Ancient Guardians The Legacy of the Key (21 page)

  “Mr. Sterlington,
I can appreciate your concern; however, you must have forgotten that Miss
Bryant is an honored guest of my family. Moreover, His Imperial Majesty holds
her in the highest regard, more than any other in all of his acquaintance. I
suggest you keep that in mind as you search for the proper words to apologize
to Miss Bryant this instant.”

  The man appeared
as though he would faint at any moment. His face was ashen gray when he looked
at her. He gave an exaggerated bow to Levi and spoke, “Your Highness, I must
beg your forgiv—”

  “I’m not the one
who is in need of an apology, sir. Your imprudent question did not insult me.”

  The man’s cheeks
flushed red, while the two women at his side stepped back, and tried to
disappear into the crowd surrounding them.

  The man bowed,
“Miss Bryant, please forgive my foolishness; Pemdas, is indeed honored to have
you.”

  Reece didn’t know
what to say or do. Fortunately, she didn’t have to do anything. Levi responded
before she had the chance.

  “Now, if all of
you will excuse us, it is getting late, and we must return to Pasidian soon.”

  With that, he
turned and led Reece into the Silversmith shop.

As they walked into
the shop, they were greeted warmly by the owners. Reece was grateful that Levi
seemed to relax as soon as he turned his back on the disagreeable man outside.
They seemed to pick back up from where they left off, before Mr. Sterlington’s
rude interruption. Reece didn’t ask questions, and instead turned her attention
to the beautiful items on display.

  The shop carried
many different items ranging from cutlery, tea and coffee services, soup
tureens, candelabras, and jewelry. Reece stood in awe, not only at the beauty
of the silver, but at the unique shapes and details of each item.

When they made
their way over to the jewelry displays, Levi requested to see a certain piece
closer. He turned to Reece and explained the uniqueness of the thin bracelet he
held in his hands. It was a slim, silver arrow, designed to wrap around one’s
wrist snuggly. He explained to her that the arrow was the most sacred symbol to
the Guardians.

“The Pemdai believe
that an arrow represents courage and protection.” He said as he took her hand
gently and clasped the bracelet around her wrist.

Reece
gasped, her heart raced, and she couldn’t think straight. Her skin seemed to
burn in response to his tender touch. She managed to think well enough to know
that she could not accept such a gift. She shook her head, “Levi, I can’t
accept this.” She found the courage to look at him.

His lips curved up
on one side, and his icy blue eyes stared into hers. Reece’s heart was beating
so rapidly she thought she might hyperventilate. Never in her life had she
reacted to any man like this. She had never found herself in a position where a
man had this kind of effect on her emotions.

“Reece, I want to
give you this gift as a reminder of Pemdas, so that when you do return to
Earth, you will remember the Guardians who protect you.” He brought her hand
back into his, to examine the bracelet wrapped delicately around her wrist. “It
suits you perfectly.” He politely added.

She gently withdrew
her hand from Levi’s so that she could examine the bracelet. “Levi, this is
really beautiful; I love it. Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Reece watched as
Levi paid the man; the thin paper he handed him was the size and shape of a
dollar bill, but with more of a foiled appearance.

They exited the
shop and were only a few feet away, when a young boy called out to Levi. He was
around the age of ten or eleven, and dressed in ragged clothes.

“Are you the
Emperor’s son?” The boy asked.

Levi stopped and
gave the young boy his undivided attention. “I am.”

The boy stared up
at Levi in awe, then looked at Reece, and back to Levi, “Your wife is
beautiful, sir.”

Reece couldn’t help
but giggle, and felt Levi laugh softly at her side. “This is Miss Reece Bryant;
she is the Emperor’s honored guest from Earth. Forgive my lack of manners for
not introducing her properly.” He leaned down and spoke softly, “However, I believe
I have only put myself in an awkward position at the moment.”

The boy laughed.

Levi rose back up,
“Young man, what is your name?”

“Christopher Jared,
sir.”

“Tell me
Christopher, do you live in the city?”

“Yes, sir. I live
with my momma and sisters. Momma works in a bakery down that street.” He said
as he pointed behind Levi and Reece.

“Ah! That is a very
commendable job. I will tell you, the next time I come into town, I will make
sure to visit her bakery.”

“My momma would
likely pass out if you do, sir.”

Levi smiled, yet
studied the young boy. The expression on Levi’s face made Reece wonder what it
was he was contemplating.

“Christopher, would
you be willing to do a job for me?” Levi asked.

“Yes, sir. I can do
almost anything but help momma cook.”

“Well, it appears
you and I may have some things in common then, young man.” Levi laughed. “Tell
me, how are you with handling horses?”

“Sir, before my
Papa died last year, I used to tend to his horse all the time.”

“Then
I believe you are qualified for the job I intend to offer you. You see, Miss
Bryant and I have traveled quite a distance from where my horse is currently.
Will you retrieve him for me?”

The boys eyes
widened and sparkled with excitement, “Oh sir, yes, sir!” He turned to leave,
and run down the street.

“Christopher?” Levi
called and the boy stopped and turned, “You may need to know where he is.” Levi
said with amusement. “He is in the private stables at Carnsworth Inn.” He
pulled another foiled bill out from his coat, and handed it to the boy. “Hand
this to the stableman and he will know that I have sent you for my horse,
Areion.”

The boy looked at
the money Levi handed him, and swallowed hard before turning to run down the
street to retrieve the horse.

While they waited
for the boy’s return, Levi pulled Reece over to a more private area.

“Reece, I wanted to
take a quick opportunity to apologize to you for Mr. Sterlington’s impudence
earlier.” He looked at her somberly.

“Levi, don’t worry
about it. I wasn’t offended; I really thought the guy was kind of weird, given
how everyone else had been treating you. Something didn’t seem right about
him.”

Levi laughed,
“You’re a very intuitive person, Miss Bryant. Yes, the man is strange indeed.
He is the official who runs this city, and he is a bizarre man. Every time I am
in town, word travels to him, and he will track me down so he can re-introduce
his daughters to Harrison and me.”

“Oh! That’s kind of
creepy.” She added.

“It repulses me;
it’s obvious that he is trying to use his daughters to make his way into our
family in order to advance his social and political agenda.”

Reece laughed, “Ah,
trying to marry them into the royal family?”

“It sounds
pretentious, I know; but that is exactly what he is trying to do, and to gain
his riches in that manner.” Levi shook his head, “The woman who inquired about
Harrison seems to have a bizarre obsession with him. She sends him odd
correspondence, and sometimes will send him gifts.” Levi laughed, “I believe
she is the only woman that Harrison seems to be frightened of.”

Reece laughed, “So,
she’s a stalker?”

“That would be one
way to look at it.”

 Just then, their
attention was brought to the magnificent stallion being led by the boy down the
street. Reece watched Areion, intrigued by the way he trotted so gallantly behind
the young man. With his shiny black coat, large hooves, long flowing tail and
main, coupled with his muscular build, Areion made the other horses in the town
look scrawny in comparison.

The boy approached,
and Areion halted behind him. The boy handed the reins to Levi, “Sir, I didn’t
know you rode a Guardian horse. I have never seen one up close until now. Are
you really a Guardian, too?”

“Yes, I am. That is
another reason why Miss Bryant is with me. I served to protect her while she
was on Earth.”

“Wow, I hope to be
a Guardian one day when I grow up.”

Levi
smiled, “As long as you remain as courageous as you have shown me that you are
today, I believe that one day you will make a fine Pemdai warrior.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Thank you for
retrieving my horse, I trust Areion gave you no trouble?” Levi asked, while
Areion grunted in return.

Did the horse
understand that?
Reece let out a
laugh.

 “He was real good
for me.” The boy answered.

“Good,” Levi handed
the boy three bills, “Thank you for your service today young man.”

The boy stared at
the money in his hand as if he’d just been handed a winning lottery ticket.
Reece watched tears fill his eyes as he looked back up at Levi, “Sir, this is
more money than I think my momma has ever made in her whole life.”

Reece fought back
the tears that were filling her eyes, as well as the desire to reach out and
hug the young child.

Levi chuckled,
“Well, I’m not sure it’s that much. However, take it to your mother, and let
her know that the Emperor’s family is sorry for the loss of her husband.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Now, hurry along,
and go bring it straight to her. Miss Bryant and I must be getting back now.”

“Yes, sir,” The boy
turned and ran off through the buildings. Reece looked toward Levi, marveling
at his benevolence. He looked back at her and offered a shy smile in return.
I
think I’m in love with you…
she thought, while having an overwhelming desire
to hug him, and tell him that he may very well be the perfect man. She opted
for a less dramatic response instead, “That was so wonderful for you to do that
for him and his family.” She said.

Levi’s cheeks
colored lightly, “There was no way I was going to let him go without taking an
opportunity to help him. Now he and his family will be able to afford new
clothes and food. It is the least I could do. The welfare of all of Pemdas’s
citizens is my family’s responsibility.”

Reece smiled and
approached him at the mounting block, “Well, I think it was beautiful.”
I
think you’re beautiful,
she thought as she smiled, and this time her eyes
didn’t waiver as they stared deeply into his.

Once they mounted
the horse, they were both soon off and away, making their way out from the
village, and back to the Palace before the sunset. As they rode, Reece was
starting to become weary. More than once she was tempted by the cold, chilled
weather to lean into Levi, and allow him to warm her. She battled with this
desire, but her muscles had become so tense while trying to stay warm, that
fatigue was setting in, and she was miserable trying to sit up in the saddle.
With the sun setting, the temperatures were cooling drastically. Levi didn’t
say much, he seemed more intent on getting them back to the Palace, where it
was warm.

“How much longer?”
Reece asked through her chattering teeth.

“Forgive me, Reece,
I know it is cold. However, I am keeping Areion at a slower pace, so that the
winds will not chill you further. If you are comfortable doing so, you may lean
into me for warmth, and I will bring Areion to a faster speed. We are about
thirty minutes from the Palace.”

  Reece
contemplated for a moment, and without another thought, she leaned into his
chest. He gathered the reins into his left hand, and wrapped his other arm
tightly around her. Reece melted into his strong embrace, absorbing the warmth
radiating from him.

  “I am sorry, I
lost track of the time. I should have been more vigilant, knowing the weather
is still bitterly cold.” Levi said in a low voice.

  Reece laughed
softly, “Well, thankfully I’m starting to warm up, so I won’t hold it against
you. I really had a great time today, Levi. Thank you, again.”

  “It was my
pleasure, Reece.”

  As she relaxed
further into Levi’s sturdy embrace, she looked down and touched the bracelet he
purchased for her.
Why does he have to be from another world?
As the
horse gained speed, Levi tightened his arm around her. She deeply inhaled the
rich fragrance of him, closed her eyes, and realized that if she wasn’t
careful—she could easily fall in love with this man.

As she lay in bed
that night, Reece struggled with the new feelings she was having for Levi. She
couldn’t forget his bright eyes, and his passion while talking about his
country, and the places he had taken her to. She recalled the people of the
small village and their reaction to him, showing her his true character. She
tossed in her bed.
Ugh, Reece! Why are you doing this to yourself? He’s from
another dimension!