Chapter 26

TW// Blood, abuse, violence

Tivon didn't like high places. They reminded him of the accident and the fall that crooked his back. He wasn't afraid of the fall or the weird feeling in his stomach when he fell, but rather of the ground—the hard ground he fell on and the pain that followed.

He was almost at the top of the main mast. It felt to him like he had been climbing up for hours.

»Are you doing okay Tivon?« Screamed Elias from below him.

»Never better.« Said Tivon with a shaking voice.

He looked down, to see Elias right at his feet. He shouldn't have looked down because now he realized how high he really was.

»Don't look down Tivon.«

Tivon nodded and looked back up. He could see the end of the mast. Just a little bit higher.

»It still stands that if you fall I'll catch you.« Said Elias with a smile.

Tivon climbed forward. »I know, I know.«

He made a couple of steps further and Tivon was at the top of the crows' nest. He sat down to catch his breath. He looked at Elias who just climbed up.

»Why did we do this exactly?« asked Tivon trying to calm his rushing heartbeat.

Elias offered him his hand. Tivon took it and Elias pulled him up.

»To show you this.«

Tivon turned around. His eyes widened. The sun was just about to set, colouring the wide sea a beautiful orange colour. From up there he could see the whole endless sea. And the breeze up here was so much more pleasant than on deck.

Tivon never cared or dreamed of being a bird or being able to fly high up in the sky, but here he felt like one. And he felt so free.

»Beautiful, isn't it?« Said Elias leaning on the railing.

Tivon smiled and nodded. »It reminds me of the view from the castle. But here, it's much more beautiful.«

»Glad you like it.« Smiled Elias his check blushing a little.

Tivon looked back, but Elias didn't turn his eyes away from him. After some time he asked. »Can you see anything with your eye? You know because of the light.«

Tivon moved away his hair, uncovering his crocked colourless eye. Elias leaned forward to get a better look at it.

»No, nothing.« He removed his hand, letting his hair fall. He smiled. »You asked that just to see it, didn't you?«

Elias blushed. »N-no I did not.« He stuttered.

»It's okay. If you want to see it just ask me.«

Elias looked down. »But then I won't be able to contain myself.«

»Huh?« Tivon looked at him and blushed bright pink.

»Nothing.« Smiled Elias.

Tivon looked back at the sea, his cheek blushing. »Your eyes are beautiful too.«

»T-they are?«

Tivon was intrigued to hear a genuine surprise in Elias' voice.

Tivon giggled. »Yes... They remind me of a flower that grows outside the castle walls. The Cobily flower. Rea and I always picked them and made flower crowns with them. When we had the chance to sneak outside of course.«

»Is Rea your friend?«

Now that he thought about it, Elias knew so little about him. He never told him about Rea or much else about his home. It never crossed his mind.

»Yes she's my friend, the only one I had.« Said Tivon. »Beside my mother.«

He thought about them. Rea's warm smile and mother's hugs. He missed them.

Tivon sat down and leaned his head on the railing. Life back then was easier. No danger, no hiding, no blood on his hands. His body shivered.

»Does it get easier?« He asked after a minute of silence.

"Does what get easier?"

»You know… killing someone.«

Elias leaned his back on the railing, eyes fixed on the ground, thinking. »The first one you never forget. I still can't, and it's been years. I can't promise that it'll be easy, but I'll make sure that it ends here. You shouldn't walk down the path I took.« said Elias. He looked at Tivon with his heartwarming smile. Tivon knew he meant it.

»Speaking of that.« He reached to his belt and pulled out the dagger that he gave to Tivon on the island. »I managed to get it back.« He handed it to Tivon. He took it and adjusted it on his belt.

»Thank you.« Said Tivon and looked back at the setting sun.

They sat there in silence watching the sunset, waiting for the orange sky to turn dark.

Elias stood up. »We should head back down before it gets too cold.«

He helped Tivon get to his feet. Tivon looked down from the crow's nest to where he was climbing up just a moment ago.

»Ugh, now I just need to get down.«

»There's a quicker way.« Said Elias.

»What do you mean there's a quicker wa-«

Elias grabbed him underneath Tivon's arms and pulled him closer. »Hold tight!«

With the other hand, he grabbed a rope and before Tivon knew, Elias jumped off. Tivon hugged him tight like he was holding himself for his dear life. They were falling around the main mast, Elias holding Tivon close to him. When they reached the deck, Elias let go of the rope and released Tivon was still clutching to him. When Tivon finally made sure they were standing on hard ground, he let go of him.

Elias laughed and started walking to his cabin. »Good night Tiv.«

When Tivon processed what had just happened, he smiled and said quietly. »Good night.«

When Tivon was walking below deck to his hammock, he was smiling to himself all the way there. He passed the pirate group enjoying their dinner, ignoring their looks towards him. He sat down in his hammock and took out Ohil.

He laid down and fidgeted it in his hand, thinking about Elias' eyes. He didn't know how long till they landed, but he was excited to get to spend that whole time with Elias.

»Did lover boy make it?«

Tivon jumped out of his net and turned to see Pit with his fellow mates beside him.

Tivon put the Ohil in his pocket.

»Oh, why are ya hidin' it now? Come on let's see it.«

An agreeable Ay rose amongst his mates.

Tivon didn't move, but his eyes were reflecting anger.

»Why the angry look, huh?!« He moved closer and stroked his face. »Just want to ask ya something.«

Tivon tried not to show it, but he could feel his body started to shiver.

»My mates were talking, and we've concluded... Why didn't ya tell us you worked at The Jade Paradise?« He moved closer and Tivon was forced to move backwards, hitting the wall.

»How did ya even get out shary?« He moved his face closer. »Did lover boy help ya?«

Tivon stayed quiet. Pit forcefully pushed him against the wall and enabled him to move. »I asked you something!« he rasped.

Tivon tried not to flinch. I must show him that I'm not scared. He looked Pit directly in the eyes with the angriest look he could manage. For a second it threw Pit off, but he quickly found another reason to mock him.

»Why are ya always hidin' yer eye?« He moved his hair, reviling his scared eye. »Oh, that's why. I understand why ya would hide it. Really ugly to look at.«

Tivon wanted to punch him and run away, but the pressure of Pit's body was too much for Tivon.

»What happened?« Asked Pit, pushing him harder against the wall.

Tivon stayed silent, fixing his look on him. Like I would ever tell you.

Pit pushed his knee into Tivon's leg. Tivon tried to suppress a cry as pain spread through his leg.

»I asked ya what happened?!« Pit said, anger rising in his voice.

Tivon quietly reached for his dagger hanging on the belt. He didn't turn his eye off him when he said. »The same thing that will happen to your eye.«

Tivon swung his dagger towards Pit's eye, slicing through it.

Pit didn't even have time to scream. He released Tivon and put his hand on the wounded eye. Pit looked at his bloodied hand and then at Tivon, his eyes radiating anger. »You...«

Suddenly he swung his clenched fist at Tivon's face, knocking him down. »For a shary ya sure allow yourself a lot of.«

Before Tivon could stand up Pit kicked him in the ribs. »Ever since yer annoying ass came here ya just cause problems.«

He kicked him again and again, this time even harder and Tivon could feel his skin rip apart. Pit grabbed him by his shirt, pulled him up and pushed him against the wall increasing the impact on him.

»Tell me shary, where is your lover boy now?!«

Tivon was determent he wouldn't give in to his playing. He knew Pit wouldn't dare to kill him.

Pit's look was furious. He grabbed his pocketknife and pressed it against Tivon's neck.

»I said, tell me!« He screamed.

He pushed the knife closer. Tivon could feel the edge of the knife slicing his skin. Tivon's heart started racing. This creepy man was about to kill him.