It was a dark evening, the moon just a sliver in the sky, and only a few lamp posts installed this close to the docks. Tenten was glad for the darkness, as it allowed her to move about with more stealth than she was normally capable of. The soft soles of her slippers made nary a sound on the pavement, and her navy gown only made a slight rustle as she hurried along.
She had to be quick, knowing that at any moment her father could enter her room and find her missing. And if she was not far away from him when that happened… A shudder passed through her as she imagined just how she would be punished.
Thankfully, the docks were quiet, most workers having long since gone back to their homes. But there were still a few people milling about, and Tenten made sure she kept to the edges of the buildings, away from prying eyes.
Her exit from her home had been hasty and ill-prepared. Oh, she had been planning on fleeing for a while, but she hadn't thought she would need to escape quite so soon, and therefore, hadn't gathered any of the items she had planned on bringing with her.
Which meant, she would need to find a ship that was well stocked. Having no water or food meant she would be dependent on the ship she stowed away upon, something she hadn't wanted to happen. The more she moved about a ship, the more likely the chance of her getting caught. And for Tenten, the last thing she wanted was to be caught.
Tenten had expected a few ships to be docked, the crew waiting until daylight before setting sail. To her dismay, though, only one sat proudly on the water, and Tenten tried not to allow her heart to sink at the sight. She had wanted a choice of which ship she would sneak aboard—she didn't want to find herself on a pirate ship or with other, unsavoury people—but with only one ship here, the choice was made for her. Whatever horrors may await her on it, she knew they could be no worse than the ones she was running from.
Taking a deep breath to calm her sudden nerves, Tenten snuck closer to the tall ship, her eyes straining to make out the flag. If she knew what she would be getting into, she would be better equipped to handle herself. Unfortunately, she couldn't make it out in the dark—that, or it was not flying at the moment. Either way, it told her nothing of the crew she would be hiding amongst, and she just had to hope she was making the right choice.
No, she thought with a shake of her head. Anything is better than that.
When she was certain there were no people around, she scurried up the plank, her soft soled shoes quiet against the wooden boards. Her heart thudded in her chest as she took her first step onto the ship—her first step onto any ship—and she knew there would be no going back.
She looked around, her petticoats in her hand as she crouched low to the ground, trying to blend in with the dark shadows around her as much as possible. She could make out a few men on patrol, and she knew she needed to move before she was spotted.
Tenten's mind recalled a ship's basic schematics—something she had learned in preparation for this very purpose—and hoped this vessel wasn't any different. She quickly decided on what area of the ship she would hide in and hoped that it was situated in relatively the same position as the schematics. If not, there would be a high chance of her being caught, and that just wouldn't do; she refused to be handed back to her father. Back to him.
.
.
Captain Neji Hyuga sat at his desk, a lone candle casting a shadowy glow on the paper in front of him. He had read the letter multiple times already, the delicate penmanship a familiar and welcome sight to his tired soul.
A frown pulled at his lips, and an irritated rumble echoed low in his throat. The trip would take at least three weeks—too long, in his opinion. He knew there was no quicker way of traveling than across the ocean, but he still longed to get there sooner. The precious cargo he kept onboard for this trip would need to be protected at all costs, and his men knew what the consequences would be if any harm came to it.
He had told his first mate that they would leave as soon as the first slivers of light touched the sky, but the more he thought about the trip, the more impatient he became. They could leave at any time, though he preferred sailing when the moon was brighter in the night sky. But time was of the essence, and he wanted them to be on their way as quickly as possible.
Standing from his seat, he pulled open his cabin door and made his way to where he knew Lee would be. He no longer wished to wait until the sky lightened before leaving. As soon as his men were ready, they would unfurl the sails and depart the township.
Neji was eager to get home.
.
.
The smell of fermenting rum was strong this close to the barrels storing them, but Tenten refused to find another hiding spot. It had taken a lot of stealth to sneak past the men—pirates, she had realized with dismay after hearing them speak to one another—undetected and make her way down to the storeroom, and she wasn't going to risk getting caught leaving her place of hiding to look for another one, even if it was possible to find a less putrid smelling one. She would just have to deal with the stench of rum, along with all the other smells that permeated the darkened room she was in.
The storeroom, though used regularly, was the safest place Tenten could think of to hide during the trip. It was a large room, with stores of fresh fruit, vegetable, meats, and cheeses, as well as the multiple barrels of rum fermenting throughout the area. With this much space, she could easily find a dark corner towards the back of the room to spend her time, away from anyone who might wander in. It also meant that she wouldn't need to go looking for food, which was a bonus now that she had none of her own. Since she didn't know how long she would be out at sea before the ship docked next, she was grateful for the almost endless supply of food at her fingertips.
Tenten was confident that she would be able to hear the footsteps of anyone who ventured inside—a good thing, because she knew she wouldn't be able to stay hidden for the duration of the trip without getting up and stretching. Despite the smell, Tenten was quite happy to stay in the storeroom until the ship docked—anything to make sure she didn't get captured by these pirates. Thoughts had come to mind of what they could do to her if found, but the worst outcome she could come up with was if they sent her back to her hometown. She would not let that happen. Tenten would rather die before going back there, and she was not against fighting tooth and nail to keep her newfound freedom.
The pirates had recently set off, to go adventuring or looting or whatever the brigands did with their time out on the open sea. Tenten wanted nothing to do with them, and her heart hammered at the knowledge that she had stepped onto a ship full of lawless criminals instead of a merchant or naval ship, but time had been sensitive and they were her only chance of getting away.
The room around her was spacious, and she longed to take her time exploring it, but not until she was certain she wouldn't be disturbed. Another few hours, until the pirates above were deep into their duties, and Tenten would leave her hiding spot and stretch her legs. And hopefully find some clothes to change into—something that was more appropriate for this type of situation. If she were to be caught, she wanted to look as much like a pirate as she could, to try and play herself off as one of the crew. For that to happen, she needed to find clothes suitable for a pirate.
Shouting could be heard from above deck, no doubt the captain or his first mate giving the crew instructions. Since Tenten hadn't been able to see their flag, she had no idea whose ship she was on, but she hoped they weren't vicious. She had heard stories about some pirate crews being nothing more than simple animals, looting and killing every ship they happened upon. Tenten was a lone female on a ship filled with criminals—not the most ideal place to be. But really, when she thought about it, she wasn't sure if it would be any worse than her previous situation. Besides, she wasn't planning on getting caught.
But, of course, plans don't always go to… well, plan.
.
.
Standing at the helm with, Shikamaru, the sailing master, Neji watched his crew scuttle across the deck like ants, going about their duties in a professional and timely manner. He let the ghost of a smile grace his lips, knowing he had chosen a crew befitting the Crimson Night. They were loyal to him and worked hard for their spoils. And Neji always made sure they had plenty of spoils to go around.
"Captain," Shikamaru said from beside him. "It looks like it'll be smooth sailing for the foreseeable future. If it keeps up, we should arrive at Kirigakure in just under three weeks."
Neji grunted in response, pleased. Clear skies met them as far as the eye could see, and a tailwind was behind them, pushing the Crimson Night to go even faster. They were on a schedule, one he didn't want delayed, and he wouldn't tolerate anything that might get in the way of their destination.
He also knew his crew had to remain vigilant. Kirigakure wasn't the safest island to get to, with some of the most violent pirates sailing its coastline. Not that Neji was worried about losing—he trusted his crew to remain level-headed during battles, and he trusted them to do their jobs efficiently and without remorse—but Neji didn't want to be caught off-guard. The outcome of a battle often lay with who had more time to prepare, and those caught unawares did not usually make it out alive.
The day was growing long, the sun creeping low in the sky and the first strips of pink dotting the horizon. The crew would change hands soon, so the ones now on duty could rest. He glanced up at Kiba, who was currently in the crow's nest, spyglass pressed to his eye as he surveyed the distance. He would be the first one to spot any signs of danger, but for most ships, the task became difficult after dark. Thankfully, as the name of his ship implied, that was when they struck best. His crew often snuck up on their enemies during nightfall, using the element of surprise to overwhelm their opponents and easily defeat them. They would loot the ship of all their valuables—not just treasure, but food, drink and anything else they desired to take—and leave the crew tied up. Neji wasn't the sort of captain to kill needlessly, but neither was he stupid enough to let those he plundered come back for him.
Neji turned to leave, knowing he could trust Shikamaru to keep them on course. He still had a lot to do before they arrived at Kirigakure, and he needed to get a move on.
He was already exhausted, and it was only day one of their travels. Neji would never show weakness in front of his crew, though, and he wasn't one to put off important tasks just because he was tired. He wouldn't go to bed until he was finished what he needed to get done.
A weary sigh escaped Neji's lips as he made his way back to his quarters.
It was going to be a long journey.
.
.
Three days.
It had been three days since Tenten had stowed away on the pirate ship. The first day consisted of her trying her damndest to not throw up, being unused to travelling by ship. She hadn't thought about seasickness in her plan to sneak aboard a vessel, and she refused to throw up since she didn't have anywhere safe to do so. The last thing she wanted was for someone to walk down into the storeroom and smell sick in the air. No, that couldn't happen. So, instead of letting go of her stomach's contents, Tenten used all her willpower to keep it down, doing whatever she could to distract herself from the feeling.
Another thing she hadn't planned for was the lack of water she found. She had assumed there would be a large supply of water in some of the barrels, but each one she opened was filled to the brim with rum. Even though she had her fill to eat each day—even if it was just raw vegetables and dried beef—if she didn't drink some water soon, she would be in trouble. She could already feel herself getting weaker, and her head felt as though she had woken from a night of revelry, having drunk a barrel's worth of liquor.
She had, in fact, tried drinking some of the rum in place of water, but that hadn't been the smartest thing to do. She had rarely consumed alcohol before, and she found that even the smallest amount of the potent drink left her lightheaded, and Tenten did not want to be found by pirates, drunk and not in control of her body. She was left cursing the pirates for not leaving water below deck for her. Where, if not in the storeroom, did they store the fresh water needed for the dozen or more crew members on this blasted ship?
People had come and gone during the past few days, mainly the cook looking for more ingredients. Because it was the beginning of the trip, the fruits and vegetables brought on board, as well as the meat, were still in good condition, but after a week, she knew they would start wilting. The cook would have to stew the meat soon before it all went bad—unless they didn't mind eating off meat. Still, Tenten's mouth watered at the thought of biting into a nice piece of meat, instead of the dry rations she had found. But she couldn't complain, and she definitely couldn't try and sneak some cooked food for herself. No, that would be stupid.
It didn't stop her from imagining, though.
But even as she tried to come up with a plan, she knew nothing would work. Despite the clothes she was able to find, she still looked very much like a woman. She had tried to bind her breasts as best she could, but they still stuck out prominently—no hot-blooded man would believe for a second that she was an adolescent male. Leaving the storeroom during the day would be suicide, with all the footsteps she could hear coming from the deck. Even if she left her hideaway in the evening, with the shadows to conceal her on deck, she wouldn't be able to get past the crew members in closer quarters.
No, she couldn't risk it.
She sulked against the barrel of rum she leaned against, chewing on a dried stick of meat.
Water for drinking wasn't the only thing she longed for. She hadn't had a bath in days, and she was starting to smell herself even over the top of all the rum. It was disgusting, but if she were to be caught, she hoped the sight and smell of her would ward of any disrespecting hands.
The ship's rocking—which she had hated on the first day—began to lull her into sleep. She welcomed it, having not slept much the past couple days due to her constant worry about getting caught. Now though, she allowed it, knowing someone had just come down to the storeroom not long ago and that it would be empty of people for at least a few hours. A small nap wouldn't hurt anybody.
She allowed sleep to pull her under, her mind wandering to what she would do once she made it to a new town.
.
.
Neji's steps were silent as he walked down into the storeroom, the cook directly behind him. He had come to Neji earlier that day, complaining that his stores were being depleted quicker than usual. He suspected one of the men were stealing food, but Neji didn't believe that. His crew were fed well enough that they wouldn't risk his ire by attempting to steal food.
Neji wondered if Choji was starting to lose his marbles, but as the captain of the ship, it was his duty to see firsthand what was disturbing the younger man.
Choji was blabbering on about something, but Neji wasn't listening. He had more important things to do than this, and he was only going to have a quick walk around the storeroom before he told Choji he was imagining things.
At first glance, Neji couldn't see anything out of place in the vast room, and he was on the verge of punishing his cook for wasting his time. But on closer inspection, he noticed something awry.
At the far side of the storeroom, a barrel's lid lay askew, having not been refitted properly. All his men knew the importance of keeping the lids securely on the liquor barrels, both to preserve their taste and stop the risk of rats and other vermin falling in.
He made sure to stay quiet as he walked towards the barrel, his footsteps light on the wooden floor beneath him. He held his hand out to still Choji, deciding that if there was something down here eating their food—besides rats—he would rather have the element of surprise on his side.
For good measure, he unsheathed the sword attached to his belt, although he knew he need not. He was sufficient in hand-to-hand combat, and in this small space he wouldn't effectively be able to wield a sword, but it might scare them into inactivity if they tried to spring an attack on him.
Neji didn't know what he was expecting to see, not really. One of his younger crew members—one of the new ones—had stolen into the storeroom, perhaps. If so, Neji would make sure they would never do so again.
What he saw, however, stole his breath, and he blinked rapidly, sure he must be imagining things. Surely, this couldn't be happening.
Neji eyed the sleeping figure in front of him, a frown tugging at his lips. "What do we have here?"
.
.
Murmurs nudged Tenten awake, but she didn't quite understand the implication of the noise until she opened her eyes.
Two men were staring down at her from where she was propped up against the barrel, leftovers of her latest meal strewn around the floor in front of her. One of the men looked shocked, like he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing, while the other man had a stern, almost angry expression on his face.
"Who the hell are you?" the latter pirate asked, his voice full of authority.
It was only then that Tenten noticed the sword in his grip and she had to fight the panic that threatened to overtake her. There was no point in freaking out—that would likely only get her killed. No, cool and calm was how she needed to play it.
She made a show of yawning loudly, as though she belonged there and wasn't a stowaway. "Sorry, I must have fallen asleep on duty," she said in a faux deep voice. "I just came in here for a quick break."
The angry pirate just frowned deeper, though one of his eyebrows lifted slightly at her words. "Are you the one eating all our food?"
"I mean, aren't we all eating our food?" she shot back. It dawned on her belatedly that this man could be important—he didn't look like a shabby deckhand, that was for sure. His clothes looked finer than the grubby tattered outfits she imagined pirates wore. Maybe he was the first mate, or even... No, the captain wouldn't be down here, skulking around the storeroom for a potential thief. Surely not. Still, maybe she shouldn't give him so much lip.
That eyebrow twitched again, so perfectly manicured for a pirate, and she was suddenly aware that this pirate was really quite handsome. His long, brown hair was so dark it bordered on black, and was tied with a ribbon at the base of his neck. His eyes were the colour of lavender pearls, so light and mesmerising she had to look away lest she become lost in them.
"I was not aware we were feeding a female on this vessel."
"He's a she?" the other man asked, mouth open in surprise.
Tenten felt a sliver of satisfaction knowing that her guise could, in fact, trick these pirates—some of them, at least. But that meant absolutely nothing now, not when this pirate so quickly ascertained who she was.
A smirk tugged at his lips. "Of course. She has no doubt tried to conceal this fact, but it is impossible to hide completely." Face turning fierce again, he gave her a quick, clinical once-over before holding her captive with his beautiful pale eyes. "Who are you, and why are you on my ship?"
His ship? His ship? Tenten wanted to smack herself upside the head. He was the captain, after all! Why hadn't she remained vigilant? Instead, she had figured no one would be around, and she had been so tired she couldn't help but fall asleep. Now this pirate knew about her—worse, knew she was a woman! If she was lucky, he would kill her quickly. But if she had stumbled upon a vicious pirate ship... Tenten shuddered. She didn't want to think about what could be in store for her.
"Do not test my patience, woman. I will not ask again." The pirate captain had sheathed his sword—no doubt thinking she would be no match for him physically, and he would be right—and stood above her, imposing, with his arms crossed against his chest.
"I'm sorry, but I was just so hungry. I saw the food getting carted onto your ship and I acted without thinking. Before I knew it, you were pulling away from the shore and it was too late to leave." She was lying, but it was better this than telling the truth. There was no way she was going to give him more ammunition to attack her.
From the way he continued to stare at her, eyeing her figure again, this time slower, she doubted he believed her lie. She didn't particularly look like a woman starving. Still, to her surprise he didn't press further. Instead, he reached down and roughly pulled her to her feet, making her head sway from the sudden rush of dizziness it brought about. She had been too long without water, and she could feel herself on the brink of passing out.
Without speaking, he half pulled, half dragged her up the stairs and onto the open deck of the ship. Tenten had to shield her eyes from the sun, having spent so long in the dim storeroom, and she wasn't prepared for the effect the sudden heat had on her. Her head swam and she swayed in the pirate captain's grip. Unable to stop herself, Tenten fell limp and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she passed out.
.
.
Neji felt his captive grow limp in his hold. He thought it was a ploy of deception, but when he glanced at her, he saw the perspiration coating her brow, saw how her face had paled considerably during their short walk. She started to collapse, her feet no longer able to hold her up, but he caught her before she was able to take a nose-dive to his deck.
Lee was in front of him almost instantaneously, his bushy brows tugged down in confusion. "Captain, who is this?"
"A stowaway."
The woman was tall but lean, and it didn't take much effort for Neji to lift her in his arms, wrinkling his nose at the smell that assaulted him.
"Do you want me to take her off your hands for you, Captain?"
Neji was about to shake his head no, but then wondered why he would do such a thing. He was the captain of a pirate ship—there was no need for him to bother himself with mangy stowaways that found themselves on his vessel.
"Take her to the brig," he told his first mate, passing her over to him. "Do not make a big deal of it—I do not want the whole crew knowing there is a woman on board. You know how some of them get."
"Aye, Captain. Of course."
"Make sure there is water in her cell for when she wakes up. It does not seem as though she has had any since we left port." He wondered why she hadn't drunk any of the rum in the storeroom, then remembered the lid that had been askew. She must have tried it but decided against drinking it. A foolish decision, as she would not be dehydrated if she had let herself drink the grog. Water was a precious commodity on ships, and most of his crew drank alcohol instead.
"Aye. Food too?" Lee asked while looking down into the face of the dirty female.
Neji was tempted to say no. She had crept on board without their knowledge, after all. But he wasn't cruel, and definitely never to a lady. "Yes, but just the bare minimum. Bread and a little soup will suffice for her." He may not be cruel, but he wasn't about to give her the best of their supplies either.
Lee turned to do what his captain asked, but Neji stopped him with one more request. "Notify me when she wakes up. I want to pay her a visit and find out the real reason she decided to come aboard the Crimson Night." She didn't look like a commoner—despite the dirt and grime, he could see the sheen of her hair and the healthy glow of her skin. Neji knew there must be a reason she was here—there was no way she had just stumbled aboard.
"Aye, Captain." With a nod, Lee left to do his bidding.
With that settled, Neji turned and made his way to the helm, wanting to ascertain their current location. He wasn't about to allow himself to be distracted by a woman—no matter how pretty he imagined her to be under all that dirt.
This story was part of my prompts during September's NejiTen month. I really enjoyed writing the four-part story, and was determined to continue it. I was going to continue on from where it ended, but I figured some of my readers here may not have seen the previous fics, and I wanted everyone to get the full backstory. For those that have already read the first four chapters, I have added extra scenes and bits and pieces to try and flesh it out a bit more.
I really hope ya'll enjoy this new Nejiten story, and for those that have been wanting me to expand this story further, I hope it doesn't disappoint. Reviews are adored and keep me motivated to continue supplying you with content you (hopefully) enjoy. Thank you for reading!