be cursed.
“Anyways, we’ll be in port within the next four hours, actually. When the storm pushed passed it gave us some good wind,” Titus added, rasping his knuckles against the wood of the ship. Just as soon as he’d gone below deck, he reemerge topside again.
Alexandra shot a glance to Cass, mouthing her concern over whether or not Titus was reliable. He was crass and he seemed the sort that would sell her up river given the chance and the right offer. The red maned woman offered a kindly shrug.
“Titus is a wee bit rough ‘round the edges, but he’s reliable.” Cass answered the unasked question. Alexandra kept her reservations about Titus, but she would follow Cass’ lead.
Four hours seemed to pass by quickly for Alexandra. Her body mostly curled in the fetal position on the cheap burlap sacks that they had called a bed. A far cry from the comfort Tullius had offered her. And yet, even her simple bed at home seemed worlds more suitable than this. For all things Alexandra had to admire Cass. The woman never uttered a single complaint the duration of their voyage. Cass did not grow sick, and she did not have trouble sleeping like Alexandra had.
Soon the ship pulled into harbor—a harbor in yet another distant land. The farthest Alexandra had ever been from home. She rose above from the lower deck, shielding herself from the sunlight again. A city far larger than any she had ever witnessed bled into life, its immense size dwarfing even Tripolis by comparison.
“Welcome to the Jewel of the Nile Valley, Alexandria” Cass whispered into her ear, a chill running up her spine.
“It’s amazing,” She replied in barely a hushed whisper.
“Not so amazing, really. Used to be the Empire’s breadbasket, but the first sight of trouble and they turned traitor,” Titus interjected, spitting off the side of the boat. “Sooner we’re out of this dump, the better.”
“We’ve friends here, Titus. The Frumentarii maintain a strong presence in the Nile still, even if we don’t take to braggin’ about it. We’ll be safe for a while, but as much as I hate to say it, ya do have a good point. The sooner we’re able to leave, the better.”
Alexandra paused. "'We’re?' What did he mean by 'We’re’?” A distressed look crossed her face as she stared Cass down. The fierce redhead was, for once, left in silence, only mouthing 'oh' as a response.
“Ooooh!” Cass suddenly blurted, “I forgot to tell ya. I had a word with Titus here when you were indisposed. He’s been a loyal servant of the Empire, even if he’s a bit of a pira—”
“I prefer the term ‘freelancer,’” Titus Interjected
“Right, even if he’s a bit of a freelancer. My people’ve had their eyes on him. He’s agreed to serve ya.”
There was a grin on the man’s face, a grin that Alexandra couldn’t quite say she appreciated. He stared upon her as if she were something otherworldly, a look that made her want to withdraw into herself. She wasn’t special. She was just a shepherd girl. Regardless of whomever's ill begotten child she happened to be.
“Never really thought you’d actually be a Princess,” Titus uttered, still grinning.
“Don't-call-me-that,” she hissed in reply. The Captain laughed as his crew berthed the ship and Alexandra retreated to Cass’ other side. The redhead simply chuckled, her head shaking in amusement.
“It’d be best if ya didn’t tell the crew yet, Captain,” Cass added as she draped an arm around Alexandra’s shoulders.
Look how they flock to you already. They see a light in you. They see a savior. But a savior isn’t what is needed. Light isn’t what is needed. Untempered strength. That is what this world lacks. Direction. The voice inside her mind was louder than ever. What was once a faint whisper had grown louder. It was an old voice. A wise voice. A powerful voice ... and yet, a familiar one. The voice was part of her now, and while it had once seemed a disconnected,
“Anyways, we’ll be in port within the next four hours, actually. When the storm pushed passed it gave us some good wind,” Titus added, rasping his knuckles against the wood of the ship. Just as soon as he’d gone below deck, he reemerge topside again.
Alexandra shot a glance to Cass, mouthing her concern over whether or not Titus was reliable. He was crass and he seemed the sort that would sell her up river given the chance and the right offer. The red maned woman offered a kindly shrug.
“Titus is a wee bit rough ‘round the edges, but he’s reliable.” Cass answered the unasked question. Alexandra kept her reservations about Titus, but she would follow Cass’ lead.
Four hours seemed to pass by quickly for Alexandra. Her body mostly curled in the fetal position on the cheap burlap sacks that they had called a bed. A far cry from the comfort Tullius had offered her. And yet, even her simple bed at home seemed worlds more suitable than this. For all things Alexandra had to admire Cass. The woman never uttered a single complaint the duration of their voyage. Cass did not grow sick, and she did not have trouble sleeping like Alexandra had.
Soon the ship pulled into harbor—a harbor in yet another distant land. The farthest Alexandra had ever been from home. She rose above from the lower deck, shielding herself from the sunlight again. A city far larger than any she had ever witnessed bled into life, its immense size dwarfing even Tripolis by comparison.
“Welcome to the Jewel of the Nile Valley, Alexandria” Cass whispered into her ear, a chill running up her spine.
“It’s amazing,” She replied in barely a hushed whisper.
“Not so amazing, really. Used to be the Empire’s breadbasket, but the first sight of trouble and they turned traitor,” Titus interjected, spitting off the side of the boat. “Sooner we’re out of this dump, the better.”
“We’ve friends here, Titus. The Frumentarii maintain a strong presence in the Nile still, even if we don’t take to braggin’ about it. We’ll be safe for a while, but as much as I hate to say it, ya do have a good point. The sooner we’re able to leave, the better.”
Alexandra paused. "'We’re?' What did he mean by 'We’re’?” A distressed look crossed her face as she stared Cass down. The fierce redhead was, for once, left in silence, only mouthing 'oh' as a response.
“Ooooh!” Cass suddenly blurted, “I forgot to tell ya. I had a word with Titus here when you were indisposed. He’s been a loyal servant of the Empire, even if he’s a bit of a pira—”
“I prefer the term ‘freelancer,’” Titus Interjected
“Right, even if he’s a bit of a freelancer. My people’ve had their eyes on him. He’s agreed to serve ya.”
There was a grin on the man’s face, a grin that Alexandra couldn’t quite say she appreciated. He stared upon her as if she were something otherworldly, a look that made her want to withdraw into herself. She wasn’t special. She was just a shepherd girl. Regardless of whomever's ill begotten child she happened to be.
“Never really thought you’d actually be a Princess,” Titus uttered, still grinning.
“Don't-call-me-that,” she hissed in reply. The Captain laughed as his crew berthed the ship and Alexandra retreated to Cass’ other side. The redhead simply chuckled, her head shaking in amusement.
“It’d be best if ya didn’t tell the crew yet, Captain,” Cass added as she draped an arm around Alexandra’s shoulders.
Look how they flock to you already. They see a light in you. They see a savior. But a savior isn’t what is needed. Light isn’t what is needed. Untempered strength. That is what this world lacks. Direction. The voice inside her mind was louder than ever. What was once a faint whisper had grown louder. It was an old voice. A wise voice. A powerful voice ... and yet, a familiar one. The voice was part of her now, and while it had once seemed a disconnected,
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