Love and War: Chapter 13

What else would explain his fixation on Deryn? No matter what he did to try to control it, his every moment was now consumed with thoughts of her. And when he wasn't busy thinking about her, he wanted to be with Deryn. When he went to sleep, he dreamed about her, only to wake up wanting to dream some more. The slightest reference to her would fill his heart with happiness.

God's wounds, even her quirks filled him with happiness! The way she drinks like a sailor and swears like a whore. Things that he would normally find so vulgar were quite charming coming from Deryn. Alek was pretty sure that was weird; it was unlikely that anyone else would share his sentiments. This ailment was particularly serious indeed.

"Deryn," Bovril said from Alek's shoulder. At least the loris seemed to be feeling well.

"Perhaps we should keep calling her Dylan," Alek told him gently.

"Dylan," Bovril said thoughtfully. "Mr. Sharp."

"I think Dylan would be better."

"Mr. Sharp," Bovril insisted. Alek cringed; apparently his opinion didn't matter much to the loris. "We'll have to work on that."

In the meantime, Alek was on his way back to his stateroom after he made sure Deryn was okay. She had gone back to her middy duties despite Alek's insistence that she stay in her room and recover. She had refused of course, insisting that she was fine, and went straight to the ratlines despite her weak hand. It was as if she wanted to give Alek a heart attack.

Nonetheless, was it wrong that he almost sort of...liked it? Her open defiance and spirit would just fill him with so much heat it was almost unbearable. And that was usually when the most foreboding thoughts entered Alek's mind. Notions that he dared not mention to anyone, especially Deryn. They weren't exactly princely and admittedly, quite awkward and embarrassing, as well. Alek groaned. He had to remedy his condition quickly before it became out of control, although, it may be a little late for that. These weren't normal feelings to have towards a friend, he was sure of it.

Few things could steal Alek's mind away from Deryn; she was such a fascinating girl. Earlier Deryn had told him and the boffins about her ballooning adventures when she was younger and about her father. Looking back, mistaking her for a boy was sort of embarrassing and on top of that, he cried in front of her. Of course, he took comfort in the fact that he wasn't the only one she duped. She even had Volger fooled for a while!

Alek had stopped in his tracks a few feet before he reached his stateroom. The door was slightly ajar. The light was on and illuminated a green glow from inside. Alek knew for a fact that this was not how he had left his room. He entered the room tentatively only to find Dr. Barlow rummaging through his drawers and personal belongings. And to his immediate horror Tazza was going through his things, as well.

Alek cleared his throat, making his presence known.

"Prince Alek!" Dr. Barlow jolted upright and returned a pair of underwear to his top drawer which made Alek's face redden slightly. "Honestly Alek, you really should knock before you enter rooms; I know that isn't one of your strong points."

"But, this is my room." Tazza walked up to Alek and gave him a quick sniff and a glance over. Alek looked at Dr. Barlow uncomfortably after shooing Tazza away. Not only was she sneaking around his room, but it was downright odd being alone with her now after the incident.

"What are you doing in my room?" Alek asked as he glanced around his now disheveled apartment.

She frowned innocently, as if she were somehow the victim here. "Honestly Alek, is this how you treat all of your female guests?"

"Oh," Alek blinked, wondering where his manners had gone. It wasn't as if he had female guests visit him—or snoop around his room—often. Deryn didn't count because whenever she had visited she had been under the pretense of being male. He walked over to a chair and cleared it off for Dr Barlow, though he didn't feel like being hospitable at the moment. But it seemed impolite to turn her away. "Would you like to have a seat?" Alek asked her as she gave a quick, purposeful glance around the room and Alek wondered what she was up to. He didn't want to be bothered with the woman's shenanigans, he'd much rather be alone and free to daydream about Deryn. Deryn, such a sweet name, lately that word always brought a smile to his face.

"You are in a good mood," Dr. Barlow said, waking Alek from his trance.

"What?" He was blushing uncontrollably and could do little to hide it. "I'm not feeling very well, that's all."

Dr. Barlow smiled. "Usually people have a rather brooding demeanor when they are under the weather. Not smiling like happy fools. The only time people do that is when they are in love."

Alek's face fell; he couldn't possibly be in love, not with Deryn. He didn't even know how to respond to such a ludicrous statement. "I…I…"

Dr. Barlow took a seat in the offered chair, smiled at him, and said, "Is it Deryn?"

Alek scoffed. "What? No!" He said defensively. "That's ridiculous! No, no, no. Why would I—no! I am not in love with Deryn." But dang it, he mentioned her name, and a small rebellious smile escaped his lips, much to his vexation. He didn't even bother trying to convince Dr. Barlow otherwise now.

"I think it's sweet," she said. Dr. Barlow offered him a small grin and gave his hand a firm squeeze, "There is nothing wrong with you," she said reassuringly.

Alek ran his fingers through his hair, nothing may be wrong with him, but he sort of wished that there was. This certainly complicated things. For one, there was the class difference. Deryn was no princess. And then Volger's words echoed in his head; he and Deryn were technically enemies. Not to mention Alek was on the run from his government, so distractions such as a hopeless and disastrous romance were unwelcome. Acting on his feelings would be 'daft' as Deryn would say.

"I wish my father were here," Alek said out loud. "He'd have an answer. I mean, I can't be in love with Deryn! It would never work out between us. And I told myself that I wouldn't make my father's mistake."

"What you call a 'mistake' happens to be the reason for your existence."

"It's as I said a mistake. My existence caused the whole world to fall apart."

"Come now Alek, enough of your self-loathing. This war is not your fault, and you shouldn't be so hard on your parents. There are a lot of rules that society would do well to dispose of such as class distinctions. And I think the fact that your parents sort of pushed the rules to the side is somewhat admirable." That was easy for her to say, Dr. Barlow wasn't the product of such a mixed marriage. "And it's quite romantic as well," she added. "If you are worried about your children I would just like to point out that marrying within your class, offers a very limited gene pool. If you only look within your station, you'll wind up marrying a close relative and then your children will never come out right. Ironically, with Deryn, your offspring will actually have a better chance to be normal...to some degree anyway, just something to think about. And for what it's worth, I think the two of you would make a perfectly decent couple."

"Found one!" Alek heard a voice say from behind him. He spun around and saw Dr. Gartner come out of the room's kitchen compartment. Talking about Deryn was just a diversion from the real situation at hand: they were invading his room and Alek suddenly felt very exposed.

Dr. Gartner was holding a jar with a feisty bright orange insect inside, a large feisty bright orange insect. It had to be at least eight inches long and an inch thick, with what seemed like dozens of menacing black legs. And it was in his room!

"Oh hello, Alek," Dr. Gartner said as innocently as he could manage. The man conspicuously hid the jar behind his back, and while Volger would readily admit that the prince did not have the best observation skills, it was sort of hard not to notice the action, "strange seeing you here."

"This is my room," Alek said commandingly; his jaw tensed as anger and confusion took over. He just wanted to be left alone to think and clear his head; apparently that was too much to ask for. Then questions had been raised, and he had the feeling that isolating himself was no longer an option. "What is that thing? Why is it in my room?" Alek turned back towards Dr. Barlow who looked at him as if she had no clue what was going on. Unlikely. "What is the meaning of this?" Alek demanded and made sure that she got the full effect of the hard stare he was giving her.

"Now look what you did, Richard! I guess doing this quietly is no longer an option."

"Is that a centipede?"

"Yes, yes it is," the woman said as she stood up. "And I am afraid that there is another one loose around here…somewhere."

"What!" Bovril yelped as Alek scanned the room franticly.

"That thing is huge," Alek said.

"You know what's interesting," Dr. Gartner gestured, "the female is larger than the male."

Alek winced, "Please tell me that's the female in the jar." Dr. Gartner gave a small crazed laugh and then continued his search.

"Don't worry, Alek," Dr. Barlow said. "We'll find her. Until then, why don't you find Miss Sharp? Tazza could use a walk. She is never around and readily available when I need her the most it seems."

Alek exhaled, this situation was clearly out of his control; the thought of being with Deryn did make him smile, though. And Alek certainly did not want to be in the same room as a monstrous insect. So it actually didn't take him long to decide to run after his friend.

Alek made his way down the long hall lost in his thoughts of Deryn until a firm hand on his shoulder startled him back to reality, the accursed Deryn-less reality. "Alek!" Count Volger said in a calm, cool voice, curiosity etched his face. "Why are you so happy?"

"I'm not!" Alek replied tersely; people were acting as if it were a crime to be happy.

Volger looked past Alek. "What is going on in your room?"

"Oh, Dr. Barlow and her 'friend' are looking for a lost centipede in my room."

"Really? You left them alone in the same room together?"

"Of course," Alek nodded, he wasn't going to stay in there with them; he would rather not be in that particular room at the moment.

"And that was a good idea in your opinion?"

"Um…I didn't want to stay in there with the centipede."

Volger furrowed his eyebrows, as if a large deadly insect was a trivial concern. "I feel as if you are overlooking the more vital matter here."

"Volger, these aren't your typical house centipedes. They're the wicked Darwinist kind."

"Wicked," Bovril repeated.

Volger sighed and pondered the thought for a moment. Perhaps now the count would see reason. "Well then," he breathed, "I guess you better keep your eyes open."

Alek's mouth fell open. "Are you insane?"

Volger waved his hand towards Alek's stateroom, "You will be fine. I need you to keep an eye on them, this is important."

"How so?"

"Alek," the count stated firmly as if the naïve boy were somehow ignorant of the dire state of affairs which apparently he was because Alek honestly didn't see the need to babysit two grown adults. "Don't you care about the woman's virtue?"

Alek coughed and bit his lip; so many replies flew through his head. It may be too late for that.

"If I go it would be too suspicious."

Alek moaned and looked back at his room.

"Thank you," Volger smiled. Alek turned and timidly headed back towards his stateroom; the boffins were a little old to be looked after by a fifteen-year-old. And he couldn't help but wonder whether or not this was tantamount to spying.

"Wicked," Bovril said, perhaps in an attempt to make Alek feel guilty. When he returned, his room was even messier than it was previously; the room had been essentially torn apart.

"Alek," Dr. Barlow said, looking more than a little stunned. "I didn't expect to see you back this soon. Haven't found it yet, I'm afraid."

Alek nervously studied the room, "I came to help you look."

"That really isn't necessary; we have the situation under control."

"I know but, the more hands make the load lighter," Alek made a feeble attempt to smile before freezing when he felt something crawl on the back of his thigh. It was just Tazza, shattering his nerves yet further. "Or, something like that," Alek strained to hide the uneasiness in his voice.

Dr. Barlow looked at him suspiciously. This wasn't going well. Alek took a seat in the wooden chair he had cleared off earlier and sat down. He watched the area around him carefully. "You know, Alek," Dr. Barlow said, "If you are going to help, that actually involves looking."

He nodded at her but didn't actually move from his seat. "What is the real reason you're here?" Dr. Barlow asked. Alek struggled for an excuse and then sighed before giving up. He had hoped to get through at least five minutes without arousing doubt. But if he could brew up some trouble then this wouldn't have been a complete waste of time.

"Volger sent me in here to spy on you. He doesn't trust you at all."

Dr. Barlow shook her head in disbelief, "Spy on me?"

"Yes, or babysit if you like, he doesn't like the thought of you two being alone together. So I am here to make sure that you don't do anything…too friendly, if you know what I mean." Alek raised his eyebrows, "You do know what I mean, right?"

"I know what you mean."

"No trust," Alek shrugged.

"Isn't that a little devious?" Dr. Gartner asked.

"Very much so; he's very controlling, and he's always scheming. Not a good sign," Alek said looking Dr. Barlow knowingly in the eye. "And, I don't mean to stir up trouble, but I don't think he has shown you much respect. He hasn't been treating you very well at all."

Tazza made a low growl, and something scurried out from under the thylacine. "There she is," Dr. Gartner said scooping up the bright orange centipede with a glass jar.

Dr. Barlow glanced over to the other boffin who was smiling triumphantly, but she was long removed from the situation, "Where is Volger now?"

Alek tilted his head, "He may still be in the hallway."

Dr. Barlow didn't say anymore and quickly left the room to run after Volger with Tazza right behind her.

Dr. Gartner chuckled, and Alek remembered that he was still not alone. "Those two are comical," Dr. Gartner said as he twisted the top to the jar that now caged the centipede.

"Who?" Alek asked. "Dr. Barlow and Tazza?"

The man laughed, "Yes, but no. I meant Dr. Barlow and Count Volger."

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

"I don't know it just amuses me. They're obviously in love with each other and yet they're always at odds. The act they put on…" Dr. Gartner shrugged dismissively, turning his attention back towards the insects.

"Go on," Alek urged, clearly not as interested in the centipedes as Dr. Gartner.

The boffin quickly looked back at Alek, as if he was mad to find the centipedes less interesting than Volger and Dr. Barlow. "The two try to act like they don't care about one another, but they do. It's funny," Dr. Gartner smiled.

Alek would have laughed aloud if it wasn't for Dr. Gartner's resoluteness on the matter. Clearly the man was mad. Alek knew Volger better than he did. "That's preposterous; Volger doesn't love anyone but himself."

Dr. Gartner gave Alek an indifferent leer before turning back to his centipedes. Alek would never understand the Darwinist fascination with creepy and ominous animals, "Aren't they pretty?" Dr. Gartner brought the jars closer to Alek, and the prince frantically tried to put some distance between him and the creatures. And, as a result, fell off his chair and onto the floor. "Look how vibrant their color is. You know, all the ugly ones died. That's natural selection for you. It works on humans too thankfully."

Alek furrowed his eyebrows, "That's a terrible thing to say."

"What do you care? You're a good-looking kid," Dr. Gartner smiled and tossed Alek's hair. Alek, fittingly annoyed at this point, decided that it was time for his room to be boffin free once more. Alek scrambled off the floor in the most dignified way he could manage, walked over to the door and opened it for the man. "I won't keep you," Alek said as he stepped into the hallway just to make his point even clearer.

And yet, Dr. Gartner took his time leaving. A fact that Alek had noticed right before his eyes caught a flash of light brown hair in this distance and then Alek's attention was quickly diverted. A few doors down, presuming at Volger's stateroom, Deryn had her left ear cemented to a door. The back of her pretty little flaxen head was facing him. Was it odd that he was physically attracted to a girl who was supposed to look like a boy?

Alek wasted no time, walking over to her. "Deryn?" he whispered into her ear.

"Listen," she whispered back. Alek put his ear to the door; he could hear Volger and Dr. Barlow yelling on the other side.

"They're really going at it," she said. "Our plan is working."

"What plan?" The two of them jerked upright and turned to see Dr. Gartner standing beside them. "What plan?" the man frowned and asked again.

Deryn scratched her head. "Can you repeat the question?"

Dr. Gartner crossed his arms, and looked at them as if they were naughty children that needed to be punished, it was all quite irritating. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing," they both said harmlessly.

"Why don't I believe that?"

"We are doing everyone a favor," Alek sighed. "You wouldn't understand. They are having a rather illicit relationship that we had to put an end to."

Dr. Gartner's eyes widened, "You what! That's awful, why would you do that?"

"It's for the greater good! You don't understand; it had to be done. There is something seriously wrong with that pair."

"Volger doesn't even like her," Deryn spoke up. "He's just using her."

"Where is this coming from?" Dr. Gartner asked.

"I asked him," Alek folded his arms proudly.

"And he told you that he didn't care for her and was just using her?"

Alek blinked and unfolded his arms, "Well, um, those weren't his exact words."

"So you jumped to conclusions? Then you decided to meddle in their personal affairs with little to no evidence to back up your assumptions."

"Well, when you say it like that it doesn't sound too good," Deryn said.

"Can you keep this a secret?" Alek asked.

Dr. Gartner's face hardened, "You don't see how wrong this is? So you have no remorse whatsoever? You really think you're doing the right thing?"

"Aye," Deryn said. It was quite obvious, was it not? Alek was sure that this was an admirable pursuit. "I think we just explained this."

"Well, then, don't let me keep you from your scheming."

"You're not going to try and stop us?" Alek gave the man a look of skepticism.

"No you see, I figure trying to split up two people who are clearly enamored with one another—your fathers would be very proud by the way—will eventually blow up in your faces anyhow."

A loud smack from inside the room interrupted the man's scolding, not that Alek was still listening. Volger wouldn't actually hurt Dr. Barlow, though, would he? The door swung open alongside a gust of air and Dr. Barlow joined them in the hall. The woman glared at the two young friends, she seemed perfectly fine, "Eavesdropping is rude," she said. They didn't even have their ears to the door this time when she came out. How did she know they had been listening in?

"That's what I tried to tell them," Dr. Gartner said. "Are you okay?"

"I am perfectly fine," Dr. Barlow said confidently. "If you need me, I will be in my room. Feel free to explore the ship without me."

"Are you sure?"

"You can take Tazza with you if you like."

Dr. Gartner laughed quietly, "I meant are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course," Dr. Barlow smiled and then went on her way after handing Tazza's leash to Deryn. Maybe the plan didn't work as well as they had thought. Dr. Barlow left Volger's door slightly agape, and Alek and Deryn went into the room. Volger was sitting behind his desk with his back turned to them as he gazed out the window.

"Volger?" Alek said quietly.

The count spun around in his chair and gave the two of them a devilish glare. It was as if he knew what they had done. "It amazes me how knocking is still a foreign concept to you two," the man said crossly.

"That's why you should lock your door," Deryn whispered, a statement that Volger evidently didn't find terribly funny.

"Can I help you with something?"

"What happened?" Alek questioned as his eyes were drawn to the red mark on his cheek.

"Did Dr. Barlow slap you?" Deryn asked the count and Alek found himself amused by her lack of tact in this situation. "I'm a wee bit jealous now," she said.

Volger rubbed his head, "What an infuriating woman."

"I'm sure you deserved it," Deryn said. Well he did ask Alek to borderline spy on her which would probably upset some women.

"That is hardly the point. I am not in the wrong. You do not realize how many times I have come close to strangling her."

Alek nodded slowly, this relationship was truly perverted, "Of course, she hits you, you want to strangle her. That is perfectly normal."

"Are you two still together?" Deryn asked.

"No," Volger said simply, forcing Alek to hold in a smile. They had been successful after all.

"Well, sometimes these things just don't work out," Deryn managed to say sympathetically.

"You should be pleased, Alek. You got just what you wanted, again, as always."

"I understand if you are upset at the moment," Alek said. "But by morning you'll be much happier. You will feel as though a weight has been lifted from you."

"I highly doubt that, Your Highness." Volger sighed, "Never mind forget I made that statement."

Alek rolled his eyes, "God's wounds." He was thoroughly tired of the count's cryptic remarks.

"Blisters," Deryn said and then tightly gripped Alek's shoulder. "You do love her," she breathed. "Don't you?" Alek didn't know quite what to make of the accusation. He asked him precisely the same question earlier and nothing came of it. Granted, now that he thought about it, Volger didn't exactly say, "no."

"Wait, you do?" Alek gasped as the past few days came tumbling down.

"I was afraid that it was blatantly obvious. As it turns out, there are things I actually can't control. It is quite odd." This changed everything. "What does it matter? It's over. It would have never worked out anyway." Volger turned back towards the window, and Alek and Deryn gave each other a bittersweet glance before gloriously heading towards the door. Their plan had worked, they were victorious. So why did Alek feel badly?