Opavia vl.2

8.

kendrick stepped inside the room slowly, setting his scythe against the door. abi's small body shook faintly in the bed, curled underneath covers with her back towards him. her eyes seemed sealed shut, a faint frown on her lips. her brown hair had grown long to her hips and her skin had grown pale.

kendrick sat at the foot of the bed and sighed, resting his hand over her thigh.

"ma?" she moaned softly, shifting. she turned, resting on her back as her blue eyes crept open slowly. she suddenly shot up, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"k-kendrick." she whispered. he gave a crooked smile, nervous. abi threw herself forward, enveloping him in a hug as she laughed, tears of joy flooding her cheeks.

"i told them you'd be back! i told them!" she laughed. kendrick ran his hand over her head in silence, her laughs slowly fading.

"what's wrong?" she whispered. he couldn't meet her gaze, staring at the door.

"i can't stay here." he whispered.

"why?" abi sat up, kendrick closing his eyes. "my family needs me. i'm a captain now, i have to watch over opavian families and kids and-"

"i am your family." she whispered. "you told me you loved me!"

"which i do. but i also love my mother, and my sisters and brother and right now they need me. my people need me. i have to help my sister rescue her friend and i begged to let me stop here to see you. but i can't stay here for long, abi." she looked down. "i'm sorry."

"you're just like everyone says." she pushed his chest. "you're a monster! you're evil!" she pushed him harder, kendrick falling off the bed. "all opavian should burn in hell! you broke my heart! you-you-"

"abi-"

"you rat!" she roared the words, kendrick's eyes widening. immediately she shriveled back, shaking her head as he rose. "kendrick, i'm sorry i didn't mean it i-"

"after everything i did to come back and see you, to help you and make sure you were okay..." he gritted his teeth, slamming his fist into the wall. it shook, a picture of them falling. the glass broke against the floor, kendrick opening the door.

"kendrick-"

"let's go." he interrupted baltay, not looking at either of them.

"what happened? is everything alright?" skylar asked, dragging his scythe. kendrick reached his hand out, a gust of wind carrying it to him.

"we're no longer welcomed in this home. we need to get back to kierra and set sail."

"kendrick!" abi sobbed, rocking into the doorway. "kendrick please i'm sorry. please just-just talk to m-"

"kendrick?" baltay turned as he balled his fist. he shook violently, biting his lip.

"you cursed at my name, you swore on all opavian to go to hell" he turned. "what more could you want from me abigail?! i didn't want to leave you, break your heart so bad you can't even function! you should have known i couldn't stay, you think i would give up my family to stay here?! my people?!" he was roaring, ella and laurence glancing at one another. "you dreamt like a child, believing little kid dreams and making wishes on stars,
-Coco no atse Kendrick! (I am Kendrick)" he brimmed with rage. "enoch la sá, guardo a lafa cova xescre (Sky God, guardian of the people)! you will not swear on my name like that and i will not take your disrespect! i tried to fix things but it's clearly nothing to fix! this is not love!" he turned to laurence. "is it?!"

"kendrick, that's enough-" baltay grabbed his arm.

"is it?!" he repeated, tears spilling from his cheeks at the strain.

laurence closed his eyes, abi sobbing.

kendrick glared down at her. "the hell do you have to cry for?" he snapped. "you don't know how it feels to be chased to the ends of the earth for just for being born, called a rat and scum and told i deserved to burn in hell for my entire life! not having a home no matter where i go after watching my only home burn to the ground. after watching MY friends di-" skylar enveloped him in a hug, pressing her forehead into his chest. he stiffened at the action, her tail flicking.

"alright big guy, i think that's enough for today." she smiled up at him, patting his shoulder. she glanced back at abi, laurence and ella who looked terrified. "nundi papa lo grafis to cha. (i think you've scared them enough)." she mused.

"baltay, take him back to the ship, i'll be right after you."

kendrick followed baltay out in silence, skylar sighing as she turned back to the three.

"sorry about that, he gets real emotional about certain things." she sighed. "i'm not sure what exactly happened in there but i can tell you he cares about you. he's not the kind to just stop on anyone's island to make things right. so he cares, it's just...a lot is going on. for him and our people. and he's stressed out. so don't take his words harshly, please. he's just emotional right now."

abi nodded. "can you tell him one thing for me please?" she whispered. "please tell him i'm sorry for every saying any of that. i-...i let my anger get the best of me and-"

"kendrick doesn't hold grudges." she smiled, resting a hand on her shoulder. "but i'll make sure to rely it to him."

"thank you." laurence dipped his head as skylar walked by. she nodded and smiled.

"stay safe on the waters laurence. don't go barking up the wrong tree." she hummed as he nodded, watching her leave.

kendrick and baltay fell back as the door opened, whistling nonchalantly as she scowled.

"we're you listening?!" she roared, both freezing.

"what?!" baltay scoffed. "no..."

she gritted her teeth as kendrick planted his scythe in the ground. "alright, let's head out!" he announced, skylar rolling her eyes.

"i swear he's bipolar." she muttered to baltay who nodded in agreement. clouds shot down from the sky, skylar stepping up onto one gingerly as baltay followed. they headed for the ship, an opavian yapping and alerting the others of their arrival.

"well?" kierra rose beside naomi. oboiye stood as well, watching kendrick land on the deck.

"to marinford!" he yelled, the opavians cheering.