The Lost Coast: The Second Book To Land Of Storms

XIII

Gabriel and Walter were walking side by side. Gabriel was taking him to Amell's house. He was hoping that Abigail and Amell were still sleeping. He didn't know how they'd react to him bringing in a stranger, especially Abigail.

Gabriel knew that Abigail did not like him. She constantly asked Amell when he was leaving. Most of the arguments Gabriel observed started that way.

"Why do you walk with a cane?" Walter asked.

Gabriel looked down at the staff. He hardly noticed that he used the staff to walk. It was an extension of himself. It was comfortable for him to walk with it. He always had it with him, even when he sleep it was never far away.

"I've never walked without it." Gabriel said.

They walked into the house. Gabriel didn't hear anything so he assumed the house was sleeping. Gabriel walked into the kitchen where he picked up an oat pie for Walter to eat.

"Why've you come to the Mainland?" Gabriel asked.

"It's just where my boat ended up. I've been all around the world. I've seen everything." Walter said in between bites.

"You sound just like my....father. He loved the sea in his youth. It's all he talks about." Gabriel still felt odd calling Amell his father.

They started to hear footsteps from up stairs. Gabriel started to rush Walter out of the house. He was afraid that the person who woke up was Abigail and not Amell. The footsteps grew closer.

"Thank you for the oat pie, Gabriel. It was nice to meet you." Walter said while being pushed out the door.

"Will out paths cross again?" Gabriel asked.

"More than likely my friend, more than likely." Walter said as he waved and walked down the street.

Gabriel turned around. Abigail was behind him. She looked mad at him. Then again when wasn't she mad at him. Gabriel immediately felt sorry for doing what he did.

"Where were you so early in the morning?"

He opened up his mouth to talk. But he couldn't even get a word out.

"Is that beer on your breath!? You were out drinking this bloody early!? What the bloody hell was Amell thinking letting you in our house!? You don't help with anything, your a useless bloke!"

Amell and Emily ran down the stairs. They saw a very upset Abigail in front of a scared and docile Gabriel. Gabriel turned around, opened the door, and threw up.

"Abigail! You leave him alone!" Amell said running down the steps to Gabriel. "He just came here two days ago. You didn't do a thing for a month when you first came. I'll be damned if I let you keep treating my son the way you do!"

Amell helped Gabriel sit down.

What am I doing here? Why did I ever want to come here? Would it all have been better if I stayed in Arroyo?

"He's a drunken bloke. This is not someone I want my daughter to be around." Abigail said.

"You've never liked him. I know that your not happy with the circumstances of your introduction, or that I had a child neither of use knew about. Just give him chance Abigail, please?" Amell begged.

"Fine. But if he dose anything, I mean anything, I want him out of the house." Abigail said.

"Can I have a say in this?" Everyone turned to Gabriel. "I'm really sorry for causing all this misery. I should just leave. Go back home. See my mother and brother."

Abigail glared at Amell when he said brother. Amell shrugged.

"Gabe, no you don't. I like having you here. It's just the booze in you. You'll feel better when your thinking straight." Amell said.

Everyone left Gabriel alone. The girls began cooking. Amell took a walk. Gabriel didn't know how to think or what to do. He thought everything would be easier if he lived on land. Gabriel was sorely mistaken.

Gabriel sat with his head in hands.

I've screwed up. I've made Amell's life miserable. My mother is more than likely going mad over my disappearance. It was a stupid idea to leave. I wasn't happy there, nobody around me is happy here. Do I belong anywhere? Perhaps I could just leave everything.

He wanted to make everyone happy. He knew this was a side effect of being a prince. He hadn't realized yet that his own happiness was important too.