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Skies of Arcadia: The Ruins of Tal'Kalen

Chapter Four: Reunited At Last

The crews had started to spread out, each getting ready for bed. They had decided that tomorrow morning a team would be sent out into the ruins while the rest would stay behind and work on repairs.

Domingo had kept to himself all night. There was something bothering him. Something about Maiev, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what. All night he had thrown glances towards her, wondering exactly what it was. She had caught his eye a few times and had softly smiled before turning back to whatever conversation she was in.

Domingo had decided to separate himself from the group a bit so he could better focus his thinking. All of a sudden it hit him. He'd spent his whole life looking for Maiev. Deep down he'd always known it, but had never set it as his main priority. This search had in reality gone just as deep in exploits as a lookout for the Delphinus and his love for exploring the world and finding new and exciting discoveries. Every time he came to a new place, he had looked for her, really in a subconscious state. But he had at last found her.

Just as Domingo had come across this revelation, Fina had taken a seat next to him. "Domingo?" No response. "Domingo, are you ok?" Fina asked.

Domingo shook his head, knocking the last trails of thoughts cobwebs from his brain. "Uh, what was that Fina? Sorry, I was daydreaming."

Fina smiled. "It's alright. Are you ok? It looks like you have something on your mind. Care to talk about it?"

Domingo chuckled. "What, and possibly tarnish your new tough girl pirate image? I think not. You'd have to get rid of your new outfit and got back to your Silvite dress." Domingo and Fina both laughed .

"It's ok, Domingo. Just because I've become tougher and little more outgoing doesn't mean I still don't care for my friends."

Domingo nodded and took a drink from his bottle of loqua. He had worked on it since landing, but surprisingly it was still half full. "That, my dear friend Fina, is a good thing to know. Never forget your friends, they may come in handy somewhere down the road. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some unfinished business to attend too." Fina nodded and watched as Domingo got up and walked over to the bon fire. He stopped near Vyse and Gilder who were chatting like old friends.

Vyse looked up at Domingo. "Hey, Domingo. Are you going to be ready for tomorrow?" Domingo nodded and pulled the velvet cigar case from his pocket. "Good. We'll need all the help we can get." Domingo nodded again as he lit the cigar. Gilder looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. Domingo sighed and tossed a cigar to him.

Gilder caught it and said, "Thanks, man. I really needed one right about now."

Domingo sighed as he gave Gilder a light. "Savor it, I've only got three left and you'll be hard pressed to even get me to bring the case out in front of you again." Domingo gave a sly smile and Gilder chuckled. Domingo dropped his loqua bottle into the hands of Vyse. "Keep that cold for me lad, I'll be needing it," and he walked off towards Maiev.

Maiev was sitting by herself, in as equally deep thought as Domingo had been in. She really didn't know what she was thinking about though, which is only a small annoyance when one was as bored. She gave a start as someone tapped her on the shoulder. She looked up, fairly startled from her daydreaming, to see Domingo. "Oh...hey Domingo. You scared me," she said softly.

"You have every right to be in here. This place gives me flutter flies in my stomach." Maiev giggled slightly. "Ah...Maiev. Would you please come with me? There's something that I really need to talk to you about," he said in between drags from his cigar. Maiev only nodded and followed Domingo as he walked off. He led her to the side of The Discovery, which was out of immediate sight from the rest.

Maiev stood against the side of the ship as Domingo sat down on the stone steps that lead up to the pathway. He sat facing the bon fire, looking away from Maiev. He cleared his throat and started off slowly. "Maiev...this is hard for me to even conjure up in my head let alone talk about, but I really do have to know. If just to quiet some inner demons of mine." Maiev nodded, looking down at Domingo. He started again, pulling the cigar away from his mouth. "Tell me, how did you learn to sail?"

"Well, I learned from my mother. She taught me everything I know today about sailing."

"Yes. What was your mother's name?"

"Well...if you have to know, her name was Tara."

Domingo nodded. Another piece fit into the puzzle. "Now...sorry to keep badgering you about your family, but did you ever have a father? Siblings perhaps? Cousins?"

Maiev nodded. "I had a father named John. I remember having a brother too, but I can't recall his name. I was only three when I last saw him. It's something I feel really guilty about. I don't have any cousins."

Domingo tossed his cigar away, despite being only halfway done with it. He folded his hand together and put them up to his mouth. He sighed deeply and nodded. "Did you mother ever mention anything to you about being...how should I put this...adopted? Or perhaps found?"

Maiev gave a questioning look to Domingo. "Yes...yes she did it. How do you know that?" she asked, sounding shaken, almost scared.

Domingo put up his hand. "Give me a moment." He sighed again. "Did she ever tell you why, or how?"

Maiev shook her head. "Only vaguely. She mentioned something about saving me and my brother after the ship we were on was attacked by Valuans. This was before she and John split." Maiev held the bridge of her nose and looked down. "Hell, I barely even know you and I'm opening up like a blossom to you about my past..."

Domingo nodded and looked up into Maiev's face for a few moments. He nodded again, realization finally coming full circle into him. "What I'm about to say may seem really weird, but it must be said. That isn't the whole story." Maiev looked up suddenly, her eyes narrowing at Domingo. "No, that isn't all of it. Your original parents were air pirates, much like you or me. They had warrior's blood in them, and had been a thorn in the side of Valua, attacking any gunboats they could find. Eventually the Valuans got fed up with them and hunted them down. They shot down the ship, and it crash landed into a rock face somewhere in North Ocean. Your parents died in the crash, but you and your brother were left alive. A day or so later John and Tara showed up, and adopted the both of you. They were both great explorers, but their marriage was a bit strained. One day they decided that it was best for them to just separate. Tara took you, and John took your brother. They felt it was best to keep you separate, for the time being at least, and later tell you about each other. Once that task was done however many years down the road, when both were sure that you and your brother would someday be famous air pirates, they had completed their tasks in life and had silently passed on. Am I right up to this point?"

Maiev looked at Domingo, her eyes slowly tearing up. "H-How d-do you k-know all of this?" she asked.

Domingo stood up and stared straight into the eyes of Maiev. "I know this because I have finally found something worth more than any discovery in the world. I have found my baby sister," he said, his voice trailing off at the end.

Maiev's eyes opened full in shock, tears slowly running down the rims of her eyes. She looked right into Domingo's face, and it hit her. Memories of her early childhood flashed back, the boyish face of her brother amongst them. Domingo was her blood brother. She quivered in between sobs and said, "My brother. I knew I would find you. I have searched the skies looking for you, and I have finally found you." She grabbed a hold of Domingo and hugged him as hard as she could. Domingo hugged her back, wrapping a hand around the back of her head and cradling her to his shoulder. "It's ok my sister. Let it out. We have finally found each other again," he said slowly, a tear rolling down his cheek as well. They stood in this same position for a good ten minutes before she finally pushed away from the hug. She smiled weakly up at him.

"Brother, we have so much catching up to do." They both just burst into laughter and hugged each other again.

"We will have time for all of that once we get out of here. And I'll be damned sure to make sure we both get out of here," Domingo said smiling softly at her.

"Thank you, brother. Thank you releasing a troubled mind. Thought I'm sure yours was just as bad if not worse than mine."

"That's what family is for. Caring for and watching each other's backs." She smiled. "I'm headed back up now. You'd better get to bed too, we'll have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." She nodded. "Good night."

"Good night."

As Domingo walked off, Maiev's eyes started tearing up again. She walked out from the side of the ship, her hand stretched across her eyes as more tears started to roll down her cheeks. Tyrande and jade had been standing together talking and were the first to see Maiev walk out. They ran up to her in a worry. "Cap'n Maiev, are you ok? What's happened?" Tyrande asked, worry filling her voice.

"Was it something that drifter said? What did he say, Maiev? I'll make good and sure he never does it again..." Jade said through clenched teeth.

Maiev laughed slightly through her tears. "Don't you dare, Jade. he has done nothing wrong, only right." The girls gave her a questioning look. "Come with back to the ship. I'll tell you all about it. Then I want you to tell the other girls." Tyrande and jade nodded, and each put an arm around Maiev's shoulders, helping her back up to the ship.

Domingo walked back towards Vyse, who was holding the bottle of loqua in one hand. He had drank some more of it, or Gilder had, it mattered not. Just as Vyse was about to lift the bottle back to his mouth Domingo walked past him and snatched the bottle from his grasp. "Thanks for holding it for me, but I need it a lot more than you do, Vyse," Domingo said as he swaggered back to The Discovery with the bottle. Domingo gave a thumbs up to Fina as he walked by her and Aika, who were deep in discussion. Fina smiled lightly. Vyse and Gilder could only shrug their shoulders at each other.