Dark Arrow
By Marie Darkholme
7. Corsairs on Board
Hikari collapsed on the floor stumbling on her skirts that she didn't manage to grab as she entered the princess' room. She was trembling still, and she could not slow down her breath. She was beginning to feel sick from all the running as her sweat rolled down her face mixed with some tears that had begun to fall without her knowledge. She couldn't think straight, she couldn't see straight, the fear was blinding her. She wished to talk to someone, spill out all she had heard but she couldn't because her mouth was dry. The words floated incoherent in her mind, mixing with talks she had had with Lady Sora and Takeru, running fast in her confused head. Curling herself in a little ball, she noticed the princess had cried herself to sleep, her face still pure sadness with several traces of her tears.
"Don't you dare raise your voice on me, Myuki. You are nothing but a slag." "Sometimes I can't believe my aunt is really from royal descendants." "Something odd is happening." "Have your stupid captain found her yet?" "It was all because that letter Jyou left her. He was murdered." "She won't escape this time,"
All the words sailed in her mind and so enable to calm herself, she allowed her weary body fall to the ground and she fell asleep on the hard cold floor, hoping to escape for moments to the war that was going through her mind.
The night went by quickly. At least for the auburn haired girl. She couldn't feel the rest on her body and as she crept through the dawn into the port unnoticed, accompanied by her friend. During the night, the rain had fustigated the land again, and at dawn, the sky wasn't even visible due to the dense fog that had enveloped all the port. The only thing that was guiding her was the small light on the boat they needed to get into. She had planned that during her sleep. How she didn't know and she really didn't care but she knew exactly where she should go. Koushiro though, seemed to be a little lost and constantly asked her if they were going the right way. Nevertheless he trusted Sora's accurate sense of direction.
Moving in the darkness and confusion the fog and the dawn provided them, they quickly reached the ship they were looking for. It was a large ship by the name Unbreakable that carried cargos from one side of the sea to the other. It only made that curse, so it was impossible for them to be mistaken on the way. Occasionally it carried people also, so they wouldn't be noticed if they were careful enough to hide between the cargos. Sora had seen it the day before and she knew they wouldn't go to the low deck because it was already loaded.
Koushiro looked amazed and scared at the same time to large beast that was in front of him. he preferred so much to stay on land, but he knew that was the only way to get to the other side, so he reluctantly began to climb through the rope that tied the boat to the docks. The name of the ship wasn't also the best. Unbreakable. It makes me think that its going to break the first minute we are out of land sight. He sighed inwardly.
"Where in!" Sora congratulated both of them in a whisper. They quickly got to the low deck and installed themselves near a big box, tied to the sides of the ship, near the window. The auburn haired sighed relief that they had got there unnoticed but for Koushiro this was just the first challenge. Willing to forget their situation and all the possible things that could happen inside the cargos' basement of a ship called unbreakable, as illicit passengers and with more than a handful of lonely sailors, tired of weeks in the sea, he turned to his partner that simply stared outside the small round window watching the ocean between the fog and drifted along with waves beat against the ship's base.
"I'm sorry for yesterday." He sincerely apologized, still ashamed of his reaction. The girl though didn't seem to be hearing anything of what he was saying. In her mind was something else, or better, someone else. This is strange. I never really met him and even so I feel so close to him. She thought. But I guess Koushiro is right. It is just a stupid attraction. Maybe he's really mean and kills and rapes girl and I'm having this crush over someone that I don't even know. But his eyes… they reminded me of Hikari's and I guess that's the reason why I can't believe he would be capable of such things. He seems so willing to love and care not a sanguinary pirate. And the way our eyes met… she sighed.
"Sora, are you listening?" Koushiro's voice brought her back to reality. "Uh, what?!" she asked a little confused. "I was apologizing for yesterday and you were completely dazed off." He replied. "Anyway, you didn't quite tell me what happen when you saw Motomiya in the city. Where did you go? I was worried." The red haired said, a little distracted in his own statements. "Well, you were so mad at me…" she replied launching him a mocking smile. "…that I decided to go out and leave to calm down alone." "I said I was sorry and that part I already know." He replied a little flushed. She giggled. "So, I went to the docks." She informed gazing off the window again, seeing the fog dismissing. "And I was coming back to the motel when I saw him. I was so surprised. I mean he brought like ten men with him." "Ten men?!" Koushiro repeated also surprised. "Your aunt must really be worried." He said, but thinking back, he didn't really think like that, but he didn't want to give Sora a wrong impression. After all, her aunt was the only family she had left and even thinking she didn't care about the girl was… nasty, at the lack of words. But as realising his thoughts, Sora replied. "I don't think that. I mean she never cared until Jyou died and the letter, you know?" she continued to look out the window. "I don't say that she doesn't care at al, but I feel there is more than it meets the eyes. I feel she's trying to prevent me from finding the truth." She turned to meet his eyes. He too thought the same way, but they don't need to exchange words to know that.
"So you went to the docks, then." Koushiro replied, trying to change the subject, feeling the mood was getting low and depressing. It was then he noticed her eyes glowing at the mentioning of the docks. He couldn't really put his finger over it, but he felt like it had something to do with the sea man, as he had called the man. "To do what?" he asked, hoping she would tell him. "See the ships?!" she replied unsure if her answer would please him. He smirked. "You mean to see the sights. You were hoping to see a certain man, right?" he teased her, but her eyes though didn't loose they glow, showed some sadness among as well. "Yes, but…I guess you are right. It's just a silly crush and I cannot waste my time over it." She replied with a sigh. Koushiro immediately predisposed himself to discord seeing the window to his remissions about the discourse of the day before. "It is not. I mean I never saw you fall in love. This could be your chance. I mean if you see him again, I think you should go and talk to him." he stuttered. "No. we are too different. I mean he must love the sea and…" she replied, trying to find arguments to their unknown differences. But Koushiro interrupted. "Differences?! You always said that differences could be overcome. Then there is no hope for me and Mimi. Is that what you're saying?" he replied, realising all the sudden how that platonic love he had with Mimi resembled the first sight love his friend was having. But before he could keep talking about the discourse Sora herself had made him when he came telling her his relationship with Mimi was impossible due to their many differences, noises on the ship's main deck were heard. They immediately moved themselves to a more secure hiding place.
"Hey, you. Yes you. Come here. I never saw you here. You're new right?" they heard a loud manly voice shouting. The captain of the ship was directing himself to a boy with dark hair standing near the other sailors that he didn't recognize. "Yes sir Captain sir. I'm the new cooker." The boy promptly replied bowing to his new captain. The elder man looked to the boy from top to bottom, measuring him with his dark brown eyes. The old captain had a broken nose and over his mouth, a scar crossed his lips that were partially tied on the right side, making him talk with a part of his mouth closed. Even though he looked fat, he had muscled arms and a tan skin due to the many sun days he had spent sailing the ship. On his right arm he had a tattoo with a mermaid, her hair falling behind her shoulder showing her breasts.
The boy seemed a little sick. He had a pale skin, which was a bit uncharacteristically for a sailor, but he was a cooker so he would probably spend his time on the kitchen more than outside. His dark hair, which was a bit long, that probably reached his shoulders was tied with a piece of fabric on a pony tale. Even so, he had muscled arms and through his long shorts, the captain could see he also had a good pair of legs.
"So, what's your name?" the captain snarled. "Ichijiouji Ken,Captain." The boy replied. "Then go to the kitchen. Make yourself familiar with the instruments." The captain laughed. Ken quickly disappeared to the kitchen and the captain continued to analyse his crew that seemed a little modified since the last trip. Well, some of them had died or were diseased. His eyes rested in another man with similar futures of Ichijiouji and he immediately asked his name. The man, who was older than Ken had a similar face and his dark hair was shorter and his skin was darker but he had resemblances with the younger man. "Ichijiouji Sam, Captain." The Captain smirked. "Brothers I suppose. Are you a kitchen boy as your brother?" he teased. Sam though didn't give him the pleasure of being mad about it. "No, Captain, I'm a steersman. But I can do whatever sailing job you have." He replied with a hint of proud in his voice. The captain snarled something about him being a smartass but Sam ignored him. You'll see who the smartass is you fat otter. He thought.
Looking at the other men, the captain detected more three new men, but as he was in hurry to start his trip, he snarled his orders and the sailor quickly started to unfurl the sails and prepare for take off. On the cargos' deck, Koushiro and Sora had come out of their spots and began to install themselves for the ride. Koushiro immediately chose a post next to the window just in case he needed to throw up. As for Sora, she took her place near another window to watch the ocean.
The next morning in the castle came with a strange sense of tension and an unpleasant sensation for whole the inhabitants of the place. Queen Natsuko was the first to be heard from in the palace. She had awaked early in the morning and had taken her breakfast alone. The servants noticed her change of looks and the dark spots she had under her eyes. All she had done during the morning was shouting orders. Then she had closed herself in her office where she had gave specific orders not do be disturbed by anyone unless it was some message from the captain. As for the princess, no one had heard from her. King Yamato had also awakened early in the morning and after taking his own breakfast, he demanded for his carriage and took off to his castle.
Takeru had barely awake when he was disturbed by the King's servant for Yamato's horse that had been under the young man's care since the day before, after the riding along with the princess. With a sleepy face he walked into the stables and untied the great dark brown horse that the servant immediately took without a word. The blond remained in the entrance watching as the horse and the servant boy disappeared from his view. "Still living in a kingdom of terror." He murmured to himself as he backed into the stable again.
He had barely given two steps when a familiar feminine voice called for him. A smile was sketched in his face as he turned to meet Hikari's embrace, but he immediately regretted as he looked into her eyes. The dark brownish orbs of the one he loved were red and frightened, as she was. Hikari collapsed on Takeru's arms, sobbing slightly, threatening to crush his bones with the strength she was putting in her hug. But Takeru recognized it as a need of protection. She needed him to protect her from something. But what? That was the question running through his mind as he pulled her into the stables and tried calming her down.
"Shush, Hikari, its okay. I'm here." He replied cuddled her in his arms. After some time that seemed like decades to Takeru, the girl finally managed to calm herself down. She sat on the fresh straw by his side and looked him in his eyes, the fear suddenly gone, replaced by anger and determination. Takeru was surprised by the sudden change of mood. She wasn't afraid anymore. Now that she had cried herself out, feeling him there, knowing he would protect her with his life, she felt secure and that give her confidence, and the fear became anger.
"What happened?" he asked very calmly. Hikari took a deep breath and began telling him what exactly had happened the night before. But Takeru didn't seem too surprised. In fact he had remained calm and with a thoughtful look all the times, only murmuring something in understand. "Takeru, do you realise what I've just told you?" she shouted desperately to him, hoping to obtain something more than a murmur. The horses whined frightened, rising on their back skulls. Then there was a moment of silence. Takeru remained sit, his chin on his hand, his eyes closed. "Takeru?!" the girl stood annoyed.
"Yes I understood everything." was the sentence that came from the boy's lips. "Then what are you waiting for? We must go and warn Sora and Koushiro." She replied. Standing also, Takeru rested his hands on her shoulders and watched carefully in the eyes, it was difficult for him to feel so helpless against what was going to happen to both his dearest friends, but he knew he couldn't do anything. But for Hikari it would be much worse. It was going to feel like loosing a brother again, only that this time it was going to be a sister.
"Look, Hikari, as much as we would like to help, we cannot." he answered her trying to sound calm, even though his nerves were also threatening to take the best of him. he had lost too many friends and he wasn't willing to let them go so easily as well. "What do you mean, we can't? We must…" "We can't, Hikari." He interrupted her. "You do not know where they are. It would be a hopeless search. Besides, don't forget how skilful Sora is fighting and she had Koushiro by her side. There is no way we can help them." He stated firmly. A tear rolled down Hikari's rose cheek as she faced the reality. He was right; they would never reach them in time, not even if they knew where they were. "Then we can do nothing besides waiting for the news of their deaths." She replied sadly sinking into the hay again, facing her hands, crossed over her skirts. Takeru kneeled in front of her and forced her to look up at him. "No. Don't be such a pessimist. Besides, we also have something to do now. We must find out who Queen Natsuko really is and what type of deal she had with Yamato." He replied but then he began drifting in his own thoughts. "If he marries Mimi, he would be the legal king of this kingdom as well. That is his purpose; it was our father's as well."
Hikari raised her head and looked straight into his eyes. Had she heard well? It couldn't possibly be. She couldn't have heard that. Suddenly Takeru acknowledge the mistake he had made. He watched Hikari's expression, as she raised her hands to her mouth, realising the real meaning of his words.
The auburn haired girl looked over to her friend that had a nauseous look on his face, as he was going to throw up. "Are you feeling okay?" she worriedly asked, just in the moment Koushiro reached for a box that he had found in one of the ship's cargo and threw in it. "I would if this sink stopped swinging so much." He replied. Sora walked over to him and handed him her water container. "Here drink it. You'll need a lot of liquids if you don't want to be dehydrated." She stated. "You will eventually get used to the swings." She smirked. Koushiro took the water and drank it to the last drop. "If I keep like this, you won't be able to steal without being noticed. We should have brought our own supplies." He replied. The girl turned her back on him. "It's not proper of a lady to steal" "I'm not a lady. Besides how would we keep the supplies, huh?" she stated quickly, annoyed with his words.
"Yeah, I supposed you're right." He admitted. Sora turned with a smile on her face and took the water container from his hands. "I'll go get some more." She said. "I really don't know how you manage to hang around the ship so easily without being noticed." He replied. She smiled. "Jyou taught me." And with that, she quickly and silent left the deck.
There was a lance of stairs that drove to the compartment where the sailors slept. She peeked to see if there was anyone coming and for her luck, there wasn't. Walking out her hide out, she climbed the stairs and ended up in the rooms. It wasn't properly a compartment with rooms but a large kind of corridor that should be half the length of the ship, filled with small pieces of wood craved in both sides of the ship that constituted the sailors' beds. It had a strange smell to perspiration and something like alcohol and urine. She wondered if they would really urinate in the ship. Not a soul was in there, but from the other side of the same level she could hear a muffed of deep voices laughing. That was where the kitchen was located to her luck, since going to the main deck would be extremely risky.
She walked slowly, her back against the wall, always being extremely careful; looking both sides, to be sure there wasn't anyone coming. The voices became clear as she approached the room where the sailors were playing cards over a small table. They were three, one of them, a young man with dark blue hair, threw his cards over the table and stretched on his chair. "Ugh, I'm going to get some fresh air." He said as he stood. Alarmed Sora looked around trying to find a spot to hide.
Ken stood up and walked towards the door. He was sure he had heard something, like something walking in a very quite way. Reaching the door, he looked both sides of the corridor but there wasn't anyone there. That's strange. He thought, but, nevertheless, he continued his way and climbed the lance of stairs that led to the main deck.
Sora's short auburn hair entered her mouth as she landed as softly as she could. She could almost swear he had heard her, but I could he? She was using the most silent pace she knew and no one had ever been able to detect her. Maybe it was just a coincidence. In spite of that, she found something weird about the man. Her sixth sense told her something was wrong. She crossed the corridor with extreme quickness and entered the kitchen, locking the door behind her, just to be sure. Taking her bag from her back, she started putting all kind of things in it, and filled with water some of the containers she had brought. It took her approximately ten minutes for her to finish her task, and then, as undetected as she and Koushiro had entered the ship, she got to the cargo deck again, sighing with relief that she once more hadn't been caught. She knew if she was she would be in deep troubles. They could fed them to the sharks if they wanted since they were illicit passengers and no one knew they were there and even if they survived they would be judge in an unfair trial as all the other people are and condemned to the fork. But that was the small of her problems. Thinking of a bunch of sailor, weeks and weeks working without seeing a woman, she could probably be raped. She knew she was no match for so many adversaries. These ones weren't just some drunks in a bar. They knew how to defend themselves from the corsair even if in the majority of the cases they would be robbed anyway.
She shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away. If she ever got caught, she would die fighting. She walked over to Koushiro to notice that he had fallen asleep. She smiled. At least he won't throw up now. She thought as she rested his head on her lap. She leaned against the ship's side and allowed her thoughts to fly free as she looked outside the window. An image of a certain stranger appeared in her head.
In the main deck, Sam Ichijiouji was steering the boat. His years experience made him an expert at steering and he could find his way in those waters easily without a compass. He had learned how to guide himself by the sun and the stars, but right now, he was glad he had the compass by his side along with the sea maps where he had planned their way. Yes, because he wasn't using the map the captain had given him as the old sea dog was resting in his particular room just under his feet.
He closed his eyes, feeling the zephyr waving his hair, when he felt an obstruction to the breeze that blew. He opened his eyes to face his younger brother Ken standing there. He kept his eyes on the horizon, where a few clouds began to fill the air. Fog would be more than perfect. He thought to himself.
"You know, I think there is someone in the ship." Ken said as he gazed over the ocean, leaned on the ship's border. "Of course there is. There are a lot of people in the ship, starting with the guy down there." Sam replied. Ken released a small chuckle. "Well, yeah moron. But I mean besides them. Someone that shouldn't be here." The younger man explained, as he turned to see his brother and rested his elbows over the border. "Yes, us." Sam smirked. Ken sighed. "But I know what you mean. I felt something when we started in the morning, also." Sam added. "But don't worry, when the time comes, whoever it is will come out." And he continued steering the ship. Bored by the lack of action and the quietness of his brother, Ken returned next to his companions. "Let's play another round." He replied as he picked a cup that he had left there and filled it with whine. Then he drank it all in one sip.
The light had entered in the room since several hours, but only now, the Princess was beginning to feel it troubling her sleep. She turned in her bed and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Looking around her and to her clothes, she was confused but eventually the events of the night before came to her mind and a sad expression took over her pretty features. Her eyes searched the room for Hikari but there was no sign of the younger woman. With languid movements, she got up and sat in front of the large mirror over the wooden piece of furniture where her combs and brushes lied, next to the make up and accessories to her long hair. She could hardly remember the last time she had looked so bad in her life. Her hair was in disarray, her eyes red and swollen, and her clothes in a lousy state. With a sigh, she began to untie the dress she was wearing. She was left in knickers and with her corset that she didn't dare to take knowing she wouldn't be able to tie it properly after. She looked around and noticed that Hikari had left everything prepared for her to dress. In the bathroom, there was a bowl and a pitcher filled with hot water. Emptying the pitcher's water in bowl, she washed her face that she then cleaned to a soft towel of cotton lying next to the bowl. After doing her personal hygiene, she returned to her room and sat in front of the mirror again. She pulled the braid she had and started to brush her hair softly with slow movements. Her thoughts travelling to an unknown place in the middle of the ocean where a red haired man was having the sweetest dreams with his Lady.
She sighed. Thinking her hair nicely brushed, she went to her closet and chose one of the simplest outfits she possessed. It was a long skirt with a small tail, not too round that fell almost directly to her feet from her small waist in colours of light pink. Then, she picked the shirt to match, a tight white shirt with long large sleeves that buttoned with two small silver buttons on the top. Then above it, she chose a long coat the same colour the skirt that covered her entire body, only leaving the skirt's tail behind. Putting the coat over her bed, Mimi walked up to the mirror again and took four white ribbons that she tied in her hair with small unnoticeable nut that gave her the sensation of having white strands on her chestnut hair. As she watched herself in the mirror, she couldn't stop thinking how it would be her live with Yamato. Maybe her cousin was right. She should revolt after all she was the future queen, the kingdom's princess, she should have the right to choose her future husband and even if she wasn't able to chose a plebeian, she should at least be able to chose a suitable husband and future king of her kingdom. As the more she thought of it, the more convinced she was. Sora had always been able to get what she wanted because she fought for it, and now it was her time to follow the samurai Lady's steps and revolt against the faith her mother was trying to give her. She made her resolution and nothing would stop her. Standing she grabbed her coat and walked outside with a true Princess behave, in all her beauty and fragility but still with the power and conviction on her face.
As she crossed the long halls that led to her mothers chambers, some servants couldn't help but noticing how different she seemed today. She stopped in front of the large, high wooden door that separated her from her mother. A guard was on the door and as she motioned to open it, he put himself in front of her, obstructing her passage with his lance that he held religiously with one hand. Before that, Mimi made a confused expression that showed all she needed to say. "You cannot pass." The guard informed her, retrieving his lance. "And why not?" she petulantly asked. "Orders of the queen. She doesn't wish to be disturbed." He replied in a mechanical voice that all the guards used when questioned of his orders. "I'm the Princess and I wish to see my mother, so let me in." Mimi demanded calmly in an authoritarian voice. "I'm sorry Princess Mimi, but I cannot disobey my orders." The man stubbornly replied, not allowing Mimi to get an inch closer to the door. Annoyed by her mother's command, she left angry, affirming he would regret not letting her in and exited the castle in a hurried pace towards the garden's, her favourite hide out, where she expected to be quite and alone for a while in a beautiful place so she could think things more clearly.
The captain exited the small police department he had stayed for the night, and stretched his arms as he smelled the ocean breeze that flooded the Oita by the morning. Once again, he had been lately awoken and he was angry, so he decided to make his own search and leave the men to rest from the journey. He wasn't putting many hopes in finding the lady there, since he thought of her too smart to be spotted easily. The fight had been a mere situation that had happened by accident, but he knew she wouldn't leave him with much more clues. As he reached the port the night before he had only one thought in mind: if he find her the next morning he would leave with her, if he didn't find her, he would leave without her. But he was more than sure that he would have to choose the second option. During his travelling he had been given time to think about his purpose when he joined the guard and that wasn't following runaway girls but to defend the queen with his life. He would face the consequences his actions will sure bring him when he arrived to the castle again.
He entered a small bar with a rude aspect of old and dirt. Just the kind of place he remembered going when he had first visited a bar with his father. It was his first time for a lot of things that night. And that was the main reason that even being drunk kept him from forgetting the special time he had had with his father in that old, mold smelling bar. He sat at the counter and asked for a drink, any drink that would awaken him. The servant, who he evaluated as the possible owner as well, served him quickly since he was the only customer at that early hour. He had grey blue eyes that seemed to be constantly watching Daisuke's every move and that was kind of getting on his nerves. He slowly returned to his thoughts. If she got into the ship, she will be out of our territory and I cannot do anything since being the captain of this kingdom's army it might be taken as an hostile movement.
The servant had come closer to him and he could feel his breath on his face. Moving his eyes from the drink in his hands, Daisuke glared at the man. Only then he noticed to where he was looking. "You came to catch those nasty pirates?" the man asked. The captain calmly took a sip of his drink before replying. But the man hadn't finished yet. "Three of the scum where here yesterday. I was about to kill one of them with my bow… I have great skills with it…" he boasted. "…when an busybody auburn haired man threatened me with a knife." He continued. This got to the captain's ears and captured his attention. "He did?" "He sure did. But I have never seen a man move with such agility. He jumped from that table over there…" the man pointed to a table behind the captain. "…into the counter and in the middle of the flight he took a knife." "Tell me, was this man accompanied?" Daisuke asked. The man nodded. "Yeah, there was another man with him. He was pretty nervous with the all situation and they both left in hurry." He added. So they were here yesterday. Then it means I'm too late. Daisuke thought, immediately disconnecting his attention from the older man, that kept rambling about the prejudice they had caused and how he could have died with a heart attack from fright.
Somewhere in the middle of the ocean, the old captain had awakened from his sleep and was walked out of his room, directly to the steering, where he found the dark haired new sailor doing what it looked like a nice job. But was only when he looked around him that he noticed there weren't any other sailors around, and in fact the ship had the sails furled. His many years of experience, alerted him immediately for the danger he was in. He took his sword defying the man before him, but Sam didn't even bother taking his. The captain attempted to hit him, but he easily avoided the attack. Only then, he took his katana and with a quick sequence of movements he disarmed the old captain, the fell on his knees, begging for mercy.
"How pathetic." A voice from behind the captain said. "Where are the others?" Sam asked as he saw his brother approaching. "Playing cards down stairs. It's incredible how they can be so predictable. I mean we say the captain told them to furl the sails and they don't even ask why. How stupid can they be?" Ken stated as he looked to the captain. "So, how long will it take?" Ken added directed to his older brother. "Not much." He replied.
In the lower deck, Sora was looking outside the small window when she noticed something wrong in the waters. It looked like they had stopped. But they couldn't have arrived just yet. It was a long trip and they had barely sailed the morning. She kindly put Koushiro's head on the floor and raised, determined to know what was going on. It was then that she saw something through the window that took her attention. She looked more carefully and was scared to see there was another ship coming their way. A word crossed her mind. "Pirates!"
She climbed up the stairs and noticed how the man seemed to be playing cards in the medium deck. Don't they know there's a ship coming this way? She asked herself. I must search the captain and warn him. If we are caught by pirates, we might as well throw ourselves in the waters, if we don't want to jump the board. And with that, she silently climbed the other glance of stairs and found herself for the second time in the main deck. She hid behind a bunch of ropes near the main mast. She could hear voices but she needed to get close to the place they were so she could hear them. She looked to the sea and saw the ship was coming closer; its flag was a black one, with a skull and two bones crossed. Darn it. She thought. With a silent quick pace she advanced to the nearest hid out she could find, a barrel more ahead.
"Tie his hands. We won't have to spill blood if we have the captain." Sam replied. The youngster immediately did as he was told. "Isn't it beautiful?" he replied motioning the ship. It was indeed gorgeous. It was the largest the captain had ever seen, but judging for the time he had taken to reach them it should also be the fastest. But it was also the scariest ship he had ever seen with its black sails waving to the wind. Ken had finished tying the man's hands and was now looking at the ship as well. "Dark Arrow is the most brilliant ship ever built and it has the best captain you could find to rob you." He smirked. Suddenly, he saw something, like a moving shadow downstairs and the sensation that they weren't alone assaulted him. "I think we have company." He whispered to Sam.
Sora watched as a dark haired with pale features man tying the captain's hand. She began thinking of the possibilities. She needed the captain alive, so he could warn his dumb men and they sailed as fast as they could away from the pirate ship. Nevertheless it was an inevitable confront. I must take them from here. She thought and she immediately reached for her bow and two arrows. If I kill one of them, the other will have to face me and none of them will be able to kill the captain. So, I must choose carefully my opponent. Pirates aren't dumb and they fight for their lives almost everyday. She thought as she put an arrow in position. She was going to hit the youngest. The older could be more expert but the truth was that there wasn't much of a difference and the younger man was in a better targeting position. She target the man's lower back, so it wouldn't hit the ribs and directly to the heart. And she realised the arrow.
Acknowledging something was wrong, like having a vision of what was going to happen, Ken turned, realising immediately there was an arrow coming his way. He grabbed it inches from its objective. Sam immediately climbed down stairs, reaching for his katana.
Sora was petrified by the way the man had grabbed her arrow. It wasn't a very common gift over pirates. This man had more than it met the eye, and the group he was into as well. She could feel something different, but she didn't have time to keep in her thoughts. Sam had found her and was dangerously close. Putting the bow on her back, she reached for her katana and stood. I'm dead now. She thought. Sam made the first move, attacking her straight to the heart, but she avoided it, by jumping behind him. But the dark haired man quickly turned and made another attack. The blades clashed together emitting the normal sound of two metal beating. And then again, and again.
Downstairs, the men were alerted by this sound and immediately climbed on the main deck to see a complete stranger on board, fighting with one of his man. The first reaction was to go and help Sam, but a sailor had his attention turned to other side. "Don't make move or your captain is going to feed the fishes." Ken replied with his katana on wrist, the blade to the captain's throat. Confused, the men remained in the same position not knowing what to do. Their eyes then met the other ship that had just reached theirs. "Pirates!" one of them shouted as several men began to aboard the ship. One of them, who seemed to be the captain since he was in the front motioned him to step aside and the obeyed promptly, not risking their captain's throat.
In the middle of the main deck, the battle continued. Sam was beginning to get tired. This guy is one of the best with whom I ever fought. He has agility, strength, tenancy and an improving manner of fighting. He thought. But he wasn't the only one admired by his opponent capacities. I don't know where he learned all this, but he's putting up a fight. Sora thought. Nevertheless, I can see he is getting tired. Just a little more and this will be over. She avoided the blade once more, and swinging her katana she tried to hit Sam in the belly, but he defended it with his sword. Unfortunately for him, that gave Sora the chance to disarm him, and she took it. Sam's blade flew to the other side. Trapped, Sam reached for a small knife. But he knew if this man wanted him dead he would have him dead. He cut the air with a descendent angry move of his knife, making Sora back off. And it was then that…
"I'm so tired of telling you all the time that we are not pirates." A voice, well too familiar and wanted shouted. Loosening her concentration, she also stepped on the wrong place and fell backwards. Taking that, Sam flew into her, grabbing the wrist in which she held the sword with one hand, and trying to hit her with the other hand. Sora grabbed his wrist as the knife went inches of her face.
Dark Arrow's captain was watching all this when he noticed who was fighting one of his most loyal members. "Don't kill her!" he shouted desperately. This caused a reaction by everyone that stared at the captain like he was insane. Sam too turned his eyes to his captain. Sora was largely surprised. "Woman…?!" Sam replied and then looked to Sora again. She made no reaction, because in fact she wasn't even looking at him, she was looking at the brown haired man that was walking their way.
I hope you've enjoyed yourselves. I tried to upate earlier but it's going to get even more difficult because my tests are going to start this week and I have to study har but I'll do my best to have the next chapter next week