Day 7

Josephina Jujitsu the Finish woman who had pushed back as a child and gotten noticed by some powerful bad people. She was then trained to push back and paid well to do it among other things. But now she was presumed dead. No one could vanish without a trace unless they were dead. Eddy her boss held a beautiful memorial service for her. In remembrance of who she was.

Joe had changed since she had been in Chayim. She had made friends with a poll dancer and she cared about the little girl who followed her around. She had even become use to having Spice around. She was usually a loner. Making no connections and keeping any real feelings hidden as they were always perceived as weakness. So, in a way the old Joe had died.

Joe was not one for regrets. She just kept pushing forward. Usually pushing Eddie’s agenda but still looking back was not her style. Fight until you die, was her motto.

Joe woke up to the wood creaking. Rosaleighm was lying at her feet again. She had no idea when she had gotten there. But the plate of food for her had been eaten.

I’m getting sloppy, she told herself.

Normally she would have woken up with someone entering the room.

Natrica was rolling over in bed and the wood creaked as she did.

Joe looked around her. There was Spice a slave who had chosen to save Joe because Natrica had persuaded Joe to save Spice. But Spice didn’t know that Joe only saved the slaves because Natrica had asked.

Rosaleighm however followed her around for no reason she knew of, other than wanting to learn to fight. This child saved her from the queen’s dungeon and has followed her ever since. The child also had big honey-colored eyes like Spice. Maybe they are related Joe considered.

She needed to train, practice, hone in her skills.

Her injuries had slowed her down a lot and maybe that’s why she was losing her edge. But whatever the reason she intended to resolve it.

Joe saw Fiona outside walking away from the castle.

She watched Kerri-liana running away from James’ room back to her own.

She really didn’t care why. She just wanted to prove to herself she hadn’t lost the ability to be aware of her surroundings.

Natrica woke up. She just couldn’t get comfortable.

Joe was gone. Spice and Rosaleighm, were still sleeping.

Natrica wondered the halls of the castle. After a while she wondered if she was lost. The place was huge with passages and stairs going up and down.

She imagined a stage with lights and an audience to her show.

With all the banners she could really put on a show.

She liked dancing and even though it was a job that most women judged her for, she enjoyed it. She was strong enough to handle their disdain, most of the time.

The love of dancing and the joy it brought her audience gave her a rush.

Even the tavern dancing was okay. She understood men at a basic physically/ mental level.

Men wanted exciting, and she could give them that.

She found Joe sitting on the floor with her eyes closed.

“Good morning Natrica” she said without opening her eyes.

“How did you know it was me?” she asked.

“Sit with me”

So Natrica sat down next to her.

“I have been thinking about the past few days. The woman with the silver eyes she is the blue leopard that attacked me and push me out of a barn window. I am sure of this.”

“Oh”

Natrica was a little confused but she went with it. Joe continued talking.

“My body is broken. But my mind is not. I am becoming soft, venerable, a problem I will rectify. Which leads me to you. I want to teach you to defend yourself. I want you to become aware of your surrounding notice and remember stuff.”

This was not what Natrica had in mind. She was thinking learn to throw a good punch, and get free from an attacker. But paying attention to … what was she supposed to pay attention to? Sounds, bugs, people, body language, fashion?

“Umm…” she began

“Pay attention to what exactly?” she asked.

“Everything”

Joe’s eyes were still closed.

“The child approaches” she said.

Rosaleighm came in. Her big scared eyes checked out the room before sitting next to Joe.

“How did you know that?”

“I heard her walking.”

Spice came into the room. She looked at the three sitting on the cold dirty stone floor. The longer she looked the nicer the picture looked. They were in the castle as guests of the queen. Hot cooked food prepared by someone else. She found herself in a very happy place, life had never been so good. Staying with Joe was the best decision she had ever made and she believed that the one who saves your life owns your life.

Spice sat on the floor with them. She was happy.

She intended to teach Rosaleighm how to control her gifts and how to speak. Someone of her tribe was a free girl and she wanted it to stay that way. If she could teach the girl to be a great physician then she could work in the city and be respected by all.

However, Joe also had plans for Rosaleighm. She wanted her to be a great warrior, someone whose name alone caused people’s hearts to melt. Someone in charge of the greatest army that ever walked the earth (Well Chayim).

Natrica didn’t have plans for her. She had the picture in her mind that she was going to move on from this place and that if she left people behind it would only be for a while. Chayim was not a permanent stop for her.

Rachael Ceronio found the courage to go and see if it really was Chris in the dungeon. She had left him there all night to stew. She felt it served him right. But once she got there, she battled to find him and just when she was about to give up, she saw his body, face down in…

She pulled a face.

“Chris” She called.

The dungeon hadn’t gotten much sleep with the Lovac reunion celebration.

“Chris!” she shouted.

A man kicked the limp body of Chris. He didn’t move.

Now she could see all the blood on his face. He looked dead.

“Guards get him out of there.” She said but they didn’t understand her.

She ran out in search or Kerri-liana or Tẽra so Chris could be released.

She had wanted to kill him. But seeing him like that she couldn’t leave him to die.

She stopped to catch her breathe. Her initial shock was wearing off. Her anger spoke to her

Leave him, he deserves it. No one will know you left him to die. After all we want him dead.

She entertained the thought

She could get away with it. She could leave him there. Say she didn’t see him. Who would know? Who would care?

Her run was now a pensive walk. It might already be too late for him.

She caught a glimpse of herself from a polished silver hanging thing on the wall.

She realized she could live with it. Letting him die for what he had done to her. But part of her wanted revenge and letting him die wasn’t revenge.

She wanted to see the look on his face. When she hurt him like he had hurt her.

So, she picked up the pace in her search.

Hell has no fury like a woman scorned.

Nicolette Sintonarta the Icelandic, adventure camp manager, decided to go for a walk. The past few days had been eventful. From sleeping on the ground to sleeping in the castle on a bed. With her useless in the bush royal friend now as acting queen.

She thought about what she would tell nanny Katie when she returned, if she returned.

She then realized everyone would think she is crazy. She didn’t fancy time in a nut house too.

She figured she would just stay in touch with Tẽra. Become pen pals. She had always liked the idea but never done it. They could talk about how their lives were so… different after their experience.

Nikki walked to the stables, she really liked horses.

“May I ride?”

She asked a groom.

He had no idea what she was saying so she played charades with him, well kind of.

He saddled a horse for her and she rode out of the town into the countryside. The wind whipped her hair as she gained speed. It was awesome. Suddenly it occurred to her that this world might have sports and games earth didn’t and she wanted to try it. She looked into the distance at the snow-capped mountains. On the other side was a large body of water. Maybe a lake or a dam. She already knew the fish looked different maybe there was a zoo of sorts she could visit.

Yes, fresh air was all she needed to start feeling like her-self again.

Life was good and if this trip was part of her journey, then she was going to make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

She started to make a mental list of things she wanted to do and see while there.

Tẽra Trazzie didn’t sleep well. Acting as queen was ruining her ability to sleep.

Too much weighed on her. She didn’t know enough. How could she be expected to host peace talks?

She had gotten in to deep. She was even nauseous from worry.

Otchulissa cried for food again. Tẽra stroked her, Tẽra was now sure her pet had a copper red patch on her tail.

I need a second, she told herself.

But the words of her father sat in her mind, “Never promote someone too soon”.

The only person she knew and trusted was Nikki.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Kerri was great but she didn’t know Kerri. She needed to share the load.

She fed Otchulissa and enjoyed playing with her for a while.

Then Rachael was banging on her door.

“I think Chris might be dead. I went to the dungeon. Are you in there?”

Tẽra opened the door. She followed the jabbering Rachael to the dungeon were Chris lay in a pool of blood.

“Get him out of there and to the physician.” She told the new guard shift.

Then she saw Autumn, who had also spent the night in the dungeon. She saw for herself how over crowded the dungeon was.

“Release Autumn and her people.” Tẽra said to tired to care.

“My queen?” The guards said in unison.

“Get them out of my castle. Give them the promised seals”

Autumn couldn’t believe it.

“Stand up straight. Look at me when I am talking.”

Tẽra was too tired to fake it. Being irritable wasn’t faked. But letting people bow and scrape the floor was too much for her that morning.

“You are free. You are your people. You can join the others in the City Point. That’s where the guards released them yesterday.”

“Why are you doing this?” Autumn asked

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but..”

“That’s a first.” Tẽra taunted

“I thought ungrateful was your color.”

“I don’t understand” Autumn was genuinely confused. “My color?”

“I want to be left alone, Go!”

The guards opened the cells and let the Lovac tribe out. Two hundred and one people walked free out of the very over crowded dungeon.

Tẽra turned to the guards,

“Tell the general I want to see him now.”

She added

“Tell him to bring all the important people with him.”

She went to the dining hall. News traveled fast. The kitchen slaves had heard of her giving freedom to every Lovac. They were happy to hear this. The queen was in a good, forgiving mood.

Tẽra brought Otchulissa with her to the table. Having her new pet with her soothed her, stroking a cat was therapeutic.

When Rosaleighm came in with Spice, Joe and Natrica, she freaked out saying

“Di’Ilk! Di’Ilk”

Otchulissa began to freak-out. She ran from Tẽra climbed the stone wall behind her and in a crouching position crawled along the roof, while hanging upside down. She also changed colour. Becoming a solid ash grey, then she kept changing color and crying.

“Calm down, close your eyes. Breathe, it’s a baby, it will not hurt you.” Spice told Rosaleighm.

“What was that?” Natrica asked.

“She was saying devil’s cat” Tẽra said.

Joe remembered how the leopard had gone crazy while Rosaleighm sat screaming in the barn. There was something special about this girl. She didn’t know what so she kept it to herself.

“I told you she was changing color.” Tẽra said once everything had calmed down.

And she had, but no one believed her. Or previously cared, however now they were interested in the ‘devil’s cat’ that Tẽra called Otchulissa.

“Why devil’s cat?” Tẽra asked Spice

“Because you never see it coming.”

Tẽra’s breakfast was interrupted by a messenger saying everyone was in the great hall. He didn’t say they were waiting for her. But since he had come it was obvious, they were waiting for her.

Before leaving to meet with the “important” people she picked Otchulissa up.

Clearly her baby didn’t like the little girl.

Tẽra walked into the meeting she had called. But nobody seemed to mind that she was late. The general stepped forward, kneeling before her he said

“My queen. I have everyone as you commanded.”

“Thank you, general.”

She looked at everyone. There must have been about twenty people in the room, all looking worried.

“I need something to write on.”

A cowering man quickly gave her a feather and parchment.

“Let’s begin. I will sit down with each of you in turn, and I want you to state your name, rank, title, and why you are the best person for this…job.”

She didn’t know what else to call it.

“General you will start.”

She sat down at the table and the general came over to her.

“I am Nathan Steel. General of the royal guard. I was loyal to your father and I am loyal to you. My queen.”

“What are your responsibilities in the castle?”

“Your protection, handling prisoners, new recruits, slave transport and keeping the peace in the surrounding town. My queen. I must apologize for my men’s failure in guarding the dungeon. Those responsible have been punished.”

He was worried about the recent failures. However, he was very under staffed and he knew excuses wouldn’t work.

The men on duty at the time had been executed. So, saying they had been punished was an understatement.

This was how Tẽra spent the next few hours. Talking to everyone, hoping to find help in the process.

James worked up the courage to make a move on Kerri-liana. He wanted to make her breakfast in bed but he couldn’t find the kitchen. So, he settled on flowers. But that meant leaving the castle and he had no idea what was poisonous.

Being an Ecologist, this mattered to him. He thought in this way.

So, he was left with the unromantic move of delivery boy. Each of them had been given an official royal seal. This ensured their safety. Well, it was meant to ensure their safety. He picked one up from the bowl they were lying in and he went to see her.

He knocked on the door, there was a scrambling sound then she said

“Come in.”

And then repeated it in the native vernacular.

“Oh, it’s just you.” She said seeing him.

She was sitting on her bed already dressed for the day.

It’s just you, was not the start he had hoped for. He began to lose his nerve.

“I just wanted to check on you.” He said trying to gauge if it was still a good idea.

She smiled with a little bit of a frown.

“And bring you this” he added quickly.

He passed her the pendent.

“Thank you.” She said.

He started leaving, James, he told himself, don’t just leave, do something.

He stopped at the door, turned to look at her. She was still sitting on her bed.

“Thank you for being you.”

He left kicking himself. Really? He scolded himself. That’s all you’ve got.

He returned to his room. There he told himself he still had a chance for a romantic move.

Kerri-liana Jones found the visit odd. He was acting strange.

But she had things to do and thinking about if he was also now getting angry with her wouldn’t help. She needed to find a way home. She was studying her grandfather’s journal and trying to see if there was anything in there about ‘sugs’. She didn’t want anyone to know.

Instead, she was carrying the weight of everyone’s future on her shoulders.

But James had always been in her corner. He was the one who stood by her even though a big dark blue panther had been in the room with them. The idea that he was also mad at her bothered her so much she couldn’t focus.

Finally, which was only five minutes. She hid her book away and went to his room.

She knocked on the door. No one answered. She knocked again. James opened the door.

“Oh” he said surprised.

Good oh or bad oh, she wondered

“Are you cross with me?” she asked “Because you are acting strange and if I have done something, tell me.”

“I am not cross with you” he said cutting her off

Now is my chance, he told himself. He took her hand.

“If you do something, I will tell you.”

“So, everything is ok?” she asked.

“Yes” he replied “Everything is good.”

“So why are you acting strange?”

She asked feeling silly now for even being there. Maybe the stress was getting to her and she was imagining stuff.

“Maybe this place.” He said unconvincingly.

James saw her face she looked even more worried than she had before she asked if he was cross with her.

“Personal stuff” he said.

“You have nothing to worry about.” He reassured her.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Then she realized she was still holding his hand.

Awkward!

She took her hand back, smiled and left. Once out of the room she ran back to her room.

James felt silly he couldn’t even tell Kerri that he liked her. Surely by his age he should be over the nerves.

James was thirty-three years old. So, in his mind it shouldn’t be so hard. After all he had ex-girlfriends. He had asked women out before and it wasn’t that difficult. But for some reason this time it was.

He reasoned with himself. Maybe it’s because it’s a new world with different rules.

But she’s not from this world so earth rules would apply.

He reasoned, maybe it’s because I don’t have any money.

Not that he would know where to take her if he had.

Money in the pocket does make a guy feel better.

He reasoned maybe it’s because here I am jobless.

He had a job on earth. A good one, a career. Even if he wasn’t getting paid here, he still had his knowledge.

Kerri-liana knocked on the door.

“Come in” he called.

She walked in.

“Hi” he said awkwardly.

“Is this a bad time” she asked.

“No, it’s great, what’s up?”

“I thought we cleared the air” she said worried.

“Everything is good. What is it?”

She worried it was a bad time. But she needed someone to tell and get a second opinion.

“I found it in this book, a reference to something called the ‘station of travel’ now the picture in this book is of a crystal. It’s meant to be in the City of Gold. So, what I need to know is do you think this drawing looks like this crystal?”

She showed him the blue crystal she had cut herself on in the monastery.

“Where did you get that?” James asked.

“They do look the same right?”

“Very similar.” James marveled.

“So now I just need to learn about the City of Gold.”

“Why?” James asked.

“Here goes”

Kerri-liana was going to tell him everything she knew or thought she knew.

“I cut myself on this crystal the day we arrived on this planet. I believe that the blue diamond Ceronio line is actually a crystal like this one. Just polished and sold in jewellery. Lakisha has a blue diamond around her neck. Fiona had a blue stone shoe on her charm bracelet. Rachael wears that horse. Nikki has a cross. Tẽra, has been wearing a blue diamond ring. See where I am going with this?”

“But Joe doesn’t wear jewellery neither do I.”

“True but you were with someone who was wearing a blue stone. Joe was with the mystery woman Sugar. You were with Lakisha. I think the size of the stone affects its power, or radius.”

“So, if these stones brought us here why haven’t we gone back yet? And why did something only happen years after wearing it daily?” James asked.

“I am not sure yet. I think I activated it somehow.”

James raised an eyebrow

“Are you planning to tell everyone you are the reason we are here? Even though you don’t know how to get us back home?”

“No, I am telling you. Only you. I need someone to bounce things off of.”

“Ok, but it sounds farfetched.”

Kerri–liana wished she hadn’t told him.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll look into how people use to travel before the king and queen put an end to it.”

James felt his moment had passed. He tried to salvage it.

“If you find reference to the City of Gold. Maybe we should check it out. Not like we would be worse off for it.”

“Thanks”

Kerri said leaving the room.

She rolled her eyes. Nothing better to do.

She was going to get everyone home. She didn’t want to be responsible for it but she knew she was. How she was going to get them home, was something she was determined to figure out.

She asked for information on ‘sugs’ and if it was recorded anywhere, how the king and queen closed them. She was informed that the knowledge keeper had been killed.

“Knowledge keeper?” she asked the man in records.

“The Viden that served the king.”

He acted like she was supposed to know what that meant.

“Is there a way to find a Viden?” she asked.

“The queen must send for one. But I don’t know if one will come. She killed the last one. Viden serve but they are not slaves.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Kerri said exasperated.

So, she went to find Tẽra.

Tẽra was still doing interviews with the important people.

She had asked that Nikki or Kerri be sent to her.

Kerri knocked on the door. Tẽra was delighted to see her.

“Come in. I am so glad they sent you. I could really use the help.”

“No one sent me. I need something.”

“Oh” Tẽra was unimpressed.

Everyone’s plan to put her on the throne. But no one helps. She sits alone dealing with everything.

“I also need help. I have five more people to interview. Why they should have the job they do? What do they do? What is their name, title, rank? I need help running this kingdom and making positive changes.”

Kerri knew asking for a favor before helping wouldn’t go down well. So, she sat down and helped interview the remaining people.

She found someone who said they were loyal to the family. So, she asked about ‘sugs’. They spilled like water over a cliff.

“Well only a selected few even knew what the king planned. It really was a shock after it was discovered. When he went through with it after promising he wouldn’t the people felt betrayed. It was then that the king and queen met justice. But now their scorned granddaughter is ruling and it’s the worst the country has ever been. I mean once upon a time we were the trading hub of the seven worlds. People came to visit just to see things. It was wonderful. I traveled to all seven worlds. We really were the best.”

“So, if someone was going to open the ‘sugs’ again. How would they do that?” Kerri asked.

“Well, the traveling crystals are missing. So, if one found the traveling crystals that open the ‘sugs’ then they would have to place the crystals back in their places. Then the Aurum would have to align them. So, it’s easy if you have the crystals.”

“Where can the Aurum be found?”

“Seriously? In their fortified cities.”

As it turned out, helping Tẽra helped her. She now knew she had to find the Aurum and show them the crystals. The Viden or knowledge keepers would know where to find them.

Nikki rode in on horseback all excited about life. She planned to climb that mountain, and try every exciting thing on this world. She bounded towards Tẽra’s room with a spring in her step. Tẽra wasn’t there. Since she didn’t know the language, she battled to ask where the queen was. But this didn’t stop her. Everyone has to eat. So, she tried the dining hall. She found Joe and Natrica there.

“Hey guys.”

“Hi” they replied.

“I’m planning to go rock climbing. Well climb a mountain that will involve rock climbing. Anyone want to join me?”

Natrica thought for half a second.

“Nope” she answered.

“Joe?”

“I will pass. Where will you get the equipment?”

“I was planning to find out if they have any equipment that I could use. Rope, harnesses etc.”

“If they do have, please let me know. Oh, Tẽra wants you to join her in the meeting room or something.”

“Thanks. I think”

Nikki trotted off to find Tẽra.

Tẽra and Kerri-liana were sitting discussing the people involved. Nikki knocked interrupting them.

“You wanted to see me”

“I did. I do. There are a lot of important people that are not that important. Maybe seven out of the twenty people I interviewed today were competent. I don’t know how they got their jobs.”

“Maybe the person above them was beheaded?” Nikki suggested.

Tẽra sighed

“I have dinner tonight with a second… I don’t even know his rank. But he spoke up and was honest. I need honest.”

“That sounds nice. Is he cute?” Nikki asked.

“He is betrothed.”

“Oh, that’s unfortunate” Kerri said.

A date with a cute guy was not what Tẽra needed. Someone to help her run the kingdom was what she wanted.

“Well, I was thinking while we are here, we should site see, and climb mountains, snorkel and stuff.” Nikki said.

“What?!” Tẽra exclaimed.

“Umm… while we are on the topic of favors. I was hoping you could send for a Viden.”

Kerri pipped in.

Tẽra looked annoyed

“I spent hours in meeting with dodos and you want to site see! And you want a Viden! Wait what is a Viden?”

Kerri began “A Viden is a living breathing person that is entrusted with the knowledge of the kingdom. They keep records. I was hoping that a Viden could help us as they have the past recorded. They keep their own records unaffected by politics. I am looking for a way home.”

This was actually good news to Tẽra. Someone to help her. Someone who knows what they are going.

Just then Shrew knocked on the door.

Impeccable timing, she thought.

Tẽra got the feeling Shrew couldn’t be trusted. That he was eavesdropping on her and so on.

“My queen” he began

“I have heard of your decision for a peace meeting and that you have already sent out invitations to every tribe. I have also seen the Lovac tribe roaming around free. I know you are not feeling yourself. But I don’t want you to regret your decisions when you return to yourself.”

“Why would I regret restoring my kingdom? Would this not be what my parents would have wanted?” Tẽra replied.

“I worry that Hannah the handmaid had influenced you.”

“Do you dare to presume I am impressionable?” Tẽra barked.

“No, my queen. Never would I do that.”

“Then prove yourself to me. Find the one who tried to kill me.”

She knew it was an impossible order.

“And send for a Viden.”

“Yes, my queen as you have said I will do.” He scurried away.

“You’re mean.” Kerri said.

“He irritates me beyond words.” Tẽra complained.

“I wish I had a task that would require him to leave the castle and not bother me.”

“I have a task that would make him leave the castle.” Nikki said.

“I need equipment for rock climbing and I need someone who can make metal things. So, I can make some of the things I need.”

“You are persistent.” Tẽra scowled.

“If I am going to be stuck here, I might as well enjoy it. Who knows if we will ever get home? So, let’s make this home and enjoy it.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not left to run a foreign country while impersonating the queen.”

“But I can take Shew with me and for a few days he can run around helping me get stocked up for the trip.”

“I need help. I thought we were in this together.” Tẽra moaned.

“I am not helping. I don’t even understand the language.”

“You doing this no matter what I say.”

“This is what I want. You could always come with me?” Nikki invited.

“Running a country is a full-time job. You don’t get vacation time.”

“Then change it. Entrust someone else for a few days.”

“You may use Shrew and take him with you.” Tẽra caved.

In her heart she was hurt. This wasn’t even her idea. She didn’t want to be queen, but she realized that being queen meant everyone was safe in an unsafe world, and that is what they wanted, security. They weren’t going to be there for her like she had hoped or like they had said.

“Leadership is lonely” her father had told her and now she experienced it.

If Nikki stayed, she wouldn’t want to be here anyways. Kerri was also running her own plans out of the castle. That left Rachael who was still recovering but maybe she would have someone to confide in. Ask for ideas and input, but she wasn’t optimistic.

“Go use Shrew as you need. I have matters of state to attend to, so Kerri can translate for you.”

“You are awesome! Thanks.”

Tẽra sent for Shrew and told him that he was been given a second chance. He must help Nikki however she needs and go with her to protect her on her journey. He enthusiastically took the assignment.

Tẽra asked Kerri if there was anything she needed. Kerri just wanted more records. This however gave Tẽra an idea. So, she sent for the records keeper.

“My queen” he greeted.

“What is your name?”

“Hodge, my queen.”

“How did the “important” people become important?” Tẽra asked.

“Those before them died…”

“Did the queen kill those before them?”

“Yes, it is very unfortunate.”

“How do you think my… her parents would want me to start in my quest to restore the kingdom?”

“Restoring the kingdom will take a lot of work. But the peace meeting you have called is a good start.”

“What customs or traditions do I need to know before meeting the ambassadors?”

Tẽra had found someone to help her. Hodge the records keeper who knew she wasn’t the real queen but had kept her secret.

He was invisible and said nothing in meetings. He wasn’t a man with presence so it was easy to overlook him. He wasn’t even much to look at. Being completely average in every way with nothing standing out.