Chapter 48

Bastian came and sat down on the grass across from the flower.

Her grey eyes looked lifeless as she stared at something in the distance. Seeing her like this struck another chord in his heart and he didn't like it. It made him feel vulnerable.

Looking away agitatedly he began to tap his foot impatiently.

"Where's the maid?" He asked, not looking at her.

After she didn't answer him for some time he turned to see her looking at him with a puzzled expression. Her cheeks were once again deathly pale.

"What?" He asked frustratedly.

She blinked and looked away, "She went to collect firewood."

Rising from his place he went in search of the maid.

"Maid!" He called.

The forest was not thick, the trees were rather thin, but the forest floor was covered with large and tall bramble-like shrubs that made it difficult to see, not to mention the sun still hadn't made her appearance.

"Maid!" He called once more as he walked further into the woods.

"Yes, my Sovereign." A voice sounded behind him.

He drew his sword on reflex and aimed it at the speaker.

"Ahh!" The maid yelped, her hands dropping the dead tree limbs in her arms and her hands raising in surrender.

"What were you doing?" He questioned, pointing his sword in the direction of the path from where he assumed she had come.

She bent down and began to place the firewood in her arms, "Collecting wood for a fire." She stood, "It will get colder my Sovereign."

He simply nodded and she began to walk in the direction back to the camp.

The flower was still sitting in the same place. He wondered if she would be like this forever.

'What do I care?' He asked himself and sat down with a huff.

The maid sat on her knees and he watched curiously as she set the wood in a small triangle and began to scrape a rock with her knife, causing sparks to fly.

Leaning down she blew into the sticks and smoke began to rise soon after a flame engulfed the sticks.

He hid his surprised reaction as he took his knife out and began to fiddle with it.

"So, the first thing we need to do, is get to the capital city so we can find a decent boat and then settle down someplace nice." He said, his focus on the blade in his hand.

"We will not." He heard the flower's words. He looked up and saw her sharp, grey eyes.

"And why not? As you've said, and as my Lords have clearly said, I'm not fit to rule this country." Stabbing his knife in the ground he looked across at her lazily although the statement hurt his pride, "So, I suggest that we find a boat and find an island." He was at least good at sailing.

"No." She inhaled a shaking breath, "Hadok clearly said that the Lords are corrupt. If we leave them to lead this country then it will burn."

"And why should I care?!" He asked sitting up.

He watched as she clenched her fists, "Why don't you?"

The place went silent with only the crackling fire to provide sound.

After the long silence Hydrangea spoke up, "We are going to save Cadarama." After a pause she added, "It was his dying wish."

She stood and walked to the coach.

He sat, his eyes focused on the fire. He didn't have an answer. Why didn't he? His shoulders sank in frustration. He'd been raised in this country, fought for it, sailed all its shores, but he'd never thought about why.

His mind didn't like this and he laid down his eyes looking through the tree canopy and to the stars.

His lids began to feel heavy from the smoke and stress of the day and soon he entered sleep.

Opening his eyes he found that he was in that same bright, open expanse. Looking at his feet he felt a surge of panic from standing on the water.

Attempting to ignore it he looked to the white sky, "Samadur!" He yelled, waiting for the man to appear.

"Yes." The voice replied behind him and he turned to see the dark man walking on the water's surface. He reminded him of Hadok for a a second but no… Samadur's eyes were too cold for that.

"What is this?!" He asked throwing his arms up in anger.

"What is what?" He asked tilting his head in question.

"This? My country being ripped from me, a man dying? What is this?"

"Your punishment, I did try to warn you but you refused to listen." Samadur stated and he began to walk away.

"My punishment? What did I do to deserve this?" He yelled at him, full well knowing that he was not an innocent man.

Without a further word Bastian felt his body plunge into the cold water. Panic immediately seized him as he struggled to find breath. He reached for the bright surface of the water as he moved his arms, desperately trying to swim to it.

His body continued to move down into the dark depths, his body being overwhelmed by a numbing cold as he turned and face the endless bottom.

He saw a girl, her back against the wall of a cage, her grey eyes were hollow as she stared at a point in the distance. She wore a simple dress and her face was strewn with dirt.

Turning he could see more girls, all of them in cages. Some were crying, almost all were hunched.

He turned and found himself in a room, there were more girls all of them on beds, he could hear sobs then a sweet voice filled the air and he looked and saw her stroking a crying girl's back, her lips moving as the beautiful sound left them.

Swallowing he looked up and the vision left.

Opening his eyes he saw that he was in the deep water his eyes facing the surface, and again just before he could make out that bright, happy face he lost his consciousness.

Gasping he awoke and inhaled to try and regain his oxygen.

"My Sovereign, what's wrong?" He heard the maid's voice.

He waved his hand for her to leave and she didn't bother him anymore.

Laying back down in the grass he clutched handfuls of it and clenched his jaw.

He was being punished for that.

"And much more…" A voice whispered and Bastian shot up, frantically looking to see if Samadur was really there.

He inhaled a quick breath and sat back down, determined not to fall asleep again.