Jacob Holland X Oc Reader

Chapter 15 - Bonding over Rum

The next night when they were back up top Lillianna had just put Maisie to bed when she walked to the front of Red sitting down and dangling her legs over the side.

"Now that the wee devils asleep," Jacob said sitting down next to her and holding up a bottle of rum.

"I take it back, your not so stupide," Lillianna said taking the bottle from him and opening up the lid. Taking a sniff of it she moaned out before taking a swig.

"Why thank you," he said holding his hand out for it. Lillianna gave it to him. That sat for silence for a bit sipping every now and then.

"Its beautiful," Lillianna whispered her gaze fixed solely on the horizon. 

"What is?" he asked.

"This, everything," Lillian said gesturing around her.

"You know if I told myself a week ago that I'd be riding on the back of a sea beast drinking rum with a hunter, I would have admitted myself to an insane asylum," Lillianna chuckled, her contagious laugh spilling out of Jacob.

"Well it's definitely gonna be a hard to believe legend," he mused. 

"So what's your story?" Lillianna asked after a bit of time. 

"My story?" Jacob repeated looking at her to see an eager smirk.

"Yeah, I've read about you in books but there obviously extremely wrong. I mean they said you were good with a spear but you can't even hit a fish swimming right in front of you," Lillianna teased taking another swig and earning a chuckle from him. "If that's not true I don't know what else is," she mused.

"Well i am good with a spear thank you. It's just that sea beasts are bigger and easier to hit," he said taking the bottle back.

"Oh sorry," Lillianna chuckled holding her hands up in defense.

"Well I was born on the sea. On a merchant ship my parents owned. When I was about Maisie age we were uh. We were sunk by a beast," he said Lillianna smile falling at his words.

"I survived and drifted on the sea till captain crown found me. He took me in as a son, raising me to one day take over the inevitable. I've been monster hunting all my life really," he said.

"Simple story," Lillianna remarked.

"Im a simple man," he said.

"What about you" he asked.

"Me?" Lillianna mused.

"Yeah, I bet the life of a princess is plenty exciting," he said.

"Well Lillianna Mary Talvola Seabreak the third was born on the coldest night of the coldest winter. I was raised by maids and nanny's, taught how to rule by renowned professionals. I had only ever left the palace six times before all this. Sneaking out to dance in taverns," she mused reminiscing on those moments of freedom.

"I can tell you her future to if you like," Lillianna said.

"What you a orical or something?" he asked.

"No, its just my life's been planned out for me. I'll marry Hornagold, have three children and hire a spare and a backup plan. Then when my mother dies I will take over the throne and work behind a desk until I die," Lillianna said bitterly taking a long draw of the rum. Jacob wasn't really sure what to say at that. So he stayed silent.

He couldn't imagine a life like that. His own life had been spent living every day to the fullest never knowing when one would be his last. 

"I wish this could last forever," Lillianna admitted.

"Good things never last forever," he said.

"Perhaps, but this memory, this story, i'll always remember it. Alway cherish it" she whispered.

"I'm sure you'll make more amazing memories," he said. Lilliana scoffed before chuckling.

"Oh yeah, sitting on a throne all day, listening to Hornagold rattle on about how amazing he is. Cutting ribbons and kissing babies and choosing what the flower of the month will be, yeah amazing," she said sarcastically taking a large swig of the rum.

"If you hate him so much why are you marrying him?" he asked.

"You think i have a choice?" Lillianna asked.

"From the day I was born it was decided I would marry him. Hell, everything since I was born was decided for me," Lillianna shock her head.

"It couldn't be all bad. Every little girls wants to be a princess," he said.

"Well not every girl," Lillianna said looking to Maisie.

"But you had amazing food, you never went hungry, you have riches and fine cloths. You go to extravagant parties," Jacob listed of the life of a princess, well only the good parts.

"It's true I never wanted for material things. But let me ask you this. In the morning what do you do?" Lilliana asked leaning close to him.

"Well, I wake up," he said hesitantly.

"What time?" Lillianna pressed.

"Somewhere around sunrise," he shrugged.

"I get woken up seven o'clock every morning. Exactly on the third chime," Lillianna said.

"Then what?" she pressed on.

"Well I dress myself," he said.

"I am dressed by four women because heaven forbid I actually chose an outfit for myself. nono no, I might do something wrong and shame my parents," Lillianna continued.

"I'm guessing after that you have breakfast. Whatever tickles your fancy right? Well I eat one boiled egg, a fruit salad and one pancake. Why because I need a set amount of nutritions set by my doctor that I have to go to weekly check ups by the way even when there's nothing wrong with me. I can never chose what I want to eat. If fact I don't chose anything. Every aspect about my life is chosen for me. Who I'm going to marry, how many children I have to have, when Im allowed to speak, what I'm allowed to say, how I'm allowed to say it. And you wanna know the kicker of the whole situation?" Lillianna started to rant the alcohol providing the plow to break down her walls.

"The kicker is people like you think it's an amazing life. Yes it might be a life, but it's a life planned out, a life set in stone. I would give up everything just to have a single day when I can wake up when I want, eat what I want and chose to love the man I fall for," Lillianna couldn't stop the tears that gathered in her eyes. 

"I am living in a cage. Yes its a golden cage and yes it's comfortable but its still a cage," she said whipping her tears away.

"These last few days. I've never been happier in my life," she admitted. The tears streamed steadily down her face as she looked out to the sea. Jacob wasn't sure what he was doing, so when he reached out for her cheek his thumb brushing away the tear he froze as she looked at him.

"Thats the princess story. What's yours," he asked softly. Lillianna thought for a moment.

"A little girl was born, her parents never loved her but a nanny did. Her name was Lillianna. I like to play the violin and dance. I love to draw, and the sea, god i love the sea. did you know I painted and entire map on my bedroom wall. I marked all the places I wanted to go," Jacob gently drew his hand back as she started her rant.