"I'm sorry, I know we went too far but this island was gorgeous, with the long beautiful beach and the small forest, you will definitely like it, I think we should settle there, after all what happened we can't go back and we have no place to go to, what do you think?" I was listening but my mind was lost in thoughts, I wasn't thinking of the island Kate visited or her suggestion, I was thinking how to make the king talk, and the first idea was to threaten him with Athena and we can't do that when he arrives to the city so we need to move and cut the road on him before he arrives.
"It's really tempting and nice but I need to get something done once and for all and then we can settle on a beautiful island with the long beaches." I said while I walked to Athena and mounted on, and when I looked to Kate she was still standing in the same place looking serious, she looked cute but yet dangerous with her serious face.
"I told you Kyle and I won't repeat myself, if you did something to Hector or anyone else, I will leave you." She looked very serious and determined, how I'm supposed to convince her that I'm just seeking answers and nothing else?
"Look Kate, yesterday I thought of what you said and I decided that I want you and not revenge." She smiled a little when she heard that, which made me smile too but I hid it anyway "but I also decided that I will search for the truth in all the lies I have been told, and only one man can provide me the truth behind all of this…I will ask or more like threaten the king so he will tell me the whole story from the beginning, and I promise I won't hurt anyone." When I said that her small smile disappeared and soon turned to angry face, I saw her afraid and scared and serious and embarrassed and disappointed, but I never saw her angry and I don't want to see her angry again.
"THAT'S IT…YOURE GOING TO CHOSE KYLE… WE ALL GO TOGATHER AND YOU FORGET ALL ABOUT THIS, OR YOU SEEK ANSWERS TO YOU QUESTIONS BUT I PROMIS YOU THIS, YOU WONT FIND ME BY YOUR SIDE WHEN YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT… chose wisely."
She was very serious, she was serious about leaving me, but now I'm confused, what should I do now? I dismounted Athena and walked to her as she was looking directly to my eyes, I said.
"Please Kate, give me a chance, I promise you I won't hurt anyone, I promise you I will forget all what happened here when it's all done, I promise you we will fly to the island you saw and I will build the house I promised you, and we will live there to the end of our lives with our kids and all, and Athena of course." I tried to change her mind but it didn't work, she was still determining on what she said.
"It's my last word, you can choose to seek your revenge or you can choose me, and we will get married and have kids and live the rest of our lives together, and at last we will die next to each other, isn't that what you want?" she said softly trying to change my mind now, I can say she somehow succeeded, I looked to Athena and then to Serta and then back to Kate, is it worth to leave and never come back, is it worth to throw all I have known, all I have been searching for behind my back just for Kate?
I took a heavy breath while I turned and mounted on Athena; Kate was still standing near Athena and waiting for my answer.
"Mount on, we need to fly to your island before the night" I said and she mounted with a huge smile shown on her face.
"I knew you wouldn't refuse." She said.
"What?" I asked her pretending I didn't hear her.
"Nothing…lets go already." She avoided my question and said excited.
"Calm down a little, I don't even know where to go." I said to Kate then I turned and spoke with Athena "come on girl, you know where to go."
As I said that Athena ascended to the sky in a high speed and when we reached the clouds level she straightened and flew in steady speed, I looked down to the city of Serta with desperate eyes, and Kate noticed and asked softly.
"What is it Kyle?" I looked to her with the same desperate eyes.
"I don't know, it's a feeling I can't describe…just like when I left my home, I mean the bog-burglars village."
"Don't worry; they say your home is where your heart is." I knew what she meant and I smiled to that and so did she, she was right I think.
After hours of flying another great huge city appeared in the horizon, and it was as glorious as Serta and Rome, and when we got closer, I noticed the city was on the shores of the sea, nice, it means we were half the way and the sun was still out in the sky.
"That's Rosikada." Kate said as she pointed to the city.
"But you said you didn't land, so how you know what that city name is?" I asked Kate.
"No we didn't land, I knew it from the map in the king's office, you remember?" I tried to remember and yes she was right.
"We can land and have a walk around if you want?" I asked Kate but she didn't look exited to the idea.
"No, it will be a waste of time, we should keep flying and maybe we can reach the island before dark."
"As you want." I said and we passed the city of Rosikada to the open sea.
After several hours of flying we still over in the open sea and there were no sign for a land or an island, only the endless sea and the sun was nearly down.
"Athena, are you sure where you're going, because there is nothing but the sea." I said to Athena and she let a complaining growl, she doesn't like someone to doubt her especially me.
"Let her do her work Kyle, yesterday we flew for hours before we found the island, besides, it's very romantic up here with the sunset and the beautiful sea, don't you think?" Kate said.
"Maybe it is…maybe it is!" I said with a smile.
We were still flying and the sun was down, everything went dark, we couldn't see anything, what was romantic minutes ago become horrifying, the calm clear sea turned to a savage sea with huge waves in the size of mountains, we could hear the waves clashing with loud sounds, I could feel a pressure on my midsection and when I checked it out, Kate was holding tightly on me, I couldn't blame her, even me with over three years of flying experience I couldn't hold my balance in such situations though I flew through hurricanes and storms before, and then Athena slowly lowered, I didn't know what she was doing but I trust her enough to let her do what she want to do, now we were only meters above the sea surface, and ahead of us was an island, Athena landed on that island in the beach and I dismounted.
"We need place to take cover from the bad weather." I said to both of them while I looked around for anyplace we could use as a cover, and then Athena growled and lowered her back, which meant she wanted me to ride, and I did.
When I mounted she flew to the other side of the island and there were a few caves we can stay in until tomorrow, Athena chose the bigger cave and we entered, it was dark inside but Athena took care of that and shot a plasma plast to the ceiling, and that gave us some light, we dismounted and I checked on Kate.
"Are you all right?" I asked her.
"Yes I'm fine" she answered.
"Are you sure?" I asked again to make sure she was ok.
"What we do now?" Kate wondered.
"I don't know, I think we should stay here until tomorrow or at least till the rain stops, Ath…where's Athena?" Athena was just beside me, I looked around for her and she was in the far side of the cave stretching her legs and preparing to go to sleep.
"Athena?!" I called for her, she turned her head to me and then turned back to sleep.
"Come on, really? Is this a good time to sleep?" I complained, we were wet in a dark cold cave with no fire to worm ourselves and no dry cloths to change, and not to mention we were starving, but I'm used to being wet in a cold dark place and starving, actually I was worried about Kate, I have to do something.
"First, we need something to eat, and dry wood to start a fire, is that all?" I was speaking with Kate who was shivering from the cold.
"Get the wood first, I think I cough cold." She said and she sneezed, I should definitely get the wood first before the cold turn to something worse.
I took Kate's hand and guided her to Athena, she started to weaken, and she leaned on Athena as Athena covered her with her wings, which will worm her a little.
"I will be right back." I said to Kate and then I turned to Athena "take care of her for me, will you?" she growled like she was saying-she's in good hands, or claws in her case- and then I left.
I was out now, it was sill raining and the sea was a bit calmer than earlier, I walked to the beach and stood in front of the sea looking ahead and thinking, but it wasn't time to think, Kate was sick and I have to do something, I turned to the cave and behind the cave was a hill and then a forest, not a big one like the bogs forest or Serta's, a small forest with a small trees and some bushes, I have to try and look for something in that forest whatever it was food or wood.
I walked to the forest after I passed the hill, it was hard considering the mud and the heavy rain and the dark night but I did it, and what looked like a small forest was the entrance to another bigger forest, I was tempted to go in and explore the forest but I remembered Kate, I shouldn't go too far from the cave in case something happened, I turned to leave the forest but I saw something, first I thought it was just a grass but then it turned to be a medical herb, this medical herb is known for the ability to heal a lot of diseases, and it would help Kate to heal too, I walked back into the forest to the herb, it was indeed the herb I thought it was, but it wasn't enough, I need more of it and also I need wood and some fresh water, now I had to go deep into the forest.
After minutes walking in the forest and looking carefully for any more herbs so I can make a cure for Kate the rain stopped, I kept searching and went even deeper in the forest until a few lights were lighted far away and those lights grew bigger which meant they were getting closer, without thinking I climbed a tree and waited for whoever they were to pass, I waited a long time but they never came, now the lights were getting smaller and smaller and that meant they went back, I climbed down and walked out the forest and looking around to make sure no one is following me, the herbs I have wasn't enough but I can't risk to be seen so I had to go back, but for my luck, not far from the way I came from I found the herbs I was searching for, I took them and some broken branches thrown on the ground to make a fire and went back, I walked down the hill to the entrance of the cave, I forgot the water, now I have to go back and get some, and then I went back with a bottle full of water and went inside the cave.
It was very dark there, but the moon gave me some light to see where I'm going, Athena was sleeping in the same place where I left her, and Kate was sleeping between her wings, I put the wood down and lighted a fire and then I mixed the herbs I got with the water and boiled the water, when the cure was ready I gently woke Kate.
"Kate… Kate…here drink this, it will cure you." I said as she slowly opened her eyes.
"What is it?" she asked with a weak voice.
"Just drink it, it's an herb mixed with water, it will help you heal." I said and she took the cup and took a sip.
"Come on, drink all of it." I forced her to drink all of it but I had to so she can be ok.
When she drank all the herbs, I put my arm around her and leaded her back to Athena, I took a blanket and put it around Kate to worm her, I went out the cave and looked to the clear sky and the shining moon for a moments, and then I went back inside, I need to take some sleep too, I walked to Athena and checked on Kate before I go to sleep, she was getting better already, I hope she will be ok.
….
A quick note: Rosikada is a real ancient city, now it's known as Skikda (a city located in Algeria) and also I don't think the Baleares islands have any forests.
Till next time, Algerian from the moon.!