Other Fan Fiction ❯ The Treasure of Oritemp ❯ Part V ( Chapter 5 )

Arianna was extremely hesitant on entering the room, but she was sort of forced to by the hold Sirius had on her arm. She forced his hand off of her arm and held onto his hand instead.

“I'm surprised that you would return here, young seeker,” the woman says in her raspy voice.

“I'm surprised myself, wise one,” Sirius replies, a smile growing on his face, though he appeared more amused than happy.

Arianna wasn't paying much attention to the words passed as she looked around the neat hut. Curiosity got the better of her and she releases Sirius's hand to look at something in a jar.

“Touch that not, child!” the old woman shouts at her, though she did not seem to move.

Sirius gives her a reprimanding look before taking her arm again. She jumped slightly but put her hands behind her back and scooted closer to Sirius.

“Sorry ma'am,” she says carefully.

The old woman did not respond to her as she turns her words back to Sirius.

“What brings you here, young seeker?” she asks, still not moving from where she was.

Sirius takes the locket from his pocket and places it on the table in front of her. The old woman took it in her hands and traced the pattern of it and then gasped.

“The treasure of Oritemp.”

Arianna didn't like the fact someone else was handling something that was so precious to her, but she kept her mouth shut and gripped her hands together. She watched the old woman carefully, not wanting her to damage it. After a moment, she went to step forward so she could take it, but stopped and stepped away from everyone, slowly inching towards the door out. The old woman set the locket down on the table and smiled.

“You wish to know where this necklace came from then?” she asks.

“Yes. I think if I know that, I'll know where to look for the treasure,” Sirius replies.

“Before you seek the treasure, perhaps you should learn to keep better hold of what you have,” the old woman states, nodding her head towards Arianna.

Sirius turns his head to see her edging towards the door. Arianna stops where she is and looks down.

“I'm sorry, I can't really breath in this hut,” she murmurs, “I just… it's uncomfortable for me.”

“We won't be here for long,” Argus says. “Just try to keep your wits about you.”

Sirius gave her a look that said he agreed with him.

“I can't breath… I just want to wait at the door, I promise.”

“You can open the door, but remember what I told you,” Sirius says in a forcibly calm tone.

She nods and opens the door and steps out, taking a deep breath and trying to figure out why the air seemed so heavy in there. The sudden change in air pressure made her a bit woozy, so she leans against the wall.

“Anyway, yes, I want to know where the locket originates,” Sirius says to the old woman.

The old woman leans back in her chair and smiles.

“The necklace is from the home of the treasure. From the books in the Black Library, I've learned that the mortal trusted to protect the treasure wore this before he was murdered. The necklace was taken by the man who killed him thousands of years ago and was since then lost,” she explains.

“And how is this going to help me?”

“The man who killed him was a man named Joseph Arizel.”

“So?”

Argus looks at the old woman with a smile.

“I get it. We can use the books in the Black Library to find out about the Joseph's expeditions, and find out all the places he had gone,” he says with excitement.

“Of course!” Sirius shouts, excited as well.

“Can I have my necklace back?” Arianna asks from the door, her arms crossed and she looks as if something pissed her off.

The old woman motions with a finger for her to approach her. She walked up to the woman and when she stopped, her stance was tense.

“Yes?” she asks.

“You are the current owner of this locket, yes?” the old woman asks her.

“That is correct.”

“And are you the young seekers lover as well? You seem very attached to him.”

“Lover? No… I'm not,” she replies, a light blush on her cheeks.

The old woman smiles.

“He took you aboard his ship and showed you kindness, yet you rejected him for some time before falling for him, and in such short time. Though he seems fascinated with you, he seems fairly more interested in your necklace and how it can help him,” she says, her hands folded on her lap.

“Yeah, I've come to except the fact,” Arianna says with a shrug, “He wants his treasure… so let him have it.”

“You are a fool. The treasure can not be found by just anyone. It can only be found by the one who's intention is pure and selfless. I can not `give' him anything. It is not mine to give.”

“Yeah… fine, then I'll find it for him… that way he can get what he wants and I can go home.”

For some odd reason, she didn't like the thought, but dealt with it.

“Foolish girl. You are not the pure one here.”

“Works for me, means I can get out of there even faster so he can do what he wants to without interference from me.”

Again, she felt like she was on the defensive side.

“Hope it's Argus or someone like him,” she murmurs.

“It is the young seeker.”

“That's great… can I have my locket and go now?”

The woman smiles at her.

“You are a curious one. One moment, you are fearful of my home and me, and the next you are bold enough to face the ocean with a stick. You baffle me. I see why the young seeker is so interested in you,” she says.

“Yeah, cool… whatever… Can I have it back? I'm not part of this because I'm not a protector and I'm not a seeker or wise… or anything. All I'm good for is making weapons and as a female, having children, interested or not… he has other things that he wants.”

The old woman holds the locket out to her with a sly grin.

“You seem to know much. There is more to you than meets the eye child,” she states, her tone knowing.

Arianna reaches for her locket.

“Yeah, but I don't have a roll in any of this, am I right?” she demands as she reaches for it.

The woman pulls the locket back just before she grabbed it.

“No role? Child, everyone has a role to play in life, whether it be as the main character or as someone who supports the lead. Do you think that you were brought onto that ship by accident? Do you think that you carry this locket for no reason?” she asks, her tone seeming to darken. Even her voice seemed to get raspier.

“My father gave it to my mother, and then my mother to me, I carry it because it was a gift. I was brought onto the ship because one of the pirates didn't like the fact that I was kicking their comrade's ass and then when I went to jump ship, Sirius stopped me. I do not carry the thing because fate wills it… I carry it because it reminds me of who I was.”

“Really? Then your father found this locket in the brig of a pirate ship by accident?”

“Obviously, I doubt a pirate would leave it on purpose.”

Arianna was becoming very angry at this point, she just wanted the locket back and she wanted to get off the island.

“As I said, you know much, but you are oblivious to what is looking you in the eye. Do you not see that you are here for a reason? That you met the man that needed this locket for a reason? Why do you reject this fact so? Are you afraid?”

Finally she slammed her fist down on a table.

“Why the hell did it have to be me of all people?!” she shouts, “If it's fate then I curse the God who took my family away from me! I curse the God who turned his back when I needed him and I curse him further more for leaving me a small reminder that only gets taken away again and again!”

The old woman holds the locket out to her again.

“Now you see? You are selfish. You care only to be away from what has happened to you. While the young seeker here, has embraced what has happened in his life, and wishes to fix an injustice that was not done to him, but to his mother. Do you understand?” she asks.

“I can't fix what happened to my mother or my father,” she chokes out, “I never could.”

Once that was said, she just left the hut, not caring about the locket or the people in the place. All she wanted was to get away and try to fit together what was going on in her life. She didn't understand why she was pulled into it all and she found that she couldn't stop wondering. Sirius came out of the house and walked up to her.

“What was that about?” he asks her.

“I don't know okay?! It's… something about that house makes me remember things I never wanted to remember and it makes me realize how much of a selfish person I used to be before I tried to help you!”

She turned and punched the wall of a house, but didn't show how much pain it caused her. Sirius grabs her wrist to keep her from doing it again.

“Do you think that it matters? I don't care what you did… All I care about is whether or not you… stay with me through this,” he says softly.

“Why do you care about me staying with you?” she asks, “What use am I to you if I'm by your side constantly because your men don't listen?”

“I care because… because, unlike before… I feel like I have a reason… a reason other than finding this treasure to live. Sure, I can't stand you sometimes… but having that feeling is better than feeling empty of everything.”

“Right, now I feel like you keep me as a pet.”

As she speaks, she pulls her wrist out of his hand and turns to walk away.

“That's what a pet is for anyway,” she murmurs.

Sirius nearly growls and grabs her wrist again before she could get far.

“That is not fair! I've done so much for you, and this is how I get treated when I try to do more than just give you simple hospitality!?” he shouts angrily.

“I don't want to just be around to make you feel better about yourself! Of course I appreciate the hospitality… but I just wish that… I don't know… my life could be normal for once and I know that's selfish… I'm a selfish person who should be punished but… that's how I was raised! So I'm sorry if I annoy you, make you angry or make you feel like I'm treating you like crap!” she shouts back.

Sirius glares at her and grabs her shoulder, pulling her face close to his.

“Then what am I supposed to feel when you're around? Am I supposed to cherish you? Wait on you? Love you? What is it you want!?”

“I don't want anything from you unless you mean it! I know it's not something I can demand! Do whatever the hell you want because you always do!”

“I want-” Sirius cut himself off and steps away from her. “Do you know what I want? I want someone there who can make me feel alive. Someone who can look at me and say that what I'm doing is not fool-hardy. Someone who would be at my side through everything that I do, not because they feel chained to me like a dog, but because they genuinely, truly, think that what I am doing is not for me, but for my mother, who was taken from this world too soon…” he rants, his gaze wandering all around as he spoke, rarely resting on her.

“I know that this is for your mother… when I heard about the story that it grants on wish… I knew you wanted to give your mother another chance and that's why I stayed. I'm happy that… you have something to fight for and I don't think you are fool-hardy and I don't feel chained to you… though I don't think I can make anyone feel alive. So that rules me out, doesn't it?”

Sirius turns to her, his gaze catching hers.

“So you don't think this is fool-hardy… but you still think me crazy don't you? You think that I only want you around so I can have someone to make me feel like I'm not a recluse?” he asks.

“No… I don't think you are crazy…”

“Then why do you still try to find an excuse as to why you think I don't want you around? I told you last night, you piss me off… but I enjoy your company… somehow.”

“It's because I piss you off that I find excuses! I don't know what to think of you anymore because you can't think of anything positive to say about me and all I do is get on your last nerve! What is the point of keeping me around if that's all I do?! Yes, you enjoy my company, but why? I don't want you to wait on me but I sure as hell wouldn't mind if you did love me!”

Once that left her mouth, she covers it and casts her eyes away. Sirius looks at her, his own eyes surprised. He was unsure of how to react or what to say, but his mouth worked anyway.

“Do you want to hear positive things about you? Fine. You are a talented sword maker and blacksmith. Your passion as a blacksmith, I find inspiring. You are beautiful in any way that counts. And, if you wish to look at it as a compliment, your keen ability to piss me off to no end I find fascinating,” he blurts, his eyes still on her.

“But I still piss you off,” she murmurs, “I don't get you… I'm sure you could have found another female. One who wasn't so attached to an object that holds no life in it, but all the life to her.”

“I don't want another female! If… if it were any other woman that wanted to jump from my ship that day… I would have thrown them off myself to save her the trouble… but something stopped me… Something kept me from telling you to jump and be done with it… I don't know what it is!” Sirius shouts and slams his fist into a nearby stone wall, causing his knuckles to visible break.

Her eyes go wide and she swiftly takes his hand into her own before inspecting it.

“We should find something to bind this,” she says shakily, “And get you cleaned up, come one, lets go to an Inn.”

“Fuck the Inn!” Sirius shouts as he pulls his hand away from her, though he nearly fell over from the pain it caused. “I w-want to know… to know w-what is going on!”

“I don't know what's going on! Please, just come to the Inn so I can tend to your hand!”

Sirius growls and reluctantly nods in agreement.

“Fine…” he says in defeat.

She takes his uninjured hand and leads him to an Inn. She only gets one room, figuring she'd just go back to the ship so he had time alone once she was done with his hand. When they got there, she sat him down and went to work, cleaning the cuts before she worked on trying to set some of the bones. Once done, she starts to wrap his hand. Sirius looks down at his broken hand and then to her.

“Thank you…” he says, not knowing what to say.

“Yeah… you're welcome,” she says as she stands and heads for the door, “Have a good night, I'll be on the ship if you need anything, send someone.”

When she put her hand on the door knob, someone pushed the door in and she ended up flat on her ass. She let out a yelp and covered her face, her nose throbbing and one of her eyes closed.

“Damn that hurt,” she murmurs, looking up at Argus.

“Lass, you should stay in here,” the old man said.

“And why is that?”

“If the captain isn't on the ship, the men won't hesitate.”

Arianna looks over at Sirius who wasn't really looking at her at all.

“I only got one room thinking I'd be on the ship.” she admits.

“You two have shared a bed before.”

“That was different! I wasn't going to take his bed from him.”

Argus shrugs and leaves the room and she nearly freaked when the door closes and a clicking sound is heard. She looks over at Sirius who again, was not looking at her and she sighs in defeat before walking over to a chair and sitting in it.

“You better not be sleeping in that chair,” he says.

“And why not?” she asks.

“This may not be my bed, but it is still a bed and you will not sleep in a chair.”

“It's fine, I don't want to hurt your hand.”

She shrugs indifferently and drapes her legs over an arm of the chair and situates a pillow behind her back.

“I'll not have you sleep in a chair. Take the bed. I'll take the chair,” Sirius says, looking at his broken hand.

“For the love of god you are NOT taking the damn chair!”

For the first time, Sirius shakes his head and looks away, giving no argument.

“Fine…” he says softly.

She sighs in relief and closes her eyes, slowly starting to doze off. Sirius was quiet, not offering any words or even a `goodnight.' Eventually, she passed out, though she didn't look comfortable in the least and Sirius's coat was draped over her like a blanket. Sirius looks over at her while she sleeps, a sad, yet somehow content look on his face. Arianna shifts slightly and ends up falling off of the chair with a thud, making her wake up with a groan of pain and annoyance.

“Damn it,” she rumbles.

Sirius, still awake, stands up and walks over to her, offering her his good hand. She looks up at him and smiles, taking his hand.

“This is why I said take the bed,” Sirius says, a ghost of a smirk on his face.

She laughs nervously and slowly stands up, fixing her dress as she did.

“You're not taking the chair Mister,” she said, her smile still in place.

“Just take the bed. I'm not tired anyway, so I'm going to sit up. Don't make me ask again please,” he says, his smile becoming slightly more noticeable.

“Alright.”

She kissed his cheek quickly, obviously she didn't like the beard, and went over to the bed. When she curled up, her hand went to her neck and she noticed she didn't have her locket. She didn't say anything, only made a mental note and listened to her surroundings, wondering what Sirius is doing. Sirius was in the washroom, pouring water into a small bowl. He opens a small pocket on his belt and pulls out a razor blade and a brush. Taking a few of the ingredients out of a small cabinet in the washroom, he mixes them together forming a smooth cream. He rubs some of it over his face and begins to shave his scraggly beard. Arianna listens silently and becomes very curious about what he was doing. She slips out of bed and pads over to the bathroom door and peaks in.

“I thought you were going to sleep,” Sirius says as he drags the blade down his left cheek.

She slips away from the door and curses under her breath.

“I'm sorry, just curious of what you are doing,” she says, “I'll… uh… go to bed now.”

She darts under the covers and curls up, forcing herself to relax until, becoming bored, she fell asleep. After finishing, Sirius washes his face and wipes the small dots of blood here and there from his face. He looks in the small mirror on the wall, inspecting the scar that ran from his right cheek to his lower chin. When he was done, Arianna was asleep, her hair fanned around her peaceful face. Sirius comes out of the washroom and looks down at her. The blanket was a bit askew, so his grabs it and moves it up over her shoulders. She shifts slightly and a small smile creeps onto her face as she snuggles into the pillow even more. Sirius couldn't help but smile at her as he walked over to the chair, sitting down and yawning. After a moment, she opens her eyes sleepily and frowns.

“You better not even think about sleeping in that chair,” she says groggily.

“You're a light sleeper aren't you?” Sirius asks with a frown.

“Yeah, now if you are tired, get over here and get some sleep…on the bed.”

She studies him and smiles lightly.

“And you look good without a beard,” she says.

Sirius looks away from her, his cheeks a bit red.

“I'll be in the bed soon… just go to sleep,” he says.

“Alright,” she replies with a yawn, snuggling back into the pillow and falling asleep almost instantly. Sirius stayed where he was for a while before getting up and going to the bed, laying on the other side of the bed. Almost immediately, Arianna snuggles into his side with a small smile and wraps her arms around his waist, burring her face in his side. Unsure of what to do, Sirius wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he passed out.

The next morning, Arianna wakes up with a yawn as her eyes fluttered open and she stretched out. She hadn't realized Sirius next to her as she stretched until her eyes opened fully and she noticed he was facing her, her body pressed against his as she was caught in mid-stretch. Sirius was still asleep as she stretched. His breathing was even and his shaven face already showed signs of a five o'clock shadow. She gently traced the scar on his cheek with a finger; then slowly dragged it over his bottom lip as he slept.

“That tickles,” Sirius murmurs after shifting a bit.

She blushes and draws her hand back.

“I'm sorry,” she says, “I shouldn't have… touched you…”

Sirius looked to still be half asleep as he drew her a bit closer.

“It's okay…” he says, his voice barely audible as he falls back asleep.

When she thought he was back asleep, she continued what she was doing, only for her hand to move lower as her eyes start to close due to how warm she was feeling so close to him. Sirius moved his arm that was around her down around her waist as he moved a bit more to get comfortable. She fell asleep again, her hand resting on the front of his hip, her face buried in his neck.

Sirius woke up about an hour later and shortly after, realized how close she was and that he was holding her. He quickly removes his arm from her waist and sits up. Arianna woke up from the loss of heat and looks up at him tiredly.

“What's wrong?” she asks, sitting up.

Sirius shook his head and rested his head in his hands with a loud sigh. She moves next to him and looks at his face.

“How is your hand?” she asks.

“Sore, but I'll live…”

She refrained from snuggling into his side, figuring he wouldn't want that, so she stood up and tried to find a brush of some sort.

“There's a brush in the washroom,” Sirius points out. “I saw it when I shaved…”

“Thank you,” she says, going into the washroom and decided to wash up a bit before brushing her hair.

When she was done, she came out and hugged him immediately.

“What brought this on?” Sirius asks as he looks at her.

She let him go and looks away.

“Uh… sorry about that,” she says, “No touching policy for you I take it.”

“I… I don't say that… I'm just… I'm still trying to figure everything out…”

Arianna shrugs and heads for the door, but it was locked from the outside.

“What the hell?” she wonders.

“What's wrong?” Sirius asks as he gets to his feet.

“The door won't open!”

Sirius walked over to the door and gave it a pull. When it didn't open, he did it again, this time with more force, though it still didn't open.

“What's going on?” she asks, yanking on the door even more.

She let go and kicked the door hard in frustration. Sirius grabbed his pistol from his belt and pulled back the hammer.

“Someone doesn't want us to leave here…” he mutters.

She covers her ears when she saw him pull out his pistol.

“Argus was the last one to leave us here,” she says.

“He wouldn't lock us in here… not without letting us know why…”

“He was tired of us fighting,” she points out.

She sits on the bed for a bit, then gets up and walks up to him. When she was close enough, she leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth, her arms snaking around his neck. Sirius was shocked, but wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her back. She seems to respond eagerly to the attention, pressing her soft body against his own. Sirius lifts her off the floor so her face is level with his as he kissed her, her feet dangling as he held her. She suddenly wraps her legs around his hips and sighs into the kiss softly. Sirius suddenly pulled his face away from hers, though he still had her off the floor.

“Is this… the right time?” he asks softly.

“I don't know,” she murmurs, leaning her forehead against his, “I don't even know what brought… this on.”

“You don't even-” Before he could finish, the locks on the door came undone and Argus threw himself through the door. His left arm was broken and his face was bloody.