Chapter 2: Chapter 2
TW// Blood, Mention of Death, Description of Violence
Tivon was awakened by the distant sounds of a harbour. He couldn't remember when he had fallen asleep, but he knew they were about to arrive in Leeside just by looking out the window.
The city was famous for its beautiful purple blossom trees. The residents of Leeside use the petals for a variety of purposes, including making tea and sweets, as well as creating colours. Additionally, the petals are used in medicine, as they are believed to help alleviate headaches.
As the ship landed, Tivon pulled his hood back up and sneaked away, unnoticed by anyone. Just around the corner from the harbor was a bustling market square. Tivon smiled; he was finally outside the kingdom's walls. The city's warmth and the beautiful white terracotta architecture, contrasted by blooming purple blossom trees, welcomed him with open arms.
The smile on Tivon quickly faded as he fixed his hood to hide his face. Someone may still recognise me here. I'll just buy some food and find a new ship. Continuing his way, he visited the market where he purchased some dried fruit, a loaf of bread and a bottle of dried purple petals.
He made his way back to the harbour, searching for a ship that would take him far away from this place. His eyes landed on a large vessel flying a red flag with a blue cross in the centre. It was a ship from The Erast. The city he hoped to reach was about seven days' sail from here, situated outside of Krens, and his father did not have any trading agreements with it. He would be safe there.
Safe and free.
He approached the sailsman and asked him. »Excuse me, is this ship sailing to Erast?«
The sailsman looked down at him. »And who are ya?«
Tivon startled. »I-I'm David.«
The sailsman lowered his posture and yanked Tivon's hood off. This is it, they got me. »You aren't from aroun' here, are ya?«
»I can explain-«
»Nothing is free. You'll need to pay me 25 peiges.«
Tivon didn't show it on the outside, but the relief he felt was indescribable. He paid 25 peiges and boarded the ship. The sailsman was kind enough to show him the part of the ship where the other sailors slept, as well as the other parts of the ship. Tivon felt honoured, but he was still scared that someone might recognise him, so for most of the sailing time, he kept by himself. He felt safer and more in control that way.
Five days had passed and there were only two days left of sailing. Excited to be back on land, Tivon actually enjoyed his time one the ship. The crew let him be, but they were still kind to him. Nobody recognised him, and moreover they, to Tivon's relief, didn't know much about The Kingdom of Naydawin.
He spent most of his time drawing in his journal. Every evening, when the crew gathered for dinner, he would listen to their stories about life, mystical creatures, and gods. After hearing their descriptions, he would draw the creatures they spoke of.
As usual, Tivon sat by the ship's railing, sketching a seagull that was flying by. He struggled to keep the pages of his sketchbook open and shield his eyes, as the wind grew stronger with each passing hour. Unintentionally, he overheard two crewmates conversing with one another.
»The Musha is comin'«
»Ya. Ye can smell it in the air. And the wind is gettin' stronger.«
»It will be a rough night.«
Tivon was glad he had listened to the crew's stories because now he understood they were talking about the witch Musha, who was said to bring rain and storms to the seas. However, Tivon knew better than these stories. He knew that storms and rain were merely natural phenomena, and the sailors, lacking education on the subject, had created tales of witches and gods to explain the events around them.
Tivon looked at the horizon, where dark clouds began to gather. If it's going to rain, I better go inside. He took his journal and placed it in the inner pocket of his coat before heading below deck.
Just as the crew had said, Musha arrived. Waves as large as mountains crashed against the side of the ship. Rain poured down like meteors, while lightning flashed, illuminating the grey sky and the dark sea. It was impossible to sleep amidst the chaos.
Tivon could hear every creak of the ship; each lightning strike shook the vessel and lit up the cabin. Sleeping in a net did little to help with the already rough rocking of the ship.
He wanted to get on deck and breathe in some fresh air despite the rain. As he stepped off the net, a massive wave hit the ship, causing Tivon to crash into a wall. He barely managed to catch himself by the ship's opening just as another lightning bolt lit up the sky. Tivon thought he saw something in the sea. He straightened up and looked carefully again. When another lightning bolt illuminated the scene, he saw it—a black ship.
Tivon's heart stopped.
He listened to the stories the crew were telling. Throughout your entire sailing life, you could only hoped to avoid the black ship. Tivon looked more closely at the ship's flag, and dread washed over him. To make matters worse, the flag was black, displaying a red sparrow with a red rose in its beak at the centre.
The Rose Sparrow.
Tivon didn't need to listen to the sailors' stories about that ship because he already knew it was real. He understood that if your ship was captured by The Rose Sparrow, you wouldn't live to see the next day. They were the pirates, the enemy, both within and outside of Krens. Tivon had heard about them from his father, and the kingdom feared them.
However, there was one particular person who they feared more. The Grímur... The Masked man. He was a ruthless killer, feared by everyone.
Just as Tivon was about to yell a warning to his crew, a blinding light, followed by a blast that struck the side of the ship, causing massive damage. The events unfolded in an instant. Crewmates scrambled around the ship, loading cannons, firing them, and grabbing pistols and swords. People were screaming, while medics rushed to help the wounded. The scene was pure chaos.
Tivon didn't know what to do. He was frightened, shaking, unable to move. Before he realised The Rose Sparrows was beside them, pirates were already jumping down on to their ship. Tivon gathered all the energy just so he could to hide behind the barrels on the deck. Terrified, he helplessly watched as the crew was murdered. He covered his mouth, though he knew he wouldn't be able to scream even if he tried.
The captain's door swung open, and a figure emerged, brandishing a knife at the captain's neck, forcing them out of the cabin. Meanwhile, the other pirates herded the rest of the crew to the centre of the deck, pushing them to the ground with pistols and knives aimed at them. Everything unfolded before Tivon's eyes.
»Please spare my crew. W-we'll leave you everything we h-have.« stuttered the captain.
»Spear ya crew?« Said one of the pirates, his strong Ritherhithe accent evident. He wore a big earring on his right ear and had a noticeable scar on his lip.
»That's a first - a captain wanting to spare his crew instead of saving his own ass. What ya say boys!«
A loud agreement erupted amongst the pirates.
»Please spare them.« cried the captain.
The pirate, who had a knife pressed against his neck, pushed it closer as he said, »Shhh, I didn't allow ya to speak.«
»Please...«
»Well ya begging pleases me. I will spare ya.« the pirate replied. He then moved his hand, and the other pirates began slashing the crew's necks. Tivon needed to look away.
»No!« the captain screamed.
When the twitching of the bodies stopped, captain said. »Y-you... filthy pirates.«
»We've been called worse.« smiled the guy with an earring, as he thrusted the knife into captain's chest.
When Tivon heard a big thud, he looked. There was his crew that he got to meet in the past few days, lying lifelessly on the ground, rain washing their blood away.
Tivon, you have to move.
At the side of the ship there was still one rescue boat undamaged. Move!
As if someone was pulling the string of a puppet, he moved his body, running towards the boat. Just as he was about to make it to the railings, a dagger flew in front of his face just missing his nose and hitting the wood.
Tivon froze, looking at the silver dagger with a red ruby in the middle of its crossguard, stuck in the wood right in front of him.
Suddenly he remembered that he is out in the open and when he turned around someone swung a sword right at his neck. He felt the tip of it at his neck.
Tivon started shaking, as he slowly moved his head up. There was a tall, slim person in a dark brown coat, his long black hair braided falling on his left shoulder, wet from the rain. And as the lightning struck, lighting up the figure, Tivon's eye pupils narrowed.
He didn't see a face. He saw a mask with red windings on it. Time stopped for Tivon. He couldn't even feel his own heartbeat.
Standing before him was none other than The Masked man.
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