His Home

TW// Mention of violence

It was like this for almost two years. Gerold would teach Elias to fight and despite all the wounds and how much his body would hurt after they were done, Elias grew fond of the sparring. Once Gerold gave him daggers to throw, and he quickly figured out that Elias was good at it. Since then, they would practise that as well every few days.

Some men on the ship were good to Elias - Theo, the cook, would sometimes give him bigger portions, while repeatedly reminding him that as he grew older it would need to stop. There was also Filp, who would always hum lovely melodies while working and tell stories to others every night. Elias would listen to them from afar. Filp would also bring him oranges from the shore. And there was Ed who had once shown him how to get up on the Crow's nest, where Elias would then spend most of his days, when he wasn't attached to other duties on the ship.

And then there was Nick. First few days of training with Gerold, he would come to Elias' hiding spot and help Elias clean and patch up his wounds. Eventually, after some time Elias would just go up to the helm and sit down in some shade and silently signal Nick to help him patch up the wound. In the meantime, Nick would tell him stories - of an island, Dalelry, how it came to be and the saint protecting it, he would tell him of the many battles of this ship, of his home and his sister.

However, not everyone was good to Elias. They were pirates after all. Some would purposely crash into him or push him to the ground. Some would steal portions of his food, mocking him and when Elias would come to Theo, he would merely tell him to be careful next time, but he didn't give him another portion.

So, Elias learned to be stealthy. He would steal things back and if he was hungry, he would sneak into the galley. He realised that he was rather good at being quiet and going unnoticed.

When fights started - either among the crew or upon being attacked - Elias was ordered to stay low and hide. Kian would say that it's just for now and that he wasn't yet ready. Elias didn't mind. With time he learned that Kian was Sabur's right hand and the crew had to obey him when he gave orders just as if he was Captain himself.

He was also forbidden to step foot on and whenever they would anchor on shore. The first time they docked, he couldn't help himself. All he saw was a chance to escape, a chance of freedom.

He didn't make it far before they caught up to him. And this time the punishment wasn't just one punch - it was far worse. Sabur beat him so hard that Elias had to pause lessons with Gerold and would only lay in his net in pain for three days. After that, he knew better than to attempt to escape again.

When Elias wasn't able to sleep, because of the dreams that would never let him forget, he sat on deck at the ship's railing, his feet dangling above the infinite blue. He would fidget his father's dagger in his hand, tracing the lines on the handle down to the crossguard and down the blade. He would stare at the red ruby glinting in the moonlight. He tried not to think of home or his parents. He figured that it would be better to forget about it, for he might never have a chance to go back to Parahill.

One of those nights the door to the Captain's cabin opened. Elias looked over his shoulder to Sabur slowly making his way to the other side of the ship. Sabur almost never left his cabin. The only time he did was under the cover of night.

Elias' gaze followed him. He was looking at his scarred face, his metal leg. Elias always wondered what might've happened to him. Suddenly, as if Sabur could hear his thoughts, he stopped and looked at Elias. They stared at each other, neither of them averting their eyes. After a minute Sabur removed his gaze and continued his way around the ship and then returned to his cabin.

Elias sat there for some time and when he was beginning to dose off, he put the dagger back into his coat and stood up to go to his net. He was just about to go inside, when suddenly became aware that he was being watched. Elias looked up at the mast.

The man with the big earring hanging from his right ear was intently observing him. Elias had learned from the crew that this was Pit, the mapmaker, and the navigator. He wasn't particularly popular amongst the crew, but when there was a brawl to be had, most of the time he was in the middle of it.

Pit was tying down the sails, but his eyes didn't leave Elias. Elias was used to the men looking and staring at him - some in resentment or annoyance, some even in awe and expectation and some in fear. But Pit's look was different. Elias couldn't pinpoint why, he just knew it didn't sit well with him.

Elias decided he wouldn't pay him any mind and disappeared below deck.

The following day they landed on an island. It wasn't a particularly big chunk of land. Elias could see a small village by the coast and then a vast forest covering the island.

When the ship docked, Elias sat by the railing, taking in the island, bluntly aware that he wouldn't be allowed to step foot on it. Nick came to him and leaned his hands against the black wood.

"This is Dalelry. We'll be staying here for two weeks." He paused, the silence between them being disturbed by seagulls. "I've talked to Sabur. You can go on shore and explore it."

Elias jerkily turned his head to him. "He allowed it on condition that you don't run away. I assured him you won't." He cleared his throat. "Either way, there is no way you can leave the island." He leaned on the railing and said in a low voice. "Believe me, I've tried."

He left him to sit in silence. Elias' heart started racing.

He could go on shore!

He could leave!

Elias looked over his shoulder and instantly locked eyes with Sabur, seemingly looming in the shade of the ship's architecture. Elias' body began to ache. Suddenly, he remembered the pain that Sabur had caused him.

He knew better than to run away.

Elias found himself afraid to step on the shore. He hasn't felt solid ground underneath his feet in nearly two years. He hesitated at first and after a deep breath warily made a step forward. He looked at his feet steady on the ground in disbelief, rapidly blinked twice and suddenly found himself running down the cobblestone path up to the village.

His smile grew wider with every stride.

Elias stopped at the main road leading up the village. He noticed some of the men from The Rose Sparrow, hugging the women who were waiting for them in the entryways of the houses. Nick had explained to him that some men still had families here. Other members of the crew were carrying bags and barrels of food and provisions they raided into a bigger building, which Elias guessed to be some kind of storage room.

Elias continued up the road and stumbled upon someone picking apples from the tree that grew by their house. The woman noticed the kid staring, so she picked one of the apples and threw it to Elias with a smile. Elias looked down at the fruit - he hadn't had one in years. He looked back to the woman and grinned.

As he was walking, he admired the village while munching on his treasured fruit. The further up the road he went, more of the houses looked abandoned. There was also a bigger building that looked like a church. Elias remembered the story Filp and Nick told about the saint protecting this island. This must've been the church built for him.

Where the village ended a dense forest started. Elias looked over his shoulder at The Rose Sparrow, boasting at the pier, the sun setting behind it. Nick said he was allowed to explore and that they would be here for two weeks. Yet, he was still afraid that Sabur would beat him if he didn't return at night. Something told him that Nick would also get into a lot of trouble if he didn't return.

He once again glanced at the forest and then turned around to get back to the ship.

When Elias returned to the ship it was already dusk. Nick looked down at him and asked. "Thought you would want to sleep on the island?" When he saw Elias' confused face he added. "You don't need to come back to the ship every night."

Elias slightly nodded, not sure if that was true. He didn't think about it too much. If he was already on the ship, he would sleep on it today and then return to the shore tomorrow. As he was about to go to his net, he caught Sabur in the shadow by the door of his cabin. He slightly nodded and returned into his dark abode.

Elias' mind spiralled with questions.

Was this a test?

Did I pass?

Elias shrugged internally and went down the ship. He would find out in two weeks' time.

He got up before the sun, excitement rushing through his veins. Elias grabbed a bag, he found lying in a storage area and went to the kitchen where he quietly picked up some food. He fastened his dagger to the belt of his trousers and went up on deck.

There was no one up on the deck except for Nick drowsing off on his shift. When he noticed Elias on the deck he nodded towards him. Elias waved back and then headed straight to the shore.

He quickly made his way up the village to where the forest started. He stopped before it, took a big breath and entered the forest.

As the sun hasn't fully risen yet, the forest was almost pitch black. Elias figured that the remaining locals who lived here hadn't stepped into the forest in a long time - there were no paths, no cleared out areas. Elias had to use his dagger to make it through the dense greenery.

He didn't know where he was going, but that didn't stop him. He hasn't felt this excited and happy since- well, in a while. It felt like the first time he was allowed to explore Parahill all alone.

There were so many trees and flowers Elias had never seen before. He was particularly fond of little blue flowers scattered across the ground just by the village. He came across fruits, familiar and new. Elias gathered the ones he knew in the bag and made sure to pay attention to which of the unfamiliar ones animals would eat.

As he was making his way through the woods, he stumbled upon a forest clearing where short grass grew. At that time, the sun had already risen, illuminating the clearing with the first rays of sun.

Elias went further in the forest, where the terrain became steeper. From the ship he could see a hill and he figured if he got there, he could see the whole island from there. The climb wasn't too arduous, and he rapidly made his way to the top.

Elias stopped, taking in big gulps of air, and finally taking in the view. He was right, you could really see the whole island from up where he stood. The sun shone down on the waking nature, the seagulls soaring gracefully in the air. They were so close that Elias felt like he could almost touch them. He could hear faraway buzz of the village and the crew from the shore.

And he heard a river. Elias scanned the terrain to find it. He could just barely see it down the hill, so he went to it.

It was more of a stream than a river, though it was still wider than the length of Elias. He grabbed a canteen and filled it up, while also reaching his hands to drink it. The river must end somewhere, thought Elias, so he walked along with it. At first it wasn't hard but as Elias got further down it, it became impossible to continue. Elias also didn't want to go in the water and swim along it - the current of it was too strong.

And he now realised, he could hear a waterfall.

Elias looked around to find a tree he could climb up. He returned his dagger to the belt and climbed up a solid looking tree. When he got up he looked to see if he could see the waterfall he was hearing. It was hidden behind trees and Elias could barely see the rock wall where the water was falling down.

He had to find a way to get there.

After he got over the river and down the hill he stopped before a tall stone wall. He could hear the waterfall, but he struggled to locate the muffled sound's origin. The grey barrier was steep and quite smooth - it would be too dangerous for Elias to climb it.

Upon looking around he discovered there were some flower vines growing down it. He grabbed one and yanked it hard, putting his full weight on it. It wasn't tearing, so he went a little to the right, where the vines grew more thickly. Elias would tie himself up on one and then climb up the wall.

As he was about to do so, he tried to lean against the stone, however when he reached for it, there was nothing. His hand went through the vines. Elias moved the densely grown vines revealing a dark cave.

Elias' heart jumped in excitement.

A secret cave!

Elias rummaged through his bag and pulled out a match he stole from the kitchen. He lit it and boldly stepped in the cavern, letting the vines down behind him, the darkness and coldness of the cave swallowing him entirely.

As the weak light illuminated the stone around him, Elias noticed that the cave spread much further than he anticipated.

And he could hear the waterfall more clearly now.

He carefully made his way towards the sound. Eventually, the light from the other side shone its way in. When he came to the end of the cave, Elias' hand which was holding the match, dropped limply to his side, blowing the fire out with it. His jaw mimicked the fall of his arm as his pupils widened.

He found himself standing in a lagoon surrounded by a big sheer rock overgrown with lush greenery. At the top of the stone wall, there was the waterfall he was looking for, falling into the crystal turquoise lake which ended in a river flowing through the thick forest ahead. The sun was high in the sky and the light illuminating the surface of the lake reflected in white swirls on the rock surrounding the lagoon.

Elias didn't even realise he was holding in his breath.

He had never seen a place as beautiful as this.

His smile grew wider with each and every detail he took in. He couldn't help himself - he stripped down his clothes and jumped into the lake. The water was still cold, but Elias didn't mind it. He laughed out loud as he swam in it.

Elias idly floated on his back, looking up at the blue sky.

In this moment he could forget about his worries. In this moment he could pretend that he was free.

He swam to the waterfall, holding his hands in it and drinking the crystal water from his hands. Something caught his eyes. There was something behind the waterfall.

Elias quickly ran out of the water and pulled up his trousers. He walked towards the water falling into the lake and peeked behind it. There was a passage behind it. Elias stepped in to investigate. The passage was narrow at first and then it opened up into a big cavern.

Elias' smile grew wider.

In just a mere day, Elias grew to love this little mysterious island called Dalelry.

In the days that followed, Elias proclaimed the cave to be his, despite not knowing if someone in the past had found it before him. He had brought food from the storage house, lanterns, and blankets from the abandoned houses. He had carved little shelves into the stone and made a fireplace outside the cave.

He had made the lagoon his hidden secret home.

Almost two weeks passed, Elias was sitting by the lake, staring at his reflection. In the past years his skin got darker, hair long enough that he could put it in a low ponytail. But his eyes were the same. Same shade of blue as his fathers.

Elias thought about it. He could stay here and hide. The crew wouldn't be able to find him. He could live the rest of his days here.

Suddenly, his bones started itching, the pain from the past beatings came to him as if he had been beaten merely an hour ago. Elias knew that no matter how good he was at hiding, they would eventually find him. And he had a feeling that if he didn't return, Nick would be the one to get punished.

Elias couldn't do that to him.

After an hour of thinking and contemplating he got up, filled his bag up, took the dagger and left his little home.

When he got to the village, the ship was preparing to set sail. Elias hurried to it, just barely making it in time. He leaned on the railing, trying to catch his breath.

"Thought ya weren't comin' back." Elias turned to see Gerold walking to him and leaning on the railing beside him. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Elias figured he was talking about the island. Elias followed his gaze and nodded.

"Don't ya worry. We'll come back here eventually." He placed one hand on Elias' shoulder and turned around to leave. "Tomorrow we continue yer trainin'."

Elias looked at him and then back at Dalelry.

They would return to it.

He just had to wait until then.

The pain spread up his arms like a dozen crawling spiders and he had to effortfully grip his sword tighter to prevent it from falling.

"Didn't I tell ya to practise?" said Gerold, playfully twirling his sword around.

He did tell him to practise, however Elias was so caught up in exploring Dalelry that simply slipped his mind. He looked down at his fresh cut wound.

"Eyes up, kid." He started circling around Elias. "Think of it as a dance." He lunged forward and Elias couldn't move his left hand away in time, for Gerold to strike him. "Hide yer hand behind yer back! Don't just let it flail about like ye don't know what yer doin'."

Elias did so, despite it feeling rather unnatural to him. He tried going for Gerold, but missed him a couple of times. In his focusing on the attacks, he subconsciously brought his left hand to his side and Gerold sharply smacked it again.

"Stop it!" Elias' dropped the sword and covered his arm, where Gerold struck him. "This isn't working."

Elias didn't want to meet his eyes, feeling ashamed and disappointed in himself. Gerold started impatiently walking around, contemplating what he should do with Elias. Suddenly he stopped mid step. He turned to Elias.

"Pick up yer sword." Elias hesitated, but still picked it up. Gerold turned his sword and handed it to Elias. Elias looked him up with confusion. "Take it. With the other hand."

Elias took it, trying to balance both of the grips. Gerold pulled out a third sword and pointed it towards Elias. "Now try."

And Elias did.

And it was the first time Elias managed to strike Gerold.

Somehow this was revolutionary, it felt much better and more solid when Elias was dual wielding the swords. Just like that his other hand wasn't redundant anymore, it was not in the way but was in fact great advantage. It was much easier for him like that.

Rush of adrenaline flew through his veins as he charged again. He saw Gerold smile as he parried the attack and then returned the favour. Elias blocked it with both swords. As they fought with each other, the crew gathered around them, watching them intensely.

Elias' heart was beating with excitement and thrill and before he knew it Gerold's sword came flying out of his hand, landing with a clank on the black wood.

Elias managed to disarm Gerold.

At first he only saw shock in Gerold's face and then a wide genuine grin stretched across his face. "Good job, kid."

A cheering ay sounded through the crew and with a corner of his eyes, Elias caught Kian smile and nod in satisfaction.

"You put on quite a show." said Nick as he sat beside Elias in his secret spot, while he was patching up his wound. "Even Kian was cheering."

Elias finished with the last stitch and looked up at Nick with a bright smile.

"Not everyone can defeat Gerold. Aside from Kian he is the greatest fighter on The Rose Sparrow."

Elias couldn't help but blush, feeling immensely proud of himself.

"Just try not to lose yourself in it."

Elias looked at him, but he didn't meet his eyes. As Elias saw that he wouldn't continue, he didn't prod any further. Some things were better left unspoken.

After a minute of silence Nick turned to Elias. "Your hair is getting long; it could get in your way. Want me to cut it for you?"

Elias paused to think then nodded and Nick pulled out one of his pocket knives. He gestured to Elias to turn around, gently grabbed a strand of hair and pulled the blade across it. When he finished, Elias' hair was the same length it was when he was taken from Parahill. Nick, seemingly proud of his work, put the knife away in his pocket.

"There, it should be easier now, little guy."

He stood up to leave.

"Thank you." managed Elias with a low weak voice.

Nick turned around, unable to completely conceal his astonishment and smiled. "Of course, no problem."

"E-Elias." He fidgeted with his fingers, afraid to meet his eyes. "My name is Elias."

Nick nodded, a smile still on his face when he left.

That night Elias couldn't sleep - he was too thrilled, the adrenaline, still present form the match keeping him from closing his eyes. He decided to go up on deck and stroll around.

The dark of the night was accompanied by a cold breeze which made a low howling noise traveling through the ship. Autumn was coming. He was just passing the Captain's cabin when he overheard Nick talking to Sabur.

"He has potential." Said a rough, low voice.

Nick sounded desperate. "He's a kid, Sabur."

"One day he won't be anymore."

Elias hastily moved on, knowing that he shouldn't eavesdrop on Captains conversations. But Sabur's words kept reverberating through his mind.

One day he won't be a kid anymore.

Sabur was wrong.

Elias stopped being a kid the day they took him from Parahill.