The Adrift Oath

Chapter XIV: Back To Square One

Fae's journey back to square one was a long one, but most importantly a boring one as she herself didn't have many things to do in the duration of those seven agonizing days, Yuna kept her company at night with stories about her childhood alongside her brother, and those same stories warmed Fae more than any blanket at night

The sailors didn't give much attention to Fae nor did she try to initiate a conversation with any of them, she could feel the same awkwardness that they previously had to both her and to Ichiya, but as long as it wouldn't cause any trouble Fae didn't really care much

However, those uneventful days ended with a surprising invitation from Edward to his captain's cabin

It was the night of the sixth day, and on the next morning she would have reached Newbury, back in Flora

Fae stood on the deck and in front of the door that would lead inside Edward's cabin, she cleared her throat and balled her right hand only letting her index finger out that she used to knock on the door

"Come in" She recognized his voice behind the door, and with his permission, Fae took in a deep breath and opened the door, getting inside his cabin that served both as his bedroom and his office

"Good evening Fae" She could see him behind his desk with a polite smile on his face, sitting down on a fancy chair while his hand held onto a quill that he used to write on some paper

"Hey" As Fae replied to him, Edward gestured to the chair that was on the other side of the desk, Fae took the offer with a smile and sat down on his opposite side

"I hope the trip so far has been comfortable for you" He spoke with a small smile on his face, one that Fae replied to with a smirk

"It certainly is, especially when I don't get suspected to be a spy" Her words made the captain chuckle

"You're not going to let me live it down huh?" His question was met by nothing more than a smile and narrowed eyes

"I'm kidding, I understand that you might feel responsible to suspect me because of your job, no hard feelings" Fae told Edward, softening his smile into a much more friendlier one

"Thank you" He answered her, his hand then dropped the quill back into its inkwell

"You don't mind if I ask you a couple of questions?" His question prompted unamused narrowed eyes from Fae

"Don't worry" He chuckled

"It's from genuine curiosity, nothing more" His words made her sigh in exhaustion, crossing her arms sternly while her eyes stared at Edward's

"Fine, what do you wanna know?" He smiled at her words, one of appreciation

"I was just impressed that the emperor himself spoke to you with such a father-like tone" He was saying as he leaned down to grab something under his desk, and that something was an alcohol bottle that he put on top of that same desk, and while Fae wondered how expensive the bottle must be, Edward gestured for her to look behind

And as she did she could see a couple of crystal clean wine glasses on a table, she went there to fetch them before sitting back down, putting the two glasses in front of each one of them

"So" He poured the dark blue liquid onto Fae's glass first

"What's your last name?" He then poured the alcohol for himself until his glass was full

Fae sighed and picked her glass, taking in a sip before answering any of his questions, yet her brain had one question to give first, what kind of acid did she just drink?