A Time Traveling Fairytale

Chapter 43 | Oh, The Things They Have Done

Elena's P.O.V.

An escape plan.

That was the only thing on my mind when the ship began to dock. There wasn't much time left if I was to succeed in my plan.

Every detail was thought through at least three times, but the plan was not flawless. The part with Ethan was destined to be imperfect, however, he would forgive and forget. After all, it's his kind of character.

Now, you might wonder 'What happened?'

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Which is weird, considering what Ethan and I have been through. Although the bridges between us have become stronger, and are entwined at places that I only shared with Hazel, we still had not lost the old game between us.

A game I like to call: 'You might not catch me, but you can certainly find me'.

Most of my strength had returned back to my muscles, joints, and heart. Of course, some bones were still healing and aching, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.

I listened to the footsteps from the deck, hearing how orders were thrown from person to person. Different voices; light and deep, angry and amused, tired and lively — it was a diversity of tones.

But my attention was tracking Ethan's voice, listening to his steps that went to aid the ones who needed help. He told me he would get me out the moment the ship stood still. It was a sweet gesture, but unfortunately, he would find an empty cabin.

"Here we go." I picked up the dark cloak Ethan had given me the day of my rescue. It still smelled like him; a sweet forest-like scent with a hint of roses. However, it was now haunted by a whiff of wood and rain, caused by the adventure the clothing had been on.

"I miss my cloak," I said out of the blue, looking at the roof with the longing feeling to have a cape hanging after my shoulders.

Ethan did not move his eyes from the book he was reading when he answered my random covetous. "You can have mine."

It wasn't before I turned my head to him that his attention disappeared from the pages. "But don't you want yours?"

"Taking into consideration that I have two of your cloaks, I believe it will be more than fair if I give you at least one of mine."

We laughed really hard at that. It felt nice to create happy memories to shadow the bad ones.

It was something elegiac about how my cloak was left in Ethan's hands when I was kidnapped, and I was given his cape in return when I was rescued.

Perhaps it was a mnemonic to the lost time, or perhaps it was a hidden symbol supporting our game.

You might not catch me, but you can certainly find me.

"Heave and ho!" It came from the upper deck.

I pulled the wooden chair to the window, the same chair I always found Ethan sitting on every time I woke up and every time I fell asleep. He was literally glued to that furniture, and sometimes it made me wonder if he had become one with it.

"Ethan!" I whisper-shouted to the sleeping brunette, finding him scrunched over the edge of my bed with his arms used as a pillow. "Ethan!"

He woke like a lightening, "W-what happened?" The slumber was still hanging after him. "Are you okay? Do you want some water?"

I sighed, "Ethan, you're going to end up with a hump on your back if you continue to sleep like that. Unless you plan to be the king of camels, I suggest that you rest your back."