Damsel

The Cabin

Ella Bee

If there were ever a time to stand up to Leland Hester, it would be now.

Ella made a frequent effort of convincing herself of the truth in that statement, but after two hours of staring at the thinning skyline, she resorted to a more accurate sentiment -cursing her character for being so spineless. Taking in her extensive history with the Villain, she thought she would manage a conversation with Leland. At the moment she couldn't find the courage to pardon a word, she even felt the soft inhale and exhale of her chest was -at a time such as this -too raucous. Asking a simple question, such as, 'Where are we' or 'Why are the Heroes after me', seemed like too bold a movement and stillness overcame Ella Bee as Leland's head popped up from where it had resided idly between his bend knees.

The way he moved spoke to Ella and despite the apparent rage in his cold, deep-set eyes, something prevented that anger from boiling over into actions. He had been like that for hours now, head hanging low, chest concave, shoulders hunched in defeat and every so often he would clench and unclench his fists, apparently relieving stress. Ella stifled the notion that she was the reason he was so angry.

Everything aside, Ella was aware of what she drew within Leland and while she couldn't deny how flattering it was to be on someone like Leland Hester's radar the fact that she was petrified of him was always leaping to the forefront of her mind. Even now, as silence and still as he sat, all Ella could fixate on was how terrified she was that Leland might reach out and strike her. How could she feel anything for Leland more fervently than that?

A tremble raked her body. The temperature dropped with the sun, which pinched over the final peek in the horizon and disappeared beyond sight. Leland lowered his head again, sighed, and raised it a moment later. He looked as though he might speak, struggled and turned to gaze out to sea. Ella tilted her head and admired his profile, the willful mouth, dipped nose and quizzical eyes and for a moment, he so closely resembled a portrait of a prince or king that she snapped her head forward to focus on the same graying sky. The tide whittled away, minutes went on and Ella felt she would soon have to speak up. Another impulse was beginning to creep up on her, an instinct stronger than fear. Too much longer and her muscles would freeze up, and her lips turn blue. Perhaps there was something stronger than her fear of Leland Hester.

Ella lived to survive. It was a strength required of all damsels. At least the ones that live.

Turned out, she didn't have to initiate the conversation. Leland spoke so abruptly Ella was stunned upright. His voice held malice, but it was mild, and she could tell he was biting back a few not-so-nice words.

"This was not how today was supposed to go." He said it like it was Ella's fault. "Did you even consider thinking before you spoke?"

Yup, he defiantly thinks this is my fault.

Ella hugged her chest. "I saved your life."

She didn't look, but she could hear his smile and judging by his next words, it was a bitterly condescending smirk. "And I, yours."

"Fine. We're even."

Stillness followed that and Ella resisted the urge to glance over at Leland. When he finally broke the silence, his words revealed his behavior. "You said my name today, Ella."

Maybe it was the way he said it, or him merely saying her name in such softness, without poor or little attached to it, but Ella caught Leland's gaze. For a brief instant, they stayed like that, until Ella realized she was about to comfort the illustrious Leland Hester -who had only moments ago yelled at her for saving his life -and promptly reverted her indifferent, incredibly freezing, eye lock with the darkening sky. Screw him.