Chapter 5

TW// Mention of death, blood, death

The man, standing in front of Tivon, fell down, blood spilling out of his head.

»You alright?« said Elias wearing the mask, still pointing the pistol at the man.

Tivon nodded, looking at the bloodied body beneath him. The Images of the dead crew overflowed his mind. Elias' question interrupted it. »Do you know how to fight?« Tivon looked at Elias, confused still processing everything happening around him. »We could use some help.«

Elias took one of his daggers turned it around and handed it to him. Tivon looked at it and after some consideration he took it.

»Stay close to me.« said Elias, turning to enter the battle.

Do I know how to fight? Tivon didn't want to figure it out, but he also didn't want to stay in the cell with a dead body, any longer than he needed to.

He arrived on deck where chaos took place. Tivon couldn't keep his mind straight with all the gunshots, swords and people screaming. Why did I come up here? I'm just going to get myself killed.

A man swung a sword towards him, Tivon barely avoided it. He then stretched out his leg, so the man tripped over, hitting his head on the railing. Well, I did something.

»Tivon duck!« Screamed Elias from behind.

Tivon's body moved without him thinking and he ducked, just as he heard a pistol fire. A body fell behind him. Elias came to him, offering him his hand. Elias picked him up and pulled him to a safer spot behind the mast. »Not the fighter I expected, but that will do. You said you're smart. Got any ideas?«

Tivon looked around. The merchant ship was attached with to their ship with ropes. He looked up to the masts. There were a barrels hanging from one of the gaff.

Tivon pointed at the barrel. »What's in the barrels?«

»Gunpowder.«

»And does the gaff move?«

Elias paused for a bit. »If the ship takes a big sudden move-«

»Good.« Interrupted Tivon. »Tell the helmsman to move the ship to the left as quickly as he can when I give the signal. When he does that, the barrel will move. When it swings, fire at it. It will fall on their ship. The wind will help.«

»But the ships are attached.«

»Leave that to me.«

Tivon looked at him, Elias didn't know what was happening in that kid's brain, and honestly, he didn't want to know. He just nodded.

Elias ran towards the helmsman. »When I give you the signal, move the ship hard left.«

The helmsman was confused. »There's no way I can do that-«

Elias looked at him and said slowly. »Move the ship when I give you the signal.«

The helmsman, without further questioning, grabbed the helm. Elias looked at Tivon. Tivon nodded and ran towards the railings, holding the dagger tightly in his hand. Then he ran across the ship cutting the ropes with the dagger. When he cut all of the ropes he shouted, »Now!«

Elias grabbed his pistol and turned to the helmsman. »Now!«

The helmsman turned the helm hastily causing the ship to turn sharp left. The people on the ship lost their balance, falling over. Elias was prepared for that, he kept his balance and as soon as he saw the barrel swung, he fired the pistol. The bullet hit the barrel right when it was above the merchant ship. The barrel exploded, setting fire to the ship's sails. As soon as the ship turned left the wind moved the ship forward distancing itself from the merchant ship.

A victorious Ay! rose on The Rose Sparrow. Tivon glanced at Elias and he acknowledged him with a nod. For some ungodlike reason, he was proud of himself.

Suddenly the captain's door opened, and silence fell on the ship. From the shadows rose a tall posture. He was wearing a bordo-red coat fastened with a belt, on it a pistol and a sword. His dark brown hair was short, but he had a long beard braided at the end, head covered with a big pirate hat with green and orange feathers. His ears were pierced with black earrings and one of his ears were chipped at the top.

His face was covered in scars. He wore one black boot, and the other foot was replaced with a metal leg. His slow movement and the rhythm of his walking startled Tivon. It reminded him of a slow heartbeat.

The captain looked rather young, but when he started talking, he sounded ancient. »What is all this commotion about?« He said with a rough deep voice.

He noticed Tivon still holding Elias' dagger in his hand. »And why is he outside his cell?«

Before Tivon could say anything, Elias stepped in front of him. »I let him out. We needed help.« He pointed at Tivon. »And without him we would still be fighting and probably lost more man.«

Captain looked around the ship, where others were standing. He looked up to the helmsman. »Continue this route.« He turned around walking back to his cabin. »And get that shary back in his cell.«

»He doesn't need to go back.« Interrupted Elias.

The captain stopped, he turned around, his eyes peering through Elias. »What was that boy?«

»He doesn't need to stay in that cell-«

Tivon grabbed the edge of Elias' coat. »It's okay. I can go back.«

Elias turned down to him and whispered. »I'm trying to give you more freedom. What do you think you're doing?«

»It's okay.« Whispered Tivon back. »Just take the body out of the cell.«

Elias nodded and looked back at the captain. Captain turned around. »You heard him.« And then he disappeared into the darkness of his cabin.

Elias sighed and said »Nice job.« to Tivon before heading to the shed to take care of the body.

Tivon blushed. He wasn't sure if it was because he just helped a bunch of pirates escape or because for once in his life, he received a compliment for something he had done.

Even though they cleaned the floor and removed the body, Tivon could still see it lying there. He avoided that part of the cell. Now that he got his bag back, he passed the time by drawing in his journal.

As he was drawing, someone was coming down to his cell. He quickly closed the journal and shoved it in his bag.

»You don't need to hide anything from me.« Said Elias coming down the stairs, without his coat, bringing him lunch.

There's a lot I have to hide from you. »I know. I thought someone else was coming.«

»No one is going to visit you if that's what you worry about.« He gave him the food and sat down.

There was nothing much to eat. Some dried fruit and salted meat. After all, they have been sailing for almost three weeks. Tivon saw the many scars Elias had across his arms. Even though they were just scars, Tivon saw something beautiful about them. Unlike his scar. Elias watched him, almost examining him.

Tivon blushed of embarrassment. »Why are you looking at me?«

Elias had his beaming, playful smile that he always had when he wasn't wearing a mask. »Your hair is getting longer.«

Tivon went through his hair with a hand. Elias was right. His messy brown hair was getting longer on his neck and over his right eye.

»I could cut it for you.« Said Elias. Tivon looked up and nodded.

Tivon didn't dare to move. It wasn't the fact that Elias was shortening his hair with a knife, it was because every time Elias' hand touched his skin, Tivon blushed, wanting to run and hide away from him.

When Elias was cutting his hair on the left side of the neck, he saw an unusual scar going up to Tivon's head. That's an odd scar. He wanted to touch it and ask Tivon about it, but he knew better than to ask him about things like that.

He stepped in front of Tivon. He found it funny how his face turned even more red. He moved his hand towards his left eye covered with hair. Suddenly Tivon grabbed his hand. »Don't!« Tivon quickly loosened his grip. »S-sorry… Can I-I do it myself?«

Elias lowered his hand and gave him the knife. Tivon turned away and trimmed his front hair just a little. When he finished, he turned back to Elias and gave him the knife back, looking at the ground, avoiding Elias' eyes.

»T-thank you.«

The cell was filled with quiet awkwardness. Then Elias went outside the cell and before he left, he said. »Tomorrow we are going to land on an island for a week. I can get permission so you can get off the ship with me. It's the least I can do.«

He was surprised to hear the excitement in Tivon's voice. »That sounds good.«

Elias looked at him and smiled. Tivon blushed again and smiled back at him.

»Good night.« Said Elias while leaving the cells.

Tivon brushed his cut hair with his hand and mumbled to himself. »Good night.«

Elias walked out of the cells smiling to himself.

»Yer are spending quite a lot of time with that shary.«

Elias turned around to find the pirate with a scar across his lip and a big earring, leaning against the wooden wall of the ship.

»None of your business Pit. Get back to your work.« Said Elias annoyed, trying to brush off the creeps, Pit's words left on him.

»Even if ya are the right hand of the captain you can't order me around.«

Elias was prepared to threaten him, but Pit just turned around and left saying. »Just be careful about the shary.« He turned back to him. »Or someone else may steal him.«

When he left, Elias breathed in and out to calm himself. I must not let him get to Tivon.