Aella (manxman) - ON HOLD

Still here

Ceri

I woke up with a startle. The raft swayed dangerously, unlike any waves I've witnessed before. When I looked up, Ithel was no longer lying beside me, he was standing and yelling. At first, I didn't understand what he was saying, but then I heard him yell angrily, "Do not touch him!!"

He moved his arms and I saw someone being pushed and thrown into the sea. I pulled myself back to sit, trying to avoid being bumped off the raft as well. I didn't get the chance to ask anything because someone else dropped on our raft and grabbed Ithel's arm from behind. He pulled out a scary weapon, something that looked like nothing I've ever seen.

"Stop or I'll cut your limbs and shove them up your-"

He didn't finish because Ithel drew his own sharp wooden weapon and attacked him. Their weapons clashed, by the ugly man's weird knife sliced through Ithel's and instantly split it in half. I gasped silently as my voice had disappeared from the soreness and the roughness of my throat.

The man smirked and Ithel didn't spend much time on being surprised. He instantly grabbed the man's forearm and moved the mysterious weapon away from facing him, and then he pushed the man with his shoulder.

The ugly man grunted and stumbled one step back, barely keeping his balance and not joining his friend who had resurfaced but remained away. That second of distraction was enough for Ithel to turn the mighty long knife against its owner.

"Do Not. Touch Him!"

Ithel repeated. He was heaving and glaring at his opponent.

The man didn't sound as impressed as I was, "You fight well stranger. Now step back before me mates put arrows in your co ck"

"What??"

Ithel questioned and I frowned. Someone called and it made me raise my head. With my swollen eye, it was difficult to see, but there was a man- No, men. Many men grinning mischievously. They looked... dirty and not so trustworthy. Just then, I realized that we were beside a huge boat. It was probably bigger than all the boats made by the Aellos combined! It was fascinating

The one who was in the water swam while mumbling things that made some of the men laugh. He grabbed a rope on the side of the large boat and climbed swiftly. I looked at Ithel as he also had just noticed their boat and was staring at it.

"Ithel..." I called, it came out as a wretched sound that scratched at my throat. He released the man's hand and took a step back to join my side, careful to keep his balance.

He glared at the man before us who rested his weapon on his shoulder, looking relaxed and not in the least threatened.

"We mean you no harm if you step out of our raft"

The man grinned and a voice coming from above us commented, "Such kindness!"

They all laughed and I looked at Ithel to see him as confused as I was. I felt dizziness invade my mind and I fought fainting the best I could. My head lolled slightly forward and I kept myself sitting with my hands set on the raft before me, but they could barely hold me.

This was probably a mistake, but I had no working head to use at the moment

"Water?" I plead, "Water, please"

Ithel dropped on one knee, his focus still on the man before us. He put an arm around me to keep me from falling.

"What, are ya bone-dry?"

I raised my head with difficulty and gave Ithel a questioning look. He didn't care what the man was saying, he kept his arm around me and whispered, and I just noticed how different and weak his voice sounded, "Are you alright?"