Chapter 1

Years into the future, but not many…

When he was younger, John somehow got the idea that being a count was going to be exciting. At the current age of 20, he was disappointed to find it was a life filled with nothing but busy work: lessons and paperwork, paperwork and lessons…it was enough to drive anyone to madness. The simple fact of the matter was that nothing had really changed for the better in the past few years. If anything, life had just become more boring.

With a heavy sigh, the young man looked around the room. When he was a young lad, he had looked forward to coming to the North Tower to learn, but now he came with a sense of acquired apathy. Still…he could not deny the small gentle nostalgia that washed over him when his eyes passed over certain things.

The North Tower's observatory doubled both as a classroom and Sir Hussie's study. It was a small, musty space, its walls covered with maps, sky charts, and a variety of blueprints and anatomical sketches. On one side of the room was a long shelf filled with models of ships, old skulls, and jars of preserved creatures and plant life. On the opposite side was a bookshelf filled to the brim with worn-out and well-age books of various sizes and lengths. A telescope collected dust by the balcony door, unused since John was 13.

Toward the back of the room was the scholar's desk, cluttered with scrolls, papers, inkwells and quills. With the additional evidence of several spent candles and empty mugs, the implications of many busy nights for the scholar was clear. Behind the desk was a chalkboard filled with formulas and coordinates, notes in both English and Alternian. Looking at it made John's head spin a bit, but Jade loved it.

In the middle of the room were four smaller desks, though ever since Dave and Rose joined the Pros-Derse Navy at 13, only two were used.

The thought of his friends made John's heart grow heavy. They were currently on some expedition—they couldn't tell him and Jade exactly what kind—and today would make it a month since they've left the Derse ports. He missed them dearly, and yet, he envied them all the same. As far as he was concerned, they were the lucky ones; they got to have all the adventures while he and Jade were stuck in Prospit, wasting away in boredom.

Jade…John glanced over at her. Currently, the young lass was occupied with furiously writing something on a parchment. If it were notes or something else, John could not tell. Whatever it was, it appeared to have her full attention. Regardless, John was certain that she was beginning to tire of their boring lifestyle as well.

While she seemed to enjoy the lessons they shared together, it was no secret that she detested her private lessons on how to become a proper lady. Ever since she became a full-fledged countess the Prospit court had replaced her gunmanship lessons with lady etiquette classes. John had never seen her so up since…not since they tried taking Becquerel from her, keyword being tried.

They saw the white dog as a potentially bad influence on Jade and wanted to keep any and all distractions from her. They didn't count on the strength of the duo's bond. No matter what they did, Becquerel would find his way back. Eventually, the court gave up; nothing could separate Bec and Jade. John was sure that the white beast was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs…shaking his head, he finally looked at Sir Hussie.

He was still not sure what the scholar did to be knighted by the queen of Pros-Derse. Every time he asked, Sir Hussie would ruffle his hair and ask if he finished up his assignments. The scholar stood in front of his desk, looking tired, but overall relaxed and in his element. While he was an excellent scholar and an even better teacher, John couldn't bring himself to try to listen to one of the scholar's longwinded lessons. Every now and then, he would catch something Sir Hussie said—something about current troll society—but overall, John was in a world of his own.

A world where he was a dashing sea-fairing hero, the wind blowing through his hair as he went off on nautical adventures, looking for extravagant treasures and far-off lands. Jade, Rose and Dave were on his crew, and together, they would brave the seas and face off against swashbuckling, cut-throating—

"—Pirates," Sir Hussie's words startled John out his thoughts. "It is not uncommon for trolls to turn to piracy. I hope you two recall when we briefly went over troll piracy. Dualscar the Orphaner and the Marquise Spinneret Mindfang should come to mind as notable troll pirates, but I assure you that even today there are notorious captains. Can either of you name one?"

"Serket the Widowmaker!" John exclaimed excitably, breaking Jade out her note taking. Sir Hussie gave a nod of approval, clearly impressed that John knew of some current affairs.

"Excellent. How about you, Miss Harley?"

"Uh…Vantas…the Blood Knight," Jade said after a moment.

"Very good," Sir Hussie grinned, pleased with his students. "Those two are among the most wanted criminals on Skaia, their lists of crimes too long for a mere parchment. I pray that you never run into them," He paused for a moment before chuckling. "Of course…given your positions in the court, it is safe to say the only place you'll see them at is the gallows. Now, not all trolls turn to a life of pillaging and crime on the seas. A lot of trolls tend to be successful fishermen, and some even join the navy in hopes of becoming privateers. In fact, one of our best fleets consists of a troll crew."

"I think I've heard about them…Yeah! Dave said their captain is a sweaty a—" Before John could say any more, Jade leaned over and covered his mouth with her hand.

"All around hard worker," She finished smiling even after John pushed her hand away. Sir Hussie gave them a curious stare before nodding.

"Well, trolls do work the hardest. As the lowest in the Pros-Derse social order they must work hard in order to prove themselves. I assure you…I would rather have Admiral Strider after me than Captain Zahhak."

The scholar paused when a Prospitian carapacian walked in, a bundle of scrolls tucked safely in her arms. Ms. Paint was a common presence around John and Jade, reasonably so considering she was Sir Hussie's assistant. However, it was strange to see her suddenly burst into the room in the middle of a lesson.

"Ah! Good morning, Ms. Paint. What brings you here at this moment" The scholar greeted with a friendly grin, giving her a slight bow. Ms. Paint only bowed back before handing him a scroll wordlessly. The scholar quickly unrolled the scroll and skilled over the contents of it, a frown finding its way onto his face. "I…I see…" He quickly rolled the scroll back up, clenching it tightly. "Well, due to urgent matters…it appears we will have to cut this lesson short. You are dismissed."

"Urgent matters? Are we—"

"Oh, it's nothing to worry yourself over, John," Sir Hussie smiled. "We will continue tomorrow with a review on Quadrants and Alternian language. In the meanwhile, enjoy the rest of your day."

With that said, Sir Hussie and Ms. Paint walked out the room. John stared at the door for a moment before sighing, looking at a chart on the wall. It was a simple map of the Medium continent and the Veil Islands, the surrounding ocean filled with sketches of storms and fighting sea serpents. Clearly the map maker wanted to deter anyone from travelling too far.

It only made John want to see if they truly existed.

"Quadrants again? Ugh…when will we cover the lusi, or their cavalreapers?" He shook his head, shoving parchments into his knapsack. "I swear they're determined to bore us to death."

"Mm hmm…"

"They certainly left in a hurry though…what do you think is in that letter? Oh! I bet it's something to do with Serket the Widowmaker! Or maybe…" He paused, thinking. "Maybe…maybe they've found a map that leaves to hidden treasures in a long abandoned troll hole and are gonna send a team to check it out!"

"Mmm hm…"

"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaade, you're not even listening! What are you working on that's so important?"

"Huh? Oh! Sorry, John…just finishing up the notes for a little side project," Jade grinned sheepishly, capping her inkwell and rolling up her parchment.

"Side project, eh? I would ask, but I still have bruises from your last little side project," John grumbled, rubbing his side at the memory.

"Oh, you still won't let me live that down? I said I was sorry…and it was a little mistake, okay? How was I supposed to know that the wheel was gonna fall off?" Jade blushed, shoving her supplies into her bag.

Together, the young royals walked out the observatory and began their way down the tower. When John paused at a window, the same window he always stopped at after their lessons, Jade joined him. They gazed out the window, looking out into the city longingly.

Castle Prospit's golden towers and gates couldn't block the view of the rest of the city; it only bathed the city in a golden glow. They could see the docks and harbors in the distance until they finally saw the long stretch of ocean.

"When do you think Dave and Rose will be back?" John asked, opening the window. The morning breeze grazed against his knuckles and nose, prompting him to lean out the window. He inhaled deeply, his hair whipping around wildly. The wind always seemed to find a way to make him feel so…alive.

"They'll be back soon enough. And knowing them, they'll probably have wild tales of their adventures," Jade smiled, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. While she enjoyed the feeling of wind through her hair, she wasn't too keen on leaning out a window so far above the ground.

"Like when they went head-to-head with the Cobalt Spider?"

"You believed Dave when he said that?" The countess laughed.

"Why would he lie about that?" John asked defensively.

"Dave was just messing with you…especially since we know you're obsessed with her. If I didn't know better, I'd even say you had a crush on her," She teased, elbowing him gently. Almost immediately, John blushed.

"N-No! She's just…" He flailed his hands for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Interesting. I mean, she's called the Widowmaker, like these spiders that live on one of the Veil Islands…and they say she can bend luck to her will."

"Well, I once read about this rogue troll who was a revolutionist. He had wings and could control beasts. They said he could even control a dragon. That's pretty interesting if you ask me."

"Well…I didn't, so bluh!" He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Bluh yourself!" She shot back, sticking her tongue out as well.

Upon realizing what they were doing, the siblings broke out into laughter, a clear crisp noise that rang high above the rooftops pleasantly. When they managed to calm down, they looked back out the window.

"John."

"Yeah, Jade?"

"Let's have an adventure."

For a moment, John wasn't entirely sure if he heard her correctly…an adventure? He tried not to get too excited; with Jade, anything could be an adventure. He decided to play it safe.

"What…sort of adventure?" He asked casually.

"A real adventure, out there!" Jade said, pointing out the window. John followed her finger, wondering if she was pointing at the city or the sea. "One that will end up being a good enough story to share with Dave and Rose."

"And how exactly are we gonna do that? We're not even allowed to leave the grounds by ourselves," The count snorted, crossing his arms. "I doubt that the guards would let us have the sort of adventure you have in mind."

"That is where Bec's gonna help us," Jade grinned. Upon hearing the dog's name, John groaned.

"Oh God, you're bringing that hell-beast with us?"

"Of course. And he's not a hell-beast!" Jade protested.

"Right…" John scoffed. "He's just part lusus."

"Biologically improbable."

"Okay, okay…let's pretend that he gets us pass the Rooks at the gate and into the city somehow…we're not gonna get far. We sorta…stand out," John admitted, glancing down at his clothes.

Indeed, they were dressed in the grand golden colors of Prospit, the very material looking as if someone managed to turn the sun's rays into silk and cloth. If they were to walk into the wrong part of the city, their clothes would mark them as fine targets to be robbed, kidnapped or worse.

"One step ahead of you. Bec got us disguises."

"Exactly how long have you've been planning this?" John asked, exasperated. "And what are you teaching your dog?!"

"That's not important," Jade waved the question off, smiling. "What's important is that we have a way out and we have disguises."

The pair resumed their descent down the winding stairs, their steps echoing around them. Jade wrapped an arm around John's shoulder, shaking him a bit.

"You heard Sir Hussie…we have the rest of the day to ourselves!" Jade continued. "Let's just…take a quick stroll around Prospit City, explore a little, maybe buy some stuff. We don't even have to go into Derse if you don't want to."

"I dunno Jade…"

"C'mon, John! We'll be back before anyone notices, and we can tell Dave and Rose how we got out the castle for once. I mean, if we don't do this now…when?"

John paused, congratulating himself for not instantly jumping at the idea, something he would have done when he was younger. Briefly, he thought about the million things that could happen out there…and they've never been out in the city alone, especially not as long as Jade probably wants to be out there…would they be able to handle it?

But alas, it was only a brief moment of hesitation. The temptation was just too great, and when was another opportunity like this was going to arise?

"Alright Jade…I'm in," John grinned, holding out a hand Jade shook it eagerly, her smile as big as his.

"Let's not waste any time then, shall we?" She suddenly ruffled his hair, speeding down the stairs. "Race you to the bottom!"

"Hey!" Laughing, John raced after her. "You know, Dave warned us about doing this," He said in between pants.

"Are you saying that because you know you're gonna lose?" Jade smirked, a bit out of breath.

"The only one who is gonna lose around here," John began, looking at the railing. "Is you!" Sitting on it, he slid past Jade, blowing a raspberry at her. This only caused her to run faster, laughing.

In the end, they both reached the bottom at about the same time. As siblings do, however, they argued on whom past the last step first, even as they exited the tower. The argument was cut short when a white blur tackled Jade to the ground.

Laughing, the countess found fended herself from Bec's merciless licking of her face, trying to push him off with little success. John watched, shaking his head; while he may have doubts about the while he may have doubts about the white dog, even he could see the loyalty and affection Bec held towards Jade.

Still, there was something off about the huge beast…from his green tongue to the all-to-intelligent look in his bright green eyes, there was just something wrong about the dog.

"Alright, Bec, you ready to show John your new trick?" Jade asked as she got to her feet, rubbing the dog's ears. The great white shepherd wagged his tail, letting loose one deep bark before jumping back. John looked on closely, curious to what could possibly be so—

"Holy shit!" Was all he could say when Becquerel vanished in a flash of green light. Just as he found his words, Bec was there again, sparks of pulsating green falling off his snowy pelt, bouncing off the ground before flicking into nothingness. In the dog's mouth was a neat bundle of plain looking clothes.

"Good boy, Bec!" Jade told the shepherd happily, rubbing his ears again.

"Good boy Bec?!" John repeated, looking between her and the dog. "Gold boy…what the hell was that?"

"A little trick me and Bec have been working on for the past week or so," Jade explained, as if she were discussing the weather. "We've done enough tests, so I think we're ready."

"You think…"John paused, his mind still trying to process everything. "Wait, wait, wait…you mean…he's gonna do that with us?" John shook his head, growing pallid. "R-Random bits of me won't be left behind, right?"

"I'm still in one piece, aren't I? Although Bec hasn't carried two people around before…" Jade murmured before shrugging. "It's safe to assume you won't be missing a leg when we leave castle grounds."

"How reassuring…"

"Now I've got to give something to the Parcel Mistress real quick before she leaves. Here are your clothes," Jade handed him the bundle. "I'll meet you at the gate wall closest to the library in a few minutes," She placed a hand on Bec's shoulder. "Don't be late!"

They disappeared in an explosion of green light, causing John to shield his eyes. He stared at where they once stood, still unable to believe what just happened. Deciding not to get a headache over it, he looked down at the clothes.

Unfolding the bundle, he found it consisted of a simple shirt, a hooded cloak and some breeches. They looked a bit oversized, well-worn and were the faded color of freshly dug-up dirt. He suspected that they were stolen, but shrugged the feeling off. There was no point in worrying about it now. He hurried off to change, excitement beginning to build within him.

He couldn't be late to his first real adventure, after all.