Sea Of Sparks And Shadows

Amaris knelt at the shore. Her trousers were folded up to her thighs as she washed the wooden bowls in the salt water of the waves, enjoying the beautiful melody of the tide. The sun had set hours earlier but no one was ready to go to sleep just yet. This was their last day on the island. The ship was fixed and ready, they’ve gathered enough fruits and fresh water to last them until their next destination and all that was left to do was celebrate the end of their work with a lot of music and some wild animals they would miss the taste of once they were back at sea.

Many of them were singing and dancing to the beats they were drumming on the wooden boxes. Others chose to sit around the fires savoring their meal in peace and talking quietly amongst themselves. The captain, Amaris noticed, was nowhere to be seen.

Though they had that conversation in the forest and though they always shot each other uneasy smiles whenever their eyes met, they never really talked after that. Whether it was because of the strange novelty of their situation or simply because they were both too busy, Amaris wasn’t certain. She liked to think that time would make this easier. That time would make this bond more natural. That one day, she would find it easy and right to call him father. She prayed for that to be the case but she couldn’t know.

She was thinking about just that when a voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “I didn’t take you for the boring type.”

Amaris turned around and found Ash strolling towards her. “What?”

He nodded towards the stack of bowls and dishes. “There’s time for that in the morning.”

“I thought I might as well finish what I can now.”

He shook his head. “Leave it. Come on, have some fun.”

“I’m almost done.”

“No you are done.”

“But I still have-” Before she could finish her sentence, Ash lifted her off the ground and she yelped “What the hell?”

Ash didn’t answer and instead took a few more steps deeper into the water. “What are you doing?”

Once the water reached his knees, the higher waves tickling her dangled feet, he stopped and looked down at her. “Now, you either go back with me and we could go do something other than chores with Sly and the gang, or I drop you here and then you’d have to go sit by the fire to dry and have fun with us.”

Amaris glared at him. “You wouldn’t dare.” She hissed.

“Are you sure you want to try me, princess?” A particularly high wave crashed into them and reached Amaris’s waist. She yelped again, the cold water sending shivers down her spine.

“Ash, I’m serious. Put me down immediately.”

“Will you stop washing dishes and come to the bonfire?”

“This is not a negotiation.”

“Then get ready for a midnight bath.” He faked dropping her then caught her at the last second.

Amaris clutched his shoulders tighter and cursed. “You, sir, are done for as soon as we’re on dry land.” She promised.

“I’m still waiting for your answer.” He smirked. Before Amaris could give him a piece of her mind, another wave crashed into Ash making him stumble back.

“Don’t you dare fa-” Water filled her mouth and started going down her throat. The rush of the waves made her lose her sense of direction.

She scrambled before finding her footing, slipping up again, until an arm came around her waist and pulled her up. Amaris took big gulps of air. Her throat burned as she inhaled deeply.

“Are you alright?” Ash asked, his voice muffled through her water filled ears.

“I’m fine.” She said once she could speak. “You will not be though, you prick.”

He chuckled and guided her to the shore. “Fair enough.”

***

Amaris sat at the log that was the nearest to one of the bonfires and wrung her messed soaking hair. She cursed Ash once more as she used her fingers to comb through her curls and saw the trickles of sand slipping out.

“What happened to you?” Slygrin asked as he approached her.

“Ash happened,” She answered, tying her hair back up.

“You’re still mad about that?” A heavy dry weight fell on her shoulders. A warm blanket. Amaris welcomed its heat and turned around just as Ash came to sit beside her. His black hair was still glistening from the water droplets and he had taken off his soaked shirt. “I said I’m sorry.”

“I’ll make sure to say that to the coming flu. It will certainly stop me from catching it.”

“if flu could be stopped with words it would be running away from you as soon as you open your mouth.”

“Ash, you are a complete-“

“Are you two going to do something or are you going to keep bantering all night?” They both turned to Slygrin who held a pack of cards in his hand and a bowl full of wild berries in his other.

Ash shrugged. “Give me the cards.”

Slygrin threw him the small pack and he caught it easily. “Is Wind joining us?” Amaris asked, looking around for their friend.

The two boys looked at each other, their eyes communicating in a language of their own before Ash answered. “He’s … uh… he’s a bit busy right now.”

Amaris looked around the camp some more and spotted Wind Tuner sitting at the edge of the water next to a hulking figure. Shark. Ever since the white circle, he’d been quiet and brooding. His large figure was always slumped over, his eyes always glazed and distant. She wasn’t certain she had even heard him utter a single word ever since. But from the body language of the two men, it looked like they were talking. Amaris hoped Wind could make him feel better. He’d always had that effect on her. She hoped he would do the same to Shark too.

Her attention snapped when Ash lay a card at her feet. She watched as he dealt the cards evenly until three piles lay on the ground. The dancing fire had drawn patterns on his face and brought her attention to his eyes that were almost blue in that light. Then, her focus went lower, to his lips. She watched as he took in quick shallow breaths.

“Aren’t you cold?” She asked, already knowing the answer.

“No,” He said. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.” She pointed out.

“Ouch, take a blow at my ego, why don’t you, princess?” Without another word, Amaris stood up. “I was just joking you don’t-” Ash was about to stand up, ready to convince her to stay once again when he felt something drop on his shoulder.

Amaris sat back down, now her arm was pressed to Ash’s and the blanket was wrapped around them both. “I know,” she said simply before picking up her hand of cards. “and don’t try to sneak a peek.”

It took Ash some time longer to react and pick up his own hand. And that was how they spent the night. They played and laughed and ate and joked until the first rays of the sun alarmed them to the time and they got to their feet, ready to sail the Grey sea once more.

*****

“Again.”

Amaris aimed her pistol at the last can and fired. The can flew into the air then fell to the ocean. Mirage walked to the edge of the rail and checked for damage, then turned to face her. “Impressive” He said, “you’re quite the fast learner,”

“I had some great teachers.” She said, handing him back the gun. She’d never admit it in front of Ash, but she had learned a lot from him. Without his night lessons, she never would have learned how to shoot properly.

“Well, I guess no more lessons are needed then,” said Mirage. “I think Hawk would be pleased to know that you can get back to your chores full time now.”

Amaris’ smug grin fell immediately. “Well, I’m not that good.” she said, “I still have a lot more to learn. I can’t shoot from a distance and I can’t-“

Mirage laughed, “That was a joke. Don’t worry, Hawk will have to do without you for now. You are good. But you still need more practice. I hope you’ll never had to use this though.”

Amaris didn’t bother to tell him that now that she was staying, she was more than likely to use this talent at one point or another. She was staying. A weight seemed to lift off her shoulders when she had decided that. That was when she knew that she had made the right choice. As appealing as Paradelia seemed at first, this ship, even with all its dangers felt right.

Mirage placed some more cans on the edge then turned to her. “Practice some more.” He held her shoulders and made her take a few steps backward. “From here. When I get back, I’ll show you how to clean the pistol.” He handed it back to her then quickly disappeared below deck.

Amaris didn’t complain. Instead she aimed her pistol once again and fired. She wasn’t surprised to see the bullet fly into the sea without touching the can. She adjusted her aim and shot again, the can shook slightly but then stood once more. Amaris cursed and tried again. Third time must be the charm because the can toppled to one side then fell into the water.

“Not bad.” Said a voice to her right. Ash threw her an apple and she caught it. “You left without lunch.” He explained.

“Thanks,” She muttered, taking a bite of the apple. “I still suck at this.” She nodded toward the cans.

“What are you talking about? You hit the target didn’t you?”

“Barely and after three shots.”

“From halfway across the deck and with only two weeks of training that’s a huge accomplishment.”

Amaris wasn’t convinced.

“Do you want to take a break?”

Amaris opened her mouth to object when Ash sighed and made his way to a hollow barrel to the side. He plunged his arm in and pulled out two wooden swords. He threw one to Amaris and she caught it.

“What the-?”

“You don’t like breaks, so think of it as a change in training technique.”

“What are you talking about?” Even as she spoke she was putting the pistol in her pocket and stepping away from the targets.

“How about some swordplay?”

“What kind of swordplay?” She asked, gripping her weapon with both hands.

He looked around and his eyes settled on a rag that sat on the railing. Ash spun the red piece of fabric around before tucking it into his pant pocket letting its tip dangle on the outside. “Try to get this rag back.”

“What?”

“Try to get it out of my pocket. I will try to stop you using this.” He swung his sword in the air.

“Alright…” She said.

She walked towards him until she stood barely six feet away from him. She tried to get closer but noticed him subtly raising his sword.

She lunged at him but he was quick to parry and push her sword aside. She cursed herself for forgetting Mecheye’s lessons so quickly. She should’ve paid more attention.

She tried again, this time swinging her sword from the side. Ash saw her attack coming and stopped it with a swing of his own, almost making her weapon fly out of her hand. She clutched her wrist and cursed. She strolled around him looking for a weak spot somewhere she could attack and win, though she knew it would be unlikely. Who knew how many years he trained and how many fights he won with a sword much more real than this one?

Ash watched her with poorly concealed amusement. She lunged again. He blocked it again. She swung at his feet but he stopped the blow before it could graze his pants. She blew out a breath, frustrated. She didn’t know what to do.

“Asking you nicely wouldn’t work, would it?”

He laughed. “Now where would be the fun in that?”

“Thought so,” She muttered to herself.

“You’re not really trying.” Ash taunted.

“Shut up,” she snapped.

“Come on, I’m bored.”

Amaris decided to throw planning to the wind and just attack. She brought her sword down vertically at Ash, he blocked it straight away. Before the shock of the impact finished reverberating down her arms, she swung to the side. He blocked that too. Left, right, down, left. Her blows were fast, but he was always faster. At first she had thought that her attacks were completely useless. But then she realized that he was taking small steps backward. She was panting, sweat was rolling down her arms but she let herself smile. She wasn’t losing. Not entirely.

With that new knowledge, Amaris’ blows became much stronger and much more guided. She knew exactly where she had to lead him. By the time Ash felt the wooden walls at his back Amaris was full on grinning. But she knew she didn’t have much time. Now that he realized his position, he would want to get out of it. She was certain he could do that easily. So she made sure her blows were fast, with no time in between for him to maneuver out of his spot. The last blow she made was aimed at his shoulder. As expected he parried almost immediately. But this time Amaris didn’t pull back. Instead she used her body weight to press down on both swords.

“You’re good.” Ash panted, his breaths close to her own. “But you know that’s not how a sword works.” His eyes were zeroing in on her half open mouth as he spoke. She was tempted to do the same.

“Really?” She asked between stolen breaths.

“Yes,” His voice turned husky. She wasn’t sure whether she was imagining it but she thought he leaned closer.

“You’d be bleeding if you pushed against a real sword this way,”

Amaris slipped her left hand out of the grip of the sword, pushing harder so he wouldn’t realize the change and reached for his pocket. “Good thing it is not a real sword then.”

Ash realized what was happening a second too fast and stepped to the side making Amaris stumble forward and crash into the wall.

“You’re really good.” He laughed, face flushed. Whether it was from the sun, their dueling, or their too close encounter, Amaris wasn’t sure.

Amaris rolled back her injured shoulder, the one that she just crashed with on the wall, and winced. “Not good enough though am I?”

The rag was now almost completely out of his pocket. Ash spun his wooden sword around and said, “Come, try again. You got very close.”

Amaris stood up and picked up her fallen weapon. “Alright,” She didn’t waste a single second before stepping forward and attacking. He blocked. She swung to the right, just above his knee. He blocked again. Amaris didn’t pull back. Instead, she thrust it forward and hooked the swaying rag on its tip. “Ha!” She threw it in the air and reached to catch it victoriously only for Ash to catch it before her and step back.

“Hey!” She protested, “I got that. I win.”

“The rules were to take the rag, princess. Not just pull it out of my pocket.” His smug smile made her want to hurl her sword at him.

“But I got it out of your possession.”

“But I got it back”

Amaris scowled. She was not going to let him win. Not this time. She huffed and reached to fix her ponytail when she realized something. Ash’s smugness was going to be his end. During their duel, they had managed to topple over the cargo nets. They now lay all over the deck floor. And Ash was standing on the middle of one, still swinging his precious red fabric. Amaris smirked and stepped closer. “Are you sure you won’t surrender? This could be very painful.” She warned.

“Not a chance, princess.” His confidence didn’t falter.

She shrugged. “Your choice.” Amaris hooked her boot to a square of the net, then pulled sharply. And just like that, Ash toppled over and the fabric flew in the air. “I warned you.” She said when she heard his pained groans. Amaris was walking to where her price lay when she felt a sharp tug at her feet and she, too, fell on her back. “What the hell?” Ash continued pulling her down as he crawled towards the rag. She quickly twisted and started crawling too. She pulled at the net once more and the fabric slid to her. She quickly clutched it tightly before Ash could reach for it then, she turned to face him, a victorious grin spreading on her face. “You’re too late. I win.” She said.

Ash looked at the fabric as if it had personally offended him, before twisting to lie on his back panting. “Only this time, don’t get used to it.”

Amaris was about to reply trying to sit up when a pain shot at her shoulder. She hissed.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” She tried to get up again, this time supporting herself on her other arm. He didn’t waste a second before helping her sit up. “It’s just the white circle injury,” she said. Between the training, the chores and the complete lack of self-preservation Amaris always had, the injury only kept getting worse.

“Did you tell Hawk?”

She winced. “I may have forgotten to mention it.”

“This is not right. I’m taking you down to see him immediately.”

“That’s not-” She tried to stop him but he wouldn’t have it.

“Maybe the collectors found something on the island that could help.”

“I don’t think-”

She was about to protest some more when she heard someone call her. “Amaris,” She sat up straighter. The captain stood at his cabin door, his signature blank look on his face. Ash quickly got to his feet and helped her up. “I need to speak to you. Now.”

Amaris’s stomach sank. She wasn’t sure whether it was a bad intuition or simply how bad all the conversations she had behind that door were, but she was not looking forward to this.