The Hunter's Pursuit

37. Vows Anew

The sun had again sunk below the horizon before they reached the island. Viviane had only slept about an hour before waking and demanding to help with the rowing. Jacob argued against it for a good while, before finally submitting and handing over one of the oars.

They'd both been rowing ever since, though Viviane had done her best to persuade Jacob to rest. He refused of course, and part of her wondered if he was afraid to close his eyes again, given how she'd discovered him when he first woke up.

She knew he was masking his true emotions from her, and the fact had her increasingly worried. She didn't blame him for not wanting to discuss...anything, but she could tell his injuries and fatigue weren't the only things straining him. Their failure, the revelation of her secret, and whatever had caused his panic before her arrival, those were all contributors to Jacob's current mood.

She was finding it increasingly difficult to leave him with his thoughts and not ask any questions. Her instincts told her that he needed to speak about what was bothering him, but her senses told her that it was best to leave him alone for now.

When they finally reached the island, Viviane guided their longboat through the rocky shoals and into a hidden alcove, dug into the coast of the island. Jacob stepped up onto the ledge and secured the boat, then offered her a hand. She let him help her up and took the lead once more. Jacob followed her through the winding tunnel that took them deeper into the heart of the island. Presently, dripping water and gusts of fresh air signaled their arrival at the cavern.

Viviane rounded the next bend and entered the wide expanse. She drew a deep breath which carried the scent of moss and salty air. The brisk wind seeped through tiny cracks worn into the stone walls. Slivers of moonlight crept through as well, brightening the cave. Towards the middle of it was a shallow pool of fresh water.

Jacob continued to gaze about their surroundings while Viviane turned to one of the walls. She crouched beside it and rolled a heavy stone away, revealing the compartment behind it. Just as she'd hoped, two small chests still remained inside.

Viviane lugged them from their resting place and examined the locks. They didn't appear to be rusted shut and she couldn't find a trace of mold on the chests, which was a relief. She'd had her doubts about how well her hiding place would preserve the chests, but it appeared to have done its job well.

Viviane reached back into the compartment and pulled an old skeleton key out of a narrow crevice dug into one of the walls. She unlocked each chest and lifted the lids. Jacob's footsteps fell softly behind her while she sifted through their contents.

"What would a Mer need with Human clothes?" He asked, crouching beside her. "Or a pocket watch?" He pointed to the small silver clock tucked into a corner of the chest.

"Land dwellers intrigued me," Viviane answered simply. "When I discovered I could shift into one, I visited a few of the harbor towns along the coast." Those visits hadn't lasted long, of course. As soon as Queen Marilla caught wind of it, she had been forbidden from interacting with land dwellers at all. "As for the watch, I discovered it in a shipwreck. I was fascinated by the mechanics of it, so I decided to try to fix it."

"Did you ever?"

Viviane shook her head. "I didn't become fully interested or skilled at fixing mechanical things until I moved to Port, like I told you before." She handed him several rolls of bandages and an old brown bottle containing some sort of herbal concoction.

Jacob took them. "And the medical supplies? What did you need them for?"

Viviane thought of her response carefully. In truth, she'd first stashed the supplies here after rescuing Pops from the Blazing Lion's shipwreck, but her vow of secrecy towards him still held true. She wouldn't reveal it unless Jacob gave her cause to believe he already knew Pops' true identity.