The Prophecy of Water | ✔️ 🎖 [2018 Wattys Shortlister]

CHAPTER 31-The Unexpected Map

Once she was a light guiding me through the darkness. Now she is a scorching bonfire guiding me for eternity.

LoG, 409

Nalina could see The Prince made a deliberate pause in his speech.

He is waiting for the words to sink into my consciousness. The Black Triangle. The symbol of The Kingdom of The Mountain.

Her father's stories of The Mountain passed through her head. The Mountaineers were people who lived in hanging houses, who didn't believe in The Mind and The Fount and who buried their dead by throwing them off of the cliffs. They had a vast Forge where they made various tools and weapons. The Kingdom of The Mountain was also famous for their fleet of airships.

That's about all I know about them. But ... What are they doing so close to Begi? And how many airships are here? Nalina wondered.

The Prince of The Mountain continued to speak. "As to why are you here ... Well ... Let me summarise that for you: You were weak and fainted after the enraged horde of your Vigils nearly tore you to pieces. It seems that you turned into a man and tore them all to pieces instead. Good for you. Also, your water snake choked them to death. And I'm not the guy who will leave the lady in trouble. I brought you to my room/cabin, call it as you wish. I bathed you, placed calendula on your bruises and gave you a change of clothes. Then, for a long time, I was trying to calm Fox down, who was angry when she saw another woman in my bed. Locked you both in, hoping Fox would come to her senses and lie next to you. I spent the night in front of the cabin in a very uncomfortable chair."

He got quieter and yawned, and it was only then when Nalina became aware the dark circles under his eyes. "You ... You bathed me and changed my clothes?" she murmured.

"Is that all that matters to you from everything I told you? You only got that sentence out of the entire context?" his irises twinkled. "Rest assured, sweetheart, you have nothing I haven't seen before. Also, I never do anything to a girl unless she begs me or explicitly asks for it. I'm primarily a gentleman. So, there's nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about."

"My ... My clothes and my ... Things ..." Nalina changed the subject feeling embarrassed. She was trying not to think of a moment during which an unknown man was looking at her naked.

"Me and a couple of my men brought suitcases with some of your things. Still, I am under the impression we didn't unearth everything. At the scene of the massacre, there are a lot of scattered garbs and weapons. The crew found ten, no, eleven dead people and ten dead War Dogs. They're still combing the area, and they will bring me whatever they may find. Besides, the garments of The Mountain looks good on you. You don't have to be in such a rush to change," The Prince sized Nalina up, and she looked down timidly.

"Are your clothes always so ... uniform and grey?" Nalina dared to ask.

"Yep. It is our colour, after all, and I think it agrees with us. Girls don't share my opinion, so you can see them adding different fashion details just to differentiate one from the other. Women!" The Prince smiled, crossing his legs.

"That's why Fox has ..."

"Yes, multi-coloured hair. But it kind of goes well with her personality. Anything that strikes your fancy?" The Prince caught Nalina's glance that darted towards the books.

"Oh, you have this tome about the rare plants! I could only read at The Curatory." She bit her tongue.

I am giving away too much information as it is.

"Your poor books, they are all scattered around," Nalina remarked in a rebuking tone, trying to change the subject, and hoping he didn't notice her Curatory mention.