Keepers of the Moon

Chapter 9. We meet again (1)

Indigo

The cold water from the shower took me back to reality. Every nerve in my body was screaming in agony and my breath came in sharp, ragged bursts. Tears were burning on my cheeks and my make-up was running in my eyes. The dress was lying on a sad heap on my bed, unceremoniously tossed away like it was garbage. I shouldn’t have gone there.

What was I even thinking?

Why was I so stupid to believe that I could belong here? I knew Einar was coming, I heard them say it. Yet I went anyway. And if that wasn’t stupid enough, he had to take his son. The boy with the penetrating blue eyes and his crooked innocent smile.

My fists hit the tiles with such force that my knuckles started bleeding and one of the tiles cracked. The notion that I’d just broken something that wasn’t mine made me feel even more devastated. And homesick. I missed the warm ocean breeze and the sunny mornings. Everything here was just wet and cold. The ocean was always roaring and the waters grey.

This was not my home.

I needed to go home.

I knew it. I knew that I had to. But there was this little voice inside my head that urged me to stay. Told me to find the boy with the blue eyes. Told me to find out who I was and why I was. My bloodied fingers traced the scar on my heart and then found its way up to my right shoulder, where a much older scar confirmed my past. We all shared that scar. It defined us.

‘Gogo?’

A small, sleepy voice came through the bathroom door, which then softly opened. Abi was standing in the doorway with only a t-shirt on. I woke her up.

‘Mad?’ I quickly rinsed my hands and wiped away my tears.

‘No! Not mad sweetie. Just tired, that’s all.’ While I threw a nightgown on, Abi came in and hugged my leg. I had to bite my lip to prevent myself from bursting out crying. Sweet, sweet Abi. What would I do without her? And when I looked at the soft, silky black hair and the tiny chubby hands I knew that I needed to stay. Abi would be so much better off right here. If I went back I knew we would end up on the streets and Abi would become like me. But now I could give her something I never had.

A future.

And it was worth fighting for. It was worth seeing Einar or dancing with the Prince. It was worth lying for. I didn’t care anymore about what these kind people would think of me if the truth came out. Because Abi was all that mattered. Not even my own past mattered.

We had to focus on the future.

And it was looking up.

We both slept in my bed that night, my legs tired and blistered, my head spinning from emotions I couldn’t place. It was everything at once, anger, fear, happiness, purpose and love.

And eventually I fell asleep with two piercing blue eyes floating through my memory.

The streets were filled with music, the sun shone down through a watery haze. The market was packed with people in colourful outfits and a wide array of umbrellas. Abi was jumping into the biggest puddles she could find. Sending splashes of murky water up into the air. She even managed to get some people from the streets to join her. The story that King Einar had attended the Royal Gala was spreading fast and people spoke hardly ever kindly. Most of the people despised the man, no one however seemed to understand how close to a war Caledonia was. Not that I blamed them, until last night I didn’t know this either.

‘Have you seen him, lassie?’

Bold Doherty was standing underneath the front of his shop, his cheeks as red as ever and his left hand a pint and in his right an awful smelling pastry. His bushy moustache was full of food and frothy beer leftovers. For the occasion he was dressed in a kilt complete with high white socks and an odd looking hat.

‘Who? King Domhnall?’ I was trying to deflect the question, my fear of Einar was still very real and the memory of seeing him still very fresh.

‘No! That bastard Einar!’ The woman next to him gave a little scream and hit him on the head. I couldn’t understand what she was saying due to her very heavy accent but it sounded like she was scolding him for his language.

‘Oh, yeah. I saw him, but decided to stay away from him.’

‘What was he like?’ An elderly man who had been eavesdropping now joined us when he realised that I attended the Royal Gala. He too had nice rosy cheeks and a pint in his hands. His beard was long, white and unkempt and his eyes droopy.

‘Oh! Well large, brooding and very unwelcome. He made a big entrance which came undone when King Domhnall gave his speech before Einar could announce himself. I didn’t really see his reaction, though I would’ve loved to see Einar’s face.’

‘You see! King Domhnall is a good King. He really is, you know. Strong and kind. He is good for Caledonia.’ Doherty took another gulp of his beer and poured a large amount over his beard. The woman looked at him with disappointment and a hint of amusement.

‘King Domhnall? He’s a coward, bloody bastard doesn’t even seem to know what’s happening at the border right now! All he ever cares about is his wine and the grave of his wife. I’m telling ya, Einar is dangerous. Nordlys is dangerous. They are about to run us over! And Domhnall? He’s just shaking hands with orphans! Can you believe that?’

‘Ay, you’re a madman! These are all lies! Nordlys is our ally! Has been for centuries, why would they attack us?’

‘Because that Einar has lost his mind! Went all bonkers when his wife died of that terrible disease. He’s as deranged as they come!’ The old man spilled his beer when he slammed it on the wacky bar table. His face was now even redder than Doherty’s tomatoes on a good day.

‘What do you think lass? Should we be afraid of Nordlys?’

Startled by the sudden question I nearly choked on my chocolate cake. Abi looked up and threw her hands in the air, begging for another piece. To give myself some time to formulate an answer I gave her the rest of my crumbling pastry, which she greedily took. Her chubby hands stuffed the entire thing directly into her mouth and she murmured a muffled ‘thank you’. 

‘I don’t know, I’m not very good at politics. But Einar gives me the creeps, so I wouldn’t trust him.’ Better to stay as close to the truth as I could. This would make it easier in the long run. Both men were looking at me with apprehensive eyes. Not entirely sure what to think of me.

‘You see, guts don’t lie! We shouldn’t let people like Einar walk around our King! Domhnall will never be able to hold Einar off!’

‘Well, yesterday King Domhnall was very good at putting Einar in his place. Don’t count him out just yet. He also has some of the smartest people I know working for him, granted I don’t know a lot of people here, but still. He’s not alone.’ The approving nods of both men made me feel both happy and uncomfortable. I wanted to give them some hope, the same hope I felt whenever I talked to Mo Bhean, but also wanted to stay realistic. War was definitely close, but not inevitable.

I picked up Abi and put her on my shoulders when some street performers passed us. They were walking around on stilts and handed out balloons. A girl dressed in a costume which had about every possible colour you could imagine handed Abigail a beautiful pink glittery flower, which floated joyfully above our heads. With quick fingers she tied the string around Abi’s wrist, to make sure it didn’t float away.

‘Say thank you, dear lady.’

‘Thank-thank!’ She waved to the girl and the balloon followed her ecstatic movements. The girl bowed with a bright smile and then moved through the crowd with her long legs. I followed her with my eyes and then noticed someone staring at me from across the street. A nauseating queasiness came over me and my mind told me to turn tail and run. The black eyes peeled away layer after layer of my shield and I tore my eyes away from him. I could sense him walking toward me, but it was a different voice that greeted me.