Chapter 17 #2
She rose again. Vegetation hid the path.
There was no sign of her captors, but voices shouting drifted over the shrubbery.
She swam along the water's surface. Spying a bridge ahead spanning the narrowing pool, she frowned as several guards poised on the stone walkway with a fishing net readied.
She studied the net and the depth of the water as the prince and Carissian hurried to join the men on the bridge.
After calculating the risk, Tashama dove down to the blue-tiled floor and pulled herself through the warm waters.
The sparkle of brilliant blue flittered ahead in the water.
A water nymph waved for her to advance, but Tashama, still beneath the waters, studied the wavering forms of the men above her as they held the black net over the water.
The nymph fluttered about Tashama’s head and yanked at her hair in the direction of the bridge.
Tashama swam for the bridge as she pulled the water behind her while the nymph swam beside her.
The black mesh dropped into the pool, but instead of ensnaring her like she had feared, the water swirled with the blue wings of water sprites of varying sizes as they pulled the net up and away.
Tashama surfaced below the bridge as her lungs gave out.
“The net didn’t catch her.”
“She hasn’t passed this way!”
“She’s under the bridge!”
“Ready the net for the other side!”
Tashama dove under and headed for the other side of the bridge before the men had a chance to move the net.
She resurfaced some distance beyond. Several still leaned over the railing as they stood on the bridge, while they shook their heads at her.
But along the path, the prince and several others took chase again.
Disappearing beneath the silky water, she swam until bubbles foamed about her.
She rose to the surface of the pool to investigate their source and smiled at the waterfall spilling from the pink rock formation above.
The prince, Carissian, and the guards ran to the edge of the pool, sixty feet from where she floated in the bubbling surf.
She ducked under the waterfall. Running her hands through her hair, she smiled as the prince folded his arms across his chest.
“How do we get her out of there?” the prince asked Carissian.
“Some of the men can fetch a raft, sire.”
The prince glanced back at one of the men who had handled the net. “What happened back there? It looked as though you couldn’t have missed.”
“Yes, sire. The net was in perfect condition when we threw it into the water. When we pulled it out, there was a hole big enough to allow a mermaid to slip through. That one, in fact.” The guard pointed at Tashama.
Tashama explored the formation of the waterfall while several of the men hurried a raft to the site of the pool. They launched the makeshift boat, and three of the strongest boarded it.
The prince shook his head as Tashama waited until the raft neared the waterfall, then she dove underneath and headed back the way she had come.
“Hurry!” the prince shouted.
“She dives too low.” The guard reached for her, but then, as he felt her hair slip into his grasp, he pulled taut.
The prince smiled as the guard pulled her golden strands into the sunlight.
She surfaced and grabbed hold of her hair as she tried to free it from the guard’s firm grasp while the men paddled the raft next to her.
“Let go of my hair!” she scowled, but one of the men grabbed for her wrist while another leaned over and grabbed her other arm. Within seconds, they pulled her from the water.
She lay on the raft in resignation as one held her wrist in a tight grip while the other two paddled to shore.
When they arrived at the edge of the pool, two more guards pulled her to her feet.
Listra hurried to cover her with a blanket as the men all gaped at her.
She turned to the prince, who motioned for her to take Tashama back to her chambers.
“What was that all about?” the prince asked Carissian as the guards escorted Tashama back to her bedchambers.
“She’s stretching her wings as the water nymphs do to see how much she can get away with while you hold her captive, I do believe, sire.”
“I guess the prince isn’t too angry with you this time, or I fear he’d throw you in the tower again, my lady,” Listra said as they entered the bedchambers. “Why do you disobey him so?”
Listra helped her off with her wet gowns. “I will not be anyone’s prisoner, Listra. Not Prince Aleron’s, nor Loran’s, not anyone’s.”
“There are rumors you do such things to attract the prince’s attention.”
“If in doing so he realizes he cannot keep me in line, then so be it.”
Listra pulled a velvety-green cloth, glittering with sparkles of gold, over Tashama’s head. “He was supposed to have practiced his coronation ceremony this morning. I doubt he’ll be pleased you have interrupted his busy schedule.”
“Busy schedule?” Tashama ran her hands over the soft fabric. “He plagues me to no end. When does he have time to schedule important matters of state? Besides, he’s the one who wanted me to swim.”
“It seems your antics have rather distracted him. He was to hold court yesterday concerning the disposition of several criminal cases. The court was cancelled. He was to have attended one of his baron’s weddings.
He never made it to the ceremony. Instead, he was roaming the sewers for you.
His portrait was to have been completed several days ago, but the royal painter let it slip that the prince hasn’t been able to sit still since you arrived here. ”
Tashama smiled. “Good.”
Listra hurried to dry Tashama’s hair as voices approached. “The prince,” Tashama said. “What does he miss this afternoon that was so important?”
The prince entered her chambers. “Weapons instruction.”
She glared at him. “Do you never knock?”
His eyes roved over her forest green gowns. “You had time to dress.”
“And had I not?”
His lips curled up in mischief as he reached out to touch her sleeve. He ran his hand down her arm. “Where did you think that you were going to this afternoon? Another underground lake?”
“The water was just too inviting. I had to take a swim.”
“And attempted to drown my cousin in the process?”
“Not I.” Tashama patted Listra’s arm as the lady pulled a comb through her hair.
“If my guard had not caught your hair, where would you have gone?”
“I wanted to explore the gardens via the pool. I found the experience most exhilarating.”
“How did you cut the net?”
“I had help.”
“You had no daggers.”
“Of course not, Your Highness. I might have cut myself with such a weapon.”
The prince reached into the pouch tied at his waist and handed the two gold bracelets back to Tashama. “You may have these back.”
“Why, I thank you, sire.” Tashama hurried to fasten the bracelets as Listra stopped to watch.
The guards pulled the door open for Carissian’s entrance. Tashama shook her head. “I would think a gentleman would knock first before entering a lady’s chambers.”
“You are a prisoner,” Aleron reminded Tashama, “and as such are afforded what luxuries that I wish to bestow upon you.” The prince turned to hear what Carissian had to say as the expression on his face indicated his concern.
“Sire, Prince Loran states the princess is not who she claims to be.”