From the Depths
Red Lung Disease

Henry had been nagging at her all afternoon. His constant complaining and the never-ending sound of his voice was giving her a nasty headache. She sat at her small desk in her room, her head in her hands. Her finger massaged the bridge of her nose as she tried to replace the words to fill in the report for the king.

“And do you have no-”

Heaven’s he was still going, she tried her best to ignore him as he passed the room behind her.

“It’s dangerous!”

No shit it was, his voice was slowly killing her. Could he not see that he was the most dangerous thing in her life right now?

“You can’t allow it-”

“Ren, he has a name.” She couldn’t stand that, referring to him as though it were nothing, not even a living creature.

She heard him sigh. “I’m freaking out here...”

“You think!?” She responded sarcastically.

“How do you expect me to act, like you!? You’re not normal!”

She rolled her eyes, please, for the love of god, she wished he would start rambling again.

“Kirea, it’s intelligent, as intelligent as you or I!” He explained.

“Yes, I’m aware.” She’d only been trying to get the point across for days!

“You don’t know what that means!” His eyes were wide as he pleaded with her to understand.

She sighed, what was he getting at? Oh god, she had to ask, didn’t she? “What does it mean?” She asked dryly wishing she hadn’t.

“It means there is most definitely more out there, and what happens when they replace out we are holding one prisoner?”

She slammed her head down on her desk, giving up on the report for now. Rolling her head to the side she watched him pace the room as he continued having a meltdown in her room. Her brain was pounding in her skull and she was beginning to feel nauseated.

“What if they come for him!? Does that mean we end up going to war?” His hands flailed around as he spoke. “A war against fish! Kirea a war against fish! We can’t fight that, all they need to do is pull us under the surface and all the soldiers will drown!”

He’d lost it, truly.

“He needs to be set free, but we have to not let the king know about it. We need to make like a dummy - thing, or something that looks exactly like the merman.”

“No, we don’t.” She tried to cut in but he just kept going on with his rant.

“I can work on a mechanism that can make it look like it’s swimming under the water, and the King can still have his pet, it’s a win-win!”

“He doesn’t want to be set free." She tried to inject.

“Yes, we can set it free... ” He stopped, finally looking at her. “Wait... what? How do you know that?”

“Because Ren told me.”

“He doesn’t know what he wants, he’s a captive!” Henry started pacing again. “Just give me some time and I can think of a foolproof plan.”

Shaking her head she winched, her eyes were starting to feel heavier these days. She was going to bed earlier and sleeping more, but she still felt tired. Sitting up she placed her hand over her chest as she felt an odd sensation. She coughed, trying to clear her throat, it just seemed to make it worse.

Shit, not now! Not in front of Henry! She knew what it was. She couched again, this time harder. It slowly turned into a coughing fit. She gasped for air in between coughs as she fumbled around to replace a piece of stray cloth. She stumbled to the ground her hands flailing around in an attempt to replace the wash basin.

Henry had finally stopped, coming to her aid and grabbed her the washcloth she was after and stood wide-eyed as she took it and coughed continually for what seemed like forever.

“By the gods, you have it don’t you?” He asked with a whisper.

She nodded pulling back the cloth from her lips to reveal the blood-stained material. “Since I was a teen.”

Henry sank down to the ground beside her, worry crossing his features. “Why didn’t you tell me... I-I’ve been pushing you so hard this whole time... How long?”

“I still have some time left in me I think, maybe. Depends on how long my lungs last really.” She wiped the blood from her lips and smiled at him. “I’m okay, really. I’m used to it by now. Stress can make it worse at times.”

“Like hell you are! How did you get it? it’s all but died off now.” The way he was looking at her she had seen all too much, she hated it, pity.

“You know that my father was taken by the war?” She began.

He nodded.

“Well, he wasn’t the only one, all the men of the village were called. It was left to the women and children to try to run the town and keep enough produce going out so we could live. I was with the sulphur mining group, since the sulphur was a vital part of making gunpowder we were able to sell it to survive.”

“But all the sulphur mines have been shut down.” He concluded.

“You’re not wrong, they are now, but back then... we had no choice. The lord of the land ordered, or rather demanded that it be done. There was nothing anyone could do about it. It was either work and breath in the sulphur or starve to death.” She looked down at the soiled fabric in her hands. “Rather fitting to be called the red lung disease since the damage to the internal organs makes you cough blood.”

He cringed. "The mines were meant to be shut down..."

"Greedy men that only want wealth don't think about the consequences or the lives that they affect. It was kept running in secret so the Lord could sell it. Most of the children who contracted the disease didn't make it to their twenties."

"How old are you?" Henry asked.

"Twenty-six. I've made it this long because of my mother and her medical knowledge, I'd be long gone without it. I count myself lucky." The way he was looking at temper spike. “Now don’t you dare go giving me that pathetic look!” She ordered sternly. “I’ve lived with this for years, I know how to handle it.”

“Doesn’t it bother you you'll never live as long as the rest of us?” He asked dumbfounded.

“If I dwelled on that for too long, I could never enjoy the now. I may not have a lot of time left but I will make the most of what little I do have.” Her mother had always made it a point to make sure that her life growing up was as easy as it could be.

The war ended when she was fifteen, the Lord of her land had killed and replaced during that time and finally, the mines were shut down... but it was too late, the damage done. Most of her village were of an elderly age, like her mother.

“Aren’t you afraid?” He asked.

“Of dying? Heck yes! It’s the scariest thing anyone ever has to face, but I promised myself I would do good with my life. So that’s what I will do. Though I had always waned to go out to sea, my mother said I should hold onto that dream, so I have.”

Henry half laughed while shaking his head. “I think I understand a little now, why you are the way you are...”

“And what do you mean by that?” She frowned.

“Well, you’re so carefree. You don’t give a shit what others think of you, yet you have a goal and a life about you. In this messed up world where many have given up over far less, you still shine.”

“Sir Henry, I dare say. Are you giving me a compliment?” She over-exaggerated a shocked expression and a hand over her heart.

He let out a deep chuckle before standing. “Don’t get used to it.”

He sighed folding his arms over his chest. “So your main interest is with animals. I will follow your advice then. I won’t make a move unless you say so.”

Turning he was about to leave when he asked; “Why the sea?”

She smiled more to herself than for him. “Because it’s a vast endless beauty with untold mysteries. I want to experience the waves crashing against the sides of a boat, the North Star on a clear night sky. Just the freedom that comes from being out on the open sea, its magical.”

“I have found a new respect for you this day.” He commented, his hand resting on the door.

“I told you, I’m fine. I’ve lived with this for years.” She pushed.

“That’s what worries me, the longer you live the closer you are to death.” With those haunting words, he looked to her grimly.

“That's true for anyone, not just me. You don’t need to treat me any differently.” She protested

He appeared to be deep in thought standing at her door. Suddenly without warning, he turned strode over to her pulled her from the chair then proceeded to drag her outside.

“Hey! I haven’t finished the report!” She flailed stumbling to keep up with his eager pace.

“It can wait.”

“Please don’t make this a big deal!” She pleaded.

“Shut it and come with me.” He snarled.

How easily he could change from what appeared a kind man to a demanding Knight.