daughter of esmund

Twenty-Seven: Like Old Times

Author's Note:

Hey, I know it's been a while, two years exactly. Well, I'm back.

A bit of an update on whats been going on and what to expect. I'm a college student now (for reference, these stories started when I was in 8th grade), living out of state, and it's been a little difficult adjusting. Cut to two nights ago when I ended up on the Minecraft Diaries side of TikTok and just got, inspired. I realized that you all deserve and ending, Annie deserves an ending.
As for what to expect, I'm not sure if I'll finish it still, and at the very least updates will not be regular. I have inspiration and ideas now, but I don't know if I'll have it even a week from now. But if I decide to not finish it, I promise I will still give you all an ending. Because I've had the ending planned out for almost four years. Which is insane. Other updates, there's been a tense change. I don't write in first person, present tense anymore. I don't like to and I think my writing is much better when its in the context of a third person perspective and is in the past tense. Therefore, all the parts from now on will be in the past tense, and will be in third person.

Thank you guys, for the continued support. I may have not updated in two years, but I promise I've seen every vote, every save, and every comment. Thank you for consistently reminding me this exists.

I hope you enjoy.

<><><>

Word Count: 1,966

Early the following morning, Aphmau's inner circle met atop the hill in her home, Annie herself included. Recent efforts had been made to strengthen Phoenix Drop's alliances, something growing in importance as the threat of Tu'la grew stronger every day.

Some alliances had already been made; Meteli had gladly entered in on it as soon as it was proposed as had a few smaller village's in the area. Now all that was left to do was to find a central place for meetings, storage, and a variety of other necessary tasks that needed to be completed for the newly established "Phoenix Alliance". However, any significant development, even if it was simply formed from a few small villages not near the size of O'khasis or Nahakra, would draw Tu'la's attention. It needed to be created somewhere distant. And so, a ship was called upon, stocked, and just past noon it left to find new land to create such a haven.

"There you are-here. I brought you this."
Annie dropped down to sit beside Katelyn, a modestly sized mug of ginger tea in her hands. Katelyn's forehead rested against the splintering wooden boards of the deck, her hair tangled and sprawled across the knots of wood. When her first words didn't earn a response, Annie tried again.

"It's ginger tea, the kind I used to make for you. Should help," she coaxed, setting the mug down and sliding it closer.

That seemed to gain Katelyn's attention as she peaked her head up, glancing from Annie to the mug and back before sitting up with a grunt. She woozied at first, rubbing her forehead before she slipped her fingers through the handle of the mug and brought it to her lips. After a few sips, she seemed to ground herself enough to speak, "I swear, I'll never get used to the sea," her words were punctuated with the ghost of a laugh as she shook her head.

"Oh please, sea sickness is normal," Annie reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. A faint smile formed on her lips, "You remember that one trip the jury took all together? Can't remember where to, I just remember how sick everyone was the entire trip," she laughed softly, shaking her head.
Katelyn smiled a bit at the memory, rolling her eyes, "Everyone but you and Zane."
"Hey, traveling the seas at a young age has its perks."
Katelyn laughed at the joke, the soft smile staying on her face as the two friends sat in silence on the deck, watching the pinks and oranges of the sky chip away at the blue as night began to fall. Katelyn fought through more waves of sea sickness with the help of the majority of the tea, and Annie left briefly to retrieve more. Neither of them spoke, too afraid to ruin this rare silent moment, the ones that had become too few and far between. The waves crashed rhythmically against the bow of the ship, the wind rustled the sails high above their heads, and for just a moment-everything was right in the world. It was just like old times.
"Do you miss it?" Annie's voice hesitantly broke through the silence.