Yay! We have a winner for the 10th comment! And the prize goes too...*drum roll* THRONE WARDEN! Congrats! Your character will appear in this story. And thank all of you for reviewing! The next prize for 20 comments will be a shout out for one of their stories that they have written. And if you haven't written a story before, then we can work out a different prize. Enjoy this chapter!
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Liam was at the brink of exhaustion. His tired, bruised, bloody arms had been rowing all night in the small boat. He figured it would make most sense to head to Skree first, since that was the direction the boat had been going in.
When he finally saw the busy ship dock in the distance, he almost cried in relief. He had finally made it to Skree!
As he neared the dock, he could hear the busy chatter of the workers and the thump of boots on the wet wood and the bells and shouts that rang in the air.
Finally, he closed the distance and arrived at the dock.
"Oy, you there, boy. Do ya need some help?" asked a voice.
Liam looked up and saw a young man with trousers and rubber boots, watching him. He had short, cropped black hair and broad shoulders.
Liam nodded thankfully and reached for his arm. The boy grabbed his hand and hoisted him up out of his boat.
"Gee wiz, you look tired," he remarked as he noticed Liam's disheveled state.
He helped Liam tie up his boat, then introduced himself.
"Name's Lowell. What's yours?"
"I am Lia-" Liam paused midsentence, realizing he shouldn't give his real name to a stranger from Skree. No one could know he was from the royal family. He didn't want what happened to Itzel and Arthur happen to him.
"-Liadro...Sadarth," he finished. That was a close one. He suddenly wondered why Lowell hadn't given him his last name. Maybe that was a custom in Skree?
Lowell raised an eyebrow.
"Well then, sire, Liadro Sadarth, welcome to Miller's Bridge, Skree. You know, this place used to be an abandoned, old bridge. But now we've built a small dock here for travelors. I live in Dugtown, a few miles north. I come here for work everyday. What brings you here, so wounded and tired?"
Liam hesitated. Lowell chuckled and clapped him on the back.
"Ah, don't worry. If you don't want to tell me, you can just say that. I'm easy going, or so I'm told."
Liam smiled. "Well, thank you, Lowell. Now, I really must get going and- in fact, do you know any good lodgings? It an inn?"
Lowell grinned. "Of course I do! The Cozy Cuddly Dreamy Inn! The owners a bit crazy, but the place is nice. I can give you directions-"
"Lowell! Stop chatterin' away with strangers, and get back to work!" shouted a cross voice.
"Sorry, Mr. Flap. I was just giving him directions to the Cozy Cuddly Dre-"
"I don't care! Back to work, or no pay this week!"
Lowell scowled, but turned back to Liam quickly.
"If you keep going north, you'll hit Dugtown. Once there, take a right at Nigbbly street and then one left, and two blocks down will be the Cozy Cuddly Drea-"
"LLLOWEEEEEEEELLLLL!" Screamed an angry voice.
"Right! Back to work. It was nice meetin' ya, Mr. Liadro!" yelped Lowell, and he scurried away along the busy dock. Liam chuckled, despite his angst for the children.
"Thank you, Lowell!" Liam called into the crowd, and just before he left, he could have sworn he heard a faint,
"Your welcome!"
And then a thump, and then an "OWWW!!"
Liam chuckled as he went along to Dugtown.
#*
It was midday, and the tension in the castle was suffocating.
Artham, Arundelle, and Oskar had arrived the day after Nia did.
Artham and Arundelle had been in Kimeria with the burly ice warriors, helping them rebuild their underground city since the war. Oskar had been in Skree with his new apprentice, 14 year old Sheila, helping set up Libraries and Bookstores all over Skree.
But when news reached them through the eagle, they had hurried to Anneira.
Artham and Janner were plotting out plans for the Anneiran army to come after them, And Oskar was helping run the castle while the King and Queen were busy.
Sheila often spent her time in the garden, studying books and writing.
Oskar was an old man now, and sadly didn't have much time left on the earth. But he vowed to breathe his last breath by bringing books to the world, and he passed on his knowledge to Sheila.
Janner was walking through Castle Rysen's large halls with Artham.
"Uncle, I really don't feel right, cooped up here in the castle while Liam is off chasing the children. I need to get out and join him in his sesrch. But I just don't know where he is!" Janner admitted.
Artham flapped his wings. "That makes two of us. But Arundelle says I'm too old to be off chasing monsters."
Janner smiled, and nodded at the gray hairs sprouting all on very Artham's head.
"Uncle... I think I'm going. I can't stay here any longer. I can't let Liam and Arthedor and Itzel save themselves. I know where doing everything we can here at the castle, but its just not enough. So...I'm going to Skree."
Their footsteps were the only thing keeping them from silence.
Finally, Artham spoke "I can't stop you. But I hope you're telling everyone."
Janner nodded. "Of course."
The rest of the family wasn't surprised. In fact, it was almost as if they were waiting for him to say it.
"I want to come too!" Maraly insisted.
Janner looked at Kalmar.
"Well, if she goes, then I go," Kalmar said.
Janner shook his head. "We can only afford to have one of you come. We can't leave Anneira Kingless and Queenless. Someone needs to stay behind with the rest to make plans for the search. Someone should just stay ahead. And we can report back, unlike Liam."
Maraly and Kalmar looked at each other.
"I'm goin'." she decided for both of them. Kalmar's jaw dropped. Before he could speak,
"Your the King. Born into it. So you should stay behind to make those army plans. If you let me in search control, I'd have them tear apart all of Skree and the Green Hollows just to find them," she warned.
Kalmar sighed. It made sense. "Be careful, dear." he said as he hugged her tightly.
"We leave tomorrow at sunrise," Janner said.
Everyone nodded.
#*
Yey! We survived another chapter! Next up - some long awaited revelations, (maybe).