As usual, it does take some time for me to get chapters out due to quite the hectic life but I'm working on it! I will certainly try to get the next chapter out within a couple of months, despite the start of university.
I hope you don't get too mad at me in this chapter, I got a bit mad at myself but...I have my reasons to write what I do, promise! Not trying to be an ass..
With that said, I for sure hope you enjoy this chapter and I will hopefully see you in a month or two!
Disclaimer: I do now own..ANYTHING!
Chapter 2 - Saved from my saviors
A groan escaped the blond's lips as he was suddenly moved out of the cold water. He could hear voices but they all sounded so distant, as if they were far away. A pair of big hands seemed to have grabbed him, or did they grab him long ago without him realizing? He couldn't be sure.
"Take hi..." One of those distant voices could almost be heard for a second but it soon disappeared with the wind and the boy gave up on trying to make any sense of the situation. He seemed to be alive, that was all that mattered for him now.
The hard surface he had been placed on was moving furiously, as if they were in the middle of a storm. Grumbling and groaning could be heard from what most likely were people around him and he wanted to say something to them. Thank them for their help perhaps? Or yell at them to let him and his brother go. His brother...
The blue eyes suddenly opened up and he was staring up at a weathered face, full of scars. The man glared back down, his eyes promising a world of pain if the boy tried to move or do anything. He was for sure not gonna thank them for the help.
"The brat is awake," the man muttered as he continued rowing the wherry. "Why did we pick him up in the first place? You could have just taken that animal and left him to drown." Matthew now realized he didn't have Kumajirou close to him and he quickly started to look around in panic. He soon saw his furry friend, stuck in a thick net with a man holding him down. He seemed to be hurt and the blond felt tears form in his eyes as he sat up despite his whole body hurting.
"Don't touch my friend, get off him!" He tried to reach over to Kumajirou but the man by the oars put his foot down onto his back, pressing him against the wooden surface. "You have no right to keep him in a net!"
"Shut up," the man replied, pressing his foot down harder and Matthew could feel a sharp pain down his back, almost as if his spine was about to snap in two. "We can do whatever we want with that creature, not to mention with you. We did save you, after all. You're ours now." The smile on the man's lips made shills go through Matt's spine as he turned away, looking at Kumajirou with apologetic eyes. He couldn't do anything in this situation other than to stay quiet and hope they wouldn't hurt his friend.
It seemed like an eternity before they finally came to a stop, Matthew not being able to see anything as he was still pressed against the floor. He glanced up the best he could, seeing a wall of wood above him which he guessed was the hull of a ship. Many thoughts went through his head but they were pushed back when he watched the man holding his friend down, lift the net and pull Kumajirou with him up a rope ladder, onto the ship.
"Your turn," the rowing man said as he got up, grabbing the boy by the shirt and putting him by the ladder. "Climb it yourself, if you fall in I'll just let you drown." Matthew glared back towards the man before he started to climb and once he was over the railing he quickly moved so he wouldn't get trampled by the large man coming after him.
This ship was a lot more worn than the one he had been on not too long ago and the same could be said for the men. They were rugged and dirty, clothes seeming to miss more fabric than it had with all the holes and tears, not to mention every single sailor was unshaved.
"Perfect, you got the creature," one man said, stepping forward out of the crowd. He was not dressed much better than the others except for the fact he had a large hat on his head that probably was supposed to symbol that he was a captain. "And..you brought a new stooge, splendid." The man grinned as he grabbed Matthew's blonde hair and pulled him up on his feet. "For you to be on a ship with the royal colours, a noble or something? Would explain this exotic animal you've gotten your little paws on." He studied the boy from top to toe before turning to the polar bear. "You aren't dressed better than us but I bet those clothes were nice and clean before we sunk the ship." A laugh spread through the crew and it now became clear exactly who these people were. Matt hadn't thought about it, he had been too busy keeping an eye on Kumajirou to realize it sooner.
"Pirates.. Why did you sink the ship? Don't you usually at least rob people instead of just sending them down to their graves?" The blonde glared up at the captain who turned back to him with a small grin. It was something terrifying about these men, the way they looked at him and Kumajirou as if they were preys.
"Because of those royal colours," the man replied without hesitation. "We hate those dogs, following the kings every bidding, hanging men only for not wanting to be part of their deluded paradise of justice. Also, we needed to try out or new cannon." Another laugh and Matthew felt horrified for how lightly they took killing a whole crew. He quickly turned, watching the last, flaming pieces of the ship go down into the black ocean and tears once again started to form in the corner of his eyes. Alfred wasn't on this ship, had he drowned with the rest? He was sure he'd heard Alfred call for him before he lost consciousness but it could as well have been wishful thinking.
"Am I the only survivor?" he soon whispered as the ship now was gone, the surface as calm as if nothing had happened. He turned back towards the captain, the scene of moonlit water being to painful to look at.
"If you care to call yourself a survivor, then yes," the captain replied, grinning once more. "You will probably wish you had died with the rest, your highness." He turned his back on the boy before walking over to Kumajirou. "As for this creature, we could probably sell him for a very high price. If nothing else his skin will go for a lot." Matthew started to panic at the thought of losing his friend but he knew just yelling at them to not do it would get him nowhere.
"Wouldn't he be worth more to you as a sign of power?" the blonde asked, trying to stay calm. "He is just a cub right now but he will grow bigger and stronger than all the guard dogs the marine soldiers have. And I know how to control him."
This seemed to peak the captain's interest as he studied the small beast that was growling from the net, still held by the man from the boat. A good guard dog could put fear into a lot of people since they were hard to come by. You needed to find them as pups or they would turn on you the first chance they got. A bear on the other hand, a snow white one with bloody teeth and vicious eyes. That would put fear into the soldiers, even the admiral himself.
"A guard bear? I like the sound of that, gives me a reason to keep you alive as well, your highness." Matthew couldn't understand why they were set on him being noble but he wasn't going to argue with it unless it turned out to be a problem later on. "We'll keep the bear for now. He will be a fearsome beast once he has grown and he will far surpass any dog if he's even half the size of the bears I've seen. Give the beast to the brat but keep a close eye on them. They are not leaving this ship, ever again." With that he walked away towards his cabin and the crew split up, starting on their duties. The man holding Kumajirou gave the net over to Matthew who sighed in relief.
"There, you're safe," he murmured, quickly removing the net from his friend and hugging him tightly. "I need to take care of his wounds, he might die of them otherwise if they get infected."
"I'll take care of that," another man said, rugged like the others but at least he seemed to be cleaner. "I'm the doctor on board, gonna take care of your wounds as well." He gestured with his hand that Matthew should follow him below deck and the blond did, trying to ignore all the feelings that was streaming through him right now. His brother was dead, he was stuck on a pirate ship and he would lose his friend once the captain realized he wouldn't grow bigger than this. It all became too much and soon the tears were streaming down his cheeks, wetting the bloody fur of his friend.
"Crying won't get you anything," the doctor said, opening a door and waiting for Matthew to get inside. "Sit down on the bed and stay quiet." The boy bit his tongue as he wanted to scream at the man but he sat down, keeping Kumajirou close to himself. The bear had always been a mystery. They had known each other for as long as Matt could remember but the cub hadn't grown at all. Not to mention the small sounds he sometimes produced, almost sounding like words. Or rather, it sounded like a small "Who?" as if asking who Matthew was. Of course that wasn't the case, it was just a sound but Matt liked to play on it, making it into a little game of always calling his friend by the wrong name.
"Kuchiharu, it will be fine," Matthew murmured towards him, smiling slightly as he tried to suppress the tears. His brother would be disappointed at him if he just cried. He had to man up and be strong, like a hero. That's what Alfred would have wanted.
The doctor approached, strangely calm as if he didn't want to stress the two further. He didn't say anything as he removed Matthew's arms from around the bear but he let Kumajirou sit where he did. He started to tend to the wounds and once he was done he looked the boy over.
"You were lucky, only small cuts that will heal in no time," he said as he put the stuff away and turned to the two. "Try to not get on anyone's bad side. They might want to keep you alive for now to tame that bear but that won't stop them from tormenting you if you do anything wrong. We might be a crew but everyone is looking out for themselves and it's a constant power struggle between the ranks. You will easily become a victim unless you do exactly what everyone tells you. You are the lowest of ranks and are not allowed to do anything but obey." Matthew looked down on his knees and fingered a bit on the ripped pants. He was a slave with other words. "I won't say I'm a good man. I've done unforgivable things and will keep on doing them, without remorse. Though if you ever need a sanctuary, away from them out there, you can come here whether I'm in or not. They wouldn't dare make a mess in here."
Matthew wasn't sure how he should see this doctor. He did offer some form of help yet he was a pirate and had stated he would keep on killing, plundering and God knows what more. Still, as long as he didn't lay a hand on Kumajirou or Matthew himself, the boy would see him as one of the better men on this ship.
"One more thing, never walk around alone, try to always surround yourself with people. Some here have wicked thoughts and will prey on those weaker than themselves." He didn't know if Matthew understood what he meant, hopefully he didn't. As long as the boy stayed close to groups of crew members, no one would harm him. It was a cruel world and beasts always took advantage of those weaker. In this case he was not thinking of Kumajirou as the beast.
"I've felt like a prey ever since I stepped onto this ship. I will not let anyone touch me." Matthew shivered slightly with a small sigh, hugging his friend carefully as to not hurt him. "May...I sleep in here tonight? I'll sleep in the corner."
The doctor looked over at him before nodding slightly. He took a couple of blankets out of a cabinet and put them in the corner that wasn't occupied by all the weird stuff he had in there. Without a word he then walked outside, probably having to tend to other matters than just the new stooge.
Matthew felt a bit relieved that he was allowed to stay and he moved over to the corner, making it as comfortable as he could with one blanket as a pillow and the other one covering both of them so they would stay warm.
"We'll get through this," he murmured into his friend's ear. "And I'll make sure we get away from here before they discover your secret and decide to sell you."
oOoOo
Three years had passed since the day Matthew had been rescued and he had managed to stay out of trouble. Some punches here and there when someone decided he was in their way but so far he had been able to avoid any wicked thoughts the doctor had been speaking of. By now, far later, he knew what the man had meant. When the pirates weren't feasting on prostitutes in different harbours they took their needs out on each other, usually one being more willing than the other. It was disgusting and Matthew could only thank the doctor for his advice or who knows what would have happened during these three years.
He was worried however but not for himself. People had started to whisper about the bear that never grew in size. Kumajirou was still small enough to fit in Matthew's arms, far from the terrifying beast the pirates had hoped for by now. The boy had told them it took time, this race being different and it lived for many more years than humans even and so they hadn't touched the bear, yet. It was only a matter of time before they decided they had more use for money than a guard bear the size of a big cat.
"Brat, get over here and start folding the ropes. They can't be all over the deck like this." One of the men glared at Matthew and the boy nodded quickly as he walked over, starting to roll the ropes and putting them along the railing. He wanted to argue that the man himself was the one that had thrown the ropes everywhere but he knew it was stupid. Last time someone argued against the man he had thrown him overboard and since it had been night only a few had seen it and no one had cared to pick him back up. He was most likely dead now.
Kumajirou was walking over the deck calmly, soon cuddling up inside one of the ropes and Matthew smiled sadly. As small as ever, he wondered how long the captain would wait. He shoved those thoughts to the back of his head as he continued to roll the ropes, soon being done and he sighed for himself while looking up towards the cloudy sky. It would rain soon and the air around them felt heavy. A thunderstorm was coming.
"You can feel it too, can't you?" the man grumbled as he was now seated on the railing. It was the first time he talked to Matthew without it being an order or an insult. "Lightening, rain and wind from hell. Like our ship needed another hit like that. We'll have to repair sooner or later but without money.." He glanced towards Kumajirou before turning his eyes towards the sky once more.
Matthew knew what the man was thinking about it and he looked over at Kumajirou who was now sleeping comfortably on top of the rope.
"I won't let you sell him," he said quietly, clenching his fists before looking over at the man. "I'll die before that." The man didn't seem to care much about the boy's words, for sure not believing them. No normal person would sacrifice their life for a pet, though the boy was everything but normal. He was one of the best at using a sword despite his age and he could feel the change in weather long before anyone else could. He was more valuable to the crew than he knew and that's why no one had dared to touch him. Captain's orders.
"No one will kill you," the man replied, shrugging slightly. "But don't expect to keep your friend around here for long. The whispers have already reached the captain." With that he left the two alone, grabbing a bottle from one sleeping crew member before making his way beneath deck.
Matthew quickly grabbed his friend into his arms and sat down against the railing. He wouldn't let them take him, never.
The day passed by, people walking past him without a word or a glance. Night soon came and with that, the dark clouds that brought rain over them. Matthew was afraid to move, it almost felt safe in his little space by the railing. Like no one could touch him there unlike other places on the ship.
He was not safe for long though as he now saw the captain close in, together with three other crew members. They stopped in front of the boy, the captain glancing down from beneath his black hat. He seemed bitter, not grinning like he usually did and without a word he reached out to grab at Kumajirou.
"No!" Matthew twisted away from the hand and before he was able to think twice about his decision, he put his teeth into the arm of the captain. He was true to his words, he'd rather die than give his friend over without a fight. A pained shout escaped the man before he aimed a kick at the boy's side, breaking at least two of his ribs.
"Just give it up, boy. We need the money and it has already become clear you've been lying to us this whole time. What am I supposed to do with a guard bear that's no bigger than a small dog? The marine's dogs would tear him to pieces in an instant." He reached down again, grabbing the polar bear and with ease pulling him away from Matthew's safe embrace, the boy coughing and hardly being able to see anything due to the tears streaming down his cheeks. "You're lucky you are as skilled as you are. You've warned us plenty of times before a storm has hit and you have beaten my best swordsman. Just stay there and be a good boy. Or I might revoke my order on no one being allowed to touch you." The grin was now back as the captain threw the growling Kumajirou into a net, much like the one he'd been trapped in three years ago.
"Like I care what happens to me," Matthew replied, spitting some blood onto the captain's shoes as he had accidentally bit his tongue when being kicked. "I won't let you take my friend... I will protect him!" He got up on his feet and quickly grabbed the sword hanging from the captain's side, pointing it towards him. He didn't even make a threat but instead he cut towards the man, hitting his right arm. "Give Kumajirou back to me!"
By now the rest of the crew had drawn their swords. One attacked but was cut down, the 15 year old boy still being nimble and fast in his movements. Another attacked, his throat was slit. Matthew would show no mercy. He fended off every attack that came against him and managed to cut down at least eleven of the pirates before they overwhelmed him, knocking him to the ground. The captain's boot was soon placed on the boy's head, pushing him down against the floor.
"As said, you're lucky you are as valuable as you are. I'll tame you, just you wait and see. Until then... Men, do as you wish but don't kill him." The grin came back, the man not caring at all about the dead men lying around his feet as he walked over to the other side of the ship, looking towards an island that was getting closer. "We'll be able to sell the bear in the city. They have a very nice black market for exotic animals and slaves. Don't tempt me to sell you as well." He laughed before walking below deck, leaving the bleeding boy with the men that were still standing.
"Back off," a stern voice said as one of the men got closer to the boy. "He is in no shape to be violated by ruffians like you." It was the doctor who came walking, as calm as ever but the crew quickly backed away, not wanting to disobey the man. "I'll tend to your wounds."
Matthew wanted to protest, he didn't have time to be treated, he needed to save Kumajirou. He wasn't able to talk though, the blood from his tongue filling his mouth and his body still hurting. The only thing escaping him was a groan in protest as the doctor lifted him up and carried him below deck, to his cabin where he treated all his patients.
"There is nothing you can do to save your friend now. He will be well taken care of though. People don't buy small, exotic animals to kill them. Only the big animals are at risk for that. He will probably end up as some rich girl's pet where he will be well fed." The man put Matthew down on the bed before he took a pill out of his pocket and forced it into the boy's mouth. A sleeping drug that would make Matthew less of a problem. "The bear will have a much better life there than here. You're just being selfish right now, wanting to hold onto the only thing in the world you still got. Even though doing so might cost him his life."
Matthew who had been struggling by all the strength he'd had left calmed down a bit and looked up at the man with tear filled eyes. It couldn't be true. He just wanted what was best for his friend, not to hurt him. Surely Kumajirou would be scared being all alone, sold to a stranger that might or might not take care of him. Or was he just selfish, trying to grasp at any reason to keep Kumajirou by his side? Now when Alfred was gone.
His mind got flooded by the thoughts, fighting against each other to determined which one made most sense but soon the drug did its job and he fell asleep, still crying like he had done on the night the pirates took him out of the water.
oOoOo
It wasn't until early afternoon the next day Matthew woke up, quickly throwing the cover off him as he tried to stand. Kumajirou was not in his arms nor on the pillow beside him. He couldn't be..
The pain from the broken ribs reminded him of what had happened last night and he fell down on his knees, banging the floor with a fist. He had to get up, he had to save his friend. The bandages around his upper body made it hard to move and he was on his way to pull them off his body when a voice echoed through the room.
"Give it up," the doctor said, sitting in a chair on the other side of the room. "The little bear was sold during the night. Some rich family with a spoiled daughter bought him. Told you he would get a better life without you. Riding off on a silken pillow, food already being prepared for him. Fresh fish if I remember correctly." Matthew looked up at the older man, biting his still sore tongue as he heard that. Fresh fish? He'd only been able to give that to Kumajirou once. "You lost a friend and it hurts. He was the last thing you held onto. So try to see it like this instead, you've given him a better life by letting him go." The doctor wasn't about to mention the muzzle they'd put on the bear nor the growling and whining Kumajirou had made when he was taken away, far from his owner. That would only end with Matthew causing more trouble than he already had.
"Giving him..a better life?" Matthew repeated, swallowing once before looking down on the floor. It was true Kumajirou's life hadn't been great with him. Living on left-overs, having to hide all the time and being trapped on a pirate ship that threatened to skin him for money. Of course it would be a better life for Kumajirou, being able to eat whatever he wanted and running around in a big garden. "You're right... I have been a bad owner, only thinking about my own needs of having him by my side. I was selfish and it's time to pay the price for that now."
Slowly he got up on his feet and sat down on the bed again, closing his eyes. His body hurt like it'd never done before but he didn't care. It was his price, the price he had to pay for keeping Kumajirou by his side all these years when the polar bear could have gotten a much better home a long time ago.
"As long as you understand and stop whining about it," the doctor replied, drinking some rum from a bottle. It had been a hectic night. "I talked to the captain, he has given a new order that no one can touch you. You should be happy about that." He took another sip before putting the bottle down, glancing over at the boy. "You're still young, you have a lot to live for believe it or not. You won't be on this ship forever, no matter what the captain says. Try to keep that in mind." He got up from his chair, walking towards the door before stopping briefly. "I've made it comfortable in the corner for you, if you feel like sleeping there." He then walked out of the cabin, leaving Matthew alone with his thoughts.
"So I'm alone now?" he whispered for himself before leaning back against the wall, putting a hand over his sore ribs. "We three would stay alive forever, don't you remember? Alfred... You promised me." He sighed quietly before glancing out through the small window in the cabin. "Though I guess I broke my promise as well when I was rescued by these pirates. Joining the marine together, even if you were alive..wouldn't be possible. I've already been branded a traitor of the king only by being on this ship. But I will live, Al. Live for the both of us and once I've gotten so damn wealthy I can buy my own city, I'll get Kumajirou back and give him the life I can't give him now..."
He slowly got up from the bed and moved over to the familiar corner. He sat down before wrapping one of the blankets around him, using the other as a pillow. He needed some more sleep, he was far too tired to think clearly.
oOoOo
Another three years passed by, Matthew still being stuck with the pirates. He had tried to run away, plenty of times but he had been stopped every single one. They started to lock him up whenever they were close to shore and they guarded the safe boats. Only way for Matt to flee was to swim and he knew he wasn't a very good swimmer and even if he was, he wouldn't survive such a long way to land.
This night however, was special. The captain entered the doctor's cabin where Matthew usually hung out. Why he didn't really know, since he didn't even know the name of the man but it was still the only person on the ship he trusted.
"Oy, stooge," he said as he looked over at Matthew that was in the middle of writing down some things the doctor was teaching him. "You're coming with us tonight, on shore-leave." The both males in the room just raised an eyebrow each and looked over at the captain like he was crazy. "Don't look at me like that, idiots! I won't let you out of my sight, obviously, but I have a small task for you." The usual grin soon decorated his lips and Matthew couldn't do anything but sigh for himself.
"A task?" he repeated as he turned back to his notes. "I guess I'll do it then. Tell me when it's time." He didn't care much for what it was but he was quite excited getting off the ship, even if he didn't show it. He hadn't been off this ship for almost six years, it was about time.
"You should show some more interest to what it is I'm expecting from you," the captain said, quite annoyed by the youngster's behaviour. "I have been good to you after all. Gave you new clothes just a couple of months ago."
"Yes, because I grew out of the ones I had when I was 12," Matthew replied calmly before he straightened his back a bit, looking up at the man he called his captain. "Something I did quite long ago."
"I don't appreciate this new side of you," the man replied as he took one step closer, grabbing the blonde's shirt collar. "I liked you better as quiet and obedient."
"I do obey your orders, don't I? I didn't even ask about the task, I agreed to it right away. Isn't that the only kind of loyalty you seek?" Matthew didn't look up as he was still turned towards his notes. "Now, if you excuse me. Doctor here was just teaching me about medicines." The captain growled quietly for himself before he walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him. "It's quite nice not being submissive all the time, I understand why Al was so fond of it."
"As long as you don't start acting like that towards me, I'll beat you up good." The doctor ignored Matthew's huff as he started lecturing once more, making sure the blond kept writing it all down. They didn't have anything better to do so he had thought he could as well teach Matthew some useful stuff.
Some hours later they were at the harbour where they planned on stepping ashore. It was a shady town, full of criminals and the occasional bounty-hunter that wanted to test their luck on the bigger bounties. The harbour was surprisingly calm but it was clear they were not the only pirates in town as a big ship was docked right beside their own, flying the Jolly Roger without shame.
"They are already here, I see." The captain grumbled for himself as he looked up at the railing on the other ship, seemingly comparing sizes. "Let's get this over with then."
"Oh, Monsieur Captain, you're a bit late." The smooth voice came from the other ship and when the crew looked up a long haired, blonde male was standing against the railing, watching the starry sky. "You know he doesn't like waiting."
"I can't decide how hard the wind is blowing. Right now you are making me even later so I'll take my leave now. Bloody French." The last thing he muttered for himself as he pushed Matthew in front of him down the gangplank. "Let's go."
Matthew glanced back at the blonde who had turned back towards the sky before he looked ahead again, now really wondering what they were doing here. He knew better than to ask though as he kept on walking through the dirty streets of the city. On their way some of the crew disappeared, leaving with the prostitutes working these streets.
Soon they entered a tavern in the heart of the city and it was probably the cleanest place there. It was lively as people were drinking, singing and laughing and the crew soon spread out but of course Matthew wasn't allowed to leave the captain's side. They moved to the back of the tavern, towards a small table that was surrounded by shady looking men.
"There you are," one of the men said and raised his head just enough to meet the captain's glance. He was dressed in a bright red coat and a big hat decorated with fluffy, white feathers, a hat most men would brag about. His face was covered by shadows except for a pair of bright, green eyes that were studying the little gang that got closer. "I thought we were doing business this week, not the next."
"I'm a little late, not worse than you have been before," the captain replied and pulled a chair out, sitting down across the table from the other. The strange man beckoned to his crew men to get up and stand on the side and so they did. "I'm still very interested in those gems though." He was more than interested but he tried to not show it. The gems of the queen. He had recognized them the moment the other had showed them and he knew how valuable they were. Hopefully his rival didn't.
"Ah, right," the other man replied, pushing his hat up a bit and showing some blond strands of hair and something else that shocked Matthew quite a bit. Were those things eyebrows? "I still got them but you better pay up."
"Arthur, you have always known how to charge people." The captain put a small bag of money on the table. "Sometimes charge a bit too much. This is what I'm willing to pay and if you don't like it... I got a little proposal."
"Proposal? You know you aren't my type, right?" Arthur huffed and took the small bag of money, not caring about the other captain's murderous stare. "This all? You better have a damn good proposal."
"A duel," the captain exclaimed, leaning back into his chair and it now became clear for Matthew what his task was. "We have solved stuff like that before, right?"
"With your loss every time," the blonde captain replied and put the money down on the table. "I did leave my best swordsman to guard the ship... But my second best shouldn't have any problem meeting your best."
"Wonderful! Arthur, meet my youngest crew member, Noble." Well, Matthew had never asked for their names and they had never asked for his. The nickname was still quite annoying but they were allowed to think whatever they wanted of him. It was better than Stooge at least. Arthur raised one of his fussy eyebrows at that nickname before he turned to the boy that stepped out of the little group of men. He hadn't noticed the blond at all until now. Usually he made a mental note of everyone present to make it easier if fights broke out but he had managed to miss this one.
"Noble, huh? Doesn't look like one." Matthew huffed quietly by that remark but kept quiet. He was dressed as far from a noble as you could get with his black pants that reached down to beneath his knees and the slightly ripped, light blue shirt that had missing buttons here and there. At least he was fairly clean if you compared him to the others on the ship. "Will do, I guess. You're lucky we don't kill people in these small spats, boy." He got up from his chair and gestured towards one of his men to come with him together with the other captain and Matthew. "The rest of you can stay and guard our table. It's pretty full tonight and I still want some more drinks."
The four males walked out of the tavern through the back, entering a dark alley behind the building. A couple of what most likely were prostitutes looked interested at the four until they saw the swords by their sides and they hurried out of the alley to find some safer customers.
"Doesn't feel right to fight against a kid," the older swordsman grumbled as he looked over at Matthew, still pulling out his sword since it was an order to fight. Matt was getting tired of being looked down upon just because he seemed to be younger than he was. 18 years of age were enough to be considered an adult.
"You don't have to feel guilty," Matthew responded as he pulled his own sword, getting into a proper starting stance. "You won't land a single hit on me." While he seemed confident that he would win he didn't know for sure how it would end. He guessed that somewhere far inside he might wish for the other to cut him down if provoked enough, even though he had promised to keep on living.
The other man did look quite surprised by the confident response but he smiled as a reply. This would for sure be an interesting fight if the young man believed in his skills this much. Both males waited for Arthur's signal before the first attack came, it was from the other man. Steel met steel, a sound that echoed through the alley. Matthew didn't have any trouble blocking the attack but since the man was bigger than him he made sure to not take all the impact of the attack.
A quick step to the side got his sword away from the other's and he aimed for the man's waist. It would have cut him in two if the man hadn't parried it in the last second, something Matthew had guessed he would do. They weren't supposed to kill each other after all so it would have been awkward if he had actually chopped the man in half.
Despite his big size the man was fast in his movements but he couldn't match Matthew who dodged every single attack, returning them without hesitation and it was clear the younger one had the upper hand. One more attack, towards the man's wrist this time and the edge hit the skin which caused the man to almost drop his sword. It was all Matt needed as he got inside the man's defence and pointed his sword towards the unprotected throat.
"As promised, not a single hit," Matthew said, giving the man a small smile which was the first smile he'd had in three years. He lowered the sword, panting lightly from the intense fight and the other was doing the same but he soon laughed instead, patting the younger man on the shoulder.
"Good fight, indeed. It would have been fun to see how Francis would have dealt with that." He put his sword back in its scabbard before he glanced over the small cuts he had gotten here and there. It was obvious none of them had aimed to hurt the other.
"Probably by inviting him to his cabin," Arthur replied before turning to the other captain, ignoring the wondering glance he got from Matthew who didn't know who Francis was. "As promised, you get the gems for the price you put on the table. I'm not going back on my word, even though I never thought you would actually win."
"Well, I can always sweeten the deal a bit since we go back some time," the captain replied, grinning widely as he walked towards the door. "You can have the boy for the night. He is more your type than I am, right? Just return him before dawn."
After those words it was only silence in the alley. Arthur was quite surprised by the offer while Matthew was mortified. How dared the man just sell him like a whore? He gritted his teeth slightly, about to raise his sword towards his own captain, the man he hated by all of his heart but a hand on his arm stopped the movement and he could feel Arthur move up beside him.
"Much more my type, thank you. I'll take the offer." He watched the man disappear into the tavern, soon glancing down at the trembling boy beside him. If he was scared, sad or angry was hard to tell since he couldn't see his face.
"Like hell!" Matthew moved away with one step, pointing his sword towards the blonde man. It was obvious the boy was angry but in those blue eyes you could also see fear. "I'll die before you lay a hand on me."
"And so will I," Arthur replied, showing his bare hands to reassure Matthew that he wasn't armed. "While I might look like a blood thirsty pirate, raping and killing everything in sight that's not really my style." He smiled slightly before putting his arms down, yawning a bit. "I just want to talk to you, promise. You got something interesting in your eyes, a goal.. I want to know more about it."
Matthew took a step back, frowning a bit at that comment. He had a goal, that was true but it couldn't be that obvious, could it? Even though he didn't know this Arthur it somehow felt like the man was telling the truth and so he lowered his sword but not putting it back in his scabbard just yet.
"I got nothing better to do this evening, we're not leaving just yet and I'm curious about you." He nodded towards the other man who walked back inside before he turned his back towards Matthew and started to walk down the alley. "Follow me if you want, I need to take a stroll and I could use some company." He didn't say anything more before he started to walk, hands down the pockets of his dark pants and the red coat playing in the evening breeze.
Perhaps it was a stupid decision, it was hard to tell, but Matthew decided to follow the man after putting the sword back in its scabbard. He still got his hand on it though, just in case. He stayed quiet for now, keeping his distance from the stranger but not far enough so anyone else would start speaking to him. He didn't know how to handle people in this town even though he had grown used to the ruffians in his crew.
"So, what's your real name? We'll start with that." Arthur corrected his hat a bit before politely shaking his head towards a woman that pushed her chest together a bit extra when he passed by. They were everywhere. Some desperate to feed their children, some just needing quick money. While Matthew had seen women like this in his hometown they were few in number and usually hid well from the town's guards. There weren't any guards here though. No protection of any kind for those roaming these dark streets alone. "My name's Arthur. Arthur Kirkland."
"What, Noble isn't good enough?" Matt asked as he looked around before glancing to the side at the other man. "Name's Matthew. Stooge on a pirate ship and quite the nobody. I don't see your fascination with bringing me along here."
"Didn't I tell you? Your eyes." He stopped in front of a building that seemed to be another tavern. "Come on, I'll treat you to some rum and food, you seem to need it more than I do." He walked inside, almost dropping the door right in Matt's face and he soon sat down by a table. An unhappy glare went around the room at all the people in there, spilling alcohol, food and having their dirty shoes on the tables. Dogs.
"What exactly is so special with my eyes? Plenty of people got blue ones." The blonde boy sat down at the same table, listening to Arthur order in some things for them before the man turned to him. This was strange. Usually he wouldn't talk to others, especially not complete strangers. "You told me I had a goal. Is that the special thing you see?"
"Perhaps," Arthur replied, leaning back in the chair as a woman put down two bottles of rum in front of them. She nodded slightly towards them both before walking away, ignoring the men whistling and yelling after her. It was almost painful to watch. "It's obvious enough that you don't like where you are. You want more in your life and with your skills, I'm sure you can have quite the future in front of you."
Matthew just took his bottle, glancing down at the liquid inside as he felt the smell of alcohol coming from it. He had never been allowed to drink this stuff on the ship and he had never been very sad about that. Though now when he had that bottle in his hand, he could as well try it. He sipped it, swallowing a cough that wanted to surface as he gritted his teeth at the horrible flavour.
"Disgusting," he muttered for himself before he took another sip. This was supposed to help your problems, right? Might as well give it a go, despite the taste. "It's very inspirational and all, listening to your thoughts about my future.. But where do you want to come with it? I have already said it, I'm a nobody, stuck on a ship with pirates. I'm not leaving there unless the ship sinks."
"So the big question is then, will it sink?" Arthur grinned at the thought, watching Matthew stop in his movement of bringing the bottle up to his lips. "I don't mind watching those people die. I might have done business with the captain for long but only because he got some good stuff to sell, or are willing to buy."
"What makes you think the ship will sink?" Matthew calmly asked, now taking his third sip, still hating the flavour but hoping it would have some kind of effect on him soon enough. "It's a sturdy hull, good crew and a skilled captain. Besides, no storms seems to be heading our way either."
"Doesn't seem like that, no," Arthur murmured as a reply, quite intrigued by this young man for some reason he didn't know. He seemed so calm and sometimes even invisible yet beneath the surface was a boiling ocean, waiting to drown anyone daring to come too close. Obviously Arthur had no plans on drowning. "Fun thing though. We did escape a storm on our way here. Seems like it's heading this way next. That's why we're staying here for a little while. Stupid to risk our lives after all."
Matthew just nodded as he downed half the bottle, almost wanting to puke from it but he held it in. He needed to be drunk this evening. Soon the food arrived and the blonde looked at his meal of steak and potatoes. Something he had never seen in his whole life. Potatoes, sure but not such a big piece of meat. Perhaps, if he had been more well-mannered, he would have politely thanked the man before eating but he just put the bottle down and dug in, almost wanting to moan from the flavour. He hadn't eaten proper, ever. Not in the orphanage and especially not on the pirate ship where he got the scraps that were left from lunch and dinner.
"You're talented, that I must say. Wouldn't mind having you on my ship." Arthur smiled as he got up from his chair, downing the rest of the bottle. "You'll find your way back to your crew, right? I got some business to attend to." He ruffled the other's hair before putting some money on the table. "Pay the woman with this. It's a bit more than she will ask for." He then walked out of the tavern, leaving Matthew still eating.
"Weird man," Matt muttered as he finished his meal, feeling full like he'd never done before. It was a satisfying feeling yet quite uncomfortable since he felt like he couldn't move like he usually did. He did however down the last of his rum, getting up as well and glancing over at the woman that came to collect plates and the money for the meal. "Your money is there." He then walked out of the building as well, heading towards the first tavern.
oOoOo
"Okay, men! We're going now, if someone isn't on the ship when I signal, the person will be left until we get back here. In about five years." The captain laughed as he walked down below deck, leaving the crew to do all the work.
Matthew was standing at the fore looking up towards the sky where some clouds were starting to hide the stars. Still a calm night it would seem. He turned towards the horizon instead, counting quietly for himself without really knowing why. A way to keep him sharp perhaps, it was quite needed since the rum was starting to get to his head by now.
He soon remembered one thing and he quickly started to move towards the door leading below deck. Without as much as a knock he barged into the doctor's cabin and the man glared up at him furiously.
"What do you think you're..."
"Get off this ship," Matthew just said, leaning slightly against the the door frame to stand up straight. "It will not make it to the next port." The doctor looked quite shocked at that remark before he got up from his chair, walking over to the boy. "We're leaving soon, this is your last chance to get off. You can leave whenever you want, right?"
"I can, yes. What the hell is going on, boy?" He grabbed Matt's shoulders and looked him dead in the eye, noticing how drunk he was but the usual determination in those blue eyes were the same. "Don't answer that... I just forgot I have some medicine to buy for myself. The captain can pick me up again in five years." He walked out of the room, not caring about collecting any of his stuff as he made his way onto deck.
Matthew sighed in relief, smiling a bit for himself as he looked around in the room. Now there was nothing that could stop it. He did hear upset voices on deck and the doctor's yelling and it didn't seem to take long until the man got his will through and got ashore again.
Slowly Matthew walked inside the room and grabbed some papers where he had taken notes. He put them in the waistband on the pants, hiding beneath the blue shirt before making his way up on deck once more. It had not gone long yet the clouds on the sky had turned from white to dark grey and they were passing by above them quickly.
"Oy, Noble. Something seems a bit off," one of the men grumbled as they made their way out of the harbour. "The wind is picking up." Matthew just looked at him and shrugged slightly, walking over to the fore once more.
"Weather can change quickly, I guess it will rain a bit." He crossed his arms over the small chest as he watched the ocean slowly getting wilder. Soon it was almost boiling and waves got bigger, hitting the hull of the ship. The wind was moving them forward, further into the storm as it slowly ripped the sails apart. Loud thunder could be heard above them and without a warning a sharp light cut through the clouds and hit the topmast. The crew started to yell in panic and Matthew could soon feel a thick hand on his shoulder, roughly turning him around.
"You are supposed to predict these things! You felt it, didn't you!?" The captain grabbed Matt's throat with his other hand, squeezing as he gritted his teeth. "You lead us straight into this!" Matthew felt his heart pump quicker as he tried to gasp for air but he soon stopped struggling, relaxing into the choke-hold.
"I did," he said with a weak voice before he pushed his sword through the man's stomach, gripping the handle so tight his knuckles whitened. "You trusted me, after all these years, didn't you? Trusted that I would be afraid to die and would mindlessly do what you said. You were wrong." He let go of the handle before kicking the captain away from himself just as another light split the sky and hit the stern, electrifying the sailors standing there. "I did hope the storm would swallow us quicker, guess I miscalculated on exactly how big it would be." He looked down at the captain who for the first time could see all the hatred hiding behind those blue eyes. He was unable to move as the sword still was pierced through his body and he could only watch Matthew get up on the railing before diving head first into the gluttonous ocean.
The currents quickly dragged his body with it, away from the ship. He had no idea where he was heading now, he only knew he needed to reach the surface and from there keep on swimming until he either reached land or drowned. Soon his head got above the water, coughing and spitting out the salty taste before he looked around. He could only see waves surrounding him, water throwing itself over his head, trying to swallow him whole. Matthew kept on fighting as he time after time reached the surface to breathe, only to get dragged into the darkness once more.
He swam under water for some time, realizing he would get further that way than if he was pushed around by the violent waves. Soon he came up for air once more, feeling his energy draining for every minute he fought for his life in the stormy waters. There were no debris to hold onto now either since the ship was still mostly intact, far away from where Matthew was. He soon realized one thing though, the ship in front of him was not the one he had just left. It was far larger and more cared for.
Moments ago he had almost been prepared to die but a new fire was lit in his chest as he saw his chance of getting saved and he started to swim towards the ship, desperately trying to stay above the surface so they wouldn't miss him. Once the ship had gotten close enough he could hear some shouts but it was impossible to tell what exactly they said due to the roaring wind and pouring rain. He was almost out of energy as he paddled with his feet, just trying to stay visible but he was sinking more and more. A shadow jumped from the ship, right into the water and skillfully swam over to the blonde, soon helping him stay above the surface.
"Throw down that bloody ladder!" Matthew thought he recognized the voice but he was too tired to think about it as he felt how the man started to drag him out of the water. "Geeze, you really are as stupid as I thought, making me save your ass." The muttering kept on going as they made their way up the ladder along the ship's hull. Soon they were both on deck, Matthew coughing to get up all the water he had accidentally swallowed and the other getting up only to put his large hat back onto his head.
"Head to the west, like hell we're staying here!" He breathed out before glancing down at the blonde boy that now had gotten a blanket over his shoulders by one of the men. "Did you want to die?"
"No," Matthew replied, soon sitting up so he could lean against the railing, closing his eyes. "If I died I wouldn't reach my goal so that would be stupid." He shrugged slightly, not caring what Arthur thought about him. "You can drop me off in the harbour." Arthur glanced down at him and huffed for himself, removing his soaking wet coat, giving it to one of the men.
"Harbour? What makes you think we're going there?" He crossed his arms over his chest before looking up at the sky. "It's too dangerous to try and sail into the harbour now, we would be crushed against the rocks on the sides. We're heading west, far away from this storm. You're free to hop off at our next destination, hard to say when that will be though. Or, you can just tell me about these goals of yours and we can make a deal." His face turned serious for a moment as he glanced down at the younger male. "When did you know the storm was heading here?"
"Yesterday," he replied, not meeting the other's eyes. "I planned this since then. This is the first, big storm we've had in three years... We've been lucky, or unlucky depending on how you see it." He slowly got up on his feet, feeling weak but he couldn't be sitting around if he was going to stay on this ship until their next stop. "And my goal? You really want to know that?"
"I do. Seems interesting, I'd say. Besides, we got nothing better to do, right? You ain't doing anything in your condition." He gave Matthew a light push, causing the boy to fall forward and he would have hit the floor if it hadn't been for a pair of arms catching him in the last second.
"Mon Dieu, Arthur. Don't bully the poor lad." The smooth voice had an accent Matthew didn't recognize and he glanced up only to have his face meet a cascade of long, blonde hair. "So you are the reason our captain foolishly threw himself and us into the storm? Well, I can now understand why."
"Get your hands off him, you dirty frog," Arthur said as he grabbed Matthew's collar and practically dragged him down below deck. Matt was confused, to say the least but he soon just stopped caring as he was dragged into a room and put on a bed in there. "You're not hurt, at least not what I can see and if you are I expect you to tell me." He looked down at the other, waiting for a reply that never came and he then sighed and shook his head. "Well then, go to sleep. We'll talk more in the morning."
"I want to become a soldier," Matthew soon said, falling onto his back and looking up into the ceiling. "A marine soldier." He expected some kind of gasp or growl but nothing came other than a small huff from the other man.
"That's your goal? Well, I guess I can see why you would happily drown those pirates then. I don't care what you were or what you want, you're on this ship now meaning, you are a pirate, just like the rest of us. When you get off, you can do whatever you want."
"I don't want to become a Marine because of them... I want to get rich." He didn't care how it sounded. People would see him as selfish and perhaps hate him for it but he needed to get Kumajirou back and to honour his brother. He couldn't do that on a pirate ship.
"Ha! Are you stupid for real? You git. Joining the marine might get you a uniform and some respect from locals but it won't get you any money. If you're lucky, you get some money over for a visit to the brothel, if you save it. Just ask some of my crew, they have been soldiers. I'm not saying anything about your goals, do whatever you want. But I think you're delusional and can't think straight. We'll talk more tomorrow, go to sleep now." He looked over at the boy and clenched his jaw slightly. The idiot was already asleep. "Wanker." With that Arthur stepped out of the cabin, closing the door so Matthew could sleep without being disturbed.
Monsieur - Mister
Mon Dieu - My God