Gracia-on the Derech Eretz
The ship cast off the day after Zaken became employed on it. Finding that his muscles were too weak to be of any good in the cargo hold, he was put to work as a cleaner, along with two other sickly looking youths. One was a tall, skinny boy with long, curly brown hair and a square chin, the other was a short, squat boy with a round face and short, spiked thin orange hair. They went by the names Tillion and Kylon.
"Captain on deck!" Eldridge shouted not long after casting off. Zaken, Tillion and Kylon looked up from the tasks they'd been given as the senior crew mates stood at attention. The captain strolled out from his quarters with his arms folded behind his back like an army general, and gazed around at his crew with an air of haughty authority.
Tillion and Kylon glanced at Zaken as he dropped the mop he'd been using. It smacked the deck loudly, causing a few senior crew mates to glare at him. "It's him!" Zaken hissed under his breath. He still remembered the night his father and sister were killed in stunning clarity, and the very man that had lead the attack on them was strolling across the deck! Zaken's laugh began softly and then slowly crescendoed as he realized the irony of it all.
"What is that? Who's laughing?" The captain's voice barked, glancing amongst his crew. They all slowly turned to glare at Zaken, and Tillion and Kylon attempted to hush him. A younger, clean-shaven version of the captain stepped out from behind him, glaring at Zaken.
"I think he means to disrespect us, father." the teen, whose name was Mordecai stated. The captain took quick, measured steps towards Zaken, his son following close behind. Tillion and Kylon backed away with large eyes as the captain stopped in front of them.
"You, dog! What is your name? How dare you laugh in my presence when it is an honor for you to be aboard my ship!" the captain snapped. When Zaken continued to laugh, the captain's son growled and grabbed a handful of Zaken's hair, pulling him backwards roughly.
"Answer him, worm!" Mordecai snarled, shaking Zaken roughly. Anger instantly lit in Zaken's expression, and he swung his arms around to grab the captain's son by the back of the neck. The hold was reversed, and Zaken flipped him onto his back. Before anyone could react, Zaken then smoothly lifted Mordecai and slammed him against the railing of the ship, pinning and pressing on his neck with his forearm.
"Release him!" the captain shouted, and there was a flurry of movement as sailors and the captain attempted to pull Zaken from Mordecai. Tillion and Kylon stood to the side and watched the scene dumbly, too shocked by Zaken's sudden hostility to do anything. Zaken was stronger than he looked, and not even the group of men that shouted and tugged on his arms could pull him off of the purpling teen.
"Zaken, you're going to kill him!" Komugi cried uselessly. The look of hateful rage on his face both pained her heart and frightened her to the spot. Mordecai gasped for air and his arms flopped uselessly as he tried to struggle. Zaken's hair was pulled, his clothes were nearly tugged apart by the seams, his arms were jerked, but nothing could budge him.
Relief for Mordecai finally came when Eldridge pushed his way through the crowd to Zaken and smacked him on the back of the head with a bully stick. Zaken's rage turned to surprise, and he fell forward onto Mordecai. He was jerked off of the boy a second later and pulled into the gathered crowd of sailors, who began to kick and beat him.
"Eldridge, who is that boy? How dare you let such a deranged beast upon my ship!" the captain snapped, kneeling next to his son who coughed and rubbed his throat.
"Nobody, Captain Ranen, sir. Just some poor fool I pulled off the street and let on the ship." He grabbed Zaken from the middle of the circle of sailors that continued to beat him, pulling the boy across the deck. Zaken coughed once as he was relieved from the pummeling. Both of his eyes had been blackened, and blood poured from his nose and mouth. "He seemed like a good candidate to be on the ship in comparison to all of the whelps with families that tried to apply, but I see he's a little too dangerous. I'll take full responsibility for this, sir." Eldridge bowed respectfully to Ranen and Mordecai before dragging Zaken across the deck by his arm. Sailors spat on him as he was pulled past them and down into the brig.
"I don't want him on the ship, father." Mordecai rasped as Ranen helped him to his feet. "He'll kill us both if we don't toss him overboard now." Ranen said nothing, his jaw clenched tightly as he stared at the open trapdoor leading into the brig. There was something familiar about that youth, something that made him feel that his son's suggestion was wise. However, they needed expendable youth, and so long as Eldridge could keep the boy under control, they could use him.
"Listen here, boy." Eldridge snapped in a husky voice. He swung Zaken roughly around his body and tossed him into a cell. "You'll stay down here and cool your head, but know that I let you on this ship for one reason, and one reason alone." He crouched down as Zaken weakly opened his swollen eyes to stare at him. "That Captain up there…he has lost sight of loyalty and seeks only to pad his pockets. This ship is fully suited for battle, but he uses it only to deal in supplies and slaves. I know the captain was the one that killed your family; I was there with him when that Ol Mahum took off with you." Zaken raised his head slowly, a dim memory of Eldridge standing in the courtyard, watching Giuseppe fly overhead after leaping through the upper window with him flashing through his head. "Let me tell you, that attack wasn't over the territory, Ranen just wanted to snag some supplies and slaves before the war did get to you. Sad to say, your sister wasn't a virgin when Ranen's Oel Malhum went to check her out, otherwise she'd probably still be alive. A great beauty she was, pity she couldn't keep her legs closed." Komugi, sitting beside Zaken in the cell, could see his jaw clench as his rage began to build again. Eldridge didn't notice, and continued. "So keep your head low for now boy, and you'll get your chance to kill of that idiot of a captain and his spoiled bastard of a son." Eldridge flashed him a dark, toothy grin as he stood, and locked the brig cell. "I'll be down to get you again in a few days; don't die from internal bleeding or anything until then." He turned and walked towards the ladder leading above deck with a dark chuckle.
Zaken was silent for a moment, and then he took the pan meant for relieving oneself in and threw it against the bars with a loud shout. He threw himself at the bars next, and gripped them with both hands and shook them like a chained beast, shouting in anger in frustration. He flung himself to the ground and beat on it until his fists were raw and bloody, like a child throwing a tantrum. Komugi shut her eyes and looked away, unable to stand watching him when she couldn't do anything for him. A lump rose in her throat and she swallowed against it.
"You are sad, I am sorry." A deep voice came as soon as Zaken's voice gave out from his yelling. He lifted his head quickly, looking to the cell across from him. A huge hulking shadow sat just out of view, and Komugi could hear a chain jingling as it shifted. "Krantz understands, was sad too when got put down here." Komugi's lips parted in surprise at his words, relieved beyond delight to know that Krantz was there.
Zaken was silent for a bit as he pushed himself up to sit, then moved to the front of the cage to see better. "You said your name was Krantz?" he asked, his voice raw. "Why are you being held here, when we just cast off?"
"Got a bad temper." Krantz said sadly. "Like puppies and kittens, but end up crushing their heads when they bite." He sighed heavily and shifted. Komugi could make out brown hair on the top of his head, but his features remained hidden. "Cap'n found out about Great Grandpa. Lesser Giant. So instead of being tossed overboard when Krantz broke the cabin boy from before, got put down here. Get let out when Cap'n thinks someone will try and kill him…but…" he sighed heavily again. "Krantz likes soft things, but like killing things too, makes for sad."
"How sad for you, Krantz." Zaken said, leaning against the bars again. "I'm beginning to see that this Captain Ranen knows nothing about running a proper ship as well. Ships such as this should be used for things that are not ferrying about cargo; it's a waste of this ship's design."
"Then take it over yourself, and name yourself captain if you think you can do it better." A new voice came. Zaken's head lifted quickly at the sound, and Tillion and Kylon came into view. "You sound like you're talking big there, your first day on this ship and already acting like you know it all." Tillion stated, folding his arms across his chest and leaning against the bars of the cell.
"Just be thankful you don't have to go through that awful territory war." Kylon shivered, hugging himself.
"I do know it all." Zaken said seriously, without blinking. "My father was a naval man himself when he was younger; I've been taught since birth the mechanics of a ship. This one is not being used as it was intended." Tillion scoffed and tossed his curly hair from his face.
"Do tell." He said, rolling his eyes. "I don't see how you're in a position to be stuck up about this though; you're going to be targeted by everyone now. Probably knifed in your sleep as soon as you get out." When Zaken didn't respond to his haughty comment, he narrowed his eyes at him. "And what is this ship made for, if it isn't for a safe cargo delivery?"
Zaken stood and glanced about the brig with calculating eyes. "Piracy." He said simply while staring at the crossbeams.
"Aren't we being pirates by supplying both sides with cargo?" Kylon asked curiously, staring at the same crossbeam Zaken was focused on. The blonde scoffed and began wiping at the dried blood on his face.
"If this is piracy, then it is the cowardly sort. People are supposed to fear Pirates, and know their names, not think they're dealing with a black market merchant." Zaken stated simply. "I've never run a ship myself, but I think I could be a much better pirate than anyone on the ship now."
"Oh really." Tillion said icily. "Fine then Captain, prove it." Zaken blinked and stared at him without expression, as if he finally realized the hostility apparent in Tillion's tone.
"Name your terms, and I will." Zaken said seriously.
"You can't be serious!" Kylon sputtered, taking a step away from the cell. Tillion narrowed his eyes and then scoffed again.
"Wow, you really are full of yourself, aren't you?" he laughed shortly.
"If that is what you view me as then yes, I am." Zaken said simply. Tillion clenched his fists in rage and whipped around to face the cell. It occurred to Komugi that if Zaken had been within reach, he would've tried to punch him. He backed away from the cell bars after a moment with a soft growl.
"Three months." He spat. "If you can manage to pull off a successful mutiny in three months, then I'll admit you know your stuff and…." He glanced around the brig, his eyes landing on Krantz. "…and I'd eat whatever that guy's crapshoot releases. But if you can't form a successful mutiny, you'll have to bang the first disease-ridden toothless whore we find on land, and eat that guy's crapshoot deposit."
"Nice." Komugi said flatly, lowering her eyelids at him in disgust.
"Oh, that's not very tasty, trust me." Krantz said, shifting again.
"Bon appetite." Zaken said, and grinned darkly. Komugi stared at them in disbelief as they shook hands, sealing the agreement. Kylon appeared to be just as disgusted as she.
"You guys are disgusting." she groaned, turning away from them.
In reality, Ryonai and Shizuka continued to make their way through the Frozen Labyrinth. "Halt!" a voice rang out across the snow. They paused in their conversation to find a light elf wearing brown leather armor and a blue tunic blocking their path onto a bridge. "None may enter the Ice Queen's Castle without a proper request for audience. Turn around now." He commanded in a stern voice.
"Aww, but we're not hurting anything, just killing a few bears!" Shizuka whined, pouting at the man. She still wore Kylon's corsair hat, and it killed any effects her pouting once had on others.
"What!" the man exclaimed, his hands clenching into fists. "You're defiling Queen Freya's pristine white lands with blood?"
"Come on Shizuka." Ryonai said through clenched teeth as he grinned sheepishly at the Steward. He took Shizuka by her arm and guided her back in the direction they had just traveled. "We don't tell official people like that about what we're doing." He continued, cheesily waving at the Steward who watched them go with a look of horror.
"But that Rafforty guy didn't care, and he was official looking!" Shizuka pouted. Ryonai sighed heavily and put a hand to his forehead. He loved Shizuka dearly, but sometimes her ditziness was too much, even for him.
"Rafforty wasn't obviously part of the Ice Queen's guard." Ryonai said, suddenly feeling tired.
"Oh, how sad!" Shizuka said, her voice suddenly thick with tears.
"I don't think Rafforty cares, no reason to feel sorry for him." Ryonai said.
"No, not Rafforty, that statue up there! It's so sweet and sad!" Shizuka sniffled. Ryonai followed her hand as she pointed, his eyes widening. Upon a ledge not far above them, was the 'statue' of two Orcs cowering in fear. One was a female Orc with a veil on her face and the other was a male, frozen in the act of trying to shield the girl from some unseen threat.
"Sprissa!" Ryonai exclaimed, recognizing the woman Orc to be his traveling companion from long ago.
Zaken was released from the brig a couple of days after he'd been put down there. He had come down with a fever from his injuries, but was forced to work on deck anyway. Impressed by how well he did despite his sickness, Kylon would act as a nurse to Zaken at night when his shift was through.
As predicted, Zaken received much scorn the first two weeks after his attack on Mordecai. Many of the crew members went out of their way to find subtle methods of further injuring the teen, but their harsh bullying petered out when he did not respond to it.
Tillion's own haughtiness grew as Zaken appeared to not be making any headway with his plans of mutiny. When they'd go ashore, he'd loudly point out every diseased prostitute they passed, asking Zaken if he found them pretty. The whore would then take up following after the boys, calling out phrases that were a poor attempt at being seductive. Kylon always would look terrified by them, but Zaken would go about his duties and treat them as if they were common townswomen, not broken whores at all.
This began to earn a name for him on the land amongst the older prostitutes as a gentleman who treated even disgusting lumps of flesh like themselves as ladies. The crew of the Derech Eretz was welcomed then to use many of the broken prostitute's brothels as a place to rest while they were docked. None of the sailors dared to bed any of the women there, but their cooking and lodgings were a welcome relief from the hammocks and hardtack they ate while on the ship.
"Ah, look at her, wonder who she's visiting." Perry, one of the crewmates said one afternoon. He and an Elf named Alvar stood on deck, rolling up a heavy mast rope. Down below, a pretty young Dark Elf noblewoman wearing a richly embroidered dress with steel gray hair piled high on her head walked toward the ship. Dark Elves were a rarer sight in Gracia, as most were content to hide underground. The woman had a courier following her, carrying a bag piled to the brim with food.
"Wow, it looks like the Captain really was happy with how fast we got the last shipment of cargo to its destination." Zaken commented, stopping near the railing to gaze at the woman. "It appears he's gotten us a real lady to cook us dinner tonight." Perry and Alvar stopped what they were doing to stare at Zaken silently. The youth moved away from the railing without a word and over to Kylon and Tillion as they carried buckets of soapy water out onto the deck.
"Mmm, who's that?" a gruffer sailor who went by the name of Beryl asked in a lust-filled voice. The Dark Elf woman paused at the cargo ramp and turned to scold her courier as he stepped on the train of her dress.
"Captain brought us a lady to cook us dinner!" Alvar exclaimed, a smile breaking out on his face.
"Hey, we don't know that for sure!" Perry hissed at him.
"Isn't that a pretty sight?" Beryl said distractedly, moving away from the railing. He slid down to another crew mate who had been eyeballing the Dark Elf with equal lust and shared this info with him. The rumor quickly spread, and soon the entire crew began to shift in anticipation of a dinner cooked by a beautiful Dark Elf lady.
"Maybe she'll give us a little show too!" a crewmate guffawed later on that night in the galley as they waited for their dinner.
"You think their nipples are pink or gray?" another asked, turning to Tillion. He paused as he realized he'd spoken to the deck scrubber, and then glanced at the wide-eyed stare Kylon gave him and the aloof disinterest of Zaken. "Ah that's right, you boys are probably virgins." The crewmate sniggered, and then turned away.
"I'm sorry." Kylon whimpered. Tillion smacked him on the back of his head with an annoyed glare.
"Where the hell did they get the idea that a Dark Elf noble was going to cook us dinner?" Tillion asked Zaken. He shrugged and turned in his seat as Teman, the surly, sweat stained galley chef, limped out with a large stewpot and set it heavily on the end of the long table the crew sat at.
"Come 'n get it!" he bellowed. There was a moment of stunned silence and then the entire galley erupted into shouts of protest.
"HEY! What's going on in here?" Eldridge's sharp voice shouted over the noise.
"Where's our Dark Elf noble dinner?" Beryl demanded angrily as the volume of shouts decreased slightly.
"Yeah! We were promised a dinner cooked by a pretty lady for our hard work!" another chimed in. There were shouts of agreement with this.
"Dark Elf noble dinner? What in the name of the great deep are you people talking about?" Eldridge demanded, clanging on the stewpot as the shouts began anew. "Half of the cargo the Captain had brought was broken because of you men's negligence with loading it. Speedy time or not, you cost him several hundred graces, why in the gods name would we reward you?" he snarled. "Now eat your stew and get back to work, Captain wants to cast off early tomorrow morning!" He turned his back on the eruption of anger and stalked out the galley through the captain's door.
"Hey, Zaken!" Kylon exclaimed as Zaken silently stood up and left the table. He and Tillion slid out as the crew in the galley began fighting each other to relieve their disappointment and followed Zaken out onto the deck.
"Where in the world did they get that idea?" Tillion repeated as soon as they were above.
"Captain Ranen bought a high-class Dark Elf whore for his son and a meal to match her price. I overheard him saying how he was ashamed his son hadn't had a woman yet." Zaken said lightly, walking to the forecastle deck and leaning on the railing. "I guess the men saw it and got the wrong idea."
"You liar, you spread that rumor!" Tillion snapped, stomping a challenging foot forward. "Don't think that making the crew angry enough to kill you is going to get you out of our deal!" he added. Zaken didn't respond and pulled a small ocarina from his pocket. He lifted it to his lips and began to play a melody that sounded clearly over the crash of the waves. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" Tillion shouted.
"Look at that!" Kylon breathed, pointing. Women wearing tattered clothing began to pull themselves up on the docks from the water, and stood gazing up at the ship shyly. "It's those broken whores you keep teasing Zaken about!" he exclaimed, recognizing the pock-marked, gaping-toothed faces immediately.
Zaken lifted the ocarina to his lips again and played two notes. The women on the dock responded by suddenly breaking into a wavering melody. Tillion and Kylon raced to the railing and watched in shock as the broken, diseased appearance of the whores shed away like an extra skin, falling to the dock along with their tattered clothes. In their place stood creatures of such beauty and exquisiteness, even Kylon who was perpetually afraid of anything female, felt himself growing weak in their presence.
"Sirens!" Tillion breathed in awe and fear. "How did you know?" he asked, staring at Zaken with large eyes. The Siren's song carried into the noisy galley even, and crew mates began to slowly empty out onto the deck curiously. As they did, the Sirens flew up to the ship like angels, and landed gracefully in front of the men. Before the bewildered men could speak, they were embraced and kissed lovingly, as if the men where the siren's true loves.
"Tillion my friend, the common seafaring man desires but three things in his life." Zaken began, putting the ocarina back into his pocket and stepping up onto the deck over the captain's quarters. "Comfort in the form of food, warmth or a bed companion, money and fame." He sat on the deck and grinned at them roguishly. "Please, be my guest." He said, holding his hand out as three Sirens landed gracefully on the upper deck with them. A tall, slender one knelt beside Kylon and began stroking his hair, causing the shorter boy's eyes to roll into his head. He let out a gurgling groan, his leg shaking like a dog's.
Komugi, fully eaten by jealousy as a pretty Siren pressed herself against Zaken, turned away and stared out over the ocean. "I'd like to move ahead, thank you." She said to no one in particular, not enjoying this part of Zaken's memory. "God men are disgusting." She said distastefully. "Think outside of your pants for once!" she shouted as Kylon fell over near her. Of course, she went unheard, and sighed in disgust.
No one seemed to realize that it had been Zaken who summoned the Sirens; by the way they continued to treat him. Tillion began to breathe easy again; comforted by the fact that Zaken was still at square one in forming his mutiny.
Within the week of casting off again, a great storm hit the ship. The crew raced across the wet, slippery deck trying to secure the masts, great waves of water hitting them. Kylon clung to the main mast, holding on for dear life as the ship was tossed to and fro. Zaken raced about with the rest of the crew, securing tethers and working to re-tie the knots holding the sails.
"Tie that, I'll hold it!" Beryl shouted to Zaken as the teen steadied himself with another toss of the ship. He nodded; rain and seawater pouring down his face too much for him to speak. The rope kept slipping around the metal notch he was attempting to tie it around, and he clenched his jaw in frustration. Another great wave hit the ship, and Beryl shouted as he was flung over the railing.
"Man overboard!" Alvar shouted from the crows nest.
"Leave him! Focus on getting the sails secure! Captain needs to get his cargo to the destination!" Eldridge shouted.
"Where is the captain? Why isn't he out here?" Perry demanded over the crash of thunder.
"The captain is our only way of negotiating; he needs to remain safe no matter what!" Eldridge snapped. "HEY! What are you doing?" he shouted as Zaken dashed below the deck to the brig. He slid across the deck and dropped down in time to see Zaken fumbling with the set of keys that usually hung near the ladder.
"Krantz my large friend, I need your assistance." Zaken said in a hurry, cramming an iron key into the lock on his cell door and flinging it open.
"Gotta kill?" Krantz asked, his voice a mixture of sadness and hope.
"Quite the contrary, we're going to help someone live for once." He grinned. Krantz's large face seemed to light up with this thought, and he pushed himself to his feet. "Hurry now, I know you're stiff, but you're the only one who can help me!" Zaken urged. Eldridge let out a frightened noise as the 12-foot tall, Lesser Giant's grandchild stomped past him. He was so big he didn't need to use the ladder onto the deck, he merely lifted himself up.
"Beryl!" Perry shouted over the side of the railing. He ducked down as a wave of water crashed over him. "He's still out there! He's holding on to some tether rope!"
"I said leave him!" Eldridge snapped, emerging from the brig. He grabbed Zaken's arm as the teen was tying rope around his waist. "I don't know what you have planned by releasing that beast right now, but if you're going to try and take over this ship while we're in this time of chaos…"
"If that was my intention, I would've told Krantz that yes, we were killing people, not the opposite." Zaken retorted, jerking his arm from Eldridge's grasp. He handed the end of the heavy rope to Krantz as soon as he made sure his knot wouldn't pull free. "Hold onto that Krantz and don't let go. As soon as you see me grab the man floating out there, you pull me back in, alright?" Krantz nodded, and wrapped the rope once around his large wrist.
"Man overboard!" Alvar shouted again as Zaken dove gracefully over the railing.
"What the hell is he thinking?" Tillion shouted as he joined Perry at the railing. The two of them grabbed onto the railing as another wave of water crashed over the side.
"You're holding us up, let go of that!" Eldridge shouted, trying to tug the rope from Krantz's grasp.
"Zaken friend, won't let go!' Krantz said, not budging.
"You will obey me you mindless brute!" Eldridge screeched hysterically. He pulled a whip from his belt and began to lash it across the giant's shoulders. Deep scores were opened up in his tanned skin, but he didn't release the rope. The ship was tossed into the air as it hit a particularly large wave, and everyone on the deck was knocked off their feet, except Krantz. Eldridge growled and stood, humiliated as well as angry, and lifted his whip again. There was a clang as a coal shovel suddenly connected with the back of Eldridge's head, and the man grinned dumbly before crumpling into a heap. Kylon looked down at him with an apologetic expression, the shovel gripped firmly in his hand. He lifted up the end of the rope that still dangled on the deck. Krantz's face showed strain as he held onto the rope, the current carrying Zaken far under the water. He'd pull when Zaken would disappear below the crashing waves, helping the teen resurface.
"Tillion, come on and help!" Kylon shouted, holding out some more of the rope to his friend. Tillion turned away and pretended to be re-securing the sail rope on the opposite end of the ship. Perry slid towards Kylon and took the rope instead, and pulled as hard as he could when Krantz did.
Out in the water, Zaken coughed as rain hit him in the face. He swam as hard as he could, Beryl clinging to a piece of lumber that had broken off of the ship. Another wave hit him, and he was sucked underneath the waves once more, the current trying to pull him down. He was jerked roughly this time as the people holding onto his rope helped him back up, and the ocarina slid from his pocket in the movement. Zaken's eyes widened underwater and he groped for it, but he was unable to fight against both the strong pulling on his rope, and the current of water. He watched helplessly as the Siren's ocarina sunk deep under the water before swimming back up to the surface.
He broke the water near Beryl, and latched onto the larger man. Beryl clung to the lumber for dear life, but was unconscious from stress. Zaken lifted the end of rope that he had left dangling from his knot, and wrapped it around the man's waist. He ducked his head down as another wave crashed over him, nearly loosing his grip. Shaking his head to clear the water-soaked hair from his face, he finished securing the rope around Beryl's waist, and then turned towards the ship and waved as hard as he could.
"He's got him!" Perry shouted. More crew abandoned their posts and rushed over to grab on to what was left of the rope. "Alright men, heave!" Perry commanded. They all pulled at the same time, the rope going taut. Not as tall as the other men, Kylon kicked his feet as he was lifted off of the deck as the rest of the crew raced over to help. The ship began to tilt as Krantz pulled the strength of the water that wished to keep the two men who had fallen victim to it just as strong as the Lesser Giant's grandson. Tillion grabbed onto the railing on the opposite side of the ship and clung on for dear life, ropes, boxes and other supplies sliding over onto Krantz's side. Still unconscious, Eldridge slid with it, and added to the debris lining the side of the ship.
"What in heavens name is going on out here?" Ranen shouted, emerging from the Captain's quarters just as the ship began to tilt. He grabbed onto his doorframe to support himself, his eyes large. "Who let Krantz out of the brig?" he demanded. No one answered him, too intent on pulling their two wayward crew mates from the sea.
Zaken and Beryl were pulled back on the deck after a moment's struggling, and the crew holding onto the rope collapsed in an exhausted heap. Zaken, on all fours, coughed the seawater from his lungs before collapsing onto his side and rolling onto his back. Beryl lay on his stomach next to him, coughing himself.
"Storm's clearing!" Alvar shouted wearily. Indeed, it was like the sea was pleased with Zaken's bravery, and the ship's rocking ceased as they sailed out of the dark clouds and into a red-orange sunset. The crew cheered and surrounded Zaken and Beryl, patting the teen on the shoulders for a job well done. Zaken merely smiled weakly and panted, trying to regain his senses. Outside of the crowd, Tillion scowled darkly as he wrung out his hair.
"That was kind of fun, actually!" Kylon exclaimed, walking over to him.
"Shut up, midget." Tillion grumbled. Kylon's face turned red and his hands clenched at his sides.
"Don't call me a midget!" he cried, swinging his fists. Tillion put a hand on the shorter boy's forehead, planting him in place. His arms were short like his legs, and he swung uselessly, trying to clip Tillion. The taller boy stared in deep thought, watching as the crew lifted Zaken up and carried him below deck. He had to do something, or Zaken's mutiny would succeed at this rate…
"Can you do something for them?" Ryonai panted and leaned heavily on the raised arm of the ice-statue Orc. He'd dragged both Sprissa and Broud's statues back to Rafforty, who circled them with a pensive expression.
"Were these the only two there?" the older man asked, worry creasing his forehead.
"Other than the nice Zombie that gave me his hat, yep!" Shizuka replied happily, putting her hands on the corsair hat and twirling with it.
"Shizuka, please take that off already." Ryonai pleaded. He was wearier from resisting the urge to laugh at her more than he was carrying the heavy Orcs back to Rafforty, and couldn't handle it anymore.
"But I like it." Shizuka sniffled, sticking her lower lip out at Ryonai. He sighed in defeat and sat heavily on the floor of Rafforty's cabin.
"Wait, why do you ask?" Ryonai questioned Rafforty, realizing what the man had asked. Rafforty was silent for a moment as he dug two crystal vials from the cargo boxes lining his walls.
"There was the cutest little rose-haired girl with these two a day ago. They stayed here a couple of days because the poor girl was half dead from the cold." Rafforty responded, opening the vial and pouring the contents over Sprissa's head. Slowly, the ice began to melt from her hair with a crackling noise, and Rafforty did the same to Broud. "Delightful little spitfire that Komugi, I hope she got away from the Ice Queen, unlike these two."
"Komugi?" Ryonai responded, standing up quickly.
"You know her?" Rafforty asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Where was she going, did she say?" Ryonai asked quickly, ignoring Rafforty's question. Shizuka's face darkened slightly behind Ryonai, but it was hard to say if it was emotional or because the hat slid down over her eyes. Rafforty opened his mouth to respond, but the group was interrupted as Sprissa gasped loudly.
"Where am I?" she demanded with large eyes. Her voice had a hysterical edge, and she looked around the cabin, confused. Broud's face became free next, and he gasped as well before roaring in anger. Rafforty backed away as Broud began to struggle underneath the ice.
"Let me at that bitch, I'll rip her heart out!" Broud shouted, the ice cracking as he moved.
"Wait until the potion melts you, otherwise you'll break your own arms off!" Rafforty exclaimed, watching in worry as the cracks in Broud's arms began to bleed. With only a look from Ryonai, Shizuka quickly cast a sleep spell upon the large Orc, and his struggling stilled.
"Sprissa, what happened? Where's Komugi?" Ryonai asked, kneeling beside her as she fell onto her side, shivering. Rafforty pulled a heavy fur pelt from another box and covered her with it.
"Ice Queen's guard took us…got separated." Sprissa managed to get out despite her chattering teeth. "Gargoyle said…Freya wanted to see Komugi separate." Ryonai stared at her without expression for a moment before standing and adjusting his gloves.
"Mr. Rafforty, keep an eye on them, would you?" Ryonai asked politely as Shizuka handed him his travel pack.
"Sure but…what will you do?" Rafforty asked with large eyes.
"Got some ice to pick." Ryonai glowered, shouldering his pack and walking out of the cabin without a word. Shizuka trotted after him with a bright smile, as if they were leaving for a picnic, leaving a bewildered Rafforty with two thawing Orcs in the middle of his cabin.