SKY OF PAPER: AN ASIAN STEAMPUNK FANTASY

CHAPTER 53

Shaking the daze that slowly welled within me, I took a bold step towards the Young Emperor and addressed him directly. "It's true we are lost. But I will stand beside you, no matter what. Your presence gives us all strength. We await your decision."

He seemed surprised as I bowed, and at once, everyone's eyes turned to the very boy who carried the pride and honor of a nation. Even Chovis surrendered his attention, whose disrespectful glare harbored great discontent.

For a moment the boy closed his eyes, as if in deep, meditative thought. When he opened them again an aura of renewed conviction resonated from the determined expression on his face.

"There will no longer be any deals made with the lives of my people." He approached Dae Jung, who, after a moment of hesitation, reluctantly conceded and placed himself behind the child emperor. "I believe our business here is concluded Mister Chovis. If you would kindly take your leave."

Reeling from the boy's command, Chovis looked for some sort of protest from the imperial advisor, the very man he fancied as the true master of the ship. But there was none.

Finally, with a loud grunt, he stammered back to the gyro copter, his men shouldering their rifles and following close behind, while Ai, who looked bewildered, returned back to us.

As the copter spun its blades, Chovis stood at the ramp bellowing his dissatisfaction. "The Premier will hear of this. But only after this cursed ship has been torn down to its keel and set ablaze. No one refuses a deal with us."

The Boar, who had left to scout the shops for supplies earlier that day, returned to find guards, sailors and everyone else capable of lending a hand, rushing about and making preparations for the ship's launch.

I was at the bow along with Kassashimei, Lai and Etsu. We had been levitating heavy crates and materials into an open hatchway that lead into the storage hold below.

The Boar summoned our attention. "I see that Dae Jung has at least made a deal that doesn't involve trading the four of you away."

"Master Ichiro." Lai spoke in an apologetic tone, as if taking the blame for all that had happened. "There was no deal. We've angered one of the city officials and we are leaving as quickly as possible before their cannons fire upon us."

The grim news brought a stone-like frown upon the Boar's face.

"It's all because of that girl." Dae Jung appeared from amongst the bustling crew. "The princess has warped the Young Emperor's mind and has coerced him believing that the best course is to leave immediately."

"Was it Princess Xiangfeng that gave the command or was it the Young Emperor?" The Boar calmly reached into his sleeve and pulled out his pipe. He lit it and took a long puff.

"It was the Young Emperor. But I must tell you-"

"Then that's all there is to it, is it not?" The hardened expression on the Boar's face softened with what seemed like relief. . .or was it a swelling of pride? His feelings were hard to read, but I was certain that his expression had changed once he had heard that it was the Young Emperor's words that had set the crew into motion.

Dae Jung must have been disappointed by the Boar's reaction, because he silently skulked away, as if refusing to concede to all that was happening.

"Soldiers are approaching!"

The warning form the lookout brought every deck hand to the railing. We watched as a steady column of men in uniforms of bright red and gleaming brass march to the docks, their long rifles bobbing menacingly in the air. They stopped and faced our vessel. A command was given, and in a unison of steady snaps and clicks, their rifles were brought to bear upon us.