by Rachel Angel
We meandered through the narrow pathways and while most of them were quiet with only a few pedestrians here and there, many of the pathways were jammed with carts pulled by large squawking birds, villagers who went about their day and many farm animals who roamed freely.
As we neared the outer edge of the village, fields in a multitude of colors stretched all the way to the rim of the crater.
“Isn’t this a feast for the eyes?” I said, marveling at the beauty of the enormous crater. “Who would have ever thought that so much life could exist and even thrive in the belly of a volcano?”
“Well,” Ollie began. “Thriving plant life has often been observed in areas previously devastated by an eruption. Everything seems dead and bleak for a while, but then the miracle of life takes over.”
I looked up at him, admiring his knowledge of such things.
For the rest of the morning and a good part of the afternoon we explored the village and the surrounding farmland, and I was surprised at virtually every turn. There was so much life crammed into a relatively small space.
“This place is a veritable fire hole,” Reggie griped as the sun turned the entire crater into a heated inferno.
“A nice shaded spot under a tree sure would be nice,” Ollie said.
“Under a tree?” Reggie retorted. “Have you seen the size of the trees down here? They barely reach our thighs.”
I let out a snort. “You’re exaggerating a bit. There were some perfectly nice trees over there. If you sit down, you’ll be in the cool shade for hours.”
We relaxed and cooled off, had yet another feast with the chief and his townspeople and headed back to the tiny house for another cramped night on the mat of feathers and leaves.
Exhausted from our day out in the blazing sun, we quickly fell asleep, but as the full moon came over the rim of the crater and lit up the room, I awoke.
Fascinated by the gleaming white light of the moon, I edged my way off the mat and snuck out of the small home. Once outside, I stared in complete awe at the spectacle high above me.
Despite the full brilliance of the moon, the stars were out in full force. As I stared up at the sky, I felt certain that this little part of the world, of the island of Arcadia actually had millions of stars that I had never seen before.
As a star burst and travelled clear across the sky, I gasped with excitement.
“Beautiful spectacle, isn’t it?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of the voice.
“Reggie?” I said when I caught my breath. “What are you doing out here?”
“The same thing you are,” he said warmly. “Gazing up at this awesome sky because that dratted moon woke me up when it came over the rim of the crater.”
I was happy to have someone with whom to share the beauty of the night with. “Well,” I said. “I happen to be happy the moon woke me up. Otherwise I never would have seen such a sparkling sky.”
I looked at him. “Do you think it’s possible there are more stars here than back home?”
“We are on the same island, you know?” he said with a smirk.
“Yes. I know that. But I’m certain I’ve never seen so many shimmering diamonds in the sky before.”
He chuckled and reached out to put his arm around my shoulder. “Maybe you’re right.”
He slowly and gently led me away from our small guest house.
“Where are you bringing me?” I said as we got further and further away.
“I was wandering around just before you came out and I saw a path that led straight down that way.”
“Are you thinking of escaping before Chief Waikana is ready to see us leave?” I said, stopping dead in my tracks.
“No,” he said. “I just want to explore more of this tip of the island. I thought I heard the roar of waves when I first stepped outside.”
“But we’re so far from the sea.”
“That’s what I thought at first as well.” He climbed to the rim of the crater and offered me a helping hand up. “But it’s not as far as I thought.”
I climbed up to stand beside him and was amazed by the vision that awaited me. A quiet and protected cove, lit by the moonlight, beckoned us.
“There’s an easy and smooth path right there that leads down to the water’s edge,” Reggie said. “How about a moonlit swim.”
The thought of a swim in the sea was more enticing that I would have imagined. I nodded enthusiastically as Reggie took my hand.
“Come on.” He led the way down and we were soon on the soft, sandy shore of the cove.
“I always thought I lived on the most beautiful part of the island, but I have to admit that this is pretty spectacular. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful.”
The sand was as soft as powder, but it was the little specks of pink, blue and green that caught my eye. Like the village itself, and the brightly colored homes and the multicolored fields, the sand of the beach was colorful as well.
Without hesitating, Reggie threw off what little clothing he had and ran into the waves. I shunned my tunic and ran in after him.
The water was refreshingly cool and pleasant. With the help of the moonlight, we could see clearly down to the sandy bottom where a small school of pink and yellow fish swam around. It was positively delightful.
“If this goes on,” I said. “I may never want to leave here.”
Reggie nodded. “I can understand why the chief is so set on keeping this little part of the island free from settlers. Many a king would enjoy setting up a castle overlooking this cove.”
I looked at him and wondered if there was a chance he, Ollie or I might slip up and let the location or even the very existence of this little village out. It would break my heart to learn that the villagers had been sent off only to be replaced with more royalty.
“You’re beautiful,” Reggie said suddenly as I twirled around in the cool water.
“And you’re sweet, my handsome prince.”
“I know I may not always show it – emotions are something that are often left unspoken where I’m from – but I do really think about you all the time. I worry about you when you’re not around. I miss you and look forward to when I’ll see you again. And, of course, I wonder how you feel about me.”
I splashed my way over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I think that you are one very special man. Yes, I had noticed that you can at times be a little aloof. But you are never cold, and you are certainly never malicious.”
“I try not to be,” he said with a crooked grin as he leaned his forehead against mine.
“I’m becoming increasingly aware of the easy childhood I’ve had. It’s something that I’ve always taken for granted. Despite everything, I was a very happy child, and I grew up to be a very happy adult. It never really occurred to me that others may not have be so fortunate. That was made abundantly clear when Barnaby told me of his retched childhood, and now, I can only assume that your childhood wasn’t as pleasant as it should have been.”
Reggie shrugged. “It could have been worse. I simply had a mother who had little time for the antics of an energetic boy. But I had a home to live in, plenty of tasty food in my belly and an enviable education. I can’t complain.”
As his skin brushed up against mine, I felt closer to him than I ever had before. But I knew it wasn’t the skin on skin touch that warmed me. I knew so little about Reggie and getting to know just that little bit about him made me want to get to know him even more.
In silence, we looked at each other, simply letting the gentle waves rock us back and forth. Then he kissed me, softly at first, but with a growing urgency. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me back to the soft powdery sand.
He lay me back on our discarded clothing and stood to look down on me. “You are a vision,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
“Come to me,” I said, eager for his touch as well as his words.
Dropping to his knees at my fe
et, he parted my legs and kissed his way up my calf, my thigh and finally reached the part of me that longed for him the most.
“Love me,” I called out as my orgasm quickly grew under his tender touch. “Love me, Reggie!”
On the precipice to that orgasm, I held my breath as he quickly came up to plunge his hardened erection deep into my orgasmic shudderings. I clung to him, bit into his shoulder and wrapped my legs around his hips. It seemed like the very world on which we sat was shaking with the intensity of that orgasm.
Reggie joined me, reaching his own heights and letting his cries of passion compete with the growing ferocity of the waves that lapped up onto the sand and tickled our feet.
“I would give anything to have you,” he muttered into my neck. “Anything. All that I have is yours. My kingdom. My throne. My palace. No one has ever brought forth the emotions you evoke. No one has even come close. And yet, you… just with a look, a kiss… you enthrall me.”
Chapter 9
Henry
“Will you not be eating your breakfast, Sir Henry?” the young servant asked.
I looked up at her. I’d been lost… far, far away in my thoughts. Seated at a small table on the balcony adjacent to my room, I had been staring at the forest below.
“You can take it away,” I said, my tone a little sterner than I intended. “Leave the coffee.”
“Yes, Sir.” She picked up the plate that was still filled with fresh bread, creamy butter, three eggs and a thick slice of ham.
I had no appetite for food. As I looked out at the kingdom, I asked myself the same question that had been plaguing me for days.
Where was Violet?
After we’d taken charge of the new Arcadian residents, she had gone off with Ollie and Reggie. Since then… nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I stood and leaned on the banister of the balcony. I had a good view of the training grounds to my left. The new soldiers were fairing a lot better than I had expected. They were quick and agile. They were fast learners.
For the past few days, I’d been busy assessing them and preparing training programs for them. It was a challenge, but one that I relished. It also kept my mind busy as my concern for Violet grew.
Then I looked directly below me to see three of the new residents who’d been put in charge of tending to the tremendous gardens that surrounded the castle.
All of this was good and well, but it didn’t help calm my growing concerns for Violet. Determined to find some answers, I headed back into my room, strapped on my sword and walked out with the intention of exploring the forests around the castle.
I had to find her or, at least, find out what had happened to her.
As I passed the ballroom that now served as a large dining hall for all the new recruits, I saw Axel and Avery seated at a long empty table, deep in conversation.
“How are things going with you two?” I said as I took a seat across from them.
Axel forced a smile. “We’re dead tired,” he admitted. “These new recruits are taking up a lot more of our time than we had expected.”
“But all is running smoothly,” Avery added. “We’ve had to expel three of the men for curious behavior, but everyone else is proving to be quite worthy of a position in our army.
“Good,” I said. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Something tells me that you have something else on your mind, Henry,” Avery said.
“And I bet I can guess what it is,” Axel added.
“Violet,” I said simply.
They both nodded.
“It’s been six days since she left the castle grounds in search of those damned arrows.” I tried to keep my voice down. Tried to appear calm. But I was shaking inside. I was certain something awful had happened to her. There seemed to be no plausible explanation for her ongoing absence.
“At least she’s with Ollie and Reggie,” Avery said. “They wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”
“Unless something happened to them as well,” I argued.
Biting his lip, he looked down at the tabletop and nodded.
I looked at them, knowing that I was grasping at straws. “The new recruits,” I said. “Have you spoken with many of them? Interacted with them?”
Axel nodded. “I’ve been spending a lot of time especially with the younger recruits. I wanted them to know a little more about Arcadia; our way of life, our values, our philosophy. They all seem very eager to start their new lives here.”
“Did any of them ever let slip why they were here in the first place?” I said. “Why they were hidden up in the trees ready to attack us?”
Axel shook his head. “Nothing. To tell you the truth, I really had the impression they had no idea what was going on. Their leaders told them that they were sailing to Arcadia and they got on board and did as they were told.”
“That means we should talk with some of the more senior recruits,” Avery said.
“Good luck,” Axel said. “I tried talking to one of them, but other than discussing the weather, he was tight-lipped.”
“Do you think they might have something to do with Violet’s disappearance?” Axel said.
I shrugged. The thought had gone through my mind again and again. “What do we really know about these men?” I said. “Nothing, really.”
They nodded.
I stared down at my clasped hands set on the table. “There’s a sinister plot underfoot. I don’t know who the leader is. I don’t know what they want. But we have to find a way to get these men to talk. They have to slip up at some point.”
“We could try to get them drunk, if you want,” Axel suggested.
Grinning, I looked around at the scattering of new recruits in the dining hall. “That might be a good idea.”
Axel looked at Avery. “Could be fun.”
I slapped the tabletop with the palm of my hand and stood. “See what you can do. Whatever you can extract from them would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime, I have to do something. I have to go out there and try to find her.” Ashamed of myself, I grimaced and looked up to the ceiling. “It’s something I should have done days ago.”
“Hey,” Avery said as he got to his feet. “Don’t beat yourself up about this. Violet entrusted us with a huge undertaking, and you’ve been doing a great job with these new recruits. It’s not like you’ve been sitting on you butt twiddling your thumbs.”
I brought my gaze to meet his. We had never been friends, had never been close, but I appreciated him for his integrity and honor.
While his words were encouraging, they did little to alleviate the guilt that I felt. If something had happened to Violet, it would be my fault. I was the one charged with protecting her. I was the one who should have been at her side when she headed out into the forest. As talented and fierce as Ollie and Reggie might be, Violet’s safety was my responsibility.
Turning on my heel, I walked out of the dining hall, marched down the corridor to the front foyer and left the castle.
Knowing that Violet had left in search of the arrows that had killed Barnaby and Flamish, I took that direction and soon arrived at the scene of the killings.
All that remained of the unfortunate men’s bodies were their bones. The deterioration of their corpses was astonishing, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it had anything to do with the poison that had killed them.
Getting closer, despite the strong stench, I looked around for any clues.
The arrows that had killed Barnaby and Flamish were gone, indicating that Violet, Reggie and Ollie had at least made it this far.
“But then, where did you all go?” I said aloud as I looked at the forest around me.
They could have taken any direction.
The sound of approaching footsteps had me reaching for my sword until I saw Axel and Avery step out from behind the bushes.
“We thought you might be able to use a few extra pairs of eyes,” Avery said.
“Beside,” Axel added. “We can’t really con
centrate on much of anything anyway. So, we figured we may as well be of help and track her down.”
“Sounds good to me,” I said with relief.
Chapter 10
Henry
“So,” Axel said, clamping his hands together and looking around. “Where do we start?”
“Ollie is the master tracker,” I said. “Not I.”
“I once heard you tracked down a thief with nothing more than the shape of his foot as a clue,” Avery said.
I scoffed at the distant memory. “That was a long time ago. Also, you have to take into consideration the fact that it had been a rainy night, leaving the ground a thick mucky mess. That mucky mess was ideal for conserving the perfect footsteps of the suspect. A five year old could have tracked down that thief.”
Axel and Avery laughed, but sobered up rather quickly.
“Then,” Avery said. “Where does that leave us? Do we toss a coin to see what direction we head to?”
Axel held his hand up as he held his chin in the other hand, deep in thought. “Wait,” he said.
Avery and I waited as he continued to ponder the problem.
“The other day,” Axel said, waving his finger at me as he searched his memory. “You mentioned something about a cave you went to with Violet… an old woman.”
I frowned, thinking back to the woman fae I’d encountered with Violet. I had all but forgotten about the strange little woman. Maybe she knew something.
“The cave entrance isn’t all that far from here,” I said. “Let’s go have a look.”
I took the lead, rushing through the bushes and shoving branches aside as I eagerly made my way out of the forest floor and up the gravelly path that led to the mouth of the cave.
“What are you hoping to find in this cave?” Avery said.
“Answers,” I said. “Hopefully, we will meet with the woman who might have some answers.”
We reached the cave entrance to find dense white smoke emerging from the opening.
“I think somebody left something on the fire a little too long,” Axel said with a teasing grin.
I took a whiff. “It’s not smoke,” I said. “It’s not from a fire.”
