Nanowrimo 2023 Best Bit and Word Count - Day 14 + 15 (Patreon)

These last two days I managed to add 3,079 words to my project, bringing the total word count to 26,002!

It was late into the night and Ayden was up on the main deck rubbing Percival's back as he emptied his stomach over the bow of the ship. She held his glasses in her other hand, as he'd been worried about them falling off his face and into the dark sea below.

"Are you alright?" she asked cautiously.

"I'll be fine," Percival assured, panting slightly as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I've been on ships before, so I don't believe it's sea sickness. Something we ate just...didn't agree with me, is all."

"Do you feel better now, then?" she asked, handing him back his glasses. He looked odd without them. Well, no. Odd wasn't the right word. He just didn't look like himself. Ayden supposed it didn't help that his eyes were bloodshot now, his face paler than usual.

"Yes," he said with a sigh. "Thank you. I know that wasn't the most pleasant of experiences."

Ayden shook her head. "I don't mind. It's...nice to be able to take care of someone else for a change."

Percival frowned contemplatively at her words. "You must feel so helpless."

"At times I do," Ayden agreed. "It was worse in the beginning, when the curse was new and the abuse was fresh." She rolled her shoulders back, standing taller. "I can't thank you or Laurent or Addie enough for believing in me. I know it's a dark, evil thing I want to do."

"Only as dark and evil as the things that have been done to you, and to the people of Orange," Percival said plainly, a hint of darkness creeping into his voice. He turned his gaze to the dark horizon, his hands gripping the ship's railing. "I admit, my loyalty is born of shame."

"Shame?" Ayden echoed, tilting her head in confusion. The wind whipped her hair, and she struggled to tuck it behind her ear so she could watch the play of emotions over Percival's face.

"I...never forgave myself for abandoning you at the debutante ball," Percival admitted. "For a long time, when I closed my eyes, I saw you laying there, pleading for someone to show you any sort of kindness. Your sobs echoed in my ears whenever there was a moment of silence. I felt shame at my inaction."

"You were a child," Ayden reminded him gently.

Percival turned to her, his face pained like he was near tears. "So were you."

Ayden blinked; her vision suddenly blurry. She lifted a hand to her face, shocked to find her cheeks were wet. She was crying. When was the last time she cried? Her debut? Perhaps in the days after, when she was still breaking, still pleading for her mother. She hadn't realized she couldstill cry. It had been so long...

Warm arms wrapped around her, and her vision was suddenly full of pinstriped waistcoat. Percival held her close, a hand on the back of her head pressing her face into his shoulder. A place to hide her tears from the strangers around them. She dropped her cane, trembling hands reaching up to grasp at the fabric that covered his back like a lifeline. She dared not sob; no wail would escape her throat. But she could cry here. With Percival, her tears were safe.

She could not tell how long they stood there, her tears soaking into the fabric of his waistcoat and, ultimately, his shirt. All she knew is eventually the tears stopped, leaving her with sore eyes and a headache.

"Better?" he asked gently.

"Hardly," Ayden muttered. "Now my head is killing me."

Percival chuckled lightly, bending down to retrieve her cane for her. "Seems like you had a lot to let out."

"So it seems," she murmured in agreement, taking her cane back. It was cold to the touch, and she already missed leaning against Percival's warmth.

"Ah, there you two are."

Ayden leaned around Percival to see Laurent climbing up from below deck. "What are you doing up?" she asked.

Laurent ran a hand through messy sage-colored hair. "I could ask the two of you the same thing. I woke up rather suddenly in the middle of the night, as I am wont to do in a strange and unfamiliar locale, to find both of you gone. Now, I admit Fionna's snoring isn't the most pleasant of soundtracks to fall asleep to, but I figured we were all used to it by now."

"Our meal tonight didn't agree with me," Percival admitted, if only to stop Laurent from rambling any farther.

"His stumbling around woke me up," Ayden added. "I held his glasses so he didn't lose them over the side of the ship."

Laurent made a face. "I can't say I blame you, Percy. I avoided the cheese for a reason. Once you can see the mold, that's too much if you ask me."

"Don't call me Percy," Percival said tiredly.

"As you say," Laurent agreed easily, holding up his hands in a placating fashion. "Just know you're always free to call me by a nickname. Friends back home would call me Ren every so often. It was quite nice."

"We're friends?"

The two men turned to Ayden with surprise in their eyes. Percival's quickly gave way to sadness, though Laurent's shift was harder to read.

"Of course, we are, Ayden," Laurent assured. "Quite frankly, I wouldn't still be following you if I didn't hold some kind of affection for you."

"Why did you follow me?" Ayden asked. She knew Percival agreed to help her to assuage his own guilt, but Laurent was a mystery. And he seemed to like it that way.

"Curiosity, mostly," Laurent admitted with a shrug, leaning against the railing. He grinned at her. "You caused quite a stir when you showed up on the mezzanine. I wanted to see what you would do next. Besides..." His grin turned into a smirk. "When it comes to people like you, it's better to get on their side than stand in their way."

"You joined with me because you thought it'd be advantageous for you?" Ayden couldn't say she was dreadfully surprised. Laurent did seem to be a bit of an opportunist, but she'd hardly call herself a safe bet.

"No, I joined because I thought it would be amusing." Laurent shrugged again. "And I figured, if we got caught, I could always spin some tale of being kidnapped or something. But..." His smirk fell into a frown, the first sincere expression he'd worn that day. "When that beast attacked you, I realized I'd actually grown fond of you and this wild ambition of yours. I wanted to see you fulfill it." He leveled her with a somber gaze, and she could feel the sincerity of his words. "I hope you fulfill it. After everything you've been through, it's only right."

Ayden smiled at him, hoping it looked confident or reassuring or something of that nature. "I will. I promise."

Laurent matched her smile, though it didn't quite chase the somberness from his eyes. "I'll hold you to that, Ayden Caeruleum."