The Talamute Prince

Once he's gone, I grab the flower out of the trash and walk out on the balcony in my robe with the flower in my hand. I hear a cough from one of the guards below me, this was why they weren't coming to my room. They had finished the guard platforms beneath my feet. My peace is broken by the realization that I'm his prisoner. Digging through all the flower beds I sigh, there isn't another one of these flowers anywhere in the garden. I unfortunately can't revive it without the roots attached and my heart sinks a bit more as I let it fall from my hand and it floats down.

"I never loved him to begin with." I say as I stare out at the, other islands. There's a strange since that something or someone is watching. A small part of me hopes it is the Talamute stranger hidden somewhere in the shadows. "Come free me." I whisper as I turn to walk back into my room and stop dead in my tracks.

"Aie yju zuyegvep." The black haired Talamute is standing by the archways leading inside.

"If they find you here, they will kill you." I should scream, I'm supposed to shout for the guards, but they were right beneath me and didn't seem any wiser that he was here. He steps toward me grinning with a passion in his eyes that was frightening and exciting at the same time.

"Winu cogs nu, tixxuhh." his hand reaches out to me, but I just stare in disbelief.

"Your friend is in the dungeon; my king will kill him. Do you understand?"

"Winu cogs nu." he steps all the way to me pressing up against me as his brown eyes gaze unforgiving into my soul. My body shivers as his hand slides onto my waist. Locked in his gaze he leans in and places a kiss on my lips. I shove him back which provokes a genuine laugh.

"Your Majesty, is everything okay up there." I place my hand over his mouth. I can feel the smile grow on his lips as I do.

"I'm fine, just reading a book that made me laugh." I feel his hand pull mine from his mouth and I turn to him.

"Of course, your majesty." the guards respond. His touch is forceful but gentle somehow and my head is spinning with thoughts I shouldn't be having. My heart races as he brushes the side of my face. He then jumps gripping a slight overhang over the entrance. He pulls himself up and disappears. I reenter my room not realizing there's a huge grin on my face. Tasha is hanging up some of the clothes that had been cleaned and returned. She glances my way and a smirk slides across her lips. Had she seen what had happened. If she did, I knew she would never talk about it. I'm exhausted and I crawl into my bed.

I close my eyes trying to pull my dreams to the surface. I long for interaction form my father's spirit Maybe he would be able to tell me something. I thought of the last dream and how it changed to the Talamute who had just shown me his true intentions. I didn't dream of anything though and my heart hurt. I wondered if the pain from losing my freedom had affected my ability to see my father or any spirits. I wanted to see my father again, but I couldn't make him come. Tossing and turning uncomfortably in the large empty bed.

I wake as I had been doing just as the sun is coming over the horizon. I put my feet over the edge of my bed and into my slippers. I walk out onto the balcony and to the center of it as I had promised to stay away from the edge. I would sooner die then stay off it all together. As I stand there, I hear a scream coming from above me and I look up to see a massive flying creature above my head. The large bright green and blue feather covering the creature that circles turning sideways just above my head and as it did something began to fall from its back. It circles tighter and tighter as I hold out my hand to catch the things falling from it. I smile more sincere then I had in a while. A beautiful Purple flower with orange stamen lands in my hand as well as all around me and down to the ground below.

"What is this?" One of the guards asks. The platform they attached apparently comes around to allow them access to my balcony quicker. She reaches out catching a flower herself.

"I'm not entirely sure, but it's beautiful." I see my maids peeking through the curtains and looking up as the bird flew away into the sun rise and all its strange new beautiful colors. It hits me as I look up. These are gifts from him, my heart flutters at the thought. I hold the flower in my hand and turn to reenter my room.

"Shall we clean it all up?" Heather asked.

"They are harmless gifts from someone who shouldn't be so enamored by me." I'm still smiling almost to the point it hurts, but it's soon interrupted by Patrick who came barging in. The look on his face changes from worry to anger as he sees me holding the flower.

"Are you okay?" He walks over to the doorway out to the balcony leering out in sheer anger. I set the flower on my vanity behind some things so that at least I'd have one. I know what is going to happen next. He'll order all of them destroyed.

"Unless someone is trying to kill me with flowers, then yes I'm fine." A smirk stretches across my face. The annoyed glare he shoots my way doesn't waver my defiant state of mind.

"I was informed by one of the guards that those flowers are from the surface. I want them cleaned up and tossed back down to the planet." His nostrils flare when he is angry. He goes over to the vanity and picks up the one I attempted to hide tossing it on the ground with the rest. I look at it then back up at him.

"They're a gift." My smirk fades with the shade of red Patrick's face turns at my words.

"They're from the planet, most likely some sort of threat unknown to us." He stomps on the flower he threw down. I knew he was dead wrong. They were a romantic gesture from someone who could beat Patrick at this game with very little effort.

"The bird that delivered them was large and beautiful are there more creatures like that below?" he struggles to adjust to the randomness of my comment.

"Yes, the surface is filled with enormous, colorful creatures, and they are all dangerous." The red color in his face hasn't faded away.

"I thought it was beautiful, but even the deadliest of creatures are beautiful in their own right." He walked towards me and for the first time I was afraid of him as I took a step back. This must have caught him off guard because his expression changed.

"Yes, and they are all dangerous." He turns taking steps toward me. His eyes penetrating me in a way that caused me to shake visibly. I'd never truly been afraid of him before, but the glare in his eyes made me wonder if I was safe from his temper.

"I thought it was beautiful, but even the deadliest of creatures are beautiful. The Bird itself is obviously trainable. That is unless you think these gifts," I reiterate, "are from that creature." He walks towards me and for the first time I took a step back. This must have caught him off guard because his expression changed. He looks me over for a moment trying to read the look on my face. However, it's the ball of fire I'm readying in my hand that catches his attention.

"I'm sorry yesterday has me a bit shaken. Yes, the things below are beautiful but they are deadly. So, are you ready for your day of exploring?" My eyebrows crunch as I stare at him. What is he up to? There is no way he is serious or is he perhaps trying to distract me.

"What?" A flood of servants including my own rush past us as I try to read him. I can plainly see he is still angry and probably brought on by myself with my seemingly recalcitrant attitude. "After all of this you're still willing to let me explore unchaperoned?" His smile doesn't match the penetrating glare in his eyes. The flame of arrogance still dancing in his voice as he revels at the idea of winning me back. This must be part of that ploy.

"You'll be within the castle walls and I have tripled security calling back more soldiers from exploration to protect us during this transition of kings." He says. I move from in front of him to behind a screen that was placed so that I may adorn one of my handmade dress when not alone in my own room. I'm not sure if he can see me as the material the thing is made from is thin and somewhat translucent.

"Thank you." I don't know what else to say. It isn't the exploration I truly want as I wonder to the forest down below lingering ever inviting to my curiosity. I step out from behind my screen fully dressed for the day's events as he looks me over like a trophy won in some strange sporting event that men of his standing idealize.

"Here if you get in any trouble you just press this, and Melena will come to your side. I have things to discuss in the conference room with the council of my people and stuff that will keep me busy most of the day." He steps closer to me; I don't back away this time he seems so much calmer than a few moments ago. As he leaned in to kiss me, I turn to allow his lips to fall on my cheek instead of my lips. I have given him too much thus far and he has mistaken my moments of fear for the idea of return in his affections.

"I guess I'll see you at dinner then." I won't pretend that he has any part of my heart left dangling in his grasp. He has begun to show his true self and I see that it barely breaks the ice of what darkness hides within him.

"Yes of course." I watch as he turns and leaves. I watch as all the flowers are carried out by the guards. My mouth quivers as it fights off a frown.

"Here you go your majesty." Tosha comes up behind me. I watch as she pulls one of the flowers from her dress and hands it to me. I smile at her looking to make sure that no one else saw that she had handed it to me. I walk out to my now mundane normal garden looking up searching the sky for even a hint of the creature that had brought me such a beautiful gift.

"What do you suppose this means? DO you know?" I twist the flower in my fingers as Tasha steps out behind me. I thought that maybe since she was halfblooded, she might know.

"I grew up here not there, but he would know." Tosha turns to face the other isle, I follow her gaze out to across the way where the bearded one is now standing. He is looking at me with such an intense force coming from his direction. Without a second thought he dives off the platforms and vanishes.

"Yes, he would. So would his friend, your father, if I could find a way to get to him." Still looking down for any sign of him. How was it he was only seen when he wanted to be?

"That my queen is a dangerous game, do not let his majesty know that you have that flower or the thoughts of that creature you seem enchanted by." Marcy might not say much yet her words usually hold some wisdom. If I'm to find out why this flower is so significant, I must find a way to question the prisoner.

"Thank you, Marcy. I'll be mindful of my actions." She bows slightly as I take a seat in front of my vanity. The other two made the bed and the room was tidied up as Marcy brushed through my hair styling it in a simple ponytail. In wearing one of my own dresses today I'm much more comfortable. The sun dress that I'm in is as green as the sky here. I found it rather suiting for a day of freedom, or rather roaming freely throughout the walls of my enormous prison. I knew deep down; I'm never going to truly be free with Patrick in charge of things.