Chapter 4 - A Decision

Chapter four

 

A Decision

 

 

 

 

            After lunch Megan went to John’s room to see what in the god’s names he had been thinking.

“WHAT were you thinking?!”      

                    John sighed as the little kitten rubbed against his leg. “I don’t know, Meg. I just lost it, that’s all. He just…he just bothers me.”

“But he didn’t even say anything to get made over!”

“I know, but it’s the way he says it, like he’s trying to get on my nerves. I lied, you know, when I said I didn’t mind not inheriting the throne. I do. I’ve always wanted to be king one day, of Seaspray I mean. And I don’t blame you. I just wish he didn’t hate me so much.”

 

 

That night Megan slept restlessly. At first she dreamt that Haldon of Furthermore returned and her father married her off to him, giving John the throne instead. Then it was as if someone turned off her dream, and her head filled with an image of her bedroom…

 

She was sitting at her dresser, brushing her hair. As she looked into her mirror her image began to sway, and shimmer. Instead she was looking at a ballroom. She was dancing. Dancing with a tall man dressed in white. Her lavender dress flowed around her ankles. Something was hanging from her belt. She knew she had to have it, but the man wouldn’t let go of her hands…

 

Megan sat straight up in her bed. She was shaky, and covered in cold sweat. She had never had such a horrible nightmare, yet she couldn’t figure out why it was so scary. It was only a dream about dancing. But somehow it struck cold terror in her heart.

                    Megan was too awake now too go back to sleep, even if the storm didn’t keep her awake. Funny: it hadn’t even been cloudy when she had gone to bed.

                    Her shutters suddenly blew open, and thunder crashed outside. Megan jumped out of bed and closed them, but not before the rain drenched her nightdress. Megan wiped the rainwater from her eyes and sat down on the end of her bed. Her thoughts wandered involuntarily to the Crystal. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was like it was calling her. She knew in every fiber of her being that something had to be done about it, yet no one was doing anything.

 

I could do it.

 

Megan almost laughed at herself. But the more she thought about it, it seemed less ridiculous. Why shouldn’t she go after the Crystal? John was right, if she wanted to be queen she had to make her own decisions. Why shouldn’t the high princess of Seaspray, the proud host of the giant Amethyst, retrieve the precious stone? It would be hard, especially for some one who had never left Seaspray before. But she could do it, she knew she could. She could leave during the ball, when the guards were too busy flirting too notice who was going in and out. She would do it. She would go after the Crystal.

 

 

Not one servant in the castle could figure out why Princess Megan was asking for such strange items as a canteen, trail rations, blankets and good traveling clothes. She wasn’t even going anywhere!

                    The tanner told of how she had asked for trail boots, and the blacksmith had been asked for a dagger and chain-mail. And all of them had been ordered not to tell anyone of her requests. No one even thought once about the fact that she might be leaving. No one except her maid, Martha… 

 

Megan ran into the shop, fervently hoping that Shannon was the first one she met. She was.

“Megan, what…?”

Megan pulled her into a closet and closed the door behind them.

“Megan, what are you doing?”

“Not so loud! I need to ask you something.”

Shannon stared at her, “Well?”

Megan took a deep breath. “You have to understand that this is top secret, no one but you and Jacob and I can know about it. No one! I’m going to Crypton to retrieve the Crystal, and I wanted to know if you would come with me.”

Shannon blinked a few times, as if considering it, then shrugged her shoulders.

“Okay.”

Megan stared at her. “’Okay’? Shannon, this isn’t just a walk through town. We’re going to Crypton for the god’s sake! You know, evil monsters, Lord Aton.”

Shannon sighed loudly. “Well Megan, did you really think I was going to stay behind?”

Megan grinned. “No.”

“Well then, when are we leaving?’

“Meet me at the castle gates at nine o’clock day after tomorrow during the ball.”

 Shannon nodded her approval. “Alright.”

That had certainly be easy, but she knew that convincing Jacob would be much more difficult.