Time will tell - Part 2

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This is part 2 of the three week challenge presented by Dreemport. Besides my introduction post this is the first time I publish a piece of fiction.

Part 1 was published last week. Part 3 will be published next week.

I want to thank @appbap for being my sounding board and helping me out with grammar and spelling. 10% of this posts rewards go to him (and until he reads this he doesn't know about it 🤣)

I hope you enjoy this tale.😉

The humans were getting stronger, wittier, and more determined to become the rulers on earth. They took shelter in buildings, they forged armor and weapons. No other species stood a chance against them. With the invention of the crossbow, and its bigger brother the ballista, the fate of their last opponent was finally sealed.

“We stand no chance” he grumbled. “We have to face it. I would rather die quick in a fight than slowly starve to death in agony and pain.”

“No,” she countered. “I will not give up. We have to protect it.”

They argued all night. And with the dawn of the new day they knew: A decision had to be made. They both knew it from the beginning and also knew what it would be. Would it work? Neither would ever find out.

The sound of the enemy’s war trumpets echoed through the mountains. He stormed out to engage and distract them so she could flee. His wish was fulfilled after a long and exhausting fight. His only solace was that, as far as he could tell, no one noticed her escape.

She travelled many miles, never stopping, never looking behind. The sound of war was quickly gone. Careful not to be seen or tracked, she never stopped. After a day’s journey she reached her destination with the precious cargo carefully pressed against her body. This would be the final resting place. She put down her little gem and whimpered. Would this desperate plan work? Time will tell…

The world was in turmoil. Almost every year brought a new war. The new world had fought for their independence, the old world was fighting for a new order. People were fighting against each other in one war and fighting alongside each other in the next. A few of them decided to fight for themselves. They became pirates.

Becoming a pirate captain sounds easy: You just need to get elected by the crew. Most pirate ships were a democracy. But getting elected was indeed not that easy. One who got elected was called ‘Boss’ on his ship, while the rest of the world had no name for him.
Miraculously, there were never any survivors of his crew’s deeds or other witnesses to tell the tale. His sole existence was a rumor, slowly turning into a legend. While most pirates were sailing close to the new world in tropical waters, the boss took advantage of the privateer vacuum left in Europe.

“Boss, that storm will tear the sails!” a squeaky voice screamed from the main mast.

“Stop whining you scallywag! Back on post, this is perfect!” The boss replied from stern.

Despite Perky’s usual concerns the sails were still intact when they made port. Camouflaged as a merchant ship seeking protection in heavy weather was not an unusual ploy for them. Especially to avoid suspicion when they sailed a few more miles inlands up the river. And in the cover of the night it was even easier to bring their loot onto land and bury it deep.

After a long haul through the village towards the graveyard, they dug deep at the headstone marking the spot. It was an old grave, around 200 years old, yet it was never to be reused as far as the Boss knew. The perfect hiding place in the village he grew up in.

With the shovel in hand Jones was just about to fill the hole again when a sound came from down below. Did it come from inside the trunk?

“Hoy, get on with it” the Boss commanded.

“Did you hear that?” Jones asked.

They all heard it now. Knocking and yelling from inside the trunk.

“Well, get it back up again” the Boss urged the men.

All four of them pulled the ropes and lifted up the trunk. Perky opened it.

“Hey, Boss. There’s a young one inside.” He said.

“Let me out!” a young boy yelled and tried climbing out of the trunk.

“What ya say?” the Boss asked in anger.

“Blimey, there’s a kid inside, captain.” Jones said. He pushed the boy back inside and tried to fixate him there.

“Let’s cut his throat!” Perky added. “Dead kids tell no tales, aye?”

“No! Help!” the boy yelled, trying to fight off Jones who was still trying to push him back into the trunk. Perky put his hands over the boy’s mouth to silence his screams.

“Draw your sails you scurvy dogs!” the Boss put the others to silence. “Now when did we become lily-livered scum? Killing a boy that can barely walk.”

“So what to do with him then?” Perky asked.

“Shackle and gag him. We take him with us.” the Boss said. For a moment he seemed to be thinking in a trance, after which he added “And make sure he stays alive, that even goes for the fleas he has on him, savvy?”

“Aye” the others replied reluctantly.

“We get him back to the ship” the Boss thought out loud. “we need a new powder monkey anyway.”

Shackled and gagged they took turns carrying the boy over their shoulders to the ship after they finished burying the trunk. In the beginning he tried screaming and squirming, but after a few minutes, he was so exhausted he could not fight anymore.

Back on the ship they put the boy into the cabin with the other three kids. The boss locked the door. Even though the crew protested, they had not taken supplies yet. He gave commands to set sail again for open sea, heading west of the British coast. For the next few hours he would be in his cabin and did not want to be disturbed.

“A new one” said a young female voice.

The boy tried to say something but he was still gagged. A lantern was lit. He saw a young girl and a boy looking at him.

“Come on, let’s untie him” said the boy.

“Where am I” he asked when his gag was removed.

“You’re in a pirate ship. My name is Lizzy” the girl said. “This is Greg and there in the corner is Horatio. But we call him Horat. What’s your name?”

“A pirate ship? Here? How?” the boy asked in panic.

Greg gave him a slap in the face. “Keep it together and your voice low!” Then he asked him again. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Daniel” he uttered in confusion.

“Well, Daniel, you’re lucky to still be alive. Them bastards usually don’t make any prisoners. Tell me, with those strange clothes, where are you from and why did they bring you along?”

“I don’t know” Daniel wept. “I was just curious.”

While they could feel the ship casting off, Lizzy and Greg tried to calm Daniel. They offered him an old water bag but the foul stench only made the situation worse and him vomit. After a while he was able to tell them what happened.

“I was just following those figures in the night. And all of a sudden one snuck up on me and I landed in the trunk. When they pulled me up again they wanted to kill me.” He started to stutter again. “But then they just tied me and brought me here”.

Lizzy looked at Greg and said “Remember, that’s pretty much what Horatio told us when he first got here.”

Greg nodded with a pensive face, turned to Daniel and asked “So, are you from the future as well? Would explain your strange clothes”

Daniel was shocked. “Future?” he asked “What future?”

“The year is 1782.” She said.

Daniel was still trying to cope with this information in disbelief when the door to the cabin was opened again.

“Oy, new one. The Boss wants to see you.”

“I don’t like this.” The boss said. “I already told you! Stay out of my head.”

“You will do well if you remember our agreement." A voice echoed in his mind. "You might have caged me but I’m not bound. And for my service you owe me a youngling of my choosing. That debt is yet to be paid. Until such time I will do however I see fit to satisfy the terms our arrangement.”

“Not outside this room!” The boss hissed in anger “And taking control was never part of the deal!”

“Your men were about to kill the boy. I had to step in.” The voice replied. “And now, present him to me. I have to be sure.”

“Just don’t ruin him like the last one. He’s useless now and the crew is already wondering why we didn’t get rid of him yet.”

The boss was leaving the small closet and returning to his cabin.

“If I am right about this one, you may disperse of Horatio at your convenience.” The voice sighed.

Daniel was pushed into the captain’s cabin, the door closed behind him. Still tumbling trying not to fall down he came to halt in front of the Boss who immediately asked him “What’s your name?”

“Daniel” he muttered.

“What were you doing in the graveyard during night time?”

“Please, I just want to go home” he begged.

“Answer me!” the boss raised his voice with a strange growl in authority but did not yell.

Daniel felt complied to answer. “I was following you.”

“Why?” the Boss asked with the same strange voice.

Daniel was overwhelmed with a feeling of compliance. The fear and worries were gone, he had to answer.

“I saw the symbol on the trunk. It intrigued me.”

“What symbol?”

“The dragon.” Daniel pulled the sketch-paper out of his pocket and handed it over.

The Boss unfolded the paper and stared at it.

“How can that be?” he mumbled barely audible.

“This is the one. Bring him to me.” Said the voice in his head with excitement.

to be continued...

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