Chapter Seven: Cara's Shameful Secret
Arwen intended to ask Helga all about Rika Mandalu, the mysterious visitor to Emerald Springs. But the housekeeper offered only frowns and mutters.
"This is more of Cara's foolishness," Helga grumbled, rubbing Arwen dry after her bath with a large, fluffy towel. "That wicked girl was supposed to marry the noble count ages and ages ago!"
"Maybe she doesn't like him," Arwen suggested. "He's not the type of person I can picture with Cara. He seems haunted, like a man without hope. Very sad."
"That is her doing," Helga huffed. "After all he did for her, to disappear without a word. Disgraceful behavior!" The brisk rubdown with the towel felt very good. Now Helga was powdering Arwen's naked body while she rested face-down on the bed.
"Cara wouldn't hurt anyone without a good reason." Arwen intended to say more, but her eyes felt heavy after the excitement of meeting a strange man in the secluded paths of the forest. Besides, she knew that whatever she said Helga would just go right on grumbling. It was easier to close her eyes and pretend to sleep.
"Hey, you! Wake up!" Cara was shaking her with frantic hands.
"Huh?" The room was dark. Arwen hadn't planned on falling asleep for real, but she had. And she'd been sleeping for several hours. The night was black, the moon had risen and stars were twinkling.
"What did you tell Rika Mandalu? Is he after me? Did you see him? Does he know I'm in Emerald Springs? Did you tell him I'm here?"
"I didn't tell him anything!" Arwen shook free of her friend's clutching fingers and sat up on the bed. The night air felt cool on her bare skin, and she hurriedly snatched up a ruffled, frilly robe. "The count said your name, but he spoke of nothing but sadness and suffering. For all I know, you are the one who did him wrong!"
"This is awful, this is awful." Cara kept muttering the same words over and over. She wasn't even looking at Arwen. Instead she was rocking back and forth on the bed and rubbing her temples with her fingertips. "I've got to think, I've got to think, I've got to think!"
"Is Rika Mandalu in love with you, or is he pursuing you for some other reason? Why did you offer to marry him, Cara? Why?" Arwen desperately wanted to make sense of her friend's strange behavior. When she lit the tiny lantern beside the bed she saw tears on the girl's cheeks. This was not the playful princess she was used to!
"We were pledged to marry years ago, by our parents. Rika was kind. He cared for our kingdom, he fed our people, and he gave my family his most precious jewels. But my father hid them just before he was killed by orcs. Now Rika is going to fight against the orcs. He wants the jewels, but I don't have them. I don't have them!"
"The man seemed sad, not angry. Why not simply tell him the truth? Is there no way you can make this right?" Arwen pictured the courageous count with the sad face, going out to fight without anyone to love him.
"It's those nasty old hags," Cara sniffled. "Those two old queens who run this awful place. They're probably meeting with Rika right now, telling him how they want his protection, how they need his help. And they're promising to surrender me to his arms this very night!"
"So . . . after all these years, Rika wants justice, and it's either you or the jewels," Arwen said thoughtfully. Suddenly her blue eyes narrowed. "Cara! You said your father hid the jewels. And you said you don't have them. But they're hidden, not lost. You know where they are, don't you?"