The sound of steel against cement penetrated the room as gentle click clacks of a shoe heel followed.
A woman dressed in crimson red; a gown that flowed to her legs with a slit to the mid thigh. Her black heeled boots looked well polished as she put one leg in front of the other– an Excalibur trailing behind her, dragging against the floor.
"You have guts to make an appearance woman!" Bellowed a voice.
The woman, unperturbed, eyes trained on the ground, slowly lifts her eyes, violet; rage.
"I have never been afraid to make an entrance, your majesty." She replied, in no hurry.
The recipient of her taunt– sat on the well furnished chair carved from the strongest of woods, made with the brightest of gold and illuminated with precious diamonds– looked every bit of an angry man as his face twisted in an ugly scowl. His eyes promised death as he glared at her.
"Seize her!" He bellowed.
The woman's eyes slowly glanced across the room full of heftily clad men in armour, not one moved. There was mocking silence.
The King's eyes nearly bulged out of his head when he took in the meaning of his soldiers defiance.
"I ordered you to seize her!" He crys, his portruding stomach jiggling a little as he stands.
"I'll break the news to you, O King." Came another voice. All heads turned to it's source. Tall, broad shoulders and dressed in royal white robes, shoulder length blonde hair and a striking face blessed with silver-gray eyes; Nook was every bit a dashing prince. He continued,
"Your reign has ended and so has your life."
Like a flash of light, she moved, regal, poised and steady; violet eyes blazing with a fire undefined. A second later, the King fell, headless!
A young maiden traipsed the pathway in the garden. Her hair braided in one long pigtail and adorned with flowery ornaments. Her white cotton dress highlighting her slender figure and milky– almost pale– skin. With each step, her fingers brushed against soft petals of roses. Her natural pink lips tilted in a soft smile, bright blue eyes gazing at the gracious plants.
"Boo!"
She squeals with fright and then delight when she recognizes the perfume of the man hoisting her off the ground by her tiny waist.
"Stop doing that to me!" She scolds him when he finally sets her feet on solid ground.
"I can't help it. You look beautiful. As always." He says to her, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. She giggles and puts her arms around his neck as his circles her waist.
"What adventure do we take on today?" She finally breaks the kiss. Her heart races as she stares into his warm browns.
"I say we pay the wolves a visit." He replies and kisses her forehead.
"Hmm. Did you not learn your lesson last time?"
"I did. To never give up." He waggles his eyebrows.
"No." She laughs at his silliness.
"Yes."
"No!."
Nook gazed out his window into the vast land. His eyes tracing each corner, just like he always did. Even as a dirt poor child who scrubbed the floors for a living, he'd sneak into the masters bedroom just for the sight before him now. On more than one occasion, he'd been caught. He has the scars on his back to prove it.
"Your Majesty. Miss Violet."
Without hesitation, he turns and walks out of the room through the door held open by the steward who keeps his head bowed low.
With increasing strides, he marches to the general hall; eager.
He halts when she appears in his line of sight, back turned, still clad in red. His favorite color. The color of war, of passion. When she turns around, he reminds himself to breathe. She's still as breathtaking.
"Your majesty." She speaks
Slowly, he takes cautious steps towards her.
"Where have you been?" He asks when he's close enough.
She smiles. "On tour."
He doesn't return it. His eyes are smoldering, like flaming coals all over her skin. She knows he is upset but she's not about to jeopardize her lifelong assignment for anything. Not even this man who makes her feel than anyone ever could.
"For six months?" He bites out.
She looks away and regrets it because in that instant, he's infront of her. Jaw tense and eyes dark with anger, yet he looks like an angel.
"I seem to loose the sense of time when I'm in the woods." She takes a step back, willing her lungs to take in air. He nods.
"How has your time as King treated you?" She asks
"It been nothing short of the expected. I had to do a little bit of purging after you left. The spineless cowards, corrupts governors and useless chiefs who did nothing but occupy space and horde resources. I got rid of them all."
She nods in approval, pride imminent on her face.
"As you should."
"I'll have them prepare you a room."
"Not necessary. I have to be somewhere else."
"This is your home." He tells her
"I know. But I can't rest yet." She says
"You could just let me help you. I have the time and resources now at my disposal. I can–"
"Nook. Don't. Remember your promise to me?"
His eyes grow distant.
"Let me do it on my own. I've fulfilled my promise to you. You got what is rightfully yours. Now, let me get my own turn."
"I know." He sighs. "I just think we can hasten the process. Violet, it's been over ten years! All trails must have gone cold. We have to start somewhere and you can't do it on your own."
"I can. And I will. Focus on your kingdom and your people. If I ever need your help, I'll come to you."
Nook closes the distance between them, unable to bear the space for much longer. He cups her face in his hand and she leans into his touch.
"You promise?" His voice is almost a whisper.
Violet nods, a wistful look on her face. Seeming satisfied, Nook pecks her cheek and then pulls her into his arms, embracing her. She returns it, her arms encircling his waist.
"I'll wait for you." He says in her ear.
The tears come before she can stop it. She buries her nose into his neck, inhaling his scent.
"Come back to me?"
She nods.
"No!"
"Stay back Monica!" The voice calls out.
"They'll rip you to pieces." She cries. Her face red with tears. Her gown– previously white is now filthy with mud, a leg is barefoot and her hair is disheveled.
"Just stay back." The young man called above the growls and barks. He was on a boulder, careful not to slip and fall into the jaws of the ferocious canines.
Monica cried and wondered how she'd let them get into this situation. Gerald always had a thirst for dangerous habits but she was always the level headed one. The cool one. How'd she been convinced to do this again?
"This is the last time you do something like this!" She yells at him from her position in the tree.
"You got it sweetheart. Never again."
Gerald watched the beasts try their best to climb up the rock but fail. He was sure that his life was flashing before his eyes but he couldn't show fear. Not with Monica just a few feets away, looking down at him. He'd worry her and scare her out of her mind. He needed to be composed.
He was lucky to be saved by a howl the last time. But now...is this how he'd die?
Whoosh
The wolves scampered with their tails tucked between their legs, whimpering as they went.
Gerald watched in awe at the woman from the stories he'd heard. Her bright red regalia was too hard to miss and by the way that javelin detached from the rock solid boulder only to go back to it's original form as an Excalibur before it entered her hands, he knew. She was Violet. The Red Rage.
"Impossible..." Monica gasped
"You kids should really not be out in such a place. Much less this late. Hurry your wee asses home."
Violet turned to leave but stopped when a shiver ran down her spine. She looked up at the tree where the young girl sat. Monica looked back at her, their eyes clashing together.
Violet wasn't sure why, but that girl's eyes seemed too familiar. Like she had seen them before...
to be continued...
