Echoes Upon the Sea of Ash
killiangeroux:
The drinking in the galley was giving Killian a headache. Or, more aptly, his crewmates’ loud, drunken voices were jackknifing his brain. No one else below deck was sufficiently sober enough to play cards with, so he abandoned the endeavor, longing to breathe in the salt-crisped air above deck. As he mounted the steps, the noise faded, as did the clinging odor of strong spirits. Killian rolled his shoulders, stretched his neck, and stopped short when he saw a figure by the railings. Long hair cascading down her back. Arm raised above the water. Rolled parchment in her hand.
“No!” he called out, sprinting towards her. But it was too late. Killian came up against the railing, one hand shooting out to seize Hera’s wrist ineffectually. All he could was watch as the maps were swallowed by the water’s grasp. “Zut alor! Hera!” He turned his eyes upon her, violet eyes flashing, face twisted in a glare that bared his teeth. Realizing how hard he was holding her wrist, he let go immediately. “What in the seven hells could you have been thinking? Do you truly have no care for reaching the ruins before they are hopelessly pillaged?”
“What’s goin’ on here, coves?”
Killian sighed. It seemed he had reacted a bit too loudly. He took a step closer to Hera, lowering his voice drastically. “You best have a way to get to the Sea of Ash without those. Did you not trust me to keep our end of the deal?” He had meant it when he vouched to keep her safe. He knew how the crew could get. But now…how could he defend her? He turned to face the first mate as she appeared, staring at him challengingly, like she knew he was about to lie to cover up for the historian. “Hera and I are just having a bit of a row, Severine. There is little need to concern yourself.”
“Then ye won’t mind showin’ me the maps, will you, love?”
Killian locked gazes with Severine, violet clashing with icy grey, and knew he could offer no further lies. He tightened his jaw, watching as she walked away, undoubtedly to report to the captain. Killian turned towards Hera. “Tell me how you intend to get us to the Sea of Ash. Quickly. The crew will all be on deck soon. If you want your boots to remain on this vessel, you must give me a reason to defend you.” Not that he had any intentions of letting the crew throw an innocent overboard, but he would rather not have to make a bloody mess of the deck when he still needed their assistance.
When he asked her if she had not trusted him, the first word that came to her lips was no. But she knew better than to say that.
The first mate approached them before she could answer with anything else. She didn't try to interject, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, the dark waves still pulling and pushing behind her eyes. Their voices were muffled, and she felt isolated. Dangerous situation you got yourself into, pup, she heard her father's voice. She was playing with fire and it was beginning to scorch her nerves.
Violet eyes stared at her like they would burn a hole into her forehead.
"Through me," she answered him, her voice strong despite the tightness in her throat. "I'm your map. If you get rid of me, you get rid of your only hope of finding the Sea of Ash."
Her gaze left his as a few members of the crew approached them again. The captain looked displeased. There was a notch of concern in the first mate's furrowed brow, and Hera wondered if even she was intimidated by the captain's demeanor.
Hera straightened. The hammering in her chest was loud. She feared that Killian would try to defend her, knew that he would. She wanted to speak for herself. This was her plan.
"Would one of ye rapscallions like to tell me why I should be worried 'bout the maps for?" His one-eyed gaze scanned over Killian before shifting to her.
"They're gone," she said quickly.
"Gone?" He clenched his teeth.
"I was clumsy," she said, "I tripped on deck, and the maps fell into the sea." She maintained a steady gaze into his eyes, masking her nerves with a matter-of-fact tone. Did she have a plan in case everything went wrong? What if they don’t hesitate to throw her overboard and simply set out to find another way? She swallowed to avoid getting her voice stuck in her throat, slowly so that the captain wouldn’t notice. She felt the danger cling to the lining in her stomach, saw it as a phantom waving at her from the side of the ship.