Aboard the Boat

Cillian could tell she was up to something.

Her noisy attempts to move towards him as quietly as possible were almost endearing given how loud her shuffling was.

He decided to keep his eyes shut to let her have her moment of stealth. He could feel a heavy tug at his belt and instantly knew she was trying to grab his folded knife. Her shaky breath was so loud it was almost an audible whimper, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to prevent himself from laughing out loud.

Cillian felt a sudden jerk and almost choked as he had to hold his laughter. Was this girl serious in thinking he wouldn’t wake up after all her rough and tough movements? It was strange though, she had suddenly stopped moving, yet he could still feel her heavyweight pulling against his knife. Finally, he decided she had had enough fun.

He opened his eyes to see her feet on top of his knife handle, instantly grabbing her ankle to prevent her from kicking. Aer gasped as her hip muscles gave in to the intense battle between her cramping foot and her attempt to remain balanced. She fell flat on her back and cursed everyone and their mother.

How cute, he thought for a brief moment as he continued to hold onto her ankle, waiting for Aer to realize the predicament she was in.

“Nice view,” he said with a slight smirk.

Aer looked up. To her horror, her nightgown had risen up to her waist and revealed her bare lower half.

Fuck.

Cillian winced as a banshee-like scream pierced the air.

“Let go of my foot, you pervert!”

Aer tried her hardest to kick him away; however, his grip on her ankle was far too firm.

“You’ve seen enough for this lifetime!” She screamed, twisting her body like a crocodile’s death roll as she summoned all her strength to escape from the embarrassing situation that was basically life-ending.

Cillian decided to give the poor girl mercy and pulled her nightgown down to fully cover her once more. Although he couldn’t help but continue to tease at her naivety, he truly believed he was still a gentleman and forced himself to reel it back in.

Aer stopped moving and relaxed her body as she closed her eyes. Never had she felt so humiliated in her lifetime. Not even her adoptive granny had seen her naked buttocks let alone her other private part.

She couldn’t help but scrunch up her face as she began to wail in the ugliest manner possible, almost unrecognizable from her ethereal beauty earlier.

“I’m no longer worthy as a woman! Ughhhhhnngggggggggggg…”

Cillian couldn’t hold his laughter in any longer, and he burst out laughing, finally releasing his hold on her ankle as he bellowed out everything he had been holding in. Aer continued to wail out loud, tears and snot falling out of every crevice as she no longer cared, and their voices simultaneously filled up the silence of the night as the small boat they were on continued its journey.

***

Aer blew loudly into the napkin.

She could no longer bring herself to keep up a cold front as Cillian had seen all there was to see from the embarrassing predicament she was in earlier.

“Feeling any better?”

Aer snapped her neck to the left as she refused to look at his handsome face, her face as red as a beetroot, and ignored his question.

Cillian chuckled as he lit his pipe, leaning against the railing on the edge of the small boat. The sun was about to rise, and they had both barely gotten any sleep. They would need to dock at the next rest area and look for food and water, and essential supplies to continue their journey.

Perhaps also some…better clothes for her, he thought as he glanced behind him. He had decided to untie her wrists after her meltdown to better calm her, though she was clearly still hostile towards him in a non-violent way. Her nightgown sat daintily over her pale body, far too thin for the elements they would traverse over the next few days.

The next rest area would be Geranium Cove, a small picturesque settlement run by a group of Naiads that specially catered to travelers exhausted from the chemical-filled scent of the central canal. The water within Geranium Cove would be the only clean and chemical-free water for at least a days worth of travel and therefore provided many fatigued travelers respite as a mini oasis.

Cillian blew out the last bit of smoke as he finished up his pipe and prepared the rope to dock.

“We’ll make a pitstop soon, be good, and I won’t put a leash on you.”

Aer scoffed and responded to him with her middle finger.

The sun was rising, and the strong smell of chemicals was weakening, replaced by the sweet scent of flowers and the chirping of birds.

Cillian steered the boat towards the left as they exited the central canal, and it came to a stop as they reached the dock.

“Welcome to Geranium Cove.”

Aer looked up in response to the chirpy voice that greeted them.

A small pink creature with the appearance of an axolotl with white feathery wings hovered in front of her, bowing in a welcoming gesture.