The soldiers finished with the neighbor's house and quickly burst into hers. When they found signs of a recent occupant, they spread throughout the house, eventually exiting into the backyard and catching sight of Stella. Recognizing her photos from their database, they approached. "Miss! We know you're supposed to be on the ship, come quietly or we'll have to use force."
“Force it is then gentlemen.” Stella said sprinting away throwing a few knives as a distraction and in hope to hit someone.
One of the knives found a home in a soldier's gut, but the others simply clanged off their sturdy gold armor. The one who had spoken surged forward, attempting to tackle Stella to the ground and put her out of commission.
Stella was surprised when she was tackled to the ground. She let out a gasp and tried to struggle her way out.
The soldier doubled down, pressing her into the dirt as one of his comrades grabbed a pair of shackled and slapped them onto Stella's wrists. He then hefted Stella over his shoulder and began marching towards the ships.
Stella was annoyed and kept struggling in the mans grip, kicking and using her shackled wrists to attack the soldier.
The soldier kept his grip firm, gritting his teeth as she struggled but continuing on his way to the ships. When they finally reached the docks, he began to tire, breathing heavily as he tromped up the gangplank and onto one of the warships.
“No, no, no!” Stella yelled, “I don’t want to fight in this stupid war!” She started to kick harder, trying more to escape.
The soldier gave a valiant effort, but he wasn't able to hold onto her and she slipped off his shoulder. The other soldiers, caught in a moment of surprise, were only able to knock down the gangplank, leaving her stuck on the boat.
Stella groaned angrily and sank to her knees in defeat, "Stupid war…"
One soldier sighed as if to say 'you don't know the half of it', before shoving her down into the hull of the boat with the rest of the town people who had been named.
Stella sat to the side away from everyone and ignoring everyone, "Can't believe I got stuck here…"
(sorry for the wait, went to eat dinner)
Althea had been playing a seemingly endless game of chopsticks with a boy a couple years younger than her when she heard a scuffle on board and a new person got dropped into the hull of the ship. She picked her way over to the person, surprised to see that it was Stella. "What're you doing here? I thought you were too good for this war."
Stella gave Althea a side look and rolled her eyes, "Why is that any of your business?" She asked, leaning on the wall.
Althea laughed, already forgetting their earlier argument at the promise of some kind of entertainment. The hull was clean and well lit, but there was nothing to do down here but make awkward small talk and brood over what was happening. "Damn, no need to be prickly. I just wanted to know how you made your way down here when you were so against it earlier."
"Against my own will that's how." Stella kept her face away from the other, for her face had reddened a bit after hearing Altheas amazing laugh.
Althea outright snorted, covering her smile with a hand in a feeble attempt to keep Stella from being offended. She moved her head to gain back eye contact, raising an eyebrow as she asked: "You didn't just toss your knives at them again?"
Stella looked away again, "I did. But my knives did nothing against their armor."
Althea winced, bumping Stella's shoulder with her own in an attempt to lighten the now somber mood. "No need to get down about it. What's done is done, there's nothing you can do to change it"
Stella was surprised by the shoulder bump and gave the other a curious look, "Hmpf wh-whatever…"
Althea raised an eyebrow, not buying this uninterested front, but said nothing. She left her shoulder resting against Stella's. "Since we'll be down here for a while, feel free to start some conversation. I've been bored as all hell down here. There's literally nothing to do."
"What kind of conversation?" Stella asked still a little surprised at Altheas movements.
A smirk spread across Althea's face. "Babe, I couldn't give less of a shit. At this point, you could read me a 500 page book on quantum theory and I'd listen to you."
Babe? Stella was stunned, she took a second before speaking again, "Um did I mishear you or did you just call me babe?" He face was a little red again.
Althea noticed Stella's blush with an internal cheer, pushing herself a little farther into her space. "Yeah, Babe, I did."
Stella blushed harder as the name was used again and Althea pushing closer, "W-why?" She didn't know what else to say.
Althea shrugged nonchalantly, easing her face closer to Stella's with as much subtly as she was capable of. "Because I want to. And because you're cute."
Stella’s face was red as a tomato by now and she was a little less confused but still a bit confused, “Um…but…we j-just met!”
"So?" Althea was practically pinning Stella against the wall now, one arm braced on the right side of her head and the other hovering by Althea's side. "Doesn't make you any less cute."
Stella shifted lightly, “I-uh, oh…you have a point…” she admitted.
