Expedition Aurora
Chapter 3 - Revelation
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Expedition: Aurora
Location: The City of Aurora
Day 13
Today I managed to overhear a conversation Reaver had with Alistair. I was walking through the halls of the temple, where I told Kalin I would meet her today, when their hushed tones stopped me in my tracks. Curiosity led me against my better judgement, and I decided to stay and listen to whatever it was they were talking about.
I could not catch all of what was said, but Alistair spoke in an angry whisper, about some sort of deal that had been made. Alistair claimed he had kept his part of the bargain, and it was time for Reaver to pay up. Reaver was quietly using that irksome, passive-aggressive tone he liked to put on. He said something about "giving the boy time to figure it out on his own..." Apparently, whoever this boy is, Reaver has told Alistair he will take care of his "problem" in exchange for ownership of the deserts mines. That made my blood boil, that Reaver was exploiting some poor boy to do his bidding. The "problem" they were speaking about seemed to be grave indeed. Alistair told Reaver the mines would be useless with that "problem" being ignored. Reaver replied with a sigh, telling Alistair to be patient, that the boy would be more willing to help if he was led to believe it was his own decision.
I was trying to figure out just who the boy they spoke of might be, hoping Reaver had not found some underhanded way to use William for his own gain, when I heard the words leave Reaver's mouth. "Why don't you put that girl of yours to good use, and have her charm him into helping you. He's lovestruck as it is." And then I realized, that boy they spoke of is me.
Expedition: Aurora
Location: The City of Aurora
Day 14
I decided to wait until tonight to confront Reaver about what I overheard yesterday. This was partially because I could not get him alone until then, and I did not wish to cause a scene in front of Alistair or Kalin. What if I had been wrong? But alas, I wasn't wrong. They were indeed speaking of me, and Reaver confirmed this with an uncomfortable chuckle, and then a frown. It's not kingly to eavesdrop, he told me, and I felt like ringing his neck right there. But he'd have had a bullet in my face before my hands could entire encircle his throat, so I resisted the urge. How dare he tell me what was kingly... He wouldn't know.
Reaver finally confessed that things had indeed occurred on his last trip here. He'd made a promise to these people, that was why they knew who I was when I arrived. Permission to dock on their lands and mine in their caves came with a price. But he told me I would simply have to wait and see what that price was, claiming that he did not yet know. I have a strong feeling that this is a lie, but I could not get anything further out of him.
I would ask Kalin... She would tell me the truth. But I must admit, I'm somewhat frightened to. I wouldn't know how to begin. What if she accuses me of deceit and slyness? I don't think I'd be able to take such insults from her. I have grown fond of her, too fond perhaps...
Expedition: Aurora
Location: The City of Aurora
Day 15
Today marks a momentous occasion, and also that we have been in Aurora for a week exactly. It happened earlier this night, when Reaver and Alistair and everyone else in the palace-temple was taking their evening meal in the hall. I'd been with Kalin nearly that whole day. Simply listening to her speak about her people, watching her interact with them and my own men. And as I watched her, I came to realize something. I could love this woman... I might possibly love her already, though I'm not quite sure what love is. It must be when you know that you don't want to wake up one morning, and know that that person is gone. Or when you want to spend every moment you have with them...
I got to thinking, it should be time for me to take a Queen soon. The Crown would need heirs, and I would need to produce them. And any alliance between Albion and Aurora could be strengthened by a marriage. Perhaps I will inquire about this to Alistair. Kalin has told me much of the marriage culture for Aurorans, and I find it is not so different from Albion's own culture.
Anyway, while everyone was supping in the hall, Kalin and I escaped to the upper rooms of the palace. She led me through a door, and a narrow staircase, and suddenly we were on the roof of the temple. It was slightly frightening, being up so high and on a rounded surface. But it was thrilling as well, for Kalin's hand was in my the entire time. We sat watching the stars for a long time. They are quite magnificent in the Auroran skies. But her eyes outshine the brightest ones, and I spent most of my time watching them instead of the stars. I'm not sure what spurred the reaction, perhaps it was the way I was looked at her. Whatever the reason, she reached towards me. Her hands found their way into my hair, my hands found their way upon her waist, and our lips found their way to one another. For lack of better words that would make me sound more like a King and less like a prancing bard, it was the most beautiful moment of my life. Everything around us stopped, and I could feel nothing but her. Needless to say, it was not much longer later that we found ourselves back in the rooms. Her room to be exact. We laid there tonight, for long moments that seemed all to short to me. And then I realized, although I have only known this girl a short time, I could spend the rest of my life this way.
Expedition: Aurora
Location: The City of Aurora
Day 16
I'm not certain why, but I feared that perhaps what happened between Kalin and I the previous night might somehow put us at jeopardy. But when I came to meet her today, my fears were proved unneeded. She smiled, and took my hand as she had before. We talked for a time, about what I cannot quite remember. Her eyes and her lips were distracting me...
But soon her expression turned serious, and her tone was grave. She told me she had something she needed to tell me. Something important to show me. So I went with her, following her again like some lovesick dog. That's all I am, all she has reduced me too. We walked through the temple, to a hall I had never been before. When we stopped at a grand set of doors, she removed a key from the pock of her robes and twisted the doors lock. She seemed to sigh determinedly before giving the doors a shove, and they eased open with a slight screech. The sight disturbed me.
Here it seemed an entire other half of the city existed, but it was not the same. It had been destroyed, and worse. The sun seemed to be blotted out in the area only by some evil sorcery, leaving an endless, blackish type of dark blue. Buildings seemed to have long since crumbled, yet from there I could see the ground about the town, there were bodies that seemed fresh dead, and blood soaked into the sand. I felt anger rising up immediately. Who did this, asked her. She replied with a wary, frightened whisper. The Crawler.
Finally, she told me everything. What the Crawler was, what he had done to her people. The place she had showed me had once been another part of the city, as normal and thriving as the one they lived in. But the Darkness had taken it over, and it was now what we saw today. Kalin told me the Crawler possessed a dark sort of magic that made the bodies of the souls they consumed never fade away, so that was why the blood still soaked the sand and the death still littered the ground, never decaying but still lifeless. Her eyes were teary now for the first time I've seen, and she looked at me with desperation, telling me the Darkness would come back, and it would take the rest of them with it. I held her close as she sobbed into me chest. I would never let that happen, I told her.
Expedition: Aurora
Location: The City of Aurora
Day 17
Now I know what the deal was between Reaver and Alistair. That sly, underhanded fop promised the Aurorans I would end their Crawler problem and take Aurora under my protection, but only if they gave me their mines. I feel somewhat betrayed now, not having known about this before... But my love for Kalin still drives me to protect these people. I cannot let the Darkness do what it's done again. Not to Kalin, so bright and innocent. She knew not of Reaver's plot.
Alistair is more than happy to accept my proposal to hunt this Crawler down. He and his men will be joining us, he tells me, and that will make our part of nearly a hundred men. Reaver himself offered to go, and despite my anger with him now, I allowed it. It is no question, his marksman skills will be needed. Yet in my head I am thinking that it cannot be too hard. I have the blood of a Hero in me. It might not be to the extent of my father's before me, but it still flows through my veins. I can handle whatever this Darkness is, and whatever it throws against me.
Expedition: Aurora
Location: The City of Aurora
Day 18
Kalin came to me last night, and I held her close while she expressed her concern for my safety, and I confessed my love for her. I told her I had no intentions of giving my life to the monster, the Crawler. And he would not take anything else from her so long as he stood. She did not seem to be comforted by my words, but I held her tighter then until she drifted off to sleep.
Reaver has told me a bit about the Crawler. Apparently he's heard mixed reports. Some say he is nothing but a shadow, a creation of the Dark Guardians, the ones that were banished so many years ago by the Father Guardian. Others say he is merely a man who has been gifted by the Dark Guardians to do their bidding. And some even say he is a great, deformed beast, the leader of the Dark Guardians themselves. I'm not sure what to make of any of these descriptions... But I feel slightly less confident than before.
Kalin kissed me before we left, out in the open and in front of everyone, but I didn't care. Some showed surprise, but Reaver and Alistair were not among them. I suspect this was part of Reaver's plan all along. How the man is so clever will never sit well with me... But I kissed her back, and promised I would return to her. I would defeat the beast and become her champion. She wiped a rogue tear away, refusing to show fear or sadness, and embraced me one last time before I gave the signal, and we quickly rode off. I hope I'll be able to keep my promise...