Hello dear readers! New chapters are here! Finally! Yay! :D

I am terribly sorry for the 6 months that went by since the last update. Life has been crazy. Work has been crazy. And these new chapters were a pain to write. Seriously. With lots of things to set into context, new people, new places, which was necessary before we can officially dive into this next section of the story. But here they are at last. Three new chapters. Just take them away because I honestly cannot look at them anymore. The words are pouring out of my eyes and my brain has melted from all the re-read and the editing. At this point I'll never be satisfied with them, which means I just have to let them go and move on.

I do hope you enjoy them, as we embark on the next part of the story, where Maeve and Sinbad's chapters will mostly alternate from now on. Chapter 33 will be thus be focused on Sinbad, with missing scenes from the episode The Gift in season 2. Stay tuned! ;)

Lastly, if you're still sticking around for this story despite my erratic posting, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you are all safe and happy and healthy.

Maevelynn xoxox

P.S. Kudos to my good friend Inbid, whose fanfic Impossible Loves inspired me to write the little missing scene that I managed to slip in the next chapter. If you haven't read her work, I highly recommend it. :)


Chapter 30 – Denwood

The walk to the village took them about three hours, during which no one even asked for a break because the eagerness fluttering in everyone's bones to reach civilization again simply ousted the accumulated exhaustion of the last grisly month.

They all pushed on with steady motivation, the heated sun drumming down on their heads like a beacon leading them home, while the scenery of the land unfurled around them like a majestic canvas painted with contrasting autumn colors. Dark green spruces and pines, vivid red maples, bright yellow aspens…It was so beautiful Maeve could barely look away, marveling at the lively nature she had missed so much in the past month.

The adjustment to it all still felt strange though, the oppressing darkness of the Blind Mountains continuing to weigh heavily on everyone's mind despite the very real contrast of colors and light that nature was offering them everywhere they looked, as if they were all still imbued with a spark of hypervigilance, half expecting horrid monsters to pounce and attack them if they let their guard down too soon.

But the tension gradually subsided the more distance they put between themselves and the terrible mountains, and when they finally reached a dirt road between lowly hills, with fences marking the outskirts of fields and pastures on either side, Maeve knew they were getting closer at last. She never thought she would be this happy to see a road before, nor a simple fence, but they were all tangible landmarks that once again reminded her that she was alive, with the prospect of food, water and clean clothes looming closer and closer.

There was palpable excitement in the air as they all marched on the wide beaten path, but soon the rubbles of what once used to be a farm came into view at the end of one field, its roof collapsed and the walls still charred by the torches that had burned the whole thing down, reminding them of the terrible raid that had befallen the poor village many weeks ago.

The sight of the desolated destruction soured the overall mood of the convoy as they continued down the road, and Maeve saw Robin's fist clench at his side as he glowered at the ruins of the little farm, making her wonder if he had known the people who had lived there.

Whoever they were, she hoped they had survived the gruesome attack, although for some reason she could not bring herself to tell him that, words simply failing her as she kept up the pace beside him quietly, eager to reach their destination once and for all while her nerves began to coil with anguish, doubt creeping inside her mind as she once again pondered on Jacob's fate.

They continued down the road in brooding silence, the sound of distant neighing marking the presence of a few horses and cattle grazing in a pasture enclosed by recently built fences, and after rounding the corner of a cluster of tawny aspens and young maples, at long last the village of Denwood finally came into view.

Robin halted on the road, as if momentarily overwhelmed by the sight of the destination they had all dreamed of for so long, and everyone behind him did the same, pausing for a few seconds as if to take a breath and truly acknowledge the feeling of arriving home. The only comparison Maeve could draw was that of catching sight of land after forever being trapped in the doldrums at sea, although even that was a feeling she could never quite describe.

Robin glanced up at the clear blue sky, as if to mark the time of day, and then tossed her a small smile before starting the convoy into motion again, heading for the village where a few people had already spotted them in the distance.

As they approached the small town, Maeve's eyes landed on the destruction the Blood Raiders had left behind, on old buildings collapsed into piles of rubble, stone walls half tumbled down, broken fences, carts missing wheels, piles of discarded charred wood…It was a disheartening sight to witness, but the terrible wreckage was already speckled with bits and pieces of ongoing repairs, as demonstrated by piles of freshly axed timber, wooden beams erected into naked walls here and there, as well as the numerous tools that lay all around in disarray…ropes, ladders, axes, shovels…

The village was a small hive of busy workers, but as the convoy from Southampton approached, every task was hurriedly discarded and everyone dropped what they were doing at once, with calls and shouts echoing through the streets as if to announce their arrival to those who had not yet seen them.

The first villager to reach them was a little girl with a bright yellow dress, her blond curly hair bouncing on her shoulders as she ran up the dirt road like a sunflower with two feet.

"Pappa!" she called out, her sweet lively voice ringing in the air.

"Ella!" Simon was already rushing from the rear of the convoy, pale blue eyes brimming with tears as he ran past Maeve onto the path to gather the little girl into his arms and crush her against him.

A few yards away, a tall blonde came trotting after the child until she froze in her steps, shock spreading on her features as she dropped the bucket of water she was holding. The wind seemed to abruptly leave her lungs, but then unbridled joy flashed in her eyes as she swiftly gathered the folds of her faded pink and brown dress to run towards her husband.

"Simon!" she cried out, crashing into his open arm while he held them both fiercely in his embrace, his daughter and his wife.

Maeve smiled at the sight of them, tears almost tingling in her eyes at their heartwarming reunion, one of the many that started taking place all around her as the villagers of Denwood joined the muddy soldiers and civilians from Southampton on the outskirts of town, with families reuniting at long last under the clear blue sky of noon, half crying and half smiling in the bright sunlight.

With little Rose and Sam in their arms, Ally and David embraced an elderly woman whom Maeve could only guess was the woman's mother, Peter and Lucas seemed to reunite with their father, and Lobelia was greeted by a young woman with short brown hair, whom Maeve assumed was her granddaughter.

Soldiers from Littleton quickly mingled with those from Southampton, exchanging handshakes and pats on the back to welcome them to the village after such a perilous journey, the bluish color of the former men's shirts much brighter than the latter's mud-caked attires, courtesy of the Blind Mountains.

Robert Thomet was also warmly welcomed by his fellow villagers with smiles and hugs, although his expression remained mostly dark and grim, his eyes haunted by the ever-burning flame of revenge, which Maeve knew would never be extinguished until the bearded man somehow managed to kill the Blood Raider responsible for the death of his wife.

The entire spectacle was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to watch, with families coming together with boundless joy and relief, while others reunited with tears and painful grief, receiving the terrible news of those who had perished in the Blind Mountains. All the brave men, sons, brothers, fathers…who would never return home.

It made her heart silently ache in her chest, wishing she could have somehow saved everyone in the crossing, even if she knew that casualties were inevitable in the deadly woods. Her mind slowly drifted back to the shadows of the mountains as she watched the bittersweet reunions, until Mark, Leo and Coop joined her and Leisa as they stood a bit off to the side, their faces warming at the sight of Simon with his wife and daughter.

"Robin!" the blonde woman breathed in relief, untangling herself from her husband to wrap her arms around her older brother while he shut his eyes and held her tight in return.

With long wavy blond hair that reached down to her hips, his sister Cassidy clung to him for a long time before pulling away to cup his face and take stocks of whatever wounds he might have collected in the mountains.

Robin was dispelling her concerns when the woman's striking green-blue eyes fell on her over his shoulder, and Maeve was momentarily struck by how beautiful she was.

"By the gods," Cassidy whispered in awe. "The rumors were true…"

Robin turned around to follow his sister's gaze, his own blue eyes anchoring on her with honor and pride before he extended his arm out to introduce her. "This is Maeve," he said warmly. "We met back in Southampton and she joined us for the crossing. She saved our lives more times than I can count. If it weren't for her, we'd be in the bellies of Skinwalkers and Borgs right now, or at the bottom of the Kawasseas' swamp."

"Your brother is giving me too much credit," Maeve protested with a shake of her head before quirking up an eyebrow. "But someone had to keep him out of trouble."

Robin opened his mouth to argue, but Cassidy cut him off by stepping up to her almost as if in a trance, pupils blown and her beautiful face alight with admiration and awe. "Thank you," she murmured in boundless gratitude. "Thank you for protecting them."

Maeve gave her a polite smile and aimed to dismiss whatever additional appreciation the woman was about to add, but she noticed the cluster of villagers that were slowly gathering closer around them, whispering among themselves, pointing at her hair and casting her curious looks of bewilderment while the people from Southampton whispered in their ears as if to answer their numerous questions.

"It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace," a steady voice suddenly sounded over the crowd, silencing everyone. "Our prayers appear to have been answered."

As the sea of people parted, Maeve came face to face with a square-shouldered man in the prime of his age, with greying hair, a thick salt and pepper mustache and a warm welcoming smile that wrinkled the corner of his tiny brown eyes. He immediately struck Maeve as the ultimate, doting grand-father figure, although she wished he hadn't addressed her so formally by some royal title she did not condone.

"General Bennett," Robin quickly stepped past her to shake the man's hand in salute, but received a warm fatherly hug instead as the officer seemed to throw formalities to the wind for the occasion.

"It's good to see you alive, General Gallaway," General Bennett said with a beaming smile, before looking around at the entire convoy. "And it's rather unbelievable to see so many survivors from the Blind Mountains all in one piece!"

"We couldn't have done it without her," Coop chimed in, tilting his head in Maeve's direction while Leo and Mark nodded in approval beside her and 'ayes' echoed all around amidst the scruffy-looking convoy.

Clearing his throat for introduction, Robin extended his arm towards her once again, this time using her full name as there was no way of dodging her obvious identity. "Arthur, this is Maeve Kalleeryen. She's-"

"Quite a sight," General Bennett cut him off amusingly. "And quite dirty as well. Wikken Hells, Robin, what have you done to her?"

Robin dipped his head with a laugh. "I'm afraid a month in the Blind Mountains didn't exactly grant us the peachiest dispositions."

"You're right," General Bennett replied as he eyed him up and down. "You look worse."

A rumble of laughter rippled through the crowd as the soldiers and volunteers from Southampton were teased about their muddy attires, until General Bennett spoke again to address the matter still hanging on everyone's lips.

"I must say," he began thoughtfully, his small dark eyes studying her carefully. "When the letterjay came from Southampton, with Wizard George and Adam telling us that the Fire Maiden had returned home, I couldn't truly believe it." He paused, openly staring at her in disbelief, her hair, her height, her countenance, as if quietly measuring what she was made of. "Yet here you are…" he stated, as if momentarily entranced by the implications of her presence. "Kalladrell has a Queen once more."

Maeve's breathing hitched in her chest at his words, her heartrate flaring in her blood as she dreaded another display of reverence with people bending the knee to her, but Robin swiftly cut through the rising tension before anyone could move.

"Perhaps we can discuss all of this after we've settled in," he offered, calm and diplomat, and General Bennett quickly seemed to catch himself, heeding his counterpart's underlying request at once.

"Of course," he nodded with courtesy and a friendly pat on Robin's shoulder. "I'm sure you're all desperate to clean up and have a nice warm meal. Take all the time you need. We can talk about the matter during the Night of Yel. I want to hear everything that happened since the moment she set foot on Kalladrell." The ends of his peppery mustache curled up like whiskers as he kindly smiled at her. "If there is anything you require, you need only ask."

Maeve nodded gratefully as the General beamed at her, his dark brown eyes wrinkling with benevolence.

Then he took his leave and the crowd slowly dispersed itself at last, with soldiers from Littleton assisting the people of Southampton with whatever they needed, unburdening them from packs and bags and carrying the stretchers of the wounded to take them where they could be tended to.

Still gathered at the edge of the village, Cassidy soon engulfed Coop, Mark and Leo in warm hugs, welcoming the three soldiers back to the village. She even wrapped her arms around Leisa, completely disregarding the Radakeel's contempt for such sentimental displays, and when the warrior woman returned the blonde's embrace awkwardly, Maeve figured that they must have known each other for quite some time. Meanwhile, Robin lifted Ella in his arms and the little girl squealed in delight, her little arms wrapping around his neck.

"Look at you!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you!"

"I missed you, Uncle Robin," Ella replied with a tiny voice, and Maeve noticed her nose and cheeks were covered in freckles.

"I'm so glad to see you all safe and sound," Cassidy spoke with a sigh of relief, lovingly tucked into Simon's side with his arm coiled around her waist.

"The Blind Mountains can't get rid of us that easily," Leo grinned proudly, bumping shoulders with his comrades.

"Aye," Mark agreed with a bitter frown. "But this crossing was one of the most harrowing. It truly is a miracle so many of us survived."

"There will be other monsters to face soon enough," Leisa grimly observed, but before Leo could complain about the Radakeel's pessimism ruining the mood, Ella pointed at Maeve with a tiny finger, her big blue eyes widening in wonder as she whispered in Robin's ears. "Is that the princess?"

Robin chuckled at his niece's bluntness, awkwardly meeting Maeve's gaze across their little group, while Coop leaned forward with a hand to his mouth as if to whisper an important secret to the little girl. "Oh she's not a princess, she's a queen."

Ella didn't seem to fully grasp the difference as she frowned in deep thought, and while Maeve rolled her eyes at the roguish man's comment about her correct title, her mind suddenly raced to dire matters that she desperately needed to address, the knot of anguish returning to her core like a fist gripping her stomach.

With her pulse rising in her throat, she turned to Cassidy. "I'm looking for a man named Jacob. Do you know if he's still alive?"

"Jacob?" the blonde blinked at her in surprise, and quickly nodded with a troubled look. "Yes, he's alive. But he was severely injured during the raid and he never quite recovered from his wounds. I'm afraid he doesn't have much time left," she regretfully explained, then motioned for her to follow as she untangled herself from Simon's arm. "I can take you to him if you want."

Maeve felt her blood rush in her ears. He was alive. The man Dim-Dim had sent her here to protect, the man she had crossed the Blind Mountains to reach. He was alive.

But it was not enough to quell the sense of impending doom that suddenly ignited in her veins, Cassidy's words echoing in her head with fatal implications as if a formidable clock had just started ticking.

Out of instinct she sought Robin's gaze for purchase, his features already shifting somberly as he passed Ella back to Simon, the depth of his blue eyes holding a silent question about if she wanted him to stay or not, but Maeve was quick to disperse his concern with a small nod. "You guys go ahead and rest, settle in, clean up, eat…I'll join you as soon as I'm done."

Robin didn't seem convinced, his entire body imperceptibly tensing up as he searched her eyes for validation that she truly wanted to do this on her own, which she confirmed with the best reassuring smile she could put up.

"We'll be down at the beach," Simon informed, hooking a thumb over his shoulder to point where the rest of the convoy was currently disappearing down a wide path tucked between thickets of young spruces.

Maeve gave him a brief thankful nod, and after sharing one last reluctant look with Robin until he finally yielded, she watched them all disappear down the beaten path, with Coop poking at Ella's side to tickle her while Leo swiftly came to her rescue like a human shield.

They were almost out of sight when she realized that Leisa had remained rooted in place beside her like a statue, one hand firmly resting on the hilt of one of the Sleyans sheathed at her belt, ready to parry any kind of danger.

"Go with them. I'll be fine," Maeve told her, hoping to relieve the Radakeel of her protective duty.

But Leisa would have none of it, her iron mask impenetrable as usual and her red braids falling over her shoulder like a river of blood. "I'll wait here."

Maeve was tempted to argue with the warrior woman, but she knew it would be a dispute she would not win. After spending an entire month with the Radakeel as her second shadow, it seemed inconceivable that she should expect Leisa to suddenly lower her guard down within less than an hour in a new environment.

So she simply dipped her head at the ruthless woman clad in black leather, determined to stand guard at the edge of the village like a watchful statue, and turned to Cassidy. "Lead the way."

With her features soft and kind, Robin's sister guided her through the ruins of Denwood without a word, her faded pink and brown dress swooshing around her legs as she walked.

Maeve expected the silence to be awkward but the blonde's presence proved to be strangely calming as they progressed through the partial wreckage of the village, a quality she obviously shared with her brother, but still she could sense the other woman was searching for something to say out of propriety.

"I hope the Blind Mountains weren't too rough on you?" she finally asked conversationally after a couple of steps, her concern truly genuine judging by the softness in her voice.

"Just a few cuts and bruises," Maeve assured her with a smile, unconsciously rolling her left shoulder a little as they walked down the main road of the village and reached what appeared to be the main square of the small town, which fully allowed her to assess the amount of damage the raid had caused.

Many of the bigger buildings had been completely sacked and destroyed, and she could almost hear the ghostly sounds of the attack that had taken place not so long ago; people screaming in terror, running down the streets to find shelter or flee with their loved ones, bellowing brutes with terrifying markings painted across their faces charging in with swords and double-axes, hacking at everything that moved, setting every structure on fire, pulling women by the hair to drag them to the main square...

She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and had to clench her jaw tightly to get a grip on herself.

When Turok and Rumina had attacked her village many years ago, she had been at the heart of such carnage. She knew exactly what these people had gone through.

A few houses had luckily survived though, their walls still standing despite their caved-in roofs, and a few farm animals had also prevailed as she spotted chickens and goats in lonely rickety pens, along with a couple of boars and pigs, although perhaps Littleton had provided the new livestock.

Amongst the main buildings of the main square, Maeve noted that there was one in particular that seemed to stand out compared with the others. It was at least three-story tall and seemed to have undergone the most repairs so far, with recently assembled stone walls, a pointed rooftop with lanterns hanging from the lowest corners, squared glass windows with diamond-shaped patterns on the third and second floor, as well as on either side of the double front doors, above which dangled a freshly painted sign that read The Golden Goose.

"That's the inn," Cassidy explained as they passed in front of the wooden porch, currently being renovated by three Littleton soldiers who waved at them good-heartedly as they walked by. "It's the first building we repaired along with the village's barn and grain cellar, so we could store as much food as possible before winter came. It's also where most of us slept during the first few weeks after the raid…"

Maeve could only nod absent-mindedly at the other woman, pressing her lips together grimly as ghostly memories flooded her mind, but soon enough Cassidy led her down a secondary street, mostly deserted since everyone had retreated to the beach with the convoy.

When they reached a small one-story house tucked between half-crumbled buildings, the blonde paused by the door to address her. "Last I heard, he was slipping in and out of consciousness," she said with sad blue eyes, which held a touch of green that Robin's gaze didn't have.

"Is he in pain?" Maeve asked before stepping inside after her.

"I don't think so," Cassidy responded. "But he hasn't said anything in days."

The interior of the small house was dimly lit, with slivers of sunlight filtering through by the half-opened window shutters. It had only one room, with two rows of beds lined up against the walls on either side and with an alley in the middle to circulate, at the end of which stood a rudimentary stone hearth with a weakly burning fire.

Maeve counted four people lying down on the small rickety mattresses with loved ones by their sides, clutching hands and pressing wet clothes to their foreheads. She also noted they were all elderly people, either emitting soft moans of discomfort or sleeping profoundly with rattling breaths, a distinctive sound that usually meant death was right around the corner, and which sent a chill down her spine.

The people present quickly lifted their heads when she and Cassidy stepped into the room, mouths gaping open and eyes widening in shock at the sight of her hair color and what it implied, while Robin's sister subtly motioned with her hand that now was not the time for questions.

Quick to understand, they left them to their business with silent respect, returning their attention to their dying loved ones as Cassidy guided her to the lonely bed tucked in the corner of the room, where a young woman with silky black hair and hazel eyes stood up from a small three-legged stool.

With her heart skipping a painful beat, Maeve's eyes fell on the frail silhouette of a man with a head of disheveled white hair, his eyes closed and his breathing deep.

"He's still the same," the black-haired woman informed them, blinking at Maeve in quiet wonder while Cassidy gently took her friend by the arm to steer her along.

"We'll be outside if you need anything," she said, offering her a small smile of compassion before granting her some privacy.

After they exited the small room and closed the door softly behind them, Maeve stood rooted in place, frozen like a deer as she blankly stared at the frail man lying before her on the small bed, the knot of anguish coiling tighter inside her chest.

She could not protect him from death. Whatever wounds he had suffered from during the raid, it was clear he would not survive them, and whatever time he had left seemed awfully short.

But she had to speak with him, find out what he knew, why Dim-Dim had truly sent her here, what she was supposed to do...

Steeling herself, without even removing her pack, she sat down on the three-legged stool by his bedside and watched the even rise and fall of his chest, her eyes travelling to his ashen face that bore a sunken appearance, as if death itself had been nibbling away at him all this time ever since the raid had struck him down. She suddenly felt terribly bad for waking him up from his slumber, so peaceful and painless, but she had no choice.

"Jacob?" she called softly, leaning forward and tentatively touching his bony, cold hand.

The old prophet stirred, his head moving to the side to face her, an eye cracking open.

"My name is Maeve," she smiled, hoping to sound reassuring. "Dim-Dim sent me."

Another eye weakly opened to scrutinize her attentively, taking in her features and her red hair until recognition slowly appeared on his pallid face. "What took you so long?" His voice was dry and raspy, like someone who hadn't spoken for days, but the humor still shone through, making her chuckle despite the dire circumstances.

"A faulty travel vial," she explained as she searched around for water, retrieving a cup from the small bedside table and bringing it to his lips.

Jacob took a few sips, coughing feebly in the process and with his entire body rippling with the effort. Then he lifted a pale gaunt hand, barely able to move it as it trembled. "Left pocket."

Maeve frowned in confusion before carefully searching through the folds of his robes that were hanging by the bed's head post, her fingers curling around a small silver object that looked like a thin metal stick with round nodes on either end. The item was light to hold, and there was a tiny slit carved down the length in the middle, reminding her of a whistle, and she was sure that if she pressed the stick to her lips she would look like a horse with a bit in its mouth.

"What is it?" she asked curiously, lifting the strange object to her eyes to inspect it.

"A Hallox," the prophet's voice replied dryly, his eyelids slowly closing under the sheer exhaustion of speaking. "A powerful weapon. You will need it."

"Why?" she frowned again, completely clueless. "What does it do?"

"You will know what to do when the time comes," was his only answer, his cryptic words mirroring the way Dim-Dim often spoke.

It made her feel more and more helpless, with a sense of urgency sparking in her blood. "I don't need riddles," she pleaded. "I need answers. Why did Dim-Dim send me here?"

Jacob opened his eyes again and anchored his dimming gaze on her. "Because Kalladrell needs a Queen once more…The Fire Maiden…"

Maeve almost groaned in frustration, shaking her head for the umpteenth time to deflect the cursed title. "I'm not a queen."

"You will be," he replied plainly, his voice thick with foreshadowing. "Destiny has touched you…you cannot run from your legacy…"

She opened her mouth to protest but the old prophet was jolted by another fit of coughs, his entire body spasming with the effort while she offered him water again.

When the coughing stopped, he heavily slumped into the mattress and stared at the ceiling, as if seeing shapes and shadows that she could not. "My time in this world is over..." He turned his head to look at her again, his old wrinkled eyes finding purchase on her face as if to summon the last shred of his strength, his breath failing him as he strained to speak. "Remember…the Darks Wars have bled and gone, but the cycle was not undone…He will come for you…He knows…"

Maeve leaned forward and brought her ear closer to his mouth, desperate to hear him better and make sense of what he was saying as she felt icy goosebumps erupt on her flesh.

"The end will come…a curse in blood…the gates must be closed…a price for a gift…"

A life for a sin, she completed in her mind, shivering at the prophecy she had heard for the first time in the Blind Mountains two weeks ago. But Jacob was adding new pieces to it this time, segments she had not heard before as she sat at the edge of her seat, raptly waiting for him to continue.

But the room suddenly grew painfully quiet, as if the air had been sucked away into the walls, and when she looked back at the old prophet, his grey eyes had stilled.

He was gone.

His chest no longer rising.

His last words echoing all around her as she stared at him wide eyed and forgot how to breath herself, momentarily paralysed and unable to process what had just happened.

He was gone.

She couldn't save him from death.

She was too late.

Awareness crashed back into her like a hammer, and Maeve shut her eyes in painful defeat, her meddled thoughts rapidly racing ahead like wild horses and threatening to barrel her clear off a cliff, making her head spin like a storm.

The man whom she had crossed the Blind Mountains to reach, the man who was supposed to shed light on her expanding list of questions, to tell her what to do…was gone.

Death claiming him along with all the answers she desperately needed.

A gruesome month of trekking spent praying for this specific conversation to take place, only for it all to crumble to ashes in a few minutes.

She suddenly felt sick to her stomach, nauseous and dizzy, as if a formidable weight was pressing down on her to crush her to the ground, and the feeling of helplessness that rushed in her veins was so overwhelming it nearly made her scream.

She stared at him unblinking, stared at the Hallox in her shaking palm, unable to move, unable to fully grasp that he was gone and that she was now truly alone on the path Dim-Dim had set her upon…

It made no sense. Nothing made sense.

When she could bear it no longer, her heart pounding in her temples like loud thunder, she swallowed hard past the lump in her throat and gently closed Jacob's eyes with a trembling hand, muttering a silent prayer for his spirit to be at peace and find its way through the shadows.

Then she stood up in a rush, steadying herself on the small bedside table when she swayed on her feet, feeling faint. The people who had remained by the deathbeds of their loved ones glanced at her with concern, but she rapidly steeled herself and walked out of the house, unable to meet their eyes.

When she stepped outside, probably looking as pale as a ghost, Cassidy and her friend quickly sprang to their feet with alarm spreading on theirs features in the bright sunlight.

"He's gone…" Maeve said blankly, dazed and dizzy and with an invisible fist painfully squeezing her heart like a stone.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace," Cassidy gently murmured with sorrow.

"My name is Maeve," she snapped, rebuking the blonde and regretting it at once. "I'm sorry…I…" She wanted to run, to escape, to vanish. "Tell the others I'll join them in a few minutes."

Before the two women could even reply, she rushed past them, her pulse thumping in her ears and her breath hitching in her chest, as if she was slowly missing out on air.

Her heart hammered faster and faster as she strolled down the street aimlessly, quickly realizing she had no clue where she was going until she swiftly veered between two collapsed buildings and made a beeline for the nearest woods, desperate to be alone, her entire composure on the verge of fracturing.

There was no trail but she kept on going like a mad woman, picking up the pace faster and faster through the brambles and shoving branches out of her face while tears slowly blurred her vision, her lungs feeling like they were collapsing inside her chest.

She wanted to run but she couldn't breathe. She was choking. Boulders stacking themselves up inside her ribcage like crumpling mountains.

She could barely see where she was going but she still pushed on, determined to put as much space between herself and everything that was shackling her to the island of Kalladrell, to the people who needed her help, to the promise she had made to them.

When she emerged from the trees and abruptly stumbled onto a deserted spot on the beach, the wide-open view of the ocean greeted her like a slap in the face, rooting her in place where she fell to her knees completely out of breath, the rolling waves deafening in her ears almost as loud as the storm that had upturned her entire world.

She shut her eyes tightly, biting on her lips not to scream as something terrible began to rip her apart from the inside, a visceral pain she could not quite name while her fingers curled in the sand in desperation.

She was trapped.

With sobs knotting in her throat from the agonizing pressure in her chest, she could barely contain the urge to lash out and set the whole damn world on fire, to burn everything to ash until the smoke could be seen from the high seas.

If she screamed loud enough, would he hear her?

She gritted her teeth and reined in the impulse.

She knew it was no use. She was lost. Stranded a thousand miles away.

Blinking in the bright sunlight with tears swelling in her eyes, she pointlessly gazed at the skyline in the distance, the sea almost leering back at her like some cruel goddess and denying her the white sails of the ship she would give anything to see.

But the horizon remained clear, a perfect line, straight and undisturbed.

No one would find her.

Dim-Dim had sent her to the edge of the world with a morass of questions and mysteries, and now Jacob was dead with all the answers, crushing the last shreds of hope she had secretly cherished deep within her fragile heart.

She could not go home.

She could not leave.

The shadows of prophecies were coiling around her like invisible shackles, pinning her down with duties she wanted nothing to do with, but she could not abandon the people of Kalladrell, not after everything they had gone through in the Blind Mountains, not after the help she had fiercely promised them in the wars to come.

She could not leave them.

She could not go home.

But up until now, she had foolishly believed she would not be alone for it all. She had foolishly believed, foolishly hoped that Jacob would guide her through the dark and urge her to call for help…sparing her the burden of making that decision…

But he hadn't.

Instead, he had left that terrible choice to her, tearing open the fresh wound in her bleeding heart and forcing her to decide what to do.

A decision she now had to make.

Contacting the crew should have been so simple…so easy…

"Damn you, Sinbad…" she breathed as she stared helplessly at the endless ocean, the images from the brook rushing back into her mind like a terrible nightmare, the sting of betrayal still cold and sharp like a blade lodged between her ribs.

How could she possibly call for the crew after what he had done…what she had seen…How could she ever face him again after that? How could they ever mend what he had broken? How could they ever-

She closed her eyes stubbornly, stopping her train of thoughts before they could topple her down into that rabbit hole again, where she knew the heartbreak would only be more painful to endure.

Clenching her jaw tightly, she instead tried to shut out her emotions like some annoying white noise, to lock them all away so she could assess the situation rationally.

She knew perfectly well that it would be in Kalladrell's best interest if she contacted the crew. The help they could provide was certainly non-negligeable, in terms of wits, courage, strength, science, magic, contacts with powerful eastern kingdoms that might provide aid if the Nomad could convince them to fight for Kalladrell…

The benefits of beckoning the crew were numerous.

But there was one emotion that she simply could not subdue, one sinful sentiment that was roaring in her blood like unforgiving thunder.

Pride.

How could she ever face the man who had cast her aside in so little time, forsaking everything they had ever shared? How could she ever bear the weight of such rejection, after foolishly believing in a fleeting dream?

It filled her with a conflicting combination of rage and shame, the embarrassment festering in her limbs like poison as she cursed herself twice over for ever falling for such a sentimental trap, for blindly offering him the precious gift of trust, only to watch him trample it to the ground in such a devastatingly short amount of time.

And yet…

Why couldn't she shake the feeling that the depth of her pain was just as deep as his? Why was her heart breaking all over again at the memory of the look in his eyes in the guest cabin, so fragile and lost as he drowned in that woman's touch? Why couldn't she bring herself to hate him as much as she wanted to? Why was she shaking with the formidable need to hold and comfort him still?

The war within her blood was unbearable, making her dizzy and nauseous.

She was trapped.

But still, she had to make a choice.

She did not want to leave, and pride would not let her call for help.

But if she did not contact the crew now, then who could tell when she would see them again? Who could tell when she would see her brother again?

The thought haunted her, a dreadful bargain with an outcome impossible to predict, and it filled her with formidable devastation, the tears blurring her vision once more as she glared at the vast ocean before her, the wheels in her head spinning endlessly in every direction.

How many more years would her brother endure because she was unable to defeat the witch who had cursed him? How much more time would be wasted until he could walk free again? How many more years would be stolen from him? Her sweet little bother…

She wanted to scream, to shout at the sky at the top of her lungs and tear the world asunder as desperation nibbled at her core like venom, the emotion pressing against her chest like a suffocating weight.

It was so unfair…

Willing her trashing heart to calm down, she forced herself to breathe, to center her thoughts amidst the storm of fears and insecurities and doubts that were firing up in ever corner of her mind, while she tried to listen to the crashing of the waves a couple of yards before her, to synchronize her breathing with their rhythmical rolls.

She had a choice to make. To contact the crew or not.

Was she supposed to walk this path alone? Like Dim-Dim had foretold her?

'You will know when the time is right to see them again.' He had said to her, both solemn and ominous before sending her off on this dangerous mission.

What did that even mean?

Hadn't two months been enough? The damage done already nearly irreparable?

She shook her head as pride dug its claws into her flesh once more, insisting that she was better off without him

But still feral longing roared in the depth of her soul like white noise, haunting her with everything that could have been…all the broken dreams that had been washed away by the angry waves of the storm…

It was all gone now.

All that was left were the memories, bittersweet and fleeting, her life on the Nomad whisked away by the cruel hands of fate and time, a sandcastle sadly melting away in the rising tide.

She was trapped.

And the shadows of war were aiming straight for her.

A curse in blood…The end will come…A price for a gift…A life for a sin…

She shivered at the foretelling words, the sinister prophecy sinking its fangs into her bones with the promise of a future painted with death.

Then it dawned on her.

Perhaps it was best if the crew stayed away after all, she realized dejectedly, to spare them whatever darkness might befall her and the people of Kalladrell.

Perhaps this was how she could protect them…Perhaps this was the decision she was looking for. Staying here, and not contacting them, at least not until the war was over.

If not for her pride, she could keep them away as a measure of safety.

Keep them safe, she thought to herself, almost shaking her head at the pathetic excuse her wounded heart was instrumenting in order to escape the bite of pride and the embarrassment of rejection.

But it was such an easier excuse to hold on to, one she could simply add to the list of lies she kept telling herself ever since her soul had fractured to pieces in the Blind Mountains. A beautiful lie, which she forced herself to believe, convincing herself that as long as the crew remained away, she could keep them safe, as simple as that.

She would just have to stay here in Kalladrell in the meantime, however long that would be, trapped by prophecy and pride, and sheltered by the mantle of time to mend the pieces of her broken heart.

Until she would see them again…Until she would see him again…

It was better this way. Everything happened for a reason, right?

The thought made her feel bitter and cold, like she suddenly had no more strength left to fight with, her limbs as numb and weary as her heart.

But it was over.

Her choice was made.

Keep them safe, she reminded herself, the lie sinking into her veins.

She took another shaky breath, willing her pulse to slow down, and when the tumultuous storm of sadness and desperation slowly eased in her blood at last, she raised her eyes to the vast ocean, steeling herself against its cruel and impenetrable presence as she scanned the horizon for white sails that would now only appear in her dreams.

"Until we meet again," she murmured, her voice carried by the wind. "Until we meet again…"


Running with my eyes closed

Hunted by the shadows

Will they ever go?

I'm afraid

That I'm miles away from yesterday

And I'm alone

Till I see you again

Unsecret