Eddie had found Bill as soon as he ran away from the room and whined about wanting to go home. While Bill was confused he couldn't find it in himself to get mad at Eddie. For some reason, his brother looked terrified. He seemed jumpy and hesitant, so Bill said goodbye to Ben and walked Eddie back to their house.
As soon as they got home, Eddie ran to his bed and wrapped himself in all of his blankets, ignoring Bill's questions.
"You ha-have to tell m-me why you're so p-panicky, Eddie," Bill said, glaring at his brother who shook his head.
"I'm fine. Just tired," Eddie said, even though it was obvious he was just afraid.
If Eddie was really just tired, he would've switched into his pajamas. The fact that he was still in his itchy garments told Bill that he wasn't planning on changing yet and was trying to think something else through.
"Bill?" Eddie asked, interrupting Bill's silent thoughts.
"Wh-what is it?"
"I want to travel."
"Y-you can't, Eddie. N-not until you're an a-adult," Bill said with an eye roll.
In Luceat the age that they were considered adults was twenty, and both Eddie and Bill were only eighteen. They could leave if they were given permission, but both knew Sonia would never allow it.
"I want to, though," Eddie argued, finally unraveling from his blankets and changing into soft, white pajamas.
"Th-that sucks, Eddie. You c-c-can't. Have you m-met our mother?"
The mention of Sonia made Eddie's stomach hurt. He couldn't believe she actually wanted to destroy the lives of every single Tenebrian. Savages or not, they shouldn't all just be killed without the Lucantians regretting it.
"Eddie? Y-you're pale!" Bill exclaimed, reaching over and grabbing a glass from his bedside table and walking to the bathroom, filling the glass before giving it to Eddie.
"Thanks, Bill," Eddie mumbled. "I have to use the bathroom, I'll be right back."
Eddie walked to the bathroom and closed the door, but he didn't do anything but think for a few seconds. He did not want to be a subject to a Supreme who wanted to murder people he ruled over.
Rolling back the sleeve of his pajamas, Eddie looked at the arrow tattoo, where the golden paint was rubbing off in places. Eddie washed off the rest of the paint, looking in the mirror.
Was he really going to do this?
"Yeah, I am," Eddie whispered, grabbing the sleeping medication from their bathroom shelf.
It was usually used in the winter when they got sick to the point that it was hard to sleep unless they took a pill to help them sleep. Eddie slipped it into his pocket and walked downstairs to the kitchen, making two tall mugs of tea.
He knew that Frank and Sonia wouldn't come home until early in the morning, due to their jobs. Once the tea was ready, Eddie crushed the pill and put it into Bill's mug, stirring it until the pill dust had dissolved.
Then, he walked back upstairs and handed the glass to Bill, who smiled gratefully.
"To Klais," Bill said with a grin, raising his glass above his head.
"To Klais," Eddie repeated with fake enthusiasm.
They both drank their tea and got ready for bed, Bill nodding off quickly and staying asleep. Once he was out cold, Eddie began to pack a bag. He couldn't stay in a place where murderers lives.
Eddie spent the next hour packing a small bag and dressing in soft white garments. Eddie left around nine, so no one would notice him. Thankfully, everyone was either asleep or with the council, celebrating their new leader.
The port was the other way, so Eddie made his way there as quickly as possible. He needed to board a boat that was going to Pona or Konilla. Then, he could start a new life away from the battle that would surely commence between Tenebris and Luceat.
It was bitter and cold, making Eddie pull his arms inside of his sleeves, shivering violently.
There were ships all over and people loading them. The port was just past a patch of forest, so Eddie sat behind a bush, watching them load. He could see a ship with the flag of Pona, so he stood up to make his way over there.
As soon as he stood, however, he felt a hand grab his shoulder and another shoved over his mouth. His screams were muffled and he was dragged back into the forest, pulled away from the moonlit port.
A small fire was crackling around where he was taken, surrounded by a few rough looking men, all dressed in black. It didn't take a genius to recognize they definitely weren't Lucantians.
The man who had grabbed Eddie moved his hand away from his mouth, only to replace it with a gag.
One of the men looked over at Eddie in disgust before addressing the man who'd taken him. "What the hell is this, Patrick?"
"This," Patrick said, pushing Eddie toward the other man, who caught him easily. "Was wondering around the ports. Alone."
"What is he?" the second man asked, grabbing Eddie's arm.
"I didn't check, Henry. I was a little busy taking him without getting caught," Patrick spat, clearly annoyed that Henry wasn't pleased with his capture.
Henry pulled up Eddie's sleeve and grinned at the sight of his tattoo, showing it to Patrick.
"We got a Luci!" Patrick yelled in joy, causing Henry to shush him.
"We won't for long if you keep fucking yelling, you idiot," Henry hissed, sitting Eddie down and kneeling in front of him. He removed the gag, tilting Eddie's chin so they made eye contact.
"What're you doing out here all alone?" he asked, making Eddie shudder at the sinister tone.
"I'm here with a group of ambassadors. They'll come looking for me," Eddie said, hating how his voice shook.
"Sure, kid. You're what, fifteen?"
"Eighteen," Eddie muttered.
Patrick walked over and pulled Eddie's bag off of his shoulder, ignoring his protests. "Looks to me like you were running away," he said, dumping out the clothes.
"Why were you running away?" Henry asked, gripping Eddie's chin almost painfully.
"Fuck off," Eddie snarled. "I don't have to answer anything you ask."
Henry smirked, which put Eddie even more on edge. "Fine, then you can answer to the other Tenebrians."
"Wait, what?" Eddie asked, but the gag was put over his mouth and no one answered. A bag was thrown over his head so he couldn't see.
Eddie felt himself being placed in something on the water. A canoe maybe? Then, he felt moving, the cold wind cutting through his clothes.
"The kid's freezing," Henry said, sounding annoyed.
"So?" Patrick asked.
"If he freezes to death before we get there they won't be pleased."
Eddie heard Patrick sigh and felt someone wrap a blanket around his shoulders.
Eddie was terrified. He had been captured and was now going to be given to savages who killed and raped people for fun. Of fucking course it had to happen to him.
At this point, Eddie wasn't sure if he'd make it through the night.
