Chapter 2
1834 Words
2
He jerked to a stop, and wrapped as I was around his arm I stumbled to a stop.
“What was that for?” I questioned him. I followed his eyes and noticed Cousin Tyrone coming towards us.
There was the usual smile on his face, and he stopped in front of us and bowed. “We always seem to be meeting at this hour, Mrs. Greenwood,” he mused.
Erik’s eyes flickered between us. Blackwood chuckled. “Yes, we’ve met before. It was only a little tete-a-tete yesterday morning, but I’ve heard you both have had quite a few adventures since then.”
“What has brought you here, Blackwood?” Erik questioned him.
Blackwood feigned injury. “Dear cousin, such harsh words. I’ve come on account of the earthquakes, and to visit my ancestral home. I have that right, you know.”
Erik raised an eyebrow. “What about the earthquakes?”
“I’m part of Deacon’s entourage. He thought I could find something useful in the library,” Blackwood explained.
“And have you?” Erik wondered.
Blackwood chuckled and shook his head. “Not a thing, but it’s still a very interesting library. You should frequent it more, dear cousin. It may broaden your mind.” He bowed his head to us. “But I must be off. Good day to you both.” He strode past us and out of sight around a bend in the hall.
I shivered. “Your family tree must be very gnarled,” I commented.
“In some branches, yes, but we should move on,” he suggested.
We walked on and soon arrived at the dining room. The company was the same, the Lord and Lady Greenwood. Behind the lady stood Heather, who smiled and bowed to us.
The lord arose at our entering and grinned at us. “It’s a good omen when a son obeys his father’s wishes,” he commented.
I noticed Erik tightened his grip on my arm. Disaster was averted when the Lady Greenwood stood and smiled at us. “I hope you’re not too exhausted from your late hike,” she wondered.
I smiled in return and shook my head. “Nope, I’m fine, thanks to a hot bath and a good night’s sleep.”
Lord Greenwood’s eyes wandered down my body, and his eyebrows crashed down. He gestured to my outfit. “What is this?” he questioned me.
“Comfort,” I quipped.
He straightened and frowned. “Perhaps on the mainland, but we do things differently on the island. We don’t allow-”
Lady Greenwood laughed and pointed at my pants. “Aren’t those Erik’s old pants?” she asked me.
I grinned. “The one and the same.”
She moved to stand in front of me and inspected the shirt. “And this looks like Gregory’s handiwork. He always was good with a needle. He’s sewn all my dresses,” she told me.
“Cassandra! Don’t encourage this blasphemy by appreciating it!” the lord protested.
She waved him off. “A little change in dress won’t cause the collapse of a house.”
“But it might cause the collapse of a society!” he insisted.
“Have you any other clothes like these?” the lady asked me.
“Cassandra!”
“Greg-um, Gregory is making me up some right now. Did you want some made, too?” I offered.
“No!”
Lady Greenwood smiled, but shook her head. “No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I am fond of these dresses and wouldn’t want to offend Gregory by not wearing them. Now who’s hungry for breakfast?” She ingratiated herself between Erik and me, put her hands on our backs and led us over to the table.
The lord still fumed beside his chair. “She will not eat at this table dressed as such!” he insisted.
“Would you prefer we eat outside?” his wife suggested.
“That is not what I meant!” he growled
“My dear, our food is getting cold. We shouldn’t keep it waiting,” she pointed out as she seated us on either side of the table. Erik sat opposite us
Lord Greenwood grumbled, but he grudgingly followed us to the table and took his seat at the head. “She must wear a dress if she goes to the other islands,” he insisted.
“That isn’t such a bad idea,” Lady Greenwood mused.
The Lord perked up his head from his plate. “What you mean?” he questioned her.
She smiled and shrugged. “Perhaps she should visit some of the islands. With Erik as escort, of course. After all, she will be lady of these lands someday.”
“A lady doesn’t dress as that,” he argued as he nodded towards me.
“Regardless of how she dresses, she will be lady of the islands,” Lady Greenwood countered. Her eyes flickered between Erik and me. “I can have the boat ready for you anytime, if you wish,” she offered.
Erik bowed his head to her. “We would appreciate it.”
“Could we visit some of the other women who were with me?” I requested.
“Did you have one in mind?” Lady Greenwood asked me.
I nodded. “Yes. She had red hair.”
Lady Greenwood leaned backed and furrowed her brow. “Yes, I do believe there is at least one on this island. You can find her at the rear guard houses.”
My eyed widened. “Do you recall her name?”
She shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know. Their names weren’t given during their Choosing. They were merely given the blood and taken by their mates to their new homes.”
“Have you forgotten that tradition dictates that the women aren’t allowed to see each other for the first three months of their time here?” Lord Greenwood reminded his wife.
“I haven’t, but seeing as this is the first future Lady Greenwood in many years we can make an exception to the rule,” she insisted.
Lord Greenwood frowned and half rose from his seat.”Who rules these islands? Man or woman?”
“You, my husband, but a little trip won’t cause any problems,” she persisted. She turned her attention to us. “Will you go today?”
“Why not?” I mused.
Erik bowed his head. “We will do as you wish.”
Lady Greenwood laughed. “Don’t be so serious,” she scolded. “It’s merely an excursion to the other islands. If you visit only the closest ones today you should return in plenty of time for lunch. That leaves many more islands for other days.”
“Visiting the other islands isn’t the best idea right now,” Lord Greenwood spoke up. “Have you all forgotten about the earthquakes?”
“What news do you have of them?” Erik asked his father.
The lord munched on his eggs and scowled. “Nothing. The Diggers have refused us entry into their domain and we haven’t found a way around their guards. If one of them was murdered, I’m apt to believe it was done by one of their own.”
“Regardless of the earthquakes, I’m sure the waters will be safe enough to travel upon,” Lady Greenwood insisted.
“If I’m going to be here for a while as well see everything,” I agreed.
Lord Greenwood looked up from his plate and raised an eyebrow at me. “Yes, we are a long-lived race and no one leaves these islands except the guards.”
I frowned.”How come they’re the only ones who get to leave the islands?”
Erik shot me a warning glance from across the table. I scowled back at him. “What? It’s a legitimate question.”
“Perhaps that’s another lesson for another time,” Lady Greenwood suggested. “For now we should eat this delicious breakfast before it gets cold and see what this day has for us.”
The rest of our practice was done in uncomfortable silence. When we were finished the delicious food Erik and I stood. Lady Greenwood also rose from her chair and she wrapped her arms around one of mine.
“May I speak with you for a moment?” she asked of me.
I looked to Erik for help. He merely shrugged and I was pulled away by his mother into the hall. She led us away from the doorway and halfway down the hall where she released me and turned to face me.
“Do you still intend to leave us as soon as possible?” She asked me.
“I’m still a prisoner here, even if you are treating me like a guest,” I pointed out.
She sighed and turned her face away from me. “I had hoped you possibly could change my son’s mind about forever being alone. You see, we live a rather long life here, and it can be rather lonely.”
I raised an eyebrow.”Why does he want to be alone?”
Sad smile slipped onto her face. “I’m afraid it’s because of me that he so detests the Choosing. You see, I, like you, was one of the women brought to this island so many years ago. When he was born I was still bitter about my imprisonment here, but raising him on these islands has been more of a blessing than I could’ve imagined and a peace of mind I don’t believe I could’ve found in the outside world.”
I frowned. “That’s all good for you, but I still don’t want to be here and if there’s some way that I can get out here I’m going to take it.”
She grasped my hand in hers and looked me in the eyes. “Please, for my sake and my son’s sake won’t you stay here for just a little while longer? He’s changed so much in such a short time and it’s all thanks to you.”
I snorted. “I haven’t seen much change,” I argued.
She squeezed my hands and chuckled. “Then you underestimate your ability to change the people around you. You hold more influence over my son right now than his own father. Perhaps even more than me, given enough time. Won’t you allow just a little more time?”
I leaned forward and scrutinized her face. “Do you really think we can find a way to break this bond we have? I mean, you’re acting like I could just walk out of here any day,” I pointed out.
Lady Greenwood sighed and dropped my hands. There was a small, sad smile on her face. “You are certainly as stubborn as my son, I will admit that, and I hope that whichever path you two choose you will be happy on it. My last bit of advice is this: whichever road you choose to take, always keep your heart at the forefront of your decisions.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Doesn’t that sound a little clichéd?”
She smiled and stepped back. “I suppose I’m a little old-fashioned matters of the heart. I hope Erik and you have fun on your trip around the islands. They really are beautiful places once you see the big hidden in the rocks.”
“I guess we’ll see,” I mused. I turned around back to the dining room and saw that Erik stood in the doorway. His eyes were trained on his mother who stood past me. I followed his eyes and saw that Lady Greenwood had vanished. I frowned. “I wish there was somebody normal around here. . .” I muttered.
Footsteps came up behind me and Erik joined me by my side. “Are you ready?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, is this a dangerous mission like yesterday?”
He shook his head. “Only if you have a habit of being seasick.”
I snorted. “You think I would’ve tried to take that boat if I got seasick?” I pointed out.
A sly grin slipped onto his lips. “Yes.”
I couldn’t help but grin myself. “Well, you’re probably right. Anyway, lead on to this guard barracks place thingy so I can meet my fellow prisoner.”
- Writer
