Clara

"You've never been to a beach," Drake almost said in a mocking way, reading her thoughts.


    "I can't remember a time that I was outside of Monorail," she muttered, "it isn't as if all of us are filthy rich enough to waste money on train tickets as expensive as a house!"


    "Hmm," he smiled, kicking at the sand and sending his shoes flying through the air. He didn't seem to care what happened to them. Then he slid off his shirt and tossed it on the hot sand, leaving it behind as well. Amon was doing the same and once he was merely wearing a pair loose shorts. He ran out into the ocean far enough so that he could dive beneath it's tumbling waves.


    Jade found that she liked to listen to the sound of the crashing water and merely laid under the shade of the trees on the cool sand and listened. Drake sat beside her, watching the people run around and his uncle laughing and splashing the young girls who were flirting with him. She sat up, "I'm surprised that he hasn't found something to intoxicate himself with yet. He seems like he's having fun."


    "He isn't stressed out," Drake muttered, "an hour away from Dane and Damien, relieves him of all pressure and he becomes an actual human being." Jade's eyes widened as she saw him lean forwards and kiss one of the girls, making the two of them topple under the water. Only to resurface laughing and splashing. "Do you want to go out there?" He smirked at her, "Or can't you swim?"


    She ignored both questions, "I'm guessing that he's never seen either of them before."


    "Nah," Drake leaned back and let himself flop backwards into the sand with his hands neatly folded behind his head, "that's Clara. They've known one another for . . ." he gave a long sigh as he thought, "five years?"


    "And she lives here in Earthsea?" Jade questioned him.


    "Mhm," he responded, "I don't think that she's ever been anywhere else."


    "Why doesn't Amon take her with him?" She continued with the inquiries.


    "Because, darling," he mocked her with each word, "she has a life here and most people don't want to be anywhere near Damien and Amon is chained to him."


    "I see," she muttered and fell quiet for a while, watching the two wade out of the ocean and stroll up to them, still laughing.


    "Hi," Clara said through her laughter to Jade. She glanced at Amon as if whatever joke they were laughing at could be reignited with their eyes.


    "Hi," Jade spoke slowly, taking the girl in. She seemed about one and a half years older than her, same as Amon. With long wet brown hair was clinging to her neck and shoulders and electric blue eyes she was stunning up close. She wasn't quite beautiful, but she definitely had a unique look to her that made her cute.


    "Clara," Drake muttered as he sat up to look at her darkly.


    "Wow," she mused, getting to her knees and hands right in front of Drake. Their noses were barely apart, "I haven't seen you in like a year."


    "Likewise," Drake smiled sarcastically, until his uncle shot him a nasty glare. Drake narrowed his eyes at him returning the look with a smug one of his own.


    "Hmm," she smiled off his coldness and sat down, crossing her tan bare legs. Jade felt out of place, wearing her dress when everyone else was either in their loose, frilly undergarments, but she wasn't about to tear off her cloths. "And how's Dane?"


    "Peachy," Drake flashed his eyes at her, making her glance away quickly like everyone seemed to at both Damien and Drake's eyes.


    "And Damien?" Jade was surprised at how smoothly and sweetly Clara could speak the name.


    Not everyone hates him, dear, Drake's thoughts rang in her head, actually hardly anyone does. He's the king's advisor and has a lovely personality when he wants to.


    It was Amon who answered this question, "Oh you know how he is, work, work, work! The man's in over his head. So I'm keeping my distance."


    "Ah," she grinned, "so he's grumpy then."


    "Darling, Damien is never grumpy. He's either murderously furious or pleasant," Drake eyed her.


    "Yes, well," she skipped over the awkward comment, "will you three be staying with me for a while then?"


    "Yes and thank you," Amon leaned forwards and kissed her on her wet salty cheek.


    "Hungry?" She said standing up, brushing the hundreds of sand particles off her thighs. They fell like dust.


    "Starving," Drake growled, "I can't remember my last meal. Damien treats us like dogs."


    "All right Drake," Amon snapped at his nephew, "enough is enough."


    "Enough is enough," Drake mocked his uncle in a singsongy voice as they all stood up and followed Clara down the beach.


    Once Amon and Clara were far enough from them, Jade turned to Drake, "How has Amon gone this long without a drink?"


    "Ah, that one's simple," Drake sighed leaning back and looking far up into the clear blue sky, "that would be his power."


    "His power?" Jade shot a sideways glance at him.


    "Mhm," Drake continued casually, "I'm not a hundred percent sure how it works, but he seems to be able to either act so quickly that no one can see it or can stop time, but from what Damien alludes to, it's the former. So he probably got himself healed when we were back there and we didn't see it."


   


    "All right," Jade pursed her lips looking ahead of them at Amon, who had gently slipped Clara's hand into his, "why now?"


    "Clara," he muttered, "he doesn't like to look as bad as he is in front of her."


    "But is fine with Damien?" She smiled, smugly, watching her own bare feet sink into the soft wet sand as the waves rolled in an out.


    "Obviously," Drake raised an eyebrow.


    "What exactly are we doing here?" She kicked some of the sand in a bored, clumsy sort of way. "I mean did Amon really drag us out here to hang out with him and his girlfriend?"


    "No," Drake responded quickly, "I mean yes. Yes, he's here for Clara. He only sees her so often and no he doesn't want us here, but as little as he would like for us to know he does care and he knows that we need to be as far from Damien as possible. So here we are, love and here we will be for the next few days. Trapped."


    And so they were for the next four days to be precise. Whenever Drake or Jade left Clara's house, Amon would leave to accompany the one leaving and Clara would stay with whoever was remaining at the house. They were never out of the couple's sight. Drake was impressed he had never seen his young uncle put so much effort and maturity into something.


    While Drake moaned in his head day and night, but kept a cool calm on the outside, Jade was pleased with their situation. Clara was kind and made sure that the two felt at home. Her house was by no means anything different from a beach house. Made up with one level floor of sanded beach wood, containing an open area, filled with old furniture a few small mattresses on the floor and shelves containing even fewer books, they were all comfortable. The place was so open that the wind seemed to blow through the structure as if it weren't even there. Sand and seashells dusted the floor, creating no concern. There was a kitchen of sorts towards the corner of their room, but it wasn't much of anything and they mostly lived of fruits and nuts which didn't improve Drake's attitude.


    "It's been four days, Amon," Drake growled, walking at a quick pace as he chased Amon through the yard, or rather the beach. "I want to leave, now. You fucking stay, keep her for all I care, but I can't stand one more," and here he raised his voice so high that it was almost cracking, "oh good morning honey," his voice fell back down, "I don't want anymore pineapples, bananas, or coconuts, and I am sick and tired of all of this godawful sand!" He kicked at the powdery ground furiously.


    The sun was setting and Jade just sat back, leaning against a palm tree watching the two have at it. Only a small rumble remained of that once mighty roar in her head to escape. Now it wasn't as if she wanted to stay all of a sudden, but she realized that she had to and she wasn't going to suffer more than what was necessary.


    Clara sat down next to her as the sky exploded with oranges and pinks over the moving blue ocean. The sun was setting its hot fire into the cool ocean. "I think he'll leave with you both tomorrow."


    "Oh?" Jade smiled, titling her head towards her. She hadn't been able to get to know Clara all that well, but she had a good enough of an idea to understand her sufficiently. "And I guess you won't be coming."


    She squinted into the sunlight, sucking hard on her red lips, "No," she admitted at long last, "he says that I can, but that I shouldn't want to that his brother will eat me alive."


    "Hmm," Jade murmured that seemed accurate enough.


   


    Clara was silent in thought for a while and Jade, was beginning to have the hopeful idea that the semi-awkward conversation was over, when she blurted out, "You know, I've never actually spoken to Damien for more than a minute or two or been around him for more than half an hour at a time. What's he really like?"


   


    Jade frowned. What was Damien like? A selfish, stuck-up, bossy, spoiled, cruel, and manipulative man, who found a particular pleasure in torturing Jade. However, before she could figure out how to sum that up, Clara clarified her question, "I guess rather who is he? What does he like? What's he think about? I wonder how similar he and Amon are? Amon goes tight lipped whenever I bring up his name."


    With another frown, Jade actually turned to look at Clara completely baffled. She was almost angry. It was as if in her head she had made Damien inhumane. He didn't have any feelings or anything like that. How dare someone puts those kinds of qualities on him. "I-I," she began hesitantly, "I don't think I actually know him that well to know those sort of things."


    "Fine!" Amon shouted at Drake from a few yards in front of them, "We'll go. Go back to hell."


    Clara looked up at him and their eyes met. He looked as if he were apologizing to her and she shrugged. Jade smiled. They could read each other's expressions even better than Drake could read Jade's thoughts.


    The boat ride back was rough and the waves choppy. Jade thought that Drake might throw up as he leaned over the side of the boat turning a sickly green.


    "Drake," Amon had sighed, "ever think about staying close to the middle?"


    However, Drake had merely rolled his eyes in response and in an act of rebellion tenaciously stayed his post by the edge.


    "See as stubborn as a mule," Amon pointed out to Clara, who had come along much to Jade's surprise.


    The girl smiled and made her way over to Drake, placed a hand on his shoulder and once he had looked up guided him to the middle of the boat where he sat down, placing his head in his hands.


    "Why are you coming any ways?" Jade plucked up the courage to ask as a salty wave sprayed them all shooting over the edge of the boat.


    She blinked for a moment in a frown of confusion, "The last time that I saw Amon was about two years ago and now I have seen him for only four days. I don't intend to let him free that easily."


    Amon laughed and swung an arm over her, bringing her in closer, "Yes, well we'll see if we can't convince Damien to let you come with us on our terrible journey."


    Walking through the port of pirates and sailors wasn't nearly as difficult as before. They practically parted making a path for the four of them, not even daring to meet their eyes. Jade wondered if the same sailors were actually there from four and a half days ago or if all sea bearing men were just so connected that news passed with the wind.


    "It's been so long since I've had to put up with the noise of the city," Clara laughed.


    "Tell me," Jade began, "how does a girl with an aristocratic name like Clara end up living like some monk in a shack on a beach?"


    She shrugged, "That's just where I belong. I feel at home there and the people share my views. Don't you have a place like that?"


    "I certainly know one that isn't it," Jade grumbled as Drake chuckled at her side.


    Do you think that he'll be home, waiting for us? She thought to herself, apprehensively.


   


    No, Drake's response rung in her head, almost automatically, trust me he's had his share of us and ours' of him.


    But how will he know when we will be returning?


    Good point, dearest, Drake smiled to himself as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him forcing her to gasp, just as a man with a large wooden cart filled with cabbages rushed past them rolling right over the spot that Jade had previously stood. "Maybe he'll greet us with a nice cold glass of hemlock," he whispered into her ear, letting his cool breath tickle her skin.


    She leapt away from him, immediately raising a hand to her ear as she shot him a nasty look, "Can't you ever be serious?"


    Why he shrugged life will only drag on if I am. There is no color in Damien's world like his accursed eyes. So I must make it.


    You? She laughed aloud, making Clara glance back at the two of them suspiciously.


    Amon also narrowed his eyes in a warning sort of way. "So," Clara began, "you two are . . ."


    "Yes," Amon spoke quickly, "they are. That's why she's living with us, well that and she's an orphan."


    Jade bit her lip, knowing exactly what he was implying. It was what Damien had decreed, but none of them had seemed to be paying any attention to until now. Drake smiled and then suddenly had his hand around the back of her neck and pushed her towards him violently, laying a kiss on her parted lips. It wasn't passionate, but it was cold. However it was quick, giving Jade no time at all to process it.


    "Hmm," Clara seemed convinced, "never thought I'd see it happen."


    "Yes," Amon began with his sardonic acting, "we all," he gave a sniffle, "thought that he would die alone," he paused dramatically, "in the cold," another pause and this in a final tone, "and dark."


    Drake narrowed his eyes as Jade's face was quickly turning red. How dare Drake kiss her as if she were some object, even if his father had ordered it.


    Clara nudged him playfully, "Stop it, you'll make him mad."


    "Humph," Amon murmured through pressed lips.


   


    It really isn't personal, Jade Drake titled his head towards her. It was clearly not an apology, but a statement.


    Lovely  she thought back angrily.


    They stopped to eat. It was a small cafe. Cute would be an appropriate word to describe it with. It was clearly meant for wealthy customers and Jade soon found herself seated at a small table with a red rose in a clear glass vase. Then food seemed to magically appear before her, only because she was zoning in and out of her daydreams.


    "How about you Jade?" Clara spoke suddenly to her.


    Jade redirected her attention onto the group of people sitting with her. "Huh?"


       


    "Should we call Dane over?" She smiled at her with those wet rosy lips.


    Jade glanced to her right and noticed Dane standing at the counter, ordering food, leaning on one foot and gesturing casually with his hands at the chalkboard menu hanging above his head. She smiled. She hadn't seen him in five days. Honestly she hardly knew the man, but he gave her such comfort.


    He turned around holding a few coins in change in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. As he began to walk to the door, Jade realized that he was't going to notice them. However, Drake spoke out, "Hey, Dane over here."


    Dane glanced around, a confused look contorting his face, until his eyes fell onto their table. He didn't smile as Jade had, but rather bit his lip and let his eyes dart to the open door as if he was considering making a run for it. However, with a long sigh he took a few steps and then pulled out a chair beside Jade, carefully sitting down, keeping his eyes on Drake the entire time as if he expected him to lash out at him.


    He sighed again deeper and then let a kind, soft smile lift his face, "Clara," he began cheerily, "I haven't seen you in . . . it's good to see you. How are you?"


    She returned his smile with her own. Jade titled her head. Clara's smile clearly defined her. It was a bright smile with he two front teeth spread apart by a considerable gap. It added to her charm. "I'm good," she laughed, "I'm really good actually. How are you though? You looked exhausted."


    "Yes, I am," he nodded. He wasn't complaining. He was merely being honest. "It's been a rough week, but you've definitely brightened it up, dear. How long will you be staying with us?"


    "Planning ahead as always," she smiled, leaning forwards on the small round table, her dark hair brushing at the crumbs of their leftover food. "Um, well," she glanced at Amon, "I was actually hoping to tag along with you all on your world traveling trip for a while."


    "You what?" Dane said suddenly. He had let his attention wander, but that statement had brought it back like a lightening bolt.


    "She's coming," Amon responded, looking deep into his brother's eyes. "All right?" He was genuinely asking. It was by no means a command. Amon was being very timid about this matter.


    "Amon," Dane groaned, digging his fingers deep into his eyes and shaking his head. "Damn it."


    Jade watched him, closely. He probably wanted to let Amon's girlfriend stay with them. Surely he wanted his brother to be happy, but Damien was the wall keeping him from that desire. That and his stress. He probably couldn't fit one more thing on his plate if he wanted to.


    Don't you just love to see him struggle? Drake laughed a bit, Poor guy always trying to be purely good. Look what good that's doing him. He should give up the act.


    Can you even imagine the chaos that would ensue if he were to do that? Jade shook her head.


   


    "All right, fine," Dane looked up at Amon.


   


    "Do you think that Damien will have a problem with it?" Amon proceeded cautiously and not because he was afraid of Dane's reaction, but probably because he was sympathizing with his older brother.


    "No," Dane muttered, "no, he will hardly be around enough to notice that she's with us and when the time comes that we switch worlds I can't see why he would object to bringing her."


   


    "I can't pay for my own ticket," Clara openly admitted to Dane.


    "No, I wouldn't expect you to be able to," he sighed, "but that won't be a problem money is as easy for Damien to come by as air and he has very little care for it."


    Jade narrowed her eyes, "How did he become so rich any ways?"


    "He's chief advisor to the king," Amon looked at her intently. "The king throws more and more money at him the more he becomes fearful of his temper, but its like throwing paper onto a fire really."


    "Yes, I get all that," she mumbled, "but how exactly did he become the king'a advisor? Was it just his connections from already being rich?"


    "No," Dane muttered, seriously, "we'd never been rich until Damien took . . . was forced into that job. In fact we were worse than dirt poor and were practically eating dirt."


    "Again," Jade asked curiously, turning towards him and studying his hardened expression, "how did he get such a job?"


    Dane sighed and shook his head in exasperation, "Jade, please, dear I don't want to talk about this. I don't want to talk about Damien right now."


    "What did he do this time?" Drake simpered, leaning across the table to smile at his uncle cruelly.


    "I'm not in the mood, Drake," Dane closed his eyes in defeat.


    "Come on," Amon muttered, sympathetically, "holding it in isn't going to do you any good." Dane glanced away uncomfortably. "You're angry with him, Dane," Amon snapped, "the world isn't ending. You are aloud to be angry at him."


    Dane returned his eyes to Amon's, but this time they were filled with the irritation that he had been restraining. "He wants us to lock Jade in her room every night as a precaution."


    Amon raised an eyebrow at him and glanced at Jade, curiously. She knew that he was waiting for her outburst, but she wasn't surprised by the news. True, there was a boiling hot heat burning in her chest, but she would have to be careful about how she would go about fighting Damien about the matter. She couldn't come out at him to his face that had proven to be a failure. She would need to be sneaky. Nighttime was the prime time for Jade to escape and Damien knew that, but she would find away around it. She smiled it seemed almost like a game of chess. He had made his move and now she would make her's.


    Aren't you scared of him yet, Drake frowned at her, letting his eyes meet her's. It was the first time in a while.


    Not quite, she countered his glower with a smirk.


    He narrowed his eyes at her, You are going to get me killed. Don't go against Damien anymore. It isn't worth it. Stop or I will make you.


    Her smile didn't fade, Why do you hate each other so much? It isn't normal you realize.


    He suddenly lashed out at her, grabbing her chin between his index finger and thumb, reeling her in closer to him so close that their eyelashes were touching. The corner of his mouth was twitching with anger. She still wasn't afraid yet and she dared him to do his worst. That thought reached him quickly and he immediately let her go just to slap her. It wasn't hard, but it stung and would probably bruise, bringing tears to her eyes. She covered the spot with her hand and turned away from him, silently.


    "Stop it," Dane hissed at him. "Or do you want to become him?"


    And that seemed to put an end to their conversation. Everyone was dead quiet as they walked back to the house. The sky was clouding up and turning a dismal grey, when they finally stepped in doors. It was late afternoon and since they were all sick of one another they parted ways to their separate rooms. It didn't seem long before the sun set and Dane came up to her room. He didn't come in, but she could hear him locking the door from the outside.


    Suddenly her heart began to beat faster as the realization of being locked up began to settle. One more outburst and Damien might lock her in that room for the rest of her life, sliding food under the door. Being strapped to Damien's family was restrictive enough, but being locked in a room was more than she thought she could bare. She'd need to find away to convince Damien to quit his nonsense.


    Dane puts the key back in Damien's room once he locks you up, Drake offered.


    I thought that you weren't helping, she bit her lip in annoyance as she stared intently at the wall in front of her, sitting on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest.


    She knew that he was smiling, I don't actually think that you'll be able to even get into his room, sweetheart. Damien keeps the key to it tied around his neck.


    But you just said that Dane-


   


    Yes, he slides it beneath the door,  Drake interrupted her thoughts, and before you ask, yes Dane used the key to unlock it when Damien was drunk and then used it to lock it when we left him there. I assure you that it is on a cord tied around Damien's neck right now. And let's say you get into the room. Damien must hide it once Dane has slid it beneath the door, whether he's in the room or returning. Certainly you won't be able to locate it. So you see I am clearly not helping you.


    Thanks for clearing that up then, she rolled her eyes and collapsed into the sheets of her bed with a deep sigh and was soon fast asleep.

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