A/N: Hey guys, I'm back! ^^ I recently went back to this story as a nostalgic trip! I decided to rewrite it all over again! I know this will be the third time I attempt it, but now it's more of a personal challenge. I wrote the original story back when I was 15 and I have grown so much in my storytelling. I will add more details, world-building, and (hopefully) improve my grammar and writing skills! I can assure you, readers, this third attempt will be more subversive, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have been enjoying writing it. Please enjoy it and hopefully, u guys will be willing to review it! ^^
Disclaimer: I do not own the following characters: Sora, Kairi, Sephiroth, Riku, Link, Zelda, Goofy, Donald, Yuffie, Leon, Arieth, Cloud, Namine, Roxas, Wakka. These characters legally and rightfully belong to the creators of Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, and the Legend of Zelda. (And as recommended ... I do NOT own PoTC) - Although it doesn't apply because my plot is completely different.
CHAPTER I
Our tale begins in one of the most prominent cities in the country of Labrynna. Hyrule City was one of the most advanced civilizations in the world. There are mines and crop fields to work in the outer parts of the city and inside the city factories are advancing into a new world of industrialization. The city is crowded and constantly has cloudy skies due to the large amount of smog from the factories. This had been a difficult change, but the people adapted quickly. The opportunities to advance economically in the city, although advanced, are very minimal. The city and its country are not ruled by a monarchy. The monarchy had ended one hundred and ten years before our story. It all started when the last King of Labrynna, Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, living in Hyrule City, succeeded the throne to the people by his voluntary choice. It had shocked the country nevertheless, they rejoiced at the opportunities that this succession meant for the country. This sudden change threw the country into complete chaos for years. After revolutions, it is common for people to already have a structure or an idea in mind. Rhoam had just left, and major changes occurred. Since the people were looking for some kind of order, they accepted what came after. As Hyrule City had been the capital of Labrynna, it was the first to create the structure and the rest of the country followed in line. Each of the large cities formed its own local government. Each city created with its wealth a law-enforcing branch, judicial branch, tax systems, class systems, and society guidelines. They created new courtrooms with the head of the government as the presiding judge and locally funded militias. Since Hyrule City was wealthy and near the sea, it had its Militia and its Navy.
The city is currently governed by an elected official from the wealthy class. The Hylia district was the closest to the old castle which had now been occupied by the governor's family and it was comprised of the wealthiest in the country. Every six years there was a new elected official. Governor Victor Hikaru is the current one and the longest to be elected. No one has dared to run against Victor since he is a cold and calculative man. He is ambitious and some even described him as outright cruel. He is a short man of only five feet four, who over the years had gained weight. He has auburn-red hair that reflects his short temper and green eyes that send chills to those around him. Now at the age of forty with three grown daughters, he had become even more ambitious. At the age of nineteen, already a wealthy merchant and aspiring politician, he married Lady Kendra Hyrule. Lady Kendra Hyrule was and still is a beautiful woman who inherited the golden long hair that is associated with the wealth of the royal family and the cerulean eyes that stood for their wisdom. Every royal member had these features. She is a tall woman with fair skin and a favorable character. Her disposition had everyone in the city aiming to win her heart. She is the last living decedent of Rhoam B. Hyrule. Originally, Victor had married her to gain part of the influence the Hyrule family still held. Victor eventually fell deeply in love with his wife; however, his narcissism and egoistic personality rarely allow him to show her any affection aside from cold distant, and formal interactions. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters. First, there is Lady Zelda Hyrule Hikaru. An adventurous yet honest soul. Zelda, now at the age of one and twenty, was a beautiful slim girl who inherited her mother's looks. Tall and gorgeous, like a true Hyrule was what everyone said. She had quite a charming smile on her soft face. Her waist was small, and her skin was soft and delicate. A few years after Zelda was born, their second daughter Lady Naminé Hyrule Hikaru joined the family. She also inherited her mother's golden hair and cerulean eyes. Naminé's blonde hair only reached to her shoulders and although as equally beautiful to her mother and sister, she preferred to keep it at that length. Due to her shy disposition, she tends to look insignificant compared to her elder sister even if she was as tall as her. At the age of eighteen, Naminé is quiet, delicate, and a perfect lady who only lives for her father's orders. He did not have a male heir, unfortunately. After the birth of their second daughter, Kendra had a challenging time conceiving again. The doctor had recommended her after the difficult birth to refrain from any pregnancies. This fact devastated Victor. Although Victor loved his wife, his obsession with an heir led him to conceive a child with a lowly maid who became his mistress for months. The young woman was named Kimberly Clarke. Kimberly eventually gave birth nineteen months after his second daughter was born. Kimberly died during childbirth, and her child was quickly taken to Victor's home where she was named Lady Kairi Clarke Hikaru. Kairi, now at the age of seventeen, has a mix of violet and green eyes. Although close in age, Naminé was slightly taller and less developed than Kairi. Kairi on the other hand is very well matured all around her body yet short just like her father. Kairi inherited her father's auburn hair, which reaches all the way to her lower back. Wild and rebellious Kairi had always been at odds with her father. She does not care about duties or propriety. She inherited her father's short temper and stubborn personality, however, as opposed to her father's cold deminer, she is a gentle soul. Eventually, Victor resigned himself to obtaining a male heir as the years passed by. He continued to have mistresses but refused to father another child for fear that he would get cursed with another daughter. He put little importance on it now since he could gain a lot of connections through arranged marriages. The city is all aware of his ambitions, so they stay clear of his path. Besides, the members of the Hylia District all respect Victor and want his favor. He always finds a way to support society's agenda and further oppresses the people to keep power.
Hyrule City is surrounded by the sea. There are clusters of old stone buildings that are completely isolated on a small island connected by a natural bridge to Hyrule City. The structures are rich in history and when navigation expanded the prospect of wealth and opportunity, criminals took to the seas always intercepting the gold that was being transported from port to port. Destiny Island was its name. Destiny Island was where Hyrule City's finest port was found. It had everything that sailors dreamt of having! Taverns, saloons, the best brothels, stores of all supplies needed onboard, and lumber. Most importantly, some of the city's greatest shipwrights lived on Destiny Island. The island is also composed of many secret alcoves and areas where ships could dock hidden away from the large port and its inhabitants with a lot of lavish vegetation and large hills. This was ideal for any pirate ship that wanted to restock incognito. This port was the opposite of its attached city. It was dangerous. Full of ruffians and poor devils down on their luck. It was the home of some of the gruesome pirates that plagued the world.
There is a legend of a crew that originated from this city when the Monarchy ended. It was forged from bloodshed and tragedy. The "King of Black Hearts" crew was legendary for their atrocious crimes. They preyed on anyone. They would go on theft raids in unexpected towns and cities, kidnap young ladies, and murder the unexpected and innocent. Even if it were another pirate crew, the crew would bathe in their prey's blood and keep the skulls of their victims as trophies. Their captain had been depraved, ruthless, and had only one evil purpose, to see the world, burn in his wake. Legend said that the crew, although very much alive and human, are cursed with immortality until their dark purpose was fulfilled. The legend goes on to tell that the captain one day vanished and was succeeded by a much more heartless depraved man. This pirate captain did his best to stay away from the ports and cities. He preferred to remain in the shadows and slowly quench his thirst with unsuspecting victims. Their invisibility slowly became their shield. People forgot over the years of the terror that lay beyond the waves, only becoming ghosts to scare young children into submission. Of course, not everyone believes that legend was based on truth.
Destiny Island 1795, Midnight
On the horizon, far away from any Navy lookout on the island, moved a large vessel at high speeds. The black Man-of-war style ship was made from expensive carved wood, the best of the best, carefully primed and painted with black paint creating the back massive body of the vessel. The sails are created of one of the finest fabrics dyed in a charcoal grey. The years and the sea have not been kind to the sails, yet they flew in the wind with pride. The ship had a slightly unique jolly roger decorating the tallest masts. It was a black flag, decorated in the center was a pure red heart. In the middle of the heart was a sideway skull with a large hoop earring. Right below the heart the were two swords crossing, forming an x shape. Although the ship was massive in size, it moved swiftly and fast regardless of if there was any wind to feed the sails. The men who manned the crew were working hard to steer the ship into the largest alcove to the west of the port. As soon as they had arrived at their destination the crew began to disembark one by one, quietly into the night. There was something eerie about this night. The night was still and calm when the clock on the center square marked midnight. Most inhabitants from Hyrule City are now safely in their homes, deep in slumber while Destiny Island had a morbidly empty and dark feel to it. The port was empty, and there was only one light lighting it on the other side of the street. To the far shore of the port, near the west alcove, stood a small empty tavern covered in complete darkness. The tavern was not isolated completely but the homes and businesses surrounding the area were masked by the darkness of the night, which was unusual. A certain feeling of dread subconsciously told others to stay inside their homes, or they could sense the stop coming in from the East. The waves and the waters were the only things that were restless.
The small tavern had seen only extraordinarily little traffic all through the evening. There was no customer in sight, and there was not any sign of a life form except the owner of the rundown business, Mrs. Hawkins, and two of three of her employees. Mrs. Hawkins had run the tavern with her husband for over thirty years before the man had fallen ill and passed. At her age, she began to struggle to effectively manage it. Zelda, as a high-class young lady, had no idea of what challenging work was to keep a tavern but she found herself desperate to learn. It was not so much for the necessity or even the fact that she was bored. Everyone who knew Zelda knew she was always looking for adventure. She passionately believed that as a noblewoman, her duty was not to her father but to the people in need. She would see how people struggled. She loved listening to servants talking and sometimes she would dress in a lower-class gown and wander the city along with Gabrilla. More than a servant, the young girl was her friend, her confidant, and her support. Zelda, skilled in needlework bought some fabrics and made herself some cotton gowns to simulate in the city. She purposedly traded one of her expensive garments with her abigail to use that as an example and dissect. One day Gabrilla came into Zelda's room crying and they spoke about her great-aunt and the struggling situation. The young woman was thinking of leaving her position to help her aunt, but Zelda produced a better idea. Although protesting, Gabrilla had helped Zelda arrange to meet with the elder woman. All three of them came to an agreement, both Gabrilla and Zelda would help the elder woman. Mrs. Hawkins did not pay Zelda or Gabrilla for their aid since she was struggling financially. Instead in exchange for discretion and the opportunity to feel useful she promised to pay Gabrilla a salary for her added work. Both women took the time to teach Zelda how to clean, cook, and how to serve drinks without spilling. There was a bartender who took care of most of the drinks, but she served them to the tables around the tavern. Upstairs, the tavern had a few rooms for rent. She took care of removing the sheets and taking them down to the laundry room. Mrs. Hawkins's establishment remained open to the public only until 1 A.M. Afterwards both young girls would sneak away back to Hyrule Castle.
With an hour to go Zelda was bored out of her mind. She was wearing a brown linen petticoat with a matching skirt billowing down her hips. Both her apron and her stomacher were also basic white linen. Her long hair was neatly tied up. She had long ago removed her day cap since she had a little more freedom here than at home. The night was too still for her liking. She had been here only a few months, and she personally adored it, but the stillness of the night was too dull.
"That old bag is probably somewhere upstairs messing around with her overweight Persian cat to check on the damn business," she quietly cursed.
She was alone with Jack, the bartender, as Gabrilla was taking a quick nap in her great-aunt's quarters. She did not count Jack as someone in her company since he was a serious man who did not like the idea of two unmarried women working so late in a tavern. Since there was no one to tend to, he excused himself to use the chamber pot. Completely alone Zelda leaned on the counter after cleaning it for the fifth time in that hour and sighed. She was trying to make up her mind about ditching the place if no one showed up. Just as she was about to give up, she heard a couple of heavy footsteps near the front entrance. She looked up with a sigh of relief and quickly positioned herself to make herself look busy. She normally did not tend to the customers at the tavern but when Jack came back, he could quickly serve them. The steps got closer and louder. Those are the longest seconds she lived through the night, every step making her insides twist with excitement. The door to the small building began to slowly creak open. Six figures entered the room, with a dark and dangerous aura around them making the atmosphere around her feel uncomfortable. She shook her head, released herself from the shock, cleared her throat, and smiled brightly as she said, "What will you gentlemen have tonight?" with a sweet and seductive tone.
She leaned onto the counter and waited patiently. She felt a strange sensation. She was uncomfortable but she pushed her instincts aside and continued to wait, she only had to wait until Jack came back. Five of the figures that entered the room had scattered but her attention only remained on who was the leader. The pressure in the room seemed to gravitate to him with his powerful aura. He looked at her and shrugged at his men. He turned around and glared at each one of them, they laughed briefly and then he turned his attention back to her. She did not realize how close he had gotten. He was now standing in front of the counter. With a smirk across his face, the handsome man lowered his face, beautiful deep blue almost sapphire-colored eyes pierced a gaze at her burning with desire and lust. He motioned her to come closer with his finger. She followed his instruction subconsciously. He moved his mouth towards her ear and whispered, "I was kind of thirsty for rum, but I think you just made it into my menu sweetheart" With that he reached for her face and caressed her face. The caress was cold, quick, rugged, and rough. Her instincts were screaming at her louder this time and she was not to ignore them any longer. "What?" She had whispered as she quickly backed away from the man trying to process her situation. She felt that she was in danger. She had never dealt with this situation on her own. Usually, Jack was her. He had been a street brawler before and was able to bring order to the tavern when needed. Some of the regulars would also aid in subduing any rough customers. There was no sign or sound from Jack or anyone else. Bored with her reaction he retracted and moved a tavern stool where she was standing, sitting right in front of her. He rested his left elbow on the counter to support his head as he leaned on it. His right hand was resting readily near his left thigh. Zelda can deduce that although he was relaxing, he was ready for any danger moving his way. He looked like he was waiting or expecting something from her.
Her eyes moved up and down, analyzing the figures in front of her. The man sitting in front of her was young and attractive. His oval-shaped face was neatly groomed. There was no shadow or dirt. He was tall, around six feet two from what she could tell when he had walked in. She had noticed as well that he wore cream-colored trousers tucked away into his large brown boots that almost reached his knees. On his waist rested a deep blue sash and a thick large leather belt holding his cutlass and his pistol. He was lean with broad shoulders. Even with the white loose cotton shirt, the velvet waistcoat, and the unbuttoned long dark jacket, she could see the outline of his chest and arms. Spiky brunette locks of hair were hanging out from the large black Bicorne hat he was wearing. Zelda could tell he was a sailor who had traveled far due to the exotic feathers decorating his hat. His mere presence intimidated her. From fright, she moved her eyes towards the rest of the men. There was one leaning on the doorway. He was a couple of inches taller than his leader, but his features were less fearsome. His silver hair hung freely across his head as he stared at her, amused. His aqua-colored eyes showed far more emotions than the empty pit she saw in the other man. This man was wearing a dark grey linen shirt with black trousers and black boots. He also had a red sash on his hips and was also saw he was heavily armed. Her eyes shifted to the next couple of men, who were walking towards the brunette. Both are as tall as the leader and extremely fit. One of them had his long golden straight hair tied up into a low ponytail and the other one had spiky short golden hair. Both had their blue eyes locked all over her with grins across their faces nodding in agreement with their leader. Since she could still feel the brunette's gaze staring at her intensely, she was unable to look closely at what they were wearing but if her intuition were right, these men were pirates and they were dressed in tightly tucked linen shirts, white with brown breaches and either boots or buckle shoes. So, she turned towards the side door that led to the kitchen to see if she could catch a glimpse of Jack. However, her eyes stumbled upon the remaining pirates. The last two figures are more like freaks of nature rather than men. One was short and resembled a duck. His choice of wardrobe was completely different from the rest. He was wearing a blue and white striped short-sleeved shirt. While his partner was tall, slim, and dark-skinned and he resembled a dog. He, like his partner, had a different choice of clothes. He was wearing green with a white striped shirt, black pants, and oversized buckle shoes. She had been focusing on the other four men that she had not realized that these other two had subdued Jack. She screamed in shock as she noticed his figure on the floor near the doorway with blood soaking the wooden floor. She placed her hand in her mouth as tears of fright began to consume her. They all laughed at her.
"Gentlemen, what say ye if we take her along with us?" The brunette turned around face the rest of the men. All responded more eagerly than Zelda expected and feared. She looked around desperately for a way out. She bolted as quickly as she could towards the door where the silver-haired man was, hoping she could squeeze through him if she fought. As she made it past the leader, she was stopped by one of the golden-haired men. He glared at her and grabbed her upper arm, pulling her back and restraining her. At this point, Zelda was screaming for help as loud as she could. Gabrilla or Mrs. Hawkins could hear the commotion and seek some aid. The leader, frustrated, and what looked angry stood up and quickly flew to her. He took her from his friend's hand and threw her against the floor. Pain shot through her body originating from her back.
"Lady Hikaru!" alarmed and unsure of what to do. Gabrilla entered the room screaming, Zelda heard her continuously screaming at the men to let her go. At the mention of her name, the men had gotten even more eager to plunder the small tavern and her along with it.
"Woman, come quietly with us unless…" he pulled out a large cutlass sword and place it by her throat. "You prefer to die" She was startled with fear and completely overtaken by the need to survive so she only nodded her head in agreement. At that moment, she felt herself being picked up with ease, like a sack of potatoes, she glanced back to Gabrilla. The place was swarmed instantly as if there had been more men waiting quietly outside the establishment. They were emptying everything in the kitchen and the tavern. One of the men who had swiftly come in had reached for Gabrilla. She stretched out her hand towards Zelda before she was carried out. She was too petrified to fight further from the grasp, so she managed to ask quietly, "What do you want with me? Who are you?" The brunette man who had a hold of her only smiled and whispered something in her ear, her eyes widened with fear and if there had been any hope of survival or even of escaping. It all drowns in the echoes of his name.
The sun entered through the large French windows in the room. The large white silk curtains covering the windows had been withdrawn by the maids and nicely folded off to the side. The large room was decorated with lavender plain wallpaper around and a white wide Fancy border around where the walls all connected. There was a white oak door on the south wall, that door connected the large feminine room to the large estate. Opposite there was a large key west, queen size bed with lavender and white bedding coordinates to compliment the white fuzzy carpet and the lavender walls. Beside the bed, there are oak nightstands, each one on the opposite side of the bed. Both had lavender-striped cloths covering the upper surface of the nightstands. Placed on the left nightstand was an oil lamp to illuminate the room. Against the left wall are matching French doors leading to the balcony and to the right was another door connecting the room to a large closet and washroom. Beside the door was a large floor mirror with white and golden designs around it. The sunlight gently slapped Kairi's face: she slowly opened her eyes and gazed upon the ceiling of her room. Her pure crystal violet eyes glazed around her room and carefully pulled herself up and placed her back against the white headboard. She went through her long messy auburn hair and yawned.
"Perfect! Another uneventful day at Hyrule City." She thought as she lifted herself off her bed and looked around her room for any sign of her cat. She dropped to the floor and lifted the bedding covers and looked under the bed. No sign of her. She sighed and stretched out one more time before she approached the mirror. Then she smiled and headed towards the washroom. She summoned her maids to prepare the bath for her. Two young maids walked in, bowed their heads slightly, and began to work fast. Ten minutes later Kairi was inside the warm water, lost in thoughts about her older half-sister, Zelda, who had gotten the absurd idea to expose herself helping an elderly woman run her tavern in a secluded area in Destiny Island. She had done so clearly behind her parents' backs. Destiny Island was an extremely dangerous place for very well-civilized and noble women, and although Zelda was quite aware of the risk despite both her sisters' recommendations, 8she was out there every night. Her safety was not guaranteed, although she was one of the governor's daughters, no one would protect her in that isolated place. What troubled Kairi the most was that Zelda had insisted on helping in the middle of the night. It was a wonderful way for her not to be caught by her parents, she always said. After a few months of anxiety and dreed things had calmed down and Kairi had been able to be more at ease. It is not like Zelda would not be alone. Kairi pulled out of her thoughts and yelled for her nana.
"Ryoko, could you come and help me get dressed?!" She heard a loud voice on the other side of her door. Seconds later the chubby old woman walked in the room. Her nana was a warm woman, in her late forties, that had been helping the Hikaru family since she was twelve years old. Since her mother had died, Ryoko was the closest thing she had to a mother.
"Yes, my lady, what would you be wearing today?" She said as she walked straight to the closet and began to prep all of the clothing. She had taken out a fresh shift undergarment, her stockings and their much-needed ribbons, the dickey petticoat, and her daily corset from the armoire and drawers around the room. The stay tube, pocket bags, kerchiefs, and hip pad followed. Ryoko seemed flushed and a little bit off but completely dismissed Kairi and asked her what she would be wearing again.
"Something presentable. My cousin Arieth will be arriving any minute now" Kairi slowly said still observing Ryoko carefully. The woman nodded her head and headed towards Kairi's large fancy closet near the washroom to avoid further questioning. Ryoko began to move quickly getting the rest of the gown ready on the floor at a quick pace. Her maid was quick and what would normally take two maids to do she got it done. Kairi was dressed and her hair was neatly combed and her light-yellow day hat in place. She was now wearing a pastel yellow gown with a matching petticoat and skirt. Her stomacher was embroidered with pink, blue, and purple flowers. with her favorite pair of white satin slippers. She thanked Ryoko and made her way toward the formal waiting room since she imagined her family would be there waiting for her to go into the dining room for breakfast. The castle was a large one and if you did not know where to go you could easily get lost. Kairi's room was found on the east wing on the second floor. The east wing was reserved for family and close friends. The west wing was for the guests. She opened the door to her room and walked out, passed her father's office, the master suite, Naminé's room, and then Zelda's room. She walked towards the staircase and ascended the staircase slowly; she only made it down the steps when she heard a loud commotion coming from the formal room. The door was left open with a few footmen talking lowly and when they noticed her, they hushed and stared at her politely. She felt the tension in the air. It was only seven O'clock in the morning and everyone was up and about. Deadly silence and soft sobs were the only things she could hear as she entered the large room. She looked around and saw all the family gathered, along with the commodore of the Navy and a couple of the militiamen standing. There were two other figures with bruises all over their faces sitting on the loveseat across from Kendra and Naminé. Dry blood and the purple bruises made them almost unrecognizable, but Kairi recognized Gabrilla's black hair, ungroomed. It was Gabrilla and her great-aunt. Only the ladies were sitting while the men stood in attention. Her father was pacing back and forth in the room with a strange stressed-out emotion on his face. Kairi was also surprised that Arieth had already arrived with her right beside her Fiancée, Wakka. They were both standing near the doorway. Arieth was as old as Zelda and just as tall. Although related to her father's family, Arieth did not inherit any of the Hikaru features. Lady Arieth Hikaru Gainsborough was her first cousin and a beautiful woman. She had light brown hair that reached her back. She mostly maintained in a large loose braid and full of colorful ribbons. The city she hailed from was not so strict with how women could wear their hair. It was unheard of for ladies to wear that style here in Hyrule City. She had the green eyes that most Hikaru's had, soft pink lips. She had recently been courted and engaged to marry the sole heir, Prince Wakka Nomura, from the country of Besaid. The tall masculine man had orange hair, tanned skin, well-built, and chocolate-brown eyes. He was five and twenty and enjoy his free time as a sportsman. He enjoyed hunting, playing ball, and horseback riding. Besaid was a large island country that had the second-largest port in the world. They had a large marine life culture and traditions that were unorthodox to Hyrule City. Victor had arranged the marriage, seeing as his sister Lady Gainsborough had asked for his help. Victor was elated with the match since it allowed him to negotiate with the King of Besaid. Wakka was a good man. Wakka had a big heart and a cheerful disposition. He always wanted to make people laugh, Arieth had said in her last letter to her cousins. She also mentioned that he loved children and found himself always interacting with them, even sometimes playing with them. She did not love the man, but she would be happy with a good man like him. She had confided most of her insecurities with her three cousins. They were all close and loved each other. They tried to support her.
Kairi carefully approached everyone and questioned the reason for their discomfort. Everyone looked up with worried glares then back down to their own little world. Before Kairi asked again Naminé tried to speak. Naminé's voice was barely audible, not to mention her sentence was completely broken by her cries, even with Kendra's supporting hand holding hers. Kairi's mind was ringing as she saw uncontrollable tears sliding down Naminé's red puffy cerulean eyes. There was something terribly wrong. Kairi swallowed as she approached her sister. Kairi was not sure she asked the question that was running to her mind, she could barely talk as she felt her heart pounding at a massive speed. There was a long pause in the room before anyone answered. Kairi tried to open her mouth again and ask but no sound budged out, only small gasping sounds. She took Kendra's hand to find support.
"She's gone." Kendra finally gasped as she closed her eyes.
At that moment Kairi felt as if she lost herself in a dark pit of emptiness. Those words kept echoing in her mind. She already knew they were talking about Zelda. Her body and face went completely numb. She dropped to her feet, trying to hold back her own tears. Her emotions finally bolted out of her eyes, as tears began to drip one by one down her face. No, no, no, no. There is no use denying it she is completely and forever gone. Kairi began shaking her head furiously in denial. Zelda could not be dead, it was too much and cruel to think that, but there was no use denying it. She and her family had to accept the fact that Zelda was never coming back, she had been banished forever.
Zelda's beaten tired body was tied up to the ship's large mast. The rope was so tight it was hard for her to struggle for movement. At that moment she would regret everything she had done in her life. Her sister had warned plenty of times that such a careless act, such as getting a job at a small tavern, in the darkest isolated part of the island. Not to mention the blindfold across her eyes was very irritating.
She could smell the morning aroma around the salty environment. The ship creaked as she heard the crew members roam about the ship. As far as she had counted before the blindfold was set on her, there are ten pirates without the captain included but she had known there were more of the way to storm the tavern. That would be quite troublesome if she tried to escape. She let a gust of wind escape out of her rosy lips as she tried to get some sleep. Her eyelids are heavy from her lack of sleep, so she finally managed to close them as the out of tuned men sang their barbaric songs. Zelda's relaxed body stiffened as the crew members came to a sudden stop, the only noise onboard was heavy footsteps approaching with a strong controlling aura.
"Chit. I suggest you wake up." She felt a cold hand run down her face and up again to where the blindfold was, with a single pull the tight cloth came down. At first, her eyes struggled to adjust to the surprisingly bright morning. Her eyes, unable to contain themselves, quickly darted to the figure hovering over her. It was the tall, lean, pirate leader as before. He had a demonic grin on his face as he leaned closer. He placed both his smooth hands in her jaws and pulled her face towards his. "You had sisters, correct? You will be surprised how quickly they will be with you."
A soft relief moan escaped from her lips as her eyes began to shine with a hope that was never set up in the first place. Without a second of thought, she quickly asked, "You mean you'll let me go?"
The pirate let her go and stood up straight. To make a point he dramatically threw his head backwards as he began to laugh. His god-like features lit up as if there was a joke on which she was completely clueless. His crew joined in deliberately, however as soon as the captain stopped, the laughing ceased, and the silence continued.
"Come on chit, now why would I do that? I mean you did promise my men a good service did you not? I assumed that you sisters are also part of the entertainment!" Zelda's cerulean eyes widened with fear as she glanced up at the man. He grinned and spun around, getting ready to go back to his cabin. The captain stopped walking as he felt his loosened shirt pull back. He noticed the woman was crying and holding his shirt with her bare teeth. As he suspected, the girl released his shirt after he turned around and glared at her.
"Please spare my sisters! They are not involved in this! I beg of-" A loud slap noise echoed through the ship; the crew sat quietly staring into amazed eyes.
"Do not touch me!" The man quickly walked away and slammed the door of his cabin closed. The crew continued their singing as if nothing had occurred within those five minutes. Disgraced and pained she held back her remaining tears as she looked straight forward avoiding eye contact with the men. It was obvious right now that she was alone and completely doomed at this point.
"Hey," She heard a soft whisper. She turned slightly to the left towards one of the blonde pirates. He smiled childishly at her and walked quietly over her. "Do not worry, you will get used to the captain's bad mood. He is relatively pleasant once you know him. It is in there deep inside" He looked down at the floor and looked up again grinning. Although she was curious about his eloquent vocabulary, she made no comment.
"Name's Link" Zelda could not help but smile softly at him, even if the smile affected her swollen cheek, sending twice as much pain. "Would you like to hear a story?" he asked casually. Without looking around her environment she nodded her head, too tired to listen to the story but much too scared to go to bed.
Kairi felt completely overwhelmed throughout the entire day, replaying the rest of the conversation in the waiting room. Gabrilla and Mrs. Hawkins described how the entire small establishment was overrun with pirates. Gabrilla and her aunt tried to go after the men who took Zelda, but they were stopped before they even reached the door. They were both raped and beaten for hours. Gabrilla had even described how she had been tortured through the entire process. At first, both Victor and Kendra wanted the girls out, but they stood their ground and refused to leave. Defeated both allowed the women to continue in the girl's presence. They had killed Jack and decapitated him, making both watch the gruesome scene. The laughter and the bloodshed made everyone sick to their stomachs. There was no way Kairi could feel at ease. Even the description of the near mad women, the way their eyes almost rolled back in agony remembering the gruesome details, were enough to scare Kairi and Naminé. They listen intently. Gabrilla and her aunt were not able to find the men but in between sobs and moments of complete hysteria, Gabrilla did say that they were armed and indeed pirates.
Kairi, feeling sick to her stomach, nausea overtaking her, excused herself from the large room without another word and ran outside where there were more soldiers stationed. She needed to get out of the castle. She found a footman and ordered him to ready the carriage. As soon as he had it ready, Kairi left the castle grounds. At her father's request despite her protests, her companion sat across her reading a book. The girl had been understanding enough and had avoided any conversation with her. Kairi was, as to be expected, in a non-talkative mood. The carriage slowly carried her through the entire city with no specific direction.
How should one feel after their sister has been abducted? Should she feel grief? Despair? Dander? She was not sure. She knew in some cases when some maiden was kidnapped by pirates they were never retrieved. Unless it was a particularly important noble, adductions cause more money and trouble than what the woman was worth. Was that what she was supposed to do on this occasion? Forget her sister?
"If I may my lady, I can read your future to take your mind off things." The voice of her companion had completely broken her thoughts and as she came back to reality, she realized she had been silently crying and her maid had long placed her book aside. The girl smiled sympathetically, something that Kairi needed at that moment. The maid dropped to the floor of the small, enclosed velvet-covered carriage and grabbed Kairi's hand. The maid closed her eyes as she ran her rough damaged fingers across the soft delicate hands of her mistress. She told her boring things about her fortune and what type of person she was; the girl suddenly fell quiet. She remained for a brief period before she looked up with a frightened look. Kairi, her grief aside, curiously questioned the young girl, who now sat across her in fright. The girl shook her head, trying to conceal what she had read. Kairi asked once in a more demanding tone. That was enough to burst the girl into tears.
"Oh, young mistress!" the maid said. "Your future is full of obstacles, terrible obstacles that you must overcome, your life and love line intertwine completely. You must be careful too Miss.! or else you will lose your soul to the devil himself" The girl mumbled something else in an unknown language, to Kairi's dismay. She was curious about what she had meant and what else was coming. Surely it could not have been worse than what she was going through, right? Kairi looked into the girl's eyes. It was obvious the young girl was keeping something from her, but she dropped the subject and only sat quietly for the rest of the carriage ride.
After she had heard Link's absurd story about one of the raids the ship had fallen silent. She was relieved that the pirates allowed her to stay without the irritating blindfold. The ship had not set sail to Zelda's surprise. It was docked behind one of the many large cliffs on the Island or at least that is what she could see. She had truly gotten little sleep since the encounter with the captain. He had remained in his cabin since their encounter, and she could not ask for more. The young man named Link sat across her watching her mildly. He would get up and drink some rum occasionally or move around. He sometimes commented about formal subjects such as the weather or their surroundings. Aside from the captain he was the only onboard. She assumed the rest of the pirates had been secretly enjoying themselves in the town. About noon, she finally dared to speak. With determination, she took in a gush of air and forced some words out of her dry throat. At first, her dry throat only gave off small noises. He smiled, surprisingly excused himself, got up and ran to the bottom of the vessel, and returned minutes later with a large spoon in his hands.
"Sorry about that babe, forgot de captain told me to feed ye s'me water …" He brought the spoon close to her face. She looked up at him confused. Was she supposed to sip the water from the spoon like a dog? She looked up at him, who was still holding the spoon in front of her. She bit her lip and shook her head. He sat there expectantly for a couple of minutes before he gave up and set it aside. He sat down in front of her.
"Look, lady. You will need to drink the water ye hear? Captain ordered it, so you must do it all right?" He took the spoon once again and held it to her face. She looked at the spoon once again and frowned. She was thirsty, and her health was worth more than her pride, right? Besides, if the captain had ordered it, she was afraid to contradict him. The last thing she had in mind was confronting the man once again. His undaunted eyes burned with aversion every time he looked at her. She could still feel the chills running down her body. Not to mention his overwhelming presence was enough to make even the strongest men fall at his feet in fright. He was a truly terrifying man. Zelda had met many men in that small tavern, frightening men, which could easily murder someone if they intended, and never had she felt such fright nor had she been easily overwhelmed. So, she closed her eyes and placed her dry lips on the wooden spoon. Link tipped the spoon so the water could easily go down her throat. After there was no water left, he put it aside and smiled. He complimented her and sat there waiting for her to say something. She opened her mouth once again; she cleared her throat just to make sure she could speak clearly. She had been surprised, even when he was talking about his tale, at least the closest to the captain had an eloquent vocabulary, they sounded well-read and educated. There were times when they were around other men, and they would simplify their dialect. He had to come from a good background. Maybe she could negotiate with him.
"Mister Link." She hesitated, "Would you be so kind as to tell me what your captain plans to do with my family? I am -" She stopped as she heard the barbarian in front of her burst into a strong loud laughter. Of all the things – she was offended. Here she was trying to be very civilized and asked politely and was laughing. Laughing at her! If he did not want to speak, he should say so instead of being rude. When he seized his laughter, he looked at her with an apologetic look. He noticed her angry expression and apologized one more time before he laughed again.
"Lady, you do not need to be conceited here 'k? You are only going to get laughed at if you address us as mister or sir" he managed to breathe out in between his laughs. "Trust me, been there!" Zelda was NOT happy.
"How rude! You should be honored that I even addressed your name with a Mister! Ha! Such impolite men!"
Link only laughed and smiled. Zelda had to admit if he had not been a pirate, he could have been a charming man. Could of. She could not help but join in the laugh after a long comfortable silence between them. Her eyelids finally allowed her to doze off into a light slumber. She was too tired to even continue her interrogation of the man.
When Kairi arrived back at her house, she noticed the dead silence in the air. Usually, there was laughter in Lady Kendra's parlor, which was always overflowing with her close acquaintances. They are always drinking tea and chanting away about rumors and the scandalous deeds of others. Sometimes, just to be polite, the girls would join. The girls always avoided such gatherings by taking afternoon strolls or sneaking into their father's private library. It seemed that Kendra had canceled the afternoon tea. Naminé was nowhere to be seen, not even in the large library. She would suppose that Zelda's disappearance had caused her family quite a disturbance. She found her father in his office writing away on his account books and estate booklets while screaming at the commodore. She was in no mood to deal with her father or anyone, so she decided to seclude herself in her room. Maybe both Kendra and Naminé chose to do the same. She summoned Ryoko who had already prepared her bath. After she cleaned her body Kairi lay down on her bed dressed in fresh undergarments. She was tired, not only physically but she was exhausted mentally.
"Ryoko … do you think Zelda is alright?" Kairi finally said. She heard the woman put down something that came out to the young girl's room. The woman smiled as she sat on the edge of the bed and looked down. Kairi sense the woman wanted to say something else other than her, "I don't know sweetheart …" a simple response. Kairi looked up into the ceiling of her room and then she turned her attention to her maid.
"I should be scared, grieving. Women who are taken by those- those barbarians are hardly ever rescued! What girl is ever rescued after falling into such a mishap? In this era, if you are a woman and you get abducted by pirates, you are considered dead. Do those pirates really kill the women they steal? Why would they kidnap Zelda in the first place? They could easily violate her like Gabrilla." Her nana gasped in shock but remained quiet. "They could have stolen her money and everything of value like Mrs. Hawkins' things. They could kill them all in the same spot they found them just like the poor barman. So why go to the trouble of taking Zelda?" Ryoko stayed quiet as she carefully listened to Kairi's words. The woman understood what she was so clearly trying to say. However, was she saying it because she really believed it, or was it because she was trying to convince herself that Zelda was not dead? That she could not die. Kairi knew she did not have to say her thoughts aloud because somehow old Ryoko always knew what she was thinking.
"My sweet girl! Stop torturing yourself and set your mind at ease. Some men do not choose to be pirates. Sometimes the great horrors of the sea bring to them this certain path of despair. The governor and the commodore are sure to do something about it, I'm sure of it." Ryoko then lifted herself up from the bed and continued with her labors.
Right around when supper was served, Kairi had already changed into her evening gown. This time she chose to wear her pale pink dress that covered her chest and half-ways to her neck. She refused to wear any mourning garments until they confirmed 100% her sister was gone. Her hair was pulled back in a simple bun with no decorations, only a pink ribbon tightly clutched around her hair. She slipped into her white satin slippers and walked toward the dining room; she was not hungry, but she needed to know what news they had. The rest of the family was already seated at the large family table when she entered the room. She was politely greeted by Kendra, her father, Naminé, and Arieth. Wakka had already left to stay with relatives as it was improper for two soon-to-be-married couples to stay in the same house before the wedding. She had completely forgotten that Arieth had come to visit the estate for a season to complete her wedding preparation. She sat in her designated place and awaited to be served. As the first course was served her father spoke up first.
"Family" He coldly said. "I have quite a few things I wish to bring to your attention," he pauses briefly again as he took a sip from his whiskey and then he continued,
"First of all, I would like you to know that I'm doing everything in my power as governor of this city to bring Zelda back. Her kidnapping will NOT go unpunished. The commodore is searching every alcove as we speak for traces of those who dared blemish this household reputation. He already has some kind of idea of who might have done this, but he has chosen to reserve this information until he is sure. In the meantime, you are not to leave the castle unprotected. He has placed a protective detail around the premises. Secondly …" The first news quickly lifted the tension and angst in the room. Everyone's face brightened with reassurance. Naminé, pleased with her father's announcement, smiled at her father.
" I wanted to let you girls know that after this incident it would be hard to get Zelda engaged. No one wants damaged goods, and it will be impossible to believe that she has not been soiled." That comment pissed Kairi off, but she refused to comment. She bit her tongue as she tried to relax. "So, I will be counting on you to try harder and match with men of wealth and power this season."
Kairi only nodded her head. She did not want to argue with their father about the same subject they always argued on. Seriously, arranged marriages to wealthy men? Why couldn't she choose someone she loved? Not that she was already in love. There are hardly any men who captivated her attention, let alone awaken in her love. The dinner progressed in an uncomfortable silence like it usually did. No one spoke while they ate the rest of their dinners. At dessert time Kairi excused herself and went back to her room. Ryoko helped her change into her long and silky pink nightgown. She loosened her hair and made her way to her balcony. The night was a peaceful one. Behind the castle, there was a restricted beach. A beach only her father's confidants and the family could access. The castle was built on a large acre with a protective mountain surrounding it from attacks. The castle walls also covered a part of the city in case of an invasion. If they were on the castle grounds, they would be safe. At the bed of the mountain, it was covered with lush gardens that she had enjoyed exploring and playing in when she was a child. Although it brought her a smile and as enchanting as they were, Kairi could not keep her eyes on the waters of the sea. The sea was a large mysterious thing. It was known to be the most terrifying thing in the world, yet it was also the most eternally beautiful. The wind carried some portions of the water occasionally on the large beach, but the ocean was not what had caught Kairi's attention. No, it was the moon. The moon in all its glory was high above. Its magnificent body was perfectly reflected upon the dark ocean. It was as if another world of endless stars and magnificence was in front of her. She stood there quietly for a long time, and by the time she refocuses her attention on the house, the entire castle has seized their activities. It was quiet.
This brought Kairi a quick state of uneasiness, but she completely disregarded her. As she reentered her bed chamber, she heard something behind her. Not to mention a completely sudden change of scent of her alarms flashing. She turned around to see a man standing on the thick stone balcony. His figure was exposed by the pale-yellow moon in the background. Her eyes widen when her gaze fell upon the man. She heard him curse again.
"Bloody hell chit, you should be asleep," he grunted as he slowly took a step forward and dropped gracefully inside the balcony. Every time he stepped forward Kairi moved back a step; she was afraid if she ran to the door he would kill before she got there. The other choice was to scream for help, but she could endanger everyone else. She looked around her room. She had to decide quickly or else she was a goner. She reached for the closest thing she could find and launched at the man. He easily caught it and smiled.
"Now chit what would have happened if this base had broken? Who would have died because of your recklessness lass? Your maids? Your father? Your sister?" His blood lust was quite bone-chilling. Kairi knew he was serious. So, she continued to move back with fright. She had to get away. The man stopped in his tracks, with a smirk across his face. Kairi saw him disappear and then everything went black. The last thing she remembered was a woman screaming in the background.
Sora had it planned perfectly. It had taken him the entire day to inspect the cast grounds and construct the perfect plan. Kidnapping the girls would have been easy since the women would be fast asleep, and they would not have to go through the entire town after him. The woman would then have been more trouble than it was worth. Although the men enjoyed a good raid, nothing good would come of that. They would be unable to ransom them if he killed the governor or his wife. So, he calculated his plans and ensured that there would be no interferences and setbacks. Of course, he had thought of the possibility that indeed the women were awake. He would have easily knocked them out with a powerful chemical he had stolen at the last city they were in. His plan had been one-hundred percent foolproof. Of course, what he had failed to account for in his calculation was his desire for the woman. The minute he had gazed upon the red-headed woman his entire body had become immobile. His hesitation had caused a fluke in his plan. When he managed to get a hold of himself and launch himself at the girl and knocked her out, he had caused too much of a stir. An old woman came rushing in screaming some nonsense and before long the entire room was full of people. Shit. He took the girl in his arms and jumped down the 2-story floor onto the isolated beach. He landed perfectly and began to dash across the beach with the unconscious woman. The entire castle's lights were ignited instantly. The once quiet place became overwhelmingly noisy. He heard men screaming, horses whinnying, and gunshots all around. He refused to turn around, not out of fright, but he needed to concentrate and lead his men. He heard a window crash and heavy footsteps behind him. Then seconds later came an explosion from another side of the mansion. Two more had joined in the run. Sora did not need to look back; he ran until reached the gates of the castle. As expected, they have been shut close. He easily took his free hand, grabbed his cutlass sword, and took care of the guards. He noticed it was his men trailing behind with the other two girls. There was a wall near the gates that would leave them in wooded areas to hide them from sight. They jumped the wall and quickly began their pace again. Not far behind, on the main road, came the sounds of galloping stallions and gunshots. The governor had obviously expected the attack and had set a trap for them. That did not surprise him since he had counted on it. That is why he wanted to kidnap them as quietly as possible. The entire city's militiamen had prepared an attack on them hoping to recover the first lost daughter. Sora's well-thought-out plan and his pre-chosen route quickly evaded the ambushed. They arrived quite safely at their vessel. Indeed, these women had been more trouble than they were worth, but he would have to see how well it played out. Earlier in the day he had instructed the rest of his men to be ready to sail in an instant. They were all back from the city and taverns, waiting patiently for their captain. They all climbed onboard. As soon as he reached the deck, he handed the red-headed woman to one of his underlings and commanded the girls to be "taken" care of.
"Riku. Come," he called out before he vanished into his cabin. The crew looked towards the door and sighed with relief. They had been lucky indeed that the captain had not erupted in rage and murdered the women before they could trade them for the hefty ransom. Riku, the silver-haired pirate, followed the captain's command and disappeared after him. Minutes later Riku appeared from the Captain's Cabin and ordered them to remove the ship from the island as quickly as possible. They did as instructed and before the angry city dwellers arrived at the docked area, the pirates had vanished into the deep blue sea with the three Hikaru Heiresses and their guest.
A/N: So there ya go! Chapter one, rewritten! ^^ So what do u guys think? PLEASE REVIEW!