Arcadia Remember Ch. 01

"I'll find Rollow, she can stay with us tonight," one of the other Black & Blues said. His smile was genuine though I couldn't place his name, my focus on Atale and keeping my anger in check. I nodded at him as he reached out and squeezed Hayden's shoulder who also nodded to him.

"We'll cover both of your holds," another young man stood as he said it to me, I looked towards him and several other Black & Blues stood and nodded together. I ground my jaw and looked at Atale. She was still trying to stifle small cries of exhaustion and pain taking over.

"Let's get you to bed love," Hayden said, ushering us forward together. We carried her weight between us all the way back to our room. I could only imagine what everyone would say to Rollow. She had just endured one loss, she shouldn't have another one so suddenly. But I couldn't think about her now. I had to think about Atale. We got her to our room and I motioned to set her on Gen's old bunk instead of Rollow's, knowing getting her into a top bunk wouldn't work. She immediately laid down, clutched at her side and sniffled silent sobs. I stroked her cheek and gave her a small smile, taking a look at her face. I grabbed a bottle of water and a cloth pouring some water on it and moving to wipe the blood off her face.

She flinched and sucked in a sharp breath when I did. She grabbed my forearm as I worked to wipe her face down as gently as I could. I stroked her hair away gently then kissed her forehead.

"Can I look at your stomach?" I asked quietly. She bit her lip and nodded slowly. She moved her hand away and I slowly eased her shirt up to see bruise and welt developing already. Hayden appeared over my shoulder looking as well. Atale squeezed her eyes close. I ran my fingers over her side trying to feel for anything that might be more serious than my eyes could see. She flinched several times and my heart raged inside my chest as I pushed down the anger that would help no one right now.

"Is there any way your charisma can get us some ice to put on that?" I asked Hayden as I lowered her shirt back down.

"My charisma?" he asked comically. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Right," he admitted looking down, "I'll be back, my lady," he bowed and left the room.

I returned to Atale and smoothed my hands to move her head up and look at her neck, Lictam's hand had left a bruise across it in the form of his palm. The rage in me was reaching a boiling point and thoughts of Henry crossed my mind, I could forget all of this. Atale coughed and clutched her side once more.

"Shhh, honey breath slowly, Hayden is gonna get some ice for you ok? You just rest, Rollow is staying in a different room tonight, and our holds are covered. You just rest and try to calm down." My mother's voice coming from my mouth clawed at my heart. She nodded as her face melted into complete sobs. I held her as she let it all out, caressing her back. Finally she ran out of energy to cry anymore as Hayden appeared with some ice in a bag. I wrapped it in a shirt and lifted her shirt up.

"This is gonna sting at first, but then it will help with the pain ok?" I asked soothingly. She nodded slowly, her face red with pain. When the ice met her skin she let out a sharp breath. I let her adjust it some and settle down. Her breathing started to slow. I kissed her forehead and gave her shoulder a light squeeze and got up. I motioned for Hayden to step outside the door as I held my arms close around myself. I shut the door behind us as quietly as I could.

"What in the actual bottom was that about?!" I poked my finger at his chest, my words came out in a whispery yell.

"I told you I wasn't always a Black & Blue. There are rules Yellow & Reds have to follow but not everyone knows what those rules are. I merely reminded Lictam of the rules that he knew he had to follow," he shrugged.

"You could have gotten yourself overboard, why did you do it?" I asked my guard up around him even though he did just save my best friend, rather sister.

"Because I could, and well, me and Lictam," he spouted sinisterly, "have a bit of history that made it just too good to pass up confronting him when I knew I could beat him." he chuckled a little at his personal victory. I glanced down the hallway that was empty both ways, then back at him worried about his alternative motives.

"This better not come back and bite me," I pointed at my chest, "or her," I pointed at the door, "in the ass or I'll come after yours," I pointed at him, "you understand?"

"Yeah," he huffed and smiled, "It won't love, promise. You are your mother's spitting image, but you've got your father's spirit." he started to walk away but I grabbed his arm.

"You knew my father?" I asked letting go of his arm slowly. He turned to face me.

"Yeah, I knew your father, and your mother, held you when you was," he motioned with his hands, "this big. Your father and I, we go way back, back, back, back. I always fancied your mother, but your father, well, he was a much better match for her than I ever could've been," the smirk that was always on his face faded for a moment. "You take care of her," he motioned to the door.

"She's all I got," I softly admitted as he walked away. I opened the door slowly and closed it quietly behind me, leaning against it a moment and dropping my head in defeat.

"Em?" I heard Atale quietly asking. I went to her immediately.

"Yeah honey I'm right here," I comforted, stroking her cheek gently and leaning down to meet her gaze. She cried a bit more then.

"I'm so sorry," she cried out. I sighed heavily and crawled over her carefully letting her roll onto me slowly not wanting to hurt her anymore. She laid her head on my stomach and clutched at my shoulder. I could feel her tears wetting my shirt as we lay there together, defeated.

"It isn't your fault, I would have done the same thing for my mother if I could have," I admitted to myself and her. "I know it hurts a lot right now, but we'll get through this together, we always do, Black & Blues thick and through." She squeezed a little tighter before releasing as we both succumbed to exhaustion.

Beck spent the next couple days drowning her sorrows at the bottom of a few different bottles dreading the next fortnight until she must journey all the way below deck and maintain the cover of a commoner. She knew she wouldn't see her father again before fallout and she was fine with that. He clearly wanted to be rid of her for now. She knew he always wanted a boy instead but she had no say in that. She didn't ask to be the heir to the helm. She almost would rather be exiled as a walker. Almost.

Beck lay on her bed staring at the ceiling contemplating what would be more helpful before fallout. There was a gentle knock on her door.

"My lady, may I come in please, I must have a word with you." she heard from the other side. She sat up straight, who would be at her door this early in the morning. She huffed at the interruption to her pity party and strolled to the door casually. She opened it and found Victus standing there bowing greatly.

"My lady may I enter please I must have a word with you." he kept his head bowed and it annoyed her.

"Please," she opened the door all the way, "by all means." He looked up to see the door opening before standing from his bow.

"Thank you Highness," he shut the door behind him and stood right in front of it.

"For sea's sake," she turned to see him standing awkwardly and gestured to a table to his left with four chairs strewn about, "come in, like actually in, take a seat." she huffed and grabbed another full container to drown out this conversation, it couldn't be good.

"Thank you Highness," he bowed his head again slightly and moved to stand beside the chair closest to the door, waiting for her to sit opposite him before he took his seat.His rigid posture and serious face gave her slight pause. She was in no mood to indulge in pleasantries with him and she propped her feet up on the seat across from her taking a big swig from her bottle.

"Well, then, out with it," she said harshly while taking another swig.

"Of course my lady," he bowed his head once more, she rolled her eyes, "Your father and I had a meeting the last day I saw you. He gave me very specific instructions."

She said nothing but threw her hand up that wasn't holding the bottle, going for another swig of the caramel creamed substance. This conversation could not go any worse she thought.

"Well I have been instructed to assist you on your assignment," he concluded, still sitting straighter than the chair that held him. She threw her head back and laughed, loudly, startling him slightly as he tried to regain a small smile in defense.

"You? The one other person my father trusts besides me?" she laughed feverishly now downing more of her drink in between laughs.

"Yes your majesty, I have been instructed to not speak a word of this to anyone outside of the captain or yourself, not even my wife or son. Not anyone. I am to help you keep your cover when you go downside and protect you if need be, hopeful there will not be a need be," he finally relaxed a bit and laced his fingers together on the table in front of him without compromising his posture.

She laughed at him a while longer than took in his face and stopped abruptly, "Oh seas, you are serious aren't you?" she chuckled slightly in fear, taking another drink.

"Yes your majesty," he bowed his head slightly once more.

"How on all the seas are you the one my father trusts the most second only to his own flesh and blood?" she criticised taking another drink and rubbing her eyebrow in frustration and anxiety.

"Your majesty, it is not my place to contest what the Captain says, it is my duty to follow his orders, assist you in making a cover, and protect you if necessary, protect your identity before all else," he sighed heavily, "I know not why the Captain has chosen me but I am humbled and honored to do so. I have spent a lot of time below deck as a Yellow & Red and I can help you understand the rules that you must follow to protect your identity," he bowed his head once more.

She let her head fall back against the chair and laughter escaped her once more, "This cannot be happening right now," she chided and took another drink. Pulling her feet up and leaning on the table. "Okay fine, you want to be the noble soldier, what are these rules? Surely it can't be that hard to pretend to be nothing?" he tried to smile through the challenge he was up against out of politeness.

"Your majesty I suggest we start as soon as possible, there is a lot to cover," he admitted hoping she would pick up on the gravity of the situation sooner rather than later.

"You're serious aren't you?" she asked as he nodded his head to her, she slammed her head on the table and groaned aloud.

"The first thing is getting you a bunk without raising too many questions," he continued, "You'll be sharing a room with three other ladies-"

"Three other ladies?!" she almost shouted at him.

He nodded his head and continued, "Yes, I know them fairly well, not on a personal level of course but, two of them have suffered great losses recently, and shown to be the kind of Black & Blues that will stick thick and through as they should."

"Thick and through? What is that their slogan?" she laughed a little setting the bottle down finally and giving into whatever assault of knowledge this man intended to thrust upon her.

"Yes my lady, it is what they say to one another so support each other through tough times. It would be a dead give away if they said it to you, and the look you just gave me is what they saw," he said simply.

Her mouth dropped open and she was about to chastise him, but thought better of it and pursed her lips together. She knew this day would come, the day she had to grow up and be the leader she was born to be. She just wished she wanted to be a leader. She sighed heavily, "By all means, Victus, please continue." He nodded once more and thought she saw the slightest smile flash across his face.

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