Let's Play Pirates: Chapter 13

Chapter 13
‘I am sorry, Xatu.’
‘I know you are,’ said the black-haired man, running a hand over the scars on his tanned forearm.
‘Yes, wel...’
‘Don’t worry, old friend, not at all.’ Xatu leant back against the rough wall of his cell and stared through the bars at his solemn companion, ‘I am just glad we are not enemies.’
‘As am I… and yet, still, I am worried. Something is not right about Davus… about your brother’s sudden return.’
‘I agree… but what can we do, Nik?’
‘If only I could set you free… but they were my orders. You must remain.’
A pained expression passed over Xatu’s face, ‘what can Davus mean by all of this? What does he want with me?’
‘I owed him a favour- a big favour,’ said Nik sadly, ‘and I repaid him. All I know of this scheme are his orders to me. I was to attack the Kiteling and take you back with me- it all ended there. I… did not know about the bomb… I thought everyone would come out unscathed.’
Xatu shrugged, ‘if I know Kuris, and I do, she’ll be all right,’ he said, ‘and if Kuris is all right, then everyone’s all right.’
‘Well let’s just hope you’re right- because for now, all we can do is sit and wait… sit and wait for whatever Davus has planned for us.’
-
If Bessie had known that four of her group, three of them close friends, had spent the night contemplating how very much safer a place Asheia might be if she were to die at their hands, she might not have slept nearly so well. As it was, however, she awoke the next morning feeling, if a little cramped in the small space, wholly revived and well rested.
She opened her eyes slowly and looked about her in slight disorientation.
‘No…’
A soft whimper reached her ears. “Lulu?”
Turning on her side and feeling the floor groan beneath her, Bessie blinked over at the fluffy-haired fairy and watched as she sent a flailing arm into Masou’s face, eyes squeezed tight shut.
Masou grasped her arm instinctively before it hit him and pressed it back against her chest, waiting patiently for her to stop struggling.
‘Is… is she okay?’ asked Bessie softly, just a little bit unnerved.
Masou looked up, surprised, ‘Bessie? Oh, well, yes, she’s fine- just having a nightmare.’
‘Does she often?’ asked Bessie.
‘Sometimes,’ said Masou, shrugging elusively, ‘not so much anymore. I suspect something’s bothering her.’
‘It’s not easy for any of us,’ Bessie agreed.
‘Not at all,’ said Masou, nodding, ‘so what are you doing up at this hour?’
‘Is it really so early?’
‘Quite early,’ said Masou. ‘Aren’t you tired?’
‘Not hardly,’ said Bessie, ‘what about you?’
‘It could be worse,’ said Masou, ‘some days I cannot so much as rise for fatigue, but today I move quite easily.’
‘Well that’s good…’
There were a few moments of silence, then Masou nodded conclusively, ‘yes, there we are. Lulu’s alright now,’ he let go of her hand and stood up, flinching at the loud creaking of the wood beneath his feet, ‘I think I’ll go for a walk’, and, without waiting for Bessie’s reply, he left.
Bessie watched Lulu a moment longer, then rolled onto her back, deep in thought. “Even you are afraid, Lulu. You, who appear so strong and potent, if you are troubled, how can any of us hope to go on?”
She lay, for a time, silent in the darkness, then heard Lulu speak softly, ‘Bess, where did Masou go?’
‘Masou?’ Bessie repeated, ‘he went out a little while ago.’
Lulu nodded and rose soundlessly, she made to leave as well and paused at the door, ‘I think I will go and find him,’ he said quietly, and she too disappeared.
A small smile passed over Bessie’s face as she followed Lulu out quietly and returned to her old game- aspiring to know everything about her friends and their relationships. And, of course, as a lover of tragedy and romance, beside Kuris and Ashitaka, Lulu and Masou were her favourite people to spy on- not that she would call it spying.
‘How are you feeling?’ she heard Masou ask as Lulu approached.
‘As good as can be expected,’ said Lulu.
‘You were having a bad dream.’
‘As if I don’t know that,’ said Lulu, rolling her eyes.
‘Do you want to talk about it?’ asked Masou.
‘Not particularly.’
‘That’s okay too…’
Seeing the look on his face, Lulu shrugged, ‘it was nothing important… all the excitement of the day probably just leaked into my dreams.’
‘Perhaps,’ said Masou, ‘or maybe your subconscious is trying to tell you something.’
‘Like what? Don’t trust an undead?’
Masou grinned, ‘yeah- like that.’
Lulu offered him a small smile, ‘well, tell it to go away- I don’t need its help.’
‘You sure about that?’
‘Yes,’ said Lulu stubbornly, ‘I… I know things can’t go back to the way they were- no matter how much we want them to.’
‘You and Davus were tight, huh?’
‘Not so close as he and Mina were…’ said Lulu disdainfully, ‘I just hope she’s alright.’
‘Me too.’
Lulu sat down, her short dark hair flopping over her face as she leant back against the tree behind her, ‘and Kuris… she’s taking the news well, about Ashitaka, I mean. It could be worse.’
‘Yes,’ said Masou, looking down at her sadly, ‘but you can tell his betrayal hurts her inside.’
Lulu inhaled deeply and tipped her head back in exasperation, ‘why is everything going wrong, Masou?’
Masou sat down beside her and shrugged, ‘dunno, Lu, maybe we’re being punished for something.’
‘Perhaps… I suppose you’ve got to toss aside a few pawns to get to the king- in the great scheme of things, we’re not all that important.’
‘Hey, don’t say that! As soon as you start thinking like that it’s over, you know. We’re all important- just because we haven’t got some coveted superpowers…’
‘That’s really beginning to get on my nerves, you know?’ said Lulu, ‘who’d have thought that Bessie would up and abandon us for a couple of gypsy treasures?’
‘You’re right there,’ said Masou, ‘Fern certainly didn’t expect it- did you hear him having a go at Kuris?’
Bessie shifted uncomfortably from where she watched a little ways away- what had been a game before now seemed very much like spying.
‘No, I didn’t,’ said Lulu, ‘was he very mad?’
‘Not at Bessie, no,’ said Masou, ‘but he thought it unaccountable of Kuris to let her go- he accused her of being in love with the Prince.’
‘Well, that’s obvious enough, isn’t it?’ said Lulu, ‘even now, anyone can tell just how much she yearns for him… poor girl…’
‘It must be hard for her.’
‘It’s hard for all of us, Masou- but we’ll get through it.’
‘You oughtn’t be spying,’ came a soft voice from beside Bessie.
‘O-oh, hello’ she turned slightly in the darkness and peered down at Morro-Chai.
‘You really oughtn’t,’ she said.
‘I know… but wait! What are you doing?’
‘Spying,’ Morro-Chai admitted, ‘but hush now, they’re talking again.’
Bessie nodded silently and turned back to the pair before them.
‘We should probably get back now…’
Lulu shook her head, ‘no, wait. Stay with me a while.’
Masou, who had begun to stand, sat back down obligingly, ‘all right.’
They sat in silence for a few moments.
‘Oh, do you see it too, Lady Bess?’ whispered Morro-Chai, ‘can’t you, at least, see how sweet they look together?’
‘Of course,’ said Bessie, ‘but what time is this to think of things like that?’
Morro-Chai gave her a half serious look, ‘it’s the only time. Who knows what may lie ahead for us now? Don’t you think they deserve to spend what time Asheia has left together?’
Bessie bowed her head, ‘yes…’
‘Come on, now, let’s go- we want to be back before they do decide to return.’
Slightly bemused, Bessie nodded, ‘yes, of course.’
‘I wondered when they’d leave,’ said Lulu, with a grim smile, as she watched Morro-Chai and Bessie sneak off in a manner they had hoped was inconspicuous.
‘Heh- why’re they always watching us anyhow?’
‘I know… They talk about the Code- and about how wrong it is to pry into the lives of others, yet this is their alternative? It makes little sense.’
‘None at all!’ Masou agreed, waving his arms in a way that was, perhaps, a little too extravagant, ‘and what in Seven Hells can they possibly see between us?’
Lulu shrugged, determinedly ignoring her burning heart as it constricted in her chest, ‘I have absolutely no idea,’ she lied, needlessly brushing a strand of fluffy black hair behind her ear.
‘Well, I suppose we’d better go back too- Kuris is sure to wake up soon and she’ll want to leave as early as possible.’
‘Yes, all right,’ said Lulu, reluctantly allowing Masou to help her to her feet. ‘Let’s go.’
-
‘How are we feeling today, crew?’ came Kuris’ jovial cry as Lulu and Masou neared Naerwen’s house.
‘What’s got you so cheery?’ mumbled Fern irritably as he stumbled out after her, raising a hand against the bright morning sun.
‘Naerwen’s found us a boat!’
‘Oh, it was all down to my friend, Mara,’ said Naerwen modestly, ‘and she, too, is in your dept, she says.’
The boat was rather old and Hero, for one was sceptical about flying in it.
‘What if it breaks?’ he whined.
‘What if it doesn’t?’ said Lulu, rolling her eyes.
‘No worries, Hero, we won’t let you fall!’ said Cori brightly.
‘But it’s all old and creaky and small! Too too too small!’
‘Don’t be so ungracious, little man,’ said Masou sternly, ‘and thank you so much, Naerwen.’
‘Why does everyone keep saying that?’ asked Naerwen, brushing it aside with a wave of her hand, ‘it is my pleasure.’
‘I suppose we had better be going then,’ said Mina softly as she climbed into the boat, gently pulling a whimpering Hero in after her.
‘Be safe, my friends.’
‘Be safe, Naerwen.’
-
‘Hero, get off me, I’m trying to fly this thing.’
‘But, Miss Lulu, it’s making weird noises!’
They had only been flying for ten minutes but Hero was complaining about everything and anything- from the wind in his ears to the sand in his shoes- and clinging desperately onto Lulu.
‘So are you,’ snapped Lulu, shaking the eleven-year-old redhead off of her skinny arm, ‘stop whining.’
‘But I hate little boats!’
‘And we hate hearing you whinge!’
‘Stop fighting both of you,’ said Kuris, sitting back and holding a hand to her head as the tiny boat lurched dramatically, ‘Hero, look at Morro-Chai, she’s four years younger than you- is she upset?’
Morro-Chai, who had just been thrown to the floor of the boat by the jerk, wiped the tears out of her eyes and stood, ‘no way, I’m not!’
‘Good girl,’ said Kuris, nodding with a deep sigh. ‘How long do you reckon it’ll take us now, Masou?’
‘With my knowledge of maths?’ said Masou jovially, ‘about two years- ask Lulu, she might have a preferable answer.’
Lulu rolled her eyes, ‘try two hours.’
‘See?’ said Masou, ‘much better.’
‘Let’s play a game,’ said Davus, rolling his eyes.
‘Like what?’ asked Hero, brightening.
Davus shrugged soundlessly. “Game” was obviously as far as he’d gotten.
‘We could play hide and seek!’
‘Good idea,’ he agreed, nodding, ‘why don’t you turn the boat upside down and hide under it?’
‘What?! Noooo! Let’s play something else!’
‘Fine by me.’
‘How about tag?’
Davus poked Hero, ‘tag,’ he said tonelessly.
‘Tag!’ Hero exclaimed, poking him back, then his face fell, ‘I don’t know any little boat games.'
‘How about “be quiet and let Lulu concentrate”?’ Lulu suggested irritably.
‘That’s no fun!’
‘Urgh!’
‘Hey! What’s that?!’
‘What’s what?’
‘Huh?’
‘Where?’
‘It’s an airship!’
Kuris sucked in a deep breath, ‘it’s Ashitaka.’
The eleven crewmembers of the tiny boat leant precariously over the edge to squint at the large black shape that pierced the distant clouds.
‘Well this cuts our journey short!’ said Hero brightly and Kendo gave him an odd look.
‘Little man, we’re as good as road kill.’