The next morning I awoke from a deep sleep. My small bed was cold and uncomfortable, as usual.
I sat up and swung my legs over the side of my bed, pulling pants out of my trunk and pulling them on. After getting dressed in my usual attire, I left my small, barren room.
I looked up and down the hallway, looking for signs of Reaver. It was eerily quiet. I began walking toward the dining room, and I met with Barry as I descended the grand staircase. He looked me up and down, making my skin crawl with disgust. I was ready to defend myself against that slimy bastard, if I had to.
"Good morning, Miss Terra," he said, adding a sly smile. I shivered and forced a smile of my own.
"Have you seen Reaver anywhere?" I asked, shuffling my feet. His smile faded and a sudden look of disinterest crossed his face.
"Master Reaver had business to attend to. He left a letter for you in the kitchen and has already packed you a bag for your next trip," Barry said, walking into the kitchen. I followed him. He pointed to a piece of folded paper on the table sitting next to a plain rucksack. I walked to the table and picked up the letter, unfolding it and seeing Reaver's elegant handwriting:
Terra,
I had some errands to do and I didn't want to wake you. I packed your bag with clothes and new pistols, courtesy of Reaver Industries. Go to the castle, King Logan awaits you.
Tatty-bye,
Reaver
Thoughts of last night rushed into my head. I suppressed a smile before folding up the letter and stuffing it into the pack he made. I opened it and found two perfect pistols, with new holsters for my belt. I smiled again, clipping the holsters to my belt and slinging the rucksack over my shoulder. I turned around to face Barry, who had been watching me the whole time. He narrowed his eyes at me and a devilish smirk appeared on his face. I frowned and pushed past him, walking towards the door.
"Why don't you just forget the mission and stay here? I'm sure Master Reaver wouldn't mind," Barry said as I reached for the door. I shivered and rounded on him.
"No. I have to go," I said, glaring at him. He smirked as he approached me.
"Oh, come on, love," he said, backing me up against the door. "Stay here. I promise you won't regret it."
"No!" I said, shoving him backwards. He stumbled is confusion as I ripped the door open, slamming it shut behind me.
I ran to the gate where that same guard always stood, putting plenty of distance between Barry Hatch and I.
"Is everything all right, miss?" the guard asked as I stopped at the gate to catch my breath. I nodded to him and sighed, turning to begin my walk to Bowerstone Castle.
The weather was always so mild in this part of Albion. The wind was chilly at times, but the sun was almost always shining and it didn't rain very often. The air was comfortable with a slight chill to it. The only parts of Albion I had ever visited were the Bowerstone regions, Millfields, and Aurora. Every other part of this country was a mystery to me.
I couldn't help but think of Reaver. The past couple months had been strange. He was an evil, loathsome, sadistic bastard. Lately, however, something about him had changed. He was still sarcastic and self-absorbed, and he always would be, but there was no longer any name-calling or petty banter between us. He treated me like...an equal.
Yesterday was the strangest day of all. Reaver laughing? I played the moment over and over in my mind, thinking of ways I could've changed it. I still couldn't believe everything that happened. There was no awkwardness between us afterwards, only comfortable silence. When we reached the manor, we went our separate ways, but there was a smile on my face as I fell asleep that night.
As I thought, I walked. By mid-afternoon, I had reached Bowerstone Market. I didn't bother to disguise myself, the king obviously valued my life for some reason and he would surely have the head of whoever dared to even lay a finger on me. I got quite a few dirty looks from passing people, but it didn't affect me. My mission was to get to the castle, and that's what I was going to do.
I got through the market and began walking uphill to the castle. Guards stopped me as I approached the castle grounds.
"Miss Terra?" they asked, surveying me carefully. I nodded.
"Come this way," one guard said, gesturing for me to follow him. I quietly followed him up the spiral stairs to the castle doors. The inside of the castle was freezing cold, but the decor was quite magnificent.
"His Majesty King Logan is awaiting your arrival in the throne room. Please proceed there now," the guard said, nodding to the large grand staircase, much like the one in Reaver's mansion. I nodded to him and swallowed my fear. The last time I was in the throne room, my fate was decided and I was separated from my beloved crew. That was also where Reaver rescued me from the chopping block.
I ascended the stairs and my heart pounded in my ears. As I entered the throne room (which was eerily empty), I heard Logan's voice. He was seated in his chair. The doors were shut behind me as I entered.
"Come here," he said. I approached him warily, avoiding his eyes as he glared at me.
"Your majesty," I said quietly, awkwardly bowing in front of him. My pride was bruised; I hated being submissive to him. I could feel his eyes on me but I didn't dare to look up. After a few intense minutes, he gestured for me to stop bowing. He glared at me but his gaze softened after a moment.
"You are probably wondering why I summoned you to the castle," he said. My eyes flashed between him and my boots and I nodded stiffly. He stood up, casting a looming shadow over the carpet.
"I have a very important mission for you. I need you to escort a friend of mine to the castle this evening. It is very important that no harm befalls him on his way here."
I nodded nervously, suddenly feeling the weight of the pistols on my hips. He walked down the steps to the throne, stopping a foot or two in front of me.
"You are to meet him at the pub in Bowerstone Industrial. From there, you will bring him directly to me. You will not make any stops along the way. Do you understand your assignment?" he asked, glaring down at me.
"Yes, your majesty."
He paused for a moment, turning to look at the throne behind him.
"I have made arrangements for you to stay here in the castle tonight. You will leave tomorrow afternoon. The man you are looking for is Major Swift, of the Royal Army."
I nodded one last time, eyeing him nervously.
"Is that all, your majesty?" I asked quietly. He rounded on me and was suddenly in front of me.
"Yes. My servants will show you to your sleeping quarters."
I bowed to him once more and turned, almost running out of the throne room. Once I was out and clear of Logan, I sighed with relief and my fear dissolved. I suppose I wouldn't be facing my death today like I feared I would be.
I wonder if Reaver knew what my mission was. And this Major Swift...did he know Ben? Before Ben left all those years ago, he spoke of a man that "changed his life". Maybe this Major Swift was that same man.
I was approached by a grim-looking woman in a tattered dress and a dirty apron.
"Miss Terra?" she asked. I was getting quite tired of being addressed so formally, but I nodded anyway. She walked down the grand stairs and went right, through a great dining hall and down more stairs into a kitchen. There were many servants here, restlessly toiling over stoves and worktables. I felt sorry for them.
I didn't have much time to look because the servant that I was following had left out the side door. I followed her outside into a beautiful garden, overflowing with nobles in their ridiculous attire. Did they even live in the castle?
She lead me to the side of the garden, up a stone staircase, and across a large balcony that protruded from the back side of the castle. There was a room at the end of the balcony, which she led me inside. I entered the room and the woman curtsied nervously, shutting the doors behind me and leaving me alone.
The room was beautiful. There were books, so many books. A large bed was against the wall near a huge fireplace. There were numerous decorations around the room; sculptures, paintings, and even a few framed photographs. I was impressed.
I went to the bed and set down my rucksack, opening it and emptying its contents. There was a nightshirt, extra rounds for my new pistols, Reaver's letter, a loaf of bread, and a few health potions. Everything that I could've needed was there.
I need to go meet the Major, I thought, putting all of my things back in my rucksack and setting it next to the bed, making sure to conceal it under the ends of the coverlet. The castle might've been beautiful, but it was still under Logan's control. I didn't want any of my essentials going missing while I was gone.
I sat at a table in the Riveter's Rest about two hours later, scanning the crowd for anyone that was dressed in army attire. There were a few instances where I thought I saw him, but I was mistaken. I bought a mug of ale with a few pieces of gold that were lingering in my pocket to pass the time. Eventually, the mug was empty, and I was getting tired of waiting for this fellow. I listened to the chatter around me and absent-mindedly drew circles on the table with my finger.
"Excuse me, madam."
I looked up to see a tall man with a mustache, dressed in full uniform. A half-burned cigar was hanging from his mouth and he was surrounded by a veil of smoke. I stood up immediately.
"Are you Major Swift?" I asked. He seemed stern but kind.
"Yes, I believe I am. You're my escort I suppose?" he asked, chuckling. I cleared my throat and nodded.
"Yes, sir. My name is Terra," I said. He took my hand and shook it, smiling and laughing at my awkward state.
"You already know who I am. Shall we begin our walk?" he said, gesturing to the open door of the pub.
"Yes."
We walked out of the pub and headed down the road. I liked this man, he seemed friendly and good-natured.
"Did you say your name was Terra, my darling?" he asked as we shuffled along. I nodded to him. He smiled widely and laughed.
"Well I'll be damned! Terra Magnar, is it? I heard you were dead! I've never met you and I know you well enough already!" he chuckled, taking a puff from his cigar and blowing smoke into the air.
"What did you say?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. My curiosity had peaked, but I wasn't going to reveal that to this man I wasn't yet familiar with. He must've known Ben to think that I would be dead.
"We thought you were dead! Ben was quite distraught, but he will be pleased to know that you are alive and well," Major Swift said, continuing to walk up the path. I followed behind him.
"You know Ben?"
"I've known the lad for seven years. He's Captain Ben Finn now, a captain of my brigade. He's a fine young man, he is. He always talked about you when I first met him."
Ben? I suddenly missed him. Sure, he had changed, but everyone changes over time. I wanted to see him. I needed to see him. Major Swift and I walked in silence for a few moments longer.
"So...you've been friends with Ben for a while, then?" I asked nervously, wringing my hands out at my sides. He smiled as he remembered something.
"I met him in Bowerstone about seven years ago. He seemed like a good-hearted fellow, so I offered him a career that he couldn't refuse. His skills with a firearm are beyond any I've ever seen before. He always seemed so upset, even in the best of times. He spoke longingly of a lass named Terra and their times together on a fishing boat."
Ben kept me in his thoughts? That was strange. He didn't have any problems leaving the Magpie without a proper goodbye.
"Ben and I met when I was fifteen. I'm twenty-four," I said, glancing at Major Swift to make sure he was listening. He nodded for me to continue.
"We worked together on the Magpie for three years. My parents died right before Ben left. After Ben was gone, the captain of the Magpie retired and left me with his ship. I picked up a few friends and we eventually became a crew. I was Captain Terra. Until your friend Logan sent his men to sink my ship."
Major Swift did not chuckle. This surprised me.
"Well," he said. "Is that it?"
I sighed as we approached the hill to the castle.
"I suppose," I said half-heartedly. Major Swift laughed heartily and eventually I began to laugh as well; his joyful attitude was contagious.
"Well, Terra, I can tell you that Ben sure missed you. He is going to be overjoyed when he hears that you're alive, and just as beautiful as he described," Major Swift said. I smiled at him.
"Thank you."
We were silent as we approached the castle. I had to ask him one more favor before we parted. Hopefully I would see him again.
"Major Swift?" I said quietly, stopping just before the stairs that spiraled to the castle door. He stopped and turned to me.
"If it isn't too much trouble, I would like to see Ben again," I said confidently. He smiled and stuck out his hand.
"Of course, Terra. It was good to meet you. We'll be good friends, I can tell," he said, shaking my hand. I smiled at him as he went up the stairs.
I couldn't fall asleep that night (even though I was more comfortable than I probably had ever been). I still didn't know why Logan had brought me all the way to the castle just to escort Major Swift… There had to be something else.
