Quest for Cydonia

Orchid rubbed one hand against the back of her neck, wishing it would stop throbbing. The incident with Gerard jumped into her mind for what must have been the thousandth time that day, and the image of his face only served to annoy her further. She sat in the far corner of her cell, wincing as she fell against the hard stone. The echoes of rattling chains sounded from further down the hallway, sending a chill rocketing up her spine. The air was musty and cold, and the taste of mildew seemed to coat every surface. She hesitated to touch the slimy walls, simply staring out into the hallway past the grid of iron bars and waiting for someone to come rescue her.

“Princess?”

Her mood immediately lightened, and she stood from her uncomfortable place and walked towards the front of the cell, just able to see past the maze of metal and into the open space on the other side. She smiled as Bob approached her, along with the sound of jingling keys. He quickly unlocked the door trapping her inside the dismal quarters and led her out of the dungeon. The guards nearby didn’t dare question his actions.

Bob opened a door before them and stepped outside and onto the clouds. Orchid nearly set a slipper-covered foot on the layers of mist as well before she recalled Gerard’s words and jumped back like a frightened filly.

“Ah, almost forgot,” Bob said with a light laugh, reaching into one pocket and pulling out something on a glittering silver chain. A perfect disk of glass ringed with metal hung from the bottom of the loop, filled with something translucent and sparkling that she couldn’t identify. He handed her the necklace, and she placed it over her head so it fell around her neck. A strange feeling came over her, like being washed over by a cold ocean wave. Her fingers tingled from the sensation; she could find no way to explain it.

“What is this?” she asked softly, lifting the strange pendant with two fingers to get a better look at it.

“It’s the magic of Cydonia,” Bob answered. “It’s the only way you’ll be able to walk on the clouds.”

Orchid took one tentative step forward onto the cloud and believed she felt firm ground beneath her feet, but still hesitated to go much further. Smiling, Bob nodded, a sign of his encouragement. She bit her lip nervously, debating on whether to move forward or remain on what she at least knew for certain would remain solid beneath her feet. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but that glimpse of doubt always managing to shadow her conscience when it came to decisions was refusing to let her go. In spite of this, anything had to be better than that vile prison cell. Anything.

Inhaling sharply, Orchid took another step. As her second footfall quickly blended into the fourth, and the fourth into the sixth, she began to trust that she would not fall. The strange sensation from just a few minutes prior began to overcome her once again, but she ignored it as best as possible.

“I’m terribly sorry for what Prince Gerard did,” said Bob, a tone of regret overshadowing his voice. “Unfortunately, he tends to act so irrationally more often than most people.”

“It’s not your fault,” Orchid said quietly. She suddenly stopped walking, realizing a tall, leafy tree stood before her. Her eyes traveled down to its roots embedded in the fog beneath her feet, all the way back up to its lush canopy, then slightly to her right and down the rows of hundreds of other trees and flower bushes around them. “…Where are we?”

“Cydonia’s castle gardens,” Bob responded, leading her down a nearby path lined with small, round stones. “Now, what were you going to say?”

“Oh, right,” she said, blushing faintly. “I was saying it’s not your fault I was locked in there. I didn’t tell him what he wanted to know.”

“Would it be too intrusive of me to ask what?” he said quietly. Orchid paused for only a moment before answering.

“He wanted to know something about my kingdom’s secrets. But I couldn’t tell him something of which I possessed no knowledge.”

“Yes, that sounds like him,” Bob said with a knowing sigh. “I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse until he succeeds.” He came to a halt suddenly. Orchid stood next to him, trying to see why they were no longer walking, but could only see darkness.

“Why have we stopped, Bob?” She stood her ground against any threats that could have been masked by the shadows. “Is everything alright?” Bob didn’t even mutter as he waited for the thick clouds to shift and allow the moonlight to spill down upon them once more. All he did was look straight ahead, his head lowered to stare at something on the ground.

“This is why Gerard acts as he does,” he finally said, waving one hand towards the stubborn layer of clouds and commanding them to create a gap for the light to shine through. The colorless rays fell across what appeared to be two statues before them, standing no higher than Orchid’s waist. Each white stone column glittered in the midnight glow, topped with a basin filled with billowing purple mist and a single rose. The left flower became whiter still in the light with lavender shadows, while the other, colored a rich blood red, cast shadows of deepest violet.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Orchid whispered once she recovered from the shock. Her eyes darted down the columns and to the words etched into them, and she gasped.

Queen Illusa…………………....…………..King Cruor
Lived 1582-1607……………………….....Lived 1579-1610
Died of unknown causes…….…………Died of unknown causes

Bob waved one hand in the air before them. Beads of water suddenly collected on the petals, glittering and sparkling in the light.

“No one knows for sure how they died,” he said grimly. “And since the crown was never officially passed on to him, he must marry before he can be Cydonia’s official ruler. I can’t say for certain, but I believe that is the main reason he is so obsessed with learning secrets about other kingdoms. He wants a way around it.” He turned towards her, looking solemn. “I know for certain that is why you are here.”

“I received a letter from my father not long ago… He explained everything to me, including Gerard’s rather unwanted marriage proposal,” Orchid said with a sad note in her voice. “Seems that I have no choice in the matter.”

“How could you get a letter from Luna?” Bob questioned, suddenly confused by her statement. Before Orchid could answer, a bright burst of light shot from the direction of the castle and passed just over their heads. Orchid felt a buzzing of energy near her throat, and automatically clasped the pendant in one hand. It burned wildly beneath her fingers.

Bob took her other hand and began to run toward the castle, thankful that it was not far away. Glancing inside one of the ornately decorated windows towering over them, he gasped.

“What’s going on?” Orchid whispered with a rush of fear. Bob said nothing, but continued to watch a moment longer before turning and sprinting back toward the castle’s dungeons. Orchid did her best to follow after him, but her strides were significantly shorter than his. Eventually they reached their destination. Bob threw open the heavy wooden door and led Orchid back to her cell, locking the door between them before she could even realize what had happened.

“Listen carefully,” he said between gasping breaths. “He is on his way here. Say nothing of this. Nothing.” Before she could even register what had happened, Bob was gone. She stepped backwards, afraid of the sudden silence now surrounding her, though slow footsteps soon filled the air. She glanced around rapidly, looking for somewhere to hide, but saw nothing. A dark figure appeared before her cell.

“Hello, Princess,” said a deep voice. It took her several moments to realize it belonged to Gerard. “I’m told you’ve been out of your cage.” The door slammed open, nearly being torn from its rusted hinges. Gerard stepped towards her, and she instinctively backed away. “Care to explain this to me?”

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Orchid squeaked, wrapping her fingers around the crystal-filled disk. It pulsated against her skin with shocking warmth, as if it had a life of its own. Even though her surroundings were barely visible, she could see the almost playful smirk on Gerard’s face melt away to reveal a look of contempt.

“I thought you’d have learned by now that it’s not in your best interests to lie to me,” he said coldly, closing the distance between them and trying to wrench her hand away from the accessory. She refused to move, more out of fear than stubbornness. Even so, she didn’t want Bob to get in trouble for simply treating her more like a human being than Gerard had. He seemed like a kind man, one that did not belong in such a place as Cydonia.

“I escaped,” she said quickly, too quickly. “On my own.”

“There are several reasons why I am not inclined to believe that,” he responded, tightening his grip on her wrist. “One, you would have fallen straight to your death.” He slowly wrenched her arm away from her neck, but she squirmed out of his grip and backed away, pausing only because she had retreated against the wall. “Two, there is no easy way out of this cell except through one of two doors.”

“I don’t-”

“Three, my guards are well aware that someone helped you out of here, and four-” He clenched his gloved fingers around the necklace and broke the thin chain in a single move, holding it closer to his face to see it better. His words were suddenly soft, reserved. “…Four… This does not belong to you.” He held the broken ends between his fingers and dangled it in front of Orchid’s face so it glittered in the dim lighting. She tentatively reached one hand towards the object, but he swept it into his fist in one swift move, leaving her speechless and afraid.

“Tell me where you were, and I will consider not harming you.”

“…I…I saw your parents’ graves,” she answered in a quavering voice. Gerard did not respond, though his eyes flashed angrily in the darkness. “I’m sorry…that…no one knows-”

“I do not want or need your pity,” he spat. Orchid felt a wave of sadness wash over her.

“I know it probably still hurts you,” she said quietly, looking down at the floor. “I know what it’s like to not really have parents, you know.”

“Oh, do you?” he asked with a caustic tone. “I’m aware that your father is alive and well, Princess.”

“All he’s ever done is lie to me. He never told me anything about this engagement, or the fact that he made a blood vow without my knowledge of it…”

“Do you want to know the truth?” Gerard asked with no hint of anger or sarcasm in his tone. Orchid managed a small nod. “I had no choice in it either. My father made this decision for me when I was only seven years old.” He turned away from her, gaze directed at the floor. She tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder, and he immediately tensed up.

“You don’t have to be like him, Gerard,” she said softly. He shrugged her hand away and took a few steps further from her.

“No. I have to. I have to fulfill his wishes.” Before Orchid could respond, he briskly walked out of her cell, leaving one of the guards to lock it behind him. Orchid couldn’t help but feel sad for him. His life was clearly worse than hers had ever been.

Once he was safely out of the dungeon, Gerard couldn’t help but allow a smirk to cross his face, accompanied by a smattering of dark laughter. He knew exactly how both of his parents had died or, more accurately, been killed. He hoped his act had been convincing enough for the girl. All he had to do was gain her trust, her sympathy, and all his problems would be erased.