Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene XXVIII

Liofia stood on the stone outcrop as Julen and Eartaria haggled with the owner of the boat. Her face was pale and wan, and she felt slightly sick as she contemplated yet another journey across a wavy sea. She pulled off her berry-brown cloak and tied it around her waist by the sleeves. The cold air on her neck a slight pick-me-up as she stiffened her resolve.

Box and Goola looked twin-like to her as they lolled about further down the shoreline; no doubt like her with similar feelings of apprehension. As she watched the choppy waters off the western coast she couldn't help but appreciate how different they looked to those of the Eastern Sea. Even the water itself looked different. It all belonged to the same body of ocean she thought to herself, but still, it had a different feel. Almost like each sea had its own personality. This one looked much rougher and coarser, though perhaps it was just the wind and the craggy rocks that give it such an impression.

As she looked back down towards Julen he looked young and naïve in comparison to it. The red silk of his neckerchief a keen little dot on the beachy-blue prospect. Finally, her thoughts returned to her father. How was he doing? And how were things faring back in the Eastern Kingdom? - in her kingdom. It was after all her home. And what about Elgiva? Would she ever see any of these people again she wondered. She dropped down from the stone outcrop, still somewhat cat-like in her movements, and toddled down towards the boat.