“No judgement?”
Iliana laughed. “No judgement.”
Chapter 39: Below the Decks
Sakura ran her arm along the bannister as she descended the stairs, keeping herself steady against the shuddering motion of the boat in the lower decks. The odd crew member appeared from behind the many doors as the ship continued its departure, offering her a brief greeting as they passed. If the weather out to sea was indeed stormy, then they had much to do. She meandered through the network of corridors until she found the room that had housed them on the way over, and knocked on the door. Moments later, the door swung open and Rin invited her in.
“Are Dyn and the others still above deck?” Rin queried, noticing the fact she was alone. Sakura nodded, receiving a smile in return. “I understand. I may be eager to return, but he’s leaving for the first time. It can’t be easy.”
“He’s taking it better than I expected. How’s Sariel, anyway? I see that you’re, uh, camping on his bed,” Sakura replied, spotting the angel under the covers behind her. The angel grumbled at the mention of his name but offered no reply. Rin peeked back at the hidden Sariel, letting out a chuckle.
“The sudden juddering of the boat made him nauseous, so he’s resting before dinner.”
“The ride over here was smooth, but he didn’t feel unwell then. Is he feverish still?”
“I am right here, you know,” Sariel grumbled, heaving himself over to face towards them. “I do feel chilly, although I put that down to the sea air.”
Sariel was naturally pale, being an angel and all, but Sakura could see the subtle difference in his skin. He was also uncomfortable, and not just due to embarrassment. Rin took the hint in Sakura’s expression, placing two fingers against the angel’s forehead.
“He does feel hot, which explains the chills.”
“You were feeling rough in the last few days, Sariel. Could he have picked up something? Although I suspect one of us would’ve shown symptoms if that were the case, no?”
“Demons and angels get different diseases, so I suspect Sariel might have something that is benign to us. Unfortunately, due to my prior position, I’m not too knowledgeable of the angels of the South and their ailments.”
Sakura thought on it. Such a thing made sense, given the demon’s toxic blood. Her best course of action would be to ask one of the crew members, hoping that his condition was simple and perhaps known. “I’ll go and get him some water.”
“Thanks, Sakura,” Sariel said, forcing himself to give her a smile. The demon excused herself, slipping back out into the network of wooden walls. She picked her way through the identical doors, honing her senses to pick up the slightest hint of food, or the faintest of sounds. Creaking rose and fell as the boat rocked, smothering any voices that may have been drifting along in the air. Her memory did not fail her, however, and soon she found the kitchen. Inside was a demon fiddling with the stores of food that had been transferred for tonight’s meal, working out how to ration the portions to afford them all food.
“Excuse me,” Sakura said, rapping one hand on the wood to announce her presence alongside her words. The chef stuck their head up, staring at her.
“Yes?” the demon replied, her tone revealing what Sakura couldn’t see: her gender. With a swift gulp of breath, she explained the situation with Sariel, along with the request for a drink. She noticed the chef didn’t appear concerned at her description, whether out of a lack of care for the angel or just a simple explanation. A swish of the demon’s hand and Sakura was given a cup, with instructions on the location of an accessible water keg. “The angel’s blight is probably what we tend to refer as heat sickness or summer sickness. To southern angels, it’s just a short-term inconvenience, but to your friend, it’s a bit of a kick. Keep him watered, and watch his nausea. The rough seas aren’t going to help, though.”
“But he should be fine?”
“He may feel like death, but he should be fine so long as you can get him to drink.”
Sakura nodded and thanked her for the advice. The demon gave her one last tip before parting; if Sariel gets worse, or she’s worried, then she was free to come back. They had no specific medication to help with the disease, but they could pitch something together for his nausea. Getting Sariel to accept the help was another issue, though. If he was feeling rough enough, then he may be willing to say yes.
After stopping off to fill up the cup, Sakura returned to Sariel’s side. The angel was trying to deflect Rin’s concern, although she could hear the affection in his weary voice. A mixture of stubbornness and embarrassment, but he did appreciate her efforts. On seeing Sakura, Rin moved aside to allow her access. Her final act was to lift Sariel into a sitting position, an act he made no effort to fight. Now he was upright, he took the cup out of Sakura’s waiting hands. As he sipped the water, Sakura relayed what the chef had said.
“I would come down with something,” Sariel said, letting out a sigh. “It’s nice to know that it’s nothing too serious, though.”
“Still, I’m going to keep an eye on you,” Sakura replied, scooting herself behind the pillows that sat nearby. The bunk beds were too cramped to try and remain sitting upright, so she leant her back against the wall. “I hope you enjoy my company because you’re going to be getting a lot of it.”
“There are worse people I could be forced to spend time with. The intricacies of angelic culture and all.”
“I can’t imagine the angels are too kind to those who are ill,” Rin said, surprised by how frank Sariel was willing to be. Then again, simply knowing that he had tagged along of his own free will was unusual to her.
“As long as you’re not going to die, you’re on your own. People go out of their way to avoid you, or mock you.”
“Well, you’re going to be getting none of that here,” Sakura responded with a grin, “if you need anything, you let me know. Regardless of the time.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Chapter 40: A Comfortable Bed
To call the seas rough was an understatement, much to Sariel’s detriment. The boat lurched, shuddered and groaned under the relentless mountains of water that pummelled the hull. So far the hull had withstood the onslaught, but the crew warned them that they would need help if it were to spring a leak. No one could complain about the potential demand to help. After all, they’d sink if they didn’t assist.
Sakura comforted the angel as he struggled against the wash of nausea and the rocking of the ship. At the moment, sleep was his only relief, when he could manage it. To his credit, Sariel was managing to control the urges to throw up, if he wondered if just letting it happen would make him feel better. She stroked his hair as he lay curled up under the covers, with only his head poking out. He whined in his sleep, so the demon ramped up her efforts to soothe him. Rin offered a damp cloth, trying to keep his fever down.
“How is he?” Solomon whispered, peeking in from the foot of the bed. “Unfortunately, I can’t do much for illnesses, aside from trying to stop it from doing too much damage. I’m not detecting much with him, though.”
“He’s having nightmares about, well, Nightmares possibly,” Sakura replied, keeping her voice quiet. “Whatever it is, he’s not happy. I’d rather not wake him, though.”
“Disturbed sleep is still better than nausea?”
Sakura nodded, hearing the angel let out another moan. She leant down and whispered into his ear, trying all avenues to calm him. Solomon watched on as Sariel continued his groaning, a frown spreading across his face.
“I can try to soothe his mind, but I don’t want to force him into statis or anything. The theory on this states that it’ll preserve the disease as well, which solves nothing. Well, unless the added seasickness rears its head too much.”
As Sakura went to reply, the boat suffered an aggressive shove from one of the many passing waves, causing them to brace. The lurch startled Sariel awake, and the motion jerked him off the bed. Seeing the angel dislodged from
his resting place, Sakura launched forward, wrapping herself around him. Her wings bashed against the wooden deck as she broke his fall.
“W-what?” Sariel stuttered as the world once again became visible to him, albeit in a different location to what he remembered. He went to move but found himself bound.
“The boat rocked,” Solomon said, slipping in behind to give Sakura’s wings a quick check. Content there was nothing wrong, he stepped back. “I’m going to go and check everyone else is alright after that, okay?”
“That might’ve triggered a leak, among other things, so it’s a good idea,” Sakura replied, stroking the angel’s hair to reassure him. Once Solomon had left, she hooked her arms under Sariel’s and hoisted him back on to the bed. She felt him lean against her, his breath shallow. “Sorry about the rude awakening. If I was aware the boat was about to do that, I would’ve braced you, too.”
“It’s fine… I was just, um.” Sariel paused, letting out a whimper and a sigh. “Do you mind if I just go back to sleep?”
Sakura gave him the go-ahead, expecting the angel to break away and resume his place under the covers. Instead, he rolled over, nestling his head against her shoulder. His right arm rolled around her withdrawn wing, ending against her back. Once he had settled, Sakura put her arms around his waist, hearing a faint chuckle from the distance. Rin stood up, gathering the pillows off the bunk beds and piling them up behind Sakura, giving her a comfortable place to rest.
“He may slate the angelic culture, but he’s feeling isolated. He misses his friends and his family,” Rin said, swapping to demonic tongue to prevent waking him. “Poor thing is all by himself. It’s nice to see he trusts you, though. You could do anything to him right now and he’d have no defence against it.”
“He might’ve said that angels are often left alone when ill, but I couldn’t see Uriel or Arariel just leaving him to fend for himself.”
As Sakura spoke those names, Sariel grumbled. She glanced down, checking to see if the angel had been disturbed too much. Within seconds, he was back to sleeping soundly.
“The Monarch himself? He seems young to be part of his inner circle. The fact he came speaks volumes, though,” Rin replied, noticing the fact the angel stirred when names were mentioned.
“He’s been working with the younger generation to sort out some of the problems there. I did promise to explain things to you when we got to the boat, didn’t I?”
Rin chuckled. “That you did. Don’t worry about it right now, let the angel rest. We can talk later. I think I’ll go and check on the others, too.”
Sakura nodded, smiling as Rin bid farewell. Just before she left the room, Rin paused, regarding her once more. She grabbed the blanket that sat discarded at the foot of the bed, pulling it up to cover Sariel before slipping out of the room. Now that they were alone, Sakura let out a sigh. The pillow mound was comfy, and she couldn’t go anywhere. Sleeping on her back wasn’t her favourite position, but she could cope, for now.
***
Sariel woke feeling refreshed, if hungry. He noted Sakura above him, hearing the gentle rise and fall of her breath. The other thing he noticed was the lack of sound or movement. Compared to before, the boat was still, quiet, and not half as nauseating. Either the storm had passed, or they had moved clear of it. It was about time, too. His skin still felt clammy, but he was up for attempting a meal. He opted to lie still, unwilling to disturb Sakura after forcing her into this situation. She had settled, at least.
His stomach let out an angry gurgle, disapproving of his choice. As the sound reverberated around the room, Sakura began to stir.
“Hungry, are we?” she said, with a hint of a laugh. “Feeling a bit better?”
“Enough to eat, before we hit any more turbulence,” he replied, feeling her increase the pressure around his waist. She sat up, lowering him back down to the crowded bunk. He watched as she too noted the lack of creaking and moaning.
“Was I a comfortable bed, at least?”
“Yes. Thank you, for not pushing me off. I put you in a comprising position, without even asking you.”
“It’s fine, I’m just glad you slept well. You were groaning in your sleep before, you had me worried.”
Sariel blushed at the concern, brushing his hair aside to hide it. Sakura, however, laughed.
“So, you can get colour in those cheeks.”
He scoffed, feeling her pat his shoulder as she slipped off the bed. As she stretched, her joints let of a subtle crack, enjoying their new-found freedom. With a deep breath, Sariel followed. Even with the rocking of the ship gone, he was still unsteady. A hand shot out, seeking the demon’s stability. Every step was difficult, but with Sakura’s help, he pushed on. The interior of the ship was quiet, as well as in one piece. There was no sight of the others, having been roped into securing the boat after its battering.
Once they reached the dining area, Sariel perched himself on one of the benches while Sakura went to investigate the kitchen. He waited for a minute, unable to hear any dialogue coming from the adjoining room. When he noticed that she wasn’t returning, he took the moment to check himself over. The first thing he noticed was his need for a shower, the fever had been causing him to sweat. Said sweat was also causing his feathers to be fluffy, far fluffier than he tolerated. Preening them back to their natural state would take time, along with tools he didn’t have on him.
“Sorry for the delay, there’s no one here,” Sakura said, emerging from the kitchen with a steaming bowl of rice. She sat it in front of him, offering up a tarnished yet clean fork. “It was the blandest thing I could find. Don’t want to stress your body too much.”
Bland or not, it was food. Tasty food. He took a mouthful, feeling his body cry out in joy as it registered its first meal in days. Before he could swipe a second helping, the bowl was blocked by Sakura’s hand.
“Take it slowly, or you’ll make yourself sick through that instead.”
Warning noted, he took a deep breath to calm the urge to devour it all. Content that he was heeding the advice, Sakura removed her hand and backed off, mumbling something about cleaning up as she strode back to the kitchen. His stomach felt calm as he ate, a relief from the past few days. Once he reached the halfway mark, the demon reappeared, settling on the bench opposite.
“Not getting yourself something?”
“They’re not my supplies to take or my kitchen to use. I figured one bowl of rice won’t hurt, though.”
Sariel nodded, not feeling like taking the conversation further. Talking made it hard to eat. As he devoured the portion, he noted Sakura start watching the ceiling, her remaining eye tracing something along the wooden structure. He finished up the ration, placing the cutlery inside the bowl and pushed it to one side. Folding his arms on the table, Sariel stared at the demon, or specifically, her scar.
“I never asked because I gathered it was a question you heard often, but does that bother you?”
Sakura dropped her head back down, touching the scar with one hand. She cracked a smile, happy with his respect.
“I’m getting used to it, bit by bit. The Central Isles is small and familiar, while the South was vast, tiered and frankly, a bit unnerving. It’s something time would conquer, if I were to spend more time there.”
“You fought well in our sparring session, though. Is there anything specific with it that you don’t like?”
“People I don’t know getting too close since I can’t see what they’re doing. I can react afterwards if they try something, but I can’t stop the initial action.”
Sariel nodded, drawing his mind back to their fight. She had been willing to allow him close then, without any signs of hesitation. There had to be a level of trust from the start, something she didn’t offer to all strangers. His head turned up towards the ceiling, trying to spot whatever she had been watching. Despite her hindered sight, there was something she picked up on, as there was nothing exciting about the wooden surface.
“Footsteps,
” Sakura explained, “slight and muffled, but that’s what that quiet creak is.”
“Some from our companions, I’d assume,” he replied, regarding the sounds he had otherwise ignored. “You use your hearing quite a bit, then?”
“I always did, being a hunter and all. It does help with the shortfall, though. I at least know there’s someone on my blind side.”
A lull in the conversation took Sakura’s attention to his empty bowl, which she took without a word and disappeared once again. As he waited on her return once more, the door creaked and Rin stuck her head through. She gave him a warm smile, inviting herself in. Her attention went to the kitchen for a moment, before turning back to Sariel.
“It’s good to see you up and moving, that fever hit you hard,” Rin said, setting down where Sakura had been sat before. “Has she gone to get you some food?”
“Just finished it, actually. Everything fine with the ship?”
“Nothing we couldn’t solve and it should be smooth sailing from here.”
That was welcome news to him, the seasickness was wearing thin. It should only be a couple of days before they arrived at the Central Isles, so he had only a few more days to endure. Rin chuckled, leaning over to brush a wisp of hair away from his face. “Eager to hear that, I see.”
His cheeks flushed, earning him a further grin from the demon. Before he could be teased again, Sakura re-emerged from the kitchen, pausing for a moment, gesturing to Rin behind her back. The angel beckoned her over, giving her a thumbs up as she neared. Rin spotted the silent conversation, not that Sariel took much effort to hide it.
“There you are,” she said, tapping on the table. “Come on, I don’t bite.”
Sakura took a breath, before doing as requested. Sariel noted that she glanced at him, for comfort or to ensure he was fine, he was unsure, but she relaxed afterwards.
“Are you staying here? Because this seems a good time to discuss matters,” Sakura queried, leaning on the table. Rin nodded, eager to hear what she had to say.
Skies of Fyir Box Set Page 64