Chapter 1
The Rescue
The soft, repetitive sound of heels against the wooden deck started once more and stopped, only to start again after a few seconds. The red-haired man sitting a few feet away, his back resting on the bulwarks and his eyes no longer closed, fixed his gaze on the person who kept pacing around the deck for a while now. Once more she stopped and looked over the prow and towards the lone island very far in the distance. A sigh of frustration escaped her full, cherry-red lips.
"They are late."
The man smiled reassuringly, although he knew she wouldn't notice.
"They will be here soon, I'm sure."
She answered with silence, but the man knew that deep inside her were words itching to get out. It was obvious to him from the first time he met her that she was in a constant struggle with herself to hold the countless secrets she possessed hidden. If it wasn't for the deal he had made with her to be given answers in exchange for offering his help, the man was sure this girl currently standing with her back facing him would have been even more of a mystery. Not that he managed to learn as much as he would prefer but, at least, he now had a better understanding of her. He only wished the rest of his crew could see her the same way he did; a mysterious and secretive woman, true, yet also a strong and determined one. Instead, they were mostly avoiding her, muttering behind her back about how mad she was. Only the oldest of his crew-mates, the ones he too was closer with, treated her as they would a long-time friend. Shaking his head to end these sad thoughts, he looked at the girl again. She hadn't moved a bit from where she was standing before but her body was now slightly bent over the prow and her eyes were scanning the horizon. Her hands betrayed even more the worry that was, with every passing moment, engulfing her, turning her knuckles white and causing her nails to dig into the wood. The pirate was almost sure that if he didn't act soon she would simply jump overboard and swim all the way to land, leaving him to deal with the consequences.
"How do you know Ace, anyway?"
She didn't answer instantly and so the man was ready to ask another question but, before he was able to find a proper one, the girl took a deep breath.
"I don't."
He stared at her in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
In an instant, sharp, heterochromatic eyes were locked with his yellowish brown ones. The pirate was, once again, taken aback by the sight of them. The girl's eyes possessed a somewhat otherworldly strength. Not only were they uniquely colored, but he also felt as if they could see right into someone's soul; something that reminded him of a friend he hadn't seen in a while. Like that friend, she too gave the feeling that the she was seeing the world differently. Maybe this was the reason behind her strange actions and puzzling words. For a full moment, the girl stared at him until suddenly, as quickly as those eyes were on him, they turned towards the sky where a big raven was flying in circles over their heads.
"It's simple. I have never met him before. Not once."
"Then why did you come to me?"
She waited a while before answering, her right hand moving to her face to brush away some stray curls.
"I guess I just wanted to see him once. The boy that started a war."
"Wanting to see him is one thing. Wanting to save him is another."
She had an answer ready this time but the loud footsteps hurriedly coming their way instantly got her attention, the previous conversation forgotten.
"Captain!"
He turned towards the newcomer to see one of his crew members was standing there, huffing slightly from climbing down the crow's nest and running to find the captain.
"What is it?"
"They are in sight, Captain!"
Hearing the message caused the girl to glance one last time towards the horizon and, upon confirming the truth of the sailor's words, start running to the spot where it was predetermined for the small boat to dock alongside the bigger pirate vessel. The red-haired pirate was right behind her, his hand moving to rest on her shoulder when they stopped at the beam of the ship to watch the rope ladder descend to meet the small boat with the two sailors that were steadily rowing their way closer and closer. On the boat there was also a third person sitting on the back, their body limp and their head hanging low. A white sheet was dropped over their shoulders, contrasting their black hair. Soon, the two crafts were side by side and, once the smaller one was securely docked, the bigger sailors carefully grabbed the sleeping person and started climbing the ladder. The second one was following close behind.
When they were both aboard Shanks motioned for the first man to place the boy he was carrying down and then dismissed him.
"Any orders?"
The voice of his first mate, Benn Beckman, caused the one-armed pirate to turn to his left and smile.
"Get some of our men to take Ace to Calypso's room and help her with everything she needs."
Benn just nodded and turned to fulfill his Captain's orders, leaving the man to fully focus his attention on the girl that was previously stranding next to him. The girl was now kneeling next to the unconscious body of the raven-haired boy, her previous worry evident again in her eyes but, this time, accompanied by something else too; something that made Shanks' smile grow bigger.
"What are you planning to do with him?"
"Protect him the best I can."
The answer was probably something she had no intention to say out loud because, the moment she did, she covered her mouth with her hands, a slight blush decorating her cheeks. The pirate couldn't suppress the desire to tease her and he would have done so if he wasn't stopped by the girl's raised hand. Soon he noticed that all the previous indications of embarrassment had disappeared and concentration was now the only thing present on the face of the dark skinned girl who kept looking at the distance as if hypnotized. The feeling became more intense when the raven in the sky started cawing loudly and ominously, causing everyone on the ship to stay unnaturally silent and hold their breath. In the end, the girl looked straight at him, her eyes possessing a strange gleam.
"You have to hurry."
"To do what?"
"Go there."
She pointed towards the island in the distance. Shanks looked at where she was pointing and then back at her with a frown.
"Calypso, what are you talking about?"
The gleam in her eyes seemed to grow brighter as she went on.
"The winds have changed. They bring death on their wings. You have to hurry."
As if to support her words the raven flew down and sat at her shoulder. It turned to look at Shanks with its bright black eyes and cawed loudly, its wings opening wide. A wave of murmurs followed this last, strange incident. Unfazed by them the girl stood, the raven still sitting on her shoulder, and walked towards her cabin. Just before she disappeared from their sight she stopped but never looked back.
"Don't you think we have enough unnecessary deaths already?"
Shanks' eyes widened at the question. If she meant what he thought she did, then it was only natural that he should hurry. Feeling slightly unsure the red-haired pirate turned to look at his first mate and closest friend.
"We both know what she meant and we both know we must act quickly. I'll make sure myself that Ace will get the right treatment, so you just make sure we get there in time."
Shanks smiled in agreement and, with a friendly pat at his back and a quick thanks, he run to issue new orders to the rest of his crew, leaving Benn to carry the still unconscious boy at the inscrutable girl's cabin.
