Chapter 6
A Sister's Ghost
Ciela awakes when the sky was grey outside the porthole, in the cabin. She is momentarily confused on why her eyes felt dry and scratchy like she had been crying heavily, then it hit her.
Linebeck coming home, collapsing into her arms, him telling her that Linette was dead.
Ciela takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and bowing her head. She curls up into a ball, taking calm, even breaths as tears trickled down her face. For a short time, she mournes the woman she will never- and won't ever- get to know.
When Ciela finally feels ready to face the world, she sits up and immediately sees a note folded on the pillow on Linebeck's side. She picks up the note, finally noticing the silence of the ship.
Sparkles
I know you'll want to help me with Linette's death (Here, the last two words were a tiny bit shaky.) but right now, I just need to be alone to deal with this.
I'll be back before dark.
Linebeck
Ciela sighs, folding the note back closed. She pushes back her hair with one hand. "Oh, Linebeck." She whispers "How can I have lived for a hundred years, and yet, have faced less grief than you?"
The creaking of the ship is her only answer.
Linebeck's boots crunch over the fallen leaves on the ground. His hands shoved in his pockets, he treads along the forest floor. Linette's bloodstained coat hangs from the crook of his arm, swinging in time with his gait.
His face remained neutral, a blank slate. A face he wore much in the past thirteen years while searching for his sister.
Linebeck had left the ship while it was becoming light out. He knew he had a long walk ahead of him since he was taking a roundabout route. He could have taken the path he and Linette always took but that meant walking past his home and he wasn't sure if he could do that yet.
Birds chirped in the trees, the only noise other than the swaying of the trees in the sea's breeze and his footsteps.
Finally, after some time, Linebeck reached his destination. He craned his head up, examining the old treehouse and the old rope ladder swaying in the breeze.
It was his and Linette's hide-a-way, their twin hangout, the place they would always go to when they needed to hide from their mother or have something important to tell each other. No one knew about the treehouse so he and Linette could be guaranteed complete privacy whenever they had went out there.
"Come on, Moron! Can't you climb faster than that? Maybe you should start laying off Mum's cupcakes Little Bro!"
"Are you calling me fat!? You just wait till I get up there Net! Then you'll be sorry!"
"Maybe I should just cut the ladder down. Then you won't get to me."
"WHAT!? Linette, I swear to the Goddesses- If you cut down that ladder-HEY! Get away from it with your knife!"
"Don't worry Little Bro, I won't cut the rope... I don't want to be stuck up here."
Linebeck smiles fondly at the conversation that ran through his head. It was one of the many they would have as they went to the tree house. They always raced to it, Linette winning most of the time. Whoever got up to the tree house first would always, always taunt the other. Unless something important would be needed to be said. It was those times the conversations were somber.
Linebeck walks forward, grabbing ahold of the rope. He pulls on it hard, making sure it was stable. He had been the one to place the rope, being the only one who could climb the tree. It was the first thing to be placed on the tree. Linette couldn't climb trees as well as Linebeck so the the ladder was needed so she could get up into the tree to help Linebeck construct the treehouse. It had taken the twins a good part of the year when they were twelve. It was a sound structure surprisingly and had only took a few repairs as time passed.
Linebeck reaches out and grabs the rope ladder with his other hand, after throwing Linette's coat over his shoulder. Once he determined that it was sound, Linebeck begins climbing, swaying to and fro while climbing.
Linebeck pushes open the door on the bottom of the treehouse, opening the way into it and the door falls to the floor with a crash. Papers and leaves rustle in the wind and dust swirls around.
Linebeck slowly pulls himself into the treehouse, feeling a wave of nostalgia hit him. He walks over to the two small windows, which was just a square in the wall covered by a square plank of wood. Linebeck pushes open them, letting sunlight and air into the room. The wood creaks under his feet as he walked, stepping around the papers that had fallen to the floor over the past thirteen years.
Once the windows were opened, Linebeck turned around to survey the place that he and his twin spent so much time at.
The papers that laid on the floor and were tacked up on the wall had become yellowed with age, edges curling. The small table, two chairs and small dresser that the twins had gotten up into the room by the use of a simple pulley system were covered in 13 years worth of dust. A giant map of the Great Sea was tacked onto one wall side, taking up part of the wall. Pictographs of Linebeck and Linette of all ages lined the map sides. Next to the trapdoor, two nails stuck out of the wood.
Linebeck walks over to the nails and reaches up to run his hands over the letters carved into the wood before hanging up Linette's coat under the letters -TTE. Under the second nail was scratched -BECK and above the whole thing was LINE-. Linebeck hesitates for a moment before shrugging off his own coat and hanging it on the second nail, smirking at the reminder of his three times great grandson. He then walked back towards the map of the Great Sea and the pictographs, smile slipping from his face.
Outside, birds chirp cheerfully, oblivious to a brother's torment and anguish at saying goodbye to his other half too soon.
Linebeck reaches out and pulls one of the pictographs off the wall, hand trembling slightly. The pictograph showed Linette and himself around 14, with Linette piggy-backing on Linebeck. She pointed ahead, face lit up with excitement of unknown adventures to come. Linebeck in the photo gazed up at his sister with a half-amused, half "what-the-hell-are-you-doing?" expression.
Linebeck stares at the pictograph fondly, remembering the day it was taken.
"It was our fourteenth birthday, Net." Linebeck says, voice thick with emotion. "Mum had just surprised us with the coats and Maxi's father had gave me the ship. You immediately put your coat on and forced mine on before jumping onto my back and pointing towards the ship, exclaiming about adventure waiting ahead for us on the ship and we had to set sail right. At. That. Moment to catch those adventures. Mum then made us promise not to sail off until we were done with school and eighteen."
"You never got a chance for those adventures Net."
Linebeck replaces the pictograph. "Jolon cut them two years too short... and your life too short as well. Way too short."
"Looking back on that night, Net, I think about what I could have done differently, what I should have done to try and save you if I had only known that Jolon was going to come back that night. You don't know how many times I wish I could have gone back and changed the past, to save both you and Mum..." Tears begin to prick in his eyes.
"Damnit, why was it you 'Net? Why in Goddesses' name was it in their plan for you to die so soon? We had plans, our whole lives ahead for us. You and me 'Net, that's what we always said. It would be you and me against the world. We would start a trading business, forever travel on the seas, only coming back to Farqay to check on Mum and everyone."
"I often wonder if Jolon had never came into our lives again, would those plans ever had happened?" Tears begin to trickle down his cheeks. "Would the events that happened to me, still have occurred? Would we have gone after that Ghost Ship? Offered the ship's sailing services to the Kid and Sparkles? Become known in history forever as one of the founders of New Hyrule?"
"Would any of those events ever have happened?"
"Or would they forever have been lost to a time when only your disappearance cause me to go after a ship rumored to be filled with treasures to try and save you? Never meet the Kid, or the Old Man, or Sparkles."
"You know, you would have liked Sparkles. Perfect sister-in-laws I would say so. Both of you like calling me moron. A lot. And pointing out when what I was saying wasn't making sense. But I don't see her as a replacment of you, 'Net. Just a variation. She's to stubborn headed to go along with my ideas when they're moronic. And a LOT more organized and head on straight than you ever were."
Linebeck takes a shuddery breath, shaking his head. "Life has sucked without you 'Net. Before that day, I never thought that I would have gone years without seeing your face... Now, you're dead... and I'll never see you again."
"I'm so sorry I couldn't save you that night 'Net. I heard those gunshots, and passed them off as those idiots in school, as everyone did. I never gave a thought that it could have been Jolon... I never thought. Never."
Linebeck reaches out and gently pulls off a pictograph of just Linette, sitting on a cliff side, feet dangling, sun lighting up her hair as she basks in the light, eyes shut in enjoyment. Her hair was loose and was whipping around in the sea breeze in the sunlight. She looked around sixteen.
"I'm going to miss you 'Net. So, so much. You were my world. Practically everything we did, even if it was the most moronic thing in the seas, we were together, side-by-side 'Net. "Cuz that's what twins do" you had always said. Always beside me Linette. Always."
"And yet... You're not here... You're not here, and you haven't been here for the last thirteen years! And still, I'm looking for you, taking double glances over my shoulder because I thought I saw you... because even though you're dead... I still feel like you're out there. Waiting for me. Somewhere... But it's only a ghost."
Linebeck's shoulders begin shaking, and the tears fall faster, onto the pictograph.
"Good-bye, Linette." He sobs, dropping to his knees, holding tight to the pictograph of his twin sister. It trembles in his hands as he continues to heave out sobs, grieving for his other half as he tries to tie up the broken ends of his ripped soul.
The sun was setting when Linebeck finally entered back onto the path leading from the island horse ranch (owned by Max and Maris) to the town. Linette's coat absent from his arm.
"Hey, was wondering where you were." Ciela says, sliding up next to Linebeck out of the blue, sliding her arms into his.
"Son of a bitch!" Linebeck shrieks, jumping five feet into the air.
"Geeze, just me." Ciela smirks. "I'm not some chu-chu slithering up your leg."
"I thought we agreed to never bring that up again." Linebeck mumbles, cheeks flaming in shame.
"Come on, it was hilarious and you know it." Ciela says, smiling. She looks at Linebeck, her smile switching to a worried expression. "Hey... have you been crying?" She makes Linebeck stop walking, standing in front of him. She takes his chin, examining his red eyes.
"Nah, Sparkles, just got something in my eyes while walking in the woods." Linebeck lies, softly removing her hands.
Ciela raises one of her eyebrows, "My bull shit rader is tingling." She flatly states.
Linebeck snorts. "That always seems to go off when I talk."
"Hmmm... Not always..." Ciela hums, beginning to play with Linebeck's ascot. "There are certain times when I know you're telling truth."
"Oh? Like when?" Linebeck counters.
Ciela pulls down Linebeck's ascot, making his face come closer to her's. "You'll figure it out I'm sure."
Linebeck smirks at Ciela, before kissing her with a fevered, needful passion. He wraps one of his arms around her hips, the other hand tangling in her hair. He moves his lips against hers, wanting to know that while his sister was now gone, there was someone else there for him.
Ciela responds by placing one of her hands on Linebeck's neck, the other gripping tightly to his coat. She matched Linebeck's passion, trying to let him know that she was here for him, always.
They remained lip-locked for several moments when a voice suddenly interrupts them.
"Oi, Lovebirds! If you're gonna make-out, mind not doing in the middle of the road? Some people, namely me, have to make deliveries to my ranch!"
Linebeck lifts his head to scowl at the offender. "Sod off, Catty! Mind your own business!"
Maris smirks, crossing her arms along with the reins of the horse drawn wagon. "Kind of hard not to when the business is blocking the roads!"
Linebeck grumbles, letting go of Ciela except for keeping one hand on her waist.
Ciela catches sight of the tan and white horse that was pulling the wagon and immediately becomes entranced.
"Hey Sparks." Maris calls, uncrossing one of her arms to wave at the redhead.
"Hello Maris." Ciela returns.
Maris nods towards Linebeck. "See you found Becky."
Ciela absentmindedly nods, still staring in wonder at the horse.
Linebeck raises an eyebrow before flicking Ciela's upper arm. "Hello? Earth to Sparkles?" He prods.
Ciela jumps. "Hey!Ow~." She elongates, trying show how much that hurt. "Don't do that when you want my attention! A simple tap on the shoulder will suffice!"
Linebeck rolls his eyes, letting go of Ciela to cross his arms. "Come on, Sparkles. It didn't hurt that much."
A dangerous glint appears in Ciela's eyes. "Oh really?" She immediately goes for Linebeck's side, forming her hand into a point.
Linebeck darts to the side, blocking Ciela's arm with his own. "Hey, Hey. Hey!" Ciela lunges again and Linebeck skitters away, kicking up dust. "Sparkles, that is uncalled for!"
"Oh like when you would flick me off your shoulder? Let me tell you something, moron!" Ciela begins, going for Linebeck again.
A little ways off, onyx eyes glitter with malicious amusement. The man watches as Linebeck gets chased around the road by Ciela, then tackled to the ground, the both of them getting dusty from the dirt. The mystery man was crouched in the high grass a ways off both from the path Linebeck had taken plus the main road, hiding behind a bush. A wicked looking dagger was being twirled in his hands as he continued to watch the group.
Maris and Ciela burst into laughter as Linebeck rolls out from underneath the redhead with sounds of disapproval and disgust and stands up, cleaning off the dust from him.
Maris wipes away the tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. "You guys are a riot and awesome together. Not married nor old yet, but you already bicker like an old married couple."
Ciela grins from her spot on the road, sitting up. "We've been getting that since the day we met." She pushes herself off the road, slapping off the dust. "From the conversations we've had, it's a wonder we haven't murder each other yet."
Maris snickers. "Too many witnesses."
Ciela nods her agreement. "So true." She brightens. "However... not on the ship..."
Maris perks up as well. "Yesss. Take out the ship a good distance from any island, then push him overboard."
"First knock him out, tie something heavy around him, then overboard he'll go." Ciela revises.
Maris nods in agreement. "Good call. And hey, I might join you. Max has pissed me off plenty of times. We'll make a trip of it. Go out with our husbands, because you'll be married to Becky then. Knock 'em out, tie them to something heavy so they don't wash up somewhere, toss 'em overboard then come back as the distraught widows."
"Agreed." Ciela says, walking over to Maris to high five her.
"Great. I'll have to warn Maxi that his wife and my wife-to-be are planning to murder us." Linebeck groans.
"Hey, why don't you guys come over for dinner?" Maris says. "Sparks and I can iron out the details of your ultimate demise while making dinner and you can warn Max and plan your way of escaping."
Ciela laughs. "Sounds great." She looks to Linebeck. "That okay?"
Linebeck nods. "And you can tell me what's been going on the last thirteen years since I've been gone."
Maris bobs her head, grinning. "Great and you can also meet Devika! Hop on up. Sparks, you come up front with me and Becky can ride in the back with the supplies."
"Thanks Catty, I feel so loved." Linebeck drawls, climbing into the back and settling himself among the crates.
"Oh quit the whining, Becky!" Maris calls, helping Ciela up into the front.
Ciela settles herself next to Maris and slings an arms around the girl. "Maris, I sense that we will become best friends." She announces with a grin that stretched ear-to-ear.
"Dear Goddesses, if you have any mercy, help me." Linebeck bemoans in the back, causing the females to erupt into laughter.
Maris snaps the reins and the wagon jerks to a start, carrying the group on towards her's and Max's ranch.
The man stands up from bushes once the wagon was out of sight. He chuckles, turning away from the road to dive deeper into the woods, destination unknown.
Some time later, the man reaches a dilapidated stone building and enters in, picking up a lit torch at the beginning of a series of tunnels. He travels down them, going further underground, seemingly turning at random but he soon enters a small room.
Light from the soon to be setting sun illuminates the room and the small woman laying on the stone bed in a ruined shirt and pants. Her ankles and wrists were rubbed raw from the rope binding them, preventing any escape. Her body was gaunt, showing signs of malnourishment and abuse, by any case of the bruises and scars shown.
"Wakey, Wakey." The man says from the doorway.
The woman stirs and looks up at the man, emerald eyes full of hate behind her limp and tangled brown hair. She growls at the man, unable to speak due to the fabric in her mouth.
"Come now, don't be that way." The man laughs, moving towards the woman. " I bring good news for you." He leans over and roughly grabs her chin, forcing the woman to look at him.
"Your brother's come home, Linette." The man states. "And guess what? He has a gal too." He grins. "Changes the game, huh?"
Linette's eyes widen before they once again narrow in disgust and hate. She growls again, trying to move the gag.
"Oh, do you wish to speak?" The man says. He pulls on the gag and tugs down.
Linette stretches her mouth then promptly spits out. "Leave him alone, Jolon. He doesn't need this anymore. Our mother is dead, he thinks I'm dead. Why continue to do this? Why rip away any chance of happiness for him?" Death glare at Jolon. "Let him go. You have me already. Just leave them alone."
Jolon brings up an eyebrow. "Buy why Linette? I'm not going to abandon my game when it's so close to being finished."
Linette snarls. "Go to Hell, Jolon!" She yells. "Go to fucking Hell!"
Jolon's eyes gets a spark of anger and he promptly strikes Linette across her cheek, sending the woman onto the stone bed with a cry of pain. "Watch your mouth Linette. Or I'll drag your brother's fiancee' into this as well. I'll make you a deal. Behave like a good girl, and I promise to leave her out of my game."
Linette's lips thins, but she hangs her head, a red mark already appearing on her face. "Fine." She spits out, feeling the sting of her cheek worry for her brother and this unknown woman.
"Fine... What?" Jolon says.
Linette takes a shaky breath. "Fine... Father..." She whispers, hate flaring in her heart.
Jolon smiles and brushes back Linette's hair. "That's a good girl. I'll be back within an hour with your dinner." He turns and strides out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Linette begins shifting to sit up, legs drawn up to her body and arms still tied behind her, looking up at the small window to the outside. "Oh, Little Bro." She mummers. "What Hell will happen to us?" She bows down her head to rest on her knees as tears fall from her eyes.
Several rooms away, Jolon stood in front of a table, staring at the scattered photos before him. All featured Linebeck, with an assortment of other people, from when he was 16 to present time. At the top is a pictograph of Linebeck and Ciela kissing from the night before.
Jolon unsheathes his dagger and stabs it into Linebeck's pictographic face with a sinister smile.
"Welcome home, son."
Dun, dun, dun!
How's that for a plot twist? I feel like I should have left the fact that Linette actually being alive a bit longer in the story, but I felt like this chapter should end like this instead of just Jolon being back on the island and actin' creepy.
And finally I have this blasted chapter finished! I just couldn't write Linebeck's farewell conversation to Linette, without it seeming so OOC. Regardless, I still feel like he's OOC but that's just because I wrote it. But once I was getting into the Cielabeck banter, the words were flowing!
Plus, you might notice the coarser language. One reason is because since I'm older from when I first started, I'm not as afraid to use such language and two, Linebeck, Ciela,Linette and the older people are adults, who will use such adult language. So you are forewarned, such curse words that were mentioned above will be used in the following chapters.
Thoughts? Comments? Agreement that Jolon is a sick creature?
~Roses