Seven Seas Treasure
~.~.~
When Amu thought about it later on - when looked back on some brighter day, when all was well once more and the pace of the world hushed to a welcome calm - she would consider whether it had been wise of them to so readily rise to the bait that had been laid out for them. She would wonder what drove these men to such drastic actions. She wonder if they had not all been lured into some elaborate trap - whether or not some higher power had decided to play some deceitful prank in their boredom, for this truly seemed like the trickery of some of those ancient, vengeful gods of myth and legend she had read about in her mother's library. But, most of all, whenever she thought back on it, she would remember above all that restless, gut-wrenching feeling of disbelief - of the tug of heartache and the sting of deception - for never in her life had she felt as hopeless as she did that day.
None had seen it coming. None had anticipated the calamity that had awoken them in the dead of night, nor the fire that single spark would ignite, but it was already done - the ripples already cast about the water, enshrouding the Shining Black and all who sailed her; the stars overhead already shifting in their paths, staring down mockingly from their immortal plane.
It was done. And it was Utau who had noticed it first.
It was she who had awoken at around midnight, restless and uneasy for whatever reason she could not pinpoint, yet all she knew was that a dark sense of foreboding had overcome her heart. It was almost palpable. It was almost as though she could feel it creeping its way over her body, scratching over her skin like the cold tendrils of a vine; as though she could taste it as smoke upon her tongue; like she could sense it weighing down as a stone in her chest, dragging her down into the depths beneath them. And, not for the first time, she felt truly afraid.
But, at the time, all remained quiet. Utau sat upright in bed, alert and wide, her ears straining for any semblance of sound over the natural creaking of the frigate - she leapt from beneath the sheets and flew over to her cabin door, pressing her eye against the keyhole, placing her head to the floor for any feel of vibration…
But there was none. Utau remained there - awake and on edge - counting the minutes as they passed. She lay in the silence, half-hoping for something to become amiss. And yet, after some time, there was none. All was still. The frigate creaked on over the hiss of the waves outside and, though every inch of her body had broken out into goosebumps - even though every rational part of her brain had begun to scream and nag and whine over that ceaseless apprehension in her heart… She heard nothing.
And so, reluctantly, Utau had spent the late hours sat beside her window, for sleep would never find her now, she thought. She sighed, her knees tucked up beneath her chin and her head resting against the cool glass, she stayed awake and gazed off into the dark of the sky, hoping to catch sight of the merest hint of starlight from her dismal cabin, but to no avail. Not even the brightest spot in the sky could penetrate that veil. Not even the moon could overpower the oncoming clouds that loomed dark and oppressive above. But still, she thought, all seemed calm. She heard the whistle of a faint breeze blow outside. She caught a puff of sea-spray drift by her window. The waves were easing, the swell of the ship settling, unusually regular and steady…
And then she had seen them.
Utau froze. There was a spot on the waters. Something was bobbing about the waves. There! She saw them - a group of them! - dark and cloaked and huddled in three little rowboats, slowly drifting away from the ship into open waters… And, though dumbfounded at first, the realisation had hit her as a sudden bullet. She leapt once more from her bed, gasping as she watched them retreat - their forms growing tiny and insignificant against the empty sea.
Sticken, yet riled, Utau had wasted no time.
"ALL HANDS ON DECK!"
It was utterly unheard of for that elusive blonde to be giving orders, let alone to spring so readily out onto the decks, but it was the tone of her voice that was most unheard of - it was the shrill panic in her cries; it was the way her eyes shone wild and terrified in the darkness; it was in the way she stormed unaided all the way down to the crew's quarters by herself, yelling until she was hoarse;
"UP!" Utau bellowed, as fierce and commanding as any had ever heard her. When few men stirred, swinging lazily in their hammocks, she smashed the lantern beneath the companionway and rang the bell beside it to jolt them out of their slumber. "Up, you dogs! We've been abandoned! Kazuomi is getting away!"
And if any had doubted the severity of the situation before, they were now well and truly alerted to the news that Kazuomi Ichinomiya - their Captain! - had in fact made off in the dead of night, taking all but two of their rowboats and drifting off under cover of darkness. And so now the crew of the Shining Black stood, aghast and mortified, huddled against the starboard side where they could just make out in the distance three little boats bobbing in shallow waters, blackened by the forms of their former Captain and his gang of brutes who had all taken the opportunity to vanish with him. There was a stunned silence - a minute or so of disbelief… And then the men erupted, spitting and swearing, disgusted;
"COWARDS!" they cried. "Bastard! Deserter! Traitorous!"
"That's why he wouldn't let any of us take night watch!" Kukai exclaimed amongst the uproar, popping his rusty-haired head up from the crowd. He squinted into the distance, leaning over the bulwark as far as his body would allow without toppling overboard. "He was plannin' this!" He snapped. "That's why he wouldn't let any of us see his course! S'why he wouldn't even tell Ikuto what was up to!"
Kukai jabbed a finger in the direction of the pirate beside him as if it would somehow help cement his point, but Ikuto said nothing. He simply stood, his mouth hung agape - barely so much as breathed. He didn't look like he could hear them. Several men turned to look at him, but dismissed him just as quickly. It was as if they all understood that they would get nothing out of him that night, yet, at that moment in time, not one of them cared. Their only thoughts remained aboard those boats that were disappearing into the mist. Their ire was unrivalled; their blood had begun to boil; they seethed as one until the sails became stained red under their vengeful gaze - until the deck sizzled under the heat of their hearts, rocking the ship as on almighty tides. Their rage was s the tension of electricity before a thunderstorm. It was as blazing and disastrous as a fire overwhelms a forest. Any man who was not stricken cold to the bone with shock was now steaming as an inferno. One man threw something (no one was sure quite what it was) into the water in frustration and yelled;
"We can't let this go undealt with!"
And, as if in reply, a ruckus began.
"We'll slit that traitor's throat!"
"We'll have Ichinomiya's fuckin' head!"
And on and on they hollered, snarling and snapping at the heels of their master as he vanished into the gloom of the foggy shores beyond. The deck was bristling, swarming almost as fiercely as it had been that day Fortune's crew had set foot upon their ship, and amongst the clamour it seemed that the majority of men were in favour of leaping overboard there and then and dealing out justice themselves. A group of them cried, their voices raised above all others;
"Well, lads! He's left us two boats left! Whaddaya say we give him what for?"
There was an uproar. In an instant, men were racing down the gangway to fetch the boats that had been left behind; in the background the hatch was flown open and out of it a line of buccans passed out swords and daggers and pistols alike; the cacophony rose, echoing off the calm waters until, at last-
"STAND DOWN!"
And, just like that, all activity ceased. All heads turned, stunned to silence. And, on the breeze, Utau's voice still travelled across the deck.
It was almost unreal. Years upon years they had spent aboard this ship and throughout it all they had barely heard a whisper from this girl's lips. For ten long years this child had been but a spirit of the Shining Black - a living myth that dwelt out of sight, lingering in shadows they could not reach. Isolated and distant and untouchable this child had been - distant, caged away and cautious in the dark of her cabin… And yet here tonight she stood before them, lit up by the fire of her fury - a true woman with a venom in her voice and a steely determination in her eyes. Her skin was silver in the moonlight. Her features were cold and stern. Finally free from the shadow of the Captain, she shone like the white diamond fluttering in the air above them. And, for the first time in living memory, she appeared flawless. Utau stared sharply down at the crew, stepping up onto the bulwark so that her voice could be heard by all. She hoisted herself up, gripping onto one of the ratlines and repeated firmly;
"Stand. Down."
Not a word left the men's lips. Whether they were too stunned to speak or too in awe of her demeanour, Utau could not tell, but she revelled in the brief pause followed. She took a breath.
"Why do you think we are anchored here tonight?" she demanded, her knuckles whitening, lips curling in disdain. "Why do you think we have been left behind here? Don't be fools!" she cried; "Kazuomi has left us here so that we may be captured ourselves! Follow him and resign yourself to your fate! Have you not seen?"
And she gestured behind her - to the darkness across the water where their Captain and his henchmen had slipped out of sight - and, as if bidden by Utau's words, the late-night fog seemed to roll back, the moon shining brighter, casting clarity upon the scene before them and every man's blood turned cold, for, far-off in the distance, many lights could be seen. In truth, they shouldn't have been surprised. Really, even Captain Ichinomiya in his recent madness would have been positively insane to just drop anchor in the middle of nowhere if he was going to make his grand escape, but still, as they looked out upon the little lantern-lights, steadily growing brighter the longer they looked, an unwelcome sense of déjà-vu settled over the deck. They were looking upon a dock, of course. The shadows of many sloops and schooners rose silhouetted against the land. Smaller fishermen's boats dotted the coastline. The town rose steadily, sprawling out across the slopes in the distance… And there was no doubt about it.
Faintly, they heard a gasp behind them. All eyes turned, somewhat bemused, as none other than the Princess herself stepped into their midst. Really, they were surprised that she had thought to reemerge in the dead of night, even if Utau had granted her permission, but nonetheless she appeared before them, her pink hair glowing in the gathering light, leaping out against the shadows about her. She let out a shaky breath and raced to the side of the ship, looking wide-eyed upon the town. "But," Amu seemed shaken by something they could not place, gripping onto the bulwark. "B-But that's-"
"That's where this all started." Utau finished for her. Yes, none of them would forget. No man aboard the Shining Black would ever forget the little town that they had ransacked all in order to intercept Her Royal Highness on her way to the coast. "Fitting that that scoundrel would think to flee here." There was a burning injustice in that thought, but they had no time to dwell on it. In the background, the clouds were parting. The moon grew stronger. Light began to settle, bright and illuminating, on the deck of the ship. The white diamond on it's sails glowed eerily - stark against the black of night. "But we must not follow him!" Utau continued. "Follow him and we meet our end! We must flee ourselves before-"
"We must flee!" someone said urgently, the shrill peak of their voice cutting Utau off midway. "To hell with Kazuomi - we'll all be hung!"
There was a sense of terror in that statement that settled in the hearts of each and every pirate present. It was as if the gravity of the situation had finally settled amidst their shock. The men were torn. Some took pistols and fired off into the distance, half-hoping against all reasonable hope that they might just graze the top of their old Captain's hat; others flew to the ropes, panicked, desperate to set sail; some were arguing amongst themselves-
"We're sitting ducks! The Royal Navy-!"
"Fuck the Royal Navy! That bastard-!"
And they were cut off by a deafening splash. All fell silent. Heads turned to portside and stepped back, open-mouthed, as they watched a group of four men lowering a rowboat into the water. It bobbed lazily, tethered by rope. Utau narrowed her pretty eyes and rounded on them.
"What do you think you're doing?" she growled, hopping down from the bulwark. Amu watched in awe as the crowd of men parted before her, cutting a clear line across the Shining Black as they made way for this woman's ire. It was as if Utau's piercing stare had torn through the very deck itself, as relentless and fearsome as a cutlass hews down its enemies. "We've no time for this! We must flee before the townspeople spy us!"
To Amu's surprise, not one of them answered. The blonde glowered, storming towards them, opening her mouth to unleash a tirade of fury.
But, as Utau neared the rebellious group, blue sprang out of the darkness. She stopped in her tracks.
"I-Ikuto..?"
And, sure enough, Ikuto slowly turned away from the bulwark. The ropes attached to the rowboat were hanging still firm in his grasp. His gaze was positively murderous. To the side, Amu's fear faltered. She shivered, whispered his name, but he didn't hear her.
"Ikuto!" Utau exclaimed, though there was far less bite in her bark now. "What are you doing?"
But Ikuto was seething;
"No."
That single word cut through the chaos - low and dangerous, oozing with defiance. The discord hushed. Amu sidled through the thick crowd, craning her neck to watch, and her golden eyes fell upon darkest blue. But though her heart would usually have lifted with glee, now it weighed heavy in her chest as Ikuto snarled;
"No."
It was the malice that had fuelled his inner demons throughout the coldest nights and most hopeless days; it was the fury of all the rage he had kept bottled for ten years of his dark, defeated life; it was the same rage that had fuelled his sudden madness that day in the Captain's cabin - that day he had snapped, lashed out; that day he had found himself once more at the mercy of his stepfather's wrath… It was the sort of rage that chilled Amu to the very core. And as she saw that wild inferno blaze within his blue eyes, she feared for him.
"I want that bastard's blood." Ikuto's voice was like the rumble of distant thunder. Utau faltered, any argument dying on her lips at the sudden madness in his gaze.
Finally she shook her head; "Ikuto, you'll be caught!"
"I don't care." Ikuto snapped. He was breathing heavily now. His teeth were bared. He threw the rope to the floor and rounded on her; "He deserves it. He deserves this, little sister, and I don't care. If I'm going to get caught…"
And something snapped within his chest. Suddenly the weight of Kazuomi's betrayal cut something deep inside his soul - blood finally pouring from an old wound picked fresh. Suddenly it was dawning on him just how much he had to lose as Kazuomi retreated into the darkness, disappearing from sight and fading away in the dying breeze, never to return, for none of them truly knew how they'd ever find him again if they gave him his chance to escape. The dreams and fantasies that Ikuto had thrived on - those hopes of vengeance; those visions of his hands drawing close around the Captain's neck - were flashing before his very eyes, urging him on, screaming at him, for this was his chance..!
But, amidst them all, Ikuto saw blue. He saw the glint of the sun upon gold. He saw the light of his eyes reflected in dazzling, clover crystals. He felt the touch of his father's embrace and heard the low, melodic tone of his voice and, as he stared out to the sea, Ikuto saw the retreating form of his father's back, stepping into the mist, walking away down the path from their home and it suddenly hit him.
Kazuomi would disappear like smoke on the wind. He would walk away and never come back and any hope - any flicker of light that Ikuto might have seen on the horizon - of knowing about his father's disappearance would be snuffed out... Any hope that he had kept of someday finding out about his father's absence… It would all be futile.
And he would never know.
Not knowing… Never finding out… It would kill him. It would be like never seeing the sunlight again. It would be like staying in this cage forever. It would be as though these chains would never slip from his soul - as though Kazuomi had doomed him to dwell in this deep, dark well of despair for the rest of his days, for never knowing would haunt him until the very end. Never knowing would keep him awake and restless every night for the rest of his life. There would be no end - no respite. He would never be free... And of course it would kill him, for he could not bear to live in the dark any longer.
And somewhere, deep down, Ikuto thought that perhaps that was what Kazuomi had meant to do all along. And so when he spoke his voice began to waver; his breath drew shaky; his eyes grew dim;
"If I'm going to get caught," he breathed; "Then I'm taking him down with me!"
"Ikuto!" Amu cried, unable to stop herself, for it was as though she could see the pieces of his weary soul break down before her very eyes and she could not stand to watch. "Ikuto he's not worth-"
Ikuto could barely hear her over his own destructive thoughts. "That son of a bitch!" He was growling, clenching his fists and facing the group that had helped him retrieve the boat and, despite his turmoil, in that moment he truly seemed like a clear leader of men as he led the way, marching towards the gangplank where below the rowboat bobbed on increasingly choppy waters.
Utau saw it coming before he'd even raised one boot up onto the gunwale. She bolted, yelling; "Ikuto! Listen to me-!"
But he was already gone. In his blind rage, the young pirate raced to the side of the ship and hurled himself overboard, too restless to fumble about with the rope of the ladder. He landed audibly, the splash of his fall reaching their ears as they sprinted over to the side. Amu peered down at the waves below, squeezing through a gap in the line of men. Beneath the frigate, Ikuto was hauling himself up out of the water and clambering into the rowboat, already crowded with his four accomplices. He bent down, sodden, and reached for the knife she knew he kept concealed in his boot.
"Ikuto!" Amu found the cry tore unbidden from her lips, but he wasn't listening. With the swift gleam of metal he had severed the ties that kept them tethered to the Shining Black and they were racing, working their oars overtime in pursuit of the Captain who had left them helpless and in the dark. Around her, the men hollered, crying out for them, pleading them to return. They were left in a stalemate. Even Amu realised that whilst they would have to await the group's return, they could no longer flee and escape from the sights of whoever might be watching on-shore, but, somehow, she couldn't bring herself to care - not when they were growing smaller and smaller in the distance, facing their very dooms! Utau's voice was hoarse and deafening in Amu's ears as she called after them, but for all the pandemonium Amu could barely hear it. Her heart lurched. Ikuto was vanishing into the night, into the last of the fog, drifting towards those lights in the distance. He was fading - slipping through her very fingertips and a jarring fear gripped at her heart. She cried;
"Ikuto! Ikuto!"
"Hinamori!" Kukai barely caught her, grabbing her firmly from behind as she launched herself at the side of the ship, apparently intent on jumping headfirst into the water and dragging him back by the ear to safety herself. She writhed in his grasp so fiercely that the pirate began to struggle. "Hinamori!" Kukai gasped, fighting for strength. "Amu, stay cool!"
But she couldn't listen - she couldn't just let him go… What perils awaited him on land? What awaited him in the shadows of that glimpse of civilisation? Guards? Naval officers? What if Kazuomi was already creeping along the shore, lying in wait, the shine of his sword piercing through the night and ready to be rent deep within his stepson's heart?
"Ikuto!"
But Amu's cries were carried by the wind, dying on the breeze and swept out to the empty sea. About her, the crew were still arguing; still shouting; still praying in fear, for it was only a matter of time until some local, roused from sleep by the crack of gunshot and the sound of anguished cries, espied them and raised the alarm. There would be little hope of escape then; little hope of slipping away quietly into the night…
And little hope of meeting Ikuto and his group ever again.
Finally Amu slumped in Kukai's grasp, her strength failing her. She was almost glad that he didn't let go, but, staring out across the water, her mind was not here with Kukai on this frigate. Amu's mind was out there through the darkness. Amu's mind was ever on that young pirate whose very presence made her spirit soar. It was as if a piece of her had drifted away with him. It was as though, somehow, she would never defeat this warring in her heart whilst he still ran so recklessly into peril.
A sense of foreboding had started to settle deep in her chest. Something unshakeable was clinging onto her beating heart. And so, her head filled with visions of silent symphonies and midnight blue beneath the starlight, Amu shut her eyes and prayed for him.
~.~.~
Tadase was unsure why he had been awoken at this time of night. Really, he was quite astounded that the doctor had allowed anyone near his room at all. The man was insufferable, obsessive, even. He barely allowed any maid save for Rima and perhaps one or two others to enter the Commander's chambers despite the fact that he'd been back on his feet for days now. But still, Tadase was thoroughly bewildered, not to mention astonished, to wake to a knocking on his bedroom door - loud and frantic and so demanding of his attention that he was up in an instant, throwing on a robe and awkwardly shuffling over to his door. He half expected it to be the doctor himself. Just in case, he concealed his staff behind the door when he opened it. He could not bear for the man to see him rely on it.
"Yes, yes, sir," Tadase began, rubbing his bleary eyes as lantern light flooded his vision. "What is-"
"Commander!"
Tadase stopped, dumbfounded. At his door stood none other than Nagihiko. The guard's face was pale and ashen in the firelight. His eyes were wide and panic-stricken. Tadase frowned; "Fujisaki-"
"Commander!" Nagihiko opened his mouth to launch into some sort of explanation, but caught himself just as quickly. Suddenly remembering his place, he bowed low, but there was a tension in his frame that Tadase couldn't ignore. "Commander, you must come quickly! The King has sent for you!"
Tadase glanced briefly at the grandfather clock in the corner of his bedchamber. It was well past one in the morning. Already, warning bells were ringing shrill and alarming in his mind and Nagi must have seen the concern spread across his face because he nodded and said in a single breath;
"Pirates have been sighted in the town, sir, come from a frigate just outside the cove!" he blurted, tripping over his own tongue as one running downhill. "She looks fully armed - a stolen man-of-war! The townspeople are riled, Commander! There is chaos!"
And Tadase's blood froze stiff in his veins.
"Pirates?"
"Pirates, sir! There have been sightings in the town! Commander-"
But Tadase was already scrambling back into the darkness of his chamber, abandoning his staff only briefly as he flew open the armoire, rifling through for the most suitable-looking clothes he could find, his heart pounding all the while, for surely the same fears running through his mind ran too through those of the townspeople. In his head he saw fire. He saw blood and ash and smoke billowing into the sky… He did not even bother to retreat behind his dressing screen as he changed, fumbling to make himself presentable, caring only fleetingly for the dressing that was still bound across the scar on his side. Nagihiko averted his eyes, but seemed too unnerved to comment.
"Ready a carriage for me, Fujisaki, if you please!" Tadase ordered, whipping on his coat and drawing back the secret compartment at the back of the wardrobe. Behind it he had concealed a single pistol, already primed and ready for use, and his sabre, for the doctor had forbade the use of both and confiscated them upon his arrival to the mansion. Tadase considered it fortunate that the man was so unobservant. Rima had had no trouble in retrieving them for him. He inspected them in the glow of the lantern light, revelling in the sight of their keen metal and the weight of them in his grasp, for truly, after so many years of service, they felt like distant parts of him - like extensions of his flesh and bone, fuelled and made fine by his own flow of courage.
In the background, he could hear a group of maids pass by, whispering frantically between themselves as they scurried away, perhaps to fetch any sleeping guards left inside. Nagihiko was bowing in the doorway, nodding profusely; "Yes, sir!" And then he was off - a brisk blur of red and purple, vanishing into the shadows at the end of the corridor - and Tadase breathed unsteadily.
Ten years ago… They had sullied this town. Ten years ago this place had been stained red with the spill of blood. Ten years ago they had come - brandishing their cutlasses; slipping into the shadows; overturning homes and taverns and manors in their wake and all about them their fires burned, scorching and terrible beneath the glow of the moon.
Outside, Tadase saw the distant, furious glow of firelight. The people were already awake. His blade was gleaming as if freshly withdrawn from the forge. He snapped it tight into the brace at his belt, twisting his staff in his hand as he 'tap-tap-tapped' his way towards the waiting carriages. His face was hard - rocky and resolute and set in stone.
There would be yet more fire this night.
But this time… This time it would be their own.
~.~.~
"The man's a lunatic - all of them!" Kukai exclaimed, his eyes still fixed on the glow of the town across the waters. He finally let go of the Princess who had long stopped struggling and now simply gazed off across the waters - into the departing mist, numb and withdrawn. "What do they think they're doing?" Kukai went on, whirling round to face the majority of the crew. "We've gotta go after 'em, lads! Supposin' they can't make it back by themselves?"
A unanimous agreement seemed to pass over the faces of all who stood there - the very same thoughts running through all their minds. Men were nodding, others taking up arms. They seemed about ready to jump into action, their courage suddenly bursting forth…
But then they hesitated. One by one each and every man slowly turned towards the gangplank where only moments ago their companions had dove so rashly into the water. Suddenly reluctant, a hush overcame them; a single whistle of wind travelled across the deck and there, her pigtails fluttering in the breeze, Utau stood, her face contorted in rage, yet it was ashen and she didn't seem to realise that all eyes had looked to her until Kukai appeared at her side.
He ambled over, hopping over pieces of tarp and rope and half-empty barrels of powder that had been dragged out from the depths of the hold and faced her. His face was stern and grave, but there was something so warm and familiar in those olive eyes of his that her expression immediately softened.
"Well," Kukai said, clearing his throat and brandishing a rusty, yet formidable-looking cutlass before them. "What d'ya say, ma'am?"
It was at that moment that Amu finally tore her attention away from the grim shadows about the coastline and watched, fascinated, as she witnessed this changing of power. She looked around and saw the men all staring at this shell-shocked blonde, so easily swinging their allegiance to those they trusted now that they were free of the bonds of their tyrant Captain. Across the deck Utau was blinking, her jaw hung slightly agape as she found herself faced with an entire ship awaiting her instructions for the very first time. It was almost unbelievable. It was almost like watching a turnover of Kings or the changing of the guard back at the palace. Utau's expression was shifting - flicking from rage to grief to awe to rage… And then a shaky sort of breath wracked her entire body. Amu saw her fists clench, her knuckles whiten, she saw her glower and snarl and curse in fury…
But, standing out amongst it all - like a candle flaring in the darkness - Amu saw terror. Utau's eyes were wide, shining with unshed tears. But most of all they were alight with a fear so wild that Amu was amazed she could compose herself. And then, finally, she hissed;
"Go get him." she commanded. "Before he does something even more stupid!"
And that was that. The changing of power was absolute - set in stone and pirate code - as the men began moving at her word, racing and clambering across the decks to prepare their last rowboat for one last trip to the shore. Amu felt a wave of relief wash over her, for surely now there was but the slightest hint of hope for Ikuto and his group of men. Whether or not they saw the sense in it they would be dragged back, bound by their fellows and shoved back aboard without a word and they would vanish - fleeing into the night, to safety… Amu let this thought comfort her as she watched them heave the boat up from the dark void of the hold; as she observed a line of men drawing pistols and sheathed daggers for those who planned to go ashore; and, finally, when the hard work was done and the crew gathered about the gangway to draw up their plan of stealth, there was a moment when Amu thought that all might yet work out in their favour.
But it was then - just as Amu's nerves were beginning to settle; as the chill was starting to retreat and the blind panic beginning to fade - that those vengeful deities decided to cast yet another trick into their midst.
"SAIL FORE!"
The cry came all of a sudden - shrill and terrified over the heads of all others, drowning out those snarls and dreadful oaths of these betrayed sailors. As a voice from the sky, breathed from those very tricksy deities themselves, that cry came and instantly all men stilled. Suddenly the tide seemed to turn against them. Suddenly the crew were paling, dropping their weapons, abandoning the rowboat and scrambling to the sides of the ship for a better view. Someone yelled a dirty curse. Another pirate dropped to his knees and began to pray. Utau shook her head and leant back against the bulwark, barely supporting herself on the line of the yard behind her as, in the distance, she watched three sails come into view out of the darkness, gathering on the line of the sea like the clouds of a distant squall. Words failed her. Her breath was shallow. Amu followed her line of sight and, for the first time in her life, she knew the same fear that is felt by every buccan out at sea.
Amu recognised those sails. She recognised those flashes of blue and white as, just visible under the glow of the waning moon, she watched men in uniform scurrying about the decks. Amu remembered that figurehead - that stone-faced maiden bearing two rapiers above her head; she recognised the emerald gem set in it's chest… And, most clearly of all, Amu knew the King's colours - her father's colours - fluttering high and light above their heads, gleaming, dancing in the breeze.
The Emerald Line was a ship belonging to the Commander's fleet. And it was advancing towards them.
"They're coming," Amu whispered, though she barely heard her own voice above the din. Utau's own words were ringing in her ears;
"Why do you think we are anchored here tonight?"
Truly, Amu thought, Kazuomi's treachery would cut far deeper than any had thought.
"Follow him and resign yourself to your fate!"
"The navy are coming…"
Beside her, someone was choking on a sharp intake of breath. The Princess looked up and, for the first time in her life, Amu saw that Kukai's face was white - pure, cheerless white despite the onslaught of coughs that wracked his body. He drew his hand across his forehead and it came back covered in sweat. "Was… Was Kazuomi trying to get us all killed?"
It wouldn't have surprised her, she thought. It truly wouldn't have surprised her at all. Amu was willing to bet her life that Kazuomi had not counted on anyone seeing him slip away in the dead of night. She was willing to place her entire family's fortune on the chance that his plan was to leave them there in plain sight of the dock, asleep and defenseless as the first rays of the rising sun were cast across the waters and as the first ships bearing the naval flag crept up from the mouth of the bay to catch them all unawares. Their wakeup would have been the sudden sensation of sinking - of slipping below the waters and the smell of powder - or else the clapping of chains about their wrists and the jabbing of muskets in their backs.
Or, at least, that would have been their wakeup call. She would have been saved. The Princess would have been come upon by those honest men and whisked away back to her father's palace quicker than she could cry out that dreaded 'Sail fore!'. But these men… These men would be doomed. And, as the Emerald Line drifted across the water, Amu realised that Kazuomi's plan might yet have been successful.
"We can't just sit here!" Kukai spluttered, waving down the nearest group of men and pointing at the masts. "Sails out! We gotta move!"
They didn't think twice. Kukai's command was followed by a round of hasty agreements before the men scrambled off, falling over each other as they lunged for the ratlines. The naval ship was creeping onward, glowing in the light of the moon, the gemstone on it's figurehead shining bright enough to rival the diamond in the sky. And it was only then that Kukai's words hit home.
"'Move'..." Amu murmured, testing the words against her lips. She frowned. "We're leaving?"
Kukai winced at the volume of her voice. "Your Highness…"
A pause. A distant hiss of smoke. And then, before any could answer her, a tremendous, tumultuous 'CRACK!' rent the night.
Kukai pushed her to the ground before she could so much as jump - "Take cover!" - and the two landed face-down on the gangway. Amu winced, her chin bashing into the deck, her back crushed beneath the weight of Kukai's chest, but she could not move, nor breathe, for the next thing she heard was an almighty splash and the entire ship, normally so steady and formidable, swayed bodily on the water. The smell of powder met her nose. In the distance she heard men's voices, faint, yet drawing ever-closer, crying out commands she could not make out. When Kukai moved, peering over the bulwark on his hands and knees, Amu saw half the crew fleeing down into the hold to man the gun decks, pouring like insects through the hatchway. Men were whistling; barking commands; Utau had apparently drawn herself together, for she picked herself up from the spot she'd thrown herself upon and raced towards the forecastle, peering out at the naval craft that was creeping closer, one of it's gunports still glowing red from their first taste of cannon fire. Amu's heart sank.
"We can't flee without engagin' 'em!" Kukai burst out, yet for all the confidence in his voice he was still white - still glancing back over his shoulder at the light of the town and the ripples of the water that had marked their crewmate's passage into the bay. "Man what cannons you can!" he hollered; "We might cripple 'em enough to stay their attack, but I don't know… We'll take whatever chance we can get!"
"What are you saying!" Utau spun round to face him, as cutting and cold as Amu had ever heard her. "We cannot flee! Not yet! Not when-"
There were not many things on this earth that could halt Utau midway through such a heated rant, but at that moment the words died upon her lips, her breath snatched from her throat as yet another crack of cannon fire burst from the opposing ship, hot and smoking. This time their aim was truer and their attempt at devastating the frigate's starboard side nearer as a mighty hunk of smouldering iron hit the water merely feet beside them. Amu grasped onto the ratlines as tightly as she possibly could, her feet knocked from beneath her at the force of the impact, though, at this point, she felt only a flicker of fear - a mere dull acknowledgement of the true danger of their situation. Frighteningly calm, she watched as the Emerald Line - a third-rate, fitted with two gun decks, no doubt, and significantly smaller - began to inch closer. They should have been able to blow her right out of the water. They should have been able to blast just two or three cannons against her broadside and have her foundering, scuttling in the deep water outside the bay, vanishing beneath the waves…
They should have bested her a thousand times over, Amu realised, yet as she watched these men about her race and scramble about, panicked and praying still, she knew that this battle would be short-lived. And she knew that their own frigate might not fare so well. The Shining Black - a man-of-war and first rate though she was - could not compare. Three decks armed with guns she had and her magazine would have been the envy of many a naval captain in her day, yet they had not the men to cover so many cannons and half of what little crew they had were occupied in the ropes, frantically unfurling the sails, wrenching back the capstan, hurriedly readying for what they hoped would be a successful escape from the line of fire. Flight was their only hope. A short, startling exchange, perhaps, but a flighty escape would have to follow nonetheless or else they would be doomed - either sunk or captured and forced to face the noose, for any pirate - let alone the pirates of the Shining Black itself! - would stand no chance of survival. Amu cast a fearful look at the crew. The distant town was still clear in her line of vision when it sank in.
They would have to leave. And they would have to leave without Ikuto.
It struck her so hard and sudden that Amu barely cared for all the men she bumped into as she sprinted over to Utau and Kukai.
"Utau's right!" she burst out, her pulse throbbing loud and painful in her ears. Even as she spoke she felt the movement of the ship, the air catch in the sails, and she saw the land gradually begin to drift away from them. Behind her, the two-decker was slicing through the waters, the soldier's voices growing clearer as they yelled for the priming of their own guns. "Your men are out there! In that town! Ikuto is out there - do you expect me to just leave him?"
Kukai looked utterly torn. "Hinamori-"
At that moment an almighty splash and a plume of spray erupted only feet away - close enough that the three of them were caught in a fine haze of foam - and Kukai spluttered;
"Fuck me," he grit his teeth, looking back toward the town behind them, his brows furrowed, as if just praying for Ikuto's rowboat to magically appear from the darkness, brought back by the sound of the chaos. But, of course, there was no miraculous return. There was no sight of a single boat on the water save those little fishermen's coracles - nothing more now than tiny dots, vanishing rapidly into the darkness.
"Ikuto…" Utau whispered, her eyes as wide as saucers. Amu turned to her, pleading;
"Utau!"
There was a heavy pause despite the commotion all about them. Down below, Amu could hear the heavy scrape of lead being loaded into Shining Black's guns. The Emerald Line was advancing upon them now, close enough that they could see the shine of the buttons on the soldier's jackets. Amu slunk back, hopeful that her glowing pink hair would not be spotted once the shrouds of gunsmoke cleared. She took Utau by the shoulder; "Utau…" and her voice cracked; "please…"
But Amu's pain was nothing compared to her's. For the first time (and possibly the only time) in Amu's life, she saw a tear fall from Utau's glassy eyes. But, as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone… And Amu knew she had lost. Utau shook her off, shaking her head and knelt down beside the hatchway. She pushed down the sobs in her throat as she shouted; "Ready?"
"Primed, ma'am!"
Across from them, the rival ship was too preparing for a closer shot. Amu shrunk back into the shadows, all hope failing her, the pit of her stomach heavy and her breath short. Across the chaos, Utau's gaze met hers.
The Princess had never seen such lament in a person's eyes.
"We've got on'y a few shots, lads!" Kukai was shouting, propping a musket over his shoulder and kneeling against the gunwale. "Take 'em out on deck if ya can!"
And, behind him, Utau nodded and aimed a pistol of her own. "We fight," she said, swallowing thickly; "to flee."
'To flee…'
Amu's very being rebelled.
'They can't leave Ikuto behind!'
"Fire!"
And the Shining Black groaned and roared and exploded in a billow of acrid smoke and sparks. The cannon balls were barely visible as they streaked through the dark. The first thing the Princess saw was a flash of orange and, by the time the smoke had dissipated, torn away by the wind, all she saw was the Emerald Line's mizzen mast splinter, an almighty crack split midway across the beam, and sway precariously, held up on it's side only by the web of line surrounding it. Up on the deck, Utau and Kukai and only about five other men were free to shoot - aiming as best they could for the men of the rival ship, hewing them down with lead before they had a chance to even utter their own commands. Several officers fell dead - two toppled overboard and into the water - and suddenly the night was alive with the wails of unlucky men…
But it was not that which caught Amu's attention. It was not that which struck such panic into her heart anew.
In the distance, just beneath the almighty clamour of gunfire, Amu heard the echo of a pistol shot. And it wasn't one of theirs.
Her pulse quickened; "Ikuto!"
Amu flew to the opposite side of the ship, away from the gathering of the crowd, and strained her eyes through the darkness, as if hoping beyond all hope that she might see that flash of blue she so desired. Yet there was nothing. No shots followed - not a single sound travelled out through the night…
"Prime the cannons!"
And now Amu could barely hear those deafening commands as she peered over the portside and stared desperately into the darkness. She was unable to tear herself away - unable to focus on aught else for fear that whatever hope still lay beyond those shadows would fade; terrified that any hint of blue or any sound of shots would vanish on the wind and disappear from existence should she be careless enough to miss them. But all Amu saw was the sea and shadows; the smoke and the spray; the light of many lanterns suddenly springing into life as the town awoke… And the longboat beneath her, still tethered to the Shining Black - abandoned; forgotten; out of sight and out of mind as the crew began to prepare their cannons…
Amu looked down at it. It was dancing about the gathering waves teasingly - mockingly.
"Once more, men! FIRE!"
The rowboat jumped a foot above the water as the ship was rocked with a searing blast of powder and lead. Three cannons went off at once, close enough to their opponent that the face of the figurehead on their prow was blown clean off, the emerald streaking blindingly through the air and landing audibly in the water, but the other two shots fell harmlessly into the sea, still steaming. Amu steadied herself against the side of the bulwark, her skirt fluttering through the mouth of the gangplank, out into the open air…
And, in a blind attempt to grab some sort of leverage before the next gun went off, Amu's hand found rope. Specifically, one of the ropes that still held their last boat to the frigate. Calling it a sign from those tricksters that had brought this chaos upon them in the first place, a reckless sort of courage flooded throughout her veins.
And so it was then that the Princess made up her mind. Under cover of darkness, unnoticed by those around her, Amu slipped away, clambering down the makeshift ladder and out of sight.
Because if they couldn't go after Ikuto, then she would.
~.~.~
A/N: This chapter might have been a little rushed, but I hope you can see why I was so excited to post it! As if any of us needed an excuse to dislike Kazuomi even more, am I right? I've been looking forward to this little twist. In fact, I'm pretty pumped about the next few updates as well. I have plenty of ideas for these characters!
Once more - Thank you so much for your reviews on the last chapter! Your comments are always so kind! I don't deserve such flattery ^^ Plus you've been asking questions I can't wait to reveal the answers to - it's so hard to keep my mouth shut!
Anyway, until next time~!
