Let's Play Pirates: Chapter 10

Chapter 10
Bessie’s anger soon died and what had evolved into a sprint slowed to a miserable trail as she wandered aimlessly about the slums of the Thracean capital, Akinore. The city itself was not such an unpleasant place, but even the brightest of apples must, in some way or form, be outshone by another… it just so happened that Bessie’s rage delivered her into the very worst part of the apple- someplace a pirate might go- but a lady? And a Songsmith, at that?
Her windswept brown ringlets and layered green gown soon drew the attention of a group of small children, who were quick to meet –some may say “ambush”- her. Scrambling to hug the surprised girl inside the soft fabric, the children surrounded her, giggling and were soon followed by a familiar young maid, tripping over her feet to catch up.
‘My Lady! I am so sorry…’ she looked up nervously, ‘O!’ she exclaimed, ‘but it is you, Lady Bess!’
‘Belle!’ cried Bessie in equal surprise as she surveyed the rugged gypsy girl she had met at Tumbler’s Cove not so long ago, ‘what are you doing here?’
‘I-I… live here… milady.’
‘O-oh… I thought you lived at Tumbler’s Cove?’
Belle’s face fell, ‘no one does- not anymore,’ she said, ‘you see- the Cove was attacked.’
Bessie could find no words to express her horror at the fall of the gypsy haven.
‘We fought with all our might, Lady Bess, but their numbers and weapons were superior. Everything there… all of our homes and wares… fell to a bomb blast the likes of which I have never seen and we… we were shipped here.’
‘But that’s terrible!’
‘Aye, milady… but I have a good job- not like some of the others. I am to raise the young ‘uns so that they can work- to be sure it is a dreary, meaningless life but it is better than none at all.’
‘I am sorry for your loss, Belle,’ she turned to the children, ‘and for yours’ also… if there’s anything I can do-’
‘O! Do not worry yourself, Lady Bess,’ said Belle, bowing her head, ‘it was not your fault they found us… it was just so unexpected, though… damn Thraceans…’
‘Wait-!’ said Bessie, eyes widening in sudden realisation, ‘the Thraceans did this to you?’
‘Well, of course,’ said Belle, ‘why else would they take us to Thrace? And it was definitely their ships… why?’
Bessie furrowed her eyebrows slightly, ‘but… was it the king who attacked you- or the young prince?’
‘Why, ‘twas the prince,’ said Belle immediately, ‘for I saw him with my own two eyes- a horrible man, don’t you think? Just like his father.’
‘But… no… that’s not true, Belle- he’s been so kind! Can you not be mistaken?’ Bessie shook her head in distress, ‘it simply cannot be!’
Belle turned sour, ‘believe what you want,’ she said, ‘but I know what I saw. Now, Lady Songsmith, if you will excuse me, I must get back to work. Come along now, children.’ She walked off quickly and the infants followed, all but one.
‘Shouldn’t you go too?’ asked Bessie.
The scrawny girl-child –Megara- looked over her shoulder worriedly but shook her head, ‘please do not blame Aunty Belle,’ she whispered in her small voice, ‘she only wants what is best for us- for our future…’
‘I would never hold it against her,’ said Bessie kindly, ‘why ought I? I just find it hard to believe that Ashitaka…’
‘Prince Ashitaka was a friend to the gypsies,’ Megara mumbled, ‘we didn’t believe it either when he… O! I must go! Just… do give Aunty Belle some time- she’ll come around… she just feels a little betrayed, is all, milady. He was a friend, you see?’
‘I know,’ said Bessie with a small sigh, ‘he was a friend to me too…’
Megara bowed her little head slightly and ran off, leaving Bessie, cold and alone, to her thoughts.
-
‘I’m sorry I ran off earlier,’ Bessie murmured as she found Fern on the beach that evening, still awaiting Kuris’s arrival, ‘it’s just… I had a great chance here- to go and learn about my power- about Asheia! And isn’t that what we want, Fern? What we all want? You too?’
‘We’re your friends, Bess- we would have come with you- taken you to Tortuga if you wished it… but… it is not a safe place- they say it is overrun by ancient fiends- guardians of the Auld World.’ Fern gave her a serious look, shaking his head slightly as he debated with himself whether or not to tell her what he had learnt about Davus, ‘I am sorry too,’ he added eventually.
‘Well, it doesn’t matter anymore,’ said Bessie, with a bitter laugh, ‘for I am not going to Tortuga.’
Fern blinked, ‘what? Wait-! What?’
‘Ashitaka attacked Tumbler’s Cove, Fern,’ her tone was sad and deflated, ‘I can’t sail with him- not now- no matter what Kuris decides.’
‘Are you serious?! Tumbler’s Cove?’
Bessie nodded miserably, ‘I spoke to Belle just now- they’ve been enslaved! And everything’s been destroyed- by a bomb blast, she said.’
‘But how did he even-?’
‘Ashitaka was a friend to the gypsies- he betrayed their trust as well as mine,’ she let out a distressed sigh, ‘I just can’t believe it of him, though- he was always so good to me!’
‘Maybe he’s not the person you thought he was,’ said Fern darkly.
‘Nor Kuris… O! You don’t think… she’d never actually go with him, would she?!’
‘I do not think so…’ said Fern, ‘…but Tortuga may hold the key to the future she’s always wanted- and Damn it all if she isn’t in love with him… people to strange things for love, Bessie.’
‘That I know only too well…’ said Bessie, obviously quite distraught. ‘I suppose we must warn her that- that Ashitaka is not what he seems… if she knew what he did she’d never consider it…’
‘No,’ Fern agreed, ‘we must find her- quickly.’
-
Lulu blinked over at poor little Morro-Chai as she wept in Mina’s arms; her tiny body racked by terrible sobs.
‘I didn’t do it, I swear!’ she was crying, ‘it wasn’t me who sunk the Kiteling! I’m not why!’
‘All evidence points towards-’
‘Leave her alone, Davus!’ snapped Lulu, ‘you’re the only one who thinks she’s guilty!’
‘Why do you have such a hard time believing that Nik might have blown up the Kiteling? He was fighting against us!’ added Masou.
‘Nik’s men didn’t carry bombs,’ Davus was quick to reply, ‘I was on board, remember?’
‘You still haven’t told us how you got there,’ came Mina’s small voice.
‘It isn’t important,’ said Davus.
‘Nor is it important to find out who sunk the Kiteling- more “where are we going to find another ship?”’
‘Maybe the Prince will give us another ‘un,’ said Hero, ‘since he’s got lots, an’ all!’
‘We’ll talk to Captain Kuris when she returns,’ Kendo assured him in a fatherly way.
‘I hope she comes back soon,’ said Morro-Chai, drying her eyes on her sleeves.
Lulu nodded silently and Masou sighed, ‘she will, Morro-Chai, just you wait and see.’
Time passed and the sun began to sink below the horizon-still Kuris did not return. In fact, it was Fern and Bessie who turned up first. Running over with a cry of, ‘Tumbler’s Cove’s been attacked!’
-
Night passed, Lulu’s second away from the Kiteling in two years, and still Kuris did not return. With the news of Ashitaka’s cruelty towards their friends, the gypsies, nobody slept a wink that night- instead, each stayed awake- should Kuris come back, they wished to warn her- to be the first to know whether or not the Prince’s proposal for travel to Tortuga had been accepted. Lulu was worried; it was the stuff of nightmares that Kuris should abandon them- and for such a vindictive prince, too…
She looked over to Masou. “Kay,” she thought, “what is best, right now? That Kuris go- or stay with us here? Their going to Tortuga could bring about the peace that all in the Five Nations pray for- or at least bring us closer to understanding why it passed… but she would be going with Ashitaka. We thought him a friend but truly he is naught but a betrayer- an evil, deceptive Prince with no conscience. Not telling her- letting her go- that would be a betrayal on our part… deception of the worst kind- just like his… but for Asheia- for the Five Nations- is it worth it?”
‘Are you alright?’
Lulu blinked and found Masou’s eyes on hers, ‘are any of us?’
A collective sigh issued from the group and Masou shook his head, ‘I guess not…’
‘It is just… I cannot help thinking, that perhaps it is best for Asheia if Kuris and Bessie go with Ashitaka to Tortuga.’
‘Best for Asheia,’ Fern agreed, ‘but not best for them.’
‘Do you think we should go, Fern?’ asked Bessie.
‘Perhaps,’ said Fern, shrugging uncomfortably, ‘but I cannot say.’
‘Nor I,’ agreed Mina sadly, ‘but I feel that the both of you truly wish to go.’
‘Not alone,’ said Bessie, ‘not without you, my friends.’
‘Aye, maybe not,’ said Hero, ‘but Tortuga is sacred ground- it is not for us to go- not without the consent of the Gods.’
‘What Gods?’ asked Bessie bitterly.
‘The Auld Ones,’ said Hero, excited to know more on the subject than anyone present, ‘Kuris was telling me about them! She said they would not be happy about Ashitaka going to Tortuga- not at all, they would not.’
‘Would these Gods do anything about it?’ asked Davus mockingly.
Ignoring his tone, Hero went on, ‘the Auld Ones are the spirits of Earth, Fire, Water and Wind- together they can cause great destruction!’
‘And alone…?’ came Morro-Chai’s small, frightened voice.
‘Nothing,’ said Hero. ‘Alone, they are nothing.’
‘The Auld Ones sent down to we on Asheia, the prophetess, Merilwen, who predicted the coming of eight wars- then, if peace could not be found, four months of darkness… and the downfall of Asheia. It will plunge into Oblivion.’
All eyes turned on the speaker.
‘Kuris! You’re back!’
‘Yes, Hero, I am.’
‘You look unwell, Kuris,’ said Lulu, ‘sit down.’
‘I think you know,’ said Kuris, ‘that I have come from the palace.’
Her friends nodded slightly and Bessie released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding as the skypirate captain began to speak again.
‘It may interest you to know,’ she said, ‘that I will not be going to Tortuga.’
‘But if Asheia is doomed-!’ Hero cried but Kuris held up a shaky hand to call for silence.
‘I am not going to Tortuga yet,’ she said, ‘and not with Ashitaka.’
‘Why not?’ asked Kendo.
‘Hero was right- we cannot risk the wrath of the Auld Ones,’ said Kuris, ‘Ashitaka will go –unbidden by the forces that be- and he will die. I could not stop him.’
‘When does he leave?’ asked Fern softly.
‘In a fortnight,’ came Kuris’ hollow reply.
‘I am sorry.’
‘He s a fool,’ said Kuris, ‘if he can conceive no higher regard for the Auld Ones… then he is a danger to his country and must be stopped, either way.’
‘Very well,’ said Fern, ‘but knowing you, we won’t be stopping here either- you will want us to help you.’
‘Ashitaka was right,’ said Kuris, ‘in that we must go to Tortuga- but not just yet.’
‘We must receive permission from the Auld Ones,’ said Hero.
‘You want us to get on our knees and pray,’ said Davus dryly.
‘No,’ said Kuris, ‘not yet anyway- there is a temple in each of the Five Nations at which we must pray with all our hearts- if our prayers are received we will be allowed into Tortuga. Fool that he is, Ashitaka calls it an unnecessary waste of time… he shall die for his mistakes.’
‘The first war in the year 303,’ said Lulu softly.
‘A second in 502,’ said Masou.
‘726.’
‘802.’
‘1003.’
‘1121.’
‘1377.’
‘That’s seven,’ said Morro-Chai softly, ‘…Kuris, you said there’d be eight- then… four months of darkness… and…’
‘Oblivion,’ said Kuris darkly. ‘We haven’t much time.’ Her eyes sharpened slightly, ‘sleep well through this morning, my friends. At midday, we’ll take the train from Akinore,’ she thrust a bound scroll at Fern, ‘guard this well.’
‘What is it?’ he asked suspiciously.
Kuris grinned, ‘call it a treasure map.’