Amelia Merlin and the Game for Okamila

Part 44: The Family and the Tree

"How long do we have?" Jeremy asked her as they stood on the sand, waiting for The Red Tree to come take them home. 

"One week." Amelia stared out to the grey ocean. One time The Eye said she had ocean eyes but looking out onto the stormy waves right now that crashed and broke over each other Amelia hoped her eyes were friendlier than that.

"That's not much time." his blonde hair whipped out of his pale face.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around her body, not because she was cold (she never got cold anymore, not after the Mountain had been inside her), it was more of a comfort thing really. "Honestly, I think Time-turners usually just go back a couple of hours, maybe a day. I'm not entirely sure how this is going to turn out."

"Then why did you do it?" he said bitterly.

Amelia refused to look at him. On the horizon she could see her boat approaching. "I don't expect you to understand."

"Just try me."

"Right," she sighed and started to explain her choice. She hated that she had to justify what she was doing but Amelia knew Jeremy deserved an answer. "I love my friends, and how could I let them go into a situation where they were so fucking unprepared? We have no idea what we're doing. None of us do. And going to fight a bunch of highly trained wizards on our own was pure stupidity. So I went with them. And I cast the spell, the protection one, so none of them would die. And it worked, I didn't lose anyone."

The waves broke open on the sand and the ship neared them over the waters. "That spell isn't good for you."

"Yeah I know." she said dryly. "I did actually cast it so I'm pretty sure I understand what happens-"

"No, you don't." he shook his head, almost knocking the cigarette out of his teeth.

"Don't talk to me like that." she glared.

"Like what?"

"Like I don't know what I'm doing, or I'm a child. I can handle myself Jeremy." she said fiercely.

"I know that."

"Okay."

"I'm just saying, that spell has consequences. You're going to be weakened from casting it for a pretty long time. It might be a while before you're back at full strength-" he was using the most incredibly annoying tone to tell her things she already understood.

"I know Jeremy. Like I said, I can handle myself. I'm not an idiot." she shot at him. Thankfully the pickup boat had arrived and she didn't have to talk to him anymore. She climbed on board and smiled at the captain. His massive beard moved to reveal yellowing teeth. Amelia could smell him quite distinctly but he was a welcome sight nonetheless.

"Your grace," he grinned at her and which made her giggle slightly. "Pleasure to have you on board."

"Thank you, captain, you're always so kind to me." she said graciously.

"Well if I wasn't you would probably kill me so it's in my best interests, your majesty." he tipped his hat.

"Don't you have a boat to sail?" she teased and the captain ran off to the helm. Amelia was able to leave Jeremy alone with the crew while she sat up at the bow, her elbows rested on the port railing while she looked down below and watched the waves push the side of the boat. She could hear the sailors yelling things at each other she vaguely understood, she was smart enough she could pick up on a few things but she did not quite understand the complete art of sailing.

"Sheet in the jib sail!"

"Undo those reefs! Why are they even in there? It's only twelve knots-"

"Current's doing about three knots up here, but she's going with us so I say we stay deep."

"Watch your fucking heads! We're gonna gybe her over!"

Amelia moved to where she wouldn't be in the way and unfortunately, that was near Jeremy. Her arms folded across her chest and she purposefully looked the other way from him. Wind pulled her hair across her face and she had to constantly brush it away. 

"I'm fixing it." she snapped finally. "Okay? I'm doing something." 

"I know." her brother sighed. 

"So get the hell off my back. I have enough pressure as it is and I don't need to take shit from her and I don't deserve it." Amelia looked at him but his eyes were trained on the deck of the ship. "I mean it, Jeremy."

"I know."

She felt herself getting frustrated, "You don't understand it. You have no idea the kind of pressure this is."

"I know."

"Stop saying the same thing. It's pretentious." Amelia narrowed her eyes at him. 

"I know." Jeremy grinned and she had to laugh. 

"You're an asshole."

"I know."

"Jeremy! You are so annoying!"

"I know." he laughed and it was probably the best noise she had heard from him in a really long time. He'd been so sad and so sick for as long as she had known him. Jeremy was always one of those people who remained cool and collected no matter what the situation was. She wasn't used to him freaking out and she had only see it happen a handful of times. He was upset after the incident in the graveyard, after Cedric died and he tried to make it up. And when she came home to him in the living room, yelling at her about Al dying. 

Amelia always had this image of Jeremy in her mind. He was leaning against the hallway in their home, reading a book and that purple cigarette drooping on the side of his mouth. She could see him looking up at her from the pages and giving that crooked little grin which always made him look smarter than anyone else in the room. He was always in the background but nobody would ever look past him because he had that indescribable quality about him. 

She admired her older brother, she had only seen him upset twice and it was the worst thing anyone could see. The only family member who ever cared about her had hated her for what she did. 

But now he was laughing with her and teasing her and they were still family.