A Vagabond's Tale [COMPLETED]

Chapter 2 - "Did you kidnap me?"

Heat pressed against the sides of the tent and slipped beneath the edges. A salty breeze tripped through the tent's flap, fluttering the canvas. The scent of grass and sweat hung in the air.

Gigi unwound the cloth strip from her hair and dunked it in a bowl of water. She wrapped the soaking fragment around her hair once more and sighed as water droplets snaked down her neck. The sailor stirred next to her, his heavy breathing filling the enclosed space.

Gigi propped her chin in her hand, watching him. His face was ragged. His cheekbones high and prominent, his skin pale in the muted afternoon light.

"Gigi," a voice whispered.

Gigi whipped her head around to see Huck's head peering in through the flap. He gave her a crooked smile and nodded. With one last glance at the sailor, Gigi stood and stepped out. Oppressive heat wrapped its arms around her. Sweat beaded on her forehead and slid down her temples.

"Will this day never end?" Gigi asked.

Huck took a seat under a lone oak tree.

"No, but my company shall help lessen your woes," he said.

Gigi snorted as she plopped down beside him and spread her skirt out.

"Not likely," she said.

Huck gave her a skeptical look.

"You seem to be the only girl in the camp that would think that."

"That's because I'm the only girl who spends enough time with you to know it's not true."

Huck gave a careless shrug and they settled back against the spindly tree. He pulled out a peach from his pocket. After taking a bite, he handed it to Gigi.

"Here. It's slightly bruised but as good as we'll ever get."

Leaves quivered, their rustling absorbing the silence. Gigi bit into the peach, relishing the sweet juice as it flooded her mouth.

"He wake up yet?" Huck asked.

Gigi passed the peach back, wiping her chin and licking the juice off her fingers.

"No."

"It's been five days. He should either wake up or die."

"Huck!"

Huck's laugh burst from him, chasing away the birds resting in the tree.

"A simple jest, Gigi. Nothing of it," he said, the ends of his laugh dashing away into his eyes.

Gigi stole the peach from him.

"Still, that's not pleasant. The poor man has survived a shipwreck. He's lucky to be alive." 

Huck shrugged, as if survival was a simple matter. He tucked his hands behind his head, bumping Gigi with his elbows. She swatted it away.

"I don't see how so many girls can be taken with you when your manners are terrible," Gigi said.

"Who cares for manners? We're Eldin. Vagabonds. The world's scoundrels. What do we care for such things?" Huck said, his tone as uncaring as the waves that crashed on the sand.

Gigi handed the last bit of peach back to him with a flat look.

"Manners are important," she said. "Or else why would mother have spent time teaching me about them? If they really were as useless as you believe, she wouldn't have bothered."

"I still don't see why she bothered teaching you. No one else was taught them. Well, not to the extent that you were."

Two girls wandered by with large woven baskets brimming with clothes held in their arms. Huck smiled and the girls' cheeks reddened. Gigi snatched the peach from him and took the last bite.