A/N Back with Taaze :) R&R
I overheard my parents talking quietly about rumors in the East. It was said that several years ago, over nine noble's sons were stolen from their parents. All of these noble's lived in the South Blue, scattered in different islands. Yon was one of the sons who was stolen and probably sold into slavery, or possibly killed. It didn't matter, I was not going to give up hope. Maybe I was just naïve, but I did not think that anyone would have a reason to kill him just in spite, or in hate. Wouldn't they at least bother to make a ransom?
The last thing I heard before I officially began to ready myself to set sail was this: my father said furiously to my mother that an investigation squad had found five of the missing children who were now all fifteen and sixteen. Four had been killed or were still missing. They had the names, everything. Two of them were sent back to their parents who gladly received them. One did not want to come back. He was happy where he lived, in the brothel. The other two could not come back for legal reasons. Brunno and Yon could not come back. Both were caught up in totally separate murder schemes. One, for the murder of their slave master, and the other for the murder of a noble in a trading market who irately claimed that it was not he who killed the noble. I could only hope that it was Yon who hadn't killed anyone.
I became quiet again. My parents often found me brooding and thinking. I often wondered if they had any clue what went through my mind. Then, one night, I waited until everyone fell asleep. I silently packed and cleaned up any messes I left behind. I didn't leave any indication that I'd left.
I first visited Talia. I felt heartbroken. Over the past two years, we'd grown very close. We'd had many adventures, many of which I did not want to recall, afraid that I would change my mind and stay instead of search for Yon. I jumped lightly from roof to roof, being careful not to wake anyone. I finally arrived at her house which had happened to only a ten minutes jog from my house. Ah, destiny.
I crept quietly into her room from the open window, like so many times before. I lit a candle and whispered, "Talia." She sat up slowly, looking around for quite a bit before her eyes widened as they met mine. Her eyes seemed to flicker in the candle light. She was truly as beautiful as ever.
"…Taaze?" she seemed discombobulated. Perhaps it was my expression. "What are you doing here?" I sat down on her bed. I was wondering how I could warn her that I might leave one day to undergo on a mission to find Yon.
"You look concerned…" she said, sounding worried. "Is something wrong?"
I answered her sadly. "Remember I told you about my younger brother Yon?"
She seemed to perk up at this. "Yes, why?"
I was thinking about going to find him. "Not anytime soon, but sometime in the near future. I was wondering what you would have to say about that." I didn't want to make her upset.
"Taaze. You know I will always support in everything you do. That's what love is. Why do you need to talk about this right now?" She yawned sleepily.
I fidgeted in my seat. How was I going to do this?
"My parents received some news. Yon wasn't the only noble stolen. There were nine, Talia. Nine nobles. They were all stolen around the same time. Out of those nine, only five were ever recovered. Two of them want back to their homes. One didn't come back, and two were caught up in murder trials. I can only assume that Yon is one of the two caught up in murder trials, as the whereabouts of the others have not been discovered."
I paused. She said nothing.
"Talia… what is your opinion on my ridiculous quest to save Yon? People still look at me funny after all these years. I try to be normal as I can, but to no avail, I can tell they are just waiting for me to give up." My voice cracked. "It's not fair."
"Oh Taaze…" she reached out and touched my face. "It doesn't matter what people think of you. Have you ever heard the phrase, 'Follow your dreams'?"
I nodded, holding back a tear. I immediately pushed the wave of emotion back. I was not going to succumb to my emotions. I was fifteen. I had practiced controlling my emotions all my life. This was the night I would prove my parents wrong; this was the night that I would prove everyone who'd ever doubted me wrong. Was I also to prove to Talia, my beautiful soon-to-be bride, that I didn't care about her enough to stay? The thought was too much to bear.
"Then you must know what you want to do." she breathed. "I know that you aren't leaving now, but when you do, please tell me. Who knows, maybe I'll come along." She laughed.
My heart lurched. I was torn. She thought I was staying. "You're guilty, aren't you?" she sighed, after I didn't reply.
She leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. "Don't be guilty. You're here with me, right now. And I love you for that."
"Talia…" I didn't know what to say.
"Now let me get some sleep." she whispered, half smiling, half yawning. "I'll be dreaming about you."
She laid down and pulled her blankets over her.
I made my way to the beach. When I arrived, I sat close to the shore, wondering what Yon was doing now. My life here was good. In fact, almost perfect. Should I leave it? I had a loving family, a beautiful girl who I was soon to marry. I didn't even know what Yon looked like. Maybe my whole plan was crazy. Maybe my parents were right. What if I had been wrong all along? As the internal battle raged inside me, I realized I was making excuses. I realized all the excuses in the world would not matter, Yon was probably suffering as I took my time, contemplating all the perfect things in my life. I remembered how Rodney had killed the thief without a moment's hesitation. The world was cruel, and I couldn't just leave Yon alone in it. I got up. I was going to set sail as soon as possible.
I immediately traveled to Girince, a dangerous sea port at least thirty miles from my village. It was a loud, but an entertaining place where all the sailors and Marines alike came to party and get drunk. However, its reputation proceeded itself. The port is said to harbor some of the most skilled seaman in all of East Blue. Obviously no pirates were allowed - no one deadly as a devil fruit eater existed anywhere around here, as far as I knew.
I shoved my way in the front entrance. I was immediately bombarded with the rich scent of perfume mixed with beer. The place was brimming to the top with men and women, all dressed with pitiable garments. Nearly everyone was drunk or laughing uncontrollably. Women with large girth… poorly covered by clothes swayed around the halls, serving beer and laughing along with the filthy men. A drunk women snorted with laughter and clapped a buff looking sailor off his chair, sending beer spraying on my arm. I flinched. This was not my kind of place.
The guy who had fallen stood up and cracked his neck, staring at me curiously. "What's a boy like you doing here?" He arched his eyebrow disapprovingly. I noticed a tattoo on his wrist. I recognized it immediately.
I pointed at his arm. "Is that the Lead Fist symbol?" It was a blue inked arm being crushed by an anchor. The Lead Fist Sailors were extremely well known in this area.
He shrugged. "Yeah, so?" he gulped down the rest of a beer.
I grabbed his army boldly. Even though he was at least in his late sixties, his arms felt like, well, lead.
"So," I continued, "That means you were in the Lead Fist Sailor Monarchy."
"Yeah, so?" he repeated.
"So…" I pulled out a wad of beri. "I'd like to recruit you. You'd be the first mate." I knew I was taking a chance here. I knew that the Lead Fist Sailors had an extremely high reputation. They were very popular around ten years ago; my father was always talking about them. There were a select few and each of them had their own unique set of skills.
He stared at the beri incredulously. "Are you a noble or something'?" he asked, probably suspicious as to where I had gotten the money from.
"Something like that." I replied. "What do you specialize in? I own a brand new Caravel. The person I bought it from had just made it."
The sailor looked doubtful. "Where are we going? You look like your only seventeen - a mere lad."
I didn't laugh. "We're going to Mariejoise. I'll be setting sail in a week or so."
The sailor stared at me. "So you are a noble." He laughed. "Do you know how to run a ship boy?"
I told him I had been taught by a grizzled sailor named Rodney. His mouth dropped. "By Oda's heart!" he cried. "Rodney was the leader of our old crew! I thought he was bloody dead!" He erupted into laughter.
I chuckled. "He's pretty smart."
The sailor clapped me on the back. "Aye, lad! Where is he nowadays?" He wiped a tear from his eye, trying to control his laughter.
I thought about it. I hadn't the slightest clue. One day I had come down to the dock where we usually met every Wednesday. He would teach me about learning to run a crew and how I could control the ship with confidence. Except, that day, he had sent me off. He was clearly drunk, but I could hear him rambling about how I already knew more than he did.
I took it that he was done teaching me, and I never really bothered to come back down to the dock in fear that he would lose control.
"I honestly don't know," I said. "I haven't seen him in at least five years." The sailors face fell. "But I'm sure Rod is fine. He's tough as a nail." I added.
The sailor straightened up. "I feel up for another voyage. When do you plan on setting sail? Who else are you going to recruit? Do you have supplies? Do you have a heading? My names Drake, just so you know," he said, "Almost fifty years old and still strong enough to lift a women off her feet."
Drake was talking a million miles per hour, but I could tell he was going to make a good addition into the crew.
He motioned to two other men sitting across the room. "That's Rawm and Hans. Rawm's the best navigator I know and Hans can fight like a lion." He said proudly.
I glanced at them. As drunk as they were, they seemed like sailor material, with big bulging muscles and weathered calloused hands.
"Sounds good," I said. "I take it they were part of the Lead Fist Sailors as well?"
"Hell yes, lad! The crews finest!" He clamped his hand across his heart tearfully. "Boy, were those the days." He was obviously drunk, but I could tell he knew what he was talking about.
"Is there anyone else from the Lead Fist Sailors here?" I asked, wondering if I could get any other recruits off of Drake. It would surely spare me the time of going to a hundred other pubs.
He shook his head sadly. "Our group split up. Waru, Bella, and Norvik at the Inn just down the street. They just play poker all day." He snorted. "Brigs is at the Eastern Brothel."
"How can I recognize them?" I asked doubtfully.
"You'll be able to tell. They all have the same tattoos as I do." Drake flexed his muscles, causing his tattoo to ripple.
I sighed visibly. I wasn't keen on trying to convince a bunch of drunkards on going on a voyage. Drake must've sensed my discomfort and laughed. "Here, take this note." He scribbled quickly on a piece of paper and shoved into my hand. "Give this to them. They recognize my signature; I'm sure they're all dying to go on an adventure." He swallowed the last of his beer in one huge gulp and let out a bloodthirsty burp.
I felt a bit more confident. I put the note in my pocket gratefully. "So where's this ship of yours?" He asked curiously.
"Cafton Port, Side 48. The first caravel you see on the right. Has the inscription, 'Leiðdrepa' on it. The supplies are on the dock. Round up Rawm and Hans and start packing when you can. I'm going to go try and recruit the others." I had no idea what they would be like, but I felt comfortable around these people already.
I left Drake and set off on my journey to find the first three since they were literally only a five minute walk down the street. As I walked down the dark street, I wondered what Talia would do if I disappeared for several years without any warning. The thought was too much too bear. I shivered and thought about my parents. They didn't really deserve to have me disappear on them either. Perhaps I'd leave notes. I pushed my thoughts away as I reached my destination. The place looked crowded. It was extremely loud; louder than the last Inn I was at.
I shoved past a nude man lying on the floor and found myself at the bar. What was it that Drake had mentioned? Something about constantly playing poker…
I almost immediately spotted the outstanding tattoo on a girls arm. She caught me eyeing her and motioned for me to come closer.
"Who are you, bud? You new around here?" Her voice was extremely feminine sounding and I couldn't match her lean muscles together with her voice.
"No." I said. "I'm looking for Bella…?"
She sat up. "That's me. Why do you ask?" I handed her the note Drake had given me. I didn't know what it said, but it must've meant something important or valuable. She glanced up at me. "You've been talking to Drake, eh?"
"Yes ma'am. I'm actually recruiting a crew for the expedition which I'm about to start." I tried to sound more confident then I really was.
She grinned. "If Drakes requesting me, hell, I'm down for it." She slapped a buff looking guy sleeping on the bench besides her and dumped the remains of her beer on another similar looking figure who was on the other side of her. They spluttered and sat up, a wild look in their eyes.
"What's your name hun?"
"Taaze." I responded quickly, nervous at the dirty looking man staring straight at me. I could only figure he was Waru or Norvik.
"Taaze, meet Waru." She pointed at the guy who was staring at me and then motioned to the person who I could only assume was Norvik. "And Norvik." He smiled at me, revealing blackened gums, accompanied by several small yellow lumps which I could guess were the remainders of his teeth.
I nodded cordially at the two of them. Norvik leaned into Bella and whispered something into her ear. She laughed. "Norvik's wondering why you're here. I'll explain to them. Where are we meeting?" she asked happily, standing up. I could immediately tell Bella was an outgoing character.
I repeated to her the instructions I'd told Drake. She nodded distantly. "Ah… it's been a while since I've smelt the salt in the wind…"
She looked right at me. "I hope you know what you're doing… I want this voyage to be exciting."
"It'll be dangerous." I promised her.
She smiled. "Good." I left her to round up Norvik and Waru and set off to the Brothel where I would hopefully find Brigs.
I didn't bother going in the brothel. I waited at the counter and asked for a certain Brigs to come up. About half hour later, a sweaty looking guy came up the counter, looking tired.
"Can I help you." He said stiffly.
"Are you brigs?" I asked, hoping he wasn't. He didn't look like a sailor to me.
"Yeah, I'm Brigs. Why the bloody devil do you care exactly?" He scratched his butt nonchalantly.
I ignored that and handed him the note. His eyes widened. "By Oda!" he exclaimed. His stress seemed to evaporate. He grabbed my shoulders. "Where can I find this port?!" He yelled at me excitedly.
I repeated the instructions.
"Let me just say good bye to me' darlings! I will be there in about forty-five minutes!" He grinned and ran up the flight of stairs.
Before I went to the ship, I decided to leave a note for Talia. I wrote it carefully and as neatly as I could and left it under her doormat.
Dear Talia,
This is Taaze. I've decided to go on a relatively quick voyage in order to hopefully find my brother and bring him back. I can only hope he still lives. It has always been my greatest dream to recover him from the dark grasps of this cruel world we live in. If I don't come back within five years, I would like you to my parents about the note and tell them that I am dead. Talia, I would like you to know that I care about no one but my brother as much as you. You are the girl that kept me from spiraling into a dark and dangerous path which not many people can recover from. I love you.
-Taaze
I shed a few tears and stood at her door for a minute, and then pulled myself together. I was ready to find Yon, no matter the cost.
A/N Well Taaze has made the decision that would chage his life forever. R&R
