A princess in search of her past. A boy driven by money. A crew that is loyal to the end.
Princess Ria is adopted, and she has lived with the acceptance that she will never know her real parents. But when she learns of the existence of her adoption...
Ria only remembered the last two days in glimpses. Migal had picked her up from the stage in the Auction House. Gin's face had filled with worry as he watched them run away. The travel back to Sivona had been difficult. And several somasi healers had tended to her on the ship. The worst of her memories was the pain as a blade came down her wrist, slicing her hand clean off.
Now, her wound was bound, no longer bleeding. She imagined it to be crusted under all the bandages that wrapped around her wrist where her hand used to be. She could still feel it as if its ghost stayed, her fingers curling as she willed them to, but it was only inside her head.
She had shed unceasing tears while she was on the ship, but now her eyes were dry as she stared at the wound, which would soon be a scar--a traumatizing past, the payment for wanting to know her history.
She sat on the bed, hunching her back until her body shook with regret and anger, yet she could do nothing now to reverse what had been done. She opened her mouth to scream in mourning, but a knock from the door of her bedroom stopped her. She took three breaths to release the pain in her chest, composing herself and answering the door.
"Come in," she said softly.
A guard entered and announced, "His Majesty is here to see you."
She nodded and said nothing else.
The king, her brother, entered through the door and walked to her on the bed as the guard left the room, leaving them in privacy.
"Sister," the king said as the door closed with a soft click.
Ria couldn't look up at her brother. She was ashamed that she had left the palace without his permission and returned in ruin. She remained silent for a while, staring at her lost hand until her lips quivered with the words. "I'm sorry."
Her brother, Daniluca, came closer and sat on the bed with her. "I'm not angry, sister." He took a deep breath before continuing. "But I was so worried. I thought the worst had happened. And--" he paused.
Ria looked up at her brother's face. His green eyes filled with sadness, and yellow hair spilled over his cheeks. The sense of coiling emotions washed over her, and she thought no one else could have ever understood her until then. The same anger, guilt, and regret emanate from her brother.
Her eyes began to fill with tears. After all the crying she'd done on the way back here, she thought it wasn't possible to shed more, but they blurred her vision now, threatening to fall. "I'm s-sorry," the two words shook heavily on her lips, and her lungs exploded with a moan. "I'm so sorry." And the tears spilled over the rim.
Her brother encircled her with an embrace, warm and comforting, and she shook, saying the same thing repeatedly. He had only shushed her, patting her back and telling her that everything was alright--everything would be alright.
They had stayed that way for a long while that it felt like hours to Ria, but she didn't care. She searched for solace in her brother's arms, the only family she knew despite learning the truth about their births--not even in paper were they siblings. They were mere people who grew up together, but she didn't care for that now.
"There now," her brother spoke, holding her by her shoulders and looking at her face, inspecting to make sure she was whole, though she was already broken. "Everything will be alright. Will you let me take care of you now?" he asked.
Ria nodded. It was all she could do.
Her brother had wiped her tears away before calling out to the door. "Enter," he said.
The door opened, and a guard came in, escorting two people.
Ria hadn't realized there were others other than the guards waiting outside. She recognized one of them as her brother's personal healer, a somasi who tended to His Majesty's health. The other was a woman in dark robes, with both arms mechanical, holding a box.
They bowed to the king, who stood up and introduced them to Ria.
"This is Dr. Rama, one of the best healers in Sivona. I believe you already know him." The king waved at the man in a gray coat.
"Yes," Ria said, nodding.
"And this is Tonet, one of the best machinists in the Draga Isles." Daniluca introduced the other.
Tonet bowed to Ria. "I'm here to serve you, Your Highness." Then she opened the box, showing a metal hand inside.
As soon as Ria's eyes fell on the mechanical thing, she felt all sorts of things. A vile fluid coated in her throat, difficult to swallow. This was her new self.
She had never minded her mechanical finger as if it were how she was born. She'd never known how she lost it when she was a babe. But this, that thing inside the box, would be a constant reminder, a horror that would haunt her all her life.
Despite the turmoil it caused her, she didn't voice it out, sensing how her brother became enthusiastic at the sight of the mechanical hand as if a hope inside him grew that, indeed, all would be better.
"His Majesty has ordered only the best," Tonet explained. "This is made of Titanium. It's a very strong metal, but it's very light." She knelt in front of Ria, presenting the box like a gift. "I understand that you have done this before."
Ria thought of her finger again and forced herself to respond. "I have, but I can't remember it. I was too young."
"Right. Well, that won't be a worry." Tonet politely smiled. "This is not going to be painful. I will simply fit the metal hand to your arm, and Dr. Rama will heal your veins and muscles to connect to it for control."
Tonet placed the box on the bed beside Ria and gently picked up the mechanical hand, inspecting it before handing it to her.
Ria hesitated, but with her good hand, she touched the cold metal surface with her fingertips, taking in the sensation that her other hand would never feel again.
"It's best to do the procedure while your injury is not yet fully healed so we can access the flesh without operation." Dr. Rama said, coming to stand beside the kneeling mechanic.
"With your permission, princess. We will proceed," Tonet added.
Ria looked to her brother, who watched her with wide eyes. Again, hope emanated from him, and she could only nod, agreeing to be taken care of.
They unbound her bandages, revealing the healing pink flesh underneath.
Ria wanted to look away, but she stared at what became of her hand--the one that had helped her swim to the depths of the ocean. She wondered if she could be able to do those things again or do any other ordinary thing again. But Tonet had promised her that the mechanical hand would be able to help her do more than just the usual things.
Tonet fitted the hand to her wrist. There was a bit of stinging pain, but as soon as Dr. Rama touched her skin, she felt the ebb away. And even though she couldn't see it, she sensed her skin knitting with metal.
Surprisingly, the procedure didn't take long. And soon enough, the machinist and the healer were done. Tonet released the hand that now perfectly clung to Ria's wrist, light and strong as promised.
"Try to move your fingers, Your Highness," Tonet said.
Ria took a deep breath. For a moment, she thought it wouldn't work, but as her fingers twitched, moving to her will in the manner she wanted them to as if they were truly a part of herself, she almost smiled. And more tears ran down her face again.
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
