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Chapter 8: A Storyteller
They ended up picking up more things in the town. Grace and Aura had even picked out a new outfit for Ari. It was mainly Aura though since Grace was suggesting apparel that really made Ari look like a pirate. Aura had picked out a white dress shirt with dark shorts and suspenders. He really looked like a little gentleman. Grace wasn't thrilled with the look. But she didn't say much because not many would be able to see Ari. Sorey couldn't help but wonder with that logic why his original outfit wouldn't work.
Grace wasn't in much hurry to return to the ship. So they actually ended up exploring some and following Grace and Aura on their shopping. They certainly went to some strange shops. Rime was excited to finally explore more of a human town. Although Sorey wished that it was a nicer city. Of course it wasn't like they wouldn't go to another city.
Ari had a lot of adjustments. Even though very few people even heard him, he still jumped or hid behind Sorey like a shy child. But Sorey also couldn't really blame him since the all the people at Black Beach were kind of scary.
It was still strange though to Sorey. The town was filled with thieves and no telling what else, but there wasn't enough malevolence to do any serious harm. There was still a worry back of Sorey's mind that the town could just erupt in malevolence at any moment. It was pretty scary and he wasn't sure how well he could withstand it, especially with Rime. He was really worried for her.
They finally returned to the ship and were setting sail. As Sorey was about to brace himself for the sea sickness. Aura had made a comment that they had bought some tea to help ease his stomach and that she was brewing it for him. Rime went with her.
Ari had a look of both wonder and fear as they were heading out to sea.
They weren't far from land when there was a commotion. One of the pirates shouted, "Captain, we have a stowaway."
Grace had a pissed look on her face. "How did they sneak on without Aura knowing?" She demanded. But when her crew brought out the stowaway, the captain's look was replaced with an annoyed one.
The pirates bought out a woman dressed like a thief with a short top that showed her midriff and had a long purple scarf wrapped around her that looked like she could use it as a hood too. Her hair was short black with a weird hair pen that looked like it was of a spider.
When she saw Grace, she had a smile on her face. "Captain Aifread," she said in an almost sing-song voice.
Grace just looked plainly at her. "Mayvin, how the hell did you get on this ship?" Grace asked.
Mayvin, Sorey thought. He looked at the woman closer. Could she really be one of the storyteller Mayvins?
The hearing the name, the pirates released the woman and had the same annoyed look as Grace. The woman called Mayvin wore a smirk on her face. "Looks like all my hard work has paid off as I've finally created a spell that can fool even Aura's domain. Now there is no avoiding me Captain Aifread."
Suddenly a norman appeared on Mayvin's shoulder. It was a brown norman with a turban on its head. "With my power and Mayvin's spells, were practically invisible to all the senses," the norman said.
"Then I can still throw you overboard," Grace said. "I don't tolerate stowaways."
Mayvin and the norman had a startled look. "But there might be sharks out in the water," Mayvin said with a slight horror.
Sorey quickly walked over to the pirate captain. She may not have any clue about people called Mayvin. It couldn't be a coincidence that someone with the name Mayvin and traveling with a norman. "Grace," he started in a low voice. "You may not know, but people with the name Mayvin might be-"
But Grace interrupted him. "I know who and what she is," Grace snapped, not bothering to lower her voice. She looked back at Mayvin and said, "Besides, land isn't that far. You'll probably make before anything gets you."
"Come on Captain Aifread," Mayvin started to beg. "It's a win, win for both of us. I get a good tale, and you get another storyteller talking about Captain Grace Aifread's exploits."
Grace rubbed her brow. "You're getting off the next time we reach a port," Grace said simply. Mayvin gave a cheer. "By the way Mayvin, how the hell did you find me?" Grace asked.
At that, Mayvin pulled out a piece of parchment. "I would know your drawings anywhere Captain Aifread," Mayvin said with a smile. "I heard what happened at Arkala Harbor and just knew you'd be here."
Sorey's eyes widen when looked at the paper. It was the same wanted poster of Sorey they had seen at Arkala Harbor. It was the part where Mayvin said "your drawings" that made Sorey look at Grace. "You're drawing?" Sorey just repeated.
Grace just looked further annoyed. "What, you want me to say that I drew that and ratted you out at Arkala Harbor?"
"Did you?" Mikleo demanded. Although he and Sorey both knew the answer. Sorey felt so stupid for not realizing at the time. Getting attacked and Grace coming to the rescue; why didn't he see it sooner.
"Why?" Sorey just asked.
Grace just shrugged. "Why else, you had seraphim tethered to you and I was pissed you were just leaving because we fought that Shepherd."
Sorey clenched his fists. He felt betrayed. However he should have known better after finding out that Grace was a pirate. Why did he expect anything different from her? He was so angry at Grace and even himself. But he took a breath to calm himself. "The next time we make port, I'm getting off this ship," Sorey simply.
That actually startled Grace. She must have been expecting him to yell or something. "Hold up, the next time we're scheduled to port, we're going to still be in Rolance's kingdom. By now, I'm sure everyone will be looking for you and you'll be executed"
Don't act likeyou care,Sorey thought bitterly. "I'd rather take my chances than stay on this ship any longer," he told her.
Grace then gave Sorey such a look that it gave him the same feeling he had back when he stopped her from fighting Silas. The look alone would have been enough to make weaker men crumble. Sorey stood his ground. "I'm still a pirate. No one leaves this ship without my say," Grace told him.
"Forcing me to stay on this ship is the only way you're getting me to stay," Sorey said standing his ground.
"That's fine by me," Grace threatened.
Mikleo moved so he was next to Sorey. Grace was about to reach into her coat when flames appeared in between them. Aura stood and glanced back from Grace to Sorey with a look like a disapproving mother. "This is my domain," Aura repeated, probably to Mikleo really. "It would be best for all of use not to fight out in the middle of the sea."
She was right. Aura still had the advantage out at sea. And Sorey also didn't want to put Ari in the middle of all of that.
"I'm leaving as soon as we get to a town," Sorey ended as he started walking back below the ship. It was best he and Grace separated.
"I didn't mean to get involved in some lover's quarrel," Sorey could hear the woman Mayvin say. He was in too foul a mood to make any kind of comment.
Mikleo and Ari followed Sorey they all sat down at his bedroll. He was so angry that he could barely feel his sea sickness. "Sorey, are you okay?" Mikleo asked.
"Sorry Mikleo, I should have listened to you," Sorey said.
Mikleo just folded his arms. "I never would have thought this. I just don't get what Grace wants with us," he muttered.
"I-Is Grace, not a good person?" Ari then asked.
Poor Ari. Sorey wasn't sure if they should have brought the young earth seraph with them. Mikleo gave the small kid a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We're not really sure," Mikleo said to ease the boy's feelings. No point in worrying him that they were with a bad person. "But everything's okay." Ari just nodded, though he didn't look too convinced.
"I'm just so stupid," Sorey muttered. He felt sick, but not because of the sea. He couldn't believe he had compared Grace to Rose. Rose may have been an assassin, but she had her honor and really cared about people. Grace was a pirate. She really didn't care about anyone but herself. He was just so mad at himself for thinking that. "If Rose were here she'd-" But Sorey stopped himself from finishing the thought.
Rose...Alisha… he started thinking of her and his other human friends. His first human friends...And they weren't here. They had died a long time ago. He would never see them again. He had never thought of them like this before.
"S-Sorey?" Ari asked in a startled tone.
"You okay?" Mikleo asked.
Sorey gripped the front of his shirt. Stupid,Sorey scolded himself. He was letting despair getting the better of him. His chest was hurting, there was no telling what his friends were thinking. He forced a smile. "I'm good," Sorey forced out.
He shouldn't complain. He still had Mikleo, and he really liked that he met Rime and Ari. Plus Lailah, Edna, and Zaveid were still around. Even though...Lailah and Edna are traveling with a new Shepherd...Of course they couldn't have just dropped everything when he came back, he told himself. But Zaveid...He didn't even want to continue traveling with Sorey. But maybe he did have something else to do.
Things weren't going to be the same. He knew that when he woke up and realized how much time passed. Yet why did his chest and eyes hurt so much?
"Sorey," Rime's voice called out in a worried voice. Sorey looked up to see the wind seraph holding a cup that must be the tea and also Aura next to her. "Is your sea sickness getting that bad?" She asked.
He told her he was fine. Mikleo however was looking at Aura. "What exactly are you do you want?" He asked the fire seraph.
"I was going to let you know I'm going to talk with Grace about letting you go. It would be best for you all to leave as soon as possible," Aura answered simply.
"I couldn't agree more," Mikleo muttered. "But Aura, you should really consider leaving this ship too. There is no telling when this ship could be overrun with malevolence. I'm surprised Grace hasn't already turned into one."
Aura ignored him and just looked at Sorey. Rime was about to hand Sorey the tea when the fire seraph stopped Rime. "Boy, let it out. What is wrong?"
"Really, I'm fine," Sorey repeated. He would feel better if people would quit asking that. "Just the seasickness coming."
"Sorey," Aura said with such a tone that it startled Sorey. "This is my domain and not much happens without my knowing. It isn't healthy for you humans to keep emotions like these back. You need to release them, otherwise you'll start affecting your own resonance and the seraphim tethered to you. And I'm sure the wind seraph wouldn't be able to handle that."
The prickling sensation in his eyes intensified. But he fought it back. It was fine. He didn't want to complain in front of his friends and on a pirate ship.
Then Aura said, "Go on, it's fine to express how you're feeling."
It was like Aura gave him permission to and his eyes just let out the tears. It startled the others to see him crying. Sorey felt slightly embarrassed. But only enough to cover his eyes with his sleeve. "They're gone," he said and he was still choking back some cries. "Rose and Alisha...They're gone and I'm still here. I didn't even get to say good-bye to them." Maybe deep down, he had expected that he'd get to see them one more time after he woke up.
He felt a hand on the back of his neck and heard Mikleo say, "Your feelings reached them. And they lived their lives to the fullest."
It was good to hear that. But it didn't help the feeling in his chest. He missed them so bad.
/~/~/
The next morning Sorey woke up feeling like he had gotten the best night of sleep on this ship so far. He fell asleep crying. He hadn't felt any better, but it didn't relieve a lot of the pressure that the seraphim didn't seem to notice.
It was early in the morning and went to make more of the tea to help settle his stomach. He never got a chance to drink it last night.
When he reached the deck, he saw Mayvin standing in front of Tokunaga who was in front of the captain's quarters. "For the last time Mayvin, beat it before I throw you overboard," Tokunaga said in his dull tone.
Mayvin wasn't fazed. "Have a heart Tokunaga. I just want to talk more with Captain Aifread," she complained.
"You kept the Captain up all night trying to get into her quarters," Tokunaga said. "She's tired and needs a rest."
Mayvin pouted and turned away seeing as she wouldn't get past Tokunaga. But then she saw Sorey. She gave Sorey a quizzical look as she approached him. "So, you're Captain Aifread's lover, right?"
"Absolutely not," Sorey said simply. He didn't even want to consider Grace a friend.
Mayvin actually gave a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I was afraid Captain Aifread's taste were going or something," she said.
"Are the two of you friends or something?" Sorey asked. He had chosen to ignore what Mayvin had said. He didn't care about meeting Grace's standards anyway.
Mayvin blushed at that. "Perish the thought," she said in a blushing girl way. "Although if Captain Aifread wanted me alone, I wouldn't say no." She startled giggling at that with the blush still on her face.
The norman that had appeared with her before popped out. "I'm sorry about Mayvin," the norman apologized. "She gets this way when she's with her "muse" as she calls it."
"I've actually been meaning to ask this," Mikleo started to ask. "Are you really The Storyteller Mayvin?"
That snapped Mayvin out of whatever was on her mind. She held her hand out and said. "The one and only at this time," she said. "I chase down interesting stories to add to the Storyteller Collection. I hunt down only the best."
"So why are you interested in Grace?" Sorey had to ask.
Mayvin rolled her eyes. "Why wouldn't I want to get a story from the Dreaded Pirate Van Aifread. Ever since I was a little kid, I've been enthralled with the tales of Van Aifread. So of course I have to get plenty of story's about her."
"But the stories you would have heard would have been of a different Van Aifread," Mikleo pointed out.
"Well duh," Mayvin said. "I'll admit, I was slightly disappointed. But she's still Van Aifread and I get the same chills from hearing about her exploits."
Sorey and Mikleo didn't know what to say. But it was Rime who spoke up and randomly changed the subject. "Oh," she exclaimed like she just realized something. "I just remembered who you are."
At first they thought she was talking about Mayvin. But it was the norman that was startled. "Y-you remember me?" He asked.
"Yeah, you were at the ruins I lived in," Rime explained. "You told me my name was Rime, and then you just left. Sorry, what was your name again?"
The norman let out a sigh. "Of course," he said. "It was a brief encounter. My name is Origin. Nice to see you again."
So the norman was also in the ruins with Rime. This might actually be a good chance to learn more about them.
But before he could even ask, the door to Grace's cabin burst open. "Tokunaga, change the ship's course west," Grace ordered.
"Aya captain," Tokunaga said as he started shouting orders to change the ship's direction.
"Where are we going?" Mikleo asked. "I thought we were heading to a port town."
Grace wore that same smile as she held up a small note. "Velk just sent a message. He's got intel on a Divine Artifact. And I'm getting it."
