Vanished (I LUV U.) - Abide With Me Book 1

Chapter 5 - First Days of June

Chapter Five - FIRST DAYS OF JUNE

June 1, 1497

Princess Anita looked on to the sky with joy. Her nose filled with the mouth-watering smell of grilled pronghorn. As she walked down the footpath along the very wide and fast-flowing Pyramus River, she noticed how kinder people are to her. The sound of the flowing water carried away all her troubles in life. Everything, from the lush grass, to the large mountains upstream and the wax palms that grow around their bases, soothed her mind.

Two weeks ago, her sister, Princess Alaya, had been banished from the Hachen Village. Anita still felt pain in her heart whenever she thought about her. Her atz had been her best friend for as long as she could remember.

“Good afternoon, your Highness,” someone said.

Anita looked to her right and saw a skinny bald boy carrying some clay pots that smelled like grease. His thick eyebrows and gorgeous black eyes made her cheeks turn red.

“Hi, Edur,” she said with shyness. “Do you wish for my assistance in carrying those pots?”

“Your father will banish me if I let you touch these!” Edur chuckled. Anita giggled with him. “Speaking of banishment, has there been news of your sister?”

The princess’s smile fell. “Umm, none of the hunters have reported seeing her. Why do you ask?”

“Was she a kind princess? Did your parents love her?”

She started struggling to answer. “Atz was born on the winter solstice. My parents believe that anyone who is born on such a day is cursed with bad luck. They prayed to the Great Gnomon for a child to be born on a summer solstice to balance my atz’s misfortune. And that is how I came into being.”

“So, they never cared for her?”

“Why do you even ask of this?” Anita said with a serious tone.

Edur cleared his throat and answered, “I love your sister, your Highness. I only wish to know if she is alright.”

“But she is gone! She will never come back! Can you not love me the way you loved my atz?”

The boy seemed shocked of Anita’s reply. He didn’t want to hurt Anita, but he never warmed to her. It took him a while to think of his reply.

“I can never love anyone the way I loved Alaya.” Edur bid farewell to the princess before continuing his walk to the cookery downstream.

Anita turned away and took a deep breath. She formed a fireball in her hand and threw it into the Pyramus River. The splash from her shot rose high in the sky and doused her with a gallon of water. Her good royal clothes wet, the princess fell to her knees and cried.

Why can’t you love me, Edur! she screamed inside. Why? WHY!?

Then, Anita remembered the two years of freedom she had left. On her thirteenth birthday, she would be eligible for marriage just like her sister. She didn’t want any other man but Edur to be her partner for life.

You stole him from me, atz! How could you!? Even in your banishment, people still love you more than me!!!

“Are you alright, your Highness?” a peasant girl asked.

Anita sobbed, “Yes, I am alright.”

From now on, atz, Edur will never see you again. I will do everything in my power to stop that, even if I have to end your life!