The barking of the otters aroused the young, native girl from her day-dreams in the canoe, anchored in the middle of the river. She had been waiting for the sunset, a magical splendour, one of her greatest fascinations. The otters were her animal friends of the water. She watched amused their playful tactics, enticing her to join them and diving into the cool water, she swam and played games with them, always such good fun. As dusk settled in, she paddled her canoe back to the village.

“Ann Marie,” her father called out to her.

She ran over to him, where he was sitting with the chief discussing the expedition, he would be undertaking with a team of archaeologists arriving in the morning.

“You sure you don’t want to be part of this expedition?” he asked perplexed.

She shook her head, somewhat tired of the long jungle treks. She had lost interest in adventures, mysteries and discoveries, a part of her life, an inheritance from her ancestors. Since she had matured into a young woman, her heart yearned for something new, something that would ignite a fire in her being. Sitting at the village square, late into the night looking at the smoldering embers of the small bonfire, she wondered,
“But where do I find that?”

The day dawned with heavy mist on the mountain tops and a cool breeze, blowing across the plains. Ann Marie laid in her hut in blissful sleep, unaware, the archaeologists her father was expecting had arrived at the village and of the young man, who walked quietly in her hut and stood for a moment looking at her sleeping face.  He placed a single rose, close to her and stepped out just as quietly. The sound of strange voices awoke Ann Marie some time later and turning her head, she felt the soft touch of the rose. She sat up perplexed, wondering who could have left such a beautiful flower for her and stepping outside she saw a group of white strangers, standing at the village square. She did not recognise anyone from the many strangers over the years who had visited until a voice, a little way to her right called her name, “Ann Marie.”
She turned and looked at the tall, handsome young man, not recognising him until he smiled and said, “I have kept my promise to return.”
Ann Marie gasped, her hand instinctively touching the chain on her neck, remembering the young English boy she had rescued from the plane six years ago. He had given her the chain as a momento and had told her,“I’ll always remember you and one day I’ll come back.”

“David?”

She smiled as he walked towards her and she said,

“I wasn’t sure I would see you again.”

“Well, it’s not easy to forget someone, who saved your life.”

He took her hand, admiration in his blue eyes, “You look so pretty.”

Indeed, she was a slim figure with long black hair and a beautiful smile, quite different from the little girl who ran around the jungle with her pet monkey. He was here he told her, on an expedition with a team of archaeologists from his university to search for El Dorado, the lost city of gold.

“After, all this time, you still believe that it exists?” she asked

“The researchers came up with some interesting facts and a few pages from an 18th century English explorer journal, have come to light, pinpointing locations that support those facts.”

“And that’s why you are here?” she asked a little disheartened.

“Well, I could have gone to Costa Rica or Egypt,” he said casually “but I chose South America because I wanted to see you and if we do find the city of gold, I’ll be the king, you’ll be the queen and we’ll live happily ever after.”

She laughed and he kissed her hand, a tender touch, the beginning of a beautiful story, the English boy and native girl.

Ann Marie joined her father’s team but deep in her heart she wasn’t happy with the quest of the mission, for she felt the lost city of gold was part of their history, their legacy that shouldn’t be touched by strangers. Her foreparents had walked from Southern Asia, during the Ice age and made this land, their home. The explorers who came afterwards with ships wanted to steal the richness of the land thus began the fabled tale of the city of gold.
The journey through the treacherous jungle was hazardous but for Ann Marie it was another adventure for many times she had walked those paths, the jungle her playground. David was excited, enjoying this adventure but what seemed to interest him more was her company, allowing himself to be lost sometimes from the team so he could be alone with her.
The team after two weeks felt they were getting closer to their goal and enthusiasm crept into the camp. The Explorers Journal had spoken about roads paved with gold, of a golden palace and tables laid with golden cutlery. Another week later and they finally reached the place where the city of gold should have stood, but there was nothing, just a sprawling expanse of land bordered by forested trees. It was deep disappointment for the entire team for they had been so confident of success but once again like so many times over a century, the lost city of gold could not be found.

The last morning, just before dawn, Ann Marie awoke David and taking his hand, she said “Walk with me.”

They walked for a short while to a part of the jungle where the trees were less dense and taller and the orchestrated sounds of the streams and the songbirds could be heard. He asked her, “Why are we here?”

She put her arms around his waist and said

“Close your eyes and let your heart beat with mine.”

A few moments later she whispered, “Open your eyes and don’t say a word.”

David opened his eyes and beheld the most marvellous, incredible sight.

The lost city of gold, stood like a dream, in its majestic, golden splendour. He was in complete awe, lost for words. She stepped away from him, slowly and like magic the golden city disappeared.

David stared at her, incredulously,

“What happened, where did it go?”

“It’s a special gift and only a few were blessed with the power to see it, now I’m the only one.”

“But how did I see it?” he asked, unable to believe what had just happened.

“Because I held you close and our pure hearts were beating as one.”

“So it really does exist.”

“Yes, but my foreparents did not trust the white explorers and so a magic spell was cast that cannot be broken, so it will remain a myth.”

“So if I tell  anyone…?”

“They’ll think you’re crazy.”

David shook his head and smiled.

“I always knew there was something different about you, you’re like an Indian Goddess.”

He took her hand and slipped a ring, made of precious stones on her finger.

“I found this in an Aztec ruin,” he told her. “It belonged to a princess of a century old dynasty. The stones represent beauty, purity and love and in my heart Ann Marie, you’re all of that.”

His words ignited in her heart, what she had unknowingly yearned for and holding her close to him, he said, with regrets in his voice, “I have to leave again but I will return soon and I want you to promise you’ll wait for me.”

She smiled, her eyes expressing something new and beautiful within her heart.

“I’ll wait for you.” she promised.

They stood there in close embrace, their hearts beating as one, looking at the lost city of gold, the throne awaiting its queen and her king and a happily ever after ending.

(BY: MAUREEN RAMPERTAB)