- Emmalina's Point of View -

"I never told him," I bawled, hanging my head so low that it almost touched the ground.

"There, there Emma, everything'll be alright!" Katrina comforted.

I quickly flipped my hair back over my head and looked up at Liam who was standing there critically.

"Eh, it was okay  but could use a few touches. You seem too much like an emotional wreck," he said honestly.

"But aren't main characters always emotional wrecks?"

"Maybe," Liam nodded.

"But I think emotional wreck is a misused term and that the main character is falsely called by it. They may be a bit sad for good reasons, but if they truly were emotional wrecks than they'd have no chance of winning. Main characters are stronger than most for the soul reason that they can stick it out to the end and don't think about themselves."

Katrina and I simply stared at him in awe.

"Wow Liam," I choked.

"That was very beautiful."

Then we all burst into laughter.

"That's what I call good acting!" Katrina chuckled.

"Did you always enjoy the theater?" I asked Liam, enjoying the small talk.

We had been taken off the ship and put in a musty old shed where we were surprisingly able to forget about our problems, for whatever little time it was.

"I have actually. Just small things about acting always intrigued me...What did you like to do when you were younger?"

Suddenly I remembered that huge gap in time when I felt like nothing mattered and the world hated me.

"I didn't really do much when I was younger," I shrugged.

"Before my mom died I always remember trying to memorize old songs that she had sung as a little girl. Then I also wrestled with Uncle John."

Liam chuckled and I suddenly realized how weird that truly sounded.

Then we heard footsteps and hushed voices coming toward the shed and our faces went solemn.

"They're coming back," Liam mumbled, not making a single move.

He seemed to hate these guys more than I did, and that's saying a lot. I guess it was because they had gone and taken Katrina too which was sort of like a little sister to him.

I wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine myself and I certainly didn't show it. One funny thing about me is that whenever I'm thinking people always assume I'm either sad or angry purely for the fact that my expression looks that way, so sometimes I use it to my advantage. I don't mean to brag or anything, but I could pull off a pretty menacing stare.

"What do you think they'll do to us?" I whispered to Liam.

"Most likely sell us as slaves. Tarabinthia is known for such things."

Seriously people? Get a life! I thought.

"Alright, I'll be there!" a voice said from outside.

A single strip of sunshine coming through the crack in the door was blocked as someone stood in front of it and we heard the lock being fiddled with. Then the door swung open and a burly man from the ship walked in.

"Okay ya' brats, get out here!" he shouted, waving a whip at us.

I seriously wanted to punch that guy so badly that it almost hurt.

We all stood up slowly and walked out the door, Liam getting shoved because he was a split second too late. Ridiculous really, but none the less it happened. Katrina looked like a wilted flower, her red locks caked in mud and her face covered in dirt. Her dress was torn at the bottom and one sleeve had a hole in the elbow. Then I suddenly become extremely self conscious as I realized how bad I probably looked. I hadn't had a shower in forever, my hair was a complete mess of tangles and dirt, and my clothes...Actually...

I glanced down at my clothes and was surprised to find that they were actually in pretty decent shape. I mentally thanked Samantha for totally changing my mind about everything. Otherwise I'd still be wearing that incredibly uncomfortable dress. 

"Get a move on!" Grumpy shouted, prodding us with his rolled up whip toward an alley way. 

It looked like it led out onto an ordinary street and as we passed a door I realized this was the back way out of an Inn. Just the way it was built seemed typical for an Inn. 

"Darwin, stay here the prisoners. I'm gonna go tell Mac we've arrived," Grumpy said, walking in through the door.

Darwin just stood there, fiddling with a sword. He of course had his buddies with him so there was no point in trying to escape, but an idea was forming in my head. This building had to be fairly close to the docks because I could smell the salt air. And if I was right than this was the only Inn in town. Most harbor towns only needed one. 

"Is this the only landing town here?" I whispered to Liam.

"Hey! Keep quiet!" Darwin shouted, obviously enjoying being in charge.

Liam nodded slowly and I glanced down at the main street. The snow was shining brightly in the cold afternoon sun and I was sure that if something were bright enough it would be spotted. It was a long shot mainly for the fact that someone would have to go through the back door to see it, but it was our only chance. 

"Alright, I will," Grumpy said to someone inside.

His bulky frame barely made it through the door and I suddenly realized how uncivilized he looked. Now I know that I probably didn't look much better, but for him it was by choice. He was covered in furs, which I'm okay with, but they weren't even nice looking! His leather clothes were unevenly cut and caked in mud, his grey hair was long and greasy only being held back by a leather string, and his five o'clock shadow only added to the effect.

"Let's get going," he called to his men.

Darwin shoved up forward and without hesitating another minute I tore my necklace off, throwing it into the snow. 

It was unlikely that anyone would find it, but it was our only hope.