Once again, I am so sorry it's taking forever for me uploading these chapters! Thanks for sticking with it though! It mean's a lot!!
Ëthia's P.O.V.
"At least she's not dead"
"Of course she isn't dead, Ivan!"
"Give her some space she doesn't need all of you surrounding her"
"Jarom, you're such a good person, I wish other people could be like that"
"It's not my fault!"
"You know we could have won that battle much quicker had you just stayed out of the way"
"That was completely uncalled for".
My eyes slowly opened and sunlight flooded into my eyes blinding me momentarily, I let them adjust and looked around me to see that Ivan, Jarom, Felicity, and Dax were all surrounding me.
Gently I lifted myself off the ground and came to a sitting position, the back of my head immediately began to throb and Jarom rushed to my side and pulled me in.
"You shouldn't be up and about so soon, Ëthia" Jarom said and I could feel the vibrations of his voice against me.
"I don't have a choice, we have to keep going and we need to go now" I reminded him. "If we don't leave now then we never will be able to get to the Fire Empire, this place is already about to be on lockdown or whatever, we need to move quickly".
I gently pushed away from Jarom and stood up quickly only to find myself extremely dizzy and falling back to the ground with Jarom to catch me.
"Ëthia, we have been traveling for days, the boat to get to the Empire is just a few moments of a walk away". Jarom said to me as I rested against him.
Felicity made her way over and stood by me looking down, her strawberry blonde long curls fell from her head as if they were a waterfall, "You were asleep for almost three days, you need water and food".
"Felicity" I said with happiness, "It's so good to see you"
Felicity had an immense smile appear on her face and she thanked me graciously, "Well we are basically sisters, we need to be there for each other".
She turned and walked to find me something to eat and drink while Ivan took his turn and walked over to me.
"How are you feeling?" He asked with pain in his voice
I observed him closer and noticed that he had some slight bruising on his face and that his eyes were full of concern, I didn't know Ivan, not at all, but I knew that he truly was a generous person.
"I feel like the better question to ask is if you're alright" I directed towards him.
Ivans gaze broke from mine and he looked away, "I've been better, much better" He admitted and got quiet.
Jarom held me so that my head was resting on his chest while his legs acted as a barrier for me and that nothing could break past that barrier. His arms were wrapped around my waist which gave off a very warm feeling that made me feel comfortable, more than I'd like to admit.
I looked back up at Ivan and reached my hand up towards him, "Ivan, thank you for defending what is right, I know it must of been a hard choice for you, considering those were your guards, but I am truly grateful for what you did"
Ivan's facial expression instantly changed to confusion and he looked at me like I was a mad man, "You're not mad at me?" He questioned.
A little laugh escaped from me and I shook my head, "How could I be mad at you after what you did a few days ago?"
"Because If I wasn't there then none of you would of been hurt".
I knew exactly where he was coming from, that's how I felt when anyone here got hurt, it feels like it's all my fault because without me they wouldn't of been in these situations, "Trust me, whether or not you were here we would of found trouble, don't be so hard on yourself".
Ivan had a little smile appear on his face and he thanked me and walked away.
"So here's some bread and cheese I found" Felicity said as she came closer to me, "We just got it today so it should be fresh".
She picked up her dress and sat down next to me and began talking to Jarom, "So how long is this boat ride exactly?"
"From what the captain of the ship said it should take us about six days".
"Six days?!" Felicity proclaimed.
"Is that good or bad?" Jarom asked.
"It's a bad thing!" Felicity said looking at him more intensely, "Six days is a long time on a boat, in the middle of the ocean, where anything could happen."
I tugged on Felicity's sleeve and she looked down at me with big pupils.
"Are you scared of water?".
Her reaction to my question was a simple head nod.
"I had no idea".
"I'm not scared of water, as in a cup of water or something, but I am scared of big bodies of water. I just feel vulnerable and even weaker than I already am".
"You mustn't worry, Felicity" Jarom insured, "We are right here for you, nothing bad will happen during the time we are there".
Felicity gave a weak smile and turned her head away and I assumed she got lost in thought.
In the space of a few minutes Ivan and Dax made there way over to us and sat down and started up a conversation about their homelands and people they had left behind, we all listened with interest getting to know them even better and that's when I felt I needed to tell them about my experience with my mother.
The forest went quiet and you could hear the rushing of the air going by much clearer, if anytime was good enough to say something it would be now.
"I saw my mother".
Once again all I heard was the wind blowing by and nothing else.
Slowly I lifted off of Jarom and looked at all of them as they looked back at me.
"Did you not hear what I said?" I asked gently.
"We did" Felicity answered quietly.
"Then why do you not ask more questions about how it's possible, or what was said, or anything really".
They all went quiet once more and it was irritating me beyond belief, "Someone tell me what's going on!" I spoke with power and authority.
Ivan's eyes met with mine and quickly he darted them away from me, "Ivan, what's going?"
Slowly his eyes crawled back to my gaze and he said something quietly that I didn't understand.
"What was that?" I asked moving closer to him.
"We already know" He said a little louder.
"Know what?!" I responded loudly, "Talk to me like you normally would!".
His face got more intense and he let it all out, "We heard your entire conversation with your mother, from beginning to end, not a single detail left out. On the second day you began talking to your mother, and on the night of that day you stopped."
I looked at him astonished and then looked at everyone else, "Why didn't you all just let me know?".
"Because" Dax joined in, "We didn't know if you wanted it to be a personal affair or if you wanted it to be shared".
"Oh." Was all the came out of my mouth.
"Ëthia, what we do know now is that Xrin is truly evil, like your mother warned you" Jarom said resting his hand on my shoulder.
I looked at all of them with hurt and confusion, "And you're all willing to stay, even though you know there are assassins of all kinds coming after me?"
"Of course" Jarom stated.
"I wouldn't want anything else" Felicity replied.
"Why else would we be getting on that boat?" Dax questioned.
"I would have never left my home unless it was truly for something important and worth fighting for". Ivan added in.
I looked at all my friends, the new and the old ones, and realized how lucky I truly was to be able to get to know them.
I had no clue what was ahead of us but I was more than willing to find out, especially since they too were happy about it.
"It looks like we should be off to that boat" I said as I slowly stood up.
The group smiled and we gathered our things up together.
I quickly noticed how my bears eyes lit up a little when she saw me standing there, her beautiful white fur and big paws, it seemed like it had been forever since I had seen her.
I walked to her and threw my arms around her neck and held her closely, "I've missed you too".
"Bonding moment?" Felicity said as she laughed a little.
"One could say that" I replied.
"We are ready to go to when you are" Felicity stated.
I looked around and everyone was on their animals, except Ivan who would ride with me, I smiled once more, "Let us pursue this adventure with courage".
Ivan walked up to me and I reached my hand down to help pull him up, once he was on I asked Jarom to lead the way.
Jarom's bear quickly took off and we rushing out of the forest and onto a beach with dark sand, sand that was almost the color of my people, I had never seen sand of such a dark color before.
The boat was off in the distance but I could tell that it was an immense ship, it was mostly gray and had red and gold flags flying high above it, men were walking back on forth on the ship and I heard one of them yell out in our direction.
"What is he saying?" I asked aloud.
"That's the captain" Jarom shouted back at me, "Don't worry, we've already talked to him".
It was odd not knowing exactly what was going on, I had to go with it, normally I was the one who called the shots and other people adjusted, this was new territory for me.
Upon arriving at the immense ship a ramp was let down and men ran down and stopped us from entering.
Jarom looked back at me and I glared at him with harsh eyes, "I thought you said you talked to him" I asked him.
"He did" Felicity jumped in, "Maybe this is just something they do?"
I looked away from both of them and noticed that the men had surrounded us and their captain stood at the top of the ramp looking down.
"I thought we had an understanding" Jarom spoke.
The captain began walking down and looked at Jarom specifically, "You know, I don't do well with boys who don't know there place".
The captain was tall, strong, and looked like the assassins that we had seen earlier, which would make sense considering they were from the same empire. His hair was black, his eyes were almond shaped, and he was very easy on the eyes.
He walked past the front guards who surrounded us and made his way into the circle.
He was wearing a traditional captain's uniform that was black with golden trim, his gloves were pure black along with his shoes that he wore.
"Jarom? Correct?" The captain asked.
"Yes" Jarom replied.
"Well, Jarom, my crew and I have had a change of heart, we don't want you and your friends traveling with us any longer".
"But why?" Jarom asked.
"Because!" The captain yelled, "I don't get anything from it! You children get a free voyage on my ship! You're just common folk trying to travel the world, someday you'll find a way to the Empire, but not by my ship".
The captain turned around and began walking up the ramp and I knew I had to do something.
"Wait!" I yelled out.
He turned around and looked at me with irritation, "Little girl, I don't want to kill you and your friends, I'm honestly trying to do the right thing."
"Yes but listen, I'm sure there is-"
Being cut off from my sentence he continued on, "Fine, I'll let you speak, but if what you say is nothing I want to hear then I'll kill you and your friends right where you stand".
Ivan, Felicity, Dax, and Jarom all looked me with curiosity and fear in their eyes, I was all too familiar with this look and hoped that once more we would find ourselves safe again.
"You said that we had nothing to offer, but I have something to offer, somewhere that no other travelers or captains have been able to trade in many many years.
The captain looked at me with interest and walked down the ramp, "Get off your bear". He commanded.
Although I hated when people commanded me to do things I did as he said and got off.
The captain was even taller than I thought he was seeing as he towered over me.
"And what could a peasant girl offer me?"
"First off captain I am not a peasant girl".
My group of friends instantly looked at me with a warning glance and I ignored them.
"What are you then?" The captain asked with interest.
"I am one of the Ladies in waiting, for the princess of the water colony".
The captain took another step toward me and by this time I could see his chest hair and every little flaw of his face that he had.
"The princess of the water colony?" He repeated.
"Yes" I replied.
Instantly all of the men began laughing and pointing their fingers at me and I was more confused than ever.
"You and I both know all true royalty from the water colony is dead". The captain said fighting back the laughter that all his men continued to pursue in.
"What are you saying captain?" I asked once more.
"I'm saying that you will not be allowed on my ship, you're a liar, a woman, and I most certainly will never trust you aboard my-".
The captain stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes glanced behind me.
Slowly I turned my head around and noticed that Felicity was behind me on her oversized bird.
"And who is she?" The captain asked with captivation.
"This is my friend, Lilly" I replied.
Felicity looked at me with an odd look on her face and then directed her attention to the captain.
"Lilly, is that your name?" The captain asked with a softness to his tone.
"Yes captain, Lilly".
The captain pushed by me and walked towards Felicity with admiration, "And are you needing to head to the Fire Empire as well?".
"Of course captain, my friends and I would really-".
"Say no more" The captain said cutting Felicity off from her sentence, "Men, show these people where their animals go and where their rooms are. Quickly".
Without a second thought his men began leading us up the ramp and onto the ship.
"If you would get off your animals we can take them this way" One of the men said and helped Felicity and I off our animals.
"And follow me this way" Another man said.
In the distance I could hear the captain yelling to lift the ramp and that we would set sail immediately.
The ship was extravagant, much more than I would think is possible, I felt like I was more in another palace rather than a ship.
We were lead down some stairs and into a candle lighted hallway with a gorgeous red carpet and expensive paintings.
We came to a door and the men opened it, "This is where you all will stay".
Walking in I was more than impressed by what I was seeing. It was a grand room with couches and beds, tables and chandeliers, a full wall of windows that looked out towards the ocean and all it's beauty. Light red drapes were hung beside the windows and a table full of fruit was in the corner.
"The captain will visit you all shortly" The man said and closed the door behind us.
Each of us stood there in shock and were wondering how this could be real life.
"I call this couch!" Felicity said and darted off in the direction of a white couch with pillows and blankets covering it.
Instantly everyone, including me, took off somewhere to claim a spot and once settled there we laid or sat in silence enjoying the comfort that we had.
"Lilly?" Felicity questioned, "Seriously?"
"What? It was in the moment" I defended myself.
"Why a fake name?" Felicity asked.
"What if he had heard of the Air Princess running off with the Water Princess? Do you think he would actually give us a safe voyage to The Fire Empire?"
"Maybe not" Felicity added in, "But had he already heard it I'm sure he would of put it together. After all we are wearing nice dresses and then there is our skin color difference".
"I'm just playing it safe Felicity, honestly that's all I'm doing".
Felicity nodded her head and then rested back down on the couch.
Suddenly we all felt a little jolt and each of us was alert.
"Look" Dax pointed towards the window.
We all turned around and looked out the windows and noticed we were moving.
"Six days starts now" Jarom said and sat back down on his bed.
"Six days too many" Felicity mumbled.
I walked over and stood by the windows looking out and watching the world go slowly by me. It was fascinating being able to stand there and see so many things I had never seen in a perspective like this.
As I looked into the water from the window I noticed different types of fish swim by, some were magnificent colors of reds, oranges, blues, and even greens. They were different shapes, some were very flat and long, while others were immense and floating along, it truly was sight to see.
"The Captain" A voice intruded my thoughts.
I turned around and the captain was standing there in the middle of the doorway observing all of us.
"You may go" The captain demanded to what I assumed was his right hand mate.
The door shut with the man leaving and the captain walked in and stood in front of me.
"Who are you really?" The captain ordered with intrigue.
"A lady in waiting, captain" I responded.
He took another step toward me and looked at me with a blank expression, "Are you sure? A lady in waiting?"
Clearly he knew something and he wanted me to confess, but I didn't know what that would do to all of us, I didn't want to take the risk.
"You know" The captain continued, "Not to long before you all arrived there was a message delivered that the prince of the Earthern Territory had been kidnapped".
The captain looked over in Ivan's direction and had a smirk appear on his face, "They also told me that he had been kidnapped by three dark skinned savages and a light skinned girl".
Jarom, Felicity, Dax, Ivan, and I all looked at each other with concern.
"So" The captain pressed on, "Who is going to tell me the truth? Because I can guarantee that once we are far enough out I will not hesitate on throwing you all overboard tied up in the tightest of ropes."
"It's honestly not what you think!" Felicity blurted out.
I turned my head over in her direction as she sat on the couch looking at the captain.
"And just what is it, Lilly?" He asked.
Felicity mouth hung slightly open and nothing came out, figures.
"Captain" I intervened, "We are travelers, that part is true, and we are trying to get to the Fire Empire. I can promise you we aren't dangerous, not even of the slightest bit. Yes, that is the prince of the Earthern Territory but no we did not kidnap him, we just have some business to do in the in the Fire Empire."
The captain walked away from me and over towards Felicity, "And tell me, Lilly, what is it exactly that you need to do in the Empire?".
Lilly looked over in my direction only to have the captain tell her to turn her head back to him.
"Umm, Well you see Captain" Felicity struggled to say, "You see we are all on a journey of learning together."
There was a few moments of silence where Felicity ended up looking at the Captain's face with an odd expression and the Captain looked back at her.
"Learning?" The captain questioned.
Felicity pushed her lips together and nodded.
That idiot. It's not hard Felicity!
"You're all here together learning?" The Captain questioned turning in a slow circle looking at each of us.
"Yes" We all said one by one.
The Captain walked back to the main door and turned around again before exiting, "If I find out a different story, I promise you all will meet a watery grave, and the animals you brought on board will be cooked and eaten. If you're telling the truth, I am more than glad to teach you all a few things".
He stood there for a brief moment before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.
We all stood where we were for what seemed like an eternity before I turned around and looked at Felicity, "Learning?"
"What!" She said, "I'm not a good liar like you are".
"It could've been worse" Ivan said.
"That's true" Dax and Jarom replied at the same time.
"Honestly as long as we are okay and don't end up thrown overboard I'm fine" I added in, "It was good Felicity, could use a little work, but it was good".
"So what do we do now?" Ivan asked, "I don't think we all want to plan on staying in this room the whole voyage".
"I'm sure they wouldn't mind us traveling the ship a bit" Jarom replied, "I mean just look at the room that they gave us".
We all looked at eachother and nodded in agreement.
"Well let's head up" I said and began walking towards the door.
"I'm gonna stay here" Ivan said.
I turned around and looked at Ivan, "Is something wrong?"
"No" He replied gently, "I really feel like being alone for a while, a lot to adjust to with these few days".
I nodded my head in agreement and we walked out of the room and in the hallway.
We walked up the stairs and onto the deck and were presented with the warmth of the sun and the breeze of the ocean.
Men were shirtless while walking to and from their activities, some cleaning the deck, others tightening ropes around posts, and some were even high on the sails fixing things that were a little damaged.
"Lilly" A voice spoke.
We turned around and once again the Captain was standing there.
"Hello captain" Felicity responded.
"And just what brings you ladies up top" He questioned.
"We are on an adventure, are we not? Might as well see what the life of a sailor is like".
The captain smiled and reached his hands towards Felicity, "Let me give you a personal tour of the ship then, it is a very big ship".
Felicity looked at me as if she wanted me to answer the question but I simply looked at her and let her know that she was able to make her own decisions.
"Only if my friends can attend with me". Felicity responded.
The captain rubbed his chin with his thumb and thought for a few moments, "You may only choose one friend to attend with you".
Felicity without hesitation chose me to go with her.
"The lady in waiting?" The captain questioned.
Felicity nodded her head in agreement.
"Alright then, let me show you around the ship" The captain said and began walking up another thing of stairs and to a higher portion of the ship.
Felicity was right behind the Captain and I was behind her, I turned my head around and looked at Jarom before he was out of sight.
He smiled and put his fist to his heart letting me know that he would wait for me to return.
I smiled and put my fist to my heart knowing that Jarom would smile ten times bigger than what my smile was, and surely enough he did.
I turned back around and looked at the back of Felicity's head as her strawberry blonde hair was whipped back and forth in the wind.
This ought to be an interesting tour.
*Jarom's P.O.V. *
As I watched Ëthia and Felicity walk away with that man I returned my attention back to Dax, "Let's go see what Ivan is up to".
Dax agreed and we made our way back down to the room and opened the door.
"Ivan?" I asked out loud.
Ivan was nowhere to be seen.
I looked over at Dax who shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know where he is" He replied to me.
We waited there for a few brief moments before we heard a muttered voice.
"Did you hear that?" Dax asked me.
I nodded my head and talked to him, "Where are you Ivan?".
"Over here" A weak voice sounded.
Behind one of the many couches in the room Ivan was hiding behind it covered in blanket.
"Ivan, what's wrong?" I asked.
Ivan uncovered himself and looked extremely pale, "I'm not feeling so well".
"Seasick?" Dax questioned.
Ivan shook his head, "No".
Dax and I looked at eachother and then back at Ivan.
"Then what happened?" I questioned.
Ivan looked me square in the eyes and I could see a pain in his eyes that I didn't notice at first, "All of this is so different to me, I'm not used to being told what to do and where to go, and let alone sleeping in the same room as other people. It's not the way I was raised."
"So you're missing home?" I asked.
Ivan nodded his head.
"Ivan" I spoke, "I'm not sure if this would help or anything, but out of all the men here on this journey, you're the only who has been treated so well".
Ivan continued to look at me, "What do you mean?"
I little laugh slipped out and I quickly explained to him, "Dax here was raised in a tree, yes he was royalty but he was royalty in a tree. Me? I'm a peasant, a commoner, whatever you want to call me. I just happened to get lucky and became friends with the princess. But you... you on the other hand... You were born in the most powerful part of this world. You one day will be in charge of the strongest armies, the biggest country, and of the most wealth.".
Ivan lowered his head a little.
"Ivan! Your bedroom, which isn't even the master's bedroom, is bigger than Ëthia's master bedroom. Your palace is at least three times the size of Ëthia's castle, and her castle a big castle.".
Once more Ivan said nothing but tucked his head into the blanket.
"Ivan. You are going to be King one day". Dax told him, "This will only add to your experience, imagine it, you know the water princess, the air princess, and know you're going to meet the royalty of the Fire Empire. This has to be much more than what your father has done. Be proud".
Slowly Ivan lifted his head up and looked at Dax, "I guess you're right in that sense, this is a great learning tool, and a way to make good connections".
"Exactly" Dax replied, "You'll be home before you know it. So stand up, stop feeling homesick and know that when you return you'll be all the wiser".
"Wiser" Ivan repeated, "I like that".
Dax and Ivan shook hands firmly and then Dax pulled him in for a hug.
Ivan looked at me and I followed in Dax's footsteps. "Us men got to stick together".
Ivan got up only to go sit on a couch, "Where are the girls?"
"They are on a tour of the boat" I replied.
"And why didn't you go with them?" Ivan questioned.
"Because for some reason the captain only wanted Felicity" Dax added in, "Although Felicity wouldn't go without Ëthia".
"Oh..." Ivan responded.
"Whoops, my bad, I meant Lilly" Dax corrected and began laughing.
Ivan and I watched Dax in amusement as he made himself laugh and soon we found ourselves laughing with him.
After a good while of laughing Dax decided to tell us some stories of his few lovers that he had.
"She had light skin, dark, long, curly hair, and the brightest brown eyes you'd ever see". Dax described.
"And how did this one get away?" Ivan questioned.
"She fell in love with another". Dax answered. "I thought the relationship we had was just for fun, but when she left to be with another I realized that I was actually in love with her".
There was a brief moment of silence before Dax carried on.
"She was united with him and now they have two baby boys".
The bitterness in Dax's tone almost hurt me myself, I could almost feel the pain that was in his voice and the regret he had for not asking this girl to be more when he had the chance.
"Did you ever feel that way about any of your other lovers?" Ivan asked.
"She has been the only girl I've ever loved, the rest of them were just there, mere distractions".
Ivan and I looked at eachother and we each felt the pain that Dax had in him.
"Your heart will heal man, It always does" I said to him.
Dax looked at me with a look of suspicion, "How could you possibly know how I feel?"
As I sat there on the couch looking at Dax in the big comfy chair that he was in I started having flashbacks of everything Ëthia and I had ever been through".
"Dax, at least you knew that you had a chance to be with her, you could of asked her to be yours, you could of made her yours. Me? I know I'll never be able to be with the girl that I love, and everyday I have to help her, comfort her, be there for her, and you know what? I'll never get to be with her".
Without a second thought I stood and began walking over to him while I spat out words, "My heart breaks over and over again everyday when I see her. I love her so much that I am on this journey with her, and I am so in love with her that my parents died! So you have no right, Dax, to tell me that I don't know what heartbreak is! Don't you ever dare question me like that again!"
Dax sat in that chair looking up at me and soon he too stood up and without a second to waste he leaned in and hugged me, I too hugged him back, and Ivan made his way over and hugged us both.
"We got this" Ivan said, "We got this".
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