Grishma (Necoh Saga) (9 page)

Suddenly, Adeline pushed through the door. “Um, Princess? I forgot to mention–” She cut herself off at the sight of Brooklyn crying on the floor. “Oh no! Princess! Don’t cry!” Adeline rushed over to Brooklyn and wrapped her arms around her. “It’s okay, don’t you worry. The King will have the potion masters fix your mind.”

Hugging the girl back felt comforting. “Thank you, Adeline.”

Adeline excused herself once Brooklyn stopped crying.

Okay, get it together, Brooklyn. Don’t blow your cover just yet.
Peeling off each article of clothing took a bit of care. She had worn Ryder’s mother’s clothes for over three days and they were caked on her skin with a mix of Swive River water, dirt, and sweat.
Gross!

The bathtub was nothing short of amazing. It was large enough to fit ten people. As she got closer to the bubble-filled water, heavenly scents floated around her, a combination of fresh roses, honeysuckle, and lilacs. A smile crept over her lips.
I wonder what Jocelyn MacIntyre would think of this?

Carefully dipping each leg in, Brooklyn took her time as she entered the piping hot water. Utter bliss would not do this experience justice. After sinking in to the delicious water, Brooklyn’s muscles relaxed and she closed her eyes.

I wonder what kind of body wash and conditioner the royal Necohians use?

Utterly content, she searched around the sides of the enormous tub and found a variety of liquids stored in glass jars and something that resembled a loofah.

Um… How am I going to tell which of these is the soap and which is the shampoo?

Sinking deep into the bubbles, Brooklyn politely called, “Adeline, are you still there?”

Adeline opened the door slightly and peeked inside. “Yes, Princess Sophie! What can I do for you?”

“Well, this is rather embarrassing, but I don’t know—I mean, I don’t remember which of these I use to clean my body and which is for my hair?”

“Oh dear! I can certainly help you with that, Princess! First, you want to use this one for your hair,” she said as she pointed to a tall container with an almond-colored substance. “Then, wash it out and use this one next,” pointing to another tall container filled with mossy green ingredients. “Once that’s in your hair, you can use this to clean your skin,” she said as she handed Brooklyn the loofah and a short squat jar with some kind of dark brown stuff crammed inside.

“Oh, thank you so much, Adeline! Eh, losing my memory really has been horrible. I can’t seem to remember anything about my life here.”
Nice! Lay it on thick!

Adeline smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about it at all, Princess! Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“No, thank you., That will be all.”
Did I just say that? I sound like a spoiled brat and I’ve only been a princess for a few hours.

Sighing, Brooklyn began to follow Adeline’s grooming instructions. Slowly massaging the almond-colored substance in her hair was exquisite.
This must be their version of shampoo.
Brooklyn held her breath and dipped below into the sudsy water to wash it out.

Next, she poured some of the mossy green substance into her palm. Studying it for a second, it reminded her of one of those deep-cleansing organic conditioners her mother used to use once a week.

Bringing her palm to her nose, she inhaled deeply.
Mmmm… This smells like a mix of mint and jasmine.
“Oops!” Brooklyn smiled. She had accidentally got a dab of the stuff on her nose.
I bet I look like the Wicked Witch of the West!
Giggling, she applied the mossy green ingredients to her scalp and hair.

“Last but not least,” Brooklyn said to herself as she reached for the short squat jar. Carefully opening the lid, she peered inside. “Hmmm, it looks like a sugar scrub,” she mumbled to herself.

She stuck two fingers in the jar and pulled out a thick, gooey, coarse substance. Just like the stuff she had put in her hair, it smelled amazing!
Ginger and vanilla, YUM! Could this bath get any better?

Startled momentarily by a knock at the door, Adeline poked her head in. “Princess Sophie, is everything okay in there?”

“Yes, sorry, have I been in here too long? It’s just so lovely, I don’t want to get out.”

“The tailor will be arriving shortly, but take your time, Princess, he can wait.”

I better pick up the pace!
Spreading the gingery vanilla substance all over her body felt refreshing and soothing at the same time.

After inspecting her arms and legs for signs of dirt and not finding any, Brooklyn dunked her head under the water one last time, rinsing her hair and her body.

She climbed slowly out of the bathtub and wrapped herself in a thick fluffy white robe. A towel sat on a nearby chair. Picking it up, she bent over and put her hair up to dry.

“Um, Adeline, I’m done. Could you please show me to my room?”

“Absolutely, Princess,” said Adeline as she barged in to the bathroom. “Ah, let me grab those old clothes from the bin, the King said to burn them at once!”

“No! Wait!” Brooklyn said urgently. “Please don’t get rid of them!”
I can’t let them burn Ryder’s mother’s clothes. If she’s here in the castle, it may be my only way to convince her I know her son.

Adeline wrinkled her nose. “Pardon? Princess, why would you want to keep these horrible clothes?”

“Well,” Brooklyn stammered.
Think! How can you explain this?
“Well, I was thinking that perhaps if I kept the clothes, I may be able to remember who gave them to me. They might be a clue to where I’ve been the past few years.”

“Ah, good thinking, Princess Sophie! I will have them washed immediately and returned to your room.”

Adeline reached down and scooped up the clothing and tucked it beneath her arm. “Now, Princess, please follow me, and I’ll show you to your room.”

Stepping through the bathroom door was shocking. “Oh my…” Brooklyn’s voice trailed off before she could finish her thought.
This can’t possibly be my room! Can it?

The room they had stepped into was easily the size of Brooklyn’s entire house. In the center stood a stunning canopy bed with beautiful white gossamer draped from the center to each side of the bed. The bed itself was filled with fluffy pillows and thick plush blankets that looked as soft as satin.

Her eyes were then drawn to a magnificent vanity with a jewel-studded chair. There were hairbrushes that appeared to be made of pure gold, baskets that held accessories encrusted with brilliant stones, and small containers that appeared to be make up. Above the vanity was a large mirror.

“Is everything all right, Princess?” Adeline asked with a concerned look on her face.

All right? This is AMAZING!
“Ah, yes, um, yes. I just wished I remembered my own room,” replied Brooklyn.

Adeline’s expression melted. “It must be absolutely dreadful not remembering anything, Princess.”

“Yes, it is very difficult.”

“Well, this should cheer you up. The King had several gowns sewn for you every year on your birthday. There’s bound to be something in your wardrobe that will fit. Also, the tailor is in the adjacent room, ready to do your fitting. You can put this on while he takes your measurements,” said Adeline as she handed Brooklyn something that looked like a thin nightgown or a slip. “Shall I help dress you?”

“No, thank you, Adeline, I’ll be just fine.”

“Very well, then. Please summon me once you’re ready. I shall keep you company while you’re being measured,” said Adeline.

Looking around in amazement, she thought,
Is this real? Is this really how some people live?
Shaking her head, Brooklyn pulled the towel out of her damp hair and changed into the white slip-like garment Adeline had given her.
All right, I guess I’m ready for my royal fitting.

Chapter Ten

S
treaks of light filtered past
the canopy of tall trees surrounding Ryder and his allies as they prepared to leave camp.

Even though he initially urged the group to leave the previous night, Ryder was glad they decided to get some rest before departing on their journey.

He rubbed his neck.
Man, am I sore!

Stretching his arms above his head, he thought back to the Nalun attack. Wielding his father’s sword in a bloody frenzy was both frightening and exhilarating.

Dad would have been proud of me,
Ryder thought as he looked down at the gleaming sword.

“Ryder, are you ready?” asked Albie.

“Ah, yeah, ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied. Grabbing a sack, Ryder loaded it with dried lera berries, several flasks of water, and a few medicinal plants he had found nearby.

Albie carried a large rucksack filled with additional supplies, including dried meat, fresh picked mushrooms, and more flasks filled with fresh water. Cridifer followed suit with his own small pack and the two guards, Kroy and Lant, pulled a small cart filled with larger supplies and weapons covered by heavy blankets.

As they marched through the tall grass, Ryder wondered,
Have I trusted the right Necohians?

They hadn’t made it too far when Albie frantically shouted, “Everyone STOP! Look!” The small furry creature pointed ahead to a field of vibrant flowers.

“No,” murmured Ryder, “it couldn’t be.”

“Lapu flowers. We better cover our faces,” grunted Lant.

“I thought these things didn’t exist anymore?” asked Ryder.

“They’re plentiful around here. The King had fields planted after Princess Sophie went missing. It was supposed to prevent future criminals from reaching the city walls,” replied Kroy.

“And to keep those trying to escape within the grasp of the King’s army,” added Lant.

Albie removed his pack and grabbed a flask of water and a handful of cloth strips. “Good thing we came prepared,” he said as he carefully poured a small amount of water on each cloth and handed one out to everyone.

“Cover your nose and mouth. And make sure to tie it tightly. I don’t want to have to carry any of you through this field,” joked Lant, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Following orders, Ryder and the others tied the damp rags around their faces.

The lapu flowers were stunning. Bright yellow petals dotted with aqua spots and neon pink flowers with orange stripes flooded the landscape in front of them.

“So are they still as potent as before?” asked Ryder.

Albie shook his head. “Yes, even more so in some cases. I’ve heard all one has to do is take one smell and BAM! You’re unconscious!”

They stepped carefully, disturbing the flowers as little as possible. Each step was precise and calculated. By the time they had traversed through the seemingly unending lapu field, the sun was directly above them and burning hot.

“Let’s walk a bit further and then stop for lunch,” stated Albie.

The others mumbled in agreement.

After they were a safe distance from the fields of dangerous flowers, they sat to rest and unpacked a small feast.

Lant dug around in one of the packs and produced several large brown mushrooms with faint yellow flecks on the cap. “Here,” he grunted as he handed them out to everyone. “We better eat these today. If we wait too much longer, there’s a good chance they’ll become toxic.”

As everyone inspected their mushrooms for some sort of indication that they were toxic, Kroy handed out leather flasks of fresh water.

In addition to the mushrooms and water, they munched on dried lera berries and a small portion of dried meat.

For dessert, Cridifer had provided everyone with a ripe kuba, which was beyond decadent. The bright purple fruit was about the size of a grapefruit and it fit perfectly in the palm of Ryder’s hand. As he bit into it, sweet, tangy green juice dribbled down his chin.

Kuba was his little sister Brianna’s favorite fruit. The thought of her made Ryder’s stomach twinge and his heart ached.

Interrupting his thoughts, Albie shouted, “Hey! Look! Those are definitely Laro’s tracks! And, it looks like he was pulling the same cart as us. See? Look at the wheel marks, they match ours.”

Ryder got up and looked at the area Albie pointed to. “See? Three toes with little claw marks there and one extra right there! They match my feet! See?” The little creature flopped on his back and held his short furry legs in the air for Ryder to inspect.

“Well, they look like a match to me. But how do you know the tracks belong to Laro and not some other Tribe of Topher member?” asked Ryder.

Kroy cocked his head to the side and looked at Ryder with a strange expression. “Well, that’s simple. The only Tribe of Topher members besides us are back near the Swive River. We’re all that’s left.”

“What do you mean, you’re all that’s left?” questioned Ryder.

“Well,” said Kroy, shifting his weight, “we used to live within the castle walls. The Queen adored our kind. My wife served as one of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting for years, and I was the official Royal Storyteller. Princess Sophie used to love my stories of magical creatures from faraway worlds.”