Willow POV
Seeing Will by the dock was like a breath of fresh air that tightened all of my heart strings into a bundle of pure delight and amazement. I forgot about the arm around my neck and how I had to helplessly watch as my friend tried to take down the crafty Elisavet. He was here and I knew in that moment ignoring him for the rest of my life could never work.
He had yet to notice me as he readied to enter the brawl mere feet from where I was imprisoned. His features hardened as he tensed up to (hopefully) kick Elisavet's ass when all of a sudden she got the upper hand. With a final blow, she floored Lucian, knocking him to the ground. I opened my mouth to scream but something else came out instead.
"Will!"
His face whipped up from the scene and my heart tightened anew taking in his furious beauty. He nearly looked taken aback until his eyes tilted down to the arm around my neck. My head was jolted up a little as Christophe readjusted his grip and spoke.
"Ah, the soulfinder. Pleasure to meet you, formally that is." He laughed though his grip never slackened. "Shall I begin? My name is Christophe and yours is Will. And I am afraid Willow cannot come with you today."
"I hardly see that happening," Will replied. He fixed his stance so his arms flexed, showing off their considerable bulk. Christophe, despite his slighter frame, did not seem bothered.
"Did you do what we asked? No, not at all. We catch you roaming about looking." He adjusts his grip on my neck. "So the stakes have risen 'soulfinder'. You are definitely not getting my sister dearest back anytime soon."
Will looked set on tackling Christophe regardless but paused as Christophe's words registered. "Sister?" he said, his eyes flickering from my face to Christophe's.
"Yes Mr. Benedict," Christophe beamed. I bet he was enjoying this far too much. I, however, was trying to breathe around his arm. "A new development I must admit. Oh God, another Benedict paired with a criminal!" He started howling laughing behind me, his body shaking with it.
Will's eye burned with fury. "She is nothing like you and she comes now." He rushed at us only Christophe yanked me back far enough for Elisavet to grab at him. She was the smallest here but after easily tying up Lucian she was not the underdog. That and her… Gift!
"Bhiiilllllll!" I hoarsely screeched as Christophe pulled me back, trying to get me on the boat. I struggled as he dragged me, skinning my heels against the rough gangway. But Will leaped on board, shaking the deck beneath our feet as he landed. But Elisavet was a split second behind and instead of landing aboard, she flung herself on Will's back and clamped her hands around his neck. In an instant, his eyes unfocused and rolled back in his head as Elisavet's poison flooded his mind. He dropped like a rock, crashing on the deck.
I screamed wordlessly as I felt the boat thrum violently underfoot. We were leaving! I renewed my efforts to break free as Elisavet got up.
"Just enough to put her out." Christophe said from behind me. "And get someone to help you put them away. Looks like he comes too." He sighed loudly.
With my rapidly filling eyes still focused on Will, I felt what was like a mental blow to the back of the head before I went out like a light.
One thing I had always liked about my 'perfect' memory was how I could rely on it. It left me rarely wrong as it stored away nearly everything I could ever possibly need to know. And it gave me a confidence in myself I might have lacked otherwise.
So as I woke up in the deep bowels of the boat, I began to shake. Because imagine your memories were a series of photographs laid outside in a storm. After the initial mayhem and destruction, you try to inspect the damage. After a while, you find most of the photographs, some dirty and hard to see. But you clean them and those memories come back to life. Others are scratched, battered, ripped and some torn up with pieces you doubted you would find again. And some gone for good so it seemed.
My shields had saved me from being rendered an incoherent, babbling mess at least. A small mercy. Slowly my brain worked through repairing what it could as I calmed myself down. I felt less confused with each passing minute, happy my mind was growing stronger.
Now, where was I? Taking in my surroundings I concurred I was zip tied. Not too intellectually challenging to deduce from the pain in my wrists. Seemed to be to a pipe that stretched up the length of the metal wall of the boat, no doubt making it's great getaway to Ireland. Probably in the hull as the place was sparsely furnished. If I could even say that. It was dark though as my eyes adjusted, I could make out more pipes emerging from what looked like a boiler. Boats were never of an interest to me and I doubted a love affair would begin after this delightful experience. I knew I was surrounded by metal though as my legs were numb with cold from sitting on it for so long and one shoulder chilly as I leaned against the wall. As much as possible when your hands were tied up half a meter from said wall.
A soft moan broke through my inner musings. Will? Fighting the darkness, I blinked repeatedly all around until I made out a figure slumped over in a heap against the opposite side of this… pit. Their hands hung up at an awkward angle, probably tied like mine, as they tried to shift into a more comfortable position. They emitted a soft moan again.
"Will," I choked, my eyes burning with unshed tears. He stirred. Encouraged, I kept saying his name, ignoring the protest of my raw throat. "I am here. Will, please wake up. Will, Will."
"Oh God," he groaned. I pressed my lips together as his stiff limbs struggled to sit up his strong frame. After five minutes of scuffling noises he seemed to find a semi- comfortable spot, breathing heavily. I heard metal ding as he leaned his head up against the far wall.
"Will, can you talk?" I whispered, my voice echoing across to him.
"My… Head," he said finally. I could feel his eyes on me for a few moments before he spoke again. "Who… Who are you?"
Annoying author person again,
not sure how many of you saw but turns out 'Winning Willow' won more at the Finding Sky Fanfiction Awards 2016! Eeep!
'Winning Willow' ended up winning;
-'Best Original Storyline' (joint winner with Capturing Ella by Fishcaked)
-'Best Xav/ Crystal' (joint winner with Seeking Crystal - Xav's POV - Dropsofjupiter05)
-'Best Will Benedict Based' (joint winner with Challenging Alexis by Luce17)
-'Best Victor Benedict Based' (but ya knew that one!)
This also got runner up for 'Hardest Struggle to Soulfinder', 'Best O/C' and 'Best Updates'!
Thank you so, so, so much for everyone that voted! Pretty delighted especially to share 'Best Will Benedict Based' with 'Challenging Alexis' by Luce17 (who I nominated and voted for for that category because have you read that story?!) I did not actually believe it when I saw the updated winner's list and even double checked was this revised list actually correct with BookMove.
Anyway, gushy moment over and I shall leave you with your hint. It is double the length of this chapter (I know this is short, sorry!) and going to hint through a quote again (ps. Tell me if you like me hinting like that in a review!): "Of course it would be V-," but I could not find the words to finish that sentence. Was it actually Vick and the crew or a speedier way to take us off radar? My stomach churned..." ;)