Happily Ever After......NOT!

Chapter Eight

The sun blared down on me as I walked down the narrow dirt road. Soon cornfields swept away to a beautiful apple orchard, there was every kind of Apple to imagine, Johnny reds, red, delicious, yellow Apple. Green apple, and many other kinds I have yet to try. Wiping sweat from my forehead I started picking apples to put in my burlap, I wanted to make sure I'll have enough food to get to Agog. Who knows how many days it'll take me on foot to get there; why didn't my kidnapper kidnap some horses while he was kidnapping me I had no clue, but horses would have been useful.
Hearing a twig snap I turned and looked around, glancing into the apple orchard, but not seeing anything I continued picking apples. Just as I was biting into a juicy red apple I heard another twig, this time hearing it made me jump. I rolled my eyes I must be imaging things, because again nobody was there. I turned back around to pick apples. The third time a twig snapped I jerked around this time the person who made the noise didn't jump behind the tree fast enough and I caught a glimpse of him.
I placed my hands on my hips, "I thought you said I'll never have to see your handsome face again." I couldn't help but smile.
My kidnapper a merged from behind the apple tree, he walked towards me, "That was the plan, but the Great Wizard as other plans. He thinks you can't get to Agog by yourself so I get to escort you." He grinned at me, "Looks like you're not done with my handsomeness yet your highness."
I rolled my eyes, "Hate to break it to you but you're not that handsome."
He dramatically placed a hand to his heart, "I'm wounded."
"You'll get over it." I said closing my burlap.
"You know for being a princess you're hard core."
I frowned, "What do you mean?" I asked as we started walking.
"It means you don't take anybody's shit, you're strong, maybe even brave."
I shook my head, "You obviously didn't see me locked away in the dungeon, I fell apart."
"Yeah, but look at how quickly you cleaned yourself up, I mean you handled being cursed really well."
"Speaking of curses, what did the wizard mean by you having a curse? Do you have the curse of unhappiness?"
He shook his head, "No, I wasn't that unlucky." I stayed quiet hoping he'll say more. He sighed, "But I am cursed."
"With what?!"
"It's not important, besides it won't effect this mission at all. I promise."
Not wanting to push him for details about his curse I said, "Okay, but could I at least know your name now?"
"Princess...."
But before he could finish I said, "After all we're destined to be on this adventure together and I think I deserve to know you name."
"Hayden, Hayden Marx."
I smiled, Hayden, he even looked like a Hayden brown eyes and dark wavy hair with his black leather clothing. I held out my hand and shook his, "And I'm Princess Amaya of Rollick, but you already knew that. You can call me Amaya."
He shrugged, "Whatever Princess."
I gave him a glared which he smiled at, I had a feeling he only called me that to annoy me. But I'll let it slide, I can't let him see how much he drives me crazy; at least I know his name now.
We traveled along the road not once meeting another traveler. I started to wonder if anybody ever traveled, my mother and father would travel lots of times, but did anybody else ever travel? I longed to talk to another female friend, especially my mother who I missed so much.
Hayden glanced back at Amaya, she looked deep in thought. Clearing his throat he said, "So, the Great Wizard gave you new clothes."
I nodded, "Yeah, I'm grateful, these leather pants and vest are a lot easier to move in than my gown."
Hayden laughed, "I bet, just watching you try to walk in that gown made me want to laugh."
I laughed, "Gee thanks."
Hayden ran his fingers through his hair, "But the Wizard does have good taste, you look nice in red leather."
I pretended to courtesy, "Why thank you, kind sir."
"Don't flatter yourself."
"So Hayden, did the Wizard pay you to take me to Agog?"
"Yeah, I don't do anything for free, he wanted to make sure you got to Agog, it can be a little difficult."
"Let me guess he payed you shekels?"
Hayden nodded, "But don't let it make you feel like an item being bought, because you're not. He's just paying me because that's what I do. I do things for him and in return the Great Wizard pays me in shekels."
"The Great Wizard gave you 200 shekels just for taking me to him, what do you even need with more money Hayden?"
He grinned, "Since you know my name are you going to be saying it every time you talk to me?"
"Yes." I said though I probably won't say it every time. "You didn't answer me why you need all that money Hayden?"
He shrugged, "The same reason other guys need money, rum." He pulled his canteen out and took a big gulp to prove it.
"Why? rum can't fix everything." I said thinking of all the reasons men drank in the city of Rollick. Most of them did it because they like the way it made them feel afterwards. I've never tried rum, but I did have wine at balls and parties that my father had. Honestly I never liked the nasty stuff.
"No rum can't fix everything, you're right Amaya, but it can help you forget for awhile anyway."
I frowned, "Forget what?"
Hayden stared up at the sky thinking taking another sip of rum, "hmmm see I forgot already." He flashed me that nice smile he had.
"Hayden..."
But he started walking faster, "Come on we're burning daylight!"
Later that night we ate apples and some jerky for supper. I watched Hayden eat, and drink more rum. I stood up brushing off some dirt.
"Where are you going?" Hayden asked looking at me.
"I saw a creek a little ways over there." I said pointing to the left. "I'm going to go get a drink of water." I started walking then turned around, "Oh and don't worry, I'm not going to run off."
It didn't take me long to find the small creek. The sound of moving water was delightful and peaceful. Taking a deep clean breathe I stood barefoot in the water leaving my boots on the rocky bank. I didn't really need a drink, just a place to think about Hayden and his rum without him around. I don't know what I did, but he's drink so much rum today than I've seen him drink this whole time I've been with him. Did I upset him? If so how? And what does he need to forget? It's not like he was thrown in prison for killing his own mother. Is it his curse that he won't tell me what it is? So many questions it was making my brain hurt, maybe I should drink some water after all. I bent down and used my hands to scoop water up to my parched lips. I better get back, Hayden might start to wonder what happened to me.
I walked back to where we had set up camp along side the dirt path. Hayden had started a camp fire and his bottle of rum was nowhere to be seen, "Did you drink all your rum while I was gone?"
He watched me come and sit down close to the fire, "No, it's all I have till we reach Agog, I need to use it sparingly." He paused then looked at me, "I'm sorry if me drinking rum is discomfort for you to watch, it's the only way I know how to escape my reality."
I felt sad, and sorry for Hayden. It had to be awful to want to escape the life he lived. I pitied him and wished there was something I could do to help. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize.... I've never meant someone like you Hayden." I felt awkward saying that, he probably thinks I'm weird!
But he smiled, "I've never meant a princess like you either."
I smiled and patted his hand, "If rum is the only way you can escape whatever it is that you need to escape; I don't mind you drinking it." His eyes when I said that look like I had just given him the whole world. His dark brown eyes looked watery. But quickly he wiped his eyes with his sleeves and looked away.
"Thanks, Amaya."
"You're welcome, Hayden."
~
Night fell and the stars came out to play twinkling over our heads as we laid down to sleep on opposite sides of the camp fire. I drifted off fast dreaming of being back in Rollick.
I was in the palace gardens flowers all around me in every color imaginable with sunshine dancing in my hair. I wore a lovely red sleeveless gown that went all the way to my feet the gown had white pearls sewn into it. I felt different, I was happy like truly happy; I've never ever felt this way before.
Where was Hayden I looked all around, but couldn't find him. Oh well, I picked up a red rose as red as my beautiful gown. Ouch! I dropped the rose and looked at my finger which had started to bleed some, I put my finger in my mouth to stop the bleeding. Why must beautiful flowers have such ugly thorns? Suddenly I heard a terrifying scream.
I jumped to my feet being careful not to step on my gown. It was Mother! But how, She was dead! "Mother!" I yelled looking in all directions.
"Amaya!"
I ran towards the sound of her voice and found her laying with wild flowers blooming all around her.
"Mother!" I fell to the cold ground beside her.
She was repeatedly whispering random words. "Truth, heart break, love..... Truth, heart break, love............. Truth, heart break, love."
I shook my head confused, "Mother I don't understand what you're saying!" I grabbed her shaky hand.
She gasped and turned to me, "Why did you do it Amaya?!"
I started crying, "I'm so sorry Mother, but you have to believe me I didn't poison you!"
Mother struggled to breathe, "No, why did you make a deal with......" Her eyes closed and her breathing stopped.
"Noooo, noooo, NOOOOO! Mother please don't leave me again!" I cried.
"NOOOO!" I screamed gasping awake.
Hayden jumped and in less than thirty seconds he was in front of me his hands on my cheeks. "Hey are you okay? it was just a dream." He wiped my forehead, "Blood earth you're covered in sweat!" Gently he helped me remove my red leather vest so I was just wearing my white Cotten shirt and leather pants.
Shakily I reached for him and he wrapped me in a hug and held me as I sobbed, "I had to watch my Mother die again! It was SOO real!" I started to cry uncontrollably.
"Shhh shhh." Hayden patted my back and tried to comfort me, "It was only a nightmare, it's okay I'm here." He rubbed my back and stroked my hair till I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning birds tweet their good mornings and fluttered around on their small wings. Stretching my arms above my head I sat up.

Hayden stood up and came over to me with a small wooden bowl filled with hot water and fig leaves, "Good morning." He handed me the bowl, "Here drink some tea."

I took a sip then spit it out on the ground. "Gross what is in it?!"

He smiled at me "Did you do this in the castle when things didn't taste as good as they look?" He took a drink of the nasty tasting tea.

"Of course not, because we had chiefs who tasted everything before we did."

"Must be nice, and just so you know this is fig leaves, with sassafras to give it a sweet flavor. Otherwise known as poor man's tea." He finished the tea and stood up.

I stood up as well, "Next time allow me to make the tea."

He shrugged, "Suit yourself," then he looked at me with those brown chocolate eyes, "You okay?"

I sifted uncomfortable on my feet, "Did I really scream in the night?"

He nodded.

"I'm sorry I woke you up."

He smiled, "It's fine, you have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you for calming me down." I blushed thinking about his warm arms around me last night. I picked up my red leather vest and put it back on, I looked at him, "The dream was so real." I shuddered thinking about it.

"Hey, it's okay it was only a nightmare; people have them all the time."

We finished gathering up our stuff and then started walking down the well worn dirt path.