The Betrayed Marionette

~.~.~

Amu found herself quite impressed, not to mention astounded, at the progress that they'd managed to make despite the peril that surrounded them.

They were following the sea breeze, drawn as they were to it by their own inner compass, for it was a fact that all who had ever spent as much time as they had upon the boundless waters would live the rest of their lives feeling that instinctual pull towards the line of the distant ocean. They discerned the smell of the salt on the wind keener than any bloodhound; tip-toeing through the dark along the shadowed line of the compound wall.

They found that these eastern men had built their barracks and various storehouses in clusters, allowing for narrow gaps between the back of their buildings which meant that the small gathering of pirates could slip quietly behind them, their backs pressed up against the boundary wall of the fortification. Their feet trod lightly, footsteps muffled beautifully by the loosely-packed sand, for this place had been built tantalizingly close to the water, but now and then there would echo some unexpected snap or hollow thud as someone unintentionally came into contact with a piece of debris or driftwood and they would come to a heart-wrenching stop, freezing in their places, trying in vain to listen for any new danger that might befall them. But each time, luckily for them, the silence would resume after a moment or two and the ambient distraction of the island's evening chorus would return, masking their fears, drowning out the calamitous roar of their anxious heartbeats. And so they would move on.

It soon became quite apparent that, owing to all the chaos that had come with the Shining Black's arrival and the discovery of the other buccaneers in the jungle, Ramira was reinforcing his defenses by means of stationing his red-coated troops towards the front gate. Quite plainly he must have thought that he needn't pay any attention to his captives for now, for they were to his knowledge still safely locked away in the gaol house under the watch of his guards. In the distance the pirates could hear the unfamiliar intonations of the soldiers as their commanders barked orders. Occasionally shouts from far beyond the boundary walls could be heard drifting on the inland breeze as it coasted down towards the sea, implying to the faithful party that there were still men marching way out amongst the jungle. This was not comforting news, for it was an unspoken worry amongst all of those present that their Captain and other companions (not to mention the wounded and vulnerable Shining Black herself!) remained in untold peril for as long as the night wore on and so they hastened.

Thankfully though, they appeared to be closer to victory than first hoped. The ground beneath their feet began sloping downwards oh-so subtly. In fact, they might not have noticed it to begin with had they not been paying attention. They were definitely nearing the shoreline. With renewed courage and urgency they quickened their pace. Amu's breath was low and heavy; blood pumped full with adrenaline. She watched as Kukai, who was at the head of their little throng, paused to peer around the edge of the wooden building behind which they had been creeping. His head snapped from side to side. One. Twice. Then three times before he ducked into a low crouch and bolted across a too-wide stretch of open space, the dust kicking up on his knees as he went. Terrifying to say the least, given their predicament, but what was quite possibly more terrifying was that she was next!

Now stood safely in the shadow of a little storage house, Kukai beckoned her to follow. Amu took a deep breath. She could do it, she told herself. Not a problem! Swallowing thickly, she urged herself to make a run for it before her other senses could talk her out of it—

'Okay, here we go!'

Until, that was, Kukai hissed:

"Hinamori–!"

Amu tore back away from the corner and retreated into the comfort of darkness so fast she could have received whiplash. Behind her Yaya squeaked and all of her companions dropped to their knees. From their position, Amu thought she could see what had so spooked her companion. Following Kukai's gaze, the former princess thought that for one heart-stopping moment she caught a glint of silver from somewhere across the way - way up high on the top of the boundary wall where the Red Coats patrolled, keeping a never-ending and dutiful watch over the fortification. She pressed herself flat against the solid timbers of their little building, breath held, head faintly dizzy as she awaited some commotion. Her heart was pounding. She closed her eyes and counted; willing away her fears; trying to muster up every ounce of bravery left within her heart:

One… Two… Three…

But nothing came of it. There were no further glints. The men's voices still sounded faint and far away. Amu bravely peeked a glance out into the open and, looking up closer now at the dark horizon, she saw that there were a few thin clouds drifting lazily up amongst the stars, obscuring their twinkling forms as they shifted across the sky.

A most fortunate case of misidentification then, she realised. No rapiers nor hilts of pistols to be spotted from on high. The pirates as one released an almighty breath of relief. Then they all crossed the distance towards Kukai in silence.

"Man," he whispered, unusually hushed and noticeably white - pale in the face even under cover of this dim light; "dark nights like this really play tricks on the old vision, ya know?"

"'Tis mighty truthful!" Yaya agreed solemnly. Her hand was clutched to her chest. "Yaya's frightfully close to a heart attack, she is!"

Amu laughed drily at this, breathless herself. She could do little else. Once the adrenaline began to fade a little she noticed that her hands were shaking. She gripped at her skirt tightly and prayed that the darkness would conceal her nerves. Thankfully, Kukai continued.

"I don't rightly like this." He said which, quite frankly, was something of an understatement, but nobody was quick to mention anything of it. "It's one thing to be out an' alone on the badd'un's turf, but it's whole other thing to be totally defenceless on the bad guy's turf, ya feel? My trigger finger's itchin'." He said. "Fuckin' Red Coats an' their greedy mitts! It's like they took the coat off me back an' all!"

Understandably bitter, a murmur of agreement from the other men present followed. With a remarkable sense of foresight, Amu thought that she knew where this was going and so it came as no shock to her at all when Kukai made his proposal:

"Before we make off, we're clearin' out their armoury." He said, tone low as any of those present had ever heard it. "Lord knows how many'll be waitin' for us down by the water an' I ain't fightin' my way out with my bare fists!"

Though it appeared that the other men were in agreement already, Amu had to say that she felt but a tiny flicker of sadistic pleasure overcome her at the thought. A familiar twitch played upon her lips before she could stop it at the thought of having the chance to one-up these soldiers at their own game. She remembered now how they had encroached so grossly upon her family's claim to this little isle. How they had defiled its pristine back with the unsightly construction of this sordid garrison. How their leader had gloated and even now still sat utterly fat and complacent in his quarters, surrounded by banquets of exotic wares the likes of which most poor souls would never see within their most difficult lifetimes. After all, Ramira was nothing more than a leech… And, though Amu knew it was morally questionable, she rather thought that 'an eye for an eye' would be most wonderful.

"Oh, practical and satisfactory?" The former princess mused. She tutted as if in thought, but, quite honestly, Amu knew that they were in dire need of weaponry whether fancied being petty or not. "I've never known you have so many good ideas in such quick succession, Kukai!" She teased.

Kukai just grinned devilishly, big and toothy. "Old Kukai's gotcha covered tonight, Hinamori!" He replied. "Now, me an' the boys saw what mighta been the weapons store on our way to the ol' gaol. I don't rightly know which way in the dark, though, but with a whole battalion's worth o' Red Coats here I'll bet my last gold guinea we'll find a couple more of 'em dotted about the place. I know we ain't got much time, but-"

"Ugh!" Yaya interrupted, moaning as loud as she dared in the dark; "This is soundin' an awful lot like a 'split up' kind o' mission!" She pouted, sulking profusely. She pulled at her pigtails in frustration. "Yaya doesn't wanna! Yaya likes safety in numbers! Yaya wants to go quick and get outta here-!"

A chorus of hushes immediately followed, but Yaya still refused, arms crossed, cheeks puffed up in protest.

"Yaya," Amu's tone was gentle, but firm; desperately placating; "We need as much firepower as we can if we want to make it out of here in one piece!"

But the girl just tutted; "Honestly! It's one thing after the other! Four islands we've done gone and set foot upon, we have, an' what do we have to show for it? Yaya's got a good mind to choke the ol' Cap'n for all our troubles! Mark Yaya's words! If Yaya and her crew don't find the ol' sneak soon Yaya doesn't think they ever will!"

"Yaya! Sshhh-!"

At that moment, Kukai smacked a hand over the poor girl's mouth, face fraught with panic. The whole group stilled. Faintly, though they could not quite tell from whence it had come from, a rustling could be heard. Something akin to boots on the sand. Closer now, as the noise grew louder in their ears the pirates could discern that whatever it was was tip-toeing subtly on the opposite side of their cover. Amu pressed her fingertips to her lips subconsciously, trying hard to suppress the sound of her own shallow breathing.

Finally loosening his hold on Yaya (who was now pink-faced with guilt), Kukai gestured to one of their companions. Nodding in affirmation, the two split and stealthily made their ways to opposite ends of the low building they had hidden behind, leaving the remainder of their group to wait in terrible anticipation. So dim it was that Amu at first barely heard a thing…

Until she saw Kukai leap back from the corner! He stumbled, barely keeping his feet, only narrowly managing to suppress a shout of surprise as he found himself face-to-face with a Red Coat! Yaya shrieked. The soldier was cursing in his native rogue as the pirates rushed forth to their companion's aid. Kukai was frantically wrestling the man, trying desperately to divert the aim of his long shotgun before it could be fired square into his chest.

In the end, their rival only managed to make one true cry for help, for, though clearly a man of strength, he was, unfortunately for him, alone and no match for three pirates as they cornered him all at once.

Amu felt her skin prickle as she watched the men smother the soldier. He thrashed about in the sand for a good few minutes. Then he stilled, bones broken, for good.

When they straightened up after their murderous plight, the pirates were sweating. Kukai was almost shaking from the rush of adrenaline, but, as far as they were concerned, all present now knew what had to be done. Even Yaya looked ready to take back her former protests as something unspoken passed between each member of their faithful party.

And so they set their plan into motion.

~.~.~

Only a short while later, Amu had lost count of how many had fallen by now.

'They'd have killed me.' She told herself over and over if only to try and drown out the ringing in her own head. 'Without hesitation. They'd have killed us.'

A 'snap!'.

'They'd have killed us all.'

A heavy, dead-sounding 'thud!' reverberated throughout the ground as the guard dropped to their feet.

She'd been holding back one of his arms - Yaya the other - before one of the pirates had put a sharp end to this Red Coat's life. And though the former princess was almost glad that she did not too have the strength to break a man's neck, she did admit that it would have made their progress a whole lot quicker, for she almost felt like the man at her feet: dead weight.

"Come along, Ya Maj'sty!" Yaya whispered and before she knew it they were off again, ducking and diving into alcoves; racing behind buildings; blending into the shadows for but a split-second before daring to drag their opponents back into the darkness with them.

There were not many men on patrol that night, as Amu had noticed before. There was too much commotion for that tonight. But they did indeed grow greater in numbers the closer they came to what they supposed must be the area in which the eastern men stored their ammunition. Most often the men would surprise them (though they rarely did see the pirates before it was too late), but once or twice they had accidentally walked straight into some soldier's path. Nothing could have gotten their adrenaline pumping quite like that, she thought, but it was in this way that the group were slowly clearing out the fort. Amu shuddered to think of how many bodies the daylight would shine light upon once morning broke.

"Hinamori!"

Presently they were nearing a little break in the arrangement of communal buildings. Amu, peering out from behind a corner of their cover. She noted that the break in the structures was not too wide, but it was completely empty. Perhaps the men did drills here, she thought. Though they could see that there would be relative safety across the way, it was the dash over that worried all of those present.

"It's just a few seconds out in the open," Kukai was muttering to himself, apparently mirroring her thoughts. As always, he was prepped to go first, being by now recognised as the fastest. He was steely faced, muscles coiled and daring to go like a dog on the tracks; "Just a few little seconds..!"

Yaya patted him on the back. "Good luck, Kukai!"

And, throwing a brief thumbs-up over his shoulder, he made to pounce! Jumping to his feet, he crept out into the open. There were no guards circling on the upper walls. No men lingering in doorways. Not even a light shone in what must have been a cluster of the soldier's chambers. By all accounts it should have been a quick, simple jaunt across and sand and back into the shadows once more…

Only, of course, nothing, as it turned out, was ever quite as simple in practice as on paper, for Kukai had only made it maybe three quarters of the way across when a nearby door clicked open.

The turn of the lock could be heard as loud as a gunshot, so quiet was the night and Amu's heart dropped to her feet, for, to her utter horror, she and her group found themselves watching open-mouthed as the entranceway to a nearby hut inched open.

Amu went to shout, but found her voice lodged in her throat. Yaya grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip. Kukai nearly stumbled and made to face his newest opponent…

But, unpredictably (astonishingly!), it was not any of their eastern foes.

It was a girl.

For a split-second, Amu thought a flicker of familiarity overcame her, but could not place it. But she had no time to dwell upon it, for the girl stopped, panic-stricken, making as though she was about to release an almighty cry when, quick as a flash, the rusty-haired pirate lunged for her. She was in his grip before the squeal left her lips. Tears welled up in her eyes. Torn between kicking out and dropping limp, the girl's muffled cries became choking sobs as Kukai dragged her bodily behind the dilapidated building where the rest of them were hiding with breaths held desperately. And it turned out that he was just in time, for as he rejoined the group a shadow stretched along the ground, looming into the empty space before them, distorting and rippling with the dips and wells of the sandy earth. Kukai pressed his dirty palm over the poor girl's mouth to stop the snivelling, whispering a fierce hush in her ear. She swallowed, then stilled, but in the faint glow of the twinkling stars above Amu saw that her eyes were round and wide, frozen with fear.

Her heart ached, something uneasy roiling in her gut, but she could do nothing but freeze herself as the guard meandered slowly across the open space around the corner, but inches away from their faithful party. His boots crunched softly on the sand, but it fell on their ears like thunderclaps. One could hear the keys jingling on his belt; the barrel of his pistol tapping against his britches; see his military regalia glint gold in the warm light of his lantern…

But then, to their dismay, the soldier stopped abruptly. Murmured something foreign underneath his breath. Amu bravely stole a glimpse around the corner of the shack…

He was bent over.

He was examining the sand. Examining their tracks - inspecting the deep valleys in the dust where Kukai had pulled their own captive away and out of sight.

Amu saw the Red Coat reach for his pistol - felt a gasp rise unbidden within her throat - when at that fatal moment one of the pirates beside her darted out from behind their cover - jumped out into the open as quick as a flash and seamlessly twisted the guard by the scruff of the neck; forearm locked round the throat…

There was a crack and another dead 'thump!' as the guard hit the ground. The pirate dragged his body behind a nearby hut and then stole away back towards them, unperturbed by this most cold and callous end to another nameless life.

And again;

'They'd have killed us…'

But Amu had no time to dwell on any of this further, for at that moment Kukai relinquished his hold on the blonde girl in his arms. The moment his hand left her lips she gasped aloud; deep and breathy like a woman who'd been but an inch from drowning, trapped below the waves, fighting against the depths before finding that most blessed lifeline back to the breeze above. Kukai spun her round to face him, knuckles white on her shoulder lest she try and bolt. He put a finger to his lips to put her to silence once more, but she sputtered;

"O'! O', Don't kill me, sir! Plea-Please! O', I beg of you! Don't kill me! I won't tell! I promise I won't tell!"

In this flood of frightened begging, Amu and the pirates felt their nerves rise renewed. Yaya tried to implore her to be quiet - ("Hush now, young'un!") - but to no avail. The girl's voice was pitching, frantic as she pleaded for her life. They'd be spotted for sure. As Kukai was about to consider muting her again for their own safety, she clasped at the collar of his shirt in earnest before her shaking knees gave way and she groveled, eyes wet with brimming tears, clasping her hands together at his boots and sobbing;

"Please! Suu is as good as her word! Suu would never breathe of this if only you let her go! Suu would have never left her quarters had she known! Suu's sisters told her that strangers were on the island, but Suu was implored by her Master to go! O', please, sir! Suu wants to see her family again!"

Her nose was in the dirt by now, a pitiful and wretched creature by all accounts. But something about this display of pathetic cry for mercy wrenched at Amu's kind heart. Before her cries could pitch beyond the reach of their cover, Amu knelt before her and took the girl by the shoulders, dragging her to her feet.

"Fear not! We will not be killing you tonight."

Looking up at her fellow woman, a flush overcame the young'un's pale countenance. Amu's heart softened. She tried to appear full of reassurance.

"We won't hurt you…" She promised. And, unsure, she continued; "Suu, right?"

But the girl did not answer. In fact, she looked quite unable to speak. Her hair was flaxen, sleek like platinum. Her skin was fair, unblemished, glowing pale as the face of the moon when finally the stars above broke through the clouds and cast a pure light upon her. And although there must have been some strife still recent within her memory (if only judging by the nervous manner with which she upheld herself), Amu felt as though she could see through all of that - through the jittery restlessness and teary resignation to her predicament right through to the girl she must have been deep down beneath those more unwelcome emotions. This was a young maiden. And she most definitely did not belong on this island. And Amu knew then why this girl struck such a pang of familiarity within her.

She was from Seiyo.

Amu did not even realise that she'd said it aloud, whispered to herself, when the girl blinked dumbly at her. But in fact she was far too caught up in her own mind to notice. Mind reeling, she felt as though a weight had begun to press down in the pit of her stomach. What would a girl from Seiyo be doing all the way out here on this island in the middle of absolutely nowhere? In this fortification built by the Emperor's men nonetheless?!

Something deeply unpleasant turned in her gut, for Amu could not help but feel that something fouler might have been at play beyond Ramira and his soldiers merely pilfering this island's plunder. It was so foul in fact that she did not even want to consider it, no matter how much she knew it would at some point have to be faced. But for now this resident of her far-off, but beloved country stood before them at their mercy and the princess was struck with pity, for she felt in her heart that she too was in perhaps just as much danger as they were.

Meanwhile, Suu's eyes were as wide as dinner plates and, looking up upon the unmistakable figure before her she frenzied into a low bow, hands glued together, nose touching the dirt once more. She mumbled out what was surely a "Highness!", but Kukai intervened, for at that moment they distinctly heard what appeared to be voices nearing once again - low and gruff and full of loathing.

"No time for that!" He hissed urgently. And he ushered her quickly further back into the shadows, well away from the edge of the storehouse.

They lay there in the darkness with blood pumping, breaths held as they all awaited some great calamity. The soldiers' voices were rising rapidly, a fierce stream of chatter that became an almighty clamour the closer they drew to their hiding place. They were incensed, that was for definite. Their outrage even from afar was scalding; a burning ire that made the pirate's hairs stand on end as these eastern adversaries argued amongst themselves.

They would all have to have been aware by now that their captives had escaped, Amu thought, but this near-encounter was confirmation, for amidst the brusque tones there was but the most perceptible hint of confusion, laced with a dash of confusion. Their voices were intermingling, talking over one another in debate without regard for rank or other places of social standing, as they desperately tried to understand the situation in full. Apparently then Ramira's forces were scrambled, distracted from their duties as they faced attack on both sides - cracks breaking in the veneer of this well-organised operation that he had seemed so determined to uphold. And, whilst Amu quietly reveled in this notion, Kukai mumbled;

"Man, they sound angry alright…" And he bit back a devilish grin; "Sounds like they were lookin' forward to a quiet evenin'."

Amu was about to agree wholeheartedly until she caught a glimpse of him. Kukai was wholly absorbed in the soldier's drama, as was she, but there was undoubtedly the merest hint of recognition dawning upon his face. Despite herself, Amu double-took.

"Kukai..? Can you understand them?"

The rusty-haired pirate blinked back at her, brows furrowed. "Um, well, kinda?" He replied uncertainly. And then he shook his head. "Nah, not really. Here an' there, I mean, that is, but that's not the point! We gotta get movin', Hinamori! Me an' the boys'll take 'em down an' then we gotta go an' find somethin' sharp an' shiny to fight our way out!"

"Oh, please!" Suu interrupted breathlessly. "Please let me go!" She said, shaking profusely on the spot; "I-I won't say! I won't tell them! Suu will go back to her sisters and say nothing more of Her Highness!"

"Wait?" Amu cut in, distracted. Now that she thought about it, Suu had mentioned this before; "Your sisters are here too?"

Suu nodded, tear-stained cheeks catching in the dim light. But as the princess inched closer, lowering herself to match Suu's stature, she took the girl by the hands - a gentle, calming touch as the breathy relief of an ocean breeze that heralded the end of a tumultuous storm - and something regal - diplomatic - was alight in her gaze. The girl stopped shaking - was no longer trembling now that something akin to awe overcame her. But Amu fought to keep herself from frowning once more, that unhappy pit in her stomach dropping further, her heart rent with a pang of pity. She proceeded carefully, afraid even of what might follow;

"Suu… How many of your sisters are here?"

And, soothed so quickly by the heiress' touch, Suu became compelled to answer, though she hung her head bashfully.

"Th-Th-Three… And-And three more of our friends… We were on our way to the east wh-when…"

It took all of Amu's self-restraint not to grip the poor girl's hand on impulse. Inside her something boiling was beginning to overcloud her better judgement, but she fought it back. For a minute or two, she totally forgot their peril - she forgot that they were being chased down like dogs; that her companions were most probably in the midst of being ambushed out there in the jungle; forgot even that the Shining Black still sat afloat in that little inlet, full to the brim of wounded men awaiting their aid. All that presented itself in her mind there and then was the gloating face of Ramira and the shadow of his Emperor that stood over him and the utter injustice that she had witnessed play out here on this distant land here tonight…

Ramira had some nerve overtaking her father's island, she thought, but he must have had some gargantuan, self-inflated ego to pick up nationals from Seiyo for his own purposes. And Amu would readily admit without shame that it felt devastatingly personal. A fire was burning steadily within her as every minute ticked by. A flare of defiance brought her for but a fleeting moment back into the makeshift opulence of Ramira's quarters. That man really thought her nothing but a rogue; a harlot; a deserter who cared not to watch her country burn…

"She may not be my responsibility anymore…"

Amu's own voice echoed inside her memory.

"But that doesn't mean I've lost the will to defend her."

Ramira had found amusement in this. Ramira had doubted her; mocked her… But he would be utterly mistaken, for by God did she mean it.

"Your sisters." Lips pursed, she faced her fellow citizen. "Take us to them, Suu."

"What?" Kukai whirled up ahead from where he and the other two pirates had been inching their noses out into the open, attempting to form their own tactical plan. Even Yaya looked torn.

But Amu's resolve was steadfast, her determination absolute; "I cannot let you all remain here."

Of course she meant it. Amu did not even stop to pay attention to her companion's concerns. Their protests fell as though on utterly deaf ears. No. She did not care. And, as though to strengthen her already firm resolve, Amu watched with pride as a shaky smile played upon Suu's lips, hope dawning on her features.

~.~.~

Our faithful party snuck under cover of darkness along the border wall of the fortification now. It was not far, Suu said, for they were nearing the shoreline and it was in that collection of barracks that both the soldiers' and the prisoners' quarters were kept.

They had not gone for much longer and had bumped into far fewer men on their way to this more distant corner of the fort when Suu beckoned them forwards. It appeared that the girl had found her confidence in the company of her fellow countrymen, not to mention the comforting presence of the former monarch herself, and so she had no reservations in steering them away from the boundary line and further inwards until they found themselves crouched behind an empty structure of some description and it was here that they had a most perfect view of a wide open space surrounded by a strange arrangement of ramshackle huts.

"That's their armoury." Suu whispered. "They bring more each time they come back from the east. They are always building more storage houses to keep them in."

Privately, Amu wondered whether Ramira was expecting some sort of fight or if indeed he predicted, as did she, that her father might discover his little operation some time soon in the near future. The others, however, were looking upon their prize with renewed confidence.

Kukai perked up; "And a magazine?"

Suu nodded.

"Right on the fuckin' money!" He almost clapped his hands together before remembering that there were guards in the near vicinity, though, admittedly, far fewer than they'd expected. Ramira had really emptied the barracks to try and attempt some damage control tonight. Kukai continued; "Alright, if ya friends aren't far then why don't you and the gals go find em' whilst me an' the boys stock up on whatever they're hidin' in there?"

Normally, Amu would have protested - would have been mildly offended at being so uninvolved based on her gender - but tonight she was more than pleased with their plan.

"Right. Once you've cleared out all the soldiers, we'll cross over. When you're finished, come for us in the prisoner's quarters and if the coast is clear we'll all make our bid for freedom."

Kukai grinned. "That's the spirit, Hinamori! Suu, you and your mates can show us the way to the docks?" Suu nodded in confirmation once more. "Alright…" And he mimed a tip of the hat towards them; "Catch ya in a bit, ladies!"

The girls held their breaths instinctively as they bid the trio farewell for now. They remained concealed whilst the pirates slunk back further into the darkness and made off in either direction. Meanwhile the men watched with keen eyes, scouting out their surroundings. Before them were merely four soldiers on the ground. There were two buildings which lacked a solid doorway (things here really were run-down, Amu thought) and so, in absence of a lock and key, there stood one guard for each open armoury building. The others were padlocked shut, but well within sight of the men. Perhaps on nights where more guards were available, there might have been two or three men to a hut. On the furthest side from the concealed pirates two more much younger men stood together, one leaning heavily on the barrel of his musket. They appeared to be quite dissatisfied, muttering amongst themselves over a couple of bottles of rum. Amu rather got the impression that they were upset to be missing out on the night's action. Luckily for them though, the fight was about to be brought right to their posts.

What followed was a perfect demonstration in covert combat. Had Amu not known that her fellow crewmen were out there creeping through the shadows, she would have never suspected that danger was quickly approaching, for truly these pirates were pros. Quietly the girls waited, but, as it turned out, Kukai and the others moved too fast for them to watch in much detail. One by one they caught but a glimpse as the shadow of their dark forms flitted towards the armouries before the guards were suddenly dragged out of view from behind. The two young guards to the right blinked in their direction far too late and had barely a moment to confer with one another before the pirates regrouped and took them quietly down in identical fashion. All Amu saw was the quick flash of a stolen blade as it jutted from between one guard's ribs before he fell to his knees and melted away into the looming darkness behind him. But a single drop of blood on the sand remained.

There was a pause. A lull. Way up above the moon came into view and, as though blessing a once cursed patch of land, illuminated the way across the armoury grounds. In this blessed glow they could discern the form of a small throng of guards as they patrolled quietly atop of the outer wall. Amu saw that Kukai had appeared pressed up against the doorframe of the magazine now, peeking out of the corner of his eye, following their foe's movement. It felt like forever, but finally they passed by, totally oblivious to the cold assassination of their brothers down below.

The moon went with them, retreating as the cloud cover blew in from the inland and before the next troop could appear on the horizon the pirates waved the girls over. Moving into the fading moonlight as they hurried across, a faint string of foreign conversation drifted down upon the breeze, following in the footsteps of their fellows before them. Amu almost paid them no attention, for there was no danger of discovery now that they had moved so far and, besides, she was far too busy murmuring with Yaya and Suu, outlining the way forward, until she realised that Kukai's face was once more furrowed in concentration. He appeared far away, looking distantly after the direction the guards had taken.

"Kukai?"

Quickly, but reluctantly, Kukai tore his attention back to the group. "Don't worry about it." He brushed her off, but still seemed troubled. "Go! Whilst you have the chance!"

Amu almost frowned back, suspicions raised, but truthfully this was not the time to pry further. They were moving again before she could protest, kicking up the dirt as they darted out into the open. Someone uttered a "Good luck!" and off the princess went with Yaya and Suu in tow, the younger leading the way, blonde curls coming loose and bouncing free behind her, unperturbed to have their fates now in her inexperienced hands. Now in the light of a few lone lanterns, Amu felt pained to notice in greater detail the marks of imprisonment on the girl's young body. Now only did she see the extent of the dirt on her person; the tatters of her skirts; the faint, ruddy marks on her wrists bearing the memory of time in chains. But, though she bit her lip, there were more pressing matters.

It truly wasn't a long journey. Two rows of garrisons and a communal hut later and the girls were standing beneath a dilapidated shack with a small overhang that obscured their faces. A firelight was glowing inside, peeking through the iron-wrought coverings atop the windows. The place was occupied, sure enough, and Suu was able to knock the desired rhythm upon the door to gain a response from within. The door clicked open. A pool of warm light crept through the opening. With a quick glance in both directions to check that all was calm, they ducked inside.

Dankness hit them first. A dark, musty kind of damp appeared to linger in every nook and cranny, aided by the muskiness of a straw-strewn floor that had likely never been replenished. Amu had not expected much more of the inside than she had of their own cell in the previous jailhouse, but, to be quite frank, she thought that perhaps she'd liked the latter better. Not that it was better made, nor was it warmer or bigger or even less bare. The box room consisted of what she supposed were four 'bunks' - rough, wooden slats protruding from the walls, one above and one below. No other furnishings were to be seen. A single lantern with a sad little candle melting almost to the bottom of its wick hung from the rafters. And yet still the heiress instinctively despised it. Perhaps, she thought, it was because the lack of all but four walls and a cell door meant that the arrangement was temporary. This place, with this straw-lined dirt floor and moth-eaten blankets on makeshift bunks meant a more permanent arrangement.

"Suu!"

A chorus of small voices erupted all around them, full of barely restrained elation, yet forcibly hushed so as not to cause a commotion. After all, this place was dangerous and it was better for all of them that no attention was drawn hither. Yet despite the controlled tone of their voices, Amu watched with a warm, gentle sort of feeling gathering in her heart as five young girls all clamoured to reach their friend first, surrounding her in a bear hug of heartwarmingly giant proportions. Suu's eyes were shimmering with happy tears when what appeared to be the oldest of the group took her by the shoulders and kissed her forehead softly.

"Thank heavens, Suu! We were all so worried!" The girl said.

The oldest she might have been, but the shortness of her stature and the lingering roundness of her cheeks meant that she had most probably not yet come into adulthood. She was without a doubt full of beauty - her earnest eyes and copper hair stood out like a beacon in the darkness. She was definitely less than twenty, but matured enough that, had she been in a position to become educated back in their home country, she might by now have long left the classroom behind her. Most certainly she appeared to be the mother-figure of the group as she embraced her sister.

"We heard the soldiers banding outside." The girl said, expression grave.

"We were worried Ramira would keep you back." Chimed another, younger girl with pink-hued eyes and a welt on her cheek.

A few of the other girls echoed this sentiment, but Suu shook her head. "Suu had a bit of help!" She replied. And, looking back at the pirates; "Suu ran into the most unbelievable stroke of luck."

The hairs on Amu's neck stood up as all six pairs of eyes fell upon her and Yaya. She did not know whether she expected the girls to be frightened or not, but she managed to smile gently as their gazes widened in disbelief.

"Good evening, ladies." She began. "My name's Amu. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Her companion huffed; "And Yaya!"

"And Yaya." Amu laughed lightly. "I'm sorry to find you all here like this. I know time is not on our side tonight - my friends and I must find a way off of this island immediately - but it looks to me like the rest of you should like to leave as well." And, though she dreaded it, she had to ask; "But first I want to know how you all came to be here in the first place."

Six pairs of eyes blinked back at her. Amu watched them all - studied their young faces as they shared cautious glances amongst themselves. Four of them were certainly sisters, she thought. Suu held a remarkable resemblance to three others just as she had mentioned to the pirates when first they'd caught her. The oldest girl was definitely a relation. Her golden-hazel eyes held wisdom beyond her years, but most notably they shared a round, heart-like visage. The girl with the pink-hued irises also looked to be a second sister - older than Suu by perhaps a couple of years - alongside a third youngster with tresses that were unmistakably the colour of a rich, deep sky. The remaining two, however, were clearly unrelated. An older one there was with a straw-like ponytail and a younger girl who Amu could only find it in her heart to describe as a child. Perhaps eleven or twelve at the most, her face was grubby and unkempt, but her bright eyes miraculously twinkled on as she looked up in awe at the monarch stood before her.

Finally, after a moment of trepidation, the oldest swallowed. Her gaze towards her brood, she placed an arm protectively around Suu's shoulder and, with a hushed whisper;

"We were come upon."

That was all she said to begin with. Yaya's breath was visibly held, fingertips pressed to her mouth in anticipation. Amu only wished she could react in turn, but her royal façade had locked into place now so that she appeared unperturbed; so that her cool confidence would quell whatever anxieties still ran rampant in these sorry prisoners' hearts. Reassurance was key. And so her whole focus at that moment in time was on suppressing her inner fire as they spun their sorrowful story.

"We were on a brigantine bound for the east." The oldest continued. "Me and my sisters and our friends here… And many others there were before." (Amu didn't like that little 'before' one bit, but she said nothing of it.) "We were the daughters of tradesmen. Our father dealt in cloth and embroidery. He had been granted permission to trade in the Emperor's merchant's district."

"Anyone who heard told him that storms were brewing to the east." The blue-haired sister cut in. There was what might have once been a bite in her tone, just detectable, but it appeared that her time in servitude had stamped out some of her usual ferocity. Amu could tell immediately that this was normally a girl not to be trifled with.

"We were all looking for a better life." The oldest added firmly. Her sister did not look satisfied one bit, stubbornly averting her gaze, but nonetheless she carried on; "Our vessel was full of others just like us, hoping to find a foothold in the foreign market. We were maybe partway into our voyage when the sky turned grey. We were overcome by horror to find black clouds upon the horizon, but then… Then we realised that they were not black clouds at all."

To Amu's right, Yaya gasped. "Black clouds?" She repeated, aghast, before glancing over to the former princess. "Ya Maj'sty…"

Amu's throat felt thick. A creeping déjà-vu was crawling its way up her back. She didn't like the way the bells were ringing in her mind one bit. In fact, so struck with familiarity was she that she almost missed as Suu finished their tragic tale.

"The pirates overcame the ship before we could get to the jolly boats." She said. "Anyone who tried to fight was gone and when they rounded up the last of us we were delivered right unto Ramira's fleet."

Amu caught sight of Yaya as she shot her a cautious look ("Ya Maj'sty-!"), but she could not tell if this was because she shared in her outrage or whether or not she was simply trying to calm the fury that she was sure overcame her features, for truly even the most trained of diplomats could have contained the ire she felt at this notion that her people were vulnerable not only to buccaneers, but to the risk of being sold as commodities. In fact, the pinkette had to take a deep breath and count down from ten in her head before she could so much as attempt to reply to the poor girls gathered in this sorry shack.

In her mind she was cursing Ramira. Cursing the Emperor. She was tearing back the broken door of this dilapidated prison hut and marching all the way to Ramira's chambers. She was taking up that silver letter opener and plunging it deep within his ribs, caring not that she had rarely felt so truly murderous before, nor pausing to consider what this little jaunt off into the blue had might have altered within her psyche to compel her to entertain such dishonourable thoughts. But, quite truthfully, Amu did not care. He had soiled this island. Spat on her father's rule. Attempted to bed her and ship her straight off to the Emperor's palace whilst her companions burned at his hands behind her…

But, beneath it all… Amu could also not contain the foreboding she felt at the memory of those two little words…

'Black sails…'

But, no, she told herself. It could not be…

Could it?

A chill overcame her and she remembered then that the night was wearing on and that the inland breeze was whistling cooly through the rafters, on its way down to the blue of the ocean beyond. Snapped back into the present, her resolve was in her mind as true and steadfast as it had ever been. She would get everyone off this isle. And she would bring Ramira to his judgement.

'No…', she thought. 'No more!'

"No more." She said, aloud this time, and her voice was as resolute as any of those present had ever heard it. "We're all getting off of this island! Tonight!"

Immediately the youngest girl gasped with barely repressed delight; "Princess Amu's gonna save us, she is? O' please save us! Pepe wants to go home! Pepe wants off this island!"

The older blonde was quick to place a hand on her shoulder. "Hush, Pepe! Someone might hear us!"

"No they won't!" Yaya chirped happily. "Nearly all o' the Red Coats'll be out in the jungle by now! An' Yaya and Her Maj'sty have friends workin' outside to help us out!" And, catching the hopeful, wide-eyed look that the youngest was giving her, Yaya found herself inexplicably moved. Briefly, she was reminded fondly of the young'uns that used to play down by the docks way back on the mainland when first she'd come to the landlord's inn. Not one to dash the dreams of one so young, she crouched before the child, beaming; "Don't you fret, kid! Yaya an' her crew will help bust Pepe outta this mess, they will!"

The girl rushed into Yaya's arms, overcome with joy, and the two embraced warmly. Behind them, the rest of the girls were torn between eagerness and trepidation. Amu could not say that she blamed them. But, if she only accomplished one thing tonight, it would be to make sure that they left this god-forsaken place for good.

"Well?" She said in what she hoped was a gentle coaxing sort of manner rather than a blunt command. "What are we waiting for? Yaya said it first: our crew will be waiting for us to rejoin them. We need to move now."

The three younger sisters all looked as though they were about to bump right aboard, but the oldest and the other blonde held back. The oldest was biting her lip anxiously. But, though she felt like she ought to have been frustrated, all Amu could do was hold out her hand.

"Come. What are your names?"

A pause. An exchange of silent sentences between the two remaining captives. And then Suu stepped in, taking her outstretched palm.

"Her name is Dia. This is Ran and Miki. And our friends are Kusukusu and Pepe!"

"Oh, they're beautiful names!" Amu told Dia with a gentle smile. But then it hit her. Frowning, she did a quick headcount. "Hold on? Suu? I thought you said you had three friends here?"

A light seemed to flare up over Suu's head. "O'!" She cried; "Yoru! He has not been brought back from the dig site! O' poor Yoru! What do we do?"

Yaya blinked in confusion. "Who's Yoru?"

The girls were by now busy comforting their friend and sister, but Miki was first to respond; "Yoru was on the ship with us. I think he was by himself. He tried to stop them from punishing us, but they whipped him instead and took him away. I don't know what they did with him, but…"

"He usually has his own space in solitary confinement." Ran finished when Miki could not. "But they couldn't have hurt him bad. Yoru does most of the work."

"How hideous!" Yaya murmured in the background.

Amu shared the sentiment wholeheartedly. These are her people at heart if not in title and every wrong that was wrought upon them was becoming too much for her to bear and so, meaning every word, she swore her next oath;

"If we can, we will find him, I promise you! But right now we don't have much time!"

"Oh, we'll find him." Miki sniffed. "We can't leave him behind. Not after he took the scourge for us."

It looked now as though all were in agreement. Yaya and the girls were huddled before the door, Pepe clutching at her skirts. Suu was dealing out what few cloaks they had amongst the others. Even Kusukusu was peeping out of the barred window to double-check that the coast was clear in preparation for their bid for freedom. All were convinced and ready to depart. All save one.

Amu held out her hand again and this time Dia's elbow twitched. She knew the girl wanted to grab it. She just needed one little push…

"You must be very proud of your sisters." Amu's smile faltered. She said, voice thick; "I have not seen mine for a long time… I need you to help me protect yours. I know you fear capture, but please… Please trust me." And again; "I cannot leave anyone here."

The following pause felt like forever. Uncertain; unpredictable. Dia would have been a fool not to consider the probability of recapture at the hands of Ramira's men. Amu knew that. It was a fear present in all of their minds, but, at the same time, she understood that this girl's urge to protect the last of her kin was stronger than any force to be found in this world. She could only hope that her expression conveyed her honesty - that her features held that reassurance that Amu so desperately wished to bestow upon these frightened, traumatised young ladies who had found themselves here, cut off from the rest of the world; far from home with not a hope of return. But, more importantly, Amu hoped that Dia might see that flicker in her eyes that belied her undeniable guilt.

After all, was it not down to her that the ocean was now too dangerous for even a humble merchant to cross into the east with his family in tow?

Perhaps, to Amu's delight, her expression did indeed speak volumes because after a moment's thought, finally, Dia took her by the hand. Their fingers locked together on instinct as one clings to a lifeline in a stormy squall.

"Well then," Dia said, warm and glowing; "we must get you back to her."

This was, though Dia could not possibly have known it, far beyond the realm of probability, but Amu did not question it, for, stood here in this shack amongst this familial brood, surrounded by their young and hopeful faces, she was in fact compelled to dare to dream for some fateful reunion herself. When or where she did not know. But someday, somehow, they made her for a moment believe that perhaps it could be done.

But first they had to hasten. The night was wearing on. And the men were awaiting their return.

~.~.~

A/N: Me? Finally back to write more? This was not on my bingo card for 2024 and totally unprecedented, but I'm delighted (shouting, dancing, crying tears of joy) nonetheless! This chapter feels like an unpolished mess to me, but if I try and work on it any longer I might combust, so it'll have to be one for a revision in the future.

Did somebody say stealth? I must give a big thanks to all the games I played whilst planning this sequel many moons ago for making me realise that I needed to include some sneaking around in this fic lmao.

Also a big apology from me for not updating since February 2023. I'm truly sorry, ya girl really ghosted this fic, but I've been basically out of action since then. I'd begun having issues interacting with screens/written text that really worsened around the time of that last update. Not being able to face my desktop or my phone for more than five minutes without pain/dizziness really puts a dampener on writing, you know (rip). But believe me when I say that I've thought about nothing but this fic for this whole time.

But now I'm back! 2024 is the year of Shugo revival, baby!!!! I'm fucking determined to power through because we are so close to the resolution now that it's almost frightening.

Until the next update~!