Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. They have been borrowed for this story.
**IMPORTANT NOTE: This story takes place after OBSTACLES. Be sure to read that first!!!
~~~~~~~~~~
THE EDGE OF FOREVER
Marguerite felt the warm sunlight shining on her face and slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times to allow her vision to clear and then turned her gaze toward her window. It was a beautiful morning, she decided. The sound of birds chirping filled her room and a gentle breeze washed over her. She turned her head to face the form lying beside her. He was still sound asleep.
"John," she whispered, "wake-up." Marguerite gently stroked the side of his face in an attempt to stir him. Roxton gradually opened his eyes and looked at her. A smile appeared on his face. Marguerite returned his smile and said, "Good morning"
"Good morning," he echoed back.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked him.
"I always sleep well when you're by my side," he replied, lifting himself up to kiss her.
It still surprised Marguerite to wake up next to Roxton and hear his loving words. They had been together for over a year now, but their relationship still seemed so new. She thought back on the struggles that they endured to get to the point where they are. It terrified her to think that she almost passed on the chance to experience this love. The past year had been the best of her life. She wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, even a chance off the plateau.
"I think I hear the others," said Marguerite, "I hope they made breakfast, I'm starved."
"Me, too. A night with you can work up quite an appetite," said Roxton with a teasing grin.
"You're incorrigible," said Marguerite as she leaned over to kiss him one last time before they descended from the bed.
"You wouldn't have me any other way," he replied as he started to dress.
~~~~~~~~~~
Roxton and Marguerite entered the great room just as breakfast was being served. Veronica and Malone were setting the table for the meal and Challenger was quickly writing a few notes into his journal before he joined the others.
"Good morning everyone," said Roxton, as he and Marguerite approached the table and took their seats.
"Good morning," said the others.
"We were just about to wake you for breakfast," said Malone. "Veronica made her famous pancakes."
"Good! I'm starved," said Marguerite.
"Ned, could you help me in the kitchen for a moment? I can't reach a few of the dishes on the top shelf," said Veronica.
"Sure," said Ned with a smile.
Marguerite looked at Roxton and smirked as Ned followed Veronica like a puppy dog. Their relationship was finally starting to move ahead. For a long time, it seemed as though Ned and Veronica would only be friends. Over the last few months, however, a more significant bond had stated to blossom. They were constantly exchanging glances and smiles. They spent many nights out on the balcony talking for hours. It was only a matter of time before they would formally become a pair.
"Breakfast is served," said Veronica as she and Ned walked out of the kitchen area.
"Everything looks wonderful, Veronica," commented Roxton.
"I agree," said Ned.
Challenger walked away from where he was writing in his notebooks and joined the others at the table. They all sat and started to eat their breakfast.
"What needs to be done today?" asked Challenger.
"The elevator needs repairs and there's wood to be chopped," said Roxton.
"Don't forget about all the laundry that has to be washed," added Malone.
"Let's not do work today," Marguerite quickly interrupted, "It's such a beautiful day. We should do something fun for a change."
"We need to get all the work done first, Marguerite," responded Veronica.
"What's the rush? It's not like we're going anywhere," Marguerite argued.
Veronica simply shook her head and turned to continue eating her breakfast. It wasn't worth it to argue with Marguerite, especially lately. For some reason, she had been very moody. There were times when she was exuberant and then there were times when she was ready to rip everyone's heads off. Her blatant expressions of emotion were very un-Marguerite. The others had resorted to "playing along" with her in order to avoid another mood swing.
"Marguerite, what do you propose we do?" asked Roxton.
"I don't know! Forget I even brought it up," she quickly snapped, "Let's just do our chores!" Marguerite rose from the table, threw her napkin on the chair, and walked to her bedroom.
"What's the matter with her?" asked Malone.
"I have no idea," responded Roxton as he left the table to follow Marguerite.
When Roxton had left the room, Challenger said, "She's been awfully sensitive lately. One minute she's contented and the next she's storming out of the room."
"She's just being Marguerite," said Veronica as she started to clear the dishes from the table.
"She probably stormed off so she wouldn't have to help with the dishes," Ned joked.
They laughed at that thought and rose from the table. Challenger went back to his notebooks and Ned and Veronica cleaned up after breakfast.
~~~~~~~~~~
Roxton entered Marguerite's room to find out why she had gotten so upset. She didn't usually get so caught up in her emotions. Her behavior these past few weeks was beginning to worry him.
"Marguerite," he said as he walked into the room, "are you alright?"
"Why wouldn't I be alright?"
"Well, you seemed awfully upset when you left the table."
"I know, Roxton. I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. I just suddenly felt so annoyed and infuriated. But, I'm all right now, really. I think I'm just tired of lurking around this blasted tree house all day."
"If it's that important to you, we can do what ever you want," said Roxton as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him.
"No, I know we have to get the chores done. Maybe we can do something later tonight, after we finish."
"That's a deal," he said as he leaned down to kiss her. She met his lips halfway and they stayed like that for several moments.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Veronica, can you pass me the soap," said Ned as he put another shirt in the lake. He and Veronica were doing the laundry. Even though he hated the chore, it was worth doing to spend time alone with Veronica. He had fallen head over heals in love with her. He was waiting for just the right time to tell her. He hoped that she felt as deeply as he did.
"Here you go, Ned," said Veronica as she passed him the soap. Veronica was also enjoying her time alone with Ned.
Veronica bent over beside him to wash another shirt. She playfully splashed a little water in his face. He laughed and splashed her right back. This scenario replayed a few times and intensified. Veronica and Malone were getting completely drenched. Ned caught Veronica's arm as she was thrusting it into the water. She looked up at him and smiled. They looked deeply into each other's eyes and were about to lean in for a kiss when they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of Marguerite's voice.
"Malone! Veronica! Where are you?"
Ned and Veronica looked at each other for a moment and then walked over to where Marguerite was standing.
"What do you need, Marguerite?" asked Malone.
"I brought you two something to drink. It's really hot out here," said Marguerite
"I'm surprised you noticed from the cool tree house," said Ned as he took the water that she had brought to them.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Marguerite shrieked, "I've been doing my fair share of work. I've cleaned the entire kitchen already."
"Okay, okay. I was just joking, Marguerite. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," said Malone.
"I'm not 'upset'. Why do people keep saying I'm upset? I'm not," Marguerite quickly snapped. Roxton, having heard the sound of Marguerite's voice escalate, stopped chopping wood and walked over to where the others were standing.
"Is everything okay over here?" he asked as he approached the group.
"Everything's fine!" Marguerite yelled and stormed off back into the tree house. When she was a fair distance away, Roxton asked, "What happened?"
"I have no idea," said Malone. "I was just joking around with her. She's never been this touchy before."
"I know," said Roxton. His concern for Marguerite was beginning to augment.
Veronica noticed the worried expression on Roxton's face. "I think she's okay," Veronica told him. "Marguerite has gone through restless periods before. She's probably just tired of staying in one place."
"I hope you're right," said Roxton.
~~~~~~~~~~
That night, Challenger, Malone, and Veronica retired to the tree house, while Roxton and Marguerite went for a walk by the water. Roxton had promised Marguerite that they would have an enjoyable evening and he never went back on his word.
"It's a lovely night, don't you think?" said Roxton.
"Yes, it's beautiful. I'm glad we came out here."
"Me, too," said Roxton as he sat on the grass by the waterside. He surveyed the area quickly to make sure no uninvited predators were lurking about. Then, he gently pulled Marguerite down beside him. He wrapped his arms around her and they gazed up at the stars.
"I could stay like this forever," said Marguerite.
"So could I, but I think the others would come looking for us eventually," said Roxton.
"Probably" said Marguerite, letting out a small laugh. She turned herself around to face Roxton. A calm breeze whisked through the trees around them. The sounds of the jungle were almost musical. It was the perfect night. Roxton kissed Marguerite tenderly and then gently lowered her down so they were lying on the soft grass. They continued in this way for several minutes, until a familiar voice broke the silence.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," said the lizard-like figure standing above them.
Marguerite and Roxton quickly whirled around and stood up. It only took them a moment to realize who was standing there.
"Tribune!" Roxton exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?" asked Marguerite in a suspicious tone.
"What's the matter? Not happy to see me?" asked Tribune.
"What do you want?" asked Roxton in a demanding voice.
"You know, you're lucky I'm not a predator," said Tribune, avoiding the question. "It's not like you to be so off your guard Lord Roxton." He noticed that Roxton and Marguerite did not look amused. He paused for a few moments and then said, "But getting back to the point, I'm here to ask a favor of you."
"There's a surprise," Roxton sarcastically said.
"Well, what is it?" asked an annoyed Marguerite.
"I believe you'll be interested to know that Drakul is alive. He survived the fall from the bridge and, now, he and his raiders are seeking revenge. I want your help in destroying him once and for all."
"Why should we help you?" asked Roxton.
"Because I need your assistance. Besides, I just assumed that you would want revenge as much as I. Drakul is responsible for the death of that old man, after all."
Roxton and Marguerite's eyes showed a flash of pain at the mention of Summerlee and then Roxton quickly said, "We don't know that he's dead."
"You're right," said Tribune, "It is possible that he survived the arrow in his abdomen, the fall from the cliff, and the fall down the incredibly high falls."
"How dare you?!!" said Marguerite.
"'I am only speaking the truth," said Tribune.
"That's enough," said Roxton in a stern voice. "What's going on, Tribune! What exactly has Drakul done?"
"He has taken my son, Barok." Roxton and Marguerite were surprised by the fact that Tribune had a son. They had never thought of him as the fatherly type. However, despite their shock, the listened intently as Tribune continued to speak. "He is just a baby. I don't have any idea of where Drakul is hiding him. My warriors have searched every inch of this plateau and have come up with nothing."
"How long ago was he taken?" asked Marguerite, suddenly feeling sympathetic for the lizard.
"Three weeks."
"What do they want from you?" asked Roxton.
"They want me to surrender to them. I'm sure a painful execution would be soon to follow."
"How much time do you have?"
"One more week. I am presently out of solutions. That is why I have come to you. So far, you humans have proven quite successful at getting yourselves out of troublesome situations."
"Tribune, what do you expect us to do for you? You don't even know where Drakul is. How are we supposed to help?" said Marguerite.
"Do you have anything for us to go on at all?" added Roxton.
"Not presently, but perhaps you could discover some sort of clue, something that we missed. I ask only that you come with me to the kingdom and try."
"Of course," said Roxton. He had never seen the lizard "ask" for anything. Tribune usually resorted to manipulations to get his way. Roxton knew that he was desperate and he needed their help. The lizard had saved is life in the past and Roxton, being a man of honor, would not turn his back on him when he was in such great need of assistance.
~~~~~~~~~~
Roxton, Marguerite, and Tribune returned to the tree house and informed the others of the situation. They were a little apprehensive about helping Tribune; especially because of all the trouble he had caused them in the past. They were unsure of how to react to the situation. However, their kinder sides shined through and they agreed to help Tribune find his son.
It was already late in the evening, so they decided that they would depart early the next day. When morning came, Veronica was the first to awaken. She started to gather all the supplies that they would need for the journey. In the process, she accidentally knocked over a glass and it smashed on the floor. Tiny pieces of the glass were scattered sporadically throughout the room. Veronica walked into the kitchen area to get a broom and then returned to the mess. She bent over with the dustpan and started to clean when suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. Instinctively, she jumped, her heart racing, into a defensive position. She was almost ready to draw out her knife when she saw Ned standing behind her.
"You scared me half to death," she yelled, "I could have killed you."
"I'm sorry. I heard the glass break and I came to see what happened. I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's all right. Just don't do it again."
"Is everything okay? You didn't hurt yourself did you?"
"No, I'm fine. I was getting everything together and knocked a cup over. That's all."
"Do you need help cleaning it up?" asked Malone.
"No, I can handle it. Thanks, though."
"No problem. Why don't I make some tea for us," offered Ned as he walked into the kitchen. He put the water on the stove and turned to look at Veronica as she was cleaning the glass. She put so much care and precision into getting every last piece picked up, just like she always put so much care and precision into everything else that she did. He loved that about her. She was independent and could take care of herself. However, at the same time, she was very caring and devoted to her friends.
Veronica finished cleaning the glass and turned to see Malone staring at her. She smiled up at him and he smiled back at her. In the early morning light, Malone looked very attractive. Veronica wanted to run into his arms and kiss him and ask him to never let her go. She wanted to run for her life and never look back. She had never before experienced such emotions and they scared her to death. She didn't know what to make of them. Veronica didn't like to feel so out of control.
Malone saw a look of nervousness flash across her face. He knew that she was new to all this, but so was he. He had never really been in love. There were women in his past, including Gladys. But, despite what he may have thought at the time, he did not love them. He did not know what love truly was until he met Veronica.
He walked toward her, with his eyes focused directly into hers. She stood up slowly and started to walk towards him. When they reached each other, both were silent. They stood staring at each other for a moment and then Ned reached his hand out and caressed the side of Veronica's face. She nestled her head into his hand and he pulled her closer to him. With his other hand, he started to play with her wild blonde hair. He lowered his lips to hers and watched as she closed her eyes and stood perfectly still. Their lips touched and Veronica lifted her arms around Malone's neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently caressed her back.
After a few moments, they pulled away from each other and Ned softly said, "I've wanted to do that for a long time."
"What took you so long," Veronica responded with a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~
About an hour later, the others woke up and joined Malone and Veronica at the table. The two were drinking tea and had very happy expressions on their faces. Marguerite immediately knew that something had gone on between them. She didn't mention it though. She would get the details later from Veronica.
"Is everyone ready to go?" asked Malone, getting up from the table.
"Yes, if we leave early, we should be able to reach the kingdom before nightfall," said Roxton.
"Excellent," said Tribune. His expressions showed that he was in a hurry to get home.
~~~~~~~~~~
They left the tree house and began their journey to Tribune's kingdom. It was an excellent day for travel. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sun was shinning. They were making excellent time, which pleased everyone. They did not enjoy traipsing through the jungle, which was crawling with predators.
"We are about halfway there," announced Tribune in the afternoon. He pointed to a distinctive tree that was growing on the edge of a stream. "That tree marks the halfway point between my home and yours."
"This is probably a good place to rest, then," said Roxton, "We're making good time."
"I could use a rest," said Marguerite.
"I wouldn't mind something to eat," added Veronica.
"All right. We'll stop for half an hour and then continue for the remainder of the day," Roxton announced.
The group gathered and began discussing the problem at hand. They were trying to sort out all of the information and develop a plan of action. While Marguerite liked being a part of the decision making process as much as everyone else, the socialite side of her was more interested in knowing what had transpired that morning between Malone and Veronica. She tapped Veronica on the shoulder and, while Challenger was talking about the probability of something, motioned for her to follow. Veronica did as Marguerite asked and they walked over to the side of the stream, a place where the others would not be able to hear the conversation.
"What do you want, Marguerite? We're trying to make a plan. This better be important," said Veronica.
"Roxton and the others will make a plan. Don't worry about it. I want to know what happened between you and Malone this morning. You looked awfully cozy together when we walked in."
"You're unbelievable. We're possibly going to battle and you want to know the latest gossip."
"Don't be so melodramatic. I know you're dying to tell me what happened. I can see it in your eyes."
Veronica was quiet for a moment. She considered revealing to Marguerite what had happened. She did want to share the information with someone. Finally she decided to talk and said, "Okay, okay. You're right. I do want to tell someone." She paused for a moment and sat on a rock by the water's edge. "He kissed me. But, it was more than just a kiss. It was different. I don't really know how to explain it. It was amazing. I felt so loved and wanted. He was so gently and sweet."
"I think I'm going to be sick," said Marguerite.
"What?!!? You're the one who wanted to know what happened. Why do you always have to be such a bi-" Veronica abruptly stopped talking when she noticed that Marguerite did not look well. "Are you okay?"
"I'm going to be sick!" said Marguerite as she quickly ran and leaned over a rock. Veronica followed and patted her on the back as she vomited. When she was done, Marguerite sat up and tried to steady herself.
"What happened?" asked Veronica.
"I don't know. I must have eaten something bad. All of a sudden I just felt so nauseous," answered Marguerite.
"You stay here. I'll go get Roxton."
"No! Don't worry him for nothing. I feel much better now."
"Don't argue. I'm getting him." Veronica walked over and told Roxton about what just happened. He and Veronica ran back over to where Marguerite was sitting.
"Are you alright?" he asked when he approached her.
"I'm fine. I already told Veronica. It must have been something I ate. Don't worry!"
Marguerite stood and quickly started to walk away, but Roxton caught her arm and stopped her. He was annoyed with her harsh behavior. "Don't worry? With all the things that could happen here, all the things we don't know about, you want me to not worry. You've been acting strangely for weeks and now you're sick. I think 'not worrying' is out of the question."
"Don't use that tone of voice with me!" she said, yanking her arm away. The others heard this exchange and walked over to see what was going on. Marguerite continued to yell. "I told you that I'm okay. Go worry about something else. You have lizards to help, you know."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Roxton.
"What do you think? You act like you're so concerned with my well-being, yet you're dragging me across the jungle in an effort to help a man that has almost gotten you killed on more than one occasion!" Marguerite yelled.
"Do you want to turn back? Do you want me to take you home?" asked Roxton.
"No way! If you think I'm sitting in that tree house while all of you are off 'saving the world,' you're crazy!"
"Then what do you want, Marguerite? You're impossible to please!" yelled Roxton.
"I just want to get there. Let's start moving. This 'rest' has lasted long enough!" With that, Marguerite walked away from Roxton.
~~~~~~~~~~
They continued their journey towards Tribune's kingdom. Marguerite and Roxton were silent throughout the remainder of the trip. Shortly after nightfall, they arrived at the gates. They were all relieved to be out of the jungle. Between the vicious inhabitants and the quarrelling explorers, the jungle was most definitely a dangerous place.
There were servants to greet them as they entered Tribune's home. A female lizard was also standing there, waiting. Tribune walked over to her and put his hand on her back, guiding her over to the rest of the group.
"This is my wife, Rilara," said Tribune when they reached the humans.
"I want to thank you for coming to help search for my son," said Rilara with a deep sadness in her eyes.
"We're happy to be of service," said Roxton, bowing his head down slightly.
"We have all had quite a long day. I am sure that you would like to bathe and get to bed. I will have the servants lead you to your rooms," said Tribune, motioning his workers to lead the group to their chambers.
Each explorer member was given his or her own room. The rooms were extravagantly decorated with canopy beds and tapestries of royal burgundy and gold. Each room had a bath with steaming water held within. The water was scented of wildflowers and the aroma lingered about the entire room.
The explorers were more than pleased to have this opportunity to take a real bath, especially Marguerite. She climbed into her bath as soon as she saw it. She had only been soaking in the tub for a moment when she was disturbed by a knock on the door. She tried to ignore whoever was there. She stayed quiet, but they were persistent. She knew that it had to be Roxton. She was still angry with him from their argument that afternoon. She wanted to tell him to go away, but she knew that he was going to come in whether she wanted him to or not. She stayed silent until he did.
"Marguerite," she heard him say after he opened the door.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Such a warm welcome," said Roxton as he walked over to the tub and started to unbutton his shirt. "That bath looks wonderful. Mind if I join you?" Marguerite did not answer him. She was never one to give in, but the site of him undressing made her defenses melt away. She did not protest when he stepped foot in the tub and sat behind her. She simply leaned back and rested her head on his chest.
"Don't think you're out of the dog house yet," she said after a few silent moments.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said with a laugh, "How are you feeling tonight?"
"I'm alright. I don't feel ill any longer."
"Good… I'm sorry I yelled at you today. I was worried and you were being so obstinate," said Roxton in an apologetic tone. Marguerite could tell that he was truly sorry for upsetting her. She could also hear the fear in his voice. She knew the loses he had suffered in his life. His brother's death almost destroyed him and now if anything happened to her…
"It's alright, John. I'm sorry, too. I know you were just worried. I shouldn't have gotten so bothered. I just worry whenever Tribune comes into our lives. He's almost gotten you killed before and who knows what will happen this time."
"I promise you that I'll be careful, Marguerite. I won't risk my life and I certainty won't risk my relationship with you. Everything will be alright," he said as he leaned his head over to kiss her shoulder and neck. She turned her head around to face him and learned in to kiss his mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning, everyone gathered for breakfast bright and early. They ate a meal of fruit and bread and discussed a course of action for the day. It was decided that they would first survey the land around the city walls. Hopefully, some sort of clue would present itself and they would have an idea of where Drakul took Barok.
The jungle was thick around Tribune's city. The explorers were having a great deal of trouble maneuvering through the heavy brush. They split up into two separate groups in hopes of investigating the area more quickly. Marguerite, Roxton, and Malone went in one direction, while Veronica, Tribune and Challenger went in the other.
They looked everywhere, leaving no stone unturned. It was a difficult process. The blazing sun was vehemently beating down on them. The adventurers were quickly tiring. Both groups were rapidly beginning to give up hope. Searching wasn't getting them very far. They had started to believe that they needed to go about this in another way, when suddenly Marguerite caught something out of the corner of her eye. She stopped to pick up a rock with streaks of an iridescent gold material running through it. It's beauty and potential worth excited her. Roxton and Malone turned to see her smiling face.
"What did you find?" asked Roxton.
"Look at this rock! Look at the way it sparkles. It must be gold! It will be worth a fortune!" she joyfully announced.
"Let me see it," said Malone. Marguerite quickly stepped back into a defensive stance.
"Hands off!" she told him.
Malone put his hands in the air in a surrendering fashion and simply said, "I'm not going to steal your rock, Marguerite."
Roxton, having had enough of this game, grabbed the rock out of her hand while she was looked toward Malone. "Let me see that," he said while in the process of taking it.
"Hey!" she yelled.
"This is an arrow head. Look at the way it is cut. Maybe this is from one of Drakul's men," said Roxton.
"You're right," agreed Malone.
"We should get this to Challenger and Veronica. They may know where to find more of this rock. Perhaps it's where Drakul has been staying," said Roxton.
"…and if it is, he may be there now with Barok," added Malone.
"Exactly," said Roxton.
~~~~~~~~~~
They returned to the gates of the city to meet back up with Veronica, Challenger, and Tribune. When the other group arrived, they quickly showed them the stone. Challenger carefully studies the shiny material that coursed through the rock. It did not take him long to identify the substance.
"This is pyrite. I've never seen this on the plateau before," he said.
"What! It's not gold," said a disappointed Marguerite. Roxton simply shook his head.
"No, the two are commonly mistaken for each other. This has even been called fools gold in the past," Challenger replied.
"Pyrite. That name sounds familiar," said Veronica.
"Have you seen it here before?" asked Malone.
"No… I think… That's is! I remember reading about it in one of my father's journals. He wrote that it only could be found in the caves at the northern ridge of the plateau."
"What caves are you speaking of?" asked Tribune. "The northern ridge is not far from here at all. I have never seen or heard of caves.
"They are very well hidden. There's only one way into them and one way out. I've never tried to find it. My parent had said they were very dangerous, unstable. I think I can find them, though."
"Then there's no time to spare!" said Tribune.
~~~~~~~~~~
Veronica lead the group to the location where her parents had indicated the caves could be found. The searched for hours and were coming up with nothing. The entrance to the caves could not be found.
"It would seem that this is a dead end," said Tribune in an annoyed tone.
"I don't understand. The entrance should be here. My parents said it was here," said Veronica. She was getting upset.
"It's okay, Veronica," said Malone, "I'm sure the cave is here somewhere. But, your parents said it was unstable. It could have caved in a long time ago."
"Maybe," she said.
They all had long faces as they started to collect their things to return to the kingdom. They had hoped that this lead would prove successful. They were back at square one, now.
Marguerite was completely worn out. She stood there and waited, as the others were getting ready to go. She wondered what was wrong with her. Why was she so moody and tired? Why did she feel sick lately? She feared that it was some jungle disease. She hated that thought. She didn't want to be sick, and possibly dying, when she had just found true love and happiness. Then, suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. Could that really be the cause of her symptoms? Was it possible that…
Marguerite's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Roxton's voice.
"Marguerite, are you ready to go?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm coming," she answered.
"Hold on. My shoe's untied," said Ned, as he sat on a rock to tie the lace. The rock where he sat all of a sudden started to shift. It rolled to the side, sending Ned tumbling backwards. When the rock had rolled completely out of the way, the others noticed that Malone was gone. Veronica felt a wave of panic wash over her. She and the others rushed over to where the rock had been. They were relieved and surprised to find that Malone was okay. He had fallen into a whole that the rock was covering up. It was the entrance to the caves.
"Ned, are you alright?" said Veronica, with her head peering over the side of the hole.
"Yeah, I'm okay. I guess I found the cave," he said with a laugh.
"I told you it was here," said Veronica returning his laugh.
The rest of the explorers and Tribune climbed down to where Malone was. The cave was completely dark, except for the spot of light that shone through the hole. Roxton found a piece of wood by his foot and made it into a torch. When the torch was lit, the room began to have a golden glow. All of the walls were covered in pyrite. It wan an almost magical sight.
It seemed that the explorers were at the beginning of the cave. There was a single passage way for them to follow from there. They walked down it slowly, watching for any signs of danger. They needed to be very careful. Drakul or a vicious creature could be lurking around any corner.
The movement of the group came to a sudden halt when they heard a baby's cry. The cry was unique. It was almost human, but not quite. When he heard the sound, Tribune immediately came to life.
"That is Barok!" he exclaimed. "We have found him!"
"Are you certain?" asked Roxton.
"Absolutely," replied the lizard, "We have to---" He quickly became quiet when the sound of voices filled the tunnel. People were present up ahead in the open area of the cave, near a deep pit that looked almost bottomless. The explorers quickly put the torches out before they were seen.
"Shut that thing up! It's givin' me a headache," yelled one of Drakul's raiders.
"I'm tryin', but the little lizard is persistent," replied another raider.
"Well try harder or I'm going to throw the stupid thing in the pit!"
"Drakul will have your head if you kill it before we get Tribune. You can't kill the little lizard for we've killed the big one. After that, he's all yours," said the raider with a laugh.
"I'm counting down the minutes. I wonder how lizards taste!!!"
With that last comment, Tribune had to turn away in order to keep his composure. He wanted to storm over to where those men were and kill them both. He knew, however, that he had to wait. They needed to assess the situation before they took action. He and the explorers would only get one chance at this. They needed to be careful.
Roxton, knowing the lizard was upset by what he just heard, put his hand on Tribune's back. "Don't worry, Tribune. Drakul will get what's coming to him and we'll get your son back for you."
"I will see Drakul hang for this. He will pay," Tribune replied.
Let's get out of this cave. We need to figure out how we're going to get the baby out of here," said Veronica.
"That's a good idea. If we're caught now, we won't be of any use to Barok," said Malone.
The group started to walk back up the tunnel they came. However, before they reached the end, they saw a light coming towards them. Someone was holding a torch and walking their way. They knew it had to be Drakul or one of his men.
"Everyone, quickly turn back," said Roxton.
"Where are we supposed to go?" asked Marguerite, 'Drakul's guards are back there."
"We'll have to think of something, just start moving," he quickly replied.
The group started to hurry away from the light. They walked all the way back to where they first heard Barok's cry. Drakul's men were still there. The explorers were pinned. They had nowhere to hide. They decided to try and overpower the men guarding the baby.
The explorers charged into the open area with their guns held high. They yelled for the guards to put their hands in the air and stay where they are. The guards did as they said. It seemed as though everything was working out for the best. Tribune walked over and picked up his son. Barok smiled when he saw his father. Tribune also smiled.
Roxton turned toward the tunnel, with his gun held high, anticipating the arrival of the person with the torch. He no longer saw the light, however. He became extremely suspicious. Something was wrong. It was too quiet. Their victory came to easily. Something bad was about to happen. He could feel it.
Roxton's fears became a reality when he heard Marguerite's scream. He whirled around to find Drakul holding her with his knife pressed against her neck. Drakul was the man coming down the tunnel. He must have slipped in while they were fighting the guards. Fear and panic washed over Roxton's entire body. If anything happened to Marguerite, he would never forgive himself.
"Well, well. We meet again," said Drakul with an icy voice. "You should have known better than to try and help the lizard. It almost got you killed the first time."
"Let her go, or you'll live to regret the day you ever crossed paths with us," said Roxton.
"I doubt it. It seems that I have the upper hand in this situation. Now, put down your weapons or she dies."
"Fine," said Roxton, as he and the others dropped their weapons. Drakul let Marguerite go with a push and she tumbled toward Roxton. He quickly caught her before she hit the ground. The guards walked to where Drakul was and pointed their guns at the explorers.
"Now, what will I do with all of you?" said Drakul. "Maybe I'll let you decide your own fate. How would you like to die today?"
"Let them go, Drakul. I'm the one you want," said Tribune, "They we're simply trying to help me find my son."
"I don't think so, lizard. You're all going to die together. No good deed goes unpunished," Drakul mockingly replied. "I know exactly what I'm going to do with you. Do you all see that pit over there? Well, in a few moments you're going to get to see the bottom of it."
Drakul signaled for his guards to come over. He quietly gave them orders and they left to carry them out.
"What exactly are you planning to do?" asked Roxton.
"Do you see those three cages over there. We usually use them to trap dinner. Today we're going to use them to send you to your deaths. We will put you inside, hang the cages over the pit, and slowly drip acid on the rope until it brakes. You will be tortured by knowing that at any minute you will be dead. I will watch and enjoy every moment of my revenge."
"You're sick," said Veronica.
"That's such an ingenious plan," said Marguerite. "Did you just think of it now, on the spur of the moment?"
"As a matter of fact, I did," replied Drakul.
"A man of your talent and intelligence could be quite powerful off the plateau. You should consider conquering the other lands," Marguerite continued. She was using her powers of persuasion to try and get them out of this jam.
"There's no way off the plateau, stupid woman."
"Oh, but there is. I know it. If you want, I can lead you there."
"How do I know your telling the truth? If there is a way off, why haven't you taken it?"
"We haven't yet finished our study of this land. There's so much to learn here. We're waiting for a little more work to be done," she said.
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to fall for your trickery? Even if what you are saying is true, my revenge is still far more important. You will die today. There is nothing you can say or do to stop me!"
With that, Drakul told his raiders to set the plan into actions. He put the explorers in the cages. Roxton and Marguerite were in the first, Veronica and Malone were in the second, and Challenger was with Tribune and Barok in the third cage. The cages were then hung off of a bridge that was constructed over the pit. The cages were far apart from each other. The explorers would only be able to hear each other if they talked in a loud tone of voice. An apparatus was set up to slowly drop acid on the ropes that kept the adventurers alive. When the acid ate through the ropes, it would be the end of the explorers.
Drakul watched with a smile on his face. He intended to stay until the cages fell, but a loud voice stopped him. One of his guards was yelling.
"Drakul, the lizard warriors are coming this way. I have gathered all of our men. We are prepared for war at your command!"
"Let's go. We will stop those barbarians and the plateau will be ours!" he yelled and then turned to the explorers and said, "Good bye everyone. I wish I could have stayed until the end, but at least I know you are doomed!" With all his men close behind, Drakul left the cave. The explorers were left alone.
"You're men are here, Tribune. Maybe, they'll get us out of these things," yelled Roxton.
"One can only hope that they will find us in time," Tribune replied.
The adventurers were quiet for a few moments. Each seemed deep in thought, until Malone broke the silence.
"With all the things that have happened to us since we got here, I can't believe this is going to be how we die," he said with an ironic laugh.
"Don't say that, Ned. We're going to get out of this," said Veronica, although her tone was not very convincing.
"Well, if this is the end, at least we can go knowing that we did something truly great in our lives. Even if the world will never know it, we still found one of the greatest places on earth, a lost world," said Challenger.
"That's right, Challenger. These last few years have been the best of my life," said Roxton, as he looked right at Marguerite.
"Mine, too," agreed Malone, "I can't image what my life would be like right now if I hadn't come. Probably pretty boring."
"I can't image these last few years without all of you here. You've become my family," said Veronica.
"We owe you a great deal, my dear," said Challenger. "You've kept us alive all this time."
"We've been a team," Veronica replied.
"Yes, we have," said Roxton.
That moment, the group was silenced by Malone and Veronica's cage dropping slightly as the acid ate through a strand of the rope. Everyone cried out as it happened. They feared that they did not have much longer.
"Veronica, there's something that I need to tell you in case we don't get out of here in time," said Malone quietly.
"I want to tell you something, too," said Veronica.
"Let me go first," said Ned, "I've wanted to say this for a really long time, but I just couldn't seem to find the words. I love you, Veronica. I want us to be together. I want to be with you."
"I love you, too, Ned. I can't believe we waited until we were moments away from death to tell each other this. We've wasted so much time."
"If we get out of here, we'll make up for it," said Ned as he pulled Veronica to him for a passionate kiss.
Marguerite noticed the exchange between the young couple. "Roxton, look over there. I wish I could hear what they are saying."
"Those two finally smartened up and realized they were meant for each other," said Roxton, "Just like we're meant for each other."
"Roxton, I don't want to die," said Marguerite softly.
"I'm not going to let you die. We're getting out of here. Tribune's men are out there. They'll come for us. Don't you worry."
"I need to tell you something," said Marguerite.
"I also have to tell, or, rather ask, you something," said Roxton.
"What?" said Marguerite. She wanted to hear what Roxton had to say before she told him her own bit of news.
Roxton flashed her a boyish grin and said, "Marry me."
"Marry you? With a proposal like that? You're not even going to get down on one knee?" she said with a laugh and a tear in her eye.
"Maybe later, but what do you say?"
"What took you so long," she said as she slid her hand behind his neck and kissed him.
When the kiss was over, Roxton asked, "Now, what did you want to tell me?"
"I want to tell you why I haven't been myself lately. I was confused by my own behavior for a while, but I realized today what the problem is. Although, I wouldn't really call it a problem. Well, I guess that would depend on how you feel about it."
"Marguerite, you're rambling on and on. What is it?" said Roxton. He did not like to be kept in suspense.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you. You're so impatient," she teased. She paused for a moment and they finally said, "I'm pregnant."
"What did you say?"
"I'm pregnant."
Roxton was silent for a moment. Marguerite feared that he was upset, that he didn't want a child. She started to panic. What was she going to do now if he didn't want her anymore? She had gone thought this once before in her life. She didn't' think she could stand it twice.
Her panic dissipated when she saw a huge smile spread across Roxton's face. "Did I hear you right?" he said.
"Yes. Are you happy about this?"
"Of course I am. I want nothing more than to start a family with you. I just asked you to marry me, didn't I?"
"I was so afraid that you would be upset. I-" Marguerite was silenced by their cage dropping a few inched as the acid ate thought he rope. "We're going to fall!"
"No we're not. Tribune's warriors will find us in time."
"I hope you're right," said Marguerite.
"Challenger," yelled Roxton, "How are you? Has your rope started to break?"
"Not yet, but it will soon. The acid is starting to drop faster," he replied.
"I hope my men get here soon," said Tribune to Challenger, "all of this human emotion is going to kill me if the fall doesn't"
"What are you taking about? We can't even hear the others. How do you know they're being emotional?" asked Challenger.
"Your primitive ears may not be able to hear, but I have heard every word that they have said," Tribune replied.
"Oh, I see."
"Yes, the two young ones are in love and Roxton and Marguerite are going to be married with a baby."
"Really? Well, that's wonderful!"
"Wonderful would be us getting out of here before the cages fall."
Just then, they heard footsteps coming down the tunnel. Tribune's men came through and ran over to the pit. They quickly grabbed the ropes and started to pull up the cages. Malone and Veronica's rope broke just as the warriors put their hands on it. For a moment, it seemed as thought they were going to fall, but the warriors were able to control the cage and pull it up. Once all the cages were up the warriors opened the doors and let everyone out.
"Where is Drakul?!?" Tribune asked one of his warriors.
"He is still at large. We have been battling the raiders and have successfully captured most of them. The rest have run off with Drakul."
"We must find them. It's time for Drakul to learn what revenge really is!" yelled Tribune. "Marguerite, would you be kind enough as to watch over Barok for me?"
"Of course. Just get Drakul."
Tribune handed her the baby and stormed down the tunnel and out of the cave. He sent back a group of his warriors to escort the explorers back to his kingdom.
"Shouldn't we help them?" asked Malone.
"No, I think the warriors can handle things from here," replied Roxton.
"That's right. Let's just let Tribune worry about revenge and war. I've been close to death enough for one day," added Veronica.
Tribune's warriors quickly took the group through the jungle and back into the protection of the city walls. Rilara was waiting there anxiously for their return. When she saw her son, her eyes lit up and a huge smile spread on her face. The lizard-woman ran over and scooped the baby into her arms. It was a wonderful moment for mother and child. The explorers were more than happy to witness it.
~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, back in the jungle, Tribune was furiously searching for Drakul. He and his warriors spread apart to cover the most amount of area as quickly as possible. They did not want to give Drakul enough time to escape.
It did not take long for Tribune and his warriors to reach Drakul. They followed the paths of broken branches and disturbed undergrowth. The search ended at the side of a river. Drakul was waiting there with those of his raiders that had not yet been captured by Tribune's people. They were ready for another round of battle.
When Drakul saw Tribune approaching, he was outraged. He knew his plan to kill him had not worked. His anger overwhelmed him. He grabbed a sword and charged at Tribune. Tribune stepped out of the way at the last minute, causing Drakul to stumble. Tribune saw this as the opportune time to get rid of him once and for all. He grabbed Drakul and went in for the kill. Drakul's screams pierced through the jungle for a moment and then abruptly ended. Tribune had gotten his revenge.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tribune arrived back at the palace to see the happy faces of his wife and the explorers. He knew he owed the adventurers a great deal.
"Did you find Drakul?" asked Roxton.
"Yes. He will no longer be a problem to anyone," Tribune replied.
"That's a relief," said Marguerite.
"I would like to thank you for helping me find my son. I don't know what would have happened had you not been here," said Tribune.
"Yes, we owe you so much," said Rilara. "I don't know how we can repay you. Is there anything that you need? It would be our pleasure to provide it to you."
"You wouldn't happen to know a way off the plateau, would you?" asked Marguerite, though knowing the answer to that question.
"I'm sorry. But, there may be something else we could give you, Marguerite," said Tribune. "I couldn't help but overhear everything that went on in the cages. To show our gratitude, please let us give you and Roxton a wedding."
"You're getting married?" asked Malone.
"When did that happen?" asked Veronica.
"At the same time the two of you were gushingly devoting your love to each other," interjected Tribune. Veronica and Malone's cheeks blushed.
Marguerite looked toward Roxton, who smiled at her, and than said, "A wedding would be perfect, Tribune."
"I'll have my people begin the preparations immediately. I'm sure that you'll want to be married as soon as possible, especially in your present condition," said Tribune.
"Is there anything you didn't hear?" asked Marguerite, somewhat stridently. Tribune simply smiled and walked away.
"What's he talking about?" asked Veronica with a smile, hoping it was what she thought it was.
"I'm going to have a baby," said Marguerite. Smiles spread across the faces of all the explorers. They congratulated Marguerite and Roxton wholeheartedly. It was a time of celebration. Everyone was cheerful and all was good.
~~~~~~~~~~
The day had been long, so everyone went to bed early. The next morning, Roxton was the first to awaken and Tribune informed him that all the preparations were underway. The wedding could be held that evening. Roxton was glad to hear the news and started to walk towards Marguerite's room to tell her. However, Veronica caught him before he got there.
"Where do you think you're going?" she asked.
"To see Marguerite," he answered.
"Oh, no you're not. My parents taught me that it was bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other on the day of the wedding. You'll just have to wait until tonight."
"That's just superstition," argued Roxton.
"That's right, and you shouldn't mess with superstition," she replied.
"I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"
"Nope."
"Then do me a favor and tell Marguerite that I'll see her tonight."
"That's a deal," said Veronica.
~~~~~~~~~~
Later that day, Veronica, Marguerite, and Rilara were busy making wedding preparations. Rilara had given them the most beautiful dresses for the occasion. Veronica's was burgundy with golden trim. It had a scooping neckline a full skirt that just touched the floor. Marguerite's wedding dress was also exquisite. It was white and also had golden trim. Pearls were embroidered throughout the bodice. The skirt flowed to the floor and trailed a few feet behind.
The men had also been provided with proper attire. The lizards had done their best to construct tuxedos from the descriptions that the men had given. The suits that resulted were very close and quiet fashionable.
As the time neared, everyone dressed and accessorized for the ceremony. The evening was perfect. The wedding was to be held outdoors in the palace square. The sun was starting to set and a warm breeze was gently sweeping through the land. Candles were lit all around and beautiful flowers were arranged on an alter. Everything was ready.
~~~~~~~~~~
When the time came, Roxton walked up to the alter and stood and waited. Malone and Challenger shared the position of best man and stood beside him. A lizard priest was presiding over the ceremony. Everyone was seated and awaiting the arrival of Marguerite. Tribune and Rilara sat in the first row with Barok in Rilara's arms. She had not let him out of her sight since he was found.
Suddenly, music started to play and everyone turned to see Veronica walking down the aisle. She smiled at Malone, who was watching her intently. He smiled back at her. Everyone then stood as Marguerite appeared at the beginning of the aisle.
When he saw her, Roxton could not help but smile. He felt so lucky to have this woman in his life. She was everything he ever wanted and needed. Marguerite, seeing the expression on Roxton's face, smiled also. She couldn't believe she was actually getting married. She had almost given up hope of finding someone that would really love her. She felt like her prayers had been answered, and in the most wonderful of ways.
When Marguerite reached the alter, the priest began the ceremony. Roxton and Marguerite repeated vows and exchanged rings. They also shared a few words with each other.
"Roxton, I have to admit that I never thought that things would turn out this way. When we first met, I actually found you to be quite arrogant. But, as time progressed I got to know the person you are inside. I have never loved or respected anyone more than I love and respect you. I am so glad that things have turned out differently than I thought. You have taught me so many lessons about life, most importantly that the best things in life are free. Money and gems may be nice to have, but they are nothing compared to love."
"Marguerite, you've kept me guessing from the start. When we first met, you were mysterious and guarded. I didn't know how to take you. You always had me on my toes. But most of all, you always knew how to get to me. There were times when I wanted to take you in my arms and never let you go, and then there were time when I wanted to throw you off the edge of the plateau. You brought out such passion in me. Now that I truly know you, I cannot image my world without you. I love you."
When they were done exchanging their own vows, the priest declared them husband and wife. Roxton and Marguerite smiled brightly and then kissed lovingly and passionately. They had their entire future ahead of them, a future that was sure to be happy and bright.
THE END
Sneak Peeks At What's Ahead In My Next Few Stories:
(These may take a while)
1.) A short story about the birth of Marguerite and Roxton's baby :~)
2.) A heart-wrenching full-length story about an event that will shake the explorers world
3.) A full-length story about home and what that really is to the explorers (you'll like this one!)
**IMPORTANT NOTE: This story takes place after OBSTACLES. Be sure to read that first!!!
~~~~~~~~~~
THE EDGE OF FOREVER
Marguerite felt the warm sunlight shining on her face and slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times to allow her vision to clear and then turned her gaze toward her window. It was a beautiful morning, she decided. The sound of birds chirping filled her room and a gentle breeze washed over her. She turned her head to face the form lying beside her. He was still sound asleep.
"John," she whispered, "wake-up." Marguerite gently stroked the side of his face in an attempt to stir him. Roxton gradually opened his eyes and looked at her. A smile appeared on his face. Marguerite returned his smile and said, "Good morning"
"Good morning," he echoed back.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked him.
"I always sleep well when you're by my side," he replied, lifting himself up to kiss her.
It still surprised Marguerite to wake up next to Roxton and hear his loving words. They had been together for over a year now, but their relationship still seemed so new. She thought back on the struggles that they endured to get to the point where they are. It terrified her to think that she almost passed on the chance to experience this love. The past year had been the best of her life. She wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, even a chance off the plateau.
"I think I hear the others," said Marguerite, "I hope they made breakfast, I'm starved."
"Me, too. A night with you can work up quite an appetite," said Roxton with a teasing grin.
"You're incorrigible," said Marguerite as she leaned over to kiss him one last time before they descended from the bed.
"You wouldn't have me any other way," he replied as he started to dress.
~~~~~~~~~~
Roxton and Marguerite entered the great room just as breakfast was being served. Veronica and Malone were setting the table for the meal and Challenger was quickly writing a few notes into his journal before he joined the others.
"Good morning everyone," said Roxton, as he and Marguerite approached the table and took their seats.
"Good morning," said the others.
"We were just about to wake you for breakfast," said Malone. "Veronica made her famous pancakes."
"Good! I'm starved," said Marguerite.
"Ned, could you help me in the kitchen for a moment? I can't reach a few of the dishes on the top shelf," said Veronica.
"Sure," said Ned with a smile.
Marguerite looked at Roxton and smirked as Ned followed Veronica like a puppy dog. Their relationship was finally starting to move ahead. For a long time, it seemed as though Ned and Veronica would only be friends. Over the last few months, however, a more significant bond had stated to blossom. They were constantly exchanging glances and smiles. They spent many nights out on the balcony talking for hours. It was only a matter of time before they would formally become a pair.
"Breakfast is served," said Veronica as she and Ned walked out of the kitchen area.
"Everything looks wonderful, Veronica," commented Roxton.
"I agree," said Ned.
Challenger walked away from where he was writing in his notebooks and joined the others at the table. They all sat and started to eat their breakfast.
"What needs to be done today?" asked Challenger.
"The elevator needs repairs and there's wood to be chopped," said Roxton.
"Don't forget about all the laundry that has to be washed," added Malone.
"Let's not do work today," Marguerite quickly interrupted, "It's such a beautiful day. We should do something fun for a change."
"We need to get all the work done first, Marguerite," responded Veronica.
"What's the rush? It's not like we're going anywhere," Marguerite argued.
Veronica simply shook her head and turned to continue eating her breakfast. It wasn't worth it to argue with Marguerite, especially lately. For some reason, she had been very moody. There were times when she was exuberant and then there were times when she was ready to rip everyone's heads off. Her blatant expressions of emotion were very un-Marguerite. The others had resorted to "playing along" with her in order to avoid another mood swing.
"Marguerite, what do you propose we do?" asked Roxton.
"I don't know! Forget I even brought it up," she quickly snapped, "Let's just do our chores!" Marguerite rose from the table, threw her napkin on the chair, and walked to her bedroom.
"What's the matter with her?" asked Malone.
"I have no idea," responded Roxton as he left the table to follow Marguerite.
When Roxton had left the room, Challenger said, "She's been awfully sensitive lately. One minute she's contented and the next she's storming out of the room."
"She's just being Marguerite," said Veronica as she started to clear the dishes from the table.
"She probably stormed off so she wouldn't have to help with the dishes," Ned joked.
They laughed at that thought and rose from the table. Challenger went back to his notebooks and Ned and Veronica cleaned up after breakfast.
~~~~~~~~~~
Roxton entered Marguerite's room to find out why she had gotten so upset. She didn't usually get so caught up in her emotions. Her behavior these past few weeks was beginning to worry him.
"Marguerite," he said as he walked into the room, "are you alright?"
"Why wouldn't I be alright?"
"Well, you seemed awfully upset when you left the table."
"I know, Roxton. I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. I just suddenly felt so annoyed and infuriated. But, I'm all right now, really. I think I'm just tired of lurking around this blasted tree house all day."
"If it's that important to you, we can do what ever you want," said Roxton as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him.
"No, I know we have to get the chores done. Maybe we can do something later tonight, after we finish."
"That's a deal," he said as he leaned down to kiss her. She met his lips halfway and they stayed like that for several moments.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Veronica, can you pass me the soap," said Ned as he put another shirt in the lake. He and Veronica were doing the laundry. Even though he hated the chore, it was worth doing to spend time alone with Veronica. He had fallen head over heals in love with her. He was waiting for just the right time to tell her. He hoped that she felt as deeply as he did.
"Here you go, Ned," said Veronica as she passed him the soap. Veronica was also enjoying her time alone with Ned.
Veronica bent over beside him to wash another shirt. She playfully splashed a little water in his face. He laughed and splashed her right back. This scenario replayed a few times and intensified. Veronica and Malone were getting completely drenched. Ned caught Veronica's arm as she was thrusting it into the water. She looked up at him and smiled. They looked deeply into each other's eyes and were about to lean in for a kiss when they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of Marguerite's voice.
"Malone! Veronica! Where are you?"
Ned and Veronica looked at each other for a moment and then walked over to where Marguerite was standing.
"What do you need, Marguerite?" asked Malone.
"I brought you two something to drink. It's really hot out here," said Marguerite
"I'm surprised you noticed from the cool tree house," said Ned as he took the water that she had brought to them.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Marguerite shrieked, "I've been doing my fair share of work. I've cleaned the entire kitchen already."
"Okay, okay. I was just joking, Marguerite. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," said Malone.
"I'm not 'upset'. Why do people keep saying I'm upset? I'm not," Marguerite quickly snapped. Roxton, having heard the sound of Marguerite's voice escalate, stopped chopping wood and walked over to where the others were standing.
"Is everything okay over here?" he asked as he approached the group.
"Everything's fine!" Marguerite yelled and stormed off back into the tree house. When she was a fair distance away, Roxton asked, "What happened?"
"I have no idea," said Malone. "I was just joking around with her. She's never been this touchy before."
"I know," said Roxton. His concern for Marguerite was beginning to augment.
Veronica noticed the worried expression on Roxton's face. "I think she's okay," Veronica told him. "Marguerite has gone through restless periods before. She's probably just tired of staying in one place."
"I hope you're right," said Roxton.
~~~~~~~~~~
That night, Challenger, Malone, and Veronica retired to the tree house, while Roxton and Marguerite went for a walk by the water. Roxton had promised Marguerite that they would have an enjoyable evening and he never went back on his word.
"It's a lovely night, don't you think?" said Roxton.
"Yes, it's beautiful. I'm glad we came out here."
"Me, too," said Roxton as he sat on the grass by the waterside. He surveyed the area quickly to make sure no uninvited predators were lurking about. Then, he gently pulled Marguerite down beside him. He wrapped his arms around her and they gazed up at the stars.
"I could stay like this forever," said Marguerite.
"So could I, but I think the others would come looking for us eventually," said Roxton.
"Probably" said Marguerite, letting out a small laugh. She turned herself around to face Roxton. A calm breeze whisked through the trees around them. The sounds of the jungle were almost musical. It was the perfect night. Roxton kissed Marguerite tenderly and then gently lowered her down so they were lying on the soft grass. They continued in this way for several minutes, until a familiar voice broke the silence.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," said the lizard-like figure standing above them.
Marguerite and Roxton quickly whirled around and stood up. It only took them a moment to realize who was standing there.
"Tribune!" Roxton exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?" asked Marguerite in a suspicious tone.
"What's the matter? Not happy to see me?" asked Tribune.
"What do you want?" asked Roxton in a demanding voice.
"You know, you're lucky I'm not a predator," said Tribune, avoiding the question. "It's not like you to be so off your guard Lord Roxton." He noticed that Roxton and Marguerite did not look amused. He paused for a few moments and then said, "But getting back to the point, I'm here to ask a favor of you."
"There's a surprise," Roxton sarcastically said.
"Well, what is it?" asked an annoyed Marguerite.
"I believe you'll be interested to know that Drakul is alive. He survived the fall from the bridge and, now, he and his raiders are seeking revenge. I want your help in destroying him once and for all."
"Why should we help you?" asked Roxton.
"Because I need your assistance. Besides, I just assumed that you would want revenge as much as I. Drakul is responsible for the death of that old man, after all."
Roxton and Marguerite's eyes showed a flash of pain at the mention of Summerlee and then Roxton quickly said, "We don't know that he's dead."
"You're right," said Tribune, "It is possible that he survived the arrow in his abdomen, the fall from the cliff, and the fall down the incredibly high falls."
"How dare you?!!" said Marguerite.
"'I am only speaking the truth," said Tribune.
"That's enough," said Roxton in a stern voice. "What's going on, Tribune! What exactly has Drakul done?"
"He has taken my son, Barok." Roxton and Marguerite were surprised by the fact that Tribune had a son. They had never thought of him as the fatherly type. However, despite their shock, the listened intently as Tribune continued to speak. "He is just a baby. I don't have any idea of where Drakul is hiding him. My warriors have searched every inch of this plateau and have come up with nothing."
"How long ago was he taken?" asked Marguerite, suddenly feeling sympathetic for the lizard.
"Three weeks."
"What do they want from you?" asked Roxton.
"They want me to surrender to them. I'm sure a painful execution would be soon to follow."
"How much time do you have?"
"One more week. I am presently out of solutions. That is why I have come to you. So far, you humans have proven quite successful at getting yourselves out of troublesome situations."
"Tribune, what do you expect us to do for you? You don't even know where Drakul is. How are we supposed to help?" said Marguerite.
"Do you have anything for us to go on at all?" added Roxton.
"Not presently, but perhaps you could discover some sort of clue, something that we missed. I ask only that you come with me to the kingdom and try."
"Of course," said Roxton. He had never seen the lizard "ask" for anything. Tribune usually resorted to manipulations to get his way. Roxton knew that he was desperate and he needed their help. The lizard had saved is life in the past and Roxton, being a man of honor, would not turn his back on him when he was in such great need of assistance.
~~~~~~~~~~
Roxton, Marguerite, and Tribune returned to the tree house and informed the others of the situation. They were a little apprehensive about helping Tribune; especially because of all the trouble he had caused them in the past. They were unsure of how to react to the situation. However, their kinder sides shined through and they agreed to help Tribune find his son.
It was already late in the evening, so they decided that they would depart early the next day. When morning came, Veronica was the first to awaken. She started to gather all the supplies that they would need for the journey. In the process, she accidentally knocked over a glass and it smashed on the floor. Tiny pieces of the glass were scattered sporadically throughout the room. Veronica walked into the kitchen area to get a broom and then returned to the mess. She bent over with the dustpan and started to clean when suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. Instinctively, she jumped, her heart racing, into a defensive position. She was almost ready to draw out her knife when she saw Ned standing behind her.
"You scared me half to death," she yelled, "I could have killed you."
"I'm sorry. I heard the glass break and I came to see what happened. I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's all right. Just don't do it again."
"Is everything okay? You didn't hurt yourself did you?"
"No, I'm fine. I was getting everything together and knocked a cup over. That's all."
"Do you need help cleaning it up?" asked Malone.
"No, I can handle it. Thanks, though."
"No problem. Why don't I make some tea for us," offered Ned as he walked into the kitchen. He put the water on the stove and turned to look at Veronica as she was cleaning the glass. She put so much care and precision into getting every last piece picked up, just like she always put so much care and precision into everything else that she did. He loved that about her. She was independent and could take care of herself. However, at the same time, she was very caring and devoted to her friends.
Veronica finished cleaning the glass and turned to see Malone staring at her. She smiled up at him and he smiled back at her. In the early morning light, Malone looked very attractive. Veronica wanted to run into his arms and kiss him and ask him to never let her go. She wanted to run for her life and never look back. She had never before experienced such emotions and they scared her to death. She didn't know what to make of them. Veronica didn't like to feel so out of control.
Malone saw a look of nervousness flash across her face. He knew that she was new to all this, but so was he. He had never really been in love. There were women in his past, including Gladys. But, despite what he may have thought at the time, he did not love them. He did not know what love truly was until he met Veronica.
He walked toward her, with his eyes focused directly into hers. She stood up slowly and started to walk towards him. When they reached each other, both were silent. They stood staring at each other for a moment and then Ned reached his hand out and caressed the side of Veronica's face. She nestled her head into his hand and he pulled her closer to him. With his other hand, he started to play with her wild blonde hair. He lowered his lips to hers and watched as she closed her eyes and stood perfectly still. Their lips touched and Veronica lifted her arms around Malone's neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently caressed her back.
After a few moments, they pulled away from each other and Ned softly said, "I've wanted to do that for a long time."
"What took you so long," Veronica responded with a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~
About an hour later, the others woke up and joined Malone and Veronica at the table. The two were drinking tea and had very happy expressions on their faces. Marguerite immediately knew that something had gone on between them. She didn't mention it though. She would get the details later from Veronica.
"Is everyone ready to go?" asked Malone, getting up from the table.
"Yes, if we leave early, we should be able to reach the kingdom before nightfall," said Roxton.
"Excellent," said Tribune. His expressions showed that he was in a hurry to get home.
~~~~~~~~~~
They left the tree house and began their journey to Tribune's kingdom. It was an excellent day for travel. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sun was shinning. They were making excellent time, which pleased everyone. They did not enjoy traipsing through the jungle, which was crawling with predators.
"We are about halfway there," announced Tribune in the afternoon. He pointed to a distinctive tree that was growing on the edge of a stream. "That tree marks the halfway point between my home and yours."
"This is probably a good place to rest, then," said Roxton, "We're making good time."
"I could use a rest," said Marguerite.
"I wouldn't mind something to eat," added Veronica.
"All right. We'll stop for half an hour and then continue for the remainder of the day," Roxton announced.
The group gathered and began discussing the problem at hand. They were trying to sort out all of the information and develop a plan of action. While Marguerite liked being a part of the decision making process as much as everyone else, the socialite side of her was more interested in knowing what had transpired that morning between Malone and Veronica. She tapped Veronica on the shoulder and, while Challenger was talking about the probability of something, motioned for her to follow. Veronica did as Marguerite asked and they walked over to the side of the stream, a place where the others would not be able to hear the conversation.
"What do you want, Marguerite? We're trying to make a plan. This better be important," said Veronica.
"Roxton and the others will make a plan. Don't worry about it. I want to know what happened between you and Malone this morning. You looked awfully cozy together when we walked in."
"You're unbelievable. We're possibly going to battle and you want to know the latest gossip."
"Don't be so melodramatic. I know you're dying to tell me what happened. I can see it in your eyes."
Veronica was quiet for a moment. She considered revealing to Marguerite what had happened. She did want to share the information with someone. Finally she decided to talk and said, "Okay, okay. You're right. I do want to tell someone." She paused for a moment and sat on a rock by the water's edge. "He kissed me. But, it was more than just a kiss. It was different. I don't really know how to explain it. It was amazing. I felt so loved and wanted. He was so gently and sweet."
"I think I'm going to be sick," said Marguerite.
"What?!!? You're the one who wanted to know what happened. Why do you always have to be such a bi-" Veronica abruptly stopped talking when she noticed that Marguerite did not look well. "Are you okay?"
"I'm going to be sick!" said Marguerite as she quickly ran and leaned over a rock. Veronica followed and patted her on the back as she vomited. When she was done, Marguerite sat up and tried to steady herself.
"What happened?" asked Veronica.
"I don't know. I must have eaten something bad. All of a sudden I just felt so nauseous," answered Marguerite.
"You stay here. I'll go get Roxton."
"No! Don't worry him for nothing. I feel much better now."
"Don't argue. I'm getting him." Veronica walked over and told Roxton about what just happened. He and Veronica ran back over to where Marguerite was sitting.
"Are you alright?" he asked when he approached her.
"I'm fine. I already told Veronica. It must have been something I ate. Don't worry!"
Marguerite stood and quickly started to walk away, but Roxton caught her arm and stopped her. He was annoyed with her harsh behavior. "Don't worry? With all the things that could happen here, all the things we don't know about, you want me to not worry. You've been acting strangely for weeks and now you're sick. I think 'not worrying' is out of the question."
"Don't use that tone of voice with me!" she said, yanking her arm away. The others heard this exchange and walked over to see what was going on. Marguerite continued to yell. "I told you that I'm okay. Go worry about something else. You have lizards to help, you know."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Roxton.
"What do you think? You act like you're so concerned with my well-being, yet you're dragging me across the jungle in an effort to help a man that has almost gotten you killed on more than one occasion!" Marguerite yelled.
"Do you want to turn back? Do you want me to take you home?" asked Roxton.
"No way! If you think I'm sitting in that tree house while all of you are off 'saving the world,' you're crazy!"
"Then what do you want, Marguerite? You're impossible to please!" yelled Roxton.
"I just want to get there. Let's start moving. This 'rest' has lasted long enough!" With that, Marguerite walked away from Roxton.
~~~~~~~~~~
They continued their journey towards Tribune's kingdom. Marguerite and Roxton were silent throughout the remainder of the trip. Shortly after nightfall, they arrived at the gates. They were all relieved to be out of the jungle. Between the vicious inhabitants and the quarrelling explorers, the jungle was most definitely a dangerous place.
There were servants to greet them as they entered Tribune's home. A female lizard was also standing there, waiting. Tribune walked over to her and put his hand on her back, guiding her over to the rest of the group.
"This is my wife, Rilara," said Tribune when they reached the humans.
"I want to thank you for coming to help search for my son," said Rilara with a deep sadness in her eyes.
"We're happy to be of service," said Roxton, bowing his head down slightly.
"We have all had quite a long day. I am sure that you would like to bathe and get to bed. I will have the servants lead you to your rooms," said Tribune, motioning his workers to lead the group to their chambers.
Each explorer member was given his or her own room. The rooms were extravagantly decorated with canopy beds and tapestries of royal burgundy and gold. Each room had a bath with steaming water held within. The water was scented of wildflowers and the aroma lingered about the entire room.
The explorers were more than pleased to have this opportunity to take a real bath, especially Marguerite. She climbed into her bath as soon as she saw it. She had only been soaking in the tub for a moment when she was disturbed by a knock on the door. She tried to ignore whoever was there. She stayed quiet, but they were persistent. She knew that it had to be Roxton. She was still angry with him from their argument that afternoon. She wanted to tell him to go away, but she knew that he was going to come in whether she wanted him to or not. She stayed silent until he did.
"Marguerite," she heard him say after he opened the door.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Such a warm welcome," said Roxton as he walked over to the tub and started to unbutton his shirt. "That bath looks wonderful. Mind if I join you?" Marguerite did not answer him. She was never one to give in, but the site of him undressing made her defenses melt away. She did not protest when he stepped foot in the tub and sat behind her. She simply leaned back and rested her head on his chest.
"Don't think you're out of the dog house yet," she said after a few silent moments.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said with a laugh, "How are you feeling tonight?"
"I'm alright. I don't feel ill any longer."
"Good… I'm sorry I yelled at you today. I was worried and you were being so obstinate," said Roxton in an apologetic tone. Marguerite could tell that he was truly sorry for upsetting her. She could also hear the fear in his voice. She knew the loses he had suffered in his life. His brother's death almost destroyed him and now if anything happened to her…
"It's alright, John. I'm sorry, too. I know you were just worried. I shouldn't have gotten so bothered. I just worry whenever Tribune comes into our lives. He's almost gotten you killed before and who knows what will happen this time."
"I promise you that I'll be careful, Marguerite. I won't risk my life and I certainty won't risk my relationship with you. Everything will be alright," he said as he leaned his head over to kiss her shoulder and neck. She turned her head around to face him and learned in to kiss his mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning, everyone gathered for breakfast bright and early. They ate a meal of fruit and bread and discussed a course of action for the day. It was decided that they would first survey the land around the city walls. Hopefully, some sort of clue would present itself and they would have an idea of where Drakul took Barok.
The jungle was thick around Tribune's city. The explorers were having a great deal of trouble maneuvering through the heavy brush. They split up into two separate groups in hopes of investigating the area more quickly. Marguerite, Roxton, and Malone went in one direction, while Veronica, Tribune and Challenger went in the other.
They looked everywhere, leaving no stone unturned. It was a difficult process. The blazing sun was vehemently beating down on them. The adventurers were quickly tiring. Both groups were rapidly beginning to give up hope. Searching wasn't getting them very far. They had started to believe that they needed to go about this in another way, when suddenly Marguerite caught something out of the corner of her eye. She stopped to pick up a rock with streaks of an iridescent gold material running through it. It's beauty and potential worth excited her. Roxton and Malone turned to see her smiling face.
"What did you find?" asked Roxton.
"Look at this rock! Look at the way it sparkles. It must be gold! It will be worth a fortune!" she joyfully announced.
"Let me see it," said Malone. Marguerite quickly stepped back into a defensive stance.
"Hands off!" she told him.
Malone put his hands in the air in a surrendering fashion and simply said, "I'm not going to steal your rock, Marguerite."
Roxton, having had enough of this game, grabbed the rock out of her hand while she was looked toward Malone. "Let me see that," he said while in the process of taking it.
"Hey!" she yelled.
"This is an arrow head. Look at the way it is cut. Maybe this is from one of Drakul's men," said Roxton.
"You're right," agreed Malone.
"We should get this to Challenger and Veronica. They may know where to find more of this rock. Perhaps it's where Drakul has been staying," said Roxton.
"…and if it is, he may be there now with Barok," added Malone.
"Exactly," said Roxton.
~~~~~~~~~~
They returned to the gates of the city to meet back up with Veronica, Challenger, and Tribune. When the other group arrived, they quickly showed them the stone. Challenger carefully studies the shiny material that coursed through the rock. It did not take him long to identify the substance.
"This is pyrite. I've never seen this on the plateau before," he said.
"What! It's not gold," said a disappointed Marguerite. Roxton simply shook his head.
"No, the two are commonly mistaken for each other. This has even been called fools gold in the past," Challenger replied.
"Pyrite. That name sounds familiar," said Veronica.
"Have you seen it here before?" asked Malone.
"No… I think… That's is! I remember reading about it in one of my father's journals. He wrote that it only could be found in the caves at the northern ridge of the plateau."
"What caves are you speaking of?" asked Tribune. "The northern ridge is not far from here at all. I have never seen or heard of caves.
"They are very well hidden. There's only one way into them and one way out. I've never tried to find it. My parent had said they were very dangerous, unstable. I think I can find them, though."
"Then there's no time to spare!" said Tribune.
~~~~~~~~~~
Veronica lead the group to the location where her parents had indicated the caves could be found. The searched for hours and were coming up with nothing. The entrance to the caves could not be found.
"It would seem that this is a dead end," said Tribune in an annoyed tone.
"I don't understand. The entrance should be here. My parents said it was here," said Veronica. She was getting upset.
"It's okay, Veronica," said Malone, "I'm sure the cave is here somewhere. But, your parents said it was unstable. It could have caved in a long time ago."
"Maybe," she said.
They all had long faces as they started to collect their things to return to the kingdom. They had hoped that this lead would prove successful. They were back at square one, now.
Marguerite was completely worn out. She stood there and waited, as the others were getting ready to go. She wondered what was wrong with her. Why was she so moody and tired? Why did she feel sick lately? She feared that it was some jungle disease. She hated that thought. She didn't want to be sick, and possibly dying, when she had just found true love and happiness. Then, suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. Could that really be the cause of her symptoms? Was it possible that…
Marguerite's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Roxton's voice.
"Marguerite, are you ready to go?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm coming," she answered.
"Hold on. My shoe's untied," said Ned, as he sat on a rock to tie the lace. The rock where he sat all of a sudden started to shift. It rolled to the side, sending Ned tumbling backwards. When the rock had rolled completely out of the way, the others noticed that Malone was gone. Veronica felt a wave of panic wash over her. She and the others rushed over to where the rock had been. They were relieved and surprised to find that Malone was okay. He had fallen into a whole that the rock was covering up. It was the entrance to the caves.
"Ned, are you alright?" said Veronica, with her head peering over the side of the hole.
"Yeah, I'm okay. I guess I found the cave," he said with a laugh.
"I told you it was here," said Veronica returning his laugh.
The rest of the explorers and Tribune climbed down to where Malone was. The cave was completely dark, except for the spot of light that shone through the hole. Roxton found a piece of wood by his foot and made it into a torch. When the torch was lit, the room began to have a golden glow. All of the walls were covered in pyrite. It wan an almost magical sight.
It seemed that the explorers were at the beginning of the cave. There was a single passage way for them to follow from there. They walked down it slowly, watching for any signs of danger. They needed to be very careful. Drakul or a vicious creature could be lurking around any corner.
The movement of the group came to a sudden halt when they heard a baby's cry. The cry was unique. It was almost human, but not quite. When he heard the sound, Tribune immediately came to life.
"That is Barok!" he exclaimed. "We have found him!"
"Are you certain?" asked Roxton.
"Absolutely," replied the lizard, "We have to---" He quickly became quiet when the sound of voices filled the tunnel. People were present up ahead in the open area of the cave, near a deep pit that looked almost bottomless. The explorers quickly put the torches out before they were seen.
"Shut that thing up! It's givin' me a headache," yelled one of Drakul's raiders.
"I'm tryin', but the little lizard is persistent," replied another raider.
"Well try harder or I'm going to throw the stupid thing in the pit!"
"Drakul will have your head if you kill it before we get Tribune. You can't kill the little lizard for we've killed the big one. After that, he's all yours," said the raider with a laugh.
"I'm counting down the minutes. I wonder how lizards taste!!!"
With that last comment, Tribune had to turn away in order to keep his composure. He wanted to storm over to where those men were and kill them both. He knew, however, that he had to wait. They needed to assess the situation before they took action. He and the explorers would only get one chance at this. They needed to be careful.
Roxton, knowing the lizard was upset by what he just heard, put his hand on Tribune's back. "Don't worry, Tribune. Drakul will get what's coming to him and we'll get your son back for you."
"I will see Drakul hang for this. He will pay," Tribune replied.
Let's get out of this cave. We need to figure out how we're going to get the baby out of here," said Veronica.
"That's a good idea. If we're caught now, we won't be of any use to Barok," said Malone.
The group started to walk back up the tunnel they came. However, before they reached the end, they saw a light coming towards them. Someone was holding a torch and walking their way. They knew it had to be Drakul or one of his men.
"Everyone, quickly turn back," said Roxton.
"Where are we supposed to go?" asked Marguerite, 'Drakul's guards are back there."
"We'll have to think of something, just start moving," he quickly replied.
The group started to hurry away from the light. They walked all the way back to where they first heard Barok's cry. Drakul's men were still there. The explorers were pinned. They had nowhere to hide. They decided to try and overpower the men guarding the baby.
The explorers charged into the open area with their guns held high. They yelled for the guards to put their hands in the air and stay where they are. The guards did as they said. It seemed as though everything was working out for the best. Tribune walked over and picked up his son. Barok smiled when he saw his father. Tribune also smiled.
Roxton turned toward the tunnel, with his gun held high, anticipating the arrival of the person with the torch. He no longer saw the light, however. He became extremely suspicious. Something was wrong. It was too quiet. Their victory came to easily. Something bad was about to happen. He could feel it.
Roxton's fears became a reality when he heard Marguerite's scream. He whirled around to find Drakul holding her with his knife pressed against her neck. Drakul was the man coming down the tunnel. He must have slipped in while they were fighting the guards. Fear and panic washed over Roxton's entire body. If anything happened to Marguerite, he would never forgive himself.
"Well, well. We meet again," said Drakul with an icy voice. "You should have known better than to try and help the lizard. It almost got you killed the first time."
"Let her go, or you'll live to regret the day you ever crossed paths with us," said Roxton.
"I doubt it. It seems that I have the upper hand in this situation. Now, put down your weapons or she dies."
"Fine," said Roxton, as he and the others dropped their weapons. Drakul let Marguerite go with a push and she tumbled toward Roxton. He quickly caught her before she hit the ground. The guards walked to where Drakul was and pointed their guns at the explorers.
"Now, what will I do with all of you?" said Drakul. "Maybe I'll let you decide your own fate. How would you like to die today?"
"Let them go, Drakul. I'm the one you want," said Tribune, "They we're simply trying to help me find my son."
"I don't think so, lizard. You're all going to die together. No good deed goes unpunished," Drakul mockingly replied. "I know exactly what I'm going to do with you. Do you all see that pit over there? Well, in a few moments you're going to get to see the bottom of it."
Drakul signaled for his guards to come over. He quietly gave them orders and they left to carry them out.
"What exactly are you planning to do?" asked Roxton.
"Do you see those three cages over there. We usually use them to trap dinner. Today we're going to use them to send you to your deaths. We will put you inside, hang the cages over the pit, and slowly drip acid on the rope until it brakes. You will be tortured by knowing that at any minute you will be dead. I will watch and enjoy every moment of my revenge."
"You're sick," said Veronica.
"That's such an ingenious plan," said Marguerite. "Did you just think of it now, on the spur of the moment?"
"As a matter of fact, I did," replied Drakul.
"A man of your talent and intelligence could be quite powerful off the plateau. You should consider conquering the other lands," Marguerite continued. She was using her powers of persuasion to try and get them out of this jam.
"There's no way off the plateau, stupid woman."
"Oh, but there is. I know it. If you want, I can lead you there."
"How do I know your telling the truth? If there is a way off, why haven't you taken it?"
"We haven't yet finished our study of this land. There's so much to learn here. We're waiting for a little more work to be done," she said.
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to fall for your trickery? Even if what you are saying is true, my revenge is still far more important. You will die today. There is nothing you can say or do to stop me!"
With that, Drakul told his raiders to set the plan into actions. He put the explorers in the cages. Roxton and Marguerite were in the first, Veronica and Malone were in the second, and Challenger was with Tribune and Barok in the third cage. The cages were then hung off of a bridge that was constructed over the pit. The cages were far apart from each other. The explorers would only be able to hear each other if they talked in a loud tone of voice. An apparatus was set up to slowly drop acid on the ropes that kept the adventurers alive. When the acid ate through the ropes, it would be the end of the explorers.
Drakul watched with a smile on his face. He intended to stay until the cages fell, but a loud voice stopped him. One of his guards was yelling.
"Drakul, the lizard warriors are coming this way. I have gathered all of our men. We are prepared for war at your command!"
"Let's go. We will stop those barbarians and the plateau will be ours!" he yelled and then turned to the explorers and said, "Good bye everyone. I wish I could have stayed until the end, but at least I know you are doomed!" With all his men close behind, Drakul left the cave. The explorers were left alone.
"You're men are here, Tribune. Maybe, they'll get us out of these things," yelled Roxton.
"One can only hope that they will find us in time," Tribune replied.
The adventurers were quiet for a few moments. Each seemed deep in thought, until Malone broke the silence.
"With all the things that have happened to us since we got here, I can't believe this is going to be how we die," he said with an ironic laugh.
"Don't say that, Ned. We're going to get out of this," said Veronica, although her tone was not very convincing.
"Well, if this is the end, at least we can go knowing that we did something truly great in our lives. Even if the world will never know it, we still found one of the greatest places on earth, a lost world," said Challenger.
"That's right, Challenger. These last few years have been the best of my life," said Roxton, as he looked right at Marguerite.
"Mine, too," agreed Malone, "I can't image what my life would be like right now if I hadn't come. Probably pretty boring."
"I can't image these last few years without all of you here. You've become my family," said Veronica.
"We owe you a great deal, my dear," said Challenger. "You've kept us alive all this time."
"We've been a team," Veronica replied.
"Yes, we have," said Roxton.
That moment, the group was silenced by Malone and Veronica's cage dropping slightly as the acid ate through a strand of the rope. Everyone cried out as it happened. They feared that they did not have much longer.
"Veronica, there's something that I need to tell you in case we don't get out of here in time," said Malone quietly.
"I want to tell you something, too," said Veronica.
"Let me go first," said Ned, "I've wanted to say this for a really long time, but I just couldn't seem to find the words. I love you, Veronica. I want us to be together. I want to be with you."
"I love you, too, Ned. I can't believe we waited until we were moments away from death to tell each other this. We've wasted so much time."
"If we get out of here, we'll make up for it," said Ned as he pulled Veronica to him for a passionate kiss.
Marguerite noticed the exchange between the young couple. "Roxton, look over there. I wish I could hear what they are saying."
"Those two finally smartened up and realized they were meant for each other," said Roxton, "Just like we're meant for each other."
"Roxton, I don't want to die," said Marguerite softly.
"I'm not going to let you die. We're getting out of here. Tribune's men are out there. They'll come for us. Don't you worry."
"I need to tell you something," said Marguerite.
"I also have to tell, or, rather ask, you something," said Roxton.
"What?" said Marguerite. She wanted to hear what Roxton had to say before she told him her own bit of news.
Roxton flashed her a boyish grin and said, "Marry me."
"Marry you? With a proposal like that? You're not even going to get down on one knee?" she said with a laugh and a tear in her eye.
"Maybe later, but what do you say?"
"What took you so long," she said as she slid her hand behind his neck and kissed him.
When the kiss was over, Roxton asked, "Now, what did you want to tell me?"
"I want to tell you why I haven't been myself lately. I was confused by my own behavior for a while, but I realized today what the problem is. Although, I wouldn't really call it a problem. Well, I guess that would depend on how you feel about it."
"Marguerite, you're rambling on and on. What is it?" said Roxton. He did not like to be kept in suspense.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you. You're so impatient," she teased. She paused for a moment and they finally said, "I'm pregnant."
"What did you say?"
"I'm pregnant."
Roxton was silent for a moment. Marguerite feared that he was upset, that he didn't want a child. She started to panic. What was she going to do now if he didn't want her anymore? She had gone thought this once before in her life. She didn't' think she could stand it twice.
Her panic dissipated when she saw a huge smile spread across Roxton's face. "Did I hear you right?" he said.
"Yes. Are you happy about this?"
"Of course I am. I want nothing more than to start a family with you. I just asked you to marry me, didn't I?"
"I was so afraid that you would be upset. I-" Marguerite was silenced by their cage dropping a few inched as the acid ate thought he rope. "We're going to fall!"
"No we're not. Tribune's warriors will find us in time."
"I hope you're right," said Marguerite.
"Challenger," yelled Roxton, "How are you? Has your rope started to break?"
"Not yet, but it will soon. The acid is starting to drop faster," he replied.
"I hope my men get here soon," said Tribune to Challenger, "all of this human emotion is going to kill me if the fall doesn't"
"What are you taking about? We can't even hear the others. How do you know they're being emotional?" asked Challenger.
"Your primitive ears may not be able to hear, but I have heard every word that they have said," Tribune replied.
"Oh, I see."
"Yes, the two young ones are in love and Roxton and Marguerite are going to be married with a baby."
"Really? Well, that's wonderful!"
"Wonderful would be us getting out of here before the cages fall."
Just then, they heard footsteps coming down the tunnel. Tribune's men came through and ran over to the pit. They quickly grabbed the ropes and started to pull up the cages. Malone and Veronica's rope broke just as the warriors put their hands on it. For a moment, it seemed as thought they were going to fall, but the warriors were able to control the cage and pull it up. Once all the cages were up the warriors opened the doors and let everyone out.
"Where is Drakul?!?" Tribune asked one of his warriors.
"He is still at large. We have been battling the raiders and have successfully captured most of them. The rest have run off with Drakul."
"We must find them. It's time for Drakul to learn what revenge really is!" yelled Tribune. "Marguerite, would you be kind enough as to watch over Barok for me?"
"Of course. Just get Drakul."
Tribune handed her the baby and stormed down the tunnel and out of the cave. He sent back a group of his warriors to escort the explorers back to his kingdom.
"Shouldn't we help them?" asked Malone.
"No, I think the warriors can handle things from here," replied Roxton.
"That's right. Let's just let Tribune worry about revenge and war. I've been close to death enough for one day," added Veronica.
Tribune's warriors quickly took the group through the jungle and back into the protection of the city walls. Rilara was waiting there anxiously for their return. When she saw her son, her eyes lit up and a huge smile spread on her face. The lizard-woman ran over and scooped the baby into her arms. It was a wonderful moment for mother and child. The explorers were more than happy to witness it.
~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, back in the jungle, Tribune was furiously searching for Drakul. He and his warriors spread apart to cover the most amount of area as quickly as possible. They did not want to give Drakul enough time to escape.
It did not take long for Tribune and his warriors to reach Drakul. They followed the paths of broken branches and disturbed undergrowth. The search ended at the side of a river. Drakul was waiting there with those of his raiders that had not yet been captured by Tribune's people. They were ready for another round of battle.
When Drakul saw Tribune approaching, he was outraged. He knew his plan to kill him had not worked. His anger overwhelmed him. He grabbed a sword and charged at Tribune. Tribune stepped out of the way at the last minute, causing Drakul to stumble. Tribune saw this as the opportune time to get rid of him once and for all. He grabbed Drakul and went in for the kill. Drakul's screams pierced through the jungle for a moment and then abruptly ended. Tribune had gotten his revenge.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tribune arrived back at the palace to see the happy faces of his wife and the explorers. He knew he owed the adventurers a great deal.
"Did you find Drakul?" asked Roxton.
"Yes. He will no longer be a problem to anyone," Tribune replied.
"That's a relief," said Marguerite.
"I would like to thank you for helping me find my son. I don't know what would have happened had you not been here," said Tribune.
"Yes, we owe you so much," said Rilara. "I don't know how we can repay you. Is there anything that you need? It would be our pleasure to provide it to you."
"You wouldn't happen to know a way off the plateau, would you?" asked Marguerite, though knowing the answer to that question.
"I'm sorry. But, there may be something else we could give you, Marguerite," said Tribune. "I couldn't help but overhear everything that went on in the cages. To show our gratitude, please let us give you and Roxton a wedding."
"You're getting married?" asked Malone.
"When did that happen?" asked Veronica.
"At the same time the two of you were gushingly devoting your love to each other," interjected Tribune. Veronica and Malone's cheeks blushed.
Marguerite looked toward Roxton, who smiled at her, and than said, "A wedding would be perfect, Tribune."
"I'll have my people begin the preparations immediately. I'm sure that you'll want to be married as soon as possible, especially in your present condition," said Tribune.
"Is there anything you didn't hear?" asked Marguerite, somewhat stridently. Tribune simply smiled and walked away.
"What's he talking about?" asked Veronica with a smile, hoping it was what she thought it was.
"I'm going to have a baby," said Marguerite. Smiles spread across the faces of all the explorers. They congratulated Marguerite and Roxton wholeheartedly. It was a time of celebration. Everyone was cheerful and all was good.
~~~~~~~~~~
The day had been long, so everyone went to bed early. The next morning, Roxton was the first to awaken and Tribune informed him that all the preparations were underway. The wedding could be held that evening. Roxton was glad to hear the news and started to walk towards Marguerite's room to tell her. However, Veronica caught him before he got there.
"Where do you think you're going?" she asked.
"To see Marguerite," he answered.
"Oh, no you're not. My parents taught me that it was bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other on the day of the wedding. You'll just have to wait until tonight."
"That's just superstition," argued Roxton.
"That's right, and you shouldn't mess with superstition," she replied.
"I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"
"Nope."
"Then do me a favor and tell Marguerite that I'll see her tonight."
"That's a deal," said Veronica.
~~~~~~~~~~
Later that day, Veronica, Marguerite, and Rilara were busy making wedding preparations. Rilara had given them the most beautiful dresses for the occasion. Veronica's was burgundy with golden trim. It had a scooping neckline a full skirt that just touched the floor. Marguerite's wedding dress was also exquisite. It was white and also had golden trim. Pearls were embroidered throughout the bodice. The skirt flowed to the floor and trailed a few feet behind.
The men had also been provided with proper attire. The lizards had done their best to construct tuxedos from the descriptions that the men had given. The suits that resulted were very close and quiet fashionable.
As the time neared, everyone dressed and accessorized for the ceremony. The evening was perfect. The wedding was to be held outdoors in the palace square. The sun was starting to set and a warm breeze was gently sweeping through the land. Candles were lit all around and beautiful flowers were arranged on an alter. Everything was ready.
~~~~~~~~~~
When the time came, Roxton walked up to the alter and stood and waited. Malone and Challenger shared the position of best man and stood beside him. A lizard priest was presiding over the ceremony. Everyone was seated and awaiting the arrival of Marguerite. Tribune and Rilara sat in the first row with Barok in Rilara's arms. She had not let him out of her sight since he was found.
Suddenly, music started to play and everyone turned to see Veronica walking down the aisle. She smiled at Malone, who was watching her intently. He smiled back at her. Everyone then stood as Marguerite appeared at the beginning of the aisle.
When he saw her, Roxton could not help but smile. He felt so lucky to have this woman in his life. She was everything he ever wanted and needed. Marguerite, seeing the expression on Roxton's face, smiled also. She couldn't believe she was actually getting married. She had almost given up hope of finding someone that would really love her. She felt like her prayers had been answered, and in the most wonderful of ways.
When Marguerite reached the alter, the priest began the ceremony. Roxton and Marguerite repeated vows and exchanged rings. They also shared a few words with each other.
"Roxton, I have to admit that I never thought that things would turn out this way. When we first met, I actually found you to be quite arrogant. But, as time progressed I got to know the person you are inside. I have never loved or respected anyone more than I love and respect you. I am so glad that things have turned out differently than I thought. You have taught me so many lessons about life, most importantly that the best things in life are free. Money and gems may be nice to have, but they are nothing compared to love."
"Marguerite, you've kept me guessing from the start. When we first met, you were mysterious and guarded. I didn't know how to take you. You always had me on my toes. But most of all, you always knew how to get to me. There were times when I wanted to take you in my arms and never let you go, and then there were time when I wanted to throw you off the edge of the plateau. You brought out such passion in me. Now that I truly know you, I cannot image my world without you. I love you."
When they were done exchanging their own vows, the priest declared them husband and wife. Roxton and Marguerite smiled brightly and then kissed lovingly and passionately. They had their entire future ahead of them, a future that was sure to be happy and bright.
THE END
Sneak Peeks At What's Ahead In My Next Few Stories:
(These may take a while)
1.) A short story about the birth of Marguerite and Roxton's baby :~)
2.) A heart-wrenching full-length story about an event that will shake the explorers world
3.) A full-length story about home and what that really is to the explorers (you'll like this one!)