Chapter Three

I Was Fifteen

The day was rare and calming, a subtle wind, fragrant and cool. There were not many hours left, two at most. We were staring anxiously at the coast, with the normal feelings of excitement and anticipation. The captain sat warily on the deck, for there would be another raid that night, not far south of Istoria, in the commercial city on Bangladeer.

My sword skills were less than impressive, although it was no help to myself that I tried to avoid bloodshed, whenever possible. This was my first large raid. I was neither nervous nor courageous, but a rather strange emotion of apathy had set it, almost enough to twist my stomach. Maybe I was afraid, but I really couldn't say. The captain was speaking, encouraging, inspiring, but I had no want to listen, so before long, night fell, before long we were inching up the coast. Then, suddenly, Bangladeer was before the ship, and my nerves were shot. The captain signaled his hand and we dropped into warm knee-deep water. The town was not asleep, but too busy, too ignorant to notice the imminent danger. My mate Taku, who is three years my superior, led us on to the unsuspecting town. I followed swiftly through the black water with shaking, numb hands. I wasn't prepared to fight. I was afraid, more so than I had ever been. I caught the captain's eye as I ran from the grimy sea. It didn't matter if I was ready or not. I would fight, regardless. The moment of understanding passed, and again I was running towards the bustling streets from hidden darkness.

We poured into the shadows of alleys, watching, waiting for the perfect second. Taku turned towards me, his grin almost feral in the thick moonlight. He lifted his face to that light letting out a deep, echoing call. It reverberated through the sitting, bouncing off the city walls, and then we attacked, more powerful than the gods themselves. I much doubt you've ever seen anyone raped before. It's enough to break innocence, enough to make you vomit, and for the first time in my life, I was aware of what I was taking part in. This wasn't looting; it was a slaughter, a disgrace. I knew Taku felt it too. So later that night, deep below the deck of the ship, I sat in silence with Taku, as we thought of our life, what we had been a part of, what we had seen. It was then we truly became abandoners. So hastily, I made plans with Taku to escape the cold-blooded prison of the Latrement. As the Latrement ran south down the coast, the seaside town of Riene came up, so we jumped from the edge of the ship, and floated through murky waters to the shore. We stumbled blindly up to the street, exhausted, conveniently collapsing in front of the inn, and that's how she found us. I met Elizabeth four years ago in that town. She rescued Taku and me. She would look to me with those pale blue eyes, crisp and refreshing, like a breath of cool air, and everyday I wanted to see them more. I just wanted to be near her. Elizabeth was more than pleasant, seemingly timid and demure, but the secrets she held were mind- boggling. We had come to Riene to escape the sea life, but ironically, we were caught up in the web again.

Elizabeth's employer, Tepps, is the current captain of the Riene, the ship you now ride on. She was subtle and careful in her deception, drawing me in until I could no longer deny her the world. I knew Taku longed for the deck of the ship again, and she knew it too. So after weeks had passed, Elizabeth introduced me to Tepps, and I was again a thief, again cursed. I was surprised, you see, for the Riene was nothing like the Latrement. Where greed is still present here, there is no unfulfilled hunger, no unneeded bloodshed, and I fell into a normal routine. I think you could've said I was happy, but still there was one thing I longed for. I starved for it, and watched everyday as she trailed her ocean eyes to mine. I burned inside while we laughed, and spent sleeping hours sleepless, until one night, shed under pale starlight, I stood by her by the outstretched sea on the Riene. Elizabeth stared lazily at the sea, and I at the heavens. We were strangely somber and quiet, more pensive on my part, conniving on her part. I remember how she pursed her lips just so and whispered barely about the wind.

"I never told you before, did I?" She confessed. And I glanced to her confused and waiting for her to end her confession. Elizabeth looked towards me, and for the entire world, I swore her face was pure, empty of deceit. "I love you." And she clasped my hand to her cheek, closing her eyes in a silent burden that I would later recognize for guilt, and not the façade of loneliness.

I would not leave her side in the days that followed, but Elizabeth persisted, arguing there was news of a carnival up in Langaleth that could be taken advantage of. She was a stubborn lady, determined and unmovable, so I eventually caved in, taking the captain and Taku with me into Riene so we could retrieve information on the carnival. That morning is forever engraved in my memory, a misjudgment that cannot be forgiven.

There was no carnival. There was no city of Langaleth any longer. The crew of the Latrement had decimated the town to brick and ash. And when the captain heard this, he was nothing but confused, for Elizabeth was as a daughter was to him. She had no reason to lie or believe rumors, so he thought. But Taku knew. I knew. It was like a cold blade pressed to my abdomen, and I felt nauseous. Taku collapsed to the ground, bewildered, but I ran to the docks. I ran for my life down the maze of streets in Riene, down to the outskirts, where our ship was docked, and I met nothing but horror.

The ship was barely scrap and the crew was almost gone, barely twenty left. A boy my own age ran quickly to my side and pointed with shaking fingers to a ship not a hundred feet from the dock. The Latrement, and who but Elizabeth herself stood by the wheel, next to its black-hearted captain. At first I thought she was captured, and prepared myself to plunge into the shallow water, but her gaze stopped me, once so warm and open, now black and ice, mutinous and cold. She drew her lips back into a smile that I will never forget, so twisted and callous. I did not notice the revolver or her fingers pulling the trigger, but I remember the pain, and everything was black.

Elizabeth betrayed me. She betrayed everyone.

AN: sorry, I know this chapter's a little short, but the next one will be longer. Thanks for your reviews!