Chapter 6
"Forbidden Land"
POV: Haytham
His lips were rough, yet had some pleasant softness hidden beneath the tight light of them pressing together. The smell of blood and sea mixture hit my nostrils, making my senses sharpen in a split of a second. My eyelids seemed to quiver slightly, as if my whole body was enjoying the closeness between me and Shay. It was truly odd, even for my character, to suddenly let a light feeling overtake my consciousness and let the deepest desires make their way for exposure.
I mentally made a not for myself to from now contain myself more strictly. I am the Grand Master, the example for the idiots that stand outside the door and call themselves heroes of our order. The meaning of true genius was not held in the number of people one has killed, but it was shown in the skill of one and the morals they followed. Charles was one of those people whose personal beliefs made me cringe in disgust sometimes. It was the first time I saw him so mad and drunk; the vibe of jealousy was particularly bright around his figure. Could his envy for my caring of Shay be the reason of his breakdown not so long ago, which led to Cormac's poor condition now? Most likely it was just precisely that.
My thoughts were suddenly broken by a pair of creamy brown eyes staring at me as I decided to overlook Shay's face. Our eyes met of course, and there was a pause in time between us. My ice met his fragile fire, and for a moment I even thought that it began to melt something deep within my guarded chest. That was the moment when I realized that my lips were still against Cormac's and as it seemed, the man was trying to kiss me back and turn a simple touch into a sync of one motion. Of course I could not let such madness overtake my mind, so I pulled away right away and breathed out sharply.
"I see you are awake, excellent." I said straightening up in my spot near Shay's arm on the edge of the bed. The Irishman kept staring at me as if I was some angel that descended from Heavens to take the man with me. Unfortunately, I was the one to give death; the work of choosing between the two unearthly worlds was none of my concern. "I was already wondering about a figure that might take your place on the Morrigan." I smirked crossing my arms over my chest and waiting for Shay to finally support a conversation; the poor man looked like he has suffered a shock, even though the kiss was not a big deal. Or was it?
Cormac blinked. Once, twice, three times. Right now, he reminded me of a little boy that has learned something about his delicate life that was to ruin in within a moment. The he reached up to touch my cheek, the way I touched his before. I had a strong feeling summoned in my body that demanded to reject the touch, and yet I went with the minority that longed the caress and anything that would come after it.
"M-Master Kenway, Charles-"
"I know," I cut Shay off already knowing what he was to explain about his hellish condition. "Charles is the cause of your pain, my apologies, and the drunken fool is in his quarters currently expecting the trial." I smirked, imagining putting Lee in court for hurting my Cormac. I suddenly paused, my face becoming blank as I stared at an empty space.
My Cormac?
"I am sorry sir, I am not sure Mister Lee likes me at all." Shay chuckled as he looked to the side. Until now I have not notice the slight pink on his pale cheeks. Something inside me smiled at the innocent view before me, but my face remained stoic.
"I shall have a word with him later, I promise for the situation to become clear, Mister Cormac. For now, you need to have more rest, you have suffered enough." I said standing up from the bed and brushing my hands over the top of my clothing to smooth out the fabric. I suddenly felt a hand grasping the edge of my coat and slightly tugging on it. I turned my head slightly to the right to look over my shoulder and the man that was looking straight at me. "Yes Mister Cormac?"
"Haytham please stay…" Shay pleaded before his voice cracked into a cough. The wound must have been triggered most violently and caused more pain than before. Damned Charles, sometimes I wish for that man to find his own end somewhere in the bottom of the ocean along with his shameless outbursts.
"Mister Cormac, I suggest you let go of me. I have found a more comfortable place to remain in while you rest." I announced nodding toward the chair in the corner. And yet even my firm voice seemed to have no effect on this man. There was something different about him suddenly; he became bolder even through the high wall of respect toward my figure.
"Haytham… Master Kenway, could you please stay here, by my bed?" Shay asked again, more confidently and less pathetically this time. A hum was produced by me as I considered the offering. Perhaps my lips had some magical effect on Cormac after the unexpected kiss has occurred from a wave of forbidden feelings. Nonetheless, I nodded my head after a long sigh has escaped me, and I found myself sitting on the same spot on Shay's bed where I was before. The hand clutching the fabric of my clothing weakened its grasp and lowered on the mattress, yet those honey piercing eyes never left my face.
"Mister Shay if there is something you wish to speak about, I suggest you do it now." I said with a tired glow in my eyes. I was already thinking of falling asleep in my sitting position since my day was tiring, and the storm outside refused to vanish. The thunder and the loud rain had a soothing effect on me; every muscle in my body was struggling in staying tense, making my concentration weak and unstable.
Shay turned his head back to gaze over me, search my face for some kind of a clue that would make him more confident. I sighed and reached back to grasp his surprisingly cold hand, a few of our fingers intertwining. I could feel a shiver run over the Irishman's body, making him a little uncomfortable. Sadly for Shay, I did not take my hand away; I simply waited for him to speak already.
"Master Kenway, I meant to ask you of what happened earlier…as I awakened…" The man began to speak, his cheeks once more claiming the virtuous color of a blushing girl in the city.
"The kiss you mean of course."
"Y-yes, the kiss."
"You did not enjoy it? I see." I smirked and arched my brow at Cormac.
"What? No, Master Kenway, I meant to ask the reason why you have…have kissed me…" Shay swallowed a tight knot of wonder and nervousness in his throat.
"Shay, must you have a reason for everything? What if I had a simple desire to join my lips with yours?" I asked carelessly and leaned in closer to the man. "What if I would do it again, just because it is my will? Will you deny me?" My eyes darkened as I suddenly enjoyed the little game of taunting I have started. Cormac's face was now a color of a late sunset of the exotic islands as he stared at my lips.
"I…"
"Do you have the temper to deny a kiss of the Grand Master?" I whispered intimately before chuckling to myself. I was torturing the young Irishman, but it brought so much joy to my exhausted soul, I simply could not stop. Shay yelped something under his breath before his hands suddenly wrapped around my cheeks.
"I can never deny you, Haytham." He mouthed unable to speak before he pushed his lips against mine. I heard a soft snarl coming from him as his body melted under me. Even though my lips were busy, my eyes were laughing at him. Shay did find the courage to become so bold and impudent with me, and yet I had no time to complain. My eyes slowly closed as our lips began to move in sync; my hand pressed against the mattress for balance before the other found its way up Shay's back to his chevelure. I pulled on the dark lock, hard enough to tilt Cormac's head back and deepen the kiss.
Our tongues intertwined together in some eerie profound dance. I could feel Shay's breathing slow down and become heavier while its heat caressed the top of my upper lip. He hummed something incomprehensive that I decided to ignore since it did not matter at the moment.
"M-master Kenwa-mhhm" Shay still tried to speak and that was a sign that he suddenly found something important to mention during the wrong time, as always. I parted our lips, leaving Cormc panting and groaning at the feeling of his hair in the strong grasp of my hand that I was not going to ease any time soon.
"Yes Shay?" I asked calmly without any change in my expression. Kissing was something that did not exhaust me, it only sparked the fire of longing for more, thought of course I was not to expose that desire to Shay at the moment. Perhaps in time I might make that decision.
"What have we done?" Shay asked after he finally regained his normal breathing and sense of reality. His eyes were dark with desire as I could tell, I knew precisely what he wanted, but I was sure that he was aware of how impossible it was at this moment.
"We have crossed the border of the forbidden lands, Cormac." I replied finally releasing his lock from my fingers and softly stroking along. Shay narrowed his eyes in relaxation and grasped my wrist in a gentle movement of his hand.
"Forbidden lands, eh?" The Irishman chuckled and nodded his head slowly as he considered my reply. "I do not mind at all, in fact, I quiet like it. Breaking the rules and going against the common laws that peasants follow…" He grinned at me, for a moment looking like the happiest man alive. Such energy sent a strike though me. I was suddenly impressed by his brightness no matter how ironic it was compared to the gash on his stomach that was probably causing him a lot of agony right now.
I let out a sigh and looked down at my knees for a moment. My gaze then followed some invisible line toward the window where the storm still raged. I felt Shay's hand glide up my arm and grasp my shoulder. I did not turn to look at him, but I made sure that he knew that I registered his current actions and was full aware of his presence.
"Haytham, is it hard to speak of your feelings?" Shay asked in a whisper, as if afraid to startle me with such foolish question and lose my warmth near him.
"Feelings are the fog of our minds; it makes us mad and sends us to the path of corruption." I replied without putting any thought into it since I had to ask myself the same question many times before, and find my own explanation. "Some of us become lost in the world of emotions and eventually meet the same outcome. With sober mind and luck just a few survive that realize that feelings are a weakness of a human being."
"I make my own luck." Shay said with a smirk that I could feel without even looking at him.
"Then why did you ask me about expression of feelings?"
"Because it is clear now that we are not just members of the order that respect each other." Cormac said grasping my shoulder as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. "I think we are something more, something we are yet to find out about." I felt his chin press against me and I turned my head to find his face inches from mine. We looked at each other in silence; his eyes scanning mine as well as I did the same. No one dared to speak, we did not have to. Some deep connection was established between us even before today's curious circumstances. This bond allowed us to speak without words, to breathe and know what the other was thinking. How odd, I never thought that those months of separation and brief glances at our meetings could make Shay so attached to me, and I…
I so attached to him. Attached, it was a sinister word that did not promise anything joyful.
"Shay, I suggest you to rest back and not compromise your wellbeing." I said firmly before placing my hand on his chest and trying to push him back. Yet the Irishman managed to find the moment to wrap his arms around my broad shoulders with a smile on his lips.
"I am feeling fine, Master Kenway." He said dishonestly and leaned over to steal another kiss from my lips, which I have truly expected deep inside.
"Cormac, I am not a young ignorant lady you can lie to as you bed her. I said, lay down." I finally found the strength to unhook his arms and place his upper body down. Shay's eyes were fixed on me; I knew he was laughing at me silently since I showed so much care for him in the matter of a few hours. Nonetheless, I ignored his attempts to tease me with such glances as I covered him with the blanket.
"Master Kenway." Shay suddenly asked after there was quite a long pause of tranquil stillness between us. I arched my brows as I looked at him after finally deciding to leave the bed and give the man his healthy privacy. I froze as I saw something I did not expect to be exposed before my eyes so soon.
Shay's face was suddenly paler than it was before. The red on his cheeks has completely vanished without a trace and his eyes were faded as he breathed heavily. How could he change in the matter of a few minutes?
"Shay?" I asked concerned about the sharp change in the man. It was then when I saw blood dripping down from the sheet soaked in scarlet color. I darted forward and swatted the cover off, my eyes moving exactly to the wound I was afraid of becoming worse all along. I cursed as I saw Cormac covered in the thick crimson liquid chest and down. There was no way the gash could have opened during the moment when Shay sat up and I forced him to relax back down. Was the Irishman hiding this from me from the very beginning? My god how much pain has he suffered through while perfectly acting out a healthy recovering man? I stared at the wound; sure that the green substance that the doctor gave me was of no use now, so there was a chance of running out of the quarters and calling him back.
"Haytham." A weak voice called me from the bed, to which I did not want to respond. Shay betrayed me with such a filthy lie, and now he wanted something from me. Nevertheless, I did turn to him and stared right at his colorless features.
"Speak." I demanded sharply, unable to control the distant anger growing within me.
"Haytham, stay with me." He smiled reaching out for me. I suddenly felt my fingers tremble a little as I could not decide to whether slap his hand away and call for the doctor, or hold it tightly and lie about a bright future to come?
"Did you know you were bleeding this whole time as you asked me to stay close to you?" I asked carefully as if hoping that Shay would prove me wrong. Cormac only nodded, sending my head into a spin of an emotional breakthrough. What did I say about emotions? Greatest weakness of mankind, was it? Cormac surely has found of way to poke at it and send my firm figure out of character.
"Haytham, I am sorry you have to find a substitute for the Morrigan." He said, his voice already weakened, obvious to my ears no matter how much he tried to hide it. "Let…Let Gist be the Captain, and-"
"Shut your mouth, Cormac." I snarled at him already losing the last bits of control over myself. I rushed to the door and called for someone in the hallway, yet everyone seemed to be gone except for Charles, unfortunately. I took a deep breath as a pair of icy blue eyes was fixed on me; I needed to calm down and sound dominant over this man of character.
"Charles, may you please go get a doctor. As soon as possible, the best is now of course. I need you to hurry, I shall explain later." I said and watched Lee slowly get up from his seat and look away from me, a guilty expression still easily readable on his face. After all, Charles was an open book to me, and nothing escaped from my sharp observation.
"Yes sir." Charles said with some laziness in his tone before he walked out of the door and slammed it shut behind him. Some eerie feeling inside me shouted at me that right now I should have not entrusted a trip to the doctor to my second-in-command, and yet he was the only one I was able to turn to since I could not leave Shay right now.
I hurried back inside the bedroom and found Shay grimacing at the pain that was now filling up his mind. I sat down on the edge, trying not to disrupt him in any way. My hand reached forward to touch his forehead and immediately to retract back. Shay has already received a fever, a perfect addition to his bleeding.
"Master Kenway, I am deeply sorry." Cormac whispered trying to sound strong, yet I could tell he was about to weep at his own foolishness.
"Do not speak, save your strength for later." I said leaning forward and pressing my lips against his hot forehead. "Close your eyes and forget about the pain, relax. I will treat your wound in the meantime."
"I trust you." Shay whispered and obeyed my request my lowering his eyelids over the brown orbs that have lost their warm glow in the light of the candles. I sighed and got rid of the bloody bandages grimacing at the gore before me. The gash was wide open; for some reason the green paste did not help it heal in any way. I reached over to the bedside cabinet and retrieved the last available roll of clean strappings.
I was sure that we both knew that without a doctor's presence any time soon, Cormac was to die.
POV: Shay
What are we Haytham? I ask myself as I sink into the darkness after my eyes are closed by his request. I cannot feel anything else through the outburst of agony in my abdomen. It feels like a thousand sharp knives were cutting into my flesh, trying to rip me apart. I despised Charles even more now, even though I had no time or strength to think about that wicked man.
Haytham, what have we done to ourselves in this brief passion? You said emotions were out greatest weakness, and yet here I see you show me the other side of you, the side that no one perhaps has ever observed about you. And to be honest with you, Devil strike me twice, I love it.
I cannot find the true answer of what I feel toward you, and yet I wish to say so many things right now. I am sorry that the damned wound is taking me away. It seems that my own immaturity has led me to a bitter end.
"Shay?"
It feels so easy to just let go.
"Shay can you hear me?"
I feels so…painless.
"Shay! Speak to me right now!"
"Master Kenway what happened?"
"Thomas what are you doing here?"
"I saw Charles leaving the quarters to a foreign direction and thought something has happened, so I dragged the doctor down here."
"That bastard…"
"Master Kenway, I have been summoned…oh god what happened here?"
"Save him."
"Master Kenway I am not sure that-"
"Save him, gods damn you!"
Haytham please do not yell I am trying to sleep. Just a few minutes of tranquility will do well for me, I promise. I will wake up and you can work on my wound, I will be better afterwards.
Just…a…few…minutes…
"Shay!"