The Misplaced Prince[COMPLETE]

Revelation

"We're ready for you now."

Joshua looked up from where he had been resting his head on his knees, watching the commanding frame of Tony Sanchez emerge through the blinding light of the doorway. He watched the man step in, his face grim, and felt his whole body tensing for combat. He lifted himself on his haunches, a growl emanating from him.

Two days ago, he hadn't believed in magic. Two days ago, he had been fucking ignorant.

Memories flashed into his mind of what had happened after the blinding light had crushed them, slamming them all on the deck with its force. Men had been groaning everywhere, reaching for support, for cover. Joshua, too startled to do anything, had struggled to breathe under the onslaught. Until he had felt Kasey's strong hands reaching for him, jerking him towards her and against the edge of the deck, plastered against the wheel.

"What's going on--" he had tried to yell, his voice muffled and wavering in the thick wind.

"It's happening earlier than we expected! Uncle Sebastian mustn't have wanted to wait too long!" her voice was distant, as if coming through layers of water, but she had clamped around him, holding them in place. Realizing what her intention was, he had twisted around, ignoring her scream of protest, and anchored her to the wheel himself. The pressure had pressed her against him, but it hadn't been a sexual moment as it had turned painful, suffocating. Sound had seemed to pop at his eardrums. "It's a storm." he'd found himself yelling.

"No, Joshua." she had screamed next to his ear, "We're changing realms. Please--" Another wave had slammed him against her. He had stiffened his arms, but couldn't have stopped the momentum if he could help it.

"I'm sorry, Kasey!" he had yelled, anguished.

"It's okay--I expected this. We were meant to anchor ourselves before this happened!" she had latched herself around him, holding tightly as the air changed and shifted, pulling one second, pulling the next.

He didn't know for how long he stayed that way--it seemed like hours, but later he would be told it had only been thirty minutes. It had been too long and once it ended--as abruptly as it had come--he had felt like a bag of broken bones, the muscles with which he anchored Kasey screaming for relief. The two of them had collapsed on the ground when the pressure and light suddenly released, gasping but still holding on to each other.

It had been a few minutes before another wave had struck, completely different but no less horrifying. After a moment of deafening silence, suddenly most of the seamen jumped to their feet, rushing to the deck--Kasey included--and promptly cast up their accounts.

Lumbering up, feeling like his limbs had turned to jelly, Joshua had watched them, uncomprehending. He was watching everyone gag and vomit in disbelief, when Tony limped towards him, looking a bit green himself. The fall had knocked him on his head, judging by the streak of blood smearing his temple. Joshua had suppressed a violent gag, looking at all of them.

"It's the sudden surge of magic." Tony gritted out, gesturing towards his brother who was hanging over the railing too, "It's too much when they realms change so rapidly. We aren't supposed to travel so quickly."

"What are you talking about?"

"Long ago, it took months, if not years, to change realms. Humans that got lost at sea only discovered the few portals to the Endlands by accident, when they had gone beyond the point of any return." Tony explained grimly, looking slightly ill, "But with human settlement into the land...and with subsequent breeding and growth in our population--the mixed humans--we learned the art of trading and currency. So now, we barter with the faeries for a quick portal to the Endlands, much like this one."