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-Dark-
Bloody fucking sea gods!
How?
His strains to turn his head, though trying to see in this unnatural night was fucking useless at this point.
The thick sheets of rain, the giant waves, and the utter blackness in the middle of the day-
Or was it night?
Fuck, he had no idea.
How long had they been doing this?
How long had he and Uma been clinging to the helm?
He grimaces at the numbness in his fingers.
He didn't dare flex them for fear of not being able to grip the handle.
But the knowledge left him uncomfortable. It was strange to not feel the rough wood digging into his skin.
How long had they listened desperately for James, straining to hear him over the pounding rain and violent claps of thunder as he shouted out directions?
Somehow working as a team during one of the most terrifying storms he'd ever witnessed.
And together they kept the ship safe.
Kept her between the Isle and the barrier.
Managed to turn her straight into the waves.
Fuck, how they managed to not capsize-
He would have shaken his head if it wasn't so stiff from straining.
He knew why they were still in one piece. As good as they were, he was pretty sure it was the old wizard and the magic he, for whatever reason, was able to use that kept the ship steady in the storm.
The weird.
Fucking.
Storm.
The bigger question was how the fuck was the Old Man using magic.
Wasn't that why the barrier was there in the fucking first place?
One of the reasons?
Not that he should be complaining.
Yensid and the magic he now possessed was the only reason they were alive.
If his throat wasn't raw from choking on seawater, he would have laughed.
They did their best. Followed directions and kept the ship turning on command.
But the only reason their efforts counted was because of the old man.
He knew it, deep in his pirate gut.
He shakes his head.
The how of it wasn't important.
Besides, he'd never been a fan of looking for teeth.
His brow furrows and he draws in a tight breath as he looks to the sea.
He'd never seen it churn with so much anger.
Never seen it so angry it tried to swallow the Isle whole, and them along with it.
He frowns as he looks portside, only to find darkness.
That was bothering him more than he wanted to admit.
The sheer darkness.
The absence of light so thick he could barely see Uma beside him even though he knew she was there.
Even through the worst storms they'd fared over the years, the orange glimmer of the stupid barrier was always visible.
A constant reminder of their situation.
But now?
Nothing.
Just darkness.
A darkness that was even more oppressive than the barrier.
Well, darkness interrupted with occasional flashes of green.
Which was yet another damn first.
Green lightning?
It sounded like something from one of Deez's books.
Deez-
He pushes the thought away, refusing to give it power until they were out of this.
He watches another ribbon light up the sky as it sends a shiver down his spine.
Foreboding.
Ominous.
Unnatural.
Frightening.
He narrows his eyes as he looks starboard.
Still nothing.
He could be looking towards the Isle for all he knew.
His grip shifts, slipping on the rain-drenched handle as the helm tries to turn with a shifting current.
Fuck!
He quickly adjusts to brace his shoulder against the wheel, nodding as he sees Uma shifting as well.
He needed to stop questioning everything right now.
Needed to stop looking for teeth.
Right now he just needed to help Uma.
Needed to keep the helm steady.
Keep them on course.
They didn't have a choice. They had to keep aware of their surroundings, as little of it as they could see or risk smashing the ship to bits.
"It's getting easier to keep her steady." Uma sighs as one shaking hand inches closer.
"Ya be ah thinkin' that be meanin' the crazy be over?" He asks as he struggles to look over his shoulder at James and Yensid.
They were barely visible where James had anchored them to the mast.
"Sea Gods, I fucking hope so," Uma mumbles, her voice cracking as she lets her forehead fall to the helm.
Yensid sighs as he opens his eyes, "It would indeed seem that the worst of the adjustments are over."
"Shit." James hangs his head as he lets out a breath of relief, though that relief didn't extend to his rigid grip on the wizard.
"That were bein' adjustments?" He chuckles darkly, "Adjustments ta what exactly?"
"It would seem that the barrier was struck by something powerful enough to penetrate its walls, allowing magic to seep in."
"Wait," Uma's eyes widen as she looks down to the shell hanging against her chest, "the Isle seriously has access to magic now?"
He could understand her thinly veiled panic. Or maybe it was complete panic, but she was just as exhausted as he was.
"It would seem so." Yensid nods solemnly before he holds a hand up.
He waits, staring dumbly at his hand before he notices.
The tiny amount of light around it, outlining the old man's hand as it slowly gets brighter and brighter.
"So ya be holdin' flames-"
Before he can finish, Yensid snaps his fingers, and the light jumps from his hand to the lanterns mounted around the ship.
The sudden light makes him blink in surprise, but he had to admit, it helped to see the ship and everyone on it.
"Available," Yensid smiles, though he couldn't miss the way the old man grew paler after that, "What we're experiencing is the ricochet effect of powerful energy bouncing within the barrier. Or perhaps the effect of the barrier's own energy under the strain of whatever it was that broke its perimeter. Either way, that would account for the weather, the quickly shifting current, and the abnormal waves we have been experiencing."
He rolls his eyes, "Ya be makin' it sound like we be at the whim o' the magic o' the barrier. Like it be ah livin' thing."
Yensid lets out a long sigh, "For all intents and purposes it is. And it would seem something has attacked it. It's settling, though we should by no means fully relax yet."
"I don'nah be thinkin' I be ah likin' the sounds o' that."
When Uma stands he grimaces, knowing he no longer had the excuse of bracing the helm to hide how stiff and torn he felt. He carefully pulls himself up, surprised by the lack of pops from his abused joints.
That was going to be a bitch when he finally acknowledged the pain.
"We need to dock so we can see what's going on-" Uma's eyes narrow as she looks over the deck, "We need to go find the rest of our family, and give others the chance to find people that matter to them."
"Very wise, Captain, as always." Yensid nods, his tired eyes focused on the shore as lightning streaking through the sky throws casts a green outline around it, "As soon as we're sure the waves of energy have fully disbursed."
James finally loosens his grip on Yensid and steps closer to the helm, his eyes sliding over the crew who were starting to move around now that the ship was lit up. "If we're headin' to the cove, perhaps we should be lightnin' the load first, sendin' the crew ta find them they care 'bout, like ya suggested?"
"Aye." He nods his agreement before he looks to Uma for the order.
"Make for the dock. We're going ashore soon as it's safe." Uma bellows.
James nods before he walks away, "Ya heard the Captain! Hoist the sails! Make 'em full! We're bound for the docks, but hold fast 'til it be safe ta make port."
His eyes narrow as most of the crew moves to their posts, while a few older sailors continue to stare up at the helm.
"Ya be gettin' deaf from the storm?" James snaps, "Captain be-"
"Oh aye-" Tim shouts over the wind before he shakes his head, "We be ah hearin' what the Captain be sayin'," He looks to the small group gathering around him, "She be plannin' ta dump us 'fore the lot o' you fuckin' snot nosed brats be shovin' off with ah ship. Now that ya be knowin' how ta be sailin'." He crosses his arms over his chest, "Why else we be headin' ta dock?"
"What!?" Uma growls as she glares at the older man with disbelief. "Ya best be fuckin' jokin' Tim."
"Shut up Tim!" A few of the younger sailors call out.
"Yeah, some of us have people we want to check on!" Sam snaps as he holds one of the riggings tight.
"They're long gone!" Tim scowls, "Capin's jus' lookin' ta be rid o' the lot o' us now that she knows the ship can hold."
More crew members jeer in agreement as they gather behind Tim.
"Ya've gotta be fuckin' shittin' me…" He scowls, "We just be ah survivin' hell an this-"
"Seriously," Uma closes her eyes before she runs a hand down her face. "Fuck." Her eye twitches as she bares her teeth.
"Cap'n…" James frowns as he draws his sword.
"Ya really be wantin' ah mutiny?" He grins as he pulls out his sword and hook.
Fuck it.
T saw this coming.
Saw it coming for ages.
So, of course, a mutiny would happen now.
Right now.
When he barely had any feeling in his arms or hands.
And he didn't even want to think about the way his legs were shaking.
Fuck it.
Fuck them.
Fucking T.
Fuck him being right.
"Cause it be ah long while since I be havin' ah good fight." His eyes flash as he slowly edges to the stairs, throwing his arms wide in invitation, "An' ya lot be knowin' how much I love ta be hookin' codfish."
The other, younger members of her crew look at the adults in horror as murmurs of 'Are they serious' crackle in the air.
"SAM!" He hollars as he plasters a huge wicked grin on his face, "Helm now!" He barks.
The boy darts up the stairs to follow the order.
"Don't flip my ship!" Uma warns before she hands off the helm, "James, keep the fighting away from Yensid." She demands gruffly through grit teeth as she rolls her shoulders.
"On it Cap'n!"
His grip on his hook tightens as he swings his sword into the closest group.
How were she and Harry still standing?
She clenches her jaw as she shakes her head, ignoring the rain running down her back as she glares. Wasn't that just the treasure-loaded question?
Later problem.
"Do ya yield?" She growls down at Tim as she presses the tip of her sword to the hollow of his throat.
She barely pays attention to others as she stares him down, daring him to make another move.
Please.
It would feel so good to have an excuse.
A reason.
It would feel so good to just put an end to all his-
"Aye! I yield." Tim sneers before he holds his hands up, dropping his sword to his side before he links his fingers behind his head.
Her eyes narrow before she takes a step back.
Good.
Fucking bastard.
She looks around with a practiced hardness until everyone else who dared to follow Tim also drops their weapons.
She lifts her chin as she stares down at everyone who betrayed her.
It should have hurt more.
Should have burned her to her very soul.
But, T had warned her.
Right now, she almost couldn't care less about a stupid group of adults.
Not when her legs were shaking under her.
Not when she was so cold she couldn't feel her fingers or the weapons in them.
Not when she was this worried about-
No.
Her grip around her sword and whip tighten.
She needed to deal with this first.
Needed this to end this before her body and mind betrayed her.
Because giving it thought would surely tear her apart, and she was so fucking tired.
She forces her back straight, despite the fact all she wanted to do was fall to her knees.
Give in to the blackness creeping in on the edge of her vision.
Yet another later problem.
Squashing this mutiny had not been an easy battle.
Surviving the barrier throwing a temper tantrum had not been an easy ride.
And the sea?
She'd never felt so betrayed by something she loved so much.
And yet?
Despite best efforts by adults in her crew, here she was.
Still in charge.
Fucking assholes.
Oathbreakers.
"Cap'n?" Harry breathes out heavily, his face red from exertion. "What we be'ah doin' with them that be mutinyin'?" He asks as he tilts his head towards Ann, who he'd subdued to her knees.
She watches with a tiny smile as Harry presses his blade to her throat when Ann shifts, silencing her before she can speak or move.
Her crazy-eyed number one.
Exhausted and still keeping everyone in their place.
She eyes Tawnya as she stands guard over the adults while James eyes her, also pale from exhaustion but clearly ready to follow her orders.
Damn it.
What was left of her crew looked like they'd just faced hell-
Which, wasn't that precisely what the last-
Fuck, how long had they been forced to survive the sea?
And she could only hope they'd quelled the mutiny quickly.
She didn't even want to know how she looked right now. She could feel warmth trickling down her arms in a couple of places. And a sting in her back told her she hadn't turned fast enough to block Tim's first attack on her.
The coward.
A full adult man and still couldn't face her in actual combat.
Damn it.
Her glare intensifies as she turns back to Tim.
This was his fault.
All his fault.
And yet, it still didn't hurt as much as it should.
It just pissed her the fuck off.
Her hand tenses around her sword before she looks out to the Isle, "They decided to risk us all in the middle of a dangerous situation. If it weren't for Yensid-" She shakes her head, unwilling to finish that sentence. "Since we're resting close to the middle, looks like you all have a better chance of surviving." She whips her head up, her jaw set as she looks around, "Toss 'em over. Let 'em swim back to the hole they crawled out of, get eaten by killer sharks, or join Davy Jones."
It was better than they deserved, but she couldn't bring herself to kill them or order their deaths.
The sea could claim them or they could limp back to her mother.
Fucking bitches.
"Ya can't be bein' serious-" Joseph starts, only to be grabbed by his lapels and thrown overboard by a stone-faced and clearly over it James.
"Fucker." James growls before he turns to what was left of her crew. "Ya be hearing the Captain! Dump 'em!"
"It be better than what they be plannin' fer us if things be ah goin' their way," Harry growls before he forces a thrashing Ann over.
She sighs with relief when that seems to spur on the rest of her crew.
"Aye!" The remaining crew calls out as the-
Oh, Sea God's, was she down to five crew members?
How?
Her eyes narrow. Fuck. She'd never realized how many of her crew were adults.
How were they- Not important right now.
She could figure out what to do with her skeleton crew once the mutineers were taken care of.
She growls as she kicks Tim to the deck and places her booted foot to his head.
She didn't want to acknowledge that she didn't have the strength to wrestle him off the side.
That didn't stop her from pressing his face further into the deck.
Prick.
"Don'nah be worryin' none 'bout this scum Cap'n," Harry walks up, giving Tim a stiff kick to the side before he continues, "He ain'nah bein' worth yer time." He bends, slapping his hand roughly over the back of Tim's neck, "But it do be time for him ta be tryin' his luck with the sea."
She tries to smile, though she could tell it was strained.
Now that Harry was closer, she could see that he wasn't in much better shape, and that was just what she could see.
With his red jacket, and the storm still swirling above them, it was hard to tell the difference between blood, rain, and sweat.
But she would be hard-pressed to miss how pale he was.
"First ta provoke, last ta swim, that be soundin' downright fittin'."
A hand on her shoulder shocks her back to the present. She looks up to see a haggard Yensid observing her.
"Are you going to say it was a bad call?" She challenges, holding her head up as she juts her chin out.
"Not at all." Yensid frowns, "But, as your advisor, I know how much you desire to seek the rest of your family right now-" He turns towards the Isle with a grim frown, "What I would suggest, however, is that everyone needs care and at least some rest before we set out for the others." He councils wearily.
She clenches her jaw before she drops her gaze, "T was somewhere on the Isle, fuck only knows where though."
She blinks away tears of frustration.
She kept her fears at bay for so long, but now that she was giving them attention-
She was starting to feel sick.
"And-" Her mouth dries, as she looks towards the shore. "And D-Deez and G-" Her voice cracks.
Her Sweet Boy and her Baby Girl.
Were they-
Had they-
She shuts down the thought swiftly, but that doesn't keep her blood from running cold, or her entire body from trembling.
Doesn't stop the acid from bubbling up in the back of her throat.
Yensid's hand tightens on her shoulder, "We don't know anything, and I agree that makes this far more terrifying." He sighs, "But I know your family is resourceful, so the best we can do is make sure when we find them we are able to help, and not dropping from exhaustion or injury."
"Right."
Of course. That made sense. She wipes her eyes.
That didn't mean that she didn't fucking hate it.
Hate how helpless she felt.
How powerless.
How downright exhausted she was now that the adrenaline was settling.
How much she just wanted to fall to her knees and sob.
She wasn't even sure whether she wanted to pray or curse the sea gods.
She turns in time to see Harry and James wrestle Tim overboard.
What were they going to do if-
She couldn't even finish the thought.
She clears her throat and stands up, feigning energy she was barely clinging to as she bellows orders over the claps of thunder and shattering rain.
When she's finished she turns back to Yensid, "And you- Need sleep. We're no good without you and we're going to need your council more than ever."
She glares when he looks like he's about to argue. Her eyes dropping to his slowly raising hands before she looks back up and lifts an eyebrow.
She was in no mood to be argued with right now.
"Of course Captain, but before I take my leave I do highly suggest seeing to your and everyone else's wounds."
She nods stiffly, "Me an' James can take care of it, now go to sleep."
The old man nods, "As you command Captain." He squeezes her shoulder before he takes his leave.
She watches him until he disappears down the stairs before she takes a quick inventory of the crew, cursing when she sees the large tear in Sam's arms.
"Harry, take the helm."
"Aye Cap'n."
"Sam, with me."
"Aye Captain." Sam nods as he waits for Harry to take the helm before following her orders.
She turns to James, "Figure out the priorities. We'll handle patchin' 'em up in the cabin."
"Aye," James nods hesitantly as he looks her over in concern.
She narrows her eyes defiantly, "Say it, I dare you."
Hey Bitches!
We're baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
Did you miss us?
Cause we missed you!
Know who didn't miss us?
These characters.
Putting them through hell Chapter one.
Dick Authors.
Any waaaaaaaaaays-
Were you excited to be reunited with the Sea Fam?
Well, a third of them at least?
Oh!
Raise your hand if you saw this coming!
You, know the older crew's sudden yet inevitable betrayal. (Twenty points to whoever can name where that quote came from!)
So, did you?
See it coming I mean?
LoLz-
One chapter in and people are already cursing T, and he ain't even there. Fuckin' beautiful.
Wish Uma'd done more than just toss those fucks overboard?
Mad she didn't go further?
Understand why she didn't?
Let us know what you think!
Or at least shoot us a line to let us know if you've actually kept up with this series- I mean five books?
I mean give us some love people, if you think this is a lot to read- Just think about how much it is for us to write. Rip apart. Cry. Rewrite. Rip apart again, this time while crying. Edit, realize we've made grievous errors. Try to kill each other. Rewrite. Near homicide again. Edit. Throw things. Finish Book 4, come back to book 5. Realize that you made horrible, horrible choices. More homicidal ideation. Cry. Then re-fucking-write the entire book you already had written. Again. Cause you fucking hate yourself. And hate each other-
Yeah, that's right fuckers. Remember how we told you at the beginning of Book 4, book 5 was already written? Remember that? I fucking do. Then I opened my fat fucking mouth because I had too much time to think about it, poke at holes, realized mistakes, and had to rewrite the entire fucking god damn stupid fucking book? You think your Best Friend's wanted to kill you? Try writing 109 chapters and then having to start from scratch because your bestie over thought everything and pointed them out to you. Seriously, this book is a testament to me and Dark's friendship. Legit shocked I'm still here to write this.
-hate our selves more. Start from scratch. Write. Contemplate homicide. Rewrite. Cry. More mind numbing editing. Writing questions. Force our two beta's to read. Edit. Cry. Grammarly. Publish.
It's a real pain in the ass process.
Seriously yo, crying takes a lot of fucking energy.
So, come on, pets?
Much love and shit
-Twisted