Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘌𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥

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She woke up on solid ground, Jax's arms wrapped around her waist as he slept. Ethelind blinked wearily, looking up at the blue sky above her, then turned to look at his face, their noses almost touching. She didn't want to move from his embrace, so she didn't, lying still on the sand with her red hair spilling around her like blood while Jax's body protected her from the chilly wind. He looked peaceful in his sleep, his face frowning, but his body relaxed. Ethelind reached over, brushing a golden strand of hair from his face, and kissed him on the forehead before she stood. She stumbled, fell, and soon a hand was helping her up. It was Chege, a frown on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you." Ethelind tried to walk, but her legs gave way beneath her and she fell onto her knees, retching into the sand. He waited for her to catch her breath again before he resumed.

"Please, ma'am, relax. You almost died in there, but the ship slanted in time, so the impact was less strong. The crow's nest fell on your head, so you might be a little dizzy for a while. It mostly hit your arm, though—you moved in time." Chege shook her head. "Jax finished what you started, and we all crashed onto this beach. People from the other ships are reuniting already, and we'll be ready to march on the West by tomorrow at the earliest."

"Were any ships lost in the storm?" She rubbed her arm, feeling the soreness there.

"Only one, miss, The Maid. Sailors from Elaina witnessed the ship as it sank. Its hull tore away and we have only found two survivors from that ship, both fishermen previously and able swimmers."

Ethelind felt her head. "I feel... dizzy."

"You were out cold. Some healers tended to you and..." Chege looked over at Jax before shrugging. "He refused to leave your side, miss."

Ethelind smiled wryly, hiding the warmth spreading inside of her at hearing that. "How sweet of him. And you are alright?"

Chege nodded. "I was there when the ship crashed into the sand. It wasn't too much of a rough landing and we had few deaths, ma'am."

"Good," Ethelind replied.

"You should rest and heal. The healers will take a second check of everyone soon, and you must be ready to continue leading."

"Fine. But if we're attacked, I want you to alert me instantly," Ethelind said.

Chege nodded, bowing ever so slightly.

"Oh, and help yourself to a better sword." Ethelind looked over at the wrecked ship nearby. It wouldn't be hard to salvage things from it. "And trousers. Get me a pair too and leave them next to me."

"Yes, miss." Chege nodded.

"I see you can now tolerate me after I ran up there to save your sorry asses," Ethelind mused.

Chege frowned. "I owe you a life debt. But that doesn't mean I can tolerate you."

Ethelind grinned as he walked off, then crawled back into Jax's arms to sleep, lying with her eyes facing the crashing ocean. She imagined sailing into the sea, going to see the lands far away that she had only heard rumours about.

You were not born for mediocrity, Ethelind thought to herself. She drew patterns into the sand, curling up with the cold. She had grown up in the North for most of her life, so could endure the temperature—especially since it was warmer in the West anyway—but the winds blew harshly and Ethelind wore no cape. Her mind didn't stop whirling, remembering Jax's face as the crow's nest teetered. Did he...?