Chapter Text
Waves splashed gently against the ship’s hull. The sky was overcast with clouds and a breeze skimmed over the ocean's surface. If one looked to the west, they could see land moving further and further away. Workers rushed across the deck, speaking in hurried whispers. Every movement was kept as silent as possible, as if the crew was anxiously waiting for something.
At first glance, the crew moved seamlessly together, years of sea experience coming to light. However, the longer you watch the easier it is to see their struggles communicating. Hands carried out jobs that had been done hundreds of times before as if they were being done for the first time. This was the crew's first day together.
Hushed conversations carried themselves across the deck.
“The prince, yes.”
“The Firelord is the one who-”
“I can’t believe-”
“His own son!”
“-only 11. That’s younger than my kids, I-”
“His uncle is with him now.”
“Yeah, he hasn’t left the room-”
“They’re not sure he’s going to make it.”
The subject of all these conversations was residing in a room below deck. He was a young boy of the age 11. His body was dripping with sweat from a fever. A thick bandage stretched around his head and covered his left eye and ear. His black hair was shaved away from the wound in a haphazard way.
The lighting in the room was dim, coming from only a few candles in the corner. They flickered and cast shadows across the boy's face, which was twisted in pain.
There was one other occupant in the room. He sat at the boy's side, gray hair unkempt and framing his face. Silent tears rolled down his face as he gripped the boy’s hand tightly.
The man hadn’t moved for hours, and he vowed to himself not to leave the room until the boy woke up. He would sit there until the fever and infection stopped wracking through the boy’s body. The first face the boy would see when he woke would be his, smiling down at him.
The man squeezed the boy’s hand firmly and promised to never leave him alone again.