By your Side - Kaz Brekker x Reader

Chapter Two - Reader

The sun was shining brightly even though it was still quite cold. You had been with the Captain and the Wolfszahn for almost three months already, and after having made a trip to Ravka, and then Novyi Zem, you were back in Kerch. Well, technically an island outside of the capital city Ketterdam. The small island named Newfoort was where the Wolfszahn had docked. It was scarcely populated, and had no real harbour so that you had been forced to take small rowing boats to get to shore. You had asked why you had not stirred into the harbour, as you usually did, and the Captain had explained to you, that there was a deadly illness in Ketterdam, so he would not risk his crew catching it. Instead he had decided on this small island.

You wondered why you had to go to shore at all, but the other crew members seemed desperate for solid ground underneath their feet. You could not relate. You liked the swaying of the ship below your feet.

Now you wandered down a sandy beach, which was completely deserted. In the distance a big piece of wood or something akin seemed to have been washed ashore, seagulls gathering around it. You skipped along the edge of the waves, pulling your woollen jacket a little tighter to keep out the cold. Again and again your eyes skipped over sea and to the city of Ketterdam which you could see in the distance.

Somehow, the thought of being so close to the city tormented by death sparked a strange feeling in your chest, as if Ketterdam would one day play an important role in your life.

Skipping and humming you continued your way along the beach, until the strange log you had spotted in the distance had gotten quite close. Except it was no log, no wood, no torn out tree. You stopped your skipping, and stared at the thing for a while. It looked like a boy. Slowly, carefully, you made you way closer. Seagulls were stepping around on the back of the poor kid, picking occasionally, waves leapt at the feet. The clothes were ripped and torn in places; seaweed had tangled in his dark hair. Was he dead? Had he drowned?

Your heart beat hard in your chest, and you quickly picked up a twig that had been washed ashore before stepping within reach of the boy, causing the seagulls to fly away. He lay on his side, facing away from you. Carefully you poked him. No reaction. You poked him harder. Again no reaction. Maybe he had been victim to the terrible illness that had taken hold of Ketterdam, fallen into the sea, drowned and been washed up here?

Careful, still not quite sure if he was alive, you stepped around him so you could get a glance of his face. His hair was was almost black, green algae sticking to it. He seemed several years older than you. Maybe twelve or thirteen. It was hard to tell. But he had a beautiful face, even though it seemed like it was swollen and covered in wounds caused by firepox. As if a thousand bees had stung him. And the seagulls had picked a few additional wounds into the bloated flesh. You felt your chest constrict at the thought that he was probably dead. Slowly you lifted your boot, and pushed against his shoulder, causing him to roll to his back.

Suddenly he coughed. You jumped away from him. He coughed again, clearly too weak to even lift a hand, and the desire to help him washed over you. No longer considering that he might be sick, you fell to your knees next to him.

"You're alive," you told him, as if it was confirmation for both you and him. "Can you sit?"

The boy just groaned, not even opening his eyes.

"Okay, I... What's your name?"

The boy took a moment to answer, but then he opened his mouth.

"Jo-" another cough interrupted him, but he tried again. "Jo-"

This time his voice gave out, and his head, which he had lifted in the attempt to speak, fell back into the sand.