Okay, so this chapter involves a lot of discussion. It was going to be a lot shorter and would've been more directed around further plot points, but I got carried away. :P
Responses:
Zarabethe: Yes! Julian, figure out her secret! Pronto! :D
Noriana26: Juleece sounds like a redneck name. I love it..
Chelinka: Yes! Sarion, chill out! Hahah. He will by the end, hopefully.. And oooh, good luck on midterms, unless they're already over, in which I congratulate you upon finishing them!
Mythique: Oh, Julian and Reece have yet to complete their full damage to the ship.. This is only the beginning.. Haha! And OMG. HOW DO YOU WRITE SO FAST? I have so much to catch up on, and it's killing me! I need more Braelyn adventures stat! Go away, homework and responsibilities! Fie fie!
Willowstar: This one doesn't have a cliffhanger either! :D I'm glad you appreciated that. I almost stopped it with her cutting the rope, like you mentioned. Almost. Mwaahhaha. And by all means, Shakespeare away!
ToxicStar: Oooh, we're saving that moment for when it's almost unbearable. ;)
Nyteknight: Oh yeah, the sheer number of times I've gotten myself killed in Booty Bay is appalling.. Hehh..
Jysshio: Sassy Levianath to save the day! :D And yes, those troublemakers are going to wreak total havoc on the ship soon..
LadyRaftina: Yes! Levianath, go for dat attitude. I'm rooting for you, man. xD
Katerika: Ooh, yeah, I'm including a Lily POV chapter either in the next one or the following! It'll either clear up a lot of questions or prompt even more. Maybe both. ;D
Levianath
"That was quick thinking out there," the troll hummed as she poured refills for them both.
Levianath shrugged, taking the glass as she handed it to him, and downed half of it right off the bat. "And quick climbing on your part," he said, wiping his chin with his forearm.
"They're like full-grown toddlers," she said fondly, though her expression retained that same intense look. "Although I am glad that Reece has someone to connect with."
"The two are surprisingly compatible," Levianath nodded. "Reece has her enthusiasm and Julian has his optimism."
Fiammetta sent him a surprised look. "You know she's a girl?"
"She informed me of it when she thought I was her captain."
Fiammetta sighed and nodded. "I see." She stared at Levianath, her expression unreadable.
He spoke up after a couple of quiet seconds, his thumb tracing the rim of his glass as he watched her. "Can I ask you something?"
She finished off her drink and set it on the table. "Ask away." She seemed far more complacent now than he'd ever seen her before.
"Normally I don't care to ask people this question, because I usually already know the answer. But what is it you hold against me? What have I done that you despise so much about me?"
She just lifted her brows. "What gave you the impression that I dislike you?"
He squinted his fel eyes. "We could start with your general sense of hostility toward everything I do or say."
A moment of silence passed, and finally the woman took in a slow breath.
"You're reckless," she stated plainly, leaning back in her seat and staring at him thoughtfully. "Young, rash, uncontrolled. You despise authority and your utmost goal is to cause chaos. People who should have loved you have likely wronged you at some point in your life, which has left you skeptical and cynical. You are dangerous, because you are unpredictable, and most of all, your focus is solely directed upon your own wants and needs, even if that is detrimental to others around you."
Levianath lifted his brows. "You got all of that out of...what?"
"Out of you being exactly like your father."
"How would you know who I am or how I act? We've barely ever spoken."
"Every single thing I have seen you do or say has been spot-on. You are Wraith Darkrunner."
Wraith? That was his father's first name? Good to know. Levianath cleared his throat, "And that makes you hate me?"
A subtle curl formed at a corner of her full lips, which pulled over her tiny tusks. "On the contrary," she hummed. "I fear you. I fear what you can do."
"Just like you fear my father?" Levianath asked curiously.
"That's different. I respect him. You, however? You've got a ways to go."
He smiled, allowing the expression to be genuine. "Respect is a mutual virtue, you know."
"True," she nodded. "Then how about you start by not catching this ship on fire, and I'll start by not breathing down your neck."
Levianath smirked slyly, eyes flashing with humor. "Well if you're close enough to be breathing down my neck, I think our time could be spent together in a far better fashion."
She sent him a warning look, and he just laughed.
"Hey, you fill me with whisky, this is your own doing," he reasoned playfully. "Plus, I can't help it. Imagine seeing that much exotic attractiveness whipped up into one single person, and being expected to act like it's not there," he motioned to all of her.
"I'd have thought the truth salts would've worn off by now," she murmured.
"Oh, they wore off about two hours ago."
"So the thing with the fire?" she appeared amused, if scolding.
"All me, Baby," he winked at her.
Surprisingly, a smile broke across her face, one she obviously tried to stave but failed.
"And look at that, she smiles," he grinned, eyes sparking.
"You're not doing yourself any favors," she gave him a look, which he was pretty sure was a joking one, but couldn't tell. That was the thing with her; he couldn't read her, not like other people.
"Either way, we're still doing far better than we were thirty minutes ago," Levianath hummed. "This ship would probably be ashes if not for our two acrobats interrupting us out there."
"I wonder how he's doing by the way," Fiammetta murmured, refilling her glass a third time as if the previous two had been nothing. These trolls could drink anyone under the table.
"Dislocated ankle..." Levianath frowned. "I hope his abilities are strong enough to heal it."
"We could find a healer in the town," Fiammetta suggested.
"And if nothing else, he has his own personal butler," Levianath chuckled.
"Reece adores that boy," she mused. "I've never seen her become so attached to someone so quickly. Does Julian know she's a she?"
"I let it slip with the salts. I have no idea if she knows that he knows, though."
Fiammetta grimaced. "I'll admit, I am sorry about the truth salts. I wish it hadn't reached that point."
He just shrugged wordlessly, and things became quiet for a moment. Fiammetta spoke again.
"So how did you two end up as friends?" she asked about Julian.
He gave a partial smile. "I ask myself that all the time."
"You are polar opposites."
"I wouldn't go that far," he tilted his head in thought, taking a drink. "I'm beginning to think we're more similar than I initially believed."
"Brothers in all but blood?" she asked.
"No, no," Levianath shook his head quickly. "Oh, it'd be an insult for me to call him my brother, to group him with those siblings of mine. I like to think of Julian and myself as accomplices."
"That makes you both sound sinister."
"Anything is better than brothers."
"How about just calling him your friend?" she gave him a whimsical smile, which caught him again off-guard. Every time she smiled, it was like a burst of bright light in an otherwise dark room.
"I can do that, too," Levianath's eyes danced. "After everything we've been through, I sort of feel responsible for him."
"Same goes for Reece and me," Fiammetta said softly, her voice almost holding subtle affection.
Their eyes met for a few seconds, and Levianath was surprisingly the first to finally look away. Something about her gaze gave him odd flutters in his chest that he didn't recognize, and it made him feel exposed, vulnerable. She could see everything in his head, like she already knew everything about him. It was disconcerting; normally it was he who could analyze everyone else. The things she had said about him earlier had been eerily spot-on, too, which had shaken him a little. If anything, he feared her.
Fiammetta spoke again, seemingly unaware of the effect she had on him. "I think that Reece and Julian have a harmony that most people never get the chance to discover. I will be sad to see them part ways next month. I don't know if either of them realize how rare their connection is, and I fear they won't until Julian leaves."
"What are you saying?" Levianath asked amusingly.
"I'm saying that maybe if we give them both a little push, they may have a chance with each other."
"You really think they're romantically-suited?"
"I have no doubt about it, actually," Fiammetta smirked. "Julian doesn't have anyone back home, does he?"
"Well, there's Lily," Levianath murmured. "But I have no idea how serious that actually is. I think it's pretty one-sided, from what I witnessed."
He was surprised he was even having a conversation like this. Without the whisky, he was certain it never would have taken place, but he wouldn't complain. He'd much rather share friendly discussion with her than the alternative.
"So," Levianath said after a few seconds of pause, sending the woman a sly smirk and sitting forward. "A little push, eh? What do you have in mind?"
Julian
Julian awoke to a pressure in his ankle and the sound of someone's boots hitting against the wooden floor. He shifted slightly and immediately regretted doing so. The movement sent a vivid jolt of pain straight up his leg and downward into his toes, and he winced, gritting his teeth together. He sat himself up on his elbows and glanced around, realizing he was down in the room Reece had set aside for him. It was a tiny, tiny room, only big enough for a bed and an itty bitty table that barely fit between the bed and the opposite wall. One small lamp was lit on the table, casting a subtle, warm light onto everything.
He looked down at his feet and saw that his ankle, his right one, had been wrapped up in stiff bandages and splinted to deter from too much movement. He wondered what'd happened to have made him fall asleep like he did; last he could remember was incredible pain, then Reece drawing his face to hers, and that'd been it. So maybe she'd put him to sleep? Or had he passed out from the pain? For some people, that might be considered embarrassing. Julian rarely ever became embarrassed, though.
If Reece had put him to sleep, this meant she had some form of magic behind her belt.
Speaking of whom, the girl must have heard Julian's hiss of pain when he woke or something, because she poked her head in his door, noticed that he was awake, and let herself in. She sat down on the side of his bed, careful not to bounce his foot.
"How's the ankle?" she asked, voice as cheerful as ever.
Julian couldn't help but smile at her. "Hurts like the dickens, but I'm not supposed to tell you that sort of thing, am I?"
"Hey, you can tell me literally anything and I won't judge," Reece smirked. "You dislocated your ankle by saving my life. I think you're entitled to a little sympathy."
"Saving your life?" Julian snickered. "You make me sound heroic."
Reece's smile remained bright despite the seriousness in her eyes. "I could've died. You saved my life."
He tilted his head. "Well, we're lucky it worked out the way it did, then, huh?"
Again he caught a smile on her lips, and Julian watched her for a moment as things became quiet. He intently studied her face, which he noticed made her visibly uncomfortable for reasons he couldn't fathom. Her eyes drifted from his as he stared at her, and they refused to return, becoming fixated on the nearby table. He watched her chew her lower lip and momentarily lost himself in observing the action, but then focused again. He smiled playfully.
"If nothing else, I did learn a valuable lesson."
She finally looked back at him, all of the awkwardness leaving her demeanor immediately. "Oh?"
"Yes," he smirked. "If I ever see that someone has started a fire down on deck while I am currently up climbing the topsails, I should not attempt to put the fire out with frost spells."
Reece grinned. "Because the frost spells could backfire and instead freeze the mast."
He nodded back. "And that mast could crack."
"And we could all plummet to our deaths!" Reece said enthusiastically.
"Hooray!" Julian cheered, laughing, and she giggled, too.
They quieted again, and a few seconds passed. Reece shifted on the bed beside him, sitting on the backs of her hands. She stared at her knees for a moment, and Julian observed her quietly.
Unexpectedly, she spoke up, her voice sounding carefree, but Julian could've sworn he caught something else hidden beneath it.
"Who is Lily?" she asked simply, curiously.
He blinked, mind jumping back to the topic of the missing girl. Lily. He hadn't allowed himself to give more than a few seconds of thought to her this entire time; it scared him to think about where she was, what'd happened to her. He'd been avoiding the entire subject.
He sucked in a deep breath, realizing Reece was watching him with her chocolate eyes.
"Lily... is..." he thought hard to come up with the right words. "Um, well, she's a friend of mine, a girl from my tribe. She was taken to a labor camp like Lev and I were, I think. A different one. I haven't seen her since I was last in Stormwind. I worry whether she's okay."
"Oh," Reece nodded nonchalantly. "What's she like?"
Julian's mouth formed a smirk, and he sat up a little straighter, still using his elbows as support. "She's got this... cool hair," he hummed. "And her eyes are like..." he made a few shrug-like gestures. "And when she laughs, I dunno. She has that...smile, you know?"
Reece stared at him blankly. "I honestly have absolutely no idea how to imagine her right now," she began to laugh.
Julian laughed a little, too. "Right, sorry. Well, she's got blue hair, bright, big eyes, she's tall..."
Reece continued to stare at him, as if she expected him to keep going, but that's all he could come up with.
"And, I donno," he shrugged again. "That's Lily."
"You literally just described what she looks like, and that's it," Reece said finally, smirking at him.
Julian held his palms up in a defensive shrug. "How else am I supposed to describe her?" he couldn't help but laugh at the look on her face.
Reece began to giggle. "Oh, I dunno, maybe... Is she...nice? Does she get along with others? Does she like or dislike seafood?"
"Seafood?"
"You're missing my point," Reece nudged him on the arm.
Julian sniffed. "Well, I mean, yeah, she's pretty nice, I guess."
Reece waited for him to go on, and he just started laughing uncertainly.
"What?"
Reece hopelessly threw her hands in the air and just shook her head at him teasingly. "You are impossible, Julian."
"I'm sorry!" he laughed. "In my defense, you are being very confusing, Reece."
She sighed and cocked her head at him. "You said she's your friend. Those people earlier acted like she meant a lot to you, but you talk like you barely actually know her."
"I know her," he said defensively.
Reece folded her arms. "Prove it."
"Well-!" Julian began, and then realized he had no follow-up.
He folded his arms too, having to sit up straight so he didn't fall back into his pillows, and now their faces were now merely a foot apart. Julian couldn't help but notice how long her eyelashes were now that he was this close; half the time, at least one of her eyes were covered with her messy hair and he'd never observed this closely. The pools of her eyes were murky brown but also exhilarating, just like a rich cup of coffee is dark but packs so much energy behind it.
"Well what?" she goaded, interrupting his moment, lifting her chin and looking defiant and playful.
"I'm just...not very good at describing people," Julian leaned back on his hands.
Reece cocked her head. "Okay then, describe me."
"Um," Julian swallowed, staring at her again. Her freckled cheeks were kissed by the sun and her dark, messy hair had streaks of lighter brown from natural bleaching, catching the flickering of the lamp on the table nearby. Her mouth formed a teasing smirk, her lips partially chapped from the salt of the ocean and the weather. This girl was the goofiest person he'd ever encountered, so carefree and straightforward and real. She was the first person he had met who shared his passion for life and excitement for all it had to offer. Like himself, her curiosity and spirit soared far above that of most people. He knew that through her outer, whimsical demeanor lay a deeper side of her, some sort of rich inner life which she showed to no one else.
Her eyes flicked between his, and he tried to speak but realized he'd clammed up. What could he say? Anything he wanted to say right now would give away that he knew she was a girl, and he still hadn't figured out how to break that to her.
Julian kept watching her, losing words as he studied her face, which was far softer than he'd initially observed. Her skin, although dirty and freckled, held this youthful glow, and the way she was grinning at him right now made him freeze, his eyes falling on her smile.
It was in this exact moment that Julian realized how much he wanted to kiss that smile she gave him, and in that moment, he instantly felt terrified. His heart suddenly pumped in his chest, and he sucked in a breath. He couldn't kiss her, because he hadn't yet told her he knew she was a girl. He couldn't kiss her, because he hadn't realized until right now that he even wanted to. He wouldn't kiss her, because he felt like she didn't want him to. There had to be a reason she was pretending to be a boy on this ship.
What in the world was going on with him? Here they were talking about Lily, the girl he'd had a crush on for years, and his first response was directing that crush toward someone who could easily be Lily's exact opposite in every possible way. Lily was this stunning, graceful, and soft elf, whereas Reece was this loud, boyish, short, skinny, round-eared human with dirt on her nose and pants that were too big.
But, in some strange way, as Julian's eyes flicked back to her sitting on his bed, he suddenly realized that she just might be the most attractive being he'd ever seen in his life.
And he had no idea what to do about it.
So, he did the only thing he could think of: a distraction, for both their sake. Reece had begun to look a little suspicious at his silence, so he shifted his bad foot on purpose, and promptly felt shooting pain jolt up his leg.
He let out a sharp, almost involuntary yelp of pain. Reece stood immediately from the bed, looking at his foot.
"Why'd you move it?" she asked him in bewilderment, and he was still cringing in pain.
"I uh," he grunted, leaning forward to look at it. "I'm gonna try to heal it a little."
"You can heal?" Reece asked, curiosity heightening to the next level, and Julian knew his sacrifice had worked. Crisis averted.
"A little, yeah," Julian reached forward and drew a mild healing spell into his hand, and Reece's eyes widened as she watched. He brought the heal to his ankle and immediately felt its effects seeping into the torn, swollen tissues. He knit what he could back together, and although it was only about five seconds' worth of magic that he could generate right now, it was worth it. The swelling had reduced, and the bandages had become looser. It hurt a little, but it was more of an ache than a sharp throb.
Julian sat back, leaning his hands against the mattress behind himself, and looked at Reece.
"And I have a feeling I'm not the only one in this room who can do magic, by the way," he said, cocking his head at her, and she folded her hands behind her back innocently.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she hummed.
"So, out there on deck when you somehow put me to sleep, what was that?"
"Oh, I just punched you so hard you didn't even feel it, and it knocked you out."
Julian laughed. "You liar. I felt magic."
Reece shrugged, keeping her smirking mouth shut.
He gave up and just laughed. "Fine, fine. I don't know why you'd keep that a secret, but fine." He gave her a look. "However, I will have you know that I am very good at keeping secrets."
He watched her as she began to put up invisible walls.
"Julian, you don't have any secrets," she giggled as she sat down beside him again.
"Yes huh!" he retorted, "I have many."
She clearly did not believe him, so he sat up a little straighter, able to move his ankle now without it trying to kill him.
"Don't believe me?" He took in a breath. "One time when I was seven, I used the old hot-water trick on my sister when she was sleeping and made her wet the bed every night for a whole week, and they still don't know it was because of me."
Reece looked about to retort, but Julian kept going. "One time, a few years ago, I kept a baby green ooze under my bed for months and nobody found out - until I told my sister, of course - and I almost died. I would've kept THAT secret to the grave."
"You almost died?" Reece lifted her brows.
Julian just smirked and continued his point, speaking so fast that Reece had no chance of getting a word in. "Let's see... I secretly like dogs more than cats, and I don't know how the rest of my tribe would feel about that. Sometimes, I climb trees with no pants so I can feel the breeze, and this one time I read my sister's diary and convinced her I could read minds. Oh! And one time-"
Reece burst out laughing. "What was that one?"
"I like dogs more than cats?" Julian smirked, messing with her. He'd put the 'pants' one in just to make sure she was paying attention.
"No, that other one."
"I convinced my sister that I could re-"
"Nevermind!" she chuckled. "Those aren't secrets. Those are confessions."
"Well, then, now you know that if you have anything to confess, I can keep it a secret."
"Just like you kept all of those secrets?"
Julian just squinted his eyes at her. "You know what I mean, Black."
"Oh, so now we're referring to one another by our last names? Okay, what's yours?"
"Silverpaw," Julian hummed. "I thought you'd have deduced that after seeing my dad."
Reece just shrugged. "What, is he royalty or something? I've never heard of him."
Julian smiled. "No, I guess not."
Reece opened her mouth to speak, but the door then opened, and Julian brightened when he saw Levianath peek his head in.
"Hey, kid," Levianath said calmly, walking in and sending Julian a partial smile. "Good to see you're faring better."
Julian grinned brightly. He hadn't really spoken to Levianath since the man had been drugged. To be honest, he'd been afraid to talk to him. Julian didn't deal well with people who were angry or upset; he didn't know how to help them other than exude happiness, and in the inn, Levianath's anger had rubbed off on Julian. But, when Levianath leaned against the table by Julian's bed, he didn't seem angry or upset in the slightest. If anything, he looked content, and maybe just a little tiny bit drunk.
He tilted his head to look at Julian's ankle. "That needs to be re-wrapped. Reece, could you fetch some more clean linen please?"
Reece nodded and went without question, leaving just the two guys in the room.
Julian looked at his foot. "Why can't we just use the bandages that are already on it? It doesn't need new ones."
"I know," Levianath smirked. "I just wanted to talk to you."
"About what?"
"About Reece."
Julian felt his interest heighten, and he subconsciously leaned forward.
Levianath smiled at this. "You like her?"
Julian nodded. "She's great."
"Have you told her you know she's a girl yet?"
"No, I'm honestly not sure how to."
"So saying, 'Hey Reece, Levianath told me your secret when he was drugged,' isn't working for you?" Levianath laughed.
Julian smirked. "I feel like it isn't that simple. There's got to be a reason she's pretending to be a guy, and I feel like if I tell her then it'll ruin what we have so far."
Levianath sniffed. "Maybe, but that shouldn't keep you from letting her know you know the truth. The only thing you're doing when you come up with reasons to not tell her is making decisions in her place about how she'll take it. You know, she may not even care."
"And if she does?"
"And if she does, I'm entirely positive she will not blame you."
Julian thought on that for a little while, and Levianath spoke up again.
"And I'm definitely not one to rush things, but you've only got a month left with her. Do you really want to spend that time taxing all of your energy into lying to her, or would you rather just have everything out in the open now and save the trouble?"
"I'm not lying to her," Julian replied in confusion.
"By keeping that from her, pretending that you don't know and treating her differently, you actually are." Levianath peered at the lamp beside him thoughtfully, staring at the flame. "And of course I am not one to look down upon lying. I simply acknowledge that it can be a very draining task and do not think it wise that you spend all your time here focused on the wrong aspect of your relationship with her. Not to mention it'll save her the trouble as well."
Julian laughed. "My relationship with her?"
Levianath smiled back at him. "I'm just saying..." he paused, "You will have the opportunity to leave here in one month for good. You may never see her again. Play your cards right, and things may end differently."
A small silence fell as Julian contemplated Levianath's words. Did he really want to waste this entire time experiencing what he'd just experienced with her ten minutes ago? Or did he want to act on it?
Levianath continued, "And by not doing anything about it, you're not only limiting yourself, but her as well."
Julian thought about that for about ten seconds' worth of silence, and then their conversation was cut short when Reece re-entered the room.
She began to tend to Julian's foot. She was so careful that he barely felt it when she re-splinted and re-wrapped his not-so-swollen ankle. As she finished, Julian yawned widely. He wasn't sure how long he had slept due to her spell, but before it, he had stayed up all night and almost all day. He was ready for a nap.
Levianath and Reece must have picked up on that, because they made him lie down, and Levianath blew out the lamp. When they both left the room, Julian was already asleep.
Levianath
As they exited Julian's tiny cabin, Levianath peered down at Reece. She seemed bright as ever, if a bit tired, too.
"So, Reece," Levianath hummed as they walked past a few unloaded cannons and then stopped next to the stairs beneath the main hatch.
"Hmm?"
Levianath tilted his head to give her a contemplative look, folding his arms. "Mind if I ask you a personal question?"
"That depends," Reece shrugged, and crossed her arms too, leaning against a beam. "What's the question?"
Levianath smiled slightly. "Why the disguise? There are already women on this ship; what's the point?"
Reece chewed the inside of her cheek, sobering up surprisingly fast. Levianath realized he'd touched a nerve, but continued anyway, hoping her sudden vulnerability might help her to open up to him.
"You running from something?" he eyed her.
"Try someone," Reece corrected, her eyes falling to the side. "Family."
Levianath let out a soundless chuckle and leaned back against the wooden wall behind him, letting his head rest against it as well. "You and me both, kid."
Reece peered up at him. "How come you are?"
"Where do I start? I've got a lifetime of reasons to hate my relatives." Levianath said humorlessly as unpleasant memories began to resurface. "You know, one time when I was seven, my older brothers tried to drown me in the Stormwind canals? I only survived because they got caught by the guards. They got off with warnings."
He caught her eyes staring at him intently. She seemed like she wanted to talk but was hesitant, so he spoke again.
"I have experienced a lifetime of dodging bad people. Reece, if there's anyone who'd best understand whatever it is you've got hidden in that head of yours, it's me. Plus, I'm curious. I won't quit badgering you 'til you tell me." He winked at her.
Reece took a breath, laughed a little, and then uncrossed her arms. "You want the long story or the short one?"
Levianath just shrugged. "Whatever you feel like giving."
She licked her lower lip, staring at the steps that led up to the main deck. "You said your brothers tried to drown you..." She paused for a moment, and then tilted her head to look back at Levianath. "I had an older brother too. Only difference is, he's the reason I'm still alive."
He simply waited for her to keep going, so she did after a few seconds' hesitation.
"My parents were... sick," she said in a way that gave Levianath the idea that her word choice wasn't as accurate as it could've been. "Some people are just broken, you know? And in their case, it was because of a bad mixture of arcane magic, booze, and bad genes. Or at least, that's what I tell myself. It's what my brother told me."
Levianath watched her as she inhaled slowly, as if talking about this was bringing back something unpleasant. He cocked his head at her.
"What do you mean by 'sick'?"
She bit her lip. "They wouldn't act themselves when they got angry, and that happened a lot. Usually a lot more when they drank, which was almost always." A pause, and she cocked her head to peer at him sideways. "Have you ever seen that before? People completely changing the moment they get even one drink in their system?"
Levianath glanced down. "Yes, I have seen that."
"Well, that's what they were like, and it was amplified when they'd dose up on Arcane. They acted as if they were taken over by someone else entirely. They'd yell and break things and attack us, and then the next morning it was like nothing happened at all, or if something did happen, it was my brother's and my fault. They would remember it completely wrong. It got to the point of where after two years of trying to convince me, my big brother finally talked me into running away with him. We had this whole plan, too: drug our parents with a sleeping draught, and slip away in the night."
Levianath felt his heart begin to sink, understanding what it was Reece was talking about. He sighed. "So what happened next?"
"We got caught while making the potion itself. My dad found us in the cellar and got extremely angry. I remember him hitting my brother really hard and trying to hit me, but I dodged him. So he reached down and picked up the cauldron and threw the whole thing at me, boiling chemicals and all. My brother jumped in front of me and protected me from most of it, but he..."
She broke off, eyes gaining a haunted look to them.
Levianath finished it for her. "But...it killed him?"
She looked up at him and nodded quietly.
"He sacrificed himself so I could get away. I remember the last thing we had planned to do was to change our names, identities, and run. So that's what I did. I ran all the way from Darkshire to Stranglethorn and stowed away on a ship. That ship just so happened to be this one, and the person that found me was Fiammetta. I was afraid she'd kick me out, but she did the opposite. Never asked any questions, just let me stay as long as I worked. It was a long time before I told her everything that had happened with me and my brother and parents."
Levianath thought awhile in silence, the only sounds being those of muffled voices and seagulls. "What was your brother's name?"
She smiled. "Reece."
"Ah," he smiled back. "Starting to make sense now. You took up his identity?"
"Only his first name. I made up the surname, Black."
"Mind if I ask your real name?" Levianath tilted his head.
She shrugged. "My name is Reece Black. That's all that matters."
A smile grew on his face, and she mirrored him. He let out a laugh. "Alright then. How many people know your story?"
"Three. Captain Darkrunner, Fiammetta, and now you. I haven't told any of the crew because I don't want word about it getting out. Don't want my parents to find me."
Levianath lifted his brows. "I am surprised you told me and not Julian."
Her eyes flicked downward almost guiltily. "Well, you already knew my secret."
He took a subtle step forward. "Reece, I think you should tell him the truth about you. At least let him know your real gender."
"What if he gets upset about it?"
"Something gives me the idea he won't."
Reece still looked hesitant, and Levianath smirked.
"And you know he wont say anything to anyone. He wouldn't risk hurting you. Honestly, can you picture that kid hurting anyone? There's not a bad bone in his body. He'll understand. I can say in complete faith that he will."
A smile tugged at her lips. "Maybe you're right."
"Of course I'm right," Levianath laughed. "And you have nothing to worry about with him, alright? He really likes you, kid."
Reece brightened into a full grin. "You think so?"
"I know so. Now you should probably go get some rest, too." Levianath patted her on the shoulder. "Been a long day."
Unexpectedly, instead of leaving, the now-grinning teen suddenly threw her wiry arms around him in a tight hug. Levianath tensed at the spontaneity and sudden contact, but quickly adjusted and laughed a little when she released him.
"I'm glad you know," Reece said cheerfully.
He nodded at her almost cordially, and with that she took off in a brisk jog toward the other sections that housed the crewmembers. He was surprised at the trust she'd given to him, and surprised at the protectiveness that had taken over now at the thought of her. First Julian, and now this goofy kid. What next?
The dark half-elf began to hum a quiet tune to himself as he meandered his way back up to the main deck, hands in the pockets of the clothes he'd been gifted with earlier. He wore an off-white, loose shirt, which billowed out the second he reached the fresh air. The sea wind pulled at his hair and clothing, and he took a deep breath through his nose, relishing the sudden sense of freedom he felt. If he truly wanted to, he was free to leave, right here, right now. He could go back to Stormwind, take his money out, and take off. Disappear. It was a tempting idea. No one was stopping him.
However he also felt strangely invested in this ship now. If nothing else, staying here for what little time he could would be entertaining, engaging, and possibly even fun. This was the first time he'd been around a group of people and hadn't been dying to escape them. It was a foreign feeling, and he wanted to explore it.
And, if that all turned out to be rubbish, he could always disappear.
He leaned on the railing at the edge of the deck, peering out over the water where the sun had begun to make its descent toward the horizon. The smooth surface of the ocean flickered with the orange light and all the scattered, layered clouds in the sky were painted pink, red, orange and gold. The giant green fronds of palm trees rustled on the shore, and once in a while an echoing, distant squawk of one animal or another carried out through the forest and over the water.
On the ship, the sailors were all taking their break after weeks of work. Now that the ship was anchored off-shore and wouldn't be going anywhere for at least a little while, they were allowed to have their fun or to go off and spend the evening in Booty Bay. Levianath could hear a loud crowd below deck shouting merrily about a board game tournament in progress, and he also heard singing and a lot of scuffling, which he deduced was the sound of the drunken pirates dancing and/or brawling. He had half a guess that Julian might be in the mix of all that, if not for the boy sleeping.
A door closing from the cabin beside him caused him to turn his head, and he saw Fiammetta walk out and glance in his direction. Their eyes met, and Levianath sent her a confident smirk, and then returned his gaze to the sea. He heard her footsteps approach until she was beside him, and he spoke while still gazing forward.
"Wouldn't happen to have any leaf on you, would you?" he requested casually.
She cocked her head. "You mean a cigarette?"
He just shrugged. "Haven't touched one in far too long."
"I'm sure at least one of the crew can spot you one, if you have means of payment."
"Eh," he waived it off, "slavers took everything I had. It's not important anyway." He flicked his eyes to her, noting how the orange sunlight ignited the entire contour of her trollish face in a vivid glow, as well as her navy hair. He stared at her for a moment before looking back over the water. "It's getting late."
She stood up straight again. "And I need to manage some trading in town before we weigh anchor. This ship needs repairs, and we've got a lot of cargo down there worth a lot to the right buyers."
"Cargo?"
"Sugar, salt, metal, rum," she listed. "The usual."
"Achieved by what means?" Levianath asked playfully.
A smirk flickered beside her small tusks. "You know the definition of piracy."
"So you definitely are pirates, then?" He turned around, practically sitting on the rails now to look at her fully.
"Yes, but we only loot from those who have enough to spare. Never the small or private operations. Wouldn't want to get the law on our tail, and especially not hunters. But a brig full of goods here and there is enough to bring in money to pay the whole crew, and have some to spare. It takes selective judgment to know when to steal and when to pass."
"You been doing it for long?"
"My entire life," she said, which surprised him. "I was born into it, actually. My father was the best pirate I've ever known; Darkrunner being second only to him."
"And your father was...?"
"A man of both honor and infamy. I used to like to think I took after him, but as time passes I realize how much more similar I am to my mother."
Levianath shifted his stance, hips cocking partially as he went from sitting to slightly leaning against the railing. "They raised you on the sea?"
"Yes; as much as they could, at least."
"What do you mean by that?"
"They were constantly busy, not to mention I was a difficult child, but I suppose that's the case for most trolls."
Levianath let out a laugh. "Ah, yes. Never underestimate the fire that is a troll."
She laughed as well, a sound that made Levianath's thoughts falter for a moment. Her voice was playful. "You know it wasn't until they put me in the permanent care of my godfather that I began to mellow out."
"How old were you then?"
"Fourteen."
He laughed out loud again. "And here I always thought it was the other way around. Normally teen years signify the opposite of 'mellowing out'. Who was your godfather?"
She coughed. "Guess."
He shook his head, hands out in a shrug. "Drawing a blank."
"Well, who's the captain of this ship?"
Levianath's brows lowered. "You can't be serious."
Her smirk grew. "I told you I knew him well."
Levianath stood up straight. "You're full of surprises, first mate."
She returned with a tilt of her head, her red eyes almost glowing as they caught the setting sunlight. "Catch me at another time like this and I just might tell you a little more."
"I'll hold you to that," he replied, flashing a smile.
She blinked once, and then turned, making her way to the ship's wheel and barking out a few orders to the crew. It wasn't long before the ship had been returned to the docks, and Levianath, instead of venturing out into the bay to spend the rest of the evening doing who knows what, went straight into the captain's cabin and fell asleep.
We get to see what Lily is up to soon.
Also coming up: brawls, bonding, and more explosions.
:D