The Sea Orb

CHAPTER 9

The streets were bustling with people as the banquet came closer. Still, five days were left for the D-day, Ladies can be seen crowding near every boutique. Young girls giggling in groups with their fluffy brightly colored hand fans talking in their supposedly hushed tones. Even though she could hear it very well even from such distance.

As she stood a few inches behind them near a bread shop with her head buried in the newspaper which she 'borrowed' from a kind gentleman when he wasn't looking.

"Have you guys heard that the prince has come from Zemira yesterday?" A girl in a blue gown shrieked giggling to herself.

"Really? I heard he has been negotiating about the peace treaty right." Another girl spoke up.

"Yes, he is so accomplished even at 20. Most of all, he is sooo handsomeee." A girl spoke blushing. while Marin cringed.

"I have heard that he is supposed to choose his bride at this banquet?" The girl in the peach-colored dress spoke with excitement clearly written on her face.

"I can't wait for the banquet... I just hope he notices me. Just once." The girl in the blue spoke with a dreamy sigh.

A shiver went through her, Marin had enough of this gushing and blushing. Anyways, it was time for her to leave. She had collected the address of the next person in their crew from Jonathan. It was Dominic's.

She had no particular memories about this one but she knew eventually she would remember something or the other. She needed to just give it some time. And even if she doesn't remember it was never too late to get to know someone. Especially her crew.

~.~

Standing in front of Dominic's doorstep, Marin for a second felt a sense of deja vu. Before her nerves influenced her, she rang the doorbell and waited. After a few mins, Nothing happened. She frowned and rang again but it was futile too.

She went to the adjacent house and rang their doorbell. A few mins later, a middle-aged lady opened the door.

"Yes?" The lady spoke frowning looking at the stranger.

"I was wondering if you knew anything about the man who lives next door... He doesn't seem to be at home." Marin spoke nervously. Phew! Talking to strangers was damn difficult.

"As far as I know he is supposed to be in Oakhelm." The lady spoke frowning.

"Oakhelm?" Marin questioned.

"yes... Every month he travels to Oakhelm for a few days. I don't know the reason though." She spoke.

"Ohh... Thank you for your help." Marin spoke while the lady just nodded and closed the door.

Marin walked towards the main road and sighed with her shoulders slumped. She needs to travel to Oakhelm.

She reached her inn to see the innkeeper engrossed in his work sitting behind his wooden work table. The first time she was here she didn't notice it. Above him on the wall was a painting of a ship. It would look like any normal ship unless you look closely. It was a pirate ship.

But why did the innkeeper hang a pirate ship's painting?

She frowned at that thought. It wasn't her place to ask.

She shook her head and left to her room. As she fell on the bed with her arms resting behind her head. She wondered. Why a pirate ship? She knew every person's life has a tale. And she was curious. Was the ship the inn keeper's story?

~.~

Half an hour in the carriage that was supposed to take her to Springfield, Marin was bored. She had the perfect idea in her mind when it came to rescuing the ship. But when the thoughts tuned back to Dominic she was entirely clueless. And this was what she feared. At least at the time of Renne, she remembered her. But now she had no clue of the person Dominic once was or who he might have become now.

The rest of the journey was pretty much the same. She was once again back in the shadow market. This time along with taking Renne and Hopper to Oakhelm, she had one more task in hand. Taking a deep breath she put on her most confident face as she walked through the merchant stalls. She couldn't let anyone know that this was, in fact, her first time bargaining for something.

She looked around a few more and noticed a little less crowded stall. The merchant was smoking tobacco from his pipe humming an age-old melody. She went near him and coughed.

He looked in her direction "What is a young pretty looking girl like you doing here my dear?" He questions brazenly.

"I want to sell something," She spoke sternly.

"Sell?" He raised his eyebrows. "I am not interested in your pretty jewelry, but if it's you then I might consider," He spoke nonchalantly but his eyes sized her up.

"No, not the jewelry and CERTAINLY not myself." Marin gritted. "A dress." She spoke.

"Not interested." He spoke making a hand gesture asking her to leave.

"Even if it was the commander's uniform," Marin spoke smirking.

He took a second to process the information and questioned "And how do YOU have it?"

"It doesn't matter how but it is genuine. I need to know if you are interested in it or I can ask someone else." She spoke weighing her words.

Seeing him still lost in thought, she shrugged and turned around to leave when she heard him yell "Wait!"

She smirked a little but quickly covered it up and turned.

"Let's see how much are you willing to pay?" She spoke in a business-like tone.

An hour later, Marin walked out of the shadow market with her hands occasionally tapping her inner pockets where stacks of bills were kept. She knew the commander's uniform would sell well. But that well. She never expected. The smile on her face widened almost wickedly. With this money, she was sure buying the ship would be no problem.

~.~

Dropping Renne and Hopper in Callum's merchant house, she traveled to Jonathan's house. Before she could enter the house she heard numerous yells.

Seems like Uncle John was the one doing most of the yelling but who was the other one. She thought.

"I can't believe you would say that... What had happened to you, Dominic?" Yelled a furious Jonathan.

"I don't care what you think but being a pirate cost me my best friend... I lost Vivian. That was the time I decided I would never go back to the cursed ship again." Dominic sternly replied.

She peeped inside to see a man probably in his early 20's. She looked at his face. He looked familiar like she had seen him somewhere. But where?

"Cursed?" Jonathan spoke in disbelief.

"Yes, it is for me. If you want to believe Marin and return then it's your wish. I will not be following you guys." He spoke with finality.

Jonathan wanted to say something but he felt the presence of some other person there. He turned to the door and found Marin and widened his eyes.

"Marin." He whispered in horror.

Dominic too snapped his head to see a girl with green eyes looking at them.

Captain Neil's daughter. She does resemble him a lot. He thought.

Marin sighed and went to her room to get something. Jonathan looked dumbfounded but waited for her to return.

Marin quickly appeared before them and walked towards them "I know you have your reasons to refuse us and we respect them... If you don't wish to join us we won't force you." She paused to see his expression which was unchanged.

"You said it was cursed. The ship. Then I would like to ask if that was the case then why are you visiting it once in a month?" Marin spoke with a small smile while Dominic looked at her shocked.

She held his hand and placed the binoculars she found in his open palm "I assume this is yours?"

She let go of his hand and spoke up "I saw you looking at devil's snare from a distance. Just ask your self even after all that, why do you keep coming to see the ship? Why do you still keep this with you? I know it's not easy to decide to go back to a place which may have been the reason we lost our close ones but I still want to go."

"I want answers. Why did all this happen? We will be leaving the night of the banquet. If you ever change your mind. You know where to come." She spoke and moved into her room.

~.~

"Here are the official papers of the treaty." Sir Raymond put the papers on the big Ebony table.

"The banquet security formation is also completed. You just need to cross-check the details once again and-" Sir Raymond stops. He looks at the prince who is twirling the paperweight on the table lost in thoughts.

"My dear prince." Sir Raymond spoke but got no response.

"Prince Xavier." He spoke shaking his shoulder which was enough to bring Xavier out of his trance. He looked at him "Huh?"

"Any problem prince?" Raymond spoke up.

Xavier shook his head running a hand through his jet black hair. His icy blue eyes looked a little lost. Blue eyes were uncommon in Amaris. It was actually a genetic trait of the queen's family. He had sharp features. High cheekbones. He was pale due to staying indoors mostly. He had a good frame, slightly on the skinny side.

"Nothing." He spoke and took the remaining papers from Sir Raymond going through them.

After an hour, he was finally done with the council work. He retired to his room and closed the door. He moved towards his private library and grabbed his journal and started going through it leaning against the table.

He kept flipping the pages frantically as the wheels in his head kept turning. He was missing something. There has to be something he overlooked. Something more to this. He was close. He can feel it. But what was it?

He sighed closing the journal. His year's worth of study and research. But now his patience was thinning.

He moved behind the desk and opened a drawer to find a crown. It old and a little weird. Surely this thing wasn't his family heirloom as his uncle Nathan called it. The designs across the edges looked like some language. Ancient and forgotten.

He went through numerous ancient scriptures to find any similar designs. Even those that dated before the kingdom establishment but still none. The writing on it wasn't any human language. But then what was it? He had no idea.

And then, there was this hollow right in the middle of the crown-like something was carved out of it. Probably a jewel of some kind. He sighed in frustration.

He kept the crown back. He wasn't going to find the answers today either.

~.~

Marin looked at Renne who was sitting in a chair discussing something with Jonathan and Elijah. Ah, Elijah, she knew this one actually. After Jonathan introduced him to her and Renne. Both Elijah and Renne shook hands with smiles on their faces when it was her turn she straight away ignores his hand and took him in a bear hug. Seeing his hesitation, she grinned and broke the hug. Still the same.

He was the same guy her younger self looked up to. She used to run behind him calling big brother. It fascinated her to watch with the same expression all the time. In fact, now that she thought about it, it was funny actually.

Her favorite game was to sit in front of him and try to guess what he was feeling inside. Childish but fun.

Currently, all four of them were discussing the plan for one final time. While hopper was busy looking around the house playing by himself.

After that meeting, she went to the same dockyard where she found her ship. It was still evening so the officials must be here. She walked into what looked like a cabin. A guy was leaning against his chair whistling with closed eyes.

She settled in front of him and cleared her throat. The guy opened his eyes and looked at her "Yes?"

"I want to buy a ship... The one called devil's snare." Marin spoke without beating around the bush.

The guy looked puzzled "That pirate ship..? Are you sure?"

"Yes," She spoke controlling her anger at his tone which was obviously filled with disgust.

The guy wordlessly said the amount required to free the ship. Marin paid the bills and then the guy signed some papers and handed her. He must have thought her as some rich gentry with too much money at hand.

As she walked out with the papers in her hands a sense of happiness washed over her. She did it. She freed the devil's snare. Finally.