TW// Blood, trauma, corpses, gore
The Rose Sparrow set sail towards the direction of the ship Luana was on. Elias was standing on the bowsprit of the ship, looking steadily at the sea. This may be his only chance. Luana is with her people. If he kills her and all the other ones who are beneath her, in charge of the houses, he can prevent the killing of all the boys in her pleasure houses. He could just capture her again and bring her back to the kingdoms prison, but the same thing, or worse, could happen again. Elias knew that the only way the boys and he could be free is if Luana was dead.
Only in her death, could he be saved from his nightmares and sleepless nights. Only with her lifeless bleeding body, he could let go of his fears and worry. He could only truly be free if Luana was dead.
Elias had promised, not just to himself, but to Tivon, to Rea and her people, the lost antes and all the dead who had already fallen by Luana's hand - he had promised to them that he will free them.
And this time, he won't let anyone stop him from breaking his promise.
They couldn't see the ship, but Nick was certain that they were going in the right direction. Sekar, the one in charge of being on the lookout and being their messenger, who spend most of his time up on the Crowsnest, approached Elias carefully.
"Captain?" Elias stared at the sea, not acknowledging him. "We were sent a message from the town we're about to pass. They had spotted Luana- "
"Which town?"
"Aramore, Captain."
Elias stayed silent for a moment. "Prepare me a boat."
"Shouldn't someone go with ya?"
"No. We shouldn't approach the ship to its harbour." He paused. "It could be a trap."
"At least take Isten with ya, ya shouldn't go alone after Luana."
"She had probably already left the town if the ship isn't there anymore." Said Elias, roughly. "If not, than I know where she is."
"The Emerald Palace?"
Elias tried to hide the shiver that spread through his spine at the mention of the name. "Yes. If she's there I'll be prepared." He finally turned to look at Sekar. "Now prepare me a boat."
"Yes, Captain."
He quickly turned on his heals and ran down the stairs to prepare a boat. Elias looked back at sea towards the land. She is planning something. Elias hated that he didn't know what yet. It seemed that Luana was always one step ahead of him at all time. He needed to change that and this time he wouldn't drag other people into danger with him.
He had once been in The Emerald Palace. It was to save Rea, who got captured by Luana's personal troops. They wanted to trade Rea back for Alieana's necklace, but it ended up with Tivon's death. Thinking about it made him sick. Oh, how Elias wished Tivon would be with him. Not right now, while he was making his way up the street to the house, but on his ship, where he knew he would be safe.
Elias regrated not taking Tivon with him. He would be safer on The Rose Sparrow. He would be safer with Nick, Filp, Ed, Sekar, … He trusted them. Elias trusted his crew.
He trusted Cornelis too – even though he struggled to admit it to himself – but if he'd know where Tivon was, he would feel less anxious.
Rea still hadn't had the time to tell the royal army that The Rose Sparrow weren't a threat anymore. Despite that Elias didn't bother with a mask. If the troops stationed in Aramore wanted him dead, they could certainly try.
He was running up the street, ignoring the looks from people passing him by. There weren't a lot of them. Just a few, with this look in their eyes Elias recognized as fear. Fear of him or something Luana had already done. He speed up, the sight of the pleasure house already apparent. When he approached the entrance, his hand already on the handle of the door, he noticed the ghostly quietness.
Not just on the street, but in the house itself.
Elias reached behind his back and drew out his sword. He opened the door and stopped. The wooden floor of the hallway was covered in red. The doors to the rooms on the left and right were open, the smell of fresh blood filling Elias' nostrils. There were bodies of boys and guests scattered across the ground.
He was too late.
He knew something like that could happen. Why would he believe that the killing would stop if Luana was set free? And Elias was sure she was present when it happened.
Elias looked up from the bodies as he heard something move in the room at the end of the hallway. It was the slightest of a move, but Elias still heard it. He steadied his sword in front of him, his left hand ready to draw the pistol, and moved towards the room, steadily and quietly.
He pushed the squeaky door, revealing a rather empty room with a desk and a chair, meant for when Luana was visiting and a tapestry on the wall. Elias stepped in and was immediately greeted with a sword at his neck.
"Drop your weapons and tell me who you are?"
Me? Who am I? He looked to his right, down at a short young figure. Judging by their clothes, they weren't a part of this house for they were dressed in white baggy pants and a beige shirt topped with a corset and a brown vest. And for some reason they were soaking wet.
"Drop your weapons you murderer!" They yelled as they pushed the sword closer.
Elias didn't flinch. "I'm not responsible for their deaths." He said bitterly.
"And I should believe you?"
"Do you know who I am?"
The person didn't move their angry eyes off them, but neither did they answer the question. Elias rolled his eyes and moved towards the desk, hoping to find some leads. He didn't feel threatened by a child who just shockingly stared after him.
They suddenly rushed at him, circling their longsword. "Don't ignore me, I said drop your sword- "
Elias blocked their hand holding the longsword. The sleeve of his coat slipped down, revealing the mark of his curse. The person gasped.
"The Rose Sparrow curse?" They looked up at Elias. "You must be- "
"Elias, yes." He rasped. "Now stop whatever you are doing and get out of here. Someone might still be here."
"The place is empty, except for the dead bodies. I've looked in every room."
"Doesn't matter." Elias only wanted what was best for them. He wasn't fooled by their look, and neither would be Luana. If he couldn't save the ones who died here, he could at least save them. "Get as far away from here."
Their expression didn't change. "Then what are you doing here?"
Elias turned back at the desk, looking through papers. "I'm looking for Luana."
They smirked and fastened the sword back on the belt. "Funny. I just left her ship." Elias looked at them, baffled. "Well, escaped."
For a moment, Elias thought of them as a spy until they said they had escaped her. It would explain why they were soaking wet. Then why were they here? As if they were reading his mind they spoke.
"She got my friend, Captain Neirin."
He looked back at the table. "Never heard of her."
They flinched as if they were insulted. "She is only the daughter of Mithras."
Elias stopped. He had heard of that name. Where? It must have been a story. It was as he knew he must fear that name. Mithras. It was from a story. A story of a ship.
He froze.
The ship with blue sails.
He turned to the person, which arms were cross over their chest, a smug expression on their face. "Oh, and he is the father of Luana."
A million questions rushed into Elias' mind. He opened his mouth, but was interrupted by a low, barely audible groan.
"You've said no one is here. Or alive." Elias whispered aggressively.
They snapped back. "None of them were breathing."
The moan was louder the next time, and it was coming from underneath them. From whoever it was coming from, they must've been hurt. Badly. Elias looked up. "Did you cheek downstairs?"
"There is no downstairs. At least I didn't see any stairs or even a door for that matter."
"There must be."
Elias looked around the room. There were no doors or trapdoors, and he was sure he hadn't seen one in the hallway. But he did feel something. A light breeze. It wasn't coming from the hallway, neither was it coming from the window, which was closed.
The tapestry.
He turned to it and snapping it off the wall, revealing a dark narrow stairway. Elias looked over his shoulder to the person, their longsword already in their hand. They nodded as they followed Elias down the stairs. Elias already didn't like where this was going. If all of Luana's pleasure houses were built the same that meant they were heading straight at-
Elias didn't finish the thought, as he stopped before a closed door. He put a shaky hand on the handle. It wasn't locked. He gripped the handle and opened the door. It was just as Elias feared. A small room with no windows, a chair in the middle and a cupboard. From the dying candle light Elias could see fresh blood sprayed over the walls and floor. And there by the chair on the ground, lying in her own blood was a woman, her face and body covered in bruises and wounds, her hands tied before her.
Breathing.
She was breathing.
The person behind Elias peered over him to see into the room. With a gasp, they dropped the sword and pushed Elias away and ran towards the beaten woman.
"Neirin!?" Panic rose in them. They took her into their lap, wiping away the blood off her face. She groaned as they pulled her into their arms. "Neirin?"
"D-don't shout." Neirin said faintly.
Tears gathered in them. "Oh, thank the Saints."
They looked at the floor, where a hat – Elias presumed to be Neirin's - with feathers laid. A feather identical to the one on the hat laid beside Neirin, its end sharp as a knife. The person grabbed it and started cutting the rope on Neirin's hands.
"I see you already started cutting it."
"I passed out b-before I could c-cut through it."
They smiled. "Thank goodness you have knives everywhere."
The faintest smile crossed over Neirin's face. She hissed at the pain when she tried to put herself into a sitting position. She grabbed the side as blood spilled out of the wound. "Shit."
"Stop cursing."
They reached into their bag fastened on the belt and pulled out a tiny bottle of dark liquid. They opened it and spilled it over Neirin's wound. She gasped through her teeth.
"I bet you're glad that I carry everything with me at all times."
"You a-always take everything with you, Amari, e-even when you don't need to." Said Neirin but still smiled. Her weary eyes turned to Elias. "Who are you?"
Elias stood frozen behind the door. He couldn't step into the room. Not again. He felt his body turn cold, sweat running down his brow. His back became to ache again. Elias felt the blade going through his skin, deep and slowly. He could almost feel Luana's lips on him, whispering softly. He saw himself tied to that chair defenceless and vulnerable.
His eyes were on Neirin – on her bruises and wounds. They were nothing like his or the other boys. His were precise, smooth, placed carefully. Luana would never let their boys bruise or let herself break their bones. She meant to break you, to crush your soul. Luana meant to put a mark on you, so you and your body belonged to her.
Whatever she meant to do to Neirin wasn't the same. She intended to hurt her.
To kill her.
"Elias?" He looked at Neirin. "You're Elias."
Elias could only manage a brief nod. He moved his foot to step in.
"Don't." She drew in a sharp breath as Amari tied a cloth around her torso. "D-don't come in. I know what s-she did to you. She t-told me about you. You don't h-have to come here."
Amari helped her get on her feet, steadily holding her arm over their shoulder.
Elias swallowed. "Did Luana do that?" She nodded. "Where did she go?"
"You don't m-mean to go after her?!" When Elias said nothing, she took a step towards him, quickly regretting it, for the pain spread over her body. "She w-wants revenge. On y-you and the other boy." Elias flinched. "She wants b-both of you dead. Or worse."
"Just tell me where she went. What is she planning to do?" He hated that he sounded so desperate. Or was it fear. At this point he didn't know anymore.
"She didn't s-say and even if she did, I wouldn't tell you. She only spoke of revenge."
Elias didn't know how this woman could even talk in the state she was in. He glanced at her missing hand. Judging by it, she had to go through many things in life, worse than this.
"Eyes up here Captain."
Elias looked up at her dark bitter eyes and said. "I need to find her, regardless of what she had done to me." He pointed up. "If she isn't planning to stop that, then she needs to be stopped."
"Lucine." Amari spoke quietly, looking at the ground.
"W-what?"
"The Kingdom of Lucine. She's going there. I heard her say it."
Lucine? Why Lucine? If she gets there, she'll be walking right into royal army's hands. What could she possibly do there? She could be after Rea, but then again Rea was in Naydawin and she had said she wanted revenge on Elias and Tivon. Then why go further away from them?
"I've s-said you should stay far away from that w-woman Amari. W-what were you thinking?"
Amari turned to face her. "I was trying to figure out where she left you. And I am staying away from her. I jumped off the ship and swam to here, for goodness sake."
"Why Lucine?" Interrupted Elias.
Amari looked at him. "I don't know."
"Maybe she's after Lil-… R-Rea." Said Neirin.
"Rea is in Naydawin, she couldn't be after her."
"Except if she w-wants to lure her to there."
That could be a possibility. If that was true, Elias needed to move quickly. He needed to stop Luana before she gets to Lucine.
"I'll go after h-her." Said Neirin, already moving towards the door, Amari supporting her.
Elias stood between the door. "No, you're not. You are beaten up and don't try to hide your broken rib. I see you wheeze every time you take a breath. What you need right now is a medic."
She pushed passed him. "I'm f-fine. What else could she possibly do to me?"
"I don't know, maybe kill you?"
"She already t-tried. And as you can s-see, she failed." She said as she struggled up the stairs.
Elias turned. "You don't have a ship."
"I can steal one."
She was almost at the top of the stairs. "Hey." Neirin didn't stop. "Hey!" Elias ran up after them. "If you're so stubborn, then come on my ship."
At that, both Neirin and Amari stopped and turned around. "Really?"
"Yes."
Elias knew that he couldn't change their mind. They would go after Luana no matter what and if they went together, they at least had a chance. Neirin was stronger than she looked, and Amari had a certain murderous glint in their eyes you didn't want to mess with.
"I have a medic on the ship. He could patch you up and heal you till we get to Lucine."
Amari and Neirin stared at Elias for a whole minute. "Fetch me my boots and knives."
"Yes, Captain." Said Amari, as they carefully leaned Neirin against the wall.
Elias walked pass her down the hallway towards the door. "I'm the Captain here."
"We'll see about that."
Elias opened the door and walked into the still empty street. He closed his eyes and took in the air. What was he doing? Why was he bringing more people into this?
A thunder roared in the sky. Elias looked to his right to the harbour, dark clouds gathering at sea. Then he saw someone running up towards him. She was holding her plain white dress in one hand, so she didn't stumble on it. With the other she was holding a blue embroidery scarf covering her shoulders. Her long grey hair was tied up in a bun, hair around her face loos because of running. Elias smiled as he looked at her eyes. However, her familiar green eyes weren't soft as Elias last remembered. They were panicky looking at him.
"Violet?"
What was Violet doing here? How did she even get here?
When she came to Elias, she practically fell into his arms. Violet was gasping for air, her distressed eyes darting over Elias' face. Elias quickly lead her to the bench by the building and sat Volet down.
"Violet what are you doing here?! How did- "
She immediately started nodding off. Violet reached into the bag, she carried over her shoulder. She pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Elias.
Dear Elias,
Because I can't speak or write, I had this letter written by someone in town instead of me. I had gathered up enough money to leave Bradfordshire and come find you to warn you. Tivon is in danger. If I managed to reach you, we need to hurry. We're running out of time.
Tivon is in danger?! Elias looked up from the paper. Her worried eyes didn't reassure him in the slightest.
"Why do we need to hurry Violet? What do you mean Tivon is in danger?!"
Violet looked around herself and then picked up a piece of coal lying on the ground. She snatched the paper out of Elias' hand and started drawing on it. In the meantime, Amari and Neirin – her hat and boots on, shoulders covered with her coat - came outside. Violet pushed the paper back into Elias' hands.
He recognized the symbol of The Rose Sparrow curse drawn in the middle of circles, dots, and lines. Elias had seen this exact pattern, tattooed on Cornelis' back.
"It's the symbol Cornelis has tattooed on her back." Violet nodded. "Cornelis?" Violet started nodding vigorously.
"Who is she?" Asked Nerin.
Violet stood up from the bench and pointed at the cliffs by the sea. They all followed to where she was pointing at.
"What is she trying to tell you?"
But Elias knew. Despair rushed through his body when he realized it. Even though you couldn't see it from Aramore, Elias knew what stood there on the cliffs. The piece of paper fell from his hands.
"Neirin, Amari, get on the ship without me."
"What?!"
Elias walked pass them. "Just go!" Violet followed him, grabbing him by his wrist. "No Violet, stay here."
She shook her head, holding Elias firmly. "If Cornelis is planning something, it will be too dangerous for you."
Violet's expression didn't change. She just held her scarf closer and straightened her posture. She wouldn't stay. Elias sighed as he had no other choice, but to let her go with him.
"Stay close."
They had found a horse and were quickly making their way to the house Cornelis and Tivon lived in. Storm had caught up to them and the rain poured down on them. Elias removed his coat and offered it to Violet. She had accepted it and put it over her head. She pressed closer to Elias, holding him tightly as the terrain became steep.
A million things were rushing through Elias' mind. Why were they running out of time? Did Cornelis do something? Were they in their house? Had something happen to Tivon? Was Tivon hurt?
Did Cornelis hurt Tivon?
His mind couldn't even thought of answers as the questions kept pouring in.
Eventually, they had made it to the house. Elias noticed there were no lights coming from within. He helped Violet get off the horse. She gave him a kind smile, that quickly faded away as she ran into the house.
"Violet wait!"
He followed her inside, surprised to see the house empty. It looked the same as the last time Elias was there. Dried flowers and herbs hung from the ceiling and walls, the table in the middle filled with glasses, papers, and rocks. The fire place opposite of him looked like it hadn't been lit in months. Violet immediately went to the hallway to Cornelis' room. Her room had even less things – there were only a hammock and a chest filled with her personal things.
"Violet what are we doing here? Tivon and Cornelis aren't here. They went into the forest."
Then Violet crouched down and dusted away a yellowish powder clasped together into a circle, Elias didn't even see at first. As soon as Violet broke the circle it revealed a trapdoor, that wasn't visible before.
"How did you know that was here?" Violet gestured to it, persuading him to enter it. "You're not coming?"
Violet pressed Elias' coat to herself and shook her head. Elias couldn't make sense of anything as more and more questions flooded him. He crouched down beside Violet and opened the trapdoor, stairs leading down into darkness.
Elias reached for a candle on the window still and lit it up. Again, he looked at Violet, but was only met with alarmed, worried look.
"Wait here." He said, and went down the stairs.
Immediately, upon entering the basement, his nostrils were filled with the smell of rot and decay. Elias had to cover his nose with the sleeve of his shirt. Despite the candle light, he still couldn't see anything. When he reached the end of the stairs, the ground covered with cobble stone, he noticed a torch holder on the wall. He lit it up with his candle and as if magic was involved, the fire spread through all torch holders across the walls. When it lit up the place, Elias dropped the candle he was holding.
His stomach twisted when he saw, dead bodies of children spread across the room – some of them only bones, some decayed and some still fresh. They were stacked on top of each other, making room in the middle of the cellar. The ground in the centre of the room, was splattered with blood, covering a symbol painted in black – the same symbol Elias saw tattooed on Cornelis' sternum. Elias had asked her about it once and Cornelis only response was a dead cold "A curse I can't live without."
The room started spinning and Elias had to lean against the wall, trying hard not to vomit as he realized what that meant.
Cornelis had been feeding on the souls of children.
Elias' knees gave in, and he fell onto the cold cobblestone ground.
Tivon was not safe with her.