Arrr mateies! How'd ye be doin'? This chapter is a little different.
While I enjoy them, I am not really in to writing alternating viewpoints because when I read them I always find myself disappointed that something exciting is about to happen then it jumps POV. I also find that I get more attached to certain characters therefore I don't pay much attention to the ones I don't like as much and miss plot. Lazy reading I know, but it's true. Hence, why most of my story is set from Sky's perspective, with the exception of the prologue. I was very tempted to include a chapter from Dustin's view after he abandoned Sky, but I feel like you can imagine what he'd be thinking. And I also didn't want to break up the flow and jump back and forth between the two.
In this case however, I think I have over used the plot explanation conversation cliché a bit too often so I'm trying something else. This chapter will be from the younger memory of Dana. I feel the woman should get a little credit for her character and another long story telling within the chapter with Sky putting in her thoughts isn't really what I wanted to go for. So I guess imagine this chapter taking place inside Dana's mind, but know that Sky is listening to the woman explain it to her. However, I should point out that Dana would not include all of the details that'd show her weaknesses because that is not how she is. But it's importation to know. The writing may be a bit different from normal as Dana's personality will tint it. (Hopefully or apparently all my female characters are written as the same one-dimensional heroine.)
So this is a bit of an odd chapter. But I hope it fits. Thanks for still trudging along with this story. Know that once things fall in to place regarding backstory and plot, it will start to heat up as we head into the climax of this story. Bittersweet.
Bek
Dana's story
The sun had long ago set, the cluttered space lit only by one candle. It had almost burnt down to a puddle of wax on the brass plate, casting long shadows across the workroom. Worn leather-backed books lined one side of the room, their titles, ranging from Elemental Occurrences known in today's world: Volume 6 to Densities of Liquids and their Properties, carefully ordered in a manner only understood by the two scientists.
One large desk was scattered with pages of notes and pieces of writing charcoal. To the far side of the room, a long bench was covered in ampoules of different chemicals. A dark swirling egg belonging to a Horn Shark, sat idly in a glass tube. A large portrait hung on the fall wall above the flasks. It was of a water bird; its inky black wings stretched out to its sides and its noble head lifted to the sky. The room was clear of dust and grime as its inhabitants took great care in their work.
"It doesn't make sense Bill darling. This man is crazy." The scribbles before her were crawling up the page like ants trying to escape the page. As an intelligent woman, it was infuriating to see the answer before her, but each time she reached out to grasp it, it eluded her grip mockingly letting her brush her fingers against it.
Dana had spent weeks doing equations and redoing them, only to think she understood before it slips away again. Aggravated she grabbed at her hair and pulled.
"Darling Love." Gentle hands took hers and removed them from her hair. Bill combed his hands through her locks softly stroking her scalp. Dana leaned back in her chair and shut her eyes as her husband made little circles with his fingertips down around her ears. He slowly moved lower to rub the tension from her neck that had built after hours of being hunched over.
"All the brilliant men are." She felt his chin against her head as he kissed her hair.
"I know." Dana sighed already feeling more relaxed. "I married one, remember?"
Bill hummed into her hair shyly and Dana stood to face him. She always did find him very handsome, with his baby blue eyes and urban hair. Over the recent months his beard had been allowed to grow out at her request. He had not been considered an eligible bachelor when they had met. Many members of her Aristocratic class had even tried to dissuade her from pursuing a relationship with the Chemist. They thought him odd.
Dana remembered fondly his awkward attempt at making conversation. He saw the world differently to them. It had always intrigued her how he could look at a glass of wine and not lose himself to the intoxication it promised, but rather the science behind the dark liquid. Her father had called him mad, but Dana had seen the logic of his words, though she did not understand many of them. It seemed those complicated words were the only thing the young William was confident in and yet others mocked him for it. When Dana had shown no signs of losing interest in their relationship, her father had declared that she would have to choice between him, the mad undesirable son of an accomplished business man, or her family, lowly members of the King's court.
Dana always believed that a cruel thing to do. In the end she had chosen the person who had loved her and understood her. After all, they both saw the world a little differently.
However, tonight Dana was failing in her ability to see the mathematical patterns in the blueprints. It had not helped that King Patrick had become feverish with every advance in the project. It had been two weeks and Bill's research was coming along at a spectacular speed, that man truly was marvellously clever. Dana was yet to progress in understanding how a cannon of that weight and size could propel a 42 pound shot to that distance. The figures simply didn't add up.
"We will work on it together tomorrow, hmm?" He gave her one of his sweet smiles. They were a rare occurrence and saved only for her. It warmed her heart. "You know you work best when you can talk things through Darling. I'm sure you will find it in the morning."
Dana sighed. Bill's smile faltered slightly. "I'm sorry Bill dear. He just speaks like this is so important to the Kingdom. I can't possibly imagine what he could use it for."
"He will tell us more once we are finished. I am sure." Bill did seem sure, his loving voice soft. "Come Darling, you look tired."
"William," Dana smiled against her exhaustion, "Didn't your mother teach you not to comment negatively on a woman's appearance."
But before he felt too uncomfortable, Dana moved into his arms and kissed his lips affectionately then laughed softly. Still after three years of marriage the man blushed hiding his freckles under a blanket of pink. The two retired for the evening, Bill promising tomorrow would be better.
Unfortunately, it was not. With Bill taking her through her equations, Dana had made some small progress. But with each step closer to understating the former Commodore's notes, Dana felt that she was understanding the nature of a device such as this.
After almost a week of steady progress, she was beginning to feel like she should stop deciphering the notes. Christopher Davion had written on numerous occasions that it was only to be used after further testing and understating of their world. The words had unsettled the young mathematician.
"Listen to this Darling," Dana picked up the ink stained paper, holding it in front of her at an arm's length and read a passage scrawled neatly near the bottom, "'With propulsion such as this, the gunners would not need to be at the same distance to fire. They could, theoretically, eliminate the threat before it was ever posed.' What do you suppose he means by that?" She called into the kitchen from the workroom.
"I assume what he says Darni." Bill came into the room a moment later carrying two cups of tea. He placed one in from of Dana careful not to put it too close to her work.
"Hmmm." Dana absentmindedly took her cup and sipped at it. Normally, she would become so engrossed in her work that time would pass without her knowledge. Bill was always hesitant to disrupt her when she was working. He knew how much she enjoyed it. This task however, caused Dana to spend long hours pondering what the reason for it was. With each equation she wondered if this was right. But with every answer she felt a rush of excitement at discovering something new; solving a puzzle many others could not.
The weeks passed slowly. Bill had tested many different types of gunpowder in an attempt to find one that would grant the greatest propulsion. For the gun to fire such heavy shots at a distance proposed by the retired Commodore, it was Dana's job to discover the exact amount of powder needed as well as calculate the arch and velocity the shot would have. It was that period of time when the excitement of the task had come and gone. They were nearing the end and soon King Patrick would be coming to collect their work.
"Iron would be much stronger than bronze," Bill was scribbling notes and symbols on a blank slip of paper as he spoke through their combined discoveries. "That would be the only way our equations would work Darling. As a softer more reactive mental, bronze has a greater chance of exploding with that much powder. One third of the shots weight should be enough, but more powder could give it the extra reach."
"Indeed." Dana looked over her equations once again. It had been quite some time since the King had checked on them and at his last visit he had made it clear he was growing impatient. Everything lined up, it had all fallen beautifully into place. Theoretically, this creation could fire to the distance it boasted. There was one question left Dana could not solve, not by herself.
"It would be dangerous though," Bill rambled off to himself as he scanned his own workings. "With that much explosives in the space, even slow burring gunpowder, the cannon may overheat. Sponging would not cool it down enough. There is the potential for it so fire prematurely. Heat truly is an incredible catalyst. And fire, a wondrous substance really. So beautiful yet so dangerous in the wrong hands. "
"Bill." Her loving husband always gave her the answers she struggled to find, and if he couldn't, he would put aside everything else and try to find some alternative. To him, she came first. Bill looked up at his wife from his work, giving her full attention, his spectacles hanging lopsided on his face. "Should we be doing this?"
It was early morning and their workroom was warm with light. They had worked so hard over the past few months. Dana was exhausted and part of her would be glad to be done with this task. The other part didn't want to let it go. She could only hope that there would be some time for themselves after this. Bill would never say it, but she could see he wanted to spend more time with her.
"Darni," He placed his notes down and came to kneel before her as she sat at her worn work chair. She smiled lovingly at him as he took her hands in his ink stained ones. "This is all theoretical. The King has been rather captivated by our work. I am sure he knows what to do with this kind of power. We are scientist, perhaps handing it over into more capable hands," His squeezed hers reassuringly. "Well it might be a relief for us. I can see how strained this job has made you. It will be best to leave our work in the hands of those who know what to do with it. Hmmm?"
Dana shut her eyes and sighed deeply. Bills fingers brushed over her knuckles in apprehension. "Yes. Whatever the outcome I think I will be glad to be finished."
Bill smiled at her answer and opened his mouth the say something when a harsh knock sounded at their door. Dana's husband rose to let them in and Dana followed shutting the workroom door behind her. Pulling on the handle, she noticed the portrait of the Double-crested Cormorant in the gap between the door and its frame, and smiled. Bill had been fascinated as to how the birds kept their feathers from getting wet. He had proposed that they must have hydrophobic feathers of some sort and Dana had bought him the portrait a day later for him to study. She could still remember his smile when she'd shown him.
"Dana Darling." Bill called softly from their entry way. He rarely used her name other than in social settings.
A moment later Dana understood why; King Patrick himself stood in their entryway, his honour guard looking relaxed around him. Even after growing up in the court and more recent meetings, the presence of the King still unnerved the woman.
"Your Majesty." Dana dipped into a low curtsy, morbidly aware that she was dressed in her husband's clothing that she'd taken in for comfort, and not a formal gown. "What a pleasure my Lord."
The King gazed out over their home and turned to Bill. He was tall, regal and considered rather handsome by many women of the court, though he had never seemed interested in the idea of marriage. His younger sister, the sweet princess, had only recently settled down with a high ranking noble. Dana had thought they looked to be happy together.
"I grow impatient. Have you completed my task?" As always the King spoke with complete power and assurance of himself. You could not argue with a man such as him.
Bill, head still bowed respectfully, glanced slowly towards his wife. It would be expected for her husband to answer, but though they had indeed completed their task, Bill was asking his wife if she doubted their work.
"You have been most generous with your timeframes Your Majesty." Bill began, though it had felt to the couple the King was breathing down their necks for the past month. "We have accomplished what you have asked of us."
At his words the King transformed. An eagerness lit his blue eyes and he smiled pleased. "Finally."
Bill motioned for the King and his men to follow him to their workroom. As they reached to door the foreboding sense of dread that had been building ever so slowly floated over Dana's skin like a sickly disease.
"My King," Dana followed the honour guard up to the closed door. "After all this work, we are intently curious. What use could your great Kingdom have for such a construction?"
The King paused as Bill opened the door. "What use you ask?" What followed was a supposing hollow laugh. "Show me what power you have given to me old friend."
Dana blinked in surprise at the bitterness in the last words. They were clearly not directed at the two scientists and Dana saw that Bill was beginning to feel the same sense of unease as her.
"It is none of your concern now woman. Your contract is complete." The King moved to stride into the room but paused, "You are to speak of this to no one."
"With the greatest respect my King," Bill looked at his wife and saw her concern. "This is an extremely dangerous piece of engineering. It should be used for scientific purposes only."
Dana felt pride lift her shoulders at the enormous amount of courage if must have taken for Bill to say that to their King; he was not a man of confrontation. That was why the King's first betrayal was so unexpected and painful. He laughed in Bill's face.
"Stupid Madman." He turned his now dark eyes on the chemist with disdain. "This was my gift. I shall use it as I see fit."
The tone of his voice told Dana all she needed to know. With pretend reverence she began to formulate how to persuade the King to give them more time by posing the notion that they could improve the power tenfold. All of their work had to be undone, destroyed. If the King intended to use this in the wrong way then as people who bettered the word they lived in Dana and Bill could not give it to him.
There was a small possibility that they could buy themselves a week. Enough time to board a ship heading far away. Perhaps they could travel to the islands that lay south. A quite place where they would be able to study and begin to understand the world they lived in. Dana had her words planned out perfectly in her mind.
"No." Dana stared in shock her at shy sweet husband. Bill moved to place himself between the King and their research standing tall. Openly refusing a direct order from the most powerful man. "We will not be a part of this it if it to be used as a machine of war."
King Patrick, a man much older than the man standing before him only looked mildly displeased. "You have no choice. If you won't gave me what is rightfully mine I shall take it by force." Fear, real and intense, shot up Dana's spine. "Move aside scientist. Your work here is complete. I will be sure you get full credit for the discovery if you wish."
"No. We will not be a part of this type of discovery."
"You already are. And the world to come offers thanks you for it." The King motioned to one of his men who stepped forward and drew his sword. Dana was sure, she had never been so sure in her life, that Bill would sigh and nod in submission. He would step aside giving them access to their work. He was her kind, gentle, shy, sweet husband. Surly he was incapable of denying his own King.
He was not. Bill stood in the door frame his arms to the side blocking the path forward. The King's soldier looked uncertain but with an annoyed sound from the man behind him, he lifted his blade.
Dana wanted to wave her arms and tell Bill let it go. To move. Their work was not worth this. She never got the chance. The guard's blade swiped wide across giving the man one last moment to move. Bill stood, staring at the King as the blade cut him down.
The world Dana knew, a world of predictable patterns and logical outcomes, collapsed as her husband fell to the ground. He had not moved. The guard looked down at the man with a sad face and let Dana shove him aside. She buckled beside him falling to her knees. The King ordered his men to gather all the research in the room behind them.
"Darni."Blood spilled from his lips spattering his orange bread with red.
"William." Dana whispered, "Oh Bill Darling." She was no doctor, but as she looked down at the wound across his chest she knew it did not matter; the wound was too great. Dana wished then that she had not dedicated her life to the study of patterns because the one time it mattered most, when probability told her that Bill would stand down, he had done the opposite.
Blood was staining her pants as she lifted his head into her lap softly. It spilled out around them on the ground a deep thick crimson. Bill's already pale skin grew ghostly. His eyes struggled in and out of focus before landing on her face.
She wished she had stopped this research weeks ago when she began to feel uncomfortable. But in her heart she knew that was not what she regretted most. She wished she had not spent all those hours sitting at her desk scribbling numbers. Her whole world was lying before her and now as the light drained from his clear eyes, her greatest regret was putting more time into her work than into the only man who understood her.
"I love you." Bill's last words were not of their research, he had never truly cared about any of that. He had simply loved working alongside his wife, making her happy. And he had seen her eyes, heard the worried in her voice and had tried to stop the King from taking it all. For her.
Dana wept silently against her husband's neck. Tears rolling painfully from her eyes as the King's men cleared out the workroom taking all of their notes.
"My Lord." One of the men looked down hesitantly at the grieving widow. "What shall I do with her?"
"Leave her. She is of no use to us anymore. We have all we need." The King did not spare a glance at the woman. They left as Dana rocked her love back and forth, feeling that she may die herself.
"William," her mind was numb to all other things. The King and his men departed with the information they needed to bring destruction upon all people not strong enough to defend themselves. "Oh my Darling William."