Of Rust and Gold (Book 1, The Saints' Song Series)

An Of Rust and Gold Holiday Special

1777, Somewhere off the coast of Oskya

      He was jolted awake by something hot settling against his cheek. He jumped with a sharp yelp, hitting his head on the mast. The dull pain echoed through his skull. Leo groaned, rubbing at the back of his head as his dry eyes cracked open.

It was a miracle he'd managed to fall asleep in the first place. The cold settled into his bones, his breath visible and white before him, his skin dry and cracking the same way ice did over ponds in Emvoreen. 

"Here." Rudi's voice came from above him. Leo looked up to see him settle back into the crow's nest. He gestured at him with the steaming mug he held in his hand. "I stole some huda from the kitchen."

Leo snatched the mug out of his hands. His gloved fingers trembled as he wrapped them around the mug. Icebergs bobbed in the sea around them. Snowflakes fell slowly from the dark and cloudy sky. He could feel them settle against his scalp. He brought the mug to his lips. Huda had a sharp almost chalky taste, but the warmth filled his mouth and Leo sighed in pleasure.

"Aleksander will kill you," he said.

"He won't find out." Rudi sat down beside him. There was little space in the nest to begin with, but Rudi always sat too close. There was just enough room to leave a sliver of space between them. Rudi often forgot that Leo didn't quite like being touched. The feel of someone's skin on his made him shiver. His skin would prickle. His stomach would churn. And he would remember. Leo didn't want to remember.

His eyebrows scrunched together as he narrowed his eyes to peer off into the distance. He tried not to flinch as the movement tugged at the healing cut that slashed through his eyebrow. The medic said he'd been lucky the dagger just nicked him.  If the vagrant had better aim he could have lost his eye. Leo was already down two fingers. He couldn't lose an eye.

Rudi yawned loudly. "Why do we always get stuck with night duty?" he asked. He tried to lean his head on Leo's shoulder. He shrugged him away.

"Does it matter?" Leo took another large gulp of huda.

"We're stuck on the ship and everyone else is on land celebrating." He yawned again. "Ma said she never understood why all you northerners shove all your good holidays into the middle of winter in til she lived through one herself. S'holiday cheer is needed else wise we'd all drown ourselves in misery."

"Shit." Leo nearly dropped the mug. "What's today?" He jumped to his feet. No. He couldn't have missed it, could he? Leo had been so wrapped up in keeping his head down and not causing too much trouble that he hardly paid attention when the other men talked during meal times.  Other than his moments with Rudi, the only time Leo's voice caught any use was during drills.

He swung his leg over the side of the nest, preparing for the long climb down. His fingers shook and he could feel the nervous sweat soaking his palms. He gladly welcomed being away from Emvoreen, away from Abenland, but he didn't think he'd ever quite get used to living on a ship. The work was hard, but Leo was no stranger to hard work, it was all the extra eyes and rules and place to find a brief escape that got to him.

"It's Saintus." Rudi raised an eyebrow. "And where are you going?" He set down his own mug of huda.

Leo hardly even noticed the seasons changing. It was always cold in Abenland. Ever colder this close to Oskya. The days all went by in a blur. The bits and pieces of news he heard all sounded the same. There was war in the Renya. But there was always war in the Renya. Rebellions were still fierce and King Vadik was lending his hand to help again. Some noble families were being allowed to move back to the Kells now that the peace treaty signed years ago had proved to be successful. And life for the people on the bottom was still shit.