“Just because you’re back, does not mean you get to act like a sailor from one of those damn songs of yours, now get off my table!”
Axis dropped down so he was sitting on top of the wooden table, and his feet were planted on the bench between one of his shipmates and a man from the town. He laughed and placed his chin in his hands, leaning forward slightly so he was only a foot away from Marie, who seemed to be fuming.
“But Marie, it’s been so long since we’ve been home, it’s only natural that I make the most of the celebrating!” He grinned widely, hoping to win her over, but all he got was a slap upside the head.
“I don’t care if you’ve been gone for twelve years, I don’t want your filthy boots on my tables! People eat here!” She growled, her rich brown eyes narrowing.
“Not to mention, Axis, someone in this room would jump at the opportunity to push you off!” His crew-mate, Kelly, chuckled, his eyes flickering towards Aniha, who was immersed in a conversation with a boy from the town.
Axis watched for a moment, his held tilted slightly to the side, before he shrugged. “It looks like she’s preoccupied, but better safe than sorry.” He said, getting off the table and sitting down on the bench.
Kelly nudged Axis hard in the ribs with his elbow. “I’ll bet you all my money that she’s trying to make you jealous.” He smirked.
Axis shook his head and picked up his tankard. “I won’t gamble with you then… I don’t want you going poor on us.” He smiled, raising his eyebrows in amusement.
“I wonder how long it will take you to realize we see right through you!” Kelly laughed loudly and clapped Axis on the back, causing the contents of the younger teen’s tankard to spill onto his shirt and the table.
Axis groaned and scowled. “Damn it…” He muttered, setting down the now half empty cup and getting to his feet. He stood still for a moment, then stepped over the bench and into the aisle between tables. “Well, I’m tired anyway. I’m going to head back to the ship to get some air… besides, it was not the best idea to leave it completely unmanned, hm?” He said to Kelly, who raised his eyebrow.
“Not like you, but okay. Have a nice night by yourself.” He snickered, before turning back to the table.
Axis looked around the large room. It was loud, busy, and crowded. Normally, Axis didn’t feel unnerved by things like that, but right now… he wasn’t sure. He had a feeling he shouldn’t be there. He knew he should leave. And when his intuition told him something like that, he knew it was probably best to follow it.
He began to maneuver his way through the throng of people, and eventually found himself at the door. He stopped, and glanced over his shoulder briefly. His crew-mates were being loud, per usual. Marie was smiling as she slipped into the kitchen, and Taylor looked like he was itching to get out of a conversation with Captain.
Axis smiled a little, and quietly opened the door, stepping out into the hot summer air. He let the door close behind him, and the sounds from the tavern became muffled. A pleasant breeze lifted his hair from his face, and he took a deep breath. The feeling that something was in the town, that ominous feeling, hadn’t left him, but it was better now that he was out of the tavern.
He began to make his way down the streets that would take him back to the ship. It was relatively quiet, and not many people were out and about. It was dark out, late enough that most sensible people would be asleep.
He could feel someone behind him, following him, but he knew it wasn’t anyone who would harm him. And they were obviously trying to stay undetected, so he kept walking, without giving any sign that he knew they were there.
It was only when he reached the pier that he decided to acknowledge their presence. His shoes clacked on the wooden planks as he stepped towards the side of their ship. The bay water splashed quietly as small waves broke on the surface.
“The stars are quite bright as of now.” Axis said out loud. He turned around to face Aniha, who was standing a few feet away. “Care to join me?”
Aniha paced forward until she was standing next to him. “Even when you’re tired, you know I’m there…” she muttered.
Axis smiled. “Intuition, little Lady-bird.” He said, taking hold of the ladder and hauling himself up. He could hear Aniha on his heels as he reached the top and pulled himself over the edge of the ship and onto the deck. He held out his hand to Aniha, and helped her up.
A glimmer of pale blue caught his eye as she clambered over the edge and straightened up. It was a new blouse. How he hadn’t noticed it before, he didn’t know. It was light blue silk, and it was well sewn, unlike most of the thrown together clothing they wore while at sea. It was obviously expensive.
“Pretty blouse.” He commented as Aniha straightened out her skirt.
She looked up at him, her hazel eyes shining in the moonlight. “Yes. A boy from town bought it for me some time ago, apparently, and he gave it to me tonight.” She said, scanning Axis’ face.
He tilted his head. “It suits you. Be careful not to wear it while working though, you don’t want to rip a gift like that.” He said, reaching out and touching the shoulder of the fabric. “Wow, it’s smooth.” He said, mostly to himself, before he turned and walked to the other side of the ship, which faced the bay.
Aniha scowled and trailed after him. “What does it take to make you jealous?” She asked quietly.
Axis didn’t answer. Instead, he jumped up onto the edge of the ship, swinging his legs out over the water. He swayed a little, off-balance from the jump, and Aniha placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. “Well?” She pressed, getting up onto the edge of the ship beside him.
He glanced at her. “Oh, I thought it was a rhetorical question.” He responded, looking back out over the bay.
Aniha sighed. “So I’m not going to get an answer, yeah?” She said quietly.
Axis moved a little closer. “Ask me again another time.” He grinned, pressing his shoulder against Aniha’s.
A smile slid across the girl’s face and she leaned into him. Axis could feel her heat through her clothing, and despite the already warm night air, he stayed there. “Why’d you leave the tavern?” She asked, changing the subject.
Axis searched for an answer that would suffice. “Kelly made me spill my drink on my shirt.” He said lamely.
Aniha reached over and touched the front of his shirt, which was now only a little damp. “So that’s why you smelled so strongly of ale…” She muttered. “But, you know, you’re going to have to come up with a better excuse. You would never leave a gathering like that just because your shirt got wet.”
Axis’ eyes flickered to hers, but he quickly looked away to avoid her inquisitive stare. “Don’t lie, either, I know when you’re lying.” She added with a small smile, flicking his cheek gently.
Axis smirked. “Why did you leave?” He asked her.
“Axis….”
“What is it, Pretty?”
“You’re evading.”
Axis sighed and turned his head towards Aniha. He pressed his forehead against her hair, hiding his face. “Axis? What’s wrong?” Aniha asked, concern evident in her voice.
Axis shook his head. “You’ll think I’m crazy.” He whispered.
Aniha smiled. “I know you’re crazy.”
Axis scoffed. “You treat me so well…” He said sarcastically. He sighed, placing his chin on top of Aniha’s head. “Since we got here…. I’ve been feeling like there’s something… Bad. In this town.” He muttered.
Aniha frowned. “Bad… Like how?”
Axis shrugged. “Just… This large presence…. And it got stronger in the tavern, and I got the feeling that I shouldn’t be there.” He confessed.
Aniha placed her hand over his. “Maybe you’re just… Worn. From travel and the like.” She tried to reason. It wasn’t going to help. They both knew how good Axis’s intuition was. If he got the feeling he shouldn’t be there, he had to leave.
Axis closed his eyes. “Perhaps.” He breathed, leaning in to Aniha’s warmth. Aniha let him be, and the two lapsed into silence. The waves licked at the ship, and the smell of salt permeated the air.
They hadn’t been there for long, before a clattering of footsteps on the pier below made them look up.
“Axis!”
Axis spun around and jumped down off the edge of the ship. He ran to the other side and leaned over, unease rising in his chest. “Leah! I’m here, what is it?” He called down.
Leah, Kelly, and Abbot stood below on the dock, panting and red faced from running. “The Tavern… there…. some men showed up…. Braddock’s dead, they killed him…. your father told us to get you away from here….” Abbot explained, his voice shaking. Leah seemed to be crying, no doubt because of the death of Braddock… Kelly looked like he was about to be sick.
Aniha came up behind Axis. “Braddock’s….” She murmured, dismayed. After a moment, she grabbed Axis’ arm. “Axis, you heard Abbott, let’s get you- Axis!” She cried out as Axis quickly lowered himself onto the ladder. Halfway down, he jumped to the dock and took off at a sprint, leaving behind his crew mates.
He gritted his teeth. He knew something was up, he should have told someone, he should have gotten them out of there! Braddock wouldn’t be dead, Taylor wouldn’t be in trouble…
The five minutes it took for him to run to the tavern were the worst minutes of his life. Panic and anxiety made his chest tighten. His blood pumped faster. His vision narrowed to the road in front of him.
He darted around the last corner and froze. The door of the Tavern had been kicked in. Only feet away from Axis, Braddock’s body lay, the front of his shirt soaked in his own blood, his blue eyes distant and staring, his knife lay abandoned by his feet. Marie was on the ground outside, holding her leg with tears streaming down her face. A tall figure, dressed in white stood above her, a cloak shielding their face, a bastard sword gleaming in their hand.
It didn’t take long for Axis’ body to react. He ran forwards, leaning down and grabbing Braddock’s discarded knife as he went, and lunged at the figure in white.
The figure spun and blocked Axis’ attack with the hilt of his sword, and Axis moved free before he could be disarmed. Without a second’s rest, he reached out with one arm, grabbed the figure’s wrist, and swept his feet out from under him.
The figure yelped as he crashed to the ground. His sword fell with him and clattered to the stones a few inches away. Axis quickly kicked the sword out of the figure’s reach, and planted his knee on their chest. He pressed the edge of the knife against their throat, before ripping the hood off of their head. A pale, brown eyed man stared up at him, fear and anger flickering in his eyes.
“Did you kill Braddock?!” Axis shouted, rage making his hands shake.
Blood began to bead at the man’s throat. He sneered. “What’s it to you?” He spat, his eyes narrowing.
Axis pressed harder, and the man sucked in a breath. “So I can know if I should kill you faster or slower.” He hissed.
The man swallowed. “I didn’t kill him…” he snarled. His muscles tensed, and Axis’ eyes widened. Before the man could reach up to pull him off, he flicked the knife around and thrust it down into his collar bone.
Axis didn’t stay to watch. He got to his feet and spun to face Marie. “Can you get yourself out of harm’s way, or do you need help?” He asked quickly.
Marie shook her head. Her hair was a mess, like she’d been dragged out by it. “Taylor… Taylor needs help, go to him, he’s-” Axis was gone before she could finish her sentence.
He ran into the tavern, and stopped. Three cloaked figures stood around his father, who had his back against the wall, with only a dagger holding them back… not that it would, Axis saw how long their swords were.
“Taylor!” He shouted.
The figures turned around, and Taylor’s eyes widened. Fear crept across his face. “I told you to get out of here! You can’t be here!” He yelled.
Axis held Braddock’s knife in front of him, in case one of the men suddenly attacked. “I’m not leaving you to fend for yourself, damn it, you can barely clean a kitchen!” Axis snapped, tightening his grip on the weapon.
Taylor bit his lip. “I can fight, boy. Now get out of here.” He ordered.
“Is that the boy?” One of the figures asked, surprising Axis.
Taylor turned his attention back to the men. “Leave him be. He has nothing to do with-”
“He’s a defect, but we noticed something odd. We need to take him back for research.” One of the men interrupted.
Axis scowled. “What the hell are you talking about?!” He shouted. He was about to go in for another attack, but footsteps behind him made him freeze.
Taylor looked up, and relief seemed to spark in his eyes for a brief moment. “Abbott! Get Axis out of here, don’t let them have him!” He seemed to be begging, his blue eyes looking more desperate than usual.
Axis snuck a glance behind him. Abbott stood in the doorway, with Kelly and Leah just behind him. Abbott seemed indecisive. “Taylor-” He started to say, but Taylor cut him off.
“You promised me! Protect him! I can’t lose him as well!” Taylor screamed at him.
“Enough of this, take the boy, and take the soldier with you as well, he’ll be of use.” One of the men said, grabbing his sword and pulling it out of it’s sheath.
Taylor moved forward. “Don’t you dare!” He flung out his hand, and the man staggered backwards, his hand flying to his face, where blood was now dripping down.
Axis prepared to jump into action, but before he could do anything, two hands from behind grabbed his neck, pressing down hard. Axis cried out at the sharp pain, and struggled, but the grip was firm. After a few, dazed moments, his eyes slid shut and his vision went black.
***
Willowlark 