Fiery Lands and Stormy Seas (Pokemon Watty Award Winner 2014)

Chapter 20

CHRIS

 

Though they weren’t traveling through the worst of it, King Chris and his small party were continuously blasted by sand.  The vast majority of the Mirage Desert was to the east but this shortcut was the best way to reach Lavaridge without traveling the northern roads that would surely be watched. 

It was getting dark.  “Stop,” Chris commanded to the thirteen men that accompanied him.  “We make camp here for the night.” He had chosen a spot behind a large rock sticking out of the ground that shielded them from the blowing sands to the north.

They ate in silence.  Dried fruits and salted nuts was all they had with them as well as pouches of water, carefully rationed so as not to run out.  Chris observed each man with him.  Most were Slateport men Apollo had left.  In addition, his uncle had left him two of his own household guard, Ares and Hermes.  King Marcus Spark had also sent a guide who knew the layout of the land.  No Spirit Pokémon had accompanied them, their mission was secrecy and to be as inconspicuous as possible.

  These are brave men, and loyal, Chris knew.  Most of the men had given up safety and home for the duty of their king.  So far, he had led them in silence along with the guide.  Now the young King took it upon himself to meet with the men that had forsaken their families for the honor of retrieving Swampert.

Ares and Hermes were confident enough.  One could tell they had spent a majority of their service with Apollo.  A man exhibits the personality of their leader.  Yet most of the other men were solemn, quietly eating their light dinner.  They answered a few questions: “How are you?  Where are you from?”  Most were only a couple years older than Ryan had been.  I must be strong for these men along with Ares and Hermes.  These were unsure times, and an even more unsure mission.

The last man he spoke to was reluctant to speak back, or even make eye contact for that matter.  He wore a helmet that covered most of his face and a cloth underneath to keep out the sand.  Chris supposed he had been in the rearguard, which was why he never really noticed him.

Yet his eyes moved back and forth and answered Chris’s yesses and no’s well enough.  Every now and then the guard would look up at the rock.

Chris smiled.  “Now what is so interesting about…” There was a tiny shape nestled at the top of the rock barrier.  He had seen the shape before, and he grew angry.  “Damn you, Hector!” was all the King of Slateport could say as he stood up and yanked the helmet off of his friend’s face.  “You were told to stay in Mauville!”

Hector’s eyes began to shake and he tried to explain himself.  “It’s just… It’s my fault.  Ryan’s death, it led to this whole problem.  This whole mission to rescue Swampert is because of me.” His voice grew quiet as he began fidgeting in the course desert sand.

Chris was beyond upset. “So you thought that you’d make up for your mistake by taking the place of a guard and helping?  How could you help, Hector?  You wear a sword at your belt that you’ll never know how to use.  You have no combat skill.”  Chris’s voice was raised now, and he knew the other men were staring.  He wondered what they were thinking, if they had known, and if so why they didn’t tell their King.  I will speak with them later…

Hector was silent for a moment but then his eyes met Chris’s.  “I just thought…”

“Obviously you didn’t think,” Chris’s voice bordered on yelling, it echoed off the tall rock barrier.  “What, did you think you would be useful here?  Is there a fish in the sand that you can catch for us?”  He kicked some sand up at his friend, not hard, just enough to get the message across. “I needed every man my uncle left for me.  Each one was carefully selected. You didn’t help me by coming.  You only jeopardized this mission.”