The Princess and the Crook:Part Two

     The second part of my journey ended without any trouble. Hugo’s ship landed on Mystery Island at sunset, and we slept at Jhuidah’s place.

      She seemed really happy to see me « Ane!! Long time no see! How is Lina? Is she doing well with her new family? »

      As I said earlier, Lina lived with Jhuidah during her childhood. During one of our trip to Mystery Island, Lina introduced me to the Island faerie.

      « Well… Lina is okay, but that’s not the case of Nala… » And I told her the whole story…

      « Oh my… That’s horrible! You can stay here with your friend as long as you need to! You must be hungry! I’ll cook you something good, just sit on the sofa and make yourself at home. I’ll be back in no time! »

      I was alone in the living room with Hugo when I suddenly remembered that I still had the gift I made for him during our journey. It was a pair of glasses with a special system that was directly connected to the brain. Honestly it was a really simple mechanism, it took me only one hour to make them, but with those on, he should be able to partly recover from his blindness. Well, it couldn’t replace his eyes but at least it would enable him to identify shapes and colors. It was my way to thank him for his help.

      « What is it? » he arched an eyebrow with an air of total incomprehension.

      « I made them on the ship this afternoon… Just put them on. »

      He did what I said and stopped moving, petrified. He whispered something inaudible and I saw a tear falling from his eye to his chin.

      « So, do you like them? » I asked with a little smile.

      He turned around and hugged me really tight « Thank you! Thank you so much! What can I do to thank you? »

      « You’ve done enough for me don’t worry! » I was a bit embarrassed… Of course I knew he would be happy, but I didn’t expected him to be ‘that’ happy! I’ve always found skinship to be kind of awkward…

      He finally released me and started grinning and looking around him like an innocent child. It was like he was rediscovering life. He laughed out loud and started touching every item in the room.

      Jhuidah came back a few minutes later with a strange but delicious meal, and we all ate happily before going to bed! I was so tired that I slept like a baby that night.

      ***

      We woke up early in the morning to look for the first ingredient.

      « ‘morning you two… » I said while entering in the living room.

      They answered as one « Good morning Ane!! »

      I wasn’t hungry, but I still ate breakfast. It was delicious! Jhuidah and Hugo were talking together. They were grinning and laughing, and looked like they were having a lot of fun.

      « Tell me Jhuidah, what do you do if a peophin has eaten too much tin of olives? » asked Hugo with his usual half-smile.

      « Hum… I don’t know… Is it another joke you learned in Meridell? » She seemed amused by Hugo’s enthusiasm.

      « Sorry to interrupt you Jhuidah, but do you know where we can find a yellow healthshroom please? » I felt guilty to interrupt their conversation, but I hadn’t much time, so I had to hurry.

      Hugo looked at me with a sulking face. « Thanks for ruining the joke, Killjoy-Ane… »

      « I don’t have as much free time as you do, Mister-Jester. »

      « Hum… Let me see…» She pondered a few minutes « … Maybe in the deserted tomb? It’s in Geraptiku… But… It’s known for being haunted… You should be really careful in there… »

      « Thank you very much! » I was smiling. I didn’t expected to find where to begin our research so fast! « Thank you for everything! »

      « No problem! Remind Lina to come by sometimes! »

      « Sure! Take care! »

      I took my backpack and left her house faster than a storm.

      ***

      Geraptiku was in the north of the island, it took us only ten minutes to go there. Compared to Mystery Island where it’s always lively and everybody is friendly, Geraptiku was kind of… empty… It was like a ghost city. We walked slowly, afraid to make a single noise. Suddenly, I felt something hairy on my leg.

      « HAAH!! What was that!? »

      « What happened? » Hugo looked near my leg and began to laugh « This? » He asked while pointing at a small petpet « So the fearless princess is frightened by a little Gypmu? Who would have guessed! »

      Ha ha… My face became red of embarrassment, and trying to hide it only made everything worse…

      « Stop calling me that you idiot! I’m not a princess and I’ve never pretended to be be fearless! So be quiet and walk. »

      « Your wish is my command Fearful-Ane! »

      I didn’t even reply, and we went on walking. The first thing we saw when we arrived in front on the temple was a pile of bones.

      « Yuck! » exclaimed Hugo with disgust « I warn you, I don’t plan to end up like this. So we’d better find these mushrooms as fast as possible! »

      « It hurts my pride to say it, but I agree with you on this one… »

      We walked through a long and dark corridor before arriving in a little circular room. I took a step, but Hugo stopped me straight away. « Wait. » Hundreds of arrows got through the left wall and crashed on the opposite one.

      I gasped « How did you know? »

      « Blind pet’s sixth sense » he answered with a smile « Watch where you’re walking princess, there are traps everywhere! »

      We crossed the room very carefully and arrived in the second room. We didn’t find anything. So we carried on our exploration of the temple for hours, without eating nor sleeping.

      ***

      « We are lost… » We both knew it, but until this moment, none of us dared to admit it. I felt guilty for involving him in this… « I’m so tired! »

      « Sleep if you want, I’ll be on guard duty first. » I wanted to protest, but I was too exhausted for this…

      I had barely closed my eyes that he grabbed my shoulder. « Oh my!! Wake up, Ane! Look at this!! »

      « … I wasn’t sleeping yet…. Oh! »

      A Lizark stared at us with a penetrating gaze. He was holding something in his little hands. It was an healthshroom!!

      « Come here sweetie! Come see Daddy! » Hugo was slowly approaching him. That was REALLY creepy…

      « Stop that you’ll scare him away! » I approached him with my gentlest smile « Little Lizark, can I see what’s in your hand? Big sister will take really good care of you! »

      The petpet sticked out his tongue and ran away.

      « Come back you little devil!! » We both stood up, and began to chase after him.

      And once again, we ran in every room of this damn temple… And the worst thing about this was that this vicious Lizark seemed to enjoy himself, mocking us and watching us run like mad! I had never run this much in my whole life.

      Without realizing it, we ended up out of the temple, next to the petpet shop where I found the Gypmu a long while ago. There, the Lizark stopped running away, and sat down, next to another petpet.

      « Here you are you little…! » I was going to catch him, but once again, Hugo stopped me « What are you doing? Let me take this mushroom so we can finally go away from here! »

      « Look » The petpet next to the Lizark was a Carmariller. A Pirate Carmariller. He seemed to be in a lot of pain. He was bleeding, and had a scar on his right eye. « This little guy just wanted to help his friend »

      « But the Healthshroom won’t heal his eye! It’s far too late to heal it, the eye is too deeply damaged! » I wanted to help this petpet, but giving him this healthshroom would only be a waste…

      « Let me try to do a bandage. I’m not a pro, but I live alone, I’m used to these stuffs. »

      The Lizark seemed to understand what we were saying, and stepped back. Hugo approached the little creature and started to wash the blood with what was left of our water. He ripped off a part of his shirt to make a bandage.

      « So, how do you feel? » Hugo asked.

      The little Carmariller stood up and smiled. All his friends came around him and hugged him. The Lizark we met earlier approached Hugo and gave him the Healthshroom, lowering his chin as if he wanted to apologize.

      « Thanks lil’ dude! No hard feelings? » The Lizard grinned at Hugo happily. « I guess it means ‘yes’! »

      So we finally left this creepy city, hungry but happy. We said a last good-bye to our new friends, who kept waving and laughing.

      ***

      When we arrived to our ship, it was already dark. Without even realizing it, we spent two days on Mystery Island. Plus one day of travel to come here from Lutari Island…. We only had eleven days left to find the missing ingredients.

      « Hugo? How long do you think it would take to go to Faerieland? »

      « Hum… I dunno… One day if the wind is favorable… Or maybe a bit more if we’re unlucky… »

      The tears of the water faerie in Faerieland, a mysterious potted flower in the Haunted Woods, and a mystical bag of sand in the Lost Desert… We can do it!

      I was lost in my thoughts when a strange feeling arose… Something felt wrong. I began feeling uneasy and apparently Hugo felt the same since he whispered:

      « Princess? We have some visitors… »

     To be continued…