The Girl with the Violet Eyes Read online

  Chapter 9

  “Well, Ali. The truth is we had to leave because if we left you and Victor together your powers would flow into just one of you meaning that one of you would get to have a limitless amount of power and the other one would live eternally.” Our mother answers.

  “What do you mean?” exaggerates Victor. “If we would have stayed as a family one of us would be given the other’s entire power? What about now, could that still happen?”

  “No. Once your powers have been fully developed then they cannot be combined. The truth is in my vision I saw that Ali had been given the combined powers and that Victor would live eternally unhappily ruling the kingdom. I did not want my children to be unhappy so after Mathew implanted his memories your father thought it would be best if we left; we knew that Ali may never gain her powers in the human world but we had to make sure that everyone would be safe. So now you and Ali both have equal powers.” She answers.

  Victor and I sigh in relief. I never knew having powers would be so helpful but I also didn't want my brother to have to rule the kingdom eternally that might get to his head. I thought and snickered.

  “What's so funny?” Grandma asks.

  “Nothing, I was just thinking about something Theo said to me about the eternal historians. How did they get to live eternally?” I ask curiously.

  “Well most people don't know this but twins consume each other’s power when they are young. They can't develop equally and neither can their power so instead of being split between two equal creatures it combines into one of them. It's completely at random who is given power and who is given eternity.” She says knowingly. “There have only been three recorded cases of twins in our race.”

  “So the two eternal historians were twins? That is amazing, I think I would like to be given eternity.” I say pondering my thoughts out loud.

  “You would, would you?” says a familiar voice. “I don't believe that would be a wise choice, my dear Ali.”

  “Father?” I say looking up surprised.

  “Yes it is me. I have been healed and restored as good as new.”, He says in his deep gruff voice. He is wearing a black button up shirt and matching slacks with a golden cape and a golden bejeweled crown. The crowns jewels shimmer red and blue casting a regal glow. He looks very kingly and exquisite even though he looks rugged and handsome. He walks over to the table and looks at my mother with an interested look.

  “My queen.” He sighs breathlessly.

  “My king.”, She breathes in deeply. She stands and straightens the wrinkles from her golden gown. He envelopes her in a hug and they both stand like this smiling. Me and Victor look awkwardly at each other, and grandmother excuses herself from the table. I look back up at my parents who are staring intently into each other’s eyes.

  “Ahem.”, Victor chokes out. “I think Ali and I will go for a walk we have a lot to catch up on.”

  “Yes, that will be wonderful.” My mother says not even acknowledging our presence.

  Victor stands up dramatically rolling his eyes and I follow him out into the garden. I look back to see my mother and father kissing passionately and I snicker at the sight. Victor looks over at me questioningly.

  “What's so funny?” He asks.

  “Nothing. It just seems odd the way they were looking at each other. The whole time I grew up they couldn't stand the sight of one another but now look at them.” I say pointing in their direction as they are wrapped up in a passionate kiss.

  “Yeah. I guess that would be funny to see them this way for the first time.” He replies.

  We stroll wordlessly through the garden and I enjoy the solitude. It feels nice to not have to talk to someone for a change. Victor points out the little frogs near the pond, the fox that lives near the willow tree. He remarks that it's his thinking place, and he often finds himself out here to be alone. He stops in front of a gentle stream and removes his shoes. He rolls up his black pants to his knees and sticks his feet in the water.

  “Come on Ali.” He says patting the spot next to him.

  I remove my shoes and sit next to him, dabbing my toes into the refreshing water. I wiggle my toes as the fish swim by us quickly.

  “Victor, Have you ever been in love?” I ask suddenly. He looks at me astonished and then looks down at the stream.

  “I don't know. I mean, I believe I might have once. Since then I've never found anyone with any of my interests or who would want to be a queen, there are a lot of responsibilities that come with the kingdom.” He says thoughtfully.

  “Once? You mean you've never fallen in love because no one can meet your standards.” I say elbowing him gently and giggling.

  “Well, yeah that to.” He says grinning. “Have you ever been in love Ali?”

  “I don't know. I think I have.” I say moving my foot through the water in a rhythmic motion, watching it go backward and forward as the fish dart in and out between it.

  “You've fallen in love with a human?”, He asks interested.

  “Well not exactly. It's Theo.” I say blushing after it comes out of my mouth.

  “Oh.”, He says looking down quickly. Then, he looks back up his violet eyes turning dark and sad.

  “Is that bad?” I ask, afraid of what his answer might be.

  “It's not necessarily bad; we can't help who we fall in love with. It's just that because of our royal blood we are not allowed to love just anyone.” He says looking down regretfully. “I wasn't honest with you before Ali. There is someone that I love, but we can never be together. It is the gardener’s daughter and her name is Olivia Vanguard.”

  “Really?” I say. “How do you know you cannot be with her?”

  “Her father is a gardener and she is interested in me but she has no interest in the kingdom.” He says sadly, looking down and wiggling his toes towards some of the fish. “I asked her to marry me.”

  “You did? Aren't you a little young for marriage?” I ask.

  “Yes. Well love is different for us because we only feel it one time. The truth is humans could pick any random human that they have an attraction for and call it love, but for us it is more instinctual. It is not a guess for our kind. We are drawn to that person and we meet them at a young age unless we have been exiled to the human world like in your case. Tell me what did you feel when you saw Theo for the first time?” Victor says looking at me intensely.

  “Well I felt like I had been missing something until that very moment. I felt like the minute he sat down next to me I was one complete person. My heartbeat got intense and fast, and I couldn't stop looking at him. I wanted him to be mine, more than I've ever wanted anything.” I say.

  “That's how I felt with Olivia and she felt the same way she said the moment she saw me everything made sense to her. It took us two days to realize that we were a match and it took her one minute to reject my proposal.” He says glumly, his eyes turning a deep violet. His anger comes on like a storm, and he says through clenched teeth. “She rejected my offer, but I've heard that she has been arranged to marry Adam, the butcher's son.”

  “We have to stop her. She doesn't love him, but why haven't you done anything to stop it.” I ask astonished.

  “Her mother is forcing her to marry him. They are out of money and Olivia told me not to interfere.” He says regretfully digging his hands in the dirt.

  “Victor. Women say things like that all the time, but it seems like she didn't mean it. You have to stop her before she makes the biggest mistake of her life.” I say.

  “You don't think she meant I shouldn't interfere with her life then? You think she wanted me to save her.” He says pondering my suggestion. “It would make sense. She would never say something like that to me unless her mother put her up to it. When she came here to tell me it her eyes had been swollen and bloodshot and she looked like she had cried for days and starved herself none the less. I hated seeing her that way but I thought she was just upset because she had to sta
y away from me.”

  He looks at me carefully and then he gives me a mischievous grin.

  “We're going to save Olivia. You'll have to help me with my plan though, dear sister. We only have three days before the wedding and I have very little time to convince Olivia that Adam is all wrong for her.” He says rubbing his hands together happily.

  “I'll do whatever you need me to.” I say joyously.

  “First, you have to dress up as a messenger and travel to Olivia's house to give her an urgent message. You'll have to say it's for the wedding and that it needs to be dealt with immediately so that her mother will let you in. Then, once you have Olivia alone tell her who you are and say she is needed at the palace immediately. When she follows you make sure her mother is nowhere to be found and then you two will come here where I will express my undying devotion and love for her.” He explains enthusiastically.

  We both jump up and race towards the palace eager to put the plan into action. He leads me to a room on the third floor that holds all the palace workers uniforms. We pass aisles of black maid outfits, white chef uniforms with matching hats, red bellboy uniforms, suits, gowns, and finally we manage to find the messenger uniforms in the back. They are made of a dark gray material with gold buttons across the sleeves and front. They have a matching gray hat and a black satchel. He hands me one of the smallest uniforms to try on and leaves as I undress quickly. I hang my clothes on the hanger and place them in the uniforms spot.

  “I look like a mailman.” I say glumly. Struggling with my jacket that is a little to large for me. “You owe me Victor.”

  “I think you look adorable.” He says grinning as he hurriedly writes a letter to Olivia. He finishes the letter and adds a few hearts near his name. “Okay, here's the letter. Now I need you to say you were sent from the bakery about the wedding cake. The bakery ran out of vanilla and has to make the remaining wedding cakes chocolate. Then you will take her outside and give her this letter to read.”

  “Okay. I think I can handle that.” I say feeling nervous.

  “Great. I know you can do it and if anything should go wrong just leave as quickly as possible.” He says giving me a hug, and helping me up onto the horse. It's a magnificent black horse with dark eyes and a quiet demeanor. Victor explains the directions to me one more time and the plan and then he sends me off.

  The horse speeds through the narrow roads and the dizzying curves at amazing speeds and with such grace that I barely have to move before he leads me exactly in front of a little yellow cottage with tiny windows, a small white fence, and a gorgeous garden. I leap down from the horse and pat him on his head. He nuzzles his face against mine and neighs loudly. I dig through my satchel for the sugar cubes my brother gave me before I left and I give him one which he snatches up out of my hand eagerly.

  I see a very petite woman working in the garden and I try to clear my voice. She doesn't respond so I try again.

  “Hello. I'm looking for a Miss Vanguard.”, I say loudly.

  The woman screams and her basket of green roots flies everywhere. I look down at my feet embarrassed; she walks over to me her cheeks rosy and flushed.

  “I am Mrs. Vanguard. Are you looking for my daughter Olivia?” She asks.

  “Yes. I have some very urgent news for her.” I say.

  “Okay let me go get her from inside. Wait here a moment.” She says turning to go into the cottage. The woman returns with a very fragile looking girl. The girl is in her early teens with wild unkempt brown wavy hair and very high cheekbones. Her lips are red and her face is covered in freckles that compliment her pale skin. She has bright pale blue eyes and she is wearing an apron.

  “Hello. What is this urgent news?” She asks in a soprano sing-song voice.

  “You must come with me right away.” I say eagerly.

  “Well can't I clean up?”, She asks looking down at her hands covered in flour and her apron.

  “Of course.” I say smiling at her. She is very beautiful and I can see why my brother has taken such a keen interest in her. Even with her hair a wild disaster and her messy kitchen apron on she is extravagant. She leaves her mother and I in the garden alone.

  “What is the urgent news?” Her mother pries hopefully.

  “The baker has concerns with the wedding cake.” I say importantly.

  “Oh, does he?” She says bemused.

  “Yes. They have run out of one of the key ingredients to make the vanilla extract and now they must switch everything to chocolate.” I say trying to look her straight in the eyes.

  “Interesting.” She says her snake like eyes darting back and forth.

  “Finished.” Olivia says.

  “Stay here Olivia. This girl is an imposter.” Her mother demands.

  “An imposter?” Olivia says looking at me helplessly.

  “Yes. She says she is here on urgent business for the bakery but I was just there and they had the cake finished and stored away for your wedding. So who are you?” She says spitting in my direction. Both women look in my direction, and wait for a reply. I look at my feet and then back at the garden, unsure of what may happen if I tell the truth.

  “Olivia. To be perfectly honest I am the princess and I am here on my brother, Victor's behalf.” I say trying to sound royal and important. “I even have a letter hand-written from him for you.”

  I search through my satchel for the letter and pull it out. I walk over to Olivia and her mother and hand Olivia the letter rolled up and tied together with a violet bow. I watch as Olivia reads the letter, and her mother stares at me angrily. Olivia's cheeks turn bright red and her eyes well up. She folds the letter up and smiles in my direction.

  “I must go Mother.” She says looking at me gratefully. “This really is the lost princess and her brother has sent for me.”

  “You are a fool Olivia.” Her mother says turning and as quickly as she opens the cottage door she slams it shut.

  We walk to the horse and Olivia appears to be ecstatic and excited. She doesn't stop smiling and her hands shake violently. We ride the horse through the forest and up the hills until we reach the palace where we find Victor waiting impatiently tapping his foot. The moment he sees us he smiles joyfully and unclenches his fists. When we get to the palace he helps Olivia down first and than me. Then he returns the horse to its gated area where it gallops freely with the others. I leave as things get even more awkward between Victor and Olivia. He starts to express his undying devotion and I start to get nauseated so I decide to venture out on my own. I haven't been alone since I got here and I could use a little solitude because being a princess is such hard work I think jokingly to myself. I take off my shoes and enjoy the cool wet grass beneath my feet. The locusts are humming and it feels like a warm summer evening beneath the shady trees. I walk past dozens of rose bushes following the gentle stream farther and farther away from the palace.

 

  A Stranger in the Forest