Thieves in the Night
"I really don't trust this place."
It was a beautiful day - summer was definitely on its way. The sky was a soft, cloudless blue, allowing the sun to cast down its rays and illuminate the many brightly coloured flowers that decorated the garden. Pinks, yellows, reds and oranges shimmered as the plants swayed in the whispering breeze. It played with the hem of Zia's dress and the ends of her hair, and rippled through Breejit's glossy fur.
"Hm?" Zia paused next to a particularly stunning red rose, bending to sniff its heady aroma. Beside her, Breejit sighed in frustration.
"You're not even listening, are you?"
"Of course I am," she replied vaguely, affirming Breejit's accusation. It was just too nice outside to feel anything but peaceful and enjoy the nature surrounding them. Ever since that evening at the beach, Zia was certain she had grown wings and was soaring off into the sky although her feet were still firmly in touch with the ground. Maybe Alex was drugging her again.
Exasperated, the Fox trotted ahead and stopped directly in front of her, blocking her path. "Look at yourself," he urged. "You've been drifting around like you're under some kind of spell. Have you forgotten where you truly belong?"
Zia scowled down at him. "Don't you dare say things like that to me. Ever."
"What are you doing here, Zia? What is your purpose amongst these people?"
She opened her mouth to retaliate, tell him to stop meddling in her personal decisions, but the voice of reason unhelpfully informed her that he was right. She needed to wake up. She needed to go home. She missed the Grove. She missed being able to run through the forest until she couldn't run any further, the sense of family between the members her clan and sleeping under the stars in the branches of her tree. Yet, she was still very reluctant to leave the Cair. She could think of many reasons to explain this, but only one was important and still none of them made what she was doing right.
Instead of inventing a lie (which she was not very good at doing), she avoided the question. "Why are we even talking about this, anyway? Do you have something against the people here? They've been nothing but hospitable towards us."
"I know, but -"
"If you don't want to stay, you're quite welcome to leave. I'm not going to stop you."
His liquid brown eyes suddenly solidified. "If you think I'm going anywhere without you, you're greatly mistaken." His voice was little more than a throaty, animalistic growl. "I'm not giving up on you, Zia - or whoever it is that you've become."
She couldn't think of a reply to that. Despite her stomping on Breejit's concern and affection for her like a crazed Giant, he wouldn't leave her alone until he got his way. Accepting that his way was the right way was something she wasn't quite ready to do yet.
"I have to go. I need to sort some things out," she said hurriedly.
The slippers on her feet scuffed the path as she headed for the cool shade indoors. Her feet carried her through the stone corridors with almost no command from her brain. She pushed out Breejit's hurtful words and instead her mind wandered through jumbled thoughts of marble stone walls and of huge flourishing trees that reminded her of the grove. She closed her eyes, listening to her memories of birds singing in the treetops. She could remember the smell of the pine trees and flowers; she could almost feel the soft earth under her feet. She could even remember the warmth of the sun enveloping her tree. The images became so realistic that for a second she was convinced she was back home. Her eyes flashed open, only to find a set of large double doors. A sigh of longing deflated her chest as her hand reached forward. Sadly, she ran her fingers over the varnished oak before pushing the handle on the left and entering a room she hadn't been in before.
The room was vast and filled with thousands of shelves completely packed with hardback books and rolled-up parchment. There were cushioned seats clustered in the corners. A small fireplace took up the far wall and was surrounded by high-backed armchairs and footstools. In the centre of the room stood a large rectangular table which groaned under the weight of piles upon piles of books, papers and maps. Dust motes danced in the sunlight shining through the high windows and the air was filled with a musty scent remarkably similar to that of the forest.
Zia stepped carefully around the room, running her fingers over everything within arms' length. Upon lifting the cover of one of the books, she was instantly baffled by the ordered chaos of black lines that stained the parchment. Books were curious things indeed; a tale of any description possible could be fashioned just from a few squiggles on a page.
With her curiosity fully aroused, Zia ventured amongst the many towering bookshelves that took up one half of the room. It was astounding how many books just one family could own. As she passed the third shelf, she paused in surprise. Standing on top of a rickety ladder was Alexandra. She was dressed in a deep blue dress that reached her ankles and hugged her shapely frame. There was something strange perched on the bridge of her nose; it was like two small windows, which the physician peered through as she struggled to stretch for a book just out of her reach.
"Alex?" The girl jumped in surprise, her attention snapping to Zia. The ladder wobbled dangerously before tipping to the side. Alexandra lost her footing and slipped down the falling ladder with a yell. Zia hurried forward and quickly steadied the girl before she landed on the unforgiving stone floor. "Are you alright?"
"Thank you, I'm fine," she said breathily, feeling slightly flustered as she stepped down. She frowned at the ladder on the floor and pushed the weird contraption in front of her eyes further up her nose. "That ladder is going to be the death of me."
"Then why don't you get it fixed?"
"The carpenter is away fixing a door that was broken by a frightened goat. Poor thing ended up butting it to pieces and coming to me complaining of a headache." Alexandra shook her head as a small chuckle left her lips.
"What were you looking for?"
"There's this book about Bezoars and other antidotes to poisons." Alexandra spoke over her shoulder as she began to climb back up the ladder. "I haven't made any antidotes for poisons yet."
"Why would you need antidotes for poisons?"
"Oh… just in case. You never know. Could you hold the ladder still for me, please?" Zia did as she was told and watched Alexandra reach for the troublesome book again.
"So what brings you to the castle library?"
"Oh," Zia mumbled, suddenly remembering the morning's events. "I had a bit of an argument with Breejit. I came inside and my feet sort of just… brought me here."
"So you weren't intentionally looking for me, then?" Alexandra teased. "What was the argument about?"
"He doesn't like it here," Zia found herself blurting out. "He wants me to go back home."
"Oh, I see. Well, do you want to go back?" She began to make her way cautiously down the ladder, clutching the book to her chest with one hand.
"I don't know… I feel so conflicted," Zia confided. "I'm not entirely sure where I belong any more. I mean, I know I should go back to the Grove. It will soon be time for a new Empress to be named."
"Perhaps that's why you don't want to go back. Maybe you feel like Nina is being replaced?" Alex said prudently, tucking her long hair behind her ear as she stepped away from the shelf.
"No, I don't think that's it. I know this is the way things have to be, whether I like it or not. My people need me – I should be there to witness the coronation. But…"
"Let me make an educated guess. The reason you want to stay has got something to do with Edmund."
"How did you guess?" Zia inquired.
"Let's just say I'm psychic," the physician replied with a warm smile. She started towards the table in the middle of the room.
"What's the relationship between you and Edmund?" she asked suddenly. The words came out sharper than she'd intended.
"Oh." Alexandra turned her attention to the book in front of her and began turning the pages. "Well, Edmund and I… we have an understanding."
"What kind of understanding?" Zia pressed, her eyes narrowing.
"Why do you want to know?" Alexandra questioned with a wry smile.
"I've seen the way you two behave around each other. It strikes me as odd that someone like the Court Physician would be so close to the royal family." She was really beginning to sound jealous now, and the physician noticed.
"Look Zia," she sighed tiredly, her hand reaching up to her forehead as if warding out a headache, "I care about Edmund. I care about all of the Pevensies a lot. They're my family and Edmund's my closest friend." She began to methodically clear away the things on the table, her eyes pointedly avoiding Zia's.
"But how close are you?"
Alexandra rounded on her with a hard look on her face. "Zia, please, I really don't like talking about this. Just ask me something else."
An uncomfortable silence descended between them and Alex fidgeted with hem of her sleeve. Minutes passed by before she spoke again.
"I'm sorry Zia, I shouldn't have done that. I know you're just curious."
She wandered over to a seat by the fireplace. Zia copied her; sitting in the seat furthest from the fire.
Alex rested her elbows on her knees before continuing in a weary voice. "Edmund and I are like kindred spirits - no, even closer than that - like twins but from different families. Well, that's how I've always seen it. I don't ever want to see him hurt, Zia. It was bad enough seeing him miserable after the Summer Solstice. He barely left his room for two weeks after he was with Pelerine at the beach. He felt so guilty…" She looked up and fixed her companion with hard eyes. "I will not see Edmund go through all that pain again. He's already had a tough time."
Zia clenched her jaw. She wasn't the only one with the power to do damage in this situation. "I won't hurt him if he doesn't hurt me," she said levelly.
Alex's eyes softened. "Zia… do you have feelings for Ed?"
"I don't quite know yet," she admitted.
Alexandra compulsively rose and crossed the room to put her arm around Zia's narrow shoulders. Their eyes met and a simple understanding passed between them. Alex's first priority would always be Edmund, and Zia's first priority lay elsewhere.
"Do you think I should go back?" Zia whispered.
Alex's answer was one she'd known all along. "It's where you belong."
After leaving the library, Zia found and apologised to Breejit. He was relieved to hear of her decision to return to the Grove but tried his best to hide it when he caught the sad twinge in her smile. The sooner she was as far away from the Human King as possible, the better. When Lucy heard the news that they were leaving she insisted they stay for one last meal before departing for Western Wood the next morning. She didn't seem obliged to acknowledge the fact that Dryads couldn't eat human food; Zia's protests were silenced immediately and she was dragged away by the hand to hunt for a suitable dress for that evening. Breejit was taken away by a couple of Otters and given a thorough scrubbing and his fur was brushed until it gleamed like copper.
Lucy finally gave Zia a moment's peace whilst she bustled off to get herself ready for the feast. As the door closed behind her, Zia examined her reflection in the full length mirror on the wall for the hundredth time. She barely recognised herself swathed in the dark purple gown with its minute patterns embroidered in silver thread. Her hair was down and pooled about her shoulders, silky to the touch. The girl in the mirror looked like a princess. The Dryad on the other side felt lost.
"I can't do this," she whispered to her reflection. "This isn't me."
Behind the girl in the mirror, Zia glimpsed a flash of red. Turning, her eyes fell upon her bow and quiver of arrows, lying forlornly on a chair as though abandoned. She picked the bow up and the familiar thrum of power surged through her fingers, shooting up her whole arm like a bolt of lightning. The bow was a part of her - part of who she really was.
I have to get out of here, now.
Slinging the bow across her back, Zia did a quick assessment of the room. There were only two ways out - the door and the balcony. Since there were servants bustling about in every corridor and there was a chance that Lucy would be back any second, the door was out of the question. She headed out onto the balcony and leaned over the railing. Dusk was gathering and the ground was all but hidden by shadows. Jumping would be suicide; it was such a long way down and she didn't know how much level ground there was before the cliff dropped down to the beach.
The thought of the beach started a whole chain of memories, all of them full of large brown eyes and a sparkling smile. She wouldn't even get the chance to tell him goodbye.
A sudden knock at the door was like a clap of thunder. Zia started, lost her balance and almost catapulted over the railing. Gasping for breath, she struggled upright and backed up until she was safely back in the chamber.
"May I come in?"
"Just a minute!" Her voice sounded far too breathy and panicked. She fought to calm herself down as she walked slowly across the room. After a few centuries had passed, she deemed it safe enough to greet whoever had decided to interrupt her escape.
Edmund's pale face broke into a heart-stopping grin when he saw her. Zia cursed him under her breath. He had almost caused her to fall to her death and was now determined to see his murder mission through by looking so… what? Regal wasn't the word she was after and she definitely wasn't going to say handsome.
"What can I do for you, Edmund?"
He was standing with his hands behind his back like a butler, which was quite amusing considering that he was dressed in silk, velvet and silver from head to toe. He brought his hands out in front of him, revealing a small rectangular box. Zia gazed down at it, unsure of what to do.
"Open it," he whispered.
With trembling fingers, she did as he asked. As she lifted the lid of the box, something gold gleamed in the candlelight. Picking it up, Zia saw that it was a pendant - a cluster of five leaves arranged in a triangle, each one engraved in exquisite detail. The chain was also made of gold, delicate and fine.
"Oh, Ed…" she breathed, "It's lovely."
"I thought it might remind you of home," he explained as his cheeks flushed. "I thought maybe it would make you feel closer to the forest. So you could stay here and not miss it so much."
He was certainly persistent, but the intent behind the gift was having the opposite effect to what he had desired. Zia's conversations with Breejit and Alexandra on top of her escape attempt were enough to prove what she had to do. The object she held in her hands was fit for a princess; a princess she would never – could never – be.
Edmund held out his hand for the necklace, intending to be the one to fasten it around her neck. The expression on her face caused his whole body to freeze.
"Ed, I can't," she whispered. "I'm sorry."
She pushed the necklace into his trembling hand and hurried away down the corridor. Upon rounding a corner she almost ran straight into Breejit. He was looking far better for his pampering session: his fur was soft and glossy, his claws clipped and neat, his whiskers trimmed and groomed to perfection. He caught her mood instantly and trotted at her heels as she continued on. They found the first door that led outside and went through it, hurrying out into the serene evening.
When they were a good distance from the castle, on the outskirts of the forest, Zia flopped down on the grass. It was a miracle that no guards had been there to stop her. Would she have changed her mind if there had been?
"What's wrong?" Breejit murmured, pushing his nose into her hand. She fondled his ears absentmindedly and gazed out at the dark mass of vegetation. Out here in the open, the forest seemed to call to her.
"Do you remember what I asked you that day at the beach?" she whispered.
"Of course," he replied, settling himself close to the warmth of her body. "You wanted to know what Cair Paravel was like on the inside."
She smiled. "Well, now I know, and it's even more beautiful than I imagined. Don't you agree?"
"Indeed. But does the beauty lie in the stonework itself, or in the creatures that reside within it?"
"Both," she answered immediately, "Although a little more in one than the other."
"I thought so."
"But the forest is also beautiful," she continued dreamily. "And the creatures within it are all equally special in their own ways. We'll always belong there, won't we, Bree?"
"I'm sure you already know the answer to that." He peered up at her face, made pale by the bold glow of the moon. "Won't you tell me what's really bothering you? I thought you'd already made up your mind about where your priorities lie?"
"I have," she affirmed. "It's just going to be hard to say goodbye to them all." To Edmund especially, she added to herself.
A sudden sharp sound cracked through the still air, startling the pair and causing them to leap to their feet. Both Dryad and Fox searched the darkness, their hearts pounding in their chests. "It was just a bird," Breejit said after a few minutes. His tone was hopeful and a little shaky.
"No, it was too heavy to be a bird," Zia argued, wishing she hadn't left her bow in her room. She felt completely powerless without it.
The rumbling roar of a huge beast confirmed Zia's statement as a swarm of shadows detached from the edge of the forest and surged towards them. Metal glinted savagely and a stampede of hooves flattened the grass as they charged up the hill. They were so quick and had come completely out of nowhere. Zia had no time to react before a pair of huge, furry hands grabbed her arms and wrenched them behind her back. She cried out at the pain and heard Breejit's answering howl as he was roughly scooped up by another of the leering shapes.
"It would be in your best interests to keep quiet, girlie," snarled a deep voice from somewhere above her. The familiar rank smell of rotting meat hurt her nose and made her head spin. "Else we'll destroy that worthless building and every living thing inside it. We were planning to do that anyway, but General's orders are to leave it be until the time is right. But that doesn't mean we won't take it to pieces a little early if necessary. Understand?"
Feeling light-headed and with her vision swimming, Zia couldn't find the strength to push past the shock that trapped her inside her frozen limbs. She could no longer hear Breejit's whimpers over the hooves that pounded the earth like a war drum.
They'd come back to get her. They would avenge the death of the Minotaur and make sure she suffered the same fate that had befallen Nina. Zia could only hope that they'd spare Breejit – they had no reason to kill him. But the odds of either of them surviving, if the intent of these creatures was to destroy them, didn't look hopeful at all.