The thoughts of the limitless sea were drowning his mind while taking his heart to far horizons he could only reach by drawing them in his imagination, when the messenger from the royal palace demanding his presence in front of the king awakened him. He was summoned all of a sudden to the palace, an honor he had never been granted before despite his nobility. The king offered him to be an officer on board the Amphitrite, a ship notorious of following no one's rule despite its captain and crew being from the Panusarea kingdom, and he gladly accepted. The dream he'd put thousands of plans to realize was simply granted, with what could only be called a royal whim that brought his presence to the king's mind. Nothing could spoil his happiness until he heard the captain's name, Alex Walcott. Still, he refused to give up this mission and his dream to board a ship and travel the vast seas, and having a kind dependable man like Vincent Carrol as his assistant, despite being older than him, eased his feelings of uncertainty and assured his troubled heart.
Albert woke up in his small neat cabin recalling his mother's tears that bid him farewell before departing to the port. Although he'd always spoken frankly and excitedly about his dreams of travelling, leaving his home for the first time was quite hard but he wasn't prepared to give up. Also, this mission wasn't simply the key for realizing a simple person's dreams; it was bigger than that… the journey that was composed of a single yet capable ship was purposed to save the people of the Panusarea Kingdom. He couldn't give it up.
After this brief pondering, Albert left his bed and got dressed looking at his mocked assignment paper. Still, he couldn't but smile when recalling the cook and the past one day friend Alice. It seemed to him that she forewent him travelling already and sailing the different seas… how not and she's on board the most famous ship ever, the Amphitrite?
*****
The morning breezes were refreshing, filled with the smell of salt. Albert turned his eyes around the ship, wherever he stepped he was surrounded with the sailor's contemptuous stares. The captain wasn't around and Alice was probably in the kitchen preparing something. He felt so lonely like a rabbit travelling with a herd of lions but Vincent's steps saved him. They walked together across the ship. Albert seemed nervous from all the tension he was welcomed and surrounded with.
"I can tell we're quite unwelcomed on this ship, but I'm not surprised."
Vincent started describing the obvious before went on:
"This ship is famous because it follows no one except its captain yet it's the only ship capable of this mission and we still don't know why they agreed to help us. Maybe because their roots are from the same kingdom as ours. We've to endure our staying here; they simply hate us for our noble rich heritage. Despite the fancy ship, the crew is composed of simple common men."
" This may not apply for you but for me, it's the first time from ten years I dress in such clothes and feel the soft silk on my skin!"
Albert stated without embarrassment, a transient smile drawn on his face.
" Well, the crew for sure doesn't know this."
Vincent smiled gently; the young man was speaking frankly without any shame for a noble like himself. Albert then digressed:
" I don't mind the crew, but it's been days since we sat off and the captain hasn't spoken one word to us as if he doesn't acknowledge our presence!"
" He didn't seem that sociable to me."
"This isn't about being sociable!"
Albert almost shouted while striking angrily on the wooden edge they leaned on, earning muttered curses and disdaining stares from the men working on the deck. He tried to regain his composure as he explained:
" This is about our respect and statues here! He has to understand that we've full authority here!"
Although Vincent didn't like the way Albert spoke the few last words, he couldn't blame him and preferred to say nothing. In the end, he could fully understand why Albert would hate the man who stood ordering the crew under the central mast to set sails and move while ignoring both of them.
A noise interrupted their conversation; all the sailors left their work and performed a salute to the passing man.Speaking of the devil indeed! Albert followed the captain with his eyes while Vincent teased trying to ease the young lad's anger:
" Well, at least there's someone these wild men respect."
But the joke wasn't to Albert's taste as the silent captain once again walked right in front of him and didn't even bother to turn at him or say one word. Albert walked few steps behind him; Vincent followed the reckless young man with a worried gaze as the men seemed furious around their only leader. He called him in a low whisper but Albert didn't stop, he was waiting the captain who continued walking to turn at him and when the latter did turn around, it was only to enter a room. That was the moment when Albert couldn't stand this farce anymore; he got off his glove and threw it at the captain's back. Vincent looked around him; hidden daggers and knives, even small sticks all glittered in the angry crew's hands, and the first mate, the man who was the first to welcome the new officer with a punch put his hand on his sword but Albert didn't even blink. The captain let go of the door's handle and finally, turned at the enraged young man who shouted in his face:
" I challenge you, Alex Walcott!"
The crew smiled in derision, even Vincent took a step back in surprise and hiding a fond smile of the youngster's enthusiasm . For some reason, he seemed to believe that the captain wouldn't accept this childish duel, but his expectations were wrong for the captain, without bending to hold the thrown glove, replied calmly:
" I accept your challenge, Albert Hudgson."
The loud voices of the crew asking their captain to let them show this child his true place on board their ship all stopped when their leader accepted the challenge, as if devoured by a sudden deadly silence. Vincent rushed to Albert's side, like a parent rushing to scold his son, but he was stopped midway by the man's stern stare.
There was no need for formalities in this duel; it was merely for proving one's respect and extent of authority. The two men took their position while the crew started to bet on the two duelers, obviously all in their captain's favor. Hearing the fuss, Alice left her work and rushed to the ship's deck and saw the two men preparing to fight. She called Albert to stop this foolishness but he didn't even turn at her. One of the men whispered to her:
" Don't spoil the scene, the new officer is about to make a fool of himself!"
Albert unsheathed his sword as Alex did albeit nervously. He really wanted to take the man standing in front of him down, he badly wanted to beat him yet he couldn't let his feelings control his mind while fighting but Alex's confident stand and calm eyes irritated the boy further. It seemed as if he was making fun of him, belittling him, even if this wasn't the captain's intentions but his eyes gave that impression and in the end, the flowing emotions of the young man rushed his hand along with his sword toward his enemy. Everyone held their breaths, Alice covered her face and in the blink of an eye, Albert's hand was denuded from the sword it held as it was thrown away into the air and soon he found himself thrown on the ground as well.
Vincent sighed in relief that this stupid drama suited for a theater more than a royal mission despite feeling sorry for his young friend while the crew burst laughing. The duel lasted less than a second through which Albert, despite being a vital part of it, could not tell or comprehend what happened and how he was easily dis-armored and thrown down. Albert turned his face away and gnashed his teeth angrily. Then, a long shadow hovered above him. Albert looked and saw Alex standing in front of him. He didn't give him a hand but merely said:
" Welcome on board the Amphitrite, Albert Hudgson."
His cold expression devoid of any passion didn't change; the phrase wasn't even accompanied with a smile or a nod of greeting. Alex sheathed his sword again and entered and the room he was headed into in the first place as the men continued their work sneering at the defeated officer except for Alice who sat next to Albert on the ground and demanded with clear frustration that could only come from sincere concern:
" What did you think you were doing dueling against the captain? You only ended up having more enemies and making a fool out of yourself!"
But Albert didn't care about what she said, although it was completely true. Instead, he mumbled angrily, his nails sinking into the flesh of his palms:
" That bastard… who does he think himself?! Treating me like a fool… his last sentence made me feel even more stupid! Can't he understand who has the higher authority here?"
Alice batted her eyes in surprise and didn't answer. Silently, she left without looking at the young officer. Vincent watched her while Albert stood up quickly to follow her and clear his intentions but she didn't seem willing to turn at him until he grasped her hand apologizing.
"Alice…"
Albert couldn't understand what bothered her; she bowed her head and sighed:
" I think you've changed… I can't stand the way you're thinking now but I should not be… surprised... when we first met, I didn't know that you were a noble because I couldn't tell based on the child you were but now it seems that it's not just your body that is wearing these fancy clothes but your heart as well… this way of acting doesn't suit you but I shouldn't complain. In the end, this is who you really are."
Albert grasped her hand more strongly, her words pained him especially that he considered himself a noble in title only. He'd to explain himself to her; he hated the terrible person she imagined him to be:
" You're wrong, Alice… I haven't changed at all, you can trust this! I really don't care what position I have on this ship, you saw for yourself how I didn't care about the way the first mate and the sailors greeted me with! This is all about the captain himself!"
Alice raised her head waiting him to go on, his eyes seemed the same way they used to be when she first met him as a child, honest and humble. As the moment went on, Albert finding difficulty in forming his thoughts and Alice waiting patiently. The you man finally cleared his words with hidden tears in his eyes:
" That man was the reason behind my father's death!"
"What?"
Alice exclaimed in shock, rather in denial. Albert let go of her hand and went on with a shivering voice:
" I can never forgive that man."
Alice's eyes were still wide with surprise and Albert could tell she was facing difficulty in processing his words but he did not blame her. He simply smiled sadly at her without waiting her to understand or believe him then went back to his room. Alice watched him go, nothing of his previous zeal with which he faced the captain remaining. She met Vincent's eyes as if seeking confirmation but Vincent merely bowed his head and followed his friend. He knew all along what Albert was upset about; it was realizing his dream for the first time alongside the man he believed to be the reason of his father's death.