The Fire That Burns Within

Chapter 4 - Hope

Esmerelda

"I'd understand if you want to leave." I say after a long silence, my voice barely above a whisper. Elizabeth gave me no signs of what she was thinking, other than vague furrowing of her brows. But even that confused me, wouldn't anyone else have a bigger reaction to the horrible things I've done?

"I don't." She said pointedly, her teeth clenched together. Based on those two words I could identify her expressive more clearly. She was angry, but then why would she want to stay? My expression must have conveyed my confusion, because before I could open my mouth to speak she holds up a hand to stop me.

"You aren't the monster here" she started, her voice threatening to break. Taking a breath, she stepped closer to me and continued. "They are. Every person in that village except for a single girl." A sharp inhale of oxygen entered my lungs as she grasped my hands, though I couldn't tell if it was for my comfort or her own. "And they took her from you, and why? Because they were afraid of your powers? So afraid of what they didn't know that they overlooked the beauty of what you had?"

Beauty?

I felt tears start to build up in my eyes as I desperately willed them not to fall. Why did she care so much? Here she was, getting so upset at the injustice I faced after her whole world was ruined today. What was I to her in comparison? She shook her head as if trying to shake away her own oncoming tears, and I realized she still wasn't finished defending me.

"I mean, look at what you've made!" She exclaimed, a hysteric smile forming on her face as she gestured around her at the ship we were standing on the deck of. "You made this. How can no one else see how amazing this is? How can this be- be villainized?" I force myself to step out of my own inner turmoil as I see the tears fall from her face. I closed the distance between us, wrapping her in a tight embrace as she let out heavy sobs onto my shoulder. My eyes stared straight ahead as my mind starting shifting again, telling me everything I was doing wrong. Telling me how much risk I was putting myself in with this girl. What am I doing?

I pulled away from Elizabeth and held her at arms length, lightly gripping her shoulders. "You're tired, and you're upset. You lost your family today, and it's overwhelming you. So, please, rest." Her eyes search mine, confusion riddling them, and then the anger again. Except this time I'm sure it's directed at me.

"No. Don't- don't make this about me. You're the one who suffered, and I know I shouldn't care this much but this isn't about me. I- i can't-" Her words rushed from her lips so fast I'm surprised I caught them all. But what she was saying was my second concern seeing as her breathing was becoming broken and ragged. I gently guided her down to the ground, leaning against the frozen railing as she curled up onto the floor with her eyes shut tight.

"You care. You are a caring person, unlike anyone I've met before. I admire that. You would've made a great witch." If she wanted to say anything, she either couldn't or decided against it. Her breathing slowed as she gripped my hand tightly, her head laying on my lap. After a few moments I could tell she had fallen asleep.

~

After traveling for about a day, land starts to come into view. Having not been anywhere else besides Elizabeth's Island, rather where I found her, there's no use in me guessing what it is. I turn to ask Elizabeth and see her faced the opposite direction, silently looking out at the sea from the railing.

"Eliz-"

"Call me Liz." She cuts me off, her voice soft. It was refreshing to hear her speak again, without so much sadness riddled in her tone. Then again, I wondered how much she was faking.

"Liz, then, do you happen to know what that is?" I asked, direction f my glance to the land ahead of us. She gave a small nod, swiftly making her way towards my end of the ship. As she looked for a moment I saw a spark in her eyes, followed by a desperate search of the surrounding area as if checking for other landmarks.

"We made it.." She said breathlessly, as if in a trance. Her eyes quickly shot down to her hands on the railing, darkening with reality. "I mean..I- I made it." She said again, speaking clearer. I contemplated laying a hand on her shoulder, but I figured I caused her enough distress in the past twenty four hours. "What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly, looking back out to the land ahead of us with a curious eye.

"Caliope's Island. The, um, vacation spot" she clarified, her eyes seeming distant as she looked back up to the island. I gave a muted sigh as I carefully inched closer. She looked so beaten down, so guilty that she made it here and her family didn't. "Your family would have been happy you made it here." She looked up to me with a faint smile, nodding to herself before she pulled away from the railing.

"Well, take us to shore then captain." She said with another smile, it didn't seem as forced as the one earlier. I don't know why I felt so happy that I may have been the one to cause that.