Chapter 32

TW// Violence

Tivon stayed close to Elias, holding the dagger firmly in his hand, but not doing much with it. With all the stress he already had, with all the blood around him, the people falling lifelessly in front of his eyes, he couldn't concentrate. With every fallen pirate, he could see Aileanas bloodied face in them.

Fortunately, there weren't many Golden Hinds anymore, so Tivon and Elias could head back to the ship. They could already see most of the crew and Sabur on the cobblestone pier, Pit standing by him, his eyes fixed on Tivon. Tivon didn't think about it as much, because Pit was always staring at him, but this time he had this weird grin on him. Tivon leaned against the stone railing, looking down to the sea. The sea was so deep that he couldn't even see the seabed. He tried to catch a breath and calm his pounding heart.

»Was the wine really poisoned?« Asked Sabur.

»Yes.« Tivon sighed. »It was poisoned with Visha flowers.« Said Tivon with a shaky voice.

»This whole assembly was a waste of time.« Protested Elias as he crossed his arms. »And men.«

Sabur turned away and said. »And there's gonna be two more.«

Two people grabbed Tivon and another two grabbed Elias.

»What is happening?! Sabur, what the hell!« Screamed Elias, he looked at Tivon, who was as shocked as him, unable to speak.

»You have been holding your tongue behind your teeth for far too long.« Sabur looked at everyone. »Why won't you tell the others, the little secret you've been holding.«

Elias peered through Saburs with eyes burning with fury.

»There is no secrets Sabur. Release me and Tivon in this fucking moment!«

Sabur turned to him, slowly approached him. He pulled out a silver bracelet from behind Eliass shirt. »Where did you get this then?«

Elias didn't look away when he said. »I found it.« He said it with such confidence that even Tivon believed him.

Sabur only smiled and tilted his head. The men who held Tivon punched him in the stomach and the other tied him up with rope.

»Tivon!« Screamed Elias. He tried to free himself from the two men holding him, but no luck.

»Tell us and we won't throw him off into the sea.« Said Sabur calmly, his voice echoing through the cobblestone.

They attached a big, heavy rock on Tivon.

»Fucking release him Sabur!« His panicked eyes met Tivons.

Saburs voice was calm. »Tell us and I won't.«

Tivon nodded off to Elias not to tell them. Elias closed his mouth, looking away from Tivon.

»Fine.« Said Sabur.

The two men threw Tivon over the edge. Tivon didn't even had time to scream. The fall was big and it seemed to Tivon as he had been falling for hours. Eventually, he hit the water with his back, immediately knocking him out of his consciousness, the deep sea swallowing him down into the darkness.

»Tivon! Tivon!« Cried Elias hysterically. He tried to free himself from the men holding them. He could feel warm tears falling down his cheeks.

»For fuck sake Sabur, he's gonna drown!«

Sabur looked at him unimpressed.

If Elias were alone he wouldn't tell. He was good at being silent. He never would give in, but this time he couldn't. It was Tivon's life on the line. Elias gave in.

»Okay, okay. He's a prince of The Kingdom of Naydawin!« He moved, trying to free himself from the grip. »Now fucking release me!«

Sabur nodded to the guys. As soon as they loosened the pressure Elias grabbed a rope by the edge and jumped down into the deep sea.

He could see Tivon slowly falling deeper and deeper. He swam to him and cut of the rope. As soon as he grabbed Tivons waist the crew started pulling them out. He gripped the rope and Tivon tightly.

When they pulled him out of the water he looked at Tivon. »Tivon?« His chest wasn't moving and his heart wasn't pounding. »Tivon, wake up.«

When they've pulled them on the pier, Elias laid Tivon on the cold cobblestone ground and started resuscitating him.

»Wake up Tivon!« He was pushing his chest with as much force as he could. »Tivon!«

He suddenly opened his eyes, spitting out water. Before Elias could release a relived breathe the men grabbed him and Tivon, who was still gasping for air.

»Hey. Hey!« Shouted Elias.

Sabur turned to Elias. »You did well Elias.« Tivon looked at Elias confused. »You did well, bringing the prince to me.«

»What?!« Elias couldn't believe Saburs words.

Tivon looked at Elias, in disbelieve. »Elias?«

»N-no. Tivon is not what you think.«

Sabur put his hand on Tivons shoulder. »Quite a liar, isn't he?«

Elias tried to free himself. »Tivon, don't listen to him. He's lying, I have nothing to do with this.«

A sudden punch from Sabur knocked out Elias.

»Elias!« Yelled Tivon, his lungs still burning from the water.

»Put them in a separate cells.« Said Sabur walking towards the board leaned against the ship.

The men holding Tivon followed Sabur up the ship.

»W-wait. No.« Tivon looked over his shoulder to unconscious Elias. »Elias!« His lungs burned so much, but he still screamed for him. »Elias!«

The men holding him pushed his head forward. »Shut up shary!«

They carried him below deck and before entering, Tivon glanced back to see that they took Elias to the other side of the ship.

Tivon stopped walking. »Where are you taking him?«

»Non of ya business.« They pushed him through the door.

They put Tivon in the cell that he was already familiar with. It was the same cell from when he first crossed path with The Rose Sparrow. They shoved him in, so that Tivon fell to the ground and locked him in. His back was already hurting from the impact of the fall into the water and his lungs were still burning.

This isn't happening. He sat up and leaned against the wall. This couldn't be it. Sabur must be lying. Elias would never... He clutched his knees to his chest and put his head in between. Had Elias been lying all this time? His wet body started to shiver. All this time with him...

Someone opened the trapdoor and Tivon put his head up from his knees. Nick quietly came down the stairs and put Tivons bag by the cell door.

»For if you need the medicine.« He said with a calm voice, avoiding Tivons questioning eyes. He turned to leave.

»What will you do with me?«

Nick stopped, hesitating to answer. »I don't know.«

»You're the helmsman. You know where we're going.«

Nick was surprised to hear the roughness in Tivons voice. »Sabur hasn't given the orders yet.«

»What will happen to Elias?«

»Why do you care? He lied to you.« Said Nick this time looking Tivon directly in his eyes.

Tivon said nothing. Why do I care?

Nick sighed and went up the stairs. »Just try not to get in trouble.«

And he left. He left Tivon by himself with just his thoughts. The thoughts that were slowly starting to eat him alive.

Elias woke up on the ground of the cell. He leaned on his hands and tried to sit up.

»Tivon...« He said before looking around.

»He's not here.« Said a raspy voice from the shadows.

In second all of anger trapped inside Elias came up and he lunged at the cell bars.

»Where the fuck is he?!«

Sabur moved from the shadows into the low light.

»Not your business. I'll take care of him.«

Elias stretched his arms, grabbed Sabur by the collar and pulled him to his face.

»It is my fucking business and you're gonna tell me.«

His blue eyes glew in the darkness of the cell.

»If you'd tell me earlier that a prince of Naydawin was on my ship, we wouldn't be where we are now.«

Elias gripped harder. »What will you do with him?«

Sabur grabbed Eliass hands. »Release me and I will tell.«

Elias thought for a bit and then he slowly released him.

»Atta boy.« He stepped back. »Tivon will be reunited with his parents.«

»What?!«

Sabur ignored him. »And the people love an interesting story. Nobody wants a runaway future king, but what if he was actually kidnapped.«

Elias was trying to connect the dots, his look baffled.

»They will love the story of The Masked man, The Grímur kidnapping a young prince, soon to be king.«

»N-no...«

Sabur stepped to the door. »And shary will believe it too.«

»No!« He ran towards Sabur, but this time he was too far. »You fucking coward Sabur. Let me out in this fucking moment!«

Sabur only smiled. It was a vicious, evil smile. »You'll be out of this cell soon enough Elias.« He opened the door and went outside, hearing Elias scream when he closed the door. »Soon enough Elias.«