Elria: The New World

7 - Kaeden

The docks of Comraich Kyst were quiet as Kaeden's ships docked. His ship docked next to a smaller one with... pink sails?

Cute.

By the colour of the sails and the flag they flew, Kaeden knew they were Amerosian. By the glares and whispers coming from their ship, he knew they realized they were from Cerisi. There was a long-standing history of tension between Ameros and the continent of Erisia, the land Cerisi lay right next to. It wasn't uncommon for Erisian and Amerosian crews to devolve into fights when they encountered each other. Hopefully, this could be avoided.

They were the only two ships on this quartered of part of the dock. Kaeden helped his crew disembark and secure the ship to the dock. As he backed away from the ship, carrying a heavy chest full of armour and gear, his back was to the docks. Normally, a crew member would be behind him, making sure he didn't collide with someone, but for whatever reason no one was helping him. Inevitably, he bumped into someone, and the person fell over. Kaeden dropped the chest in surprise, nearly dropping it on several people's toes.

He wiped around to help the stranger, reaching out to help them up. The stranger, a longhaired blonde, doesn't immediately grab Kaeden's hand to get up, seemingly very startled, giving Kaeden the time to get a good look at... her? No. Him. The blonde is several heads shorter than Kaeden, tiny really, with wide emerald eyes. They're mesmerising, so mesmerising that, for a moment, he didn't notice the blonde's expression shift from confusion to anger.

"Look where you're going, you bloody-" the blonde hissed and scrambled to their feet, smacking Kaeden's hand away.

Kaeden shook himself out of his trance and started to apologise, when Arynn stepped in front of him, getting in the blonde's face. "Look, Miss, you'll give our Prince some respect."

"Tell your Prince to learn how to walk." Kaeden was about to step in front of the two and attempt to deescalate the situation, when a sailor stepped out from amidst the crowd behind the blonde.

"Flynn, are you alright?" The sailor looked back and forth between Kaeden and Flynn, who was now glaring daggers at Arynn.

"I'm fine," He muttered, rubbing a bruise on his forearm that the sailor locked his eyes on. "Let's just go."

"Did you hurt him?" The sailor's hand strayed to the hilt of his sword, eyes still on Flynn's arm.

Kaeden spoke up. "I'm-"

Arynn interrupted, getting in the sailor's face. "He got in our way."

"Oh, I didn't know the docks belonged to you and your royal jackass." The sailor shoved Arynn backwards. A crowd was beginning to form around the four, Kaeden's crew on his side and, presumably, Flynn's on his side. The blonde was also joined by a scarlet haired archer who grabbed his forearm, right above the bruise. Several of the sailors were armed, most of them were getting angry. Arynn's hand hovered over his mace's hilt.

"Don't you dare fucking touch-"

"Enough! Arynn, enough. It was an obvious misunderstanding." His yell was punctuated by a crack of lightning. He shoved Arynn out of the way. "I'm sorry. We have a medic on board who can help with your injuries."

"I'm fine." The blonde answered absently, eyes fixed on the gathering grey clouds. He held up his formally injured hand. It was almost completely healed, the bruise looked weeks old.

"How did you-" He was interrupted yet again.

This time by a throat clearing and a wooden staff tapping against the floor. He and Flynn both turned towards the source of the noise; A little grey, dark skinned lady in priestess robes.