[Part2] ⤀ 10] A Sullen Sea
I walk Blade's quarters, truly in awe of all he's collected. For whatever reason, he's obsessed with pottery, and strange vases from all over the world. I'm surprised they have not broken, but I guess he somehow read the seas better because of his nature.
Aside from his bed, which is an unmade mess of older sheets, I note he probably sleeps in the rocking chair by a map upon a wooden table that has all kinds of Xs and foreign notes.
He prefers coast lines and cities. He doesn't sail to the Deep very much.
I also find a note book of poetry and sketches.
There is nothing else to note.
For a while, I spy through the stained glass of small windows, watching shadows of the crew running the ship.
Eventually, I know Blade will come back.
I don't expect him to come back with a basket full of food, though.
I'm truly shocked as the door barges open, by this stage I'm on his rocking chair, feeling rather sullen myself.
"Bread – stale. Cheese – fresh. Dried fruit. Some wine I don't mind to waste on you," Blade is now happily shirtless, though I'm not sure if it's intentional or not. He doesn't look me in the eye as he turns, slams the door shut with a boot and in a few prying paces, he waltzes over to a work bench, "Come. I got no pretty place to dine you but – this'll do. All this food is good for your blood."
"My blood?" I ask.
"Aye," Blade stands back and holds out a hand to the offering, "I have to bleed a fair bit of you into the water to get Eros to come – he'll think you're dying. I'd like to see what he'd think of that – no, no, I'm not going to hurt you too bad. Shhh..." Blade shakes his head and then walks backwards two steps in a graceful way, "I, ah... if you will, fill a cup for me?"
Blade is so shy right now, but I feel it's a total act.
As I stand, I look to see he's also put down a dagger and a goblet.
"Are you thirsty, Blade?" I ask.
"It's payment for your journey," Blade tilts his head but still won't look me in the eye.
"Eros says my blood is sweetest," I waltz over and surprise even myself as I quickly choose to do as he bids.
I feel I need an ally and Blade might be one.
Just a strange feeling, is all.
Blade falls silent as I slit my wrist and fill the cup, but before it's full, he quickly comes over and spits on his hand, grabbing my wrist and holding it real tight so it'll heal quick, simultaneously Blade grabs the goblet and takes his fill. I note his touch lingers as he swallows the entire drink.
"...it's... okay..." Blade's lips are bright red as he stares at the bottom of the cup and then finally glances over at me, "It's fine, actually."
I have to pull out of his confident grasp and pick up a stale piece of bread, sniffing it to distract from him. I frown and crack it apart, taking a small bite and chewing while I watch Blade and try to work out his true intentions. I'm not sure.
He knew I could sink his ship, so I know I am no prisoner.
"How is h -?" Blade coughs and starts again, "How is he? My beautiful friend?"
"Fine," I answer, "You know, Eros abandoned me and sailed for 6 months at sea – perhaps he was trying to find you. Perhaps he loves you more than me." I test out the theory, why not?
"No!" Blade grins, "He does not love me. He loves himself."
"As you've made known already – you're quite attached. If that is how I appeared, now I understand my fr-..." I can't call them friends, so I trail off, but Blade fully understands.
"...you see it, don't you...? How entrancing he is...?" Blade grabs some wine and fills a second cup for me, "Like he's born to break many hearts. I suppose he's told you that you're... destined? I for one, don't believe in such things."
"Mates? Of course, mates exist, why wouldn't they... I dreamt of Eros before I even met him –"
"Are you sure about that?" Blade raises a brow, "Maybe he visited you as a child, when he was a young man, maybe you saw his face in a crowd, and then you couldn't stop thinking about those deep ocean blue eyes."
"Eros is more dangerous than his eyes, Blade, I'm sure you know," I chuckle, "...I hate him too..."
"All I ever wanted was to share the seas with him," Blade raises a brow, "The older he got, the more obsessed with fate he became. Did you know Erebos outside of a Clan, pair up – I hear he has a new taste in a... second."
"You mean... Bellus?" I'm careful as I tread in these unknown waters.
"Aye, that sounds about right... Bellus..." Blade gulps and his eyes go cold as he stares out the back of his ship. Jealousy. I assume.
"Why are you returning me to Eros? I might not have a home, but what makes you think... I want to go back to him?" I ask, "I'm just as betrayed as you. I wish Eros would see more than just his plight. Clearly. Other hearts are at play."
"Eros is unbroken – his lover's heart, I mean," Blade grins, "He lost his family but never... his love... hmmm, you should pretend with me, Lily. How about it?"
"P... pretend?" I lower my tone, "As in..."
"Betray him; pretend," Blade smirks, "Just to see his face, that I stole his first love."
"...I don't know if that's a good id-"
"I think it's a great idea," Blade raises a brow and chuckles on air, "...a fantastic idea... what have you got to lose? Or fight for? If you hate him as much as I. Do not... feel stressed... about it. Lily. Eros would find it rather funny when he realises it's a joke. He finds these kinds of things utterly soul uplifting."
"You mean playing games?" I frown, "He enjoys it? Oh, I know."
"If it was real, he wouldn't enjoy it – but I have no reason to love you –" Blade cuts himself off, smirking too wide, before he catches himself, "You have no reason to love me. So. It's rather. Funny."
"I don't know."
"I do know," Blade blinks slowly as he thinks, looking away from me, before slowly shifting his jade green eyes back at me, "...what do you know, Lily? You seem rather stupid and naïve of the world. Is that why he enjoys tormenting you?"
"How do you know he enjoys tormenting me?" I'm offended, but I also feel kind of stupid for being offended.
"Because I enjoy it, I've already slept with you – you forget?" Blade blurts out.
"What-?" my face drains of colour, and my voice nearly drowns out with it.
No, I don't remember anything –
"Hear yourself, woman! See what I mean? You believed a damn lie, you've been in here 20 minutes, something that didn't even happen... my, my, you are completely half-witted," Blade purses his lips but then he bursts out laughing, he can't contain himself, "You're so silly. Wow. You are... funny. I guess."
Oh. It was a... test. And I... but I thought... I don't know what I thought. Damn it. He made me a fool. Or maybe I am the fool – I don't like Blade making me realise this.
"I can still sink your ship," I snarl it out, "I can kill your crew. I can kill you."
"Now you are to tell me, you'd kill? No, no, I think I know you –"
"I've killed before," I say it seriously, "And I enjoyed it."
"Oooo, now that's fascinating," Blade snorts, as if he doesn't believe me.
"It is fascinating, now, um, you're going to sail me to Belle Island or I'll sink your ship," I hold out my hands, "Deal?"
"You want to return to that Island?" Blade asks, unfazed by my threat.
"I have to face it sooner or later, it's my home," I snap, "My fr -... those girls, they were right."
"It sounds like you should start saying I'm right, I know and I can... you're so scared of things in your heart, Lily, perhaps we are completely different. I follow my heart with a rage. You hide and shy away from everything. What good does it do you?"
"I try–"
"Try harder."
"I don't even –"
"You do," Blade quite enjoys this.
"Stop –!"
"Why, to hear you play the victim some more?" Blade loses his humour and his gaze is judgement at its very finest, his tone even manages a growl of disgust.
I can't take this humiliation.
"You don't even know me!" I scream it at Blade, feeling a stirring in my chest.
Playing the victim?! No! I went through shit. I – I was plagued by it.
It's nothing like I've ever felt, this feeling of hidden fury, but the ship starts to tilt and the sound of the sullen sea turns violent. Something flows out of me, along with two tears down my cheeks.
My fists clench as my heart shoots to palpitations. The ship starts to rock and the basket falls. Blade casually leans down to catch the wine and then uncorks it with a hidden fang. He was good at hiding them, but my first glance, I see that they're very razored.
He... Blade made me use my power.
My blood rushes through me, ferociously so, and I feel a need to fight, preferably with a weapon in hand.
I feel... full of it now. Rough emotion. From being exposed.
"You see what you did there?" Blade asks, quietly, "Don't you?"
"I–I can sink your ship," I hate myself for repeating it so many times, but I wanted to say a single truth, now that I felt stupidly aware of how much I did play the victim, past the point where I should be standing back up to face the issues at hand.
I was a Servant of the Water's Will – I abandoned it. I was from the Belle Island, burnt from my mate – I kept running from it. Eros hurt me – I had so much to take responsibility for. Fuck.
"Yes, half-wit, you can sink my ship, but you just did something better," Blade tilts his head in respect towards me.
"What?"
"It's not one wave you pulled on, sweet – it's everywhere. Look," I follow Blade's gaze out the back of the windows – oh my mother, how in the Deep did I do that? "You just ignited the next Rough Season."
I – I did.
I actually did that. Oh –
All because Blade made me see inside... into things I didn't want to see.
I don't know if Blade has a death wish, or if he is rather kind in actuality.