timelesscantabile
I was not expecting us to make it to port so soon. Not so quickly after my kidnapping. Honestly, I could not tell whether making it to land was a welcome surprise or not.
The questions still burned fiercely in my mind as the men came parading into the hold. Light blinding me, I couldn't help but wonder them once more, fear surging forth anew.
Where were they taking me?
Why *had* they taken me?
What was going to happen once we got to their destination?
And most importantly.... what was going to happen to me?
The chains to my shackles clattered noisily to the ground as an ale-breathed sailor unlocked the manacles that bound me to the wall. I scarcely had the time to rejoice in having my now raw wrists freed from their bondage before the same pan roughly grabbed them and started tying them with a length of rope. Under his breath, he gave a warning not to move or try anything. It was pointless to say, really.
Where would I go even if I did try?
The sun seared over high as I stepped out from my dark confines, following the trio of sailors as they pulled me by the rope like a dog on the leash. Part of me was grateful they did, considering my eyes were so strained by the sudden shock of light, that I hardly a clue as to where I was going.
"Step down easily, Miss." Warned an unfamiliar voice. I was too afraid and unable to look up to see who it was, "Plank's a bit tricky coming down."
I blinked my eyes, focusing on my feet as I trailed behind. The cluster of the ship's crew was growing thicker as we made our way off the ship and onto the pier beside. Gulls cried as they glided in the wind. It suited that the moment I acknowledged the birds, I had felt something wet land on my head.
Amazing that I had yet to cry during that whole endeavor. Being attacked, beaten, kidnapped, and left chained to a wall in the bowels of a filth-ridden ship with nothing but hard tack and lukewarm water for sustenance wasn't enough to make me break.
No... It had to be something silly. Like the excretion of a terrible fowl, and my inability to wipe it off as it started running down the side of my head - defiling my golden curls.
Now there was no stopping them.
Her braided hair glistened in the fragmented sunlight, glimmering and dancing as they flowed in the air. The silver light emanating from each strand left me mesmerized, standing there dumbfounded and unmoving for what seemed like an eternity.
So... this is what it was like to meet a Lady of the Moon.
It was amazing, how even in the golden, coppery glow of the setting sun, her hair still stood out with such an amazing silvery aura. Every way she moved was more graceful, more beautiful than any human woman on earth. Her complexion was paler than what was deemed possible on my kingdom's bronze and rosy flesh. And her garment... Her eyes, her smile. Everything about her made me want to go to her.
But there was a danger in that, wasn't there? After all, there are many a tale that have been told to my people time and time again about foolish men who meet a Lady of the Moon.
About how you'd never find anything but their bones and garments after.
But still, despite the danger, I stood like an imbecile. That was, until our eyes met.
And oh, even though my heart gave a start, even though my instincts told me to run...
.... How she smiled so warmly my way.
Her whole body turned to face me as our eyes held each other's gaze. They were as dazzling and silver as her hair. It almost looked as if you could see the stars in her eyes.
The light was fading around me. Soon it would be nightfall.
Soon she'd be at full power. If I didn't run now...
.... But if I ran now, would I be able to see that wonderful smile again?
Just as I thought that, the Lady moved, tilting her head slightly to the side and extending her hand palm up to me, "Kindly.... Will you come join me?"
My eyes widened, my entire being suddenly at war with myself. Time was running out. I needed to run. I needed to go to her. Hold her and celebrate her existence. I'll die. I needed to live. Run. Survive. Be in her arms forever.
Life.
Death.
Life.
Her.
Everything else...
The Lady waited patiently in the rapidly dying light. The aural circle around her was growing in my field of vision. So long as I stayed outside it, I would be safe. And I would long to be in that silvery embrace for the rest of my life.
I looked to her eyes, which were so wide, so pleading as she moved her pale blue lips again.
"Please?" Said she. It was enough to make me want to cry.
I had to move. I knew this to be the truth now. No matter which way, forward or back, to her or away, I had to move now.
Clenching my jaw, shutting my eyes tightly, and balling up my fists, I took a deep breath.
And I allowed my feet to move. The leaves and twigs cracked underneath as I did so.
And guess which way it was??
"Tell me a name. Any name at all - first and last, mind you, and I'll be able to predict any and everything that will transpire throughout their lives!!" The man waved his arms at either side of him, as if he were about to embrace me in a hug, and threw up the biggest, widest, most jovial smile anybody would ever be able to behold. Was it wrong that when I saw that expression, I at first thought, 'Oh, so that's what a genuine smile - what happiness - is supposed to look like..?' In my world, full of diamonds, dresses, and extravagance... why had I never seen such a smile? Heck, for this one, it even reached to his eyes.
And he was a peasant, of all things. A peasant!!
Still, happy or not, I remained skeptical. How could one person know such things? Powers were not unheard of. But that did not stand to reason that every woven tapestry of tales someone presents you should automatically be deemed true.
"Any name, you say?" I said, letting it show that I was not convinced. Jutting my chin upward so I could attempt to look down on him (which was a failure from the start, given my rather small stature in comparison), I challenged, "Alright... So what would you predict about me, then?"
The man smiled again, this time parting his lips in the process in order to show his grimy teeth. Shouldn't have surprised me to see such a deplorably dirty mouth. There wasn't an inch on him that was clean, if I dared say. "On yourself, eh? Well, what would you like to know?" A glint shone in his eyes as he straightened his back. "Or rather... when? Would you like to know what will happen tomorrow? A week from now? Seven years, even?"
There wasn't much to deliberate upon with that question. "I want to know everything."
The man's smile vanished. For a moment, he looked at me as if I said the strangest thing in the world. "Everything, you say?"
"Yes. Everything. You said you could predict everything, or did you not?"
The man's eyes averted, his bushy eyebrows furrowing downward in thought. After a couple seconds, he shook his head nervously, "No... No no no, you wouldn't want that, son-"
"Excuse me?"
"-sir. Beggin' your pardon, I meant sir." Amended the man. As much as I should, I didn't press further on his suddenly forgetting his place. "It's not good for a boy young as yourself to know everything that is to happen in your life. Why, I'd be afraid it would drive any poor chap mad.
"I'd say that stands to reason with some perceivable proof, would it not?" Challenged I once more. I was not going to let this go.
Before he could give another answer, another idea popped into my mind. "How about this? I'll give you 100 chapts if you tell me. Then, for everything you say that indeed comes true, I'll give you an additional 50. Should you get everything right, you'll be quite set for the rest of your, or rather my, life, now would you? If need be, I'll even have a scribe come to write down everything you could possibly divine. What say you to that?"
As I had spoken this, I had seen his expression change considerably. Though the money was mere pocket change to me, I knew it was much more than that to him. As father always told me, money can change a man's mind in a solid heartbeat. It rarely ever failed.
The man licked his chapped lips as he stared downward. After some time, he looked back to me. "... Are you sure you want to do this, sir? This could very well be the biggest mistake you make. Knowing your whole life-"
"Do we have an accord or not?" I interrupted, losing my patience. If I was to be honest, only half of me wanted his claims to be true. The other half wanted to see this man fall victim to his own lunatic lies. But one could only hold my attention for so long without boring me by constant hesitation. The nerve, even! A peasant worrying over and doubting the pristine decisions of nobility... I wondered if there was a punishable offense for that too.
A heavy sigh emitted from the man as he shook his head once more. My shoulders slumped, bracing for the coming 'no'. But instead, he held out his hand.
"Accorded it is, sir. I have to feed my daughter, after all." Upon seeing my disgusted face when looking down at his hand, he dropped it back to his side. "I just hope you don't come to regret this later."
"As do I hope that for you." I told him with all the arrogance a young boy could muster. I had the utmost confidence that, if someone were in the danger of regretting this exchange of words, it would have been him.
Of course, as we learn upon looking back at our twelve year-old selves, we are able to see just how wrong we really were back then.
As was I. And that terrible mistake that occurred in that busy street side of Revoc is only the beginning.
And this here... is my story.
He held the gadget in his hand, staring at it and flipping it around as if it were the first time he had ever seen it before. Then again, given his current situation... maybe it was.
"So... what... does it do exactly?" Timidly, the teenager asked, looking back up to me with those same startling sapphire eyes he did before. I straightened a bit, finding it odd that my hypothesis was correct about him for once.
"It..." How do I explain what it does to him? And without raising up too many more useless questions to go with it? Try as hard as I did in that moment to think up a method, I really had no clue. It was like explaining to a cave man what a television was.
So I gave the easiest, simplest answer I could possibly fathom to give, "It... shows you alternate outcomes based on the decisions you could have but didn't make in the past. What things could have been, if particular circumstances and choices were made."
Greyson stared at me with sheer confusion before looking back at the palm-sized contraption once again. I had expected a 'how?' or 'why would someone make that?' from him next, but no such questions came. Instead, I saw something set in his eyes, in his countenance. He stared at the thing with an increased sharpness I had never seen before.
There was something he wanted to see. Badly.
And I couldn't help but wonder... what could that thing be, to cause such a disturbingly grim expression on this soft, timid kid?
She wasn't real.
That's what I had to keep telling myself as the soft visage of the robot looked to me with those startling bluish green eyes. Her smile was so entrancing, it was absolutely vexing. I felt myself being inevitably pulled in by her charm, her kindness, her 'warmth'.
But no. I shouldn't be thinking like that. What I was witnessing wasn't a heart, or even a personality. It was just the programming. A fragment of software developed by some lonely bespectacled white coat with a computer tan. Nothing more.
"Is there something wrong, Tai?" Asked the humanoid robot, smile suddenly falling away into concern. If I looked close enough, I could even see them waver in uncertainty. As if the emotions she brought out were actually real.
Why had I been so stupid in the first place, anyway? If I had known this girl wasn't human in the first place, I wouldn't have gone so far out of my way to save her. I wouldn't have gotten stuck into some sick delusion that I was falling for her.
Even worse.... Even after I found out the truth about her.... I found that my feelings couldn't change.
I still had feelings for her. Try as hard as I might, I couldn't shake off the sense of love I had felt for her before.
... What was I going to do now? What was there *to* do?
'Take her back to the store and get a refund?' A dark part of me joked grimly.
"Tai? Really, you have me worried..."
No I didn't. It was impossible for her to 'worry'.
"Please tell me what's wrong?"
Reluctantly, I looked her way, locking eyes with her once more. And once again, I found myself unable to resist. Temptation to just bring her into my arms, kiss her head, and pretend like nothing ever happened washed over me. Hold myself back as I tried, I ended up reaching out for her hand. Willingly, she took hers in mine, wrapping her small fingers around and holding tightly. As if she were afraid to let go.
I didn't want to let go, either. And it was in that moment that I decided I wouldn't. Couldn't. It would hurt to much to do so.
"I'll be fine." I said, smiling reassuringly, "We'll both be fine. No need to worry 'bout any of this, okay, Isabelle?"
Face softening back into a smile, she nodded slightly. We then stepped closer, falling into a tight and warm embrace. I threaded my fingers through her hair. Closed my eyes. Took everything in.
I had just walked into the most tumultuous and trying moment of my life. I knew this. Even through the happiness and contentment I felt with her, I knew that the worst would yet to come.
Question was..... Would I be strong enough to face it?
The acoustic strums of the guitar reverberated off the bare brick walls as Sav continued to play. Lili sat up straight at the melodies that emitted from the instrument, entranced by the notes that flowed so freely from his fingertips. Stiffly, she shifted in the beanbag, the room's only existing piece of furniture, and listened intently, trying to carve every note into her mind.
But all too soon, it was over. The last of the chords were struck and let to fade on their own in the now quiet air. It was only then that Sav looked up at met Lili's eyes. How she hated and loved when he looked at her like that. It was reeling, how so much euphoria and apprehension could arise from one single look.
"So yeah. Told you it was crap." He smiled, leaning back to get his guitar case.
And of course, at once, Lili leaned forward from her beanbag and shook her head vigorously, "No, of course it's not!! Sav, that was amazing - I loved it!"
At that, Sav did a double-take her way. He stared at her, as if trying to make sure whether or not she was joking. "Seriously? I was all over the place. The rhythm was off, and the key-"
"Sav." Interrupted the girl again, "It. Rocked. Don't ever sell yourself short with your talent. Okay?"
There was another pause, and eternity of silence and staring, before Sav wordlessly resumed placing the instrument back in its case. Three clicks echoed off the walls as he fastened it closed.
Why did the air get so... heavy all of a sudden?
"Lili." He spoke as he took the handle and got to his feet. "There's something I have to say... so hear me out."
Lili hesitantly nodded, giving the okay. Part of her hoped like a lovestruck fool that it would be a confession of his love for her. However, as he opened his mouth, she slowly became aware that it was nothing of the sort.
... And what he had to say would forever change her world forever.
The whiskey glass was completely empty before his friend even finished the first sentence. Amber-colored droplets littered his mustache as he suppressed a hearty belch. The young boy kept yapping away, nonetheless, not at all put off by the man's blatant attempt to ignore him. Growling under his breath, he motioned for the barkeep to pour him another glass. A stronger one.
"- and that's why we're in need of your assistance, sir. There's no other way Cecilia and I can do this." The boy finished, looking with wide earnest eyes to Gerald's direction. A full minute passed, but the boy didn't look away.
Gerald tipped his head back, allowing the burning liquid to run down his throat, and hoped it would addle his senses enough for this encounter to not be as such a pain in the neck as it was then. Too bad it still was. "Boy." Came his gruff voice, still refusing to meet the boy's gaze, "Do you even have the slightest fathom in your pea-brained head what you'd be gettin' yerself into if you call on the help from *me*?"
"Yessir." The boy nodded vigorously, "I know what it takes to be granted the favors of a djinni, sir, and Cecilia and I-"
"-are willin' ta take the risks?" Gerald finished.
"Yessir, we are."
At once, Gerald could feel it in his bones. The pull of his curse coming back to life, the inevitability too grant the wish and favor of all those who ask it. But he didn't want to take it. Not this job. Not for this boy. Doing so, he already knew, would turn into nothing but regret and disaster.
Wishes made in the name of 'love' were always the worst in that way.
"So, will you do it for us? Please, sir. We've no other option to take."
"There's always another option, son." He retorted, pulling the rim of his rawhide hat down over his bloodshot eyes. Slowly, the drunkard turned to face the young man, using the rim to block his gaze from the boy's eyes. There was an oddity to be had in this ankle biting kid; most people that found him delivered orders and demands out of Gerald. This one, on the other hand, actually had the guts to ask. But while that had never happened before, the results would still remain the same, "There's always other things ta do 'fore gettin' so desp'rate as ta be askin' someone like me. Yer goin' ta lose all else ya care about. And if ya don' die, yer gonna wish ya did by the end of it."
"I don't care!" The boy declared, rising to his feet. Of course he didn't care. None of them did. "For her... For her, I have to at least try, sir!! Please, do this for us - for Cecilia!"
The whiskey glass clanged heavily onto the table. "Ya want it done that badly?" He didn't even wait for the boy's answer this time, "Then it'll be done."
"Thank you so much, si-!"
"Take me there."
This made the boy pause. Finally. "Wait... what?"
"Take me to yer town. Where the girl is."
"But.... Can't you just snap your fingers and be done with it?"
"Yeah, well, this time I wanna do it in person. See the r'sults for myself. Gotta problem wit' that, boy?"
"N-no sir. Of course not."
"Then lead the bloody way." Proclaimed the djinni, staggering to his feet. He almost smirked at seeing the boy's flustered expression. Didn't think he'd have to have the djinni ride with him back across the desert, did he? Well, hopefully the ride back will get the boy to second-guess what he was asking.
Just so long as they take their time in getting there. So long as he didn't outright demand his wish to be granted...
.... Then he still might have a chance at happiness.....
........ Otherwise.....
Taking a big sigh of relief, Chrissa fell backwards and allowed herself to land on the soft plush, luxurious bed behind her. Ah, how a relief it was to finally relax, to finally get away from all the stressful hubbub that had been going on for the past week. Closing her eyes, she allowed all thoughts and worries wash away from her body. So tired.... After everything, she really needed this.
And there was no better place to relax than at the Inne d'Extravagance, right? Never had she ever been in such a high-end vicinity before. The room in which she was now basking actually had air conditioning. AIR CONDITIONING!! Man's most modern of marvels, and here she was in the middle of its full experience!! She honestly could not even imagine that she had just straight in from a sweltering summer day just a couple hours ago. The thought was so extraordinary, she could almost laugh.
Yes, this was a great reprieve indeed, and she was going to soak it up as much as she could....
.... She would very much need it later for the storm that was soon to come.
A toothy grin stretched across his pale face as he stared down the edge of the building, at the carnage below. Something emitted from his throat. It took Naomi sometime before she realized the sound was actually a laugh.
The sound grew in volume and strength going from a grim chuckle to an all-out hysterical cackle. Naomi felt her blood run cold as her friend continued to lose all sense of himself, as he seemed to finally break away from all remnants of sanity to which he clung. So desperately she wanted to move, to run away. Yearn as she did to do so, despite herself, she stayed rooted to the spot, eyes transfixed on the hunched figure. Unable to look away.
The look in her eye was severe, cold, callous, and harsh. Her irises were eerily illuminated in the growing and ebbing half light of the cars as they passed by on the rain soaked highway. Folding her arms, she stared unblinkingly at me and said in a monotonous voice, "Is that what you really think? You think you can just return to your normal life before? That the world will just turn into rainbows and sparkles at your command?"
"What? N-no, I wasn't saying that! I-!" Why was she being like this? What happened to the sweet carefree girl I had seen before? Looking at the person standing before me now and contrasting it with the smiling image from that very morning, I had a hard time imagining those two were the same people. Which one was the real her? Which one was a farce?
"Then what did you mean, Thomas?! Tell me!!" She stomped her foot and grew closer to me. How pathetic was it that I actually winced at her approach? Twice as tall I was to her, and yet I felt afraid, shaking and shivering in the icy rain as it soaked through my clothes. It was hard to admit, but I knew it to be true. After everything that had happened that day, I was more scared than I had been in my life.
And, knowing that what she said was true, that my life would never be the same again after everything.... That I could never go home, walk the same streets to and from school, or see the ones I loved and cared about....
It absolutely.... positively... horrified me beyond reason.
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