Max made a jerking motion toward the couch and Britt leapt off the floor pouncing forward and beating Max to the couch.
With an exaggerated sigh of disappointment, Max began to laugh. Britt smiled and laughed, stretching out along the cushions.
“Too slow,” she said through giggles.
“Darn,” he said, snapping his fingers and crossing his arms over his chest. “Guess I’ll take Anders’ comfy bed again.”
“What?” Britt asked surprised, “There’s a bed in there? I thought it was a storage room.”
Max laughed more heartily and nodded his head.
“I’m going to sleep in my father’s room,” Kirsten said. “Max or Britt, you are welcome to have Anders’ room or the couch; Bo you can sleep in my old room upstairs.”
Bo nodded and glanced to Britt and Max who gave him a look as if to say, get going or we will take it instead. He bid them goodnight and rushed up the stairs to Kirsten’s room.
“I’m off to bed as well,” Kirsten said to Max and Britt and walked across the room, closing the door to Theodor’s bedroom behind her.
Still half chuckling Max said to Britt, “You can take the bed if you want.”
“A true gentleman,” Britt joked.
“No, really,” Max said more seriously. “I’ve been sleeping on couches all my life; you take the bed.”
Britt eyed him up and down and said with a raised eyebrow, “Or we could share it?” She rose from the couch, paused for a moment as she stood sideways in front of Max. She let out an exaggerated yawn, stretched her arms toward the ceiling and arched her back.
Max seemed to be seeing her for the first time. As she stretched, her shirt raised slightly exposing the dark smooth skin just above her waist. He felt his pulse quicken. His eyes grew wide.
Lowering her arms, but keeping her back slightly arched, Britt walked across the room slowly, glancing over her shoulder as she sauntered provocatively toward Anders’ door. Stopping in the open doorway, she tilted her head to the side making sure Max was still watching, then slowly entered the shadowed room, leaving the door ajar. Max breathed deeply as he stood in the living room. He glanced down at the couch, then to the open doorway to Anders’ room.
After entering Theodor’s old room, Kirsten locked the door behind her. She didn’t want Bo wandering down during the middle of the night and trying to see her. She thought he was cute and sweet enough, but she just wasn’t in the right place in her life to start a romance, especially in her father’s bedroom. She wasn’t tired enough to go to sleep right away, so she spent the fleeting hours of the evening searching through her father’s personal items. He’d kept all of their mother Lucy’s possessions, just as she’d had them arranged before she passed away.
Kirsten remembered so vividly the beautiful summer day when they lost their mother. She’d been out gardening when she suddenly tipped over. Theodor, walking to the house from the barn, just happened to glance over witnessing his wife collapsing. He rushed to her aid, taking her in his arms as her body shook violently. Theodor shouted for help. Thomas and Anders were doing chores and came running when they heard Theodor’s calls. The three carefully carried her inside. When her seizures stopped, she could no longer speak clearly and she could only move one side of her body. Theodor had sent Anders to get the doctor, but by the time he’d returned, Lucy had suffered another seizure, this one ending her life. Kirsten, Thomas and Theodor were all at her side in the end.
A tear rolled down Kirsten’s face as she thought about the look on her mother’s face as she passed away. She wiped it away with her shirtsleeve and continued searching through her mother’s and father’s desks, dressers and drawers. She pulled dresses out of her mother’s closet and held them up to herself to see how they compared in size. It was when she was looking over a pretty blue flowered dress that she noticed something heavy in one of the pockets. Reaching inside, she felt the coolness of metal and a thin chain balled around it. She pulled it from the pocket and let the dress fall to the floor. She gasped at what she saw.
A pink-hued sapphire trimmed in gold formed the centerpiece of a magnificent necklace. Clasped onto a golden braided chain, the gem’s beauty was captivating. Kirsten held it in her open palm, marveling at its size and weight. The sapphire covered half her palm and weighed more than any pouch of coins she’d ever held. Walking over to the mirror on top of the wooden dresser on her mother’s side of the bedroom, she held the necklace up to her chest. Pushing her shoulder-length flaxen hair back, she clasped the golden chain around her neck. Half focused on the precious jewelry, she stared at the woman looking back at her in the mirror. The beautiful translucent pink crystal hung just below her collar. She was surprised at how it made her feel. She thought at first the large gem would make her feel silly, but it didn’t. She felt strong, powerful even. Kirsten tried to remember if she’d ever seen her mother wearing this necklace.
It must have cost a small fortune, she thought as she sat on the edge of the bed.
Not wanting to tarnish the magnificent necklace, she took it off and placed on the nightstand. Kirsten blew out the candles she’d been using to see in the darkened room. She curled up in bed, imagining her mother wearing such a magnificent piece of jewelry.
Thomas was waiting for Kirsten at the kitchen table when she emerged from Theodor’s bedroom the next morning. She rubbed her eyes and yawned as she sat down across from him.
“What time is it? Did the others already leave?” she asked.
Thomas stared at her wide-eyed; he didn’t respond to her questions, he just looked at her in awe.
“What?” she asked, shaking her head. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Thomas stood up from his chair, sliding it out from under him with the back of his knees, and walked over to her. Kirsten pulled away when he approached her so suddenly. He bent down and grabbed onto the sapphire hanging from her neck. Still wild-eyed he asked, “Where did you get this?”
Remembering she’d put the necklace on in her sleepy state, Kirsten said, “Oh yeah, I found this in mother’s things last night.”
Thomas let go and said, “It’s absolutely gorgeous. I would never take it off if I were you.”
Kirsten blushed a little at the compliment and looked down at the large necklace, “You don’t think it’s too much?” she asked.
Raising his eyebrows and frowning slightly, he answered, “No. It’s just perfect. You look stunning.”
Kirsten smiled, “Thank you, Thomas.”
“Can I have it?” he asked her immediately.
Slightly taken aback by this comment, she said, “No. I’m surprised you didn’t take it from me as soon as you saw it. It’s not like you to be this nice to me.”
Thomas walked back to his chair and fell into the seat, “You’re right, I should’ve just taken it from you. Oh well, maybe I’ll steal it later when you’re not looking,” he smiled at her.
“That sounds more like the Thomas I know,” she said while tucking the crystal under her shirt collar.
“Yeah, Max, Bo and Britt left pretty early. They were walking out the door by the time I got up,” Thomas informed her.
“I guess we’d better get going then, too,” Kirsten said.
As the two siblings set out for Grandwood, they discussed their plan. Kirsten suggested they not draw too much attention to themselves and try to follow Rankstine’s guards. The guards would eventually be called to his side and then the two could attempt to spy on what he was doing. Their plan settled, they walked the path to town in high spirits, hopeful of discovering more information on the intruding minion Merglan had sent to Grandwood.
Cresting the last hill before town, they looked down at the once peaceful burg and watched as the many townspeople exerted great effort to construct a wall around Grandwood. Thomas waved Kirsten over to the side of the trail and stood behind the shelter of a large tree.
