Chapter 6: I can be fun too
Emerald clutched the wishing stone tightly in her palm. After a moment, she opened it and watched it. it was such a beautiful magic token that contained the power to change any one. It could literally grant any wish, good or bad.
Opening the locket around her neck, she placed the stone inside and went right to sleep but unlike before her dream wasn't blank. For the first time for as long as Emerald could remember, she had a dream.
Cypher Dumont was coming out of the river and she was close to the shore with her legs inside the cold river. Emerald remembered looking down on her reflection on the water surface and she was with child... his child. And he was looking at her like she was the only woman in the entire world.
"I love you, Cypher" Her voice would echo like she was in a hollow place but whenever Emerald tries to reach for him, he was always far away from her.
Emerald tried to reach out to him again and again and again but she never could and suddenly he disappeared leaving her behind.
Emerald woke up with a start. It was her first dream. And It must mean something.
Emerald stood up from the ground she was lying on. She decided to take a walk leaving her servant behind.
She thought she was walking deeper into the forest but then she heard voices of people talking and laughing. Emerald's curiosity peaked when she realized they were talking about Cypher Dumont.
She followed the voices and she came across three sisters walking on a lonely path leading to the king's village.
"Hey"
The girls stopped to look at her. Emerald wondered whether they were younger or around her age. aging works differently for the humans.
"Hey" One of the girls said back to her while the others simply stared at her. They were dressed in a bright color dresses, yellow, blue and orange respectively.
"I like your... outfit" Orange couldn't find the words to describe what Emerald was wearing.
"Not that it is appropriate to display yourself like you are on sale" Yellow's disapproval couldn't be more obvious.
"What's your name?" Blue asked. She might just be the kindest amongst the girls.
"Em... Eireth" It wasn't really a lie. It was her middle name "You were talking about Cypher, weren't you? I would like to know why?"
The girls had this look on their faces like they saw a demon. They were looking at her like she was the demon.
"What is it?" Emerald asked Blue.
"You are not allowed to call the King by his name. It's forbidden"
"What shall I call him then?" Emerald found that particular rule ridiculous. She was Queen and it wasn't forbidden to call her by name.
"You may refer to the King as your highness or King Cypher but mostly your highness"
"Fine. What were you whispering about his highness?" Emerald stopped herself in time from rolling her eyes.
"We should go. We are forbidden to talk to strangers too" Purple had an attitude Emerald didn't like.
Blue Ignored her sister and answered the question "For the first time for as long as we can remember, King Cypher has opened the castle to all and everyone who wishes to attend the royal ball. At the end, the King will announce his future Queen to everyone"
Emerald's face was momentarily struck with paralysis. The man of her dreams was about to choose a bride that wasn't her.
She watched as Purple grabbed the hand of blue and urged her along "Come on Fay, let's go home"
Fay formerly known as Blue waved before departing with her sisters. Emerald turned and walked back to the camp. Maudyn was awake when she arrived.
"Emerald, I almost panicked when I saw you were gone. Are you alright, my Queen?"
Emerald smiled but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"I took a walk. I am alright, Maudyn" Emerald picked up her bag from the ground and dusted it."We need to blend in and so, we must get rid of this clothes I am wearing"
Emerald wanted to suggest they go to a market when Maudyn pulled out a dress of her size and stature from her bag.
"You take good care of me. Thank you Maudyn" Emerald took the dress and went around to a huge tree to change into it.
"I have an errand to run, Maudyn. I will be back in time for us to continue our journey"
"I should come with you, Emerald" Maudyn picked up her bag.
"No. I shall go alone. I am will take my dragon with me" Emerald said as soon as she came out from behind the tree.
Without waiting for Maudyn to object. She took off in a run towards the cliff again.
"Come on, girl. I need you, Wrath" Before she got to the cliff, her dragon was waiting for her already.
"You are no fun, Dragon" Emerald knew her dragon did not want her to jump off the cliff again.
"It's not wise to risk your life, Mistress" Wrath reminded her.
"Don't be an old girl, Wrath" Emerald climbed on top of her and sat down.
"Where are we going to, Mistress?" Wrath asked as she flapped her wings .
"Let's go see the boy I like"
"Okey dokey...See, I can be fun too" Wrath took off into the air as Emerald's laughter echoed. To conceal her dragon, Emerald cast a cloaking spell.
Soon, Wrath was dropping her near the River she met Cypher earlier. Emerald ran to the place expecting to see Cypher but he wasn't there. She sat there and waited for him. She waited for a very long time.
After hours of waiting for the King of Lamek to show up to his own private river, he did.
Cypher came down from his horse and down to the river and was startled by a blue eyed girl he had never seen before.
"Hi. I have been waiting for a long time. What took you so long?" Emerald asked the King before she realized that she had placed a spell on him to forget her.
"Do I know you?'
"I am Eireth and you are Cypher Dumont. But I am not supposed to call you by name" Emerald admitted to him "We met once before but you must have forgotten all about it"
It was the truth.
Cypher watched the girl in front of him. She was odd but bold. He liked boldness.
"Okay. I apologize that I forgot about you. What can I do for you, Eireth?"
Eireth took his hand "Come sit with me, Cypher Dumont"