Luke stared at the water as Adalene and Ruby boarded. He could barely register what they were saying, but then Peter called over to Luke to say goodbye to Ruby.
Turning around, Luke rubbed his eyes and tried to make the redness of them not betray the fact he had been crying.
“Well, I think it’s best if I stay here,” Ruby said, coming above deck with her weapons and bag of belongings, “I think you guys can handle yourselves. I mean, you’ve made it this far on your own already, and I don’t know if all of you can handle me.” At this, Ruby glanced over at Adalene, who was silently glaring back.
“Besides,” Ruby added, “I think I need a break. I’ve been moving from place to place for so long, that I think it’s time I finally settle down. Who knows? I could get a job, a house, maybe a partner.”
Luke creased his brow at the prospect of Ruby finding anyone that could “settle down” with the violent and sarcastic Ruby, but thought she’d be just fine.
“Who knows?” Ruby said again, “Maybe Pete here will be an uncle before he knows it.” Ruby punched his arm, which pushed Peter back, and he rubbed his arm as he laughed.
“Yeah, I don’t know if it’ll be that soon, but I like the idea of being an uncle.” Peter was still rubbing his arm, obviously, Ruby’s “light” punch wasn’t as light as she had thought.
“Anyways,” Ruby clapped her hands together, beginning to walk to the harbor, “I think I’ll leave you to your questing.”
As The Bowen began to leave Thuron behind, Luke saw Ruby waving eagerly, a smile wide on her face. “Good luck getting to Duelgestein! Send me a postcard! See ya, Pete!”
Peter waved back, his smile almost as wide as Ruby’s and he continued to wave until Ruby finally turned around, disappearing into the bustling streets of Thuron.
“Well,” Peter said, letting out a breath of relief, “Now we won’t have as many fights.”
“Oh yeah,” Richard said, nodding eagerly.
“Agreed,” Adalene raised her eyebrows in agreement, uncrossing her arms. “Zat girl I could not stand.”
“I don’t think really anyone could,” Alice muttered.
“I thought she was nice,” Helen chimed in.
“Helen, you think everyone’s nice.” Richard said, patting her shoulder as he made his way across the ship, “You always think the best of everyone.”
Helen blushed a little, her fingers gripping the necklace around her neck. Luke recognized the careuleum she had found earlier, and thought the necklace was a perfect addition to Helen’s outfit. The color of it matched her eyes perfectly, and he thought back to how Richard had left the group momentarily in Thuron to a jeweler’s shop.
…
The skies darkened once again a few hours into their trip, and once again it began to rain. They had come prepared this time though, each of them wearing a parka that kept most of the rainwater off their bodies, so they wouldn’t be chilled to the bone like the last time.
The wind was blowing, however, so they didn’t need to row in the rain. As Luke walked into the captain’s quarters, he took his hood off and hung his parka on a nearby hook.
Adalene had the map out again, and she was the only one in the room. The others were below-deck, taking refuge in the bigger space down there out of the rain.
“How are we looking?” Luke asked as Adalene ran her finger over the map over and over again, tracing a path from Thuron to Dueglestein. She had the compass out as well, but its needle was spinning in different directions, never deciding which way was North.
“I don’t understand,” she muttered to herself, “How could zat storm blow us so off course? Ve vere so close to Dueglestein and one storm blew us halfway across ze vorld!”
Adalene rubbed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance. “And now ze compass isn’t vorking properly so I have no idea vhere ve’re going!”
Luke studied the bags under her eyes, the irritation in her voice.
“When did you last sleep?” he asked.
Adalene turned to look at him from where she was leaning over the table. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her hair looked like a mess. “Does zat really matter?” She asked although it looked like a struggle for her to stay awake.
“Yes,” Luke said as he walked closer to her and the map, “I’ll take the watch tonight,” Luke offered, “You should really get some rest.”
“Ugh,” Adalene sighed, “I forgot zat mortal people have to sleep. And eat.”
“Yeah, those two are pretty important when you’re mortal,” Luke joked, his crooked smile coming to his face.
Adalene began to smile as well, small at first, but it grew bigger by the second until she started laughing.
“Luke Doogan, how can you make jokes like zat at a time like zis?” She laughed.
“I don’t know,” Luke answered, “For a while after my father’s death, my mother wouldn’t come out of her room, let alone speak to us. So, it was my job to keep my brothers happy. They didn’t understand what it meant for Father to be gone, so I would crack jokes and make them laugh. I’d do anything to keep them from becoming my mother. She scared them by not saying anything, the way she became so distant after Father’s death. I didn’t want them to turn into her.”
Luke sighed, shaking his head as he studied the map. “Humor is the best way to cover the pain.” Luke turned back to Adalene, offering a small smile.
Adalene looked at the ground, a faraway look on her face. “My mother vas ze strongest voman I ever knew. For a vile after she died, I didn’t know vat to do. I vent into a dark place, and vouldn’t even let my sisters help me. I almost forgot how she vas zeir mother too. I am guilty of being like your mother, but I broke out of it. I realized zat I had responsibilities, not only for my family but also for my kingdom. A strong ruler must not show veakness.”
Luke pondered that for a moment. But then he realized. “No,” he whispered.
“Vat?” Adalene asked.
“No,” he said again, louder this time. “No, a strong leader can show weakness. It only makes us human. Without loss and weaknesses, flaws and deformities, we’d all be the same. It’s what makes us different, human.”
“I am not-” Adalene started to say she wasn’t human, but realized his point.
“But I don’t know,” Luke said, humbling his point. “I still feel like hope and love are the strongest things in life.”
“Oh?” Adalene challenged, “How?”
“Without hope, how could there be any revolutions? Without any hope would we have some of the greatest nations there are today? And without hope, nobody would be able to do what they love. Find a job, a house, a spouse. Without hope, everything in the world would be dark.”
“And love?” Adalene asked, walking away from the wall she had been leaning against and beginning to pace the room.
“Love can give you hope,” Luke said, continuing his point with hope. “Love can build a family, a home, a country. Without love, everything would just fall apart. Without love, there is no hope. And with no hope, there would be no love. They play off each other.”
“Zen let’s hope your love is alive and vaiting for you in Dueglestein,” Adalene said as she grabbed her poncho, opening the door.
“Don’t let ze others go against your heart,” she said as she pulled the hood over her head, covering her pointy ears.
And with that, she left Luke alone, looking at the map and the compass, pondering once again if he should listen to his heart which was telling him to hope, or his brain which told him to give up.
Could Skylar really be alive like he had thought?
And if so, where could she be?
ns 15.158.61.8da2
