The Deck | Afternoon | Saturday | July 10

[therewaslife]

The clouds were easing the heat a bit and, without the sun hanging high in the sky, Bod figured that spending some time outside wouldn't give way to an inevitable sunburn. He thought about walking into town but eventually decided that that could wait till later.

Instead, he veered off and clambered onto the deck, sliding into one of the empty loungers and actually choosing to be lazy for once. Usually, laziness was a side effect of having nothing to do or trying to avoid something else but today, he just wanted to relax. He found himself caught up in the movements of the clouds, dark and opaque as they were. He wondered what the sky looked like behind them, if the peeks of blue would stay long and where those clouds would go after moving off.

It wasn't heavy contemplation but he was enthralled by it anyway.

[Deck is open. I like clouds.]

Comments

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

"Oh." The disappointment just washed right over Alexander, his shoulders sagging, but only for a brief second. He straightened them right back up again and nodded. "I see. Yes, that was much like how it was in Manannan's castle, though, really, it was a matter of being killed whether I stayed or if I attempted to leave, so I thought at least I might have a chance if I tried..."

He shook his head slightly. "It is still nice, that, though the details of our situations may be different, the feeling of growing up so alone and with that threat hanging over our heads is something we easily share."

[therewaslife]

"How long were you there, if I can ask?" Bod asked, keeping his voice low and soft. He almost apologized for not having the same background as Alexander but he knew it wasn't his fault.

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

And, really, it was just silly to feel bad about not having to grow up under the thumb of a crazy wizard.

"Until only recently," Alexander answered somberly. "I was kidnapped from my home when I was just an infant, and it was a little over a year ago that I managed to escape and, through an incredible twist of fate, found my way back to my family."

[therewaslife]

"I am glad you found your way back to your family," Bod said sincerely. "Have you gotten much of a chance to spend time with your family?"

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

"Quite a bit," Alexander gained a bit of a smile at that. "Certainly enough to learn that sisters can be incredibly exhausting and incorrigible, which I come to understand is a good sign of normalcy."

[therewaslife]

"I don't have any siblings so I wouldn't really know," he said, lying just a bit. He did have a sister but he didn't know her so he didn't feel comfortable complimenting on it. "Perhaps they'll be able to visit you here. I've heard they have a weekend for just that thing."

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

"Rosella would like that," said Alexander, a little pleased to hear of such an opportunity. "She was quite a bit sore about the fact that I got to go to boarding school and she did not..."

But, then again, she actually had a normal childhood, so Alexander didn't really feel too bad about all that.

[therewaslife]

"Do you think you'll explain about the eccentricities of the island before they visit?" Bod asked curiously.

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

"Well," said Alexander, grinning a little wryly, "I don't think it would be entirely necessary. This place isn't all that eccentric compared to what we're used to. Just about two months ago, our father had just rescued us from an evil magician who had kidnapped our entire castle and trapped us in a jar."

...because you turned his brother into a cat, Alexander. Let's not forget that detail.

[therewaslife]

"...in a jar?" Bod repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious but aren't you a little large for a jar?"

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

"Not," Alexander pointed out with a grin, "if it was a very large jar. But, it wasn't. He had shrunk us all."

[therewaslife]

"That sounds like...some powerful magic," Bod said, eyes widening a bit. "How were you able to escape?"

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

"My father," said Alexander, with no small amount of pride and admiration in his voice, "is extremely resourceful with that sort of thing. He's a great adventurer, and went through great lengths to rescue us from such a dire situation. He also had the aid of..." Trailing off slightly, Alexander's smile grew fond, even wistful, "the most intelligent and beautiful...Cassima. She was a princess who had been forced into slavery, just like myself, only Mordack's intentions were far worse than Manannan's." It was here that his voice then turned angry at the injustice. "Mordack had intended to keep Cassima a slave because she refused to marry him, and he would not free her unless she agreed! Can you believe such a fiend!"

[therewaslife]

"I can't. And I can't even imagine what you'd feel at that sort of thing since I've never experienced anything like it. She was brave to refuse to marry him and endure what she did," Bod said sincerely.

"I am glad that the injustice was corrected," he added. "It needed to be."

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

"She's the most courageous woman I have ever met," said Alexander, with complete conviction and completely ignoring the fact that, really, outside of his mother and his sister and some barmaid back in Llewdor, she was about the only woman he'd really met before coming here. And, since Bod had so far been so easy to talk to, he just found the rest of his frustration flowing right out. "And I can't even find her! It's like she's completely disappeared after we left Mordack's castle. I haven't been able to locate even the smallest trace of her!"

[therewaslife]

"That's unfortunate," Bod said sympathetically, wincing just a bit. "Perhaps she's just some place recovering from her ordeal?"