Skyline of the Sea

Chapter Twelve

Auria could smell the ocean.

She thought it was a joke, but then she concentrated more. And she really did sense the ocean. The familiar salty sea breeze against her skin, gently patting her like silk. She almost felt like she had returned back to the past, the vague yet sweet memories of her father. She hardly remembered him, but she still recognized his rough hands, putting her in the water - making her create splashes of joy, when everyone on the village thought he was insane to do so.

That was until she felt the stabbing pain kick in, the part of her skin where the bullet had implanted itself. She couldn't explain how the shot happened. One minute she was running towards Beau, her arms were thrown around him. And then she felt something unfamiliar graze somewhere near her shoulder. The next thing she knew, was the blinding pain the hit her like a deadly wave, and she collapsed immediately. 

Someone once told her if someone passed out cold, they wouldn't feel anything happening around them. But how wrong they were, Auria felt the throbbing ache when the medik dug through her wound with tweezers, scavenging for the bullet as if he was digging for lost treasure under sand on a beach. It hurt tremendously, and the pain didn't lessen once the bullet was out. 

She once read somewhere that pulling out an arrow from a wound wouldn't stop the bleeding, but also worsen the pain. That was what getting the bullet out felt like, a million jabs of pain that numbed her so much that she had no more energy to move or cry. She just laid there, like a rag doll as the medik extracted the little metal piece from her flesh. And soon she'd blacked out once more.

Auria woke up to the stinging scent of medicine and herbs, and the stiffness of her body stopping her from moving too much. She groaned and grimaced. Her eyes quickly scanned the room. It was morning, the sun saturated by the blinds - as it poured into the room like a spectrum. She was lying on a comfy bed, head rested upon feathered pillows and she faced a clean ceiling with a chandelier. The pain kicked in again, and she winced.

"Easy, easy there," a husky voice cooed, and Auria could feel someone wipe her forehead. She glanced, and saw Lady Inej. She looked like an angel with ebony black hair and healthy looking skin, almost...motherly. "Auria, dear, calm down," she eased her, and Auria settled down. Inej smiled faintly, "Now, I need you to breath, take deep breaths before you try getting up. You're not fully recovered yet, you need time to adjust. Can you do that for me?"

Auria nodded, and did as she was told. She took deep breaths, trying to let every last bit of air enter her lungs, then slowly exhaling them again. With Inej's help, she was able to sit upright in no time. Inej soothed her back, then she pushed a stray strand of Auria's curls to the back of her ear. Then everything came back to her mind, her brother. 

She clutched Inej frantically, "Beau-"

"Your brother's perfectly fine, don't worry," Inej answered gently, and gazed at her intently. "It's you that you should be concerned about, Ria," she continued. "You took that bullet for your brother, you were in danger of losing your life. I've never seen any other little girl be as brave as you. You're one brave girl, Ria."

Ria fought back the urge to blush, for the situation was not suitable at all. She bit the inside of her cheek, "I'd do anything for Beau, he's my brother. I have  to protect him." she said. 

Inej's face suddenly turned somber, and she took Ria by the hand, "Ria, what happened last night must not happen again. You might not have Kubo to protect the both of you anymore, and none of you are safe for the time being. You and Beau must not be close to each other, at least not for the time being."

Ria frowned, "Missus Inej, I don't understand. Beau can't handle everything on his own, he's too young. He needs me to take care of him."

"And risk losing your life? I'm not going to let you do that, not even Kaz. We want both of you to be safe. Do you understand me, Ria?"

Ria had to let that sink in, "But-"

"No buts, Ria. What you're getting into now is not child's play, this is serious. You need to trust us to protect you, at least until all these murders are put to an end."

Ria pursed her lips, "But, where would we go? Where would Beau go without me?"

Miraculously, Inej smiled, "Somewhere where he will be safe. Now," and she poured a glass of tea for her. "Drink up."

                                                                                               # 

Wylan Van Eck only wanted a puppy.

He had woken up that morning, and headed downstairs for breakfast with his mother. She was sipping her favourite tea, brought back by Jesper after his visit to his father last year in Novyi Zem. The tea leaves were carefully nurtured for Wylan's mother. Cherry-rose tea with a hint of dandelion bud flavoring, all the scents his mother loved. 

He checked his pocket watch in his finely tailored blue coat, he had some time before the meeting with the Merchant's Council. In fifteen minutes time, Jesper Fahey would come bursting through the dining hall door, to brief him over the documents - to instruct him as to what he should say whenever someone asked a question that was referring to the documents. He needed Jesper for that, if not more than just business partners.

"Remember to chew," his mother reminded him, as she eyed the way he was shoving all his breakfast down his throat like a funnel disapprovingly. "You'll choke. You're not a child anymore, yet you still need me to remind you even the simplest things." and she shook her head.

He couldn't help but grin crookedly, "Of course, mother. Isn't that what all mothers do? Remind their children the simplest things?" 

And she chuckled in return, "Your turning thirty soon, Wylan-"

"Twenty-nine," he corrected. "Don't get me mixed up with everyone else, that includes Jesper."

"You're in your late twenties," she continued. "And I'm not getting any younger either, and I've wasted so much time during your youth..." and she trailed off. Both of them knew what she meant, the days when she wasn't there for Wylan the teenager. How they were separated by not just any enemy, but his own father. He'd found his mother, apparently alive - and stuck in a mental asylum. 

He had been filled with so much hate and anger, the spirit that fueled him to plan revenge on his father, until it had driven him to complete the plan with his then crew - now people he had grown to know. Now, all he could feel was a numbing feeling in some corner of his heart, a place he had once kept for Jan Van Eck- was now abandoned and left to collect dust. 

He cleared his throat, "Mother, it was never your fault. Don't blame it on yourself, that was so long ago. I can spend time with you now and that's all that matters."

She nodded, and before she could say anything more, the dining hall's double doors swung open. Jesper Fahey entered the scene, in his green waistcoat and pants. His grey eyes were piercing as always, straight into Wylan's soul, he cursed at himself once again for getting distracted.

"Why, good morning Mrs Van Eck." Jesper greeted cheerfully and bowed a little before kissing her hand. 

Mrs Van Eck merely chuckled softly, "And I you, Jesper," she had grown used to his flamboyant antics. "Have you had breakfast? Come, join us."

"I'm good, madam," he rejected curtly. "Wylan and I need to rush to a meeting soon, merchant business."

She sighed, "So that is why Wylan here is in such a hurry to finish up his breakfast. Ah, and I will be stuck in this quiet mansion without anyone to talk to." 

"You can invite your friends over, mother," Wylan opted, as he finished up his tea. "Have a party, maybe? Or you could take a stroll in the garden?"

"Wouldn't it be nice to have some grandchildren to play with?" she wondered all of a sudden. "Or a puppy even?"

"Then I'll get you a puppy when I get back." Wylan answered hurriedly. He pecked her on the cheek, "I'll see you tonight, promise." and he walked off with Jesper.