"And what am I supposed to tell Marine?" asked Sparrow in the morning.
"What do you mean?" Reaver asked innocently.
"I came here full of foreboding and thoroughly pissed off at you. Then it turns out in the end it wasn't that bad and I ended up seducing you," she replied. The pirate snorted with laughter.
"When in the world did you seduce me?" Reaver asked, surprised.
"I was bad, several times, remember?" she reminded him. Reaver snorted with laughter.
"That wasn't seduction, you naïve little girl, that was me playing along."
Sparrow blushed. "Does it matter? I can't lie to the equivalent of a sister. So, what do I do? Tell her the truth?" Sparrow asked urgently.
Reaver shrugged. "I'm not bothered," he replied. "Just tell her if it means so much to you."
Sparrow sighed. "Why did I ask you for moral advice?"
"Don't bother. If it truly wasn't that bad, I suggest we keep going," Reaver told her.
"I'm hungry," she said suddenly.
"If you promise-actually, stay still for a minute," Reaver commanded. "Arms by your head, there's a good girl. Legs open."
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Ensuring you don't run away while I'm gone."
"Oh, come on! If it means that much I'll walk along WITH you," Sparrow begged.
"Ah, I love it when you beg. No, my dear, I think I'd prefer to keep you here this way. It's a good look-suits you," Reaver said appraisingly.
Sparrow rolled her eyes and Reaver slipped his clothes on.
"Don't take too long or I'll get hypothermia," she warned him scathingly.
"You know the cure for hypothermia?" He asked slyly.
"No," she answered.
"Sharing bodily heat," said a very self-pleased Reaver.
"Now, don't move too much, there's a dear. I'll be back in five," Reaver said, and, kissing Sparrow's forehead, he walked out the room to the food stalls.
Sparrow growled. So, he's just tied me to the bedpost and left me. Jerk. Handsome and skilful at the game of love, but he's still a jerk.
True to his word, he was back in five minutes, releasing Sparrow and handing her breakfast.
"Thanks," she said, and bit into the carrot.
"Is it easy, being a vegetarian?" He asked.
"Um, yeah," she replied, once she'd swallowed the carrot.
"How so? You give up meat."
"Meat is fattening, Reaver. As an adventurer, I have to stay in shape," she replied in a bored voice.
Reaver shrugged. "Say what you like. I still have an appetite to please," he said.
In both senses of the word, I shouldn't wonder, Sparrow thought cynically. She finished off the carrot. "So, why did you tie me to the bed?" She asked after a long silence.
"Because, Sparrow, I must say, you looked extremely attractive that way," he confessed.
"Pervert," she hissed.
"Say what you like. I still have an appetite to please," he told her slyly.
Knew it, Sparrow thought smugly.
"Why are you looking so smug?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing. You said the same words earlier when you were talking about food, and I betted you meant it in both senses of the word,"
she informed him.
"You obviously won the bet," Reaver said, his eyebrow quirking.
"Indeed so."
"And what was the reward?"
"Um, I didn't think of that."
"I've got an idea."
She looked at him, surprised. "I get to go home now?" She asked.
Reaver's answer was a lip-locking kiss.
Marine took a deep breath and placed the seal on the door. She unlocked it and opened it. The smell of dead air smote her in the face, and she took a deep breath. "Come along then, Rin," she said bravely, and together they walked into the blackness.
Then she realised her skin was glowing. It was lighting up the walls with a golden glow.
Is this part of being a Hero? she wondered, but shrugged it off.
She jumped down a large hole and swam across a pool, then ran through several tunnels before she reached the central chamber.
Only question is, when I stood on this before, with Sparrow, why didn't it light up for me too?
She didn't bother with such menial problems. She went and stood on the stone platform. Instantly, golden beams surrounded her and she felt the power in her blood unlocking.
Finally, I'll be as strong as Sparrow! I'll be a proper Henchwoman!
Though she knew she could never literally be as strong as Sparrow, she took great pleasure in knowing that they now had a great many things in common.
We lost siblings to evil people…we've suffered a lot, and been the subject of abuse. It's as if we were meant to be sisters, Marine mused, and, as the golden beams set her down gently, she remembered her poor brother, Seth, who had been shot and died in Sparrow's arms. We were both five, and she was fifteen. And I chose to help her in her quest for vengeance. I only wish Seth were alive to see me.
She shook her head to clear it, and stood tall. She saw the blue Will lines covering her body.
"Time to go get Sparrow. She's been away too long," Marine decided.