The Keys of Kraal

Chapter Seven

Spaery decided he'd stay away from Daisy and be nothing but horrible on every occasion he had the misfortune of seeing her. She was tough, too tough for him. It made him uncomfortable. He was supposed to be the tough guy of Kraal, and now, he thought with scorn and gloom, a girl from Earth had put him in his place. He crouched by the moat again, his gangly legs hugged to his chest, and he stared across the clouds sulkily. He despised the girl.
But then, he thought, sighing, he'd be bored again. Daisy was his last chance at entertainment, besides training Griff's baby... Which he had resolved to never deign to do. His Father had insulted him by suggesting that. His ego was still bruised from the remark. And Spaery liked grudges, they were satisfying. He rolled his eyes and stood, running his hand through his black curls and making for the tall tower of the hospital. This is ridiculous, he thought as he went. He ascended the swirling staircase anyhow, and knocked sharply on the door he'd had slammed in his face not long ago.
"What?" Daisy opened the door and demanded. For the first time, Spaery looked properly at her. She looked strong. Spaery shuddered but glared at the girl.
"I'm bored."
"Why's that my problem-"
"I'll show you around the Kingdom. Poor baby, you were unconscious when you arrived so you haven't even seen the land that I am heir to." He said, grinning mockingly.
Daisy frowned. "There were a lot 'o things wrong with that sentence..."
"Oh, shut up," Spaery answered, daringly seizing her arm. She was strong, he noted to himself. Damn.
"I suppose Father will come for you soon. He is a horrid man. He will do all sorts of nasty tests on you. The longer you're with me, the longer you'll avoid him."
"Your company," Daisy began with a sly smile, "can't be much worse than bein' poked and prodded with needles, aye?"
"Shut up!" Spaery shot back sulkily. He pulled her down toward the stairwell and they descended, Daisy holding the prince's arm, her bare feet pattering against the cool marble and her hospital dress a billow of white.
Before them was the vista of clouds, a beautiful expanse of blue and white, fluffy and beautiful in the white light that seemed to bathe everything in view. The moat glistened, dark blue and deep, rippling with the movement of the feral mermaids below the surface. Daisy, who often tried not to show emotion, was unable to hide the sheer awe that had overcome her. She couldn't speak, she merely stared, so spellbound that she had even forgotten to unlink her arm from her obnoxious companion's. There's no wind, up in the clouds. It was so quiet, the sleeping breaths of all the Kingdom could almost be heard. Daisy felt herself relax for the first time since she'd arrived. She couldn't help it.
"You remember, don't you?" Spaery began narcissistically, breaking the silence like a shockwave. "You remember what you said this morning? Someone's not so quick to mock my Inheritance now..." He muttered. Daisy didn't answer. It was almost as if Daisy didn't even hear the boy as she stared out across the clouds.
"I'm bored now," he continued, "let's do something fun." He ripped his arm from hers and strode over to the moat. He motioned for Daisy to follow. She blinked. And she followed, her walls of tough rebuilt.
"What'd you have in mind?" She demanded.
Spaery looked her in the eye, his face plastered with a grin like a Cheshire cat. Daisy met his gaze, but a sickening sense of unease filled her stomach at what was to come. She didn't like the look on Spaery's face.