Chapter 2 Malia #2
Noni and I turned to see a young man. Noni curtsied, and it took me a second longer to make out his features.
His regal attire and the crown on his head signified that he was the prince of Corallure Kingdom, Elias.
He was handsome, with light chestnut brown hair, blue eyes, and tanned skin.
He had always been very kind when I’d met him several times.
But he’d been especially kind when I first sought refuge here.
Despite his compassion, there was also a distance in his emotions.
Even now, he tipped his head to us and smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes. Something haunted him…
Her.
He motioned to my basket. “May I see?”
“Of course.” I pushed it towards him, watching as he examined the contents. “You’re welcome to try,” I added, and when he took a bite, he seemed to melt just a little.
“Wow Miss Malia, those are so good.”
Miss Malia. Noni gave me a suspicious look. How did the prince know my name? I swallowed hard, hoping she would not ask.
Prince Elias nodded. “I’m sure my father and Damien would love to try some of this too.
They don’t get out much.” Damien was the Crown Prince, Elias’s older brother.
And Elias’s father, King Halstead, was a good and benevolent king.
If every kingdom had a ruler like him, the world would be a much better and kinder place.
Corallure had its faults, like the lack of border control, the overbearing tourism industry, and the rigid class system, but it was much better than Moanalei…
For me at least.
If only I could live in a wooden cottage here in town, surrounded by the colorful roofs, cozy homes, and view of the cream-colored palace in the distance.
But for now–and maybe the rest of my life–I had to be content hiding.
Perhaps in time people would accept me.
King Halstead set the tone for his kingdom, and while people still didn’t trust me and a nasty rumor got around that I was a witch who “ate children,” I would still rather live here than back at Moanalei, my homeland.
Prince Elias was the only person here who did not look at me like a witch and who did not hesitate before trying something to see if it was poisoned, cursed, or spelled… I felt grateful for that. I wouldn’t say we were close or anything, but there was an unspoken understanding between us.
We had both dealt with her, and the hurt from her actions was something we shared, a poison that ran through the veins of our past. Though, I was sure his heartache must run deeper than mine.
He’d been married to Sereth, the queen some people called Snow White.
A clinking noise distracted me from my thoughts as the prince handed me a little bag of coins.
“Oh, that’s too much–” I began to say, but he ignored me.
“How often do you bring these baked goods to the market?” he asked.
“Today is my first time trying.” I smiled nervously, trying to make sure my face was in his direction, but hating that I couldn’t see his face when I looked directly at him. “And you’re my first customer.”
Elias laughed, but it sounded hollow. Everything about him felt like the ghost of someone who once was, and my heart hurt for him. “Well what a treat–literally.”
Noni laughed at his joke, and while there was a lightness in the conversation, there was a secret heaviness, a burden that he and I shared, and one that felt like a festering wound that would never heal.
The prince bought a jar of honey from Noni, then went on his way.
“How did he know you?” Noni folded her arms. “You never told me you knew the prince personally–”
“Oh there’s nothing personal,” I quickly said, but my voice cracked as I rushed to place the rest of my baked goods on her table.
“If he weren’t still married to that Moanalei queen, I’d say you two should court,” Noni said, and I gave her a look.
“No, no, no. I’m not looking for any kind of relationship.”
I didn’t want to say, “He’s royalty, and I’m a commoner…” because then I’d be lying. Sure, I hid a lot about my past, but I certainly was not a liar.
“Why not? You match! I won’t pretend I haven’t noticed your strange ways, Malia. But not in a witchy way. You walk and act like a princess.” She laughed, then added, “You speak as refined as a princess!”
I paled. Had she figured it out?
But Noni was too busy talking. “And besides your unusually refined way of speaking for an herb witch, you’re…
how old now? Twenty two? Time to find a man and settle down.
Besides, you made him laugh! I don’t think I’ve seen the prince laugh or smile since he came back.
” Noni placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. I blushed.
“It’s truly nothing like that, Noni. He and I… we just…” I let out a breath, unable to explain myself.
Noni then motioned around us. “Fine, but there are whalers all around here–handsome ones! Why don’t you find yourself a catch?” She winked.
“Noni.” I rolled my eyes, and she laughed. But her words about the prince made my heart ache even more for him. If only people understood what he’d gone through–what I’d gone through.
“Whalers are not for me.” I shook my head. “I would never fall for a whaler. Besides, I’m perfectly fine hiding out at my cottage.” I quickly added, “Alone.”
Noni studied me. Her expression softened. “You can’t hide forever, Malia.”
A lump formed in my throat. What did Noni know about hiding? Her life had never been at risk, and she hadn’t made the awful mistakes that I’d made…
When I didn’t reply, Noni took a small breath then arranged the banana loaves and ginger snaps on her table.
After a moment, she gazed at me, a softer look spreading on her face.
“You should bake more goods for the farmer’s market tomorrow, and if it continues to go well, we should keep doing this at every market. ”
Warmth filled me, something I hadn’t felt in a while. “Alright, that’s a great idea.” I loved baking. The prince had bought my goods. Noni was sure they would continue to sell. Their confidence in me filled me with a sense of purpose.
“I’ll bake tonight and bring more in the morning,” I said, and Noni nodded.
“Sounds great. You'd better hurry home though. Storm is rolling in.”
I looked at the skies and, indeed, a storm seemed to approach, the clouds gray and heavy. Hopefully, there were no ships out in that weather.
I thanked Noni for selling my baked goods, kissed her cheek goodbye, then made my way out of the busy Halekai port town.
I veered off the path and traversed deep into the woods, glad for the sunlight so I could find my way.
The sound of people chattering and the hustle of the town disappeared, replaced by the hum of the waves on the shore, and the rustling of the leaves in the coconut fronds above.
A cool breeze blew through the woods. Corallure was a tropical island, yes, but it was quite cool and rainy most of the year. It was cool enough that on some nights, one could see their breath in the air. I loved it, but secretly missed the warmth of Moanalei.
When I reached my cottage, I let out a breath of relief. The sun set on the ocean horizon, and a smile crossed my face. A whale breached in the distance, a reminder of hope.
A promise.
But a rumbling of thunder filled the sky and squashed that hope. I pulled out my ingredients for a late night baking session, knowing that the smell would probably fill the air.
But it’s alright, I told myself, always cautious of not drawing attention to myself. Nobody is out at this hour. It was just me. All alone. Hiding.
Because, unlike Noni suggested earlier, I was sure I could hide forever.