Chapter 15

When Tivon woke up, the food was already waiting in front of his cell. He shoved the curtains away and took the food. On the plate, there was a bowl of rice and a bread roll.

His sleep wasn't pleasant. The cells didn't have doors, they were only covered with curtains, meaning that he could hear everything. The whole night he was thinking if Elias managed to convince Sabur to stay here. He felt panic rise in his chest when the thought that The Rose Sparrow had already left crossed his mind. He wouldn't leave me here.

Just as he finished eating, a bell on the wall of his cell rang. That meant that The Green Woman needed him. He put the plate on the side and headed to her office.

The office was still full of smoke-filled air, but the curtains were folded, bringing the morning light into the room. Tivon didn't like coming to this room, it didn't settle well with him.

The Green Woman was standing by the window. »You have your first customer. He's already waiting for you in room four.« She looked at him with a vile smile. »Don't disappoint me. Now hurry up, you don't want your client to be waiting.«

Tivon quickly bowed and rushed to room four. I hope it's someone Elias bribed in. When he opened the door an older man with a kerchief on his head was standing by the window. Tivon bowed and when he looked up, he was relieved to see the helmsman of The Rose Sparrow. He smiled at him.

»You don't need to be polite with me, Elias explained everything to me.«

»Oh, okay.« Helmsman sat down on the chair by the window.

»I never caught your name.« Said Tivon.

»Nick. And you're Tivon, right?«

Tivon nodded and sat on the other chair. There was a table in front of them and on it was a board. On one side there were black squared discs and on the other red squared discs. Nick noticed Tivon looking at it.

»Do you know how to play Elphaty?« asked Nick.

Tivon nodded. He played it with Rea on rainy days. It was somewhat like chess. You had a queen and with each move, you had to protect it, by drawing a pattern with your disks.

They prepared the game and started playing.

»How long have you been on The Rose Sparrow?« asked Tivon as he placed one of the disks on the board.

»Since I could remember.« He fixed his kerchief and placed a black disk on the board. »I still remember when Sabur brought Elias on that ship.«

»What was he like?«

Nick looked at Tivon. »Like you. Scared.« He looked back at the board. »But he was hiding it. He had just been stripped away from his parents. I knew there was something different about that boy. Sabur wouldn't let him live if he didn't see something in him.« He sighed. »Unfortunately, he saw a potential killer in him. And he made a killer out of him.«

He placed his last disk, winning the game. »Want to go again?«

»Yes.« Said Tivon and they started over again. »Did he ever try to escape?«

Nick laughed. »Numerous times.« He moved his sleeve showing the tattoo on his wrist, the same as Elias'. »But once you made the deal, you can't run away from it.«

»But why make a deal with pirates?«

»You don't have a choice. Either you die or someone else takes you.«

Tivon remembered when yesterday Elias showed The Green Woman his tattoo.

»Does The Green Woman want Elias?« questioned Tivon.

Nick hesitated for a second, a lump forming in his throat. He swallowed hard. »Yeah, she wanted to have him.« Nick placed the last disk, winning again. »But Sabur was quicker.«

»How are you so good at this game?«

Nick smiled. »One of my favourite games.« He stood up and looked at his pocket watch. »I'll have to go.« He walked to the doors. »Hope this plan of yours works kid. I don't want you stuck here." He looked around the room before he opened the door. "This is a bad place.«

He wanted to go, but Tivon stopped him. »Nick!« He turned around. »Thank you.«

He returned the smile. »No worry kid.« He opened the door, but before he left, he turned to Tivon and said. »Elias is waiting for you on the Fedir ally. There's a door with a red mark on it. You'll find the stairs there. He'll be waiting for you.«

He turned and closed the door before Tivon could say thank you to him again. He was glad that there were still some good people on The Red Sparrow. And if Nick was here, that meant the ship was still in the harbour. After a whole night of doubt crossing his mind, Tivon felt hopeful again.

Till afternoon when he had his one hour of free time, Tivon had no more customers, so he took one of The Jade Paradises silk hoods and headed outside. The Fedir ally. Fortunately, there was a sign pointing to streets across Bradfordshire. The Fedir ally was towards the west side of the town.

When he was walking to it, he tried to avoid bumping into people. His eyes were fixed on the ground, but he could still feel other eyes on him.

At last, he arrived at the house, with a sign Fedir ally and on the right side of the house there was a street. Tivon walked in it. The alleyway was narrow and nobody was walking there. Tivon picked up his step looking around for a red mark on the door. Eventually, he came across it. He opened the door and just like Nick said, there was a staircase leading to the trapdoor.

As he walked to the stairs he stopped, doubt came rushing into Tivon's mind. What if Nick lied? Was he about to get murdered? He remembered the words of The Green Woman 'Whatever happens to you on the street isn't my problem, so don't get in trouble'.

Tivon carefully went up the stairs. Before he opened the trapdoor, he took a breath and slowly and quietly opened it.

There was a small room barely enough for a bed, closet, and a table with two chairs.

»Tivon?«

Tivon fully opened the trapdoor and turned around. Elias was standing by the window. He smiled at him. »I see, the meeting with Nick went well.«

He came to him and offered him a hand for Tivon to climb into the room. Elias suddenly blushed while looking at Tivon. The tulle silky dress just barely covered up his skin. He quickly turned away so Tivon couldn't see his face.

»U-umm, do you want to eat something?« He started looking through the bag for food.

»Not really.« said Tivon.

Elias put some dried fruit on the table. Tivon sat down.

»How much did you pay Nick to visit me?«

Elias sat down, avoiding Tivon's eyes. »He said he will pay himself.«

»He's a good man.«

»A rarity on The Rose Sparrow. In the evening, I have an older lady for you. She lives here in Bradfordshire. You'll like her, she is nice. The only thing is, she can't talk. For other days I will have to find people. The problem is not getting people, but getting the right people.« Said Elias with a sigh.

»Yeah. We'll make it somehow.« Smiled Tivon, he looked around the room. »How did you get this room? Isn't it hard to get an apartment here?«?

»Oh, someone lives here.«

»What?« Said Tivon now scared that he had just broken in someone's place.

»He's not actually living here. At the time he is in Galssop.« said Elias calmly.

»How did you get the key?«

Elias put his feet on the table and leaned in his chair. He raised his hand and lockpicks on rope fell from them.

»Oh, of course.« Said Tivon, rolling his eyes, but still smiling.

»Did anything unusual happen to you?« asked Elias.

Tivon took one of the dried fruits off the table and ate it. »For now, no.«

»If anything does happen, tell me.« He put his feet down. »I'm prepared to burn that whole place down to get you out.«

Tivon had to laugh. He wasn't used to people caring for him to the point where they would commit arson for him. He noticed Elias hadn't looked at him since he came.

»You're avoiding me.« Said Tivon with a giggly smile.

»No, I'm not.« Said Elias, blushing.

He is. Tivon smiled and removed his silk hood. He leaned on the table. Elias' eyes moved towards him, but he quickly looked away. Tivon giggled.

»Stop it.« Elias' face turned red.

Tivon giggled again took one of the dried fruits and ate it. His look was fixed on Elias.

»Okay, enough fruits for you.« He took the dried fruit and pulled them toward himself. He smirked at him.

Tivon stood up and walked past him, eyes still fixed on him. He could see the panic in Elias' eyes. He moved his hand towards the dried fruit, the chiffon sliding against Elias' bare hand.

»Stop me.« said Tivon taking the fruit and putting it in his mouth.

Their eyes were fixed on each other. Checkmate, I win. Elias pushed the dried fruits towards him and looked away. »You win.«

Tivon started laughing and Elias had to too. »The pleasure house has really gotten into your head.« Said Elias.

»Let's hope for your sake that it doesn't.«

The bell of the nearby church rang. The laughter quickly stopped.

»I have to get back.« Tivon sighed.

Elias stood up and took Tivon's hood. He turned to Tivon and gave it to him. »See you tomorrow.«

Tivon smiled, took the hood and said. »Yes, tomorrow.«