Nathaniel's P.O.V

"She wants to talk to me?"

The Air Princess nodded her beautiful head in conformation.

"Mother sent me to get you, the Siren wants to see you and Mother thinks that it might help her talk more than she has been doing." Aranel's voice hardened with the words and her eyes turned to slits. "I don't think that it is a clever idea."

"Why not?" I asked curiously, but she simply turned her head to the side and tilted her nose in the air.

"Come."

She turned to leave and I hastily shrugged on a coat gifted to me by the Queen. It was very light and very warm and made from some kind of strange fur that shone like a crystal in the light.

Buttoning up the front, I followed after Aranel, shutting the door quietly behind me.

We walked through the halls and I made sure to keep up as I hadn't gone through the palace this way before and it was easy to get lost when all of the white stone and glass walls were all equally dazzling, yet as alike as two petals from the same flower.

Although the light didn't change, I had the strange feeling that we were hurrying deeper and deeper into the bowels of the palace and my suspicions were confirmed when Aranel pushed open a thick wooden door and announced that we were entering the Palace dungeons, which were situated at the very bottom of the magnificent structure.

The rooms were the darkest that I had seen inside the palace. They were, by Earth standards, normally lit, but I supposed, to the people that lived in this too bright fairy tale world, the dudgeons might as well be pitch black.

Cell's lined the walls, and it became apparent to me just how accessible the precious gem was in this Kingdom, when Aranel informed me that the bars were made from solid diamond and the stone walls were crafted by the Dragons, who, according to the Princess had an 'unusual knack for manipulating the rock.'

The cells were all empty, Zalas had told me himself that crime wasn't really a problem in the Kingdom. Everyone was provided with a job, the Queen saw to that.

When I had asked how she managed to keep a track of everyone, his answer had been that the Kingdom was small, and it was worth the effort to get to know the people and provide a little extra for them, if it reduced the amount of theft and unhappiness within the Kingdom.

This answer had forced a grudging respect out of me for Zalas. I didn't like the boy, but it was obvious that he didn't think himself so above ordinary people that they were undeserving of his help when it was needed. He was fair, I could give him that.

I breathed in deeply and coughed. The air was musty here, and puffs of a shimmery substance that I would have likened to dust rose up around my feet when I walked. But it couldn't be dust, it caught the light and hung for just a second too long in the air.

"Its ground up glass, from the Palace above. Everything is so heavy that the slightest movement of the Palace caused the glass to rub against the stone. It seeps through the cracks in the floors and settles here."

I looked ahead to Aranel and saw that her white hair was already coated in the stuff and it glittered as she walked.

Her explanation didn't seem to require an answer so I kept quite until we rounded another corner and stopped at a door that appeared to be created out of solid diamond.

Entranced, I reached forward and tapped a knuckle on the polished surface, pulling back quickly when a bell like sound emitted from the door.

"It's treated diamond." Aranel said briskly. "It is the hardest substance on earth, nothing can cut through diamond but diamond, which is why everything is made from it down here. The Dragons altered it for us so that it could be used as an alarm as well. Nothing gets through the doors unless you know the key."

She lifted up her hand and wiggled her fingers at me, smiling slightly before she turned and pressed her hand against the door.

The impenetrable gem began to glow around her skin and her arm muscles grew tense as she leaned into the stone. I watched in silent fascination as, inch by inch, her whole hand, up to just above her wrist, sunk into the diamond door. She held it there for a moment, her eyes closed in concentration before withdrawing just as slowly.

"If anyone but my Mother, Zalas or I tried to do that, they would be stuck there until a guard came along and notified us of the situation." She said, answering my question before I could ask it.

With a gentle gushing sound, the door slid to the side and Aranel beckoned me through; I had barely taken one step on the other side before the misleading door closed with a hiss behind me.

I shivered as I took another slow step forward. The air was different here, more ... heavy. It pressed down on me from all sides and I forced myself to breathe, pushing the thick air down my throat, forcing it to travel around my lungs.

"This way." Aranel said curtly. "Hurry."

I followed after her, my eyes glancing all around and taking in the cells that lined the walls. They were thin width wise, probably only about ten feet, but long in length, I couldn't see the back of them and the white stone walls faded into the gloom about halfway down.

"Are any of these occupied?" I asked, trying to conceal the sick feeling that was growing in my stomach. My skin crawled as though my words had suddenly gained the attention of thousands of invisible eyes.

"Some of them. These are high security cells, the beings in here have been stripped of their magic by the Dragons. That is why the cells appear so dark to you. Take our magic and we are no longer whole, it is the worst punishment of our kind. Most who earn the confinement of these cells never come out, why would you want to when you have become the lowest of all creation?"

I shivered and walked a little faster but when I felt a tingling sensation on my spine, I couldn't help but turn my head to the cell to the right of me and stop dead in my tracks.

A haunting pair of white eyes floated out of the darkness at the back of the cell. The pupils in the middle held no light, they were as black as the iris was white and contorted into slits, like a cats. As I watched, the pupil slowly grew larger and larger until it took over the entire eye, causing the vision to fade into the black once again.

I resisted the urge to throw up, but I was unable to look away from the space where the eyes were, I was sure they were still there, still watching me.

"Nathaniel!"

I jerked my head around to see Aranel staring at me. Her solidity was like a gift and I breathed in deeply, taking in how white and whole she was, pushing the visions of blackness out of my mind as I did.

"Come," She said, but her voice was soft and understanding. "It is best to keep moving. The prisoners down her have long lost their sanity and will do anything to try to take a piece of yours for their own."

Her words were like something from a horror story but I banished those thoughts from my mind and tried to concentrate on what she said. I swallowed and nodded, and this time when we walked forward, I made sure to keep my eyes straight ahead to the vision in white in front of me.

It was only another three minutes before we heard the soft whispering of voices, but to me it felt like hours. The cells twisted and turned like the most intricate maze and I doubted that if, anyone did break out of their cell, they would be able to find their way to the diamond door that would end their fruitless attempt at escape.

As it were, I had my guide, and she lead me down another passage and round another corner where we came face to face with Zalas.

His eyes flickered to me briefly before he jerked a thumb behind him.

"Mother awaits you."

"Aranel?"

"Yes Mother, I'm here." The Princess hurried forward, but before I could follow, Zalas's cold white hand shot out and stopped me in my tracks. He looked deep into my eyes with his penetrating gaze, silencing whatever retort that had been about to slip off my tongue.

"Guard your mind." Was all he said though, before he stepped aside to let me pass.

I looked at him cautiously, before hurrying past him and round another corner to where the Queen and Aranel were standing. They both turned to look at me and I bowed awkwardly.

"Aranel said you sent for me Queen Airocei?"

She waved me forward impatiently.

"Yes Child. My guards grow tired of questioning this traitor. All she asks is for a audience with you and so, under controlled conditions, we have decided to give her one."

I glanced behind me and saw Zalas gliding forwards to stand just behind me. There was no doubt in my mind what 'controlled circumstances' meant. I gulped nervously and took another step forward.

"Where is she?"

"Nathaniel, is that you?"

The sweet alluring voice pierced straight into the center of my mind and my feet, moving of their own accord took several hurried steps forward until I found myself standing in front of the cell where I knew she must be; my hands reaching out to touch the cold diamond bars.

"Not so fast!"

Suddenly Zalas was in front of me, hissing through teeth that had lengthened slightly and grown pointed at the ends. One cold hand was pressed against my chest, his nails digging into my skin.

"She will try to take you back under her spell. You must fight it. Show me that you are not just a worthless human and fight!"

I gritted my teeth at his insult, I was not worthless. I was Circe's brother and I had shared the womb with her for nine months. I was no ordinary human.

Inhaling deeply, I brushed aside Zalas's hand. "I am ready."

He grunted, but stepped to one side, his hands curled into white fists.

"Fine."

I stepped up to the bars a second time, but this time, a cold metal fist had clenched itself down over my heart as I looked into the eyes that once captured me.

"Hello Nica"

*

Hobbson's P.O.V

"I'm sorry ta tell yer lads but the Cap'n won't be seein' anyone taday. Ya best try again tamorrow."

The two Royal messengers drew themselves up to full height and I rolled my eyes. Bloody Air Nomads.

"Sir," the first one began, his voice distinctively frosty, "I was under the impression that we were all working together equally on this mission and if your Captain," He paused for a moment, rolling the word around on his tongue as thought he doubted the authority of it. "If your Captain refuses to share his plans with us I don't see how we are ever going to be able to-

BANG

The messenger yelped and jumped backwards as a bullet whizzed past his head and sunk into the mast behind him.

All three of us turned as one just in time to see the barrel of a gun withdraw from a freshly smoking hole in the Captains door.

I turned back to the horrified messengers.

"As I said," I began pleasantly, "The Cap'n ain't seeing anyone right now, he's attendin' ta his brother an' will be otherwise occupied until Circe returns." Taking a step closer I made sure to eyeball them good.

"Do you understand?"

They nodded quickly.

"Good, then ya can pass this 'ere message on. We ain't yer bliddy fancy pancy calvary. We ain't got fancy boats or fire breathing dragons. Our original mission was ta deliver Circe ta 'er Mother an' that is still our mission. Circe comes first, an' until we 'ave 'er back, you can forget everythin'. I find it a great disrespect that we were attacked an' I was not allowed ta accompany the Princess. No be off with ya an' make sure ya Queen git's the message!"

"Our Queen will be displeased with your lack of co-operation," The second messenger hissed, regaining some of his dignity as they backed away in unison.

I huffed and gave them my back, dismissing them with a degrading hand gesture as I did so. "So long as ya pass on the missive."

I heard the tell tale rushing sound that signaled their departure and couldn't help but hope; with a desperate fervor that had not been present a few moments ago, that the message would indeed reach Circe as soon as possible. There was no denying it now, we needed her back, the Captain hadn't been right since she had left and then there was the matter of Cobalt ...

"Hobbson!"

The door to the Captains quarters banged open and Bones emerged, using the doorframe for support and shielding his eyes with one hand. The shadow that was cast across his face however, did not help to hide in any way, the long curved scar that cut through his right eye.

"You weren't exactly helpful back there Bones," I grumbled. "We are trying to get these people to trust us to some extent and how are they going to be able to do that with you firing pot luck shots in their direction?"

"Lacy needs fresh bandages for Cobalt." Obsidian growled, completely ignoring everything that I had just said.

"Git them yerself." I retorted. "You've got legs 'aven't ya?"

He gritted his teeth and I waited with humor in my eyes.

"I don't know where they are," He ground out. "We don't have any more in my room and I need you to show me where the others are kept."

I waited.

"Oh for Christ sake!" He roared. "I'm the Captain of this ship and I-

I held up a finger, cutting him off.

"You have to be joking," He groaned, slapping his hands over his eyes and dragging them down his face. "Fine." He coughed. "Hobbson, can you please show me where the bandages are kept?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Why didn't you just say so?"

His eye twitched and chortling to myself I beckoned him after me as I hurried down the main hallway, past the crews quarters and into the kitchen.

I gave a swift greeting to the kitchen cook and hurried on through a smaller door, hearing Obsidian do the same behind me. Shutting the door, I crossed the room in a stride, edging around the small cot on the floor.

"Most ships don't have the luxury of a sick room," I said as I rummaged through the shelves that lined the walls. "But my Queen takes good care of her subjects and makes sure that each ship is appropriately stocked." My hand knocked against a small box at the back of the shelf. "Ah-ha, here we go," I smiled triumphantly, holding up the box. "Mind you, there ain't many left, Cobalts going through them at a great rate, and if we don't get Circe-

The box was abruptly snatched from my grasp and before I knew what had happened, the door was slamming shut behind his swirling back cloak.

I stood still for a moment before sinking down onto the cot, suddenly feeling quite tired. I sighed and rubbed my face with one hand. Yes, if we didn't get Circe back soon, the whole ship would be subjected to Obsidians rage.

It was only a matter of time.

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Hey guys,

Sorry its taken so long, I don't have an excuse but if I did it would be that I've been lost with out Obsidian and got really really really badly stuck in the mud without him haha. Im working on a kind of interview chapter, and its pretty cute so far so if you have any questions you want to ask the characters, post them below or on my Facebook-

http://www.facebook.com/groups/273281456093631/#!/groups/273281456093631/

and I will include as many as I can in there for you all!

Lots of Love,

Daisy xxxx