Once outside the keep, they followed a curved stone path through trimmed grass and shrubs until they reached a forest. The trees were all neatly kept, their branches full of leaves of varying sizes and shapes.
"This is rainbow forest," Michael explained, seeing the surprised look on Leyla's face. "It used to be grassland, but the scientists have been planting one of each type of tree that exists within the Four Kingdoms."
Leyla looked in wonder at a strange specimen whose roots had grown out of the ground and around the trunks of the neighbouring trees. "I don't recognise half of them."
"That's probably because many grow around the Three Sisters and parts of No Lander territories where no one goes." Michael's eyes wondered to where Delphine was walking several strides ahead of them, then he frowned. "She'll definitely go the wrong way." He picked up his pace and joined the younger girl.
Left to her own devices, Leyla took in the scenery. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and bird calls filled the warm air. She kept her thoughts firmly on her surroundings, not wanting to think about yesterday or the future for at least a little while longer. Soon the sound of rushing water could be heard and after they cleared a small hill, she saw why.
Spreading out in front of her was one of the most breathtaking views she had ever seen. They had come to the edge of a rapid river that bordered two vastly different landscapes. While the side they were standing on was all grass and trees, on the other side of the bank was a sea of purple flowers that seemed to reach as far as the snow capped mountains beyond. Leyla took in a slow breath and let her eyes drift up the river where she could spot several small waterfalls and an arched bridge that connected the two sides.
Her mind was suddenly feeling calmer. She had never realised that watching water flow would make her feel so peaceful.
"Didn't I tell you, you would love it?" Michael chimed in, beside her.
"Go away," she complained. "I'm trying to enjoy the peace."
He shrugged obligingly. "I wanted to bring you some of the bell flowers anyway." Then he was turning towards Delphine, "Come on, didn't you say you wanted to pick some flowers for your mother?"
The two of them walked further up the river towards the arched bridge, leaving Leyla to enjoy the quiet. She did not know how long she stood there, taking it all in, before a grating voice destroyed her serenity.
"Look, there's Lady Delphine, on the other side of the bank."
Leyla turned to see Annabelle arriving at the edge of the river with a posse of ladies including the two Delphine had been walking with earlier. It seemed the ministers daughters tea club had come in search of their missing member.
"Oh, and if it isn't the Consort," Annabelle continued, as if she had just noticed her presence. The other ladies bowed respectfully, and Raphael's mistress followed suit her face full of mock concern. "You must have a dreadful headache after last night. Is the fresh air helping?"
Several of the ladies looked away with embarrassment, showing Leyla that Annabelle had already spread the rumour of her drunken episode.
"Thank you for your concern, Lady Annabelle, but I feel fine," Leyla said with a forced smile. In truth, while her head did feel a little better, her mouth was still
dry and having to deal with Raphael's mistress and her thinly veiled barbs was bringing back the nausea.
"Oh, I see. It seems like I've asked a useless question. I apologies, it's just that we Light people don't know much about this kind of thing since getting drunk is for..." Annabelle let her words trail off, pretending to be embarrassed by what she was about to say. Several of the other ladies covered their mouths and turned their faces away to hide their laughs. Only one round-faced brunette with big doe eyes rushed to console her.
"Lady Annabelle was just pointing out our limitations," the woman's smile was genuine as she gave Leyla a kind look. "We adhere to very strict rules of conduct, here. Too strict if you ask me. We miss out on so much."
Annabelle raised her brows at the younger girl. "Lady Dorothy. Those rules were set by Leaders to protect us and make sure we all live decent lives. Are you suggesting we all act like animals instead?"
It was not lost on anyone that Annabelle was calling her an animal. The ladies hid shocked gasps behind dainty hands as Leyla tried hard not to laugh. Name calling? If Annabelle knew how insignificant all of this was in grand scheme of her chaotic life, she would not be pleased.
"You can close your mouths ladies," Leyla said, finally giving into laughter when that spurred yet more ridiculously shocked expressions. "Oh come. It is common for people who lack confidence to resort to name calling." She faced Annabelle, giving her a once over. "I understand that you've had a very sheltered, I mean, strict upbringing, but aren't you too old for this kind of childishness?" She took a slow step towards the blonde, "See, when I have a problem with someone, I just call them out for a sword fight."
"Consort!" Lady Dorothy stepped forward in a rush. "You never said what you were doing here on your own. Did you come for a swim in the rock pool?"
Rock pool? The ploy to change the topic was a little obvious, but well meant. Leyla decided she liked the young girl. "No," she spoke with a smile to put the lady at ease. "I just came to take in the view with the Curator and Lady Delphine."
"The Curator is here?" The redhead to the left of Dorothy asked, her eyes alight with interest. Several of the other Lady's wore similarly eager expressions.
Michael the heart breaker, Leyla thought with amusement. "He is on the other side of the bank."
"Oh! He must be picking bell flowers!"
"But, for who?"
"Let's go!"
The Ladies were all talking at once. It was Leyla's cue to leave. Giving Lady Dorothy a smile of thanks, she carried on down. She wasn't bothered by Annabelle's barbs, but the woman had managed to ruin the serenity that the view had brought. Trying to recapture the peace, she found a large flat rock by the edge of the river and walked to its edge to listen to the water flow by.
The minutes melted away, but Leyla couldn't clear her mind as she had before. You are the right choice...You are smarter than this...We have to be rational. Raphael's words kept echoing in her head as she stood under the warm sunlight. He was frustrated by her actions, that much was clear, but why? Did he truly not understand what they were doing to her?
Birds circled each other as they flew over the bellflowers across the river bank. Leyla watched them dip and turn while she tried to push aside her anger and see things from Raphael's perspective.
He was engaged to a woman who he had risked his life for. A woman he believed would make him a good wife. A woman his father insisted he marry and a woman whose life would be at risk if she left the Land of Light. For all of these reasons, Raphael wanted this marriage to happen and he probably could not understand why she didn't give in gracefully.
Leyla took a deep breath, filling her chest with purple scented air. Up to this point, she could see how he might think he did nothing wrong. Even having a mistress might be acceptable in this Kingdom and so not a fault in Raphael's mind.
But there was something that was not forgivable.
Leyla raised her arm, looking down at the bracelet on her right wrist with renewed distaste; even if everything else could be explained away, this could not. He had taken away her right to choose.
The crack of a twig altered her to a presence behind her. Michael had certainly taken his time. Leyla started to turn, a complaint on her lips, but in the next moment two hands shoved at her shoulder blades and she was falling. Twisting her body in an attempt to regain her balance, she caught a glimpse of Annabelle's smile before her foot slipped on the wet rocks.
The water was freezing cold.
Leyla's head went under, her hands flailing as the rapid current dragged her down stream. She fought, managing to surface long enough to fill her lungs before she was dragged back down and over a jagged boulder. Her leg stung, but she kicked with all her might, surfacing for another instant.
"Michael!"
The echo of her voice was lost behind a curtain of water. Her energy was draining fast - she had to think! Fighting against the current was impossible, but maybe she could hang onto something. She kicked up with all her might and surfaced long enough to breath and take in a blur of water and sky. Her arms stung with the effort to rise back to the surface as she was flung from side to side, water splashing from left and right then sucking her down as the river travelled over layers of rock and sediment.
Gathering her energy, Leyla kicked upwards yet again, needing to see what was coming so she could prepare to cling to a tree, a rock, anything... but just as she cleared the surface, a sharp object smacked her across the side of her head and her vision blurred.
All her limbs went soft.
Her head rolled forward, her body floating effortlessly with the stream.
Through a haze, Leyla saw the bottom of the river bed rushing by and wondered if this was the way she was going to die.
Jumbled thoughts flew in and out of her mind. Raphael, save me. She tried to breath and swallowed water instead. The burning pain gave her a moment of clarity that was filled with regret. She had failed to meet her parents in this life.
Perhaps, if there was an after life, she would find them there.