The Enemy Within

Chapter 7

Grisell walked, barefooted on the shoreline, in the early afternoon. She was enjoying the cool water slapping over her feet before it returned to the ocean. There was a gusty wind, threatening to blow her off balance.

'Chief! Wait up! Chief.'

Grisell looked over her shoulder to see Finn trying to attract her attention. She held tightly onto her hat that was wanting to fly away; as Finn caught up with her.

'Have a taste,' he lifted something on the edge of his knife to her mouth.

Grisell bit into it. It tasted fleshy, yet sweet and juicy. She examined the fruit in his hand. It was white, with black freckle like seeds on it. 'It's delicious. What is it?' She leaned in, eagerly, gulping another potion off his knife.

'It's called quince,' he beamed. 'Grows very well in Turkey and other parts of the Middle East. Popular in the Americas too.'

'And you grew this?'

'Can you believe it?' He smirked proudly.

'I need to give you more responsibility for our agricultural section.'

'At your service my lady. Though you have to double my daily food portions.'

'You cannot negotiate with your ruler. You serve at my behest and will. Don't you know it?' She smiled cheekily.

'Ay my chief and I bet you will throw me in the dungeon with no food or water if I dare dissent against you.'

'For six months,' she answered back, pointing a finger at him.

'Chief, do you remember when we were children, we used to have races here on the beach?'

'Yeah,' she smiled reminiscently.

'But you always beat us,' he frowned.

She laughed. 'It's not my fault you were all so slow!'

'I bet I'll beat you today Chief.'

She slanted a look across at him. 'Okay, you on,' she accepted.

'On your marks. One, two ___!'

She started running, before Finn could finish counting.

'That's cheating Chief.' He caught up with her any playfully threw her into the water.

'That's not fair Finn. I beat you fair and square.' She brushed the water from her face. 'You are a sore loser!'

'You call that fair and square!' He gathered her up and unceremoniously flung her further into the water.

She confidently rolled onto her back, and floated away from Finn. 'Trust a man, when he is losing to get physical,' she accused.

'Yeah,' Finn nodded. 'The only way to get even with a wicked ruler, is dump her into the sea and hope the sharks enjoy a good meal.'

'Ouch___ouch!' Grisell leaned forward, gripping her leg.

'Chief! Chief! What's wrong!" Finn rushed to her.

When he bent over, she shoved him onto an oncoming wave and sped back to shore. Lifting her wet dress above her knees, she sped up the bank laughingly, away from Finn. She heard him muttering and swearing as she safely advanced away from him. She escaped to her quarters and enjoyed a lovely hot bath.

'I believe you read your uncle the riot act,' Udny Blane leered at his daughter.

'He told you about that?' Grisell was livid that her interfering uncle would report her to her parent. What a weasel! Can't fight his own battles!