The Crimson King

Chapter 25 | Passage

Hi Everyone,

Here is the third chapter as promised, although it is shorter (4,000 words) but the last one was decent in length (9,000 and something T_T) so I think I can be forgiven. Also, this chapter may be short but it contains A LOT of information. 

For those wondering about APK Timeline crossover, this chapter is set roughly 1 year into the 2-year time skip between APK's last chapter, and the prologue. So, our lovely Iris has been in Aether for almost a whole year now! Gosh, that must mean a birthday coming up soon. I wonder how Arlo will celebrate.

I hope you enjoy it, and for APK lovers, I hope you enjoy the return of one of our own. Look forward to the next chapter, it is going to be EXCITING!! And be prepared, we may not hear from Iris for a wee while :) 

Lots of love,
Daisy 

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Chapter 25 | Passage

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'Until the l i o n learns
how to write,
every story will glorify
the h u n t e r.'

- African Proverb

*

DARIUS

Darius leant against the wheel on the top deck of his ship, gazing out at the ocean. The sails were full, and they were making good time, the pack he had taken with him cheerful as they carried out their duties. Not that there was much to do- their journey had been almost ridiculously easy this time around- and that wasn't something Darius found himself saying often.

Previously, their trip to the Elven Capital had taken less than two days, but they were sailing further this time, to a place Darius made a point not to visit often – Lilura, the Water Kingdom's capital city.

They had been at sea for just over five days now, and somewhere int hat period of time Darius had had felt the weight of whatever it was that had been suffocating him for the last month, lessen slightly.

Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Beside him, Vandor was busy swigging back an almost empty bottle of some foreign brown substance, and his General finished the bottle now with a sigh of satisfaction, his demeanour a little less high strung than it had been upon his arrival back at Aether. There was a reason Vandor travelled so often- his second in Command was not a people person.

"So, this wedding," Vandor began.

Darius grunted. "You're not coming in. Last time you visited, you caused too much of a fuss."

Vandor smirked. "That wasn't my fault," he drawled, "Siren's are lustful creatures after all. What was I supposed to do- turn them away?"

"You were supposed to control yourself," Darius snarled lowly, "in a manner befitting a General of the King."

"Well that also wasn't my fault," Vandor said lazily, leaning over the railing beside Darius, "they have that, thing- you know?" He waved one hand lazily in the air. "That enchanting thing they do. It's surprisingly hard to resist."