Ark - Survivors Lost In Time Book 2- Time of Thieves

Day Twenty-Nine

Things got back to normal within the Nomad camp after Cradix return, he had punished the men for not believe me, constantly sending them out hunting even if we did not need the food, only Squirrel was forgiven as he had been doing what he thought was best for the tribe. I was sent by Cradix to investigate the thieves, and attempt to find out who they were.

I had returned the night before as empty handed as I had left, a letter waited for me on my cot. An invitation from Mejo to help him built the event arena. Cradix and Squirrel had give their permission, however begrudgingly, for me to leave in the morning.

I was putting my saddle on Firewing when his scent washed over me. I turned around to face him, he was bare chested and his hair was mussed from sleep, but his eyes betrayed the reason he stood in the doorway to the aviary.

"Can we go back to the way things used to be between us?" He asked.

"Of course you and I are friends again, even though I will resent you for a while for making me think I was loosing my mind." I said jokingly, however serious the sentiment was.

"I mean back to when you and I were more than friends," He said taking a step closer, I just stared at him, I knew that the struggle was reflected in my eyes as I fought back the urge to say yes.

"I will not do that to either of us again," I stated, "You never told me that I was the reason the Ruin left our tribe," I said turning back to the saddle.

"You weren't it was just one more thing on a long list of reasons why he wanted away," Cradix whispered, he was right behind me now, he place his hands on my hips and his breath brushed against my neck, I shook him off.

"Please Cradix, I cannot do that to our tribe, to our Ark, or to us, nor can I do that to Mejo," Cradix growled at the mention of him. "I do not understand you two were friends once." I said, he nodded.

"Yes but I still do not like the idea of you two together." I cocked my head at him, "He is not who you think he is," I put my hands on my hips.

"Then who is he?" I asked, I waved a hand at him when he did not speak, "Tell me if it is so important."

"I just do not want to see you get hurt," He said, I laughed.

"No you cannot stand the idea of someone seeing me the way you once did," I sighed, "Cradix you will always be in my heart," I said putting a hand gently on his chest, "But I will not go through that again," I turned from him and climbed up into the saddle. "I will see you at the event?" I asked.

"I will try to make it," Cradix said, his blue eyes looked troubled. "Be careful," He whispered.

"I always am," I said I pulled Firewing into the air and we flew from the aviary.

It took half the day to get to the Divine Knight's home and as always I was welcomed with open arms by everyone except Ruin, which made more sense now that I knew why he had left the Nomads. After I managed to peel myself away from the rest of the Divine during their evening feast I went and sat beside him.

"I hear my brother has made a triumphant return to the Nomads," He said bluntly, I nodded.

"You should go see him," He shook his head, "Last I saw you, you were begging me to take you to him and now you will not go and see him," I asked, he glared at me. "I know I am the reason you left the Nomads to begin with." His eyes grew wide.

"Cradix told you about that?" He asked.

"Not exactly I just know that I was part of the reason you went to become a Dino Knight." He chuckled.

"Part of the reasons?" He laughed, "Oh let me guess he told you that there were other reasons," He barked, other Divine Knights were glancing over at us, "You my dear were the only reason I left, I could not stand the person the my brother had become with you, he was neglecting all of his duties to the Nomads, you were a distraction that I knew our tribe could not afford, I did not want to see our tribe destroyed because of some woman." He glanced around seeing that most of the Divine Knights in that hall were watching us. "I cannot stand that I am watching it happen all over again with Mejo," He glared up at the dais where Mejo lounged in his throne, "You neglect your tribe to dote on her, I bet if she asked you would make her your second over Paul who deserves that throne more than you ever will." Paul who sat at the table in front of Mejo just shook his head.

"You are out of line Ruin," Mejo barked, "I brought you will me from the Dino Knights because you are a loyal friend and counselor but if you continue to question my loyalty to my tribe I will remove you." He said climbing to his feet.

"No Mejo I provoked him by bringing up the past," I said, I stood and left Ruin to his meal, I went to sit next to Paul at the head table, slowly the hall went back to the feast.

"I would never ask that," I whispered to Paul, he smiled at me.

"I know that," He laughed, "Everyone knows that you are and always will be a Nomad," I smiled and nodded, thinking of home for a moment.

"I could never be anything else, fighting does not suit me, I enjoy building."

"And that my queen is why you are here," Mejo stated kissing the top of my head as he collapse to the bench beside me. He unrolled a large piece of paper before me, plans for multiple buildings were drawn on it, with the help of Paul and a few wine glasses the paper was laid flat for us to review. Mejo explained to me the purpose and hopeful use for each structure.

"I want there to be a feast before the start of the event," He said, pointed to one large square building. "Here is where the feast will be held so it need to be large enough to seat at least a hundred people,"

"A hundred is being a bit generous don't you think?" I asked, "I mean how many can we really expect to leave their homes unprotected to come to this," Mejo narrowed his eyes for a moment, "Fifty?" He asked, both Paul and I nodded. "Okay well I want to make sure there is plenty of seating, large fireplaces to stay warm, and a dais with three seats," He said, both Paul and I narrowed our eyes. "One for each of the Faction leaders," We nodded, while Mejo spoke I drew more detailed plans on a fresh sheet, and showed him the layout for the new building when he was done detailing it for us. He gave me a tight squeeze and a peck on the cheek. "Marvelous me dear." He said. He pointed to the next building, "I have already discussed with Puff the placement of an auction to purchase some of his high bred dinos, so this place needs to be able to house multiple animals some of which will be large I believe, unless he is leaving the larger ones at home to be delivered to the buyer's later." I drew up the plans for an amphitheater with pens behind that animals could be led from to the stage for auction.

The rest of the Divine had filtered from the hall by the time we got to the end of the list of buildings. We laid them out beside each other. "This is going to be massive," I breathed, stretching my back my shoulders hurt from being hunched over. "Where can we possibly build such a large complex?" I asked.

"Beneath the green obelisk," Mejo grinned, "I have already surveyed the land there, it is a large enough and flat enough area to build this," He said, I stared at him.

"So not only are we expecting people to come to this event with their enemies and leave their homes undefended, but we are also expecting them to come to one of the coldest regions on the Ark?" I asked.

"Do you have a better idea?" He asked, I shook my head.

"No I promised to help you build, I am not here to criticize." I sighed, I stifled a yawn as I looked over the plans for a fight arena, battle box, and boxing ring. "This is going to take a while to build." I said.

"Yep," Mejo said proudly, "Oh and I almost forgot there will be a race track around the complex." I let out a groan and put my head down on the table. "We start tomorrow at first light," He said, he pulled me to my feet, "Now how about you and I go and celebrate our plans," He said pulling me close to him, I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I saw Paul hide a laugh out of the corner of my eye.

"How about we go and get some sleep instead?" I asked, Mejo looked dejected but nodded and let me lead the way to his chambers, he was asleep before I had changed for bed and climbed under the furs beside him.