Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters from the anime. I own the plot and the Tide Whisperer. Warning: there are graphic medical procedures in this chapter. Enjoy, everyone! Review!
A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews so far, they really mean a lot to me. I like to know I'm not writing this for no reason. ^_^
D-17 pharaohfox: I had chills when I wrote that part. Thanks for the review.
Nissy's angel: I'm so glad you're liking this story. Here's the next installment.
AyaSeth: I was surprised by it myself. The story plays out in my mind like a movie, and I said the exact same thing Seto did when he cut himself. Then I realized what was happening and said, "Ahh…nice, quick thinking there, Yami."
Chapter Two – Subordination
Atemu ambled up the rope ladder onto the deck of the grand galleon. He clenched his wounded hand into a fist and held it against his stomach in a vain attempt to alleviate the ache. Each time he had gripped the coarse rope, the fibers agitated the cut.
The deck was mostly deserted save for the two young men on the starboard side, sitting on a pair of barrels playing a game of dice. One was tall with shoulder length, sandy-blond hair, deep olive skin; the other was relatively shorter than average with long, thick raven black hair and a youthful face.
The stranger came up beside Atemu a moment later, and Atemu pivoted and narrowed his eyes on the tall brunet.
"I think it's about time you told me who you are." He stated calmly, matter-of-factly.
The stranger parroted Atemu's expression, "Why didn't you ask before now?"
"Because we were a little busy earlier. There wasn't any time for chatting."
"Seto," The stranger replied ominously, "Captain Seto Leandro."
He waited for a reaction. That moment where the kid's confident demeanor shattered to make way to panic. He waited; but it never came.
Perhaps he's more simple-minded than I thought?
"Atemu." The boy said in the same tone of voice Seto had used, "Atemu Santiago."
Seto frowned, "Your cousin told me your name was Yamir or something similar."
"It was, but Yamir is dead."
"How so?"
"I assume that you're going to take me away from Spain? It's best that everyone believed that I was dead so that they'll leave my family alone. So," The seriousness in his voice caught Seto off guard, "You should refer to me as Atemu, and I shall not respond to anything else."
"Don't give me orders, boy." Seto said heatedly.
Atemu just waved away the underlying threat in those words, "What happens now?"
Seto turned in the direction of the two men who hadn't noticed their presence yet.
"Malik, go and wake the crew and prepare them for departure." Seto and Atemu watched as the sandy-haired man rushed to obey, "Mokuba, see to Atemu's wound."
The raven-haired boy crossed the deck toward them with a confident swagger befitting his station. Mokuba may have been a few years younger than Atemu and the shortest member of the White Dragon pirates, but what he lacks in age and stature, he makes up for in strength and cunning. He was the White Dragon's first mate and Seto's kid brother.
"No problem." Mokuba said as he reached them, gesturing for Atemu to show him the wound.
Atemu complied with an air of nonchalance, even though the wound was enough to make the teenaged pirate blanch. Mokuba recollected himself and then, setting a hand between Atemu's shoulders, he shoved the older boy toward the door heading toward the crew's living quarters beneath the stern of the ship.
Just before they disappeared inside, Atemu turned back toward Seto, "Hey, could you find me some clothes? I'd rather not continue looking like a dandy if I'm going to become a pirate."
Seto grunted disapprovingly.
He was the pirate Captain Seto Leandro, not some kid's errand boy. And where had he gotten the idea that he would become part of the crew?
Never mind. I just might end up strangling him before the week is through.
Mokuba pushed Atemu into a chair in one of the private quarters reserved for the captain and the first mate. He then quickly retrieved the medical bag where he stored all of his supplies from inside his mahogany steamer trunk.
He pulled out several items from the bag; bandages, alcohol, a small bag of horsehair and needles, a scalpel, a couple jars of medicinal herbs, a mortar and pistil, and a small wooden bowl.
He started with the scalpel. Mokuba grabbed Atemu's hand in a vice-like grip before he used the flat of the blade to prod the edges of the wound, judging how deep it was beneath the still pooling blood. He then used the thicker edge to scrape the inside of the wound to be sure all the dirt and fibers were out. Mokuba was impressed that Atemu did little more than hiss a time or two.
Once that was finished, Mokuba took the alcohol and poured a generous portion over the cut. Another hiss occurred, followed closely by Atemu instinctively trying to pull away from the sting of the liquid, but Mokuba held fast. After the alcohol, Mokuba bunched up a length of bandages and pushed it into Atemu's palm, "Grip this as hard as you can."
Atemu obeyed, and Mokuba went on to grind some medicinal leaves, a couple of seeds, and some sort of yellowish liquid to create a pale green paste.
"Open."
Atemu unclenched his fist and Mokuba removed the soiled bandages to smooth the mixture over and inside the wound.
Gods it stung like a motherfucker! Atemu inwardly shouted, the only outward indication of the searing, burning sensation was his muscles flexing tightly as Atemu forced his hand to keep still.
"This mixture stems the bleeding, numbs the wound, and it is added resistance to infection." Mokuba explained, probably in an attempt to distract Atemu…and it worked.
After Mokuba was finished torturing him, he sewed the wound closed with the horsehair and wrapped a bandage tightly around his hand.
"So, where did Seto find you?" Mokuba asked as he replaced the supplies into the bag.
Atemu shrugged, "It would seem my cousin had hired him to take me out of Spain." Not quite the answer Mokuba was waiting for.
"How did you get this wound?"
"I had to create a diversion."
"Hmm." Mokuba growled irritably.
Atemu didn't know this kid, and he was never forthcoming in honesty with a perfect stranger, "Thank you for the mend."
"I didn't do it for you. Seto asked me to" Mokuba snapped, and Atemu shrugged in indifference, "But you're welcome anyway."
The cabin door swung open to reveal Seto in the doorway. He scowled darkly at Atemu as he tossed a new set of clothes into the boy's lap.
"Mokuba, we're about to castoff, I need you up on deck."
The teenager quickly obeyed, leaving Atemu with the pirate captain. Seto closed the door; trapping them inside the small cabin, "Let's get one thing straight here, Santiago." He spat, "I am not your servant to scramble about at your beck and call. You are on my ship, and here, I am the law. You will not talk down to me; you will not disrespect me. My obligations to keep you safe ended the moment you set foot on deck. I'm not known for my leniency, my compassion, or subordination, and if you ever overstep your grounds again, I'll send you straight to Davy Jones' Locker."
And with that, Seto left, firmly shutting the door behind him.
Atemu blinked at the show of temper, taken aback by it.
He couldn't help it; Atemu's shoulders trembled violently moments before he burst out into laughter, tears of mirth prickling at the corners of his eyes, and he helplessly dropped out of his chair and onto the floor.
Seto paused mid step at the sudden burst of laughter coming from Mokuba's cabin.
He's laughing at me! Seto thought, furious.
He had half a mind to turn back and show him that Seto Leandro was not an object of amusement, especially after he'd promised death if the kid ever showed him anything less than respect. But he couldn't make himself move. For some foreign reason, he felt mildly glad that he could make the boy laugh like that. He had a feeling that Atemu didn't do that sort of thing often.
Shaking his head to snap out of his stupor, he growled under his breath and continued on toward the deck.
FYI: If you're confused, in this story Seto is 26 years old and Atemu is 19; Mokuba is 17. This is why Seto keeps calling Atemu "kid" and "boy" whenever he gets angry with him.