Clifton looked like he wanted to comment or ask something else but he refrained from doing so.
We walked along the sand and soon we reached our next destination, Bartering Row. This place had changed a lot since I’d been here last. I had remembered wooden stands lining the path, all filled with food and supplies caught and made by the locals. Now, however, the place was filled with little wooden indoor shops, each of them offering something different. There was a shop where you could buy fresh fish, one for weaponry made by the local blacksmith, one for clothes, a potion shop for the local witches and a nice shop that sold magical items for those who had no magical abilities of their own.
We had a good time checking out the little shops though we didn’t buy anything. I’d had all of my gold melted down and turned into human money which was useless here. Paper wasn’t valued amongst my people because it literally grew on trees.
We left the area after a while and traveled to the east, heading back towards the coast. A large grassy hill was the only thing blocking the ocean from our view. The hike up took tremendous effort, far more than I had remembered. When we reached the top however, it was a familiar and welcoming scene.
An oak tree, the size of a three-story house, stood next to the cliff overlooking the ocean. Two wooden swings hung from its higher branches, and swayed in the warm breeze. Off to one side was a small garden filled with flowers that Violet and I had planted together years before. It was nice to see them thriving and I wondered if Violet was still taking care of them. The sight took me back to a simpler time, a time where I had no worries or responsibilities.
Royal Affliction (The Anti-Princess Saga) Page 7
