Chapter Nine Princess Darcy: Andor's Sword

“We’re not going to find any help here.” Princess Darcy announced as soon as their feet had sunk into the soft earth. They stood on a brief strip of beach. Before them lay a forest of thick vegetation that stretched on for as far as the eye could see. The trees were tall, and their branches and leaves overlapped, effectively blocking out any sunlight and making the land appear dark and menacing.

            The ship had sprung a leak, and Kaleo had quickly and skillfully navigated it towards one of the few islands that dotted the Delmar Sea. The crew had initially panicked, but their captain had kept his composure and managed to calm them. They'd landed safely, but had no supplies to repair the ship with.

            “This place is clearly uninhabited.” She added. “At least by humans.” She shuddered at the thought of what wildlife lurked in the dense growth. Unlike her sister, she did not have an affinity for animals. She preferred to keep her distance.

            “We can’t be certain of that.” Kaleo said gruffly with a glare aimed at her. “We need to split up. We’ll all report back here at nightfall. If anyone finds signs of other sentient life, try and bring them back here with you. Perhaps they can assist us in repairing the ship.” He ordered. His men all nodded in assent.

            “We should remain in groups for safety; at least three to a group.” Kaleo went on. The men immediately formed small groups.

            “What of me? Princess Darcy asked anxiously. “Should I stay on the ship?” Her voice was pleading. The concept of slogging through the forest was not even the slightest bit appealing to her.

            “No, you’re coming with me.” Kaleo informed her. His tone left no room for negotiation, and she didn’t object, though she was greatly tempted to.

            “We’ve no idea what to expect,” He told his men. “So watch out for and protect each other; remember we are all brothers."          The men all nodded again, entirely uniform.

            “Andor, you’re with Darcy and I.” Kaleo called to the Princess's designated protector.

            Princess Darcy groaned internally.

            “Alright, men, split up.” Kaleo barked, and the groups darted off in different directions.

            “We’re headed straight.” Kaleo said. Without another word, he crossed the short stretch of sand and ventured into the forest. Andor and the Princess hesitated but then followed him. They tripped over their feet to catch up.

            The ground was muddy, and Princess Darcy kept being sucked down past her ankles. Andor offered her his arm, and she gratefully accepted it. Together they made slow progress. Kaleo didn’t wait for them to catch up. He didn’t even glance back to ensure they were still following him. Apparently, he wasn’t overly concerned.

            Other than loud, squawking birds up in the trees, and annoying buzzing insects that surrounded them and occasionally dove in to bite them, they saw no other wildlife.

            Still, Princess Darcy couldn’t shake her unease. She could sense that there was a pair of eyes watching them. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw something bright and colorful slithering through the undergrowth. The glimpses were so brief she couldn’t be certain what it was, or if she had merely imagined it.

            “There’s nothing on this island but mud and trees.” Princess Darcy commented. She was overheated and exhausted. Their trek was pointless, she knew.

            “Do you ever stop whining?” Kaleo demanded in a clipped tone.

            She flinched. They'd been making progress, she'd thought. He'd been kinder to her. She wondered what had changed.

            “You shouldn’t speak so disrespectfully to the Princess.” Andor said.

            “I told you, Andor, as long as she’s on my ship she’s no princess. She’s my personal servant, and I expect her to be obedient and quiet. I expect the same of you. Don’t think to challenge me again, or once my ship’s repaired I’ll leave you here.” He threatened darkly.

            Andor winced. “I apologize, Captain.” He said quietly.

            “Can we please just pause and rest for a moment?” Princess Darcy pleaded. “We’ve been walking for hours, and my feet are sore.”

            “Fine.” Kaleo snapped. “You two stay here while I scout ahead.” With an annoyed and frustrated huff, he stomped off.

            Princess Darcy leaned against the trunk of a thick tree. Andor came to stand beside her.

            They stood in silence. Andor’s hand kept twitching towards hers, as though he wished to hold it, but he never did, much to her relief.

            A loud hiss caused them both to stiffen. Princess Darcy felt something thick and slimy wind itself around her lower leg. With a gulp, she glanced downward. What she saw made her shriek. A long, thick green snake had coiled itself around her. Its grip was slowly tightening.

            Andor stared in stunned horror, unsure what to do. Finally, he reached into his belt and unsheathed his sword. He plunged it deep into the snake, which hissed in pain and fury.

            The snake veered its head towards the crewman and dug its fangs into his arm. It tugged so hard that Andor’s arm was ripped from his body, and the snake swallowed the appendage whole.

            The snake released the Princess, drawn to Andor’s screams and his blood.

            It shot up and lunged for Andor’s throat. Princess Darcy loosened the sword from the snake and sliced down into what she thought would be considered its neck. The creature hissed angrily but couldn’t be distracted from his attack on Andor’s throat, which was gushing blood. The crewman was no longer screaming, nor did he struggle. Blood bubbled on his lips and he made sick, wet choking sounds.

            Princess Darcy lifted the sword and brought it down again and again on the snake until she’d nearly severed its head from the rest of its body. Finally, mercifully, the mortally wounded snake released its hold on Andor and slithered away, leaving a trail of blood in its path.

            Princess Darcy dropped the sword and fell down onto her knees beside Andor. She felt his wrist for a pulse, but there was nothing to be found. His half opened eyes were glazed over. His mouth hung open. His neck was completely shredded.

            “Impressive work. That snake won’t live long.” Kaleo's voice, flooded with approval, startled the Princess. She jumped to her feet.

            “How much of the beast’s attack did you witness?" She demanded furiously. “Why didn’t you intervene?”

            “I heard your and Andor’s screams, but by the time I arrived Andor was already dead. It was quite fascinating, watching you battle the creature. I didn’t realize you had that in you.” He grinned at her, and she raised her hand to slap him across his face, but he caught her hand.

            “Careful there, Darcy.” He cautioned her in a murmur.

            She hated how her body heated at his touch. She yanked her hand out of his grasp, but the sensation lingered.

            “Are you threatening me?” She asked him.“If you lay a hand on me, my grandmother will have your head.” She warned him.

            Kaleo smiled. “I would not dream of harming a single little hair on your precious little head.” He promised her. His tone was snide. He looked down at his fallen crewmember's body.

            "Let's move." He said, emotionless. He picked up Andor’s fallen sword, sheathed it, and started walking forward. Princess Darcy didn’t follow, and after a few feet he glanced backwards at her. He crossed his arms over his chest and arched his eyebrows. He stared at her expectantly.

            “Andor died to save me from that snake, and we’re just going to leave his body to be devoured by forest creatures?” She objected.

            “What do you want me to do?” He asked her, exasperated.

            “Don't you even care that he’s deceased?”

            “I lose men all the time to the mermaids. The very nature of our work is dangerous and life threatening. Many of my sailors die young. It’s unfortunate, but it’s simply a part of the job they signed up for. Andor had no family; no wife, no children, no siblings or parents. It’s not as though he’ll be missed.” He shrugged.

            “You’re a horrid person!” Princes Darcy declared. “I’ll miss him.”

            “You hardly even knew him!” Kaleo retorted.

            “I knew him well enough to know he was a good person; certainly a better one than you.” The Princess replied coldly.

            “Ouch,” Kaleo muttered sarcastically. He rolled his eyes. “That hurts. Now, come on, we really need to get going. The scent of Andor’s blood will inevitably attract more creatures, and I won’t save your pathetic self like Andor did.”

            “Yes, you would.” She whispered. “You saved me from being raped by one of your crewmen.” She wished fervently that Kaleo were with her now, but the man she'd begun to fall for was nowhere to be seen.

            “You’re prettier when your mouth is shut, you know that?” He asked her.

            She grimaced at him, but when he started to walk again she stumbled along behind him.

            They didn’t encounter any other beasts for a while, until a distinct snort caught their attention.

            A large wild boar burst through the trees, and charged towards Princess Darcy, who screamed and took off running. She didn’t look back. She could hear the heavy thuds of the boar’s footsteps close behind her, and then his pain-filled squeal. She came to a skidding halt and nearly collided with a tree.

            She glanced back to see the boar on its side, Andor’s sword imbedded deeply into its abdomen. It kicked its legs in the air and squealed in pain.

            Kaleo pulled the sword out of it, and in a single, clean stroke silenced it.

            “It’s as though you call to this island’s wildlife.” Kaleo muttered. He wiped the blood from the blade, and held it out to her in an offer. “You may have been a pampered princess before, but somehow you know how to use a weapon like this, and it seems you’ll require one.”

            Princess Darcy stared uncertainly at the sword, then accepted it. She prayed she’d never find herself needing to use it again. Her elder sister would be spitting mad if she knew she’d killed a beast. Sometimes she wondered if Princess Loreena valued the lives of animals over those of her fellow humans.

            “You know, I still think you’re a spoiled, obnoxious little brat.” Kaleo commented. “But the way you handle a sword…It’s quite attractive." He confessed. "You don’t look like a little girl, or even a woman; you look like a warrior.” He sighed. “Of course that warrior ran screaming from a wild boar, so I suppose your bravery and boldness was only momentary.”

            “You know I still think you’re an obnoxious, sexist a*s.” She replied with a smirk. “But you’ve saved my life twice, so…I owe you my gratitude.” She expected that would soften him a bit.

            “Keep it.” He said coldly, and she sighed.

            He started off again, ever forward.

            “We should split up.” Princess Darcy decided. She needed space and time apart from him to clear her head. How could she have ever thought him gallant?

            Kaleo stared at her as though she’d lost her mind. “No, absolutely not.” He shook his head. “You’re insane if you think I’m letting you out of my line of sight. You’d just wandered through the forest, become lost, and never find your way back to the shore."

            “I have a good sense of direction.” Princess Darcy objected. “Before my grandfather took ill, he would take my sister and I on escapades into the Netherwood mountains. He taught me how to navigate the wilderness.

            "You wonder how I know how to wield a sword, well, you can thank him for that as well. I can take care of myself, Kaleo; I don't need you."

            “Alright, fine.” He agreed, to her surprise and chagrin. “You want to prove to me you can handle yourself, fine. You’re on your own, then.” He stormed off, and quickly disappeared into the foliage, leaving Princess Darcy standing admong the trees, mystified.