Elowyn woke back on the ship. She was laying on a pile of ropes, her head pillowed by someone's cloak. Erik was standing near, gazing over the edge of the ship. Elowyn stood slowly, her head felt heavier than usual and her leg was sore where it had been pinned. As she approached Erik, she could see his shirt was ripped and he had cuts on his arms and face. Then she saw what he had been gazing at.

The port was destroyed. Only a handful of buildings were left intact. Lifeless bodies of humans and demons were sprawled everywhere.

"What... what happened?"

Without turning he responded, "The demons are spreading. The captain says that the demons used to hide from humans. But now they are multiplying rapidly, and they fear us no longer."

They stood in silence, watching the native islanders dig through the rubble and tend to their wounded. The captain and Chord appeared from behind a half-melted wall. Elowyn's head felt a little lighter on seeing that Chord was safe. As they drew near the ship, she could hear them speaking.

"...and what of the Quartermaster? Has he been found?"

"Yes captain," replied Chord. "He was… partially liquified."

"Hmm… we’ll have to notify his family when we arrive home."

"Yes sir."

The two of them crossed the gang-plank onto the boat.

Chord smiled when he saw Elowyn. She couldn't help but smile back. But the captain spoke first.

"Ah, how wonderful to see you awake. How does your head feel?"

"Heavy sir."

He nodded. "I understand you received quite a blow. You are lucky you weren't too hindered by it."

He then turned to Erik.

"I'm glad to see that someone can keep commands to watch her. Thank you, Erik."

Erik responded with a solemn nod. Chord looked embarrassed.

“It was my fault captain. I was the one who ran away.”

"Regardless, Chord should have followed you. Now Erik, go have your wounds cleaned. Chord, you as well. Elowyn, you should probably get some rest."

Elowyn nodded and tried to walk to her cabin, but her legs seemed to no longer wish to hold her weight. She collapsed. Chord moved swiftly and caught her before her head could hit the ground again. He lifted her and carried her to her cabin.

As Chord laid Elowyn down on her cot, she could now see that his face and neck were covered with burns.

"Chord you..."

She suddenly remembered the amphibious demon and its corrosive saliva. He had been covered with gore. His shirt had holes where it had burned through and Elowyn now realized her own clothes were covered in holes. Probably burned through when he was carrying her.

"It's all well." He smiled.

"But... You received them saving me and..."

"And I would do it again. You are the hope and future of Nevar. I would do anything to protect you."

Elowyn didn't know how to respond. So she raised her hand and gently touched her fingers to his face. Her fingertips glowed and his burns slowly healed. Chord smiled.

"I was never good at healing."

Elowyn smiled.

"I was never very good at protecting people. Perhaps we are well matched," she replied.

He laughed, "Indeed. Then Elowyn Ayer, the One True Heir, as in successor, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."

He took her hand in his and held it until she slept. It was then that Chord Southway became the protector of Elowyn. And she never had a nightmare again.

***

They stayed in port a few days longer than planned to help with reparations. Elowyn only left the boat a few times and each time she went with Chord. But the town was mostly rubble.

Elowyn noticed that Erik had cuts on the back of his neck and arms. She guessed there were probably some on his back as well. She wondered if he had fought the demons as Chord had. She offered to help him heal and he scoffed at her, so she thought of it no more.

As they left the Moanan Islands, Elowyn could feel herself growing anxious again. But it wasn't the activity of sailing that worried her, it was the prospect of going to Thana. Captain Dmytro had informed her that Elowyn's grandmother was still alive and lived in the castle, serving the queen of Thana. He said it was likely that she would live in the castle as well and learn the ways of Thanan ladies.

Every day was filled with bouts of fear and panic. Sometimes they were so bad she would feel ill and could hardly bring herself to leave her room. Only the thought of talking with Chord could motivate her.

Chord didn't seem bothered by Elowyn's questions about Thana and Nevar. He answered them as well as he could. She had asked Erik some questions a few times, but he always seemed annoyed by her. His company was not nearly as desirable as Chords.

Elowyn's heart nearly stopped one morning when the watch announced that Thana was in sight. She hid in her room and paced. It wasn't until Chord brought her a glass of wine, which she finished in a few swallows, that she started to calm. He comforted her, telling her that they still had to go through a channel to reach the capital. They would not reach their destination for another day.

Elowyn didn't leave her cabin the whole day.

Early the next morning, after a night of restless sleep, Chord knocked at Elowyn's door.

"Elowyn, you must come to see this."

She sighed and rolled off the bed. She felt ill as she walked toward the door, probably a result of not eating the day before. But she managed to stumble outside where Chord was waiting for her with an apple. She gratefully took and devoured the apple.

Chord led her to the mast and began climbing to the crow's nest. Elowyn hesitated, she hadn't been allowed to climb the rigging since the beginning of their journey. But Chord yelled for her to follow.

When she reached the nest and looked to where Chord was gazing, she let out a surprised gasp. In the distance was a city. Elowyn had never seen a city save the sole one on Cera, and this was many times larger. It was Diya, the capital city of Thana. It seemed to go on forever, stretching across the shore as far as Elowyn could see.

"It's..." Elowyn couldn't think of any way to describe it.

"Beautiful?" Chord offered.

"Big," she responded. Chord laughed.

"Wait until you're actually walking through those streets. It will seem even bigger."