Chapter 35: The Meeting Place
The next morning, Isobel arose early, as she had a task to complete.
Tira had told her about everyone taking part in village work already, and that did not scare Isobel. In fact, she was glad for it. This was her home as well, and she wanted to help how she could.
She yawned slightly as she quietly got up without disturbing Julien or Mikhailov. She retrieved her bow and arrows, which she slung across her back.
The village was coming to life as she walked through it. Women were weaving strong baskets or patching clay jugs that had begun to crack, and men were stoking fires to begin cooking the first meal of the day.
Isobel stepped into the jungle, and began searching for the Shurnag tree. Its thorns emitted a liquid that had similar effects to lidocaine when it pierced the skin, but Isobel was planning on harvesting its sap, which was used for medicinal purposes.
She found the tree, and pulled her dagger from her quiver. She whittled a hole into the bark, and soon sap began to leak out. She held the small clay pot her aunt had given her for this purpose to the tree's trunk. Once it was filled up, she began stuffing wet clay into the hole she had made so the tree would stop leaking.
She turned around, pot in hand, and saw Topaz walking towards her.
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Mikhailov and Julien woke up after Isobel left, and they parted ways.
Julien had gone over to the tree where he knew the penguins had slept, and called up to them.
"Buenos dias, penguins!"
Skipper's eyes cracked open, and his eyebrows were already knitted together in annoyance. He peeked his head down over the edge of the 'nest' and saw Julien.
"Morning, Ringtail."
Jack jumped down from the tree, looking well rested.
"Cheerio, chaps, I'll probably come back later." He said as he waved and began walking away.
"Wait, where are you going?" Julien asked him.
"Back to the ship." Jack replied. "Hopefully they haven't burnt it down."
After he left, the penguins came down as well.
Rico stretched, and his stomach grumbled loudly. He wrapped his flippers around it and whined a little.
"Same, Rico." Skipper glanced around, flippers on his hips. "Where can a penguin get some fish around here?"
"Look, Skippa." Private pointed to some villagers who were bringing back baskets of freshly caught fish. "I guess we're having that for breakfast."
"Come on, boys." Skipper signaled his team to follow him into the village. He then turned back and looked at Julien. "You coming, Ringtail?"
Julien smiled slightly at the invite. Skipper rarely did that. "Well obviously."
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Isobel straightened up, tilting her head up defiantly. Now that she suspected Topaz could be working with Clopar, she never wanted to look weak in front of him. She needed to look ready for a fight.
But Topaz was not approaching her like he would do her harm. He kept his eyes on her as he walked closer, and a small smile touched his lips.
"Hello, Isobel."
Isobel inhaled softly, lowering her head a little. She needn't be so defensive. She wasn't even sure if it was true, what she was thinking. "Hello, Topaz."
"Your aunt has you doing work as well?" Topaz inclined his head to Isobel's clay pot.
Isobel did not answer as she held the pot with both hands.
Topaz passed Isobel and began to climb up the tree she had just collected from. He had a cloth sack slung over his back.
"Sequoyah wants me to collect the thorns." He called down to Isobel. "I've done it once, and my fingers went numb afterwards."
Isobel looked up at Topaz, still not saying anything. She watched as he carefully snapped thorns off of the branches, and dropped them into his sack.
She waited the full half hour it took him to fill up his sack, and she leaned against the tree, swishing the sap around in her clay pot.
Topaz jumped down from the tree, and saw that she was still there. He smiled at her, and said, "You waited for m-"
"Why are you here?" Isobel suddenly asked him, no hint of anger or even vague curiosity in her voice.
Topaz folded his arms, his smile momentarily fading, but it came right back and he shook his head slightly. "You insist on that question every time we meet. Can I not be here for adventure's sake?"
Isobel shook her head, her expression beginning to give way to distrust. "The only way Ajihad would have let you in is if you claimed to be from the Northern clans. Or a friend of one."
Topaz would not let his expression betray him, although his smile had vanished, and he cleared his throat.
Before he could answer Isobel's accusation, she went on. "Are you working with Clopar?"
Now Topaz looked down, shifting his weight a little. He looked back up at her solemnly.
That was an answer enough for Isobel, and she turned on her heel to go back to the village.
"Isobel." Topaz reached out, his fingers just barely scraping her shoulder.
She nudged her shoulder down and whipped back around to him. She looked angry now. "Leave Talamaru, Topaz. You should not be here."
And with that, she left again, this time uninterrupted by Topaz.
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Isobel felt a mix of emotions as she walked back home. She was angry, mostly at herself for having trusted Topaz so easily, and she was disheartened by the fact that Topaz would actually team up with Clopar.
But why?
This was what made Isobel feel frightened. What could they be stirring up?
Isobel wanted to tell her aunt and uncle. But if it turned out to be nothing, just Clopar pretending he could possibly try something, her uncle would never trust outsiders again. They could all be banished; maybe even Isobel herself.
She set her pot amongst the others filled with medicine once she arrived in the village.
She found Julien and the penguins sitting around eating seafood and fresh fruits.
"Hey, Iz." Private waved happily to her. "This isn't exactly English breakfast, but it's still fantastic!"
Isobel sat next to Julien, but not so close as to raise suspicions from the nosy villagers.
She fixed her own bowl of fruits and a few shrimps.
Skipper finished chewing his fish and looked over at Isobel. "The boys and I were going to take the Charley for a spin today. Did you want to come?"
"I would," Isobel began, "but I have more things in the village to do today."
Skipper nodded in understanding as he stood up, seeing that the rest of his team had finished breakfast as well. "Next time, then. Let's move out, men."
The other penguins stood, and Private piped up.
"Shouldn't we thank the king and queen for letting us stay?"
Isobel nodded. "Yes. They're sitting in their thrones now, it would be acceptable to approach them."
When the penguins went to speak with the sheikh and sheikrah, Isobel nudged Julien's shoulder.
"You should go back with them."
Julien's shoulders sagged a little. "But I am wanting to spend the day with you."
Isobel gave him a small smile. "I have missed you too. But there are still things for me to finish here. I can see you tonight in Madagascar."
Julien nodded, and he rested his elbows on his knees and set his chin in his upturned hands. "But that is in like forever! What will I be doing all day?"
"Go on an adventure with Mikhailov, or visit Jack." Isobel suggested. "It can be like a mission."
Julien's ears perked up at that. "A mission? Like the penguins spy-guy thingies!"
He stood up excitedly. "This is a good plan, and that's why I am loving you." He bent down quickly to give her a one-second hug, as Isobel had explained to him already that her people could not know about them yet.
Isobel smiled up at him, and he smiled back, waiting for her to say something.
"I love you too."
Julien's eyes widened a little. She had never said that before.
"Are you ready, Ringtail?" Skipper suddenly appeared beside him, but Julien didn't answer.
"What?" Julien turned to him about five seconds after Skipper's initial question. "Oh, um, yes! Let us go be adventuring."
Skipper raised an eyebrow. "Okay, then. See you, Isobel."
Isobel gave her goodbyes, and smiled at Julien, who stared at her with a big smile as he began to walk away with the penguins.
"Ouch!" Kowalski said. "Julien, you stepped on my feet."
"You're welcome." Julien said absent-mindedly, mishearing what Kowalski had said.
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Topaz had also come back to the village, but only to drop off his sack of thorns. Then, he retreated back into the jungle.
He walked along the windy path he had grown accustom to following. All along the way, his mind was racing. Isobel knew now that he worked with Clopar. But she of course knew nothing of their plans, of that he was sure.
He sighed, pausing for a moment beside a wide tree.
"You should not be here."
It hurt Topaz in more ways than one that Isobel had said that. But he shook his head at himself as he moved on.
Why would she want him there at all, especially now that she knew about his alliance?
And, besides, she seemed quite happy with his brother, Julien.
Topaz came upon the small clearing that Clopar had declared their meeting place.
It was secluded and surrounded by tall grasses and a thick overhead canopy, giving it plenty of privacy.
No one else was there yet, and Topaz leaned against a tree with low hanging branches.
He rubbed his eyes with his hands, trying to rid of them of that exhausted, guilty feeling.
He cleared his throat, and thought about how he would tell Clopar of what had happened. He decided he could practice it out loud, as he was alone.
"Clopar…" He started, knowing exactly what he would say, but he stopped, and sighed. He decided he could say what was on his mind and heart in this practice speech, so he would not accidently tell Clopar. "Clopar, I cannot finish this mission. Too much is at stake. She is clearly happy with my brother, and I could never replace-"
Suddenly, the woman he had been with in the crowd, Chimera, swung down from one of the branches.
"Got something to share with the class there, Topaz?" She asked, a smirk on her face.
Topaz frowned, trying to hide his embarrassment. "What're you doing here, Chimera?"
She flipped down from the branch, landing in front of Topaz. "The boss told us all to meet here, didn't he?"
Topaz's ears flattened. "I didn't know it was going to be all of us."
"Duh." Chimera crossed her arms, leaning on her left leg. "We have to start the plan soon."
Topaz nodded. Chimera turned around to pace the small clearing, and he assessed her.
She was not particularly beautiful, or even pretty. Her best feature were her icy blue eyes, but even those could not be alluring, as she spent all of her time scowling or smirking. Her pelt was a dusty rose-grey, and she was easily as tall as Topaz.
He wondered why Clopar had picked someone who stood out so much in this land. She looked nothing like Isobel, who could turn every head in a room just by walking in, captivate a crowd with one green-eyed glance.
Just as Topaz was getting lost in his thoughts, Clopar entered through the tall grass.
Both Chimera and Topaz straightened up.
Clopar had his hands behind his back. He looked tired, and, most importantly and unfortunately, irritated.
His eyes wept over his two subordinates, but he glanced back around the clearing before speaking.
"I imagine you only have neutral reports for me." He began, his voice as terrifyingly even as ever.
Topaz gulped, and Chimera went first.
"The princess' guests arrived in Talamaru a little sooner than expected," she began, "But it does not affect the plan. The sheikh is more naïve than we imagined, so that should be good."
Clopar nodded once. "How did Isobel look when the guests arrived?"
Chimera wrinkled her nose. "Horrid, as I figured. All high and mighty because her uncle is the sheikh."
Clopar's expression was unreadable, but his ears flattened for a moment. "Your girlish jealousies have no place in this, Chimera."
"Isobel looked calm and collected," Topaz spoke up, "And the sheikh looked trusting of the newcomers."
Clopar chuckled darkly. "Just like with us. And what have you to report, Topaz? I know you met with Isobel for swordsmanship."
Topaz nodded. "She trusted me, just as we planned."
Clopar begin to nod as well, but stopped when he noticed the tense Topaz had used. "Trusted? What happened between then and now?"
Topaz glanced down, dread filling his chest. "She knows."
Chimera glared at him silently, and Clopar's eyes widened.
"You idiot."
He lunged forward, and attacked Topaz.
Whoo, a lot more information and a much longer chapter! Any questions, feel free to ask, and please remember to review!