The Portal

I 1.7 On the way

Palatials, 1133

It didn't take long for Noa to find Liam and Joshua on the ship. The two had already stored their bags and were playing cards in the Kaal's pavilion. Many of the nobles who frequented Shailaja took this route to get there. After passing through Palatials, the ship would anchor in Tegalaan, Hiwot and other lands to the north. The first to board would even spend the night on the ship. The trip would not be short for them either. It was at least another ten hours until Shailaja, with favorable currents.

They played cards until lunchtime. Then they went to the dining room. At a table, they already saw some tutors. Mr. Alfred Theirn, who taught History of Civilizations, bowed when the Kaal entered. He was sitting with Mr. Killian Winoc, who trained the sports teams and taught combat techniques, and Mrs. Véronique Ainsley. Véronique coordinated dance, singing and etiquette lessons and was the nightmare of Shailaja's young women. Good thing they didn't have to deal with her. They waved and sat down at a table in the corner of the room. A servant soon came, and they asked for wine, soup for starter and a meat stew.

- Roparzh, look who's here - Joshua indicated a table to the right with his head.

In addition to the teachers, there were many traders who took this route and nobles who used to meet there every year. At the table Joshua indicated three young women were seated, but Noa did not recognize any of them.

- Who are you talking about, Blake?

- Hey, the rani that Liam courted last year ... The blonde one.

In addition to having a bad memory for Liam's romances, Joshua did not have a good view from a distance.

- Sybilla? It's not her, Blake! Where are your glasses? - replied Noa, laughing.

- Sybilla doesn't take this ship ... She doesn't come this way, it couldn't be her - said Liam without taking his eyes off the table. Despite Joshua's mistake, the young woman was incredibly similar to Sybilla. Her eyes were big and blue, her hair was long and blond... But she was thinner. Her skin glowed as if she had spent the summer on the beach... Hadn't Sybilla said she was going home in the summer? The young woman was talking to two more and smiling. The smile was identical! Liam was speechless.

- Blake, to be fair, she looks very much like Sybilla... - observed Noa, slowly.

The resemblance was striking, but the three agreed that she couldn't be Sybilla. After a few minutes of staring at the other table, Liam concluded that she would never take that route without sending him a letter. When they were in the same place, Sybilla made sure he knew.

- Creepy - said Liam at last.

- Who are those others? - asked Joshua.

- No idea. Will they go to Shailaja? - Noa asked, quickly assessing the three: in addition to the blonde, there was a redhead and a brunette. He watched the brunette closely, but soon concluded that her skin was too pale and, even sitting, he could tell she was tall. She could not be a palatial, let alone Hannah Maël.

- We've never seen them before... I can't believe it! It's impossible to miss that redhead there - said Liam.

- Good afternoon, gentlemen, My Kaal - interrupted a thin voice.

They were so busy staring at the other table that they didn't even notice Daria approaching. Daria Ainsley was the youngest daughter of Mrs. Véronique Ainsley and the last to attend Shailaja. Noa, Liam and Joshua had known her since she was little. Aydan Aisnley, her older brother, had been a veteran. He had left Shailaja a few years ago and had become an important general in the Rariff army. He was a trusted man of the Kral Ür and Noa considered him a good friend.