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Legend of the Maņana, Chapter 6 |
| Written by Jonathan | |
| Thursday, 17 April 2008 | |
Out of the Storm and Into the Brits The next morning the crew continued working on the ship. It was close to noon and the sun beat down upon the Mañana and her crew. Yasac was laying under several maps on the main deck while Revloc sat nearby repairing a fishing net. Ayafre crawled up a rope ladder that was attached to a pair of hilts of knives stabbed into the bulwarks. Sally hopped over the bulwarks right behind her. "Knives huh? I figure Scarlet left getting back into the ship up to Yasac?" Sally commented. "Yup, I..." Revloc started. "Ayafre! Is that you? I'm hungry!" Yasac said while under the maps not bothering to lift any to talk to Ayafre. "I'll feed you when Revloc gets us some fish." Ayafre answered a bit annoyed Yasac moaned. "If you really are that hungry go get us some fruit or something from some tree. That forest probably has something edible. And...isn't it hard to read those maps while under them like that?" Ayafre said. Yasac moaned once more. "Not in a very happy mood, that bump on his head must still be aching. Aye Yasac?" Sally said Yasac didn't answer. Ayafre made a confused face and tugged on Sally's shirt. "Com'on help me get some stuff from the lower decks." Ayafre said as she carefully made her way down the lopsided stairs, as the whole ship was tilted at an angle after it crashed. Scarlet emerged over the bulwarks also, and quickly spotted Yasac under the maps. "Hey lazy bones! You figured where we are yet?" Yasac rustled under the maps. "No, this island is too small to be recognizable on the charts. Well that and I can't find any of my navigation equipment." Yasac answered. "Oh yes that," Scarlet pulled out Yasac's compass from her pocket. She prepared to toss it to Yasac but could not tell where his hands were. Scarlet threw it to Revloc instead. "I found it right on the shore; I'll make a scavenger party after luncheon to find anything else to recover. Alright I should go see how Chives and Jane are doing with that wood to patch up the ship." "Ha, Chives and Jane, better watch those two, captain. They spend quite a bit of time together," Revloc hinted as Scarlet climbed down the rope ladder. Scarlet could be heard laughing as she descended. "Gimmie that compass Revloc," Yasac asked. "Oh pretty perceptive from under those maps, wouldn't want you to die of heat and make you come and get it," Revloc teased. Yasac grunted. Revloc searched for the layout of Yasac's body under the maps. Revloc then fired the compass from his hand and it hit Yasac hard in the groin. Yasac jerked and roared in pain as he rolled out from under the maps. The tilt of the ship caused Yasac to continue to roll until Yasac reached the opening in the bulwarks for the gang plank. Yasac rolled out of the ship and fell into sea with a cry. "Revloc!" Ayafre shouted as she and Sally saw the whole spectacle as they emerged from the lower deck. "Oops," Revloc said through laugher.
That night the crew relaxed by a fire after working all day. Ayafre minded a pot of stewed vegetables and eagerly awaited Revloc to catch something with the net. Scarlet happily distributed bottles of rum to the crew. She threw one in Revloc's direction which landed in the water. "Hey now!" Revloc shouted as he plucked it out of the water with one hand. Scarlet laughed and took a swig and began spouting French, while dancing around. "Oh it's been awhile since I've been able to relax," Sally stated. "I hear ya, Ayafre and I just had a bath earlier today in a small warm pool in that forest," Jane stated. "What! Where! Why didn't you invite me?" Sally exclaimed. "Well...it was while we were supposed to be getting wood, and we kinda got lost so...ya gota take what life throws at you," Ayafre said with a laugh. "Besides I think you were pretty busy with those bombs you were repairing," Jane added. "Oh yeah...that took me a while I would have just gotten dirty all over again," Sally concluded. "In speaking of those bombs...where did you learn to make them?" Yasac inquired. "Oh...funny story really. See I was fourteen and a traveling salesman was selling these things called fireworks all the way from china apparently. Well he was selling them till they went off prematurely...in his coat pocket. He ran off on fire and left all his other fireworks behind. Including several recipes and tools to make them." "Fireworks huh? Well I'd say your bombs are a bit more than fireworks," Yasac stated. "You'd be right, ask her how she got those ghosts in her hair. Those bombs are from the devil Sally they'll kill ya one day," Chives said. Yasac raised his eyebrow at Sally. "I suppose I can tell that tale as well. Well after Chives there destroyed a bunch of my recipies. I went off to try to make my own with what was left of the recipies. I was making my first bomb that you see today by mixing a Chinese recipe and some greek fire and tar. I made a small mistake and as I tested it in the first throw it exploded right above me and rained down this liquid fire that stuck to my hair and hurt like hellfire." "I wonder why..." Chives interrupted. "Yes...well thankfully there was a well nearby which I jumped in. When I came back out, the burned parts of my hair were turned silver and never regained color even to this day." "Wow, fourteen? How old are you now?" Jane asked. "Twenty three, yup over nine years now and I still have em. I don't mind them though, It's something different," Sally explained. "Crazy, do you..." Ayafre started but Scarlet began to dance around her. She tugged on Ayafre till she to gets up to dance with her, as Scarlet now began to sing in French. "Hey Yasac any idea what Scarlet's sayin here?" Jane asked. Yasac raised his eye brow and listened more intently. "Not really sure my French is pretty bad actually." "Aww..." Ayafre moaned as she continued to frolic with Scarlet. Jane picked up a nearby accordion and begins playing a simple tune. "That's the stuff Jane! First fish is for you!" Scarlet cried. Jane laughs and continued playing. "Hey Chives take this net I gota join this party!" Revloc shouted to Chives who was only too eager to not join in dancing. Yasac tosses Revloc a couple unused metal pots. Revloc takes a pair of sticks and gladly begins some percussion to accompany Jane's accordion. Scarlet began to spin Ayafre till she fell over next to Yasac, as the whole crew is in laugher. "I think she's singing about you Ayafre." Sally shouted. "Oh really? How flattering, so do you know French then?" "Aye, French English and a bit of Celtic and such like that, that they use in the highlands and Ireland, oh and some Italian." "Oh impressive," Ayafre commented "What about you?" Sally asked "Oh me? Spanish, English and Portuguese, I guess some Arabic too. That's where I got these." Ayafre pointed to her beautiful bladed tonfas at her side. "Oh how did that happen?" Yasac inquired as he moved over for Ayafre to properly sit. "Jane and I got caught trying to steal some spice from a Moorish ship. And instead of a cell, they sold us into slavery in Casablanca. Not really the most pleasant of times but I did get to wear some very interestingly tailored silks." "Interestingly?" Revloc shouted to Ayafre as he drummed on the pots. "Yes Revloc...not the most flattering pieces of clothing I have worn." Ayafre said with a sigh "Pieces being the prime word there!" Jane added. Revloc let out a loud laugh, and Ayafre rolled her eyes. "She kept our silks by the way Revloc," Jane continued, teasing Ayafre." "Oh really?" Revloc said with a wink. Jane and Revloc burst into laughter as they continued to play. "Actually if you want a good linguist ask Yasac, he knows Spanish and English...uh," Revloc trails of not sure the rest. "Italian and Latin, Greek, Deutch, some Arabic, some Danish, and a good amount of oriental languages." "Good lord Yasac, you've been around!" Sally exclaimed. "So all of those but never French?" Ayafre inquires. "Uh, yeah...not much that is." "Whys that? It's a fairly common language," Ayafre asked. "I dun like the French." Yasac stated Suddenly a rum bottle smacked Yasac in the forehead, causing him to fall backwards into the sand, as Scarlet laughed and danced on over to him. Despite the blow Yasac let out a smile as he looked up at the stars. The fire reminded him of days long past. Yasac closed his eyes and let the party noises fade away as he listened to the water rushing up to the shore. "Just like back then," Yasac thought to himself. Yasac thought back to his teenage days, which now felt so long ago.
It was a fairly cloudy day as they made their way across the lake. There were no other humans in sight, just them three. Yasac steered their raft with a long paddle as his cousins Ettan and Kanarf were kneeled down with shorter paddles and made slow strokes through the water. The young Yasac carried a very simple looking shortened katana. He wore Japanese garb of dark red kimono top and white pants. His hair was tied back in a tail, and his face was clean of hair. His cousin Ettan had a shaved head and also had a simple katana at his belt. He was lean but muscular as one could easily see as he wore a sleeveless dirty white tunic and matching pants not as baggy as Yasac's. His hazel eyes were piercing and always seemed to be examining and calculating. Kanarf wore a grandly carved and intricate saber along with a hatchet at his belt, slightly hidden under a fur vest. He too was muscular as he wore no tunic under his fur vest; he also wore shortened pants that came only to his knees. His messy light brown hair hung this way and that but was never in the way of his dark blue eyes, he also sported a thin goatee that was just coming in. Ettan chatted about plans for new weapon designs and things as Yasac and Kanarf choicelessly listened, and would add ideas or disagreements all of them speaking Latin. Yasac breathed in the moist cool air, as he listened to the soft cries of birds and clicks of cicadas. Kanarf and Ettan continued to paddle in unison as Yasac stood carefully guiding their craft, being weary of rocks and any other debris. "How much further you suppose Yasac?" Ettan inquired. "Well this lake and than one more, we'll have to carry the raft over land though, that may take awhile," Yasac answered. "We can always disassemble the raft if we need to," Ettan added. "No need for that, we can carry it and Yasac can grab our cargo," Kanarf concluded. "Easy job for Yasac, all we got is food and fire supplies," Ettan stated with a laugh. "He's a wimp we need to give him the easy jobs," Kanarf teased. "Careful there Kanarf, not sure a half blood can be saying stuff like that to a Bandy," Yasac insinuated "Oh! Low blow no need for hostility, just cause I'm adopted into the Scrantons," Kanarf grumbled. "Just foolin Kanarf, you're a better man than most in the alliance," Yasac said approvingly. There was a silence for a few minutes as they continued to journey across the lake. A family of birds swam past the three in the raft and the boys made sure not to startle them. After they passed the birds, the raft was nearing the end of the lake. "So why wasn't Tradon able to come?" Ettan inquired. Kanarf and Yasac traded glances. "Too young, even in the families people have gotten more secretive about the vaults." Yasac stated "So what do we expect to find in this cave?" Ettan asked "Who knows, Master Mathias and Master Lopez said it was a failed vault that had prematurely exploded while they were filling it with whatever contents it was meant to hold. And my father wanted me to explore it for anything left behind, I know I never told any of you till now but, my father didn't want word getting out that a few teenagers are poking around an old vault." Yasac explained "Why do you suppose that? Is your father trying a new idea to keep the peace again?" Ettan questioned "Maybe, I don't talk to him much anymore, too many politics going on," Yasac answered grimly "Ain't that the truth." Kanarf added with a slightly angry grunt. "Huh? What do you mean?" Ettan asked "Well, I don't blame you for not knowing, the Sommers try to keep everything so traditional, all the politics are left in the knowledge of the eldest of the family. But you must have heard some things." Yasac explained "I never really paid much attention...care to fill me in?" Ettan stated "Well there's plenty of bickering going around in the alliance." Yasac started "Bickering? Try dissension, some even say corruption. With the Yakuza breathing down our backs the whole table of leaders is in chaos. Everyone is wanting more and more power in the alliance.Kilkenny say we need more land and we should take over the large isles far far down to the south. Kanarf explained "You mean that huge island with all those really strange creatures?" Ettan inquired "Yeah, and Hemuras think we should start unifying Japan, while Balinskes think we should take over all the small islands like Singapore." Yasac said "Don't be fooled though, rumors are going around that vaults are in those places. While the Bandys and Sommers are sticking by keeping the vaults unused a lot of other families are trying to get their hands on different vaults. It's a power struggle," Kanarf added. "I heard the only vaults in the pacific were the least dangerous ones like vaults of art and culture," Ettan stated. "Maybe, but we don't know for sure." Yasac commented "At least we know that the weapons vault is in good hands," Ettan said as he eyed Kanarf's ornate saber. "Yeah, I suppose at least for now," Kanarf murmured "For now?" Ettan asked "Yeah, elitists like the Kilkenny and Hodges believe this key shouldn't be in the hands of an adopted son," Kanarf continued. "Oh wow, I never realized," Ettan said. "Not all the Kilkenny..." Yasac murmured. "No not all of them, sorry Yasac, maybe Acharis and you can help set those Kilkenny more like the Bandys." Kanarf stated "We'll see, there's been talk saying the Kilkenny have the knowledge of the Vault of Erebus." Yasac asked "Really?" Kanarf said surpised. "Why would that matter?" Ettan asked. "Well obviously because, if one family has the knowledge of a Vault and another has the sword key, then they are forbidden to have relations, in order to keep familys from taking control of a vault," Kanarf explained. "Oh that's right! Yasac's right Sommers are far too traditional, I only learned that once and it wasn't in as much detail as you told it," Ettan stated "Oh wait! Are you angry at the Alliance because of a marriage ilgeality? Somone's family have the knowledge of the Vault of Mucro?" Yasac teased "No! That's your family anyway! It's this blasted sword, so many others think I shouldn't even be able to touch it," Kanarf said with a sigh. "Well it's yours now; you can do what you want with it. My father had told me he was entertaining the idea of hiding my family's Sword of Erebus without anyone knowing. That sure would make my brother mad, but I kinda agree with my father." Yasac stated "And just have the passing of the sword be ceremonial? That sure would be a bold move, even if it was secret. But...I like it." Kanarf said as he stood up on the raft to face Yasac. Kanarf removed his saber, the key of the Vault of Mucro. Kanarf held it in front of Yasac. The saber's hilt was ivory with silver and gold decorations and with a gold chain connected between the cross bar and butt of the hilt, which was decorated as the top of a European knight's helmet. Several ruby crosses decorated the silver sheath, along with gold trim of flowing designs that flew across the sheath. I the center of the sheath the words Inhoc Signo Vinces were carved around a ruby cross. Kanarf unsheathed the blade revealing the sword was just as intricate, if not more so than the sheath. In the blade were the carvings of battling knights and more crosses. In the center of the blade was the forging signature which read Dr. Aldrich C. Crome. "Ettan you are to never tell a single soul what I am about to do. Yasac, I hereby give to you the nameless key to the Vault of Mucro. Under the guise that I lost the sword in this lake, just like an irresponsible half blood would be expected to. Keep it out of sight" Yasac was astonished. "I can't accept this! What about the heirloom ceremony. You can't just give a key to another family." Yasac exclaimed "Let our bickering alliance decide, it wasn't my fault we lost it, the raft overturned in a storm." Kanarf hinted "Well...I have to say...it's a great sword..." Yasac said as his eyes seemed to glow in adornment of the detailed sword. "That's not fair Kanarf, you know Yasac can't turn down a gift of a blade," Ettan teased. "Everyone knows the dangers of the Vault of Mucro; they say it has a weapon in it that could explode a city in a few seconds. That's too much power for mortal hands. Its best if this key disappears. I can't think of anyone who would take better care of a sword than Yasac. "Yes...you really are quite cruel; I'll just have to keep it a secret gift...in fact. Yes, the key to the Vault of Mucro is said to be nameless. And so it continues to be known as nameless. Except by us. I name thee sword, Geshank, Geshank of Kanarf. Yasac sheathed the sword and proudly slid it into his belt.
Yasac patted Geshank and opened his eyes. Yasac sat back up to the fire, where Ayafre laid on Jane's lap falling asleep as Sally and Chives were cooking the few fish Chives caught. While Scarlet still continued on singing and drinking. Yasac felt the cool sand between his fingers and closed his eyes again, and slowly fell asleep.
Later that night the whole crew had fallen asleep at the fire. The moon was dark, which hid the approach of another ship. The ship sailed towards the beached Mañana and raised an English flag. Seeing no response the ship laid anchor and soldiers rowed to the Mañana. Two boats rowed up next to the Mañana and boarded it. The rest of the soldiers rowed up to the shore where they had spotted the fire that the crew slept around. An officer marched up to Scarlet whom he assumed was Captain by the hat over her face. "Excuse me sir, begging your pardon for interrupting your sleep, but I require a word with you captain." The officer stated Several of the other crew began to wake up. Scarlet included who slowly got up to her feet with the hat still on her face as she was still under the influence of the rum. Scarlet removed the hat from her face and sloppily placed it on her head. "Aye? I'm the captain! Who you be!" Scarlet inquired with a slur in her voice. The officer was taken aback that she was in fact a woman captain. "Uh yes, I have second mate of the Inquisitor of the Royal English Navy. State your business in British territory." The Officer explained "Oh aye? Oh I'll tell ya!" Scarlet stammered and then trailed off. "Yasac, Yasac bloody wake up, we got trouble." Revloc whispered to the sleeping Yasac "Blast it Yasac, I knew your unbreakable slumber would get us into trouble one day." "I'm the captain Mañana! The most feared and loved pirate vessel ever known to mankind. An this be me pirate crew...ha-ha ahrr." "Pirates! What are you doing here?" The officer exclaimed "We was just goona take a bit o yer silvers and goldzies that's all mate that's all," Scarlet admitted, still quite drunk. "Pirates against the British crown! Heh and delivered already beaten on our doorstep. Men! Arrest these criminals!" The officer ordered. At those words the soldiers drew weapons and advanced on each crew member before most of them were aware of the situation. But at the sound of swords drawing and muskets cocking, Yasac suddenly burst up from the ground and had his katana drawn in an instant. With a loud roar Yasac immediately attacked the nearest English soldier. Which was quickly followed by musket fire. The startled Yasac was hit several times by the muskets and fell over as several soldiers beat him with their muskets and kicked him as he lay on the ground wounded. After that the whole crew were swiftly taken to the brig of the English ship.
"Oh my aching head." Revloc moaned as he returned to consciousness. Revloc looked around to see a fairly small cage containing him with Chives leaning in the corner, and Sally asleep at his feet. "Back up aye?" Chives said with a grunt. Revloc shook his head, not remembering every event. "Where...is everyone...why does my head feel like a cannibal drum?" "Ahh, the wonders of British prisons...see some guards believe we are less likely to escape if we have less ability to move," "Yeah...not the first time I've been a prison rag doll...but what happened to everyone else?" Revloc interjected. "Well...Yasac killed one of the lower ranking officers, haven't seen him since. "Wait...Yasac killed someone?" "Aye, what of it?" "Well, he doesn't really enjoy it, if you noticed whenever he fights he never gives a deathblow, and with his skill usually most who fight him end up never fighting again but...Yasac always tries to never kill. It's bad news if Yasac starts killing people," Revloc explained. "Do you want me to put you back to sleep or are ya goona listen to my answer to your idiotic question?" Chives said impatiently not interested in Yasac's morals. "Uh, yeah where are the rest of us," Course they don't have the balls to touch me and when they tried to take Sally I reminded them of some bloodlines," Chives explained. The brig door opened and a guard with a scratched face marched Ayafre in with her hair firmly in his fist. A pair of guards marched Jane in after them, who was struggling viciously. The first guard opened a cage and tossed a worn and wounded Ayafre in violently. The other two guards did the same with Jane. Ayafre's clothing was torn and some blood stained her fingernails, while Jane had a bruised face. Ayafre rolled on her back relieved. "I can't tell who won," Revloc commented. "They found Ayafre's hair pin...dagger, and one of the guards decided to get fresh with her. Neither of us liked that, after a bit of a brawl, I took some hits for Ayafre. Seeing as how she nearly tore out that guard's throat that wouldn't have gone down well," Jane explained. "It's ok now...I still have my dagger," Ayafre said with a smile. "Really!" Chives shouted. "Shh, let's not encourage another one of those." Ayafre whispered. "Wait, where's Yasac!" Ayafre cried alarmed. "He woke up all crazy and killed one of the soldiers. Kinda like he nearly done me when I woke him up. They must be poundin him hard." "Well, that or identifying the body. They shot him remember." Chives said grimly. Ayafre gasped and Jane quickly put her arm around her. "No! Why!" Ayafre painfully chirped threw tears. "Hey now! We don't know that Chives! Yasac's been threw worse...I think." Revloc said trying to calm her. Sally moaned as she started to awake due to the noise. She shivered and remembered her coat was taken, along with the bombs in the sleeves. "Bout time Sally," Chives grumbled. "What are you doing! You smell terrible get away," Sally said almost incoherently with both eyes still closed. Sally pushed Chives away and he backed off to the other side of the cage. Sally slowly opened her eyes and noticed Ayafre sobbing in Jane's arms through the dark room. "Ya know if ya thought this would be easy you should have stayed in Portugal," Chives growled at Ayafre annoyed. Jane gave Chives an evil eye which silenced Chives. Sally sat up still trying to get a bearing on her surroundings. "Chives if we die...I say it's your fault." Sally grumbled. Copyright 2008 Jonathan |
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