Chapter 43

TW// Violence

Tivons head was a mess. The last thing he could remember was that they were running away and something had hit his head. He touched where it hurt. There wasn't a big wound, but it felt to Tivon like half of his head was missing. And for some reason one side of his body was in pain. They must've fallen when he was unconscious. All he did remember was seeing Rea on the side of the cliff for some reason.

He leaned on his hands and looked around himself. They weren't in a forest anymore. They were on a shore, looking at the sea. Elias was sitting beside him, his arms crossed on his knees, looking at the sea, lost in his own thoughts. His coat was folded beside him. He noticed Tivon moving.

»Tivon?«

»What happened?« Asked Tivon and looked around to see where Rea was.

»A rock hit your head-«

»Where's Rea?« Interrupted Tivon.

Elias muscles tightened. He looked down. »They got her.«

»What?!«

But she was hanging over a cliff. He looked at Elias intensely, trying to find and answer on his sadden face. And you just watched.

»She sacrificed her-«

»You let her get captured.« Said Tivon quietly.

Elias looked at him. »What?!«

»She was leaning over a cliff and you just watched. You were still pissed off because what she said to you!You let her hang there and you ran away like a coward.«

Elias stood up. »N-no. What are you talking about? I saved her. She ran into the army by herself.«

»Why would she even do that?« Tivon was on his feet. Moving hurt his head, but he ignored it.

»She did that to save us. She sacrificed herself for us!« Screamed Elias in distress. He could see that Tivon was angry.

»She was right.« Said Tivon coldly. »You really are just a fernty!«

Elias eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. This couldn't be real. Tivon would never.

»Fine.« He said finally, turned around and started leaving.

Tivon was shaking. From anger or fear he didn't know. His legs gave in and he sat down in the sand. What's wrong with you Tivon? Rea is gone and now you pushed him away too. He looked down on Eliass coat beside him. There was a moon necklace on it. Reas necklace. Tivon had given her that necklace for her birthday. It was a promise. A promise that they will trust each other till their deaths. She wouldn't just give it to anyone. It was too dear to her heart to give it to someone else.

He grabbed it and looked at it. He could hear Reas voice inside of his head. Trust him, he's telling the truth. Tivon buried his head in his knees. What am I doing? I lost Rea and now I lost him. He took Eliass coat and hugged it tight to his chest. Why did I yell at him? Why am I so reckless? He looked up at the sea.

On the left side of the shore Elias was sitting and looking at the sea at his feet. Elias. He didn't leave. Tivon was on his feet in a moment. He went towards him.

Elias was drawing his finger through the sand. Alone. Just like I always was. He guessed that he was meant to be like this. He was meant to be alone.

In the corner of the eye, he saw Tivon sat beside him, a feet away from him. They sat there in silence. Tivon looking at a sun setting and Elias looking down at the sand.

Tivon finally broke the silence. »A boy told me to tell you that he's sorry.« Elias stopped drawing in the sand. »He said that he's just stressed and anxious because so many things happened, bad and good. And he recently lost a childhood friend.« Tivon voice was shaking. »And maybe he's scared because he doesn't want to lose anyone else, especially a particular tall boy with mesmerizing eyes that you could look at for eternity.«

And then there was silence, only a brief sound of the waves crashing on the shore.

Elias laughed quietly. »You know someone told me something like that too.« He looked at the horizon. »The boy never had anyone, he was always alone. He was always surrounded by bad people. He didn't know any better. And when he met this boy, his world changed. He showed him that the world can be beautiful and most important of it all... He taught him how to love.«

»That boy must be really amazing.« Blushed Tivon.

»He is... He is the best.« Smiled Elias.

Tivon covered Elias shoulders with his coat and sat closer to him. They watched the sun set low.

»We're gonna find her.« Said Elias. »I promise.«

Tivon smiled and nodded.

A ship was sailing on the sea. Elias smiled. »And I might just know how.«

They were standing in the forest looking down on a town. Tivon knew this town. It wasn't the kingdoms favourite. A lot of criminal activities an illegal stuff happened there.

They peeked out from the trees.

»Luana has one pleasure house down there.« Elias pointed at a dark brown house with black window frames. »The Emerald Palace. I figured that because it's already night that Rea is in the upper rooms. I could climb up to the window, but you'll need to stay on in the street if someone might want to go into the side street by the house.«

Tivon nodded. »I could stay in the street in front of it.« He pointed at the street in front of The Emerald Palace.

»Okay.« Said Elias and stepped forward. Tivon grabbed his hand.

»Elias, I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier.«

»And I'm sorry for the other day. And I promise when we get Rea back that I'll apologize to her too.«

Tivon smiled happy and grateful that he didn't lose him.

They headed down the hill into the city. They walked through darker and less cramped streets, finally coming to the main street right in front of the pleasure house. The street was busy with people and portable market stands. Elias and Tivon stopped. When Tivon looked at the pleasure house a shiver went down his spine. He pulled his bag closer.

»Do you need your mask?«

Elias put down his swords. »I think it'll be better if I don't. But they might recognize me either way.«

He tried to head out when he suddenly stopped. A royal carriage stopped in front of the house. Out if it stepped Luana, thanking the carriage man in an ironic way.

»What the hell is she doing in a royal armys carriage?«

»Nothing good, I supposed.« Said Tivon.

He could feel his body starting to shake while looking at The Green Woman.

Luana entered the house and the carriage drove away. Elias looked at Tivon.

»Try to stay hidden. I'll try to be quick.«

Tivon nodded and Elias sneaked through to the dark alleyway by the house.

Elias was looking up to see which room was lit up. The forth window on the third floor was lit up so Elias started climbing up. When he reached the third floor, he sat on the window sill, right at the edge of the window. He looked in and to his relief Rea was sitting in the middle of the room, tied up to a chair. She's alive.

The door suddenly opened and three masked man and Luana burst in. Elias had to move even more to the edge for them not to see him.

»Hello sweety.« She said with a rusty voice, fanning herself. »I'm The Green Woman.«

»I know who you are.« Said Rea her angry eyes fixed on her.

She smiled. »It's nice that my words spread around quickly.«

Suddenly she looked at Rea coldly. »Where are they?«

»Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you.«

Luana closed her fan and raised Reas chin with it. »Where are they?« She said more slowly and coldly.

»Why do you even need them?«

The Green Woman started circling around her. »You see Tivon killed my sister. My dear little sister. And you know how much it hurts to lose someone dear to you.« She stroke her over her shoulders. »And to top that Elias murdered my guards and sabotaged my pleasure house.«

»What's one house when you got a million of them?«

»Hmm, yeah, you're right, but The Jade Paradise was one of the best ones I had. Also they took something.« She grabbed the chair and looked into Reas eyes. »My sisters necklace. I need it back. So tell me sweety. Where are they?«

»I don't know.« Said Rea sharply.

Before she knew it, a slap hit her cheek. Luana turned around.

»If I know Elias they are probably at sea.« She looked at one of the men. »Prepare my ship, bring her with us. We set sail in the morning.«

Elias listened to every word they said. We need to get the necklace back. We could trade it for Rea. But we need to find it quickly. Elias climbed down the house and ran to Tivon.

Rea looked at Luana, her cheek red. »You'll never find them.«

Luana turned around and smiled. »Oh marily, don't worry. They'll come to us.«