Chapter 4

“Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.”

(Dylan Thomas)

It was such a familiar scene, a private room on the first floor of the tavern, two glasses of red wine on the table, an unmade bed in the corner. She remembered every moment she had spent there like it was yesterday. But it felt weird to be here with someone who wasn’t him.

“I can’t believe it has been 80 years already ,” she whispered in disbelief.

“You abandoned your duty for quite some time, that’s another reason his lordship sent us here. Have you been asleep all this time?” Hawke took a sip of his wine, but was still standing. Now up close she could see how uncomfortable he was. His face looked worn out, the brown curls lifelessly hanging over his sharp cheekbones.

 Abandoned her duties? That didn’t sound right.

“What else do you think I did? You have no idea how much I grieved after losing her!” She started shaking uncontrollably but still feeling like she was missing some piece of information.

“After everything I endured for his Lordship and them the least you could’ve done was to turn her into one of you!” She remembered the promise of the Lord, that her little one will become one of the birds to be safe from the curse.

She didn’t see in her anger how the shadows in the corners of the room seemed to creep closer, which made the room shrink and the yellow light of the candle on the table suddenly turn purple. But as she saw Hawk backing away hands up in a calming gesture, she realised what was going on. She started to lose control again. 

Or more like gaining it...?

“I… I am terribly sorry, it seems like I have been standing beside me for the last 86 years I’m afraid. Taking care of the little one and all.” The room's light returned to normal and she sat down heavily on one of the chairs. Why was she apologising? Something still felt off. 

“At least the arrival of the boy woke you up again,” Hawke said dryly. “Nicely played by the Church of Light, I must say.” 

The princess flinched at that. Was it really the Church who placed him with her? And where did he get the information from that someone left Willam at her doorstep? It was not like she told him.

“How bad is it in the world of the living, Hawke?” She tried to change the topic.

He let out a humourless laugh, ”The Lord of the flock decided to watch a while after they pulled the move of kidnapping the king of the underworld and his wife. Seriously, what were the mortals thinking? Trying to get control over life and afterlife just because their pope was on the brink of death.” 

He snorted at that. “As you might remember, it didn’t work because they couldn’t get you out. One member of the family always has to stay, but thanks to the curse you were bound to be powerless.” 

The princess grabbed her wrist, where hidden under the long sleeve the symbol of the church of light was burned in. A gift they left her after taking her parents. They pain was so bad she fainted and woke up days later with no-one at her side.

“After Elodie,” he swallowed hard, speaking out her name, expecting another breakout from her side, “disappeared because of the curse too, everything broke down.” He took a big gulp from the wine. He was playing for time the princess suddenly realised.

“So the dead didn’t die,” the princess repeated calmly more or less to herself, puzzle pieces finally falling into place in her head. So her daughter didn't die either, he said she disappeared. So what if the curse was just a lie, to keep her in check?

He nodded nervously, not realising that this was all the reaction she needed. He has always been a bad liar. The former captain and Elodie's father has been far brighter than him, the flock really had suffered in the past years. She let out a sinister laugh at that, the shadows quivering again. “And now his Lordship can’t pay the deeds because he has no souls to deliver. The deal between him and the Church didn't work out. The life cycle only functions in both directions. The flow of life energy is stagnant and now he's losing power. Because you have skipped my realm.”

“Princess, please,” the pirate whispered. He realised he had messed up. She stared at him, her long black hair moving like it had a life of its own, even though there was not the faintest hint of air movement in the room.

“And now you strut in here, after throwing morsels at me all the time and want Willam.” She stated, leaning back on the chair. Watching how he shrank under her unwavering stare. 

“So it was decided, he’s part of the flock.” He managed to reply. 

“But Elodie never was, he took her without explanation just because he couldn’t stand the thought that there was a child of the princess of the underworld and his dead servant.” She leaned forward again. “I want her back, Hawk. I know he must have banned her on one of the lost flying ships, because like you just said she didn't die, she disappeared, I bet the grave in my courtyard is empty. I know I don't even need to check. I want to talk to him in person. Not only through a voice in the altar room.”

“You can’t do that. You know you're not allowed to leave” Hawke said, sweating now if that was even possible as a dead soul that he was the whole time.

“I can and I will. I have every right after what he put me through, I know he profited greatly from an unstable underworld. And I know that my parents fainted from this world, that’s why I fell asleep after Elodie's disappearance in the first place. It was well played by his Lordship but he forgot an important detail.” She pulled down her sleeve where the seal of the curse was vanishing from her wrist. ”You can't suppress the memory of the dark forever. Your curse was a fraud.”

“Princess…”

“It’s Queen now, Captain Hawke.” She replied. 

And the ancient castle walls rumbled loudly in agreement around them. She was getting back to life as her strength slowly crawled back into her veins. 

“And I think it is time to get back to my duties,” she smiled sweetly. “Now take me and Willam to his Lordship or I’ll let hell break loose too.”