Chapter 25
The Middle of an Ocean
Sofya
Someone was gently shaking me. I reached my hand out and half-heartedly shoved them away.
"Too early," I mumbled. The person gave me another nudge and I cracked my eyes open. Ash was sitting beside me, everyone else was still asleep. Since we were still at the bottom of the ocean it was pitch black. I wondered if it was morning or night, my inner clock was a bit confused. I yawned still a little tired, na that was a lie I was still exhausted. Honestly, I think I was just stuck in a state of permanent exhaustion. That's a thing right? Well, it is now.
"Hey," I mumbled. "Is it my turn?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. Ash shook his head, his hair falling into his sparkling eyes.
"But I'm going to wake the others soon, we need to head out." I nodded and stretched my arms back. Recently, the memories of me and Ash's first time meeting were coming back, slowly. Even when he had no clue who I was at the time, he thought I was a human and still he had saved me.
It touched the very depths of my heart. He had saved my life, without him I would be dead. Warm hands clasped something around my neck, I looked down at the sparkling red gem. I looked down at my neck rubbing the red glistening stone. I had thought my parents had given it to me. I should have known better.
"You gave me this," I said carefully to Ash, trying to read his expression. He nodded, his ebony hair falling in a triangle between his eyes.
"Yeah, I did."
"Why?" I prodded. Ash ran his hand through his hair, a small smile forming, revealing his dimples. I loved his dimples. I tilted my head. Was he embarrassed? My grin widened.
"It was a promise to find you again." He said softly. I felt a hot blush spread across my face. Gingerly, I placed my hand on his shoulder. He didn't move.
"Why?" I asked, my breath catching. Why did he want to find me again? I had been a nobody.
"Because you're special, in more than one way, even without the legend you're still special, and back then I knew it. I felt it. You are strong, selfless, you are always there for your friends, and you're beautiful Sof, inside and out." Ash said, his perfect ocean sky eyes gazing into mine. His hand gently cupping my cheek which was now practically on fire. He thought I was beautiful.
Slowly he leaned down and pressed his soft lips to mine. I slipped my eyes closed and sighed in delight. I felt his hand gently slide behind my head pulling me closer. Fire spread through my veins, pulsing through my body. I melted into the kiss, fisting my hand in his silky hair.
I wanted this so bad. I missed his touch. I needed him. It was like a moth and a flame. They couldn't simply stay away. No matter how hard it tried it would always go back to the flame. I was the moth and Ash was my flame. All too soon he pulled away. I stared at him, wide-eyed in surprise.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that," Ash said looking down, dejected. He scooted away from me. I frowned. Why did he do this? He came closer just to pull back, it was so irritating. I was so sick of his games. I scowled, wiping the stupid moisture from my eye. No matter how much I liked him I would not play. I was no pawn.
"I know, I have to marry your brother," I said grumpily, going back to the reality I was forced to live with. Of course, the one thing I had ever wanted in my stupid life I couldn't have. Life sucked, big time.
I stood up and stomped over to Lucy, shaking her to wake her up. I glanced back at Ash, who returned to his usual menacing exterior and scowls. I scowled even more. I wanted to kick something. I did, a rock. My toes now throbbed in pain. Good going Sofya.
"It's too early," Lucy complained, stretching. I shrugged.
"Come on, we need to get moving." I barked. Ash woke Maxon and Nico, they began groaning and complaining just like Lucy, such wimps. Then we went back to walking through the ocean. So flippin fun, especially since Nico made it a priority to tell stupid jokes and make puns the whole time.
I wondered how he and Ash were friends, they were complete opposites. Speaking of those two, they were a bit up ahead talking. Lucy and I were in the middle and Maxon trailing behind, alone, as we walked through the ocean.
I kind of felt a little bad but Maxon seemed to be fine with a little quiet time. Lucy and I were having a quiet pleasant conversation to distract us from what was about to come, well it was pleasant till she brought up exactly what I didn't want to talk about.
"Sooooo, what's up with you and Ash? For the past months, you guys have been avoiding each other like the plague. What happened?" Lucy asked, looking at me. I sighed, I really didn't want to talk about this, but whatever it would probably feel good to get it all out. At least that's what people said.
"Well since I'm the heir to the throne, it's the law, ordered by the council that I have to marry the firstborn of the guardian bloodline." I started saying before Lucy squealed and interrupted me.
"You have to marry Ash, why are you two so upset about that, I thought you guys liked each other." I glared at her. Even though I liked Ash I didn't want to marry him.
"Let me finish, Ash has a brother, he wasn't born first, he couldn't be with me even if he wanted. He could be killed and it would go against the council," I said. Lucy's eyes widened.
"He has a brother?" I grimaced.
"Don't let him know you know. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, and don't tell the others either, ok."
"Ok, but let me get this straight, so do you like each other or not?" Lucy asked.
"Of course I like him. I more than like him and I think he kind of does too, he kissed me this morning." Before I got to finish Lucy rudely interrupted me, again. "He kissed you this morning. Do you love him?" She asked, she looked like she was on the verge of screaming. As if, I would never be in love with that Wishy-Washy Wacko.
"No, I don't love him, but I like him. I don't know him enough." I said shrugging, it didn't even matter. My eyes flickered to Ash who was glaring at Nico. What were they talking about?
"Then why aren't you two together? I'm also not blind, I see the way you two look at each other and sneak glances at each other. I literally just saw you do it, you two are like soulmates. Can't you just rewrite the rules?" Lucy asked. I was on the verge of tears. I couldn't handle this right now, it was too much. sometimes being a hormonal teenager sucked. I've been crying far too many times these past months.
"No, the council is a respected law system and I'm going to be queen, also Ash respects them. I think his father was on the council. I couldn't ask Ash to do that, he could be killed. I want Ash more than anything in the world, but I will not risk his life. Plus, he's so god damn wishy-washy anyway. He's a Wishy-Washy Wacko!" I said tears slipping down my cheeks as I thought of the last and probably biggest reason I couldn't be with Ash, something I couldn't tell anyone. Something that always crept around the back of my mind, literally. Lucy put an arm around me. I could tell she was holding in her laughter after what I just called Ash.
"Oh Sofya, I'm so sorry. Sorry about your Wishy-Washy Wacko." I sniffed, wiping my nose as a grin spread across my lips. Lucy was giggling now.
"It's ok, I can deal with it. After we kill Alek, we will go our separate ways. I'll marry his brother and be queen and fulfill my responsibilities." I said confidently but even as I said it my heart wilted. What kind of life would that be? A life without happiness. I also hadn't fully processed that I had to kill someone but that was a problem for future Sofya.
"I'd much rather not be queen, run away with all of you, and live a small quiet life, far away from this mess that is my life," I mumbled. Lucy looked at me with determination.
"Because you don't even want to be queen makes you a better person for it, you will be the best leader the world ever had and you will find love and happiness. I believe that everyone has a special somebody out there. You'll eventually come to see that'' She said slinging her arm around me in a side hug.
"Thank you, Lucy," I said gratefully, I couldn't have a better friend, I didn't know what I'd do without her. I'd usually have Sara cheer me up but now I couldn't involve her, I'd most likely never see her again. Along with Sorina and Adrien. I missed them but at least I had gained some new friends in the process. Wonderful friends. She smiled.
"What are best friends for?" I wiped the tear that had fallen off my face and faced the front, looking over at Ash again. He was talking to Nico, basically shouting. What the heck? I struggled Lucy's arm off, sprinted over, and stopped in front of them.
They almost ran right into me, and Ash had the nerve to glare at me. I shot them a look that clearly said. What the heck was that?
"What are you two shouting about?" I demanded. Nico shot Ash a look.
"Ash, tell her." He said, frowning, what the heck had they been discussing? I had never seen Nico frown. I turned to Ash, tilting my head up at him. Why was he so tall. Stupid, tall, muscular, annoying, dufus. I hated him. Sure you do.
"Tell me what Ash," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. I knew I was being rude, but I didn't care. I was pissed off at my life and everything, right now. Ash glared at Nico, who was slightly smirking. Then after a minute, it looked like he was going to go into a laughing fit or something. God, what was wrong with boys?
"Nothing," Ash said simply. Then he picked me up and slung me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Hey!" I protested as we started walking again. I could see Lucy and Maxon snickering, and I heard Nico partaking in the laughing fit he had been holding back on. Ash had his arm firmly across my legs so no matter how much I squirmed it made no difference. "Ash! Put me down right now!" I hollered.
"Nope." He simply said, giving a little chuckle. I growled. Nice friends I had. I started pounding on his back. Apparently, that had no effect either.
"Ash," I whined, I did not like being manhandled.
"Hush my little aemon princess, aren't you tired?" Ash said. I groaned, there was no fighting this. I relaxed against his back. It was surprisingly comfortable and he somehow smelled nice after walking around at the bottom of the ocean. Despicable.
"Don't call me princess or little, Ashy," I said deviously, I knew there would be a good time to remember this. Ash groaned.
"You heard Alex say that?"
"Yep, I did Ashy," I said laughing hysterically.
"You're not going to give that up are you?" I laughed some more, nope I was not.
"Of course, not, Ashy," I said grinning. Nico burst into another fit of laughter, and grinned madly at me, giving me a thumbs up.
"Sofya and Ashy sitting in a tree, f-." He sang, but I interrupted him before he could finish his vulgar song. I snarled at him. "You finish that sentence and I will slit your throat." The bastard had the audacity to shrug and walk out of my sight of view.
After what seemed like years of walking and listening to Nico's horrible attempts at humor, we reached land. We surfaced to find ourselves on a rocky beach with a thick dense forest a few yards away. To be honest it looked haunted.
"Could we stop and rest?" Lucy complained in a whiney voice. I shot her a glare, I did not want to stop. We were not even near the ley line, not even halfway. I would at least like to be almost halfway by the end of today and the sun was almost all the way set. Just a slight orange hue peeking out from the horizon.
"We are going to stop for today. We will camp out here for a while, me and Sofya will scout tomorrow." Ash said, taking charge. Lucy threw her pack down as if she had been carrying a boulder. She began setting up camp and making a bed out of leaves.
I opened my mouth to protest but before I could Ash let me down, and I slid down the front of his body, heat flared through me. I gazed up at him, I wanted to kiss him. "Don't you see how tired everyone is?" He asked, his hand brushing my cheek, sending tingles down my body. I took a step back before I could do anything stupid and looked around observing everyone.
Lucy had nice bags under her eyes as she surveyed us, and Nico and Maxon were already passed out cold sprawled out on the sand together. I grinned, they looked hilariously adorable. The neria near them were also asleep in a cute little huddle. I guess I was pretty tired too from the lack of sleep. We needed the rest, and it wasn't like Alek was going anywhere. So a few days would be fine, to build up strength.
"Yeah," I mumbled. Ash looked me in the eyes, sending a pulse of warmth through me. He was so close, he just needed to lean down a bit.
"You need rest." He said, taking a step back. I was about to argue, but before I could he tugged me over to where Lucy had collapsed and sat me down like a child. I huffed. "Night," he said, patting my head.
"Fine." I curled up next to Lucy, facing away from him. I felt Ash's eyes watching me, making sure I actually went to sleep. I truly didn't mind, because it meant someone was watching over me and that made me happy.