What Lies Beyond the Ocean

Chapter 17

After dining on some casserole, exotic vegetables, and stuffing strawberry tarts down our throats, Alyard, Uli, Edouard and I were escorted to a royal carriage. Dasniz also decided to walk out with us, to bid his final words and goodbye before we were off to Sileves. 

The sky transformed into an array of warm shades of orange, yellow, and hints of red as the sun made its way to its slumber. The air was colder than earlier, but it felt refreshing.

As we made it down the stone pathway that led to the carriage and front gate of the castle, one of the other knights escorted us to the divine carriage. The carriage was absolutely otherworldy- it was snow-white heaven paired with gold trim.  The horses were magnificent- they were humongous, broad-shouldered, and their coats shone in a brown, grey, and black collage. It was as if I was truly in some fairytale. 

The knight opened the right door and then scurried over to the other side to open the left door. He caught my eyes and gave a quirky smile. He had a delightful round face, scars that splattered across his face, and huge hazel eyes. I tipped my head slightly and proceeded into the carriage, followed by Alyard, who sat next to me. 

The interior of the carriage was also a wondrous sight to see. The walls were a dark crimson velvet, along with the seats. The doors were laced with gold. I could not calculate the value of this carriage.

Uli and Edouard sat across from us; Edouard was practically an ant in contrast to Uli. It was fairly compact in there, as all of our knees practically met at one coordinate.

After a few minutes of being on the road to Sileves, I gazed over at Uli and Edouard, wondering if I should ask more about my father- who he was, his personality, just overall more of he was as a person.   

"Uli, who was my father, exactly?" I broke the stifling silence. "What were his interests? Hobbies?"

Uli conveyed a warm smile, shifting awkwardly in the seat due to his height, taller than the average man.

"Well, as Edouard stated earlier, he definitely was one of the best knights," Uli slicked his greasy ebony tresses back. "Very, very ambitious. He had a lot of goals. He wanted to eventually take my place as General- when it was my time to go or if I grew too old. He also teased me about it, especially when he was starting when he was just a wee lad. He began training here at around fourteen. His mother sent him away to pursue the art of chivalry and earn sufficient money, as he originally came from an impoverished family living on a farm. 

Alyard playfully nudged my elbow, his eyes that all-so-familiar warmth. 

"You definitely have his ambitions then," he exclaimed. 

I rolled my eyes and smiled, feeling proud that I have inherited a trait from my father. 

Uli nodded in agreement and proceeded where he left off. 

"Aha, you definitely do. I know I mentioned it earlier, but he always gushed about you. He wanted to be the best father he could be for you. He cherished you so much and was crushed and disappointed that he had to leave you behind with Casa. He was very much a family-oriented fellow."

I felt my cheeks go out. I felt tears swelling in my eyes, but I managed to hold them in. Caiomhe suddenly popped into my mind. I knew my father way more than her- who exactly was she? 

"What about my mother, Caoimhe?" I inquired, feeling my pulse quicken, eager to learn more about her.

Uli bellowed out a heavy sigh and shrugged, which caused my hopes to plummet. He looked out the window; the sun was hiding behind the luscious green valleys. 

"Couldn't say I knew her personally. But I have seen her. She had a fair complexion, long flowing chestnut hair, with piercing blue eyes. She was quiet, kind, and brilliant, as Gael told me quite often. They loved each other- they were two peas in a pod. However, as you know, things grew tense between them since Gael was leaving you and her behind. That is around when you were sent off to Casa for a better life. I never heard much regarding Caoimhe from Gael, but he often did withdraw himself and stopped being his upbeat self. He never talked about it personally with me, but the way he boasted about you really showed that he felt guilty about leaving you and your mother."

My head began to pound after receiving all of this information. I let it all sink in and rested my head gingerly onto Alyard's shoulder. 

We all descended into silence as evening transitioned into night. My eyes were heavy with fatigue, but my mind kept scurrying and scattering my thoughts around- full of questions, thoughts, and hysteria. 

Alyard was already drifted off into a heavy slumber. My head still resting on his shoulder, I intertwine my arm into his, gazing out the window.

It was a pitch-black canvas, with the stars scattered all over, shimmering like diamonds. The moon was at its brightest and fullest. The wind blew through the trees. An orchestra of crickets and other nocturnal creatures produced beautifully haunting music. 

I reflected on my whole excursion thus far, from beginning to possibly the end, granting we find my father, his traces, or perhaps a doppelganger. I shut my eyes. Would we truly find him or anything left of him? Would we even find people who may have known him, at least by name? It was all so hard to decipher and predict. I then transitioned into a dreamless, blank state.

I heard the click-clacking of the horses' hooves as they promenaded their way. The carriage bumped along the road and eventually repeated as we progressed, which meant we were possibly near Sileves or somewhere in the countryside. 

The carriage drew to a halt all of a sudden, waking up Alyard and Edouard, who both woke up in unison. Uli was already wide awake, but he was writing in his journal, possibly writing his thoughts, so I left him to be while I was stuck on my own.

"Are we near?" Alyard asked in a husky, drowsy voice. I shrugged and glanced over at Edouard, who stifled a long yawn before responding to the inquiry.

"I sincerely apologise for that," he said, slightly smirking. He then stared out the window to determine our location. He nodded rather quickly and excitingly and clapped his hands together, making Uli jump back to reality. His eyes were red, and his eyes began to transition into shades of twilight. I noticed my concern; he rapidly shut his thick leather journal and flashed a weary smile. 

The carriage doors were opened, letting a warm yet refreshing air swarm into the carriage, which was beginning to get excruciatingly humid. The coachman, a stout, petite man named Helivi, confirmed our arrival and that he will be back in three-four days. He patted Uli's shoulder and jumped back onto the front seat to guide his way back to Mileno.

The sun was hidden behind a soft, grey cloud, indicating it will sprinkle soon. I was in awe of my surroundings; there were huge green valleys cascaded alongside a clear, wide river called the Glacien River, known for its fresh water and abundance of fish- common and rare.

There was a vast forest in the south. Wild, native flowers were spread among the bountiful, winsome plains. The village itself sat on a ledge in which the ocean crashed along its cliffside. I closed my eyes and inhaled the ocean air—all of these flashbacks to Allience before I embarked on my voyage. I was possibly near to fulfilling my destiny.