A short chapter, really. Mostly filler, a bit more of Lance's past revealed, blah blah blah. :P The chapter's (aptly) named after a favored Styx song.

Chapter Seven

Roughly a day and a half later the chosen Hylian soldiers were assembled in Mellifluous Bay, awaiting the arrival of the ship that would take them to Port Sadena.

Link had never seen Lance so morose in the entire time he had known the teenager. The young sailor was moping about on his father's ship, hardly talking to the other sailors or the other soldiers in the town. Finally, the nineteen-year-old decided to confront his friend about it.

"What's wrong, Lance? We're going to Selinta! Back at the castle you were so happy that we were going, but now... now you're acting as though it's a death wish come true..." Lance turned his unhappy eyes towards his friend.

"Aye, so 'tis, but far worse than a death wish. I told ye true of my past, Link; I'd never lie to ye, but I did not tell you all of it..."

"More secrets?" inquired the blonde dully, closing his eyes. "Why does everyone have to sneak around my back."

"Nay, I'd never," the sailor replied stiffly.



His mother had been killed, yes, but she was not normal at all. His father had been Kreyan, which was very similar to Hylian, aside from the ears, however slender they were, they were not as long as a Hylian's. But his mother... she had been...

Aquarian. The People of the Sea. An aquatic race of Hylians that had so adapted to a new way of living that they were comfortable living in or out of water.

But they didn't like their land-based counterparts quite so much anymore. As a matter of fact, they seemed to harbor an intense dislike for all land- living creatures, especially Hylians. Anyone who spoke of them would be condemned.

His mother, Sarya, had married a land-living man, Lanceton Untille the Fourteenth.

Lanceton had been traveling in a good ship called Skyward when a sudden, violent storm broke out and all the crew but himself was tossed overboard and killed.

At the same time, Sarya had ventured near the surface, despite the disapproval such an action would cause. She literally ran into Lanceton, who was drowning rapidly.

She saved him, as any good soul would do. Sarya was somewhat of a rebel, and did not really mind the laws at all. She helped him to shore and they conversed. Presently they fell in love, and she left her entire life behind to marry him.

But it was not all over; the King of Aquarians, Sire Lawden, condemned her. Forever and ever, as long as her lineage of descendants carried on, they would be both cursed and blessed. They could live in the water without fear of death by drowning, but any Aquarian would be able to recognize them for who they were, and immediately seek to destroy him or her.



Link was stunned.

Even knowing this curse, Lance had done the most dangerous thing he could do; become a sailor. Each and every time he went out to sea, he put himself at risk to be slain by his own kind.

"Well," the Hero of Time stated numbly, "that explains your hair." The young sailor blinked in surprise, then laughed heartily.

"My, but you're quite a straightfor'ad person, neh? Aye, I can live underwater, control water, be the damned water for all they care, but as soon as they see me, the hunt is on. And lately, there've been many reports of storms, aye, big bad ones like the one that tossed me father overboard. I been worrying."

"Well, I'll protect you if that happens," Link replied briskly, hardly believing what was coming out of his own mouth. "I'll make sure that you return from this journey safely. You're my friend."

"Well now, thank you!" exclaimed the dark blue-haired teenager cheerfully. "And I'll do the same for ye, Link-fada!"



The next day, their ship arrived. It was a large, beautiful mahogany creation wonderfully called Cloud Drifter. Its sails were a milky white, and the Selintan crest was embroidered fashionably on each of them.

Link stared wondrously at it, as did Lance. Both of them seemed captivated by its stately elegance.

"Well, we'll be traveling in style, at least," Jonathan was heard to remark.



Before boarding the ship, Link checked his small pouch attacked tightly to his belt. It was a magically enhanced pouch that he had received from Kaepora nine years ago, when he had been first starting out on his quest to redeem Hyrule. With it, the nineteen-year-old could place any-sized item inside and have plenty of room. To get it back out, all he had to do was think of what item he had placed inside while he reached in to grab it. It was terribly useful, he thought upon reflection, and losing it would devastate him, especially since it was so lightweight and convenient.

"C'mon, matey, let's go!" Link blinked and looked up. Lance was hanging over the bow, waving a arm to him. "You want to get a good cabin, neh?"

Captain Lanceton himself and his crew had gathered around the dock to see Cloud Drifter off.

"Shanele la toyati!" Lanceton called out, waving his huge arm. The ship began to set off, with the soldiers on board calling last good-byes to the kind crew members of the Miya' Tana.



As the day wore on, Link found himself hanging dejectedly over the ship's railing. He felt sick, as though his stomach had no bottom and everything was going to come up in one great rush. He winced and put a hand to his mouth. Damn seasickness.

"Ahoy, matey, feelin' a bit under the weather?" Lance inquired, not insincerely. "Tough luck, matey, 'twill be a beautiful sunset if you'd venture up to the lookout with me tonight. Look at those clouds yonder. They'll be a right pretty sight once the beams hit them over the horizon."

"Yeah, really pretty," Link muttered, closing his eyes as the ship lurched forward. Lance frowned, not seeming to hear his friend as he stared into the other direction. The clouds in the opposite direction were looming and ominous, certainly promising a bad storm.