The Lost Kingdom

Chapter 9 - The Water That Didn't Shine

Cinder looked around as she got on the ship headed to Gariahn. Prince Makon and Swan were discussing something quietly, and the eldest son of King Ezemar led Swan below deck. King Ezemar himself wasn't going to Gariahn, but instead letting Prince Makon do it. The King had stayed behind with Prince Erick, and the two of them were checking on training camps West of where the Pulcharians had landed.

Ivory was leaning over the railing of the ship, admiring the water. Cinder saw Azeria sitting on a crate, staring blankly at nothing. Cinder then looked out at the water and waited for them to depart from Ellamenta. Prince Persius was the last one on the ship and then they set off for Gariahn.

Oddly, Cinder noticed, none of the Ellamentians on board were looking at the water. In fact, only a few warriors were even on deck. Most of them were down below with the bunks. Strange.

The breeze felt nice as it blew through Cinder's for once neat reddish brown hair. Her thoughts strayed to her brother, and she worried greatly for him. His condition was a lot worse then it was when she left on the Rescue Trip to get Erick and Azeria.

He was barely conscious. His bleeding had stopped, but the wounds seemed to be infected. Cinder shook her head and cleared the image of her brother out of her head. The waves crashed gently against the ship, the crystal blue water rippling in the distance. Farther out, the water turned darker, almost black. Surely that wasn't natural?

Cinder noticed Azeria going into the lower part of the ship, and Ivory moving towards the back of the ship. Cinder went more to the front of the boat and looked down at the water again. The water where Cinder was standing looked odd. It didn't sparkle in the light like the rest of the ocean did, but maybe it was just the boat's shadow.

The feeling of loneliness, pain, and grief hit her like a hurricane. Suddenly, everything depressing and dark that had ever happened in her life flashed before her eyes. Growing up as an adopted child, loved less by her adoptive parents. Wondering if her mother and father had loved her, if she was missing out on a real mother's love. Crying when Ryzen had teased her in a manner that a bully would, not a brother. How she used to just stand by and watch Ivory, Cayden, and Azeria be laughed at, not doing anything. The nights spent locked in her room, when she would simply cry because the loneliness hurt. She remembered how she wanted to be happy all the time, but happy for who? Fake parents? A fake brother? Fake friends?

As Cinder stared into the water, she realized how utterly miserable she was. She had nothing to live for, not really. Her hands gripped the railing tighter, her knuckles turning white. Slowly, she pushed herself up, one foot on the railing. She needed to jump.

A hand grabbed her shoulder, yanking her down.

"Your not jumping." The deep voice of Prince Persius rumbled. Cinder looked up at him, her golden eyes duller than usual.

"Let me go!" she protested trying to fight away from his grip. She had to jump, had to feel the water against her skin, pulling her down.... Dragging her down.... Had to sink, hit the bottom of the ocean... Had to die....

Prince Persius dragged her down to one of the small, cramped rooms at the bottom of the ship. Cinder tried her best to fight away from his grip. All she wanted was to jump!

He pulled her down to the ground, and moved Cinder into his lap. She squirmed and fought him, and even tried to bite him, but his strong arms encased her so tightly that she could hardly move.

Cinder felt tears slipping down her cheeks, and turned to look Persius in the eye. She gasped at all the emotions swimming in his emerald eyes; there was warmth she had never known, and a look of affection. Slowly, she stilled in his arms, and the need to jump off the boat left her. Guilt and embarrassment flooded her, and turned her head so he wouldn't see her blush. Warriors. Did. Not. Blush.

"All better?" Persius asked, his voice gruff and yet smooth at the same time. Cinder nodded, averting her gaze to the floor. She felt Persius start to get up, but grabbed his arm.

"Don't go...please." Cinder said softly. Persius's eyebrows raised, a look of total bewilderment crossing his face. But then it was gone, replaced with only gentle concern, and he sat back down. Cinder snuggled against his chest, enjoying the warmth of his body.

What the dragons are you doing? The sensible part of her mind cried, but Cinder blocked it out.

"We should have warned you not to look in the water," Persius said, and Cinder stared at him in confusion. The Prince was hasty to explain. "The Sea Witch, Morgalynna, put a curse on the water. Any sailor trespassing on her waters who looks into the ocean will begin to feel hopeless, like there's nothing worth living for. Unless stopped, they jump and drown. Morgalynna can control their corpses for her own use after that."

"I've only heard tales of Morgalynna," Cinder whispered with wonder, "I never thought she was real. Isn't she bound to Drago Vladmeer?"

"Yes. He tricked her into binding herself to him with a witch's spell." Persius replied.

"Anyways.... How did you get that scar on your eye?" Cinder asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. Persius glared slightly at the mention of the scar and didn't answer, leaving them in an awkward silence. Cinder regretted asking.

"What do you want to shape shift into?" Persius asked instead.

"You didn't answer me, I won't answer you." Cinder said stubbornly, and laughed at the Prince's annoyed look.

There was a knock at the door, and Prince Ronan entered. Quickly, Cinder and Persius stood, and Ronan's eyebrows raised.

"Makon wants to speak to us," The younger prince said, his voice somehow deeper than Persius's. Why did all of the Calanis have deep voices?!

"Tell him to give me a moment." Persius said, glaring at his brother's too innocent expression.

"Sure," Ronan said, and exited the tiny cabin.

"Guess you gotta be going then," Cinder said, awkwardly fingering the hem of her shirt.

"Don't try to kill yourself while I'm gone." Persius said, going back to his usual serious expressions. Cinder rolled her eyes and made her way back to the deck of the ship. Ivory was still at the back of the ship looking out at the water.

Cinder walked over to her with a confused look. "Morgalynna put a curse on that water. How come you haven't jumped?" Cinder asked, tilting her head. Was it because the silver-haired girl was used to blocking out emotions?

"The curse Morgalynna used is to make people feel as if they have nothing to live for, so suicide is the only way out," Ivory murmured, hardly audible above the sound of the ocean, "but I suppose it wouldn't work on those who already have nothing to live for and don't fear death."