Chapter 52

TW// Abuse, blood

Rea woke up before dawn. The apartment was still dark, but she could still see that Elias was nowhere to be seen. She was on her feet in seconds. Rea noticed the swords and knives on the table. She picked up the mask. Why would he leave? She noticed a piece of paper on the table by the pistol.

She opened the folded paper. She had to look closely to make out the words and even then, she needed to read it three times to understand it. For what she could read from it, Elias gave her two choices. Save herself and go to a woman named Violet that lived up on the street or hide on The Green Woman ship with his weapons and help Elias with his so-called new plan.

She put the paper back on the table. This guy. She sat down. What should I do? He surrendered to that woman to save me; it would be wrong of me to go help him now. She buried her head in her arms. But I can't leave him with her. She remembered his scared eyes and his shaking body. I have never seen a person this frightened. With every second she became more stressed. What should I do?

And then she heard a knock. It wasn't on a trap door, it was coming from downstairs. Rea took the knife from the table and then slowly and quietly opened the trapdoor and went down the stairs. There was another knock.

Rea hid the knife behind her back and slowly put her hand on the handle. She opened the door prepared to pull the knife out if needed.

But she didn't. The kind smile on the face of the old woman stopped her.

»Are you Violet?«

She happily nodded and stepped inside.

Rea closed the door. »Did Elias come to you before he went to Luana?«

She nodded as Rea walked her up the stairs and helped her through the trapdoor.

»Tivon told me about you when we were running away.«

Her eyes sparkled when Rea mentioned Tivon's name.

»He told me such nice things about you.« Smiled Rea.

Violet grabbed her hands and smiled.

»It would be nice if he could be with us here.« Frowned Rea.

Violet looked at her confused. She doesn't know. Rea held her hands. »Tivon... Tivon died.« She managed.

The sparkle in Violet's eyes disappeared and she looked down.

»I'm sorry that I had to tell you this, should've anticipated that Elias wouldn't tell you.«

Violet looked up, her expression worried.

»He's okay. Well, he's coping in his own way.« Rea looked up. »But he needs help. I know he doesn't want me involved in this, but I need to help him.«

Violet nodded and removed the hood, she was wearing. Underneath she had a bow and an arrow quiver. She handed it to Rea. Rea took it and looked at the beautifully carved bow.

»You made this?«

Violet happily nodded.

»It's beautiful, but I-I can't just take it.«

Rea gave her back the bow, but Violet pushed it to her and smiled.

»Thank you.« Smiled Rea.

Violet put her hood back on.

»I'll walk you to the doors. It's too dangerous for you to be here. They might already know where I am. That puts you in danger too.«

Violet nodded and allowed Rea to help her to the door. Before she left Rea stopped her.

»Thank you again.« Violet turned around and bowed a little with a kind smile. »I hope I'll be able to meet you again in the future.«

She gave her another smile with eyes glowing with happiness and kindness. She waved and left down the dark street.

Rea returned to the apartment. She grabbed a bag from a closet and put in Elias' stuff. She put the arrow quiver and a bow over her back and headed outside. She tried to remember all the turns Elias and she made yesterday.

Eventually, she made it to the harbour. She quickly glanced over all the ships and then she spotted the ship with dark green sails. I really hope Elias thought this plan through. She fixed her ponytail and headed to the ship.

They took Elias into the room, he didn't ever want to see or be in again. The room didn't look like much. It was for most parts empty, without windows. There was only a chair and a cupboard on the right.

The man forcefully took off Elias' coat and shirt. They sat Elias down and tied his hands behind his back. Elias was trying not to shake. He was forcing himself not to vomit.

One of the three masked men took a blindfold and covered Elias' eyes, tying it firmly behind his head. Elias took a big shaky breath.

»Thank you boys.« Said Luana behind him.

Elias could hear them leave, closing the door behind them. And then he could feel a smile on Luana's face. Shivers started crawling down his body.

»It's been years since you were last here.«

She could see Elias' body starting to shake. Luana came closer tilting his chin upwards.

»Don't worry marily.« She leaned to his ear and whispered. »I'll be gentle.«

She released him and turned to the drawers. »Unfortunately, we don't have much time.« She opened it and took out a knife. »We'll be sailing off to Ascot in two hours.«

Luana turned to him. »But it will do for now.«

You can do it, Elias, just don't think about it. He flinched as Luana pressed a knife by his shoulder. »I see, we haven't finished the painting yet.«

Stay strong. His heart was beating uncontrollably and the room started spinning. There's a chance that Rea went to Violet, and you'll need to do it on your own. Just bear with it until you get on the ship.

Luana sliced the skin on his back. She leaned to his ear. »You know you can scream.« She made another slice. Elias could feel blood dripping down from the wound. You can do it, Elias. You're strong enough.

»You can beg. You know I don't mind.« She pressed her lips to his ear and said slowly. »Marily.«

In the end, Elias wasn't strong enough.

It broke him down just like it did that night. He thought that he had over the past. He thought Tivon helped him get through it. But no. He finally realized that he could not be healed. He was broken once again and this time he had no one to heal him.

The sun was already up when Tivon and the witch set sail. Tivon was looking at the little island disappearing behind them.

»You can ask me about it if you want.«

Tivon almost jumped when she saw her standing beside her.

»I don't have any questions.« He lied.

»Your head is full of questions Tivon. Even if I were not a witch I could see it.«

Tivon sighed and leaned on the little ship's railing. »Is that island yours?«

»It's not mine, but it's my home.«

»Doesn't it get lonely?« Asked Tivon.

»No. I like to be alone. People bother me.« She sat down and grabbed a little bag she had on her belt.

Tivon turned around. »Do you have a name?«

»Cornelis.«

From the bag, she took out rocks. Tivon sat across her. She held the rocks in her hands and brought them to her lips. She whispered words Tivon didn't understand.

»What are you doing?«

She let the rocks fall on the wood. She went across them with her hand, concentrating on them.

»Trying to see what will happen.«

Tivon looked at the rocks and then at her. »You see the future in rocks?«

Cornelis ignored him, carefully studying the rocks. »Three ships... The cursed sailor... The Grímur.«

»Elias?«

She looked up. »And death.«

»Death? Whose death?«

»Don't know. But there is a lot of blood to be spilled.« She said as she was putting the rocks back into her bag.

»And what are we supposed to do with that prediction?«

Cornelis adjusted the bag back on her belt stood up to grab a bottle of the liquid and handed it to Tivon. »Hope that we can prevent it.«

»I'm not drinking that.«

»Well, if you want your heart to rot then don't.« Tivon rolled his eyes and took the bottle. »You won't have to drink it for the rest of your life. It's just for now.«

Tivon looked at her angrily and then took a sip, almost vomiting it out.

»Glad that my medicine isn't that disgusting.«

He handed it to Cornelis. She took it, looking down at Tivon with a confused look. »What medicine?« 

»Hyssop flowers.« Cornelis sat down. Tivon pointed at his cracked eye. »For this. I had an accident that cracked my eye and left a big scar on my back. The flowers help with the pain.«

Cornelis reached her hand to his eye, but Tivon grabbed her, holding it tightly away from his eye. »Don't.« He said quietly, but coldly.

»I can heal it.« She said softly, her voice to Tivon's surprise sympathetic. Tivon looked up into her golden eyes.

»I can heal it.« She repeated. »I can fix the eye, make the scar disappear. I can make it normal again.«

She could. He could be normal again. He would look normal again. But do I really want that?

She tried to move the hand closer, but Tivon tightened the grip. »Don't.«

Cornelis lowered her hand. Tivon looked away. »I don't want to hide it. It makes me... Well, me.« He smiled to himself. »And he likes it. He made me realize that it is beautiful.«

Cornelis smiled as she saw him blushing. She thought that love was something that didn't exist. She knew love only hurt people. But not him. He made her see that it still existed.

She then asked. »What about the pain?« Tivon turned to her. »I can heal the pain.«