600 Waiting For The Show Of Power
Seren gaped at the chaos on the deck; it was as if the world had turned upside down. The rain was so heavy and the darkness of the night. it was almost impossible to see anything beyond several feet in front, yet still, the brave sailors were doing their best to handle the ship in such a terrible storm.
She held onto the doorway for a moment and chose to step out even as her body immediately got drenched in the rain. Just then, a passing sailor nearby saw her and panicked.
“Your Majesty, it’s dangerous outside! Please stay in your cabin!” the man shouted as he held one rope tightly, trying to keep the sail of the mast from unfurling.
Seren heard the sailor but she ignored his warning as her eyes only searched for her husband. Because of the low visibility caused by the nighttime and the rain, she could not find him and walked ahead.
“Your Majesty the Queen, please return!”
Drayce, who had been overseeing the sailors with the help of his superior eyesight that could pierce through the rain, stiffened despite being at the quarterdeck. His sensitive ears caught the words shouted by the sailor, and his gaze hurried towards the image of his wife shivering under the rain.
“Benett,” Drayce shouted loudly to the captain who was holding onto the ship’s wheel together with the helmsman. “Take charge!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
After handing over his work to someone else, Drayce disappeared from the quarterdeck, only to appear in front of his wife. He held her immediately in worry that she might slip down the wet floorboards and hurt herself. Even as it was, her clothes were already soaked and her body was cold.
The servants who had reached the door, trying to catch up to her, happened to see her with Drayce and felt relieved. However, an annoyed sailor saw the hapless women trying to step onto the deck and could not help but usher them back, “Please stay inside, ladies.”
“But Her Majesty…” Marie tried to speak but the sailor interrupted her.
“His Majesty is with the Queen. He will bring her back.”
The servants agreed and let the sailor close that door.
“Seren, what are you doing here?” Drayce asked. “Let’s go back to your cabin–“
She looked up at him, her face drenched in rain, her shivering hands holding onto his arms. “I was worried for you.”
“You know you don’t have to.”
“But still, I could not stop. You didn’t show up the entire day as well…”
“Apologies for worrying you, my Queen. Let me take you back first.”
“And you?”
“Once everything has calmed down, I’ll be with you.”
Just then, the sailor on lookout at the crow’s nest shouted. “A huge wave is coming in!”
Even the most experienced among the sailors froze upon hearing that shout. The captain immediately shouted to give new instructions, ordering the other sailors to leave the deck, and those who couldn’t to make sure to tighten the ropes on their waists.
While humans were doing their best to get the ship out of the storm safely, Yorian was standing at the starboard of the ship, his feet firmly glued to the wooden floorboards, as if nothing could shake him, and he was calmly staring at that roaring sky and growling sea. He looked like he was worrying about nothing, and the chaos around him didn’t affect him.
“Mister Yorian, a huge wave is coming!” The captain yelled as loudly as he could, worried that the guest of the King didn’t hear the earlier shout due to the rain. “Please step back and find a safe place–“
The elf turned his head to the captain shouting from behind the wheel and offered him a smile. “You worry for nothing, Captain Bennett!” He said in a casual tone, and then turned his attention back to the sea. “I am just waiting to see someone’s display of powers.”
Drayce immediately called loudly for Slayer who was helping the sailors along with his knights. “Slayer!”
Hearing his liege’s voice, Slayer wiped the water from his face and looked at the King.
“Take care of, Seren!” Drayce ordered.
Slayer dropped the work he was doing without delay and ran towards the King, managing to swiftly cross the distance despite the slippery floorboards and the swaying of the ship.
With a large wave rushing visible to the eye, Drayce had no time to get his wife back to the cabin as he urgently needed to get the ship safely out of it. There was only one way to do it—using his powers.
Slayer reached them and Drayce informed his wife in a hurry, “Stay with Slayer.”
“W-Where are you going?” Seren asked, unwilling to let him go.
“Don’t worry. I will return in no time,” he said and passed her to Slayer.
Slayer merely hesitated for a split second before wrapping an arm firmly around the Queen’s shoulder, knowing that he needed to hold onto her tightly in order for the two of them to remain on their feet. “Apologies, Your Majesty.”
Seren didn’t mind as all her thoughts were focused on Drayce and she held onto Slayer’s strong arms while her gaze followed Drayce who jumped towards the bow to stand at the frontmost place. Beyond the rain, all of those on the deck could see that enormous wave coming towards them, ready to swallow their ship whole.
Yorian had already expected this happening, his eyes holding great expectations.
“Doesn’t look like you need my help. I will enjoy the power show then.”
The elf had leisurely stayed rooted in place, crossing his arms as he watched Drayce’s heroic figure at the bow.
The young king, with his eyes closed, slowly raised his arms that were on his sides towards the sky, his open palms emitting powers…
Soon everyone on the ship turned quiet as if time had stopped. All the sailors, knights including the captain and each and everything on the ship stopped moving as if they were frozen.
Only Seren, Slayer and Yorian could see what was going on. Slayer and Seren were familiar with this kind of power of Drayce while Yorian felt nothing surprising.