Fangs of a Butterfly

CHAPTER 31

Some days passed at the ship before we finally got out.

I was what one called seasick. The day after Uriel and Yves came to deliver food I was nauseous. I thought I needed blood, imagining Uriel offering his for a moment, until Yves claimed it was seasick.

"What's that? Are you sure I have such an illness?"

"Yes," he said adamantly. "It'll cure you if you lay on your back on your bed, don't talk, nor eat."

"Is that true?" I was sure it was a plot of his because he hated me and wanted me to suffer so I looked at Uriel for help. He shrugged.

"I'm not good with vampire illnesses."

"Seasick is not an illness," Yves said, "it's because they aren't used to being on a ship."

"Then shouldn't she get some fresh air?" Uriel asked uncertainly.

"No!" Yves was really pushing it. "Anyways, don't worry, we will explore the ship with the girls so they can leave you alone."

Like that, I had spent countless days, which was apparently four days, in the ship.

When I finally stepped off the boat with my face washed this time, my beauty was not as radiant as before, because I was 'seasick'. Yet thankfully once I got off the boat I wasn't ill and I put on my bonnet before going down the boat, Uriel holding my hand, and gasped at the world.

It was—so plain!

Tall big houses were everywhere, clustered, and people were all moving by at a fast pace. The five of us stood to the side away from them, and I watched but my nose was filling up with the smell of human flesh and blood. Similarly, it was filled up with the bad smells, sweat, human fluids, the smell of people not bathing, soiled clothing, many things I wish to not describe.

"It stinks!" Adalyn said, holding her nose. Lark, too, was hiding her face in my skirts. I looked down and wished I could be a child again and hide my face in public. I looked at the two men.

"It smells like home," Uriel said.

"My home smells like roses," Yves boasted.

"What is this?" I asked. "It's the same as Jardin! My castle is prettier than any of these buildings! Even the cottages are!"

"Listen, we are in a port city. It's supposed to be ugly," Yves said. "Now we head to the city, to a safe place."

"Where?" I asked.

"You'll know when you get there. Here, Lark, want this? It's called chocolate."

Lark cheered. "Thank you, Yves!" When had they became so close?

"Does Yves have something for younger girls?" I asked no one in particular, narrowing my eyes. Uriel heard and turned around.

"No. Yves is really a nice person. He has been ostracized but deep inside, he relates to you most of all."

"No, we aren't the same!" I said defiantly. Uriel shrugged and hoisted the two luggage bags he and Yves had as Yves pointed everything out to the children.

"I couldn't care less. Is this it? The outside?" I was disappointed.

"No, you have to look ahead, Margery." Uriel pointed.

It was a long street down. I could see more people but pretty architectures now. They looked almost like the church in Jardin. Only here, there were many buildings like that. I broke apart from them and wandered down.

"Wait!" Uriel and Yves shouted.

They ran over with the other girls, who also raised their heads. The sun was nearly blocked. The buildings were immensely pretty to the point they were indescribable. Some had iron gates of circular patterns and boxed flower beds up the windows. I turned, where there were stranger building. Ones with huge glass windows of colored glass and almost like a smaller castle.