He coughed up the seawater from his lungs. A feminine voice beside him sighed. "Mon dieu, you're awake!"
"W-Where a-a-am I-" he got cut off by him violently coughing up more seawater. A hand gently slapped his back. He opened his eyes and immediately saw the blue ocean.
"Are you okay now?"
He turned to his side and saw a girl around his age. She had medium, chestnut brown hair, with hairpins clipping her bangs to the left side of her hair. She had pretty tanned skin. The girl wore a simple shirt T-shirt and blue shorts that reached her knees.
He almost forgot how to speak from seeing the girl's beauty, that was much, much different from the customs in his homeland. He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. He laughed, "I'm okay, bella!"
The girl signed out of relief, "Thank the skies you're safe..."
She smiled, before turning to her side. He now noticed that he was on a small fishing boat with the girl. He also noted that the girl had been searching for something in a small wooden box. The girl turned to him, with something wrapped in paper in her hands.
She smiled, "Eat up! You're very lucky that you survived for several days! Also, do you mind if I ask your name?"
"It's Feliciano! What's yours, bella?" He replied. The girl blushed at the compliment. "My name's Michelle."
"You have a really cute name, Michelle!" Feliciano said. The girl laughed, "You compliment me too much! You should eat!"
Michelle turned to one side of the boat and started to pull up a net with fishes, effectively closing conversation. Feliciano opened the wrapper and took a bite into the sandwich. He noted that its fillings were egg and mayonnaise.
He then thought to the events that had happens in the previous days, which had lead him here. He remembered how he barely got into a ship that would sail into the Spades, without getting beheaded. He had a few grazes from arrows here and there, but they were all covered in bandages. His other hand went to the small satchel at his belt, he was glad to note that most of memorabilia from the Hearts were still there and so were the coins he managed to salvage.
Feliciano unconsciously touched his lower leg and felt that it was very cold. He sighed. He knew better than to continuously kick the seawater, in hopes of teaching dry land, or at least, a boat.
"I'm sorry if it's too plain, Feli. I ran late this morning," Michelle said. Feliciano shook his head, "Don't worry about it!"
"Is there anything I can help with?" Feliciano asked, looking over Michelle's shoulder. "Could you hand me the small knife there?" She asked, not looking up from removing the knots in her fishing net.
The brunette turned to his side and saw a small silver knife. He picked it up and handed it to the lady. He asked, "Where am I?"
Michelle looked up from her net, tilting her head, "Oh, right. You've been shipwrecked right? We're on the coast of La Frontière."
The information of an autonomous Diamond border, port town right beside the Spades came into his mind. The small town had a port almost half it's size.
"I'll be going back to the coast now, dark clouds are coming here," Michelle announced. She booted up a motor. It buzzed to life as the wooden boat started to go back to coast. She sat on the wooden plank, before looking at Feliciano who seemed to space out.
"Feli?"
"Hm?" Feliciano turned his gaze on Michelle.
"So how did you get shipwrecked?" She asked. He rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't really remember."
He lied. He did remember. He remembered the day an assassin on the ship set fire to Feliciano's quarters. The brunette had to jump out of the window into the Ante Ocean, with barely enough knowledge to swim.
They soon arrived at the port. A platinum blonde haired boy was tapping his foot impatiently as they docked. He wore white pants tucked into tall brown boots with a striped blue and white shirt. He wore a scowl as he glared at Michelle, "It's about time you arrived."
She nervously laughed. The boy sighed, "Anyway, who's your friend?"
"Oh, Emil, this is Feliciano. Feliciano, this is Emil," Michelle introduced. Emil nodded, "You shipwrecked?"
"How did you know?" Feliciano asked. "Your clothes are damp and you have a piece of seaweed on top of your head," Emil pointed out.
"Oh."
"Michelle, I'll be taking the fishes today and I'll be giving your pay tomorrow," Emil said, taking a small notepad from his pockets. Michelle nodded before getting her satchel, standing up and carefully getting on the dock. Feliciano followed in suit.
"You're going to be staying with me alright?" Michelle asked. Feliciano nodded, "Si!"
After a few more minutes of walking as the wind violently blew, they reached the end of the docks. Michelle turned left as Feli followed. They reached a cottage soon after.
The house had two floors, with a roofed porch out front. A cowboy hat and whip rested on the hooks embedded in the wall. The roof had brown tiling, with odd pieces of orange sticking out. A tree stood beside the porch, providing shade. Michelle unlocked the house and allowed Feliciano to go in first.
The interior of the house provided a homey feeling, unlike the regal feeling the Heart Castle gave out. He liked it.
"Go sit on the couch while I prepare something," she instructed. Feliciano nodded, a wave of exhaustion finally registered in his mind. He yawned and sluggishly made it over to the brown couch leaned against the wall. Once his head met one of the brown throw pillows, sleep overcame him.
This is a new story that I've been itching to write the past weeks, with no spare time. Hopefully school won't take all of my time so I can continuously update this.
Comment if you have any constructive criticism, question or comment.
Vocabulary Time:
Mon dieu (Fr.) - My God
Bella (It.) - beautiful
La Frontière (Fr.) - The border