ENDLESS SAIL

000, PROLOGUE

❝ 000, P R O L O G U E. ❞

I wasn't proud of my skills with singing but it seemed to please my father very much, so I made a habit of singing him a little song to his sleep every time I was allowed to visit him before his slumber. His chamber were big and spacious, the walls full of portraits. The portraits has the lovely face of my mother, Coreen Valesque.

It gets my attention every time I visit my father, the eyes of my deceased mother burning holes in my head. And once I've set my eyes on her sapphire ones, I can't seem to take my own gaze away. I feel like sinking in them, so, so deep.

"Corinthia, is that you, dear?"

My father's call must have interrupted the spell I was under in, because I find my feet stepping in the carpeted floor and I only stopped when I neared father's figure in the four poster bed he was staying in for the past five weeks now.

"Are you sure you should be up like that now, father?" He was in a sitting position, even after all the royal physician's advice.

His laugh was like music in my ears. "Don't mind me. Forsooth, I was actually waiting for my beautiful daughter. Only your gentle lullabies lulls me to sleep."

"I'm afraid you are complimenting me too much, father." A smile forms on my face.

My father replies with a smile on his own. "I've always been known to be a honest man,"

This time, both our laughter echoes in the quiet room. "Oh, father. . ." I sigh when we both gained our composure back. I sat on the end of father's bed and I feel him reaching for my hand. I adjusted my self and went closer to him instead. My hand finds his.

"Don't move too much please," I remind him.

"Apparently I can compliment my daughter too much, but not move too much at all."

"Exactly." I reply back. "You have to watch your health and safety father, especially now. You've been so. . . ill, lately."

I grip his frail hand with mine and hummed a soft melody that begins the start of father's favorite song without him asking.

This hand, this wasn't my father's strong and capable hand. It is frail and weak. Far from his own. Five weeks and this is how father has turned out. . . five more weeks, and I wonder. . . I wonder how his condition would be. Will it worsen? Or will it get better? But at this rate though. . .

"Not that,"

I look up, startled a bit from his voice. I have shut my mouth. After a few seconds when I was sure I had regained my composure, I mumbled, "Huh?"

My father closed his eyelids tightly, only opening them after a sigh escapes his mouth. "Not that, my daughter. Sing another song to me."

"But this is your favorite..." I mumbled, my forehead creasing.

"It is," From my place, I can hear his labored breathing. It made me worry but father's grip on my hand tightens, stopping me on my tracks. "But... I shall request for another piece tonight."

"A-Alright." I couldn't help but say. His voice was undeniably weak but he seemed to be trying so hard into making it seem strong.

"I want you to sing that song about the water, the sea."

"What?" The crease on my forehead worsened.

He sighed, and he looked like he was preparing for something before he opened his mouth once again. "... about the sea... and it's waves. The quest where our own end starts and─"