CHAPTER 7: The Eye of the Storm

Esther, Swaine and Marcassin traveled down the windy path across the moors towards the direction of the Port Porcine amid a sprinkle of rain. Though it was not a heavy downpour, any extended period of time outdoors in these conditions would render anyone soaked to the bone. Luckily, their cloaks were charmed and kept out the moisture to a tolerable degree.

"This brings back memories, does it not, of the time we traveled together before?" the younger prince asked softly, almost as though he were speaking to himself.

"Yes," she responded. "I wonder if Oliver is doing all right?"

"I am certain he is," he smiled.

"Back then Oliver was fascinated with the look and feel of Hamelin. He wanted to complete every task posted on the Swift Solutions board without fail. It drove the rest of us in a tizzy. Your brother promptly abandoned us on several occasions."

"I was busy trying to protect my kid brother!" protested Swaine as he ambled in back of them. "That was more important than finding some old lady's cat."

"Ah yes," said Marcassin with a self-deprecating smirk. "Back then I had been a shadow of myself, with no confidence whatsoever-a fragment of what Shadar had left of me not even knowing that I was cursed by him. It is fortunate that my brother and you all found me when you did."

"It wasn't easy. I couldn't believe we had to find a way to sneak into the palace and fight the mechanical guards. We also hadn't intended to be cast into the time-travel spell," sighed Esther.

"Yes," smiled Marcassin. "I remember when I met you for the first time, as a boy."

"You were impressive even back then," she said unwittingly as her emotions had been stirred by this line of conversation. "I was in awe of your ability."

His brother added, "Marcassin's spells packed quite a punch for such an adorable and harmless looking little runt." She chuckled and looked up to find Marcassin staring at her with an incomprehensible look, and she quickly looked away.

"Back then, Oliver wondered why all the houses and structures were in ruin and why no one lived outside of Hamelin," smiled Swaine. "His world was nothing like ours. It seems a pity, doesn't it, to have all this land go to waste?"

"It does," Marcassin responded as they continued on.

Since she was walking with the one person who could possibly do anything about it, Esther broached the subject of infrastructure.

"Does the Empire own these roads?" asked Esther, avoiding the bigger puddles that hid possible mud pools that could swallow up her entire boot in one step.

"Yes," answered Marcassin as he did likewise.

"Have there been any proposals on infrastructure repair? Like stone roads or something?" she ventured.

Swain chuckled in front of them. "Is this soggy march getting intolerable for you, darlin'?"

"I've been through worse, Swaine," she scoffed. "I was thinking that it might be difficult for merchants to travel this way."

"They hardly venture out this way," Marcassin stated in a very matter-of-fact tone.

"Well," she continued as their march started up an incline, "Has the Empire considered populating this area? Farming it or cultivating it for other resources?" she asked.

"I have put some thought into it, but no one has put forth any proposals. Hamelin is a self-perpetuating civilization at this time, its people rather short sighted as long as they have everything in abundance," sighed Marcassin

"But the Emperor can't afford to be that way, right?" she challenged.

"True," he said. "Is there something you would like to propose?" He made his way to the top of the incline and looked back at her, extending his hand. "It is a bit slippery here, Miss Esther, so please watch your step," he mentioned as an aside.

"I don't know about presenting a proposal to the Emperor," she continued as she stepped up to take his hand. "I was thinking I would need to review your almanacs and studies of monster populations for the past few decades before I could formulate any solid ideas."

"Perhaps I should hire you next as a land development researcher after Queen Cowlipha is finished with her list of familiars?" he suggested with a wry smile.

Esther looked at him with a vacant expression, and part of her wondered if he was joking, then looked back down at the ground to the task before her. As she took the next step, her foot had slipped on a bit of moss on a rock and she fell forward. Gasping, she braced for impact with her arms but she was caught just in time in a sturdy embrace. Her hands rested on his biceps and she could tell his arms were hard and lean, surprisingly muscular, and not thin at all.

"Oh," she breathed as she detached her face from his chest.

"You are…surprisingly clumsy," Marcassin remarked in a tone that was very akin to his brother's. "As a duty to Queen Cowlipha for her assistance against the Dark Wizard, and to ensure that her able researcher does not drown in mud in my country, it was a good idea to escort you. It is the least I could do out of obligation to the one who saved me from the Darkwing." He pulled her up to the top of the hill.

There were other things he could have done aside from abandoning his duties simply to escort her through the wet countryside. His words of "duty" and "obligation" were exaggerated and Esther did not know what to make of it.

"Your Majesty need only escort me to the Port. I will likely find Derwin there," she said in a huff.

"Marcassin," he said again.

She stared at him blankly.

"I thought I told you I would like you to call me by name when no one else is around."

"Oh… I…" she fumbled for the words. "Your brother is here," she added.

"Don't mind me," Swaine called back from up ahead. His sense of hearing was particularly keen when he wanted it to be.

"I thought we settled on a compromise, Prince Marcassin?"

He gave his usual disarming smile and walked on. "You are very stubborn, are you not?"

"I would say the same thing of you," retorted Esther. They both broke into childish grins as they continued onward.

"My research partner wants to go to Nazcaa, but he doesn't know that its landscape prevents any meaningful exploration without air transport. I'll need to explain this to him. Besides, there aren't many ships that would venture to the unknown territories, short of the Sea Cow."

"Perhaps we should have called upon the Sky Pirates in Perdida and asked for a dragon?" Swaine suggested.

"Or maybe I could muster a decent summoning spell to have my new familiar transport us," she sighed.

"I would not mind giving you some instruction on summoning, if you need it," said Marcassin. "That is, if you are experiencing some difficulty."

"If only I had studied other things besides familiar training at the Academy," she lamented. "For the daughter of a Great Sage, it's almost embarrassing."

Esther stepped back down a pile of rocks over what appeared to be the remains of a crumbling wall, her hand in his. Oddly enough she did not notice that their hands were still clasped even after they started back down the road. The sight of the grey mist hanging over a dark sea was initially distracting. When she finally noticed the warmth emanating from their joined hands her immediate reaction was to recoil. But his grip was firm.

"Um… Your Highness," she ventured forth. He paused to look at her. He followed her line of sight to their hands.

"Oh, I beg your pardon," Marcassin said, finally letting go.

He hurriedly changed the subject back to her journey to Nazcaa.

"If you do find this Derwin fellow, will you be heading to Nazcaa immediately?"

"I suppose, yes. It's the only continent we haven't really explored."

"And will your journey be over after Nazcaa?"

"Yes. We will need to complete the final draft and present it to the Queen for publication," she answered.

"What will you do after that?" He shot a sidelong glance in her direction when there was no immediate response. Esther was staring up at the skies, as if trying to fathom what was next in store for her.

"I'm… not sure," she finally answered.

Marcassin looked as though he wanted to say something else but their conversation was interrupted by the excited squeak of her former traveling companion. Derwin made his way up to them from the gates of the port town waving his arms to make sure that they saw him. He had explained he was unable to find any other ship to take them to Nazcaa aside from the Sea Cow, which was conveniently docked here after a recent delivery of powdered milk products from Al-Mamoon. The Captain of the Sea Cow would not take him, however, without a letter of introduction from the Queen, his direct employer. It was decided that since Esther still had the original letter of introduction produced for Oliver among her travel papers it would suffice to give them a lift to Nazcaa.

When Marcassin discussed the impending weather with the captain, there was some doubts as to whether they should wait for the storm to pass before setting off. But, since the weather had held for some time with only a slight drizzle, others were predicting that this was the extent of the so-called "storm." Derwin insisted on setting off as soon as possible to get ahead of whatever storm was coming, if there was one to come, and it was decided that they would head from Autumnia to Castaway Cove at the southern tip of the Summerlands to restock and set sail for Nazcaa from there.

"Well, I guess our work is done here," said Swaine, stretching out his arms and barely stifling a yawn. "I could use a nap."

Esther was about to make a retort when Marcassin interjected. "I've wanted to see Nazcaa for a while now, and perhaps expand relations between the White Witch and Hamelin."

"You've got to be joking," said Swaine with uncharacteristic seriousness.

"I've quite made up my mind," his brother smiled. Swaine groaned both inwardly and outwardly, uttering a few curses and oaths on the side.

So, it was decided that the Sea Cow would set sail immediately in the afternoon, with four additional passengers, expecting to dock at the cove in a day and half.

-000-

Esther gripped the side rail of the ship with both hands as if somehow the firmer her grip, the better grasp of her balance would follow. It was not to be, however. She had never done well traveling on ship, especially for the first day, as her overwhelming lack of sea legs would set her equilibrium on its head. The cool splash of sea spray combined with the light, cold drizzle from the clouds above was bracing and it did calm her to a degree. But there was no respite from the rocky waves and rolling motion that made her turn pale.

She felt someone placing her cloak back onto her shoulders. Esther turned to see Marcassin smiling at her with a bit of pity in his expression. He held an open palm in front of her face and then placed it gently on her forehead. His touch was cool and comforting. Whispering some words of enchantment, he cast a spell that lifted her dizziness and then he peered into her face for a reaction.

"Better?" he asked. Esther looked around from side to side and noticed her vertigo was considerably improved.

"Much," she said with relief. "I had used up my herbal remedy for sea sickness in the voyage to your country. I completely forgot to restock." Remembering her manners, her expression became almost apologetic. "Thank you."

The ship rolled suddenly and it pitched Esther into Marcassin, who had to hold on to the railing to prevent them both from sliding across the deck. Esther found herself clinging to him, and again apologized, but profusely this time.

"Hold on to me if you must," he said as he casually looked away. "I do not mind." She wondered how Marcassin could remain so calm during any event, while his mere touch sent her sensibilities and heart rate into the atmosphere.

"I'm fine," she insisted. Esther let got of him slowly to test her own balance, and then grabbed hold of the railing just in case it should happen again.

"My, my you two," said a chiding voice to the side. Swaine was helping Derwin lean over the side of the ship and empty out the contents of his stomach over the side rail as he grinned mischievously at the pair. "Can't you take that inside?"

Both Marcassin and Esther were ready to retort with artificial affront, when they were suddenly interrupted.

A sudden cry from the crow's nest caused them both to look upward towards the sky. There, in the basket hanging above the highest mast of the ship, the crewman was waving his arms frantically and gesturing erratically. The first mate, who was steering the ship, rang the bell for the captain and the hands to come back on deck. Even Derwin was roused from his stupor to look up and see what was going on.

"The skies!" cried the lookout. The Sea Cow's captain took a scope from his pocket and surveyed the dark clouds in the horizon.

"What the devil is he going on about?" the captain asked, puzzled. Esther looked up at the sky and thought she caught a glimpse of an irregular glow.

"Could it be…?" she wondered aloud. "Your Highness, do you have a-" she said reaching out for Marcassin without taking her eyes off the sky. Before she finished her sentence, he placed a brass scope in her hand. She adjusted the focus and wondered if she was seeing things but the clouds were certainly moving rapidly in a circular fashion. Then, just as some patch of cloud parted, she saw it and nearly dropped the scope. Esther handed it back to Marcassin and pointed to where she saw it.

"There! Can you see?" she asked frantically so he could confirm.

"Goodness," breathed Marcassin. "That is fascinating. I have only ever seen it in books," he said as he collapsed the scope back into its satchel. "Captain!" he called out in a stern, commanding voice. The sudden shift in his tone made Esther jump a bit.

"Turn the ship around and stay away from that dark patch of cloud ahead! Stay away from the Eye of the Storm!" he shouted. All deck hands then harried themselves to climbing the masts, bringing up the sail and securing the rigging.

"All hands!" ordered the captain, "First crew, secure the mainsail and bring the ship about! Second crew go below and reverse the paddle wheels! Turn the ship around, blast it!"

"Aye, Captain!" called the first mate as he spun the ship's wheel to turn it around.

The dark patch of cloud was coming towards their direction as if it had spotted them. Esther's grip clung onto the railing as she recalled what had happened the last time they ran into the Eye. No ship could come out of this storm unscathed. No magic could counter the fury of the seas or force of wind brought about by the magical creature. If caught up in its strength, they would be at its mercy. She turned to Derwin.

"Get back inside!" she said hastily. "You're better off staying put until this is over."

"But-" he protested.

"Now not the time to study the Eye of the Storm up close!" she yelled back, knowing what he was going to say. She pushed his reluctant back through the door frame and closed the door to the cabin behind him.

"I suppose you have had to babysit him all this time?" asked Marcassin drolly.

"Yes," she sighed. "Queen Cowlipha told me to protect him, and by the gods that's what I've done. That's what I'll do until this is over."

"You have the patience of a saint," he smiled.

"Hardly," she laughed. "I'm going to kill him myself when we're finished."

After inquiring with the Captain if there was anything they could do to help, and being assured that there was not, the pair proceeded towards the cabins to take shelter from the storm. But just as they were about to, the ships bell rang again, even more frantic that before. Esther turned in the direction everyone was looking and could not make out what everyone on deck was so excited about. But then, the Eye, now much closer to them than before, glowed brightly in the sky amid the tumbling spiral of clouds. The cabin door flew open, nearly striking Esther in the face but for Marcassin's quick reflexes that stopped it with his foot, and Derwin leaped out with pen and paper in hand. Just as she was about to yell at him again Marcassin grabbed her roughly by the waist and pulled her into a cabin, securing the door behind them. Esther stared out the porthole of the cabin door and realized the dark fog beyond the ship was not a natural because it shifted and glimmered. She soon realized it was not fog at all but a large wave of water, as high as a city wall, coming towards them. Swaine was still outside helping the crew and barking out orders of his own as an experienced sailor, all while yelling at Derwin to go seek shelter. Marcassin held onto a metal rail alongside the wall with one hand, while the other arm secured her by the waist and held her close to him. Esther was too distracted by the entire situation to notice.

The ship, unable to outrun the wave, turned into it and the engine crew below hurried the paddle wheels to full capacity as the ship climbed the wave. They made it to the crest just in time, before the wave could capsize the ship, but the sudden plummet downward on the other side was equally disturbing. Esther let out a little cry as she lost her balance, but Marcassin's arm was still around her, and she wrapped her arms around his middle to keep herself upright. She looked up and found her face so close to his that the tips of their noses were almost brushing against each other. Her alarmed violet eyes met his gentle blue ones.

"How can you stay calm at a time like this?" she asked, a little breathlessly. He smiled but before he could answer, a shrill cry from outside stopped them in their midst.

"It can't be-" said Esther turning around and peering through the porthole. She recognized that cry anywhere. When she could not find Derwin by sight, she opened the cabin door but Marcassin's hand on her shoulder momentarily stopped her from stepping back outside.

"Esther," he warned, "it is not safe."

"Marcassin, I can't just let him drown," she insisted and pulled out her harp from its harness. When she stepped out onto the deck, Marcassin immediately tied a rope around her waist and secured her to the ship and likewise did the same for himself. She strummed her harp and her water element familiar, the Eldritch Empress, took flight across the deck and soared out over the dark waters in search of the researcher. It carried a life preserver that was attached to a long rope, to which Esther and Marcassin were holding the other end. The familiar dropped the floating device over Derwin's head, bobbing on the surface, and flew back. The researcher managed to secure an arm through the life preserver and both she and the prince proceeded to haul him back closer to the ship.

But a sudden pitch and roll of a wave made Esther lose her footing and she too fell overboard. She could see her familiar charging towards her and the waves rising to brace her impact. The last thing she could hear was Marcassin shouting her name just before the waves pulled her under into the darkness.