Nan's Jewel

Nan's Jewel~ Chapter 22 <3 Edward

AN: This Chapter is a bit boring, but necessary to the upcoming part! In the next Chapter, expect to meet Edward's parents!!! I would also like to recommend "Midoria's Heart"by blazing_dreams4.

This picture is what I think the cover of Nan's Jewel will look like. Comment and tell me what you think!

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And my pretty little.... What ever that is...

<>< ENJOY ZE FISHIE!!!!!

<3 ya all <3

Kaitlin

Chapter 22- Edward

When I awoke the next morning I didn't see Zillah. I thought little of it, and headed down to the beach. As I approached it I saw a small form on the beach, and chuckled quietly to myself. She had probably fallen asleep while she was down there. As I approached her I began to make out the black and blue marks along her skin, and realized she was not clothed. I knew immediately something was wrong. I longed to run over to her, but my instinct told me to be careful. I slowly approached her, and found her clothes carelessly thrown off to one side. I grabbed them and started to help her into them when she awoke and scrambled away from me screaming bloody murder.

"Get off of me!"She screamed, tears streaming down her face.

I was thoroughly confused. I lay in the sand where she had shoved me, and she shook a few feet from me, holding her arms around her. I held out her dress, and she took it gingerly, staying a safe distance away from me. I knew something had happened, but I knew she wasn't ready to talk about it. I asked anyway.

"Zi, what happened?"

"Aaron."She gasped, trying to stop the flow of tears.

"What about him?"I asked, not feeling any more enlightened.

"He came here last night."Zillah began in between sobs.

"You need to eat first, and get dressed."I interrupted, turning around to give her privacy.

"It doesn't really matter. He's seen and touched most everything."Zillah spat.

I turned around and gently took her arm, leading her up to the chief's house. On the way there she told me everything that happened. As she spoke her sobs increased, until she couldn't walk, the sobs wracked her too small frame. Finally I had her stop, just outside the village.

"I'll find that dirt good-for-nothing man and give him what he deserves!"I growled, hating the man I once considered my friend.

"Edward no! All we can do is pray for him."Zillah said, catching my arm. "I need you Edward; I don't want to be left alone."She pleaded looking up into my eyes.

I looked down at her violet eyes. They were clouded and blended in with the black and blue of her bruised face. It pained me to see her like this, and to know what happened.

"Zillah, are you sure you're okay?"I pressed.

"Edward, it couldn't have been-."Zillah tried to answer, but she just started to cry, so I pulled her into a gentle hug.

"We're leaving now. We will get on my ship and continue on to the port of Vienna." I said, helping her to her feet.

"But what about him, won't he follow?"She asked, looking up at me with her tear streaked face.

"By the mercy of God we might be able to get away."I half answered half prayed.

Zillah and I quickly explained to the chief what had happened, and what we were going to do. Edler was sad to see us go, but he understood Zillah's pain. After hurried goodbyes, Zillah and I stood aboard Nan's Jewel, as Chief Edler, Elda, Firecry, Watercress, Windstar, Earthstar and their entire tribe grew smaller. Once the island was out of sight I led Zillah down to my room, and helped her into bed. She was sore, frightened, shocked, and altogether numb. By the time I covered her up she was asleep. I knelt by my bed in prayer for a few seconds and then I went up to see how the voyage was starting off.

"You okay Cap'n?"Johnny asked, coming over to me.

"Yeah, I'm fine."I said, waving my hand dismissively.

"You look tired."Johnny observed. Sometimes he was too observant.

"It's been a rough day."I murmured, thinking back on how it all started.

"Go get some sleep. I'll wake you if you're needed."Johnny promised, giving me a shove towards the stairs. He was surprisingly strong for someone so small.

I looked at my first mate and friend. He was barely five feet, with a bald head, and mischievous green eyes. I felt a pang of guilt after a thought crossed my mind. "If my friend Aaron did this to Zillah, what could Johnny do?"

"She'll be fine Edward. No one will touch her like that again."Johnny said, as though he were reading my mind.

"How do you know what happened to her?"I asked, knowing I hadn't told him.

"I don't. I just heard a voice in my head and it told me to say that."Johnny answered, looking somewhat frightened.

"Thank you God!"I cried, looking up at the sky. "How's that for your devotion?"I asked, looking down to him.

"Wow."Johnny replied, stunned. He had used the voice of God. "Wow."

"You okay?"I asked, grabbing his shoulder.

"Yeah, now go rest."Johnny instructed, turning away.

I took his advice and wandered back down to my room, quietly slipped through the door and into my room. The sun was high in the sky, but my room was dark. I saw Zillah still sleeping soundly on the bed, and started to walk over and slide in next to her, before I thought of her reaction to that. Instead I grabbed some blankets and a pillow, and crashed just inside my door.

parents. Lord Dubois was running his hand through his pure white hair, while Lady Dubois looked on, her eyes much kinder than they had been.