Tales of the Caravan

by J. Avarez

  “You won’t believe what’s in here.” Said Mira, peeking her head out the door with her gleaming yellow eyes.

  They followed the cat inside and walked into a small hallway. The corridor overlooked a large hangar-like room. Sarah stepped toward the left and met a glass wall, which separated her from the hundreds of machines below. The small airships looked like large metallic hawks, with jagged wings, and a single pilot seat behind the hawk head. The silver fleet was impressive, but her eyes widened further once Drake and Blusef walked into her view.

  “These are dark hawks. We've been developing them for the emperor.” Said Drake, folding his arms. “What do you think, Blusef? The world will be in awe when they see these weapons take flight.”

  The glass wall muffled their voices a bit, but Sarah was still able to hear by pressing her ear against the glass. Blusef gawked at the dark hawks lined in rows across the hanger. Blackbeard’s Black Cloud loomed behind the rows of dark hawks, fully repaired from the battle over Skull Island.

  “They've repaired the Black Cloud as well?” Blusef squeaked. “I thought that old girl would be a goner.”

  “She nearly was, but it was necessary to save it and learn how the thing could fly,” replied Drake. “The Black Market seems to have their hands on some useful technology, I expect they've been smuggling goods from the Blue Sea.”

  “The Blue Sea? But no man can cross the other Seas on their own,” said Blusef, looking perplexed. “You don’t think the Pirate Queen is involved?”

  “Perhaps,” replied Drake calmly. “Or maybe another. I wouldn’t put it past Dreamstead. You remember what her mother was like. The empire can’t afford women disrupting the balance between the Seas again. We need to get a hold on the borders, and make sure she doesn’t inspire any more ladies to join her.”

  “I don't know, captain,” Blusef grabbed a handful of his red hair, his green eyes darted upon the fleet of flying ships. “Ms. Dreamstead is a kind woman, I doubt she’d have a hand in anything sinister. It’s more likely the Pirate Queen has weapons like these herself. Perhaps the emperor should be informed of all this.”

  “The emperor is a pawn,” said Drake, coldly. “You people place too much respect for him. A crown doesn’t rule, it doesn’t command, and it doesn’t strategize. However, place a crown on the head of someone and the fools come kneeling! Let the emperor rule from the mainland. We’ll deal with the threats against the empire as we always have. Sarah Dreamstead won’t change our ways, the Seas belong to men and no one else.”

  “Captain Drake!” Shouted an Imperial soldier.

  The soldier hurried between two rows of dark hawks and stopped tiredly in front of Drake. The young man whispered words into Drake’s ear, which lead his dark eyes to widen slightly.

  “I apologize, Blusef,” said Drake. “I have a bit of business to take care of. I trust you know your way out?”

  Blusef nodded and Drake left with his soldier out of the hangar. Sarah and Charlotte stood by the glass wall for a moment, both of them stunned by what they’d just heard.

  “No man can cross the other Seas,” Charlotte repeated, turning toward Sarah. “What did he mean by that?”

  “I don’t know,” replied Sarah, still looking bewildered. “Mira?”

  The cat stopped just inches from the door at the end of the hall.

  “There’s something you two should see.” Said the oracle, softly.

  The ladies followed Mira into the next room and immediately covered the right of their faces with a hand. The moon shined brightly through the open window, staining everything in the office with a blue hue.

  “Is this Drake’s office?” Asked Charlotte.

  “Yes, my dear, it is,” said Mira, she then gazed up toward Sarah. “Darling, can you read those words on the wall there?”

  Sarah looked toward the wall behind Drake’s desk and saw gold letters etched just below the ceiling.

  “Nine Seas, One World.” Sarah read aloud. “That’s the motto of the Imperial Fleet.”

  “Very good,” The black cat walked forward and tilted her head toward the empire symbol, painted in gold over the polished white floor. “Now step inside this circle and read it to me again.”

  Sarah did as she was told and stepped onto the symbol, the eight sabers of the empire circled around her black boots.

  Her green eyes read the words over Drake’s desk again, a phrase slightly different than the one before. “Nine Worlds…One Sea?”

  Sarah and Charlotte watched the black cat jump onto Drake’s desk. They both waited eagerly to hear Mira explain what Sarah just read.

  “The commoners think the caravans bring goods back from the Nine Seas, but they travel only across the Red Sea,” said Mira, fighting the urge to smile at their surprised faces. “The Seas aren’t different bodies of water, they’re worlds separate from our own. All nine are connected, through a whirlpool at the end of our world.”

  “So,” said Charlotte, her eyes wide behind her black glasses. “When Blusef said no man can cross?”

  “Only the presence of a woman can open the path between the Seas,” replied Mira. “It’s why Davy Jones was the only captain to travel them all.”

  “Because Merla was part of his crew.” Said Sarah, in awe.

  “He was the only captain to recruit a woman,” Mira nodded. “Until Jayden invited you onto his ship.”

  A flash swept across Sarah’s eyes. Mira’s words triggered something, like a torch that lit up the darkest of tunnels. Her confusion began to ease, as her demagia slowly vanished. She was inside Jayden’s cabin again. The two stood nearly face to face, long before the curse of men had turned Jayden into a giant. There was no pistol in his hand, but rather his hand gently caressed her face. His eyes softened as he kissed her forehead.

  “Leave it alone, Sarah,” She remembered he told her. “She’s dangerous, we’re better off staying out of her way.”

  The events that led them to where they were…all of them had begun to be revealed one by one. The temple wasn’t raided by Jayden, it was raided by the Pirate Queen! Sarah remembered it all. She remembered the blue moon, Jayden’s refusal to confront the Pirate Queen, and her attempt to...

  “Wait a minute.” Said Sarah slowly, her eyes moving left to right. “I remember now.”

  She attempted to speak again, but a rod through her shoulder silenced her. The pain never came, her shock had numbed her to it. Sarah followed the sound of a bang and looked toward Charlotte. She too had a metal rod lodged beneath her shoulder blade. The rods gave off a blinding flash, and pumped a tree of lightning into the air. The static forcefully sent their bodies to the floor.

  A tall figure walked between the two of them, and took the map that laid on Drake’s desk.

  “Y-You?” said Charlotte, her amber eyes weakly focused on his silver ones.

  Sarah stared at Jayden too. Her mind at a lost to explain his betrayal. Her fingers pressed against the floor in attempt to rise up, but the blue bolts still danced across her paralyzed body.

  “We’re so sorry, dear,” said Mira, with a frown. “Believe me, we never wanted to hurt you.”

  “But…why?” Asked Sarah.

  The thumping of boots against the tiled floor echoed loudly throughout the room, till finally a man entered dressed in Imperial white.

  “Because you still haven’t learned your place.” Said Drake.

  The Imperial captain stepped into his office and walked over Sarah’s paralyzed body.

  “Here,” said Jayden, shoving the map into Drake’s chest. “Blackbeard’s already on his ship.”

  “Aye,” said Drake, taking a step toward Jayden. It was an impressive sight. Two eight foot captains standing face to face. “You've done well for us, but we’re not done with you. There’s still the business with this girl here. The Queen wants her dead, you might as well put the girl down now. She’s as good as dead already.”

  Dead? Thought Sarah to hers
elf. The Queen wants me dead?

  “No,” replied Jayden sternly. “The deal was that I help cure the curse, and my slate with your Queen would be clean.”

  “Would you like to look out the window then?” Asked Drake mockingly. “Aye, I didn’t think so. The blue moon is still in the sky, which means your deal with us is not yet finished.” Drake then knelled over Sarah, his dark eyes practically gleaming over her pain stricken face. “As for you, Dreamstead, I’m so glad I was able to put a stop to your pursuit as captain. I do very much hate your family. Your mother was a pain for me, she too wanted to change how the emperor shaped the world. When I find the Sea she’s hiding in, I’ll be sure to let her know how I ended you.”

  “You're a liar,” said Sarah, weakly. “My parents are dead.”

  “No, you poor fool,” Drake smiled as he combed through Sarah's hair with his fingers. “That was a lie fed to you as a little girl. Your parents are enemies of the empire, especially your treacherous father.”

  “And you made her forget them?” Asked Charlotte, still flinching from the lightning over her body.

  “Somewhat. I just…cleared a few bits of her mind,” said Drake, looking admiringly at the gauntlet over his hand. It was made entirely of gold, with a glowing white diamond at the palm’s center. “The queen gave me the honor, and lent me a bit of her power. You should consider yourself fortunate no to have faced her. The power she possesses could clear your mind into a bowl of mush.”

  “So, the nurse who knew Calow was a Prince,” said Charlotte, fighting through her pain with every word. “The cases of Demagia that's been happening…that was all you, wasn't it?”

  “I did only what had to be done,” replied Drake, coldly. “Our goal requires much for us to see it to fruition. I never did intend for us to cross paths. Your captain merely got in the way of our business. If she hadn't taken the blue moon from our queen, none of this would've happened to you.”

  “I was trying to take it back to the temple before it disappeared,” said Sarah angrily. “Now look, you're going to kill thousands just to do the same!”

  “Yes,” said Drake, simply. “And the survivors will blame the emperor for doing nothing about it. Commoners will rise against Royals, the chaos will slowly leave the Red Sea vulnerable for our Queen. I won't be fighting for the emperor’s lies anymore, the Golden Door has shown me and my men the truth.”

  Sarah’s muscles twitched out of anger. She was sick of being played and manipulated. Everything she had hoped to accomplish had been sabotaged from the start. Her anger fueled Sarah to rise up to her knees. Drake failed to conceal the shock on his face. He had never seen anyone rise after being shot by Jayden’s rifle.

  “So do it then,” said Sarah. “If you love your Queen so much, let them all go and just kill me.”

  “I am going to kill you, but not in front of your love,” His dark eyes shifted toward Jayden. “Leave for the Black Cloud, now, or suffer the wrath from our queen.”

  For a moment Sarah swore Jayden moved his hand toward his pistol, but the captain had made no such resistance.

  “Alright.” Said Jayden in a low voice, avoiding Sarah's gaze.

  Coward, Sarah shouted in her head. She felt foolish to have given him the benefit of doubt. The scar over his eye wasn't to gain her trust, it was just another attempt to trick her. Drake watched happily as Jayden left the room. Mira trailed close behind and turned back toward Sarah. The cat’s face looked as miserable as could be.

  “Living a double life was hard,” said Drake, taking a pistol strapped to his hip. He then pressed his gun against the back of Sarah's head. “But those fools should've known I was a pirate at heart.”

  Sarah shut her eyes. She imagined herself sailing atop of Kyla with her crew. She would savor the moment, and spend her last breath imagining her life as a captain.

  “Only a real man can have heart.” Said a voice.

  There was a loud gunshot, followed by the sound of glass crashing over the floor. The commotion forced Sarah’s eyes to open. To her relief, she found Charlie by her side. The Imperial had his gun pointed toward the glass wall outside Drake’s office. The glass had a large jagged hole at its center. Drake had crashed through the wall and landed in front of the fleet of airships.

  “Soldiers,” shouted Drake, brushing the glass off his uniform. “We take flight, now!”

  Charlie pulled the rods out of their shoulders and rushed toward the shattered wall. Drake's men rushed toward the dark hawks and had begun taking the pilot seats. The far wall near the Black Cloud rumbled as it slowly slid open, and allowed the blue light from the moon to pour into the hangar. The fleet of airships soon took flight and followed Blackbeard's war balloon toward the night sky.

  "This isn't good," said Charlie, looking toward Sarah. "We need to find the rest of your caravan, right now."

  Chapter 21 The Oasis

  The ladies entered the party quite intoxicated from the generous amount of wine they let touch their lips. Cookie was most excited to see Mia so bubbly, often the Royal would sniff someone's hair and comment how she loved the scent of their soul, something she was sure the Royal came up with on her own. The people didn't seem to mind. Everyone, especially the commoners, frolicked upon the dance floor and happily drank from their cups. The celebration was everything Cookie could have wanted.

  “Welcome to the Oasis, ladies,” said the hostess, as they entered. Her blue dress matched the small blue vials she carried atop a glossy silver tray. “We have a special brew of merwater for you, please drink and feel free to dance over the water.”

  “Merwater?” said Mia, looking a bit startled. Her mind still remembered vividly how Sarah lifted the sea into a hundred foot water tower. “Is it really safe to give everyone one of these?”

  “Yes, of course,” she replied, passing each of them a vial. “These potions are diluted, only allowing guests to walk across the pool. But, I have heard some guests say they've been able to move their damp hair!”

  Cookie was the first to drink her potion, and the first to hit the dance floor. Both the Royals and commoners watch her in awe. Her dance was elegant, yet sexy. Her dress would often rise as she rolled over the water to reveal her long legs. She even felt the sensation in her hair, every red strand moved with a simple flick of her wrist.

  After the freckled beauty danced for a bit longer, and kissed a few attractive bartenders, she joined the ladies at their table. Both Holly and Poppy looked amused, laughing at the men staring with gaped mouths toward their way.

  “You could stop making that face, you know?” Said Holly, shaking her head at Cookie’s ear to ear grin.

  “She's just smiling,” said Poppy, shoving a drink into Holly’s hand. “Lighten up!”

  “I'm just admiring the view,” said Cookie, her blue eyes gleaming toward the small tropic island at the center of the pool. “You have no idea how boring it is on a common island. Everything looks so magical here, and look at all of these wonderful people.”

  Cookie turned her head and found a young bartender standing next to her. The young man was plump, both in his face and body, and his belly threatened to pop out the buttons of his black suit. Though his green eyes were striking, not much else could be said to call the boy good looking.

  “You turned around at the wrong time, toots.” Said Mylo.

  Cookie looked over toward the next table and found Mylo seated with a few caravan mates. Their fateful game of Jack’s Knife came flooding back to her, though he looked quite happy for someone who’d just recently lost a hundred gold diamonds.

  “I know you,” said Cookie, with her blue eyes snapped open. “You're the guy Sarah beat at the pub.”

  Mylo’s smile slowly faded, as his eyes narrowed upon Cookie’s face. “How do you know about that?”

  Her surprise had gotten the best of her. Cookie had forgotten she used magic to enter their card game as a man. The freckled beauty didn't hesitate however, she smirked
and simply brushed her red hair from her face.

  “My captain told me all about it.” She said, slyly.

  “So, that little thief really did it,” said Mylo, over his glass of rum. “Well, you should be thanking me then. My diamonds payed for your pathetic excuse of a caravan.”

  “Shut it, Mylo!” Shouted the young man.

  “Oh,” said Mylo, while raising one of his eyebrows. “I didn't mean to offend you, piggy. Go on then, see if you can score one of them with that puffed up face of yours. I'd pay some diamonds to see that happen.”

  Everyone at Mylo’s table erupted with laughter. The young man was left to turn toward Cookie, with a frown and a hue of red upon his face.