Chapter 9, part 1. Leaving Ancient Geese

   Lonely watched Eos stand in victory as she lifted the glowing jagged end of a key. He rose with the audience as they erupted into applause. Lonely felt himself cheer, but couldn't hear his voice over the roar of the crowd. He was alighted, she had won, but then Eos collapsed, and Lonely felt someone pulling him away. As he was being pulled through the crowd, he caught small glimpses of geese officers dragging Eos out of the arena. Lonely struggled and fought against whoever was pulling him, but they were much stronger than he was. He was pulled out of the stadium. Lonely could barely hear the noise from the arena once they got to the streets. Finally, he twisted his arm out of the grasp of a goose who was muttering under her breath. When lonely turned to face her, he was shushed. 

"Don't say anything. I'm trying to help you and Princess Eos. My name is Eleanor." The goose soldier hissed, pulling lonely through empty streets and to the shipyard.

"Eos.." Lonely had completely forgotten about what Eros had said back there. "Where were they taking her?" He snapped, trying to wriggle his arm out of Eleanor's feathery grasp. 

"Friends of mine are taking care of her. Look, Larry-"

"Lonely." He corrected

"Lonely, the Emperor was going to kill you two anyway. He's been growing old and relying too much on his ward, Eros. That boy's been speaking like a snake in the Emperor’s ear for over three years now. That child... He's not meant to be here; he's not fit to rule over us. There are some soldiers, like me, who know this, and we're in the middle of trying to stop it. My friends are bringing Eos to your ship after they patch up her leg as best they can. They can't stop it from spreading, but they can stall it a little. We've already fixed up your ship and filled it with rations and emergency equipment." Eleanor pulled Lonely around a corner.

"Her leg? Eos said it should be ok. It shouldn't need anything else." Lonely said. 

"Kid, you don't know what a Starblaster can do to a living creature, do you?"

"Starblaster? Is that what that ray gun was called?" He asked. The goose sighed and said nothing. 

"Is Eos going to be ok?" lonely stared at the goose until she gave him a sorry look and spoke sadly, "After the treatment my friends are giving her, she'll be ok for another week or so... Those Starblasters, even if you get grazed on the arm by one of them it'll still kill you slowly, painfully. She doesn't have long, Larry."

"Eos is going to die, and it'll be my fault. What am I going to do?" Lonely thought to himself, running his free hand through his hair. A hollow voice whispered in his mind, "I can help if you let me....she doesn't have to die..."

"Who are you?!" Lonely muttered aloud. Eleanor gave him a confused look. "Eleanor, like I said, you alright, kid?". 

"Not you," Lonely answered, staring at the ground. He heard the name in the back of his mind. He didn't want it there, not after everything he had seen and heard. "Get. Out. Of. My. Head." Lonely said in his mind, "You. Are. Not. Welcome here."