Rudimentum: Oracle

Chapter 3

Four days passed and Elysia's seasickness eased as her body acclimatised to the ship's constant lurching. She leaned over the side railing, gripping the wood until her knuckles turned white to keep her legs from collapsing under her. She groaned as the water surged alongside the ship's hull in white frothy spurts, droplets drying on her face and neck.

"Feeling any better?" asked William coming up beside her and laying a gentle hand on her back.

"A little," she said, giving him a small smile. It faded quickly. "I am worried about my parents. I have not dreamed anything these past two nights, but I have a terrible feeling."

"We will reach Kimera as soon as we can and King Brandon will help us. Who knows, maybe Mordrake is already dead and we can return to Vasilis sooner than you think," he said. His heart burst in nerves as Elysia leaned her head against his shoulder.

She wished all the men on that ship would disappear for just a moment and leave only her and William. A moment, that was all she needed.

"How is it you always know what to say and do?" she said, smiling to herself.

"As long as I am not useless."

"You will never be useless," she said with conviction. "When my father found you in Burwood Forest, you truly remembered nothing?" She had barely spoken to him on the topic, fearing it to be the wound that still cut deep.

"Not even my own name. Your father named me William Corvus," he said. He stole a glance at her.

"William was my uncle's name and Corvus is my father's favourite constellation, but I am sure he told you that. You are named after the stars, Will." She looked up at him and smiled. Her heart warmed to see him return it as gently as a snowflake.

"Your father saved my life. I owe him everything," he said. He had always felt great affection for her father and a deep respect ever since he had met him. He remembered the day as clearly as he saw Elysia beside him. A great horse and an even greater man. It was his first happy memory. He hoped to the Gods he was all right.

Elysia hesitated, squeezed the immovable rails, and asked, "How does it feel not being able to remember?"

"In the beginning it felt dark and empty. All I remembered was how to fight and survive. I remember coming out of the trees, hungry and cold, and looking up at your father. He was like a giant on a dragon and he just gave me a look that I still cannot describe to this day. He found out what I could do, and he enlisted me in the guards and well, you know the rest," he said.

"When you came to the castle, did you ever imagine that..." She wanted to finish, but the fear returned like the tide. She had been five years old when her father had brought him home. She had watched him grow from a distance, a chance meeting here or there, glances through the halls. Until three years ago when she was fourteen and he twenty-two, when her father had assigned him as her personal guard, and she had truly gotten to know him. She wanted to finish her question, but the voice inside her head told her she was too small and weak and that his answer would always be no. A small word to break a heart.

"Imagine what?" he said.

Instead, she cleared her throat and said, "Did you ever imagine you would be one of his best and most trusted guards?"

William hid his frown. He detected other words trailing in her throat and sensed a conflict in her lowered eyes, but he did not press her. He gave her a simple answer. "No."

"Vasilisian ship on the port side!" a sailor shouted.

The captain came up behind them and cleared his throat. William's arm fell from her back and Elysia looked away, turning her attention to the ship on the horizon. The captain said, "Your highness, they fly the Vasilisian flag and look to be in distress, signalling that they have run low on supplies and their sails look to be damaged. Usually, we would lend aid but getting you to Kimera as soon as possible is our utmost priority, however the call is yours."