Royal Blood, The Harvest Ball

Finding A Narcissus

The ride to the sea port had been long and largely silent, Bethany had opted to ride in the same carriage as the servents in order to avoid any further interaction with her mother. Richard however, rode with mother in the main carriage. The two didnt speak much, Richard was preoccupied with thoughts of his recent nightmares and his mother too offended by his messy uncut hair to utter a word. In the final carriage, Bart and his wife sat together, a lingering awkwardness still floating about after their conversation that morning.

The sea port was busy and bustling as usual, alive with the sounds of singing and laughing pouring from ship to ship.

Barrels of ale rolled down planks from the sides of boats, there were goods trading and exchanging all around, with boxes of tea being tossed down human labour chains as the sea men and ship crew sang away, their lungs belting out like bagpipes.
Beneath the sky, seagulls cried in the blue morning glow, scavenging the shore, as large sweaty men hurled about boxes and barrels from one place to another.

The air itself had a salty smell, somewhere between a damp fishy sent and a fresh ocean breeze, tainted by the sent of unbathed men, persperating under the morning heat.

At the end of the dock, there was a huge wooden travel ship, decorated with the statue of a mermaid at the front and sporting the most humongous Withinglowian Flag. This was the King's personal ship, the one he had sent to collect the Forcendale family. It was an unusually kind gesture on his behalf, and a huge honour, but Lady Forcendale didnt think much into it.

The carriage of servants unloaded itself as they rushed about carrying bags and cases into the ship. Down from the boat stepped an old, kind faced gentleman, with the messiest grey hair. He was a short but fit fellow, and wore a Withinglowian captain's uniform, decorated with little silver and gold badges across his chest.

After disembarking, Lady Forcendale, Bart, Richard and Sophia all glided over to meet the captain, Bethany however didnt show much intrest.

She had never seen a boat so large before and she had found herself mesmerised by its impressive dimensions. Her mind raced curiously, she wanted to know more, how the wind beat aginst the large sails, how the sea roared against its walls, but most of all, how far across the horizon could it go. Something about that salty air beckonned her in, ignighting a taste for adventure.

"Woooo Hoooooo!!!" shouted a loud voice from above catching Bethany's attention.

Looking up, she noticed a tall dark haired man, with olive tanned skin, swinging on a rope by the sails. He had the most innocent smile on his face, his cheeks full of laughter as he flew between the posts lowering the sails. He was soaring, at least a good twenty feet in the air, it was a dangerous stunt indeed, but something about it looked so free and exciting to Bethany.

"Bethany do come aboard, all that sunlight will harden your skin" shouted Lady Forcendale as she and the family embarked upon the vessel,

"Coming mother" she said, taking a moment to gaze at the man once more as he leaped between the sail posts.

Aboard the ship, later that evening, the family settled in the main cabin for dinner. Bethany still mad at her mother, and dreadfully queasy from the rocking of the ship between the waves, decdided that she'd venture onto the main deck to settle her nausea in the open air.

Walking out onto the large empty deck, under the orange glow of the evening sky, Bethany felt the ocean breeze run through her fingers, as the salty air filled her lungs. She walked all the way to the Bow and propped her body in the pulpit taking in the magnificence of the endless blue waves.

"Magical"

she thought as she saw the glisten of a school of fish delow dancing underneath the ripples.
Staring at the horizon, hair flying in the wind she spread her arms like the wings of an angel, soaring at the tip of the boat. Climbing alittle higher up the bow pulpit, she screamed,

"WHOOOOOO!!" as the wind tore through her hair.
She had never felt so free before, free of mind, free of body, free of all the rules and laws that restricted her every day, feeling as though even gravity couldnt tame her imagination.

"My Lady..." she felt a pair of arms grab her waist as she glanced back, it was one of the ship men,
"Carefull, you wouldn't want to fall" a thick and charming accent added.

Looking properly, she noticed it was the dark haired man that she observed swinging in the sails at the dock. He was far more handsome up close, tall and muscular, with curly dark hair and mysterious black eyes. He was wearing a shirt now, well what was left one, he was indeed alittle rough around the edges, not as well put togethed as most of the men she knew.

"My lady... my lady.. my lady.... lady this lady that" she slurred mockingly, sea sickness getting the better of her,

"My name is Bethany, and i am in no danger" she scoffed brushing him off,

"Lady Forcendale, have you been... urmmm drinking" he said bracing her again as she stumbled,

"And what if i have? You think i a lady cannot handle her ale?" She pushed him away again, almost losing her balance,

"My mistake my lady... i-I mean Bethany," he said whilst giving her the kindest of eyes, "you look like the kind of lady that could handle all the ale of the world, and still sail the great sea with ease, but i have done much travel on these things, and even my bravest men, i wouldnt leave on the ships edge to fall, its far too dangerous" he added, softly grabbing her waist and helping her down.

She complied this time, reluctantly.

"Servent, did my mother send you?" She asked,

"Aye, she wants you back for dinner" he replied,

"Hmph, well i wont be going, and if you think for one second you can force me back with a smile and pleasing eyes you are wrong" she crossed her arms,

He laughed, tying his long curls back into a bun and stepping towards her,

"Well this is new, usually the pleasung eyes trick does the job" he laughed "but methinks you're alittle to strong for that... ill tell them I searched but i couldn't find you... have fun matey" he winked, as he turned to walk off of the deck and back into the boat,

"Sirr!!" she stopped him, "it would surely take you some time to conclude that i were lost, more than a mere few minuites" she added walking towards him, "why if you return now, theyll say that you didnt look hard enough"

"You are right, well i guess i could stay here and make sure you dont hurl yourself off of the boat" he laughed,

Giggling she looked into his soft calming eyes and her heart fluttered.

"Well actually i figured you could show me the workings of this vessel it is most magnificent" she said with a smile

"Well Beth... if i might call you so" he said sarcastically bowing infront of her,

"Shut up" she giggled, playfully slapping him, "i like Beth- and you are?"

"A poor boy who needs a shower" he said sniffing his armpit, "but my friend, you can call me Romeo, my mother did" he added,

"That is an itallian name, the accent makes peefect sense now" she replied,

"Itallian by birth, yes, however i belong to the sea" he said taking in the scenery, "now Beth, what would you like to see first?"