The God's Game

Mornings

"Where are you going?"

River halted in his tracks. His job here was done. He wanted to crash onto his bed and go back to dreamland.

"Didn't you want to see the dawn?" Raven Alistair nodded at the pink skies over his head.

I'll watch it in the evening, sir! Let me sleep!

Raven tapped on the railing beside him, signaling for him to come over. Reluctant,River strolled up to him. He had nothing against witnessing the mesmerizing dawn over the horizon.

He just preferred to do so peacefully. By himself.

River casually leaned against the rail, only to be pulled away by the Southern King.

"The rail is old." He alerted and gave the rusty metal beam a firm shake. It rattled and mourned omniously, and the sound of metal scraping against metal sent River's teeth on edge.

"She's an antique darling," Raven beamed, his dark brown eyes twinkling fondly.

It took River a second to realize that he was speaking about the ship. He had also figured that the ship was quite old. The weathered deck of sun-scorched wooden planks, faded paint that chipped off, and tattered sails that hung loosely all echoed tales of adventures that belonged to a bygone time.

"What is her name, My Lord?" River questioned, taking a cautious step away from the rusted fixture.

"Clementine"

"Clementine?" River echoed, "That's a fitting name."

A comfortable silence fell between them as they gazed upon the serene expanse of the ocean and its illuminating skies.

"Aithan told me that you've been creeping around the ship like a little mouse at wee hours."

River felt his cheeks warming. He tucked a stray lock of dark hair behind his ear,discreetly covering his blush.

"Couldn't sleep?" Raven probed.

"Yes, My Lord."

River scratched a rusted spot on the fixure, averting the older man's eyes. He was not lying. God had not blessed him with Wolfram's superpower of falling into a comatose state the minute his head hit a pillow. He would often wake up when it was still dark outside, with his clothes stuck to his skin in cold sweat. He would take a stroll on the deck and let the chilling wind calm his sleep-muddled mind.

"Nightmares?" Raven jumped his brows.

"Nothing too harrowing," River smiled as reassuringly as he could.

It was thanks to these wretched alarms that he found Aithan Alistair too, who had a habit of waking before the sun. The taller man stated that hours before the start of the day were the only time he had for himself. Which was true,because there were one hundred and one things that required his attention once his day began.

It was obvious that the optimal time to set his plan into motion was before dawn. Aithan's smiles came easier in the mornings, and Wolfram's brain was slower.

River patted himself on the back for his above-average cranial capacity.

"There was something I wanted to tell you," Raven started,his lightheartedness clouded by an air of gloom.

River turned to him and said, "Yes?"

"I don't trust that hell-hated barnacle."
Raven's fingers tapped the metal fixture, and he glared.

"Wolfy?"

Raven scrunched his nose as if the name had an offensive odor. "Look, I know you are close, but think about it."