18 Chapter Eighteen
Turning around, she came face-to-face with a beautiful woman. She had blue hair that was striking underneath the glowering sun and flowing like waves down to her waist. A lovely crown of woven flowers, metal, and vines rested upon her head. A diamond in the center of the crown glistened with every step she took towards her. She had a lovely shade of green-colored eyes.
The silky dress she wore looked like flowing water. She looked refined and sophisticated.
Angelique was in awe.
Curiously, she questioned.
“You are?”
Smiling, a smile that had seemed to brighten the already beautiful setting; the woman curtsied with her elbows touching each other and her fingers intertwining together.
“I apologize for my rudeness. My name is Oshio Margigaya, the Water Nymph Queen, who was put in charge by the now-deceased Fae Queen to protect the Nymph kind. Welcome to my Kingdom: The Oasis. The Water Nymphs in the lake are my younger sisters. They love to come here to play when the sun is high.”
The customary respect that the Fae people would bestow upon their Royal subjects, Angelique was stunned. Oshio was so flexible in her actions that she was unsure of how to respond.
She, who had spent a complete century practicing and mastering the customs, respectful bows, and culture of the Fae Kingdom allies, was stunned.
She was unable to comprehend if it was wise to return such class and sophistication. After feeling a soft nudge from Diana's wet nose in her back, she slightly bent her head with her hands intertwined.
“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Nymph Queen. I have heard of your Kingdom, The Oasis mentioned from my mother on many occasions, but it appears so beautiful than what I imagined.”
Standing back poised and upright, Oshio smiled at Angelique, her heart skipping a beat, for the Princess was an exceptional beauty. Indeed, she was the desire of every single lad in all the Kingdoms.
This thought made jealousy and envy spread like a snake in Oshio’s heart. She despised those who were far more beautiful than her.
Retaining her smile, she hid her dislike behind gritted teeth.
“Oh, heavens no. Please refer to me as Oshio, Princess, and I appreciate your enthusiasm and praise for my beautiful home. Come this way; I will personally bring you to my castle.”
Nodding, Angelique turned in Diana's direction. Perfectly, understanding her concern for the Unicorn, Oshio's smile broadened.
“Your unicorn will be escorted to the stables by my sisters. There, my subjects will bathe, groom, and feed her. I have a feeling they want to play with her as well if you do not mind your highness."
Angelique nodded, her cheeks becoming flustered.
Satisfied with her approval, Oshio's beamed.
“You will also be cared for, Princess. I will fetch for my two favorite sisters to help you freshen up when we arrive at my castle. I do suppose you would be hungry after a wonderful bath, so I will also fetch a servant to bring food to fill your stomach. After that, you will join me in the main hall, where the Cold Sprites Queen will see to your well-being. I had gotten word a bit too late of how the Lycans had infiltrated the Sprites Kingdom. That is why my messenger had not fetched you sooner. The Cold Sprites Queen requested that I keep you safe, entertained, and protected until she dispels the threat.”
Sighing heavily, for she indeed felt dirty, cold, and hungry, Angelique could not be more thankful for Oshio's clear thinking. However, the thought of Pearle gracing her presence in someone else Kingdom was unsettling. That was only because the Sprites and Nymphs were never compliant or shared. It was unsettling.
The forgotten words of Carlotta came to her mind. Gripping her hands in front of her, she felt something was incredibly wrong.
“Such kindness, Oshio, I thank you.”
“No need to speak formally to me, Princess. It is a great pleasure to serve the future Queen of the Fae kingdom. Now, please follow me.”
Hearing the Water Nymphs climbing out of the water, their angelic giggles fascinating; Angelique followed Oshio while glancing behind her to see that the boisterous Nymphs were escorting Diana down a similar path on the other side, most likely towards the stables.
Gazing in wonder at the canopy of trees of different colors of leaves and the many beautiful birds, butterflies, and various insects traveling over the flowers, she was marveled and in awe.
“You do have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you once more, Princess. Nature is enthralling, is it not?"
Blushing, Angelique placed loose strands of her dirty white hair behind her ears.
“Yes, it is, but only being to the garden in the castle and the meadow on the outskirts beyond the palace walls, I have never experienced it as much as coming to the Sprites and Nymph Kingdom. Being this close, it is refreshing.”
Chuckling, when she saw the twinkle in her eyes, Oshio nodded, her skirts creating a whooshing sound against the ground. Traveling through the small trail leading towards her quaint, magnificent and large tree house kingdom, she retorted inside her heart.
‘Such a naïve and foolish Princess you are.’
“You are quite the adventurer, are you not, Princess?”
Turning her head to the side, when her face grew redder in embarrassment, Angelique cleared her throat.
“I am, Oshio.”
Nodding, as they continued to walk side by side in comfortable silence, Angelique was lost once again in nature while Oshio was studying her from head to toe.
Suddenly coming to a sudden halt, her odd behavior caught Angelique's undivided attention, for her lips had formed a grim frown.
“What is wrong, Oshio?”
“Nothing is wrong.”
Quickly breaking from her sudden disposition, Oshio resumed her walking, but Angelique was unconvinced.
A bit undecided, for she had heard the faintest of footsteps, she turned to look behind her, but there was no one. Almost on instinct, her hands fell on her abdomen as if shielding her baby from the unknown. When she turned back around, Oshio was close to her face.
Angelique took a few steps back in surprise.
“Is everything the matter, Princess?”
Realizing that her tone had a slight trace of irritation, Angelique forced a smile on her face while quickly pulling her hands away from her abdomen.
“I just thought I heard footsteps behind us.”
"Footsteps? In a heavily guarded fortress as mine? I believe not."
Smiling, as she suddenly hooked her hands in hers, Oshio continued to pull her towards their destination.
"Maybe it was the wind. We do get an insufferable amount here."
“Maybe, it was.”
Murmuring, Angelique felt goosebumps rising all over her skin. She felt something was incredibly wrong. But what could be?
When they bent a corner and were out of sight, Water Nymph Warriors hiding in the trees appeared, their eyes dark with danger and mischief. Swiftly and stealthily, they continued following them.
