Juliet of Dundee

Into the Realm

Juliet of Dundee Chpt. 17

Juliet

Where am I?

I tried so desperately to stay asleep, squintin' me eyes shut as best I could, but to no avail. I groaned as I realized that I'd probably have to get up.

I pulled meself up into an upright position only to find meself in a hammock.

That's strange... When did I get a hammock in me roo-

And then I remembered.

I caught me breath and reached up to me collar bone in search of a chain.

Gone.

"Damn it!" I cursed as I threw meself out of the hammock and unto me feet. As I proceeded to pace back 'n' forth inside the small cabin, I almost missed the yawn from the wall near me. I only glanced in the direction of the sound before refocusin' me attention on an escape plan.

The tension grew so thick I was tempted several times to say somethin' completely random just to slice it. After a few moments of the pesterin' tension, I decided I'd had enough of tryin' to think past it.

"Ugh! Could you stop lookin' at me like that?!" I cried, throwin' me arms into the air and smacking' me hand on the ceilin'. I cursed.

"You're full of profanities today..." Pater replied flatly.

"What kinda responce it that?" I scowled at the ground.

Silence. Less of an annoyance than the tension, but more painful. I was bloody awful at confrontin' situations like this...

Pater was the one to break the silence next.

"Juliet." The way he said me name made me wince. It sounded full of a longin'ness to understand. The name alone made me struggle against me tears. This place. It was ruining me. "It's a beautiful name," he added as he cast me a sideways glance. I caught this look and turned me back on him in shame.

"What are you doing, Pater?" I wispered, fightin' to keep me composure. His presence neared me.

"I just - I just want to know something."

"And what is that?"

The hell was he gettin' at?

A pause.

"I want to know how you managed to keep yourself together all these years, knowing of your father and what he did. Not only to you but to the people you cherished. I want to know how you held on to your identity while puting up a facade at the same time." He paused again. "How... how did you manage to be alone?"

These words cut deep, so very incredibly deep. I clenched my fists and my jaw and struggled to hold back the emotions. It was true. How had I done it?

I guess I'd managed to separate meself from everyone; creatin' the facade was just my own way of doin' it. I'd pushed everyone away and the one time I'd actually opened up was with Margaret. But when she was killed it was like somethin' inside me passed away.

I sniffled.

"Perhaps everyone has their own facade, what they want people to believe they are. Perhaps everyone is two people; the person everyone sees on the surface, and the person they are inside," Pater sighed.

Strange... Almost sounds as if he'd heard you...

That was when I realized that I'd said all that stuff out loud. The last time me tongue had managed to accidentally speak my thoughts was with Margaret. A wave of realization and relief washed over me, and the tears slowed slightly.

"I'm so sorry Pater," I whimpered before Pater could add anythin' more, spinnin' meself around to face him. "This is all me fault! If I hadn't hidden on yer ship-"

Pater's blue eyes widened as I poured whatever this was out before him.

"I-I don't blame you, Juliet, for what happened. It was just the enevitable."

"But still-"

"No," Pater's voice was more tense as he reached out and took hold of me arms. "It's. Not. Your. Fault." I knew he was tryin' to spell things out for me, but I couldn't focus.

"The one who should be apologizing is me," Pater frowned as one of his hands dropped to his side, the other ran through his hair. After a moment he stopped and just watched me.

Pater spontaneously threw his arms around me neck and tucked his face into the crease of it.

"Let's start over, Juliet," he whispered into me ear.

"Alright," I nodded. I shut me eyes as these words hung in the air for a moment.

"So who get's the hammock?" I asked as Pater let me free. We held each others' gaze.

Was is he acting like this?

I paused and watched him cautiously for a moment.

Probably because of what happened here to him. No one wants to be alone on this ship.

Same with meself.

"I could sleep on the floor..." Pater shrugged.

An image of Pater's scars flashed before me mind before I replied.

"No, no you can get the hammock."

"But you shouldn't have to sleep on the floor..."

I rolled me eyes. So difficult!

"Okay then, if the hammock is strong enough we can both be in it!" I cried exasperatedly.

Pater grew quiet. I froze.

"Are you sure?" Pater's voiced. I shrugged as I lay down. Pater made his way along the other side of the hammock and lay next to me. He laid his arms beneath his head and stared at the ceiling.

You muppet.

Shut up. It was an accident.

Sure.

There was a sudden creek outside the cabin door and Pater and I both tensed. Without another warnin' the door to the cabin flung open and in walked me father.

"'Ello ya lovebirds!"

I scowled.

"I've got some news for ya!" he grinned as he strode into the room, Stouts appearing behind him. Pater shuffled on the hammock uncomfortably and I cast a worried glance at him, after all, this was the man that had nearly driven him out of his mind.

I removed meself from the hammock and moved between Pater and me father.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing at the moment, simply just letting you know that we've entered a realm. Should be a bit before we reach the Elixir, but we are that much closer. Also, you should be expecting a bit of cold. Glad you both have warmed up to each other, you're gonna need it."

And with that he slammed and locked the door.