Out of everybody's expectations, the hunger strike and the heat from the sun, the changes of temperature and weather will break him.
The stowaway sits quietly as he continued to stare afar the next morning. Eyes held thousands of questions yet it remained unspoken. He watches the people around him as they did their duty on the ship. Calev did not show up, but that he is expecting him.
Through the morning sun, he only listens to the waves and watch the sky. The pain in his body came to him in trifecta. He is doing a great job hiding all off it yet, this day comes differently.
For him, this could be the day he will die.
" Damn you're still here? I thought you're in the sickbay. Elijah, he's just a pain in the ass."
Another pirate visits the stowaway. The sudden appearance would have made him jumped in surprise but he has no energy left.
In the stowaway's declining vision, he recognizes the man from yesterday with Calev. A man who look younger than anyone from the men he had seen stands in front. His red hair burning through the sun, but his smile that contrasted from everyone else made him look misplaced. Yet his huge figure, the scars in his muscular arms and the height that hovered the stowaway did not ease its fearsome trance.
" Apple? I won't tell."
He is smiling whilst handing him the spare apple he was holding while he munched on another one.
The stowaways didn't accepted it.
The red hair that appears in front of him doesn't seem to be harmful but he reeks with what they are. And the stowaway fears that a poison might be in that fruit. Reluctantly, the young man takes his offer back when he sees the caution in the stowaway eyes. The fear in his eyes never disappeared, the shivers of his body made him feel bad.
" You know, you could help yourself if you say who you are."
He sighs when he sees the marks that the ropes had inflicted in the pale skin of the stowaway. He crouches down and adjusts the ropes around the stowaway, an action that made the confusion appear in the eyes of the prisoner.
" That monster, Calev, could've just loosen this a bit."
" T—thank you." The stowaway weakly said.
" Don't mind it."
He smiles, the corners of his lips comfortably curves into a cheeky smile. In the stowaway's eyes, the sight aligns the sunlight behind him, warm and comforting. The shade he creates by blocking most of the sunrays against the stowaway's face, somehow for a moment, that smile made him breathe.
" If Zeki is here, you wouldn't get this treatment."
He stated, settling down across the mast. His chestnut brown eyes fixed on observing the stowaway.
" Name's Draco by the way."
The stowaway is stunned, confusion all over its face. There are tons of reason that could left him confused ever since he woke up, but this one added.
Pirates, as far as what the stowaway has witnessed, they are dangerous and not the most friendly people. Yet this man, fierce as what his physical attributes is implying but his actions sets the different inclinations of what the stowaway can't believe.
" A—are you going to be...alright?"
The stowaway muttered, his voice cracking. Looking primarly on the floor but would steal glances at the man across.
" Aye?" He asked.
" You..."
He is uncertain if speaking with anyone can lead into a different circumstances. After all, there is an absolute order from the captain. The only ones who was allowed to speak with him was the captain, the combatant and of course the quartermaster and that is even due to necessity of interrogations and communications.
No one dares to open their mouth or ask him with any concerns, Draco seems to have no care about it at all.
" You'll...g—get pu—punish...."
Draco's laughter rings in the whole forecastle in the sunny early afternoon the singing waves interweaving its sounds to his rich and firm yet warm laughter. As if in those sounds reflects no hesitations and fear against his master.
" You're funny."
His laughter subsides. Draco heaves a contended breathe before taking a bite of the apple the stowaway rejected.
" You're tied up, hungry, scared, and yet you are more concern if I will be alright."
The stowaway doesn't respond at all.
" Well, if truth be told I might find myself in certain circumstance if they ever find out I'm speaking with you."
Draco gives the stowaway a look, his brown eyes seriously locking with those hazel ones. The stowaway gulped down nervously, but the contented smile in that young man's lips contradicts what he just said.
" My captain is quite the man, you know. He can be cruel and dangerous, a pirate indeed." Draco continues as he stands, stretching his limbs as he does.
" But he is reasonable at times."
The stowaway follows his moves, his reassuring smile to the stowaway made him feel light. The fear that has always been there feels light. His words giving him a sign of hope he can cling into, that maybe if he will beg enough—more than enough, his captain can be reasonably swayed.
" A--re pirates su--pposed to...be reasonable?" The stowaway asked slowly, making Draco quirked his eyebrow.
" Hmm, who knows." He shrugs.
Draco stayed for a while with him, having short and small conversation that only made him feel confused but at the same time relieved. The stowaway is again back with nothing but the sound of the wind and waves when Draco decided to leave, without properly tying him up again.
Leaving him enough space around the rope to move around and breathe, the first time he probably did. The sky getting wider in its eyes as he continued to stare ahead. His eyes never leaving the horizon. The empty memories flooding like complete darkness as he tries to salvage whatever he can find in the back of his head. Yet nothing is nothing, no memories is what he can always find.
...
" You are the most unreasonable man I at least know."
Draco sighs out loud, completely giving up and settling in one of the fine and comfortable mattress in the quartermaster's room. The man standing across the room with his back facing Draco could not careless.
After talking with the "prisoner" on the mast, Draco stormed into the quarters right inside the cabin of the man that holds the extreme paranoia of being attack by a fragile and weak stowaway.
The young man is not a hero, however he is also not heartless. He is logical, thus it had crosses his mind that the stowaway could have actually lost his memories, considering one of their crew also has a problem of remembering his past.
So he spoke with the quartermaster himself, voicing out his opinions and concerns however the latter could not ease his paranoia with a mere comparison of their crew's unremembered past to a possible acting of a spy from the enemies.
" You can't compare this situation to Calev's."
Elijah is firm, no one can tell him off beside their captain. So at times like this, Draco's decision to talk with him is practically useless.
" And besides, Axel has already planned to maroon him off."
" That's heartless, he is not even part of the crew to be marooned—just let him off an somewhere with people and safe instead."
That's the most logical thing he can think of right now after hearing what his captain had planned.
A sigh left his mouth knowing that poor lad's fate. He's probably better off being tied in that mast, at least. Being marooned, all he can do is wish that the next island that this ship will encounter is a habitable one and their captain will be merciful enough to leave him there instead of the traditional punishment.
Right now, he knows he can't do anything but watch it in the distance. Feeling bad about the circumstance that had fallen over the stowaway.
Elijah did not reply, still refusing to look at the Draco. He has his attention instead to the papers in his desk.
" Think about it, a man as weak as a corpse. What is he bout to do to you, Elijah."
He quirks, trying to get the quartermaster's attention.
" Lowering your guard for the weak, is weakness itself."
There is no seriousness in Elijah's tone, but Draco knows better.
" As if you're gonna treat him any better if he was strong. You just have another reason to be paranoid, ain't ya?"
" I am not being paranoid, I am simply looking out. Something you must try rather than being amicable."
This time Elijah turns around and glares at the younger man. They way his dark blue eyes just getting darker as he intimidates the other one, someone who doesn't know any better, they will probably mistake him as the captain.
" Was it fun, breaking the captain's order Draco?"
" Oh come on, the lad is pitiful. Obviously, if you will try to look at him, he is injured."
Draco dared to even roll his eyes to the eldest, his demeanor never fading and so dies the smirk in his lips.
" And who is injured?" Someone in the room asked.
In a span of second, after that weak and groggy voice spoke. Both men eyes' widens in realization, giving each other a look on who's going to response. Elijah glares at Draco, warning him to choose his words before turning to look at the other side of the room.
There, lying in another mattress is the injured doctor of the ship. He still is unwell, his skin still pale from a fever and his body still heavy from fatigue, even his green eyes is almost fading.
The conversation inside the room doesn't interest him, he has no means to getting into somebody's arguments. However, even at the effort of trying to tune the two out of his hearing, he heard one important thing.
" Who is injured?" He forced himself to sit up, alerting both of the men with him.
" Zeki, you don't have to get up. You are still injured."
Immediately, Elijah step beside his roommate and assisted him. His voice turned soft, so far from what he sounded like earlier.
" Who is injured?" He repeated firmly.
" The sto—"
" Some of the crews are being taken care of by Calev."
Elijah managed to stop Draco from saying something that will definitely anger the doctor.
" I have to get up."
He suddenly said, moving around as he attempts to stands.
" Calev can't do it all alone."
" You ought to rest."
Elijah immediately dismissed him by gently pushing him back to his bed.
" Eli." He warned.
" Zeki." The quartermaster responded with same tone.
" Calev is almost done anyways, you are to get a better slumber, aye. That's an order. "
Elijah had the last word when he pushed Zeki back again when he attempted to leave his bed once more. Even though he would like to help Calev, Elijah used his authority over him. Zeki was left alone in the room when Elijah forcefully dragged Draco out.
The way Elijah completely turned from that gentle and concern man in front of Zeki into an angered quartermaster, fuming on the youngest person in the crew.
" Mate, calm down aye?"
" Do you even understand the situation? You were about to tell Zeki, what the fuck is wrong with you."
Elijah turned red from all the frustrations, the moment inside the room came back to him like a scene of horrific event.
" You know how he is when he is angry."
It is indeed horrifying not only to Elijah but to everyone in the ship, the sight of an angry doctor.
" Alright! I'm sorry."
Draco groaned, realizing his mistake. Although he would like to tell Zeki more than anyone about an injured man in the mast, he knows Elijah is right. However none of this will be any of their worries if Elijah will listen to him and set the stowaway free.
" Then, fucking listen aye! That man is indeed injured, anyone can fucking tell. So how about untying him—"
" And what, let him do his mission?"
Elijah snapped, still in the assumption about the stowaway's identity.
" Oh, it's been two days! Surely, he would have given up if he was indeed a spy. Poor lad, he even have to endure being in Calev's presence."
Draco face shiver, acting scared and bad about the unfortunate life of their stowaway.
" Screw that mouth of yours savvy, besides Axel has already planned to maroon him off."
The quartermaster dismisses their pathetic argument.
" And what is it with you anyways?"
Draco drops his attitude, his demeanor changing into seriousness as he stare at the quartermaster. He can't believe he is the only the ship that remembers, something that is so important about all of them.
" Its almost three days."
Three days.
Elijah did not show any reaction, but Draco knows what is inside his head as the realization came settling in. There are many thoughts underlining over his eyes. He backed out from the argument, finding his way to the great cabin to talk to the captain himself.
Leaving Draco all alone in the quarterdeck, feeling the heaviness of the reality. Draco stands in the railing of the quarter deck, his eyes looking at the direction of the forecastle.
Three days, one more day and the stowaway won't be able to leave this ship anymore.
Forever.
Under the forming clouds of once sun-lighted skies, the stowaway remained in the mast. The day went on even at the turn of weather spoke on its behalf. The loud gushing wind that stings with its coldness and the threatening dark clouds wanting to spill.
Just like Draco, every shipmates started to pity the stowaway than suspect him with anything. His eyes started to look blank and dead, his face drained as it refused to eat and drink more than what he can take with the fear of finally letting the nausea win.
It is raining and so everyone stays inside but the poor stowaway is left, drench and wet outside. The dark skies meet his eyes once he looks up, drizzle touching his skin. It's cold and shivering yet no one dares to do anything as the captain had ordered them.
"What do ye say? I think it's time fer the poor kid to be let free, it's rainin' an' he 'asnt eaten anythin'."
One of the crew suddenly spoke, everyone in the galley who heard him look at him in agreement.
"Aye arr, mate, I totally agree! I think he's even injured,"
Someone responded in a mere whisper, fearing that someone from the higher rank might hear them, completely unaware of the combatant who sat a few tables from them.
"I saw a wound in his legs."
Calev, who's sitting at the corner of the galley, listens to the crew's conversation. Calev looks at their faces, trying to observe if it is one of those lies they always do whenever it's time for a good gossip. But none is looking unsure or suspicious, instead they look concerned, far from what they were before when they agreed with the quartermaster.
"Hush, the quartermaster might hear you! You're fixin' to be thrown out o' board"
Someone commented, looking around to search for the higher ranks in the ship only to meet the sharp eyes of the combatant himself.
"Oh me god, Master Calev."
He breathed out, everyone looked in the direction and their breath hitched in fear. The combatant did not respond, he just looked at everyone with the eyes that everyone feared for.
"The demon be fixin' to take us, please pray fer me soul."
A whisper was heard, followed by multiple mantras hoping the combatant won't take anyone.
Calev is about to open his mouth to ask something about the wound he heard about only to be interrupted by a young crew. Opening the door of the galley, drench and dripping wet as he heaves a deep breath after obviously running his way in.
"The stowaway!"
He announces, alerting everyone, someone even bears themselves for the news of sudden death as they know none will ever survive such a state with freezing rain.
"He's convulsing! I think he's dying." He said in between breaths.
Calev immediately stands, scaring everyone in the room.
"Inform them."
He orders in which someone responded and run towards the cabin's of where the higher ranks stays. He run out to the rain, almost immediately drenching himself with the strong and heavy rain. Some crew follows him to the forecastle only to be shocked at what they saw.
The stowaway shaking with eyes wide open yet the orbs no longer in sight as it rolled back. Vomits everywhere and foams started running out of his mouth, the wound in his leg worsen, becoming more swollen. Catching the attention of Calev who immediately untied the rope and carried him without the orders from his captain.
He pushes past everyone in the way, not even the quartermaster himself could stop him. He was informed by one of the crew that the stowaway is dead whilst he was organizing some papers only to be greeted by a stern Calev and the stowaway in his arms.
He asks a question or even order the combatant to stop as the captain himself did not order anything but Calev completely ignore him.
The sickbay is empty when he enters it, followed by a few people from the crew and which he pushes out and locks them out. There he immediately assists a medical attention to the still convulsing stowaway.
He checks his body temperature which is too high to be even alive. It's a high fever which is usually caused by infection. The wound in his leg has caused him to be in so much suffering for days without any treatment.
When the seizure finally subsided from his assistance, he immediately examines the wound in his leg. He knows what the wound is but there is no way he is that knowledgeable on how to treat it completely. After all he is a combatant and just an assistant to the ship doctor.
It is quite ironic how the combatant himself is on the task of killing enemies all while being an assistant to the doctor who saves lives. That's why the crew calls him a demon not only for having the highest kills, but also for being too nonchalant about his main job to play doctor afterwards.
Just like how everyone is thinking the same thing as of the moment, about how the combatant is too confusing for doing such actions without the captain's orders when he could have prevented this while on a lookout for two days, but no one will ever say that to him in person.
Everyone values their lives.
The wound in his legs is in need of serious treatment as it has become fatal. He could call the ship doctor and let him do his magic but the doctor himself is still recovering. And so he put it himself to do the serious task, completely focusing on the job and remembering how the ship doctor does this procedure every single time.
He glances at the stowaways face, who is now unconscious. Pale complexion admits worry to the combatant mind as he fix his attention to the wound.
A heavy sigh left his lips.
"At least he did break... quite physically."
...
"What do you mean he's dead?"
Axel bombarded everyone with the question upon arriving at the entrance of the sick bay where the crew stood there telling Elijah what happened.
"Well, he is not dead, at least not yet."
Elijah informed, quickly filling his captain the information in which Axel showed some kind of remorse before quickly disregarding it.
"Zeki is still recovering, I don't think Calev can do it alone."
Elijah stated, knowing Calev's medical achievement is far from their ship doctor. Axel nodded and stepped closer to the door only to be stopped by Elijah.
" It's locked, he doesn't want to be disturbed."
"I did not give him any orders." He said.
Calev actions indeed confuses both of them, heck even the whole crew who saw the combatant actions. It is too out of character, and even if he has the ability to treat someone he is never the one to have a philosophy of saving lives. He kills for the crew for god sake!
He only learned to treat wounds and take care of the patients when he saw Zeki completely out of hand and needed some help in managing the sick bay after a huge fight that left a lot of wounded crew. And so he learned with Zeki so he could actually help him not out of the goodness from his heart but because they are out of staff.
So the whole situation is unordinary.
Calev would never treat someone who is not part of the crew.
Axel waited for a response from the quartermaster, which only gave him silence as he also had no clue why Calev willingly would help someone. Elijah had never seen Calev looked the way he did; of course he have seen him in everything.
Serious, brooding, murderous, demonic, and sometimes when Calev joined the group he would crack a smile or two; but he had never seen Calev show great and sincere concern for someone outside of the crew.
Calev is busy dressing the wound after doing his best to take care of it with an effort to remember how their ship's doctor did it all the time. A swift knock comes and startle the quiet room, the voice of his captain joining the sound as it demands to open the door. Yet Calev doesn't respond, instead he continue what he is doing.
He must admit to himself, he has no premonition on why he is doing this. He was ordered to keep the stowaway under his watch, he has no business with its health. But the condition made him waver, still he has no idea why there is something pulling him towards the stowaway. There is just something that constantly pulls him.
He ignores the constant knock that was getting louder and aggressive, he heard Elijah calming the captain down. Telling him to let Calev do his job first before confronting him, in which the captain did not question but told Elijah to let him know immediately once it is done. Axel left the vicinity and went back to his cabin. Elijah let out a sigh as he watches his captain disappear.
"Calev I trust you know what is coming for doing this." He called in which he gave out a silence.
Elijah stares at the door hoping for a response, his mind wanders to different things. The stowaway, Calev and his captain, unable to draw out a conclusion. He isn't expecting the stowaway to get into this situation, he is more expecting a greater scenario where it reveals its identity and beg for freedom.
Yet he got this; a patient threatening to waste their medical supply that is supposed to be used for the crew; a sudden disobedience from a much more docile combatant, and a pissed captain.
"I will be at the galley, call me when ye be done." Calev heard from the other side.
The wound in his leg and head are finally treated, all it left is to clean the stowaway's whole body and let him get his rest. Sweats started to build in his forehead, dripping to the side of his rosy cheeks.
The temperature of his body slowly getting better as the combatant tried to balance the degrees with a cloth damped with cold water. The skin still stings like the back of an iron pan. His expression still bears the pain and torment his body has keep. He looks at his state, a grimace illuminating in his reaction.
[ How long did this stowaway keep all of this? What kind of being can endure a gunshot, with puss coming out and a head injury for two days?
A stupid one; or too scared to ask for help. ]
The combatant proceeds to take him off from his oversize clothing, taking note of every injury he may discover in every inch of his skin only to meet with a more shocking discovery.
The stowaway's body is not in a great shape. The obvious marks of previous and almost healed wounds all over the pale skin. The scars that will be forever stay, leaving the trace of abuse and terror. The purple and red bruises, from his neck into to the crevices of his thighs and hips.
The combatant has seen horror in one's body for years, and at those times such inflicted injuries are made by him. However seeing this poor state of the stowaway, the torture in his body made Calev feeling the worst of his emotion.
However, on top of the sudden discovery that also made him question the real identity of this person and what could have happened to receive such abuse. One realization made him look away.
He averts his gaze immediately careful not to give another glance to part he is not supposed to see. Yet he can't ignore the small injury it has in the left side of its ribcage.
There he starts his job again, carefully touching it and trying his best to fix his eyes towards the injury all alone. His bare hands touches the smoothness of his white skin, almost feeling the heat from his body that immediately seeps to his own being.
He swallows a lump in his throat, eyes directed to where it should be focusing, breath almost getting uneven as the naked stowaway is getting more unbearable to avert. Covering the stowaway's body with a blanket that he fetched from one of Zeki's cabinets, attentive with what his fingers might touch. He scans his feature once more.
Astonished by the sight in front of him, almost laughing at how stupid everyone in the ship for mistaking the stowaway for something else. It's all too obvious in his displayed features, too telling by how beautiful his hallmarks. The femininity of his structure, texture, visual lead to its telling.
He's a she.
" A wench." He concluded.