Amelia Merlin and the Game for Okamila

Part 39: Daniel at Stone Garden and the Silver Son

Daniel left the field where the gypsies were camping out. He was sick of the forest so he went back to Stone Garden to see the city. He walked through the black stone streets and noticed that people were talking. They were huddled in small groups, whispering behind their hands. Their eyes darted around and he could tell something was going on.

"Hey." he approached one of the groups. He'd asked some people before and it hadn't worked. "Whats happening?"

"You haven't heard?"

"No, no I only just go to the city-" he started to ramble but then shut himself up so they would talk to him rather than hitting him or something like the last group.

"They say someone killed Roderick Monatheon." they hissed under their breath which was visible in the cold air. Daniel pulled his cloak closer to his body. "There's murder in Castle Rock. And the girl, the one who was with the young lord, Don, she killed someone."

"I heard it was Axel Gorodetsky." one of them nodded wisely. "She killed him with her magic."

"Who was the girl?" Daniel asked.

"Nobody knows her." they shrugged. "She came from the forest."

Could it be her? Daniel wondered to himself. He had been looking for the beautiful girl for weeks now, could she have been here all along? He didn't know, it was impossible to ever really know but he could feel something. Like this was the lead he had always needed.

"Oh." he didn't know what to say so he just nodded and awkwardly left them. As he walked through the streets he thought more and more about the beautiful girl from the forest. He found himself walking back to the camp where the gypsies were, the tents were bright enough they could be seen a mile away. All colors of the rainbow were splattered across the open field just outside of Stone Garden and in a trance he found Roxanne. She was braiding the young one's hair and singing loudly. A small group was around her and they listened in rapture to the woman's voice. Daniel stayed back until she finished and everyone dissipated 

"Roxanne!" he called out as he got near her. Her orange dress was hidden under a yellow cloak that was tearing at the seams. "Roxanne I need to ask you something."

"Ask away, sweet one." she smiled and took his hands. They sat down on the frozen ground of the field.

"There's this girl, I'm looking for her. And I think she was in Stone Garden but there's no way for me to know for sure." He said desperately. "I have to find her. I don't know, I just need to see her again. I don't even know her name but she was the most incredible girl I ever knew and I just need to see her one more time. I'd do anything." he pleaded.

Roxanne looked at him carefully, her thumbs ran along his palm and she studied his face. "Daniel, sweet boy, I can help you. But it will require magic."

In his desperation he forgot about his inklings towards the forbidden nature and nodded fiercely. "Anything."

Roxanne closed her eyes and her hands tightened around his. Speaking softly she said, "The girl you look for is on an island. To find her you will have to go through journey's like no one ever has. But if you persist, my sweet one, you will find her."

......................

"When do I get to kill them?"

Moira sighed heavily. "You don't. Not until we have this figured out. There will be a trial. We're not going to murder anyone."

"We can do what we want. This is our home! We are the owners-"

She stood up and slammed her hands down on the table. "For the last time Don, we are not going to do whatever we want to. That isn't how we work. Do you have no honor?"

They stood in the dining hall of Castle Rock. The black tiles on the floor had been polished free of all blood the night before. Axel Gorodetsky's body had been removed and buried on top of the hill outside Stone Garden.

"Father had honor." Don sneered at his sister. "Look where it got him."

Moira strode over to where the insolent child stood and slapped him across the face. Don cried out and clapped a hand to his now red face. "Don't you ever talk about Father like that again. Do you understand?" He nodded and glared at her. Moira rolled her eyes and said, "You've really managed to fuck things up here-"

"Don't think I don't know that!" He suddenly screamed which took her aback. "I watched Father die, not you! I watched my only friend kill someone! And I was all alone! Nobody came to help me! I didn't know what to do! All of you left me-" he cried.

Moira had never been a physically affectionate person. She reached out and touched his shoulder but then realizing it was not enough she pulled him into an awkward embrace. His little body shook against her, his tears soaked her shirt.

"Shhh." she tried her best to be comforting. "Stop crying. I'm here now and I'm going to fix everything. You're not alone anymore, Don."

He composed himself and took a step back from her. "From the moment I was born I've been alone. I'm not supposed to be here."

.....................

In the beautiful city of Re'na, the sun was setting which cast the lake into a golden light. Inside the castle, screams ricocheted off the walls and Rose Dellisandro gave birth to a tiny premature boy with silver hair and grey eyes.