Chapter XII

The Favourite Pupil

'Did ye hear?' Duo whispered throwing an arm around Hilde's shoulders and pulling her closer even as she held on to the halyard. 'Heero asked Relena to be his first mate.'

'What?' she frowned sceptically at him. 'That's most definitely not what I heard.'

'What did ye hear?'

'I heard she promised 'im her cut of the booty in exchange for sharing his quarters.'

It was Duo's turn to frown. 'Why would she do that?'

'She didn't offer 'im nothing.' Howard cut in. 'Ye kept talking 'bout how the bilge rats would eventually reach the sleeping quarters… Scared the hell out of the lass. Heero took pity on 'er.'

'Heero takes pity on no one.' The braided pirate protested.

'He took pity on ye, Maxwell.' Jay stepped out from behind the mast, a smirk on his lips. 'Or have ye' forgotten?'

'That was some ten years ago, old man. He's changed since then.'

'Oh, don't fool yerself.'

'Then ye too think he took pity on 'er?' Hilde stepped up to the old man unhappy with his treatment of Duo.

'I never said that. Me guess is that he's falling for 'er.'

Howard and the braided pirate guffawed. 'Heero? In love?'

'What is the meaning of this gathering?' Chang approached at their loud cackling. 'Do ye think the ship will sail herself?'

'C'mon, Chang…' Duo pleaded with the first mate. 'Are we really sailing all night? We don't have a spare crew, ye know… Come morrow we'll all be dead.'

'If ye don't go back to yer post, ye will be dead long before that.' The Chinese man threatened. 'We're being followed. Barton spotted a ship not long after we left Tortuga so – until we lose her – we ain't stopping.'

'Wai—. What? the braided pirate frowned, but Wufei was already gone. 'Followed?'

Howard just shrugged, shook his head and started singing to keep himself awake as he returned to his post. Jay slithered away and back to the sleeping quarters. Hilde sighed. 'Hopefully it won't take long for us to lose them…'

'Do ye think someone's onto our plan? That one of our own spilled the works about the treasure?'

'Nay…' she shook her head, however unconvincingly, and ended up pausing thoughtfully. 'Unless…'

'What?'

'That night, when Catalonia was still captain, she left Jay alone with the ship…'

'Ye should tell Heero that. Gimme that rope.' He took the halyard from her hands. 'Make sure Peg-Leg ain't round to listen.'

'I will.' Hilde nodded.

'And try to figure out if Heero really did invite Relena to check 'im for scurvy.'

She smirked at him. 'I'll try me best.'

XXX

Chang returned from his quick excursion to the forecastle looking none too pleased. Heero pretended not to notice and wondered where Sally was when he needed her to distract the Chinese man. Being tailed put them all on edge. It was too soon after the attack on the Santa Maria de Almada. It might mean privateers were after them. He was not completely tranquil himself, but… At the moment, he had other – more pressing – concerns like the fact that he had practically gotten himself engaged. How was he supposed to break the news to the crew? How long would it take them to replace him when he did? Did he want them to know he was capable of such…feelings? Not to mention his enemies…

'Ye let them do whatever they want.' The first mate could finally hold his tongue no longer. 'They were all there chin-wagging like a bunch of old ladies, expecting us to do their work for them.' He paused, listening for a moment to the shanty Howard had started. 'And now they're singing.'

'Oh, I'm sure there's no need for all that hassle.' Dorothy, who had been lounging around the quarter deck, decided to help light the lanterns.

'Were ye not supposed to be a mere passenger?' the first mate's attention immediately turned to the blonde woman. 'Where's yer nanny?'

'Last I checked he was looking after your woman.'

'What do ye mean "my woman"? I have no woman.' Wufei took a step towards her. Heero's grip on the wheel tightened. He had wanted the Chinese man to be distracted, but not at the cost of his peace.

'Oh, my… How harsh of you. I'm sure the doctor would be deeply wounded if she heard that.'

'I have no woman.' He repeated. 'Heero, tell her I have no woman.'

The captain sighed. 'He has no woman.' He echoed sending Dorothy a meaningful look that would hopefully have her shutting her pie-hole.

'Oh, please! Stop fooling yourself.' She did not take the hint, choosing instead to wave her hand dismissively at them in her irritation. 'Everybody knows already! So go into that cabin, find your woman, get a backrub and come back a little less snappish, will you?'

'Stop.' Heero finally had to intervene when Chang reached for his sword. 'She's just teasing ye. Do not fall for it.'

'You!' Dorothy turned to Hilde who had been watching the scene from the stairs paralysed. 'Tell him I'm not lying. Everybody knows.'

'I, uh… the black haired woman tried to come up with a clever way out of that sticky situation. She wished Duo was there with her… He was incredibly good at those. 'Capt'n? A word? Please?'

Heero sighed yet again. He could not leave those two to themselves. 'Barton! I need a helmsman smartly!' while they waited in silence for the lookout's arrival Wufei kept sneering at the blonde woman whose smirk only widened. Hilde fidgeted. 'What's going on?' Trowa asked their captain quietly once his feet had touched the deck.

'Just don't let them kill each other.' Heero asked him and sent a long glare the rival couple's way before gesturing to the black haired woman to follow him into his quarters.

Sally, Quatre and Relena were leaning over a pile of parchment when they walked in. Most of them were old texts on sea monsters and legends. They were already worried about Scylla. 'Would you like us to leave?' the medic asked him as soon as he walked in.

'If ye would not mind…' he nodded and turned to Quatre. 'Right now, we've got a bigger problem in our hands than a giant sea monster.'

The strategist frowned worriedly. 'What is it?'

'Chang versus Catalonia.' Hilde filled in the blanks and could not help the amused smile that twisted her lips.

'Let me handle that.' Sally asked him reassuringly.

'Please do.' Heero seized Relena's arm as she walked past him. 'Not you.' He told her, gaze softening for a fraction of a second. 'I need to talk to ye.'

'Alright.' She nodded, returning to her seat.

Once the door had closed behind the others, the captain's eyes turned to Hilde. She cleared her throat feeling somewhat uneasy with his undivided attention. 'This ship that's tailing us… Don't ye think someone could've spilled the works about us knowing the location of Romefeller's treasure?'

'Ye mean Jay.' He summed for her.

'Aye.'

'It's crossed our minds…'

'He says he has no interest in the treasure.' She added. 'What kind of pirate doesn't want coin? Gold?'

His lip curved slightly upwards as his eyes slid over Relena for a moment. At that moment, he couldn't care less about the treasure himself. 'We can prove nothing as of yet.' He said finally. 'But ye shouldn't worry about that. No ship's match for the Peacemillion when it comes to speed.'

'I'll keep an eye out for trouble anyway.'

The captain nodded and Hilde excused herself, however unassured she felt. He sighed, running a hand through his hair somewhat wearily, forgetting for a moment that Relena was still there. 'When was the last time you slept?' she asked before he could hide his tiredness or distract her from it by changing the subject. 'And I mean truly slept. Not had a couple hours respite…'

'We're being tailed.' He reminded her. 'No one has truly slept in days.'

'I know, but no one's under as much pressure as you are.'

'Relena…'

'If you really wish to do this, to be together, you'll have to let me in.'

'I've never done this before.'

'Neither have I.' she assured him. Still, he started pacing and Relena could see that – for once – she had caught him off guard. It had been impulsive, his proposal to court her, not that it had not been honest, but it still stood that he had not thought things through as he usually did with absolutely everything. She understood how unsettling the lack of control could be for a man such as him.

'Maybe this was a mistake after all.'

'Was it?' her voice was uncharacteristically small, though she did try to sound like his words did not affect her. It gave him pause.

'That's not what I…'

'I know.' She smiled reassuringly.

'But I still hurt ye.' Heero nodded to himself as if coming to a realisation. Relena did not deny it.

'It's not your past I wish to hear about. It's the present. How are you feeling? What's worrying you? How can I help?'

He gave her a long look. 'I'm tired.' He admitted, wishing for nothing more than to get lost in her arms and pretend – if only for a moment – that nothing else existed. 'Catalonia and Chang together are…'

'Exhausting.' She smiled smugly. 'I know. Weren't things supposed to improve with Sally joining us?'

'Whether they were or weren't… They haven't. At least not yet.' The captain finally allowed himself to sit on the bed.

Relena traded her chair for a seat beside him and took his hand in hers as she tried to figure out a way to distract him. She was clearly the only one who could see just how much he needed it. 'How did you all meet? Chang, Sally and you? It's fine if you don't want to…'

'Nay.' he shook his head, the smallest of smiles on his lips. 'That's actually quite a harmless story.'

XXX

The Nataku was the most famous ship in all of Indochina. Master Long was her captain and Wufei – of the long extinct Chang clan – her quartermaster. At fourteen he was the youngest and most promising pupil of Master Long, and just recently been promoted. There was jealousy and envy amongst the other members of the crew, but no one would dare defy Chang for he had proven himself worthy, earning his station fairly. He would not have it any other way and to celebrate his pupil's ascension, Master Long had handed him his first assignment. The Nataku was attacking and looting a passenger ship, rumoured to be secretly transporting a wealthy merchant's profits.

It was an easy job. The ship had almost no weapons on board and most of the crew consisted of commoners, especially women and children. Chang's plan was to pull alongside the ship, hook the Nataku in and carry with them as much riches as they possibly could. He did not expect any resistance and, if he succeeded, he would make a larger cut than usual. A gift from his master. There was, however, one thing the young quartermaster had not anticipated.

Sally was the youngest daughter of the Po dynasty, not only that but she also had knowledge of medicine and was a well-trained fighter. It was the resistance she put up that forced him into battle, a battle that – had she not been there – would never have happened.

'What is the meaning of this?' he asked, pushing through the pirates that had gathered at the door to the sleeping quarters.

'That wupo has wounded three of our men.' One of them informed him and his voice betrayed just how horrified he was. 'She's poisoned them!'

Wufei had never seen a creature like her before. The colourful traditional dress she wore flew around her body with every move she made and yet she defended herself and her companions from the pirates with ease and speed. Her skill was admirable for, though her technique could have easily been deadly, considering the extent of her medical knowledge, she managed to do no more than disable the Nataku's men. The light colour of her hair betrayed her heritage and he could not help but wonder what a woman of her status was doing aboard that ship, defending the common folk. She was a mystery and a prize, and he believed the ransom they might get for her would be worth thrice what they would loot from the entire ship.

Mind made up, he advanced towards her and his crewmates stepped aside unasked, curious to know what would become of the dangerous woman. Chang drew his cutlass and raised it until it was level with her heart. 'Surrender yourself to us, nuren, and no one else shall be harmed.'

It took Sally a moment to catch her breath. 'Can I trust your word?' she asked and saw his resolution waver lightly. He had clearly not expected her to fold that easily.

'Shi.' He nodded. 'You have my word.' She nodded, but hesitated on discarding the broomstick she had been defending herself with. Wufei said nothing as he waited for her to catch up to him, then turned to his crewmates. 'Grab the goods and let us return to the ship.'

XXX

'I am extremely disappointed in you, Wufei…' Master Long shook his head slowly. He had his back turned to his pupil, his hands clasped behind him, his voice old and tired.

'But, Master Long...' the young man could not understand. 'I've done everything you asked of me. We looted the ship!'

'Shi.' the captain nodded, allowing the heavy silence to stretch. Chang was trying ever so hard not to fall into despair. He had done everything right. He had done what had been asked of him. He had even gone beyond that, outdone himself by bringing the woman with him.

'Master Long...'

'Sally Po should not be here, Wufei.'

'She's worth a small fortune. A fortune we need.'

'What for?' the master spun around, his tone rising enough to make the young man take a step back. 'Why must you always have more coin than you know what to do with, Wufei?'

'It's not for me.' He protested. 'It's for all of us! To buy us new weapons! To make us more powerful!'

'You are ambitious, Wufei, but you are also greedy. You hunger not only for gold, but also for power. It is a hunger I believed I had long taught you to control…'

'But, Master Long! Would it not have been worse had we let this opportunity pass us by? When does one come upon a chance such as this?'

The captain merely shook his head. 'We must know when to stop, Wufei.'

'There's still time to kill her. She resisted us. The orders were "kill those who offer resistance".'

'Would it be fair to kill her now, Wufei? Is she still resisting us? What threat does she currently pose?'

Wufei's jaw clenched. 'So this is not because I brought her in.'

'Bushi. It is the whys that matter, Wufei. Had you brought her in for her medical skills we wouldn't be having this discussion.'

He still did not understand. It made no sense to him to allow the opportunity to slip through their fingers, to give up on a fortune… Were the medical skills they possessed not enough? 'How do you wish me to proceed, Master? How can I correct my mistake?'

'From now on she will be your responsibility, Wufei.' The young man bowed. It was unfair that he should lose his station because he had done more than was asked. He should have been decorated for his proaction. Master Long was not done. 'I hope that you may learn something from Sally Po, Wufei. After all, she is the one you have wronged and therefore the one you must make up to.'

Chang bowed to his master one last time and stepped out. It would take him a long time to compensate Sally and especially to learn anything from her. Women did not belong on ships. He should have remembered that before he took her in. She was already bringing him awful luck.

XXX

Sally had a way with people and an even more special way with Chang. In less than two months, he felt comfortable enough to approach her, announce that he had made a mistake in kidnapping her and demand to know a way in which he might right his wrong. She had smiled at him – as she always did – and simply stated that the only thing she wanted was to remain on board the Nataku for as long as she was useful to them.

'Do as you wish.' He shrugged, scowling not at her, but at her queer request.

'Come on, Wufei.' Her smile widened. There was a certain lilt to the way she said his name – and she insisted on calling him by his given one – that never failed to catch his attention, making him feel a little less grumpy. 'Are you not even a little happy that I'm staying?'

He snorted and turned to leave, but then changed his mind and met her eyes once more. 'Is there really nothing else you want? Nothing…more?'

She had to fight back a chuckle. He was ambitious. It was obvious to her and – even if it wasn't – there had been rumours after her arrival and those rumours had it that his ambition was the reason why he had been demoted. 'What else do I need?'

'Dresses?' he said before he could stop himself and looked away before she could see him blush. Sally was surprised by his interest, but only slightly. She was older than he and he was overtly mature for his age.

'You may buy me new dresses if you'd like. Gifts are always appreciated.'

'I care not, nuren.'

His defensiveness did not faze her. Sally looked away at the blue cloudless sky and let her ever present smile soften. 'I've always wanted to own a tavern.' She confessed and felt, rather than saw, his dark eyes back on her. 'But it's not something I need. It's just a dream.'

'I'll buy you one.' Wufei assured her and everything about him – his eyes, his tone, his posture – spoke of how serious he was. 'I'll buy you a tavern.'

Sally watched him pensively for a moment. She did not really think he would ever be the selfless, unambitious, generous man Master Long wanted him to be. It did not matter. He was good in his own way. She only hoped he would realise himself that that was enough. Maybe he was not meant to be a leader, but he could still own the world and continue to be a good man while he did it. 'Xie xie.' She whispered.

XXX

The Peacemillion had just left the island of Madagascar when the Nataku caught up to her. Master Long and Odin Lowe had already fought against each other, a confrontation that had ended badly for both sides and given birth to a permanent truce between the two captains. It had been over a decade, still the Chinese man could not have predicated his enemy would have acquired himself a new ship. Most pirates were extremely attached to their vessels. Master Long would not have fired his cannons that day had he realised who stood behind the helm of the other ship. The Nataku was not prepared to face Lowe.

'They're firing chain-shots at us, Master!'

'Where is Wufei?'

'Preparing the harpoons, Master.'

'We must not board her and we certainly must not allow any of Odin's men to sneak into the Nataku.' the master held his quartermaster by the shoulder, forcing the man to bend forward in order to hear him over the blasts of the cannons. 'Convey that message to Wufei before he does something harsh.'

Zhou Lim was not fond of Chang. He knew he was Master Ling's second choice, having only been named quartermaster when the favourite pupil showed his true colours, and he also knew the master still cherished Wufei more than he did any other. Zhou was not ready to help his rival… He would rather see him scolded and so, instead of relying the captain's message, he decided to turn a blind eye.

The ship veered left, trying to escape its prey-turned-predator, but the Peacemillion was quick to adjust and another hail of cannon balls soon followed. The Nataku ended up turning about and Master Long found himself pulling alongside Lowe once again. 'Veer starboard!' he ordered his helmsman. 'Loose all sails!'

Just when it felt like they would finally put some distance between them and their enemy, a pair of chain-shots hit the Nataku's foremast bringing it down together with the foresail. Master Long knew right then there would be no escaping. He watched the harpoons sink into the bow or wrap around the railings as the Peacemillion's crew pulled her closer and then… It stopped. 'What happened?' his quartermaster asked, finally reaching the quarter deck.

'Wufei.'

'My telescope!' Zhou shouted.

Standing on the enemy ship's quarter deck, his cutlass pointed at Odin Lowe's stone heart was Master Long's favourite pupil. 'Do it, Wufei…' the master urged him under his breath. It was when he felt the barrel of a gun against his neck.

'Tell 'im to drop the sword.' A voice demanded behind him. Zhou gaped at his captain motionless. The enemy pirate had dropped down from the mizzen sail, drawn his pistol and none the wiser. Had he wished, Master Long would have already been dead.

The old man met his pupil's wide-eyed gaze. 'Kill him, Wufei!' he shouted as loud as his lungs allowed him, but Chang hesitated. He could not do it. He could not sacrifice his captain and teacher, and Master Long could see it. 'I shall not stand in your way.'

'Get out of there, Barton!' someone shouted to the man behind him when Master Long pulled a bomb out of his pocket and lit it without a second thought. It took his assailant a moment, but the man retreated, jumping into the water.

'Master Long!' Wufei shouted desperately. 'No!'

It was the last word the old man heard.

XXX

Odin Lowe leaned forward with his hands on the railing and watched the Nataku burn down, slowly sinking into the Indian ocean. Nothing pleased him anymore… Victory or defeat, life or death, they all felt the same to him. Ever since Aoi had betrayed him there was nothing left inside him but rage and never ending emptiness. He turned around to face their captives – the man who had tried to kill him and a blonde woman – and found his crew also standing there looking at him and the Nataku's disappearing remains.

'What shall we do with these fellas, Capt'n?' Red asked him.

'How many did we lose?'

'Three or four, Capt'n.' Jay informed him having just inspected the line of dead men across the deck.

'Three or four…' Lowe echoed thoughtfully, but then waved towards the ocean. 'There's no pressing need to replace them. Just dispose of the captives and let us be on our way.'

'Even the one that tried to kill ye, Capt'n?' Red asked, a sinister smile slowly creeping on his face. 'Don't ye want to have a lil' fun with 'im?'

The captain eyed the Chinese youth carefully. He was around his son's age. There had been a fierceness in his eyes when he had first attacked, but it seemed to be sinking together with the burning Nataku. Lowe had long learned there was no fun torturing those who had already embraced death or were anxiously awaiting its visit. 'Just throw them overboard.' He said simply and turned to leave.

'Capt'n.'

He had to fight back a sigh. 'What, boy?'

'The woman's a medic.'

'Aye, but she's still a woman.' The captain did not expect a single argument to convince his son. Heero was not the kind that did things without thinking them through and – once he had thought them through – there was no changing his mind. 'Aren't ye still a bit young for women?' he turned around with a raised eyebrow. 'Keep 'er if ye like. Have a little fun then pass 'er along to the rest of the crew.'

Lowe turned to leave again, but this time it was the fire in the young Chinese man's eyes that stopped him. The woman had followed him on board… So it seemed he had a reason left to fight after all. On second thought… Keep the young man as well. I think he'd very much like to watch.'

'Actually, Capt'n…' Jay turned his cane round and round in his hand as if trying to dig a hole on the deck. 'I would very much like to add another subject to my… study. He is the right age.'

'Ye have enough brats as is.' Lowe informed him.

'He could be an asset.' Heero added. 'Much as the woman…as a doctor.'

The captain met his son's eyes, then the angry Chinese man's and the woman's. Fortunately, for the three of them, he was not in the mood to argue. Besides, he believed the boy could use the confidence boost of having his ideas taken into consideration for once. 'Very well… A medic may indeed be a good idea and the woman will certainly need someone she trusts around to protect her. There is always the risk that they might turn against us, however… If they do… Ye're going down with them.'

XXX

'So you saved their lives.' Relena concluded for him, and Heero had the impression she was more than just a little happy with the realisation. 'And how did Sally become a tavern proprietress?'

'I fear that's a story for another time.' He gave her a small smile and squeezed the hand she had left in his. 'Thank ye for the respite.'

'You need more than a few minutes.' She reproached him.

'I'll take a couple hours once we've lost our pursuers.'

'Heero?' she held him back as he made to leave. 'What you wanted to talk to me about…'

The captain met her eyes, absent-mindedly playing with her hand. Would she object? What would he do if she did? He finally looked away, clearing his throat. 'I know the crew's already whispering, but – for now – I'd like to keep this a secret.'

She looked down at their hands. They wouldn't be able to do that in front of the others and it was so rare for them to be alone… 'I don't understand… You really think any of these men and women out there would think less of you for being with me? They're your friends.'

'Nay.' He shook his head slowly, frowning slightly. 'Not all of them.'

Relena felt cold all of a sudden. 'What do you mean?'

His frown deepened and he turned towards the door as if trying to listen for any unwanted eavesdroppers. 'Jay's been watching me rather closely… Too close for me taste actually, and with him it can never be anything good.'

'Can't you drop him wherever it is he wishes to go before we find the treasure?'

'He has yet to tell me where that is… Besides, we might need his help defeating Scylla. He's a much older seadog and experience can never be overestimated.'

They were silent for a moment as Relena processed all the things he had told her… The fact that they could be in danger even as they sat there talking quietly. The fact that they still had to face what seemed like a major obstacle before reaching their goal. The fact that the burden of captaincy rested almost entirely on Heero's shoulders… 'Alright.' She said finally, startling the captain out of whatever imaginary world he had temporarily lost himself in. 'I agree with keeping this a secret, but I want you to trust me, to share your thoughts with me so I can help you.'

Heero wondered if she realised the incompatibility of those two things and the fact that she was practically asking him to name her his first mate. Chang would never allow such a thing to happen. 'I promise I will try me best, but we must be discreet.'

'I understand.' She nodded and the smile that lit up her face told him that it would all be worth it in the end.


GLOSSARY:

Smartly - fast, quickly

Wupo - Chinese for witch/sorceress*

Nuren - Chinese for woman*

Shi - Chinese for yes*

Bushi - Chinese for no*

Xie xie - Chinese for thank you*

*Please, excuse my Dictionary-Chinese and feel free to correct me if the words (or their usage) are wrong. XP