chapter 12

Eleanor's gazed was back on the water. She noticed the rate at which the boat was moving.

"It wasn't like this before" she said. She was becoming frightened. A wooden boat speeding majestically through the waters.

The thought of the boat capsizing made goosebumps shoot out on her skin. She is too young to die and must still see her father.

"I saw the water receding, I didn't take note of it speed" she said only for her gaze to meet queen Margaret conversing with the boat captain in what seems like a romance.

She gulped. She was talking about the boat jumping and falling on the waters just now. Which should be everyone's major concerned.

All the knights were holding unto something. Even though the boat was virtually hitting and hurling on the waters, it didn't swing them about which was what marveled Eleanor at the magic behind.

But for queen Margaret! It wasn't any of her business. If the boat was stumbling or cruising. She was having the best smiles of her life.

Should Eleanor be jealous for her father?. That his queen is here smiling like a girl with this aged boat captain.

The other knight's gazed were buried in the water. Observing what could caused the sudden increased in speed. And why their head was not spinning.

"My princess are you fine" Ken who was observing her eye movement asked, giving her the respect.

She nodded and quickly took her gaze away. Back on the water, she was just noticing other boats and people in them. Some fishing and some just cruising. Their boats were speeding too, yet everyone was calm.

The air freed some strands of hairs from her bun. It was the only thing the breeze could disturbed of her. She tucked them back. Just like she used to do when watching the sky from the balcony with her father.

She heaved. Still looking ahead, she could see the dock from here. And a few persons on it.

Returning her gazed back on the queen. She glared softly at her. Not wishing to look disrespectful. she questioned without words.

When the queen felt her gazed on her. She looked up, suspending the smiles on her lips. She furrowed her eyes. Confused while Eleanor had a fixed gaze at her.

Queen Margaret scanned around. the knights who were also looking at her, looked away.

Eleanor threw her last gazed on the man who was backing them. His hair covered his entire back. Black and grey. He was aged and she saw he was good looking.

"my queen I was asking if the is something propelling the boat?". She asked still looking at the back of this man.

"Not at all my dear". The queens gaze fluctuates between them. "The captain was enjoying my story. That was why he slowed downed".. The queen said bland and yawned.

Eleanor understood she was tired. Tired of talking to them and this man. This boat captain seems to be very fond of the queen. They could see both of them whispering into each other's ears and they would laughed heartily.

"who is he?". Eleanor asked looking into the queen's green eyes.

It took her a moment before she could speak up.

"H…he is Tyson Odin Anaconda".

"Like I was supposed to know that name". The princess said in a superior tone. Like a husband scolding the wife.

The queen looked at her with mouth agape. She wouldn't be blamed for saying that. She didn't introduced the man earlier to them. They took him to be the boat captain that he is.

"He was supposed to be my father in-law". She said.

Eleanor pouted her lips. " 'supposed father in-law'. Her hands was in the air as she make the quote "Mister Tyson greetings to you".

The man turned to looked at the small girl who just greeted him. She wasn't bothered by his stares and didn't wait for him to return the greetings

"I heard your son was supposed to married my stepped mother".

Eleanor's gazed was directed to the queen as she speaks. She knitted her brow "He is such a loser for dumping her".

Queen Margaret flared up with her eyes. The knights shared gazes among themselves.

"He didn't dumped me" queen Margaret said with clenched teeth

"how then did you found yourself in my father's arms".

The queen was loosing it. She was about talking when Tyson coughed. She swallowed it like morsel. Hard and painful.

Eleanor smirked scornfully. "I see you are the daughter of Ephraim".

"King Ephraim" Eleanor corrected.

The man smiled. "You may not look like him but you speak like him. Blabbing. I gave her away to Ephraim. You are too young to understand. Stop prying into adult affair"

"Do you know my father" .

"Who doesn't know the man that stole away my supposed daughter in-law from me. The one that destroyed my fruit. What would have bring doom to him and his kingdom. But then the fruit was corrupt and he had a good reason for destroying it".

"you speak in parables old one". Eleanor said adjusting her legs on her seat.

"you are just a child and should be fed with milk. You would never understand a thing you foolish little thing". The knights were alarmed. If they were in Golden Hill, he would have been whipped for insulting their princess.

But here they were in this strange land. Who knows if they voiced, he might send them down to the depths of the sea.

Eleanor was angry which was a relieved to queen Margaret but she was not going to backed down.

"I guessed your son was not a good matched, that was why this 'sup.po.sed' daughter in-law of yours flee into my father's arms". She paused and looked at them briefly.

" I'm wondering if she wants to replaced you with your son".

The man's eye dilated at the words of her mouth.

The boat was slowing down. There were almost at the dock. The queen was beginning to hate her for meddling in her personal life. How could she?. A thing she knows nothing of.

"I won't have you insult me Eleanor. My fiancé, his son died. that was why I married your father". The muscles in her neck was protruding as she spoke.

"you look horrible explaining yourself. Tell the man that you are a married woman and a queen. He should have his boundaries".

The knights gulped and some of them sat upright. Waiting to hear who shall speak next.

Tyson was smiling he was not ready to exchanged words with his grand child. He ignored her completely.

The Queen's heart was thudding. Tyson told her not to speak any further that she was jealous. Her father would do same.

With such speed the boat got to the island earlier than usual. They thought they would arrived in the late hours of the night. A lot surprises them in the land and a lot more to expect

Two men received their boats on the dock and fasten the dock line to the pillars. Giving them a warm smile and greetings.

It was only queen Margaret who responded so loud to them. She should, they are her people.

The knights hurried off and helped the princess out, the queen too.

"This way". The queen said after thanking the knight who helped her out. She was behind Tyson who was leading them on, on the stairs. They didn't speak to each other again. Not after what transpired in the boat.

The island was incredible. Breathtaking scenic outwitted their imaginations

Their sight was first on the carpet grass on which they walked on. It led them on and on. Green and hospitable.

Princess Eleanor made a move. Ken obstructed. She hissed. They were getting their eyes accustomed to the enchantment not their senses to forget so soon what might befall them if the princess is not taken back to Golden Hill in a good whole.

The saw young ladies in expensive clothing and jewelry. Looking excellently gorgeous. Smiling at them. All the people they saw wore expensive dresses.

Some of the knights got carried away when they saw these beautiful damsels passed by. In blue, pink, yellow, green and other brighter colourful clothing. They were sumptuous beauties.

These knights fell for their charms. The ladies noticed they were enthralled by their beauty just on time. They were handsome to have ladies drooling at them too. So the feeling was mutual.

The damsel turned more often to give them what to hold unto to. A reason to follow them. They were beckoning on them. With smiles and winks, drawing like the men drew the dock line to fasten to the pillar.

Their eyes lit up with enchantment. Giggling like kittens. They stretched out their hands to hold the ladies, but the held the breeze instead. They were a metre apart. Five of them going in the direction of the mermaids.

Ken called out to them but he was wasting his time. They were no such beauties in Golden Hill. They could not afford to missed this one chance.

Eleanor was not comfortable. When she looked ahead. Queen Margaret was at a distance. It was obvious after Eleanor spoke to her in the boat like she was a child. She was pissed up.

Eleanor ran to her. Dragging the hem of her skirt to draw her attention. The queen gently shoved her hands off her skirt. Eleanor bowed.

"My queen please... I need you to helped dissolved my knight's illusion.

Queen Margaret was thrilled by her words.

"illusion. What illusions?" .

"They have diverted from their course of serving me to serving the beauties of Serpent Land my queen". Eleanor's words were polite. She has been tutored well on how to carried herself in public. She bowed slightly at the queen who now feel embarrassed because of the onlookers.

Queen Margaret went with her. She let go of her anger. She had also swore to protect the princess with her life. "my friends" she greeted the ladies when the near. "They are with me". She said with a broad smile.

The smile on the ladies faces grew cold. They let the knight alone. Glaring hard on the queen for not just interrupting but erasing their pleasure. Reluctantly the left without a word.

They knight felt as though something left them. They were just realizing themselves.

"what just happened" one of them asked

"be care and focused on why you are here. To protect the princess". The queen said with a serious tone and blank expression.

"some are good. Others are evil, cunning and manipulative. Know this and exercise caution. Not all that glisters is precious". She walked swiftly passed all of them. They came after her.

"Two knights were given me when I wanted travelling" she murmured as she went. "The king added this battalion because of his daughter now they wants to case trouble for me. Those were old hags who needed blood for their meal".

Eleanor was jogging to meet up her space. Ken stride along to keep her on guard. She heard the queen. She halted. The queen felt a step stopped behind her. She turned her head slightly backward. Then moved again.

The island was not as small as they thought. Fanciful cottage of table ware and fruits shapes scattered around. Different flowers, greenery plants and fruits trees made it more captivating.

Queen Margaret took them to the blue jug cottage after the walked some distance.

"Welcomed to my abode". She announced like an herald. Quickly she went in, just the same way she came out. Looking at this fellows with a shrugged.

The knights didn't followed her in. They stood like the defender trees in The Dwarfs City hiding the princess in their midst.

"come inside" she said innocently.

Ken pointed at the maple tree which shaded an area not so far from her cottage.

"we shall wait over there for you my queen".

The king gave an instruction".

The queen's gaze flopped. "not again" she hissed. Swinging her hands in the air.

"The king… the king... the king… What did he say this time. That the princess should not drink or eat when she arrives".

"my queen " Ken bowed. " We shall wait under the shade for you. The king said we should return once we reached your home". His tone was polite.

She laughed. "You cannot go back. At least not right away. No one would allow you if I declined. Except you want to fight the entire Serpent Land. Please knights don't make a scene here. Come inside".

"Forgive me but I must say the cottage is small and might not accommodate all of us". Another knight said turning to looked at the rest of them.

Queen Margaret flared at him. He looked down and then at Ken. "you are stubborn… isn't it" she ended with a tsk.

"Jessica" Eleanor called. Queen Margaret was in her real self. She let the veil fell like scales in the eye.

The knight breathe flutters. With a quick gulped, they slapped their waist for their swords but it was not there. They have been threatened and must protect themselves from the traitor.

Where could their swords be. They glanced side to side and into each others eyes alarmed.

Suddenly they heard laughter from behind them. Young children of the princess age were with their sword.

"How did that happened?" The knight with blonde hair asked no one in particular.

Their sword was just here in their holster secured safely round their waist. Now it in the hands of children running round with it. How would they protect the princess if anything goes wrong.

Eleanor was peeking through their walls of a legs preventing her from joining her mates.

The children were chatting and giggling. Once they would halt and make a short duel.

Thrust. Evade. Swing and run again. They giggled some more as they went until the descended the steep slope to where the was white sand.

Jessica laughed a sonorous laughter. So glad at the turned of event if the knights shall catch a breath.

"Stop hiding the princess, knights of Golden Hill and don't be afraid. You are in the home of the spirit and greatest magicians in the world. So expect anything. Anything except harm".

" anything except harm my lady…" . The princess spoke from her confinement. They moved away. Making a narrow space between her and the queen.

"Yes my dear except harm" . She answered kindly.

"the ladies you said were old hags who would have used my knights for dinner. Where they harmless?".

The knights except ken heard that for the first time. Now the needed their sword more than ever.

The queen tsk again. "they would drink their blood. Yes! but they wouldn't killed them".

"What is your definition of harm?" Eleanor asked her, looking straight into her eyes.

"I mean you no harm Eleanor. You know me better than anyone of them here. I have pledged to protect you with my life. When a person goes visiting, they entered inside the house. Come in. Have a meal. In the evening we shall go to my sick mother". She passed the instructions casually.

"Why not now my...qu..queen that we may returned to Golden Hill afterwards". He was not sure if she was still their queen.

The queen Margaret they knew had a blonde long hair not blue. Her eyes were emerald, they could looked into. even though they didn't. Not this yellow gleaming something that gave her the looks of a goddess.

"Who are you my queen?" Ken asked so bold. She snapped out and returned to queen Margaret.

"You are still beautiful like this" another of the knight thought. "Stop scaring us. We don't know whom our king made a queen".

" What did you say?". Queen Margaret asked him again.

He quickly looked down. A wicked smile seized her lips. "Forgive me my queen"

She ignored him and went closer to them to hold the princess hands but they close the gapped again. She heaved and gave up on them.

She went in. The went to the maple tree they earlier mentioned.

While they were still discussing, they were not aware that the princess had sneaked out of their blockade to catch a glimpse.

The grass which she walked on felt soft and smooth on her bare foots of course. They were too beautiful to be stepped on with her boots.

"This is silly" she said as she went. "Father would never forgive me to know that I let my naughtiness enveloped me".

She ran as far as her legs could go. So her knight won't cut short her sweet little escapade

She took her cheeks to sleep on her raised shoulder. Loving the moment. Her eyes was searching for those lively peers of hers. Who had the knight's sword. They seems to have disappeared so fast.

She didn't wished to collect the swords back but to play with them.

She walked slowly picking the sight accordingly. Not willing to missed anything. So she would have things to tell her father and her servant friend, Beatrice.

Back in Golden Hill, she has not had any freedom of any such. Other than living her small years of existence on her father's sketched time table. One of the many reasons she insisted on traveling.

If she was not studying, she would be in the throne hall. Or in the garden with him. Maybe in the lawn practicing the art of sword.

She was not permitted to keep any friends. The only person she could talk to was her maid secretly. Her father wouldn't condoned her speaking freely with a mere maid.

Now she would have to looked round to bring back words to her. She had promised to give detailed explanation of her traveling experience to Beatrice.

An apple shaped cottage caught her attention. It was red. She went over. The door opened as she approached.

She took precaution at first and stepped back. The queen had earlier said they were good and evil.

Later she summoned courage and walked through it again. By the side of the house were three herms that depicted male heroes she knew not of.

Inside the house was a pine wall. Brown and dusty. It wasn't as beautiful as the outside. She saw lantern burned in different corners of the cottage. The was nothing of interest. A large table at the centre and some worn out table wares on it.

She retreated from the house. Looking around if anyone was watching. She jostled into this girl with a golden hair.

"look where you are going you petty thing. Now look my rabbit is gone. Get it for me blocked head". She yells and command.