There was a good distance between them. As soon as the rain came to a stop Neirin build a humble fire. Rea didn't want to be useless, so she helped her pick up wood, lying around the few trees that were on this island. Neirin kept glancing at her with furious eyes, but she didn't say anything.
Rea fidgeted her body on the sand. They couldn't even explore the island because if you just walked for a minute, you were already on the other end. There was no other island around. Just open sea with no ships in sights.
She glanced at Neirin, her irritated eyes fixed on the sea. The bitterness was radiating off her. Rea cleared her throat. "So, your name is Neirin."
"Don't talk to me." She hissed.
"Look, if we're going to be stranded on an island together, at least we can talk to each other. I don't want to die of boredom."
"Oh, you may, I won't. They will come for me."
Rea turned to her. "Who?"
"My crew." Neirin peered at her. Then she returned her eyes on the horizon and said softly. "They will, Amari will."
Rea leaned on her hands. "The one they tried to throw overboard?"
Neirin pointed a finger at her. "Amari is well respected on my ship. They will handle the crew and come find me."
Rea lifted her hands in defence. "Okay, okay."
Neirin turned around and hugged her knees to her chest. They stayed silent for a quick moment, only the wind howling through the sea.
"What happened to your hand?"
"None of your business." She said through her teeth.
"If I'm going to get you a hand, I need to know."
Neirin clutched her hooked hand. "You don't have the money to." She looked at Rea. "You probably lied just so I didn't kill you."
"I didn't lie!"
Rea was offended. She never lied. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She lied only when it was necessary and if it meant that someone's life was in danger. She didn't lie to Neirin. Rea could get her a hand.
"I never lie."
"Sure honey." She took her eyes off her. "And where will you get the money, darling? I'm positive that the kingdom isn't paying you."
Rea brushed her hair over her shoulder and smiled at Neirin. "I have important friends."
Neirin just looked at her and then turned away, her eyes rolling. "Sure, hon."
Oh, this woman. Bet she wouldn't act like this if she knew who I am. She frowned. Rea, if she knew who you were, she wouldn't hesitate to kill you. Rea sighed and leaned her head on her knee. Her chances of getting back home, were slipping with every second. The ball was in four days. She needed to get there in time. It was her only chance of fixing things.
Rea buried her head between her knees. She could never be a Queen. Both the kingdoms would eventually crumble beneath her and she won't be able to do anything.
"Why did you defend them?"
Rea looked up at Neirin with confused eyes.
"Amari. Why did you defend them?" She repeated. "I know they were the one who gave you water. I saw them." Neirin looked at her. "Why didn't you tell?"
Rea looked down. Why didn't she? She could easily tell on them.
"Because they helped me and I believe they were kind, despite that they are a pirate. They seemed nice. A sweetheart."
Neirin laughed. "Yeah, on the outside."
"What do you mean on the outside?"
"They may seem like they are nice and that they would never ever hurt a single soul. But if you anger them, if you mess with them," She looked at Rea with a grin. "then just pray you make it out alive."
A shiver went down Rea's spine. She hoped it was because of the cold wind.
It was wrong of Rea to assume, she knew better than judge a person by their looks. Like Elias. He was tall, mysterious, and looked scary with his mask on, but deep down, behind the mask, he was the sweetest person. He was still an asshole and an idiot, but still an amazing person. So was Tivon. Everyone judged him by height alone, thinking he could never defend for himself, but Rea had never met another person that was as brave as he was.
Gosh, she missed them so much. She always felt better when she was with them. She always could be what she truly was. Rea would never have to hide herself with them. An unbreakable trio.
Unfortunately, they were breakable.
"Shit!"
"What?" Rea looked at her just as Neirin ripped off a sleeve of her shirt. "What are you doing?"
Her face suddenly turned bright red. "None of your business."
She started walking towards the trees and Rea understood.
"No, don't do it like that!" Neirin turned to her, already opening her mouth to argue. "It's dirty and it's got sand on it. Don't use it."
"Do you have any better ideas?" Her voice was shaking.
"At least sterilize it a bit."
Rea walked to her and snatched the fabric out of her hand. She washed it in the sea and put it above the fire, supported by sticks, to dry it. Rea sat down and waited.
"This is going to take ages Lily."
Rea flinched at the name. It sounded so wrong to her.
"No, it's not. Just wait a bit. Go walk around or something."
"Walk around where exactly?!"
Rea looked over her shoulder, annoyed. "I don't know, just go waste some time."
"Ughhh."
She turned on her heels and stormed off. Gosh, she's annoying. Rea laid down and spread her arms on the sand. Just get me off this island.
"Is it dry yet?"
Rea just pointed at it. Neirin snatched it off the fire and headed behind the trees. Rea watched the sun set. Three days. I only have three days. There was no ship in sight, no sign of anyone who could rescue her. As the sun disappeared behind the horizon, Neirin sat down, still a great distance away from Rea.
"You can go to sleep if you want to."
She laughed. "Yeah, and let you kill me."
Rea looked at her. "I won't kill you."
"Like I would believe you."
"Fine then don't sleep."
She laid down and looked up at the stars. Rea wouldn't close her eyes either. There was absolutely no way she would. Neirin had daggers and knives everywhere and Rea had nothing, but her hands and words to defend herself. She hoped the night would go by quickly. She moved closer to the fire and hoped.
Rea stayed awake the whole night. She was used to it, however, it was harder, because she had no work to distract her mind. Neirin, on the other hand, had fallen asleep. When she woke up, she panicky looked over herself to see if any of her knives were missing.
"I didn't steal anything from you." Said Rea, looking up at the blue sky.
"Liar."
"I don't lie." Hissed Rea.
When Neirin made sure, that Rea in fact didn't even touch her she looked at Rea. Rea could feel her eyes on her.
"You know it's not that hard to say thank you."
"Shut up." Neirin wrinkled her nose, pressed her lips together and looked away. "No way."
Rea looked to where she was looking. She quickly sat up at the sight of a ship. Neirin stood up and waved towards it. They must have noticed them as the ship turned towards them.
"I knew they would come."
A big rock rolled off Rea's chest. There was a way that she could make it.
When the ship lowered a boat into the sea, Neirin stopped waving. She stood still like she was considering something.
"Neirin?"
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
Before Rea could ask what was going on, Neirin reached for one of her knives and threw it towards Rea, scratching her arm. Rea reached for it, blood dripping down the little wound.
"Why was that necessary?"
And then she fell to the ground. She couldn't feel her body. She couldn't feel anything. Neirin grabbed a rope from the boat that has come for her. She picked up Rea and tied her against the tree. Rea couldn't even speak. She could only watch her with terrified eyes.
"I'm sorry Lily." She bonded her to the tree tightly, leaving one of her hand free. "The numbness will fade away in an hour." She looked up at her and grinned. "Hope a ship finds you."
Rea wanted to snatch out those beautiful black eyes. No, Neirin. Don't do this. She wanted to scream at her. She wanted to, so badly.
Neirin dropped one of her daggers beside Rea and ran to the boat that took her to the ship. Rea could only watch the ship disappear, leaving her alone, on the small island with nothing.
The numbness had already started to wear off. She furrowed her brows.
Pirates.