As they neared the second sea of Calabran, Celestiel's frown deepened. It looked nothing like the first sea.
It was a large, foggy island almost completely enveloped in wetland.
There was a huge bayan tree centred in the middle of the island that Celestiel could spot quite clearly even from the distance.
The second sea was completely surrounded by murky, dirty, polluted swamp water. And as they entered its territory, the putrid smell of the swamp invaded Celestiel's nose and she couldn't help but step back with an even deeper frown.
"Why?...what happened to this island?", Celestiel asked, trying not breathe in the rank smell as much as she could. She turned to look at Sebastian inquisitively. "What happened here?"
"It isn't just this island, the entire second sea is like this", Sebastian replied. "It was initially a curse, but the inhabitants have grown to like it this way"
"A curse they have grown to like?", Celestiel asked, her tone skeptical. "Forgive me, my lord but i find that rather difficult to believe."
Despite being within the comforting walls of the Sweet Lilian, Celestiel couldn't help but feel nauseated. She wasn't even on the island and she knew it wasn't a place she would like to be.
"Believe it or not, that's the case, princess", Sebastian chuckled. "Long ago, the second sea used to be the most beautiful sea in the entirety of Calabran. But it was sacrificed and a curse fell upon the sea and its people"
"Why? Why was it sacrificed?", Celestiel asked, a pitying look on her face.
"Nothing is given without something else getting taken away", Sebastian replied. "A great blessing requires a great sacrifice"
Celestiel stared at Sebastian, speechlessly. There was a thoughtful, distant look in his eye as he spoke and it left the princess wondering what was going through his head.
The history of the second sea had Celestiel shaken. But something told her that for Sebastian, it was much more complicated than she understood.
"So the second sea was once beautiful, wasn't it?", Celestiel looked back at the sea. "That bayan tree looks important"
"It is", Sebastian answered. "The inhabitants believe it embodies the blessings of Bayanni, the swamp goddess. They believe it is the reason Bayanni blesses their swamp"
"Then may she continue to bless them", Celestiel muttered a prayer for them.
Sebastian gazed at her calmly. The woman was pure. A wave of pity threatened to consume Sebastian's thoughts but he pushed it away.
A woman like her would never survive his world.
"You haven't had breakfast, princess", Sebastian told her as he pulled himself out of his thoughts. "Come, let's eat"
At the mention of food, Celestiel's stomach rumbled. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly made her way down the helm, avoiding Sebastian's gaze.
Sebastian couldn't help but laugh softly at how loud her stomach grumbles were. If one didn't know better, they would think he starved her.
⚓⚓⚓ ⚓⚓⚓
Celestiel ate her food silently. She sat in his private study, on a couch by the window.
The story of the second sea occupied the princess' mind and she couldn't help but wonder who had sacrificed the sea, and for what cause?
It was most likely for a selfish reason. Celestiel knew. She grew up with a man like her father, who had sacrificed her mother's life for his ego. Men had always been like that.
What Celestiel really wondered was who had done such a heartless thing to the second sea. And why?
Her golden orbs for eyes glanced at the king who sat at his desk. She yelped when she found him already looking at her.
She continued to look at him, wondering if he had something to say. But all he did was stare at her, amusement dancing in his one black eye.
"Is anything the matter, your grace?", Celestiel coughed awkwardly.
Sebastian raised his head slightly. "You looked so lost in thought, you have been nibbling on that same piece of bread for such a long time. Your tea has gone cold and the rest of your bread, stale"
Celestiel reddened. "Forgive me, my lord. I was thinking"
"About?", Sebastian asked.
"About the story you told me", Celestiel obediently replied. "Who sacrificed the second sea? And why?"
Sebastian leaned back in his seat, still gazing at the princess. Under his scrutinizing gaze, Celestiel squirmed, suddenly feeling hot and uncomfortable.
This lasted a few more seconds and when Celestiel couldn't take it anymore and was about to excuse herself, Sebastian replied. "It was my father"
Celestiel's brows raised in shock. "King Alexander?"
"He was the one who sacrificed the sea", Sebastian nodded. "He craved power. Power beyond what any man should possess. He was greedy and selfish"
"And did he get it? What he sacrificed the second sea for", Celestiel asked.
"He got it and more. The second sea isn't the only thing he sacrificed, princess", Sebastian replied.
Celestiel's shoulders sagged a bit as she tried to digest the information. She had been told the late pirate king Alexander had been a marvelous king. A strong one that no one could put down.
She had been told of his good nature, of how unbelievably humble he was, of his just and fair nature.
Was it the same man Sebastian was speaking about? How could such a man sacrifice such a precious thing because of hunger for power?
Celestiel sighed. It occured to her that the stories and rumours had probably been untrue or exaggerated. After all, the rumours spoke of her husband as some kind of heartless monster, even going as far as nicknaming him the tyrant of the seven seas. But the king didn't seem as bad as he was made out to be.
But king Alexander...he had sacrificed the second sea, and Sebastian had told her it wasn't the only thing he had sacrificed. What else had he sacrificed? And what did he gain?