A Pirate's Life For Me

Chapter 35 - Please

ROBIN

Had I been fast enough, I would have stabbed Araya right then and there.

But Livi gets there first. His scream follows hers immediately. I don't have time to register what's happening. My vision goes red.

I hardly see the clumps of men fighting, hardly hear the other screams, hoots, and hollers. Livi is the only thing in my mind, the only thing I can see, and she's a terrifying sight.

She stands over Captain Araya with a menacing, bloodthirsty scowl while he, from the ground, still holds the hilt of the knife lodged in her side. After the initial screams, neither gives further indication of pain. After my initial gasp of horror, I give no further indication of my presence. 

"Didn't have t' be like this," Araya grunts. "You could have lived, chica."

She kicks him in the jaw, though her strength is obviously waning. I can tell she's fighting hard to keep the pain at bay. "I'd rather die than hand myself over to you."

Araya gives a malicious chuckle, coughing. "That's right. You're going to die, and everyone is going to watch."

The thing is, if I hadn't seen it happen, I wouldn't even know she'd been stabbed. Livi stands upright, her scowl as ferocious as ever. 

I see the pain if I look for it, though. It's in the slight twitch of her jaw, in the way her eyes are dulling, in the shaking of her hands.

Some of the crew had realized what was happening, but the fights don't halt. Really, they are hardly fights. The Encantador is just playing with us now. 

I announce my presence with a deep growl. "You leave her alone!"

Araya looks up and me with a grimace.  "If it isn't Robin Hood to the rescue--"

Livia cuts him off with another kick to the jaw, but she cries out in pain, too. The moment she moves, she drops to the ground.

"Cap'n?!" Comes a yell from behind me. Other crewmen try to come over, but they can't afford to look away from their own fights.

Without another thought, I lunge forward and stab Araya in the chest. 

The body drops. I lurch forward, hardly hearing the crack of his ribs as I step over him, hardly feeling the heat of his blood on my hands, hardly seeing the life vacating his eyes. I don't care. I have eyes only for my Livia.

I kneel down next to her, cupping her paling face in my hands. "Livi..."

She starts to speak, but all the comes out is a small whimper. I watch her beautiful lips part, listen as a deep grunt of pain rips out.

"Shhh," I whisper, pulling her to me. "You're going to be fine, mi amor." I know that I need to get her away from the fight, but I'm so heavy with dread, I can't move. 

"Robin," She whispers, finding my hand. She grips it tight, looking into my eyes. "Kill me. Please. I don't know if you can tell, but this hurts." 

I shake my head. "You're going to be okay, cariña." Our eyes meet and suddenly I realize, she's not going to be okay. The fire in her eyes in waning, her grip weakening. 

"Please, baby," She begs. The look on her face is so pained. She bites her lip, blinking hard to keep the tears back. "It hurts."

I look at the stars, praying for an answer. I can't kill her. I can't. She is my everything.

My heart breaks when I finally see tears spill over from those gorgeous blue eyes. "I can't breathe, Robin."

"Just hold on, Livia. It'll be alright. I promise."

"Please, my love," She begs. Everything else fades away. It's just me, it's just Livi in my arms, in pain, the life slowly draining out of her. "Please."

I stroke her hair away from her paling face. Leaning down, I kiss the tears away from her face. Her skin feels hot and wonderfully soft under my lips. I brush them over her cheeks, over her chin, her nose, her throat. She responds with one short, sweet kiss, eyes fluttering shut.

One last beg. "Please."

 "But I love you."

"If you love me, let me go."