The Emerald Thief

The Emerald Thief - 2 - The Journey I

The ship wasn't grand, but it would get the job done. I'd used the itchy, burning eye dye to turn my eyes temporarily blue. It would help keep me less noticed on the journey. At the port of Tific across the sea I was planning on dying my skin darker and using the brunette wig.

The other two brothers, Tyce and Finn, were still having a hard time accepting that I was the one who was going to save their lives. Ryder and Nix were being calm and careful about getting their brothers safely on the ship with the little belongings all four of them brought with them.

Tyce had darker blonde brown hair with natural honey highlights. Finn had the lightest hair of all four of them. Every brother had the same piercing blue eyes that distinguished them ad family despite that they didn't look very much alike.

Draven was still pissed that I was going through with this, though instead of shunning me, he was bluntly rude to my clients. It was starting to annoy me.

As the sun went down we were all aboard and sailing out of the port of Tsuna. Since the ship was a merchant transport ship, there were very few passengers, only three besides our group. The six of us shared a relatively small, but large considering the size of the ship, room near to the captain's room.

I had in fact received an offer to share said captains rooms, but Draven politely refused before I could punch him in the face. There were 4 bunks of 2 beds in the room and enough floor space for four of us to stand up without touching anything. It was pretty nice room overall.

We pushed all the bunks together on one side of the room. The door was conveniently in the corner of the room so we didn't have to worry about blocking it.

We put all our bags on the spare bunks closest to the wall, mine hidden best because we really didn't want anyone going through it. Then I set up Nix on the next top bunk, then Ryder on the next one over and Draven on the one beside that. On the bottom bunks it went Finn, Tyce, me. I wanted to be the last on the top bunk because if we ran into any trouble and someone came into the room at night, experience told me they attacked top first; but Draven refused.

After we'd rearranged our room and put our bags on the end bunk, we all sat on the new empty space on the floor. Tyce and Finn sat on the bottom bunk,

Draven leant against the wall and Ryder, Nix and I sat slumped on the floor. I was doing the explaining.

"Once we get to Tific Draven will lead you to the room's I've sent word for." I'd sent the carrier bird today, knowing I'd get the rooms because I knew the landlord. "I'll arrange transport to Kri Town and meet you at the rooms."

"No." Draven said instantly. "You are not going anywhere alone."

"Draven," I ran my hand through my wig. I wanted to take it off so badly it was painful, but I couldn't. I didn't risk keeping my natural hair color in Tsuna where no one knows my story; so there was no way I was going natural here.

"No Es." He said for what felt like the millionth time.

"There is no leaving them alone," I told him firmly.

"I'll go with you," Tyce piped up. Everyone stared at him. "What? If Draven doesn't want Esmeralda going alone anywhere one of us has to go with her."

"You'd just be dead weight," I said bluntly. "I can't keep you safe and watch my own back."

"I've been street training since I was three," he flared. "I can keep myself safe."

"Tyce-" Ryder started.

"No Ry," Tyce turned to him. "I'm stronger than Nix and you've got to take care of Finn."

Both Nix and Finn seemed to have something nasty to say to that, but Ryder held up a hand. I admired how all four of them respected their eldest brother so much. Ryder nodded to Tyce then turned to me. I looked between them.