Crystal Guardian

25

The day went on and Aldric was even too preoccupied with the ensuing war that he had no time to get travel sickness. He felt sick to the stomach anyway and slipped away unnoticed, down to the cargo hold where all the supplies were being held. He sat amongst the boxes, head in hands. He did not cry, he was not sick, he did not scream though these were all things he felt like he should do.

Something rattled from behind him. It didn't bother Aldric until he started to hear quiet breathing. At first he thought that he was making the noise, until he held his breath. Maybe he was imagining it. He tilted his head around the boxes.

'What are you doing here?' he said.

Feliciana looked up at him fearfully. She looked paler than ever.

'You're not meant to be here,' said Aldric. 'You're ill.'

'I'm well enough,' she replied adamantly, her round innocent eyes bulging at him. 'I couldn't stay, not knowing.'

Aldric reached out his hand. 'Come,' he said. 'Your mother is on the upper deck.'

'She'll be angry,' Feliciana whispered, placing her clammy hand inside his.

'Probably,' said Aldric, 'but she needs to know you're here.'

'No, she doesn't,' she exclaimed, pulling her hand away. 'I'll be good, promise. I'll be quiet. Where are we anyway?'

'Passing Iccolsio soon,' said Aldric. 'Why don't you come and see it out the window. It's a beautiful world.'

'No, I'll stay here.'

'But you need someone to look after you.'

Feliciana folded her arms and pouted. 'I'm old enough to look after myself,' she said, 'I'm not going to let anyone worry.' He sat next to her.

'You have to let people help you sometimes,' he told her. 'Even if you don't like it. Take me for example. Do you think I like having my friends and family here? They're willing to risk everything. I don't want them to, I was gonna do this myself but if they were in my position, I think I'd do the same.' Aldric even smiled a bit. 'I'm scared,' he admitted, 'but I'd be a whole lot more scared if they weren't here.'

'I'm not scared,' Feliciana whispered. 'Because we're gonna win.' She stood up and went with Aldric to the upper deck where Haydon noticed her daughter immediately.

'What are you thinking?' She held Feliciana to her, shielding her face as if to stop her from seeing the horrors of the battle that was yet to commence. 'You silly girl.'

A violent lurch threw them all off their feet and Aldric wondered whether Raiden was flying the ship. With difficulty, Aldric scrambled to the control room where K was at the controls and panicking.

'We're being thrown off course,' she yelled. 'Someone's hacking our systems.'

Aldric felt someone pulling at the back of his shirt and turned to find Raiden struggling to climb into the control room. They clung to each other and the hot piping on the wall to stabilise themselves.

'Land on Iccolsio,' said Raiden. 'Shake them off.'

'Shake who off?' said Aldric who could see the blue and white surface of Iccolsio through the vibrating window.

'We haven't got permission,' said K but she prepared for landing all the same.

It felt weird to be on Iccolsio again but Aldric had no urge to step out onto the planet. He watched from the window as another LendoZiyan ship landed a short way from them. Nerves wracked him as he watched The Eldest Elder, wrapped up in many layers, step out into the snow.