The Sword Thief

Chapter 20

            “Olivia.” He mumbles into my hair lightly kissing the top of my head. I sigh in response still trying to catch my breath.

“I just have to ask you something.” He pants still trying to catch his breath.

“Shhh, it’s okay I’m sure it can wait.” I say snuggling closer to him.

“Augh! No! Listen to me!” He says pushing me back and holding me by my elbows so that I’m looking straight into his eyes.

“If-I don’t know but-if-do?” He tries grasping for the right words.

“It’s okay.” I say rubbing my thumb against his cheek. “It can wait.”

“No! You don’t know what I’m trying to say!” He grumbles in frustration. Reaching into his pocket he fumbles around for something, and hastily brings out a little box.

My eyes bulge realizing what might be in the box. He opens it to reveal a silver ring that was made and remade so many times it almost looks white. There’s a diamond on it that underneath the light, catches all the rays of the sun and sends them out shooting in all different colors of the rainbow. The ring has a mini vine winding around it that wraps itself around the diamond. And inscribed on the ring I can just make out the words “As all vines grow, so will our love.”

My hand flies to my mouth as I realize what he’s about to do, I can feel tears start to prickle my eyes.

“Olivia, I- I know we—we haven’t known each other long but--but-i—love you Olivia.” He says grabbing my hand and looking into my eyes. I can see their shining as if he’s trying not to cry.

“And if I could I-I’d get on my knee. But I can’t so I won’t. But Olivia! If You’d Marry me, you’d make me the happiest man alive.” He finishes looking into my eyes waiting for my answer.

And then out of nowhere Jane and Paul magically bursts into the room.

‘There you guys are, we’ve been looking all over for you! We’re all heading into the dungeon to find the sword! Common now, the sooner we start the faster we’ll be back for the ball!” Jane shrieks.

And before she can leave or I can process what I’m doing. I jump off the branch and call after her telling her to wait up. The last thing I see before turning the corner, is James mouth hanging slightly open and that tear that was sitting in the corner of his eye, slowly making its way down towards the marble ground.

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PAUL's P.O.V.

My mouth hangs open as I realize what we just intruded on. Cursing underneath my breath I kick the air as hard as I can. Watching my best friend get turned down from a proposal isn’t how I wanted this trip to start off. He fiddles with the ring, looks at the fountain, then the ring, fountain, ring. Then chucks it as hard as he can in the direction of the fountain. But whenever James is mad his sense of aim seems to lack. Catching the ring in the air I notice it’s the design that’s been covering his wall since he met Olivia. He made this ring. He’s never thrown away something he made. Jumping off the branch his scowl turns into that of a grimace as he sees he missed.

“You could at least have chucked it back into the fountain.” He grumbles as we head to the dungeon entrance.

“You made this.”

“So? She obviously doesn’t want it so what does that matter.”

“But you made this.”

“Yeah, and?” He says obviously getting impatient with me.

“You remember what you wrote on here right?”

“Uh huh.”

“Then the vines just not done growing yet.” I say tossing him back the ring.

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 Matilda’s P.O.V.

 Under ground is a curious place to be. No light, sounds echo, walls feel like their closing in on you. . . possibly the easiest way to go insane. Someone lights a dim torch and I look around to see every ones expressions. As usual Jane seems lost in some glittery fairy world, but everyone else seems in a flurry of emotions. Olivia keeps sending odd glances at James while completely ignoring me, James seems impassive and is openly ignoring Olivia’s glances, he seems almost a little…mad. Paul and Grace look overly concerned with their best friends, and Garrett looks like  he’s doing the same thing as me, analyzing.

“What in the seven seas is wrong?” I blurt.

No one replies and Garrett and I exchange glances. Following the map we walk on in silence. With the torch light being so dim it might as well not be here. I imagine all sorts of creepy things leering at me from out of nowhere. Snakes, Lions, Tigers, BEARS, LIZARDS!!!!!!! I involuntarily latch on to Garrett’s arm and he smirks down at me from where he’s trying to decode the map. Glaring I continue to let my imagination roam, that is till a piercing scream escapes from Olivia’s mouth. The scream is soon followed by a low shriek then a moan who I assume is James.

“Don’t you guys take one step!” They both yell. 

We all stop in our tracks and Garrett flashes the torch down to the floor revealing a bottomless pit, well not actually bottomless or James and Olivia would be dead, but that’s beside the point!

“OH DEAR MYYYYY!!! THERE ARE SNAKES DOWN HERE!!” Olivia wails. Scrambling sounds from below and I look down to see Olivia residing in Jame’s arms.

“Augh, you know how long it’s going to take us to get you guys out of there!” Garrett wails looking pretty peeved.

“Can’t we just leave them?” Jane bluntly states. There’s silence as we ponder this.

“You guys better not so much as entertain the idea!” Oliva screams again then squeals.

“Uhhhh no, were not leaving you, were just going to….” Garrett starts.

“Get some rope!” Grace puts in.

“Yeah, Yeah, some rope.” He says motioning us to follow along. We cross the pit on a thin piece of rock attached to the side of the wall.

“By George I think they’re ditching us…” We here someone mumble.

Walking on we stay more alert to odd gaps in the ground. Avoiding a water leak deep enough to drown someone, a group of scorpions, and bats we make it far enough to spot out guards.

“That was easy.” Jane mumbles.

“To easy?” Grace asks.

“Shh! Common we got to think of a plan.” I command signaling everyone to hide behind a corner so we can talk.