Patti's Chapter Three
Patti's Chapter: Chapter 3
Sunsets and Seakings
Queen Patti rested her elbows on the railing of the marble balcony as she leaned out and watched the suns set. They were still in the orbit of Nadidian. She was still decked out in her wedding dress, looking a darker blue in the fading light. The ceremony had been short and sweet, under the protest of Empress Karen who enjoyed dragging things out.
Neither her nor Shamal wanted to be standing in front of the alter for the hour and a half that Karen had planned, so, after much discussion, they settled on a short, half hour ceremony.
Patti couldn't help but smile as she recalled the wedding itself. Her mother, god rest her soul, was right when she had told Patti as a young girl that her wedding would be the happiest day of her life. But, as it had been 6 or 7 years prior, her mother had no idea what events would surround her daughter's wedding.
She still felt marrying Shamal was a mistake. Not because she didn't love him, heavens no. Because of the danger that surrounded her. She thought back to the night that Queen Cynthia was discovered, and all the things she had thought about, most of all her last thought about turning herself in. It was ridiculously simple, one the Seakings would never suspect from the daughter of the very people who had repelled them so long ago. She could handle herself with them, this she was sure of. There were things not even her dear friend Karen knew that she could do, her last resort in case things
got desperate. "~But are you strong enough?~" Her heart mocked. "~Are you strong enough to leave your friends, your HUSBAND behind? To leave them behind as you turn yourself in?~" Her mind was silent, no easy answer to shoot back at the mocking tone her heart spoke in.
She watched the golden suns dip slowly into the blue waters of the Goodsea, the sky streaked pink and orange, and sighed louder than she intended to. A few seconds later, arms wrapped around her waist from behind her and a head rested on her shoulder. "Something wrong?" Shamal asked, concerned. Patti considered telling him everything, all the things that weighted on her shoulders and rejected it. Relaxing a bit in his embrace, she responded, "Nothing, for once, everything's fine." They stood there for a long moment, watching the last crescent of suns dip below the horizon and the first
stars appear, tiny pinpricks of light against a rapidly darkening sky. Looking up, Shamal asked abruptly, "What do you wish?" A long day taking its toll, Patti was almost asleep on her feet, the question startling her out of an almost-doze. "Hmm...?" She asked gracelessly. "You know, wishing on the first star that comes out at night. What do you wish?" He asked, still looking up. Her eyes followed his and picked the star he was looking at. "Peace. Now, and forever." She responded instantly, still staring up. His arms hugged her tighter. "This business with the Seakings is really hitting you hard, isn't it?" He asked, sympathetically. She sighed again, turning her eyes back to the skyline, the sunset fading fast. "You could say that." She responded, again swamped with the urge to spill her soul to him. But she knew if she did, even if she
told him exactly what she was feeling, he wouldn't understand, heck, she wasn't even sure SHE understood exactly what she was feeling.
A cool breeze sprung up as the last of the dim glow faded from the sky and Patti shivered. Not missing the fact she was cold, Shamal draped a blanket around her shoulders. "I figured we'd need this." He declared as he shifted himself so they were sharing it. "Want to go inside?" He asked, noticing the fact she still occasionally shivered. Patti nodded, not cold, just worried. She couldn't keep the paranoid voice in her mind stop its screaming that there could be Seakings all around them in the dark.
The warning bell rang, and the captain's voice, a android, called out, "Exiting Nadidian's atmosphere. Please make your way back into the ship, as it will be closed of in 30 seconds."
They walked together back into their room they now shared, the fire in the fireplace casting a dim glow over the entire room, making it look cozy and warm. Pausing just outside the sliding doors leading into their suite, he stepped aside and bowed low. "Your quarters, my dearest Patti." He said majestically, causing Patti to giggle. Together they crossed the threshold into the room, Patti suddenly realizing how late it was. "I have the urge to take a long, hot shower right now...." Patti said thoughtfully, glancing sideways at Shamal who grinned. "Really? Isn't that weird, so do I!" Patti playfully shoved him, saying, "Then we had better make that a bath. The shower in this room isn't very accommodating for two people."
***********************
Later that night, Patti woke up suddenly for no reason at all. She lay in bed under the covers, Shamal deep asleep beside her. Her mind did its routine scan of the room, checking for intruders, namely of the Seaking variety. What startled her was that, unlike normally when it found nothing and let Patti return to sleep, this time it actually FOUND something. "~Who are you?~" Patti demanded, wondering if she should wake Shamal. A shimmering in the air beside her bed was the only indication anybody was present. The shimmering flickered as the intruder's mind voice chuckled at her question. "~The Seaking Warlord wishes to speak with you.~" A slightly hissing voice responded from thin air. "~Tell your 'Warlord' that I do not speak through voices on the wind and shimmers in the air. If he truly wishes to speak with me, tell him to set up an appointment." She responded loftily, trying to stop her insides from shaking and her fear from showing on her face. There was silence for what seemed an eternity before the voice came back. "~It is agreed. You will meet him tomorrow night. Midnight in the garden below your balcony.~" Patti hesitated only a moment before responding back, "~Agreed.~" Instantly, the shimmer disappeared, shocking Patti's magic sensors by its power. Shamal stirred next to her, indicating that he too had felt a bit of it. "Patti?" He mumbled sleepily, raising his head. She turned over and said, "Shh..It’s alright. Nothing there." Satisfied by her answer, he collapsed back onto his pillow and closed his eyes. "Shamal?" Patti whispered, causing his eyes to open again. "Hmm..?" He questioned. Patti hesitated for a moment, and then said, "No matter what happens to me, I love you, Shamal." She saw puzzlement reflected in his eyes, then an uncertain smile as he said, "As do I, my love." Satisfied by his answer, she turned over and closed her eyes, determined to get a few more hours' worth of sleep. She would need them to keep her wits sharp tomorrow night.
