Part IV: Unraveled: Chapter Forty-Six
A/N: It has come to my attention that I started this story when I was a 19-year-old college sophomore. Now I'm 26, have moved away from my home town, have a job, am living with my fiancé, and am getting married in a few months... Wow! Time passes so quickly! The sad part is that I still have not finished this story. My humblest apologies. Life has not gotten any less busy these past 7 years, but my life is fuller and happier than it was when I started this story. I have grown and changed as a person, and this tale has changed along with me. I have been going back and reading my early chapters, and I can tell by the writing style that my 19-year-old self was very different from my current self. For those of you how have been following since Part I: Inception, thank you for sticking it out for these past 7 years! You are appreciated!
This chapter is a bit dark, but the super dark moments that I have added are not unimportant. My goal is to develop the characters through those dark moments, and as a result, make the conclusion of Part IV something that will shake my readers as much as it shakes Damiana and Roy. Thank you guys so much for reading! Enjoy! :)
(I haven't updated in six months, so I have added a "previously" for those of you who would find it helpful.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, but Dabnod and the Dabnodians are from my own imagination.
Previously…
Surviving the frost was brutal, not to mention surviving the hostility from the people of Whisper Valley. Yet, it did not feel as brutal as their journey through Province Eight. The inhabitants of the eighth province's rural, farming, communities reacted to the warning of Dabnod's oncoming annihilation in the same manner as Whisper Valley. Aside from a single family, nobody wanted to journey to safety with Damiana, Roy, and the Fire Lily Tribe. Additionally, nothing was found to assist the Titans in repairing Black Shadow's device. The side remained cracked, the hinge on the top remained broken, the fuel chamber was still incinerated, and there was not as little as a hint at what to utilize as a fuel source.
Thankfully, their luck changed while journeying through Province Seven. Due to a vast mining industry heavily depended upon by the Capital City, materials perfect for minor repair work on the rift machine were located. In addition, a reliable blacksmith was found who could make the repairs. Blacksmith Ret was the gentleman's name, and he commented on the device's odd mechanics and intricate system. Damiana and Roy explained their peculiar situation, not excluding their journey into the past and Dabnod's coming destruction. Blacksmith Ret was a rare gem who did not scoff in disbelief at their tale.
Before departing from the Province Seven town of Jyn, Blacksmith Ret proclaimed his belief in Damiana's and Roy's story as well as in Prophet Veng's divination. Rather than following them, however, he promised to construct escape pods. With Province Seven's resources and everyone's combined technological knowledge, it is something that they should be more than capable of doing. The family that joined the Fire Lily Tribe in Province Eight stayed behind in Province Seven to assist Blacksmith Ret.
Province Six held even greater promise for the Titans. A seaside fishing town had access to something not beheld by their eyes in months - a library. Hours of research led to two discoveries. Firstly, a method for constructing an effective fuel chamber. Secondly, components for crafting a powerful fuel source. Not only were the crack in the side and the hinge on the top repaired, but they'd also managed to use plitkin metal and pulk paint to craft a working fuel chamber. Pulk paint is specialized so that it nullifies massive amounts of energy when used in large portions and stabilizes massive amounts of energy in small portions. Pulk paint is also easily accessible, which made it easy for them to find.
To their dismay, constructing the source for the fuel will be far more difficult. A power supply strong enough to tear open a rift cannot be found naturally on Dabnod. It can only be crafted. A ser stone is one component that is needed - a yellow stone that produces a dull, electric, charge. A rare form of red clay, known on Dabnod as vengat, is also required. This transforms the dull electric charge into a form of pure energy. The only way for a ser stone and vengat to work together, however, is if they are combined on a molecular level. This transformation can only happen with the use of a zirgnant tool - a tool so rare that it can only be found in the Capital City, and even then, it may still be difficult to locate.
While creating the fuel source will be difficult, every necessary repair was made. Roy and Damiana were also able to purchase a ser stone at a trading post in Province Six. Although there is still much to be accomplished, Damiana and Roy still celebrated their victory. They accomplished more than they thought was possible. Of course, being adolescents, perhaps their celebration went a bit too far…
Dabnod: Province Six
The Next Morning
They are in a life-or-death situation. Although the Titans' situation seems hopeless, progress has been made. The two of them have already repaired the crack in the side of Black Shadow's rift machine, the broken hinge on top of the machine, and an entirely new fuel chamber was crafted. The new fuel chamber has the perfect amount of pulk paint. When Damiana tested its efficacy with her fire the previous night, it neither burned up nor extinguished her flames. If the new fuel chamber can handle Damiana's fire, hopefully it will handle the fuel source.
As for the fuel source, this is what they should be focusing on in Roy's opinion. The two of them should be spending their entire morning brainstorming. A ser stone, red clay from Province Four known as vengat, and a zirgnant tool only found in the Capital City - this is what is required to complete the machine's fuel source. A ser stone containing an electrical charge, vengat to draw out the electrical charge, and a zirgnant tool to combine the two ingredients so that they create a highly potent battery. The yellow ser stone was located yesterday evening at a trading post in Province Six and is buried protectively at the bottom of Damiana's bag. If they spent the morning putting their heads together, they could come up with a somewhat effective plan for obtaining the final two components.
Instead, they are in separate corners of their shared room at this Province Six inn ignoring each other. Damiana shoves clothing and tradable goods into her bag atop the ser stone. Roy is rummaging through his quiver counting his arrows for the fourth time. Certainly, there must be more than this! Maybe he shouldn't have given his heat-seeking arrow to that hag at the trading post. A regular arrow in its place likely would have sufficed. As unfortunate as it may be, what's done is done. Not only is this in reference to Roy losing two of his trick arrows, but it also reflects on the events of the previous night.
One minute they were discussing the incident at the trading post. The hag requested Damiana's Fire Phoenix armband in exchange for the ser stone. This resulted in an enraged would-be Queen threatening to burn the lady to cinders. In an effort to prevent Damiana from sacrificing the last remnants of her home, as well as keeping the trading post swindler safe, Roy traded away something precious to him instead. After the deal was made and the ser stone obtained, no comment was ever anticipated on the matter. Instead, after they'd completed their work on the fuel chamber, the trade that the archer made came up in casual conversation.
The conversation started with playful banter. It continued with genuine gratitude from Damiana. As for how it should have concluded, Roy should have given a meager "you're welcome" and they should have gone to the inn's dining hall for dinner. Instead, Roy elaborated on the "you're welcome" portion of the conversation. It is amazing how the simple explanation that Damiana never takes off her armband, so he didn't want to her part with it, could result in such a steamy make out session.
All he'd said was, "You're welcome. Even if you had been willing to separate with your armband, I still wouldn't have let you. I know how much it means to you. It's so important that you choose to wear both armbands instead of just mine." He'd expected her to answer. Perhaps with an additional "thank you" or "how thoughtful". Instead, the girl place both hands on either side of the archer's face, grabbed him, and kissed him.
Thinking back on the incident, Roy is ashamed of himself. Damiana was clearly very emotional and out of her mind. What a good guy would have done was gently push her away and ask, "Are you sure?" Or a good guy would have said "No. Today isn't the right time." Instead, the archer gave in and kissed her back. Why he did that, he doesn't know. Two months of sleeping beside her; weeks of sharing beds, tents, and sleeping bags; months of listening to her laugh, sharing secrets in the English language, comforting her when she cries, and knowing that their time is running out; months of knowing that, if they get back to Earth in one piece, this entire adventure will be theirs to share. All of these thoughts that have been plaguing Roy's mind for two months came out in that single, passionate, kiss.
Who knows? Maybe Roy was just as emotional and out of his mind as Damiana. The redhead has done things with girls before. All of them were fangirls, and each time he was hyperaware of what he was doing. He'd been careful to kiss the girl just right; careful to touch her so that she felt good; careful to not make any mistakes that would get "Titan Speedy" laughed at or insulted on the internet. None of that hyperawareness had been present in that make out session with Damiana. Roy hates to admit it, but he had been in a trance. Damiana had been the person to initiate the kiss, but he was the one that put his tongue in her mouth. He'd been the person that pinned her to the bed and lavished her neck with kisses. When the girl tugged at his tunic, there was no hesitation to remove it on his behalf.
Mere seconds before Tenna knocked on the door, they'd been kissing each other so intensely that they barely took time to come up for air. Damiana's hands exploring his chest, arms, and buttock made his hand slip to her frustratingly round breasts. If Tenna had knocked thirty seconds later, his hand might have taken an experimental journey beneath her dress. If Tenna had knocked two minutes later, they might have both been naked. If Tenna had knocked thirty minutes later, he might have been snuggling Damiana beneath their bedsheets whispering "I love you" to her.
The idea of what could have happened is so horrifying that the redhead is shaking. If they would have gone as far as sex, would he have said "I love you"? He believes he knows the answer. A dozen other girls, and sex with them didn't feel half as good as making out with Damiana. To think that Damiana's kisses felt better than sex is ludicrous! Yet, Roy feels that way! It is also crazy to think that the archer is happy that sex didn't happen, yet he is. If the two of them would have gone too far, who knows the disastrous consequences that may have been unleashed!
The redhead laughs wryly inside of his head. Consequences. He has never had those before.
"You've been looking at me for ten straight minutes. If you have something to say, then say it. Let me guess. I'm no different than those girls at Lola's Café, right? I'm easy. I'm some kind of a tramp!"
All this morning was supposed to consist of was collaboration to finish repairing the machine. Now here comes the kissing commentary. Or, actually, here come the accusations. Much to the archer's surprise, Damiana's hair is not midnight blue with anger or gray with fear. Magenta curls are so neon that he has to shield his eyes.
"What? No, you're not! Why would you say something like that?!"
"Because you must be thinking it!" Damiana hides her face behind tiny fingers. "Our clothes almost came off, and I was into it. At that particular moment, I wanted to do it, and we probably would have. Don't you think that I'm just as easy as all fifty of the other girls you've screwed?"
If Roy was Dabnodian, his ginger locks would be a darker shade of midnight blue than the girl's have been in her entire history. Of course, color-changing hair isn't necessary. Cheeks are maroon with rage. "Fifty?! You think I'm calling you a tramp? Take a minute to listen to yourself. You have the opinion that I am some kind of horny bastard who slept with four-dozen girls!"
Her posture stiffens and she takes two, large, steps forward. Magenta transforms to navy blue. "I can't be too far off. Should I adjust my estimation to forty? We almost slept together, so I should know!"
"Alright, fine. If you must know, my number is twelve. Not forty. Definitely not fifty. Twelve!"
"Oh…"
"Yeah, 'oh'. I'm not the playboy you thought, am I? Yes, I know. Twelve isn't small. You're right when you assume that I've had a few hookups, but it's not as many as you think."
"Oh… In that case, I'm sorry…" Her hair is magenta once more. This next query is made with immense reluctance. "Is that what you would think of me if we had gone farther last night? I'm another hookup?"
That question hits like a punch in the gut. There are so many answers that Roy would like to give. Kissing her was better than the sex he had with the random girls. Those girls were there one second and gone the next. Damiana is someone who he has known for three months. They have been beside each other during this whole ordeal on Dabnod, and once they return to Earth, she will continue to be there because they're on the Titans East team together. Even if they aren't in love, the fact that they have a connection must count for something. Sure, Roy might have accidentally said "I love you" had they made love rather than just made out, but those are just strange, teenage, emotions.
Any of these would have served as an appropriate response. Instead, this comes out of his mouth. "What? Of course, you're not another hookup! Why would you ask me that? We've been sharing a bed for the past two months, and I haven't touched you! We're friends and teammates. Once we get back to Earth, we want to go the movies, go the amusement park, go the beach, and torture Aqualad together! A hookup means that you have sex with a random girl and once it's over, you never see her again. If something crazy happens where we do have sex, I would never say goodbye and leave forever. That would be nuts! You're my best friend on the team."
Damiana's hair shifts colors once again. It has been ages since this has happened, but her hair is brilliant orange while her irises are copper. The last time he recalls these colors taking over was during language transference. It may have happened last night, though Roy was too invested in the thrill of their actions to notice. "Oh! Okay. I guess I'm not a hookup after all. After what almost happened, I was afraid that your opinion of me changed."
"Nope. It hasn't changed at all. Remember what I said after you taught me the Dabnodian language through language transference? There is no shame in enjoying a steamy make out session."
Copper irises are hidden behind her palms yet again. "Yes. I remember you saying that. It's embarrassing, but that felt great. With the stress of Dabnod's existence ending soon, plus trying to fix the rift machine, making out felt amazing."
Suddenly, the confusion clouding Roy's mind clears. "Actually, you may have a point. Maybe the only reason we made out last night was because of the stress. We're in a tense situation, so all of the nervous energy exploded out of us. We made out once with language transference, and we enjoyed that. Subconsciously, maybe we thought making out again would relieve the stress?"
"That's probably exactly it. Stress! Not to mention, we've literally been sharing sleeping space for the past two months. I suppose in our situation, something sexual is bound to happen. Once we get back to Earth, I'm sure the unintentional sexy moments we've been sharing will stop."
"Agreed." Roy would love to continue, but a shout from Tenna outside their door is all that is required to end their chat. It seems that it is time for them to depart from this settlement. For once, the archer doesn't mind the interruption. Praise the Fates for stress-relief! If he'd made out with Damiana because he loved her, he wouldn't know what to do. He has never "loved" someone before, let alone told someone he loves them. If he loved Damiana, that would be a problem. Before he told her the real answer, she thought that he'd had fifty partners. Fifty! If she thinks that her fellow Titan is that loose, then the would-be Queen would certainly never love him back.
If Dabnod had survived, Damiana would use her authority as Queen Guayusa's apprentice to split Province Six in half. The upper half bordering Province Seven would be the normal portion. This would be the portion where all of the peaceful fishing settlements are located. Here, fishermen fish, schoolteachers teach, librarians tend the library, and the keepers of the trading posts provide fair yet profitable trades. Prophet Veng and the Fire Lily Tribe are able to pass through these towns without struggle. Damiana already has a name for what the upper portion of Province Six would be called - "Rilthensten" roughly translated as "Keepers of Peace". The lower portion would be "Rilthaesgan" meaning "Keepers of Paranoia".
Truly, Queen Guayusa and the Royal Council would never allow Damiana to split an entire province in half. Even if she were coronated as the Queen of Dabnod, the Royal Council would likely overrule her on such an absurd idea. Nevertheless, Province Six being split into two, separate, states would be very fitting. These past couple of weeks, the towns that they have passed through have been odd. Damiana is presently snuggled up in a sleeping bag. Wind whistles through tall grasses like the breath of a phantom, causing the tent protecting her to sway ever so slightly. Light from the campfire casts shadows onto oiled animal skins, making the phantoms seems all the more realistic. It brings Damiana back to the confrontation in the town they passed through earlier. Sadly, it is not the only confrontation that they have experienced recently.
"We can't have you folks sleeping at our inn, neither shall we trade with you."
The town was a border town. According to Prophet Veng, it was once called "Litkaen Light Cove". Recently, the citizens and the town leader agreed to a name change. "Cove of Tears" is what they call themselves these days. What unnerved Damiana was that the cobblestone streets were empty. No people were shopping for produce at the market. Fishermen were not seen in the bay casting their nets. Children were not playing Phoenix Flight or Capture the Qwerthzig in the schoolyard. Merchants were not seen scurrying past with their wares. Everything was barren. The only visible people were the ones staring out from the windows of their homes and the town leader who greeted the Fire Lily Tribe.
"Leader Ostin, we have known each other for many years," Prophet Veng had disputed. "If you allow us to stay the night at your inn, we will provide modest trades with you in the morning. I'm certain that Litkaen Light Cove could use the goods."
"Leave now, cursed Prophet! We have no desire for anything that you have to offer us. Much has changed since your last journey through our humble community. It was you who preached to the people of Province Five, and now those people are no more!"
"Ostin, I preach to the Dabnodian people wherever they are at. I do not favor one province over another. The demise of Province Five is a tragedy, but they still did what was right. They did not allow fear to stop them from doing what they had to do. If it was my preaching that inspired them, so be it."
The sickly green that overtook Leader Ostin's thick, matted, beard made the girl's knees wobble. "Queen Guayusa was very clear when she came here with her Royal Knights all those months ago, Prophet. Province Five's fate is not isolated to only a single region of the continent. Leave here now, or the Cove of Tears will force your tribe out! We will no longer join in the trouble you've caused."
"You are deceived! I have caused no trouble! I am merely a messenger. Trouble is still coming with or without me to warn you. Join us in our journey, or you will all perish!"
"Leave, foolish Prophet! If you refuse, you will face our wrath!"
For once, Prophet Veng did not continue preaching. He gathered his followers and lead them out of the Cove of Tears. It was clear that they were unwelcome. They'd visited two other towns these past couple of weeks and were shooed away from those as well. With the previous towns Damiana hung her head sadly for a few hours, shook off the disappointment, and continued onward. The Cove of Tears would have earned the same reaction if it hadn't been for Leader Ostin's parting words.
"Yes! Leave! Do as I command! But before you leave, a word of caution. Do not loiter too close to the ruins of Province Five. They are eerie. It is as if the souls of the dead are watching you or perhaps the sharp eyes of Death Queen Guayusa. I've heard that the land there is cursed, so do not test the Fates."
Damiana has spent the past two weeks wishing for at least one town in "Rilthaesgan" Province Six to allow them to sleep at their inn. Tonight, the girl has that desire more so than before. They are camping behind a thin line of trees. That foliage is so threadlike that Damiana would be able to see Province Five on the other side right now if she were to lower the tent flap. Leader Ostin of the Cove of Tears was correct. It feels as if the eyes of the dead are boring into her soul.
Suddenly the tent flap lowers, causing her to sit up with a jolt. A masculine shout resounds through the inky blackness. "Calm down! It's me! It was my turn on night watch. You remember, right?"
Although it is dark, Damiana can sense his emerald orbs studying her skeptically. She giggles sheepishly. "Oh. That's right. It's you, Tenna, and that bald guy taking shifts tonight. I forgot. Sorry."
"It's alright. I can't blame you for being scared. This place is spooky."
Roy crawls into their shared sleeping bag. They are no longer sharing for body heat like during the frost, but rather because it is expected of a married couple. One time they used separate sleeping bags. When they were seen packing their belongings the following morning, the entire Fire Lily Tribe lectured them. Damiana insulted her husband, they proclaimed, and Roy dishonored his wife. They burned the second sleeping bag up in the cookfire. At first it was annoying, but they grew accustomed to it. Tonight, instead of simply feeling used to it, Damiana is thankful for Roy's presence.
"Really? I haven't looked beyond the tree line yet. Is it as spooky as the Cove of Tears said?"
"I couldn't actually see anything. It's too dark. It's just the smell. While I was out there, I thought I could smell burning flesh when the wind blew the right way. It freaked me out."
The archer tugs her closer. Damiana snuggles against him without protest. Admittedly, they have been doing a lot less snuggling since their make out session at the last normal town they visited. The fact that Roy wants to snuggle must mean that his turn on night watch really was creepy. Being this close to the destroyed province makes her think of Linden and Aika back in Whisper Valley.
"If you really did smell burning flesh, that just makes what happened there even sadder. Remember when Linden said he helped Queen Guayusa destroy a Province Five town before he deserted? He said that it took all day from sunrise to sunset. Aika was the only person who survived, and he ran off with her. Imagine that all the other towns took from sunrise to sunset to destroy and that nobody survived at all. That's hundreds of thousands of lives killed. Queen Guayusa is a very powerful fire user, so if hundreds of thousands of people were killed, we probably would be able to smell burning flesh."
Silence ensues. Aside from Tenna yelling for Caen to go back to sleep, that she will be back inside their tent once her night watch shift is over, not a peep is heard. Damiana thinks that Roy fell asleep. Then he answers.
"I wish we didn't have to travel all the way to the Capital City to find the zirgnant tool. We're going past an entire province that Queen Guayusa destroyed. It has been so thoroughly demolished that the damage that maniac did can still be smelled in the air! Going to the city that this tyrant lives in is not something that I want to do. It doesn't seem smart."
"We don't have a choice, Roy. You heard the lady at the trading post. Zirgnant tools are impossible to find outside of the Capital."
"Believe me. I remember. I just think that we need to be extremely careful once it's time for us to enter the Death Queen's territory. I know that this woman raised you, Damiana, and I know that you have fond memories of her. Just remember what she is capable of. Guayusa the Death Queen is not someone we should risk fighting."
Damiana sighs. "We won't have to fight her. The Capital City is huge! We should be able to sneak around the Capital City without getting caught no problem."
"No! You're thinking best-case scenario! I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but for the optimum chance of our survival, I need you to think worst-case scenario! What are you going to do if you see Queen Guayusa? What will you do when you see the Palace and Fire Phoenix Compound? What will you do when you see younger Adriel, younger Saeran, and little apprentice Dami? We're going to a place where an evil tyrant is holding all the cards and where you will have past memories swarming you. Think about how you are going to face your past, because if you don't, your past will punch you in the gut when you're unprepared and it will get us killed!"
"I'm prepared, Roy. Trust me! I can handle anything."
Cinders can be smelled wafting through the breeze. Roy was not exaggerating. True, the smell isn't thick as if something had been freshly burned, but it is still there. Sweet-smelling, Dabnodian, air contains the subtlest hint of something burnt. Not wood, like a forest fire. The aroma is similar to charred meat, as if someone scorched a roast in the oven. Only, the smell is worse. It's as if every household in Province Five burned a roast in the oven, and that the fires burned down each of their kitchens. If she could, the girl would spend all day pretending that this is what the aroma is – thousands of families scorching their suppers. Sadly, Damiana knows better. It wasn't their suppers that burned.
Passing the tree line was troublesome. Everyone in the Fire Lily Tribe took their time packing. Never had tents, sleeping bags, clothes, and cooking supplies been tucked into carts with slower precision. Everyone can smell it, she discerned. Now, as they wander across the flat plains toward Province Five's border, it is realized that the scent of blackened flesh was a mere preview.
When she'd read about Province Five as a child, her books stated that this region was comprised of vast flatlands with a swamp somewhere in the northeast. Some of Dabnod's rarest flora came from Province Five. Inhabitants used these scarce plants for everything from dye to medications. Damiana begged Saeran to bring back a rare flower when he left on a training exercise, which he did. Seeing this area in its current condition, it is unbearable to think that this land was once so rich with resources. There are no spacious plains dotted by flowers. Exceptional bushes with pink leaves are not seen, nor are there trees that grow yellow fruit used to treat irregular heartbeats disorder. Everything written about in those almanacs are nonexistent.
Dirt. Dense, sooty, dirt continues onward for miles. This is all that Damiana can see stretching in every direction. Strikingly, there was no gradual decline of foliage. Half a mile back, there was a heavy line where grass turned to soil. The sky doesn't seem as clear as it did half a mile behind them, either. Haze makes rose-colored clouds appear dull. Of course, none of this is as jolting as approaching what used to be a village. The flatland makes it possible to see incinerated, stone, foundations of buildings from two miles away.
"Wise Prophet, we must turn around. We have wandered far too deeply into the ruins of Province Five."
Prophet Veng's followers plead with him to turn in the opposite direction only to learn a staggering truth. "Do you not recognize where we are? We have not yet entered Province Five! That town in the distance marks the border. The ash drifted into Province Six and smothered out some of the wildlife."
The entire throng freezes. Tenna, who always seems to keep her mint green braid no matter the circumstances, has hair that is shifting to soot. Caen is being piggybacked by Roy. The child's seafoam ponytail turns such a deep shade of charcoal that it is nearly black. Meanwhile, his ocean mist eyes are pure obsidian. Caen sobs into the shoulder of Roy's forest-colored tunic horrified. Aside from the human's ginger head, not a single color other than gray is observed.
"You mean that we haven't crossed into the fifth province at all?"
"No, but I do want to take a brief detour to visit the border. With all of the ghost stories floating around, someone needs to pay respect to the tragedy that happened here."
Nobody wants to draw nearer to Province Five. Even from this distance, the remains of the town make the assembly shiver. Nonetheless, when Prophet Veng leads them forward, they follow. An hour later, it is discovered that the town is ten times as chilling up close. Soot is no longer only a scent, but an ankle-deep substance that they have to wade through.
The first structure that they pass is a barn. Damiana can tell because what looks like a saddle for a phoenix is laying out front. A farmhouse rests beside it. Soft, pink, rose-stones making up the foundation are sullied by smoke residue. A table leg, a chair back, an iron kettle, and a partial chimney are the only pieces of the home that are still intact. Not counting the wooden panels of the family's cellar leading into the ground, of course. A massive boulder is still sitting atop the cellar doors.
Further down the road, a building with nothing left besides leather boots is seen. This must have been a cobbler's shop. All that remains of the local bakery is a massive, wood-burning, oven. The schoolhouse still has its chalkboard, and the dressmaker's shop possesses a spinning wheel. As for the civilian dwellings, they are similar to the farmhouse. Only chimneys and cellar doors are discernible. Damiana hesitates beside one particular dwelling. A porcelain doll poking out from amongst a pile of ash catches her eye. Based on the outline of what were rocky walls, as well as the plirtkin skeleton of a bed, this must have been a child's bedroom.
Damiana steps over blackened rose-stones into the remains of the child's room. The crunch of a twig beneath her feet does not stop her from sauntering toward the doll. Until recalling that the last tree she saw was at this morning's campsite, that is. Peering at the ground, she sees that it was a slim, white, rod that was stepped on. The rod was so slender and so fragile that it snapped in half. No longer interested in the doll, Damiana flees from the family's home and vomits all over the cinder street. She can no longer remember why she wanted to get closer to the doll in the first place.
Upon reaching the town center, the Fire Lily Tribe is instructed by Prophet Veng to halt. "Here. This is where we are going to show our respects. Everyone, go find a large stone to bring back here. I also need firewood and kindling from the cart. And any mementos you find from the people that once lived here, bring those to this spot as well."
These instructions lead Damiana back to the home with the bedframe and the doll. Roy wandered off on his own somewhere. It was likely the school that he was drawn toward, though Damiana doesn't know for certain. She is not paying attention to anything besides the house with the doll. Curls are deep plum and irises are like coal when the girl comes upon the residence. Eyes remain fixed on the ground as she steps over the crumbled wall to the child's room. The "twig" she'd stepped on is surrounded by twigs of a similar structure. A hand, she realizes while cradling her groggy stomach. They are pure white finger bones sticking out from under the plirtkin bed frame. A little girl spent her final moments reaching out from under her bed in an attempt to hold the doll.
She collapses to her knees sobbing. Although her stomach continues churning, the would-be Queen keeps what remains of breakfast down. How could the woman that brushed Damiana's hair, read bedtime stories, watched her practice new fire-using techniques, and played with dolls, possibly do this? Queen Guayusa was always loving toward her, yet the Queen still killed this little girl. Based on the wee finger bones, this girl could not have been much younger than Damiana was when she said goodbye to Dabnod forever.
"It's just as bad as Linden and Aika said. Actually, I think it's worse."
Tenna kneels in the center of the room. Damiana jolts. Tenna's presence had gone completely unnoticed. The mountaineer's features are pure black. During a rare occurrence both mystifying and comforting, she engulfs the would-be Queen in a powerful embrace. A second later, Tenna is wailing mournfully alongside her.
"How could my Queen do something so awful?"
"An entire town was incinerated! What a waste! If Linden's story was right, if these people were murdered merely because of crescent-shaped tattoos, then the Guayusa the Death Queen is more twisted than I imagined."
People are crying in the parlor of the house down the road. A picture album was found beside the decimated fireplace with two bones of forearms resting atop it. The schoolhouse two blocks over is also full of sobs. The group exploring it found that class had been in session when Queen Guayusa's Knights marched through. In a way, the sound of shrieking howls heard in the distance is comforting. Everybody is consumed by madness exactly the same.
"I do not understand why the Fates would allow someone so cruel to live. If they refuse to strike the tyrant Guayusa dead, then they can at least send someone who has enough strength to stop her."
While her voice is hoarse, Damiana still manages to scoff. "Who would want to stop her? Someone strong enough would still be afraid."
"True. I'm sure they would be very afraid. Nonetheless, fear is not an excuse. It reminds me of something my husband, Ult of the Jawirth Clan, used to say to my boys. Being afraid does not make you weak. Being able to do what you know is right in spite of your fear makes you stronger than those who are unafraid. That is probably why all three of my sons decided to join the war. They remembered what their father told them."
"Your husband sounds like an admirable man, Tenna."
"He was. He was also courageous and loving. Sometimes he told too many jokes, especially during moments when I was trying to be serious, but that is alright. Ult was still perfect." Tenna gives a shaky sigh. "Maybe that's why I left Whisper Valley. Maybe that why, after everything I have lost and with the losses that I know are coming, I am still deciding to flee Dabnod with Caen if the disaster happens they way you claim it will. Ult and the Fates would want me to. Even if I am afraid to leave Dabnod, doing what is right will make me strong."
Fresh tears sprout from Damiana's eyes. "I respect you for saying that because I am afraid every day. Every day during my five years on Earth, I was horrified. Now, every day since my return to Dabnod, I feel horrified. Even though I am afraid I have kept moving forward, yet I do not feel any stronger."
"You don't have to 'feel' stronger, Queen Damiana. You do what's right by the Fates even though you're always scared. That makes you stronger no matter how you feel."
Prophet Veng shouts for the disbursed members of the Fire Lily Tribe to make haste. Tenna digs the porcelain doll out from the ashes. When the mountaineer takes not only the toy, but also a small bone fragment from the child's index finger, admiration blossoms in the young woman's chest. All of a sudden it is understood why Tenna and Ult of the Jawirth Clan were married. For a fleeting instant, Damiana wishes that she could have met him. Then she hoists up a boulder from the home's destroyed foundation, quickly forgetting the thought. Upon returning to the town center with the items in tow, it is discovered that the boulders are being utilized to build a pyre.
"Oh. A funeral. I should have known that this is what we are doing."
For once, Roy does not ask Damiana for cultural details. They each place their rock where Prophet Veng instructs, and after the pyre is built, the Fire Lily Tribe gathers enough wood to ignite an inferno. Mementos gathered from the town are placed in a tight bundle prepared with burlap and twine. Scraps of clothing, pieces of leather book covers, silverware, beads from jewelry, and anything else that belonged to the inhabitants of this town. Some individuals also toss in small fragments of bone, such as Tenna. It would not be a proper funeral without them being laid to rest, they clarify to Prophet Veng.
"Of course," the prophet replies. "The Fates wouldn't have it any other way."
An hour is how long they stay with the pyre. That entire time is spent in silence to mourn the souls of those who were lost. Loud crackling from the flames is not nearly enough to make the quietude less penetrating. When the throng finally takes their leave, the journey back to Province Six feels significantly less eerie. The next day, the captain of the boat taking them to Province Four states that this is the most peaceful that this section of sea has felt in a year.
Dozens of tents are clustered alongside the seashore. A long, shallow, and relatively narrow ditch dug fifty yards away from where the tents are located is also discernable. Not a single, stable, structure is in sight. Tents serve as houses; therefore, the ditch must serve as an outhouse. The smell alone is enough to tell Damiana that there are no real outhouses. Open fires for cooking add the scent of smoke, and the stench of what is actually scorched suppers only worsens it. The smell can hardly be tolerated from a quarter of a mile away. How those residing in the tents can handle it is far beyond her. The only construction around that is well-crafted is the wooden dock.
Prophet Veng meanders at the head of their group. Damiana and Tenna hike at his side. Stunned silence has hung in the air for many hours. When Tenna makes a blunt inquiry to those in the Fire Lily Tribe, Damiana immediately misses the silence.
"I am guessing that the Death Queen made it illegal to pass through Province Five. Is this the reason we're traveling by boat?"
A man laughs sardonically from behind them. "Actually, it's not illegal, but I see why you thought so. Making it illegal would be something that a tyrant would do."
"It is unnecessary for Queen Guayusa and her council to pass a law prohibiting civilians from journeying there. After what happened to the original inhabitants of Province Five, why would anybody go there of their own free will?" the man's wife puts in.
"I suppose you're right," Tenna replies to the couple. "The only thing stronger than laws is fear."
"A truer statement has never been spoken. You've never been to the Capital or its bordering provinces, have you? As nomads, the Fire Lily Tribe has witnessed everything that could possibly happen on our fair planet. The closer you get to the Capital City, the more you feel it. Provinces Two and Three are where the fear starts to become noticeable. Just ask my wife. The perfumes she sold caused quite a stir in that Province Three town a year ago."
For the first time, Damiana turns to face duo. They are a tall, slender, pair, each appearing in their early twenties. The man has a copper ponytail and matching mustache while the woman has golden curls brighter than Earth's midday sun. Neither of their names come to mind, though they are instantly recognized. They often join she and Roy in a search for firewood on the evenings where they make camp in the wilderness.
"Oh yes! The perfume incident. Don't remind me," the golden-haired wife exclaims distraught. "Nobody bought a single vial from me for that entire day. Some even requested that I put it away or hide it. Then Royal Knights showed up later that afternoon and seized everything. That specific batch took two years for me to concoct! That was upsetting."
"Finding people to trade anything with us at all in Provinces Two and Three is difficult. The townsfolk avoid us like the plague while anyone who does decide to do business with us will only do so after dark."
At long last, Prophet Veng enters the conversation. "Guayusa has a tight grip on the Capital and on those border provinces. It shouldn't be surprising. That woman has always been controlling. Even when she was a child who was training under King Brulein, I remember her saying that if her citizens did not obey her that she would make them obey. Back in those days when more people believed me, I told King Brulein to take little Guayusa's threat seriously. Did he listen? No! Now she has burned down an entire Province and has three provinces under constant surveillance.
"Do not take what I say lightly. I guarantee that Guayusa has those provinces under close watch. Why else would the Knights confiscate your perfume, Gnetta? Guayusa probably won't allow those sorts of substances too close to the Capital for fear that someone might smuggle in poison. Guayusa may utilize fear tactics, but that doesn't mean that she isn't also scared."
Overwhelmed, the mountaineer sighs. "This is why I never wanted to leave Whisper Valley. I would have stayed if I could. The rest of Dabnod is just so….unsafe. I'm praising the Fates that there is at least one more province to pass through before significant danger ensues."
"Dear Tenna, there is danger everywhere on Dabnod. Despite what Pyn and Gnetta told you, civilian paranoia does not begin in Province Three. You will start to feel it in Province Four the moment we leave the ship we are about to board. Everyone there walks a thin line, feigning happiness and freedom while praying that their activities do not appear suspicious to the Royal Knights."
"Thank you for your comforting words, wise Prophet. Caen and I are certain to sleep well tonight."
Prophet Veng halts, spins around, grips Tenna by the shoulder, and stares her in the eye. Green hair is suddenly more neon than radioactive waste. "Be honest about how safe you have felt lately. Has Province Six been a picnic in a prairie? Everybody there was scared, too, and it is reasonable. Danger is everywhere. We must learn to live with it."
"Of course! I know that we have to live with it! I just wish that—"
Damiana decides that she no longer has the desire to listen to the conversation. Instead, she falls back so that she is behind the young couple, behind a family of five, behind a middle-aged man, and is at last standing alongside Roy. Roy is paying careful attention to Caen, who is racing three other children to the ditch in the distance. The little boy's blissful laughter echoes. Damiana sighs in delight at experiencing something joyful rather than depressing. The girl cannot handle much more despair.
"I hope they don't fall into that ditch once they get there. You know what that ditch is used for…."
"Yes, I know. I can smell it."
Roy and Damiana laugh, both of them hoping that children won't be too surprised upon reaching their destination. What Roy says once their amusement subsides is astonishingly more comforting than the giggling of children. "It's weird that we're laughing. After what we saw this afternoon, I didn't think I would laugh again for the next month."
"I know how you feel. That town is the worst thing that I have seen in my entire life. It was worse than watching Dabnod explode from the window of my space pod. I don't understand how Her Highness Queen Guayusa could do that to every single town in an entire province! That…plus the horrible things Tenna and the Fire Lily Tribals were talking about…it's too much. I just wish I could pretend that everything will be okay."
The archer rests a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Normally I would say that we need to stay in reality otherwise we'll die, but after this afternoon, having a few days to pretend that we're not in danger could be nice. When do we board the boat?"
"The next ferry arrives tomorrow morning, according to the Tribals I talked to. We're going to have to camp here for the night. Hopefully the stink doesn't bother us too badly."
"It's only for one night. As long as the ferry smells okay, I can handle a smelly campsite. Speaking of which, how long is the ferry ride?"
"It will take a week."
"Alright. A week is a little lengthy, but I guess there's nothing we can do about it. The week we're on the ferry, let's pretend that we're on a cruise or something. We can pretend anything as long as we don't have to think about that village. I went into the schoolhouse and the cobbler's shop, and I really wish that I hadn't…."
Damiana tugs her teammate into a long, woeful, embrace. The archer's grasp is tighter than she has ever felt it, as if he needs her to hold him upright. If it wasn't clear before, then it most definitely is clear now. Neither he nor she will leave Dabnod unscarred. Their hug is so lengthy that they get left behind by the Fire Lily Tribe and have to run to catch up. Three hours is the total number of hours they are able to sleep, but it isn't the stink of feces, smoke, and burnt food that keeps them awake. It is the nightmares of shrieking mothers, fathers, and children trying to futilely flee Queen Guayusa's Royal Knights. They sob in each other's arms for most of the night.
Light from the early morning sun is not what wakes the archer. It is the thundering boom of waves crashing against the shore. Shouting also works to stir him, though phrases are impossible to decipher through a groggy haze. In the end, it is Tenna who wakes him fully. Damiana is equally sluggish, because she groans in protest just as loudly.
"Sweet Fates, how are the two of you still asleep? There is no time to waste! Roll up your sleeping bags and fold your tent. We must depart immediately!"
What ensues is the fastest packing of belongings since the beginning of their time on planet Dabnod. Sleeping bags are rolled haphazardly, and he is fairly certain that one of the tent rods is now broken due to the hasty deconstruction of their campsite. It doesn't matter, though. Tent rods are easily replaceable. What does matter, however, is the boat that towers over them. Roy had been expecting a gargantuan ship constructed from foreign material with a strange shape. Instead, the ferry that will provide passage from Province Six to Province Four reminds the archer of a 1900's steam boat. This should feel less impressive, yet it feels comforting. The style of the boat reminds him of something from Earth. Who knows? Perhaps his great-great-grandparents rode a similar boat down the Mississippi River in 1901.
The foul-smelling campground is bare, all two-dozen passengers lined up by the shore waiting to board. Excited chattering vibrates through the chilly, morning, air. After the horrors of yesterday, hearing such happiness lifts his spirits.
"The boat is here at last! We've been waiting for two weeks! I thought that the wait would never end!
"I've never been on a boat before! This is so fun!"
"Do you think Aunt Willa will be happy to see us?"
"This is the most depressing place in all ten provinces! I'm so glad we can finally leave!"
To Roy's utter astonishment, boarding takes longer than anticipated. While there are two-dozen people waiting to board, the number of passengers departing must be several hundred. Weary women carrying infants, exhausted men toting burlap sacks of luggage, young couples holding tight to one another, small children huddled frightenedly between their parents. These are the people descending to the dock in droves.
The large crowd is silent for the most part, aside from a few chattering individuals. Bored, Roy hones in on one particularly intriguing conversation. The duo heard conversing are two men - one young and one middle-aged. It is the young man who questions the middle-aged gentleman.
"Do you still plan on journeying to Province Ten to make a home in the wilderness?
"I am considering it, but it is not a guarantee. I will see what your space pod project in Province Seven has to offer first."
"That's great! You've made me so happy! Engineers from the Capital City are hard to come by, especially in the outer provinces. We will never be able to make enough space pods without your help. If you stay, even if it's only for a week, our progress will be astronomical!"
"Curiosity is striking me, my boy. What is the purpose for the space pods that Province Seven is constructing? The massive number of people that you want me to help build for seems outrageous!"
The youthful one chuckles. "Oh, it's nothing really. Everyone initially thought that it was a silly prophecy. The only reason anyone is taking it so seriously as of recently is because the town of Jyn seems to think there is some merit to the prediction."
"What prophecy are you talking about? I was unaware that there were prophets still walking Dabnod, let alone that they are still actively providing revelations."
"There are not a lot of prophets left. Just one. It's some loony old man from the wilderness of Province Ten. He claims to be a Prophet of the Fates and says that the destruction of Dabnod is coming. Even nuttier is that there is a teenage girl wandering around saying that she is a time traveler from the future. She says that she survived the destruction of Dabnod, so she and her human friend are warning everyone to make plans to flee."
"What?! Why in the world would anyone believe that? Let alone the town of Jyn! They are known for being the most well-educated and sophisticated town in Province Seven!"
He chuckles again, this time more loudly. "The blacksmith. That's why. People from Jyn have been saying that their blacksmith repaired the girl's time travel device. It looked very real to him, so he thought it would be best to make preparations just in case the loony prophecy is the truth."
The middle-aged gentleman laughs with the boy. "When did the world become so crazy? This venture sounds like a massive waste of resources."
"Not according to Blacksmith Ret. If doomsday turns out to be nothing but the delusional ideas of psychotic people, then he thinks that the space pods can be reconstructed into fighter ships and utilized for the war effort."
The duo passes Roy while continuing to jabber. Little do they know that they are walking past the looney old man, the crazy teenage girl, and the human of which they are speaking. Several more groups amble off the boat. Eventually other engaging conversations are heard. This time it comes from a trio of ladies.
"Maybe we should follow that engineer from the Capital to Jyn Town. What's happening there sounds really exciting!"
"That might not be a bad idea… My destination isn't far from there, so maybe my family would allow me to spend a few weeks in Jyn with you before going home."
"That would be great! I don't have a destination at all, so stopping there is not a problem!"
They jump up and down with delight as they continue making their plans. The trio of girls are not very old. They might be two, possibly three, years shy of Damiana's age. It is good that they're such good friends. If they stay in Province Seven long enough to survive the destruction of Dabnod, then they will need each other once they land on Earth. Or, more accurately, if they land on Earth. Who knows how many other planets besides Earth are sheltering Dabnodian survivors.
Damiana whispers softly into his ear. "It seems like we've caused quite the ruckus in the seventh province. Blacksmith Ret wasn't joking when he said he took our story seriously."
"What I can't figure out is how people from the Capital got all the way to the Province Six border so fast. It took us two weeks to get here from Province Seven!"
"We're a group," his alien teammate points out. "An individual could travel much faster, especially on phoenix back. A phoenix could make it from Jyn to where we're standing in only a few days. The only problem with phoenixes is that they're drawn to forested and grassy areas. I imagine that the sight of Province Five would frighten them too much for them to fly over it."
"Oh. Actually, you're making a lot of sense."
"I try."
Everyone from the inner provinces must have finished exiting the ship, because thunderous bellowing distracts them. A skinny, beardless man, in his early thirties sporting a crimson handlebar mustache steals every smidgen of their attention. He stands perfectly balanced atop the railing of the boat, so Roy makes the automatic assumption that he must be an air user.
"Salutations, Province Six passengers! I am Captain Swindon, and this is my darling and one true love, The Steadfast Largnart! My one true love does not like anybody abusing her! She doesn't like it when her main deck is scuffed, nor does she like it when people fight over the hammocks in her cabins. When there are sneaky passengers stealing treats from her cargo hold, my darling becomes thoroughly enraged! While you are aboard the Steadfast Largnart, do not show her any disrespect! If you disrespect my darling, you disrespect me! Understood?!"
The crowd is entirely silent aside from uncomfortable sighs and nervous coughing. A preteen boy, one who'd been seen at the campsite when the Fire Lily Tribe arrived, makes a quip.
"What if I fall in love with your darling during the trip? Can I duel you for her affection?"
Captain Swindon gives a hearty laugh, draws a whip of water from the sea, and splashes it at the child. Roy corrects himself. It seems the ship captain is a water user, not an air user.
"Your challenge is accepted, and you've already lost. Ha!"
Caen breaks free from the archer and sprints toward the preteen. Though his elemental gift is limited at best, the tiny man of the Jawirth Clan manages a big enough puff of air to dry him off. From there, the two children begin chatting. When Captain Swindon continues, Roy ignores what Caen is doing in order to listen. The entire time he wonders how a water user is able to walk back and forth across the ship railing without falling. Then again, he himself is able to battle precarious foes without any powers whatsoever, so perhaps one doesn't have to be an air user on Dabnod to achieve perfect balance.
"My darling also requires payment, otherwise she will not allow passengers to board her. My one true love is not a bimbo, therefore she will not allow anyone to ride her for free. We require payments of jewels, food, or small livestock such as gzrifs, qwernals, and qwerthzigs. I give my humblest apologies, for fabric and books are not accepted as payment, neither are other tradable goods like candles or clothing. All payments must either be edible or monetary. If you are able to pay the toll, step forward and thank you for choosing the Steadfast Largnart! If not, please turn around and go home. It is a sad day to be you."
Before Roy can ask if they have the payment required for passage, Tenna shoves a pebble-sized gem into the center of his hand. It is a brighter orange than Earth's rising sun. A similar stone is placed in Damiana's hand, though hers is the color of honeycomb.
"The fire opal and the citrine stone should be enough to earn your passage. I've saved them for just such an occasion. Caen and I are sparing a bag of elvik that we got from Province Seven. We should all make it to Province Four without trouble."
"Thank you, Tenna."
"Don't thank me. I've traveled with the two of you this far. We may as well stick together."
Boarding goes more smoothly than anticipated. Captain Swindon takes the citrine stone from Damiana and the fire opal from Roy with a nod and waves them past. The same can be said for Tenna and Caen. It seems all the family at the end of the line has is fabric, because shouting can be heard all the way from the end of the main deck.
"I do not care how high-quality that gown is! It is neither edible nor monetary! Do you mistake my darling for a whore?! Nobody rides my darling for free! Journey to Province Six, earn some gems, and be back here in a month!" A weeping mother leaves the dock crying along with her husband and five-year-old son. "Honestly, I make notes of accepted payment methods on all of my fliers. Nobody ever reads the fine print!"
Damiana twirls a plum strand around her index finger uneasily. Tenna simply appears enraged.
"That woman had the highest quality ball gown I have ever seen!" The mountaineer whispers irately. "This is why I never wanted to leave Whisper Valley. There are cruel people like him in the inner provinces that I hoped never to meet!"
Captain Swindon traipses to the center of the deck and crafts a pedestal from ice with a simple wave of his hand. Once atop the pedestal, he cups his hands around his mouth so that everyone may hear him. "Attention passengers! We will now be departing for the City of Sclarthon in Province Four. You are a very small group, so you are in luck. Each cabin will be assigned a group of two to six individuals based on family size. Once your cabin is assigned, you may sleep, bathe, and store your belongings there. Each cabin deck also contains a common area with a woodstove for anyone who wishes to boil water for bathing or do their own cooking.
"Each morning and each evening, everyone will be provided a meal on the main deck. The morning meal generally consists of rintcakes, reizen, or stewed elvik. As for the evening meal, it is always stew and a crust of bread, although the variety of stew and bread changes each night. If any of the Steadfast Largnart's passengers wish to eat something different during their weeklong stay, it will need to be food that you have brought with you, or food that is generously shared or traded for. My darling does not like being stolen from, but she also doesn't like it when her passengers steal from one another. Any stealing will result in being dropped off on the shores of Province Five. Have I made myself clear?"
The very mention of being deserted on the seared shores of Province Five has the throng shuddering. "Yes, Captain Swindon!" is the answer that the crowd gives in unison, including Roy and Damiana.
"Alright. In that case, I will prepare for departure while my crew shows you to your cabins. Thank you for choosing the Steadfast Largnart. I sincerely hope that you enjoy your trip."
Three Days Later
Damiana has decided that she cannot wait to get off of this boat. During the day, all that can be smelled are cinders from Province Five. Not to mention, it dyes what would normally be a bright orange sea ashy gray. When facing away from the shore, all that can be seen are dappled waves stretching for miles. When facing toward it, only a blackened landscape is in view. Wherever she is on the main deck, she cannot wait to return to hers and Roy's cabin below deck. Then, whenever they are below deck, Damiana yearns for the main deck. Sleeping in the hammock in their cabin makes the would-be Queen both sick and dizzy. The waves are bumpy, never giving her a good night's rest. Additionally, there is the constant smell of urine, feces, and vomit. They dump their buckets out each morning, but it never seems to get rid of the foul smell entirely.
Between the horrid stench and the constant rocking of the boat, it is almost impossible for Damiana to enjoy breakfast or dinner. Each morning reizin was served, the meat came out of her stomach as quickly as it went in. As for cream of bintlit stew with sliced jantrix topping it, this did not stay down any better. Blue, potato-like bintlits came back up, as did the jantrix. Damiana felt awful. The yellow, sweet-tasting, vegetables known as jantrix are difficult to come by in the inner provinces. Thus far, the only food she can get to stay down are the crusts of bread served with the soup and the stewed elvik. Anything that is thick and grainy seems to sit well in her stomach. Not even soup seems to stay down, though water seems to help.
Right now Damiana leans over the edge of the main deck staring at the obsidian waves. It is day three, and they have just finished breakfast. Reizin again. The fatty, greasy, meat, similar to sausage links on Earth, has made her want to spew her guts out into the ocean. She grasps her stomach while praying to the Fates that, for once, she can keep her meal down. A hand appears out of nowhere and begins rubbing circles into her back, seeming to answer her prayer.
"I traded your leftover stew from last night and the rest of your reizin for two crusts of bread. I also found you a tin of water. Hopefully this helps."
The girl sits against the railing and slowly nibbles the bread until it disappears. Then she finishes another. Afterward, the entire tin of water is sipped at a slow, steady, pace. "That helps a lot. Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
Being above deck eventually becomes too much. With Roy continuing to rub circles into her back, they make their way down the narrow stairwell and into their cabin. The chamber pots were just dumped, so hopefully laying in the corner in the dark will make their morning more bearable. Caen must not like it above deck anymore than she does, because his voice echoes throughout this level of cabins.
"Come on! Please let me teach you, Zaesa? It isn't hard. If you listen to Roy and Damiana talk super carefully, then you will start to understand."
"Caen, enough of this nonsense. I have no desire to understand. Go above deck and find some other children to play with."
"But I can't! If I teach you up there, Roy and Damiana will hear us!"
"It doesn't matter if they hear us, because I'm not letting you teach me."
"Why not?! It's easy!" the tiny boy whines . "'I'm hun-ga-ry'. That is what Roy says to tell Damiana that he wants food. 'Wh-at's th-at'. Roy says that when he wants to know what something is. 'Yes' means that someone is right about something, and I think 'no' means that someone is wrong about something. Damiana speaks his language a lot, too. I hear her say 'tower' which I think is a house."
All of a sudden, Damiana is no longer nauseous. Instead, she finds herself listening in fascination. Emerald irises meet the girl's lime irises in immense surprise. The two do not continue past Tenna and Caen's cabin to their own room. Rather, they stay put while continuing to listen.
"Why would I want to know how to ask Roy for food in English? Caen, you're being silly."
"It's not silly, Zaesa! Knowing those words will help us once we get to Earth. You remember how lost Roy was when we first met him. He couldn't say anything to us! Without Damiana, he would've stayed lost forever! What will we do if we're without someone to talk for us?"
"Caen, we might not have to worry about having someone to talk for us, because Dabnod might not be destroyed. We might not have to go to Earth. We could be fine."
"Alright, but I still think Roy's words might help us." After a brief pause, the child continues in his mission of persuasion. "I also know words for clothes! 'Shirt' means tunic. 'Shoes' means boots. 'Pants' are leggings. I also know words to say when someone is looking for something. I know, because Roy and Damiana both use 'wh-ere' a lot. 'Wh-ere are the sp-oo-ns?' is what she asks Roy at the campsite when they're cooking. He says 'Wh-ere is my bow' whenever he's looking for his bow and arrow.
"The one I remember the best is back when we stayed at that really nice inn in that Province Six town. I heard Roy shouting all the way from our room. You didn't understand him, but I did! He sounded upset. 'Dang it! Wh-ere is my sh-irt!'. I'm pretty sure he was getting dressed and couldn't find his clothes. 'Where' means looking for something. A 'Shirt' is a tunic. 'Dang it' is something Roy and Damiana both say a lot. I think those are words that mean they're angry. Roy was angry because he couldn't find his tunic."
Damiana's curls are fuchsia. Roy whispers in her ear as quietly as he is able, sounding equally embarrassed. "Sorry… I was louder than I thought… How was I supposed to know that Caen is starting to understand English?!"
"It's fine. I didn't know, either, but it shouldn't be surprising. Dabnodians are known for their ability to learn languages very quickly. Not as quickly as me, but still…"
All the while, Tenna's weary sigh resounds throughout the metallic corridors. "Caen, it is not right for you to use the human language to eavesdrop. I am more than certain that Roy does not want you telling the entire ship that he couldn't find his clothes."
"Fine. I won't use Roy's words to spy on them. And if you don't want to learn it, that's alright. But can I at least keep learning it?"
"I don't think so. It's invasive and unnecessary."
Before the girl can comprehend what is happening, her teammate is tapping on their door. All conversation between the mountaineer and the child instantly ceases. Roy knocks again, this time harder. He speaks loud enough so that he is heard clearly through the barrier of the walls.
"Tenna, it's us. Can you please let us in?"
The door opens by only a crack. "Why? Do you need something?"
"No. I think it is Caen who needs something. I overheard, and as a master of Earth's English language, I would be happy to provide input."
The mountain lady sighs yet again. "Fine. Come inside."
The second they waltz through the door, a fresh wave of nausea strikes. Damiana lurches forward, clutches her stomach, and ends up laying in a fetal position against the wall. Her hair is the same shade of sickly green as her face. More than anything, she craves another piece of bread to settle her stomach. Meanwhile, Roy takes a seat in the hammock with Caen. The little one is snuggled up comfortably against the archer's chest. Tenna is erected in the cabin's center, eyeing the human invader with disdain. Damiana is praising the Fates that it is Roy who is receiving the mountaineer's wrath. Being shouted at right now would be too much to bear. The girl wouldn't even be able to shout back. If she tried, her only reaction would be vomiting.
"Here I am scolding my son for eavesdropping when you are outside our door doing the exact same thing. Perhaps the human language is not the only thing Caen is learning from you."
Roy responds while ruffling the child's long, seafoam, tresses. "Instead of being angry, you should count yourself lucky that I overheard. Personally, I think that learning English would be an enormous benefit to both of you."
"Yay! See, Zaesa? Even Roy wants us to learn! Thank you, Roy… I thought you'd be upset."
"Upset? Why would I be upset? You haven't done any reading or any studying, and you're speaking English! Not even Damiana can learn languages without reading and studying. The fact that you've learned to understand me just by listening is incredible!"
"You mean my guesses are right?"
"Absolutely! Every guess you've made so far about English words has been correct. If not exactly correct, then your guesses have been very close."
"Really? Was I right about you looking for your tunic, and that you were angry about losing it?"
"Yup. You understood exactly what I was saying. My shirt got lost, I was looking for it, I was angry."
"What about 'I'm hungry'?"
"That means I want something to eat. You guessed right on that one, too."
Tenna shakes her head frustrated. "I don't believe you. You must be patronizing him. My son can't possibly understand the human language just by listening to you and Damiana talk!"
As queasy as the girl's stomach feels, she forces a remark. "He isn't lying. Caen comprehends English quite well. If you allow both of us to work with him, your son could probably become fluent in another month or so." Her stomach gurgles. She groans and rubs her belly. "Also, Earth has thousands of languages, so don't call what we're speaking 'the human language'. It's called 'English'."
Tenna rolls navy blue eyes. Caen, on the other hand, accepts the name of the newfound language with glee. "English. Okay. I can call it English! If I'm thirsty, how do I ask someone for a drink of water in English? And if I want only one food, how do I ask for only that one? How would I ask for something like bread or meat?"
This results in five endless hours of incessant questions about new words and new phrases. Some of the tutoring occurs in their cabins below deck while most of it happens on the main deck. Damiana remains in the fetal position for four of these five hours. The ship's constant rocking makes helping teach the child nearly impossible. Nevertheless, listening to how competent her teammate is at teaching helps soothe the would-be Queen's discomfort.
"'W-where a-are my b-bow.' Is that right? Did I say it right?"
"That depends. Are you asking me where my bow is at, or are you asking where yours is at?"
"I'm trying to ask you where your bow is at because it isn't with you."
"Oh! Just so you know, you're doing well. Using 'where' for this question is right. The last time you asked, you used 'what', so you're improving. The only problem is that you used 'my'. What did I say about 'I, me, and my' the last time?"
"That I only use those when I'm talking about myself?"
"Exactly! What else did I say the last time you tried to ask that?"
"That 'where' is all about the location of something. 'What' is asking someone to explain something."
"Yep! I'm glad you remembered. Great job!"
Caen, although he is excited about learning English, appears exhausted. Picking up on this, the redhead chuckles. "If you want to go play and try again later, you can. This isn't school. I'm not holding you captive here."
The boy shrugs. "Okay. I'm going to go play Capture the Qwerthzig with my new friends!"
"Okay, kiddo. Have fun."
This leaves Damiana sitting against the nearest wall beside Tenna. Tenna has a needle and thread out, clearly hard at work sewing a garment of some sort. Damiana, however, merely sits. For the first time today, she doesn't feel sick. The girl is afraid that if she moves a muscle, it will lead to several more hours of sickness. Roy is pacing the main deck, clearly lethargic and trying to think of something to do to occupy his time. This is when Tenna surprises them both.
"'Wh-ere is y-your b-bow?'. Is that how Caen was supposed to say it? 'Where is your bow?'"
The Titans gawk at the mountaineer as if she were a talking, two-headed, grizzly bear.
"Sweet Fates! You said it perfectly!"
"Of course I did! Just because I don't want to learn English doesn't mean that I'm incapable. If Caen is so determined to perfect the skill, then I may as well learn it too so that I can help him."
The archer smirks. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist. You're softer than you look, Tenna."
The lady scowls. "I'm not soft. Just practical." Turning to the girl, she asks, "Damiana, what's 'ril' in English?"
"'Ril'... You mean thread? Why would you want to know how to say 'thread'?"
"Just tell me!"
"Alright, fine. 'Ril' is 'thread'. 'Th-read'. If it helps, 'rilit' is pronounced 'needle'. 'Need-le'. So, if I were to describe what you're doing in Roy's language, I would say 'You are sewing with a needle and thread'."
"Thank you, Damiana." Tenna clears her throat. With slow, clear, pronunciation, she asks, "'Can I h-ave th-read?'"
A pile of brightly colored thread sits between them. Sapphire blue, sky blue, crimson, sunshine yellow, emerald green, as well as plain colors such as gray and brown. Tenna points at the sapphire blue, which Damiana gives to her. To both of their surprises, this next statement is also in English.
"'Thank you Roy and Damiana'." In her own language, the lady adds, "Xaerintinos."
Later, in the dead of night while the adolescents are in their hammocks trying to sleep, Roy asks a question. This inquiry is more astonishing than any of the inquiries made by Caen or Tenna today.
"Damiana, what is that thing that Tenna said? Xaerintinos? I should know, but I have no clue what that word means."
"It's okay if you don't know. Xaerintinos doesn't have an English translation, so language transference didn't pass it. The best way to explain it is as a sentiment. It means thank you, but it's a stronger sentiment than thank you. Whenever I've heard someone use it, they are telling the other person that they are indebted to them. So….if I were to invent my own English translation for Xaerintinos…I would say it means 'I owe you a great debt'."
The archer scoffs. "If it was Tenna of all people saying that she owes us a great debt, then she was probably being sarcastic."
"Who knows? Maybe she was."
It is difficult for the would-be Queen to sleep tonight. For once, it is not the seasickness and the smell of bodily fluids that destroys her slumber, but rather, the mountaineer's puzzling sentiments.
A/N: Thank you for reading! I originally had a lot more packed into this chapter, but then I decided to space the events out a bit. I wanted to put more emphasis on their visit to Province Five just because of how tragic this province's destruction was to the Dabnodian people. It is also something that is meant to help develop Damiana's character. In the coming chapters, our main character is going to be very much at war with herself, and I thought that this would be a good place to plant the seeds of fear and confusion in her. That scene where they built the pyre in Province Five was something that I added after writing this chapter, so I hope it was worth it and that it wasn't too dark. After all, this story is rated M for a reason.
Also, what did you think of this chapter overall? I know it has been a while since I last posted, so I hope it was worth the wait. Regardless, thank you for taking the time to read my story! Until next time.
Forever and always,
~OCQ