Chapter Three

In Which Kal Finally Goes Swimming

Kal brushed past Janner, giving him his darkest glare. "Some Throne Warden you are," he muttered, but Janner could see a smirk hiding in his eyes.

"Aw c'mon, Kal! Get over it." Janner pursed his lips and said in a grouchy voice, "Grumpy, grumpy, I do believe Kalmar has a case of mumpy."

Kalmar cracked, letting out a grin. "Are we going to go swimming or not?"

"Sara and I will probably just a keep a watch on you two kids," Janner said, pointing at Kal and Maraly. "You definitely need it."

Hulwen gracefully lowered herself off the dock and into the water. "Come, your highness, the water is cold and the day is hot." She swam in circles, beckoning Kalmar into the water with her fin.

Kalmar was itching to get in the water, but he didn't dare without Janner's permission. "Janner," he whined, "I want to swim!"

"All right then, go ahead, me and Sara will stay within voice call, but out of sight to give you two some undisturbed fun."

Kal grinned. Undisturbed fun, eh? I can give him some of that! "Out of sight? To give us undisturbed fun? You mean so you and Sara can K-I-S-S?"

Janner and Sara both flushed, and Janner protested, "No—no. We're just going to talk for a while. Undisturbed. We've got important stuff to talk about. Ain't that right, Sara?"

Sara blushed. "That's right. Are you satisfied, Kal?"

"Huh. I betcha gonna talk 'bout loovee." Kal danced out of the way as Janner reached out to smack him.

"Get in the water or I'm telling mom," Janner growled.

Kal continued baiting him. "Mama ain't gonna stop me. After all, I am her favorite kid."

"High King Kalmar of Anneira. You stop THIS instant or I will call Uncle Artham and he can put you in line."

Kal taunted him further. "Huh, so? Uncle Artham can't do anything to me. After all, I am his favorite nephew . . . so . . . Watcha gonna do 'bout that?"

"Maraly," Janner calmly called, "Would you kindly come over and give me some assistance?"

"Shar thing," Maraly drawled, loping over. "Watcha need help with?"

Janner whispered in Maraly's ear and Maraly's face lit up with a mischievous grin. "Shar shar thing."

Maraly stalked up to Kal. "Kalmar Wingfeather—High King of Anneira—you are hereby under arrest for baiting, taunting, and otherwise annoying, your royal brother. Sentenced to two years in jail or mystery punishment. Which one shall you take?"

Kalmar gulped. "Mystery punishment?"

"Yup. Decide within ten seconds."

Kal gulped again. "I . . . guess I'll take the mystery punishment."

Hardly were the words out of his mouth, Maraly picked him up and—with some grunting—hurled him into the water, following him with a tremendous splash. Janner laughed as water droplets splashed him in the face and he took Sara's hand.

"Be good you two," he hollered over his shoulder as he led Sara to a cluster of trees nearby.

Kalmar and Maraly had no intention of being bad. They were splashing each other and dunking each other under the large waves made from Hulwen's great wing. Janner watched as Leeli came from behind the castle and joined the merry group in the water. Soon, Leeli was sitting astride Hulwen as Hulwen did water dances in the clear water.

Janner smiled and sat down in a patch of soft grass, pulling Sara down beside him. Sara snuggled up to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, Janner," she whispered, intwining her fingers with his.

Janner responded by putting his lips firmly on her soft ones. Sara sighed as the kiss intensified and latched her lips onto Janner's.

Janner put his arms around Sara and pulled her closer, gently massaging her back with his strong hands. Sara leaned into the kiss further, savoring every moment. She put her hands behind Janner's head and pulled him closer. The kiss was intense and Sara loved every inch of it.

Janner couldn't get enough of it. He broke away, only to come back a second later with an even more intense kiss.

But a rustling in the grass pulled them away hastily. Janner looked around, and, seeing no one, prepared to join Sara again, but then . . .

"BOO!" Kalmar and Maraly roared, jumping out from behind a tree, dripping wet and grinning.

But Kal wasn't grinning for long. He started gagging and plugging his nose. "WHAT were you two EVEn doing? I could smell that kiss from a mile off!"

Janner was actually mad now. Oh boy, he was mad. It seemed Kal always interrupted his 'moments' with Sara. He couldn't get a moment of peace. He stalked up to Kalmar and grabbed him.

"Kalmar Wingfeather." Janner held up his fist. "Do you see this hand that can caress hair and massage backs?"

Kal gulped. "Yes."

"It can just as easily punch unruly brothers in the face. And I won't hesitate. Kalmar, it's gone too far. You need to behave like a man, not a boy. You're the king of Anneira, not the king of your wishes. You and Maraly leave me and Sara alone. Sometime, you will want to be left alone with your fiancé." Janner gently steered Kal back to the water, Kal fighting back tears.

It really made an impression on him. Usually, Janner would yell, but what he had acted like just then had scared him. It wasn't . . . normal. He would yell—and honestly, Kal much preferred that—and when he didn't, it stuck in Kal's mind. Kalmar couldn't help crying. It had scared him. He wouldn't cry if Janner had scolded him by yelling, but since he had been calm . . .

Kalmar couldn't stop thinking about. Why would he suddenly start to be calm instead of yelling? Kal needed to talk to someone about it. He knew just the person.

—

Knock knock

"Come in," a deep voice called from within the room Kal had just knocked on.

Kalmar slowly pushed the door open and walked in, his head hanging down.

Artham was sitting in a chair. He stood up to greet Kal. "Kalmar, my dear nephew," he said, putting his arm around his shoulders. "What's troubling you? I can see from your countenance you are very distressed about it."

Kal slowly sat down on a sofa nearby. "I . . . I don't know how to say it . . ."

Artham sat down next to him and they sat together in silence.

"Kal, do you see that star?" Artham asked, pointing to a very bright star out the window—it was night.

Kalmar nodded.

"All the stars in the sky couldn't even resemble the joy Janner had when you were born. Little he may have been, he loved you, Kal. He loved you. Janner is going through the growing up stage. He's getting too old for childish things."

Kalmar sat still for a moment, and then Artham heard the slightest sniffle.

Artham gently put his hand on Kalmar's shoulder and firmly squeezed.

Kalmar despairingly burst into tears, burying his face in Artham's shoulder. "I just don't understand," he wailed.

"Of course you don't. They are a lot of things Janner doesn't understand about you, but he still loves you and wants what's best for you."

Kalmar leaned into his uncle's embrace, not caring that he was eighteen and that Artham had wings.

"I try to be king and Janner just tries to take over!"

"That's not his intention. He wants to help you. He wants you to grow up into a strong king. A king worthy to rule The Shining Isle of Anneira."

Kalmar listened intently.

"You may think that being a Throne Warden is an easy job, but it's not. Janner is just trying to keep you safe, not hem you in. I should know . . . I am one."

"But—but all Janner has to do is keep me safe! That's not hard!"

Artham snorted. "Not hard? Oh Kalmar, with a High King like you, yes, it is hard. I don't think you realize just how much of a struggle it is for Janner to seep you kafe. Seep, seep you kafe, kafe . . ." Artham trailed off and looked into the distance.

Kal tugged on his uncle's feathery-ish hairy arm. "Uncle Artham? Are you okay?"

Artham shivered and rubbed his arms. "Yes. I am okay, just a few memories coming up. I remember similar counseling sessions with the last High King." Artham paused. "He is just as uncertain as you are. He was."

Artham sighed a deep heartbroken sigh and put his head in his hands. "I—I left him."

Kalmar sighed too. "Yeah, uncle Artham, you left him, but he forgave you, so you don't need to stress out about it." Kalmar hopped off the bed. "Thanks for everything, uncle. I'll see you tomorrow . . ."

Artham snapped out of his reverie in time to catch his nephew as he went out the door. "Good night, my nephew. Sleep well." Artham gave Kal a hug and kissed him on the head. Kal shuddered with disgust.

"Gross, uncle! Don't kiss me," Kalmar cried in a jesting tone, racing out the door. He slammed it and walked down the hall to his room.

He opened the door and sat down on his bed, an idea forming in his head. "Why not?" he said aloud. "Yes. Of course why not?" He got up and paced around the room.

"We still have his body . . . Janner was technically dead . . . Leeli was beyond repair . . . I was beyond repair . . . Artham was mostly healed . . . The Well Water is a miracle working power. This could work!"

Kalmar hastily undressed and lay down in his bed. Tomorrow, he promised himself.