UMBRA AWAITED IN the harbor, fiddling with the pouch of coins in her hands. This would be the first time she'd be leaving the pristine city of Renka. She'd never left her brother's side. Even when they'd been thrown out on the streets as babes, Umbra never once left him. They both had bonded over being abandoned, unaware and still unaware if they were related by blood. They had some physical similarities, but it wasn't as if they were twins.
They'd done everything together: stolen together, climbed together, laughed together, cried together, fought together, and lied together. All Umbra's ever known was her place in the world: By her brother's side, no matter the hardships. It was the only thing she'd been good at. Taking care of Gaden was her life, and she was not burdened by it.
They'd bickered and fought over the years, but Umbra couldn't imagine a life without her little brother, blood relatives or not. She could only pray that she'd return in time before his illness took hold of him.
After Umbra had gotten supplies for Gaden, he waved her Renka's common goodbye with the wavering motion of his palm. A short, blissful moment it was.
Gaden and Umbra were unaware of the disease for a year, until it began festering inside of him and breaking down his body bit by bit. It was a slow and painful one. When the pain got the worst of him, Umbra questioned all physicians in Renka about the disease and the cure for it, but she was dismissed by the simple yet disproving wave of their hand. She was treated like an animal that'd been caught in Renka's net...abused, mistreated, unimportant, and forgotten. Umbra had wanted to leave, but she could not afford it and Gaden was too ill to come along.
Fortune and hope had smiled upon them. The stars, their gods, answered Umbra's prayers. They'd granted her with not only answers but coins. Umbra had stumbled upon a man in the market, with dark gray stands of hair whisking at his hooded eyes, and he'd offered her a stash of coins without a word. Umbra knew the gods sent him, and she was grateful, but she did wonder why the gods had smiled down upon her. A bug in comparison to a lion, she had thought, I am the bug. Although the thought bothered her, Umbra was not less grateful. She knew she was a pawn in a larger game being played at, but this was her only chance to save her brother, whether the gods cared for her or not.
Sighing, Umbra gazed out into the unending Livid Sea. Whatever lay beyond, Umbra hoped was her good fortune. It would be the only thing that'd save her from the savages beyond. She'd heard of demonic lords and unholy acts, all of which fazed Umbra to no end.
"Looking for safe passage?" a husky voice questioned behind Umbra. With a turn of her head, she caught sight of a pirate giving her a toothy grin. Long pierced dreads framed his face as well as a fitting captain's leshra headwear, shadowing his eyes.
"Are you offering?" Umbra asked, cautious. Pirates were known to be smitten with women, but also bargains. Umbra hoped the coin in her hand would indicate that she'd be bargaining today instead of trading herself.
The pirate considered, giving her a taunting shake of his head. "For the right price," he replied, looking to the pouch of coins in her hand.
Umbra didn't think twice before handing over the coins. The pirate feigned surprise, but it was covered with a lustful interest as he weighed the coins in his scarred hands. With an approving grunt, he then welcomed her with a mischief smile, "Welcome aboard." He bowed as a gesture, towards the ship beside them. A heavy mask of colors decorated the ship, used from the finest of pigmented flowers.
The pirate's head tilted back, allowing Umbra to see his eyes; one dark as night, and the other, a frosty shield of snow. Umbra was taken aback. She'd never seen a man with two color eyes. Umbra could sense the pirate understood. He didn't give himself away, nor did he answer her unasked questions. He just sauntered away, making his way up the deck.
"I don't recall your name," Umbra called out, causing the pirate to come to a halt. He didn't turn around when he spoke.
"Likewise," he replied. "And I never gave it." With those last words, the pirate boarded onto his ship, leaving Umbra stunned.
The gods were teasing her. They must've. It couldn't have been real, not in her godforsaken, cruel world. Besides taking care of her brother, all Umbra could ever remember was mankind's wickedness. Renka was a cruel place to her...from beatings to threats to being less of a human and more of an object.
The pirate she had spoken to before was no where in sight when Umbra boarded. She was met with six other pirates instead. They all eyed her, giving way to an unsettling thought of what might occur during the next two days, as she was alone and defenseless.
Unsure, Umbra sat down on the barrel front of the large post and stared out into the blue, crystalline ocean. The cure was beyond those waters, and once Umbra found it, she prayed the gods would help her return to Renka in time.