The Key (3 page)

She studied him for a moment
, like she was trying to decide if she could trust him. “The Crown Prince?” she asked.

Darmik nodded.
There was a flicker of fear across her face, and she took a step back, away from him. Then she flashed him a bright smile and took off running, although a little slower this time, hindered by the heavy, wet dress.

Rema

Rema’s side cramped from running, but she couldn’t stop. If the princes were in the forest, then soldiers were nearby, and Aunt Maya had warned Rema enough times to steer clear of the army. If only Rema had ridden Snow, but she thought the walk would be good after her aunt and uncle broke the news about her upcoming marriage to Bren. Now she was stuck jogging in a bulky, wet dress—her mind no clearer than when she set out.

Stumbling around the back of the barn, Rema bent over, breathing hard.

“There you are,” Aunt Maya said, holding a bucket of water. Her eyebrows rose in disbelief as she scanned Rema from head to toe.

Rema had hoped to make
it inside before anyone saw her.

“Why are you all wet?”

“I saw a rock at the edge of the river with bands of color and a crystal at one end. I reached for it and slipped, falling into the water. But I’m fine.” She hated to lie, but if her aunt and uncle discovered that most of her forest adventures included a dive from a cliff, she’d never be allowed to go again—at least not alone.

Jumping into the Somer River
was something Rema had been doing since she was eight years old. Whenever she felt caged or trapped, she went to her special place deep inside the woods. Rema still remembered the first time she did it. Standing at the cliff, gazing down, she had no idea if the water was deep enough, or even if the current was too strong for her to handle. All Rema could focus on was the fact that her aunt and uncle wouldn’t let her go into town or attend the weekly market, and she desperately wanted to do something they wouldn’t approve of. So Rema jumped, oblivious to the fact that she could get hurt or die.

The thrill of falling
stole her breath away. For those couple of seconds, all her worries vanished, and there was nothing except the freedom of flying through the air. When Rema hit the water for that first time, a brief moment of panic arose as she frantically kicked and broke the surface, gasping for a breath, but that didn’t stop her from doing it again. Through the years, Rema had jumped countless times—each still as breathtaking and exciting as the first.

“You fell?” Aunt Maya asked. Rema nodded. “That must have been some fall.
You better get inside and change your dress before Bren and his family arrives. Put on something presentable. We can’t afford to lose this match.” Aunt Maya spun and headed toward the back door of the house, water sloshing over the side of the bucket she carried.

“I still don’t understand why I have to marry Bren,” Rema
called after her. Bren was her only friend. A marriage to him would be awkward. She’d never even looked at him or thought of him as a possible husband.

“Not this again,” Aunt
Maya’s voice broke. She stopped walking, but kept her back to Rema. “Please go inside and change.”

“
I’m not ready to get married,” Rema admitted.

Aunt Maya shook her head and left without another word.

Rema kicked the side of the barn. Usually diving into the Somer River put her mind to rest. But not today.

Bren’s family owned
the farm next to their land. Rema couldn’t imagine being a farmer’s wife. She longed for the opportunity to see Greenwood Island, but that would never happen since the king restricted all travel outside of one’s region. Rema hadn’t even been to any other areas in Jarko besides her small town.

And now
, she was likely to go nowhere.

Rema supposed she saw a little of the outside world today when she ran into Prince Darmik.
Her cheeks warmed just thinking about him. He wasn’t what she expected. He seemed too young to command an entire army. From her studies, she knew that he was nineteen, but until today, she pictured him in his thirties or forties with long, gray hair, and a stiff, gray beard. How wrong she had been.

Like everyone else
on the island, he had black hair and brown eyes. His hair was cut just above his shoulders, and his voice was kind. She hadn’t expected that. Everyone knew the king was evil and his heir, Prince Lennek, was only too willing to follow in his father’s footsteps. But Darmik gave the impression that he was different. He had warned her Prince Lennek was coming and afforded her the opportunity to slip away unnoticed. However, the army was known for being ruthless, and Darmik did control the army. So why did he help her?

Rema shook her head, trying to clear it.
She couldn’t afford to think of Prince Darmik that way. She needed to get inside before Bren’s family arrived to finalize the dowry and sign the marriage contract to a wedding that would most likely take place next month.

Just
like one of her uncle’s horses, she was to be bought and sold.

****

“Why do you want to marry me, Bren?” Rema stopped walking and scrutinized his eyes, searching for the answer.

Bren laughed. They had traveled about a half
-mile into the woods for some privacy from their families, who were still inside finalizing the wedding contract.

“We all have to marry, Rema. The king demands it. Why not marry a friend?” He tore a leaf from the low
-hanging branch of a tree and twirled it between his fingers.

But Bren had other friends. He went to
the market in town, and he knew most of the people that lived in the area.

“Are you happy to be taking over for your father?”
Rema asked.

“I’ve been planning on it my entire life. It’s what’s expected.” Throwing the leaf on the ground, he examined her, like he was trying to decipher what she was really getting at.

“So, no then,” she mumbled.

“If I could do anything, would I be a farmer? Is that what you’re asking?” His deep voice sounded loud in the quiet forest.

“Yes.”

“I don’t know,” he answered. “B
ut I have to be realistic, Rema. It’s a good holding. I’ll make enough money to take care of you. We’ll have a home to live in. All I need is someone to share my life with.” Bren appeared agitated. Rema couldn’t help but smile at the way his lip protruded, his hands clenched in fists resting on his hips, and eyebrows bent inward. He was a handsome man with his black hair and dark eyes. Bren had wide shoulders and strong muscles from working on the farm. Rema knew other girls were attracted to him, but it wasn’t like that between the two of them.

Not wanting to upset
her husband-to-be, Rema reached out and stroked his arm until his shoulders relaxed and the tense look on his face disappeared. “But why me?” she whispered.

He gently took both her hands in his. “Because you’re my friend. And you’re beautiful, a hard worker, and strong. You’ll do well on the farm.”

Bren’s thumb traced Rema’s band, and she recalled Prince Darmik. He had held her hand delicately, his fingers swirling softly over the marks on her band. Rema shivered. Bren’s hands, by comparison, were warm and sweaty.

Bren stared at her, but she had nothing to say that wouldn’t
irritate him and cause a debate between the two of them. Normally that was something she wouldn’t mind doing, but not with both of their families in the house awaiting their return. Instead, she said, “We better get back.” Rema tugged her hands from his and walked toward the house. Bren silently followed.

“Don’t you want to marry me?” he asked.

She stiffened but kept walking so he wouldn’t see her face.

“It isn’t that,” she stammered. What could she say that wouldn’t hurt his feelings, and yet, still allow her to be honest? “It’s just that
...I hadn’t expected to marry so soon. There are some things I want to do before I tie myself to another person.”

That was hard for her to admit out
loud. She continued walking without glancing back.

As a child, she had rarely left the house.
Aunt Maya educated Rema at home, and all of her free time was spent helping with the horses. The older she got, the more Rema’s aunt and uncle allowed her brief moments of solitude in the forest, but never in town and never around other people. She always assumed that one day, when she was an adult, she would be able to do all the things she had dreamed about while growing up. It appeared that time would never come.

For a moment, it was silent.
Bren must have stopped, but seconds later, she heard the sound of tall grass against fabric as Bren matched her pace, grabbing her hand and bringing her to a stop. “Marrying isn’t the end of your dreams, Rema. Before we have children, we can travel a bit. Of course, it will have to be after the harvest. But I’m sure we can manage to do something. Then, once you have some babies, you’ll be so busy with them and the farm that you won’t want to go anywhere. Besides, it’s not like the king will ever allow us to leave Jarko anyway.”

Bren raised his left arm
, revealing his black tattoo. Rema wanted to tear the mark from her wrist. She wasn’t meant to be kept in a pen like an animal. His arm dropped to his side, and Rema dared a quick glance at his face. Just as she feared, it was there—the look. Honesty, love, vulnerability, all mixed together, clear as day.

Rema
’s head pounded, and she gasped for air. Have children? Run a farm? She wasn’t ready for all of this. It was too much too soon.

She pulled away from Bren and continued walking. The sun
had set and darkness descended upon them as they crossed back into the horse pasture. Rema caught a glimpse of two figures next to the barn. It had to be Aunt Maya and Uncle Kar. She went to see what they were doing outside, while Bren’s parents were still inside. When she got closer, Rema realized they were arguing. They never argued.

“What if he shows up? What then?” Aunt Maya sounded desperate.

“We haven’t heard from him in three years. Something must have happened, and you know the contingency plan.”

Rema slid into the shadows to listen as Bren went inside,
shaking his head in disapproval, apparently too good to eavesdrop.

“But
he made us promise, Kar. We told him we wouldn’t let her marry. Yet here we are, with a signed contract.”

Uncle Kar paced along the side of the barn. “Are we supposed to wait forever? What if he never comes back
, and then Rema’s too old to marry? Besides, what if she’s noticed? It’s risky not to have a solid contract.” His hands waved through the air in agitation.

Rema wondered who they were talking about.
Another potential suitor?

“
I still think we should wait longer. The wedding doesn’t have to happen next month,” Aunt Maya pleaded.

“We don’t have that luxury.
Now, not another word. We need to be done with this.” Uncle Kar stomped back into the house with Aunt Maya rushing behind him. Rema’s anxious ears were left wanting more.

****

“I know you’re not happy about the situation, Rema,” Uncle Kar said, tightening his hands around the reins of the horses.

Sitting as far away from her uncle
on the wagon as she could, Rema intended to ignore him so she could be alone with her thoughts. He didn’t take the hint.

“But
Bren’s an honorable man. He’ll be good to you. Take care of you.”

The day was still young
, with a damp fog covering the land, preventing the horses from kicking up dust, although it was still a little cold. Rema pulled her brown, knitted shawl tightly around her shoulders. They traveled on a well-used road that went straight through the thick forest to the main town, past the governor of Jarko’s fortress, and beyond. It was not far from this very road that Rema ran into Prince Darmik. Her eyes darted between the trees, searching the shadows for the mysterious commander who had held her hand so sweetly.

The wagon hit a rock, pulling her back to the task at hand.
A messenger had arrived last night, stating that Lord Filmar needed an exceptional horse delivered immediately. Uncle Kar selected one of Rema’s favorite horses. Not only was the stallion strong and beautiful, but it was stubborn, sometimes difficult to manage, and unbelievably fast, making him Uncle Kar’s first pick. Rema hated to see the stallion sold, but Uncle Kar had no choice—it was worth too much to keep.

“
Besides,” he continued, “you’re friends. That should make things easier,” he said, sounding like he was trying to convince even himself of the match. Rema shot him a look of steel.