For the next five days, since the incident with Lord Ventura.
I was woken up at dawn, required to take a shower, then get dressed. With a green apple being my morning snack, before being shuffled into the carriage with Lord Ventura and Rhodon and taken to the Palace. I would eat a filling breakfast at the palace with the prince.
The rest of the day, I assist the King's several advisors and Ventura, running between the halls and rooms until noon with different errands.
Then I would have lunch with Cosmo in the garden and spend little time with him, talking about our hobbies and childhood. Which would run longer than expected, and Ventura grabs me and scolded me, and more delivery work. Before being shuffled into the carriage, once again. Half exhausted with aching legs and arms, and by the time we returned to the villa, Loren had to carry me to my bedroom. Leaving little time to converse with Adam and Maverick.
Today was no different.
"Awake. You are believed to be my patron, and you are doing a horrendous job."
I open my eyes with a tired groan. Maverick, with unamused red eyes, stared down at me. I pushed his face away with a tired hand, shifting to my side. "You are exhausted, I get that. But I must admit. Lord Ventura has surprised me in more ways than one."
"... keep the devil's name out of my bedroom..." I mumbled, drifting off deeper into dreamland, the blankets warm. Until Maverick yanked them from my form, making me leap up. The cold sea air on my body, as I, with closed eyes, tried to snatch the blanket back. "Give it." He had a wide grin, moving further away and wrapping them around himself.
"Not until you listen to my tale."
I huff out in defeat, crossing my arms and plopping down on my bed. "Well. Lord Ventura was not paying attention during dinner. And successfully, might I add? Managed to embarrass himself by cutting his thumb."
"What does this have to do with me?"
A wide, playful grin crosses his lips as he uses my blanket as a cape. He moves and slides across the floor elegantly, exaggerating his movements. "To me, it was impossible that my ex-wife, I believed, I made it impossible for her to bear children. At least I assumed I did."
"That's impossible—"
My voice trails off as I blink the grogginess from my eyes, as the clouds move from the sky. Allowing the moon to shine into my room, casting a shadow over Maverick. And for a second, it was like Ventura stood in his place. The image makes me wake up fully and my jaw nearly falls.
"You're...."
"I have a lineage." Maverick chuckles, tossing the blanket back on my head. "Can't say I'm completely surprised. Ventura acts much as she did."
I opened my mouth to speak, but I say nothing. Maverick, for a moment, looks genuinely happy before a frown for a second crosses his lips and he moves and sits beside me. "I had a son. I had dreamed of giving my future child my dagger, the sa—My dagger!" He hops with wide eyes before slumping back into his seat. He clicks his tongue and hums fiercely as he gathers his mind. He pops his head ups and looks at me.
"...I have decided something. Just in this instant. I want my dagger back, and you will retrieve it."
"Why would I do that for you?"
Maverick looks at me, slowly inching forward. Forced me to inch back until I was physically moving myself away. My back touches the headboard forcing me to remain in the same place. Maverick moves until his hands grab the edges of the wooden headboard. Leaning over me. "Something lingers below the surface of Astrolia...," He breathes out, chuckling, "and the true reason I chose you to be my patron... You wish to know? I will tell you everything." I search his eyes before looking down at my hands.
Astrolia was the only island that existed within the calm belt. The only people that could live in assumed peace with Leviathan's demons. That radiated perfect perfection. I had several questions unanswered and was just as curious as I was when I had first arrived. As well as why Maverick's tale, why Maverick is always tied to Astrolia and why I am the siren's patron.
Before I can utter the words of my agreement, there was a knock on my door and the muffled voice of Ventura.
My eyes widened before the door opened, and in a flash, Maverick moved away and hid. I shifted, pulling the blankets over me. The door fully opens and Lord Ventura, dressed in a black dress shirt and pants. His shoes clicked against the floor, and held a wooden tray of food and cup, steam rising. "You are awake." His voice is soft as he places the tray on my nightstand.
"You're also awake..." The tray has a wooden bowl filled with soap, and two bread rolls on the side, with a glass of water. He moves around the bed, to he sat a few inches from me, his eyes looking out the window.
"I have yet to rest... But you are awake and hungry I assume." I look at him, my gaze drifting down to his hands, a clear bandage on his left thumb. He chuckles and holds it up to where I could see it clearly. "Adam and Rhodon made a tremendous commotion when it transpired at dinner. That you neglected once again..." The tone of his voice makes me frown and gives a small bow of my head.
"Sorry."
Ventura lets out a sigh, as if he wants to say something else but chooses not to and stands up. "Eat. This is a direct command. Goodnight." He leaves the room just as quickly as he came.
Maverick reappears, wriggling himself out from under my bed as I leaned over and grabbed the tray. It was an odd interaction. I pick up the spoon and slowly mix the soup.
"I take it, as you will help me?"
I say nothing and nod.
Maverick shoots a smile before leaving my bedroom, just as Ventura did.
The next day, I do the usual duties before meeting Cosmo for lunch. This time, we ate on a private balcony, far from prying eyes and ears. My hands held the small ham sandwiches, listening to Cosmo talk about his royal duties.
"And more sword training, all such boring things, really."
I nod, swallowing down my sandwich and shifting in my chair. "Speaking of swords. I found this book about this infamous pirate. I think Maverick. And a story about a da--"
Cosmo's eyes lit up in recognition before leaning forward in his chair. Cutting me off and stopping me from asking about the dagger.
"Maverick. Yes. He was a pirate captain and saved the Astrolia once."
The title of hero.
I raised my brow slightly, tilting my head. I knew he was seen as a hero. Astrolia, at one point, viewed the man as a hero too, but no one knew exactly what he did to save the large island. Cosmo sipped some of his tea before looking at me with excited eyes.
"Well,"
Astrolia was not always a nation that was unaffected by the demons of the sea. The nation before the rise of King Helio had been always been prosperous and well off. But insignificant compared to others and always in the line of danger. Pirates from different crews had always traveled the dangerous waters of the calm belt. Maverick was no different. While Leviathan traveled all the waters, whether it be the calm belt or that of the normal ocean. It was finally time for the ravenous king to cross into the calm belt and create havoc.
Maverick, who was cocky and arrogant, announced and swore that he would keep the beast from the shores of Astrolia.
And so, the Capitan disappeared, searching and following the monstrous king. Through wind and storm, he struck the beast and stole the right eye of Leviathan and sent the monster away. Sealing the beast into the depths. He vowed that any sea demon that laid a hand on Astrolia would face their end with his blade. That alone seemed to ring true to this day.
"After the sealed away sea demon, Maverick left the Astrolia for a few years and returned later. Though since that day, since the woman he was married to was left behind, they saw him as cruel. My ancestor, Prince Helio, tried to clear his name, but the citizens never listened and became wild. Like wild animals... That's all I will tell you. I wish not to ruin the image of Astrolia for you." Cosmo rises from his seat, bowing and excusing himself quickly.
Lunch would last for another hour.
I rose from my seat and decided that a trip to the library would do me some good. It was a rather short walk, moving from the second quadrant to the first. I slipped inside the large empty library. It had a total of three floors, with large shelves, each categorized with its genre.
Find the one for history. My eyes ran along the several book spines, before landing on one, that caught my attention. 'The Darkest Day' is a simple but daunting title. I slide the book from the shelf and look over the semi-thin book. It was hard-covered, with a plastic feeling cover. With only the title in gold words. I flip open the book and realize it's a journal, with exact dates.
The first journal entry is around 350 years ago.
June 12th XXXX
Helio of Astrolia is announced King and has married the far away Queen!
Even despite the pirate's betrayal, King Helio is nonetheless happy, and the Queen looks beautiful.
The first few pages go on about King Helio and his wife, the first changes, and their impact on Astrolia. With here and there about the rising disapproval and fear, of Captain Maverick. Who never returned. Who would keep them safe from the creature? Due to this mixture of anxiety and anger, several people began to revolt against the kingdom. Until King Helio came up with a solution. He began the mining into Astrolia Mountain and the fast production of technology.
Despite that, the people were restless, until mysteriously, people went missing. One at a time, but then groups upon groups of people went missing in a single instance. Some of what Cosmo told me was true. King Helio had tried to clear Maverick's name and that he would return. Though the day the Pirate never returned, more and more people disappeared.
I skim over the journal pages until one caught my eye. The page was 9 months after Maverick left after prince Helio became King. With only a single sentence.
They became sea demons...