| Later that night, 10:47, by the docks of the capital |
Hiding beside a closed shop, I sighed softly going over the plan one more time. "So I'm to find a vessel called the Cherry Blossom and ask for a Jasmine and Patrick." I reached in my coat's pocket to pull out a camera that Tara gave me. She told me that in this camera, there's pictures of who I'm supposed to be looking for. I opened the camera and clicked through the gallery before I came across a photo that was taken in secret. It showed a man slipping as he was coming down a ship's board and a woman right behind him laughing as he fell. "Those two must be Jasmine and Patrick. Okay I'll have to leave as soon as possible." I was about to put the camera away again before I looked back at the photo. Specifically at the woman. Jasmine is her name. She looks.. familiar to me. Her hair and body type. "Jasmine.. hmm." I put the camera away and tapped my communicator watch turning it on. "If anyone would know, she would." I clicked on a contact and turned the volume down a bit as it started ringing. I waited patiently until my call was answered. Then a female voice could be heard from my watch.
"Leo! Oh my stars it's been so long since you've decided to contact me! How are you sweetheart?" I smiled a bit awkward, feeling my cheeks heat up a bit at what I'd been called.
"Hey, Aunt Ryane. I'm doing okay. How about you?" I made sure to keep my voice down as I spoke.
"Oh you know, worrying about my only nephew because he decided he wanted to become part of the capital's best soldier brigade. How's that going by the way? Have you been sent on any cool missions yet?"
"Yes actually. Almost a week ago, I was chosen with going to a city called Rëpica with some other soldiers to collect a girl that the Queen wants dead."
"Oh wow, really? Did you manage to catch her name?" I chuckled a bit at her question.
"Well I didn't really have a choice because during her stay on the ship, I was tasked with being her food deliverer. All hours of each day. Her name is Tara."
"Wait- Tara? Is her last name Koldem?"
"You know her too?" I tilted my head.
"Yeah I know OF her. Your moms were setting up their house for one of Heidi's friends' niece, Devin because she's on a mission to get Tara back. I was supposed to be fixing up some weapons for the girl. It's gotta be luck that you managed to meet Tara."
I sighed relieved. This is gonna be so much easier. "Okay. I have a favor to ask you."
"Oh yeah? Alright shoot."
"I'll do my best to keep it brief. Tara and I somehow became friends during her time on the ship. We shared the stories of what the Queen did to us. I think it was last night or the night prior that she told me she had a plan for getting revenge on the Queen."
"She wants to do WHAT now? How old is this girl again?"
"I believe she turned fifteen a while ago."
"So she hasn't even gotten her Memory yet. What is she thinking?" I clicked my tongue a bit.
"Focus Aunt Ryane. Her Memory is actually why the Queen wants her dead."
"Oh really? Does she actually have one at such a young age?"
"According to one of the Elite reports that I managed to sneak a look at, Her Majesty believes that Tara was born with and possesses the power of the Ancient Star Guardian. An infinite and divine power that was only possessed and controlled by the royal Koldem family centuries ago."
"Wait so- on top of being royalty, she ALSO could have the most powerful known Memory across the galaxies?"
"Insane right? Anyway. After some heavy arguing, I reluctantly and possibly even stupidly agreed to assist her. She gave me a task to do and with the information you've given me, Mom and Mama, it'll be a lot easier."
"Okay so what's your task?"
"She asked me to go back to Rëpica and look for a man and woman called Patrick and Jasmine. Knowing that Devin is on her way, I can relay that to Tara."
"I take it the favor you wanted to ask me for would be...?"
"I wanted to know if you knew a woman named Jasmine because she looked familiar. Now I know its because Mom and Mama know her."
"Well- only my sister knows her. Heidi's wife only knows about her from stories that Heidi used to tell."
I shook my head. "Either way, can you ask Mom to get in contact with either Patrick or Jasmine, maybe both, and ask them to make their way to my house?"
"Uhh.. that might be doable. Can I ask why?"
"Tara asked me to look for them and ask about how their journey is going. She said they were supposed to be escorting her and Devin to another city called Icamus."
"I see. Are you gonna come back home so you can get their help?"
"She only asked me to look for them and get information for her but that might be smarter. I'll have to contact her later tonight and let her know. I just need to know. Can you help me out here and ask them? I'll make my way home to meet up with everyone. Please?" I heard her sigh softly.
"Well.. you don't usually ask for help. You're just like your mom. So okay. I'll make sure they both know your plan."
"Thank you so much."
"Of course. Do you have a way to get here?"
"Uh.. no? I was just gonna steal a spare craft from the royal ship."
"You were- oh my stars. No, Leo." She sighed disappointedly. "Wait where you are. I'll pick up your location and ask my husband to go and get you."
I chuckled sheepishly. "Thanks. That sounds a lot better."
"Of course it does, dummy. I'll call you back and stay on the phone with you once I have your location and my answer okay?"
I nodded looking up at the sky, watching a really bright and unusually large star zoom through the night sky right over the capital. "Yes ma'am. I'll be right here."
"Good boy. I'll be right back." With that, she ended the call, leaving me in the silence of the calm empty docks. I sighed softly sitting back against the shop, listening to the calm waves wash up against the shore.
"Thank the Kings for her." So there are more ties in this situation than I thought. My moms and aunt were supposed to be housing and helping Devin. And Patrick and Jasmine are close friends of my parents. No wonder she looked so familiar. I decided to look her up on my watch. I typed her name in and watched her online profile pop up. "Jasmine Myers. Age 32. A female pirate of the famous Cherry Blossom ship. No known spouses or kids? Hm. She must look really good if she had no kids by age 32." I read through her profile before my watch began to vibrate against my wrist. I answered and said, "Hello?"
"Hey Leo. So I gave my husband your coordinates and he agreed to pick you up and bring you back safely. I gave him my Double Action 54XR Buggy so it should be only two and half to three hours before he gets there. That okay?"
"Yeah that's fine. Thanks for agreeing to stay with me."
"You're my family, Leo. So. Tell me more about this plan that Tara has. I'm a bit interested."
I smiled and began to explain more to her. I never thought I'd be going against the Queen in my life after she left me orphaned. But for some reason, Tara makes me feel a lot braver.
YOU ARE READING
Courage Comes From Lies
RandomThere's nothing worse than a lie. To know your world isn't as safe as you expected it to be. To realize you're absolutely useless when it matters. To understand your best friend has kept a secret that would make or break you. Tara Koldem's entire li...
