Chapter Four
I had some problems the first day or so. Living in a palace, everything is done for you, and all you have to do is laze around. I salvaged what little I could from the remains of the ship, rested up and started exploring the island. To my luck, it was deserted. But everywhere I went, there was always that nagging feeling that it was a bad island and that something had happened there a long time ago… Boy was I right.
"Alright, I admit it. I am lost with no way of retracing my steps! Now can I get a little help, here?" I shouted at the sky. I don't know whom I was talking to… I just wanted some kind of sign to point me in a direction. Any direction. I'd stopped caring was direction I went when I passed the same knotted old tree four times! I folded my arms. "Someone doesn't like me." I picked a random path and started to follow it. "No, someone doesn't like me at all, otherwise I would still be in Persia, probably asleep in a nice big comfy bed with my guards, and my people, and my thrown—WOAH!" I slipped on a step leading downwards and smacked my chin on the ground. "Ow." I sat up and rubbed my jaw. That really hurt. "Back in Persia, and NOT wandering around this godforsaken speck of sand in the middle of the ocean!" Sighing again, I reached around my back and gripped the dagger of Time. I stared at the radiant blade for a moment, then up at the sky again. "Father, help me."
Keeping the dagger firmly in hand, I hauled myself to my feet and started down the path again, only to slip once again and land hard on my other end.
"Ow! Who designed this place anyway? They need to be taken out and hanged!" I exclaimed. The entire island is starting to get on my nerves. I wish I had something that could just plow the whole place down into a flat surface. "That would be so much easier…"
"Are you talking to anyone in particular, princess? Because if you haven't noticed, there's no one around to hear you and talking to yourself is a sign of insanity." I let my face drop into a scowl and turned around the face the stranger.
"Not you again. I'm having enough trouble as it is without you bothering me!"
"So I see." He removed his hood to reveal his pale face, and my god he reminded me of Father! If his eyes had been pale blue instead of that fierce, blood red, and his hair dark brown and somewhat long, rather than ponytail length, and pearl white, I would've ran up to him yelling, "Father!" But still, even if he didn't have my father's appearance, this man had a dark, menacing air about him. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was some trait about him that rubbed me the wrong way and I distrusted him almost immediately.
"How did you get here, anyway?" I broke the silence. He didn't answer me.
"You still have that dagger, I presume?" he inquired. I showed it to him.
"Yes, but what does that have to do with my question?"
"Nothing at all." …This guy is amazing. I wonder if he always acts this arrogant and sarcastic. "Come, there's something I wish to show you." He started to walk away, but I wasn't ready to follow him just yet.
"Can you at least tell me your name before I follow you into what could be my death?" I called after him. He stopped.
"You're death?" he laughed, "You think so small, princess! I have little against you, so I have no reason to take your life. Even if I did, I would hesitate, since you are the very last link in the royal bloodline, and to consider the manner in which to accomplish the task. But if you wish to undo the fate of your beloved city, you will follow me, even if it led to your demise, which it will not." I stared at him.
"Stop trying to confuse me and answer my question!" I demanded. He paused.
"My name is Erik. Now hurry before I leave you behind."
I was reluctant to follow him. When he and I had met before, he'd been a little more polite and humble… maybe because I had guards I could call over. Oh well. I have the dagger with me. That's some reassurance, at least. He wasn't to best choice for a conversation, either.
"So where did you say you were taking me?" I asked after a full ten minutes of ear-shattering quiet.
"I didn't." I scowled.
"You know what I mean!" By that amused smirk on his face, I could tell he was enjoying mocking me. I should've just stayed back there and continued on alone.
"Fine. We have to cross to the other side of the island," he stated simply.
"For what? That will take us another day!"
"Then maybe you should have stayed on the beach instead of wandering away like a fool! It would have made finding you much easier for me!"
"How was I supposed to know you were here? There was no other ship. And if I had stayed on the beach, what would I have done? Watch the remains of my ship drift out to sea? Search for the remains of the crew? Please, enlighten me!"
"I see you have inherited every bit of your father's thick skull! You are just as aggravating and frustrating as he was!" He knew my father, after all…
"Have you no respect for the dead?"
"Not for that pompous idiot! Nor your nauseating mother!" I stopped walking and curled my fists, one of which held the dagger.
"What do you have against my parents? Any vendetta you hold them accountable for, you hold against me, as well!"
"Why must you insist and coaxing such things out of me? I have told you too much already!" I just glared at him as he approached me, but I held my ground when he stood only inches away from me. He was a good several inches higher that I was, but I tried to keep my fear at bay. "Now, if you do not shut up, I will leave you for dead." I stood on my tiptoes to look a little more threatening.
"You have nerve, speaking to me that way," I said through clenched teeth in a low voice. He stared at me, his lips slowly twisting into a taunting smirk, and he laughed.
"Well, excuse me, O Princess! I beg your forgiveness!" he jeered. "What are you going to do, huh? What can you do? We are out on an island in the middle of nowhere, completely alone. There are no guards or servants to do your bidding for you! Face it, you have no power here." I sneered at him, but he only grinned crookedly and lightly patted my cheek. "Yes, the truth does hurt, doesn't it?" I roughly shoved his hand away.
"Do not touch me," I growled. He scoffed and turned away.
"Enough time has been wasted already. Either come or stay. I do not care." He suddenly turned around and held his hand out. "But if you do stay here, at least give me the dagger back." I quickly hid it behind my back to show that I wasn't about to give it up. "Then hurry up. Or have you forgotten how to move during your show of stubbornness?" Choosing not to dignify that with an answer, I just bit my tongue and started walking.
Traveling with Erik was interesting in its own perverse way. We never got along, and every conversation always ended in argument. I was surprised that he didn't steal the dagger from me and stab me while my guard was down. But for reasons I cannot explain, I felt this bizarre connection with him. It's difficult to explain, but just looking at him, it was like having a déjà vu. Where did I know him? I just couldn't figure it out…
Kiri: there. the next chapter I think I'll be doing it in a different POV for some recap... not sure... I'll figure it out when I start writting... not much to say here, so stay tuned for chapter five!