lost territories.”
Alexandra was quiet. She needed time to think. Without a word she pulled away from Cass and departed alone into the ruins. There was just too much weighing on her in that moment. She had seen the devastation at Tripolis first hand, had seen the way the refugees languished and were mistreated for the benefit of the rich and corrupt. She also saw how quick they were to abandon the Empire, to try and make a deal with the Shahzad Empire in exchange for their own power. Soldiers and politicians, in her brief experience, were all corrupt liars. Petros lied to her. Tullius betrayed the empire. It took sometime before Alexandra had remerged from the depths of the ruins.
“My people suffer, Cass,” she began, a sigh escaping her lips. “I suffer. I have so many questions I wish to ask my father...”
How could he have lied to her all her life? Had he died in Tripolis? She had so many questions still that she had wanted to ask him. Everyone seemed pretty convinced that she bore Imperial blood. She still wasn’t sure what to think herself, but Cass was correct about the people needing someone, anyone to lead them.
“Just because there wasn’t any blood between ya, doesn’t mean he loved ya any less, ya know. He lost his sons in the war, ya know.”
“It helps,” she allowed herself to admit. To think, not even a week ago and all she could concern herself with was the prospect of marriage. Now, the weight of a crumbling Empire weighed heavily on her mind. Chaos encroached upon the lands that evidently rightly belonged to her, and no one would likely even recognize her claim. She didn’t even believe it, honestly.
“We sail south, then.”
Chapter VI
The very Gods themselves seemed to rage against their endeavor.
Their entire journey was met with rough water and unfavorable winds, the ship rising up high on waves, only to be dropped once again upon the violently shifting waters. It took two days for Alexandra to stop losing her stomach, bile spewing from her mouth and into the harsh waters below. Cass seemed genuinely worried about her, but by the fourth day of their cramped voyage her stomach had calmed. By the fifth day the storm had passed them by.
“Finally awake, eh, Princess?” An all too familiar voice echoed, followed by a toothy grin of yellowed teeth.
Whether by misfortune or sheer luck, the two women had managed to catch the Captain just as his ship was ready to depart. They’d all felt the release of magical energy and not a one of them liked the idea of staying on the island longer than necessary. She learned on the second day of this fresh new hell that his name was Titus, and she only knew that because one of the sailors yelled it in a rage when she had thrown up all over him while asking to see the Captain. Their discomfort aside, Cass had refused to tell Titus what had happened on the island, it was probably for the best.
She glared daggers at Titus, hands upon her stomach. Gods how she’d wished the journey was over already. He wasn’t the noblest of men nor had the journey been terribly soothing.
“How much longer is it going to take?” Alexandra demanded, hand covering her mouth as she felt the retching urge to vomit once more. This time she fought it back.
“Depends on the weather.” He shrugged. “Neptune’s not been favoring your crossing. The men think you’re cursed, Princess. Saying that we’re all going to drown. Some even whisper that the Kraken is hunting you.”
“That’ll do, Captain,” Cass interjected as Titus threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender.
“Ah! It’s just superstition, Cass. I pay it no mind, neither should she.” He jerked his head toward her.
Alexandra paused, glaring at the two. She hated it when people spoke of her as if she weren’t in the room. It was an odd habit that adults always seemed to have. She just kept glaring. Superstition or not, with everything she had seen she was starting to believe she might truly
Alexandra was quiet. She needed time to think. Without a word she pulled away from Cass and departed alone into the ruins. There was just too much weighing on her in that moment. She had seen the devastation at Tripolis first hand, had seen the way the refugees languished and were mistreated for the benefit of the rich and corrupt. She also saw how quick they were to abandon the Empire, to try and make a deal with the Shahzad Empire in exchange for their own power. Soldiers and politicians, in her brief experience, were all corrupt liars. Petros lied to her. Tullius betrayed the empire. It took sometime before Alexandra had remerged from the depths of the ruins.
“My people suffer, Cass,” she began, a sigh escaping her lips. “I suffer. I have so many questions I wish to ask my father...”
How could he have lied to her all her life? Had he died in Tripolis? She had so many questions still that she had wanted to ask him. Everyone seemed pretty convinced that she bore Imperial blood. She still wasn’t sure what to think herself, but Cass was correct about the people needing someone, anyone to lead them.
“Just because there wasn’t any blood between ya, doesn’t mean he loved ya any less, ya know. He lost his sons in the war, ya know.”
“It helps,” she allowed herself to admit. To think, not even a week ago and all she could concern herself with was the prospect of marriage. Now, the weight of a crumbling Empire weighed heavily on her mind. Chaos encroached upon the lands that evidently rightly belonged to her, and no one would likely even recognize her claim. She didn’t even believe it, honestly.
“We sail south, then.”
Chapter VI
The very Gods themselves seemed to rage against their endeavor.
Their entire journey was met with rough water and unfavorable winds, the ship rising up high on waves, only to be dropped once again upon the violently shifting waters. It took two days for Alexandra to stop losing her stomach, bile spewing from her mouth and into the harsh waters below. Cass seemed genuinely worried about her, but by the fourth day of their cramped voyage her stomach had calmed. By the fifth day the storm had passed them by.
“Finally awake, eh, Princess?” An all too familiar voice echoed, followed by a toothy grin of yellowed teeth.
Whether by misfortune or sheer luck, the two women had managed to catch the Captain just as his ship was ready to depart. They’d all felt the release of magical energy and not a one of them liked the idea of staying on the island longer than necessary. She learned on the second day of this fresh new hell that his name was Titus, and she only knew that because one of the sailors yelled it in a rage when she had thrown up all over him while asking to see the Captain. Their discomfort aside, Cass had refused to tell Titus what had happened on the island, it was probably for the best.
She glared daggers at Titus, hands upon her stomach. Gods how she’d wished the journey was over already. He wasn’t the noblest of men nor had the journey been terribly soothing.
“How much longer is it going to take?” Alexandra demanded, hand covering her mouth as she felt the retching urge to vomit once more. This time she fought it back.
“Depends on the weather.” He shrugged. “Neptune’s not been favoring your crossing. The men think you’re cursed, Princess. Saying that we’re all going to drown. Some even whisper that the Kraken is hunting you.”
“That’ll do, Captain,” Cass interjected as Titus threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender.
“Ah! It’s just superstition, Cass. I pay it no mind, neither should she.” He jerked his head toward her.
Alexandra paused, glaring at the two. She hated it when people spoke of her as if she weren’t in the room. It was an odd habit that adults always seemed to have. She just kept glaring. Superstition or not, with everything she had seen she was starting to believe she might truly
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