Chapter 6

When Persimmon and her traveling party got to Kasculbough Castle, Medea ran out to greet them.

"Rhys? What is going on?" asked Medea, seeing the unconscious bodies in the back of the wagon. It caused a stir, bringing servants and others who lived there to wander out to see what was happening.

"Medea, I need you to get Talia and bring her back. Quickly."

"All right, but tell me more."

"These people have been robbed and attacked on the road," Persimmon interrupted. "They are near dead and need someone who can try to heal them."

"What about your mother, Rhys?" asked his wife.

"I think she's coming now." Lira pointed to the sky.

Persimmon looked up to see black clouds. The wind picked up and she saw the air spiraling in the distance. Then, to her surprise, she noticed people and even a dog flying through the sky. Since Persimmon knew the Elemental of the Air, she realized what Alaina was capable of doing. Still, she was in awe each time she witnessed it.

"I will be right back." Medea disappeared into thin air, doing her little transporting thing.

"Let's get the injured inside," suggested Rhys, dismounting his horse.

"I'll take care of the woman," offered Persimmon, but by the time she could get off the bench seat of the wagon, Rhys had the man in one arm and the woman in his other arm and was hurrying toward the castle. The onlookers started to crowd around.

"I'll fetch some rags and water." Lira was off at a run. Persimmon was about to follow her when she heard shouting from above her.

"Watch out!" someone screamed.

She looked up to see a man falling fast—right toward her.

"Nay!" She raised her hands to block her head, not wanting to get hurt. That's when she felt the impact of him as his body crashed into hers. Both of them fell to the ground and she heard a clattering sound like wood hitting stone from behind them.

"Ooomph!" The air was knocked from her lungs as the man landed directly on top of her. Both of them lay spread out in the courtyard in a very compromising position.

The servants and nobles all gathered around curiously as Alaina landed gently without even making a sound. Another man fell to the cobbled stones after that, and a dog landed atop him.

"I'm sorry," said the man on top of Persimmon, hurrying to get to his feet. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I hope I didn't hurt you."

"I'm all right."

"I'm not used to this way of traveling and don't know how to land." He reached for her hand to help her get up off the ground.

"I didn't expect to get hit by a man falling from the sky today." Persimmon, being pulled to a standing position, looked up to see one of the most handsome men she'd ever laid eyes on in her life. A rugged man with shoulder-length ebony hair perused her with steely gray eyes that held the intensity of a hawk. He stood tall, towering over her. His wide shoulders tapered down to a trim waist. He was dressed in traveling clothes, and also wore a cloak. Flung over one of his shoulders was a crossbow, which made her wonder if perhaps he was a hunter. However, he had a sword at his side, too, making her believe he was more of a fighting man. A smattering of peppered stubble covered his sculpted jaw. He looked sincerely sorry, as well as terribly tired.

"It's all right," she said flashing him a smile. "No harm done. I hope," she added, her hands searching out her pouch to check on her gazing orb. If it was smashed, she would be so upset. This was all she had left to remember her mother. "Oh, good. It's all right." She breathed a sigh of relief, pulling out the orb and holding it in two hands up to her chest. When she did, she suddenly she saw a flash of a vision in her mind again. This time it was the man who stood in front of her right now. And he was kissing her. "Oh, my!"

"What is that?" He looked at her curiously, the side of his mouth curving up into a half-smile.

"It's…it's nothing." Feeling a blush of embarrassment rise to her cheeks, hoping he wasn't able to read her mind, she quickly slipped the glass ball back into her pouch.

"Wow, was that an exciting yet terrifying ride. I never want to do it again." The other man walked over to them, brushing off his clothes. A dog followed him over. "Oh, who is this?"

"I'm Persimmon Burroughs," she introduced herself. "Who are you two?"

"I'm Aithrod Gabbencort and?—"

The man's friend cut him off. "I am Stone Nightstalker and this is my dog, Fang. Nice to meet you. Although, I wish our meeting could have been a bit more…subtle shall we say?"

"Persimmon, where is my son?" asked Alaina. "Murk told me there are injured people who need my help."

"They are in the keep, my Queen," Persimmon told her. "Let me take you to them." She glanced back at the handsome man, wanting one more look before she walked away. "Would you care to join us inside the castle?"

"Is there food and drink in there?" he asked instead of answering her directly.

"I'm sure there is. After all, this is a castle. I am sure they'll have the richest food and the most bountiful drinks fit for a king."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Stone bent down and picked up a long staff that must have fallen with him from the sky.

Persimmon watched him, surprised she hadn't even noticed the staff. Now, she realized what made the noise she had heard when he fell from the sky.

"Are you a hunter?" she asked, as he, his friend, and the dog followed her to the keep.

"In a way I guess I am a hunter," Stone answered.

"He's a bounty hunter," Aithrod told her, correcting any idea of him she had in her head.

"You are?" She stopped and looked him up and down. "So, you hunt men, not animals." The idea disgusted her and she didn't quite know what to think.

Stone could tell by the look on the girl's face that she wasn't pleased at hearing about his profession. There was an accusing look in her bright blue eyes that suddenly made him feel as if he had done something wrong. Her endearing smile disappeared fast. Now her full pink lips turned down into a half-frown.

"I bring in criminals so justice can be served," he tried to explain to her. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"I don't feel as if anyone deserves to be put behind bars or executed."

"Really?" He raised a brow. "If you truly believe that, then you must be living a very sheltered life, my dear. The guilty need to be punished for hurting the good. If you were in my land, you'd see how badly it has deteriorated because of this exact thing. I am trying to bring it back to where it should be, a safe place to live."

"Your land?" she asked. "Where is that?"

Stone let out a deep breath and answered at the same time as Aithrod.

"Taelgonoth."

The girl cocked her pretty little head, appearing quite confused.

"I am not familiar with Taelgonoth. Is your home far from here?" she asked them.

"I suppose it depends on how you travel," Stone said with a chuckle, thinking about the way they'd just got here from the other side of the mountain in mere minutes.

"We came through a portal," explained Aithrod. "We're not exactly sure about time."

"A portal?" she asked. Her eyes darted around and she held a finger to her lips. "Shhh. Don't even say that word around here. I was warned not to."

"You were?" asked Stone in confusion. "Why?"

Stone didn't miss the fact her eyes darted down to the pouch hanging at her side. She was looking to that crystal sphere in the velvet bag again. Portals also seemed to interest her, although she didn't seem willing to speak about them aloud for some odd reason. Something also told him that she was another of these magical beings who lived in this odd land called Mura.

"I believe they brought the injured to the solar," Persimmon told Alaina. "I will join you."

"Nay, it'll be fine." Alaina looked over at the men and dog. "Persimmon, will you please do me a favor and see to our guests? I promised them food and drink."

"She is a guest here as well, my Queen." A girl with strawberry-blonde hair hurried out of the kitchen with several servants following her. They held rags and bowls of hot water.

"Lira, this is Stone and Aithrod. And Fang," Persimmon introduced them.

"Hello," said the girl named Lira with a nod. She smiled, but worry darkened her face. "I can help your men."

"Nay, it's fine," said Persimmon. "I don't mind doing it. Besides, it would be beneficial for you to stay with the wounded. I will find the kitchen on my own and get these men something to eat and drink."

"Thank you, sister." Lira hurried off with the others to help the injured.

"She's your sister?" asked Stone, noticing that the girl who just left them had pointy ears and Persimmon didn't. Plus, one had light hair and the other was stark black.

"Yes, Lira is my sister, but I just found that out. This way," she told them, leading them to the kitchen.

"You didn't know you had a sister?" Stone thought this sounded odd. Especially since they were both in their twenties already.

"Nay," she told Stone. "My father never mentioned it to me. She is my half-sister, actually. We both share the same father. I came here to Mura to find him since my mother just died. Sadly, my father doesn't seem to want me."

"That's horrible," said Stone, reaching down to pet his dog on the head as they walked. "I'm sorry to say that your father seems like quite a?—"

"Quite a what, you big oaf?"

Stone stopped when the elf they'd seen in the caves suddenly appeared standing in front of him. Stone almost crashed right into him. Elric had his hands on his hips again, and as he'd already learned, that wasn't a good thing. The dog growled lowly at seeing the elf, and Aithrod groaned.

"What are you doing here?" asked Stone. "I thought you abandoned us."

"Stone, this is my father, Elric." Persimmon held out a hand to introduce them. "And, yes, Father, why are you here?"

"Talk about not being wanted, I feel as if none of you want me here. Therefore, I'll just leave." Elric made a haughty face.

"Nay, wait!" Stone held up a halting hand to stop him. "I want to talk to you."

"If it's about—" Elric stopped and glanced over to his daughter before saying more. "If it's about anything we've already discussed, forget it. You're not getting anything from me."

"Father, what are you talking about?" asked Persimmon.

"Nothing," said Elric, picking invisible lint from his tunic.

"By nothing, he means the gemstones he found in the Quamm Caves. Gems that were stolen from our king on Taelgonoth." Stone glared at the little man.

"I didn't steal anything, and I won't stand here being accused of crimes I didn't commit." Elric's chin lifted up into the air. "I told you before, I found them."

"Father, do they mean stones like the one you were using as part of your bid in your card game when I arrived?" asked Persimmon.

"You did what?" Stone was aghast at hearing this. How could anyone take such a risk with such a valuable item?

"You're not helping matters, daughter," grumbled the little man. "And you wonder why I favor Lira over you. I have things to do. I need to go." In a blur, the elf was gone.

Stone looked up to see the wetness of Persimmon's eyes. Her father had been harsh with her. It hurt him to see anyone treat this kind woman so badly.

"Don't let him upset you with his crass words." Stone stepped forward and took her by the arm. "Let's find some food and ale. Then we can all sit down and talk. I'd like to hear all about you, Persimmon Burroughs. You seem like such a fascinating young woman."

"I don't think my father would agree with you on that." Her words sounded as if they held shame.

"I get the feeling your father wouldn't agree with anyone if his life depended on it," Stone responded. "But I am, I assure you, much more of a benevolent man than Elric in any land."

That made her smile. It was good to see the spark of light and hope return to her eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I believe you are," she told him, using the back of her hand to wipe away a stray tear from her cheek. "Now, let's get you two some food and ale and go back out to the great hall so we can get to know each other."

The dog sat down and whined. His tail swept back and forth over the floor.

"I'm sure I can find something for you, too, Fang," she said with a giggle, petting the dog's nose.

"I appreciate everything, Persimmon. However, what I want even more than food or ale is information," Stone told her.

"Information?" She looked up at him and her brows angled. "What do you mean?"

"Well, first of all, I need to collect those gemstones from your father. Then I need to find a different thief and his counterpart and get back through the portal and return the stolen gems to our king. Therefore, I'll need to know where Elric lives."

"Oh." Her smile was gone, and she suddenly became guarded. "I can't help you because I don't know where to find Elric. I have no idea where he lives."

"You don't know where your own father lives?" asked Aithrod. "How can you not?"

"It's the truth," she said, looking upset that they didn't believe her. "Now, let us get that food so you men and poor little Fang don't starve to death."

Persimmon could tell by the look on Stone's face that he didn't believe her at all when she said she didn't know where her father lived. She supposed it wasn't quite the truth. Since being here in Mura she heard that her sister, Lira banished Elric to some high cliff in Glint to live by himself. Still, she had never been there personally and couldn't give anyone directions. Persimmon had never even been to the elven land of Glint before, but heard it was on the other side of the Picajord Mountains. The land of the elves actually sounded exciting to her. It was a place that she would very much like to visit someday to find out about the elven race and understand more about herself.

It was a new feeling for her, but part of Persimmon didn't want Stone to ever know where to find Elric. She supposed it was because if he knew, there was a good chance he'd collect his king's gemstones and head back through the portal and she would never see him again. After having glimpsed an image in her mind of them kissing, she selfishly wanted time for that to come true.

Persimmon's life had been sad, quiet and lonely. To her, that was true imprisonment. She was the type of person who loved being around people. She liked conversing with men as well. Living most of her life in a convent, she was never allowed to have a normal life, and still wondered why her mother put her there. All her mother ever told her about it was that Persimmon would be protected there. From who or what was information that had never been divulged to her.

Persimmon found herself intrigued by Stone Nightstalker, even if she didn't like the fact he hunted men for a living even if they were bad. He said he wanted to know all about her, but she wanted parts of her past life to stay hidden. Nay, she didn't want to tell him much about her childhood because it brought up sad feelings in her heart. She was done being sad. Here on Mura she had a new life to look forward to, and here is where she could be happy for the rest of her life.

Deciding she would have to conceive a plan that would keep Stone here for a while until they got closer, she would need to do the only thing she could think of that might work. Still having the vision of them kissing burned into her mind, she realized she was going to either have to tell him about it, or kiss him herself, to make him want to stay.