Treasure of the sea |Lesbian story|

CHAPTER XLV

The marshy stretch, thick with willows and curious marsh trees, stretched for miles. Plants unfamiliar to me were blooming and I felt the desire to pause and observe them, but Arenis' insistence on proceeding at all costs prevented me from doing so. We had been walking for hours. Men were advancing warily, swords at the ready. But there was not a soul in sight, save for birds and wild animals.

"It's getting dark, Captain. Maybe we should stop," Bones suggested.

"A few more miles."

I was cold and the humidity was atrocious. Arenis didn't know where she was going, it was obvious. She was trying to find her way with the sun, but I often saw her uncertain and she looked at the bush with a perplexed expression. Exhausted and with sweat covering my forehead, I tried to keep up with everyone else. Finally, when the darkness became too thick and we could no longer see where we put our feet, Arenis stopped. "We'll camp here."

We all breathed a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground.

"Oh dear, I can't feel my legs," I complained to no one in particular.

And it was then, when we had all caught our breath again, that Dilthey pounced upon me, clasping me in an embrace. "You have saved us, Eveline!" he exclaimed, filled with gratitude. "You have saved us all!"

"Oh..." I mumbled embarrassed. "Yeah, well..."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Stevenson also stepped forward and hugged me as well, stroking my back lightly. "We owe you."

And then it was Eddie's turn and Sabre's turn and Harris's turn and Bones's turn... Even the two women, who I had discovered were named Audrey and Louise, thanked me. There were those who shook my hand, those who patted me on the shoulder, those who smiled at me with tears in their eyes from emotion.

I didn't know what to say or how to act. Arenis was the only one who didn't come closer. She just stood by and watched the scene without saying a word.

I woke up when the sun was already up. A delicious smell of fish was wafting through the air. When I looked around, I saw Harris cooking four large trout, all skewered with sticks and spun over the flames.

"There is a river near here," Dilthey informed me.

"Did you go fishing?"

"Me and Bill, at dawn. We only managed to get four fish, but now the Captain and Stevenson are trying to do better. They left a few minutes ago."

"Oh. I'm sorry I couldn't help. I overslept..."

He smiled. "No problem. You needed your rest. What a thrill yesterday, huh?"

"Yeah."

I noticed that Harris was chatting with Audrey, the older woman, and I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was trying to make a good impression on her. He handed her the first ready-made fish, and reserved the second for me. I was hungry. It tasted bland, but at that moment I would have eaten anything. When the Captain and Stevenson returned two hours later, they had six fish by the tail, and the men rejoiced with delight.

As Arenis ate, she turned her head to the side, throwing me a look. "Shoe, weapon, keys. You spelled it out to me with your lips four times! I understood it!"

Flabbergasted, I made a contrite face. "You gave me no sign!"

Arenis rolled her eyes. Then, she pulled out of her pocket the two picks I'd managed to hand her during our little scene in the interrogation room and looked at them, thoughtful. "You're a good actress."