Chapter 11:

The Town of Flowers (1)

Mitali lifted one of her only operable fingers and a hatch croaked open, leading to her deck. Wind whooshed in and blew their hairs backwards, sunlight bursted into their eyes and the scent of salt water filled their nostrils.

Land, at last, displayed itself before them.

Mountains stretched across the border of the valley they now found themselves in, their figures covered in trees and grass that gently swayed to the whims of the winds. Plain fields calmly slept under their morning shadow. Small houses and structures scattered here or there between stretches of grass, crops and flowers of colors as diverse as there were clouds in the sky.

“Is that a house?” Questioned Taccilas.

An imposing building stood some distance away, Mitali’s bow pointed directly to it. The sun continued its eternal journey directly above.

“It appears so.” Replied Mitali, her voice betraying the change in appearance she had gone through.

“We’ll go over there.”

“No, you imbecile!” Izuchi pointed towards their left as she interjected. “We should go to that town, there’s more people over there.”

Every eye followed Izuchi’s finger. A forest of tiled roofs and cobblestone roads rose not too far away, their colors and sizes varied as the field of flowers under the spring sky.

The tides gently came to rest beside the town, their song surely a lullaby for all that had come to sleep under the watch of the waves and the mountains.

“Oh, you’re right.”

“The town is more likely to have doctors.” Continued Izuchi. “We’re only going to find maids and wannabe kings in that mansion.”

Izuchi leapt off Mitali’s hull, the way she glided down seemed to defy gravity. It was as if the wind was softly carrying her as one would a baby, her maroon clothes fluttering to its whimsical rhythm.

Taccilas, on the other hand, climbed down the net with Mitali on his back. Taking every step carefully- if he were to fall, Mitali would suffer further harm.

“Let’s go.” Spoke Taccilas as he began walking towards the town.

“Don’t order me around.” Barked Izuchi.

“I’m not…”

“Yes, yes you are! Ever since I met you all you’ve done is order me around like I’m some lowly worker! Has it even registered with you who I am?!” Despite her protests, Izuchi followed not far behind Taccilas.

Taccilas looked back at the angered princess, he thought that if he squinted, he could nearly make out a vein on her forehead.

“Izuchi lae Qua-lim…? All I know is that you’re a princess, or something like that.”

“Izuchi la Kaalinn! Third princess of the Dukedom of Illeryna!” The booming of her voice echoed through the fields and farms of the valley. Birds with two and four and six wings took flight once their peace was disturbed.

“Oh, that reminds me. I’ve been wondering what that place is. All I know is that they have a lot of money!” The boy of the yellow scarf let out a chuckle.

“W-Which place?”

“That Eel-air-nay place!”

“...”

“Never even heard of it! Not until you mentioned it, at least.”

“Are you, perhaps, braindead?” Izuchi’s question seemed to be endowed with real doubt behind it.

“I don’t think I’m the smartest guy around, but you’re going a little far.”

“...How do you not know about Illeryna?”

“I just… don’t…? I’m very curious about it, though! I’d love to see it!”

Izuchi hit her palm on her head. “Absolutely disgraceful… Let’s just get her to a doctor.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Hm? But I wanna hear abo-”

Izuchi raised her palm directly in front of Taccilas, nearly smashing his face.

“No, just shut up. We’ve got to find a doctor for her.”

“‘Tis dreadful, how rude you are.” Mitali effortlessly condemned.

The tides rinsed the beach.

An emerald bird flapped its six wings.

And the rustling of leaves by the soft-spoken wind was all that was heard.

Izuchi’s mouth was agape. After a few moments, where Taccilas thought she might’ve lost her speech altogether, she delivered her voice once again onto the world.

“Excuse me?” Although contrary to Mitali’s voice, Izuchi’s speech now seemed to scare even the mountains.

“‘Tis as I said.”

“How dare-”

“Taccilas has aided you, yet you respond by hurling insults and curses at him. Be silent, lest you possess something of value to add.” Interrupted the white-hair girl once more.

The vein that Taccilas thought he could see only by squinting, had now grown easily visible to him.

He thought if he were to poke it, it might burst.

He meditated about it, truly pondered the possibility as the warship and the princess continued their conversation, but ultimately decided against such an action.

For now, at least.

“...I-I will have you hung!”

“Do you wish to kill me with such an act?”

“Of course! What else would I hang you for?!”

“You may try, but I have a feeling I will not die so easily.”

“You have a feeling…?! Are you mocking me?!”

“Who is to say? I have never been hung. I am unable to confirm or deny the validity of my claims.”

“Absolutely ridiculous…!” Izuchi glared at Mitali, those hollow purple eyes of hers could be said to be staring daggers at her, but the sight of Mitali’s terribly injured body brought other thoughts to her mind.

The princess wished to consult Mitali on how she had obtained such countless injuries, but she stopped herself. She figured the answer had been clear before.

Thus, she held her tongue.

Little over half an hour passed. The melody of grass and wind accompanied the girls and the boy as they walked across the gentle fields of the valley. The scent of salt intermixing with wet dirt and flowers. Blades of grass brushed against their legs with every step they took closer to someone that might be able to heal Mitali’s injuries.

Eventually, in the outskirts of the town, they reached a humble wooden house.

It was made out of beige wood with a wooden door, wooden walls, and a wooden fence surrounding it.

Naturally, the roof was made out of clay tiles.

Taccilas knocked on the door, but since his hands were too busy holding Mitali, he did so with his feet, kicking the door instead. Izuchi had found a tree to rest against whilst Taccilas consulted with the residents.

“Coming!” Echoed a boyish voice from inside. Before long, a boy with brown hair pushed open the door. Heightwise, he reached Taccilas around his shoulders.

“Hello!” Exclaimed the golden eyed boy.

“Oh, I don’t know you.” The host’s voice was tinged in disappointment.

“Nope, we just got stranded here. We need a doctor, my friend is injured.”

Mitali’s eyes grew wide for not more than an instant.

“Doctor? Hmm… We ain’t got one here.”

“You don’t?”

“Ah, if it’s not too bad, then maybe Miss Alerezzinn can help you!”

Not too bad, huh.

“Is she a nurse?”

“Something like that! She helped me when I fell and scraped my leg. Can I see your friend?”

Taccilas stepped to show the girl that rode his back. The bandages that wrapped her arms weren’t any less bloody than they had been before and her legs still bore cuts upon cuts on her fair skin.

“Oh… I-I’ll take you to her.” Stuttered the boy as he went to fetch his shoes.

“Thank you!”

And so the door was closed and the boys and the girls moved into town. Their shoes cackled against the cobblestone road, urgency echoing their steps.

Small buildings continued to rise to their sides, some colored like the sunset, others like the ocean. The number of people grew with every step they took- the onlookers as well, those that instinctively drew their eyes towards Mitali’s battered figure.

A square building painted in white stood before the four, with intricate designs bordering each glass window. Three small spires stretched into the sky from the building’s top most floor- the second one.

A wooden door imposed itself before them and the brown haired boy knocked on it with urgency.

“She should be here!” He said.

“I insist, ‘tis foolish to concern yourselves with my appearance.” Interjected Mitali.

Then, the door opened.

A young lady held the knob, her night-colored hair tucked into a ponytail that reached down to her back. Glasses were cast over her dark eyes and a long, taupe-colored open coat covered the rest of her garments. A long skirt and a woven blouse colored the same as her hairs serve to shield her snow-like skin from sunshine and wind.

“Yes? Oh, good morning Fourre.” She smiled.

“Good morning, Miss Ale!”

“Is there anything I can help you with? Oh, and who have you brought? Are they your friends?”

“This miss needs your help!” Fourre said as he gestured towards Mitali.

Miss Ale adjusted her glasses and took a look at Mitali. She didn’t have to observe her for long before deciding what she had to do. “Oh goodness, please, come inside.”

And so, with the young lady leading the way, Taccilas carried her injured companion inside the white building, Izuchi and Fourre following not far behind.