In a land where dreams become reality, everything has its price.
When her father forbids her from marrying handsome sailor, Kai, Liesel steals away with him, intending to sail to the colonies where they can be wed. A violent storm forces them to t...
She kept Ilsa's light in her sights. It grew larger, surrounding her as she broke the surface, spluttering and gasping for air. Rolling onto her back, she floated to catch her breath. Steadily she drifted toward the shore. When she pulled herself onto dry ground, she searched for Ilsa, but found that her ghostly savior had disappeared back into the nether from where she'd come. Whether real or only a figment of her dying brain, Liesel could not tell, but she was alive because of her.
The boys were also gone. They'd no doubt seen her plunge into the pool. When she didn't surface, they'd left her for dead with nothing but a story to spin their queen. Liesel was glad to be rid of them, but also bereft that she'd squandered a chance to find Kai. If they did come back to search for her body, she wanted there to be nothing for them to find. She lay on the shore to allow for brief reprieve. Then she dragged herself up and made the slow journey back to the treehouse, following the trail of red-marked trunks she'd left.
He was at the mountain, they said. All of their kind were. She kept this morsel in her heart and let green sprigs of hope grow all around it. Biding her time, she went about her daily chores, continuing Kai's work on the platforms, gathering food and supplies from the forest, and growing stronger.
Winter in Arcadia was long and arduous. The forest seemed constantly hidden under a blanket of white snow, trapping Liesel aloft in her tree. She was frequently hungry, restless, and chilled to the bone, but she never lost heart. Her dreams came more frequently. Most were a reply of memories. She cherished these because it helped her to feel near to those she loved. Sometimes her sleep was visited by the girl with ruddy hair and pale skin. Liesel chased her across sunny meadows, through dense forest, and down the corridors of an ornate house. At times, they sat opposite each other in rooms unfamiliar. The girl smiled frequently but never uttered a word. Her secrets, it seemed, would not come for free.
When the snow began to melt, Liesel knew it would soon be time. She waited until the first mild and sunny day, and then she packed her bag and headed into the wilderness. The forest gave way to a meadow, and in the distance, she could see the mountain. It was the only one she'd ever seen in Arcadia. It had to be the one the boys had called home.
"Kai," she whispered. A breeze came up, carrying his name along wind that rippled the meadow's grasses. She closed her eyes and saw his smiling face in her mind. "I'll see you soon."
~***~
The ride has come to an end. Thank you for choosing to spend time in Arcadia. I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Share them by leaving me a comment below. If you'd like to see other stories like this, please say so! I can't say I'll get them done quickly (I'm the Queen of the Turtle Writers), but I'm always happy to provide more content to an eager audience.
As always, votes are much appreciated and help me to know that I'm on the right track.
If you're dying to know what became of Liesel and Kai or puzzling about the red haired stranger in the woods, check out my full length novel, Stolen.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
