A heavy tome plummeted onto the chair across from Ava.
She wondered what answers it could hold for this life-changing adventure. But was promptly plucked out of her reverie as George hoisted himself on top of it.
"Can't see nothin' over this desk without this thing."
That seemed to be the case with everything for him in the Captain's Quarters.
It was by no means scant in opulence. But that didn't stop it from having a cozy atmosphere. Which Ava silently reveled in.
A row of bookshelves covered the far left of the room. All filled with fine, leathered books that the rhubarb would most definitely sink her teeth into later.
A large bed was tucked into the corner on the far right. And a light blue flannel warmed the bed even while it was unoccupied.
In the middle was the mahogany desk and its matching chair. Ava would've noticed the intricate carvings, if not for Elliot and Sedgewick huddling around it. As well as the maps and journal entries littering the surface.
But what all could agree that the piece-de-resistance was, was the larger than life window overlooking the horizon.
Day or night, rain or shine, anyone could find an escape in the view.
Not to mention the wonderfully plush window seat lining it.
Aesthetically pleasing, pinterest-esque room aside, the girl had exposition to be dumped on her.
George, with the aide of his friends, carelessly slid off the papers to find the one that was needed.
"Ha! Here we are."
Ava was handed a jumbled description of something coined as-
"The Power Seeker?" she asked as she locked eyes with them.
"Yep. Couldn't make a more obvious bad guy device myself." George sat up straighter as he explained.
"His Majesty told us that this note was left from a skedaddle. Real nasty crime scene. He figured that someone stole the blueprints of his invention from right under his nose. Twisted it, churned it, and voila. The culprit may be making what's pretty much an anti Help Seeker."
"Funny thing, too." Sedgewick chimed in while snacking on Funyuns. He had a feeling he needed to keep it on him in case he was brought to a time without his second favorite snack food. "The only person who coulda gotten it, was someone the King thought he was close with. Or maybe someone who was close to Robert."
"I thought he was already dealt with." she said as she narrowed her eyes at crunching.
"Doesn't mean the people who liked him are all gone." Elliott countered as he swiped the bag away from the gourd. Finishing the sentence with a chomp.
"Hey! I'm stress eating!"
"Well, I'm stress sharing."
George sighed and rubbed his face before moving on.
"Anyways. This Power Seeker is bad news. And if anyone in these waters found out about it, there's no question they'd all be chasin' after it. Of course we're still a little fuzzy on the details and whatnot. But that's why we're here. To find the power seeker, stop the bad guy-"
"And prevent my kingdom from crumbling to ruin!" A new, irritated voice barged in.
All four turned to see a prince with a crippling savior complex.
"Hold it! You can't be in here!" Sedgewick exclaimed after successfully snatching his Funyuns back and eating aggressively.
Alexander gave pause to the annoying sight.
He quickly takes the bag and tosses it to the side. Not caring the least bit about Sedgewick's protests.
"You three have been obscuring one key detail of this crisis. The perpetrator could very well use it to take my father down. Let alone my home. Whatever horrors it may bring forth will directly impact Monteria."
"Listen son-" George started.
"Do not call me son."
Ava figured that this guy was noble and all that, but this was a little overkill for her tastes. Or anyone's, for that matter.
She shifted awkwardly in her seat and glued her eyes to the dark floorboards.
The Captain squared his shoulders and put on his dad-face.
"We get that this could hurt you and your family. We really do. But your dad made it very clear that this mission is to stop the Power Seeker from hurting anyone. Not just the place you're gonna be king of."
Alexander worked his jaw. He still had some dignity to relent his well placed -albeit eager- concerns.
Sedgewick blew the dust off the snacks and finished it. Easily breaking the tense atmosphere.
"Very well..." the blond sighed out. "But make no mistake that I shall not stop pursuing the vow I have made to myself."
"That being?" A bushy eyebrow was quirked.
"Protecting my home by any means necessary."
The audience watched carefully as he backtracked to the open door.
"And I do mean any." the prince softly declared over his shoulder.
All four jolted as the door shut behind him.
As always, Sedgewick was crass enough to say everyone was thinking:
"Woof."
The brunette turned to George with a pained glance.
"Is he always like that?"
He heaved and took off his glasses to rub where his eyes would be.
"A little. Yeah. But it's never been this..."
"Overkill?" Elliott suggested.
"Yeah. That. Who knows. Could be he wants to prove that he can handle himself. Could be compensation for last time." The grape sagged on his makeshift booster seat.
"Let's just hope he doesn't go all white-knight and get in our way." The no-longer-hungry gourd griped.
After crumpling up the empty Funyuns bag, he continued.
"If we're done here, I got a bench to suntan on."
Sedgewick unceremoniously exited.
"Good talk." Elliott briskly followed suit.
Ava sniffed and leaned back in the chair. Hoping that her godfather had forgotten about the job he gave her after all that.
"So-"
"You're gonna sweep."
"Aww-"