FOREVER KNIGHTS: #17 Marked As Mine

Meredith House, Merwood, Dread Hideout

ACHARIUS

Thankfully Chastain was recovering. Healing well. In-fact she and Acharius had been going out into Merwood to practice the strength of her skills.

She and Acharius headed out, hand in hand.

He glanced over at her. Astounded by the sparkling morning light toying with her burgundy and copper strands. And the dark dusting of lashes around her vibrant emerald eyes. Her lips as lush and red as spring berries.

Begging for a taste. And he was tempted. Knowing they’d prove just as sweet.

This had become their daily ritual. They walk out and trees would curve over them. Offering shelter as they lovingly brushed her hair and shoulders. Flowering as she passed.

Mossy vines rising from the ground under each of her footfalls.

Occasionally tiny flowers would seep from the skin along her arms and shoulders. Smelling as alluring as her skin.

Though they looked odd, they didn’t bother Acharius. He appreciated them on her. Decorative as any piece of pretty jewelry.

He’d pluck matching flowers from her tracks and tuck them into her thick red locks.

She smiled tenderly up at him and they moved on.

After a few hours of her teaching herself how to make the trees lean or sway or reach for her. And how to make the vines sweep out like fingers to grip what she wished for. Handing her berries from a bush. Depositing them in her waiting hand.

The red fox she’d greeted so long ago ran from the underbrush to play in her skirts. Teasing around her ankles before resting on her foot for a nap as she practiced.

After that they’d move to Merlin’s Sepulcher. The pond cradled in Merwood.

And to my favorite part of the day. He thought sarcastically.

“We could simply spend a bit longer tomorrow.” He suggested hopefully.

“Know, My Viking. Everytime we’ve made that vow you try to make it again the next day and the next.”

“For good reason.” He defended. Looking as though she’d just stolen his meal.

She took the length of rope dangling over his arm. Tying it around a wide tree she walked over and wound it around his waist just as thoroughly while he grumbled in complaint.

“This rope,” He hooked a length of it over his finger. “is simply the rope to retrieve the anchor.”

“You’re not an anchor.” She said. Not for the first time. Her tone faintly annoyed at the repetitive conversation.

“I sink like one!”

“You do! But you live.” She reminded.

“Thus far.” He grumbled.

“What are you actually looking for?”

“It’s a staff.” He sighed. “A very important one.”

“How will you see it under all that murk?” She gestured to the pond that was covered on the surface with Lilypads and known to be brown and dark beneath those.

Where she saw Calisto’s face.

Sebastian is right. She was probably trying to tell Chastain then, that the staff was here. He shook his head at his own idiocy. How’d I miss it.

Merlin’s Sepulcher. Merlin’s vault. He grunted.

“It glows green. Least I hope it still does. So if I get anywhere near it, I should see it.”

“In theory.” She reminded.

“Yea.”

But today, like so many before it, would yield negative result.

“Anything?” She asked. Tugging the rope to help bring him back to the bank while he floundered like a drowning animal.

Which is essentially what I am.

“No.” He burbled. Half drowning as he spit out water. “Pull the damn rope and get me out of here.”

“I am pulling but I think bringing in full size ships would weigh less.”

“’Tis not my fault you’re a tiny little woman.” He said grumpily.

“Not my fault you’re a two ton man.” She retorted glaring. “Should I let go of this rope.”

“No!” He clutched it desperately with both hands. “Please do not. I vow to silence.” He pleaded.

“Fine. Why do you keep doing this?” She wondered aloud. “As much as you hate it.”

“Because if I don’t do it each morn, covering new areas of the pond then he’ll want to come out and scale every inch of it in only a few days. Which means much time underwater. Which means I will most certainly die.”

“Can you die from drowning?”

He gave her a thoughtful look. “I’ve no idea. However, I don’t care to ever find out!”