The taste of salt brushed against the traveler's lips. The sound of the swaying waves against the rushing boat eased the anxious man's nerves. Coming far from his home in search of work, Alucard set on a mission of his own into foreign lands. His crimson and blond locks danced with the wind, his two toned hues peered at the open skies but his heart yearned for his home. Home; the word brought the weary traveler joy. He could almost smell the freshly cut timber and the smoke rising from the chimney. Faintly, he could hear his older sister scolding him, a reminder that he could not afford to die out here alone. A snicker left his lips at the thought of her angry face. What once had instilled fear into him has now brought him relief – it was ironic.
The loud blowing whistles and shouting from the crew on board broke Alucard from his cogitations. He removed his back from against the wooden pole holding up the crow's nest and adjusted his resting muscles back to life. A few cracks eased the tension. "We're about to dock!" A sailor announced with enthusiasm. The news put a smile on even the meanest looking men. Traveling for such a long time made them appreciate the little things in life. Alucard turned and set eyes on the landmark ahead. Prompting his head, two toned irises glanced toward the tiny view of the towering crystal sword beyond the patches of trees which marked his destination - the Kingdom of Alexandria.
Once the bridge had been lowered, he would grab his belongings all packed in a simple knapsack, throw it over his shoulder and calmly trot off of the ship. He stared blankly at the men who began to kiss the ground they had missed so much. "The sky is painted in a much more saturated shade of blue within this Continent." The homesick man said silently to himself. His skin tightened as he splashed the ocean water upon his exhausted face with hopes that it would make him feel much more lively. Traveling by boat had worn his patience and caused him to feel slightly fatigued. The sounds of the many who were chattering afar left no room for silence to accompany the redhead.
Turning, the hunter had focused his attention toward the group of men he had been doing odd jobs with for the past month. Forming friendships was not something easy to do. Although he had grown rather fond of the men he worked with; although, the traveler would choose not to become close naturally. So, he stood alone as the black sheep, resting his eyes until he needed to open them. It was dreadfully peaceful – an atmosphere he wasn't use to. Then, the word to move out was finally given. Treading through the thick forest with towering pine trees, it was a gradual march for the crowd of men who carried their own supplies. A mere hammer, screw driver, some nails and other provisions needed for someone working within the construction field.
The hunter walked in silence, lost within his own cogitations. "I wonder how he is doing..." A thoughtful question bumped into his head. Mentally, Alucard calculated just how much more of these jobs he had to do in order to have enough money to bring home to his sick master and father figure. Realizing the road to achieve his goal were several miles down, a heavy sigh escaped his chapped lips. His once proud shoulders sunk if only for a moment until he picked them up again. "Now is not the time to carry doubt."
He chided himself out loud in a whisper. For a while, the hunter was greeted with the wonderful colors of nature. Not that he minded - but getting food was his top priority. It was undeniable, being in this environment made him feel closer to his farming village of Matre. Finally, the towering marker could be vividly seen beyond the trees. Leaving out from the opening in the woods, the crowd of men was left in awe. A grand crystal sword graced the skies in all of its glory, glistening beneath the sun's rays.
It was in that moment that the silence diminished and the tired workers began to chat amongst themselves. The entire group of hikers halted, causing some questions from those anxious to get into the kingdom and vulgarity thrown about from men who lacked patience. Alucard waited with apprehension.
What would greet him beyond those gates, looks of disgust and confusion?
Such reactions were always his initial thought. Coming from a country which discriminated against his race, it was only to be expected. From the moment he set foot outside of his house, eyes peered in his direction with both confusion and looks of antipathy. Such expressions were of the norm; especially to a man who was crowned with crimson locks parting in a blond once the chemicals of the dye tainted his strands of red hair. A man, who was given a set of two different colored eyes; one was gold and the other was a piercing tint of silver. So, he lived his entire life up until now as someone was both gifted and cursed by being half Farsanian and of Ancient descent. The shuddering of the large black metal gates diverted his attention from his thoughts. As the gates lifted upward, his heart grew more anxious.
Immediately, the sound of the children's laughter was filled the air. They all marched in unison, eyes peering in all different directions. The colors of the buildings were warm and welcoming along with the ambience of the town. It was clear that some of the homes needed repairs. A few roofs were poorly boarded up by ply board in the shape of an x. "Welcome to the kingdom of Alexandria, travelers." The words echoed from behind as the gates shut. In the middle of the Town square was a large statue of a female knight in stone. There was a description in front of it but, he had to keep moving. Further examining some of the buildings within the kingdom, dire repairs were needed on a good handful of the buildings. Alucard questioned why they had waited this long to call in a crew.
"A nice lookin' place, don' ya think?" One of the team members, Nine shoved to the side and uttered to Alucard with a smirk. "Yeah, things seem very...different here." The redhead replied to the other. Nine was a rough-looking young man of age 17, rising at about 5 feet and 9 inches and a deep scar going across his nose. His skin was tan, his blond layers usually in a mess. But, he was one of the few men Alucard formed a bond with. No one knows his birth name. But, his alias was Nine because it was his lucky card number. He was a man of little education who lived his life challenging others and having fun. He was often a reckless man who did little reflection over his actions.
"Boy, I can't wait to grab some grub and a few dranks!" The blond expressed loudly as he crossed his arms behind his head. A faint smirk curved upon Alucard's lips as he said, "…Try not to start any trouble for me here, alright?" His tone was a light one. "Hey, c'mon man. You act like I burden you all the time! That fight in Treno was started 'cause the otha guy spilled his drink on me!" The younger male complained in his defense. As he shook in head in disbelief, Alucard set his eyes on the castle before him. It was a grand structure – an older one compared to the buildings in the city of Treno. But, its ancient architecture was one he greatly admired; along with its crystal pillar at its center.
A nudge at his shoulder snapped him from his trance. Turning he stared at Nine who was half inside the pub. "Heyyo let's go man. Whaddya gawking at?" For a moment, the redhead felt a bit foolish that he had allowed the castle make him forget how hungry he was. He took a step forward, allowing Nine the reassurance that he was to follow. But, then he paused and turned back to stare at the fortress. There was a sensation hitting his back – a feeling that someone was staring at him. Shrugging it off, Alucard turned and walked inside.
The pearly pigeons flew across the morning skies in harmony while the others remained grounded upon the windowsill as they sang their joyous melody. The chirping woke the young queen from her slumber. Autumn orbs immediately gazed toward her window, a smile perching upon her rose-tinted lips at the sight of her winged friends. Slowly, she rose from her bed, placing her bare feet upon the cold marble floor. As she approached the window, the sun's rays that peeked from behind her rose-colored curtains forced her eyes to tense. Gently, soft digits pushed aside the drapes as her eyes adjusted to the light. "Good morning." The greeting fell from her lips softly as she gently caressed one of the doves.
It was a bittersweet moment cut too short once one of the birds decided to fly away. Soon, the other one followed and the young brunette was left alone. It was just then that every troubled and insecure thought came rushing in, burdening the fresh new day. Her long ebony hair highlighted with a hint of silver danced with the gentle breeze that entered her room as she watched the birds fly away with their companions. "…Soon, I'll be joining you on a perilous journey of my own." Garnet whispered out loud to herself as if she had taken an oath. Her once tender expression hardened into a stern one. "I cannot sit and wait for answers any longer." The young queen continued to speak to herself as she stared out the window.
" I must find out the truth for myself."
A pretty long chapter? I hope you guys enjoyed it!
Reviews please!