04.08.08
21: A Row Between Friends
They made it to a boat and, with a little difficulty, figured out how to lower it to the water.
“Here, help me with the oars,” Jace said.
“Help you do what with them, precisely?” the princess asked.
“Row,” Jace said.
She gave him a withering look.
“You’re not being very helpful considering I’m saving you,” he said.
“You never would have made it out of that cabin without me,” she countered. “Anyway, I’ve never rowed a boat in my life. I wouldn’t know how to.”
“Neither have I,” Jace said. “Do you want to just flounder around here until somebody notices us? I can dive under the water and swim away. How about you?”
Sullenly, she took up an oar, and they sat side by side in the narrow boat, silently paddling in the general direction of the shore.
“You’re rowing too fast,” Jace said. “We have to pull together.”
“You’re rowing too slowly,” the princess countered. “This isn’t so difficult.”
“You said you’ve never done this before,” Jace accused.
“I haven’t, but it’s not that different from flying, really,” she said. She sighed. “If only I could, still… could fly away and leave you in this stupid leaky tub.”
“And I could swim away and go back to my old life,” Jace said. “In fact, I can, if I want. Just remember that.”
She laughed at this, and despite the cold cruelty of the sound, it was beautiful… like perfect little bells carved out of ice.
“Silly boy,” she said. “Have you forgotten that those soldiers saw you? How long do you think it would take them to get your description out? How long do you think it would take for somebody to recognize you, in a town of this size?”
Jace had forgotten… or at least, he hadn’t grasped the implications. The governor’s men did not regularly mix with the sea scum who frequented Prit’s tavern, but Jace was a common enough sight running along the streets that some or most of them would surely recognize him as “Prit’s boy.” The tavern would be one of the first places they’d canvass, looking for the boy suspected of freeing the captive the governor apparently so ardently desired.
“Let’s make for the other end of the docks,” he said, choosing to ignore the question. “We can slip along the waterfront to the edge of town and up the coast a bit before we head into the wilderness”
“You have food and water secreted nearby, I expect?” she replied, in a tone of voice that told Jace just how great her expectations truly were.
“I didn’t want to slow us down,” he said. “There’s food to be found in the forest. Water, too.”
“Well, at least you had a little foresight,” the princess said. “That’s something. What was your name again?”
“Jace.”
“I am… I’m called Sheiral,” the girl he’d previously only thought of as the princess said, surprising Jace by having a name.
“Sheiral,” he echoed. He remembered something of his manners. “I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Not half as pleased as I am to have met you,” she said. “In spite of everything.”
Ananta said,
April 8, 2008 at 11:20 am
The “princess” has a name! Yay! i love the simple innocence of Jace and the story is just plain cute.
S said,
April 8, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Stories are better than fights with hosters.
I’m wondering where this is gonna go from here though.
Sharzay said,
April 9, 2008 at 2:36 am
“The tavern would be one of the first place they’d canvas” - I believe it should be “places”. Otherwise would just like to say I’m really enjoying this story, and I love MU. Thanks for providing us with all this wonderful entertainment!
Kitabare said,
April 9, 2008 at 9:04 am
At least she’s finally starting to show some gratitude. Maybe they can be friends after all.
Alderin said,
April 9, 2008 at 9:39 am
Yay, some softness shows in our princess. I wonder why she can’t fly anymore, and if it is permanent. And Jace still doesn’t think ahead, but he seems to be getting a little better at thinking on his feet.
This would make an interesting RPG.
Thanks Lexy for putting so much into your writing and sharing it with us.
Love to you from my corner of the world.
*HUGS*
securitywolf1 said,
April 9, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Very interesting! Love what your writing about and how the storyline is going.
Patrick said,
April 9, 2008 at 9:27 pm
so…yeah. I do believe I’m now hooked on each of your projects-not that i’m complaining. I definitely like the flavour of this story, but I can say the same for each of the others, hehe. Keep up the good work.
On another note, I wonder if that’s not her real name, or if perhaps there’s part of it she’s leaving off-an honorific, a title, etc. The pause there makes me wonder who she really is.
Maeglin said,
April 10, 2008 at 9:58 am
Just a nitpick: Canvas with one s is a cloth, Canvass (with two) is the word you want for what they’ll do at the tavern.
I love all your stories, and am ecstatic to get updates on any and all!
Oradan said,
April 27, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Your worlds amaze me, and so do your words. Keep up the great work.
Anita said,
April 29, 2008 at 1:40 am
AE, I found this once I got caught up with you on Tales of MU, which is great and keeps me coming back week after week…but I really like this story as well and have been disappointed that this story is not updated very often.
WorriedRebel said,
May 5, 2008 at 12:30 am
@alderin
Sheiral mentioned in one of the previous chapters that she cannot fly as they have removed her flight feathers.
@ae
I read the title, I read the chapter. I moved on to the next chapter and noticed this title again. I groaned. Thank you for the terrible puns, they are just one of the things I love about your work!
rien said,
July 18, 2008 at 5:08 am
“The tavern would be one of the first placeS they’d canvasS”