Crown On My Head

chapter 14

Port of Souls                                                 Lacey

I try to pull away from his grasp, but he is running down the alley fearfully. Getting worried I tried to figure out what had happened because it clearly happened before the alarm but after the chair was in the carriage.

As we travel further i turn my head there is a group of people following us. Someone had been watching. The ground becomes uneven as the smell become putrid as we dive into the port of souls. A group of men run towards us in the way we are travelling. We are stuck. Doorlan seems to resign. Not slowing down his pace, he rushes through his bag pulling out the same brown bucket hat placed on my head. Pulling me close to him. I can hear his painted breath and he hides my front white hair under the hat.

Realisation hits me. He decently knows something, but what will plague my mind. The men eat closer. The laughter filled the alley. Doorlan brings me close and whispers in my ear, "don't take the dice."

I don't question, the few days I have known him you don't question him. Especially in a place and scenario like this. Doorlan push's me behind him slyly, passing me a dagger.

"We don't want trouble." Doorlan spoke clearly, drawing attention. I Watch the others who know surround us, their posture ready to attack.

"You never do." A familiar voice that becomes clear as the group splits down the middle. Maxim.

"We are just leaving," Doorlan states face to face with Maxim, who has sandy blond hair.

"more like fleeing" a comedian in there groups speaks out. Laughter scatters around us. Maxim reach's for his back pocket. Within a blink a loud bang ricochets across the walls. As a bullet died in the centre of the jokesters eyes. He body falls to it knees then to the cobblestone floors. Unease the blood trickles down the cobble like a waterfall, pooling down it a tunnel that runs down it to the sea. Red blood so pure of colour.

Silence smothers his group he has surrounded us in.

"Walk with me little Doorlan, get your thing to follow as well."

Maxims arm swings around Doorlan and I feebly follow behind. All this death that surrounds the port the people. So desensitised by it all, it troubles me. How do they live on?

"See, I'll cut you a deal." He seems to take us on a scenic route across the port. Showing us the stars and trees.

"I'll forget the whole stealing score from my territory if you give me the girl." II go stiff, my blood run cold. I'm frozen in the cold embrace of the wind. As he plays with the dice in his hands.

"She's already taken," Doorlan tells him. Patting him on the back, "chose something else, maybe something that is an object. I can't stomach human trafficking after brunch."

I erase the breath I had held, cold smoke leaves my mouth. The building is smaller here. Hang in clothes flapped in the winds. Causing a commotion of sound.

"Where is the old you, the one who could stomach everything." He hits Doolan's shoulder like they are childhood mates. Doorlan simply shrugs his shoulders.

After a few minutes of since and listening to the trees sway and the waves crash and splatter on the ground. The singing of drunks and the howling of animals. Maxim breaks the silence.

"fine." He rolls his eyes clearly disappointed in his friend. "I'll take your boat." He points to a small but nice boat that written on it said Alathëlon.

I looked at Doorlan, his silhouette, he looked defeated and said yes. After a walk to the docks and a simple signing of rights of the boat. We were released, free to go back to the colour changing door.

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We returned in silence, Doorlan's past seemed to haunt him. His design, which he had to give up, seemed to dampen his mood.

"everything alright?" Krin asks, Doorlan leaves and goes to his room slowly shutting the door behind him.

"maxim was there." I said the same thing Doorlan had said the first time I had met him. I sit in my seat. My seat.

Everyone sat there and stared at me. Demanding an answer about what happened.

"He had his boat."

Krins looked as confused as ever, "he doesn't care about the Abyss."

I matched his confused face with one of my own. Bomb sights and realises something we have all missed. She looks at Simon who is somehow grasping what bomb had figured out.

"What was the boat called Birdy?"

"The Alathëlon." I whisper, for some reason, seeming like it is a secret.

Simons stands from his chair, and opens Doorlan's door. Letting himself in.

We all turn in for the night. I wonder what this boat meant to him. No one said anything after. All just exchanged worried looks and confused ones. None of us know what to really do.