Chapter 7
"urgh my belly" Ravi held his tummy tightly.
Thalia laughed loudly "It was fun yesterday though."
"let's go to that village, oh no- I'm gonna barf!" Ravi said covering his mouth.
"yeah no thanks- let's go guys" Thalia said pulling us away from poor Ravi.
Other POV
"Urgh, I hate this job." The man cracked his whip. "They keep escaping into the rivers and lakes."
"Tell me about it," another spat. "If one more slip past me again- I will lose it" he warned, his head moving towards the people in the wagon.
The wagon groaned loudly from all the passengers on it. From inside, young women burst free, sprinting in all directions, screaming someone's name.
"Ayisha! Ayisha!" A desperate voice cried, stumbling toward the travellers. "Please—have you seen her? Purple eyes, my daughter, she's about the height of that boy there and—she's about his age—" tears blurred her frantic gaze as she begged Thalia.
Thalia shook her head, voice soft. "I'm sorry. I haven't seen her. But I can help find her?"
"There she is!" my colleagues roared, running towards her.
The mother shrieked, trying to run, but a bunch middle aged men, young men and animals slithered around the lady. Her cries echoed through the clearing. "My daughter! Let me go!"
We left no time for the travellers to react. I wanted to clean up the mess that lady was spreading.
I looked up at the travellers, wanting to give them a fake story so they don't worry too much.
And then I saw her.
Princess Thalia with the black-haired girl and a little boy. The girls skin glowed like scales, as patched gills plastered on her face. A mermaid.
I clanked my whip sharply. The smell of iron filled the air as I leapt from the trees, landing before the princess, arms spread. A sharp whistle escaped my lips. From the shadows, three figures emerged, weapons gleaming.
We circled the princess, the child, and the mermaid.
"don't mind me princess, I need this mermaid."
I watched as the mermaid quickly shove the little boy behind her.
I glared at the frightened mermaid. "This mermaid, the king wants it. I heard it has a gem. Maybe if I get it I'll be rich for life." I laughed in my head.
"S-" the princess tried to speak. But couldn't
I threw my whip across the dusty floor. I planned to wrap the whip around her body. Before the whip could reach her. I was interrupted.
"no you don't!" a boy spoke out before some vines tangled around me.
"Where the hell?" I grit my teeth.
"let them go, in fact let them all go, you aren't taking anyone" his hands glowed as his vines tightened around my body. I signalled my colleagues to attack him.
I watched as they slithered behind him, all of a sudden, the boy's hand glowed even brighter as a big sunflower swallowed my colleagues.
They all screamed out in confusion. Nothing is going according to plan! All my mermaids are escaping!
I lost all hope. The king would kill me.
"no" a familiar voice darkened. I recognised the voice.
My eyes danced around the huge leaf. The leaf only showed the figures body. Their face covered by the enormous leaf.
A sudden fog filled the air. And I recognised it; with glee I watched as the vines weakened around me. I hurriedly pushed the boy aside before joining my colleagues, helping them out of the sunflower.
I laughed "finally! Have fun kids!"
RAVI POV-
Did these fools think they can hide from me? I mocked in my head before chanting my spell in my head.
Suddenly my vision was covered by fog, I could only see two beings on top of the tree, with a huge leaf nearly covering their body. My magic was weakened in an instant.
THALIA POV-
I paused. "oh no, I know that voice" I thought. But something wasn't adding up. Without hesitation I slammed my fist on the ground, watching as the ground split into two. I then pulled out a huge rock around Nerina Kian and Ravi.
The voice laughed evilly. "I found you all" the voice pierced venomously.
"can everyone breathe, okay?" I asked.
"um yeah. Why what's wrong?" Nerina questioned
"nothing, I just want to make sure of something, Ravi, use your magic to produce oxygen, you know plants that are good at that."
"okay!" I watched as Ravi started with magic.
"you all can't do your jobs correctly." A voice echoed angrily. "you're all so useless!"
"come on. We should hurry" another voice spoke. However I didn't fully recognise this voice, it sounded very… unknown.
I heard lots of movement, screams and wagons shifting in a hurry, then silence.
"are they gone?" Nerina asked.
"yeah. I think we're in the clear. " I replied, kicking the vines and rocks away "yep! We're safe!" my tone changed again "now who wants to go on the swings!" I desperately tried to distract everyone, hoping we would never see them again.
"me! Me!" Kian jumped with his hands in the air. I grabbed him on my back before running towards swings.
"hey wait! I want to join! Wait you two!" Ravi trailed behind us.
NERINA POV-
"Am I the only one wondering why Lia reacted like that?" I muttered. who were those people?
I let out a sigh, before pushing my thoughts away. As long as nothing happened. Everything's fine. I dragged my self towards the swings, watching with a faint smile of them having fun.
TIME SKIP- Other POV
After the incident
I crossed pass something I could not explain — an abnormal being, beautifully haunting, yet breath- taking.
Its honey eyes pried into my soul. Its skin glossed like fish scales. Tiny gills plastered on his soft face and arms. The baby cried with discomfort. Turing and wriggling with every wail. Desperate for something.
My big hands moved before I could think. I wrapped him close, humming a low, ridiculous tune until the crying slowed and the tiny fist uncurled.
On that day I named him Kieran. A name that associates with water, classic, isn't it?
Looking back now, he grew at a quick pace— every day, every second- every hour. His curious eyes fascinated by every information, our plans, our kingdom and he learned like a sponge. The supposed one- month- old should have been fragile, is five now, he grows impossibly quick, always nodding, always watching.
The other child — my son — had my face and his mother's persistent attitude. Different, but useful.
"I have a job for you two," I said, voice soft, quietly trailing behind them, my face hid in the moonlight.
"I want you to spy on something, or people, and retrieve somethings. While you two are gone, I'll be helping you in the shadows." I placed my hands on their shoulders. "Make your father proud, okay?" I smiled and sent them off like a proud father.
Everything went according to plan. It always does. I smiled to myself.
PRESENT TIME- RAVI POV-
I decided not to question anything Thalia did, she travels a lot judging by her stories, so it's believable why she shielded us like that.
"guys! I can create a small wagon to send us to the village just 2 days away, with a wagon it's 5 hours!" I spoke proudly.
"that's amazing Ravi! But make sure not to use too much magic!" Thalia spoke
"I won't!" with a deep breath I sat on the floor, pulling in as much energy as I could through my body, feeling the vines, leaves trees mould In my head. After a while I created a small wagon made with my vines and flowers. With one donkey.
"that's insane Ravi! How the hell did you do that!" Thalia beamed, quickly walking in the wagon with Kian wriggling behind her.
"that's impressive." Nerina gasped.
"Thanks everyone." My face flushed slightly. "it should take us 5 hours now. Ladies and children first" I politely guided them inside.
before continuing our travel to silver dust, we stopped at a small village, although there weren't much people, it was chaotic.
it was small, was swamped with people from every direction, owners proudly showing of their goods, some screaming what they had. Cats, dogs and other animals roamed as if they owned the area.
Children screaming and playing, running and bumping into people as some people scolded their mindless behaviour.
THALIA POV-
We are finally here… don't worry, don't worry everyone, if you need anything. I'm your girl, I'll just send a bird to tell my dad to give me some money if I ran out" watching as Kian and Nerina's eyes roamed around the place.
Almost like they haven't seen a village before.
"ah, well, don't worry Thalia, I have some money to last us to silver dust, besides, I can get things from some of the shop owners" Ravi said walking to a merchant. "My mom used to work here so" he continued.
"Ravi! You have grown so tall. And handsome. How's your mother?" a lady with grey hair, quite chubby and black eyes smiled warmly.
"thanks Ma'am. My mother is also fine, she misses all of you" a grin plastered on his face.
"that's good, we miss her to you know? So, is there anything you need today?" the lady continued.
"some clothes for them three. Just casual please" he said
"oo looks like you have found your self some people to travel with" she teased "and a princess, aren't you a lucky fella"
"yeah, just travel companions and my friends! Also, can I have some feathers, I'm making a potion…"
I turned my eyes to see Kian running around, collecting everything in his path, from fruits, to vegetables, clothes twice the size of him and shoes.
"Thalia! Thalia!" He exclaimed. "I want this please!" he pouted
"aww! How can I saw no to that! Here, have 1000 gems, spend it wisely" I giggled. "don't tell anyone about this, it will be our secret!" I whispered in his ear.
"Yayy!" he rejoiced. "Thank you!" his little legs hopped around like an excited bunny.
After nearly a whole day of buying clothes, and essentials, we all entered the wagon again.
RAVI POV-
"hey wait a second, the wagon is heavy" I looked around suspiciously. "who on earth bought lots of things" I sighed walking towards the storage "seriously guys-" I let out a gasp "what!? Apples, mangoes watermelons toys. What!? Kiann!!?" I stomped back to the seat only to see not only Kian but Thalia playing innocent.
"I didn't buy anything… the people gave it to me because I'm so cute!" he replied.
"Yeah, who can resist his innocent charm! He's a cutey!" Thalia added.
"oh, you two" I sighed. "Fine, I'll let it go this time…" I huffed. While they seemed ecstatic. "by the way I need to say something" I added
"do you guys want to enter a school?" I questioned.
"school? they replied
"yes" I explained "a school, if we all go to school, Narina can improve with her magic,
I can to and you Thalia and Kian can improve your strengths."
"hmm. You're right. hmm" Thalia rubbed her cheek. "Yeah, we'll like that.
"mhm, school, sounds nice" Nerina responded.
"okay so, there's a school in central silver dust, since we are nearly at central silver dust, we'll see many students from now until then. I heard they're taking many students to test them; they'll fight against each other and depending on how strong they're they'll be put in high magic classes, low or be kicked out." I said moving the wagon. "Some people just pay to be put in the best classes though, since you're a princess, you could literally pay to be at the top of the ranks. And for Kian, there are day cares specifically for children around his age, it's not far or dangerous, so I feel like that will be good to." I continued. "The competition starts in a few days I think, so we have to hurry"
"hm day care? That's interesting, that means Kian won't be in trouble" Nerina muttered.
"first, I'm not paying my self into the high ranks because that's not fair, secondly, I will try my hardest just like everyone else to get in. lastly. All those points you made, are valid. So, okay, we do need to hurry." Thalia authorised loudly, she folded her arms stubbornly.
"okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'm just used to royals and high classed people buying their way into things, it's shocking actually" I said.
Thalia huffed before replying "well, not that shocking, some royals are different you know. I keep telling you all, I'm not like those obnoxious royals!"
"right sorry… I'll get used to it I promise" I said
"woah! What are these?" I watched as Kian's eyes brightened as he looked in my bag.
"don't touch that, it has my potions and ingredients for potions and stuff. Be careful" I said. "it has, a dragon scale, feathers from many species of birds, scale from the serpent we saw, fire, water, air into a pot, pens and pencils, meat, scales from mer folks and dragons- "
"I think we get it Ravi, that bag has everything" Thalia said.
"yes, it does "my face fluttered slightly. "Anyway..."
A knock interrupted our conversation. I opened the door quietly.
"instead of you kids sleeping out in the freezing cold, you all should come inside. Come on" the old lady smiled warmly.
"of course ma'am" Thalia spoke.
We all moved accordingly. I looked at Nerina carefully. I couldn't help but remember what that mean said. "Sorry princess, but I need that mermaid" mermaid?
I continued to stare, only now realising her gills, I thought they were just dry skin… it might be a lie. I need to remember to tell her later.