The Silver Eye

The image of Bhatair’s twisted and mangled body that had slowly morphed into Enel, was still burning  in Apen’s mind as he woke up tangled in his sheets.

This wasn’t the first time  it had happened either. He had been waking up at the same time every night for the past week, and he had failed to fall asleep again every time.

So this time Apen gave up on the idea of sleep and decided to go above deck. Easing himself out of his bunk and maneuvering carefully around Melly’s sleeping form.

Apparently he wasn’t as careful as he thought because as soon as his foot landed on the Novalog’s deck Melly had bounded up the stairs after him.

Apen had also forgotten who’s watch shift it was.

So imagine Apen’s surprise when he came face to face with the tip of Berlyne’s arrow.

Apen’s eyes were crossed as he tried to focus on the sharp tip of the arrow.

“Jeez Shepard, don’t scare a person like that.”

Apen laughed nervously, as Berlyne retracted her arrow and slid it neatly back into her sheath. Berlyne looked at him weirdly

Apen Shepard didn’t do nervous. Well at least he never showed it.

Apen Shepard was unwavering, a lighthouse amid a storm at sea. He never let his fear show.

Apen Shepard was a born and bred leader, fear wasn’t in his vocabulary.

At least that’s what Berlyne thought.

“I’m not as infallible as you think.” Apen’s curt statement pierced the night, as if he had read her mind.

 Berlyne furrowed her eyebrows,” Alright then. No need to get testy.”

“Sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately,” Apen smiled at her sheepishly as he rubbed his eyes.

Berlyne looked at him strangely, Apen Shepard, she just couldn’t figure him out. One minute he was calm and collected, a leader taking charge, then he was Joshua, the person Berlyne had grown up with. She crossed her arms and paced irritably around the deck.

For the last five minutes  Apen was had been seated on the deck and had been muttering the entire history of Levant’s Kings and queens while scraping the dirt from underneath his fingernails. Melly was curled up on his lap.

“I’m not going to mess up, am I?” He muttered to Melly as he ran her fingers through her fur, checking for fleas in her white coat.

Melly cocked her head and gave him a slobbery wet kiss and a adorable doggy smile.

Apen smiled halfheartedly and hugged her close to him, revealing at her soft, silky fur and quietly singing.

“What do mean by mess up? Oh and by the way, not a bad voice.”

Apen slapped himself mentally, he had forgotten about Berlyne’s presence on the deck.

He gestured for her to sit down. She obeyed wearily, cautious about his behavior.

For a second, they sat silently next to each other listening to the sounds of the ocean and Melly’s panting.

Apen began quietly, “I’m a screwup.”

“My family has fatal flaws, and I guess..mine has alway been fear of failure and disappointing people and… ” Apen broke off mid sentence and looked down at his hands.

Berlyne nudged him with her shoulder.

” Go on, I’m  listening.”

He shook his head, ” I’m just so scared that I’m going to mess up.”

Apen paused then continued, “I don’t know how much longer I can do this…. “

“Im so terrified in going to screw up and Enel or someone else is going to be killed because of my mistake…..I’m supposed to be dead….I may even have a warrant out for my death.I…I mean..I became a king at nine. I had the responsibility of running a country dumped on me when I was still losing baby teeth….my decisions impact everything. My mistakes haunt me forever…..Your putting too much faith in me. In going to fail your expectations. I’m a failure and I’ll always will be” Apen looked down at his hands startled at his own outburst of emotion.

A laugh bubbled out of Berlyne’s throat before she could stop it, “Apen Shepard. If anyone’s going to be an amazing ruler its gonna be you. You’ve definitely  got what it takes. And besides if you mess up we’ll be there to pick you right back up.”

“And if anybody or anything says so otherwise I’ll gut and skin them with my knife and hang their entrails out to dry.”

“Wow that was disturbing, yet oddly touching,” Apen commented.

Berlyne punched his arm,”Save it for someone who cares Shepard.”

Apen rolled his eyes skyward.

“Aww does ickle Berlyne have a heart?”

“Shepard if you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut your trap.”

 Apen just laughed at her idle threat.

“Anyways I’m so terribly sorry for dumping this for you..” Apen looked at Berlyne sheepishly, face flushing.

“Don’t worry ’bout it.”

“Do you really think I won’t mess up?”

“Definitely.”

Apen looked at her, “Really? Like honestly?”

“YES. Now shut up before I make you.”

“Yes Ma’am.” With mock salute.

And Apen Shepard nearly dies of shock as Berlyne pecks him on the cheek and rests her head on his shoulder. And they sit there in silence leaning against the mast, with Melly asleep in Apen’s lap.

And when Noah and Marcus  come up to relieve Berlyne from her watch shift and to make breakfast. They find Apen and Berlyne both curled up together with Melly in the middle.

Marcus doesn’t have the heart to wake them, but Noah finds it within himself to dump a bucket of seawater on them.

Noah ended up being clubbed by Idony’s cane as she rambled on about “young love”and “this is just like a fairytale”.

And Enel and Chara just exchange a knowing glance.

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Sorry I know this was a little too ooc and if Apen is corrected into “a pen” sorry.

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Entry 2
April Shepard looked at the face of her baby brother. Aphera said that his name was “Apen”.

A lock of blue-black hair was curled on his forehead. And as he looked at her with adorable doe brown eyes, he reached out a grabbed a lock of her hair in his chubby fist. And he tugged, hard.

 April yelped and immediately handed her baby brother back to Aphera, who gently removed April’s hair from his fist while Adara stood beside her unsuccessfully  stifling her laughter.

“Aphera, who’s going to be his mum now. Who’s going to be our mum now?”

 Aphera looked down at April’s sweet innocent face, “Well me and Adara are going to take care of you guys aren’t we Adara?”

“Well duh. Now come on, we promised we’d meet dad before lunch and he’s out training the guards,” Adara stated firmly.

April smiled up at her older sisters as they walked through the castle with Apen sleeping peacefully on Aphera’s shoulder and Adera walking hand in hand with April.

April ran ahead as the cheerful little precession neared her father.

“Did you just try to tickle me….through armor.”

April smiled sheepishly up towards her father, “Uh no?”

Joshua laughed and ruffled his youngest’s hair.

He dismissed his soldiers with a wave of his hand,”At ease men.”

“So how’s training going dad?” Aphera asked scanning the rows of guards, focusing on a certain someone in the 5th row.

“It’s going well, oh and while we’re on the subject I want you to supervise the archery training,” Joshua said taking Apen from his older sister’s arms.

Aphera’s eyes lit up, “Wow really? Thanks dad! Do you know what squad I have? Who’s on it?”

“*Cough*KIRK*cough*cough*,” Adera coughed discreetly.

April laughed as Aphera aimed a kick at Adera’s shin.

Apen gurgled with laughter as his older sisters began to squabble.

“Hey little buddy, you having fun watching your sisters fight?” One of the guards had wandered over and was adoring the little tyke in the blue onesie.

“He better get used to it.” Joshua teased raising Apen up in the air. Apen squealed and kicked his legs joyfully.

April twirled dancing on the tips of her toes as her sisters finished bickering.

“Are my lovely daughters finally finished arguing over Kirk!?” Her dad commented.

“Daaad how did you know,”Aphera huffed.

Joshua smiled his eyes crinkling,” I’m not as hard of hearing as you think.”

“Now c’mon lets go get lunch.”