The Crown's Reflection

Chapter Seven: An Unlikely Hero

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A smattering sound of rain woke Elsea up, persistent against the glass. Elsea jolted out of bed, rushing to look outside. 

Raindrops blended together and trickled down in streams, and Elsea trailed her fingertips with them, fascinated. Through the blurred view, she could see purple and gray darkened clouds, puffy and full with rain. Her breath fogged the window, and she wiped it away with her sleeve. 

Elsea tore her eyes away and hastily dressed in the clothes they'd bought yesterday,  pulling her hair into a bun at the nape of her neck. She stuffed the coin pouch and the book into her coat pocket, and strapped her sword to her waist. The clothes were comfortable and free, a breath of fresh air compared to her suddenly heavy and restraining dresses. Elsea quickly pulled on the black boots, and promptly opened the door that connected Everett's room to hers. 

"Its raining!" Elsea exclaimed, before awkwardly realising that he was still sleeping. His face was a vision of peace, oddly vulnerable and relaxed. She shoved his shoulder, not gently, until his eyes blearily blinked open. 

"What the-" he started, scrambling to sit upright. 

"Its raining!" Elsea repeated, faltering a little. Everett blew a lock of hair away from his face and gave her a I-can't-believe-you-woke-me-up-at-five-in-the-morning look. "Well? Hurry up and get out of bed so we can go outside!" Elsea didn't understand why he wasn't out of bed already. Great forests, it was raining. She looked at him expectantly. 

Everett grumbled something about it being too early in the morning, and reluctantly dragged himself out of bed. His eyes widened as he took in her new appearance. 

"You should fit in nicely," Everett said, while getting ready, "but please, leave your hair down." 

And then, after a beat of silence, "Do you plan to carry a sword everywhere you go in plain sight?" 

Elsea hadn't thought about that. Actually, she hadn't thought about a lot of things since leaving Asteria. Hence, the ring incident. 

Elsea, with as much grace as she could muster, slid her sword so it was hidden underneath her green coat. "Better? Now lets go." Elsea opened the door and calmly walked towards the entrance to the inn. But it quickly turned into a full on sprint, and Elsea didn't bother to see if Everett was following her. 

Elsea burst through the doors, and was immediately enveloped in the rain's icy embrace. In seconds, her hair and clothes were drenched, but she couldn't have cared less. Petrichor doused the air, and she inhaled deeply, reveling in the earthy, salty smell that came with rain. The sky was stunning, dramatically dark and dense with clouds. It looked like a painter had splattered grey, black, and  purple before smearing it with their hands messily. If she tilted her head up, she could see the individual droplets of water fall and land on her face and in her open mouth. There was a beautiful sadness to Raveene now, the relieved clouds releasing their water at last. Water pooled in the streets, and the few people that were walking held umbrellas, much to Elsea's bewilderment. Laughing in pure joy and childlike wonder, Elsea spun in place, giddy with happiness. Somehow, it was so much more to her than just weather. Rain was nights curled up in blankets reading. Writing in candlelight. Crying and playing the piano. Dancing alone and finding joy in all the sadness and darkness. 

"You're smiling." Everett interrupted her bizarre monologue, his face a picture of astonishment. "I've never actually seen you smile before." A pause. "You have dimples!" He said delightedly.  

Elsea didn't reply, too absorbed in the rain. It tasted cool and sweet. Asteria never had rainy days, was always full of annoying sunlight and fluffy white clouds. 

"Isn't it the most amazing thing you've ever seen?" Elsea breathed.

"I suppose, but it happens every other day so..." 

The rain stopped, too abrupt to be natural. Elsea looked up to see an umbrella being held above her head.

Before she opened her mouth, Everett said, "Do you want your book to be wet? Or for your clothes to be soaked through?" 

The book Everett had recommended her at the book stand was probably ruined. Still, Elsea protested, trying to push the umbrella away. When that didn't work, she stepped out of its protection, but the umbrella just followed her. She did it again, but to no avail. 

"Please Elsea." Everett gave her a strained look. His hair resembled a raven's wing, mussed by rain and sleep.

"Don't you mean Ellie?" 

Nevertheless, she followed her blackmailer, cursing herself for not killing him when she had the chance. It would've been so easy...especially when he was asleep. But alas, Elsea could never murder someone, no matter how frustrated she was. 

Even someone as infuriating (and alluring) as Everett. 

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After eating breakfast, Elsea and Everett walked aimlessly around town, something new and fascinating around every corner. A shop displayed colourful fabrics and warm clothes in the window, beautiful enough that Elsea couldn't resist buying a dark sapphire scarf. As she opened her loaded pouch, she felt a prickle at the back of her neck. 

"Come back soon!" The girl at the desk said brightly, when Elsea paid in gold. She got a lot of money back, which hopefully solved her change problem for the time being. She put her pouch away in her pocket, and looped the scarf around her neck, the cloth brushing softly against her neck. 

"It looks good on you." Everett said curtly. 

Elsea's cheeks warmed for unknown reasons. They continued their walk, people swarming the streets and pressing against Elsea. Physically contact tended to overwhelm her, unfamiliar and rare to her. Elsea's parents...she didn't remember the last time they'd touched her.

The image of her mother kissing Saphira's cheek flashed in her mind.  They didn't hide their favouritism for Saphira, showering her with praise and gifts. They called her Saph, whereas Elsea was called by her full name. Elsea's use of Saphira's nickname had always felt out of place, as if they were close. A burst of bitterness shot through her.

"Hey!" Everett exclaimed angrily, and Elsea felt a hand dip into her pocket, gone in an instant. The anger left her in a rush, and new circumstances fell into place. Her coin pouch was gone. 

Everett was already running, struggling to follow a head of strawberry-blonde quickly being lost in the crowd and fog. Elsea followed a second later, briefly grateful for trousers. Adrenaline coursed through her, her legs pumping hard. The girl was frantic, zig zagging through people and disappearing for brief amounts of time. Elsea was a few steps behind Everett, mostly relying on him to find her. Gradually, the girl began to tire, but with her, so did Elsea. Her energy began to flag, and she lagged behind Everett. Desperately, the girl turned and ran into an alley, Everett on her heels. She took two lefts and a right, and Elsea hoped she didn't know where she was going. 

Finally, when even Everett started to slow, the girl hit a dead end. Before she could try anything, Everett barreled into her, tackling her to the ground. When Elsea caught up, a dagger had appeared in his hand, held against the girl's slender throat. He snatched the purse, and after a moment of consideration, Everett tossed it to Elsea. 

"That's my money." He said menacingly, rain clinging to his long lashes.