Of The Sea : John Murphy

Stay In School Don't Do Jobis

With a polite dip of the head and an extended arm, Bellamy allowed me the next shift in watching the healer.

I was up and shut the hatch before I could hear the conversation being had down below.

I turned around and there he was, strung up and hanging pretty with his head dropped in defeat. Unless of course he was sleeping, I couldn't see his face.

I took a seat in the chair stationed in the room and assessed this healer. I'm sure Anya wouldn't expect her precious healer to be in this state.

"Healer." I said softly, enough to grasp his attention. I could see that his eyes had shot open but he kept his head down, not sure if he had heard me right. "Healer!" I repeated.

Slowly, he lifted his gaze to me, his eyes studying me closely.

"I am Dorothea, Chief of the Western boat people. I have come to extract you." I informed. By now I had his full attention and he was standing as straight as he could. "I am here on Anya's... request..."

"How..." His voice sounded hoarse and unused.

"Unlike your people who couldn't even lift a finger to rescue their own valued clan member, mine have wits and initiative."

His gaze lowered and his shoulders slouched once more. "I'm taking a wild guess and thinking that perhaps you didn't come in good faith."

"Of course I didn't, I have a village to run, new shipments to sort, cargo to purchase, a new base that needs to be built and an impatient Queen that needs to be entertained." I spat, every word making me angrier at what Anya had pulled me away from. "So no, I didn't come in good faith."

"I apologise for whatever Anya must have taken from you." He sounded sincere, and that was something I could accept.

"You aren't the one that needs to be sorry." I muttered.

It was silent for a while until I finally settled down and spoke again. "I can't release you now. I will come back for you tomorrow, that is when we will leave."

He nodded immediately, thankful that I had come to his aid.

After an hour of my 'watch', Bellamy came up to call me back down for a shift change. Turns out, he still didn't think I could take down a full grown man. But I didn't fight him on it, I had gotten what I needed.

I left the drop ship to find Adrian sat by the fire on his own whilst others around him laughed and talked a mouthful of useless words.

"Where have you been?" Adrian asked, sounding half panicked as I sat down beside him. "I've been looking all over for you, I nearly bailed on the mission."

"I found the healer and I spoke to him, he's ready." I told him. "All we have to do now is wait till the morning."

"Thank the seven seas, I'm getting sick of the tasteless banter here."

I chuckled and squeezed his shoulder, joining him in watching the flames dance.

-------------

The sun rose over the wooden fences and the morning mist rose from the damp floors.

I gave Adrian's head which was rested on my shoulder a gentle nudge, waking him.

He rubbed his eyes and yawned, looking sleepily at me.

"Come on, we have much work to do." I whispered, pushing myself up and pulling him up with me.

Many were still sleeping so we took the liberty of sneaking a few handfuls of nuts into our pockets.