"No, no, Alfred, you use 'are' when talking to another person," Elizaveta corrected the child. The two of them were sitting in a decent-sized room off of the main chamber of the ship. Aptly titled "The Library," by Arthur, it was affectionately nicknamed "The Professor's Corner," by the more rebellious crewmates. Before Elizaveta had claimed it as little Alfred's schoolroom, it was thought of as off-limits territory and no one had ventured inside.
The were two mahogany tables residing in the room, on either side and parallel to the door. Further back in the room were several book cases, all stuffed to the point of abuse with old, dusty novels and maps. There was a single map on the side of the wall, about a meter tall and two meters wide. On the map was nearly a pound's worth of tacks, pinned into various locations of the world. Even though there were no windows on the sides, sunlight streamed in through the strategic designs on the rafters of the room.
"How . . . a-are you," the boy muttered, eying the words that Elizaveta had written on a piece of paper (a lucky find, considering that paper and pens were rare.)
"Very good! Now try dis one," the brown-haired Hungarian exclaimed, then pointed back at scribbles on the paper.
"M-my n . . . name is Alfred," Alfred said slowly. "My n-name is Alfred." The second time he said it, he broke out into a grin and beamed at Elizaveta, who joyfully clapped her hands together.
"So good! You are a very talented young boy!" She patted his head as he continued to grin at her. Then the door opened, and in stepped none other than the captain himself.
He tipped his hat to Elizaveta and asked, "How is it going?"
"Oh, captain! Dis boy is such a qvick learner! I vent through all the alphabet, and already he can read as vell as the next boy! It is amazing!" Elizaveta asserted gleefully, hugging bright-faced Alfred.
Arthur smirked proudly while bending down and playfully tousling Alfred's golden hair. Alfred glanced up at the pirate with wide eyes then quickly looked down at the ground, his face growing redder and redder from the pleasure of receiving praise.
"I knew you were a mighty smart lad when I first saw you," Arthur said, simultaneously thinking, But I would have taken you in regardless.
"Alfred, show him how far you've come!" Elizaveta suggested, nudging the boy softly. Alfred stared at Arthur, then gulped and stared down at the floor. Arthur leaned slightly, trying to make eye contact with the boy, and smiled encouragingly.
" . . . Hello. M-my name is Alfred," Alfred spoke quietly and tentatively, his words like plucks of a violin or dewdrops on a flower. To Arthur, his voice was that of an angel, pure and serene. "I-I'm seven. How are you . . . Iggy?" He ended his performance with an impish grin after using Arthur's new nickname.
Arthur's face exploded in an embarrassed red. It wasn't that he disliked the name, it's just that he didn't like being called that in front of other people.
"Why you . . . little twat!" He shouted, lunging after a squealing Alfred, who escaped from his chair and began running around The Library. Soon after, Alfred found himself caught in a noogie-hold by Arthur and was yelling and laughing at the same time. Arthur's face was pink from happiness and physical exertion, making him seem his actual age. Both of them ended up in a jovial mess on the floor, writhing around, both trying to tickle the other and pleading, "Stop!" when they were tickled.
Elizaveta, who had decided to stay at the table, began chuckling to herself as she watched the two rough-house on the ground. He seems so much younger vhen he is vith Alfred, she reflected. Dat boy . . .
The moment seemed to stretch and repel the forces of reality, but fate has a horrible way of slaughtering blissful moments such as this. Just like a falling porcelain doll, misfortune will smash the delight Arthur had.
A knock came at the door, and it opened without Arthur giving a reply. Francis stepped inside, then saw the two boys on the ground and smiled in a tired way. Arthur knew something was wrong when his perverted First Mate didn't make some kind of sexual commented and instead only said, "Arthur, we need to talk." The pirate raised his considerable brows and hurriedly got up from the ground (much to Alfred's displeasure.)
"What's wrong?" The pirate captain said, his tone now completely void of the youthfulness and joy it had earlier. His I'm-a-serious-pirate mode and serious demeanor made Elizaveta wonder if what she saw earlier was just an illusion.
Francis glanced at Elizaveta and Alfred, then back to Arthur. You could almost hear the words in his eyes. May I tell you with zhem here? Arthur's eyes narrowed: It's fine. Whatever you need to tell me, they can hear it as well. Francis sighed. Alright.
"Ve are being followed. Our lookout spotted a ship on zhe horizon, a very familiar ship," Francis said darkly. A look of realization and, one might say, fear, crossed Arthur's countenance.
"No . . ." he whispered. "It's . . . that dago. . . Isn't it?" France only nodded solemnly. Elizaveta gasped aloud and turned a shade lighter. Alfred looked around at the faces of the adults around him and grew quiet and somber. He slowly walked around to behind Arthur, then clutched a little bit of the older boy's clothes in his small fist.
The pirate glanced worriedly at Alfred, then turned back and clenched his teeth in undisguised hate. His face was dark and angry as he declared, ". . . He will not catch up to us, do you understand? Ready all sails and prep the men for oaring."
"I 'ave already done zhat, capitaine. Zhe men are rowing as we speak," Francis said calmly.
Arthur nodded. Again he quickly looked down at Alfred, and spoke. This time his tone wasn't that of hate or unbridled repulsion, but instead tense worry.
"What are we going to do about Alfred, Francis? We can't let those . . . monsters take him if we are caught," Arthur said bleakly. He tried to speak softly, so Alfred wouldn't understand what he and Francis were discussing, but Alfred heard. He heard, alright.
"I fight, Iggy! Fight l-like you!" The little blonde shouted as he jumped out from behind the pirate. "No take me!" With that, he brandished an invisible sword and fired an imaginary pistol, killing the enemies that Iggy and Francis talked about.
The two older pirates laughed, but they laughed like adults and only succeeded in making Alfred feel like a kid.
Francis stopped chuckling, turned to Arthur and said, "Ve can't do anyzhing right now. He is safest vith us, vhether or not ve like it." With that, he turned and walked toward the door. Just before he stepped outside, he called over his shoulder, "Be sure you protect 'im, capitaine."
A/N: So their pursuer has been spotted . . . Any guesses who it is? :3
Alfred and Arthur are so cute . . . I can't get over it . . . I want to fit some of Alfred's history into the next part, but I don't know if I will . . . ;
Finally, I must apologize for the racial slur . . . Bad Arthur! Him and his potty mouth!
Thank you for reading, and the usual with comments/critiques and flames! _( _ _ )_
