Chapter 5: The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Disclaimer: You all know how it goes. But Jiss is still © me.
~*~
"Firstly, what were you taking about with the sacrifice and the dragon?" Jack asked.
"Legend says Doni were the first beings on Earth, ruled by the gods who set down laws. The Doni split into four main clans, who would later form their own, smaller clans. We are an extension of Sheen. The Sheen clan was the second of the four main clans, and the first and only to break a law. As punishment, the god sent down a dragon to destroy them, but the clan discovered that a willing sacrifice would appease it and send it back to the heavens. So every year after that, one Sheen Doni would willing give their life to save the clan. Much later, when other cultures developed and outsiders started wandering into Doni territory, The Sheen found that outsiders, willing or otherwise, made just as fine sacrifices as regular Doni."
"Are the legends true?"
"Well they sacrificed someone every year for millennia, so know one knows different. But I don't think it's real, and that the leaders use the legend to keep us in order. A few other Doni felt the same way I did, but no doubt Kreen had them executed during my absence."
"Oh. Well then, where are we?"
"Burla, one of the few remaining Doni settlements. This one is lead by Kreen, you've met him. Old flame of mine." Jiss sighed. "I, uh, cut short our relationship. He didn't like that and framed me for an unexplained murder, which got me a death sentence, so I fled."
"Uh huh." Jack thought for a bit. "Your not related to Elizabeth at all, are you?"
Jiss laughed. "Long time ago, I came upon a young injured girl. Elizabeth Swann. Her father had taken her on another 'outing' and she had gotten hurt while exploring a deserted part of this specific island. All Doni have a bit of healing abilities, and I healed her and got her back to her father. Short episode, agreed, but enough for her to be in my debt. Not a month ago, I managed to track her down about a year after fleeing Burla, and as payment she got me a new identity and history."
"Why be a pirate? Why be my first mate?"
"I met many pirates, and they told me so many stories! A few years before I broke up with Kreen, one pirate landed on our island and told me the amazing tales of Jack Sparrow. I asked every outsider I met if they knew any other Jack Sparrow stories, and gained an extensive library of your adventures. When Elizabeth mentioned you, I took my chance."
"And am I anything like the say?" Jack smirked playfully.
"All that and more." Jiss said sarcastically, sticking her tongue out at him.
"So what did that Kreen mean when he said 'you're turning human'?"
"Well, Doni adapt their appearance to blend in, but it takes a long time. Being around humans, I lost my healing abilities, my skin darkened and my ears are still growing shorter."
"I guess it's true when they say I have an effect on people." Jack joked, but neither laughed. "But, Kreen, how does he know so much English?"
"He got caught by slave traders when he was a child, and stayed with them long enough to turn human. But he returned 15 years later, and it took him nearly another 5 years to become a full Doni."
"Ah."
"Anything else?"
"Yes, one more. Who are you?"
Jiss laughed out loud. "Isn't that always the question? To the Doni, my clan, I'm Jihba, one-time lover of our leader Kreen, daughter and only child of Eloe and Finner, rebel and official outsider. To the people I've met over the past year or so, I'm Jiss Blake, cousin to Elizabeth Swann and first mate to the legendary pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Worthy titles for one such as yourself, love."
"Why Jack Sparrow, was that a compliment?" Jiss acted surprised.
"I believe so, love." He laughed a little, as did Jiss. "So should I call you Jiss, or Jihba?"
"Jiss, please. I left Jihba here when I ran away." There was a bit of silence. "Well, got any ideas for escape?"
"Of course! I'm Jack Sparrow!"
"Care to share?"
"Stretch towards me as far as possible. I'll stretch my one foot to you, and I need you to pull of my boot." Jack stuck out his foot and Jiss followed suit, and together they managed to get Jack's boot off. Jiss emptied the boot and a small blade fell out.
"Savvy!" Jiss whispered. She twisted around, grabbed it between her index and middle fingers and sawed the ropes binding her hands until they fell away. Yanking hard on the chain repeatedly pulled it from the wall, but one end still held her ankle. Jiss pulled out Jack's chain from the stone wall and cut his ropes.
"Thanks love." He rubbed his wrists and pulled his boot back on. "I'll bet anything the door's locked, though."
Jiss walked over calmly and pulled it open, the door following her hand without resistance. "Doni trust each other too much to have locks."
Jack followed her out into the most beautiful city he had ever seen, everything sparkling with the unnatural shine of the minerals and precious gems. Homes were built into the sides of the walls, and rocky path and trails wound past every door and into every section of the large underground city.
Jack tried desperately to pull a large ruby jewel from the wall, but could only manage a smaller-sized sapphire, which he shoved into his pocket.
"Jack! Leave them be!" Jiss hissed.
"But love, they're jewels!"
"You've enough gold stowed away already. A few gems would mean little."
"Says you." He mumbled. Jiss led him through the winding paths, until the reached a very narrow and steep trail, with slopes on either side.
"Final trail." Jiss pointed ahead, where the trail turned a sharp right into darkness. She started quickly up the steep path. "After this, the Black Pearl is docked at the next island, waiting. We've still got plenty of time. I thought for sure Kreen would make it difficult to escape, but so far I haven't yet seen another Doni."
Then reached the top and turned the corner, catching a glimpse of the setting sun through an opening at the end of the path before two Donis stepped into their path, blocking the way with spears.
Kreen seemed to melt out of the shadows, his grin shining in the fading light. "I plan to make it very difficult, indeed."
~*~
I actually like this story, despite how fast it's moving along. Oh well. Only a few chapters to go.
Disclaimer: You all know how it goes. But Jiss is still © me.
~*~
"Firstly, what were you taking about with the sacrifice and the dragon?" Jack asked.
"Legend says Doni were the first beings on Earth, ruled by the gods who set down laws. The Doni split into four main clans, who would later form their own, smaller clans. We are an extension of Sheen. The Sheen clan was the second of the four main clans, and the first and only to break a law. As punishment, the god sent down a dragon to destroy them, but the clan discovered that a willing sacrifice would appease it and send it back to the heavens. So every year after that, one Sheen Doni would willing give their life to save the clan. Much later, when other cultures developed and outsiders started wandering into Doni territory, The Sheen found that outsiders, willing or otherwise, made just as fine sacrifices as regular Doni."
"Are the legends true?"
"Well they sacrificed someone every year for millennia, so know one knows different. But I don't think it's real, and that the leaders use the legend to keep us in order. A few other Doni felt the same way I did, but no doubt Kreen had them executed during my absence."
"Oh. Well then, where are we?"
"Burla, one of the few remaining Doni settlements. This one is lead by Kreen, you've met him. Old flame of mine." Jiss sighed. "I, uh, cut short our relationship. He didn't like that and framed me for an unexplained murder, which got me a death sentence, so I fled."
"Uh huh." Jack thought for a bit. "Your not related to Elizabeth at all, are you?"
Jiss laughed. "Long time ago, I came upon a young injured girl. Elizabeth Swann. Her father had taken her on another 'outing' and she had gotten hurt while exploring a deserted part of this specific island. All Doni have a bit of healing abilities, and I healed her and got her back to her father. Short episode, agreed, but enough for her to be in my debt. Not a month ago, I managed to track her down about a year after fleeing Burla, and as payment she got me a new identity and history."
"Why be a pirate? Why be my first mate?"
"I met many pirates, and they told me so many stories! A few years before I broke up with Kreen, one pirate landed on our island and told me the amazing tales of Jack Sparrow. I asked every outsider I met if they knew any other Jack Sparrow stories, and gained an extensive library of your adventures. When Elizabeth mentioned you, I took my chance."
"And am I anything like the say?" Jack smirked playfully.
"All that and more." Jiss said sarcastically, sticking her tongue out at him.
"So what did that Kreen mean when he said 'you're turning human'?"
"Well, Doni adapt their appearance to blend in, but it takes a long time. Being around humans, I lost my healing abilities, my skin darkened and my ears are still growing shorter."
"I guess it's true when they say I have an effect on people." Jack joked, but neither laughed. "But, Kreen, how does he know so much English?"
"He got caught by slave traders when he was a child, and stayed with them long enough to turn human. But he returned 15 years later, and it took him nearly another 5 years to become a full Doni."
"Ah."
"Anything else?"
"Yes, one more. Who are you?"
Jiss laughed out loud. "Isn't that always the question? To the Doni, my clan, I'm Jihba, one-time lover of our leader Kreen, daughter and only child of Eloe and Finner, rebel and official outsider. To the people I've met over the past year or so, I'm Jiss Blake, cousin to Elizabeth Swann and first mate to the legendary pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Worthy titles for one such as yourself, love."
"Why Jack Sparrow, was that a compliment?" Jiss acted surprised.
"I believe so, love." He laughed a little, as did Jiss. "So should I call you Jiss, or Jihba?"
"Jiss, please. I left Jihba here when I ran away." There was a bit of silence. "Well, got any ideas for escape?"
"Of course! I'm Jack Sparrow!"
"Care to share?"
"Stretch towards me as far as possible. I'll stretch my one foot to you, and I need you to pull of my boot." Jack stuck out his foot and Jiss followed suit, and together they managed to get Jack's boot off. Jiss emptied the boot and a small blade fell out.
"Savvy!" Jiss whispered. She twisted around, grabbed it between her index and middle fingers and sawed the ropes binding her hands until they fell away. Yanking hard on the chain repeatedly pulled it from the wall, but one end still held her ankle. Jiss pulled out Jack's chain from the stone wall and cut his ropes.
"Thanks love." He rubbed his wrists and pulled his boot back on. "I'll bet anything the door's locked, though."
Jiss walked over calmly and pulled it open, the door following her hand without resistance. "Doni trust each other too much to have locks."
Jack followed her out into the most beautiful city he had ever seen, everything sparkling with the unnatural shine of the minerals and precious gems. Homes were built into the sides of the walls, and rocky path and trails wound past every door and into every section of the large underground city.
Jack tried desperately to pull a large ruby jewel from the wall, but could only manage a smaller-sized sapphire, which he shoved into his pocket.
"Jack! Leave them be!" Jiss hissed.
"But love, they're jewels!"
"You've enough gold stowed away already. A few gems would mean little."
"Says you." He mumbled. Jiss led him through the winding paths, until the reached a very narrow and steep trail, with slopes on either side.
"Final trail." Jiss pointed ahead, where the trail turned a sharp right into darkness. She started quickly up the steep path. "After this, the Black Pearl is docked at the next island, waiting. We've still got plenty of time. I thought for sure Kreen would make it difficult to escape, but so far I haven't yet seen another Doni."
Then reached the top and turned the corner, catching a glimpse of the setting sun through an opening at the end of the path before two Donis stepped into their path, blocking the way with spears.
Kreen seemed to melt out of the shadows, his grin shining in the fading light. "I plan to make it very difficult, indeed."
~*~
I actually like this story, despite how fast it's moving along. Oh well. Only a few chapters to go.