~
Dagon walked me into town; it was a very small community with a tiny marketplace. Women were selling squid, octopi, and crabs in stalls that stank of fish. I held my nose whilst walking past the shops, which earned me a few curious stares.
‘Yeh don’t like the fish, do yeh?’ Dagon laughed as I cringed away from a large octopus a man was offering me.
I shook my head vigorously and kept my mouth shut.
‘It’s all right, Lass. Breakfast is just up ahead.’
‘It’s not a seafood breakfast, is it?’ I asked, pinching my nose.
‘Well, they got kippers,’ he nudged me playfully. ‘But I’ll get yeh somethin’ yeh like.’
Dagon took me to a cute café that overlooked the seaside. It was a bright and sunny morning, so we were able to have breakfast on the pergola of the café. It was a rather romantic meal - too romantic for my liking. Dagon had chosen the location well.
Conversation flowed easily throughout the meal. I’d chosen to have a full English breakfast consisting of bacon, eggs, sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms, and toast.
‘So where yeh headin’ next then?’ Dagon asked through a mouthful of bacon. He’d chosen not to get the kippers, because he knew I couldn’t stand the smell.
I was growing tired of lying. Everything I’d told Dagon had been a lie, and I felt bad about it because he seemed like a decent man.
‘Um,’ I said, chewing my food slowly. ‘I thought about going in-land. North, towards the capital city.’ Another lie.
Dagon wrinkled his nose, his expression one of distaste.
‘What?’ I said, pausing with the fork halfway towards my mouth.
‘Nothin’.’ Dagon forced a smile and shovelled more food into his mouth.
‘No, what is it?’ I pressed. ‘Tell me.’
Dagon chewed his food slowly, contemplating the best way to phrase his dislike of the capital city.
‘Let’s just say I don’t see eye to eye with the Realm and their … erm … policies.’
‘What kind of policies?’ I pressed.
Dagon looked around, worried that someone might overhear. ‘Lass, it’s not something yeh go ‘round shoutin’ about, not with all the Realm officials undercover these days, anyway.’
I leaned across the table. ‘You can tell me,’ I said quietly.
Dagon licked his lips nervously and leaned forward too. ‘I’ve never been a fan of the way the Realm’s run things in Concord city. I haven’t been there, and I don’t intend to visit any time soon … not until their views change, anyway.’
‘What views?’ I asked, eager to hear more.
Heaving a dramatic sigh, Dagon looked over his shoulder. ‘Look, yeh hear some strange things when yer out at sea. From what I’ve heard, the Realm is spaying and neutering the ones that are registered in the slave trade.’ Dagon swallowed loudly, his Adam’s apple bobbing noticeably. ‘But that’s not even the worst of it. People are talking. They say the Realm has issued trackers and hunters, searching for wild humans that are on the run. Rumour is, they’re going on a culling spree.’
I choked on my toast. Coughing, and wheezing, I managed to gasp, ‘Culling Spree?’
Dagon nodded. ‘Now, don’t go thinkin’ bad of me for empathisin’ with-’
‘Not at all!’ I almost shouted. ‘I completely agree with you!’
‘Keep yer voice down, Lass,’ Dagon said with wide eyes. ‘Look, I knew yeh would agree with me, that’s why I brought it up.’
‘How’d you know?’ I asked without thinking, but of course, it was obvious.
‘Why’d yeh think I approached yeh at the lodge, eh? Well … you are mighty attractive; I’ll give yeh that. But that’s not the point. Pa recognised you from a poster he saw in the town over, just two days ago-’
‘I thought you just got back from sea,’ I interrupted.
‘I did,’ Dagon admitted. ‘But Pa’s retired now. He goes into the next town fer supplies every once in a while.’
‘And he saw the wanted poster,’ I said through gritted teeth.
‘Aye,’ Dagon admitted. ‘Port’s only a tiny fishing community so the Realm didn’t bother distributing it here. My Pop recognised yeh as soon as yeh arrived, so he called me down to the lodge. Thought you a right brave lass, he did.’
‘You shouldn’t believe everything you read,’ I said testily.
‘What should I believe?’ said Dagon. ‘That yer going to the Capital city once you leave Port? That yer travellin’ the country on yer own?’
I exhaled heavily through my nostrils. ‘No,’ I said honestly. ‘Of course not.’
‘I didn’t think so,’ Dagon said, crossing his arms and sitting back in his chair. ‘If yeh ask me, best thing for you to do is vanish.’
‘That’s what they said I should do-’
‘They?’ Dagon interrupted.
‘My parents, and Jack-’
‘Ah.’ Dagon smirked. ‘So there is a lad involved.’
‘Not as involved as you might think,’ I said, reddening.
‘Why isn’t he with you?’
‘We had to say goodbye rather quickly,’ I said, becoming tense.