Vishnal had never heard the Princess scream like that. In fact, it scared him.
"VISHNAL!" He heard Frey howl through the castle walls.
"I'm coming, Princess!" He yelled back as loud as he could. He gasped for air as his feet shuffled down the hallway toward her room. "What could be wrong?" He worried. Finally, he reached her door. Instead of knocking Iike he normally would, he charged into the room.
"Princess! I'm here!" He gasped. She seemed not to notice. He found Frey sitting in her bed in her pajamas, writhing in pain. Her long hair was down and was partially covering her flushed face.
Vishnal rushed over to her side and looked her in the eye.
"I'm here!" He gasped again. Frey clutched one of his hands and panted, "I-I think the baby is coming!" She trembled. She clutched his hand tightly as she breathed deeply to herself.
"T-the baby's coming? Now?" Vishnal said nervously.
"Y-yes…" Frey said softly. Once she had caught her breath, she looked into Vishnal's eyes. "Vishnal, please go tell Arthur in the capital!"
"Ah, yes! He must know!" Vishnal worried. "There's only one problem. The fastest way to the capital from Selphia is by taking the airship. Unfortunately, I don't know how to fly it. I haven't been taught by Volkanon yet. I'm so sorry."
"Do you know who can?"
"I don't, but I will ask everyone in town! We will get the news to Arthur, I promise!" Vishnal disappeared out the door in a cloud of dust. Frey sighed. She slowly swung her legs over the side of the grabbed her pillowed and hugged it tightly against her throbbing middle. She was nervous and anxious. Frey slowly stood and walked down the hallway.
"Venti…" she said softly. The Native Dragon turned her gaze to the person before her.
"Hello, Frey. I heard you yelling, are you alright?" she said gently.
"Venti…the baby's coming and Arthur…isn't here!" Frey felt tears start to stream down her face. "I told Vishnal to go tell him in the capital. What if he doesn't make it?" Frey cried even harder.
"Ah, I see." She lowered her head to look at her friend. "From what I've seen through human lives, babies take a while to be born. You will have time."
"Really?"
"Yes, you just need to stay calm." Venti lowered her neck. "I'll lay with you while you wait. You can hold my claw if you need to." Frey took a hold of her claw and propped up her pillow to lean on Venti's neck.
"Thank you, Venti." She wiped her tears with her hand. Frey closed her eyes and placed one hand on her stomach. She had a pained look on her face.
"Let me tell you a story while we wait. This afternoon, Vishnal wanted to do something special for you, but he didn't know what. I suggested he cook some pancakes for all of us and I agreed to show him how…"
Meanwhile, Vishnal was off running through the town to see if someone could help him. He saw Dylas fishing by the road.
"Dylas!" He yelled. "Excuse me, but do you know how to fly the airship?"
"No, I can't say that I do, sorry."
"Ah, do you know anyone who can?"
"Um, I think I remember Doug riding on there one time. You could maybe ask him?"
"Ok, I'll go ask him thank you!" Vishnal ran over to Sincerity General Store.
He reached the front and walked in.
"Ah, Doug!" He saw Doug standing by the vegetables. "Do you by any chance know how to fly the airship? Dylas mentioned you might know how."
"Nah, man, I've only ridden on it, sorry."
"I see. Do you know anyone that does?"
"Um, hey Granny Blossom?" He shouted across the store.
"Yes?" She replied.
"Do you know anyone who knows how to fly the airship?" Doug asked her.
"Hmm, the airship…you might ask Forte? She might know how."
"Ok, I will go ask her, thank you." Vishnal stepped outside the store and took a deep breath and went off running to Forte's house.
He knocked on the door. Forte opened it.
"Hello, Vishnal! Good Evening."
"Good Evening, to you Forte." Vishnal said as he caught his breath.
"Do you know how to…fly the airship? Or anyone else that might?" he asked.
"The airship? No, I've never needed to fly it so I never learned. You might ask Bado. He goes to the capital a few nights a week."
"Ok, thank you!" Vishnal walked over to Bado's forge and knocked on the door.
"Hey, there Vishnal. What can I do for you?"
"You go to the capital right? Do you know how to fly the airship?" Vishnal decided to cut out the pleasantries in the effort of time.
"The airship?" Bado laughed. "No, I don't take the giant hunk of metal. I usually ride one of my friends' monsters there. Why are you asking?"
Vishnal ignored the question, "Do you know anyone that does?" Bado scratched his head. "I can't think of anyone who can other than Arthur…maybe you could go ask Illuminata? She's lived in this town longer than I have." Vishnal nodded.
"Ok, thank you!" he took off running all the way back across the town square to Illuminata's flower shop. When he arrived at the store, he noticed she was outside.
"Illuminata! Do you know anyone who knows how to fly the airship? I've got to get a message to Arthur immediately!"
"Oh, can't Volkanon fly the airship?"
"Unfortunately, he left with Arthur."
"Then how did the airship arrive back here if they are both still at the capital? It's a mystery!" Vishnal held up one finger to her and caught his breath.
"A capital soldier flew it back here with a few dozen tourists on a visit. But they aren't to fly back until sometime next week, and I can't wait that long. I need to get to the capital as fast as I possibly can and that's the airship!" He yelled at her.
"Alright, alright, no need to get your knickers in a tie. You know, you could ask Lin Fa. She knows lots of people. Maybe she could help you?"
"Ah, ok, I will go ask her." Vishnal prepared himself. He stretched his legs in preparation. He took a deep breath in. Then, he took off running all the way across Selphia to arrive at the Inn.
As he furiously ran as fast as he could, he thought,'Will I find anyone that can help? He panted and heaved as he reached the steps up to the Inn. He burst opened the doors.
"Lin Fa!" He shouted.
"My! Yes, Vishnal, I'm right here!" Lin Fa told him as she stood behind the desk.
"Do you…airship?" He choked out.
"Take a breath my boy! Here, have some water." She reached behind her and poured him a glass of water.
"Ah! Thank you." He thanked her. Vishnal took a huge gulp of water and then asked, "Lin Fa, do you know anyone who knows how to fly the airship? Anyone at all?!"
"Yes! My husband does!"
"Really?! Where is he?"
"Oh, sorry, he's not home right now. He's away traveling." She smiled. Vishnal took a deep breath.
"Lin Fa, I mean do you know anyone that's here in town that knows how to fly the airship?" Exasperated, he took another gulp of water.
"Hmm..I know Margaret has flown on the airship before. You could ask her?" Vishnal didn't even say thank you, but instead turned quickly on his heel and was out the door.
'Ah, I'm exhausted! But I've got to keep going for the Princess!' He told himself. He decided to check the restaurant first. He huffed and puffed until he arrived at the door. He opened the door.
"Is Margaret here?" He yelled loudly into the room. The entire restaurant went silent and everyone looked in his direction. Vishnal's face exploded with red. He looked around at all of the faces looking at him.
"No! I sent her home about an hour ago!" Porcoline shouted back from the counter.
Vishnal turned around and left as soon as he had arrived.
"What was that all about?" Porco asked himself.
The butler ran and ran through the streets all the way down to Margaret's house. He banged on the door. It slowly opened, "Y-Yes?" Margaret said timidly. Once she saw it was Vishnal, she opened the door immediately. "Vishnal, you scared me! What's wrong? You're all sweaty and you look exhausted!"
"Margaret, please, I need your help!" he explained the situation.
"What! Frey's having her baby?! I think Porcoline knows how to fly the airship. Let's go ask him!"
"Oh, THANK YOU!" Vishnal threw his arms around Margaret and started sobbing. "Thank you, thank you!"
"Um, no problem, Vishnal." Margaret said as she withstood the sweaty hug. They both raced over to the restaurant to go find Porcoline.