In just the small past couple of days I never thought how much would have changed. I was now deeper in this world than I would have ever imagined, now I was drowning in it with ankles tied onto my ankles. Now the thoughts of home were a childhood memory, so long ago. Now I was twenty-nine, married, and with a beautiful child.
Was there going back now...?
And if I went back, would I lose everything I had gained here?
Now the thoughts of returning to the twenty first century brought fear onto my heart. I thought about it as I stood on the beach as Amul was saying farewell with his friend and Darnel was playing with Bear on the coast. I was standing with my bare feet in the water. Of course Mark, the days old infant, was in my arms. He was sleeping peacefully in the warmth of my arms, I found myself enjoying the sight.
Until I saw the keys that hung from my neck... I would forget about my world if it wasn't for these keys. Haunting me, pleading me that it was time to return home. My home. I could feel it telling me that this wasn't my home, it wasn't my time.
It was haunting me endlessly.
Caspian approached me, "Come now, lass. We must be leaving."
"Where are we going next?" I asked.
"England," He replied. "It is the safest place to be with a child on board now."
"Are you sure?" I turned my head to stare at him, confused. "England is really the safest place to stay?"
"For the time being," He nodded towards the ship. "Come."
I followed him to the ship, but I didn't get on it before I told Mundy's wife the other woman goodbye. Amul translated that they wished I could speak their language so we could have talked more. I smiled and nodded in agreement with them, and before we knew it, we were back on the ship and was gone again.
As we were out onto the sea. I would occupy myself with caring for Mark. He would cry at times, but as long as I gave him attention and feed him he would be happy.
Caspian stepped into the room one day that I was in on the ship, a month after was born and had his eyes open, I had him laid in the bed with me over him. I shook my face and made a funny sound, it would make the little baby giggle and smile. I turned and looked at Caspian with my own smile, "I think his eyes will remain blue," I slid off the bed knowing that he would be safe on it as I watched him. "Not green. I told you so."
He walked up to the baby laying peacefully on the bed to look at his eyes, "It seems you're right."
Mark looked up at Caspian with a emotionless face, as if the baby was confused with the face he was staring at. When I thought he would cry he didn't, instead the little baby smiled and giggled.
"He is happier than I thought a baby with no home is," He chuckled and stepped towards me. "If those bastards had not burned my ship I would have enough money for that." now he was angry with the situation of the past.
Every time when I thought about the prison, Mark came to mind. I shook the bad memory out of my head. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find something," I put my arm around his and kissed him.
"Ria!" Darnel ran down the hallway and to the front of the door. "Bear took my sausage and now he's gone."
"Darnel..." I looked at him from the room to the hallway. "I think that sausage is gone... he most likely ate it."
He looked up and down the hallway angrily, "Bear!" And he went around searching for him.
"We must return the boy home soon," Caspian mumbled.
"I don't think so," I turned to face him again. "I get where he is coming from. Those people are bad, they might not look like it but they are. I've lived with them for two days and it was so stressful, I was surrounded by too much fake people."
"I already have one child to worry about, I do not need another."
"Hey, don't worry about it," I kissed him again more softly. "He's a good kid so don't worry about it so much, alright?"
"Hmm..." he grunted. "Fine."
I smiled and just let myself lay my head on his chest, my eyes on Mark who was laying on the bed sleeping. The baby was small and fragile, and it was so hard to believe he was actually mine. My baby. So small and innocent, loving. Beautiful.
Later, when night time had come and the baby was sleeping Caspian was sleeping in the bed together. Amul was in charge with navigating the ship and steering, letting Caspian get some sleep before it was his turn.
As I slept I dreamed...
It was storming, the rain falling from the sky and pounding harshly on a ship. The ocean waters were also raging as if the sky and sea were in a terrible argument. I looked around the ship to see it was the Dawnbreaker, as if it had never burned down or sunk. It was still in tact, sailing through the ragin storm.
It thundered and even lighting strikes. There were water spouts on the water everywhere. It was a terrifying sight and I needed to get to the wheel and try to get out of the storm. When I stepped up to the when I froze in shock, gasping at the face I saw.
"Mark..." Mark Read.
She wasn't wearing her bandana on her hair to hide her womanly appearance. Her hair wet and shaking in the wind holding the wheel, her eyes gazed into mine. She wasn't smiling, which was odd for her to not even give off a smirk.
Something was wrong...
"Everything is gone now, Ria..." She stepped away from the wheel and slowly stepped towards me, her steps slow, serious. "Why stay in this world?? You do not belong here, lass."
"Mark! W...why are you saying this?" I stepped away from her cautiously. "How do you know..."
"She's right, Ria..." Another voice appeared after lighting flashed, I turned my head to see Theodore. He was staring at me with a stern expression, young, dead... "If you stay, bad things happen. History is always about pain, do you think it's all over now? With the death of your friend?"
"No..." I turned my head to see the one and only Blackbeard. He was staring at me with a dark and dangerous stare. He was also dead, having died in 1718, but he was also standing there before me. His grin held no humor, the same as it did when he was alive. "It is the start of it, lass. Return to your precious home."
Then there was Pete, my friend from years ago, the first pirate I met. The first one I punched. He appeared when lightning crackled and there was a flash, rain pouring harder. "There is no happily ever after..."
I looked atound at everyone who surrounded me, "What are you guys talking about?? I don't understand. Why can't I just stay if I want? I can't leave now! Not when I have already etched myself here by having a baby! Do you think I'll give it up now??"
Everyone who looked at me turned their heads to the end of the ship, and when I looked as well I saw her. Freya. The girl with the same red hair as me, and blue eyes, and until the others her hair and dress that blew in the wind was dry. She looked angry other than calm and peaceful, disappointed.
"I told you to leave," She warned. "Find the keys, return home, and destroy or hide them away! I thought I could trust you!"
I took a step towards her, "I'm sorry, I fell in love with this place."
"You have no home here!"
"It doesn't matter, a friend once told me 'home is where the heart is'. My heart is content with having no home."
"You have no part in this time! You ruined everything about this place!" She walked over to the circle of people, placing her hand on Mary's shoulder, "She was to never have met Caspian!" She suddenly appeared next to live through the explosion that kills Caspian! He has a family, and now he is dead because of you! Everyone have their own time and you ruined all of it."
"Then why did I teleport here!" I shouted back at her through the storm, my clothes and hair soaked. She appeared in her spot she stood before like some kind of ghost. I snapped my head towards her. "I tired to leave when I first came here! I tried to return, I never could!! I've been here for six- almost seven years and you're pissed at me for falling in love with this place? With Caspian? And having a child!"
We stared at each other with stern and furious faces. Until, I asked a question... curious, the only think to make my anger slip away. "Why do you look so much like me? Why is it me that brought me here?" I screamed. "Answer me!"
Lightning flashed, we just stood and stared at each other. She did not answer until thunder crackled along the sky... "You are my decendent...." Her voice was soft, now sounding like her thirteen-year-old age. "Not from me... from a cousin of mine, not royalty as I was. From your mother's side."
Whoa... I thought. Didn't see that one coming...
She continued, "My sisters and I are trapped inside those keys, but I am the only one that can be seen..." Her voice became sad. "I am the keeper of the keys, it is my job to make sure that this key never fall in the wrong hands for they only bring disaster... but I also wanted the other keys to be found since they disappeared when I walked into the water, and I became trapped. I try to protect people who holds the key because I hate death, that's why I protected anyone who holds it. That's why you healed so well when you was wounded in that war traveling through time."
"So... it was all you... then how did I end up here? In this time?"
"That is the keys. They are evil, Ria. They have haunted me ever since I first found them, and down my family descended either it be my cousin or anyone from my family. Your father couldn't do it because he was not the one the key was searching for when he found it, it was searching for your mother. Because she is the only living oldest relative from the branch."
I looked down the see the keys around my neck, holding them even, hearing her continue. "And now they have fallen to you, I do not why it is this family that it haunts, that it ruined, but they are evil. Their power to travel through water is unknown, but it might lie within the Obsidian Room."
"If they are destroyed, what will happen?" An honest question.
"I do not know that neither," she took in a deep breath. "It has never returned to the Obsidian Room because no other has found the three keys to unlock it. one key would be in one time, or the other would be in another. The third in another. You are lucky to find the rooms that they were in. But, a warning to you..."
I looked up from the keys and at her, her eyes serious. "When you saved that man's life, you only saved it for that day."
"What do you mean?"
"His fate was to die on that wreck, have you not thought about the consequesces of saving his life? Did you honestly think that he will remain healthy for the remainer of his years? It doesn't work that way, sadly..."
"What are you talking about?" My heart dropped. "Tell me, Freya."
"The keys want him dead..." She looked down sadly like a child. "He will grow sick, he will die. All because they want balance."
"They can't do that!" I shouted, taking the keys off and throwing them onto the ground. "I saved him that day! He isn't supposed to die!"
"Don't be naïve!" She screamed at me. "He is going to grow sick and if nothing is helped he'll die! I am trying to be nice and tell you, but you insist of having a tantrum about it."
"Then tell me," I begged. "How can I stop this? How can I stop him dying again?" I took a step towards her, begging. "Tell me Freya, I know you know."
There was silence from her again, before I could repeat my words she spoke up. "Continue to let him wear the key and I will try to help the best I can... but it will not last forever. The only way it could be stopped is if the keys are destroyed... but it will not work unless you find the Obsidian Room and is destroyed with a special made hammer inside. If you destroy them then it should break the effects of them. But..."
"But, what?" I pressed. "Please tell me... I need to know everything. I'm tired of hunting answers..."
"There could be many things that can go wrong. You might become water, everything is reversed back to when you first came to the world and he might not remember you and your son will not exist. You might return to your world while the two of them survive in this world without you. Many things can go wrong, and if you return home you can never return here."
"If the keys are broken, what will happen to you...?"
"My sisters and I will be free," She smiled softly. "And I can finally rest, and see them again."
The only thing that broke the silence was the rain, lightening, and waterspouts. Once again I was stuck in a dark situation I didn't know how to escape from... so many things can go wrong...
"I am sorry, Ria," Freya sighed. "I know how it feels. I will try to help as much as I can, but the keys are what traps me. all I can do is help you travel through time and where, but not to your home, and to keep you from not getting killed."
"Alright," I nodded. "I will find the room and hope for the best."
I turned my head to see that everyone there was gone. Mark, Theodore, Blackbeard, they were gone.
I turned my head to see that the ship was heading for a large water spout, and with a scream I reached to grab something to on. Before the ship reached under the waterspout...
"Ria...?" Caspian whispered softly in my ear, his warmth comforting. I opened my eyes and turned my head to see him, and I instinctively put my hand on his cheek and caressed it. "What's wrong...?"
"Yer kept saying Mark's name in yer dream, and Theodore, and others. Were yer thinking of the past, Darlin'?"
Too scared to tell him the truth, I nodded, "Yes..." I checked to make sure he was wearing the key around his neck, and when he saw it I sighed in relief. "Caspian..."
"Yes?"
"What if one day I had to go back to my world... and I was gone... and I had no choice."
"Why such the strange question?" He gave me a small look with his emerald eyes, searching my eyes deeply, "Yer dreamed about the lass in the key, didn't yer? Do not lie to me, Ria."
I sighed heavily this time, nodding. "Yes, I dreamed of her...."
"Tell me what happened," he ordered. "Every detail."
With no choice I submitted and told him everything. Every part of the dream. When it was over he just held me and placed his head on my shoulder, thinking. "So the past is finally catchin' up to us," He whispered.
I nodded, "Yes..."
"Yer was goin' to keep this from me?" Now his voice was even more serious. "Did yer not think this would be of any importance for me to hear?"
"I was scared," I admitted unhappily. "I don't want any of this to happen. I don't even want you to die... I just want peace..."
He put his forehead against mine, "We will search for this room then lass, and whatever comes, comes..." It was obvious that he was tired but remained awake to calm me down of my fears. "Go back to sleep and worry about such things later."
"Easier said than done, Caspian," I whispered to him. "You didn't have the dream."
"Aye, but yer still need sleep. So sleep."
I rolled my head and relaxed back against him, my breathing became calm once I felt his warmth, his own breathing and heart beating. I just held him close because I wanted to...
Now it was only him, Bear, and Amul left from the Dawnbreaker... the other's I had known are dead. The only one who survived, Bonny, were now gone. we had agreed to go our separate ways. I wish her the best of luck...
I shut my eyes and let myself slip back into slumber.
🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊
We made it to England, stepping down for the first time on the soil here. It was where we needed to stay to avoid the waters, it wasn't safe on the waters to remain on it with a child and a boy. It would break Caspian's heart not to be on it again but we would be killed if we continued to sail on it with no place to go.
To I watched with a heavy heart when Caspian sold the ship, and we got enough money to leave the town and, with any hope, get a home to let everyone stay while we tried to find the Obsidian Room.
I had a feeling that it would take a bit longer to find than the other keys...
I just had to hold on to the bit of hope and just -well, hope that Caspian remains well and everything goes the way I wanted. So we found a home a little bit out of town that was actually large enough to hold of us. Peaceful really, calm. I liked how secluded it was although it was a little farm.
Wait, a farm?
"Caspian..." I held Mark tighter, letting the infants head lay on my shoulder." I didn't know you would buy a farm... why couldn't you buy just a house?"
"It was the only thing that was availiable, Darlin'," He returned my gaze. "And large enough to hold all of us, especially Amul."
I turned my head to see Amul walking down the trail, reminded by his large size I nodded, "You're right..."
The large home was next to the beach, connected to the ocean. The beach was located at the bottom of the small cliff with some rocks and seagull's sitting on them. It was actually a beautiful view, and the wind was so calming and it was salty from the ocean.
So we made residence inside of the home, and in that home that was already furnished we tried to find where the Obsidian were located by clues. The bottom of the room, the basement, was dedicated to the search for the room. It was mostly me who was working on it, finding myself running around the room two months later after moving into the place reading books and reasearching. Books in this day weren't that helpful and had me swearing because of it. The maps were all over a table and the room would be lit with only a stupid candle.
I missed lightbulbs.
One day when I paused and looked around the room one thing came to mind. Déjà vu really. The basement was actually beginning to look like my fathers home when I walked into it so long ago...
Everytime when I thought about it, I would get sad. In my mind I would apologize to him over and over thinking it would one day reach to him...
He was right about so much...
When I did come up from that basement and back to the first floor. I saw Amul holding Mark, who now was months olderand was a bit bigger. Bigger enough to turn his head and look around the room and blink his eyes, and with Amul holding him he looked so cute being in the arms of a big man like him. Mark had blond hair like Caspian but eyes like mine, a cute face with eyes always full of curiosity and wonder.
"Where is Caspian?" I asked, gently grabbing the baby from his arms to mine.
"Outside," Amul answered. "The boy is on the beach playing, I have him on close watch."
"You seem to be liking that boy," I smiled at him charmingly. "Are you getting attached?"
"He is a good boy," Amul shrugged. "It would a shame if he got himself killed."
I knew that in truth he was starting to like Darnel. I smiled softly at him, letting the conversation end and walked out of the front door and outside where I spotted Caspian standing in the grass looking out at the ocean, when he heard me walk up and Mark's small cries he turned his head.
He walked up and placed his large hand on the child's head, grinning, "There is no reason for yer to cry."
"He is just seeking attention," My eyes slowly looked at Caspian, smirking. "Sounds like someone I know."
His chuckle was warm, "I am surprised to see yer out of that room. Have yer found anythin' about the room?"
I shook my head sadly, "No, I haven't. this room is going to take more effort to find..." I sighed with the sadness in me. "I wish my father was here... he would know what to do at this point. Now I'm so confused about what to do... I know I can't stay here in this house and pretend nothing else is going to happen..."
"Yer should not worry about my health lass," he took a step closer to both Mark and I, kissing the whimpering baby on the forehead. "It is this lil' one yer should worry about. The room will be found in time."
"I want to do it before you get sick..."
"I am still healthy, can yer not see?" He gave me a kiss this time. "There is other things that yer should be worried about at this moment."
I looked at Mark, who was looking out at the ocean. He was drawn by the sound and the colors surrounding it, and I smiled softly at the thought being at peace and raising him. just like this, with this calm atmosphere and life.
So both Caspian and I stared at the same direction that Mark stared at so intesily. Spotting Darnel playing with Bear on the beach, everything seemed to be at peace.
Even if it was just for a moment...