AN// I'm sorry this update took so long! I recetly gotten into the habit of
updating weekly and now takes me TWO weeks. I'm sorry!
=Fiwen2= I thought you abandoned me! *joyful tears* and the end is inevitable. I would say something to comfort you but, spoilers abound, I'm afraid I cannot. *grin* But I hinted so be content! =Orliandviggochic= I'm glad that you found "Things Change" that... WELL- ROUNDED. =Gryff= Not to play favourites but your review meant A LOT! You were IMPRESSED?!? I ACTUALLY KEPT in character?! Are you serious?! Thanks for the review so much! =Snowflake, FallinWtrClaws, hophoplilbunny= are you guys new or something? Haven't noticed yo before. Anyways enjoy and thanks for the reviews!
[...] Means that the words are spoken in another language and neither Will nor Jack can understand it.
Chapter 21:
[Who is this?] the old man asked the guard, restraining Will. His spear remained pointing dangerously to the underside of Will's chin.
[A spy...] the tall butch guard answered.
[And the other?] Jack remained still, his mind working out a way for a rescue and run without being killed.
[The same.]
[A spy, you say? Are you sure?] The old man stepped back looking down at the girl at their feet. Will's eyes followed his and the native saw the frustration and helplessness the younger one was feeling. [They are not spies. They came for the sacrifice.]
[The sacrifice? Why? She is but a woman. I have seen the way they regard their women; as if the men were the gods and the women, animals, when all of them are animals themselves.] The guard spat disgustedly at the lifeless girl. Will's anger boiled again and he struggled against his captors.
"Bastard! Don't you dare to do that to her!" Will shouted, twisting his arms to take a swing but unable to release himself.
"Will, they don't understand," Jack said calmly. "don't do anything stupid that might get all of us killed." Will turned silent and squirmed a bit before ceasing his protests.
[Take them both to my hut.] The leader ordered. Will and Jack were bound and tied, dragged across the dirt to the central point of the village, a straw hut surrounded by guards and poles, topped by fires, to light its environment.
The inside of the hut was dimly lit by candles. The ground was covered by a mat, handwoven of dried leaves and grass. At one end was a sort of throne. It sat on a platform, slightly raised, and even in the situation, Will and Jack couldn't help but appreciate the work put into the intricate carvings of the grand wooden chair. They were thrown, prostrate, in front of the throne.
"Right situation we're in, Jack," Will muttered under his breath, grunting in pain as the ropes burned his wrists behind him but continued to squirm his way out of them.
"You really expected it to go smoothly?" Jack asked, trying to work against his own restraints. The captain looked to Will and saw some blood trickling down to the shirt. "Better stop moving... you're hurting yourself..."
"Better me than Patricia and it's not like your hands are doing any better," Will snapped, seeing the spot of crimson appearing at Jack's hands as well. Before Jack could retort, the man they assumed the leader walked in, holding several stone bowls, and accmopanied by a woman who sat at the throne. He looked down at both of them, snickering at their bleeding ropes.
[I see we don't need to cut them.] He put the bowls down on the floor in front of them and Will could smell blood coming from one of them. He fought against nausea and tears, hoping to God that the blood wasn't from who thought it was from. Using a dull flat stone, the man scraped some of the blood from Will, watching the prisoner wince.
The liquid dripped silently as the man brought the stone over the bowl, watching the droplets mix with the herbs and blood. Aged and wisened eyes shone a sad smile before turning at the real head of the village, Adena.
[It is as I thought, my lady. This man's blood and the Sacrifice's blood is one and the same.]
[You mean by mother and father, Banlu?] The man shook his head.
[Like that OF a mother and father. They have tried to make a child. This man loves our Sacrifice.]
[So not all of this barbarian's race treat their women like cows then.] Adana laughed. [And of the other?]
[Same as the others outside of the boy and the Sacrifice. No blood but wants to rescue the Sacrifice nonetheless.] Adena nodded silently, thinking to herself.
[The Sacrifice weakens and will probably only last till dawn. The ritual will be over by then but this boy intrigues me...] Adena shouted for the guards to return inside and shouted orders. [Take the bearded one to another hut.] The guards nodded in understanding, dragging away Jack while Will looked on, a bit panicked. [Banlu, I wish to speak with the boy.]
The old man nodded in understanding as well. Another mixture of herbs was combined in another bowl, stirred gently and ground by a mortar. Will watched as the man held the bowl out and Adena spit into it. The man started to stir again before pushing the bowl next to Will. His eyes narrowed in suspicion of what they were attempting but under guard, could do nothing about it. Following suit, he spit into bowl as well. A fire was thrown into the bowl and almost immediately, a smoke lifted from the bowl filling the small hut. Wil started to cough and he cringed at the pungent smell surrounding him.
"ack... What is that?!" Will wheezed, as he was brought up to kneel on the ground by Banlu.
"Natrysk flowers and other herbs, combined with our saliva," Adena answered.
"Well it's disgusting..." Then Will started. He looked up at the woman in shock. "I... I just understood you!"
"Yes..." Adena laughed. "Banlu is our very own... witch, as you call them. But unlike you, we find them useful and don't burn them to the ground. I find he can do whatever he wants to do with the plants that grow on our island... No one can replace him and he is our Holiest." Will turned silent, his eyes falling on the bowl that he smelled blood from.
"Is that Patricia's blood?" he asked.
"Patricia? What is that?" Adena asked sincerely confused.
"The girl outside that you're bleeding to death," Will snapped bitterly.
"Ah... yes... Banlu has informed me of your mixing with our Sacrifice. To answer your question, yes... it is her blood. Patricia, was it? What a strange name."
"And yet I do not even know yours."
"Adena. I lead this village and rule over this island and the waters around it. And you?"
"William... William Turner."
"Well, William... I'm afraid I'm at a loss of what to do!"
"What do you mean?"
"You see, William," Adena explained. "We have been on this island for over a hundred years... Our Sacrifices... Your payment for your fathers' sins against my own... are along the same number. Patricia is just the lastest in that line... but NEVER in our time has one been foolish enough to go after the Sacrifice. I REALLY don't know what to do with you or your friend, William."
"Payment? What have we ever done to your people? We have never even heard of this island, much less been on it!"
"Your forefathers brought me and my people here, do you not understand? We were all brought from our homeland across the ocean to made to work till our dying days like cattle. It is YOUR people's just rewards to slowly killed for that abomination. You can thank Banlu for that slow process."
"What do you mean?"
"In our waters, we have planted Capuli bulbs. It slows down the body's healing to the point that it never heals at all... And Patricia happened to be one person to have gone into our waters while bleeding. Her hand, I think it was..." Will's face visibly blanched in the realization that she was right.
It had been almost a week since Patrica claimed to have cut her hand on a piece of glass. The next day she had dove into the ocean, in one of her silly acts of randomness and found Abegnale's treasure. In that treasure, they found out about the natives and the men whose wounds didn't heal... His mind's eye saw Patricia's hand again when he noticed that it was still bandaged as he held it the day before. Only know did he discern that on the bandage was fresh blood that should have dried days ago.
"No..." he muttered.
"Yes... You see, Fate has brought her to us. We intended to cut a man and throw him into the ocean before placing him at our center pole as our Sacrifice but our men saw Patricia and immediately recognized the wound... She was meant to die, William. Had we not even captured her to make her bleed even more, she STILL would have died, just like everyone else... Now, at least, her death will be meaningful" A malicious smile spread on Adena's face as she watched Will hunch over in defeat.
No, no... No! Will's eyes burned with tears, fearing that he couldn't save the one person he needed most. Even if somehow he could take her away from this god-forsaken island, she would die even more slowly and even more painfully and he would have to be the one to watch as her life literally flowed out of her in an unending flood. He looked up at Adena, staring at her with all the hate that his body could withstand. Then his eyes turned to Banlu, the supposed Holiest and maker of miracles... and his mind stopped the what-ifs, and his heart began to speak with sincerity and an idea.
"You say Banlu can do anything?" Adena smiled, nodding. She knew what his purpose was and found it predictable but sweet.
"Even save your precious love," she answered. "Heal her and make her whole."
"Then do it," Will glared. "Heal her and set her free! She has never done anything to hurt anyone! This isn't fair to her and to everyone who loves her!"
"But who shall be our Sacrifice then, William, my dear?" Adena asked, innocently. Will braced himself for his decision, his throat swallowing the lump of fear, wanting to escape as a scream from his mouth.
"I will be your Sacrifice. You say our blood runs the same... I will replace her..." Will said his voice strangely enough, not shaking. Adena laughed.
"You are an unsurprising man, William," she sneered before leaning her head towards him. Her hand brought forth a knife, its blade shining in the candlelight. "But you amuse me..." She cut his bonds and took his hand, palm up. The knife slowly ran the its razor sharp tip across the sensitive skin, making a gaping cut erupt blood red. "So I think I'll take you up on that offer..."
AN// PPPLLLEEEEAAASSSSEEEEEE Review! Come on!! Please please please! I beg of you! I'm near a hundred reviews! You have any idea how happy I will be?! Do you have any idea how much I write and how often I update when I'm HAPPY?!?!
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
=Fiwen2= I thought you abandoned me! *joyful tears* and the end is inevitable. I would say something to comfort you but, spoilers abound, I'm afraid I cannot. *grin* But I hinted so be content! =Orliandviggochic= I'm glad that you found "Things Change" that... WELL- ROUNDED. =Gryff= Not to play favourites but your review meant A LOT! You were IMPRESSED?!? I ACTUALLY KEPT in character?! Are you serious?! Thanks for the review so much! =Snowflake, FallinWtrClaws, hophoplilbunny= are you guys new or something? Haven't noticed yo before. Anyways enjoy and thanks for the reviews!
[...] Means that the words are spoken in another language and neither Will nor Jack can understand it.
Chapter 21:
[Who is this?] the old man asked the guard, restraining Will. His spear remained pointing dangerously to the underside of Will's chin.
[A spy...] the tall butch guard answered.
[And the other?] Jack remained still, his mind working out a way for a rescue and run without being killed.
[The same.]
[A spy, you say? Are you sure?] The old man stepped back looking down at the girl at their feet. Will's eyes followed his and the native saw the frustration and helplessness the younger one was feeling. [They are not spies. They came for the sacrifice.]
[The sacrifice? Why? She is but a woman. I have seen the way they regard their women; as if the men were the gods and the women, animals, when all of them are animals themselves.] The guard spat disgustedly at the lifeless girl. Will's anger boiled again and he struggled against his captors.
"Bastard! Don't you dare to do that to her!" Will shouted, twisting his arms to take a swing but unable to release himself.
"Will, they don't understand," Jack said calmly. "don't do anything stupid that might get all of us killed." Will turned silent and squirmed a bit before ceasing his protests.
[Take them both to my hut.] The leader ordered. Will and Jack were bound and tied, dragged across the dirt to the central point of the village, a straw hut surrounded by guards and poles, topped by fires, to light its environment.
The inside of the hut was dimly lit by candles. The ground was covered by a mat, handwoven of dried leaves and grass. At one end was a sort of throne. It sat on a platform, slightly raised, and even in the situation, Will and Jack couldn't help but appreciate the work put into the intricate carvings of the grand wooden chair. They were thrown, prostrate, in front of the throne.
"Right situation we're in, Jack," Will muttered under his breath, grunting in pain as the ropes burned his wrists behind him but continued to squirm his way out of them.
"You really expected it to go smoothly?" Jack asked, trying to work against his own restraints. The captain looked to Will and saw some blood trickling down to the shirt. "Better stop moving... you're hurting yourself..."
"Better me than Patricia and it's not like your hands are doing any better," Will snapped, seeing the spot of crimson appearing at Jack's hands as well. Before Jack could retort, the man they assumed the leader walked in, holding several stone bowls, and accmopanied by a woman who sat at the throne. He looked down at both of them, snickering at their bleeding ropes.
[I see we don't need to cut them.] He put the bowls down on the floor in front of them and Will could smell blood coming from one of them. He fought against nausea and tears, hoping to God that the blood wasn't from who thought it was from. Using a dull flat stone, the man scraped some of the blood from Will, watching the prisoner wince.
The liquid dripped silently as the man brought the stone over the bowl, watching the droplets mix with the herbs and blood. Aged and wisened eyes shone a sad smile before turning at the real head of the village, Adena.
[It is as I thought, my lady. This man's blood and the Sacrifice's blood is one and the same.]
[You mean by mother and father, Banlu?] The man shook his head.
[Like that OF a mother and father. They have tried to make a child. This man loves our Sacrifice.]
[So not all of this barbarian's race treat their women like cows then.] Adana laughed. [And of the other?]
[Same as the others outside of the boy and the Sacrifice. No blood but wants to rescue the Sacrifice nonetheless.] Adena nodded silently, thinking to herself.
[The Sacrifice weakens and will probably only last till dawn. The ritual will be over by then but this boy intrigues me...] Adena shouted for the guards to return inside and shouted orders. [Take the bearded one to another hut.] The guards nodded in understanding, dragging away Jack while Will looked on, a bit panicked. [Banlu, I wish to speak with the boy.]
The old man nodded in understanding as well. Another mixture of herbs was combined in another bowl, stirred gently and ground by a mortar. Will watched as the man held the bowl out and Adena spit into it. The man started to stir again before pushing the bowl next to Will. His eyes narrowed in suspicion of what they were attempting but under guard, could do nothing about it. Following suit, he spit into bowl as well. A fire was thrown into the bowl and almost immediately, a smoke lifted from the bowl filling the small hut. Wil started to cough and he cringed at the pungent smell surrounding him.
"ack... What is that?!" Will wheezed, as he was brought up to kneel on the ground by Banlu.
"Natrysk flowers and other herbs, combined with our saliva," Adena answered.
"Well it's disgusting..." Then Will started. He looked up at the woman in shock. "I... I just understood you!"
"Yes..." Adena laughed. "Banlu is our very own... witch, as you call them. But unlike you, we find them useful and don't burn them to the ground. I find he can do whatever he wants to do with the plants that grow on our island... No one can replace him and he is our Holiest." Will turned silent, his eyes falling on the bowl that he smelled blood from.
"Is that Patricia's blood?" he asked.
"Patricia? What is that?" Adena asked sincerely confused.
"The girl outside that you're bleeding to death," Will snapped bitterly.
"Ah... yes... Banlu has informed me of your mixing with our Sacrifice. To answer your question, yes... it is her blood. Patricia, was it? What a strange name."
"And yet I do not even know yours."
"Adena. I lead this village and rule over this island and the waters around it. And you?"
"William... William Turner."
"Well, William... I'm afraid I'm at a loss of what to do!"
"What do you mean?"
"You see, William," Adena explained. "We have been on this island for over a hundred years... Our Sacrifices... Your payment for your fathers' sins against my own... are along the same number. Patricia is just the lastest in that line... but NEVER in our time has one been foolish enough to go after the Sacrifice. I REALLY don't know what to do with you or your friend, William."
"Payment? What have we ever done to your people? We have never even heard of this island, much less been on it!"
"Your forefathers brought me and my people here, do you not understand? We were all brought from our homeland across the ocean to made to work till our dying days like cattle. It is YOUR people's just rewards to slowly killed for that abomination. You can thank Banlu for that slow process."
"What do you mean?"
"In our waters, we have planted Capuli bulbs. It slows down the body's healing to the point that it never heals at all... And Patricia happened to be one person to have gone into our waters while bleeding. Her hand, I think it was..." Will's face visibly blanched in the realization that she was right.
It had been almost a week since Patrica claimed to have cut her hand on a piece of glass. The next day she had dove into the ocean, in one of her silly acts of randomness and found Abegnale's treasure. In that treasure, they found out about the natives and the men whose wounds didn't heal... His mind's eye saw Patricia's hand again when he noticed that it was still bandaged as he held it the day before. Only know did he discern that on the bandage was fresh blood that should have dried days ago.
"No..." he muttered.
"Yes... You see, Fate has brought her to us. We intended to cut a man and throw him into the ocean before placing him at our center pole as our Sacrifice but our men saw Patricia and immediately recognized the wound... She was meant to die, William. Had we not even captured her to make her bleed even more, she STILL would have died, just like everyone else... Now, at least, her death will be meaningful" A malicious smile spread on Adena's face as she watched Will hunch over in defeat.
No, no... No! Will's eyes burned with tears, fearing that he couldn't save the one person he needed most. Even if somehow he could take her away from this god-forsaken island, she would die even more slowly and even more painfully and he would have to be the one to watch as her life literally flowed out of her in an unending flood. He looked up at Adena, staring at her with all the hate that his body could withstand. Then his eyes turned to Banlu, the supposed Holiest and maker of miracles... and his mind stopped the what-ifs, and his heart began to speak with sincerity and an idea.
"You say Banlu can do anything?" Adena smiled, nodding. She knew what his purpose was and found it predictable but sweet.
"Even save your precious love," she answered. "Heal her and make her whole."
"Then do it," Will glared. "Heal her and set her free! She has never done anything to hurt anyone! This isn't fair to her and to everyone who loves her!"
"But who shall be our Sacrifice then, William, my dear?" Adena asked, innocently. Will braced himself for his decision, his throat swallowing the lump of fear, wanting to escape as a scream from his mouth.
"I will be your Sacrifice. You say our blood runs the same... I will replace her..." Will said his voice strangely enough, not shaking. Adena laughed.
"You are an unsurprising man, William," she sneered before leaning her head towards him. Her hand brought forth a knife, its blade shining in the candlelight. "But you amuse me..." She cut his bonds and took his hand, palm up. The knife slowly ran the its razor sharp tip across the sensitive skin, making a gaping cut erupt blood red. "So I think I'll take you up on that offer..."
AN// PPPLLLEEEEAAASSSSEEEEEE Review! Come on!! Please please please! I beg of you! I'm near a hundred reviews! You have any idea how happy I will be?! Do you have any idea how much I write and how often I update when I'm HAPPY?!?!
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!