Pirate War (w/ Roman)

[erikaleeanne]

When Elm woke up, the only thing she was sure of was that she was in a tent. Two natives - both male - were looming over as she came to. "Wha..." She was attempting to form words, but could hardly get them out. It was a frustrating feeling.


"Leader?" One of the natives boomed.


"I..." She tried to steady her speech. "Where am I...?"


The two natives looked at each other and shook their heads. They yanked Elm to her feet, her hands bound, and pulled her out of the tent. They were at some sort of village campsite. Most of the crew members were mostly unconscious and in a pile, the natives prodding their bodies for valuables. She was quickly pulled into another tent, where Alastair now was. The native threw her down next to Alastair. Still disoriented, Elm mumbled, "Are you...are you alright?"

 

[Roman]

Alastair groaned and looked over at Elm, "I've been better... " He said sitting up. He looked around for something sharp, soon finding a knife I'm the ground. He scooted toward the knife and put his hands by it. He Began to saw through the rope quickly. "Don't worry Elm... I'll get us out of here."

 

[erikaleeanne]

The two natives, still standing in the tent, saw Alastair with the knife. They grabbed it from him and hit him on the head with the hilt.


"No!" Elm exclaimed, but the native simply put the knife to her throat. She paused and took a breath.


"Alastair, you can't just go for the first available option," she muttered, "they're natives, but they're not exactly idiots." She locked eyes with one of the men. "Leader," she said to them, firm, "you want the leader?"


The men nodded.


"It's me," she said, "I'm the leader." The natives once again nodded, picking up both Alastair and Elm and dragging them out of the tent.


They untied Alastair and placed him with the other crew members, while dragging Elm to the edge of the campfire that sat in the center of the site. There were now at least 2 dozen natives to be seen, all looking at the new addition. The natives looked down at Elm, now lying in front of the fire, and pointed to the sunny sky.


"Moon," they each began to say, rather quietly.


"Moon," Elm repeated back, then gasped. She struggled to sit up. "Moon! Harvest, yes?" The natives began to whoop and nod. "Yes, harvest! Let's harvest when the full moon comes!" Elm encouraged.


The natives then gestured to the other crew members, waving spears and blades. "No, let them harvest too! Happy harvest, yes?" The natives contemplated the statement, then nodded. They then began to disperse, as if they needed to retrieve something that they had forgotten, leaving but a few behind to watch over the crew. While they were gone, Elm attempted to scoot closer to Alastair.


"Hey!" She said in a very low voice, "The Apano natives burn incense to the gods every full moon. There's a ceremony and everything. They'll be plenty distracted tonight, and then we can make our escape."

 

[Roman]

Alastair sat up, a hand on his head. He winced a little, then noticed, Elm was closer to him. He shook his head and looked at her, "I know that now. When does this moon harvest start? We're gonna have to leave empty handed..." he said quietly. Alastair turned his head and noticed his crew members who were either unconscious or dead. "Darn..."

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm shook her head, "One - we're not leaving empty handed. Two - it starts when the full moon is at it's brightest, which should be in a couple of hours..." At that moment, some of the natives returned, cutting Elm's ropes. She rubbed her wrists.


"Leader may roam," one of the natives, she assumed to be one of the leaders, said firmly. "Come back for harvest, or we kill." He gestured to the crew.


Elm nodded slowly. "Okay...may I bring him with me?" She pointed to Alastair. The natives looked amongst one another, and then nodded. "Be back for harvest." Elm shakily pulled herself to her feet and said "Thank you" several times before gesturing for Alastair to follow.

 

[Roman]

Elm shook her head, "One - we're not leaving empty handed. Two - it starts when the full moon is at it's brightest, which should be in a couple of hours..." At that moment, some of the natives returned, cutting Elm's ropes. She rubbed her wrists.
"Leader may roam," one of the natives, she assumed to be one of the leaders, said firmly. "Come back for harvest, or we kill." He gestured to the crew.


Elm nodded slowly. "Okay...may I bring him with me?" She pointed to Alastair. The natives looked amongst one another, and then nodded. "Be back for harvest." Elm shakily pulled herself to her feet and said "Thank you" several times before gesturing for Alastair to follow.

Alastair stood up and rubber his wrist when the rope was removed. "Well, I guess I'm following you..." he said, stretching his body to be able to maneuver as good as he normally could.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm was silent for a while, then said, "We're going to find their harvest tavern. I'm almost positive it's somewhere under the campsite." She looked over her shoulder, opening her mouth to say something, then closed it and turned back around. "We have time," she said quietly, "The moon isn't at optimal brightness until a few hours after the sun sets."

 

[Roman]

"Alright. Sounds like a plan." Alastair said as he followed behind. He remained quiet and enjoyed the scenery for most of the walk. A while later, Alastair decided to break the silence, "Hey, Elm. When we first started walking, you were gonna say something, what was it?"

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm paused. They had reached the side of cave, piled with rocks that overlooked the edge of the jungle and the shore of the beach. The sun was setting on the horizon. She turned from the cave and climbed onto one of the rocks. "Charlotte," she finally said, "My full name is Charlotte Elm." She looked over her shoulder at him. "We never really got to have much more of a conversation after...last night." She turned back to the way she had been facing.


 
Elm paused. They had reached the side of cave, piled with rocks that overlooked the edge of the jungle and the shore of the beach. The sun was setting on the horizon. She turned from the cave and climbed onto one of the rocks. "Charlotte," she finally said, "My full name is Charlotte Elm." She looked over her shoulder at him. "We never really got to have much more of a conversation after...last night." She turned back to the way she had been facing.

 

[Roman]

Elm paused. They had reached the side of cave, piled with rocks that overlooked the edge of the jungle and the shore of the beach. The sun was setting on the horizon. She turned from the cave and climbed onto one of the rocks. "Charlotte," she finally said, "My full name is Charlotte Elm." She looked over her shoulder at him. "We never really got to have much more of a conversation after...last night." She turned back to the way she had been facing.
 
Elm paused. They had reached the side of cave, piled with rocks that overlooked the edge of the jungle and the shore of the beach. The sun was setting on the horizon. She turned from the cave and climbed onto one of the rocks. "Charlotte," she finally said, "My full name is Charlotte Elm." She looked over her shoulder at him. "We never really got to have much more of a conversation after...last night." She turned back to the way she had been facing.

( I didn't get a notification... )


Alastair nodded, "Sorry to tell you, but I don't give out my last name... It's something I decided to abandon years ago." He said, climbing up a rock to sit next to her. "Is last why you brought me here?"

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm looked at Alastair, rolling her eyes. "Yes, I dragged you into the middle of a decrepit Cuban jungle to tell you my first name." She moved away from Alastair, then began to slowly climb off of the rock. "Forget it. Just forget it."

 

[Roman]

Alastair sighed and jumped down. "Elm. Is there something you're not telling me? I know you don't like us and all, but I will watch and make sure you're okay when I can. Not only because that's what I'm assigned to do, but because I was to." He explained. "Now please, is there something bothering you?"

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm sighed and leaned against the bottom rocks, looking at the sky. "That's the thing - I like YOU. I like you, and it's an odd feeling, and I don't know what to do about it. With the talking and that kiss..." She shook her head. "Like I said, forget it. It's probably difficult to understand."

 

[Roman]

Elm sighed and leaned against the bottom rocks, looking at the sky. "That's the thing - I like YOU. I like you, and it's an odd feeling, and I don't know what to do about it. With the talking and that kiss..." She shook her head. "Like I said, forget it. It's probably difficult to understand."

"No... it's not hard to understand." Alastair said smiling. He put a arm around her shoulders and chuckled, "I find it hard to understand how we only known one another for ONE day and you like me. What am I special?"

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm looked up at him and rolled her eyes, but didn't reject him putting his arm around her. "Don't get too cocky. You're just...different...what, you don't like me, then?"

 

[Roman]

Alastair chuckled, "I'm not being cocky. I'm just being nice." He began walking, back to the camp. "It's not that I don't like you, I will have to admit, you've grown on me. Just explain to me how I'm different. I'm just your average young naive pirate."

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm sighed, and looked back in the direction of the tavern. "Hey, idiot." She pointed toward the tavern. "I believe your loot is this way." She continued to walk in that direction. "I shouldn't have to explain who you are. You should know about yourself." She peered into the entrance of the tavern. "Just forget I said anything, Alastair," she mumbled, "Just come and help me look."

 

[Roman]

Alastair snickered, "Sorry, I forgot we had a few hours." He said following behind her. Alastair kept his eyes open for any suspicious. "I wan to know how I'm different to you? What makes me stand out?" He asked.

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm sighed and didn't respond for a while, them finally turned on him and blurted, "You take me seriously, okay?" She stood there, recollecting herself for a minute, then continued,"Whenever I step off a boat, men on the land whoop and holler, like I'm an object. I've been on the Pharoh for almost ten years, and almost know one on my crew has yet to take me seriously. I'm laughable to them...there are times when the captain wouldn't even take me seriously."

 

[Roman]

"Why wouldn't I take you seriously? We all do the same thing for a living. That being said, you should be able to do the things we do." Alastair said, walking at a steady pace. When Elm stopped he stopped. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. The Maiden may seem like a craziest place on the planet, but that's because, being a pirate isn't just about all the money and loot, at least to some pirates. I'll explain later, just come to my room, whenever you can."

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm gazed at him for a minute, then opened her mouth like she was gonna say something else. Instead, she closed it again and muttered a soft "well, thanks" before turning around again.


"I think I see something over here," she said, "If we can just find the loot, I could distract the natives during the moon harvest while you and your men escape, hopefully taking something you."

 

[Roman]

Alastair chuckled, "My mess, I'll clean it up. I got you all in this. The least I could do is get you all out." He said reaching for his dagger. He went wide eyed for a second, then remember they stripped his weapons. "If we're planning to do anything though, we need our weapons. They are most likely in the leader's tent." He said, as he began to run.

 

[erikaleeanne]

"Dammit, Alastair!" Elm began to run after him, grabbing his hand and pulling him to a stop. "Not now! The leader won't be out of his tent until the moon harvest even starts! God, you never think!"

 

[Roman]

Alastair stopped running when Elm grabbed him. He turned and looked at her, a confused look on his face, "But if we go now, we would make it back in time. See, look." He pointed to the sky. "We won't be early or late. We'd be there just in time to save both our asses. I do remember one of them saying, 'be back in time for moon harvest' or they'll kill our men. Now let's go."

 

[erikaleeanne]

Elm sighed and followed him. When they reached the village again, the villagers were standing in small crowds. Once they saw Elm and Alastair, they began cheering. Elm smiled and waved, approaching the villagers.


"Moon harvest?" she asked. The villagers nodded eagerly. Soon, they were all crowding around the lit fire, burning various incense and letting it wash over the campsite. They all looked at Elm, waiting for a reaction. She pretended to act like it was the most interesting thing in the world. After a few moments, she looked over her shoulder to Alastair and mouthed. "I got this. Get the men and get the loot."