Time was going slow and quiet. Resonating boredom lay in every object and living thing. Even the rats were sleeping, curled up on the barrels, just below the level of the street lights. There was nothing to do. Nothing to look at.

Tauriel crossed her arms in the shuttering cold of the passing morning and thought about her times in her mansion. It was nice and carefree but still felt the lack of freedom due to her Mother's overprotection. She remembered the first time she had walked through her old manor's door, feeling free for the first time. She had been so happy she could barely stand it. She missed the place.

As if things couldn't get any worse.

Tauriel wondered about the old creaking place, the place that Pyke made her hide out in

A solemn den of silence. Boredom and isolation. The den was covered with fishing nets, hooks, and some old fish bones. An empty keg of ale stood next to the bones.

Still, she couldn't get used to the stench of rancid fish and piss that filled the place.

A single candle was in the middle of the room, its wax slowly melting down. Then, she heard a splash of water occur outside of the dock house.

"Pyke?"

She couldn't handle the emptiness of the place so she jogged outside. She saw him rise up from the dark waters and onto the wooden docks.

"Get inside." He assured in a demanding manner. She was startled and did what he told her. He later followed her inside the wooden dock house and shut the door behind him.

"Don't go outside." He said in a stern voice. "Someone could see you."

"—It's not like anyone is here." She replied.

"Doesn't matter."

Her brows furrowed in annoyance, Tauriel sighed as it immediately brought a familiar memory to her. She rubbed her arm in solemnity.

"You remind me of my mum." Said Tauriel.

Pyke barely turned to her.

"She always told me not to go out. Outside is bad and all that nonsense." She continued.

"You should've listened to her." He said.

Tauriel looked at him in slight surprise. "What?"

"There are people out there who want you for far worse. It's the same thing back in Noxus. Or anywhere else."

Tauriel crossed her arms and pouted, "Seems like the whole world's bonkers..."

"You don't get out much," Pyke remarked.

Tauriel was almost offended. "Well, I suppose you don't get out much either! You're probably just as isolated and alone as I am."

Pyke ignored her comment and made a faint hum.

"You know how to fight?" He suddenly asked. Tauriel pursed her lips at him, "-I don't..."

"Know how to swim?"

She looked at him blankly.

"No. I-I dread the water! Why? Why are you asking?" She replied.

He groaned in a low tone. "In case things go south, I gotta get you out of here."

"Through the water?" Tauriel said in a muddled manner.

"Yes."

Tauriel had a sudden rush of cold feet, "Are you sure there aren't any... other options?"

"Like what?" He asked in a stern manner. "You think I have some magical plan that's gonna get us out of this?"

"No, but..."

He stepped out of the conversation and outside. "I'll show you." He said. Tauriel followed him outside.

"-But you said not to go outside."

"Just come."

They both stumbled onto the wooden dock as Pyke subsided his feet into the thick sea water. It looked dark and murky, deep and unknown. Tauriel was frightened, but curiosity kept her from running away.

Pyke, on the other hand, was already swimming in the water.

"I-I don't think it's safe. There could be underwater creatures in there. L-like that Jaull fish you mentioned!"

"There's no Jaull fish here. This part of the sea's fine." Said Pyke.

"I-I know, but what if there's a creature that could kill us with one bite! We need to be careful! There could be something in there! Please! For me!" Her words stammered in fear and her nervousness was starting to agitate Pyke's patience.

Pyke let out an aggravated groan and swam back to the dock where he approached it with a deathly stare.

Tauriel vaulted, "Fine! Fine! I'll go in!" She yelled. "Don't drown me!"

He grabbed her hand and began pulling her into the water where he eventually let go of her until she was on her own.

She winced at the first touch of water, "It's freezing!" and made an uncomfortable whine.

Pyke bit his lip and tried to be quiet.

The more she was submerged in the water, the tenser she became. It was like she was being swallowed whole, suffocated by thick liquid.

"Come in a little further." He said. Tauriel shook her head, "No, no! I feel like I can't breathe!" The water was up to her chest and she began to hyperventilate.

"Trust me." He looked side to side to see if any attention was drawn to them considering that Tauriel was beginning to yelp and shout in anxiety.

She didn't listen to him, instead, she thrashed her arms and legs in a desperate attempt to stay afloat.

Tauriel rushed to shore and tried to calm herself. Her clothes were thick and wet, so she complained even more. "I shouldn't have come in with my trousers..." She muttered. "I can't do this!"

Pyke sighed then rolled his eyes. Tauriel was quite apprehensive, annoying, and hard to deal with. He knew exactly what to do though. "You need to calm down."

"I'm sorry. I-I don't think I'm quite ready for that..." She said.

"Fine." Pyke slumped onto the shore where the thickness of the ocean sea withered from his surroundings. Tauriel could instantly feel his negative aura slightly return as he left the conversation and entered back into the dock house. Tauriel felt ashamed and stupid but she just wasn't ready. Pyke seemed to be apathetic about her situation. She needed to change that, she would change it, she just needed some time.

She sat down on the wooden dock for a few moments. She looked down at her lap and thought.

It was freezing out here, especially in her now wet clothes. She sighed and rushed inside where it wasn't any better. Tauriel pulled her boots off and a good amount of water slipped out of them. She complained once more in disgust but the amount of displeasure continued to torment her.

She was thinking of taking off all her clothes but realized she would have nothing else on. Tauriel glanced off to the side where Pyke was in the corner doing something. A dagger in his hand. Carefully she approached him and tapped him on the arm.

"Um, Pyke?" She squeaked.

He murmured in response with a slight turn of the head.

"I was wondering if... you could get me some new clothes? Of course, I only have these... if I'm going to be staying here, I'll need some things."

He turned back to the conversation and didn't respond.

"It'd be really helpful if I had some clothes."

Still, no response.

"Please?"

Pyke finally looked at her and then let out a muffled sigh.

"I can get some at night." He said.

Tauriel was confused, "At night? You can't get it now?"

"No. People are more aware during the daytime. I hunt easier in the dark." Pyke replied.

"Fine. But I cannot stand having my clothes all wet. I need a change." She said.

He sighed, "You can wear that sack over there." He pointed at a barrel that had an empty sack on top. Although, maybe he was joking around.

Tauriel was taken aback, "What?! I can't wear that. You were the one who pressured me into going in the water! It's your fault!"

Pyke suddenly slammed his palms onto the wooden table, the objects jumped in response and Tauriel grew in concern as she sensed something in him. "Sorry," Tauriel said. "I suppose my... outburst is causing some tearing in your neutral and non-hostile demeanor."

"Not the first time." He said.

"I suppose not... I'm just not used to all this. I had so much and now it's all gone. Nothing." Tauriel sighed.

"It's the real world. You're not living with privilege anymore, princess."

The conversation mended easily and there was no negative aura coming from him anymore, just his stoic energy. Tauriel walked over to the barrel and had almost decided to grab onto the pair of sacks. But she decided not to take them. "Nevermind." She mumbled and returned to one of the old couchettes. The wet clothes tightly pressed along her skin and she couldn't feel comfortable in them.

She didn't know how much time had passed but she felt like she had been asleep for quite a while. Her eyes opened and she looked around.

There was sudden weight laid on top of her which woke her up quite abruptly. She gasped to see Pyke standing over her as she looked to see a bag of clothes.

"That was quick..." she commented.

"I hunt in the dark."

Tauriel found his company somewhat unsettling. Nevertheless, she was excited to see something she could change into.

A dress that was in cotton and a soft corset along with it. "Where did you get this?"

He walked off and said, "Found them off of a clothing line."

"Did you steal it?" She asked in concern.

He stopped and faced her, "You said you wanted some clothes. I grabbed some for you."

"That- that isn't good. These belong to someone!"

"You want to return them yourself?" He snapped. Tauriel's ears backed down in response, "N-no. I...um. Thank you."

Tauriel gripped her hands onto the pair of clothes tightly in her palms and found herself to be quite oily and stinky from her lack of good hygiene. "I'm going to have to take a bath to wear all of this."

She peered outside were the only place she could really wash was the shallow part of the sea, a close beach.

Tauriel took one glance at Pyke where his back was facing her and spoke out, "Pyke, I'm just going to wash myself out in the water."

He heard her and spun around. "Wait. You can't-." He took a few steps towards her and just stared at her as she tilted her head in perplexity.

"Really, I must bathe myself. I can't wear these clothes if I'm dirty." Tauriel said with her eyes pouting into Pyke's gaze.

"Fine." He said and she was let out of the shack.

She watched as he walked away, a dress in her hands as she headed outside of the dock house and onto the sand.

The cold air was displeasing and the sky was starting to dim down with the low sight of the sun. Tauriel shivered as the wind blew through her wet outfit and the sand bit into her exposed skin.

She walked right into the water and let out a squeal as it embraced her.

Tauriel was eager to wash off the filth so she quickly removed her clothes and got in.

She knew the water was only supposed to be waist deep but she didn't care. Her hands dug into her hair, submerging her head in a quick second just to douse her hair. She had to force herself not to look down at herself as her hand brushed against her chest. She knew what she saw would make her blush.

Too bad there wasn't any soap.

She scrubbed her hair as well as she could with her fingers and then stood up.

"Little lady." A dithering voice spoke behind her and she quickly turned around to see an old, bearded man just standing there. Tauriel with dilated eyes quickly covered herself with her arms as she backed away and further into the sea.

"U-um, w-who aa-are you?!" She said, her voice trembling.

"Are you... a siren?" He said. Tauriel cringed in confusion as the man slowly stepped towards her.

"You're just a little mermaid girl, aren't you?"

She shook her head violently as she backed away from him.

"Pyke!" Tauriel shouted in fear.

The man continued to slowly step closer to her and Tauriel's fear only grew.

"I-I won't hurt you, little girl."

Then, suddenly a soaring dark energy pounced from above them and Tauriel crouched in fear while looking away from what had struck the old man. She could hear the tearing of the flesh, the man's screaming as blood splashed onto the sands of the beach.

She turned back around, her eyes wide as she watched through her hands. Pyke stood over the man who was eviscerated by his blade, torn up in cold blood. His body is no longer moving. Tauriel was shivering in fear, shaking in the cold water. She knew the man was dead.

The death was too clean, too fast. Something wasn't right.

"You... killed him!" Tauriel cried out.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he looked at her cowering in the water.

She nodded weakly.

Pyke turned the other cheek and grabbed the clean pair of clothes, extending his hand out to her. "Get dressed."

Tauriel slowly rose from the waters and clenched onto them. "W-wait. What about the body?"

"I'll take care of it. Get inside." Pyke headed inside the house as Tauriel followed him. She swiftly changed into the new dress given to her and Pyke regarded her privacy by not taking one glance at her.

Pyke sat down on one of the wooden chairs and cleaned off the blood on his hands. Tauriel watched from the doorway as he looked out at the beach.

He didn't even bother looking at her when she came out of the room.

"What did the man say to you?" Pyke questioned in stillness. Tauriel was still shaken, "He- he just said odd things, that's all."

"What do you mean 'odd things? Was he threatening you? Did he say anything?"

"Nothing important! Please. I feel strange." Tauriel pouted as Pyke could read the uneasy expression on her face.

Pyke kept silent as he rose to his feet.

"You're probably hungry, right?" He said and Tauriel crossed her arms as she sat down then looked off to the side, "Yes..."

"Come on then." There was a now wooden table set in the room and Tauriel hadn't noticed it until now. Strange. There was a dull plate of fruit and a fish that was cut up into small steaks and placed on a platter.

There were two glasses of water that were sitting on top of the table. Tauriel wanted to comment but felt too torn up about what had happened earlier. She sat down at the table and stared at the food, her eyes wide.

"Don't be afraid," Pyke said and Tauriel glanced up at him, her eyes narrowing. "...Were you influenced by the voices or..." Tauriel trailed off, "...whatever that thing was?" Pyke looked back down at the food in front of her and picked up a piece of the fish, chewing on it.

"You called out for me. So, I responded. You were scared. And no, there weren't voices that I could hear..." Pyke stated as he ate a piece of fruit.

Tauriel looked at him, "I thought you didn't eat." "I don't." Tauriel leaned her arm on the table while resting her head on her palm, "It was unnecessary what you did. But I suppose... you did help...-Thank you."

"It's nothing." The two ate in silence until they were done with the meal.

The two ate in silence until they were done with the meal. Pyke excused himself from the table until Tauriel slowly caught up with him.

"I'd like to try to connect with you." Pyke rose his brow as he turned to face her.

"What?"

"Do you remember? I said I could take this curse out of you. I just need to try to understand what's going on."

Pyke blankly stared at her, "Mmm, right. Tomorrow."