Token of the Western Sea

Chapter Six: Jace

I have to admit, I felt bad. I didn't mean for Rhynn to start to panic. I could see it on her face. I opened my mouth to comfort her, and-

Oh god!

She leapt from the bed and grabbed me, pinning me to the wall. Her arm was pressed against my throat, her opposite hand pushing my shoulder into the wall while her knee dug hard into my thigh. I tried to squirm away, but despite having nearly a foot and a half on her tiny 5' frame, she was stronger than I gave her credit for.

“You cannot tell anyone,” she hissed, her face just inches from mine. “I'll be killed. My soul will be sent to hell to rot for eternity.”

“Rhynn, if I wanted you dead, I would have left you on the shore,” I gasped, trying to suck air into my lungs. “I'm not going to let anyone hurt you!”

Her grip loosened, her knee falling away. “Do you promise?”

“I-”

She tightened her grip again. “I said, do you promise?” she growled, her eyes wild and pleading.

“I-I promise!”

She hesitated before letting me go. “Why did you save me anyway? Why not just throw me back when you found out my, uh...little secret?” Her voice was quiet, the ferocity melted into whincing as she slid down onto the bed.

“Well, you needed my help. It doesn't matter if you're a pirate,” I slid down next to her, making sure to keep enough distance to keep her comfortable. “You were – well, are – hurt, and needed my help. And plus, I was just dying to know how a young girl like you got herself mixed up with pirates.”

She smirked. “And I bet you'd like me to just sit here and tell you my life story? You'll have to be patient if you want that, kid. It's not a story that's told to just anyone, you'll have to work for it.”

I sighed, picking up a leftover piece of apple and holding it in front of her. “You know, I believe I've worked enough already. Dragging you out of the cove. Playing nurse. Stealing food.” I tapped her nose with the fruit, causing her to scowl, before popping the slice in my mouth. “I think that deserves something, kid.” I grinned, leaning back and propping myself up on my elbows.

She narrowed her eyes, tracing over my face. “Fine,” she groaned. Moving to lay down, her arm slipped, the straw shifting beneath her hand. Instinct took over and I shot my arm out, catching her under her shoulders, pulling her and I close.

So close I could feel her warm breath on my cheek. Her skin smelled of salt water, old rum, and sunshine, mixed in with a scent I couldn't quite place. Oddly enough, I found it almost intoxicating. From this distance, or lack thereof, I could see her emrald colored eyes were also flecked with gold, catching the light and making them sparkle.

Not wanting to cause her pain by moving too quickly, I gently lowered her onto the bed, pulling the improvised pillows under her head.

“Get off of me...” she growled, pushing my shoulders back with her palms. She turned away, but not in time to stop me from seeing she was blushing, her pale skin turned red. I smiled to myself, making a promise to see it again. It was incredibly cute.

“Hey, I'm not the one going and throwing herself places! You think you'd have learned after the first time.”

“Yeah, well I've been called a lot of things, stubborn is one of them,” she replied. “Alright, you get one piece of the story. Deal?”

“Deal,” I stuck my hand out, she took it and we shook on it. “So how'd you become a pirate?”

“It's more of a family business. My father was a pirate, his father was a pirate. His father's father was a pirate, and so on.”

“And your mother?” Something flashed in her eyes...pain? Frustration?

“She's, uh...She's not with us.”

“Went back to the island? Living somewhere else? Does she live on the mainland?”

She lowered her eyes, smoothing out the jagged hem of her skirts. “She's not exactly living anywhere. She died when I was young.”

I stayed silent, not wanting to make an even bigger fool of myself. Stupid, stupid...

"Oh...I'm sorry, I didnt-"

"Well, sorry isn't going to bring her back, now is it?" she snapped, balling her hands into fists. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Sorry, I'm just so sick of sorries. It doesn't help anything. I didn't know her well, so I don't miss her much. Don't apologize."

I stayed silent, just nodding my head. "So, is that all I get?"

She smirked, shoving my arm. "Yes, island boy. It's all you get. What about your story? How'd you end up working in a shop, in all its exciting glory?"

"Well, my parents were murdered, the shopkeeper took me in, and I became his apprentice," I said with a shrug.

"Who killed them?"

I paused for a moment, unsure if I should go on, but her sparkling eyes made me cave. "...Pirates," I said quietly, glancing at her scar. "It was an attack on our cove when I was 11 years old. My birthday. I watched both of them get killed, slit throats. My mother was trying to run. My father was trying to protect her."

"Sounds like pirates." She turned her head to look me in the eyes. "I'm truly sorry pirates have hurt you like this... But, if they did that to your family, why would you save me? Or are you just planning on killing me later, on your own time schedule?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No one is going to kill you Rhynn, so long as you're with me. I can promise you that much."

"Thank you," she said quietly, keeping her eyes on me.

"And as for pirates as a whole; I don't resent them. Oddly enough, I've come to be at peace with their death, and I don't hold every pirate responsible for the action of just one. But, so help me god, if I ever do find the one who killed them-"

"I'll help you out with him." Rhynn flashed a devilish grin and drew her thumb across her throat, pretending to cut the skin. I chuckled and leaned back, laying out on the bed next to her.

BAM!

The sound of cannons echoed through the attic, followed by a shower of splintering wood.

"Jace, I know those cannons!" Rhynn shrieked, leaping to her feet. She swayed dangerously before I reached out, wrapping my arms around her and steadying her. "Those are MY cannons! It's my ship!"