The Princess And The Stones

"Cavendalg? Maria, where in Diyla's name is that?"

Simon stared blindly at the map as the map as Maria packed away their things. The night had come and gone spent only with restless tossing and turning and finally, before the early morning son had had time to fully rise, the two were packing to leave again. 

"It's the southern entrance to Karelena, a port city. In my, well, our, situation it's the safest way to go into the country. That, and the first crystal should be right around there." Maria explained in a tone so nonchalant that Simon felt worried butterflies in his stomach.

"The important words being should be." he said with a sigh. He let the map fall to the table and turned to find Maria in a losing fight with the clasp on her bag. "Can you really not figure it out?"

"Shut up, I got it!" she said, still wrestling with the tiny pieces of medal.

"Of course Maria. Now, I've got a question."

Under her breath, she grumbled, "don't you always?" Simon ignored her.

"How do you even know these crystals exist? What if we go all the way to Cavendalg and find, well, nothing?"

She didn't answer and in fact pretended to ignore him. She slung the bag over her right shoulder and threw Simon's roughly at his chest. "Well, come on, Oreon is probably waiting for us."

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If there was a trait that Zarina had inherited from her parents, it was jealousy. It was what made her family submit themselves as servants to the king and queen so many decades ago, it was what had put their marriage in peril, it was what ate her alive inside every time another girl got just an inch too close to her sweet prince, Oreon.

Especially that lying tart Princess Esmaeiria Halin of Karelena.

"Master, I don't think this is wise." she warned.

The young prince shrugged, his main focus in the stable boy who saddled up his horse. "You'd best watch out Rinku, he'll nip you in a heartbeat!"

"Master!" Zarina shouted, flying right up to Oreon's ear. 

He shooed her off like an insect. "You worry far too much Rina, I know exactly what I'm doing. I'll be back in a few weeks, at the most, with my lovely bride once again, a document saying I'm second in line, and you as my, hmm, lady in waiting."

"But Master, men don't have ladies in waiting."

"Well then, we'll start a trend, won't we?" he said pleasantly. Perhaps a bit too pleasantly. It bothered Zarina to see him this happy over the nearly shattered fragment that the naive boy might withstand a chance with a girl who hadn't loved him, didn't love him, and wouldn't love him.

"What have you been drinking?" she asked suspiciously.

 "Paromu, nothing else. Dreadful tasting stuff it is, but it does wake one up." he replied before turning his attention back to Rinku. "All ready, is he?"

"Yes sir," Rinku replied as he brushed strands of brown hair from his face, "Just go easy on the old' boy, he ain't used to runnin' after all this time."

"Thank you, boy. Once Miss Harmoniac's mare is ready to go, you may have the rest of the morning off."

"Thank ya sir!" the younger boy replied.

"And Zarina?"

"Yes master!" she asked eagerly.

"Go check on 'Maria' and that boy with her, we leave in half an hour."

Zarina grumbled hateful comments to herself as she flew out the door, crashing into a wall of worn blue cotton. 

The wall, Simon she realized, apologized and held out his hand her her to rest on. 

"Not necessary, we're right here." Maria announced.

"Good, Rin, get the horse ready, while leave within half an hour."

"Preferably sooner." Maria added.

"What's the rush?" Simon asked.

With a simple shrug, she said. "Captain Cee is the last person you EVER want to keep waiting."

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Getting to Ca Varin, the port where Captain Cee had promised to meet them, was quite easy. Like most of Asiati, only flat fields separated one town from the next. Where the trouble arose was getting in to the town.

Blocking the town gate was a auburn horse, a dark haired girl hiding her face behind a riding helmet. The skirt of her dress covered most of the horse with its many layers.

"Talia? What are you doing here?" Oreon asked as his sister tipped eye helmet away.

"Coming with you!" she replied brightly, "I have no clue where you might be headed together or why, but I want to come, so I am."

Simon bit his lip. "Oreon, it's not safe--"

"No,no, let her come," he said with a smirk, "she's scared of boats though."

"I've conquered my fear." she said proudly.

"Eh, have you know?" he brother teased.

"Aye."

"Well then, let's board the ship, shall we?" Maria said with a smile. "Come on Oreon, Zalius is getting tired of standing."

Maria cracked the reins and Sonia took off flying, Oreon and talia chasing after them as they raced to the port. Soft squeals were heard from Zarina, who clung tightly to Oreon's collar, praying for dear life.

"That's Cee's boat there!" She pointed to the only boat at port. "I'd recognize it anywhere! The note from the pigeon says to tie the horses and climb aboard, they'll bring them to the horse deck later."

"Sounds simple enough." Simon said as he hoped off Sonia, landing on he ground with a light thud. 

"Don't things always until you do them?" Maria asked, tying Sonia carefully to a post.

She then turned to a rope ladder dangling from the side. Taking a running start, she jumped up and narrowly caught he ropes and began to pull herself up. One by one the others followed, each waiting and watching for the next after they'd richer the top.

Talia, the last to come up, starred terrified between the others at something behind them. Before anyone had the opportunity to look, a gruff voice yelled out, "On me mark mateys!"

Surrounding them were men, women, even a teenaged girl armed with curved swords.

"Maria!"

"yes?" she squeaked nervously.

"You brought us on a pirate ship!?"