Dark Tides

Chapter 6

(a/n) I posted a lil edit for this chapter on my tiktok @gingersnapl if you want to check it out. The song Vicrul sings is from the second verse of 'The Devil & The Huntsman' by Daniel Pemberton and Sam Lee.

"Grab that box, will you?" Vicrul's voice echoes across the deck. You turn and look to a stack of boxes full of food ready to go on the ship. Nodding to him, you walk over to help move them.

After the merchant ship was taken over, most of the crew and Knights went to gather what they could from below deck. Their stockpiles of weapons, food, and wares now line the edge of the ship. It looks like they were trading in textiles.

Vicrul grunts as he picks up two boxes at once. You try to pick one up and it's heavier than Vicrul made it seem. It's a struggle to carry one but you manage it. Following him, you walk to the edge of the ship. The crew is scurrying across the ladders, bringing the goods back to the Reaper. You huff out a breath and set the box down once Vicrul tells you where to put it.

"Nice job screaming, by the way," he says, glancing over at you.

"Oh, thank you," you say with a laugh. You wish you could have been more helpful. This might be the perfect person to ask. You jog to catch up with his long strides once he starts walking across the deck.

"So, I was thinking, I could help more next time, maybe with a weapon?" you ask. He looks at you, surprised. Vicrul didn't think you'd want to be near the violence, let alone take part in it.

"You want a weapon? Have you asked Ren about this?" His tone is incredulous.

"Kind of." You step over a coil of rope being dragged by Trudgen towards the helm.

"You could teach me!" You're getting excited now because he didn't immediately shut you down.

"Princess, I think Ren would tell me if he wanted you to have a weapon." He enters the cabin. The walls are light and airy compared to the Reaper, the cool breeze flows through the passageways from the open doors.

You follow him, and continue while turning a corner, "I'm a quick learner. Today I was almost killed by one of the men and if I had a sword-"

"If you had a sword?" Kylo's voice booms from behind you. "No."

He was overseeing the collecting of the bounty and also maybe pocketing a few jewels he found in the Captain's cabin.

"See?" Vicrul is walking backward now, gesturing with his hand towards Kylo. He turns to go below deck, leaving the two of you alone.

"Kylo, I want to be able to defend myself." You turn to him, more confident after talking to Vicrul.

"I'll be there to defend you," he says, like it's a given, striding past you.

You huff under your breath, purse your lips and ignore the butterflies in your stomach. He's already halfway down the passageway. Do pirates just walk abnormally fast? You hurry to catch up with him, dodging Ushar when he emerges from a storage room.

Kylo is avoiding the conversation. On one hand, he doesn't want you amid any battles. On the other, he can't admit to himself that you're inevitably going to have to defend yourself. He tells himself he'll always just keep you near. Well, until the end of this. You can leave afterward. If you want.

Your little steps echo down the passageway. Well, little compared to his colossal strides. It's cute hearing you so out of breath as you catch up to him. He'd like to be the cause of that. Soon.

You tug at Kylo's sleeve. He slows and glances down at you, raising his eyebrows.

"There's no harm in training, right?" you ask.