silverchain.

chapter sixteen: a journey begun; or, a battle for love

"All right, load on up," a gruff voice sounded. Karis smiled.

"Already done!" she sang back cheerfully, eyes glimmering in the midday sun. Fresh determination had fueled her decision, and Eoleo had been pleasantly surprised to hear that she was coming along—and especially because her reason was Amiti. While their relationship had been rocky at best from the first, the king and the pirate now got along rather well. The sunny weather matched her current disposition, and the young lady was quite sure that nothing could bring her down.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her, and she looked up into the aforementioned pirate's affectionate eyes. "You're such a softie," she said, wriggling out of the embrace. He laughed at her.

"You pack like a girl," Tyrell complained, lugging half of Matthew's baggage to the ship. The other young man shrugged.

"I like to be prepared." His blue eyes seemed to be focused on something in the distance, invisible to everybody else; Karis guessed that he was lost in thoughts of Sveta, once again.

"We about ready?" Eoleo asked, running a large hand through his unruly hair. Matthew glanced around, surveying the loaded baggage and the four friends before nodding.

"Not quite."

"Ivan?" Tyrell asked incredulously. The man, striding onto the scene, raised an eyebrow, and the Mars Adept cleared his throat. "Uh, I mean, Master Ivan. What gives? I, for one, am ready for Matthew to stop lazin' around and pining away for his lady love." The other young man looked embarrassed at this, and occupied himself with pretending to check his luggage over once more.

"Dad, you're not going to stop me from going," Karis said firmly, and her father sighed. His large, violet eyes were sad, but nearly as steely as hers. For a moment, the silence was so deep that the only sound was the gentle slop of the sea. Even the gulls seemed afraid to sound their calls.

Ivan looked at her. "I do not intend to. I am going with you." The words dropped from his mouth quietly.

Eoleo merely regarded the Jupiter Adept as a curiosity, and Karis realized with a sinking feeling that the oldest of their fellowship did not understand Ivan's disapproval. "I've made up my mind," she growled.

Her father raised a hand, and she noticed for the first time how thin he had become. He had always been rather undersized, but comfortably muscular after his world-saving endeavours, but it seemed as though his recent travels had taken a different sort of toll. She bit her lip, suddenly feeling a rush of guilt. What if he really needed her to stay? She couldn't just let Amiti slip between her fingers...

"I do not come to stop you," Ivan said calmly. "I...well, although I was not here for the greater portion of his visit, I have seen and heard enough of Amiti to understand him. I think that he would feel guilty if he realized that you came to him without my permission; so I come to offer it. I will not interfere."

Karis felt increasingly unaware of the gaggle of friends watching the scene. "Do you promise?" she asked quietly, feeling as though she was once again a little girl on her father's knee. After a pause, he nodded solemnly, and his eyes crinkled into a familiar expression, although not without a tint of sorrow.

"I will do my best," her father told her. She resisted the urge to "check the facts", as her "Aunt" Sheba had sometimes called the use of Mind Read, and kept her face emotionless.

"Well, I'm glad to see that worked out," cut in a female voice, and Jenna, hair tossed into a sleek ponytail, walked closer. Her eyes were almost dangerously bright, and her reddened lips were pursed.

"I hope you're not here to stop me," Matthew said, obviously displeased. His mother drew close, and stared up at her teenage son with a fierce expression.

"Why would I stop you? I came to tell you that your father and I are leaving as well. Of course, if you happen to be regretting something, I wouldn't say I told you so." Her tone was crisp, and the other Adepts watched in horror, knowing well Jenna's temper.

"You're coming with us?" her son repeated, with an expression that suggested a great tragedy.

An odd look came across her face, something between a smile and a smirk. "We are leaving on a different journey, actually. You're old enough to take care of yourself (and you think someone else too, apparently), so we're going on a second honeymoon of sorts. Well...it's a second honeymoon for your father and his heroism...I'm just tagging along." She brushed a strand of hair from her face, and did her best to look cheerful.

"When will you be back?" Matthew asked, looking rather struck by this news.

Jenna shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows? May be years. I'm sure we will stop by and see you, though." She turned, as if to leave, but her son caught her by the shoulder.

"Mom, I hope this isn't because of Sveta. I don't want to make you mad, but I really do think that I'm mature enough for this." His tone was honest, and his mother smiled gently at him.

"It's not. We've been wanting to do this for a long time, and now just happened to be, well...convenient." She hesitated. "I really do think that you're mature enough too, Matthew—I've been the childish one. I have seen a few too many unhappy young marriages to just pass my blessing casually, but I know that she's really important to you, so...I hope it works out." Jenna kissed him lightly on the forehead.

"Good luck!" Isaac called, waving to the group, and Matthew grinned genuinely back. Embraces were exchanged, farewells were said, and the vessel was readied. Before Karis had really processed the dual scenes of parental affection, the ship had brought them well away from Kalay's port. The sea breeze was fresh, the future looked bright, and she was almost dizzy with expectation. Ivan retired early to his cabin, but the younger generation stayed up on deck for quite awhile longer.

"Hey, these maps don't make any sense," Tyrell grumbled, turning the sheets from side to side, and the pirate snatched them from his grip.

"Just your eyes. We should get to Morgal in...mm, about three days, give or take. Another several days after that to get to Ayuthay, although it'd make more sense to go there first."

"The trip is really for Matthew," Karis explained, "and besides, I want to be there for the proposal." Tyrell nodded eagerly, and the two looked expectantly at their old friend.

The Venus Adept groaned. "Haven't you ever heard of privacy?"

"Nope," replied the Jupiter Adept cheerfully. "How about you, Tyrell?"

He scratched his head, red spikes bobbing. "Isn't that something you give to people who deserve it?"

"You're right!" she exclaimed. "Now, do you really think that after all our good old friend Matthew's put us through, and all we've done for him...?"

Matthew buried his face in his hands and made a sound very akin to the cry of a dying bear.

"Well, what about your proposal, Karis?" Eoleo asked casually, hands resting on the wheel. She started, and looked at the older man with a quizzical expression. "Isn't that why you were coming? Amiti and..."

"I wouldn't call it a proposal," she said hurriedly, face coloring slightly.

"I would," Matthew added, voice still muffled.

"Yeah, Karis, do we get to be there?" Tyrell demanded.

The young woman sighed. "I don't even know what I'm doing, exactly, all I know is that I can't...I can't stay apart from him, especially now that I know he feels the same. It's just too much to handle. I can't help the way I feel about him, but with Dad still...not exactly approving, and what if I am too young...I don't want to make a mistake, but I feel confident that Amiti couldn't be one. I love him, so, so much."

Ivan almost felt guilty for eavesdropping.