Descending Night

6) The Stowaway

"I can't believe this!" Rachel exclaims, her eyes glistening with soon-to-be-shed tears. "My first night as a big sister, and I lost David!"

Beth brings a delicate hand to her mouth, stifling a yawn. The girls have settled down in a small cabin, one of the few private sleeping quarters on the ship. "Technically, David ran away. You didn't lose him."

"That sounds worse! Was I such a horrid big sister that he decided to run away!?" Rachel throws herself on the small bed and buries her face into a pillow, mumbling something inaudible.

Beth sighs at her friend's dramatic display. Growing up as a princess, she was taught to keep her emotions in check. Rachel, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. Her fiery-red, wild tresses match her spirit, but she has the tendency to exaggerate. Beth calmly hops on the bed next to Rachel, giving her a soft pat on the head. "I'm sure David is okay. I mean, we're on a ship. Where can he go?"

"Oh, my god!" Rachel jolts up with her fists in her hair, nearly knocking poor Beth out of the bed. "What if David fell overboard?" Not waiting for a response, Rachel hops onto the floor. She grabs a wooden stool from beneath a small desk and drags it across the floor towards the room's only porthole.

"You're not going to see anything from there," Beth says, watching Rachel climb onto the stool. "Besides, David wouldn't go near the water. Remember the fight he put up when we tried to bathe him?"

"He was just playing."

"You fell in the tub and got a huge bump on your head. Then Matthew intervened, and ended up with stitches."Rachel plants her forehead on the porthole, her breath fogging the cool glass as she sighs her resignation. "If David gets hurt, it will be my fault."

"No, it won't," Beth says. "Remember when Mum passed away? I cried for days, and only stopped after you came into my room to console me."

Rachel turns towards Beth, gazing at her from on top of the stool. "I remember, Beth. I said that I will be your big sister and take care of you."

"That's right. And you're a great big sister. David will be fine, and he's lucky to have you." Beth extends a hand and helps Rachel back onto the floor.

"But, Beth-"

"Dad and Matthew are probably playing chase with him on deck as we speak. I'm sure of it." Beth chuckles a reassuring smile as she brushes a loose curl from the front of Rachel's face. Her bright mood drops once Beth notices her friend's tired, brown eyes. "You've been working since the invasion. It's your turn to rest."

"But-"

"No. Just lay here and I will wake you as soon as David comes back."

And without another word, Beth leads Rachel back onto the small bed. Rachel does not resist, confirming her fatigue. A gentle shove is all it takes to convince Rachel to rest her head onto the inviting pillow. Humming a soft tune, Beth drapes a blanket over Rachel, who seems to already be fast asleep.

Beth lets out another yawn, ready to follow Rachel to the land of slumber. A knock on the door, however, interrupts her plans. Her bare feet creaks on the wooden floor as she hurries to answers the door. A princess never keeps her guests waiting.

Beth slowly opens the door and peers through the crack. "General Sterling!" Recognizing Philip, she flings the door wide open and gives a deep curtsy in her night gown. She brings her gaze back to Philip, and notice little Kaiden cradled in his arm. "What has brought you here, Sir?"

Philips holds Kaiden as the baby vampire coos happily, stretching his arms towards the former princess. "Sorry to bother you at this hour, Your Highness," he says, "but your father has requested my presence on deck. May I leave Kaiden with you for a moment?"