Storms at Sea...

[E]

The trip so far had been rather enjoyable, that is, once she managed to empty her stomach. Still she could not manage to walk with the grace that even Killian’s siblings had found so quickly. It made her wonder if she ever would. The long talks with Killian, however, had made up for the little uncomforts she had found. Not only that, but since Ayala had made the bed upon the wood for her, she had managed to sleep most of the nights, finding a strange comfort in the rocking motion when she was not standing.

Pulling on her loose trousers and a large overshirt, Apri nearly jumped out of her skin as a knock came on the door. Frowning, she couldn’t help but wonder who would be knocking so late at night. Were they not suppose to be getting ready for bed? The sudden lurch of the ship, however, sent Apri grasping the handle just as the door opened.

“Up on deck, a storms coming. Its not safe here miss.” the man said shortly before moving to the next door to make sure no other passengers were below deck. Apri frowned, but knew better than to argue as this was their domain, not hers. Moving swiftly, the ship lurched again and panic started to find its way into Apri’s tired mind.

Once on deck, she was amazed at how dark and wet it had become as the rain fell down upon them far harder than the light drizzle that had been falling all day. Pausing in the doorway, she watched, wide-eyed as the men moved from one rope to another shouting various commands that made little sense to her even after the trip.

Finding the man suddenly behind her, she moved quickly to the rail on the side, clinging tightly to it as the shipped lurched again; her stomach lurching with it when she found the waves around her nearly above her head. She hoped dearly that they would get no larger…

[shawncameron]

Killian was already on deck when the first hard waives of rain pelted them. He said nothing as the sailors ordered him out of the way and another gave him a rope with swift instructions to tie it around his waist before leaving in a hurry. Killian was too disorientated to argue. As the ship tossed this way and that he couldn’t tell which way was up and which was down, though he was the lucky one as he sister would later tell him, as he could not see the waves taller then the main mast threatening to crash down on him.

The rain pelted down stinging his skin and his mind as he longed to go below deck, to find Apricus and try and talk about happy things as they waited out the storm. Pictures of a churning see and so many branches bighting into his skin kept flashing up unbidden as he held tightly to the side rail. The ship lurched hard ripping the rail out of his hand and sending him flying to the floor just as a wave washed over the side, and over him sending him sliding to the rail on the other side.

[E]

Terror was easy to see in Apri’s eyes as she watched the enormous wave fall up on the ship. Clinging with all her might, she closed her eyes as the water washed over her, soaking every part that the rain might have missed. Loose cloths now clung coldly to her body as she opened her eyes once again, almost afraid to do so.

There at her feet was Killian, just as drenched as she on the deck floor. The look of him, there on the floor, holding onto nothing made her panic again. Was he okay??

“Killian!” she shouted, trying to get over the noise of the rain and waves that was battering the ship. She didn’t have time to hear a reply, however, as another wave washed over them and she clung as best as her weak arms would let her.

[shawncameron]

Killian turned around as quickly as possible grasping the new rail. It was only his keen hearing that alerted him to Apricus’s presents as she called his name. “Apricus!” but the rain was too loud, he could barely hear his own voice let alone expect her to hear it. He inched his way toward where he thought her voice had come from, putting one hand over the other as the wind and rain wiped into his face and eyes. His ribs where stinging from the fall and his heart was pounding in his ears from fear and worry.

Behind him lightning flashed all to close, lighting up the ship and the wave coming towards them. The sailors, all tied down, where to busy trying to keep the little ship afloat to spare a notice for the two harpers as the water crashed down, nearly lifting Killian off his feet and over the edge. Instead it lifted him enough to slam is waist into the rail and sweep all of his hair into his face nearly cosing him to panic as it blocked his breathing for only a moment. Unclenching one hand to brush it way a new panic hit him and his heart stopped. Apricus… “Apricus!” if the wave had nearly lifted him from his feet what had it done to her?

[E]

Apri came up choking as the air had been beaten right out or her by the last wave. Hugging the bar as tight as she could, panic caught her again… Where was the floor? Kicking her feet wildly, she noticed Killian… on the other side… She was on the wrong side of the rail!

Opening her mouth to scream, it was simply filled with water as another wave broke over them. Coughing violently, it was all Apri could do to hold on, or breath for that matter as she continued to kick her legs looking for something, anything to help support her weight. Her arms were not going to be able to hold on for long…

[shawncameron]

In his state of panic Killian heard a muffled something from just in front of him, making his heart beet again, slamming into his chest painfully hard as without hesitating for once in his life he reached out. His slippery hand wrapped around a slippery arm too thin and week to hold on for very long. Holding tight Killian yelled in a rage barely heard as the wind and another wave tried to take the arm from him. He would not let go though, as he released the rail with his other hand to grab for the woman’s other arm “Don’t let go Apricus Please!” in his fear he couldn’t help but imagine the woman letting go of him as he touched her, but he wouldn’t let go of her, never.

[E]

As two strong hands found her arms, Apri couldn’t help but feel that familiar fear rise at the touch. The wave that pulled her away from those hands, however, was a fear she was not use to… a fear far more deadly at the moment. Being torn in the two directions, she couldn’t help but wish it to all end, but the waves did not stop.

Her hands slipped from the wet wood. Were it not for the hands she would have been lost in the dark abyss that clung to her cloths, begging her to join it. Hands unable to find the wood again, clung to the arms instead. Everything was so wet, she couldn’t help but let out a scream as she slipped a little farther in the grasp of those strong hands.

Now held by the wrists, she too held a pair of wrists of her own. She was now a layer of fears… Fear of the water and the storm on the top… Fear of those hands next… Fear of her own hands clinging to them… Then the fear… the fear of ‘what if’… what if those hands… Killian’s hands hadn’t reached out for her… what if he grew tired? Strangely enough the what if’s didn’t out weigh the storm, foremost in her mind as she grasped at the hands that held her knowing they were all that stood between her and the water.

“Killian…” the plea… it was all she could manage and yet all of her terror, all of her fear was put into that name… that plea…

[shawncameron]

She was slipping, Killian clenched tighter, the slipping finally stopping as he reached her wrists and she too held on for her life. He could hear her plea, not even the storm could drown that out as he found new strength. Every muscle tensed as he pulled her back over the rail. She was halfway there when he could pull little more, though he would never let go, but the storm switched directions helping him as a new wave came from behind throwing her at him.

Killian pulled at the right time, sinking to the deck and holding her close to him. One hand was around her shoulders trying to shield her from the rain and waves as the other brushed her hair, gently, reassuring that she was there and safe before he removed it resting it on his own arm, encircling her and holding her close with out too much contact. “Its ok Apricus… I won’t let you go… your safe… its almost… almost over.” Tears mixed with rain, tears of relief and fear, and anger. They had not tied her down; she would have never gone out that fare if they had tied her down…

[E]

Feeling herself being pulled over the wood edge of the rail, her eyes couldn’t decide whether to focus on the walls of water around them or on Killian himself. Growing dizzy, she closed her eyes as Killian pulled her close to him. It was not until after the next wave walked over the pair that she realized his arms were around her.

Stiffining beneath the touch, she couldn’t help but feel the need to pull away… and yet as yet another wave fell upon them, she couldn’t help but find a security in those arms… she was not tossed aside each time the waves came when those arms… those strong arms held her…

“Killian… Thankyou…” she spoke softly, not even sure that he could hear her beneath the sounds of the storm, but it didn’t matter. She was no longer being pulled toward that watery abyss each time the boat rocked dangerously, and that fear… for the moment… was dissipated.

[shawncameron]

His eyes clamed shut to keep the stinging salt water out, Killian heard her speak and they shot back open, no he must have heard her wrong, it was too loud there was to much water, he had heard her wrong. But he continued to hold her as the ship lurched again sending his head into the rail though he kept her from hitting anything but his chest.

“its… almost… over…” he spoke as much to himself as he did to her, as the rain beat down again, reminding him, making him see what he never wanted to see again but he did every time it rained. But this was different, no one had had to save him this time, he had not hurt anyone but… he too tensed with out squeezing tighter. He should let go, she was safe now… but the ship moved again and he held on.

[E]

Apri found herself lost in time. How long had she sat there in the storm? How long had she allowed him to hold onto her? How many times was she pushed into his chest… his wounded and wrapped chest? How much pain was she causing him just to hold her, keep her safe from the storm?

She found herself regretting everything… She should have been stronger, held on longer. She shouldn’t have let him hold her… but then again, how much of a choice had she had? Those waves… they had been ready to devour her… His arms… they were all that stood in their way…

The storm seemed to last forever… again and again they were pelted by the wind and waves and Apri found herself wearing thin. She was so tired… As the waves slowly began to calm, she found herself drifting in and out of consciousness. How long she had sat there, she did not know, but soon the sun found its way to her face and she woke fully to find the waves a strange green color, but much, much smaller.

[shawncameron]

The storm got worse before got better but it did finally start getting better. Killian could feel it in its sway, as the rain thinned then stopped, the warmth of the sun on his face, still dripping wet, woke him from the daze he had been in.

Still supporting Apricus with one arm he stood, shaking and flinching as he griped with one hand at the rail once standing and knowing that she too was standing he let go, almost too quickly taking a stumbling step back and bringing his free hand to his spinning head as he tried to orientate himself again. “Apri. Milady… are you alright?” the worry in his face was evident as he continued to stand on shaking legs that had fallen asleep from the angel he had been sitting on them.

None of that mattered, his soaked bandages and bleeding hand didn’t matter, the new bruises on is already bruised ribs did not mater. All that mattered was her, and how she was doing. A warm breeze hit his cold chest as his once nice shirt flapped open in the breeze. It had torn open when he slid across the ship in that first wave, but just now that it was dry enough for the wind to open did he notice.

[E]

Standing on two weak and disoriented legs, Apri gazed around at the tired salors as they prepared the ship to continue her voyage. Hearing the worried voice behind her, Apri spun around again to find Killian there grasping the rail. At the sight of him, she couldn’t help but wince and his question was quickly forgotten.

“Killian… Your bleeding…” she said, not exactly worried as she had become use to his hand being bloody… it just seemed like something she should point out… find someone to dress it… like his sister. She purposly ignored the fact that she could still feel his arms around her... the thought was scary, but it had saved her... again...

[shawncameron]

Killian lifted his hand it had just reopened, almost like a kid who had got caught trying to steel pies he put it behind his back, “its fine, the salt… Milady…” he faced down using his other hand to close his shirt as he starred unseeing at the deck. “I’m sorry.” She seemed ok… but then… he just didn’t know, he didn’t regret holding her, but for some reason he regretted what he felt as he did.

It felt so right, even with the storm raging around him, feeling her just on his arm and a little on his chest was enough to make his heart beet a little lighter. He shouldn’t have liked it, that was exactly why she didn’t like people touching her… they liked it, he knew she couldn’t read his mind but that didn’t change the fact that he could still feel her against him and he didn’t want that feeling to go away

[E]

Apri watched, almost as if she were detached from what was happening, as Killian placed his hand behind his back and fumbled with his shirt. Noticing how his hair hid his face as he looked down, she frowned. Was he… Was he ashamed? Now why would he be ashamed…

Then the feeling on his arms around her brushed her senses again and she shivered. That was why… he had promised not to touch her… and she had believed him… and yet, once again… he had touched her to save her…

Apri found herself, not only at a loss for words, but unable to speak even if she wanted to. Her throat had constricted as everything slowly began to sink in. How was it that she continuously managed to get into predicaments like this? Where he was forced to break his promises… Where she was forced to allow the touch… Where she was thankful for him saving her… What was she doing wrong to continuously be finding herself in such places?

Lost in her thoughts, she found herself turning away from Killian and walking to the portal that would take her below deck to her dry cloths without a word to the man. It was the trust… She had come to trust the man… to feel comfortable enough around his presence to let her guard down… that was the problem… her guard… she had to put it back up… she was hurting not only herself, but Killian too… every time they touched… touch… that painful thing… she had to find a way to stop it…