Page 5 of Blood Sea

Staring after Zu, I keep expecting her to see sense and turn back. I wait for the fear to hit her, as I stand clutching the shallow cut on my arm. It's probably already stopped bleeding. Of course, Azula would never hurt me. I feel foolish for ever doubting her for a second. The sharp sting from the cut had taken away my sense, but I'm not sure what has taken Zu's.

Watching her get further and further away, understanding slams into me like a wooden plank.She's not coming back.Suddenly I'm running, not even aware of having made a conscious choice to run after her. I can hear my father's shouts, but I know he wouldn't dare come after me. He fears the monsters of the sea more than most.

As I reach the bottom of the stone steps, I consider just running straight after her, but logically, I know that I cannot hope to catch up with her and Blue on foot. I turn, sprinting towards the stable. It takes far too long to saddle a damn horse. Precious minutes that I resent losing. Finally, with the horse ready to go, I pull myself up, and race out the stable and towards the town. I push the horse to go faster, as fast as it can go with my weight on its back. I look around wildly for signs of Azula or her father, but there are none.

Reaching the town, I’m shocked by the pandemonium. I’ve been on an island when a raid happened before, on Eska. But I’d stayed inside a home on the outskirts of town for the duration of it, hidden from the true level of devastation. It had been bad enough to see it the next day, but seeing my own home island ravaged and in ruin is so much worse. Buildings are burning, people are screaming and pushing each other in an attempt to/at escape. I ride right through them, forcing them to clear a path.

The people gradually thin out, everyone running in the opposite direction than I’m heading. There is barely anyone around, other than dead bodies, by the time I’m near the centre of town. I ride through, heading closer to the docks. I pull the horse to a halt when I finally see Azula in the distance. Her light blonde hair, and white, torn clothing are unmistakable, even when thrown crudely over a pirate’s shoulder. He carries her onto a small row boat on the beach.They’re taking her back to the ship.

I push the horse to race the last distance between here and the shore, but it’s too late. They’re already rowing back to the ship, a huge ship with black sails, and the vampirate colours flying. I jump down, standing on the beach as I watch them take her away. Looking around, it appears that was the final boat heading for the ship. They’ve all left, and they’ve taken her with them.

My fists are clenched and shaking at my sides, and I feel a steel determination set in as I try to form a plan. Standing there, I promise myself that I will find her and bring her home safely. I will sail across the whole sea if that’s what it takes, and I will drive my sword through anyone who has harmed her. And when I bring her home, I will never let her go again. Not alone. I shouldn’t have tried to stop her; I should have gone with her, protected her.

“I’m coming, Zu,” I whisper out to the sea. I turn, knowing there is nothing more I can do until the morning. I need to find a ship leaving for Eska, and from there, a way to Azula, wherever they are taking her. A sinking feeling of dread fills me, there are few places they would take a beautiful girl like her, and none of them are pretty. I remind myself that Azula is strong. Stronger than anyone I’d ever met, and I know she will survive anything thrown her way until I can save her. The face of an old friend flickers in my mind, and the pieces click together. He will know where to find her, and he will help me get to her. He owes me, and I’m finally ready to call in a debt I swore I never would. I didn’t help him so he would be obligated to me, but I’m grateful for it. Right now, I know he is the only one who can and will help me. My father and brothers, I can imagine their reactions now, and I know they won’t approve of my rescue attempt. However, not a fibre of my being gives a fucking damn.

I turn back, casting one final look at the ship taking her away, and I know that I will never forget this image. It’s the sight of everything I have ever wanted just sailing away from me, moving further and further out of reach, until I feel hopeless.

I won’t let it happen again, not without a fight.

Chapter Five – Azula

Stirring awake from shouting above, the motion of the ship on the rough waters makes me feel sick.Wait, ship?I sit up straight, and press my back against the wooden beam I'm chained to. I appear to be in the hold of a ship. The stairs are on the far-side of the room, the only exit at the top of them.

Looking around, I see there are a few others chained down here, too. Some appear to be sleeping or maybe unconscious, but one girl is staring right at me.

“Cora?” I croak, my throat sounding rough and dry.

“Azula.” She seems to breathe out my name like a sigh of relief. Cora is a girl that lives in the main town and is just a year or so younger than me. I don’t know her well, but I'm glad to see an at least somewhat familiar face. I try to speak again, but my throat is so dry. Cora sees my struggles, a sympathetic look taking over her face as she pulls out a flask and holds it up.

“It’s water, can you catch it?” she asks, and I nod, holding out my hands. She throws it across to me, and I miraculously catch it, despite the chains rattling around my wrists. I greedily gulp down half of the contents before stopping myself from draining the rest. I take a few deep breaths, and find my throat thankfully feels less raw now.

“Where are we? How long have I been out?” I ask, trying to get a grip of my surroundings. More shouts come from above. My head is pounding, and my once white clothing is stained with blood.

“We’ve been traveling for at least a day or so. We're on the pirate ship, we were captured. How are you here? Your house is so far out of town, Azula,” she questions.

“I went looking for—he's dead,” I croak, the reality of what happened slams into me. The blood I'm covered in is his. I feel sick, and it's not just the churning of the sea making me feel that way.

“Who's dead?” she asks gently.

“My father, he was shot,” I choke out.

“Damn, I am so sorry, Azula,” she says. “I don't know if any of my family made it out. I'm not sure which is worse.”

“I hope they're okay, Cora,” I reply, trying to wipe away my tears with my hands, but how I’m sitting, tied to the beam, my wrists won't lift high enough to reach my face. I lean my head down, so I can wipe my cheeks free of the tears. “Why are we here? Why not just kill us, are they intending to drink our blood?” I ask.

Cora freezes, and considers my question, the fear apparent on her pretty face. “Maybe. I'm not sure,” she finally answers.

A loud noise blares, causing a ringing in my ears. And then it happens again, and again. Shards of wood come flying across the hold. Shouts, screams, it's like the chaos of them attacking our town all over again. I can barely breathe.

“What's happening?” Cora asks, shouting over the noise.

“It must be another ship,” a man answers her, and we turn to face him. I don't recognise his face. He must have been sleeping or unconscious before the canon fire started. I notice several other men are sitting chained back there too, all silent as they look up, listening to the fight above.

“What ship in its right mind would attack a vampirate ship?” I question.

“This ship isn't crewed by creatures of the night, girl,” the man says.

“What? But they're pirates!”

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