Veil of Shadow and Rain ✓ [TSC #1]

Chapter 25 - Rafe Who?

Waves rocked against the ship. Ladislaya was hidden behind an old newspaper that was most probably outdated. Jake was carving a shape on the deck with a piece of bark - Wren was pacing to and fro frantically.

'Think you can stop that?' Jake said, gesturing to her. 'It's making me giddy.'

'Sorry,' Wren said apologetically and returned to Elias's side.

'We're almost there,' Elias announced. 'And this time, I mean it.' He grabbed his binoculars and squinted through them. 'In fact, I can see a tiny bit of land.'

Jake leaned in to Ladislaya and muttered, 'Sailor's delight. We're alreay running out of food!'

'See for yourself,' Elias said, throwing the binoculars over to Jake who caught it swiftly.

'Great, does this mean food?' Jake asked hopefully. Elias scowled.

The ship steered over and closer and closer towards Iridia. Wren could see a tall, towering flag waving in the air in the distance as they drifted closer.

'Boarding deck,' announced Elias. 'I'll just have to park the boat on the harbour and we'll get our stuff out. Find a motel and stay the night. How long are you kids going to be here for, anyway?'

'Er -' Wren said unthinkingly, glancing over at Jake. Jake shrugged.

'Perhaps a day or two,' Wren said quietly.

'What?' Elias said loudly.

'Maybe a day or two,' Wren said, louder this time.

'I don't think we'll be here for such a short period of time, will we?' Ladislaya perked up, frowning slightly.

'Well, tell him how long we'll be here then,' Wren said, sitting down on a little green stool as Elias reached for his tea which was settled inside a mug with the words 'I HATE MONDAYS' on the outside.

'Probably a week,' Ladislaya said swiftly. Elias choked on his tea.

'Watch it!' cried Jake, leaping out of the way.

'A week?' Elias shouted. 'A week? What are you kids doing 'round here that requires doing in a week? Dear Lord! Don't you have school and Wren, I suppose you have duties to carry out in the Palace -'

'Yeah, well my duty is to march around in frilly dresses and curtsy to everyone in the kingdom, including the palace guards,' said Wren moodily.

'Don't be silly, your dresses aren't that frilly,' Ladislaya said.

'I'd swap for jeans anytime.'

'Back to the point,' Elias said loudly. 'Even if you don't have duties, Wren; I do know for a fact that you three have school - you can't just go sneaking off to another kingdom like - does anybody know you're coming to Iridia?' he said, suddenly lowering his voice.

'Uh -' began Jake.

'- yes!' trilled Wren. 'They do!'

Jake looked surprised. 'They do?'

'They do!' Wren said, too enthusiastically. Elias raised an eyebrow. Wren hastened and pulled herself together. 'Yeah, well I've already told Odyssey and she's made it an exception.'

Elias raised his eyebrows higher. 'So she does know,' he concluded slowly.

'Yeah, so there's absolutely no need to go around asking people whether they know where we're headed off to and when we're coming back,' Wren said promptly.