TW// Mention of abuse, mention of pedophilia
They found a decent Sloop, whose sails were still intact and whose wood wasn't rotten. The wind was blowing in their favour, making their travel quicker. It was still possible for them to arrive on time for the banquet.
As the sun was setting low, they sat by the railing and talked about the previous days. Tivon told him everything that happened in the year he was gone, which wasn't much, because he spent most of his time searching for him. Tivon told him about his mother, which made Elias angry. Angry at his parents to being such shits at their job.
Tivon also told him he went to Rhiamon wit Cornelis. When Elias asked why, Tivon told him that Cornelis was trying to connect with the spirits. He then quickly changed the topic, but Elias could notice the nervous fidgeting of Tivon's hands.
Elias told him everything that happened on The Rose Sparrow. He told him that something had changed as soon as they set sail from Naydawin. Since then, they had destroyed and killed a lot of Luana's houses.
"Looking back at it now. It felt like a curse. The one that affected just me and my crew." Elias lowered his voice. "Maybe The Rose Sparrow is cursed."
Tivon stayed silent for a moment. "You were so certain about the things you were saying." He finally said. "Except when I mention Pit."
"I was partially telling the truth. He was a horrible person, and he did want to leave at one point. Well, the crew wanted him gone. Sabur disagreed and Pit was a great mapmaker. Sabur said he stays." Elias cursed under his breath. "He was horrid."
"I thought it was just me who thought like that."
Elias shook his head. "No, everyone hated him."
I should tell him. Tivon reached for his hand and tangled his fingers between his, as if he could hear Elias' mind. Elias sighed. "He was older than me. When I became part of the crew, I was six. Pit was around thirty." He took a shaky breath. "He would always be around. He wouldn't dare to touch me, he knew I was made to be a killer. Pit wasn't that stupid. He tried once and I almost cut off his hand. Since then, he wouldn't dare to set a finger on me. But he would watch. Pit would always be near, watching."
"But he was scared of you."
"He was and when I got older, he lost interest in me."
There was a long pause. "I didn't know… I'm sorry to hear that."
Elias looked at him. "You shouldn't be. It happened to you too, but you've got it far worse. He wasn't scared of you."
"That's why I had you." He met his eyes and smiled. "And I did cut his face."
Elias laughed. "Yeah. Yeah, you did."
Tivon squeezed his hand and looked up at the night sky. An island in front of them caught Elias' eye. He slowly stood up, eyes fixed on it.
"What is it?" Asked Tivon.
Elias opened his mouth, but he couldn't form words. It can't be… Tivon followed to where he was looking. He couldn't understand what he was seeing, what he was feeling right now.
There was a town on the island. It was destroyed, deserted. Nobody has been there in years. Well, in seventeen years.
"Elias what's wrong?"
He managed to snap back. Elias looked down at Tivon, trying to push away his tears. "That's my home island." He looked back at it. "This is where I lived."
Tivon insisted on stopping the ship and going on Parahill. Elias wanted to. He wanted to, so badly. However, he was scared. Terrified even.
Most of the houses were gone, burnt down, or demolished. There were no signs of anyone living there. Even the breeze going through the street felt unpleasant and cold. As they slowly walked through the town, Elias started to remember. He remembered walking this street with his mother.
He remembered visiting father at his work. His father was a metalsmith and a wood carver. He loved teaching him how to make stuff. As they walked further, they came by a clearing. His mother had taught him how to throw knives.
They hadn't taught him that because the town was in any kind of danger - the town had been living in peace for thousands of years. It was more for the fact that they had to live by somehow. So, they thought Elias how to survive.
Tivon was behind him quietly trying to follow, but Elias could sense his nervousness. Tivon kept looking around and over his shoulder like he was seeing something despite the town being empty. Nobody was there. Elias stopped at the end of the town, by a house that was still rather intact. Tivon stopped beside him.
"Is that your house?"
Elias nodded and slowly entered the house. Most of the things were gone, and what was left was rummaged and scattered around the room, thick layer of dust covering it. There was still an uncarved piece of wood on the table and an unfinished embroidery on the chair by the window. Its needle and thread were still stuck in the fabric, waiting for someone to finish it.
Elias wasn't in the house when the pirates came. They must've dragged his parents outside through the back door, that was still open.
Elias slowly walked through the back door to the shore not far away. He was trying to hold back his tears as he stopped at the spot where they were killed. There were no remains of their bodies, as they were thrown in the water.
There were no graves. They deserved graves.
Tivon stopped beside him and stood there quietly.
"For all I know, they could be the same as your parents." Elias said quietly. If they weren't killed, they might have grown into hating Elias. They might've been the same as Tivon's parents.
"But they weren't." Elias looked down at him. He was looking forward at the sea, his voice steady. "They cared about you." Tivon met his eyes. "And that memory alone, is enough."
Tivon took his hand and held it firmly.
Elias smiled. "Yeah."
Tivon was right. His parents were good, and they cared for Elias. They made him the person he was today. The memory of them was pleasant and it gave Elias' comfort. He would be okay with that memory alone.
Elias wiped away his tears. "We should get back to the ship if we don't want to be late."
Tivon nodded. Elias turned to go, but Tivon stayed. He reached for his silver dagger with a red ruby at its crossguard. It was the dagger Elias gave to Tivon. It belonged to Elias' father.
Tivon held it in his hand and looked at it. Before he laid it down on the ground he looked up to the sea and whispered a thank you. He placed I on the sand and looked up at Elias with a gentle smile. "Shall we?"
Elias smiled back, took his hand, and turned towards the ship.
As they walked back through the street Tivon squeezed Elias' hand. "No way."
"What?" He looked to where Tivon was watching. "How-"
Familiar black sails were coming towards them, the crew already dropping a boat into the sea.
"How did they find us?"
"Don't look at me. They are your crew. You are their Captain."
Elias laughed as they hurried towards the shore. Jir, one of the crewmates, was roaming towards them. Elias' hand went to his pistol.
"What if the ship is still cursed?"
"We'll see." Said Tivon quietly.
As soon as Jir's boat hit the sand, he ran towards Elias and Tivon. "Captain! Tivon! Thank the Saints, we found you."
He remembers Tivon. That means… "Do you all remember?"
"Everything Captain." He frowned. "Everything."
"We'll make it up for it Jir, don't worry. And we should hurry. We don't want to miss the banquet."
Elias jumped in the boat. Jir turned to Tivon to help him get into the boat. "I and the whole crew are sorry. Very sorry."
"It's okay Jir, I understand."
He jumped in and Jir followed. As Jir roamed them to the ship Elias asked. "What did you do to the royal ship that attacked us?"
"They were losin' their man, so they retreated."
Elias nodded. When they were close to the ship, they pulled it up on the deck. Nick offered his hand to him. "Welcome back Captain."
Elias nodded with a smile. He turned to help Tivon, but Filp already offered his hand. Elias noticed his broken nose.
"I'm sorry for how I treated you." Said Filp to Tivon.
"I'm sorry I broke your nose."
"It was only fair."
Elias smiled and walked to Nick, who was already by the helm.
"Towards Naydawin?" Asked Nick.
"Towards Naydawin."
He stayed, not knowing how to ask the following question, but Nick asked first. "It felt like a curse. Didn't it?"
Elias nodded. "We need to figure out what caused it."
"Yes." After a moment of silence, he smiled. "It's good to have you back Captain."
"You too, Nick."
Nick turned the helm and set the ship to sail towards the kingdom.
Elias was up on the Crow nest looking down on the disappearing island. He had only good memories of it – the town, it's people and his parents. He will let it stay that way.
"Everything okay?"
Elias turned around to see Tivon joining him up on the nest. Elias nodded. "You should be resting. We still have about a day of sailing."
He didn't want Tivon to leave his side. He still felt anxious, his thoughts still overwhelmed with memories. But on the other hand, he knew Tivon needed rest. He needed to sleep.
"It's okay." He sat close beside him. "I can stay here with you."
"You need sleep."
"And you need someone to stay with you." He smiled. "I know that expression. You need me."
"Sometimes you know me, better than I know myself."
Tivon leaned his head on his shoulder. "I've told you before, that I am smarter than you."
Elias laughed and wrapped one arm around his shoulder, pulling Tivon closer to him. "Yeah, you are."
They both stared down the nest, admiring the view and enjoying the cold pleasant breeze.
"If you want to talk about it, I'm here."
"I know." Elias whispered.
He didn't want to talk about it because there wasn't anything he could talk about. However, he knew Tivon wanted to talk about something, or rather Elias wanted to talk about it.
"At the town. You kept looking around yourself like you saw something, and I am sure that we were alone." He felt Tivon's body stiffening against his. "If you don't want to talk about- "
"I think I see dead people." Said Tivon quietly. Elias looked down at him.
"I think I see dead people." He said again. "They are probably hallucinations, I really don't sleep as much." He added quickly.
"Are you sure they aren't hallucinations?"
"I don't know. They feel real."
"It's probably because you don't sleep." Elias tried to reassure him. He looked back to the sea. "When Sabur made me kill my first victim, I couldn't sleep for weeks and I did start to see the one I killed, even when I wasn't sleeping."
"Yeah." Sighed Tivon. "It's probably just that."
He didn't sound certain or convinced. Elias pulled him closer and stroked his back. "Are you sure you don't want to go to sleep?"
"Can I sleep here?"
"Of course." Smiled Elias.
Tivon laid down into his lap as Elias removed his coat and covered Tivon. Elias kissed him on the cheek and whispered. "I love you."
But Tivon's eyes were already closed, and he was already far asleep.