"Where are you going?"
River halted in his tracks. His job here was done. He wanted to crash onto his bed and go back to dreamland.
"Didn't you want to see the dawn?" Raven Alistair nodded at the pink skies over his head.
I'll watch it in the evening, sir! Let me sleep!
Raven tapped on the railing beside him, signaling for him to come over. Reluctant,River strolled up to him. He had nothing against witnessing the mesmerizing dawn over the horizon.
He just preferred to do so peacefully. By himself.
River casually leaned against the rail, only to be pulled away by the Southern King.
"The rail is old." He alerted and gave the rusty metal beam a firm shake. It rattled and mourned omniously, and the sound of metal scraping against metal sent River's teeth on edge.
"She's an antique darling," Raven beamed, his dark brown eyes twinkling fondly.
It took River a second to realize that he was speaking about the ship. He had also figured that the ship was quite old. The weathered deck of sun-scorched wooden planks, faded paint that chipped off, and tattered sails that hung loosely all echoed tales of adventures that belonged to a bygone time.
"What is her name, My Lord?" River questioned, taking a cautious step away from the rusted fixture.
"Clementine"
"Clementine?" River echoed, "That's a fitting name."
A comfortable silence fell between them as they gazed upon the serene expanse of the ocean and its illuminating skies.
"Aithan told me that you've been creeping around the ship like a little mouse at wee hours."
River felt his cheeks warming. He tucked a stray lock of dark hair behind his ear,discreetly covering his blush.
"Couldn't sleep?" Raven probed.
"Yes, My Lord."
River scratched a rusted spot on the fixure, averting the older man's eyes. He was not lying. God had not blessed him with Wolfram's superpower of falling into a comatose state the minute his head hit a pillow. He would often wake up when it was still dark outside, with his clothes stuck to his skin in cold sweat. He would take a stroll on the deck and let the chilling wind calm his sleep-muddled mind.
"Nightmares?" Raven jumped his brows.
"Nothing too harrowing," River smiled as reassuringly as he could.
It was thanks to these wretched alarms that he found Aithan Alistair too, who had a habit of waking before the sun. The taller man stated that hours before the start of the day were the only time he had for himself. Which was true,because there were one hundred and one things that required his attention once his day began.
It was obvious that the optimal time to set his plan into motion was before dawn. Aithan's smiles came easier in the mornings, and Wolfram's brain was slower.
River patted himself on the back for his above-average cranial capacity.
"There was something I wanted to tell you," Raven started,his lightheartedness clouded by an air of gloom.
River turned to him and said, "Yes?"
"I don't trust that hell-hated barnacle."
Raven's fingers tapped the metal fixture, and he glared.
"Wolfy?"
Raven scrunched his nose as if the name had an offensive odor. "Look, I know you are close, but think about it."
He held up a finger. "One. He lied to you and took away your power so that we could not find you."
Another finger sprang up. "Two. Instead of sending you to his brother directly for interrogation, he kept you around."
River furrowed his brow. "Your point is..."
"You can't remember what happened at the pit, right? So what if," He lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper. "he took it and used you as a scapegoat to distract his batshit crazy brother?"
"You already told me this-"
"He is a child of God," Raven interrupted him. "What if God promised him something too?"
River shook his head. "Then why would he go through all that trouble to stop the ritual?"
"God must have told him that he could use you to find other pieces," Raven pointed out. "That's how we met too, remember?"
"It was God who wanted me dead in the first place." River crossed his arms over his chest. "My Lord's suspicions are misplaced."
"Well, did God want it, though?" Raven bit his lip in thought: "Come on, Missy, you are smarter than this."
River forced his brain into overtime. Raven might not be onto nothing. Maybe there was something he missed.
"God wanted you to find me." River trailed off. "He believed I was of use."
"And you fucking were," Raven snapped his fingers. "See? You are basically a dog that can sniff it. You have a connection to it. Why would he want you fucking dead when Southern God made me look for you everywhere?"
I'll look past the part where you called me a dog. This once.
"What if he said one thing,and ol' paw paw completely thought it was something else?!" Raven narrowed his eyes. "Maybe he said something to hint at your connection to it, and the foot-licker thought he literally meant that you have it."
Holy pearls! Raven Alistair had grown a brain!
"My Lord has a point." River tapped a finger to his chin. "Things like that happen all the time."
"Me and Aithan working together is our choice." Raven gazed at the horizon. "He originally promised Aithan something too,if he could find them first."
River felt his eyes go wide. God promises things you crave the most. Your deepest, strongest, and most irresistible desire. His jaw went slack as his chest puffed with bubbling admiration for the gentle giant.
He had chosen his brother over whatever he yearned the most.
Lord Aithan! This lowly one salutes you!!
"That devil incarnate is not Aithan. There is one hundred percent chance that he has his own fucking motives."
"You could be right,My Lord," River whispered, her forehead puckering in distress. "After all, he is the last one who saw the orb. His telling me that he doesn't have it is just his word."
"Glad that your fucking brain juices are finally flowing right," Raven snickered.
"I have one question," River queried. "How is My Lord so certain that I don't have it?"
Raven looked stumped. "What?"
River shrugged. "What if West God literally meant that I have it? It's a god's word against mine,after all."
"Well, do you fucking have it?"
River looked into his brown eye and saw a deep fear in it. The fear of being lied to. The fear of having his trust broken. The fear of disappointment - the kind you feel when you realize a person is not who you thought them to be.
"I don't," River deadpanned. "I just found it curious that my Lord bought my word over a god's."
"If God refuses to speak to you and you have no powers, I don't see why you would have any use of it."
River could not help but chuckle a little. Early mornings seem to change people a lot. Some become happier, some become smarter, and others become dumber.
"My Lord indeed has a great insight into things," River complimented. Praise should be given where it's seen fit.
Raven broke into a wide grin,his cheeks rounding into adorable apples. "I'm glad I could talk some fucking sense into you."
He slipped a hand into a pocket of his overcoat, and a jingle of metal clicking on metal fell on River's ears.
"Just to be sure, though." Ravem pulled out a golden-colored round object and held it out to River.
"My compass?" River's eyes widened at the sight of the sparkling metallic casing. It commanded attention by the way it glittered majestically under the red glare of the rising sun.
"I'm not known for my forgiveness." The coldness in his eye was a stark contrast to the warmth of his smile. "And I absolutely do not tolerate liars."
"If this points to either you or that two-legged dog-"
Interrupting the man mid-threat, River took the compass from his hand. Their fingers brushed for a brief second. His fingertips were ice cold.
You are threatening me, sir. Why are you scared?
"I'm glad My Lord is giving me a chance to prove myself," River felt his mouth stretching in to a grin that reached his ears.
"Please don't grin like that. It's fucking disturbing," Raven inched away from him. "It was dropped at the pit. I haven't had a chance to look at it till now."
River inspected the casing. He turned it this way and that way. Except for some surface-level scratches and dents, it was in good condition.
"Go ahead," Raven urged. "Open it and show me."
River felt his heart thunder like a herd of wild horses. Yes,this was his chance to prove his innocence once and for all. It was his rotten luck that he was afraid of.
The compass might even magically speak up and yell that he has it.
River laid the compass carefully on his palm. The metal dial was chilly against his sweat-drenched skin. He opened the casing with a sharp click, and the sound reverberated in his skull.
Even the wind seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation.
Raven Alistair peeked at the dial,his eyes wide. He was standing so close to River that he could hear the other man's heart beating in a matching frantic rhythm, like two drums banging in harmony. Both their eyes were fixated on the thin gold needle.
"Oh!" He giggled and let out a shaky breath. "Well, look at that."
The needle had not budged.
It did not even quivered. It stood steadfastly in its original position,pointing to the north. At the ocean. Away from the ship.
River exhaled raggedly, his heart finally dropping from where it was hanging in his throat. He gaped at the needle, trying to calm the feeling of his nerve endings being on fire.
I might have some scraps of good luck left. Phew!
He snapped the casing shut, unable to withstand the sight of the golden needle anymore.
"Well,this is fucking awkward," Raven said, scratching the side of his head.
"It is," River pocketed the golden compass, "but as I said, My Lord has let me prove my innocence. That was a rare luxury."
Silence fell among them once again,albeit tense. They both watched as the first light washed over the edges of the landscape, painting everything in a kaleidoscope of fiery reds and burning oranges. The sun ignited over the line where the sky kissed the sea, as if the heavens themselves were abalzed with the desire to banish shadows lurking in every nook and cranny.
"Aaa..fuck!" Raven cursed, and his face fell as if the brightness of the dawn had personally offended his eyes.
"What's wrong, My Lord?"
"There's a storm coming." His eye squinted at the red-hot dawn. The sun was haloed, and anvil clouds adorned the azure skies. "Fucking big one."
River gazed at the hypnotic scene before him but saw no forbidding signs of an impending storm. The skies were bright without a single dark cloud.
"I gotta go," he patted River on the back. "Gotta tell Bones and others to stow everything."
"Yes, my Lord," River tipped his head, "have a good day."
"You are so fucking serious, I swear to god," Raven glared. "My Lord this, My Lord that! How come you call that milksop by his name and call me like I'm a deceased ancestor?"
River tilted his head and blinked, "My Lord is a king. I can't address him so casually."
"Aaa, shut up! Shut up!" He waved a hand like swatting an invincible fly. "Just call me Raven or Rae like the rest of them do."
River forced himself to smile, but it only came out as a miserable grimace. "I'll try."
"Good, good," he smiled, ruffling River's hair to his dismay. Then he was gone,waving.
River watched until he disappeared into the below deck, down the ladder-probably to inform the crew about the storm. A small smile crept into his face, and his usually icy eyes seemed to glitter, like a frozen lake of clear water thawing under the summer sun.
He fished the compass out of his trouser pocket and curled his fingers around it. His smile widened. It was nice to have someone give him a chance to explain things. It was nice knowing someone was willing to trust him.
He opened the compass, and its golden glare reflected off his azure eyes. The needle remained faithfully still.
The slender fingers of his left hand took the compass off his right hand. His eyes had regained their coldness, which could freeze hell over as he watched the trembling needle.
* * * * *
Julie Jagger climbed up the ladder that led to the deck, her petite frame crouched under the weight of the pail she was carrying.
She was ordered to give the deck a scrubdown-a duty she quite loathed. She huffed and puffed as she reached the top rung of the ladder, her knuckles whitened and on the verge of shattering.
What caught her eye was the graceful figure of the beautiful boy they rescued the other day. He was leaning against the metal fixture, entrusting the rattling, ancient metal beam to shoulder all his weight.
Ay ?had no one told him not to do that?
She could not remember his name for the love of God. She heard inklings that he was an important person from another kingdom. Judging by his delicate frame, callus-free soft hands, and blemishless pale skin, she figured he must have had a sheltered life of luxury and wealth.
The boy was a top beauty-one that would make women across the nation slap themselves on the face in envy. If his petite waist and midnight black hair were not enough to steal anyone's heart, those bewitching eyes did the job.
He was smiling to himself, his eyes glued to a round,gold object in his hands.
It was the first time Julie Jagger saw the man smiling since her senior fished him out of the ocean. The boy looked dead inside most of the time, his pink lips in a permanent pout on his face.
He was polite and meek; he never talked unless he was talked to first. He was not rude, but he was not kind or friendly either.
They say eyes are the windows to the soul, but in this case, they were two blue gemstones that cursed anyone who dared to try and steal a peek inside. They were beautiful yet mysterious. Alluring yet hollow.
His smile widened as his fingers toyed with the golden thing, and Julie felt a chill down her spine. Sure, the morning was colder than usual, but something about that smile left her skin pebbled.
The gold object looked like a locket or something of the sort, and it looked like it could fetch a dear price. Julie made a mental note to go through his cabin later and see what other shiny things she could find to pocket for herself.
Then, as she watched, it slipped out of his slender fingers!
She stared in horror as the treasure dropped and vanished, lost forever. The boy sure had some serious case of butter fingers!
There was no panic or grief on his face as he calmly watched the invaluable locket sink into the ocean bed. Wasn't he just smiling at it seconds ago?
Julie Jagger sighed and shook her head.
Maybe it was worth no more than a cheap trinket to him. Maybe it was a plaything. Maybe he owned three of the exact same thing back home. Julie could not blame him for not relating to peasant struggles.
rich folks and their shenanigans
The author has something to say.
Here's an extra-long chapter to make up for the long absence!!!
Comment and vote!
Also,
If you remember Author stated that the compass was entirely made of the cursed gold.
It did not occur to Author that it was scientifically incorrect until she thought about it later.
You cant make an entire compass out of magnet. That wont work. So only the needle is made out of the cursed gold. So keep that in mind.
Author will go back and edit it.
The children of God, but college AU
River Verlice
Has two degrees in mechanical engineering and political science.
Does not have social media but goes on Twitter to bitch about everyone without really telling them anything about their faces.
He looks calm but is listening to Brazilian phonk and death metal.
Starts all emails with "Thank you for your opinion, but..."
Avoids humans like black death.
Aithan Alistair
Has a degree in fashion design.
Babysits
Volunteer to tutor others.
Has a fan club. Doesn't know it.
All sports clubs hunt for him. Joins chess and board games.
Caffeine addict.
Runs the student council.
Finds love letters in his locker. Gets confessed to almost every other week. Turns them all down because he only likes a certain internet celebrity.
Wolfram Schulz.
Is an Internet celebrity.
He shows up late every day because his hair is not hairing or because he is waiting for his nails to dry.
Never seen without a Starbucks.
Starts the most ridiculous fashion trends and goes viral for them.
Leaves mean comments under others's posts from puppet accounts.
Passes all his subjects by the skin of a tooth, only thanks to River and Aithan tutoring him.
Majors in literature
Films random tiktoks at random places at random times.
Raven Alistair
Bullies are bullies.
Gets suspended almost every week.
What is his major? No one knows.
Secretly runs a pyramid scheme.
Banned on every social media platform.
Stalks River. Relentlessly.
Plays basketball.
Sips on about a gallon of redbull a day.
Somehow miraculously aces all his tests. Doesn't check the results.
Raven needs stop with Missy comments.