Chapter 43 - The Scouring of Two Cities

  The first Eksa saw was a trail of smoke undulating ever higher into the azure sky. As The Scarlet Reaver neared Eurale, the smoke trail became a wider path. The path became a road, and the road turned into a great mound like an expanding storm cloud. The burning smell was so great that even with the wind at the ship's back, Eksa could smell the bitterness that had already tainted the sea's majesty.

  That was no bonfire, she knew, nor a building's contents caught ablaze by a stray candle. That was a burning of something much greater —of an entire section of Eurale. Eksa's crew began muttering and pointing. Her grip on the helm grew weak with palms bleeding sweat, and her worries expanded faster than the black mass overhead.

  The Reaver rounded a stretch of coastal land. The kingdom of Eurale came into view. Eksa saw nothing but fire stretched across the entirety of the harbor. A stream of black billowed from the wreckage, blocking any vision of the city's remainder. Heat haze made it all seem a glossy illusion. Someone squeezed Eksa's shoulder. She jumped —at last tearing her eyes away from the flames. “Oh. Aaron.” She felt a dull vibration on her shoulder. His arm contained tremors and his breathing seemed sharp and quick.

  “Are you alright?” he asked.

  “Er, yes… I was just about to ask you the same.”

  “Me? Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine,” Aaron said, unconvincingly. “Is it an attack from sea?”

  Eksa pulled out her monocular and got a clearer vision of the destruction. Not a single person could be seen on the harbor. All of it was in ruins. Even the wooden landings were gone, and not one ship or boat remained moored. If the fires still burned, the attack had to have been recent. Eksa shifted her sight towards the sea. Multiple vessels fled northward. She put the monocular down and frowned, seeing those ships now as black specs. “Those are our ships. They're still flying our colors and the Three Rends alongside it.”

  “Evacuating?” Jackrin suggested, approaching from behind and holding his sleeves against his nose.

  “Could be. But that would mean Eurale fell from a land attack in a matter of days from since when we were gone,” Eksa said.

  “Which wouldn't add up,” Aaron said. “The walls aren't that high, but no force would cross the desert and still be in fighting condition to take a city as grand as this so soon. If they were, than such a large army could not possibly have gone unnoticed in their approach. We haven't even been gone a full nine day cycle.”

  Eksa started biting her lip. Aki was up in the crow's nest with a monocular of her own. But she hadn't said anything yet. She probably saw much the same as Eksa did. “We can't land the ship here,” she decided. “We'll get close enough to get a glimpse of any survivors. Otherwise, we follow the rest of the navy north to the town of Kovar.” Aaron twisted his mouth for the briefest of seconds when she said that. He wasn't fond of the island town. He'd never gotten off the ship a year ago when Eksa had visited to return stolen fish to the town fishermen.

  The Scarlet Reaver came close enough to Eurale for the heat of flames to be felt with greater vigour than that of the naked sun. No person would have survived such blistering temperatures. Eksa spun the helm and headed for Kovar. “Keep your eyes peeled for anyone swimming in the open that might need our aid!” she shouted down.

  “It's a minimum seven day journey to the island town even with favorable winds,” Aaron said.

  “I know,” Eksa said. “We didn't take much with us. Give me a report on our provisions including how much extra might be on the Brazen.”

  Aaron forced a smile. His behavior struck her as odd. “I'm sure there's enough grain to make rice slop for seven days.” He went off with a slump to his shoulders that she didn't like. He was holding tight the ends of his black coat like walking through a winter storm. Only it was hot enough for the sour smell of Eksa's sweat to pierce the layer of perfume surrounding her. She was too worried about the state of Eurale to care.

  What had happened to Aki's bar? What about all of the palace soldiers that had shown Eksa kindness? What of King Agram and his fatherly demeanor? Surely everyone was alive. She just knew they were. They had to be. And yet… Eksa glanced back. Such a fierce fire.

  But the real surprise awaited her and her friends at Kovar.

  On the evening of the sixth day, the island town came into view. And Eksa was greeted by a similar sight as Eurale. Only, a dozen ships were moored at Kovar's southern coast. Among them, both Tidestrider and The Virulence. Kovar was a town with wider roads and spaced structures. The fires weren't yet so thick. But wider roads painted a clearer picture. And that picture created an indescribable and thick emotion inside of Eksa's chest.

  The Euralite navy was attacking the Xenarian island.

  Eksa swallowed a growing lump in her throat. She brought up a shaky hand to her face and pressed her monocular to her eye. Men killing, looting, and setting fire to buildings. She couldn't yet hear the screams, but she imagined it. Imagined all the pleas. “I… I have to put a stop to this. I have to…”

  ***

  Hidden in the shadows, Viper didn't have a view of Kovar like everyone else. But he could see smoke in the sky and hear the mutters of the crew, giving him all the information that he needed. Above him, Aaron trembled. Viper recalled his first meeting with the young prince. Recalled the strange gate through which Aaron had come, and the building burning behind him. Aaron had lost much to fires. A memory like a fetid canopy shrouding his thoughts still, perhaps. Shrouding and fouling all that he might become.

  The young prince steadied himself by a mast. Jack was there, standing with his arms folded. “If this is a joke, it is in very poor taste,” the unmasked jester said. “Which is a bit hypocritical coming from me, isn't it?”

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  Aaron managed a weak smile.

  “Will you be alright if we land there?” Viper whispered from below.

  “I should help them,” Aaron said. His face glistened with sweat. “But they're Xenarian. They're… The fires took her. Took everyone from me. Why should I save them from it?”

  Viper found no words to break such a selfish attitude. Aaron's disposition against Xenaria did little to relieve him of his emotional ailment. The betrayal of Xenarians against the Flame Bearers had been a great and dark one to keep their true ruler from wanting to aid his own people.

  “Does he have something against Xenarians?” Jack asked, looking at Aaron's shadow.

  “They're his people,” Viper explained. “He's a Flame Bearer. Someone just as cursed as you and I.”

  Jackrin's shoulders slumped. He covered his face with his hands and began laughing. “A princeling abandoned to die by his own people. Ha. Ha ha… Why does this story sound so familiar to me?”

  Aaron frowned. “You're a Malkieri?”

  Jack stared into the eye slits of his mask. He ran a thumb over the smiling violet lips before wearing it. “Jackrin Winters Malkieri. Or Jahck the Jester, if you will,” he said with an extravagant bow, knives suddenly in hand. “So what are we going to do then?”

  “Wait for the captain's orders,” Aaron said, as if absolving himself of all responsibility.

  Viper looked toward the helm to see Eksa violently shaking her head, causing her single braid to fly this way and that. She was distraught, but at the end of it all, she took a deep breath and turned to address the crew.

  ***

  “I want everyone prepared for battle,” Eksa began. “Wake all those from the night shift as well. Do not take any rash actions. Follow my lead once we land. For all we know, we're the ones helping fight against an attack.” At least Eksa hoped that was the case. She denied what she'd seen with her own eyes. It just couldn't be true. There had to be an alternate explanation. “Aki and… Jack will march with me at the front,” she ordered. She wanted Aaron with her too, but he looked so drained of existence. Something troubled him for which she couldn't rely on him now.

  The Reaver neared the still intact southern port. Next to it was Kovar's pristine white beaches with palms here and there. A place she'd fallen in love with on first sight over a year ago. And just beyond that was the once serene town where carnage now ensued. The ship lowered its anchor. The gangplank was set. And waiting on the docks was the Man with a Hundred Plans, Hawthorne, along with a few others.

  “You're here at last girl,” the bald man said. “Though there's little left to do.”

  “What's happening here?” Eksa demanded. “Why was Eurale alight? Why is Kovar burning? What have you and Dhorjun done?”

  Hawthorne narrowed his eyes. Flames of the burning town shone on his smooth pale head. “That's no way to speak to a superior officer, girl. It isn't what I or the admiral have done. It's what we have done. What you've been a part of since you joined us. You've helped build this fleet. This nation.”

  Eksa curled her fists. Rage bubbled inside. “You burnt down our home? You killed your own people, and for what? Petty ambitions?” This wasn't what Eksa had signed up for. She was to be the greatest sailor and captain in the Aegis Basin. Not branded as a corsair.

  “That's enough out of you,” Hawthorne sneered. He adjusted the collar of his dark coat. It embodied the vile look of a crow's dark hide. Nothing at all majestic like Aaron's coat. “Attack the town, or what's left of it. Try leaving shops intact. Kill any men or children you come across. Those are your orders.”

  “I refuse,” Eksa hissed. She slowly drew her cutlass and pointed it at him. Crow seemed as confident as ever.

  “Refuse, eh? And what are you going to do? Run?” He gestured towards the sea. Half a dozen ships had surrounded them while Eksa was distraught. There was no escape. “Even if you did manage to flee, there would be nowhere you could land. Eurale's harbor is broken. Ostirin won't take you. Xenaria definitely won't take you. Katur has been informed of our actions by now. That leaves the Sun City. They'll execute you the moment your affiliation with pirates is confirmed. You're a part of this, Captain Eksa. An accomplice. Do you understand? There is nowhere to go but here. Your orders are given, but it doesn't Flaming matter if you follow them or not. The town is ours. Its denizens fled via the northern port. What's left has already been slain or enslaved. The best of the loot has been divided. Stay here and weep if you will. No one would blame you. You are just a girl.”

  Eksa could only stare as Crow and his guards walked away, dark boots clacking on the boardwalk. Her cutlass fell from her hands and clattered against the gangplank, slowly sliding down its entire length. “How? Why?” Tears started rolling down her cheeks. She'd been weeping as he said and she hated it.

  Aki put her hand on Eksa's shoulder, giving a sympathetic look. “Let's go, little berry.”

  “Go? Go where?”

  Aki pointed to the burning town. “We don't have much choice.”

  Eksa looked into the barkeep's dark and saddened eyes. Realization struck with the force of a hammer driving a nail in her chest. The excessive drinking. The bizarre words. “You knew about this,” Eksa accused. “You'd known all along. And you never told me. I thought we were friends…”

  Aki averted her eyes, saying nothing to defend herself.

  Eksa slapped away the hand upon her shoulder. “Get off my ship,” she breathed.

  “Let's not be rash, little strawberry. Me leaving changes nothing. We're still part of the same naval force.”

  “You betrayed me! You betrayed everyone! Even your king!” Eksa shoved Aki. “What did Agram do to deserve this from you and Dhorjun? What of your soldier friends? Your bar?”

  “Eksa…”

  “Get! Off! My! Ship!”

  Aki crossed her arms. Her fists were closed and trembling. She stepped in, imposing her superior height. “And who's going to protect you when I'm gone?”

  Eksa cried in frustration. She tried shoving the barkeep down the gangplank, but Aki shoved back harder. Aaron stepped between them, resting a hand on the pommel of that new sword of his. Relief flooded Eksa's chest.

  Aki drew her shamshir and took a stance. “Step away, boy,” she sneered. “She won't let you in her pants for acting brave once.”

  “No. Don't step away,” Eksa countered. She wiped her cheeks with her sweaty palms.

  Aaron shrugged. “Captain's orders.”

  “I guess our little strawberry is all grown up then,” Aki spat. “Quite the vixen, aren't you, bewitching them to attain loyalty. See how long it lasts,” she snarled, voice cracking. “Friendship with Aki is not so easily broken. You didn't dismiss me, girl. I'm leaving of my own volition. Don't come crying to me when you're bleeding between the legs with clothes torn.” She stormed off, but not before letting fall a single tear from her eye.

  Aaron turned to Eksa with a blank look on his face. Her heart pounded in her chest. The sting of betrayal did not lessen with the passage of time. But what hurt more was getting rid of Aki. Someone she admired and had looked to for advice. What else was she to do? Aki had betrayed her own nation.

  Eksa met Aaron's eyes hesitatingly. Without him, she didn’t know if she had courage enough to stay standing. She chewed on her lower lip, the barkeep's words bearing down on her like a spirit haunting her every step. She was brought back to the terrors of that blistering day when the slaving couple planned to sell her off to a brothel. Eksa threw herself against Aaron, burying her face in his neck as her arms wrapped around him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He slowly returned her embrace. “Um… yeah…”

  “It won't happen, right? What Aki said won't happen to me, right?” Eksa cried, speaking faster than her thoughts could manage. Aaron's hand pressed against her fiery braid, sliding down their surface with more care than the softest of brushes Estraean craftsmanship could offer. His touch provided comfort and his words even more so.

  “Of course not,” he said, “I'll protect you.”

  She squeezed him tight.

  “You're mine, Eksa,” Aaron murmured.

  He was claiming her. Finally. “Yes,” she said.