The Sea Orb

CHAPTER 14

"Tell me about those sea creatures first," Marin spoke looking at Ian who was sitting opposite to her. Right now they were sitting in some Inn's restaurant. Ian furrowed his brows a little concentrating on the glass of beer in front of him.

"What you saw back then wasn't a recent occurrence." He trailed off making Marin raise her brow in question.

"It started a long way back. Maybe 7 years or so." He muttered vaguely while Marin flinched at the mention.

"The time pirates were executed?" Marin whispered slowly but enough for Ian to here. Ian nodded his head at that.

"Did you ever wonder why the pirates got caught so easily?" He asked while Marin looked at him in confusion.

"You cannot catch a pirate when he is in the sea right? So, what forced him to come back to the land?" Ian questioned while Marin frowned but kept mum.

"The sea creatures," Ian paused for a minute and took a sip from the beer.

"I don't know what they are exactly. But I do know one thing If you ever see them abandon your course." He spoke rubbing the handle of the glass.

"I have seen a lot of fishermen die for the past 7 years. And pirates are almost extinct." He chuckled sarcastically while Marin could see the sadness in his eyes clearly.

"There are still some." She muttered while Ian looked at her with mockery.

"Yeah! in hiding." He scoffed while Marin frowned at his tone.

"Pirates have no place, Marin. Neither on the land nor in the sea." Seeing her in deep thoughts, Ian slowly stood up and turned around to go.

"And where do you think you are going?" She muttered crossing her legs and tilted her head with a smirk.

Distracting me with a serious conversation and trying to escape! Who did he think I was?

Marin scoffed seeing Ian coming back to his seat with a defeated expression.

"What more do you want?" He asked her with a frown.

"Tell me how to earn a large amount of money easily in this town and I will let you go." Marin bargained while Ian looked at her in confusion.

"Why do you need money?" He asked while Marin raised her brow.

"None of your damn business." She spoke with a fake smile while Ian rolled his eyes.

"Alright, there is an arena here in the middle of the town. You can get money by betting and fighting." He spoke while Marin rubbed her chin.

"Which gets more money? Betting or fighting?"

"Fighting obviously." He spoke scoffing while Marin grinned.

"Alright, you can go." Marin waved him off while Ian stomped his foot in anger as he left from there.

Now that the money is solved, I have to get on with the other things.

Marin thought as she gulped down her beer and left after paying for it.

~.~

Meanwhile, Johnathan and Elijah were walking down an alleyway.

"Ya sure It's the right way?" Johnathan asked Elijah who nodded his head expressionlessly.

They arrived at the end of the alleyway to see a worn-out house. Looking at that, Johnathan scratched his head.

"Ya sure, It's the right house?" Johnathan asked Elijah who again nodded his head expressionlessly making Johnathan sigh.

"Alight," Johnathan knocked the door thrice when they heard a loud noise.

The door opened a few minutes later revealing a short boy with round looking goggles and messy hair. He was even shorter than Johnathan who looked at him with a smile.

"Hey, kid. Can you call your dad?" Johnathan asked while the boy looked at him with a fake smile.

"You're 20 years late old man." The boy spoke and was about to close the door when Elijah stopped it with his hand. That's why the boy noticed the huge guy and frowned.

"Kailum?" Elijah questioned expressionlessly.

"State your business." He muttered harshly while Johnathan made an 'oh' face.

"We need someone to analyze our ship's damage and estimate the cost of repairs," Elijah spoke while Kailum nodded his head thinking for a minute.

"Well, I will be there tomorrow morning. I need to deal with something at the moment." Kailum spoke.

Although he had a bad personality he definitely wouldn't let it affect his business.

"Alright." Elijah nodded his head at Kailum who humphed while Johnathan was silent.

"Can I ask ya somethin'" Johnathan questioned while Kailum frowned but still nodded his head at him.

"How old are you? 16?" He questioned while Kailum huffed at Jonathan with a glare and shut the door on his face.

"Aye! That was rude." Jonathan spoke startled at the sudden noise while Elijah looked at him blankly for a second.

"He's 30," Elijah spoke while Jonathan raised his brow at him.

"How did ya know?" He asked turning back towards the alleyway while Elijah followed him.

"I picked it up at the market." He spoke while Jonathan nodded his head. They both made their way back to the ship.

~.~

The arena was situated in the heart of the town. Covering almost as much land as her eye could see. There were all these tall pillars engraved with some ancient designs. And the ground was full of rough mud, naturally suitable for any kind of fight.

Maybe that's why they called it the death circle. The winner of the match is really easy to decide.

You have three options.

1) Surrender.

2) Beat the opponent until he surrenders.

3) Kill him or you die.

I also need to go back and see who else is interested in entering the Arena.

Marin knew she had major things to do other than looking around the Arena. She needs to oversee everyone's work and then there was that thing about recruiting people. More specifically one person - Ian.

He knows about all these things and then there was his ability to map. She had to get him on board. But knowing him, it would be as difficult as making the prince obedient.

Shit! Why was she even thinking about the prince? This guy has turned out to be a pain in her head.

She rubbed her forehead with a sigh and turned to leave for the ship. The Arena can wait. She needs to settle his issue first.

~.~

Xavier opened his eyes trying to adjust to the light. He sat upright as much as his tired body could allow and leaned on the wall.

Damn! He was still here. How much he wished all this to be just a bloody nightmare.

He sighed throwing his head back. His hands were still tied up. Perhaps they tied him up when he fell asleep.

He could still remember yesterday's events. The banquet was going all too well though he refused to be a part.

After his mother's demise, he seldom had any social interaction with others. His father, uncle, and Sir Raymond were the only constants of his life.

Sigh! That night he was looking at the crown...

Wait! He stood up. The crown... He frantically looked at the surroundings to spot the age-old crown. But it was nowhere in sight.

Someone must have taken it. He thought horrified as he bit his lip nervously.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. He turned around to find George and Renne with some food. "You have been empty stomach for half a day and then with all that vomiting. You might as well do with some food." Renne spoke while Xavier raised his hands to show the ropes on his hand.

"I don't think I would be able to eat like this." He spoke mockingly. He knew it was utter stupidity to mock your kidnappers but what could he do. He had no idea why the hell was he here in the first place...? As far as he could remember never had any enmity with pirates to receive such hospitality.

And on top of that, they weren't even telling him why they brought him to the ship in the first place. Combine that with hunger and there he was Xavier the snappy prince.

"Is that so your highness... Any other orders... Should we drop you safely to your daddy dearest's loving arms?" A snide remark came piercing him. He didn't need to look in her direction to know who it was.

Marin. From the time he met her, he knew she was hostile towards him and had even greater hostility towards his father. Her every mocking remark and ever sharp glares were proof enough that if not for her self control he would have been six feet under long back.

Was it even possible to have so much hatred for a stranger?

He turned towards her and sure enough there she was looking straight at him. Her green eyes appearing even darker in the shade.

Trying to read him? he shook his head. If she was Marin then he too was Xavier Atkins, prince of Amaris. He wouldn't back down from a challenge. And she was surely turning out to be one.

Seeing him holding her gaze Marin raised her eyebrow with a sly smirk on her face.

So he knows how to play the game.

Renne looked between Marin and Xavier trying to understand why the conversation turned out from untieing the ropes to a death stare match. She shook her head at the stubborn heads and decided to intervene. "Okay enough of this staring down... And Marin we need to untie his ropes so he can have food." Marin opened her mouth to speak something when Renne continued further "Besides only one hand would be open and if he tries something then you are there right."

Marin looked away sighing. She knew she was being childish but seeing the kin of the man who destroyed her family was not making her see sense. Her ire kept increasing every time the snobbish prince spoke.

Xavier on the other hand grinned. Although it was not exactly a win, seeing her conceding her defeat did give him some satisfaction. The rest of the lunch was too happy and content for him.

After some time everyone left the cabin to attend to their works. Everyone except her of course. He saw her standing up from her place eyeing him dangerously. He narrowed his icy blue eyes seeing her advancing towards him. She stood in front of him bending down to his eye level while he sat on his bed looking at her warily. Seeing her just tieing up his hands made him take a sigh of relief.

But that was short-lived as she continued to look at him "I know what you are playing at Prince. So take this as a warning and stop." She paused.

"Stop before you regret it. There is no way in hell that you can escape from here. No point in trying. Get it." She spoke moving away from him.

"Why?" He spoke looking at her expressionless face. Her face gave away nothing. It never did.

"You know the answer to that question, don't you?" Marin spoke tilting her head to the side. He knew.

How? The only thing he knew was that she had some kind of enmity with him and his father. Wait. Father.

"Is it because of my father? " he whispered looking at the floor but she heard it.

"Sadly yes. He ain't that good of a ruler as you think he is." With that, she left from there leaving him in a mess. A mess of conflicting emotions.

~.~

She had said too much. He shouldn't have known about it. Not now at least. Marin thought as she paced across her cabin.

She had already sent Buddy to hear the situation at the general's side. She took a few breaths and looked around the cabin. Her father's cabin.

For some reason standing here made her feel so small and immature like a kid trying to play an adult's game. There were so many variables.

There is clearly something happening. It has been going on for the past 7 years but would she be able to unveil it.

All the strings are tangled right now. There's too much unknown and the little they know is not enough to plan their next step.

She needs to think this through again. All the steps. There is too much at stake now. And she had to get this right. She couldn't afford anything less.

~.~