The Tales of Miriela: Shadowborn

Chapter: 51 Briggston Reed

Briggs was alone. He had been alone in the darkness for what seemed like ages. But he couldn't remember just how long. There was no sense of time, no sense of anything at all.

Suddenly, a shard of light broke through, and the darkness which surrounded him began to dissipate. A piercing bright white overwhelmed his senses. It slowly gave way to vague shapes and familiar outlines, as Briggston's sight began to return. The sound of gentle waves, rolling one over the next, grew louder and louder by the moment. And soon, Briggston discovered a familiar sight. He found himself lying on a bench. Christopher was tending to the sails, and Cedrick was sitting, peering out over the side of a ship.

"Welcome back, little Lord," Christopher said.

"Oh, you're right indeed. He's finally awoken. I was beginning to wonder. But the timing couldn't have been more perfect," Cedrick said.

"Your dosing was precise, Cedrick," Said Christopher.

"Stillwater dosing should always be precise. A drop too much and the boy would have died, a drop less and he'd have awoken in a day," Cedrick responded. Briggston was able to hear all that they were saying, but he couldn't seem to form words of his own. He tried and tried, but his throat was so dry that he couldn't speak.

"Give the boy some water, Christopher. He can hardly breath," Cedrick said.

Christopher grabbed a glass of drinking water and poured a cup full for Briggs. But Briggston instantly shied away from the glass. Though he was truly parched, Briggs was unwilling to make the same mistake twice.

"Don't worry, my Lord. There's no Stillwater in this glass. It's served its purpose. We've already arrived," Christopher said. Briggs took the cup from him and drank the cold water faster than he ever had before. As he set it down, Christopher's words finally reached his mind. They had arrived where?

Briggs looked out over the side of the boat and across the sea. What he saw was a sight more breathtaking than any he could have imagined. Blue waves, so clear you could see eighty feet down or more, crashed against grey shores of stone. Red cliffs started where the shores seem to stop, and houses, decorated in whites and blues, sat upon them.

"The richest Kingdom in all the Southern Suns," Christopher said. The water had soothed Briggston's dry throat, yet he still struggled to speak.

"Where are we? Where have you taken me?" Briggs asked.

"We are where you knew you'd end up, Briggston. Right where your mother wanted you. This, is Seagarden," Cedrick said. A sense of hopelessness sunk to the bottom of Briggston's stomach. He had run, and he had made it South. He was so very far from Kessex, yet his mother's grip was tighter than it ever had been before. Briggston wished that he could return to the darkness, where he was alone. At least there she couldn't reach him.

The boat eventually reached the grand docks of Seagarden, where a woman seemed to be awaiting Briggston's arrival. She had darker skin than anyone in Kessex, and hair with a reddish hue. She was of average height with a thin, well defined face.

The boat reached the docks and Christopher fastened it to the dock securely. The three climbed their way out and met the woman who stood waiting.

"You must be Briggston. Welcome to Seagarden, nephew," Said the woman. The moment she smiled, Briggs saw his mother. The woman had Fey's eyes as well, no doubt his aunt.

"This is him, all right. Now, your sister mentioned an additional payment that we would receive upon arrival," Christopher said.

The woman reached into a purse she was carrying around her shoulder. She scooped out a hand full of gold coins.