{Train Wreck- James Arthur}
{⚠️Heavy Flashback}
CANTON
I took a deep breath.
And another.
And another.
They don't seem to be enough.
My throat is dry.
My lungs are dry.
My chest is heavy.
My body is heavy.
My eyes are wide open.
She's screaming.
She's screaming my name.
I think I responded to her.
I told her that I'm fine.
That it's fine.
That everything is going to be okay.
She didn't seem to hear me.
She kept screaming my name.
Tears are falling on my chest.
So many tears.
They are washing away all the black.
I looked at her.
I'm fine.
I repeated.
Please stop screaming.
Stop screaming.
Stop.
Please.
The black that was vanished was quickly replaced.
I took another breath.
It's too loud.
Everything is so loud.
She yelled my name again.
Why is she yelling my name.
Why is she-
Silence.
Nobody is screaming anymore.
Peace.
I can finally get some peace.
All I ever wanted was peace.
Quiet.
Nobody is talking.
Nothing is moving.
I'm finally free.
I'm free.
I'm..
Scared.
I want to cry.
I can't cry.
"Canton."
She didn't scream this time.
Her voice was serene at last.
Serene.
Serene but quivery.
It sounded like she was sobbing.
She's sobbing.
Her tears are burning my skin.
Elvina, I said.
"Wake up, please"
I'm awake, I said.
"I can't afford to lose you.. I can't-"
You will not lose me, I said.
"I love you so much, please wake up for me. Wake up!"
She screamed again.
I'm awake.
I love you, too.
I'm awake, I said.
I love you too, I said.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you the way you always did."
Serene again.
Stop crying, I said.
"I'm so sorry for not being there for you enough."
Stop crying, I said.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through all this"
Please, stop crying.
"Hold on, big bro." Her voice broke.
I kept staring at her.
"Hold on for me."
She took my hand on hers and held tight.
Please, I begged.
"Tomas is coming. You'll be okay and we'll take revenge."
Tomas is coming.
I'll be okay.
Revenge.
"I know you can hear me. I know, I know, I- don't go. Don't let me go."
Please.
I didn't remove my gaze from her.
For some reason, I couldn't.
"Mom, do it for mom.." she whispered, through the sobs.
I'm exhausted.
"Elle, Res...they need you."
I'm so exhausted.
"I need you.."
I'm incredibly exhausted.
I took another breath.
And another.
And another.
Until I went numb.
I went numb.
And I realised, a bit too late, that my eyes weren't even open after all.
♛♛♛
"Get up, we are going to Riverland." Canton said while bursting inside Elvina's room.
"What? What are you talking about? First of all lower your voice down, Oda is in the shower." Her voice almost above a whisper.
"I said we are going to Riverland now. We kill the Lyttletons and then return to the castle." Canton said as a matter of fact, his voice same as before.
"Canton, we can't just go there. We talked about this yesterday, we need a plan." Elvina tried to reason him.
"Yesterday we didn't know that Nerissa was eavesdropping on us. If she still keeps contact with them, chances are that they will be getting away from this damn island soon. We need to find them before they escape."
"Eavesdrop-" she shook her head "if we go there now, they will kill us. Try to take a deep breath and think logically."
"No, I can't think logically right now. My freedom is on the line. If they leave this island then its over for me, do you understand? I'll stay cursed forever. I will never find them. Forever is a long time, Elvina."
"Yeah and is it better for you to just die? All this will be for nothing if they kill you. We won't be able to take revenge, you will never get to remember what was like to live as a free man and Ink Blood will stay headless. Who will take the position if you and I are dead? Santos? Or Adan? Hey, maybe we should find Tristian and crown him. That would be a good idea, what do you think?" Elvina said, the sarcasm dripping in tons.
Canton nodded. "You're right. You'll stay here. I can't risk your life. What was I even thinking" he mumbled and started rubbing at his forehead.
Elvina's eyes widened. "What? That's not what I-"
"I'm sorry, El. I don't know what's gotten into me. Forget about anything I've said okay? You stay here. Protect yourself and the castle. And Errot. He's a brainless toad. He can't survive on his own. You're in charge until I return. And if I don't.." he paused and gave her a small smirk. "Long may you reign, little sister. I believe in you."
"Are you out of your goddamn mind?" Elvina got up and got closer to her brother. "That's not what I meant, Canton. I want to go with you. But right now, it will just be a suicide mission."
Her tone was serious.
"Good thing you're not coming with me then, love" He patted her cheek as a form of goodbye and turned to leave.
Elvina grabbed his arm and turned him around with force.
Canton sighed audibly. "That was an order."
Elvina looked at Canton straight in the eye. "You're so stupid. You know I love you but you're so damn stupid. I'm coming with you. I would never leave you alone. And if we die, at least we'll die together. But it will be on you." She gave him a smirk.
Canton stayed silent for a few seconds. He was just looking at her. "Fine. Start getting ready."
Elvina's smirk widened. "Okay, let me just weapon myself down and talk to Oda and I'll be right out." She turned her back on him and started sorting her weapons out.
"Thank you, El. For everything. Take care"
Elvina went to throw a smart remark back at Canton when she frowned. "What do you mean take ca-" she turned around to face him but Canton was already holding a key on his hand.
Elvina's eyes widened and she started running towards him but he was faster. He walked out, slammed the door shut and then locked it.
Elvina started banging at the door repeatedly. "Canton you fucking idiot, open the door!"
But it was meaningless.
Oda then got fresh out of the shower, a towel around her body.
"What happened? I heard you shouting "
She was frowning.
Elvina was pacing around the room, worry making her whole body tensed.
"Your fucking king is as stupid as it gets. That's what happened."
"I mean-"
Elvina then stopped dead on her tracks, her eyes widening.
She snapped her head at Oda.
"Do you have Errot's number?"
"Yeah...Adan gave it to me. Why? I'm starting to worry.."
"Give me your phone. Now!" Elvina demanded.
Oda immediately searched for her phone on her side of the bed, unlocked it and passed it at Elvina.
Elvina grabbed it without wasting another second and called Errot.
She waited until he picked it up and she spoke up without letting Errot utter a word.
"Listen closely, I need your help."
"Who's this? Oda?"
"It's Elvina, White."
"Oh- what? Am I in trouble?"
"Hear me out. You need to do exactly what I'll tell you."
ERROT
Canton walked into his room, his steps fast.
I looked at him and immediately got up from his bed. "King Canton."
Canton ignored me and started searching through his drawers for every possible weapon that his mettalic arms won't provide to him, making a mess out of his room.
"Going somewhere?" I asked, latching on to him.
"Yes." Canton replied dryly and moved to his other closet, me on his trail.
"Oh. Where are you going?" I asked, taking a peek at what he was doing from behind him.
"Somewhere." He kept searching. He took a small sword out and started inspecting it and the damage it would probably cause.
"Well, do you need to go now? Cause I want to talk to you."
Canton turned around abruptly and I almost lost my balance and fell down when he wrapped his arm around my waist to hold me up.
That made him lean more towards me and my breath got caught on my throat.
I froze.
I couldn't move.
He wasn't moving either.
The only thing I could do was stare back at him.
Stare at his now vulnerable eyes.
We were pressed so tightly against each other, I could feel his heart beating against my own chest.
And it was beating fast.
Faster than normal.
His face was blank.
He looked like he was in a daze.
I probably was too.
He pulled his hand away in a gentle manner, giving me the time to balance my feet into steady ground.
"I don't have time" Canton said and turned around to move to another closet.
I grabbed his arm forcefully and that made him stop and turn around.
He rolled his eyes. "What is it with everyone grabbing me today" he mumbled and looked at me again, this time a bit annoyed. "What? What do you want, Merlot?"
"Grabbing you?" I couldn't help but ask.
Canton closed his eyes, probably in despair and a little bit amusement judging from the tiny fainted smirk he tried to hide by sighing and rubbing his hands on his face.
He then fixed his gaze on me again. This time he looked serious and even a little bit impatient. "You have 10 seconds to talk to me."
My eyes widened. "I can't work under pressure. And I definitely can't talk to you about anything when you look like you'd rather knife me down"
Canton clicked his tongue at me. "Merlot, I will knife you down if you don't start talking anytime soon."
"First of all, my name's Errot." I corrected him. "Which actually rhymes with Merlot, so I guess that's why you always confuse them. No? It makes sense now that I think about it." I said and frowned a bit in actual realisation.
Canton's eyes were mid-widened and focused on me. He looked like he was contemplating whether or not this was actually happening.
Or whether his decision not to kill me was actually worth it anymore.
"I'm holding a sword on my hand and I'm tempted to use it." Canton said indifferently.
"Haha. You're so funny." I tried to joke around, when I saw the expression on his face. "You're- you're so funny, your highness. Really, I...I think humour stands out of every other-"
"I'll probably be gone for a few days. Or..longer than that. Just do what Elvina says."
He took a black cloak out of his wardrobe and wore it over his clothes. The crown was off in seconds, getting replaced by his hoodie that covered almost the entirety of his face.
"But..where are you going?" I started getting nervous and slightly desparate.
Canton walked out of his room and started heading downstairs.
I followed right after him. "Wait, what about the thing I wanted to talk about?"
"Stop following me, Errot." He said as he picked up his pace.
I picked up my pace as well, my heart beating incredibly fast.
"The-- I accidentally set the kitchen on fire"
He halted but that lasted only for a second. He kept leading us to the underground parts of the castle.
I shuddered at the memories of that torment chamber but followed him anyway.
"Do I look like someone who would care about a stupid kitchen? It was time to renovate this mess anyway." He mumbled the last sentence but never stopped walking.
"But don't you care about all your food going to waste? What will you eat, huh? You'll probably starve to death. As your rightful slave and an incredible food lover, I can't let that happen. So you need to stop and consider doing something--"
Canton started walking faster and I copied his movements, my great physical condition slowly giving up on me.
"--about that kitchen right now or else I'm gonna start crying." I said while trying to catch my breath and keep up with him.
He came into an abrupt stop and that made me collide into his back. I flinched and started rubbing at my nose in pain.
What is his back made of, god.
I looked up and realised we were standing right out of a room with a metallic door.
Canton pressed his palm on the machine and the door opened.
He walked inside, me right behind him.
"Look, I know what you're trying to do. Unlike you, I'm quite smart. So, let me just make myself clear." He said and turned to face me. "I will go there and there's nothing you can do to stop me. So, when I do, you will go to Elvina and unlock the door to her room. Do you understand or want me to simplify my words for your brain to process them?"
I'm feeling a bit startled.
"I- will ignore the rude comments about my IQ and beg you not to go through that portal."
"I see no begging here." Canton said.
What?
Is he.. trying to make a joke?
Or does he really mean it?
He wouldn't make a joke right now.
No, he definitely wouldn't. He's.. him.
Unsure of what I was about to do, I lowered myself down and went to kneel in front of him.
His eyes widened. "Oh my god, don't you ever call me out about your brain functionality again." He mumbled and pulled me back up. "for once in your life, follow my orders. I'm your king for god's sake."
"But- you can't-" I started looking nervously around the room, weighing my options.
Canton placed his palm on that machine again but this time a voice could be heard.
"Confirmed access. Riverland, Teal Blood"
A teal coloured portal suddenly opened.
My eyes got so wide.
I feel like a heart attack is coming my way.
"Wait! Don't go-"
Canton took a step forward and almost managed to go through when panic took over me.
I couldn't think clearly.
My head was now blurry.
All I could think about was how fast my heart was beating.
So this is why I proved Canton right and instead of going back upstairs and let Elvina out, I grabbed at his shirt hard to prevent him from getting in.
I apparently wasn't as strong as my mind made me think I was.
So, instead of me pulling him back out, he ended up pulling me in along with him.
♛