Tia had spent the night with Dallas. She was enjoying her noon meal at the palace of barley soup. There was a dilemma earlier. One of the waitresses was being harassed by a piggish Royal and tried flying away. Her wings shattered and she was carried away to a healer. It was sad but most Royals went back to eating like they had before.
"You like it here?" Dallas leaned over and asked.
"Of course," she replied.
"Can you believe that Julius was kidnapped?" Dallas asked with bitterness.
"That was bold, even for Blaire Rye," Tia said with more bitterness.
She used to be in the Anti-Royal movement until Blaire had found out that she had helped a Royal. She was kicked from the group and was alone (except for Diego's company) until she decided to defy the law and be a Royal.
The only regret about that was that she never told him after his complete and utter generosity to her.
Speaking of that, she hadn't seen him yet. She knew he worked as a servant.
"Do you know any of the servants?" she asked Dallas. He looked at her like she was stupid.
"Why would I even converse with one?"
She nodded, "Why would you?"
None of the Royals would ever get it. Underclasses were just as important. She almost wished Blaire Rye would start a revolution and over throw the entire Dynasty.
After the noon meal, Dallas took Tia to Glass Lake. It was clear as the sky. There seemed to be no line between sky and earth as the lake reflected it.
Tia stripped into a short ivy leaf top and bottom to swim. The water was freezing but it felt good.
Dallas joined but got out as soon as he jumped in.
"What's wrong?" Tia laughed.
"How can you stand the water!" Dallas asked chattering and dripping water onto the rock ledge.
It feels good," Tia said and floated on her back.
Glass lake was nearer to the mountainous part of the kingdom, so the water was melted ice caps. All the water in the jungle was humid and was clouded with plant life and fish that could easily eat swimming fairies. This lake was owned by the Aquatic fairies. Aquatic fairies were different from the regular earth ones. They had no wings and their skin was tainted blue. The King couldn't control them but made them share the lake with the rest of the Kingdom.
Tia splashed the ice water at Dallas he ducked and hovered over her.
She grabbed his leg and pulled him into the water. He screamed and tried flying out.
She laughed wildly. She hadn't had this much fun in months. He splashed around and she let go, ducking under.
She could see the city of Aquita. It's bubble domes glowed from the deep dark depths of the lake.
She saw Dallas's blurry outline above the surface and swam around to his back side.
With a burst of energy, she bombed out of the water sending spray everywhere and grabbed him as gravity pulled them back into the lake.
He faced her underwater, they were holding their breaths. He must have gotten used to the water temperature. She popped back up to the surface for air. He followed.
"How can you maneuver so fast in the water? Your not secretly an Aquatic are you?"
She giggled, "No, I just like to swim."
His rusty brown locks were smoothed back from the water so she could see his whole face. He was happy, his fawn brown eyes were smiling at her and his cheek bones were risen with his smile. She realized she was actually having fun with a Royal.
She grabbed his shoulders and pulled herself into his arms.
"This has been the best day of my life," she whispered.
"Mine too," he burbled and leaned his head in to kiss her. But there came an interruption.
"Well, looky here. Two Earthie fairies in our lake, smooching,"
Their heads came apart and they saw a group of Aquatics standing on the ledge. They were punks with Blue eyes and hair and skin.
"Our King says this lake is shared," Dallas said and pulled himself out of the water, leaving Tia there.
"Your King is a fool," sneered the leader.
"And yours isn't?" Dallas asked smugly.
The leader glowered, "I'd watch what you say around here Earthie," he warned.
"Then go...swim somewhere else," Dallas said and shook his hand mockingly at them.
"How dare you..." the leader clenched his fists and nodded.
The others of his gang dived into the water and swam over to the forgotten Tia.
"Let go of me!" she said as they grabbed her arms and pulled her under.
"Tia!" Dallas shouted but the leader hit him from behind and he fell onto the rock.
Tia struggled from the Aquatics' reaches and swam fast to the shore. They were faster. They didn't have wings that slowed them down, and they could breathe under water through the tiny scales by they're neck.
One grabbed her ankle and she jerked back.
Above her, Dallas and the leader of the gang wrestled.
Dallas bit him in the arm and he yelped. He quickly flew out of the leader's reach and searched for Tia in the depths. He found them. He dove into the water and swam towards her.
Tia was loosing air. She hadn't surfaced for a minute, with one last strain of energy she kicked the Aquatic holding her, in a place where no male fairy wants to be kicked. Of course he let go and a piercing echo-scream filled the water's quietness. She kicked furiously to the surface but another hand grabbed her. She spun and it was Dallas. They both broke through the top, clinging to each other and heaved in breaths of air.
They saw the translucent blue punks swimming up at them.
"Quick, FLY!" Dallas said and took her hand. They shot out of the water and stayed suspended above the glassy surface.
"You cowards!" cried the leader who was on the ledge.
"You psychos!" Dallas retorted. Tia cracked a smile.
The leader's eyes turned fiery blue with anger. "You better beat it and never come back unless you want to be smoked!"
"I'm sorry...what was that? Us smoked? Take a look at yourselves, you guys were the ones that got SMOKED SO-O BAD," Dallas laughed.
The Aquatic just calmly gave them the finger and dove back into the lake.
"Well that was an adventure," Dallas looked at Tia.
"Yeah," she said meekly.
"Oh yes, I forgot..." Dallas pulled her closer and gave her the kiss.