Dragon Quest XI: Partners Until the End

[Chapter 20]

Freya slowly opened her eyes, feeling the rock of the boat sway her awake. Freya sat up with lethargic limbs and she had to blink a few times to let her eyesight focus in the dim cabin. Unable to hold back a yawn, she raised a hand to cover her mouth as tears sprung in her eyes. While she rubbed away the drops, the memories of the night before trickled in her mind and replayed the events in quick succession.

 

Shortly after their talk last night, Freya had finished healing Erik's wound the best she could. Admittedly, she did a much better job than she anticipated. Any traces of dark magic had been sucked out of the thief's body and the sickly feeling in his chest had dissipated. However, no matter how hard she tried, Freya couldn't heal the starburst shaped scar across his flesh. Luckily, there was no more bruising, yet the scar remained a few shades darker than the rest of his skin. It wasn't unsightly, so to say, but it'll be a definite reminder to him and Freya about his actions that very day. And that not something either party will ever take for granted.

"I might as well get up," Freya mumbled to herself. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and hoisted herself up. Slipping on her leather boots, Freya stood up and opened the door of her room. Checking the empty hallway, she bit her lip. Her mind mapped out the layout of the ship and her lips curled in mild satisfaction as she correctly retraced her steps to head to the deck.

With the salty sea air and wind tingling her skin, her blue eyes scanned the area. Only Dave was out on deck. He stood at the wheel and Freya gave a polite wave his way to which he happily returned. The sun was still high in the clear sky, signaling that she only slept a few hours.

Freya made her way to the edge of the boat, resting her arms over the railing as she took a deep breath of the salty air. The lull of the boat gently rocked her into a sort of calmness as the serene slosh of the waves splashing against the boat's side turned into a faint melody that quickly became Freya's favorite tune at the moment. A wild smile tugged at her lips as she hummed in content.

"Well, looks like someone is in a good mood this morning,"

Freya jumped in shock, not hearing anyone walk her way. She turned her head and was graced with the sight of mirth flickering in Erik's eyes. He chuckled softly from his spot a few feet from her and moved closer to her. He propped his arms on the railing and rested his head on them. His eyes gazed over the horizon before glancing at the girl next to him. He quirked a brow up as Freya giggled before answering his unspoken question.

"As a kid, I've always loved reading about the ocean. All the fairy tales about mermaids living underwater made me want to see the sea myself, but it wasn't till I did the trial of Tor with Gemma did I see it—of course, that was in the far distance," The brunette answered with a mellow exhale. "So seeing the ocean this close and sailing in the middle of sea is so exciting to me, especially since we didn't really get a chance to enjoy it last night,"

"I know what you mean. The salty air, the rolling waves, it makes me feel like I'm a kid again," Erik laughed, his mouth twitching into a warm smile. His eyes sparkled under the sun's rays, causing Freya's cheeks to warm as at the endearing sight. For a few moments, Erik just stared at the brunette with a tender look in his eye before continuing on. "You know...I've been thinking about our talk last night,"

"What about it?" The teen hummed, briefly averting her eyes away from her companion as her gaze focused on a flock of seagulls flying overhead, cawing as they flew past the ship. From the corner of her peripherals, Freya could see Erik shift in his spot while looking down at the foamy waves.