Chapter 5

It was astonishing how an hour's rest could revitalize one's body and spirit. They were still tired, yes, but not as they had been. The three children of Bellwood marched through the last of the trees and found themselves standing at the edge of the great plains. The wind coursed over the tall grass, flattening it to the ground, then relenting and blowing back the other way. For a long moment, they stood and watched the yellow sea ripple.

Then Kevin spoke, pointing into the distance. "There are the mountains. Just before those are the forests of Osmosia. I judge we'll spend two hours walking the plain, if that's without rest, and then another hour traveling through the forest to the city. We should reach it before dark."

"Wonderful," Ben said. "Let us go, then." He started off, eyes set ahead. He was ready to get the trek over with. Kevin and Gwen followed at his heels. As they set out, each of them felt their spirits lift, if only slightly. They were finally getting somewhere.

As Kevin had said, they reached the beginning of the forest in a matter of two hours, with the sun high on their backs. Once more he took the lead, taking only a few moments to orientate himself within the terrain. When Ben asked whether he was certain of the way, he replied that his family, when his father still lived, traveled to Osmosia thrice a year, when they could spare the time and money. He knew the way.

The forests of Osmosia were much less sinister than those of Bellwood. Birds chirped above their heads cheerily, and other animals fled from their presence-as the natural order was. It was quite peaceful. Soon enough, a trail became evident. Ben and Gwen both pointed it out excitedly, and Kevin indulged them in their excitement. He had been following the trail all along, but it seemed only he could pick it out among the thick shrubbery and blanket of leaves.

"How long until we reach the city?" Gwen asked breathlessly, eyes roaming the trees. She had spent most of their walk creature watching, and once in a while pointed out a bird or rodent she had never seen.

"Not much longer," he replied, keeping his eyes ahead. "If I remember correctly, this bend in the road ahead will reveal its gates."

Ben didn't say anything, but quickened his pace. His heart grew light at the prospect of a good meal and rest, and then adequate supplies to accompany him on the journey to reclaim Bellwood and revenge his kingdom.

The trio rounded the corner, and as Kevin had said, it was. The tall iron gates loomed up from the ground, and appeared old and unused. Thick green ivy clung to the bars and wound upwards, stretching for the sunlight that seemed to pour into the center of the city. They couldn't see much inside, as the gates hindered their eyes.

"Halt," said a broad voice as they approached. Ben and Gwen stopped warily, but Kevin proceeded a few more steps. "Who are you? And what is your purpose?"

"I am Kevin, son of Devin and Pamela, deceased residents of Bellwood with origins from Osmosia. I am escorting the crown prince of Bellwood, Benjamin Tennyson, and the lady Gwendolyn Tennyson. We seek an audience with the king, and refuge from the tyrant Vilgax of Vilgaxia, who has destroyed Bellwood and all its inhabitants. I fear we three are the only survivors."

There was a moment of silence, and Ben and Gwen exchanged an uneasy glance. Kevin, however, appeared unperturbed by the lack of reply. The gates suddenly swung open by mysterious force, and Kevin motioned for the two to follow him into the city.

Osmosia was much bigger than it appeared. The stout wooden houses they walked past were peasants' homes, but they were beautiful and clean, and even the smell in the air was unlike the pollution in Bellwood. The people walking about with their daily chores and errands hardly spared them a glance as they passed. They all dressed in bright clothes, and there didn't seem to be any certain style. Most women wore dresses, but many of them wore pants just as men did. Jewelry and piercings were not uncommon. Children ran around, shrieking in their play, and adults skillfully dodged them without breaking pace. While the prince and lady gaped like fish, Kevin seemed used to this behavior and carried on obliviously.

"This way," Kevin said, making a turn. They followed him onto another packed-dirt street. The citizens of Osmosia and the buildings were the same, and Ben and Gwen could not see how he knew the way around. There weren't even markers, for heaven's sake! But when they could tear their eyes from their surroundings and look up, they suddenly saw the tower. It was a single tower, but it shone in the sunlight like a beacon.

It felt as though they had been walking for only a few seconds at the most when they reached the great tower, but in all reality it must have been at least ten minutes. Ben and Gwen stared up at it in awe, and Kevin allowed them a moment to soak it in while he spoke with the single, under armed guard.

"We seek an audience with the king," he said, nodding his head politely as he approached.

The guard looked at him in scrutiny for a moment, then glanced at the royal children. "Who are you, then? What is your purpose?"

Kevin recited what he had been practicing for the better part of the journey. "I am Kevin, son of Devin and Pamela, deceased residents of Bellwood with origins from Osmosia. I am escorting the crown prince of Bellwood, Benjamin Tennyson, and the lady Gwendolyn Tennyson. We seek an audience with the king, and refuge from the tyrant Vilgax of Vilgaxia, who has destroyed Bellwood and all its inhabitants. I fear we three are the only survivors."

The guard nodded and mumbled for them to wait, then disappeared into the oaken door. It was hardly three minutes before he returned, nodding for them to follow him. The three did, and they labored up a long, winding staircase before reaching another door, which they entered. It was the throne room, and the large space was empty but for the great carved chair at the end of the hall and a single dusty tapestry hanging down the length of the wall.

"Welcome," boomed the king, who sat cross-legged in his throne. His ivory crown was perched at an odd angle atop his head of tidy black hair, and he had a smug, all-knowing expression.

Kevin bowed where he stood, prompting Gwen and Ben to do the same, but rather stiffly.

"I hear you are troubled," the king said.

"Yes, your majesty," Kevin replied, head bowed still. "We-"

"We are," Ben said, approaching with his head held high, "in need of assistance. I am sorry to ask this of you, but we have little choice. Bellwood and Osmosia, though we have had conflicts in the past, need one another now more than ever."

"Ah," said the king, an amused twinkle in his eye. "You mean that Bellwood needs Osmosia now more than ever. As you can see, our city still stands. Can you say the same for yours?"

Ben hesitated, not sure whether to shocked, offended, despairing, or a mixture of the three. But he continued on as best he could, knowing that Osmosia was his only hope. "Yes, you are right. Bellwood has fallen victim to Vilgax, as so many kingdoms have before. However, with the help of Osmosia, I am certain that I can reclaim Bellwood and we shall rise again."

The king of Osmosia leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Why should we help you? I see there are but three of you left, and," he added with a small smile, "one of you is of Osmosian blood, and the other a woman. Do you really believe you can face the monster all on your own?"

"I was hoping," Ben frowned, "that you might spare some men."

"Spare some men?" he scoffed. "Have you seen my people? We are not fighters. The best of my soldiers use their merit and skill for hunting, nothing more. In fact, I warrant that your Osmosian knight there is better than all of my men combined."

The prince glanced over his shoulder. Kevin had a look of stoicism on his face, while Gwen looked both hopeful and worried. She was counting on him.

"I see," he said finally, returning his gaze to the smug king. "Then will you allow us to stay here, while we recuperate?"

"Of course, young prince," said the king sincerely. "I will not shut my gates to children."

Each of the three flinched at the unintended insult.

"Thank you," Ben gritted out, struggling to keep up the ploy of politeness. "Even so, I must ask once more. Is there anything you are willing to do to aid us in our war? Perhaps some food and other supplies for the journey?"

"That will be provided, for we have plenty," said the king dismissively. "And in any case, I never said that I would not help." He clapped his hands, and three servants entered immediately, each carrying a wooden chest. The king stood and moved to the first servant, opening it.

The teens looked on curiously, albeit anxiously.

"If the lady would please come forward," the king said airily as he turned.

Gwen looked startled at first, but then her feet moved forward and she crossed the gleaming floor to stand before the king of Osmosia. "My lord," she greeted.

"My lady," he returned. He held out the book he had gotten from the chest. "I sense your magic," he said as she took it, awestruck. "This is a book of spells, more powerful than what you are used to, I am sure. Vilgax is not a man of magic. He fears it. His army will be defenseless against it, if you wield it well."

"I," Gwen stuttered, staring at the old bindings of the book. "I, you...Thank you," she said finally, bowing deeply.

The king merely smiled at her grimly, then locked eyes with Kevin. "Devin's son, yes?" he said.

Kevin nodded shortly, and the king beckoned him forward. As the young knight approached, the king opened the second box. "This locket contains a powerful enchantment," he said, bestowing it unto Kevin, who took it gratefully. "So long as you wear it, you shall be able to mimic the properties of any element. Should you touch your armor with the intent of becoming armor yourself, then so it shall be."

"Thank you, my lord," Kevin said, bowing deeply.

"Do not think I have forgotten you, my prince," the king smirked. Ben narrowed his eyes slightly, but said nothing. The king opened the last chest and pulled out a small black and green ball. "Awaken, Ship, for your time has come."

The ball suddenly wriggled in his palm and then expanded. It fell to the floor with a squishing sound, then solidified into what looked like the shape of a dog. It was black and rubbery looking, with straight green marking covering its body. A single green circle served for its face.

"This is Ship," said the king pleasantly, and the creature made a happy noise as it moved toward Ben, who looked at it with disgust. "Ship will serve you from this moment on."

"Um," Ben said, looking at the king questioningly. "Thanks?"

"That will be all, then," the king said. "I will be retiring to my chambers now. No one bother me." He left through a side door, ascending more stairs behind it. Kevin bowed respectfully in his direction, though he would not have seen.

"That went quite well," Kevin said with a pleased expression.

"Did it?" Gwen asked.

"Yes," Kevin said. "Quite." He made his way to the door that they had entered so that they could leave the tower. "The king is usually very moody, and rarely comes out. He often says one thing and then another, though no one pays him much mind. Some people call him King Paradox."

"What is this thing?" Ben whined as he followed them down the stairs. He looked back at Ship, who was bouncing down the steps. "What does it even do?"

"It is a creature of magic," Kevin replied without looking back. "It serves its master only, and can and will do anything its master asks of it. Tell it to do something."

"Um," Ben hummed uncertainly as they stepped out of the door into the sunlight once more. "Roll over."

Ship instantly rolled over.

"Play dead."

The creature flopped over silently and was still.

"Speak."

"Sh-Shiiip," said a metallic voice.

"Oh," Ben said, taken aback. He looked to Kevin, only to see that they had not stopped to wait for him, and were engaged in their own conversation. "Hey!"

"It was very kind of you to house us," Gwen said sincerely.

"Oh, I could never shut my door to children," crooned the old woman as she poured a ladle of soup into her bowl. The teens flinched again at this. "You are always welcome here."

"Thank you," Kevin said.

"Where did that Ship thing go?" Ben asked suddenly, looking under the table.

Kevin stared at him. "She's sitting next to you."

"She?" Ben looked at the young woman sitting beside him. "No, this is the crone's granddaughter, isn't she?"

The old woman laughed. "No, of course not," said she. "I have no grandchildren. That girl is your magic creature, didn't you know?"

"Yes," Gwen replied, giving her cousin a dubious look. "They transform into humans at night. Legend has it that they are descendants of a cursed servant. She was a beautiful maid to the queen, long ago, but the queen was jealous of her beauty. The queen cursed the maid so that by day she was a hideous creature, and only by night would she be herself. However, despite such maltreatment, the maid continued to be servant, always completing her chores and tasks without complaint."

"How do you know all this?" Ben asked, staring at the girl who was a blob creature only moments before.

"Stories," Kevin replied. "Didn't your parents ever tell you any?"

"No."

"Ah, I see," he said, raising an eyebrow. Then he lowered his gaze and returned to his soup.

"Master," the girl said suddenly, startling Ben. "Will you not eat? You must keep up your strength."

"I, I, I," Ben stuttered. "Um. Yes, I am eating. You, uh, do you not eat?"

"I do not need nourishment, Master," she replied in a kind tone. "Thank you, Master."

"Um, you may address me as Ben," he said.

"Yes, Ben."

"Yes, Ben," Kevin mocked under his breath. Gwen stifled a giggle while Ben shot him a glare.

"Do you still go by Ship?" Ben asked uncertainly.

"I will answer to whatever you wish to call me, Ben."

"I see."

They lapsed into a long silence, eating quietly. The old woman seemed to have fallen asleep at her place at the table.

"Ship is a rather strange name for a girl, isn't it?" Ben piped up. He looked a bit disconcerted. "I mean, surely you have a more fitting title?"

"I will answer to whatever you wish to call me, Ben," the girl replied, cocking her head.

"Yes, yes," Ben sighed. He studied her intently for a long moment. "I will name your night form Julie."

"Then I am Julie, Ben," she replied with a happy smile.

Kevin and Gwen exchanged an amused glance as Ben finally dug into his soup.

"Ack, it's grown cold!"

A/N: Sorry for the later than usual update. I had a case of writer's block and a ton of stuff to do. -.- phew

Sorry for using "the king" so much. I just wanted to make him Paradox, but I don't know his real name and I wanted it to be a bit of a surprise cameo appearance or whatever.

Anyway, thanks for reading! I really appreciate it~ Hope you don't hate it. Thus far I have eight chapters planned, but it might turn out to be nine or ten. I'm not sure.