Legacy's Prince

Chapter Forty-Five: I Won't Let Him Hurt You

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I ask the "guard" walking alongside me, Axellia, and Seana.

"Of course!" Dezden answers as he carries one of my trunks, using his magic to disguise himself.

"Remember, if you get caught I'm not sure I can save you," I tell him.

"So I guess I better not get caught."

"Or you could just stay-" Axellia begins, but she's cut off by a loud:

"Oi!"

We turn at the sound of someone shouting to find Mariona, Tarron, Feiya, and Vivianna running towards us. I'm genuinely shocked to see them. It's the crack of dawn! No one else should be awake.

"You weren't leaving without saying goodbye, were you?" Vivianna asks.

"How did you know we were-" Axellia begins. But she's cut off again.

"I may have eavesdropped a little..." Vivianna admits, blushing, twirling a braid around her fingers.

I set my bags down and walk towards them, Axellia and Seana walking along behind me. Dezden starts to move towards them,, but the remembers he's in disguise and stops.

Mariona shoots him a glance. Her lips curl into a smirk. She winks, but does nothing else so as not to give him away. Dezden winks back and resumes his spot.

Feiya has both hands held to her chest, her bottom lip poking out as she approaches me, Axellia, and Seana.

"Do you really have to go?" she asks.

"Yes," Axellia sighs. "It's not safe for us here anymore. Not with the riots going on."

"But, we'll come back when things calm down," I add.

"If they calm down," Tarron mutters under his breath.

Mariona nudges him in the shoulder, causing his ears to stand up straight as he clears his throat. "Which I'm sure they will. And we'll be eagerly awaiting your return."

"And you better come back soon! We have the end of the year tournament to prepare for!" Mariona adds.

Axellia smiles as she nods her head.

Feiya's bottom lip sticks out all the more as she rushes towards us, pulling us both into a hug along with Seana. "Oh! I'm going to miss you, though!"

I almost numbly set my hand on her wing. I've known since last night we're leaving, but something about getting a good-bye hug from Feiya makes it real.

Feiya lets us both go as she runs past us to Seana. "I'll miss you too!"

Seana smiles as Feiya lets us go and Mariona pulls her into a hug. I see her grin disappear as Mariona's arms circle around her, though.

Bless her! She looks terrified!

And who can blame her?

As Vivianna, Feiya, Mariona, and Tarron continue to bid us farewll, I catch a glimpse of someone peaking from behind a shed near the dock.

It's Rugrell. He meets my gaze and smirks. Despite his arrogant grin there's an almost sad look about his eyes.

Two more figures appear as Frin and Drark poke out from behind him. Dark bursts into laughter. Frin, however, just stands there, watching us board the ship to head home.

If you can even call it that.

*************

The sun is setting over the deep horizon as I inhale, relishing in the smell of the ocean. Not long now and I won't be able to enjoy this. I'll be locked away in my chambers once more.

The sailors busy themselves around me, preparing to make dock tonight.

I ignore them and reach into my vest pocket, pulling out my journal. I flip through the notes I've taken on all the dragon holders I've found. What would they have done in my situation?

Dezden, disguised as a sailor, shuffles by, winking at me to try and reassure me. I smile at him and notice Seana coming to the upper deck, dressed in her lady-in-waiting uniform once more. I can tell she hates it, and I hate it for her. She's come so far, only to fall back into the same role she was confined to before.

None of this is right! We're not supposed to be going back now! Seana is never supposed to come back ever again!

But here we are, and my mind is swirling with questions. 

How do I convince father to pull out of Omniphilo? He hasn't seen the riots. Now that I think about it, I cannot remember a time since the war that he's left the New Capital. He must not know what this is causing. He must be as unaware of Durcardi's international history as I was. If he knew what this was causing, if he knew this could only lead to unrest, which would then eventually lead to war, he would pull out and try to make amends.

The only question is how do I get him to listen?

He listens to no one, much less me.

     A soft set of footsteps come towards me, breaking my thoughts. Seana nervously leans on the rail, looking sickish and determined at the same time.

     "Oi, no need for that," I say as I tuck the journal back into my vest pocket and grab her arm, lead her back to the middle of the deck and help her sit on a barrel as I lean against the mast. She sighs in relief, glad to be away from the water.

    "Thank you," she whispers.

    "Don't mention it," I shrug.

     "Are you alright?" Seana asks.

     "Yes, of course," I answer.

     "You're lying," she states.

     "Maybe."

     "What's on your mind?"

     "What's not on my mind?"

     "You know you can talk to me about it, right?"

     "Hm," I do know that. I just don't know how to put what I'm feeling into words. I look back at Seana, her uniform. I've seen her in this outfit so many times but seeing her in it now seemed, odd, almost wrong. Seana was more than just a pleasantly faced girl who could braid hair and stitch up tears in silk gowns. She'd bested every student in our class in combat and physical training. She'd taught herself to read and write from our notebooks. She'd survived being a prisoner-of-war.

And yet I already knew all of this about her. Well, not the combat part. I'm still not sure where she'd obtained those skills. But I knew she was strong. I knew she was brilliant. Yet something about watching her since our time at the Academy take steps towards freedom and confidence, only to be forced back into a position of submission, forced to make her phoenix fly farther behind us with Zahairas is just...

     "Are you afraid?" I ask.

     "What?" Seana looks up at me.

     "Are you afraid to go back?"

     Seana hangs her head. "Yes."

     I sigh as I sit down next to her, setting my hand on her shoulder. "I won't let him hurt you."

     She smiles softly. "I know you'll do your best, but-"

     "I won't let him hurt you," I repeat, firmer.

     She looks at me strangely, but nods. We don't say anything else, just sit and stare at the stars slowly appearing in the skies.

     "Land ho!" someone calls. Seana stiffens, and I slip my arm around her.