The River King

Chapter 18: Negotiations

Mollie woke early. Unlike her friend Finneas, she found getting up in the morning a rather easy task. She usually struggled to get to sleep, instead of sleeping in. She stretched her arms before crawling out of the bed the Fire Tribe had prepared for her. It was still rather early. Everyone was still asleep. But Mollie had the desire to get some fresh air.

The girl made her way to the deck of the ship. Sitting on top of the boat's railing, Mollie looked down at the settlement below. Much like Finneas, she had a fondness for climbing. She just didn't brag about it. There was something about looking down from a great height. It was a form of thrill-seeking she couldn't find anywhere else. She noticed a few of Azhem's men giving her weird looks. They probably were worried she would fall. To stop them from telling her off, she leapt off the railing and back onto the deck. She wandered to the common room. She sat down and watched as people came and went.

"Didn't know you were an early bird," a voice said. Mollie turned to see Brienne. One thing Mollie hated the most was when people sneaked up on her. Not only would it make her jump a mile, but Mollie also found that sort of behaviour kind of creepy.

"I try to get up early," Mollie put simply. She didn't intend to come across as gloomy. But she wasn't really in the mood to talk to other people, especially Brienne.

"Why are you so grumpy?" Brienne asked.

"Why waste your breath?" Mollie snared. "I've nothing in common with you. Why should we talk?"

"You don't like me, I guess."

"True..."

"If this has to do with you and Finn... I'm not getting in the way. We are cousins, that's all," she explained. "You don't have to see me as some challenger of his affection."

"It's not that. I just don't like you."

"Well... it seems irrational, don't you think?"

"I just never got along with over girls," Mollie explained. "They were always mean to me. It's nothing personal. I prefer hanging out with boys anyway."

Mollie sometimes wondered if the Maker had mistakenly made her a girl and her twin brother a boy. Perhaps, the Maker originally intended their genders to be swapped. Where Teller preferred to stay inside and devour a book, Mollie preferred to hang out with the boys. Although the matron would always grimace at her kicking a ball about, and getting covered in mud, Mollie's rebellious boyish behaviour would always get the better of her. She hated the other girls. At least boys would state their opinions upfront, she always thought.

Knowing everyone was about to get up, Mollie was eager to find Kistoph. Although she was prepared for him to say no, there was something Mollie wanted to ask her friend. She found the older boy preparing for his journey, packing a backpack.

"Hey," she asked her friend. "There's something I want to ask."

"What's that?" Kistoph asked, sounding a little perplexed.

"This person you're going to meet... you don't think he's dangerous."

Kistoph laughed.

"Have you been talking Finn?" the older boy remarked.

"No?" she wasn't sure how to respond to this question.

"Finn asked me this last night," Kistoph explained. "I think he's worried or something. You're not worried are you too?"

"No... no... of course not," Mollie answered. "I was just thinking... maybe I can tag along. Is that alright with you?"

"Do you think that's wise?" the older boy asked.