43. Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Three

Meria

F or the next few days, as we traveled back toward Pixie Isle, Dominick kept himself busy and was mostly with the crew. We had placed the two stars, side by side, in his captain's cabin, and each night as I fell asleep to the glow of them there, I yearned to discover what his desire was. Had he been the reason Ancient Celia appeared and told me of my mother? That she told us that my people would be safe? It wasn’t me. If so, why would he do that? He wanted to find his sister. Would it be wrong to touch his star and find out? I could not bring myself to do it. Did he know where his sister was?

I could feel his eyes upon me every day. Our eyes connected, but we never seemed to have enough time or were never in the right place at the same time to say whatever it was we needed to say, freely. What was his desire? I was still a coward, however, because I did not ask.

Does he make himself busy on purpose? I wondered. I knew he was not one to talk much about his feelings, but I did not want to be the first one to broach the topic. I was not sure, but I was buzzing with energy to try to figure that out, to speak with him about my heart. Perhaps, it was nothing at all to do with me, and he was only anxious to get back to Pixie Isle and find Peter.

The day we returned to Pixie Isle, I remained aboard the ship, along with half of the crew. Dominick left in search of Peter.

After a very short time, there was a loud commotion, and I left my quarters to go up on deck, and I saw five boats, all filled with children, leaving the isle, on their way to the boat. The children were cheering. I searched the boats for Peter and Dominick. Then I spotted them on the last boat.

I got to work as soon as the first load of children came aboard. I found extra blankets and had the cook give them hot meals. They were all led into the captain’s cabin.

How were there so many children on Pixie Isle? There were children so small, from only one moon cycle old, which I realized the humans called a year, to others in their teens. They were all covered in leaves and dirt. Instead of being fearful of me, a stranger, the children rushed to me.

“Mother! I knew I always had a mother!” They all called as they fell into my arms. I wept with them, hoping my magic could take away whatever pain they had endured on that island. Five children fell asleep on my lap, and I did not dare move. I stroked their hair away from their faces and pulled a coat over them, hoping they could rest well. My heart ached for those beautiful children who did not deserve whatever it was they had endured within the realm of those strange pixies. When the door opened, and as I was starting to nod off, myself, I turned to see Dominick and Peter smiling at me, but Peter had a maiden on his arm, who was also smiling.

Is this Gwendolyn?

She was the first human female I had ever seen. She wore a long dress; it was dirty as was her face and hands, but her hair was a beautiful shade of dark blond, and it was held back with a ribbon. She had a sweetness about her, which I sensed.

“How are they?” the maiden asked me, crouching down beside one child who held onto my leg, pushing back his hair.

“They are relieved to be saved. What happened on that isle?” I asked.

“The pixies had good intentions when they took all the children. They believed that they were helping them by removing them from what the pixies believed to be difficult situations, and by causing them to forget their troubles, and by giving them a life of fun and play, but everyone needs a mother, and when the pixies realized that, they brought me to this place to be their mother. Peter pretended to be their father for the past few days to get us out of that mess,” she laughed. “But they need their real mothers and fathers.”

“That is why they took you?” I whispered, looking from her to the precious sleeping children.

“I believe so. As soon as I arrived, the children swarmed me and called me ‘mother,’” Gwendolyn said. “I could not deny these children; they had little to nothing.” She wiped a tear from her face.

“We saved them, Gwendolyn; they are safe,” Peter said, placing a hand on her back.

“Yes, you are right; it has been a difficult time,” she said, still looking at one of the young ones.

“Of course, I am so sorry, Gwen,” Peter said with a frown. Gwendolyn patted his leg and stood, straightening her rather dirty skirts.

“I am Gwendolyn Darling, and who are you?”

“I am Meria.”

“Lovely to meet you.” Gwendolyn bent down, and then stood up straight.

“Thank you for saving me, Peter,” Gwendolyn said sweetly.

Peter bent down and lifted her chin to kiss her, rather deeply. Dominick laughed, and they broke apart.

“Seems you and her are not only friends?” Dominick chuckled.

“Yes–well, I discovered a few things, like Pixies are vile and rather ignorant, and Gwendolyn is the most beautiful and wonderful maiden in all the lands. What about you? Are you and Meria still friends, or did you, finally, see reason, Dom?”

“Peter,” Gwendolyn scolded.

“Do not worry, Dominick needs pestering.”

“I do not speak of emotions,” Dominick said, turning from Peter.

“But if you did–you would say it was her?” I heard Peter ask as he was still looking at Dominick. “I am excited to have half-mer nieces and nephews.”

“Peter!" Gwendolyn scolded again.

“What?”

“I should have remembered how annoying you always were. It has really been nice without you here,” Dominick grumbled.

“You missed me,” Peter said with a laugh,

“I am not sure I did. It is nice to have you here, Gwendolyn.” Dominick nodded to her.

“I do not understand. Why are their parents not searching for them?” I asked, looking again at the children.

“Pixie dust. The pixies cover their tracks by sprinkling this dust over the children’s families before they take them away, and the families forget, forget about their children,” Gwendolyn said, sadly.

“They forget that they have children? That is frightening,” I whispered.

“Don't worry, I charmed the pixies. They love me now, and we have an agreement,” Peter said with a puffed out chest. “These children will be safe and will be reunited with their families, who will remember them upon their return.

“Really? What agreement did you make with those unstable creatures?” Dominick asked.

“Really. The agreement is mine and mine alone thank you. But really is of little concern. Like I said, they are dimwitted,” Peter said, pulling Gwendolyn into his arms from behind and walking with her, very awkwardly, across the room to the door, and then they left.

Dominick chuckled, and the lightness of it was so beautiful.

My eyes locked onto his.

“I know we must speak, Meria. Thank you for being patient,” he said, touching the scruff of his jaw.

“Of course.”

“But, I promised if you helped me through these seas, I would help you find your mother, and I will keep my promise. I know that Ancient Celia said that your mother would come to you when you need her most, but I will stay with you till you are reunited with her, and make sure you are safe.”

“Thank you. What about your sister? Do you know where she is?” I asked. Needing to know if he finally received the answer to that question, what he had been wanting the entire time.

“No, I do not. I am no longer searching for her. We will arrive at Marren Island tomorrow. After that, I can take you wherever you desire to go,” Dominick said; then he walked over to me, picking up one of the little girls attached to my leg and tucked her into the bed. I watched in silence as he cared for those little children and placed them side by side in the bed. He walked back to me and reached out his hand to help me up. He wore gloves, and I took his gloved hand in mine.

“Those children are too cute for their own good,” he said with a chuckle. “I have not spent much time with children, but I have taken away pain from many children. I will gladly do so again tomorrow.”

“I healed them; I could not stand the pain in their eyes,” I told him.

Dominick nodded. “You should get some sleep, then, Meria. I am sure you are exhausted,” he said, caressing my face. It was the first time since the Mirror Sea that he had touched me like that, and I craved more.

All the answers I had ever searched for could only be given to me by him. Of course, I wanted to find my mother, but I wanted to have a future with that man. I wanted to be his. But I could not speak up and say those words. He took his hands out of mine and brushed some hair from my cheek. Then he lifted one hand and reached into his pocket. He held up a teal colored seashell.

“I found this, it reminded me of your tail. I remember you saying that you collected seashells,” he said, clearing his throat, looking a little uncomfortable.

“I do, I love it,” I said, taking the pretty shell from him with a gleaming smile.

“Beautiful,” he said with a nod. He cleared his throat again. “Once we face the rest of these treacherous waters, we shall converse more, I promise. I only need a little more time to gather my thoughts. I am not used to sharing things,” he said, clenching and unclenching his gloved hands.

“I understand. Thank you for telling me. I am willing to help you if you ever need me. We can figure it all out together.”

“I will always need you, Meria. Do not doubt that.”

Then before I could say anything else, he turned and walked out of the room.