Chereads / The Mitigate / Chapter 11 - Chapter 11

Chapter 11 - Chapter 11

"So....."

"So."

"Yeah....where are we?"

"I...have not a clue."

My arms were bound to a wooden post that pricked at my back. 'Twas a brisk unfortunate night to be feasible to the harsh night air. I could not remember the events that lead to this misadventure----but I reconized the soft, sways of a ship at sea. I studied the smooth, wooden deck before me and glanced toward the apex of the sky. It was a large ship, a pirate's ship, if I were to assume----unlike any of the war ships I had ridden on. Was I even among the waters of Hellenia? A ways away from the boat, was an array of land masses that could only be where our captors layed to rest, if not underneath in the ship courters.

I glanced down towards the woman beside me. A woman who I have encoutered in the most atypical of times. "Are you a sorcerous?"

She gave me a look of content and perched away from me. "No. And what are you gonna do, burn me at the stake?"

So bold...and ignorant. If she were a sorcerous, I would beware.

"Anyways....got any ideas on how we're gonna get out this shit?"

I raised an eyebrow at her complete oblivion to the idea of whispering. "I---"

"Just so you know...I wasn't crying."

"I....you----" I glanced towards the island before turning to her. "That is a complete lie. You were weeping like a child---"

"I was shouting." She raised an eyebrow with all actaulity written in her eyes. "There were barely any tears----"

"Alright."

"Huh?"

I blew out another breath and silently cursed the heavens. "Live in a fantasy, if you please. I would like to leave here."

"Well." She gripped onto a loose section of the rope around her midsection. "....I think I might be able to wiggle out."

I clicked my tongue and reached over to assist her. It was the first somewhat resourceful idea she had thought of so far. We worked in a momentary silence as we struggled to loosen our bondage.

And then I made the miscalculation of viewing her directly. It was only the area of the eyes I saw. The lower half of her face was covered by a maroon, silk viel. Her forehead was completely hidden by the mass of downy, dark curls. She had avoided my gaze until this moment. Her eyes mirrored the expression of my own---dismay. I...could not fathom how such....calamity came to be.It was as if a line of thread had sowen her face together---from the part that I could see. The rows of stitches ran along the bridge of her eyebrow---veering downwards, off to the side of her nose, hidden away by the silk fabric. The wound was significantly less angered than when I had last seen, and swollenness of the skin had decreased. However, the skin was still raised, which gave me suspisions that it would never be smooth again.

"You like what you see?"

Her harsh tone drew me back to the reality we currently faced. "Ah...."

"Were you ever taught not to stare?" She grunted and tore the rope away from her body. "I know I'm...ugly. I don't need you to tell me that."

I brushed the rope away from my torso and stood up after her. From the way she buffered, it was possible she did not. "I fathom that there may be creatures in the sea. But let us swim."

"I mean." She glanced towards the waters as she avoided my eyes. "Fine." 

She stepped towards the edge of the boat and I followed in suit, before propelling myself into the bitter water. I swung my arm forward and within minutes made it to the miniature shore, my chilled skin feeling like it had peeled away from itself. But when I glanced behind me, she was a ways away, struggling against a current that had yet to exist. I watched, somewhat bothered by the distorted way she thrashed about the water.

....could she not swim? But she was advancing forward, even though it was at the speed of an inch worm. Did our captors hear us? She made so much noise that it could wake Hades himself. I could leave her to her own misfortune.

She heaved, and by some miracle of the gods, stood amongst the shallow water. "Do you see anyone?"

"Not if they hear you first." I reached for her arm and pulled her onto the shore.

"This looks like its barely two minutes."

I followed her gaze and glanced behind me at the small hill of meadows. Barely two minutes to walk, is what I assumed she meant. They way she spoke Macedonian was so foriegn to my ears. "If you value you're life, you would stay behind me---"

"Okay." I watched as  she turned to trudge forward.

By the gods, if we were not in this same predicament, I would have settled for another. This....odd woman with the face and the foriegn accent---she brouught my blood to a boil. "Who do you think you are?"

She paused and turned to face me. "Huh?"

***************************************************

"I am Alexander of Macedon." He stepped forward, giving me a wary look. "I am the crown prince."

I just stared at him, not exactly knowing how to respond to that. What did he want me to do? Bow down and kiss his royal feet?  I was literally about to drown a few seconds ago! Something had grabbed my leg and was pulling me under! ... and he literally did nothing. I glanced down at my ankle. Yep, there was a purple ring forming around it. It felt like I had popped something out of place. 

Huh.

And then he's going to talk about how  "oh. I'm the crown prince. You gotta follow me and do what I say." Nah fam, we're not playing follow the leader. Especially if you're only out for your own neck.

I shrugged and snorted. "K. You want a cookie?"

He looked at me with a mix of disbelief and anger, and grabbed my wrist. I frowned as his grip tightened on me. "If you do not pay me respect, I do not know what I will do."

I tried to pull my hand away, but he wouldn't let go. Who did he think he was? 

I felt my lip curl as his grip tightened on my arm. Oooo....he doesn't know who he's messing with. I better set it straight before I have to whup some actual ass.

I blew out a breath and frowned at him. "Listen. I don't know what you've been taught, but that shit don't work with me."

He stared down at me, the anger in his eyes seeming to gleam with a hint of surprise. His brown irises had turned almost black. I didn't like the fact that I was close enough to see that....or maybe I did. At least he knew I meant what I said. And I wasn't going to be the first one to look away.

"You respect me. And I respect you. That's the only way it goes." I stared up at him so hard that angry tears were beginning to form in my eyes. I couldn't tell much about his expression from how dark it was. And at this point, I didn't care. "I have a va-gi-na, not a sign written across my face saying ' Here lies Bitch-Maid'. Got it?" 

He didn't say anything, but his grip had loosened on my arm. I pulled my arm free andturned to stomp away, the nerves at the bottom of my stomach almost making my knees buckle. Fuck him. An image of Josh ran through my head and I shivered. Fuck them bo-----

"I am Eris."

I jumped as a naked woman suddenly materalized infront of me. "H-holy shit!"

She had long, brown hair that fell onto her bare shoulders and across her boobies. Her skin was smoothe and pale----almost like porcelein. She was slim-thick.  And ...was giving me a....not so kind look.

"I have come to set you free."