Seto didn't say a word as he watched Jerome approach the city gates with his 'team' of people. The ambassador looked defiantly at the general until Seto turned his back to tend to his horse.
Of course he would do this, he thought bitterly. Of all of the people he could have chosen, he picked them.
To be fair, he reasoned, he had already known Jerome would pick Mitch to accompany them. It was logical of him to select a group of people who were already familiar - powerful people, at that. But the unity of not just four people but the entire party was at stake, and serious conflict like what Seto and Sky had experienced so recently was a danger to them all.
Still, though, he said nothing. There was a tense, awkward silence as the new arrivals joined his own selected people in loading their supplies into the saddlebags of the prepared horses. He could feel Jerome still looking at him, urging Seto to say something. He remained silent, refusing to even look back at him.
Instead, he approached Brice, who was standing directly below the city gates, there only to say farewell. A selfish part of Seto wished that he could go with them, but not only was this a learning experience for his apprentice but it was also a way to keep him safe.
Brice gazed at him with something resembling sorrow. "Promise me that you'll be okay."
"I can't do that," Seto murmured. "I'm sorry. But I'll try to stay alive - you know that. And I know you can do this, too. You'll have people to help you."
"I'm not ready to lead a city," Brice argued. "Even with help. I'm not good at this like you are."
Seto reached out and took Brice's hands in his. "Neither was I. It's not easy, Brice, I'll tell you that. But I have complete faith that you can do this."
Brice gazed at him for a long moment, then threw his arms around him. Seto smiled sadly into his shoulder, hugging him tightly. There was something else that he yearned to say, but now was not the time - especially if he were to die on this mission.
-
The horse ride to the beach was not very long, since the island was only so big. Sky wondered if he could have flown there, though, with his newfound power. His amulet was in place, however. And it would remain that way until they were at a place safe enough for him to remove it.
He glanced at Deadlox as they each led their horses onto the large, flat boat meant for transporting animals. "Hey," he hissed. "Do you know who that guy that Seto brought is?"
Deadlox raised his eyebrows at him. "Seto chose three."
Sky rolled his eyes. "I mean the one we don't know. We both know Dan, and you remember Ant, right?" He wasn't surprised that the general had chosen Dan for this expedition, since he heard him speak so highly of the man when they first met despite his having no powers. He was a little surprised at Ant being chosen, though, but then again he had only met the man once.
"Yes, I remember." Deadlox looked over at the man that Sky was pointing out. "But I don't know who he is."
The man in question was clad in simple, dark grey clothing with black boots and a matching cloak that cast shadows on his face like a mask. From where he was, Sky could see that his eyes were colorless, too, but they didn't glow like his own. He was currently helping Ant calm the his horse enough to lead it onto the boat.
"You can ask Jerome," Deadlox suggested. Sky frowned at him.
"Or I could just ask him," he replied. "No problem with making new friends."
"He's on Seto's side, Sky," Deadlox said irritably. "He's not going to want to be friends with you."
Sky immediately felt himself withdraw from the conversation, a defensive reaction to Deadlox's hurtful bluntness. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he muttered, brushing past Deadlox to lead his horse onto the boat.
"Sky, wait, I didn't mean it that way." Sky ignored his friend's call, stroking his horses's muzzle as he led it into one of the small pens for short-term transportation. If you didn't mean it that way, why'd you say it?
Jerome cleared his throats awkwardly, breaking the silence induced after the small dispute. "If everyone is ready, we should depart. It's only about a day by boat to the place we're landing, but we need to hurry once we get ashore."
"I second that," Seto called out, as if reminding everyone that he was still here. Sky sighed internally. How was he supposed to get along with Seto and his people? They had a pretty major grudge against each other now, after Seto mistreated Sky and he publicly humiliated the general in return.
Surely we're both mature enough to put aside our differences, Sky thought, risking a quick glance at Seto. The sorcerer was speaking with Jerome, now on the boat, making gestures that hinted at him being angry, but when Mitch interrupted their conversation to ask Jerome something, Seto quickly regained his composure as if nothing happened.
He bottles up his emotions. Just like Deadlox. Meaning he needed to dispel the tension between them quickly before someone did something they'd regret.
-
The day had been fairly horrible for Deadlox. Not only did he have to deal with being around several people he either didn't like or didn't know, but he also had to watch Sky be angry with him. Even worse, he could clearly see that being constantly surrounded by an expanse of water was taking a bit of a toll on his health. He had vomited several times over the side of the boat, but always in private so nobody saw, and he often sat still against the wall of his horse's pen, trying not to move. It was physically painful for Sky, but the fact that offering to help might drive him away more was painful in a different way to Deadlox.
The only upside was the company of Ian and Mitch, though the latter of the two spend most of his time with Jerome. Ian offered to introduce him to Dan, but Deadlox turned down the offer. He did share a nod of acknowledgement with Ant, however. That had to count for something, right?
At around noon, when everyone sat around various places on the wide, flat boat eating lunch, Deadlox quietly complained to Ian.
"I didn't even do anything, really," he hissed. "I just told him that it wouldn't be easy to make friends with any of Seto's people."
Ian tilted his head. "I made friends with them."
Deadlox waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, but you didn't beat their leader in a duel. So they have no reason to hate you."
Ian rubbed his temples and sighed. "Deadlox, he's an extrovert. He wants to make sure people are on the same side as him. You can't blame him for that. Don't discourage him for being himself."
Deadlox looked over at where Sky still remained in his spot by the horses, knees pulled up to his chest. He was at least writing something, now. He wished he could see what.
"I suppose you're right," he told Ian. "But what do I do now that he's angry?"
Ian stared at him as if he were stupid. "Deadlox, what do you do when you do something hurtful to someone else? Think about it."
Deadlox glared at him. "Yes, I know I should apologize. And I will. But what if he doesn't listen?"
"He will eventually," Ian assured him, a faint smile on his face. "You know Sky. You two can't stay angry with each other for long."
"That's not true," Deadlox muttered, but even he knew that sounded ridiculous.
-
Sky was miserable. He felt as if every ounce of strength had been sapped from his body. The saltwater air was fresh, but every breath was on the verge of being painful. In the squids' kingdom, the ocean had been all around him yet hadn't affected him. Why was it doing so now?
Despite his condition, however, he had been at work since lunch working on something that would not only totally humiliate him but hopefully ease the tension between he and Seto. Though he didn't feel bad at all about challenging the general to the duel and winning, Seto was the leader - and everyone needed to understand that for their team to function, their leader should be respected, his own personal opinions set aside.
So, he wrote. And when he was done, he leaned against the horses's pen and tried to ignore the sickly feeling of his energy being sapped.
During dinner, everyone was scattered around the boat once more. Seto sat closest to the center of the flat boat, murmuring with Dan and the man that Sky didn't know. Sky pushed himself onto his feet, nearly collapsing again as he did. When he was able to stand on shaky legs, he unfolded his paper and cleared his throat for attention. All eyes on the boat immediately snapped to him, and a knot of nervousness immediately twisted in his gut.
Just get it over with. We can all use a laugh, anyway. He took a deep breath, and began belting out the true monstrosity of a ballad he had toiled over this afternoon.
"Oh, our simpleton lives were lived on a whim
Until the great magic general came in.
Waving those hands with a purpleish glow
Oh now it is courage in our hearts we will stow!
He has hair like the horse filth, so wondrous and brown
and his galavant smile leaves no solider down.
Poor, sleepless eyes that change on a whim;
though his nails and his ego may need a good trim.
So raise a glass to the general, he's led us this far!
Though I found in our duel you should work on your par.
Years spent building the city we know
have done a great deal for the old sorcerer Seto."
Silence greeted him. I made the wrong move, he thought. It wasn't funny. It just made things worse.
Then Seto erupted into shrieks of laughter. Jerome was next to join in, guffawing in a way that quickly drew all of the others in - except Deadlox. Sky glanced at him only for a moment, but he was smiling. Sky was having a difficult time containing his own grin as he called out to Seto, "I thought I should dispel the tension! Did you like my song?"
Seto almost beamed at him. "Yes, Sky," he laughed. "That helped. Although - is my hair really the color of horse filth?"
Both Sky and Dan said "Yes!" at the same time, sending them into more laughter. Sky took the opportunity to come and sit next to Seto, relieved to not be standing.
"I'm sorry I humiliated you," he said apologetically. "I sure didn't mean to."
"And I apologize for treating you like a child," Seto smiled back. "Hopefully in the future we can agree." He extended his hand. Sky shook it and immediately felt the bond of companionship. He grinned again, grateful that his incredibly stupid idea had succeeded in its purpose: to bring some laughter to this stupid boat in the midst of of war.
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yeah I know I disappear for a couple of months and then return with THIS bullcrap chapter? lol sorry y'all. thank you guys so much for your continuous support!!