Part 6

The woods in this area of Seamlyn are still dense and luscious. The furious fires still haven't reached this part of the many forests in Seamlyn and everything is still green and bright and alive. Gale's heart is still pounding in his chest in a quick bump bump-bump bump rhythm. He hasn't even seen the worst of it yet, but he can feel the anticipation rising in his chest. He knows it going to be bad, worse than he has ever seen before.

He readjusts his grip on Madge's hand, but he doesn't look at her. She's looking at him, though, with worry blazing in her eyes. Don't get her wrong, she wasn't worried about being in Seamlyn or some barbarian come crashing out of nowhere. No, she was worried about Gale and the impact the sights they are bound to see will affect him. Gale's jawline was hard already, his teeth clenched.

"Are you ready?" she asks softly, too afraid that if she raises her voice anymore above a whisper that the world might shatter, or even he might shatter. Her words seem to knock him out of his trance because he stops looking at everything around them to look at her. He nods curtly, sharply.

He takes the first step, determination running under his feet. He feels at home among the woods and the stifling air of Seamlyn, but he knows his home is not his home. He was bound to come across burning debris and rough looking people. He knows Seamlyn isn't Seamlyn anymore, and it hasn't been for a while.

He feels like he's on a death march, each step he takes marks one of the last fresh places in the Seamlyn that could truly represent the beauty and simplicity of his home. Each step marks the last comforting spots here before he enters a wasteland. He is now unsure of his decision. He isn't sure he's ready to see the burnt everything and the place falling to shambles, but he knows he has too. It's the only way to make his heart stop pounding in anticipation and his mind to settle from the constant worry that has ridden his every thought. This was his country, and soon enough he will probably be ruling it.

He's not even sure if his people will recognize him. Portia and Cinna really did a good job of making them look normal. His thick, black hair was slicked back under a weathered hat and he was wearing a trench coat. He looks nothing like himself. He doesn't look clean cut or made from royalty. He looks like he was possibly middle to middle upper class. Definitely not what his people would dare think of him as. But that made his job easier and more accessible to reach out to his lower people without them drawing away from him and his power.

They could smell it before they could see it. The air suddenly becomes heavier, drier, and harder to breathe with the thick grayish smoke wafting through the air like a cloud as thick as a blanket. Gale takes the rough hem of his peasant shirt and slips it over his nose to filter the air. Madge follows his actions, tightening her grip even more around his hand and grips the handle of a well-made knife in her other.

She doesn't know what she expected out of Seamlyn, but it wasn't this. For some reason, she had the image of a giant wildfire swarming the people and tearing down their homes like a tsunami, she imagined screaming people running everywhere. Ultimately, Seamlyn was calmer than she expected. They were close enough to smell the burning country, but she couldn't hear any screaming. She takes this as a good sign.

When they finally reach the outlining of civilization, Madge realizes she was a little too quick to dispute her imagination and instincts. There isn't any screaming people running around, no, there wasn't any people around. The place was desolate and vacant, only the smoldering fires to welcome them to Seamlyn. Everything was crackling loudly as the old pieces of wood from the homes that barely stood was burning to a blacken dusk. There wasn't even a full house standing. Although they had several partially standing ones that the burning wood would soon destroy. It too would go up in flames.

Gale was pleased to see that his family was able to evacuate the people from their homes. He has no idea if they actually had a place to stay, but he was happy to know Seamlyn never left anyone behind. He pulls Madge behind him, murmuring quietly to be careful where she steps. They don't need one of them going up in flames like the homes of far too many people.

Gale's heart sinks in his chest at the thought of all the money that would need to go into the homes. They would definitely have to rebuild and reconstruct this area of Seamlyn eventually. The only problem was: Seamlyn was being attacked so many times in such short intervals it wasn't worth rebuilding for it to only being burned or bombed again. But that wasn't why his heart sunk. What makes his heart sink further in his chest is the amount of people that just lost everything. Madge and Gale entered the county in the poorest section, that meaning these people already had nothing to offer to anyone or themselves as it was, now their homes were gone and every memory and precious item with it.

How many people lost their lives and families because Seamlyn couldn't control the attacks against them? How many people are growing tired of the restless nights and constant worry that strikes every inch of Seamlyn? There has to be political unrest by now, Gale's sure of it. These people are already on edge, Gale's on edge. How much longer before they have a rebellion, a civil war, on their hands. Gale isn't afraid to give up his throne, his position in the government, but they can't have two wars to fight and still keep the one of the enemies safe. Gale and his family would be the only ones fighting for Seamlyn. Just looking at the wreckage, the destruction, the lost hope makes Gale's stomach tighten in his abdomen and a funny feeling flares up in his chest, making it far too tight to be comforting.

Just seeing everything so torn apart makes him realize that he needs to appreciate the time he has left with his loved ones and the peaceful moments that never seem to last long anymore. Everything is so undecided, everyone but Seamlyn was holding their cards close to their chest. They decide Seamlyn fate. They decide what comes of the smallest country in their territories. Everything is so different now than it was just a short six months ago. Long story short: Seamlyn wasn't what it used to be.

"We need to keep moving." Gale whispers. He doesn't know why he whispers, there's no one around him to keep his words from, but he quiets his voice anyways, "We don't need to be caught in here when the place goes up in flames once again." There was a level of sadness to his voice that make Madge's heart ache. She can't begin to imagine want Gale must be feeling right now. She hasn't even dreamed, or even thought, of her country coming anywhere close to this.

"Okay." She squeezes his hand and follows closely behind. As they walk, more building collapses behind them making loud, booming sounds as they fall, causing the wind to crackle more with the sound of flames snapping. She cringes every time, just waiting for the sparks to fly out and catch her like thieves' hands. They walk in silence, quietly scanning the ground for the flattest spot to place their feet.

They walk for what feels like an hour or so, the broken ground crunching underneath their feet, before they come to cleaner part of the country. Gale says they're about an hour away from the castle. This area of the country you'd think would be slightly better, but the homes were still a beaten looking shape and a dingy gray color. Madge was slowly realizing Seam Gray doesn't just represent the most common eye color of the country, it represents everything. Gray was splashed against the roadways, the houses, people's skin (she sees the coal dust lingering on Gale's skin whenever he first arrived to Capitola), and the air even seems grayish. The country screams WAR ZONE. It was like a warning sign flashing everywhere you looked. ATTACK ME! ATTACK ME!

Even this part was burning. Not as bad as the poorest section, but this wasn't any better. The more they walked, though, the clearer the air was becoming and less the fires raged. Gale loosens his grip on her hand, wrapping it around her waist and drawing her closer so he wouldn't lose her when the first signs of civilization appear.

There is a white tent set off to the side with the government symbol on the top, printed in a shiny gold color. They move towards it, slipping under the white canvas to find it packed full of people. Everyone looks a little beaten up and exhausted, there's wasn't much hope lingering in the depths of people's eyes either. There wasn't a single table in sight besides the ones at the back of the tent with military persona behind it with aprons on and spatulas in their hands. Their guns are prominently puncturing against the dull white apron, leaving an air of authority. The civilians don't seem too worried about the big muscular guys in the back with weapons; instead they were worried about getting the food off their paper plates to their mouths without missing a drop.

Gale and Madge get in line with the rest of the civilians, not quite sure how they're supposed to go about this. They are in disguise, so without taking off everything and revealing who they were, the soldiers won't know who they are. Gale's eyes are constantly shifting, looking between Madge and the rest of them. His hand stays on the small of her back, his fingers tightening whenever someone gets too close.

"I don't like this." Gale mutters into her hair as she passes him a tray with a paper plate on it. It looked slightly used so he wipes the bottom of it with his sleeve. It could just be the coal dust lingering in the air, though. He doesn't like the thought of all these people gathering together in one place, it was only going to cause trouble. He fears that people are going to start sharing stories and desires and cause uproar. What else do these people have to do while they wait for the Hawthorne's to find them a place to stay? It also created a large target to anyone looking to destroy the country as a whole. They are small as it was now.

Gale was next in line. The soldier working the soup station smiles politely at him, motioning for Gale to stick out his tray. Gale does, although hesitant at the sight of the mushy soup that looked more like oatmeal than soup. It made a wet sound as it comes off the spoon into his bowl and Gale tries not to make a face, but he can't help it when he grimaces a little.

"It tastes better than it looks, I promise. I've tried it." The soldier says lowly. Gale nods sharply before untwining his arm from around Madge and moving forward in line.

As Gale moves down the line, however, he feels a pair of eyes on him. He glances up to see a pair of green eyes locking with his. The man was a soldier – currently stationed behind the fresh fruit – with fiery red hair and a goofy grin on his face when he looks at the little girl in front of him. His eyes don't leave Gale's for long. The second the little girl leaves to get her cup of water, his eyes land on Gale's again. They stare at each other for a long time before Gale recognizes him. His name is Darius and he was head of ground patrol at the castle. Gale's stomach sinks further down, the man was looking at Gale like he knew him too. It's a peculiar feeling for Gale not wanting to go home since he's home, but the more he sees of Seamlyn the more he wants to spend time out in the field in disguise to get down to the bottom of this without being known. He has a feeling that people will open up to him if they don't know his actual identity.

Eventually, he plans to go back to the castle, but he needs information. These people must have opinion on foreign policy and protection. Not everyone is inclined to let the government decide everything. Gale needs to find those people and report back to his father. All the while, he needs to keep on the down low so Undersee's forces won't rat him out or take Madge back to Capitola. Even though – to Gale – it seems too dangerous to steal her away for him since she's already here.

Gale keeps his head down when he reaches Darius' station, simply grabbing a red apple and leaving as soon as possible. Madge selects a small bowl of strawberries before turning around and looking for a place for them to sit. The place is packed full. Everyone has clumped together into friend and family circles. She glances over at Gale for directions but he simply shrugs. He doesn't know any of these people. He only left the castle for national holidays and other smaller events.

Madge balances her tray on one arm and hooks her other through Gale's, taking her cup of water from his tray as she goes. She walks among the people carefully until she finds a little old lady with a group of small children and a few older people. She taps the woman on her shoulder, "Excuse me," the woman looks over her shoulder, looking at Madge a little skeptically at first. The woman had bright blue eyes that startles Madge, she was so used to the gray, "We've seemed to have lost the people we know. Do you mind if we sit with you?"

The man across from them whispers something that sounded a little like: "What are they even doing here; they don't live in this part. I mean, look at their clothes." Madge doesn't look over at them, instead just keeps her eyes on the woman. The man who had been spoken to looks down when he says: "I don't know. They just walked in. The boy looks familiar, but I don't know where I've seen him before."

The old woman, however, smiles. "Sure thing, sweeties. Have a seat!" she gestures to the only space Madge and Gale could squeeze in. Madge ends up sitting next to the old woman and Gale next to the little girl with sandy brown hair that cascades down her back in long, frizzy waves. They eat their dinner in silence, listening to the small group talk about nonsense for a while.

One moment to the next, the old woman – who they found out name is Giselle – places a soft hand on Madge's knee. She smiles softly at the Madge before shifting her eyes to Gale, "So how long have you two been married?"

"We, uh…" Madge stutters.

"Just recently." Gale picks up for her. She whips her head around and smiles, but he could see her questioning his answer. He can't blame her, he's wondering why he said it, too. But at the moment, it felt right. Not only does it help protect them both from detection, but it will help gain favor from citizens. Who wouldn't want to help a newlywed couple that just lost everything?

Giselle's eyes light up instantaneously, a spark of excitement flickering the edges of her blue eyes. She really had captivating eyes, wisdom and life brightening them. A small smile grips the old woman's lips, a soft look of reminiscing crossing her face as if she is remembering her own wedding. Gale glances down to see a dull, silver ring glinting on her marriage finger.

When her eyes refocus on them again, "How exciting!" she says softly like it is the best thing that she has heard in a long while, and who knows maybe it is. "I remember when I got married. It was so long ago, but it's like it just happened yesterday. When he was young and alive, he has the most beautiful eyes and he was so intelligent. You know who he reminds me of?"

"Who?" Madge eggs her on.

"The Prince!" Gale stills, his heart pounding. Was his planning already falling to shambles?

"Which one?" Gale forces his best political smile and leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

"Gale." His name comes out smoothly and with great admiration from the old woman. It rolls off her tongue like a wave rolling through the ocean – fluently and gracefully. "That boy – that boy – he has just a quiet intelligence running in him. Just like my Henry, the Prince just gives off waves of wisdom beyond his years and a presence of scholarly intellect, but he never come off as studious or rude. Both Henry and the Prince's intelligence go underappreciated."

Madge tries to fight the oncoming smile trying to slip on to her face, but she can't. It warms Madge's very heart to know that Gale's people sees what she sees in Gale. "I can see that. He's very intelligent." Gale's ears are burning.

"Oh, I wish they would let the boy speak more! He could probably fix this whole mess! He was born to be in the military, I swear to you he is. He was born to save this country."

"I've always gotten the impression he didn't want it. The throne." The man who had asked where the pair came from says.

"Oh shush, James!" Giselle flicks her wrist at the man, dismissing him.

This is it. This is Gale's chance to get what he came for, "And what do you suppose he do?"

"The Prince? I think we just need him in the Castle directing the military. There's a bunch of looney heads in there now. Prince Gale would get us out of this, I'm sure of it. No worries, sweeties, Prince Gale will save us."

Gale feels ill. Giselle has so much hope for him to save the country, but Gale's has no idea what to do. He glances around again, his eyes lingering on the exit and Darius. Could he really save the country from its inevitable destruction?

Nightfall hits them like an avalanche. One moment the sky was fading into pinks and blues and pastels and the next pitch black. As the pale sky slips over the horizon, the people start becoming restless and worried. Gale finds himself looking in the same direction as the rest of the people, with the same worry befalling the pit of his stomach. In the distance you can see the smoldering wreckage of the attack. Although it wasn't, to the Seamlyn natives it felt like the world was burning in horrible, blazing flames of hellish fire.

Everyone gathers at the opening of the tent, looking at the orange glow or looking at each other for answers that no one had. Only God knows how much more they have to repent for whatever mortal sin they committed to deserve this.

Gale draws Madge closer than ever, their sides pressing firmly together. He buries his face in her billowing hair to shield his eyes from the horrible picture painted in front of him. If only it could be a picture instead of reality. He lets out a shaky breath against her neck; he leaves a sweet kiss to her neck.

"I just wish it wasn't like this." her arms tighten around him like she could shield him from these horrors, but nothing can. This was reality, not some bad dream concocted in his head that she could sooth with sweet nothings and kisses. His nose trails up her neck and cheek, his eyes still closed. "I have a bad feeling, Madge. A very bad feeling about tonight."

"I know, I have it too." It was a sinking feeling. One that you could slowly feel dipping below the surface of the water, slowly drowning in the depths the crashing waves to never be seen again. It was anticipation and reality versus hope raging against each other like fire against ice. Only one could win and reality will crush hope every time, no question. Hope can put up a good fight, but reality was just stronger and tougher than hope. The difference between hope and reality was that hope is fleeting and reality is permanent.

Gale was almost positive there would be another attack tonight. He just wishes hope brings its best fight tonight.

Gale leaves Madge to fetch their small ration of bedding from the soldiers to take a moment outside. It was stuffy in the tent with every one so close together, but it was the only thing that provided stable shelter within miles, so no one was inclined to leave. The night was cooling down significantly, but nothing too low. There was a gentle wind flowing, lifting Gale's sweaty hair off his neck the second he steps outside the tent. He gives one last good look at the smoldering debris before turning his back on it and heading around the tent.

The scenery wasn't much different here, minus the smoldering flames. Dark sky, dark night, dark homes. There wasn't a light to be seen anywhere, not even a burning candle in a windowsill. The whole place was a gloomy as Gale feels. But there isn't anything he can do about it.

Gale pulls his jacket tighter around him and folds his arm across his chest. It wasn't that the wind was cold, he just feels like the world was slowly sucking the life out of everything and somehow his jacket would lessen the fading light inside him from disappearing so quickly. He can't remember a time when Seamlyn was this bad – so financially unstable, under constant, rigorous attacks, and soso dead.

But before he could dwell on it any longer, a large hand with slender fingers comes down on his shoulder. He tries to pull away from the hand but it just tightens and forces Gale to turn around. Standing in front of him was Darius, the soldier who's eyes never seem to lose sight of Gale Hawthorne.

"Can I help you?" Gale tries to put on his best confused act, but he was sure the man across from him could see the worry and alarm blazing in his eyes.

Gale doesn't know Darius very well, only spoken to him once at his induction in the Royal Family staff, but Gale gets the feeling Darius isn't one for nonsense. And he was certainly proving it now.

"I know who you are."

"Well…that's good. Wouldn't want you to think I was the enemy." Gale rolls his eyes, trying his best to play off the joke expertly, but his cool was slowly slipping out of his control and he could feel the terror settling in. He never was good at lying. What was Darius going to do to him? Darius has always given off a gentle approach, but now he looks furious and it frightens Gale a little. He can't talk his way out of this one; he never has been good with words.

"Prince Gale, you need to go home. It's far too dangerous out here for you to be taking comfort among these people." Darius talks slowly as if Gale wouldn't comprehend it any other way.

"These people – these people are my people and I need to take care of them. I can't do that without knowing them. I am needed here –"

Darius takes a step closer, effectively silencing Gale, "You can do that from the castle."

"And how has the worked out for us so far? Clearly we don't know what these people need besides the basics: shelter, food, and water. We can't keep doing what we are doing to protect them…" Darius cuts him off again, making Gale even angrier. You never interrupt royalty.

"We are working on something, and you're needed there."

Gale's hands fly up, anger boiling in his stomach like molten lava erupting from a volcano. "And how has that work for us? Huh? We haven't achieved anything, but these people might have ideas. We need those ideas, we riding the thin line between perishing and thriving!" He turns away from the soldier to clear his head for a moment. He hugs his trench coat closer to his body and closes his eyes, focusing on the wind whipping passed his ears instead of the infuriating man that knows nothing.

"We leave in the morning." Gale doesn't argue with the man. It would be pointless, he would achieve nothing besides let his anger get the best of him. Isn't that what the people hate about you, Gale, your anger? You're supposed to be working on that. He doesn't turn around to watch Darius leave; only hearing the crunches of gravel and debris as he walks away.

Although he knows there are others watching him, no one else comes over to him. Soft, warm hands wrap around him from behind, a dash of blonde hair peeking around his shoulder. "Are you coming back in anytime soon? I think they want everyone inside and lights out soon." He nods, leaning back against her. "You okay?" he shakes his head no, but doesn't elaborate. He can't lie to her because she knows him too well and would know he was lying, but he doesn't feel like elaborating the complicated mess of Darius.

The two of them end up sleeping on a shared piece of thin fur with the other one's thrown over their hips. Despite the smoldering wreckage not too far from away, the temperature is dropping significantly. Madge couldn't see Gale in front her – it was far too dark for that – but she could feel him shaking underneath their thin blanket. She runs her hands up and down his arms and moves her legs in between his to warm him up, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

"Are you okay?" she whispers.

"I'm freezing. How are you not freezing?" she could hear his teeth snapping against one another as he talks and shivers. She raises her hand to his forehead and gently presses the back of her hand against it to check for a fever. He didn't feel hot, although he was giving off a large amount of heat. He has always been warm, but apparently he's giving off too much heat right now. It worries her a little to think that he might be coming down with something. It makes her want to wrap him up and run off to the castle immediately so they could have a doctor look at him straight away. She knows it's useless, Gale's already planning a getaway plan.

"You tell me if you don't feel okay, alright?" He curls more into her, drawing her petite body closer to his medium frame and snuggling his face into her neck. He nods against her hair while he lets her warmth seep into his bones.

Not long after that do they slip into a dreamland.

ERRRT…ERRRT…ERRRT…

They're awoken by a sound of a very loud alarm going off. The soldiers are stationed at the tent's makeshift door, all of them looking out into the too bright night. It couldn't possibly be past midnight, but the sky was a screaming red and yellow.

ERRRT…ERRRT…ERRRT

The second time it goes off, Gale groggily lifts his head to look in between the soldiers' legs to the outside. His vision and mind are foggy from the linger effects of sleep and his mental process is slow, but he knows something isn't right. He cranes his neck to look at the other civilians to find most of them sitting up in their beds with a look of pure terror in their eyes.

It hits Gale like a bomb designating.

"Shit!" he exclaims, gather Madge in his arms and forcing her to sit up. Her eyes that we half closed are now fully open. She looks like a deer caught by its predator.

"What do we do!?" a young girl, no older than 15 with dirty blonde hair and a scar lacing her cheek cries out, her eyes instantly connecting with Gale's like he knows all the answers in the world.

"Get up!" the soldiers bark worriedly, "Get up, head toward Bomb Shelter 2, stay together, and move quickly." The soldiers begin to forcefully pull half-awake civilians up and start pushing them out the door. "Move, move, move!" they chant.

Darius is the first one to reach Gale and Madge. He yanks Gale up by his shirt collars and spits in his face to follow the rest. He shoves Gale and his group towards the opening of the tent.

"That way, sir, follow the line of people. And remember to be safe. Everything will be alright!" another soldier says as he pushes Gale and Madge towards the beeline of people heading straight for the far end of North Street where Bomb Shelter 2 was located.

The ground is crunching crazily under Gale's feet as he pumps his legs as fast as he can. He has Madge clinging to his back wildly as he tries to get them down North Street as fast as possible.

"Gale! They're almost here! They're almost here!" she cries, every word dripping with petrifying terror. "They can't get all those people out!" she buries her face in his neck and he can feel her trying to take deep breaths to calm her nerves. The second her words hit his brain like a brick he stops dead in his tracks. "Gale?" she whispers, her voice full of confusion, worry, and terror all wrapped into one. He shrugs her off and swings her around to face him.

"You need to get the Shelter 2. Run as fast as you can, Madge, and don't look back." Her hands instantly grab onto his jacket, her fingers white knuckling the edges.

"Gale." She whispers, tears slipping down her face. He ignores her tears and glances at the sky, fighter jets are hot on their tails. "Gale, please." She knows what he's about to do without him telling her. He always plays the hero, she thinks sadly. "Gale, please don't do this, please."

He cups her face frantically, leaning down to kiss her deeply. "I love you, Madge. Remember that, okay? Remember that. I'll be back, but just in case I'm not…" he stops midsentence and sweeps her off her feet romantically and kisses her as deeply and as lovingly as he can. There aren't any words strong enough to describe the feelings he trying to convey through his lips. He wants her to feel strong, so he pushes every ounce of strength he has into her. "Go." He whispers as he places her back on her feet, shoving her towards the end of the street.

Gale races off back down the street towards the incoming jets and the tent.

Madge feels lost without her partner by her side, but most importantly she feels terrified. Giselle, who had lingered behind her group to wait on Madge, ushers Madge to move faster down the street. They both glance up at sky, watching the sleek, shiny, black bullet shaped bombs drop from the sky. The bombs land with such great force that it leaves a ringing in their rings and the ground underneath their feet rumbling. Clusters of pebbles come free from the cobblestone beneath them, creating an unsteady path to run on.

"Come on, sweetie! Faster! We don't have much time left to get there and we don't have a long way to go!" Giselle – despite her age – was an extremely fast runner, prodding Madge to move as fast as they can.

Giselle reaches the shelter first, going halfway down the steps before realizing Madge hasn't followed her down. "Madge!" she cries!

Madge, though, doesn't may any mind to the kind old woman yelling for her. She lingers tightly against the door frame, hugging it, and looks out towards the white tent she can no longer see. Her heart aches painfully in her chest as she watches more and more bombs drop and more and more fire light up, heading straight towards the love of her life and the innocent people that don't deserve this.

Giselle doesn't allow Madge another second of lingering, forcefully taking her arm and dragging her down the stone cold steps. Down…down…down…They goes down so many steps that Madge's legs feel like jelly by the time they enter a steel incased room that smells horribly of metal, sweat, and fear. Giselle guides her to their group and draws Madge close to her side like a mother would. She runs her fingers through Madge's hair gently, trying to calm the younger one's nerves.

Madge stares into the eyes of the young girl with the frizzy brown hair and wonders how someone so young can be so calm in a situation like this. The young girl gives her a smile, saying, "Your husband will be okay. He's strong."

Madge smiles sadly and offers the young girl a nod even though she doesn't quite believe her. She wants too, she wants to so badly, but Giselle was right: they didn't have much time to make it to the bomb shelter, how was Gale ever supposed to make it in time.

Madge can't take it any longer. She releases the waterfall of tears and horror from inside. She sobs.

She sobs like she never has before.


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