In Amber’s home, Miriam, the Queen, and her maid were seated over a fairly large dining table that was full of assorted desserts. The three were eating with two guards standing by. Miriam paused, looking momentarily lost and so with arched brows furrowed in concern, the Queen looked at her and she forced a smile. “My Queen, may the guards sit down?” Miriam asked. “They are used to it Miriam” replied the Queen. “They do have time to relax.” Miriam’s face was expressionless. Nevertheless, the Queen turned to the guards. “Have a seat now will you?” “Our duty to the throne is to stay alert my Queen” replied one of the guards. “And the King will be displeased.” The other guard added. The Queen looked back to Miriam and smiled as though to say I told you so and Miriam resigned with a nod as if to say fine, I get it and then she took in a deep breath. “I am overwhelmed by your presence here. It is a privilege. Thank you so much for the food and everything.” The Queen reached a comfor
Still standing before the door of the bungalow, Amber had collected herself. She peeked through the half-open door and into the darkness of the space before her. “Hello” From somewhere inside the darkness, a woman’s voice spoke to her, balmy and sonorous. “Tell me, who is the enemy of the dark?” Amber was startled into taking a few backward steps. She finally paused, thought for a few seconds, and brightened. “Light” she replied and at once, light illuminated the dark space. Tentatively, in awe, Amber pushed open the door to reveal a fairly large room with a fish-shaped aquamarine-colored swimming pool that looked like it was a natural formation from a rock. Amber stepped inside and looked around in fascination. Along the walls was one door with a sculpted image of a shark on it. The walls were decorated all over with the actual shells of different sea and land creatures. Several terracotta flower pots with different varieties of flowers growing out of them were positioned around
From inside the shed where Arnold was being held captive, Bibo stepped outside. “So long my Prince, until tomorrow,” he said aloud, mounted his horse, and rode away. Inside the shed, Arnold was seated with his head down when the door burst open and Rhea rushed inside. Arnold’s head shot up immediately and he began to struggle with his bonds hearing footsteps rush to him. “Shh... I’m not going to hurt you.” Rhea cooed. “Allow me to help you.” Arnold stopped struggling and she loosened the bond that bound his mouth. “No, this can’t be you, Rhea. I mean, I know your voice. How? Who are you?” His throat was dry and his voice came out cracked “How did you know to find me here?” “It’s me. Long story.” Rhea replied as she loosened the bond that blindfolded him. Arnold opened his eyes and saw her staring down lovingly at him. “Rhea,” he said squinting from the strain of being suddenly reacquainted with eyes that weren’t blindfolded. “I didn’t want to believe it was your voice but... how
Inside room three, Amber and Mermaid were seated at the dining table with covered plates each in front of them. They opened their plates and Amber gasped at the sight of what was inside her plate. What she found was potato peels neatly diced. Looking from her plate to Mermaid’s she found potato meat in hers. Why would Mermaid eat the potato insides and feed her the peels she wondered, eyeing Mermaid who in turn was observing her closely. “Eat,” Mermaid commanded and Amber shook her head in refusal. “You must eat so that you can be strong. Your mother did not tell you that?” “My mother never fed me potato peels,” Amber said simply. “I don’t know what you take me for but I eat potato meat just like you” “I won’t tell you to eat again,” Mermaid said impatiently and for the first time, Amber lost her patience. “I never asked to be here” she retorted, annoyed at the situation. “Will you punish me if I don’t? Would that be right?” Mermaid sighed. “I won’t punish you. And that’s becaus
With the brightness of the day on their side, the villagers were gathered at the square inside the King’s palace with the King dominating the crowd. Isis was weeping beside him with Rhea consoling her. Soldiers, led by Arnold began to ride out of the square with the villagers looking confused. As if on cue to offer explanations, the King began to address them. “My people, I greet you all and welcome you once more to your palace. Now we all know how stealing is discouraged in Upland. And today, it saddens me to announce that a valuable piece of an emerald necklace has been stolen from Isis’s home. And injury to one?” “Injury to all” the people responded. “Good. It was gifted to her by her dear late husband who was a great commanding soldier. That emerald must be found. Hence, while we all remain here, the soldiers have permission to ransack everyone’s home for the emerald. The culprit will be imprisoned as required by the law only to be released with a fine twice as much as the pric
The day was bright and fair in Underland. Mermaid and Amber stood before door three inside the corridor. Mermaid opened it and stepped inside, Amber coming to stand beside her with a gaping mouth in her surprise at what the room held. Not that it was particularly strange but it was unexpected because they were inside a room full of stacked boxes of varying sizes and colors that ranged from tiny to the biggest. The biggest was about 50 by 30 inches while the smallest was about 10 by 10 inches. The boxes were simple and plain, the kind that could blend anywhere, except for the mermaid drawing on top of the boxes which could probably set them apart. “This is the room of treasures” Mermaid explained. “You will pick only one and that, you will return home with” “Conditional?” “Yes, because there is a way to open any of them. Counting from the day of your return, you will open it on the seventh day. Only the patient and obedient will be blessed. Now, make your choice.” Amber scanned th
During the early hours of the morning, Amber was taken by Arnold to see her mother. Arnold went to Miriam’s cell and greeted her. “Someone is here to see you.” He said. She looked curiously to find Amber rushing towards her and they were separated by the bars of iron but they could hold hands through the open holes offered by the bars and they both cried from the happiness of seeing each other again. Eventually, the news went around that Amber had returned. It was after the King made her sit before the town crier who wrote down her story. Amber told a tale of how she had been forced to look for Isis’s bowl during the storm, how she had fallen inside the river and couldn’t remember anything except waking up at some shore in the forest where she had to survive and find her way home after she was helped by a hunter who pointed her to the right path. The story was believed and the King summoned Isis concerning Amber’s accusation about being made to go out in the night during the storm
The following day was the 4th day after Underland. Amber woke up to her duties in Isis’s home. She went from early morning coffee serving to cleaning and cooking and dish-washing at the river. When she was done, she moved close to the bank of the river, her thoughts on Mermaid. “Where are you?” she murmured. “I don’t think I have any friends. Maybe Arnold but he yelled at me. I feel so alone. I need to free my mother. She is innocent.” The water didn’t twirl as Amber was hoping. Maybe she was hoping too much. After all, Mermaid was done with her and they had parted on good terms. Amber found she could not bring herself to accept that fact. “Mermaid,” she called out several times in a louder voice but with silence, she gave up, carried her basin of washed dishes, and returned to Isis’s house. She was surprised to find Arnold leaving on his horse. He paused when he saw her at the gate and dropped from the horse. Amber paused and watched him approach her. “They told me you were at th