The days at sea had begun to blur together. Caelum found himself growing restless, the monotony of the open ocean gnawing at his nerves. The constant hum of the ship, the endless stretch of blue, and the daily grind of chores—it was enough to drive anyone to madness. Even the excitement of the battle with the Black Tide had faded into the background, leaving Caelum with nothing but time and too much energy.
As he sat on a crate near the ship's bow, his legs dangling over the edge, Caelum's mind started to wander. He could see the crew bustling around, each person focused on their tasks, their faces set in grim determination. Lyra was in deep conversation with Aldric near the helm, likely discussing their next move, while Darion, the ship's captain, was at his usual spot, barking orders and keeping everything running smoothly.
Caelum sighed, swinging his legs back and forth. He was itching for some kind of action, something to break the monotony. His thoughts began to turn mischievous, a grin slowly spreading across his face as an idea formed. It had been a while since he'd pulled a prank, and who better to target than Captain Darion?
The captain was a no-nonsense type, always serious, always in control. Caelum had seen him cut down enemies without blinking an eye, navigate through storms with a steady hand, and keep the crew in line with a single glare. But everyone had a weakness, and Caelum was determined to find Darion's.
He slid off the crate and began to make his way across the deck, keeping an eye out for anything he could use. His mind raced with possibilities, each one more absurd than the last. A bucket of water over the door? Too cliché. Slipping something gross into his food? Maybe, but not subtle enough. No, if he was going to prank the captain, it had to be something special. Something that would make the whole crew laugh without getting him tossed overboard.
As he passed by the galley, Caelum's eyes landed on a coil of rope hanging from a peg. An idea struck him like lightning. It was perfect—simple, effective, and with just the right amount of chaos.
He grabbed the rope, a wicked grin on his face, and made his way to the helm where Darion was standing, his back turned to the rest of the deck as he gazed out at the sea. The captain was deep in thought, oblivious to Caelum's approach. Perfect.
With quick, quiet steps, Caelum moved behind Darion, his heart pounding with excitement. He carefully looped one end of the rope around the base of the helm, tying it in a way that it would slip easily. The other end, he tied loosely around one of the pegs that held the rigging. The plan was simple: when Darion went to turn the wheel, the rope would slip, yanking it out of his hands and sending him stumbling. Nothing dangerous—just enough to rattle him and get a laugh.
Caelum finished tying the knot, his hands trembling slightly with anticipation. He stepped back, making sure everything was in place. The deck was quiet, the crew too busy with their work to notice what he was up to. He could hardly contain his excitement.
Now, all he had to do was wait.
He didn't have to wait long. Moments later, Darion reached for the helm to adjust their course. As he turned the wheel, the rope slipped, pulling the helm sharply to the left. The sudden movement caught Darion off guard, and he stumbled forward, arms flailing as he tried to regain his balance.
For a split second, there was silence. Then, Darion let out a string of curses that echoed across the deck, his face red with anger and embarrassment. The crew froze, turning to see what had happened, and then, one by one, they started to laugh.
Caelum bit his lip, trying to hold back his own laughter as he watched the captain glare at the helm, then down at the rope, realization dawning on his face. He turned slowly, his eyes scanning the deck, and when they landed on Caelum, the boy knew he was in trouble.
"Caelum!" Darion's voice was a growl, low and dangerous. "What the hell did you do?"
Caelum shrugged, trying to look innocent. "Just a little adjustment, Captain. Thought you could use a surprise."
Darion's eyes narrowed, but there was a flicker of amusement in them. "You think this is funny, boy?"
"A little," Caelum admitted, unable to keep the grin off his face.
The captain stared at him for a long moment, and then, to Caelum's surprise, he let out a bark of laughter. "You've got guts, I'll give you that," Darion said, shaking his head. "But if you ever pull a stunt like that again, you'll be scrubbing the bilge for a month, understood?"
Caelum nodded quickly, still grinning. "Understood, Captain."
Darion chuckled, turning back to the helm and undoing the knot in the rope. The crew slowly returned to their tasks, still chuckling and casting amused glances at Caelum. The tension that had hung over the ship since the battle with the Black Tide seemed to lift, if only for a moment, and Caelum felt a surge of satisfaction.
As the day went on, Caelum found himself on latrine duty Darion's idea of a light punishment. But he didn't mind. The prank had worked, and for the first time in days, the crew was smiling. Even Lyra, who usually disapproved of his antics, had given him an approving nod.
Maybe this journey wouldn't be so boring after all.