The dining hall was now filled with loud music as the guests danced on the ballroom floor. Tristan tried to strike up a conversation with a young woman at another table, while Alice and Jasper had a few glasses of wine. Elizabeth then yanked at her mother’s sleeve to get her attention.
“Mama, can I go outside?” She pointed to the deck outside of the dining hall.
“That seems dangerous, Ely. The wind may be pretty strong outside.” Elizabeth started to pout, but Kinney cleared her throat.
“I double-checked your majesty. The wind is rather mild. Some patrons are also out on the deck, so it should be safe.” Alice then exchanged looks with Jasper. When he gave a nod of approval, she looked at Elizabeth, who watched her with anticipation.
"Alright, but under one condition." Elizabeth could barely suppress her smile. "I will go with you." She gave her mother a big hug and started to pull at her hand.
"Jasper, please keep Tristan out of trouble, will you?" Kinney escorted Alice while Elizabeth was already way ahead of them.
"And do not finish all that wine alone!" Alice said when she saw that the old guard had filled his glass up to the rim. But he raised his glass and laughed as he watched the three of them go outside onto the deck.
=0o0=
The masked men had swept through the ship's hallways. The crew they encountered along the way were gunned down on the spot. Some who did not die immediately were mocked first and then executed brutally.
A group of the masked men made their way to the crew break room, where some of the ship's guards and crew ate. One of the masked men threw a grenade inside, and within seconds, there was a loud explosion and howls of pain. They stormed in and killed everyone inside with a hail of gunfire.
=0o0=
Out on the deck, Alice could understand why her daughter could not contain her excitement. The airship sailed in a cloudless sky, which meant the majesty of the stars was on full display. The three of them were in awe as an endless sea of diamond-sparkling stars spread out into the night sky.
"Wow!" Elizabeth broke the silence as she pointed to the stars. “Mama! Kinney! Look! It’s so amazing! Look! Look!” The other patrons smiled as they watched the child jump up and down in delight.
“There are even all the constellations that teacher Gervais talked about! There it is, the scorpion! The warrior’s belt! And that one is the travelers star!”
Alice watched her daughter as she tried to explain the stars and their names when she remembered what the old guard said to her earlier in the night.
Jasper was right. Elizabeth is growing up to be quite a clever child.
They moved to a more secluded spot away from the crowds and observed the stars in peace. When most of the people on the deck went inside and only the three of them remained, Kinney pointed to a certain star in the eastern section of the sky.
“Do you know what that star is then?”
“Of course, it's known as the Hunter's eye!” Elizabeth exclaimed proudly. “According to the library's star charts, it's the third most visible star after the traveler's star and the five-arrow star.”
“What does it mean if that star is visible in the sky?” Kinney said in an attempt to gain an advantage in their conversation. But Elizabeth responded with a smile and a recitation from a book.
“The Hunter's eye is a superstitious symbol that soldiers and warriors seek before engaging in combat.”
Alice couldn't help but laugh as Kinney waved her hand in the air as she admitted defeat. Elizabeth hugged her mother tightly.
"Thank you for the birthday gift, Mama. It is the best one I could ask for. "
When Elizabeth let go, Alice couldn't believe how quickly her daughter had grown up.
“So I don't have to give you your actual birthday present?” Alice said as she smiled at her. But when Elizabeth heard the word gift, her already blissful face seemed to have glowed up even more.
“Really? Really? What is it?” Elizabeth said as she looked at the sides of her mother’s wheel chair, hoping she had hidden it somewhere.
“Close your eyes first.” Not only did the child close her eyes, but she also covered them with her hands.
=0o0=
The crew closed their eyes as they were lined up one by one and shot dead with a loud bang that echoed throughout the hall. The masked men were thorough. They searched every nook and cranny of the ship to ensure no one tried to hide.
The masked men entered the hall that housed the passenger quarters. The doors to the empty cabins were broken, and the masked men looted whatever valuables they could find. The guests who had gone to bed early had their rooms broken into and a gun pointed at them. Each guest was asked one question.
“Did you see a woman in a wheelchair?!” And when they couldn't answer, gunfire filled the cabin.
=0o0=
“Alright, open your eyes.”
Elizabeth was greeted by a simple but elegant silver chain necklace with a star-shaped diamond pendant. Alice then put it around her daughter's neck and revealed another one she wore.
“It’s our family heirloom.” she explained as Elizabeth marvelled at the necklace. She gently touched it, as if the child held a butterfly.
"When you are lost, just hold it and it will guide you until you are safe." When Elizabeth saw that they had the same necklace, she gave her mother another long and tight hug and Alice returned it as well.
Kinney smiled, as she had also been touched by this moment. When Elizabeth finally removed herself from her mother’s arms, Kinney reached into her pocket.
"Is it alright if I give my present as well, your majesty?"
Alice smiled and nodded at her while Elizabeth rushed over.
"Hold out your hand, my lady."
Kinney then placed a coin in Elizabeth's palm. On one side, it was a standard Braenarim silver piece with her grandfather's carved face. When Elizabeth picked it up and turned it over, the other side was carved with a bronze skull with its eyes and mouth closed. She was mesmerised by the coin and couldn't help but smile.
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"Wow!" Elizabeth said as she held it with her mouth wide open. "Kinney is this your---"
"Yes, it is."
Elizabeth rushed to hug her with such speed that she felt that she was almost tackled. Kinney returned the hug as well. The child then returned to her mother to show her the present. Alice held the coin in her fingers and stared at her guard.
"Kinney, Are you sure you want to give it away? A shadow’s mark is a mark of prestige and honour."
"The brotherhood knows who I am, your majesty so I don’t really need it anymore. And, unofficially, Princess Elizabeth has been requesting that coin since she was four years old."
Alice then handed the coin back to her daughter, who pocketed it.
Kinney then addressed the child formally. "Elizabeth Balder Van Stahlblut II. You have received the brotherhood’s seal, which now means you have to follow the hunter’s code. To officially make you a bounty hunter, I must make sure you know the code by heart. What is the most important rule for a hunter?"
Elizabeth snapped to attention and imitated a guard’s pose, "A hunter will always help those who seek it!" Kinney then saluted her, and the child tried her best to return the gesture.
Well, she doesn’t need to know everything yet. Kinney thought to herself.
=0o0=
The masked men have now controlled most of the ship. Save for the ones that flew the ship, most of the crew, guests and guards are now dead, captured or severely injured in the halls of the Theris Rose. There is only one last part of the ship left that they need to take over. The people inside the dining hall were completely unaware of what was going on outside. Any noise was drowned out by the wind or the loud music played by the band.
"Like lambs to the slaughter." Alpha said to himself.
The masked men had planted explosives at the front door and waited for their leader to give the signal. He made certain that all of the men were in their places before giving the order.
A loud explosion blew open the doors as they stormed inside and fired their rifles into the ceiling. The crowd all ducked and dropped to the floor as the loud music was replaced with horrified shrieks and cries for help. The masked men quickly corralled everyone onto the dance floor. Within a matter of seconds, everyone in the hall knelt with their heads bowed down. As Alpha entered and surveyed the crowd, he immediately searched the hostages, but none of them had the platinum blonde hair that he needed to see.
Irritated, he brought out his revolver and fired into the air, which made the crowd cower.
"Ladies and gentlemen," His voice was no louder than a whisper, but still the crowd heard him speak. "I won’t take much of your time. You see I searched this ship up and down to find someone and yet it seems they keep hiding from me."
Alpha walked around the crowd. "Have you all seen a young woman in a wheelchair and her child? They both have blonde hair and blue eyes."
No one responded at first.
"Will no one help me?" The crowd gasped in fear as Alpha dragged the nearest person he could grab, an elderly man from the crowd.
"You old man? You’ve seen them, haven’t you? Haven't you?!" Alpha grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt. "Where are they?! Where are they?!"
Alpha was about to strike him when gunshots rang out in the air.
Jasper and Tristan had managed to take a covered position and fired at the masked men. Alpha went into a panic. While the rest of his men returned fire, he scurried and hid beneath a table.
"Kill them! Kill them all!" He roared.
=0o0=
Kinney carried Alice on her back while Elizabeth held her hand. They left the wheelchair behind. She needed more mobility and speed to outmanoeuvre the attackers.
Where did they come from? Even for a boarding party, they are overly armed, and the way they move is military tactics for securing prisoners!
"Kinney what about uncle Jasper and Tristan?" As they ran, Elizabeth looked back. "Kinney we forgot uncle Jasper and Tristan."
"Sweetheart, we need to keep quiet, alright? They will follow us soon after, alright?" Kinney could hear the tremble and fear in Alice's voice as she tried to reassure her daughter.
The passages outside were narrow and slippery as the strong wind blew, which seemed to have strengthened in the past half hour. Kinney carefully used the darkness of the night to lead them all to the other side of the ship, where there were no signs of the masked assailants.
"Kinney, we have to help Jasper and Tristan. They will not survive without any support." Alice said softly, so Elizabeth wouldn’t hear.
“Your Majesty, you and princess Elizabeth’s safety is the highest priority. Jasper and Tristan understand that.” Kinney said as she checked the corners and shadows to see if any of the attackers were on the outside deck.
“But still-”
“Your Majesty, You are the next in line for the throne of Aspana. If something were to happen to both of you, it wouldn’t just be ruinous for the country, but no doubt for Braenarim and the entire continent as well. Jasper and Tristan understand the dangers of acting as your shield and allowing you to be taken, or worse, will disrespect them and their sacrifice.”
She was right, but it did not make the decision to leave a family friend Alice had known for her entire life easy. Alice looked back and hoped that at some corner, Jasper or Tristan would pop out and the old guard would give her a cocky grin. But even that seems like too much to hope for.
As they approached the other end of the ship, they could see a stairwell that led into the decks down below. Halfway through the stairs, Kinney smelled something foul. When both of them arrived at the bottom first, Alice yelled at Elizabeth.
“Elizabeth stop!”
The child, who was still a few steps up the stairwell, froze in place, unsure of what to do next.
“Elizabeth, close your eyes! Close them tightly and don't open them until I say so! Do you understand?!”
“Ok.” Elizabeth shut her eyes and covered them with both hands.
Kinney grabbed one of her hands and carefully guided her until she reached the bottom of the stairs. Elizabeth knew they were in danger but could not understand why she needed to close her eyes. They just walked slowly while her mother repeatedly told her not to peek or even look.
Unaware of what happened around her, Kinney and Alice guided Elizabeth through a hallway filled with dead bodies. Blood soaked the expensive carpet of the hallways, and the bodies were all lined up on the sides.
“This is... an execution.” Alice said as they passed through. Her palms were covered with sweat and her stomach was uneasy. She wanted to retch at the sight of so many corpses, but Alice did her best to hold it in. They reached the end of the long hallway where they heard the sounds of a fight.
“Bloody cowards!”
They heard two gunshots, but Kinney and Alice recognised the voice. They peeked around the corner and found Jasper. The old man was covered in injuries and shot wounds, but he even looked more menacing as he stood over two of the attackers who now lay dead on the floor.
“Jasper!” The three of them rushed to the older guard.
“Your Majesty! Thank the Maker you three are alright!” Elizabeth opened her eyes and the old guard smiled at her. Jasper took her in his arms and, despite being wounded, lifted her and started to guide them through the halls.
“Jasper! Where is Tristan? Who on Pandora are these people?” Alice said as they followed him through the halls.
"Tristan has bought me a chance to escape your Majesty. As for who these attackers are, I have no idea. But they are certainly well trained and fully armed compared to common pirates. "
Jasper led them down one more deck, and his face revolted at the stench of rotted blood. As he carried the child in his arms, he hid her face in his chest so she did not see the piles of corpses.
"The crew are putting up a fight, but it will only be a matter of time before they sweep the lower decks again."
"What could they possibly want to do with all this death Jasper? Who are they after? "
Jasper hesitated to answer, but it was his duty to tell them. "They're looking for you and Elizabeth, princess."
Kinney could feel the princess's body sag as she carried her. Alice tried her best to remain calm, but her chest tightened and her heart began to beat so quickly that it hurt. She prayed in her mind.
Let Elizabeth live. Take me, but please protect my child.
They approached one more corner where there seemed to be a maintenance shaft that led down, but it was hidden behind an iron hatch door. "Alright, this should lead us straight to the hangars." Jasper put Elizabeth down as he opened the heavy door.
"There they are!"
The four of them turned around and saw a group of attackers at the end of the hall where they came from. They were led by someone who wore a skull mask that was visible even in the distance. The stairwell was narrow, and if Jasper were to join them, it would take too much time. And time rapidly vanished as the attackers rushed towards them and fired their rifles as they went.
“Go now! Lock the door behind you!” Jasper pushed the three of them inside and slammed the door shut on his end.
“Jasper!” Elizabeth and Alice yelled out. Kinney hurriedly locked the door with a loud clang. From behind the door, they could hear the old guard roar out, and a hail of gunshots hit the other side of the door. Kinney quickly took Elizabeth’s hand and they quickly made their way down.