What Lies Beyond the Ocean

Chapter 3

After a dreamless slumber, I woke up to find the birds chirping their little hearts out. I stretched and then walked downstairs. Gery and Alyard were already awake, and they noticed me as I walked out into the kitchen.

"Ah!" exclaimed Gery clapping his large hands together. "Yer finally awake!"

"Yes, I am?" I replied, honestly a bit confused. "Why are there three bags near the door?"

"I've decided to send Alyard with you, to look over ye and help ye along the away. Mileno would be an arduous adventure either way, but with two people, it would make it much easier," he explained. "These bags will help aid ye in the times when you're hungry, thirsty, or both."

I let all of the information sink into me like a ship would sink into the ocean. Alyard's coming with me!?

"Al-alright," I said with a smile forming on my face. "Thank you, Gery and Alyard."

Gery nodded and sagged his bulky shoulders. "I bought ya two some fresh bread from the bakery for breakfast and milk from the market for breakfast. Eat up before ya two head off,"

"Alright, father," Alyard said and then looked at me. "When would you like to leave?"

"After I get more clothing."

He nodded and offered a chair to me; I took it and began eating. He chowed down on his bread. 

I heard the birds chirp more off in the distance as Alyard and I head out in Allience. The streets were busy and chatter harmonized with the chirping. I've never been in such a joyous environment.

"I've been here only a few times," I alluded. "So I don't know where the tailor would be."

"That's why I'm here," he said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and walked next to him. A piper was playing merry songs, an exuberant crowd danced along and clapped their hands with smiles on their faces. We escaped the crowd and walked straight, then turned to the right. Allience was like a labyrinth for me.

"Here we are," Alyard said, smiling.
"Finally," I murmured, opening the door.
He shrugged and trailed behind me.
A tall lady with straight, thin blonde hair tied in a loose bun frowned at us as we entered the shop.
"Hello, how may I help?" she said in a monotone voice.
"I would like to see some of your dresses, please," I asked politely.
"This way, please," she said, leaving from behind the counter bad leading me into the dress section of the small store. Alyard stood there awkwardly, so I signalled him to come with us. He nodded, followed and stood next to me as the lady brought out some dresses to browse.
"Here are some dresses for you," she said, handing me them. I took them and smiled.
"Thanks,"
"Yeah," she murmured and then she looked at Alyard, piercing his soul with her cold, lifeless blue eyes. Alyard shook his head.
"I'm just paying,"
I looked at him, and he looked back. His brown eyes showed generosity and warmth.
"Thank you," I said in response.
"You're welcome."
And with that, we finished up our errands and walked out the door.

The chirping had died away a little, but the joyous chatter resumed on. We made our way back to Alyard's house and headed upstairs to gather my stuff.
"Do you need a bag to put your gear in?" Alyard offered, holding one.
"Sure," I took the bag. "Thanks again."
"You're welcome, again," he snorted.
I snorted back and packed my stuff into my bag. Thoughts and more thoughts have piled into my brain, like how an author piles his rough drafts over the other again and again.

"Ready?" I looked up at him.

He nodded and then picked up his bags. All of a sudden, I remembered about transportation. How were we going to travel?

"Alyard?" I asked out of the blue. He looked up at me.
"How are we going to get to Mileno?"
"My carriage, the one we used to get here."
"All right," I said. "Why didn't I think of that?"
He chuckled and shrugged and then finished lacing up his boots.
"All set to go?" a deep-voiced popped out of the ocean.
Alyard and I noticed Gery.
"Yes, we are," I pause. "Wait, are you ready, Alyard?"
"Yep."

His eyes flickered with something I couldn't make out. Maybe he was flirting, or were my eyes playing tricks on me? Either way, I smiled and took his hand. He hesitated but took mine into his, and then we walked out into the world waiting for us.

The surrounding mountains and meadows made the summer day even more beautiful. I was mesmerized by the ocean sparkling in the distance. All of a sudden, I heard something.
Erline... Erline...
The ocean was yearning for me. Calling for me to come to it. Before I realized it, my thoughts had taken over me. I was away from Alyard, Allience, and back in my background, sitting in the grey rocks that the ocean slowly crashed against.
"Father... Father...." I whispered to myself.
Someone was shaking me by my shoulders, and when I looked up, I gazed up to see a tall man with the same eyes as I, the same pointy chin, high cheekbones, and muscle from years of knight training. My mouth dropped to the ground, and my eyes widened with joy and surprise.
"Erline?" The man asked, his eyes clouded with solicitude. 
I was struck speechless. Was this him? Truly him? The one I was setting out on a journey to find out his fate?
Unintentionally, I put my hands on his arms. He wore the armour of an Allience knight.
"F-father?!" I cried out.
"What!?" Father said with confusion in his voice. "Erline!"
"Father!" I exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
He held my head with his hands so that I can look into those eyes so familiar to me.  All of a sudden, they turn into a deep, dark brown: beautiful eyes, but definitely not the eyes of what I thought my father looked like.  I was back in reality, back to the outskirts of Allience, heading to Alyard's carriage. My hands were still on his arms, and I gazed into those eyes; I felt sheepish. I quickly take my hands off Alyard's, with tears slowly coming down. Before I knew it, I was crying up a whole river.
Alyard wrapped his arms around me and made me take a seat in the carriage. He stroked my hair slowly as I let it out all.
 
   "Hey," he whispered into my hair as the ocean breeze hits us. "What's going on? Are you ill?"
I shook my head quickly and burrowed my face into my knees. I felt him looking at me still.
"You can tell me," Alyard alluded. "I will not judge you, I promise."
I sobbed and looked up into my knees, trying not to look up at him. I nudge my face into his warm arms.
He rubbed my back and stroked my hair still.

"Why did you call me father?" he softly said, a bit baffled.                                                                                "I-" I managed to cry out. I stopped there, not wanting to tell him.                                                                 "Erline..." 

"I don't want to talk about it..." I sobbed out.
"You can trust me," Alyard, his voice still filled with concern.
"It's about my f-f-father," I stammered out, but then all of a sudden, I found myself gasping for air. I was too anguished to tell him.  He patted my back again and tried to stabilize me.
"Tell me when you think it's time," he said with a warm tone, and he kissed me gingerly on my forehead.