Traitor of Tunis

November 11, 1444.

Tunis, Djerba Island.

In the quiet, coastal village of Djerba, situated off the northeastern coast of Tunisia, a young boy named Salah and his younger brother Ali-Zalil were waiting patiently for their father, a Pirate.

"When will father be back?" Ali-Zalil questioned.

"Be patient Ali" Salah answered.

Salah is the older brother of the two, he was 10 years old while his brother was only 8. Their father is a pirate so they don't see him often. Salah's family wasn't really the richest nor the poorest, Tunis itself was having an economic crisis, so the standard of living was quite low, Salah's family wasn't the poorest because their father was a pirate, he would often raid countries such as the Ottomans, Venice, and Naples.

"Hey Salah, when we grow up and become pirates, we will raid every single coast in the sea!" Ali-Zalil exclaimed.

"Who said I want to become a pirate?" Salah questioned with a growing frown on his face.

"Not this again Salah, what job is there that can make more money than piracy?"

"hm," Salah didn't continue the conversation and looked back at the ever-lasting sea.

Though Salah's father is a pirate, he never wants to become one, not because he's scared or thinks it doesn't make much money, but because he sees it as an indecent job. Raiding innocent people, slavery, and killing the innocent didn't sit right with him. 

.

After a few hours of waiting, the two of them got hungry so they went back home. Their house wasn't much, it was just a small house made of white stones, it only had 2 bedrooms, and no bathroom, and when you entered the house, you would instantly be in the dining room alongside the kitchen. 

Only the 3 of them lived in this house, Salah and his brother with their father. Their mother had died giving birth to Ali-Zalil.

"Ali, Salah!"

As they were eating, a startling sound roar outside their house was heard by the two. When they went outside, they saw a bald-headed person with brown skin and ragged clothing, it was their father's friend, Ismail.

"Uncle Ismail, what's wrong" Salah pondered with a growing frown.

"Y-Your father!"

"Uncle, what about father? What happened?!" Ali yelled out before letting Ismail finish speaking.

"Y-Your father, he's heavily injured and currently getting treated in the port gathering place. They fought against the Araggon fleet 4 days ago, and many people were injured and some died in the battle. A doctor said he might not make it!"

"You're lying, Uncle Ismail!" 

Ali couldn't believe what he heard, he idolized his father from a young age, and he believed his father would never die. Like Ali, Salah was scared, he didn't want his only parent to die, and he couldn't take care of his little brother right now, as he was only 10.

"Uncle, please take us to where father is" Salah commanded

You could hear the fear in his voice, but his face was calm. When Ismail saw this, he nodded, understanding the fear in Salah's voice, but Ali didn't hear this, he only saw the unfazed face of Salah, in his head, Salah didn't care, he didn't care about his father. 

"Salah," Ali mumbled with a growing anger in his voice

He finally understood now, he understood why Salah didn't want to become a pirate just like their father.

.

When they reached the gathering place for pirates, they saw many people buzzing around a medium-sized house. This place was sacred, a place where pirates gather, Ironic because this place is one of the safest places on the island.

"Move!"

A voice woke up the 3 standing guys in front of the house, they saw the person that yelled at them, it was a pirate carrying a person, and the person he was carrying was bleeding hard, with no right arm and no right leg.

The 3 didn't mind the blood, they saw it way too many times to be bothered by it now. When they realized that they were just standing doing nothing, they looked at each other and nodded, signaling to go inside.

"Excuse me, have you seen a bald person with a short beard? His name is Khanchla." Salah questioned

Salah questioned a guy walking inside the house. When he saw Salah asking and stopping him, he was a bit annoyed because he was busy at the moment.

"I don't know who you're talking about, there are many people that are bald with short beards in this place kid, don't bother people again, we're currently busy trying to help people that are in dire need of help," The guy said.

"Uncle, don't you know where father is?! you're the one that told us that he's injured!" Ali expressed.

"Ali-Zalil!" Salah yelled back at Ali.

"Sorry Ali, I saw him getting dragged to this place, I went back to find you guys and tell you what happened, I don't know where they put him..." 

"Enough of this, let's split up and meet here in 30 minutes, we need to find Father" Salah stated with a disappointed look at Ali.

Ali didn't want to argue more and just wanted to find his father, he wanted to know if he was safe, and he also didn't want to fight with his brother.

"Father..." The two muttered as they split up.

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I wanted to write more but it's 1a.m for me and I have class tomorrow. I will definitely make my chapters longer, but my updates will be slow because I'm very busy, I'm only writing as my hobby.