Puzzle Pieces

The birds sang sweetly all around her as she tinkered on the table in the workshop near her garden. The door was open, permitting the natural light to enter the room that was usually only lit by the bulbs in the ceiling. Commoners could rarely afford luxuries such as electricity. But being born into a family of nobles, Nya had no lack of the convenient power source.

Electricity had always interested her, and robots held her mind hostage with their appeal and beauty. The shiny metal, the spinning gears, and everything else that came with inventing was mesmerizing.

Yes, she invented. Nya, daughter of Kaytake, often called the fairest of all blossoms by her suitors because of her beauty, was an inventor. That was a part of her secret life. None of the public knew of her true passions. Most believed that she was as her mother, with the love of floral and fauna. While that was most certainly true, her greatest passion was that of building and designing great pieces of machinery.

Zane and Lord Julien had instructed her on many occasions, and were proud of the results of her 'training,' if that is what it could be called. She was not really as much a student as she was a colleague. She worked alongside, not beneath. She was respected among the few mechanics in the Northern realm that knew of her secret life. No one outside of her family knew how she spent most afternoons.

The objects on the table before her were the result of many weeks of work. In fact, she had been in the middle of working on it when she saw her brother snitching one of her mother's berries a few days before.

"Is it almost done, Nya?" A gentle voice asked behind her, making the injured woman jump in fright and grab at a knife hanging from a belt at her hip. She held it in a defensive position in front of her.

Kaytake took a step backward and gaped at her with wide eyes. "It's just me," he said slowly. "What's wrong, honey?"

Nya took a deep breath and sheathed the knife with trembling fingers. "Sorry," she said. "You scared me."

The Southern lord came forward and put a gentle arm around her waist. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Says the beautiful young woman who usually doesn't flinch, even if I were to wake you up with my impish shouting."

"Which you have done before," Nya said with an unsteady grin.

Her father looked mildly offended. "Only once or twice," he said.

"Or every other weekend."

"Eh, those late night parties always make us sleep in the next day." Kaytake let out a low chuckle. "You sort of deserve it. You know you shouldn't stay up as late as you usually do on the weekends." He looked at the table and fingered a few pieces. "What's this?" He asked.

Nya wiggled out of his grasp and picked up the object with the hand not occupied with a cane. It was a small rod with patterned birds and flowers all across it. "Just some decorations for the mech," she said. "I finished all of the important pieces a while ago. I just wanted to make it look prettier before I showed it to Zane and Julien."

Kaytake snorted. "As long as it is functional, I really don't think the decorations matter."

Nya set the rod down and gave her father a stern look. "That's the difference between guys and girls," she said firmly.

"Touché," Kaytake held up his hands in defeat. "I would love to help you out, but I've got to get Walker and the prince to the port. Captain Darren is not a patient man, and will not wait for us if we are late."

Nya nodded and kissed his cheek. "Are you going with them?"

"Good heavens, no." Kaytake said with a laugh. "My place is here, with the rebellions in the North. No, I am leaving the international affairs in the hands of an immature prince, a thief, a robot, a murderer, and worst of all," he smiled ruefully. "Your brother."

"Well, one thing is for sure," Nya said.

"What's that?"

The noblewoman gave her father a strange look. "That is what the Overlord would least expect."

Kaytake blinked once and stared at her for a long moment. "You want to go, don't you?" He asked, suddenly sober.

Silence was dominant for many long seconds before her response came, in the form of a low whisper. "Yes."

Her father's eyes were conflicted, darting to the nearby trees before returning to her face. "You realize how foolish that idea is, don't you?" He asked.

Nya's face darkened. "Yes," she said again. "But I still want to do it. He's just as much my brother he is your son."

"And...if I were to lose you both, daughter?"

"You won't, father."

"You don't know that. Plans often go astray."

"So...I can't go?"

Kaytake sighed and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her in a gentle embrace. "Is the suit functional?" He asked.

"Yes," Nya looked up at him with wide brown eyes. "You aren't really..."

Her father gave her a sad smile and nodded. "Your suit built for speed, right?" He asked.

"Yes, why?" Nya slowly pulled away so she could look at his eyes better. She had a hard time believing that he was not joking.

"Faster than even the Black Bounty?"

"I've never actually tried to test its top speed before, but most likely not. It's only the first model, you know."

The Southern lord's grin returned slowly. "Can you carry two passengers?"

"I can modify for that," she smiled with him, seeing where this was going. "So is that a yes?"

Kaytake took a deep breath and ran his hands through his graying brown hair. "It would certainly be more convenient," he said with a shrug. "It would cut down travel time to as little as six days of flying, instead of two or three weeks on the ship."

Nya wrapped her free arm around his neck and hugged him tightly for a long moment, tears of gratitude on her face. "Thank you so much, father." She whispered in his ear. "I'll bring them back."

Kaytake kissed her cheek. "And in a timely fashion, I would hope." He said. "Don't keep me waiting too long for your return."

"I won't, father." She said. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, daughter." He pulled himself out of her grasp and backed toward the door. "I've got to talk to your mother, then go down and pay the captain who was supposed to take them to the Dark Island." He waved once. "See you soon."

Nya waved and turned back to her work, heart beating heavily in her chest. She was going to the Dark Island!

Kai wandered down the hall, avoiding eye contact with the stone warriors that he passed on his way to the deck. The black soldiers seemed more like animals than men. If you looked one in the eye, they would attack. If not with a sword, then with a harsh shove or a few words in their language that were obviously meant to severely demean him.

He walked out onto the deck and grumbled under his breath as the cold droplets of water crashed against his skin and robbed him of whatever heat he had managed to make while in the rooms below. He was feeling nauseas from the movement of the ship rocking gently in the rapidly growing winds. He looked up at the mast of the huge ship and squinted his eyes, bringing into focus the figure sitting on the long crossbeam, back against the main vertical beam, legs tucked close to his chest. Go figure, Kai thought. It's Zane. Who else would be sitting up there during a storm?

Kai trudged across the deck and grabbed the lanyard. He climbed as quickly as he could, slipping three times in his ascent up the slippery hemp ropes. He reached the horizontal beam and straddled it with his legs like a horse, grabbing the main mast with his hands, quietly observing the white figure on the opposite side of his handhold. He dared to look down once and nearly lost his meager lunch.

"May I help you?" Zane spoke up softly, mind clearly preoccupied.

Kai scooted closer, nearly losing his balance as the ship jerked with a sudden gust. "Maybe," he said. "What's wrong with you?"

"How many times have you asked me that?" The Nindroid said patiently. "It is nothing, please let it go."

"No," Kai said firmly. "Look, you obviously aren't doing well. Will you please talk to me?"

"What gave you the impression that I was not doing well?"

"You're sitting alone in the rain, staring out at those dark rain clouds as if..." He sighed exasperatedly. "I never was good with that kind of poetry," he said. "You get my meaning."

Zane was silent for a long moment before speaking. "What do you think will happen when we get there?"

Kai repositioned his body so he was sitting like his companion, back against the mast. The wind tugged at his hair, tousling it roughly. His fingers trembled as he brought to mind his confrontation three days ago with Sir Cole. The scars on his captor's back had sent shivers down his spine. Some were healed, and were nothing but painless white ridges. Others were still pink and inflamed, but healed on the surface. Only the four that he had cleaned that morning were open and fresh. He hated himself for feeling guilty about the fourth one, the sword wound he had given Cole unintentionally.

"Torture," he said reluctantly. "I've got no doubts on that one."

Zane grunted. "So are you afraid?"

"Who wouldn't be?" Kai replied. "Especially if we end up like Cole." He covered his mouth with his hands. Smooth move, giving away the fact that he knew about those...

Zane shifted suddenly. "And you know what has happened to Cole?" He asked.

Kai growled under his breath. His mouth was so much faster than his brain. "I may have seen a few things," he said.

"And he told you not to tell?" The Northern nobleman pressed gently.

"Sort of," Kai said. "I guess so. But what could it hurt, telling you?"

"Don't," Zane said quickly. "He trusts you. Don't betray him."

"I don't care what he thinks of me," Kai snapped. "That man is already dragging me down to my grave. The least I can do is make my existence miserable for him. I can make him eager to get rid of me, and maybe get a faster death."

"He's more patient than you give him credit for," Zane said.

"What does patience have to do with this?"

"Everything," Zane said. "He won't hasten a death because of hate. If anything, hate would drag out the death for longer than is customary for him."

"You don't know him like I do," Kai insisted. Again, he regretted his words.

Zane snorted. "So this secret talk of yours has left you with some sympathy?"

Kai hesitated. "Yes, I think so."

He heard a chuckle from the wood behind him. "Look, this is a bit off topic," Zane said. "But who would you rather be? Would you want to be Sir Cole, with his power and authority, or us?"

Kai's eyebrow raised. "What exactly sparked this question?"

"Just answer truthfully, please."

"Fine," Kai sighed and rested his head against the mast and was silent for another long moment, cold breeze blowing rain into his face as he pondered the question. "I am content where we are," he said. "If we were in Sir Cole's place, I think I would be more worried."

"Why is that?" Zane prompted. "We wouldn't be dead."

"Because our families are relatively safe right now," Kai replied. "You see, if we were Kozu's servants, we would be striving to not only keep ourselves alive, but our families as well. If we are to die, we can do that knowing our families are safe."

Zane let out a low hum, deep in thought. "Thank you, Kai." He said finally. "I believe that solves my problem."

"That was your problem?" Kai asked. "Seriously? That's what's been eating at you for days now?"

"Yes."

"To what end?" The Southern nobleman asked in an exasperated tone. "Why on earth would you let a pointless question like that consume you?"

Zane chuckled. "I don't know, Kai." He said. "I just don't know."

Kai sighed loudly and shifted uncomfortably in his seat as another gust attempted to unseat him. "Hey, you want to get down?" He asked. "I'm thinking we could start dinner."

"Sounds like a plan," Zane said. He got to his feet as if he were walking on gravel instead of a slippery beam, then grabbed a hold of the ropes and slid down to the ground far below.

Kai watched as his companion made a beeline for the dining room. The Southern nobleman got to his feet in a more clumsy fashion and slid down the rope, following the Nindroid inside.

As soon as he opened the door, he could tell something was up. The room had a noxious smell, perhaps a combination of chicken broth and over-seasoned steak.

He sighed slowly and rubbed his temples. It was going to be another one of those nights...

Kaytake could see the clouds on the horizon long before they reached him. He could not explain it, but the sight of the dark expanse rolling over the ocean left a sick feeling in his stomach. It was almost as if there was something evil in those thunderous clouds, just waiting to pounce out and destroy everything below.

He rode his horse at a fast trot as the drizzle began, his red cloak hood pulled over his head. "Just my luck," he mumbled to himself. "It was sunny when I left the estate a hour ago." It had been hard, but he had finally convinced his wife that letting Nya go with Jay and Lloyd was for the best. Nya's suit was heavily weaponized, and the men escorting her were both excellent fighters. 'Nothing short of an army of stone samurais could hurt them,' Kaytake had assured Driniah.

He had also warned Jay and Lloyd that if they did any flirting with his daughter he would not be very happy. Lloyd had responded with a surprised 'yes sir,' because he really did not have interest in anything beyond a friendship for the young woman. Jay's nod had been slower, but only by about half a second. Kaytake was not worried about it in the least. Jay seemed to consider his options careful before rushing in. It was a trait most likely acquired over years of careful mind discipline. That was what made Walker the best of the best, when it came to thieving. He was calculative and intelligent.

After that short talk, Kaytake had left, riding his horse down the road that led to the port city where the ship Lloyd and Jay had been scheduled to travel on only an hour before the plan change.

Because of the short notice, Kaytake had gone with the first available ship and commissioned it immediately. Now he was going back to the port to inform the captain of the ship, a mister Darren Garth, that he was relieved of the duty. The captain was going to be payed, of course. Just for his troubles, Kaytake was giving him a fair sum of money as a thanks.

Kaytake reached the harbor and rode to the ship afore mentioned, and a man with dirty blond hair and a long nose greeted him straightaway.

"Yeer late," the man said in a strange accent. "Where's the other two?"

Kaytake swung his leg over the saddle and planted both feet on the wet dock. "They aren't coming," he said, pulling a small bag of coins from his pocket. "My apologies, Captain Garth. Here's some money for your trouble." He dipped his head and shook the man's cold hand. "Thank you for your time."

Darren pocketed the money and gave him a smile. But it wasn't a warm smile. It was more of a knowing, conceited smirk. "Thank you, m'lord." He said. "I nearly forgot. I have a message fer you," he waved with his hand, and started walking toward the ship. "If yee could follow me, please. My men'll hold your horse."

An alarm went off in Kaytake's head, and he hesitated. "Who's it from?"

Darren turned around, looking more than a little impatient. "Not sure, someone from the North. Said he didn't have time to drop by the estate, and asked me to give it t'ya."

Kaytake wasn't sure what was making him so suspicious. Perhaps it was this man's strange and informal manner of speaking. Or perhaps it was the dark, thundering rainclouds. There was just something that didn't look right.

But he followed anyway, hand resting casually on the pommel of his sword, just in case. He went up onto the deck and regarded the ten or so men standing on the deck with a polite nod. They simply stared in return, scowls on their faces. He was suddenly glad that Nya had offered to take the men to the Dark Island, because the more he looked at this crew, the less desirable they were.

"Somethin' wrong, m'lord?" The captain spoke up, holding a piece of paper and a white rag in his hands. He strode forward, rotating the rag casually in swinging circles as he held out the sheet of paper.

Kaytake eyed the man's forced polite grin for a long second before taking the paper. He opened it and read the carefully scripted block letters:

To Lord Kaytake, Prince Lloyd, and the Blue Knight.

Perhaps we had met before, and perhaps not. I am a powerful man in the North, and I need you. Excuse the short notice, I've been a bit pressed for time with the rebellion and all, so if you would be as kind as to hold still for perhaps one moment, it could save us both some trouble and hassle.

-Cyrus Borg

Kaytake's head jerked up, and his eyes went wide as the true nature of his situation dawned on him. He dropped the paper to the wet floorboards and reached for his sword. But before he could pull it free of its sheath, Darren leapt forward with his rag and pressed it over Kaytake's mouth and nose.

Instinctively, the nobleman gasped. His mind instantly went fuzzy, and his vision faded. He heard a chorus of rough laughter in the distance and felt a dull pain, as if he had hit a brick wall head on. Perhaps it was his body hitting the floor.

He hardly had time to curse himself for his stupidity before he lost all consciousness, and his world went black.

The ship rocked violently left and right as it struggled to stay airborne in the violent storm.

Zane nearly tripped over his own feet as he stood on his toes to reach the highest shelf, where the more obscure herbs in Sir Cole's collection were stored. They had just finished dinner, and were at that moment busy cleaning up the cooking mess.

"That's not right, Zane." Cole said from his position at the sink. "The cilantro goes between the oregano and the thyme."

"What do you care?" Kai snapped from his side of the room, where he was sweeping the floor. "And what exactly sparked that order of organization, anyway?"

"Just let him be," Zane said as he put the dried cilantro in its proper place. "I'm sure he has his reasons, just stop pushing him."

"No, it's fine." Cole said as he scrubbed the pot they had used for dinner. "Listen, you guys are doing such a terrible job in here, I might as well finish this by myself. You two should go and try to enjoy your final hours as relatively free men."

A soft scoff left Kai's mouth without warning. "What sparked this sudden sympathy?"

"Who said I was sympathetic?" Cole snapped back.

They exchanged frustrated glares for a long moment before Zane stepped between them and lifted his arms in a gesture that firmly requested peace. He stood patient and silent for nearly ten long seconds before Cole and Kai turned back to their jobs.

Zane let his arms drop and nodded tiredly in approval. Sometimes he felt that he held more authority than his captor. He had been the mediator, breaking up these fights frequently over the past four days, and it was getting tiring.

"Kai," Cole said, obviously fighting back a biting edge in his tone. "You're not sweeping properly."

"Well, how is it supposed to be done?" Kai asked, holding back his own malicious edge as he forced the words out.

Cole pointed at a corner to his left. "The corners," he said shortly. "You kicked a pebble into that corner earlier, and it's still there. You obviously aren't sweeping properly if it's still there."

Kai grumbled something inaudible under his breath and swept the corner clean. "What is it with you and tiny details?" His tone held a surprising lack of anger, and was more annoyed than anything else. "Why does everything have to be perfect?"

Zane sighed softly and shook his head. "Kai, please leave him alone."

Cole held up a wet, trembling hand for silence. He obviously wasn't enjoying the fact that he was washing a pot in a tub full of water. "It's a valid question," he said slowly. "I will humor you with an answer since, to the best of my knowledge, the information cannot be used against me for your own gain."

Zane was visibly surprised by Cole's reaction to Kai's rude question.

"Seriously?" Kai asked. "To be perfectly honest, I wasn't expecting an answer."

Cole nodded and grabbed a towel. He dried the pot with careful, methodical strokes. "The pieces to my puzzle have been right in front of your faces the whole time," he began. "You just haven't learned how they all connect. But I'd be lying if I said I understood how I worked, so I won't be hypocritical."

He opened a cupboard and placed the pot on a shelf inside, centering it meticulously before shutting the door again. "My mind is a mess," he said. "A puzzle with pieces beyond my ability to put back together. I have been broken, and I am grieved to say that some of my pieces might even be missing."

He wrung out the cloth that he had used to scrub the pot, then set it carefully in the rag basket. "My mind is a mess," he said eventually. "It cluttered with overstimulated emotions that I cannot control. So to compensate for my lack of mental control, I regulate my environment. I control everything in my personal space, and I care for those under my jurisdiction to the best of my abilities."

He held out his right hand, palm up. "I control what I can see, and what I can feel with my fingers, so that I may forget about the problems in my mind that are out of my control." He clenched his fist tightly, then let it drop limp at his side. "I have very little control over my life, so whenever I see something I have the authority to control, I seize the chance. Does that make any sense to you?"

He sure uses the word 'control' a lot, Zane thought to himself. "Yes, I believe it does." He picked up a bowl of food that had been laid on the counter several minutes earlier. "Is it okay if we take this to my sister now?"

Cole chuckled softly. "A quick change of topic," he remarked. "But yes, I will go with you and unlock her cell door."

"Thank you," Zane nodded respectfully and backed toward the door. Cole and Zane followed him out into the dining room

Kai opened the door, and a huge gust of wind blew a torrent of cold rain into their faces. Cole leapt backwards with a gasp of alarm and drew his cloak tightly around his body.

Zane turned to him, concern and pity glinting in his eyes as Kai shut the door. "If you'd give me the keys," he said. "I could go with Kai, and you could stay here."

Cole shook his head quickly and took a deep breath. "No, I'm fine. Rain is a frequent thing, you know. I'm nearly okay with it." His words were choppy and rushed.

Kai opened the door again, and the three of them walked out into the rain. The deck swayed violently in the light of early dusk, and Kai was nearly swept off of his feet as he struggled to get the door shut. Zane had a feeling that if any of them lost their balance, they could fall straight over the edge of the ship and into the churning waters far below.

Cole lost no time in getting to the stairs. He had spent several years aboard this ship, and had attained excellent balance in that time. The sudden jerks and swaying movements did not phase him nearly as much as the heavy, icy cold water droplets falling from the sky.

Zane felt a strong tug at the base of his neck and realized that his cloak was catching the wind and trying to pull him away. He ignored the painful tugs and followed Cole down the stairs. Kai followed, and they stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

Cole was breathing heavily, pupils dilated as he tried to shake the water droplets out of his hair. "Well that..." He panted. He placed a hand on the wall and kicked his boots on the floor. "That was exciting. But all the same, I'm staying below deck the rest of the night."

Kai slapped Zane's shoulder and laughed. "Would you look at that," he said. "Cole finally found his sense of humor. Granted, it's a little sarcastic. But it's definitely there."

Cole gave him a hard glare and removed his hand from the wall. It swung limply at his side as his other hand went for the keys at his belt. He tossed them without warning, and they landed square in the center of Kai's forehead with a loud clank.

Kai fell backwards with a surprised cry of pain. "What was that for?" He asked, palm traveling to the red welt on his forehead.

Cole shrugged nonchalantly. "You wanted the keys," he said. "Now you've got them."

Zane bent down and grabbed the keys from where they had landed after bouncing off Kai's skull. "Nice throw," he said with a nod. "Thank you. I am glad you finally trust me with these keys."

Cole waved his hand dismissively. "Don't let it go to your head, prisoner." He turned on his heel and walked into his room, shutting the door softly behind him.

Pixal's head jerked up at the sound of soft knocking. Perfect timing. She was just getting done. She flipped the last switch and wiggled back into her shirt in a flash. Her night vision turned on, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she tied the decorative belt around her midsection, over the crumpled white shirt. It felt nice, having her powers back.

She leapt to her feet softly and blew out the candle. Her timing had to be perfect, otherwise her plan wouldn't work.

"Pixal, are you in there?" She heard her brother's voice but she did not answer. That would ruin her escape.

She took off her cloak and hung it over the window, effectively blocking out almost all the remaining light. It was almost dusk anyway, so whatever light did manage to escape through the cloak was grey and hard to discern. Not ideal, but it would have to do.

She heard soft speech on the other side of the door and forced her breathing to still. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she realized the full extent of what she was about to do. She hated herself for it, but she had decided that she had no choice. Her brother was one of them now, and she would have to come back and help him later. She would rescue him eventually, she was sure. And as for Kai? Of course she would do her best to come back for him too. And if she was lucky, she'd have a chance to give that bloody Dark Knight a piece of her mind. And her blade as well, if her luck was exceptionally good that day.

"Just go to our room, Kai. I need some time with my sister." A soft jangle of keys signaled her time was up. Zane was unlocking the door. Uh-oh... That wasn't supposed to happen. Cole was always the one with the keys.

No turning back now, Pixal. She told herself firmly. You don't have to hurt him, this just changes the plan up a bit. She tiptoed over to the door and pressed herself flat against the wall. With any luck, she would blend with the grayish black walls and her brother would not see her leave.

The door opened, and a tall figure entered the room. Pixal held her breath, willing him to not turn his head in her direction.

"Pixal?" Zane's tone was full of worry. "Pixal, where are you? Your candle is out."

Great observation, big brother. She was barely able to keep herself from spitting the words out in his face. Yes, my candle it out. Now please take about two more steps, and I will be out of your hair. No more liability, no more crutch. You'll have one less person to protect.

Zane took one hesitant step, apparently realizing what was actually going on. "Pixal, don't you realize what you're doing to me?" He asked, staring at the cloak that hung over the window. "Where are you planning on escaping to? Why are you leaving me?" His voice was becoming frantic. "Did you stop to consider what Cole will do to me when he finds out that you have escaped? I have the keys, you know. He finally trusts me, and now you're going to blow whatever progress I've made with this? You didn't come to me first."

Stockholm syndrome set in fast for him, Pixal thought with regret and bitterness. I need to hurry up and get out of here before he makes me change my mind.

She heard Zane sigh softly. His silhouette shifted, and he turned his head to the right, beginning his sweep around the room with the fleeting hope of finding her before she ran off. "Listen," he said quickly. "Do what you need to do, Pix. Get away from here. I'll give you ten seconds to run before I get Sir Cole, and we will chase you. I have no choice, I'm sorry."

Pixal decided to speak up, and she did so in a soft whisper. "What about you, brother?" This wasn't supposed to happen. Her plan had been for Sir Cole to come into the room first with the keys in hand, just like he always had before. At the time, she had decided to then knock him out with a blow to the back of the head, grab Kai and her brother, then leave before Cole woke up. This new trust development had certainly screwed things up good. Zane was such a puzzle to her.

"I don't care what he does to me," Zane replied. "As long as you are safe, I will be happy." He hesitated a moment. "There are no life rafts, so you will have to swim. Just get out of here, and do it now."

Why is he doing this? Pixal took a step toward the door, placing most of her weight on that foot. She knew the wood in this spot would not creak. And even if it did, the wind was too loud to hear such a soft noise.

Even if he has sided with the enemy, I suppose his greatest loyalties still lie with family. Unexpected, and a little but heartwarming, she decided.

Zane turned his head slowly, his eyes finally landing on her. The blue orbs glinted with tears in the darkness as he whispered. "I love you, sister." He pointed at the door. "I'm counting down now, starting at ten..." A breath, a hesitant step in her direction. "Nine..."

With one last surge of determination, she ran through the door with swift, silent footsteps, and the chase began.