The Beauty and The Betrayal

3. The Boat and The River

Amerath's P.O.V

I found Evy in her room, she opened her door as soon as I knocked. "Umm...Hi?" She questioned, looking behind me to see if Rick was behind me. Out of habit I glanced behind me as well. "Oh, no I left Rick on the deck with some American's. May I come in?" She nodded and slid over, allowing me entrance into her cabin. "I'm sorry, I've been stuck around men and harlots for a while now, and I was just seeking some conversation that didn't involve death or violence." Evy cracked a smile. We sat talking about our lives and events that led us to this moment. "Forgive me, but Johnathan seems, oh how do I put this?" "Cowardly? Spoiled? Odd?" She giggled between each word. "Yes, all of the above. Why would you bring him on a trip like this?" Evy smiles, wrapping her robe closer to her body. "He's all I have left. I don't trust him to stay out of trouble without me...He's the only family I have. Even though he's greedy and a thief, Hes my greedy thieving little brother." Her voice trailed off, as if she was thinking of more. "I understand. I certainly didn't end up in prison because of my own actions. But Rick is my big brother and the only family I have. I'll back him up anywhere and, in any way, because that's the only thing I've ever known to do." She nodded; a comforting silence developed in the room. 

When the door to her cabin burst open, hook-handed man, demanding a map and the key. Grabbing my blades, I immediately went to action, protecting Evy the best way I could. As I raised my arms, he rushed me. I grabbed his shirt, flipping him and holding him to the floor. He kicked up, sending me into a table. He reached out to Evy, "The map and Key, Now!" Rick ran in, throwing the man into the window and onto the deck.  Throwing me my khopesh, he grabbed Evy and threw her over his shoulder. "Can you swim?" He yelled to her, "Yes!" She screamed, watching the flames take over the barge. I look back to see, Jonathan runs out onto the deck, sees the three Americans, guns in every hand, fanning their pistols, shooting everything in sight. Jonathan just shakes his head and follows us into the water. O'Connell, Evelyn, Jonathan, Myself and the Warden wade out of the water. Evy's nightgown clings tight to her body as she wrings it out, I couldn't help but stifle a giggle at Rick's face, he definitely noticed her outfit.  Everyone else from the ship, including the horses, is getting out on the far shore O'Connell spots Beni running up to the Americans. "Hey O'Connell! Looks to me like I got all the horses!" Beni shouts arrogantly to us.  "Hey Beni! Looks to me like you're on the wrong side of the river!" Beni looks up at the stars, then angrily kicks the sand, cussing up a storm so loud we could hear it from a distance. 

It has been a full day and a half before we found a trading post. As the men barter with the camel trader for five camels, I take Evy to look at some more suitable clothing.  A dress and a nightgown certainly wouldn't do well on the back of camels. We went and picked out an outfit, Evy settling on a black dress with a golden weaved belt, and a laced veil for her face.  I went the opposite way, choosing the same dress, just a deep red. Jonathan was talking to Rick when we walked up, "I can't believe the price of these fleabags!" He was grumbling at the camels, as if it was their fault. "We coulda had 'em for free, all we had to do was give 'em a sister..." I cut him off. "Rick O'Connell! I know I did not just hear that!" He shrugged sheepishly.  We each got on our own camel, I glared at Rick every step we went as we were swallowed by the sands of the desert. The moon shines down on five lone camel rider's trekking across the vast wasteland. Jonathan is sound asleep, his head bobbing comically to the rhythm of his camel. on the camel next to him, the Warden snores echo the quiet desert. Up in front of them, Evelyn slowly starts to slide off her saddle. Rick reaches over and stops her, then gently pushes her back up onto her saddle, never waking her. For a long moment, his eyes watch Evy, and I watch him. "You like her, don't you?" He glances back at me, surprised I was still awake. "She interests me. She has so much passion about something that could possibly kill her...I like it." His joking town trails off as he looks at the ridge, where a group of riders watched them waiting for them to fail. Rick and I go quiet, keeping a wary eye on them as we continue our journey.