The Princess, the Witch and the Pirate

Black Night

Eyes shut, Ansa reached a hand across the bed seeking Olivia's, but found herself alone. It was morning. Baffi stood on the dresser, grooming her whiskers and ears with bitty hands. Humming to herself, Ansa slipped out of her sleeping gown and threw on a yellow linen dress. She waltzed down the steps with a faint smile.

"Morning," said Ansa, entering the dining room, eyes seeking her champion. The boys paused their meals to stand and echoed her greeting as they sat back down.

"Morning." Olivia stood just behind the bride.

Startled, Ansa responded by planting a kiss on Olivia's cheek.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to your brother. Will he be joining us again any time soon?"

"I'm not sure. He's rather unpredictable. But can we spend the day together?"

"Don't we always?" teased Olivia, smiling bright as they took their seats.

"Oli," called Katia. Olivia whipped her head towards as if caught stealing pastries. "Where'd you disappear to last night?"

"Well...erm..."

"I'm teasing, darling!"

Olivia let out a sigh.

"I hope you kept chaste," Katia said, under breath, giving Arthur accusatory eyes.

"What?" Olivia pretended she hadn't heard.

"Nothing, dear." Katia pretended she'd not been heard.

"I wanna say thank you. For the gown...having it altered and... all of it."

"You're very welcome. You looked beautiful. Too beautiful, I'm sorry to say." Olivia's stupefied expression prompted Katia to add, "Arthur hasn't stopped leering since you walked in, and you left Serge quite abandoned."

Olivia looked up. Serge did seem to be avoiding eye contact, while Arthur, smug as always, gave her a wink, coffee cup in hand. She responded by averting her gaze, but could not keep from smirking, glad to have abstained.

"The treachery of women," Katia sighed to herself.

"Oli!" called Mikael.

"Yes, Mikey?"

"We're all going to the mainland today. Would you like to join us?"

Ansa interjected. "Not today. We are otherwise engaged, aren't we?" Ansa's big, green eyes shone in Olivia's direction. Olivia nodded, surprised at Ansa's eagerness.

Everyone had gone. The castle felt desolate. Ansa led Olivia by the hand through a small door cut into one of the massive, heavy, wood and iron gates beyond which they'd gathered the night before. The great hall was nothing more than a cavern with tiny windows etched near its domed ceiling at the north. The iron chandeliers and candelabra, dusty from disuse, were unfamiliar to Olivia. Hadn't they been crystal? This place looks long unused. But she paid little mind as Ansa seemed fixated on reaching a point beyond, past where the quintet had played. There was a curve at the back wall and, as they neared, Olivia saw it hid a dark, narrow corridor. Ansa let go of Olivia's hand and sought in the dim. A sliver of light appeared on the ground and widened before their path from a doorway opening beyond. Ansa beckoned Olivia to join. At the other end of the door the path continued. Guided by distant sunlight, they moved through the small tunnel carved into rock. The sound of waves became clearer, the light became brighter and brighter until, at last, they reached the end and were enveloped by the wind of the sea.

Olivia stood looking out at the mainland and the boats. The path had unfolded onto a landing with no wall to contain a careless soul from stumbling into the ocean, a sort of precipice. A set of weather worn stairs, smoothed over by time, descended into the waters along the castle wall. Olivia climbed down carefully, recalling having been shown this very spot from the veranda. She removed her shoes and sat beside Ansa, dipping her feet in the warm. "Now I know all your secrets."