A Spoiled Rule

Chapter 22

Harvey guided the ship back to the ports of Harksgold. For the meantime, Liam knew they were safe from any attack from the sea. They weren't ready to face Oliver and whatever technology he possessed from Mettiam's kingdom. But Liam needn't worry, for Oliver was formerly the advisor of law and proclamations. By nature, he wasn't a warrior. Liam suspected the man wanted to worry them, force them into doing something that he could use against them.
When they got back, Liam decided they'd take turns sleeping. There was much to do, and by request, he sent Jackson, Theo, and Prima to gather resources they'd need to begin building the safe house Theo had designed. Liam officially announced the plan to make the space, and everyone generally seemed excited for it-if they could pull it off without attracting the full force of the zombie population. Theo's vision for the space was nearly perfect. Liam knew the most optimal place to start construction: just beyond where the ship was parked now, at the ports of Harksgold. It lie between the center of the kingdom of the land and the kingdom of the sea. It was also the area least infested with zombies. Chroal was overpopulated and was still crowded with zombies, and Harksgold was also full of the wealthy zombies. As long as they didn't make enough noise, they'd be able to have a safe place to live within the next few weeks.
Gresham took the time to rest. He hadn't slept much with Prima at his side. He would stay awake, encouraging her and assuring her that he was alright. It took much convincing to have Prima go collect resources, but Liam did it for Gresham's sake.
Even while the ship was still, Liam found Harvey behind the wheel. His crewmates were messing with riggings and cleaning the deck. Harvey had taken his hat off, and had been staring into the horizon for the past hour.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Liam quietly. He didn't mean to pry, but he asked in the name of friendship.
Harvey switched his gaze to his hat and began picking at its rim. "The sea."
Liam gazed at the waves beyond. The sun was beginning to set, turning the water orange. It was peaceful. For a moment, if he wished, Liam could forget about everything that was bad.
"I've been a sailor all my life," said Harvey, a frown on his face. He rubbed his black beard. "I know where it's dangerous to go, where the waves will get tough. I know where I am by the position of the stars and the sea. I'm a good sailor."
Liam was becoming very worried for the portmaster. "Yes, you are the best sailor alive. That's why I depended on you when all of this began."
Harvey looked up, his eyes uncomfortably still. "I've lost my ship. I've lost my crew. I steered us all right into Dínam-the bad one. I put you in harm's way. I lost Ryan, the p-poor kid..." Sudden tears fell from his eyes and Harvey covered his face with his hands.
Liam noticed the other two crew members disappear. They were uncomfortable seeing their captain cry.
Liam laid a hand on Harvey's shoulder as his cries became louder. Liam tried to console the man. "People assume that as a king, my job is to keep everyone safe. Indeed, it's an important duty, but it's impossible. I can't keep an eye on everyone in my kingdom. I have to allow people to run without supervision. I have to allow people to publish reports of my rule, even if they are harmful. I have to allow people to storm the collectors of the palace because if I don't, they'll think of me as too strict, and they'll rebel anyway. It's the same as a captain. It's difficult, and you'll feel immense guilt when something bad happens. But all you can do as a captain, Harvey, is guide the ship. Guide your crew. Do you understand what I say?"
Harvey wiped his eyes and gazed at Liam. "Aye. You are a good king."
Liam suddenly found himself fighting his own tears. "You are a good captain. You always have been a good captain."
By the time Jackson, Theo, and Prima returned, the sky was dark. Harvey had gone with his crew into the lower deck to clean it. Liam was about to assist them when he spotted the three returning from the city. They carried boxes full of materials, and they walked slowly to avoid any unnecessary noise. When a zombie neared, they'd have to set down the boxes and fight, then continue. It made Liam exhausted just watching them. He hurried down into the lower level and waited at the door.
They entered through the side of the ship from a boardwalk. As soon as they were inside, Liam secured the door and narrowly avoided tripping over a box that Theo had set down at his feet.
"I'm beat," said Theo, walking down the hall. As usual, he was barefoot. He peered into the cabin where Gresham was sleeping, then groaned. "Why is there only one bed on this ship?" He then trudged toward the stairs.
"Where are you going?" called Prima.
Theo waved his hands in dismissal. "To look at the stars," he mumbled.
Liam realized he himself was of no help standing there, so he grabbed the box that Prima held. She thanked him and wiped dirt and speckled of blood from her face.
"I'm glad you've returned safely," said Liam, managing a small smile.
Prima returned his faint enthusiasm. "Yes, well, I fear the zombies are becoming very restless. How is Gresham?"
"He's resting," said Liam. "I believe Stephen is with him. I see you were successful." He peered into the box he held and spotted hammers, handheld saws, golden screws, and latches.
Prima nodded. "Most of it was found in Chroal."
Liam felt that was appropriate, for Chroal had many unfinished building projects. Again, his heart saddened at the thought.
"I will carry that, if you'd like," said Jackson, holding out his hands. Liam realized the guard had walked twice up and down the stairs, storing the boxes. Liam handed it to him and he disappeared.
Prima cleared her throat, brushing her dark hair behind her ears. "Well, I should check on Gresham."
Prima made to leave, but a wild instinct thrust out Liam's arm, and he grabbed onto her wrist. Prima stopped, slightly startled at him. Immediately, Liam let go of her, feeling his face flush. Never before had he been so embarrassed; not even when his advisors spoiled his name. "I'm sorry, Prima," he said sincerely. "It's only that it's dark out, and I thought it'd be best if you let Gresham sleep."
Under her fierce gaze, Liam felt compelled to continue speaking. "He needs the rest, and he worries about you," he said. "And you need to rest, too."
After a moment, Prima's shoulders dropped. "You're right," she said quietly. "I will let him rest." Then, she frowned. "But I won't let him have the only bedroom on this ship." She turned and walked confidently into Gresham's room.
Left standing alone in the hall of the lower deck, Liam closed his eyes. Jackson was nearby but still above deck. Liam was as alone as he could be. Kings were never left in solitude, and he shivered at the feeling. He felt as if he could lean back on his heels and fall into nothing, like if he were riding his suspensors on the clouds.
Thoughts began swarming his head. He needed a report from Jackson. He also needed a report from Stephen. Most pressing, he needed to go above deck and gather whether they were gaining attention from the zombies or not. The notion of zombies pounding on the walls of the ship made Liam open his eyes, and he made his way back up the narrow, rickety stairs.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness above, and when they did, he spotted hundreds of little stars dancing above. A snarl came from nearby, and Liam frowned. Dancing was not the right word for the stars. They were watching him.
Liam leaned against the railing and could see some movement in the darkness, but whatever zombies were near, they weren't close enough to be seen clearly. He took a breath and leaned away from the railing, realizing it may not be a good idea.
He heard someone sniff, and through the dark, he spotted Theo sitting in the middle of the deck against a mast. Liam knew he was hurting after their visit in the refugee Dínam.
Theo caught Liam staring and smiled. "Oh, don't mind me," he said, straining to keep his voice light. "I am just a miserable thief. Be on your way, Highness."
Liam frowned. "Will you no longer call me a thief?"
Theo smiled but didn't respond. Liam took that as an invitation, so he sat down next to Theo. Despite all of the wondrous stars, the thief wasn't gazing at them. His gaze was faraway, his mind still deep in the waters below.
"I don't see you wearing the watch," said Liam quietly.
Theo scoffed, shaking his head. After a moment, he spoke. "They left me when I could barely walk on my own. It wasn't like they left, knowing the risks, hoping to someday return. They knew they would never come back. Sure, maybe they made it to the other Dínam and didn't have a way of getting back, but we've all been sending messages out into the sea. We've been trying for years to contact those we've lost. We've ventured out into the sea and died because of it. My parents haven't even lifted a finger."
Liam thought before he spoke. His own parents lied to him about the war. There were more secrets he'd never find out about. They hadn't prepared him to rule. They passed down a history of illness and weak immune systems to their only son. But Liam couldn't be angry at them for that. It was a curse his family was destined to bear. "Perhaps you were destined for this."
Theo gazed at him, his eyes glowing in the dark. "I don't understand."
"If your parents hadn't left, do you feel you'd be a thief?" asked Liam.
Theo's eyebrows scrunched together. "Under their authority? No way!"
Liam smiled. "You were destined to be a thief, Theo. I understand it hurts sometimes, and you may not be accepted like others are."
Theo's gaze fell.
Liam continued, "But now, you are acquainted with a king. I'm surprised you didn't take anything from the palace."
Theo gave Liam a smirk and narrowed his eyes.
Liam laughed. It sounded weird in the night. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed. "What did you steal?"
Theo looked away and shrugged. "You will have to wait and see."
With a smile on his face, Liam declared, "While you may be the only thief I've had the pleasure of meeting, you are the best. I bet Jackson doesn't have a clue what you took from the palace, and Jackson is a royal guard. He sees everything."
"I'll have to watch out for him," said Theo, but his voice was becoming somber again. "He may know where I stash all my gold."
Liam wondered if something else was nagging at the thief. He could understand if it was his parents' neglect that brought him low, but Liam suspected it was something more than that. Liam has always had a soft heart for his people, and because of it, he'd accumulated a talent for speaking personally to them. Additionally, he could tell when one was holding back information. His advisors did it all the time. Theo was doing it now, with the way that his gaze was not quite clear.
"Will we start building tomorrow?" asked Theo before Liam could form any words.
Liam sighed and nodded his head. "If we hurry, we might have it built within a few weeks."
"We've got the resources to start," said Theo. "We'll have to keep going out for more."
Liam gazed at the silver water beneath the moon, just beyond the ship. He wondered what Oliver was up to; what decrees he was signing with Liam's stamp. Surely the people of Coulím's Dínam wouldn't believe anything the man did, but Liam wasn't sure about the other Dínam. They may have no choice but to follow Oliver.
"You should know something about my drawings," said Theo quietly.
"What is it?" asked Liam.
"They're never exact," said Theo quietly. He hugged his knees. "I draw a necklace with a purple gem and I steal one with an emerald instead. I draw a golden bracelet and it turns out, it's bronze."
"Good," said Liam. "Otherwise, I'd suspect you were omniscient."
Theo shook his head. He was frustrated. "This safe house won't be exact, and that could cost us our lives."
Liam wanted to punish himself for being so naive. "Forgive me, Theo. I didn't mean to make light of your confession."
"I didn't envision the safe house," said Theo. "Like I didn't envision stealing my mother's earring and my father's watch. I just did it. They usually help me see what to steal, but I did this on my own and it's not a theft. I'm not stealing anything this time. I'm creating my own treasure."
Liam wished he could take Theo's words to heart, but his mind was stuck on one of Theo's words. "Theo," he said quietly, "Who helps you see what to steal? Who helps you with your drawings?"
Theo's gaze suddenly turned hard, as if he were about to defend himself from a brutal attack. He stood, a few pieces of gold clinking in his pockets. "What?"
"You said, 'they usually help me see what to steal,'" repeated Liam. "I'm sure that's what you said."
"I misspoke," said Theo, turning his gaze away. Without concluding the conversation, he stormed down into the lower deck.
Liam leaned against the center mast, replaying Theo's words in his head. Theo was uncertain about this project. He wasn't the confident thief who'd shown him a proud drawing of a necklace. Something very troublesome had happened when he went to visit his parents, and it wasn't just the notion of their unloving nature. Theo had been on his own since he was young. It would be sorrowful to find one's parents and realize they didn't love them, but Theo had to have suspected that could happen. He was a smart thief. He guards his treasures, and that includes his heart.
"Liam!"
Startled, Liam looked up to find Stephen stomping up the stairs, waving a bandaged hand at him. "You haven't slept in a day!" A snarl came from nearby, and Stephen lowered his voice. "You are still not fully recovered. Go below and get some sleep."
Liam stood, fighting off his exhaustion with a smile. "I don't feel nearly as sick. Besides, Gresham needs the bedroom more. I need a report from my guard, and from you."
"With respect, the reports must wait," said Stephen stiffly. "I am your personal doctor, and I am ordering you to get some rest."
"Technically, you cannot really order me to do that," said Liam, but he nevertheless accompanied his friend into the lower deck. "What will you do when we start construction tomorrow?"
Stephen sighed. "I'll have to order you around some more."
At the far end of the hall, Theo was curled up, faced away from them. Liam sat down against the wall, and Stephen sat beside him. Liam realized he hadn't seen Harvey in a while. "There must be a secret passage in this ship, because the crew can't be found."
Stephen winced. "I truly hope not. I wouldn't like zombies randomly appearing from hidden tunnels right beside me."
Liam's smile faded. He glanced around, as if searching for eavesdroppers, but if there were any, they were doing a good job at hiding. "Do you think this is foolish?" he asked. "We are attempting to build a space in the midst of the apocalypse, and amidst stirring trouble in Dínam."
Stephen sighed. "It is not foolish. We can't stay at the palace. It has been exposed too much. We could always search for a safe place, but we need to be close enough to the sea, to keep an eye on it. Besides, no place I know of is truly equipped for the apocalypse."
"I suppose you're right," Liam mumbled. After a moment, he said, "Thank you, Stephen." He didn't specify, but he was thanking the man for being his friend.
Stephen nodded, and with that, Liam closed his eyes and welcomed an overdue sleep.