eureka! part 8.
Jan. 26th, 2013 08:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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log▶ part 7
Tiir copes with her death easily enough.
He had always known since her childhood that Ene had been living on borrowed time. It was his own delusions that had stopped him from acknowledging it outwardly, no matter what his mind had said. And it was a miracle she had held out for this long.
What had sustained her? Hope for his return with a working medicine?
Before he could admonish himself for failing that, Minato leads him out and watches. Tiir allows no tears to spring, instead straightening impossibly straight and deciding to sail immediately.
So they do.
They burn the shack, with her withered body in the heart of the pyre.
------
They return to the ship and find Walter there. He had left during the impromptu cremation, and for the better—it isn't as if he's ever been a part of their group, Tiir thinks almost bitterly. A stranger is what he is, even now.
Walter has wisely yet to board the ship. In fact, he's a fair distance from the rope and the way he stands, with his arms crossed and feet planted in the sandy shore, indicate that he's not about to move closer. He maintains his position when Tiir passes, their shoulders nearly brushing, and even when Minato follows suit with a curious tilt of his head.
Gripping the rope lightly, Tiir's shoulders slump as a silent breath is expelled from his body.
"Back to your game of chase?" he asks, his tone short. "I'll be frank when I say this has gotten dull."
Usually not one to interfere, Minato opens his mouth to interject, sensing Tiir's nosediving stability. His mood can't be spoken for—that long fell when he saw her lying on the floor and on the brink of death.
"Tiir—"
Walter turns suddenly, cutting Minato off.
Walter doesn't grieve her death, and his expression is one of flat neutrality. Unfolding his arms, he makes no move to approach Tiir and Minato.
"I said I would turn you in after she was healed," he says, "and that didn't happen. Go."
He gestures to the sea behind them.
Amid the growing silence, Tiir smirks bitterly. He grips the rope similarly and hauls himself up, but Minato staggers and looks over his shoulder when it's his turn. He regards Walter quietly, then sends an appreciative nod before climbing onto deck.
There, Guriko's swinging legs nearly strike him in the face, threatening to send him overboard. Swinging upside down from the railing, she blinks at Minato. Her shoulders are seized by Tiir, who pulls her upright.
"What will the rock hunters hunt now?" she asks.
"I don't know," Tiir answers truthfully. He gazes out to the sea; and for the first time since his embarking as a pirate, he finds that he's lost. "But we've already made a name for ourselves. There's no turning away from the government's wrath now."
Guriko tilts her head, eyes wide, and Minato rests a hand on her shoulder with a smile.
They set sail for Cassla.
------
Some months later
------
"Did you hear about the ruckus at the Fennes Manor the other night?"
"What happened?"
"Well, after the Lady's knight did his annual swordplay, he rushed out and shrugged off all the guests that greeted him. Apparently he became distracted during the demonstration—probably saw something or someone—though that didn't do much to damage his performance.
"He went to the balcony, see, where some other guests had moved to earlier. Then he walked right up to one of the guests and tackled him! . . . No, no, wait, he took out his sword, but then I heard the visiting lord's daughter or sister came running up and tackled the knight, and the lord's bodyguard tried to grab them, but it was a big mess and they all went over the balcony rails!
"Poor Lady Shirley! What a riot her knight is! I only hope the lord and his family and guard are okay."
------
"Mistake is Mistake again."
"Really, and after Guriko went through the trouble of preventing you from doing anything foolish in front of your Lady."
"You're under arrest."
"No, I dare say we aren't."
"Ah, Walter . . . "
"For shame, Mistake."
"You're under arres—augh!"
"Ahh, Guriko . . . !"
"You!"
"It's hardly her fault that you compel her to bite you."
"I'll kill you."
Tiir copes with her death easily enough.
He had always known since her childhood that Ene had been living on borrowed time. It was his own delusions that had stopped him from acknowledging it outwardly, no matter what his mind had said. And it was a miracle she had held out for this long.
What had sustained her? Hope for his return with a working medicine?
Before he could admonish himself for failing that, Minato leads him out and watches. Tiir allows no tears to spring, instead straightening impossibly straight and deciding to sail immediately.
So they do.
They burn the shack, with her withered body in the heart of the pyre.
------
They return to the ship and find Walter there. He had left during the impromptu cremation, and for the better—it isn't as if he's ever been a part of their group, Tiir thinks almost bitterly. A stranger is what he is, even now.
Walter has wisely yet to board the ship. In fact, he's a fair distance from the rope and the way he stands, with his arms crossed and feet planted in the sandy shore, indicate that he's not about to move closer. He maintains his position when Tiir passes, their shoulders nearly brushing, and even when Minato follows suit with a curious tilt of his head.
Gripping the rope lightly, Tiir's shoulders slump as a silent breath is expelled from his body.
"Back to your game of chase?" he asks, his tone short. "I'll be frank when I say this has gotten dull."
Usually not one to interfere, Minato opens his mouth to interject, sensing Tiir's nosediving stability. His mood can't be spoken for—that long fell when he saw her lying on the floor and on the brink of death.
"Tiir—"
Walter turns suddenly, cutting Minato off.
Walter doesn't grieve her death, and his expression is one of flat neutrality. Unfolding his arms, he makes no move to approach Tiir and Minato.
"I said I would turn you in after she was healed," he says, "and that didn't happen. Go."
He gestures to the sea behind them.
Amid the growing silence, Tiir smirks bitterly. He grips the rope similarly and hauls himself up, but Minato staggers and looks over his shoulder when it's his turn. He regards Walter quietly, then sends an appreciative nod before climbing onto deck.
There, Guriko's swinging legs nearly strike him in the face, threatening to send him overboard. Swinging upside down from the railing, she blinks at Minato. Her shoulders are seized by Tiir, who pulls her upright.
"What will the rock hunters hunt now?" she asks.
"I don't know," Tiir answers truthfully. He gazes out to the sea; and for the first time since his embarking as a pirate, he finds that he's lost. "But we've already made a name for ourselves. There's no turning away from the government's wrath now."
Guriko tilts her head, eyes wide, and Minato rests a hand on her shoulder with a smile.
They set sail for Cassla.
------
Some months later
------
"Did you hear about the ruckus at the Fennes Manor the other night?"
"What happened?"
"Well, after the Lady's knight did his annual swordplay, he rushed out and shrugged off all the guests that greeted him. Apparently he became distracted during the demonstration—probably saw something or someone—though that didn't do much to damage his performance.
"He went to the balcony, see, where some other guests had moved to earlier. Then he walked right up to one of the guests and tackled him! . . . No, no, wait, he took out his sword, but then I heard the visiting lord's daughter or sister came running up and tackled the knight, and the lord's bodyguard tried to grab them, but it was a big mess and they all went over the balcony rails!
"Poor Lady Shirley! What a riot her knight is! I only hope the lord and his family and guard are okay."
------
"Mistake is Mistake again."
"Really, and after Guriko went through the trouble of preventing you from doing anything foolish in front of your Lady."
"You're under arrest."
"No, I dare say we aren't."
"Ah, Walter . . . "
"For shame, Mistake."
"You're under arres—augh!"
"Ahh, Guriko . . . !"
"You!"
"It's hardly her fault that you compel her to bite you."
"I'll kill you."