The frame of the ship was oak, made to be sturdy, push, and bend with the wind. Her long planks made from an elder mahogany tree that was uprooted in its prime. The sails of the ship were the color of mountains after a fresh snowfall, and at the center was a symbol of a large striped feline.
His footsteps became heavier as he made his way down the docking bay. Feigning lack of breath, he sprinted his way up to the two guards that were standing having a leisurely morning chat.
“Help me. Please, help me.” The prince reached them in time for his legs to give out from underneath him.
“Sir, are you all right? What happened?” One of them spoke. Each breath seemed to be harder to take for the man. “Do you need a doctor? Go get the healer, quickly.”
“No, please.” he gripped the men tightly. “I am Prince Corbin Pryce of the Kingdom of Eskorgan. Some thieves kidnapped me a few nights ago. They brought me here; tortured me and I believe they meant to leave me for dead. I need to get home, back to my father, the king.”
The two soldiers looked at each other before the older one spoke, “I heard about the prince having gone missing.” This hit Corbin hard. His father had put out the word to find him.
“I am that same prince and I need to return home.” He begged, tears threatened to fall from his eyes.
The two guards looked at each other. The prince could sense that they felt there was no other choice. They had to trust this man. “Come this way, there is a medical kit on board you can use.” Corbin turned his head, signaling to the others.
They crept up the stairs after them. Shuffling their feet along the wood floor, preventing their boots from striking a squeaky floorboard.
“Who we hitting?” Braian whispered, he had pressed himself into a dark corner, out of sight.
Adriana was not far behind. She crouched on the landing behind a support beam, “You go for the guards. I have the captain. No killing. Just tie them up and gag them. A murder charge is not something we need right now.”
“Again,” he muttered. “Let’s go.” Leaping from their hiding place, slamming their bodies against the guards, pushing them into the floorboards. “I thought I was getting both guards? Corbin, get the captain.”
He obeyed throwing the man onto the ground, shoving his handkerchief into the man’s throat, gagging him.
“I am terribly sorry, forgive me. I am the Prince of Eskorgan, and this is an emergency.” He said. They dragged the men down the ramp off the boat, tying their arms and legs together. “Do you think Owen can handle flying this thing?”
“Yeah, I think I can handle it.” Owen said, cradling Phoebe in his arms. “Take her. Careful.” His voice croaked as he passed her fragile body over. “If you need me, I’ll be on the bridge.”
Owen had found a hiding spot under a tarp that was lying inside a smaller dirigible made for two people. Lying under there, he pressed Phoebe’s frame against his. When her pain became unbearable, he squeezed her, rubbing her back with long strokes up and down her spine with his fingertips.
“Does he even know what he’s doing?” The prince asked.
“He’s the best pilot out there. Have a little faith.” Braian said.
“Coming from you, that’s an odd thing to say.” He replied pulling up the cargo bay doors. Such a large ship and they were using a pulley system to open doors. This seemed a little primitive considering the newer model and what he had assumed was better technologies, but he would not complain.
They lunged forward as the mighty airship took off. Airships don’t take off like the air-cars in use in the major cities like Belleza or Eskorgan; air-cars gain speed on a runway before they take flight, but they’re original purpose was for short distances, only going a few miles at a time. Airships take off directly from the ground, hovering in place before they seamlessly moved forward picking up the speed and altitude needed to stay in flight.
“I hope she makes it. There isn’t any more external bleeding anymore, but I am worried about the bruising around the wound.” Braian stated. “I’m gonna take her below deck.”
The mahogany outside ran throughout the ship and covered the walls of the interior cabins. Upon each plank, symbols had been branded. A tutor had shown Corbin a book of stories from the ‘Pearl of the West’, as he put it, and these symbols had appeared throughout its pages.
“Do you know what they say?” The prince asked, following Braian into the crew quarters, watching as he placed the injured Elflan onto a nearby bed. Pulling the cotton sheets over her legs.
Phoebe winced in pain, they watched in silence as her rib cage moved up and down in a ballet of pain. Biting his lower lip, the boy looked back at the symbols the prince had called his attention too.
“No.” He said. They continued to watch each breath she took. Braian shoved his hand into his pocket, finding something to keep him occupied.
“It’s the story of how the world will end.” He answered. “When the heavens are ripped asunder, fire consumes the hearth. Ice covers the seas. The world begin anew.”
* * *
Adriana’s hands grabbed at the walls as she walked down the stairs to the galley. She hoped she could make it to the latrine before her stomach gave out. It felt like Owen was purposely hitting every pocket of air he could fit the ship into. This was the hardest part of flying for her, the turbulence, sometimes it was smooth sailing, but other times she wanted to lie down in bed and wake up when it was over. Not expecting the larger bump as it happened, her hand missed the wall, and she tumbled forward. She closed her eyes and prepared for the ground, but the heavy thud never occurred.
“You should be careful.” She opened her eyes to see Corbin’s gray pools looking back at her. He had caught her before she fell to the floorboards. She grimaced, twisting her way out of his arms. He sighed, “If you want to fight, then there is no point to this, is there?” Letting her go, the thud came.
“How dare you!” She cried.
“How dare I what? Help to prevent you from falling and hurting yourself?” He continued, “Oh yeah, how fucking dare I?”
“Just because you’re a prince doesn’t mean you can go around saving every damsel you see.” She said.
“To do that, I would have to see a damsel now wouldn’t I?” Corbin said. They glared at each other for a moment before she shouldered past him towards the bedrooms.
“Ass.” She whispered.
“Now I’m an ass. I’m so tired of this run around with you.” he said.
She turned to face him, “What is this run around in which you speak?” she asked.
“A few nights ago you were actually nice, and willing to talk.” He explained. “Today you’re back to being the shrew that everyone seems to believe you are.”
“I seem to recall being thrown off the ship as it crashed. Maybe I hit my head a little too hard.” She said, her lips tightly pressed together.
“I seem to recall you were the one holding onto me.” He crossed his arms over his chest as he spoke.
“If I hadn’t held onto you, then I would have died. And death just doesn’t sound appealing.” She said.
“But falling down and trying to break a bone that sounds appealing to you?” He asked.
“I didn’t say that.” Adriana snapped.
“No, but actions speak louder than words.” He pointed out.
She turned her back to him, entering the quarters to find Braian sitting with his back against the bed that Phoebe laid on. When he saw her, he slipped a silver object into his breast pocket.
“Sounds like you and prince charming had a spat.” He said.
A growl vibrated from her vocal cords, “He is not a charming man.” She said, “How is she doing?”
“The bleeding has stopped, but other than that, I don’t know.” He pulled at a loose thread on his shirt. “You should get some rest too.” He noticed the concern on her face as she sat on the bed. “She’ll be fine,” He said to her. “I know she will
.” She placed her head on the feather pillow drifting off into a fitful slumber.
Reaching back into his breast pocket he grasped the small silver key that had fallen from the prince’s pocket in their scuffle earlier. His fingers outlined it, it felt warm to the touch and he could feel a hum sing out from the key.
“Where do we go from here?” He whispered.
* * *
His hair danced with the breeze as the ship banked into the wind. Stone faced, Owen stood at the helm. His eyes searching the distance for a sanctuary for Phoebe where she would be safe. He prayed to the Gods to forgive him and if they got out of this alive, he would try to turn his life around. Even the Gods knew he would not keep that promise.
“How will we know when we are near the city?” Corbin asked coming up from behind him.
“The myth says the village is surrounded by forest.” Owen said, recalling a distant memory. Curled up in bed with a large book that Aaron had bought him. A beautiful map done of the western section of their continent with a close up of the area northeastern from Burling. There the map had painted trees surrounding a small house. The map’s legend marked the little house as a “small village”. He remembered asking if they could ever go there, and Aaron laughing, telling him if he could ever find it, then they will go.
The prince placed his hand on his broad shoulder. “Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. We’ll get her the help she needs.” They looked out on the endless desert, spotting in the distance a tall steeple, “What’s that?”
“Over there is the Iglesia village. I remember our father telling us it was dangerous and we should never venture that far north.” He explained.
“Why?” The prince asked.
“He never said.” He whispered.
The sound of footsteps caught their attention. Braian stumbled up the stairs, the color drained from his face.
“What’s wrong?” Owen asked. His fingers slipped from the helm. The ship’s nose tipped forward. Corbin dived for the wheel to keep the ship straight and on course. “Is Phoebe all right?” He stared out past the bow of the ship, ignoring his brother’s screaming.
“She will be okay. Keep going north until you see the edge of the desert and then turn the ship hard to the east.” He looked at his brother, placing his hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry; I know where we’re going.” He said, walking over to the helm.
“She’s a pill isn’t she?” Corbin whispered moving his eyes back onto the desert in front of him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said, raising his eyebrow at him. “I need to check on Phoebe.” He walked back into the cabin leaving the two men with blank looks on their faces.
“I believe he just met our friendly green-skinned lady.” Corbin said, a wry smile spreading across his lips.
Owen recalled the night he had been awake, reading and smoking and he heard the voice of a woman he did not recognize speaking, and the talk of the children of destiny.
“Are you sure?” He asked. “I didn’t hear Adriana screaming this time.”
“How else would he know where we are going?” the prince asked.
Owen took to the ship’s cabin, catching his brother with Adriana’s head in his lap. His fingers running through her golden mane.
“How’s Phoebe?” he asked walking up to her, placing his large palm over hers.
“I’ve tried to stop the bleeding, but she is still bleeding internally. I don’t want to put too much pressure on her. If I could just slow the bleeding, then she might have a chance.” He said, walking over to Owen. He lifted Phoebe’s shirt, pointing to the angry purple and red bruising dancing around the wound. “If the bleeding can’t be stopped she will die, or if that doesn’t kill her, an infection will. You see how the skin around the wound is turning green. That’s the infection appearing. I cannot treat this here. Looking around their med bay, I have come to realized they were not prepared for flight. I don’t know how they were expecting to treat our dear Prince Corbin with what they had here.”
“I wouldn’t speak ill of the prince right now. He is the one getting us to safety.” Owen whispered.
“He better get us there,” He said, “and if he doesn’t, I’ll kill him.”
Owen let out a burst out in laughter. “You keep threatening to kill him, but it seems like he is here to stay.”
“Why is that?” He asked, pursing his lips. “Why doesn’t he just go home? If I were a prince and lived in a castle and had a father that cared about me that’s what I would do.”
“If you were a prince, I would feel sorry for your kingdom,” He said, smiling. “Honestly though. He and Adriana are the same. Cut from the same cloth. One happens to be royalty, and the other is a royal pain in my ass. He just wants to know where he comes from. We’ve all been there.”
“Some of us know where we come from and don’t wish to go back there. To each their own.” Braian whispered.
Chapter Fourteen
Pity
He dragged her by the arm out of the house, clutching her much as a child would to their most precious doll. He wanted to be gentle with her, but there was an excitement about getting her before it was too late.
“Daddy? Where am I going?” Adriana asked. He had picked up her small frame and placed her inside the vehicle. The weight of the man next to her caused the leather seat to stretch, and she folded into the side of the large set man.
“Somewhere safe.” Edwyn whispered to her before placing a soft kiss on her cheek and smoothing her hair.
“We must go, now.” The driver said.
“Goodbye my love,” Her mother said. “Be a good girl and listen to what Aaron tells you.”
“I don’t want to go.” She screamed as the door shut.
“Don’t look back until you get to Keyla.” She said, her voice demanding. The vehicle lurched as the driver pressed his foot to the gas pedal making contact with the floor of the car.
Fidgeting in her seat, trying to face the city behind her. Catching glimpses of her friends and their families as they flowed into the church at the center of town. She could hear the humming of prayers get quieter as distance pulled them apart.
“Do you know where the other child is?” The driver asked. He shifted in his seat, getting ready for the long drive back to Belleza.
“No,” he said. “They said he was sent to live with his father after his mother disappeared. The boy is not my concern yet.” Turning back to the small girl, he took off the onyx necklace she was wearing and placed it inside a velvet case. She did not noticed.
“Mommy. Daddy. Don’t make me go. I promise I’ll be good.” She cried, her tiny fists pounding on the glass.
He enclosed his hands around her waist, trying to turn her around. “Please, sit down.”
“Take me home.” Hurdling her first towards the window, they broke through the thin glass, shattering the pane. The cracks spider webbed out, then shattered into the starless night. Shards danced as they entered her hand. She slumped over onto Aaron’s lap, blood dripping from her hands.
“You’ll be okay. Let’s get you patched up.” He said. Tearing his sleeve, he created a bandage for her delicate hands.
“But I don’t want to go.” She whispered.
“I know,” He said. “You are the most precious thing to your parents, and it’s important that I keep you safe.”
Adriana stared off into space as a large bolt of lightning struck overhead.
* * *
Air rushed into her throat, burning and scratchy. The air felt like hot sand hitting her lungs. Leaning her body over the bed, she coughed the heaviness out of her. Her memories playing again like a moving picture. Rarely did she dream. When she did, the same ghosts came to haunt her.
The night she left her family.
Rumors had spread by old adventurers of what had happened, but the only consistent story was that of swirling black smoke rising from the north.
Pu
lling her legs from the bed, she demanded they walk. Beside her, her friend’s sleeping form was missing.
“You see it, over there?” she heard the say. His voice carrying over the gentle wind. Were they close to their destination? Was Phoebe going to live? Her thoughts ran as she made her way through the cabin until she reached the ship’s deck.
As a newborn babe needs to be coddled and protected, her sister curled up inside Owen’s arms. Her tiny fingers clutched his shirt, every few seconds her grip would tighten as the pain coursed through her abdomen.
“About time you woke up,” Braian said. “We assumed you would nap through this whole ordeal.” The sun hit a metallic object in his hand. His fingers dancing over the edges.
“What are you playing with?” She asked.
“None of your damn business.” He said, his throat tightening. Fumbling his prize, he tucked it safely in his pant pocket.
Adriana walked toward him, eyeing his pocket, “Whatever it is, it must be important for you to get so angry about it.”
“I’m not angry.” He said. “It’s just none of your business.” Carefully she walked to the other side of him, eyeing his pocket, trying to make out a shape that would tell her what he was hiding.
“Stop it. You are making me uncomfortable.” He said, offering her a smile he continued, “The prince believes he has found the village. We are just trying to find a place to land. Either way we need to get Phoebe help and soon.”
Peering over the side an ocean of trees lead to a clearing. A green field stretched out for miles, a city that looked to be of pure crystal grew out of ground. The roofs of the buildings sparkled in the last of the daylight. She turned her head to where the prince was standing behind the steering wheel. She could see him watching her out of the corner of his eye. Since he had found them in Burling and her discovery behind the shower curtain, she felt more aware of his presence and his stare.
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