Not alone

The shack creaks as the wind blows. The flimsy door tries to force itself open, but the old lock keeps it shut. The candle flinkers ever so lightly, refusing to go out.

"The same enemy?" I ask, curiously. My voice is still hoarse.

She nods sombrely. Inside her eyes... hide a deep pain.

"The man you speak of... he is my uncle." She says, coldly. The wind howls as raindrops fall silently onto the roof.

Her... uncle? I stare at her face and notice no resemblance to the thin man. The air around him was cold and sharp, as if getting to close would cut you... or put a bullet in your chest

"You don't look alike." I say, wondering if we're talking about the same person.

"We're not related by blood. It's a long story..." She explains.

"I see... well I don't have... time. I need to save... my friend." I force my voice.

She sighs. "It's storming outside, and you don't even know where his being held. How will you save him?" She asks, not expecting an answer.

I think for a moment, siting up in the comfortable bed. "I'm not sure..." I say finally, not knowing what to do. She's right, there's nothing I can do right now.

"Exactly, so wait until morning. Oh and you better be grateful I'm letting you sleep in my bed!" She says, while trying to make her self comfortable on the flimsy chair.

I think for a moment. "Why don't you just get in as well? It'll be warmer that way, too." I say, considerately.

She stares at me with murder in her green eye's, though it's not like the kind I've seen before.

"You wanna die?"

***

Morning comes and the girl is already gone, the door half open. Cold air seeps in, making me shiver slightly. I have I gotten so use to warmth that I've forgotten how cold it can be?

My eye's shine with blue radiance as I force my self to feel the chilling cold of my flames. Cold... so cold... that's better.

The girl stands by the door with a shocked expression. Dropping the bread she was holding.

"Bloody hell... w-what is that?!" She asks, startled by the sudden appearance of blue flames. I look at the flame in my palm, then at her.

"It's my Bloodline." I say, nonchalantly.

"B-Bloodline?! Your one of those monsters!"

I frown, who's she calling a monster?

She stares at me in terror.

"Which House are you from, which family?" She finally brings herself to ask.

"House? Family? I have none of those things, never have. The only family I have is my friend." I tell her, while feeling the coldness of my flame. Then I clench my fist, extinguishing it and the cold pain.

She looks at me for a bit, thoughtful. Picks up the bread and places a small loaf in my hand.

"Oh... I see. Well join me on the beach when your done eating..." She says, awkwardly leaving the room.

Sigh. The bread is hard, like a brick. Still... it's better than slop, I shiver. I wonder if Shadar has eaten...

***

The girl sits on the sandy beach, her short red hair fluttering slightly in the wind. She stares out to the open sea, with a sombre expression.

I cough. Suddenly realizing I don't even know her name...

"What's your name?" I ask, directly.

She turns her head, wind brushing against her peach cheeks. "So now you wanna know, huh?" She says, glancing at me.

"Shouldn't you have introduced yourself?" I ask, feeling threatened.

"Tch, men. What do I expect..." She drawls.

What's with her hate for men? Aren't men and women the same thing?

"My names, Maggie. Don't you forget." She says, seriously. Then gestures for me to sit next to her.

Glancing at the sun she says, "The ship will be passing by soon."

I jump up. "Then what are we waiting for?"

"Idiot. What do you plan on doing? Swim out to the ship and climb up whilst getting shot at?" She asks, not expecting an answer.

"What else would I do?" I ask, genuinely.

She puts her palm to her face and sighs. "Listen, I've been watching that ship for a long time. It's heavily guarded. There's no way you'd be able to pull that off even with your weird flames... well... maybe."

"Then what do we do?" I ask, unsure.

She looks at me, then thinks for a bit. A moment later she finally says, "I've been working on something... a ship. Its small and not complete yet so I'll need your help."

"A ship?"

"Yes, do you know what that is?" She asks, in a mocking tone. Not waiting for an answer she continues. "We'll use it to follow the Crown's ship. Most likely to the prison, your friend is being held."

"I see... but why do you want to go there?" I ask, curiously.

"Because my uncle is in charge of that ship and mostly the prison as well... oh and my uncle is off limits." She says, seriously.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because I'm going to kill him.", There was no humor in her voice, only murderous resolve.

She turns away with a sigh, gazing into the deep blue sea.

"You've noticed the graves?" She asks, not waiting for an answer she continues, "My uncle killed all those people. While I was left to bury them. He slaughtered them without mercy. My neighbors, my friends and even my parents, who treated him like family. 'A threat to the Crown', he called them."

I glance at her, unsure of what to say. I've killed many people but I've never buried anyone I care for. Just imagining burying Shadar's lifeless body... fills me with pain.

"It must have been scary alone, on this little island all by yourself. But guess what? Your not alone anymore, Maggie." I say to her, thinking of how alone I felt in the pit.

She turns to me once again, with tears in her eye's. "Thank you... Mavro. Thank you... for coming here", her arms wrap tightly around me.

"...Now help me dig a grave for my uncle's corpse. So that he may be tortured by dead."