Songs of a Lonely Heart

[Flamebird]

Part I
~~~

The swaying of this ship meant nothing to the girl as she once again walked around the ship. Eiskaltian trading ships rarely had passengers, but the government had given Felicity's family special permission to move away from the icy country. The first month of this voyage, the nine year old had run around the ship day and night exploring and unintentionally getting in the way of the crew. Now, she was bored out of her mind. She was used to staying in one place. For years she had felt caged in the boarded up wooden hut in her hometown. At least then, she could leave with a family member to play in the woods just beyond the village. The cold, snow laden landscape of Eiskalt had been all Felicity had known. Was she truly leaving everything behind forever?

Looking down at the waves, the hooded placed a hand on the ledge. Her dead finger made it awkward, but Felicity leaned against the edge of the ship. Was this long sea her prison now too?

"Ugh, we're almost there!" Felicity turned to see two of the Eiskaltian crew members carrying barrels. "I can't figure out how you people stay in one place for so long!"

The older shipmate laughed, "You get used to it, kid. You'll grow to consider the ocean your second home."

Second home. Felicity looked back down at the waves. Her own hooded and cloaked frame was reflected in the waves as she pondered. What would this distant land called Corone be like? Would it be her second home?"

As a flock of birds flew overhead, clamoring like loud gossiping women, Felicity looked up. She gasped, awe struck, and lifted her good hand to point as the white birds flew over the ship. "What are those?"

The older man placed down a barrel and chuckled, "Great, aren't they? Those are seagulls."

"Sea..." Felicity tried to repeat, "Goles?"

"Close enough." The sailer took a break, sitting on the barrel as the rookie stood silent. "Seagulls are only found in warmer climates. They're a joy to feed. It's like a freak show, watching them all flock towards a single piece of bread."

Felicity turned to him, heavy dress swishing, as she cried out in shock, "You feed them!"

The man crossed his arms with a happy nod.

Felicity was about to ask him if she could when the younger crew member interrupted. "Josiah, are you insane? Talking to that-that neanderthal!"

The way he spat that word, like it was dirty and disgusting, caused Felicity to flinch. She was used to this treatment, but it never stopped hurting.

"Hmm?" The man cast a side eye at him, "She's half Eiskaltian too. She's not entirely a monster. Besides, she's not coming back with us."

"Good riddance!" the younger spat as he returned to the barrels, "Our Noble Family finally did something about that hybrid abomination!"

Felicity was unable to muster the energy to feed the seagulls now. Hurt once again by her kin, she turned and stumbled off the find her family.

Her long dress was drug in dust as her boots scuffed against the wooden planks of the ship. She had always been treated like this. Her pinky was forever dead and unusable because she was attacked when she was three. She had tried to play with kids at the outskirts of town, only to be ridiculed for looking different and repeatedly kicked by the girls. When she was seven, a stone had been hurled at her while she was walking with her uncle to his shop. People had pounded her uncle's door, holding pitch forks and pickaxes, demanding she be thrown out to be beaten, flogged, killed, and left for the wild animals. She was nine now. Now, her family was finally leaving Eiskalt for good. What was Corone going to be like? Were the people there any less cruel? Apparently, her uncle thought they would be.

Tears flooded her eyes as the stumbled around the deck, trapped in thoughts. Her mother had disowned her when she was three. She had disowned her once again before they left, even thanking her uncle for ridding Eiskalt of the spawn of mountain demons right before the ship took off.

She lifted her arm and wiped her eyes. She was terrified. Would Corone be a lush haven, or simply another frozen hell? What was the meaning of her life? Her uncle and cousin protected and loved her, but why? She felt wretched and worthless. Always.

"Felicity!" Felicity looked up to see her uncle running towards her. He never ran like that - except when she or Jonathan were in danger. Terror rose in her chest as she wiped her eyes again and ran towards him. Wait, was he smiling? Why was he smiling and running at the same time? Felicity squeaked in confusion as he took her hand and pulled her along the deck. He was... excited? Fulcrum Rhyolite never got excited. Sure, Jonathan could have high spirits, but her uncle?

"Uncle?"

"Felicity! Darling! Look!"

Felicity glanced ahead to her cousin, staring into the distance with a beaming smile, "It's so green!"

"Huh?" Felicity and Fulcrum stopped at the edge of the ship. In the distance, they saw land. Yet, it looked different. Why was the ground covered in tiny plants? Why did the trees look fluffy? Where were the pine needles?

Felicity felt her uncle take her shoulders, then... a tear drop. Felicity gasped, looking up to see uncle weeping. He pulled her closer to him as he exclaimed, "Felicity! You are free! You can be whatever and whoever you want without criticism! It's our happy ending! Sweetheart!"

Tears flooded Felicity's eyes as she pulled her eyes away from him and out the landmass beyond. Was this... Corone?

"Felicity! Oh, Felicity!" Felicity's uncle dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace, "I'm so sorry we didn't leave sooner..."

Tears slipped down her cheeks, slamming the deck below. Why... Why was he crying like this? The calm uncle who never lost his composure. Why... Why was he apologizing?

Felicity turned to see that Jonathan was leaning over the dock, staring upon the different looking climate. "It's so different! Father! We need to explore every inch of it!"

Felicity looked out again, still gripped tightly be her uncle, who's back was throbbing as he sobbed. The ship seemed to be approaching the dock town, built out of strange red stones, in the distance. Felicity shuddered. She wanted to see the green plants! She wanted to touch the fluffy trees! Why were they heading to the dock and... people?"

She closed her eyes, way too overwhelmed by it all.