Unlocking Adeline (Skeleton Key)

by J. D. Hollyfield

  I look back to see if I can see him, but he is gone. Turning back, I ask, “Why did you mess with him like that?”

  “Because it is fun. Because Locke deserves it. If ye want to act like ye are such a loner, then be one. He may hide who he really is to everyone else, but as his brother, I can see through his façade. He may claim he doesn’t want to marry, but he deserves love. I think he may have met his match with ye.”

  I stop. “You don’t get it. I am not going to marry him or anyone here, for that matter.” I pause. “No offense, nothing against you or anything.”

  “None taken,” he smiles back.

  “I don’t get it. You have a chance to become King. If we court, you can gain power. Why do you push your brother to challenge you? Do you not want marriage? Would I not be someone you would want to marry?” I sound sad.

  “Oh, Princess. I would marry ye in a heartbeat. But legend still holds true. It’s the ones that bear the crescent marks that are the true match. And sadly, I don’t. I’m sure ye would make a lovely wife, and I would treat ye like the queen ye will one day be. But I know better. Ye are his. It’s him who refuses to see the truth.”

  I stop again, and flip my hand over, staring at my birthmark. I have had this on my wrist my entire life. I used to take pens and draw a night’s sky around it, creating a starry night tattoo. Little did I know it was something more than just a birthmark. Just the mention of it causes the mark to feel warmer than normal. I lift my head to face Christof. “So then why is everyone mentioning courting of the two brothers? Do they all find this as much fun as you do?”

  “Locke has had his head up his arse for so long, it’s about time to poke at him some.”

  I don’t say much more. I’m so confused. It’s like I want to know why Locke doesn’t want me, but then again I shake off the questions, because it shouldn’t matter.

  Into the castle, through the large dining area and two long flights of stairs later, and Christof and I are stopping outside my door. “Thank ye for the wonderful walk. I am lucky to win the hand of such a lovely lady,” he says and places a soft kiss to the top of my hand. I’m suddenly tired and words escape me, so I just nod. The door opens, and Ellie stands in the doorway.

  “Ahh, there ye are, Miss, I was quite worried. It is a must that ye get yer beauty rest.” Then she turns to Christof and bows, “Sir Christof.”

  Christof repeats her gesture. “Good night to ye both.” And then he is off. Before I have a chance to let out a sigh, guess who is dragging me into the room.

  “Geez Ellie, you need to learn to do more asking, and less manhandling when you want me to do something.” Once I’m in the room, with the door shut, she sits down.

  “Miss Adeline, are ye aware of the Book of Wren?” she asks, and I nod, since that’s all people want to talk about. “Well, then ye will know that it’s the book that states all the rules for the land. The rules on the chosen. In the book, it clearly states when the chosen should marry by. What most don’t know is if they do not seal their fate by then, the bind is void. The female has until she is out of her twenty-first year, and the male until he has completed his twenty eighth.” Ellie has completely lost me here. These people and their riddles. “How about you just get to the point, Ellie? I am not following you.”

  “Locke is one month’s time shy of his twenty-ninth birthday.”

  “And who did you hear this silly fable from, Ellie?”

  “It’s known, Miss. The sorcerer has spoken of it.” Speaking of that sorcerer.

  “What I am trying to say is that ye do not have much time with Locke.”

  After my talk with Ellie, it was imperative I talk to the sorcerer, but those plans got detoured when Christof invited me to a tour of the lands. As much as I wanted to take a raincheck, his smiling face brought some enjoyment to this messed up situation, so I took him up on his offer. He led me once more through the gardens and fed me story after story of the history. He took me by the stables and introduced me to Edward, the stable master, and walked me through, offering me each name of the horses. Finally, leading us through the orchards, I turn to him.

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Ye may.”

  “Have you ever gone into another world? Or realm as you call it?”

  “I have not,” he states.

  “Why not? Have you not wondered what it would be like?”

  “Well, for starters, I enjoy this one. I have no need to be anywhere but in Wren. I am happy here, is the answer I guess that I am looking for.”

  “But how do you know unless you find out?”

  “Searching out answers has always been Locke’s thing. He has always seemed unsatisfied. Never sure on why.”

  “And why are you so content? Why did you agree to have to take on his burden? I can’t imagine you’ve been all that happy about being forced to take me on, due to Locke’s uncertainty. I mean, I’m being thrown at you.”

  He turns his head and winks at me. “Having ye thrown at me sounds lovely. Don’t ever think that would be a bad thing. For anyone.” He winks at me again. “And don’t ye worry about me, my time shall come. This land will soon flourish and life will once again be as it should be.”

  “I know I had no clue about you or this place, but I’m starting to feel such regret that these people had to suffer on account of my dad’s poor actions.”

  Stopping once again, we turn to face one another, placing his hands on each side of my shoulders. “Adeline, please. Do not feel bad for actions that are bestowed on ye. Ye are not the one to blame here. I understand the choices yer father made. But sadly some in this community do not.”

  “Yeah, I get that, since they all seem to want to tar and feather me in the center of town.” He laughs, “Oh give them time. It’s a shock to learn about ye.”

  “Yeah, and my grandmother? She, I’m sure, is first in line. She hates me.”

  “Lovely, she doesn’t hate ye. Put yerself in her shoes. She defended her son for years after he left. Swore he had been captured while on a mission or that he was dead. She had mourned him for years. To find out he is alive, and that he had married and bred two children comes to a shock to her.”

  I take in his words. I want to defend my dad because I love him. But I am beginning to understand where these people are coming from. He abandoned his family. He led everyone to believe he was dead, to selfishly create his own path in a world he did not belong to. But then I think of our family and the sacrifice he did make. He did it because he loved my mom. They created two great kids and he worked night and day to provide for his family. He was a prince in line to become the next great warrior of his time, and he left all that for my mom. I think about when my mom got sick: all the long hours at the hospital, all the medicines that didn’t work. I wonder how long my dad battled with knowing all he had to do was wait for that key to be summoned to come home to save her. I wonder when the day was that he finally broke.

  I walk into the house, finally getting home from work. I had a late interview at the Uncle Hank’s Diner tonight, hoping to pick up a second job. I know Dad could use the extra help. No one is in the living room, but I hear sounds coming from down the hallway. As I walk back and into my parents’ room, I see that that they are both crying.

  “What’s wrong?” I panic. It’s not unusual to see one or both my parents cry lately. It’s just how it goes when you have one that is dying. They both look up from one another to see me in the doorway. “Nothing, baby, nothing is wrong. Things are actually going to get better.”

  I look at them both, the tears staining their faces, but the smiles are what I’m not used to seeing.

  “Addie Bear, Mom is in remission.”

  “Hello? Are ye still in there?”

  I break from my memory to notice we’ve stopped walking and Christof is staring at me.

  “I’m sorry. I… I was just lost in a memory.”

  “No need to apologize.”

  “What happens if Locke and I don�
�t pair? What happens if neither one of you want me?”

  “Well, I am saddened to think ye already have given up on us,” he muses. Before I have a chance to retract my rude comment, he continues, “I know what ye meant. Well, I think that ye are lovely from the short time we have spent, and I will forever build on the daydream of us basking in the sun of wedded bliss, but I have faith that my brother will show his true colors soon. Then I will step aside and continue on with what I am destined to do.” Just the word brother, has me remembering the stolen kiss from last night; how his lips melted into mine, as if we had done that thousands of times before.

  “Well then, I will remind you that your brother shows no interest in marriage, let alone showing a sliver of kindness toward me. So I fear you may end up really stuck with me.” At that, he laughs.

  “Now what’s so funny?”

  He turns to me, placing my hand in his. Raising it to his mouth, he lands a tender kiss to the top of my hand. Looking me directly in the eye, it causes my cheeks to flush instantly. “I am certain that my brother is far from detached from this challenge. I ensure ye that his interests entail one beautiful princess.”

  He catches me off guard in a confusing matter.

  “I’m not so sure I know what you mean?”

  “Take a look to yer left, and maybe it will make more sense.” He smiles as I slowly turn my head toward the left.

  And there he is.

  Locke.

  He is leaning against the armory, his arms crossed over his hard chest. His eyes are on fire. He looks angrier than I have seen him yet. As our eyes catch, he pushes off the wall and heads inside. Hearing Christof laugh again, I turn. “I don’t…”

  “See? Ye are affecting him, just as ye are me. Ye are quite the prize in the end, Princess Adeline. He may act like the fool, but he is far from uncommitted into this challenge. Whether he will admit it or not. And I will enjoy every taunting minute of it.”

  The remainder of the day was actually quite nice. Christof was very polite and funny. We seemed to have a lot in common, even with the era gap between us. I asked about his life in Wren, and he asked about my life in Seattle. He said he had heard of it, in stories from Locke. He even told me he has some shirts with logos of random sports teams. I wonder how they are brothers. They are so different, in looks and attitudes. Where Christof is kind and soft mannered, Locke is rough and always so angry. I wonder what made him so mad at the world. Does he ever smile? Why does he not have interest in taking up a wife? I mean. Not that I care. Roguish beast. Oh God, I’ve been here twenty-four hours, and I am already using their ancient slang.

  When the sun began to set, Christof took me back to the main castle and dropped me off at my room. He kissed my hand goodbye and said he would see me at dinner. I smile back, feeling a tiny bit of flutter because no one has ever been so sweet to me. Once I shut myself in my room, I remembered my task at hand. Find that key. Get the hell out of here.

  “How was yer day, Miss—”

  Forgetting my maid/guard, I jump off the door, ready to swing at her. “Oh Jesus, Ellie, a little warning would ya?”

  She looks just as startled as I am, since I about took her head off with my right hook. “I’m sorry, Miss, but I was standing right in front of ye.” Huh? The thought of me coming in and laying against the door, daydreaming like an idiot, sends a small blush to my cheeks.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just tired.” She bows and moves out of my way, so I can throw myself on the oversized bed that can fit a small family. “Ellie?” I ask, turning on the bed and lying on my back.

  “Yes, Miss?”

  “How long have you lived here? In Wren?”

  “My whole life, Miss.”

  “Did you know my dad?” Her smile falters a smidge, but she quickly hides it.

  “Yes, Miss. I did.”

  “What was he like? When he was here? What was the woman he was paired with like? Did she ever marry?” As much as I want to be mad at my dad, I want to learn about his life here. I want to understand why he left. I know why he stayed away. He shared stories of his childhood, but they were always masked by something. Now, I believe it was lies. It was the fairy tales that he would tell me at night that were his real childhood stories. The ones I would cling on to, night after night, wishing I lived in the magical world he created for me.

  “He was a kind boy. Good to his mother. Good to his betrothed. Good to his community. He was always first to step up to take charge in the realm travels. He was training to be head of the gallowglass service of his era, which is the highest and most prestigious rank for his gallantry. I remember yer grandmother was so proud of him. It wasn’t until he got older that I believe this life wore on him. The pressure. He and Clara fit in a sense, but were different all the same. She was more fancied with him than he was with her, but yer father he was a polite thing, so he kept the courtship. Eventually, he started time traveling more and more. The trips would be longer and the time he spent in Wren was less than he spent out there. One day, he never came back. He took his key to the portal and was never heard of again. Yer grandmother swore he would return. Clara waited. Everyone waited. But he never did. I am not sure yer grandmother has ever been the same since.”

  Besides that slap, I feel sorry for her. For the loss of her child. For thinking that he was dead, or in some portion betrayed them all. “And what happened to Clara?”

  “She is still here.”

  “Is she married?”

  “No, Miss, she is not. She waited for yer father to return. By the time she gave up, her time had passed. There hasn’t been anyone proper to court for her, so she remains alone.”

  “Oh.” I’m saddened to hear that.

  “What do you think of me being here? Do you think this is right? For them to kidnap me and marry me off?”

  She looks puzzled, as if she is thinking of the right answer. “I think that yer father chose love. He was the first person ever in Wren to do that. We do choose love here. But he chose love outside. That’s unheard of. But his true blood flows through him. He is Wren. He knew what he was risking coming back here. He knew what his part in this world was. I don’t wish unhappiness on anyone. I do hope ye find peace in the life made here for ye. Ye are very lucky to be the Princess of Wren, next in line to marry a prince.” She blushes as if my situation is the bees’ knees.

  “Yes, being kidnapped, learning you’re a princess from a faraway land, and being forced to marry is quite exciting,” I say sarcastically. I guess sarcasm hasn’t hit this era yet, so she doesn’t bite and smiles back, gathering clean towels.

  “Tis time for supper soon, may I help ye with yer bath?” There is one thing this era lacks and it’s privacy. God, no I don’t want help scrubbing my ass, lady! But I feel bad being so rude. “No thank you, Ellie, I can do it myself.”

  “As ye wish, Miss.” She bows and heads toward the door.

  “Oh wait, Ellie?” I call for her and she turns.

  “Where is Christof’s room?” She smiles again. Apparently they lack sarcasm, but not dirty minds. “It is on the far west corridor, Miss.”

  “Thank you,” I reply, allowing her to leave. I need to get into that room. If Locke is going to stick me with his brother than I need to refigure my plans. I need to get Christof’s key.

  I am an independent girl through and through, but by golly, these dresses take an army to get in. I end up calling Ellie back in the room to help dress me. At this point, she has seen it all so I’m more comfortable with her helping me squeeze my boobs and butt into this poof ball contraption. It’s not long after Ellie has my hair up and perfect, that a knock sounds at the door. Ellie does the honors of answering, as I stand ready with my defiant pose, making sure my boobs are sticking nicely out. Locke can stare at these while I give him the kiss-my-ass stare.

  Surprisingly, it turns out to be Christof, again. My chest falls some, but I keep the smile to my face. I don’t know why I thought, or cared, that it would be Locke escorting me to d
inner, like last night. That jerk bag is probably off scaring small children with his daunting attitude and mean growls.

  “Hey.” I say, walking toward the door.

  “I thought I would escort ye to dinner tonight.” He smiles, bringing out his hand to embrace mine. His warm palm wraps around my fingertips, twisting my wrist to lay a soft kiss on the inside of my palm. Small shivers run up my arm and down my legs at the small, but erotic gesture.

  “Yes, I would love that.” I smile back, offering him my full attention. I wrap my arm around his, and he gently guides me down the hallway. “I wasn’t expecting you,” I say, hiding my disappointment.

  “Oh and why was that?”

  “I guess it was just Locke who fetched me the last time.”

  “And are ye disappointed it is not him?” he asks, looking at me with that innocent smirk in his eyes. A small part of me wants to admit I am. But I also need to remember what he did to me, and that I also despise him. He took me from my home. “Not at all.” I give him a wink, allowing him to walk me out of my room and toward the ballroom, or as I would like to call it, night two of the lion’s den. It’s when we are walking that I feel something brush against my arm. I glance over, and I notice a pouch secured around Christof’s side.

  The key.

  The flap is hanging open, and I can see it. There’s a glass key resting just on top, within my hands reach. I think about pushing him over, so I can grab for it, maybe trying to knock him out. Then I realize that I kind of like the guy and I would feel bad. We’re getting close to the stairs and at that point, I will have missed my chance. Just before we hit the stairs, I do the only thing I know and pretend to trip. Christof jumps into action just in time, and as he catches me, I swiftly sneak my hand into the pouch, just grazing my fingertips over the key.

  Darnit!

  “Oh blast it, Adeline, are ye alright?” he asks, bringing me back to my feet. He bends down to check for any damage on my ankle as I try again to reach for the key and fail.