Chapter 2

6/15/2045

At sunrise, they stopped in a grassy field and unsaddled the horses. They grabbed their bags and headed up the hillside.

"Now, stay close to us," Justin's mother said when they reached the boat dock. He did as he was told and stayed by his mother's side.

"May I help you with something?" a young man said, walking up to them.

"We're looking for Captain Daiki," Nicole said.

"And who is asking?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"A royalty from Eblar who is fleeing the country," she said, flashing her badge on her cloak.

"Sorry, my lady," he said, bowing. "I didn't recognize you," he said.

He pulled down his hood that covered his eyes and said, "Come with me." They nodded and followed him down the plank. They stopped in front of a trawler.

"Who will I be transporting?" he asked.

"My son and his aid," she said. "Here are the papers and payment you requested," she said.

"Momma, aren't you coming?" Justin asked in a tearful tone.

"I can't, baby," she said. "Only you and Selene," she explained. The child started to cry. "Here, take this," Nicole said, hanging a necklace around his neck. "Whenever you're sad, look at this," she said. She hugged him tightly before stepping away.

"We better board before people start asking questions," Daiki said.

"I love you, mom," Justin said.

"I love you too, baby," she said. A tear ran down her cheek as they boarded the boat.

Daiki led Justin and Selene to the cabin where they were staying, which was below deck.

"I'm sorry, son," he said, facing the sobbing boy. "Your mother wanted to make sure that you were safe," he explained.

"Will I ever see her again?" Justin asked.

"I don't know," Daiki said.

"I miss her," the boy said.

"Remember, she's in your heart," he said. Daiki left the cabin so they could get settled in their new living quarters.

Little by little, Justin withdrew from the people around him until he completely stopped talking all together. This deeply concerned Selene. The small boy who was full of questions was no longer reachable.

"Give him time," Daiki said, stepping up to them one day during breakfast. "I understand how it feels to lose a parent," he said.

"How old were you?" Selene asked. He put a hand to his chin and narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Round his age," he answered. Daiki was silent for several seconds before he spoke again. "Wait here. I have something that might help you communicate with him," he said.

Daiki left the room and returned moments later, holding a small book.

"This should benefit both you and him," he said, handing it to Selene. She glanced over the title, which said, "Learning Sign Language."

"Thank you," Selene said.

"You're welcome," he said, before leaving their cabin. Selene sat down in a chair and glanced over the book. She started practicing the signs as Justin laid on the bed.

6/19/2045

Selene sat in the galley, going through the motions of what she had learned. A plate of food sat on the table in front of her.

"Let's practice signing the name you will be using when you reach your new home," Selene said, scooting next to Justin. Justin shook his head, shoved the plate away, and rose from the table. She sighed in frustration as Justin left the galley.

"Give him some time," Daiki said as he sat down across from her. "He'll come around," he said.

"Okay," she said. "By the way, when will we arrive at our destination?" she asked.

"We should be there on the 30th," he said.

Selene went back to their cabin and sat down on the bed next to Justin. The youngster was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling.

"I know that you miss your mother, but can we try to communicate?" She asked, opening the book. Justin laid there and didn't look at her. Selene sighed loudly and said, "I'll leave you alone." "When you're ready to practice, here's the book," she said, setting the book beside him and leaving the room. She went to the deck, sat in a chair, and practiced from memory.

Whenever Daiki wasn't tending to his crew, he kept watch over the people he vowed to protect until they reached their destination. On 6/23/2045, Daiki noticed that Justin had come out of the cabin. The boy sat in a corner and practiced the movements the book showed him. So he didn't scare the boy; Daiki chose to watch him from afar.

"This is the first time he's come out in days," Selene said as she stepped up beside Daiki.

"I'm happy to see that he's using the book I loaned you," he said.

"I thought that if I left him alone, he'd want to learn on his own," she said.

"Some kids are like that," Daiki said. "Where are you staying when we get to Lore?" he asked.

"An orphanage said they'd take him in, and I'll live nearby," she said.

Daiki looked sad when he glanced at the boy. He turned back around and said, "Living in an orphanage isn't all that great, but it's better than not having a home at all." "I know because I grew up in one," he said. "If you want, I can check up on him and keep you posted," he added.

"Thanks for your help," Selene said, smiling at him. "I wish we could repay you for your generosity," she said.

"I'll be satisfied to see a smile on his face one day," he said. Daiki entered the galley and returned with two pieces of chocolate. "Let me try something," he said.

Daiki slowly stepped up to Justin and laid down the candy. "Here, these are for you," he said, backing away. Justin glanced down at the treat that lay in front of him, then glanced up at the man. The boy blinked a couple of times before glancing down at the candy. Daiki swears he saw a small smile on Justin's face as he picked up the sweets and ate them.