Oliver

Back at the castle, Reid and I discussed what happened and cleared the air. In truth, we never stay angry at each other for long. We’ve been friends for long enough that we know by now how to resolve any issues and move on. Today was minimal. Reid and I have had full-on fights where we were swinging at one another. We’ve even landed punches.

The day’s events have left me exhausted, but there are still matters I must attend to. Inside my home, I change out of the formal clothes I wore for the wedding and into a pair of cotton, dark brown pants, and a hunter green, long-sleeved shirt.

To keep my thoughts from the woman who I’ve wanted for so long, yet never had the chance to win, I must keep moving, doing something to keep me busy. It’s the only way. With any luck, I’ll be too tired tonight and will fall into a dreamless sleep.

In the courtyard, I pass by a handful of vendors selling their goods on large wooden carts. Colorful scarves, shoes, shirts, and pants, the selection is small today. My hope was with Reid now being king, our people would feel more comfortable to return to the castle and sell their products. I know they depend on the money to live. We do provide homes for them since we have the forest at our disposal, and some food, but we have a large kingdom and have to do the best we can with the bartered supplies we have.

The fear, which was installed in the people who live here from years of Rafe’s rule, hasn’t dissipated yet. We need to find a way to bring them back and make the castle what it once was many years ago: a place where celebrations took place, not where people died for trying to feed their families. Where many vendors sold daily, and children ran free with no worries.

Winding my way along the stone pathway, I eventually reach the main gate to our castle. I must pass through it to get to the dense forest. The large stone wall that surrounds the castle has an iron gate, which drops down when closed. Another heavy wooden door closes behind it. The gate is only shut in times of war or when we are under threat. Hopefully, there will never be war again. If there is, the people in the kingdom have been told to come here with their families for safety. We can’t guard everyone in the land if they are scattered about. The castle is easier to defend.

Outside of the gate stand two guards. I nod to each of them as I walk along the hard dirt path toward the forest before me. Stepping inside the initial outline of trees, all my senses come to life. The scent of pine is strong. Fallen needles litter the forest floor as wephals dart across my path. They are no larger than the palm of my hand and are the same rich brown color as the pine cones, which hang from the tree branches. Their bushy tails flick with movement as they run with sheer precision, even at the speed in which they travel. Pointed ears pivot from side to side when they stop to observe their environment as their noses sniff the air.

Every now and then, a beam of sunlight filters through the branches, casting a spotlight on various sections of vegetation. Some of the trees have died over the years and come crashing down to the forest floor. They are now covered in moss and serve as homes to the wephals and other creatures.

I walk deeper into the forest. When I’m shrouded in complete darkness, barely able to see my hand before my face, I know I’ve reached my destination. If the pitch black surrounding me wasn’t enough of a clue, I can feel the air shimmer around me. Within the dark confines of the trees in the Pine Forest is where everything magical happens. It’s our most guarded secret.

Two men step out from the shadows. They are dressed in clothes as black as night to blend in with the forest. The only time they appear is when someone nears the entrance. I nod to them both and look ahead to the air, where tiny crystals appear to be sparkling. It’s as if they are floating. With one step forward, a cold rush douses my skin, like I’ve stepped under a great waterfall, yet I’m perfectly dry. One step further has the darkness and cold receding. Nothing but a warm amber glow before me.

A handful of people are scattered about the large open area. A person passing through would never know something so warm glows in the dark. We’re still in the forest with the pine trees surrounding us, but within this clearing, magic is wielded as easily as one breathes. Even the people in our own kingdom don’t know how we do what we do. They only know that because we supply lumber to other kingdoms, they receive a small amount of goods. Our people wouldn’t be told even if they asked. The fewer who know the better.

Two people use their hands, voices, and their very beings to create new and various types of trees. These people can communicate with the ground we walk on. They can bring forth life from the rich soil. When one tree is cut down, they place their hands on top of the stump that remains and a new tree springs from it.

There is a total of four cultivators in our kingdom. Not everyone has magical abilities. In fact, most do not. The men and women who have these abilities may choose to reside within the castle walls to be better protected. Although, only a few take us up on the offering. The cultivators made the decision to live in the forest, where it’s not as populated, to be as close to the trees as possible. They thrive being near the rich soil.

A willowy woman, only twenty-two years old, turns when I enter the area. Her golden blonde hair falls to her mid-back and flutters ever so gently as she walks toward me. The long, beige skirt, and white tunic make her appear even more graceful than she already is. She is complete when she’s amongst the trees. Her smile brightens her face. “Oliver, we weren’t expecting you. I’m glad you came,” Anese greets me.

“I wasn’t able to come by this morning, so I thought I’d check in before retiring for the night.” I can’t get out here every day to check on the progress they make, but I do try to as often as I can.

She continues to smile and it accentuates her high cheekbones and pale pink lips. Her skin is as smooth as porcelain and almost as light. Even her blue eyes seem to dance in delight under the amber light. “We’ve been busy today,” she states. “We’ve filled the orders for both Azure and Fuchsia. Tomorrow they will work on completing the others.”

They work in shifts of two cultivators on every other day and for around six hours at a time. Any more than that and they are physically and emotionally drained. We don’t want that.

“I’m sure they’ll be happy to receive it.”

I walk beside her and take in the different types of trees they are producing today. Only pines are native to this area, but the cultivators have also managed to grow oak, hickory, and birch, to name a few. We only grow what’s needed and leave nothing in excess. This ensures our own pine trees are never depleted and we aren’t using the cultivator’s power unnecessarily.

Anese brushes up against me as we continue around the clearing. Her beauty isn’t lost on me. Even in the loose clothing she’s wearing, I can make out the curves of her breasts. She’s made her intentions clear to me on more than one occasion. I’ve never seen her as more than a friend, however. Ever since I started showing interest in the opposite sex, I was aware Ali was out there somewhere. I didn’t want anyone else. Even now with her taken, Anese doesn’t have the desired effect on me she hopes she does.

An older man turns to me. “Oliver, so nice to see you.”

“Likewise, Alister. Doing well tonight?”

His silver hair hangs down to his eyebrows, his face showing the signs of living a long life. Even at the age of eighty, he doesn’t want to slow down. He’s said creating new life reinvigorates him. I’ve told him time and time again that he doesn’t have to do this anymore, but he insists. “I’m doing great. I hope we’ll all be doing better now that Azure and Pine are united fully. I bet the wedding was beautiful.”

Anese shifts next to me from one foot to the other. “I’m going to get back to work,” she says. “I hope to see you again soon, Oliver.” Her delicate fingers gently squeeze my arm before she walks to the other side of the clearing.

“It was a very nice wedding,” I respond to Alister. “Now we have to keep peace in our kingdom. No more wars. Reid is vehemently against it. I think this is a good turn for us. I don’t want anyone living in fear.”

Alister rubs his chin with his callused fingers. “I think you and our king have a lot of work ahead of you before everyone feels safe again. They still don’t like venturing to the castle. Their homes have become their sanctuary.”

My head drops as I push some pine needles around with the toe of my boot. “I know. One day at a time. Today was at least a step in the right direction.” What I don’t say is how my heart completely disagrees with that statement. How it is still back in Azure breaking into pieces, due to Alison committing her life to Lucas.

A hand claps me on the shoulder. “You’ll find someone else. Don’t worry. I know you thought she was the one, but fate has another beauty in line for you. I can feel it.”

I lift my head to meet his eyes. “Did you become a seer overnight?”

“No, sir,” he chuckles. “But I know when two people are meant to be together, and you and the princess are not.” I nod. A knot forms in my stomach. I need to keep moving. This conversation will only continue to remind me of what, or who, I don’t have.

“I need to get going. It was nice talking to you. Take care of yourself, Alister.”

“You, too.”

As I near the shimmery air that separates the clearing from the rest of the forest, I turn to the guards standing within the area, as well as Anese and Alister, and say, “Thank you for your hard work. All of you. The kingdom greatly appreciates all that you do for us.” Anese and Alister smile before returning to their work. The guards remain stoic as ever. In the far off distance, I can see the large, long carts being loaded with the trees they have grown and cut down today.

The cold envelops me again as I step through the invisible barrier between the clearing and the forest. On the other side, I’m back in the darkness. The further I get away from the work of our cultivators, the easier I’m able to see. The sun has started to set and is no longer illuminating the ground, but I’ve been in the forest since I could walk. I know it well, and it’s just the right amount of light needed for the walk back to the castle. The animals have gone into hiding for the night. Not a sound can be heard, outside of my feet crunching on dead pine needles on the forest floor. I stroll through the forest at a leisurely pace, knowing nothing awaits me but a lonely home and dreams haunted by Ali.

Back in my house, I strip off my clothes and collapse into bed. My body is tired, yet my mind is wide-awake. Every minute of the ceremony is playing through my head as vividly as if I was still seated in Azure.

Why did she have to marry him? Why did she choose him? I’m just as strong and ruthless as Lucas is. His brawn can’t be the reason. It must be as I thought before–she saw him first. Not me. If only I had been there when she stepped through the portal into our realm. I knew the portal was there, thanks to our seer telling me, but how could I go there? I didn’t even know the exact time she’d come through, only that it would be soon. The portal opened into Azure, not Pine. My men would have never let me go there alone. I might have been able to sneak into their kingdom unnoticed, had I gone by myself.

All of these thoughts, all of these what-ifs, will never get me anywhere. Somehow I have to move on. They are married now. All this time I’ve held out hope that she would come around and come to me. A dream which was quickly shattered.

I still have my king to protect and our land. I’ll busy myself with daily activities to try and keep the thoughts at bay. The nights are the hardest. Too many years have been devoted to the dream I had of one day having a wife and children; finally having someone who was mine and mine alone. There might be another woman out there for me, but will she ever measure up to the vision and reality of Alison? I know I shouldn’t think that way, but I can’t help it. One day, maybe I’ll be able to erase the pain and let the possibility of another in.