RE:WRITE

39.0 Grayscale_Chapter 14: Fog

"They're coming up on starboard. Hoist the main sails! Liver down the hatches! Shiver up the timbers! Ahoy!"

"Shut up Kai! That doesn't make any sense!" I cried.

"Oi ye scurvy-eyed mutineer! I sailed the uncharted waters off the coast-a Meneria on a rotten raft with nothin but tha skin on ma back! Don't ye be tellin me how ta sail!" he shouted in a terrible pirate accent.

"Amy, Runir, tell him to stop!" I said, covering my ears.

"Why? He's doing a perfect Captain Selworthy impersonation," said Amy, looking impressed.

"Captain Selworthy?"

"A legendary pirate from Erathen folklore. He purportedly discovered the Northern Continent back when the Bridge of Babel hadn't been built and the continents were further apart than they are now. Or at least, that's how the story goes in the Union. Here in the Alliance they claim Selworthy was based off the coast of Kalmarsh in the Water Kingdom and discovered the Southern Continent instead," said Runir with a smile. "No one knows how he actually spoke but that's pretty much how every kid's story portrays him."

He pointed at Kai who was laughing while turning the steering wheel in circles. Kai kept shouting weird lines that made me cringe but worse still, rather than staring at him blankly like Zoe, Amy just kept nodding appreciatively which made him act even crazier.

A loud crash rang through the air as the ship shook violently.

"Could you do the castrated black-beard impersonations later? We're being followed by freaking dragon!" I shouted.

"Wyverns," corrected Kai. "They can't keep up with my ship for long!"

He returned to his crazy routine while I nursed a fast-growing headache. I took a moment to calm myself and sat down next to Zoe. She was staring at the little king who was still tinkering with his cube.

"Hey, what is that anyway?" I asked in a tired voice.

The boy didn't respond, as if he hadn't realized that I was talking to him. Zoe nudged him and he flinched before his cube fumbled out of his hands. He didn't reach down to pick it up, choosing instead to shrink into his seat as far as possible.

Another crash and the ship shook again.

"Relax kid, we won't hurt you," I said, picking up the cube and holding it out to him.

He looked at the cube in my hand and then at my face. He met my gaze uncertainly, like a wild animal about to bolt away. He reached out and snatched the cube.

I frowned. Well that was rude.

"So what's your name?" I asked.

He hesitated before speaking. "His Majesty King Galemor Talbert the fifteenth; ruler of Air and Wind, jewel of Laput, blessed by the kind and merciful Air Goddess, and-"

"Right, we'll go with Gale," I quickly interjected, feeling my headache worsening.

He blinked. The ship shook again and Kai's laughter reverberated through the air again.

"I'm Lily. This is Zoe. The crazy guy on the wheel is Kai and the idiot clapping for him is Amy. The one coming towards us with a creepy smile is-"

"Runir Grayscale, nice to meet you, Your Highness," said Runir with a smirk. "Forgive me for not bowing, your majesty, I have a thing against bowing to my captives. I'm sure you understand."

This time the boy-king frowned. Runir really was quite good at pissing people off.

"Why did we bring him along?" I asked.