16

The entire inside of the cave glittered.

High above their heads, the rocky ceiling was covered in insects that glowed golden as they burrowed in the stone and performed elaborate dances in the darkness. The back half of the chamber was taken up by a large pool of shallow water that reflected the moving dots of light back onto the cave walls, the dragon's scales, and the two who stood transfixed inside. Ainsley stared up at the constellations of luminescent life above them, well aware that beside her, Gael's gaze was fixed in the same direction.

She lowered her gaze the same time as the pirate, and their eyes met for a brief second. The faint golden light glowed in Gael's eyes for a moment before Ainsley looked away quickly.

The two wandered up to the edge of the natural pool. It glowed from beneath, iridescent blue plant growth covering the floor. Thin strands of silky leaves wavered in the still water.

"I had no idea this was here," Ainsley remarked, enraptured.

"Me neither, and I've been visiting this island for years..." Gael braced her hands against the rocky ledge and peered into the water. "Oh! There's fish."

Ainsley joined her at the edge, spotting the shoal of tiny silver-blue fish that darted around inside. Leaning towards it, she reached out and plunged her hands into the water, pulling back. She felt a laugh bubble up in her chest, and Gael leaned towards her to peer into her cupped hands. One of the tiny fish thrashed around in the small collection of water she held, fins brushing against her palms and fingers as it whirled about, a captured shard of light seeking escape. She dropped it back into the water with a splash and it darted away to find safety under an outcropping of rock. Ainsley wiped her wet palms off on her pants.

"Do you think we should head back?"

Gael glanced back the way they had come. "Probably. I'm not sure how far down we came, so it may take a while to get back." She looked reluctant.

As the two turned to leave the chamber, the dragon shambled up again, bumping its face against Gael's chest. She laughed, steadying herself against the rock wall, and placed both her hands on either side of its large face, stroking it gently. Ainsley found herself smiling.

"She likes you."

"Well, perhaps I'll visit her again when we return the next time." Gael gave the beast a final pat and the two turned to leave, walking carefully in the dim light.

The trek back took over an hour, and by the time they reached the mouth of the cave they had arrived from, the sky outside was a dusky purple. A few stars had appeared, beginning to form the constellations, named after the creator titans, that Ainsley had learned about in her classes. The stars, that was, not the titans. Belief in the god-like creators of their world didn't have much of a place in scholarly pursuits anymore.

The walk to where they had camped near the coast was quiet, but Ainsley didn't mind. A safe distance from shore, a camp had been set up. A bonfire lit the loose circle of bedrolls that had been spread out around it and cast tall, wavering shadows as people walked in front of it. The crew was mostly beginning to settle down around it, sitting on the rough ground or pulling over packs of provisions. At first, Ainsley hadn't understood why they didn't just spend the night on the ship, where there were beds and a roof over them, but she got it now. The air was clear and salty, and the earth was solid under their feet. The fire gave off a comforting sphere of warmth and light. This was a treat to the seafaring travelers after spending night after night in the closely packed crew's quarters.

Nathe spotted the two of them and waved them over, patting a wooden crate next to him. Ainsley found herself taking that spot, while Gael moved to sit across the fire. Someone had trapped a large hare that was now being portioned and passed around. Ainsley's mouth watered at the thought of fresh meat. The dried, preserved stuff got tiring after a while.

One of the crewmen had brought out a lute, and soft twangs filled the salty air as he adjusted the peg before beginning a song with lots of rises and falls. Ainsley felt the activities of the day beginning to creep up on her. For a brief moment, she let herself forget about her father and her kingdom and her duties back home. The way the notes rose into the still air like the embers and smoke from the fire was calming.

Across the fire, Gael was caught up in conversation with one of the men beside her. Ainsley couldn't make out their words, but she found herself staring at the young captain anyways. The man said something and Gael burst out laughing, and Ainsley realized she was smiling without knowing what had been said. Warm orange light from the fire coloured Gael's cheekbones and glinted in her dark eyes. Every dark brown curl of hair was outlined in gold light. The sound of the music faded into the background noises of rumbling surf and the snap of logs breaking as the fire consumed them. Ainsley could hear her heart.

Nathe was looking at her, she realized. Ainsley's face flushed and she dragged her gaze away from Gael and into the glowing base of the fire. Leaning forwards slightly, her hand found the earth by her feet and she absently scraped together some pine needles before tossing them into the fire. When she looked up, Gael's gaze met hers for a brief moment.

There was a brief lull in the various conversations taking place and Nathe took a moment to light his pipe, then take the stem of it out of his mouth and address Ainsley.

"Well, princess, as long as the weather holds up, you'll be home before the week is over."

Suddenly, it felt like everyone was watching her as the pirates turned their attention to her. She reached down again and found a small, brittle branch, fingers traversing its rough surface as she searched for an answer.

"I- yes, I... suppose I will be."

She snapped the stick in half once and tossed both pieces into the fire as well. The silence, punctuated by the surf and the crackling fire and the rustling of trees around them, felt heavy on her shoulders.

"Well, it's about fuckin' time, right?"

Ainsley felt her jaw clench at Ed's brassy, confident voice, but in a way, she was relieved. She preferred the sudden tension to the unsure silence, where everyone had something they wanted to say but couldn't.

"Get fucked."

There were several chuckles from the older pirates watching the two youth bicker.

"Two of you'll end up getting married, just wait and see," an older man commented. Ainsley met Ed's stare without an ounce of embarrassment.

"I don't think so, considering I prefer women."

"You won't be able to produce an heir, much less a dragonblood one," Nathe pointed out.

"I'm aware. That's why my father wants me to marry the Rayngal nobleman, Simon. There's rumoured to be faint dragonblood power in his family line."

"The king wants to ensure a dragonblood will stay on the throne?"

Ainsley fell silent, staring at her hands, fingers intertwined together. It had been all too easy to forget the predicament that awaited her future back home.

"Yes," she replied at last, folding her arms around herself and leaning slightly towards the warmth of the fire. "There... has been a marriage contract in place for some time. I have no doubt my father will start pushing me towards it the moment I'm home."

Across the fire, Gael's expression was sympathetic, but there was something else there, too. Ainsley couldn't make it out.

Nathe clapped a hand on her shoulder, and Ainsley found herself smiling instead of pulling away from the touch. It felt like a gesture of inclusion. Kinship, in a way.

"Well, princess, if you get sick of your husband, I don't think the captain will mind having you back on the Finch whenever you need an escape."

Ainsley's smile wavered slightly despite the gratitude that swelled in her heart.

"Well, I don't intend to marry him regardless. I'll... I don't know. I'll sort something out."

She regretted having spoken so much. These pirates didn't need to know the details of her personal life like this. But when she looked around the fire, the expressions she got in return were all sympathetic, all fully invested in what she had to say.

It was a new feeling. She couldn't remember ever receiving such compassion, such genuine interest in how she felt, back at home.

Friendship with a crew of pirates was not what she had expected to gain on this trip, especially as a hostage, but Ainsley found herself to be more at peace than before.

hi! thanks so much for reading chapter 16 of violent tides. please vote and comment on your way out!