Colin paced the small isle in the cargo hold of a sailing vessel who's name he didn't even know. It was pitch dark, yet Colin could still see the barrels and crates stacked all around him as if merely shaded by mist. It was a smallish vessel and the hold was cramped yet Colin walked to occupy his mind, not to stretch his legs. It's strange, Colin thought to himself, "here I am trying to protect Emalia from this woman, yet I'm reliant on her tracking abilities to catch up to Emalia." Colin shook his head at the absurdity and, reaching the end of the aisle, turned around for another lap. It was then he heard the squeaking grind of metal against metal that told him someone was opening the cargo door latch. He quickly slipped himself between two of the crates and into a small space behind them he had created for hiding.
The door swung open and light flooded the hold. Colin heard a gruff voice call out, muffled by the crates, "Yah better get yah backside over heah ta help me, Sorgi. I'm not gonnah carry them pickles up by myself."
Sorgi's reply was even more muffled, "Hold yer horses, Jaco. I'm comin'."
Colin heard shuffling boot steps as the two men descended the wooden steps into the cargo hold. "I don't know why the cap'n needs the whole barrel of em anyway. Why can't we jus bring him up a bucket full like usual?" Sorgi complained.
"Oh, stop yah complainin'. I bet he just wants tah impress our ladah guests with his cucumbah riches." Jaco replied with a snorting laugh.
Sorgi joined in the laughter and Colin heard a muffled smack that sounded like a slap on the back. "I could see why. Did ya see one they fished outta the water? Young, thin, dark hair, pale skin... I could break that little girl in half. I tell yah Jaco, I'd love to give her MY pickle if ya know what I mean."
As the two men joined in a fresh round of laughter Colin's eyes narrowed in fury and a red glow faintly illuminated the crates before his face. Emalia!, he thought, "I'll kill every one of them and..." His train of thought stopped there, redirected just as quickly as throwing an actual rail switch. "I will save her. I just have to get her off this ship."
Colin waited with extreme patience as the men wrestled the barrel out of the hold and up into the daylight. Just as the door was closing Colin slid out from his hiding place. Judging from the angle of those last rays of light before the hatch slammed shut he figured he had about two hours before nightfall. Another hour for complete darkness. It would be three of the longest hours Colin had ever known.
Colin crouched at the top of the stairs leading out of the cargo hold, his ear pressed to the hatch door. The past three hours had been filled with Colin pacing the aisle even faster than before, yet that still didn't stop his mind from filling with all of the terrible things that could happen to Emalia... or might have already happened. Now, had heard nothing for at least 20 minutes and decided it was time to finally make his move. He slid open the latch as silently as possible and lifted the door. It was a dark night with clouds blotting out the waning moon and most of the stars. Colin gave a silent thanks to any god who might care and slipped his large frame out of the hold, easing the hatch closed once more.
Colin was no trained assassin yet he was not entirely unfamiliar with the art of moving undetected. Besides, the sounds of music and slightly off key singing that he heard coming from what he assumed to be the captain's quarters toward the stern indicated the location of at least most of the crew. He scanned his surroundings easily in the darkness, taking note of dingy hoisted by the rail. "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
Colin thought, pulling his cloak tight about his broad shoulders and headed quickly towards the crew's quarters. He found himself in a very narrow hallway with evenly spaced doors on either side. Colin found the lack of any guard only slightly disturbing. After all, where could she really go? Colin thought, not wanting to even consider other explanations.
He silently opened door after door, one hand on the knob, one on his sword hilt. Each time filled with anticipation and dread, only to lead to disappointment. Behind the fourth door, however, he found exactly what he was looking for. There, in a small lamp lit room with only a bed and a writing desk, lay Emalia. Colin quickly closed the door and crept over to the bedside. She was breathing slowly, which eased a great deal of his worries, and there were no visible wounds. He breathed a quick sigh of relief and proceeded to wake her. "What are you DOING here?"
It wasn't quite the reception he had expected. Colin figured she must just be in shock. He knew time was essential so he quickly determined she was unhurt and tried to get her to come with him. "I will get you free."
"What do you mean free? I am free." Emalia insisted. Colin's confusion was total. She was talking nonsense.
"They captured you, right?"
Emalia shook her head, clearly irritated. "Colin... they rescued me."
Soon it was all made clear to Colin. Emalia explained to him how Tamilyn was actually a friend, one who knew her mother and father. She had rescued Emalia when she would have otherwise drowned and was now helping her continue her journey.
Colin was left feeling like an idiot. Here he was, trying to save Emalia from a danger that didn't even exist. But the worst part was when Emalia told him that Tamilyn would now be accompanying her on her trip. He couldn't believe it, after how adamantly she had rejected him accompanying her. Her excuse was that she couldn't decline the person who had saved her life but it made no difference to Colin. All he saw was yet again, Emalia was rejecting him in favor of someone else. As far as Colin was concerned it would be the last time. No matter the consequences, he would be her fool no more.
Emalia must have seen the decision on his face when she asked him, "What is it?"
Although he tried to dismiss her question she persisted. Clearly she wasn't going to let it go. Finally he relented. "I just need to stop lying to myself. Obviously you don't care about me like I do about you. I mean... I think you're someone very special, and you're very special to me. But... I don't know... It's just obvious you don't feel the same about me."
Emalia then explained to him how she had never seen him in that way. Her heart had belonged to others, yet they had proceeded to hurt her. Only Colin had stayed by her side. However, Colin barely even heard her words, so wrapped up in his own disappointment and rejection. Only her apology for how she had treated him began to truly gain his attention. He gave his own apology in response. After all, she had been through so much recently, and here he was babbling on about his feelings.
Emalia then motioned for him to come closer to her and he did, leaning himself over the bed. It was then that it happened. It barely registered at the time, with Colin still coming down off his emotional outpour, yet he would not soon forget it. Emalia wrapped her arms around him and placed the gentlest of kisses on his cheek. Everything after would be a blur. They spoke of laughing, value of having friends, and how it would probably be best for Colin to remain hidden until they knew how the crew would react to a stowaway. Finally it was time for Emalia to rest.
Colin took his leave and crept back into the cargo hold as easily as he had left. Now he had no need for pacing. He had but one thought which occupied his mind and it was one he wanted to savor.
