Chapter 17

The Right Gift

“I’ve got you! There is no escape!” Adem yelled as he jumped down from the gazebo railing and waving his sword above his head.

“You have to catch me first, Black Panther! And you don’t stand a chance!” Tadi yelled in reply waving his own sword in response.

“Ha! You don’t have any place to run!” Adem called.

“I have a whole yard!” Tadi replied, grinning at his friend.

That caused Adem to pause. “It’s not a yard. We are on the sea.”

Justin laughed from his place on the gazebo steps. “Then the two of you are walking on water.”

The boys looked at each other. Tadi stood a few feet away from where Adem had landed when he jumped. Justin leaned against the doorway to the gazebo watching with an amused expression. There was no one else in the yard for a change, but with all the yelling that was probably better.

“We need another ship,” Adem finally complained.

“What about your Aunt Jada’s bench? The bad pirates only need a small ship anyway,” Justin suggested helpfully.

Tadi shot him a dirty look. “Thank you so much.”

Justin shrugged. “Hey, I was smart and chose to be on the Panther’s side.”

“He picked you!” Tadi protested.

“Good thing too, huh?” Justin replied, stepping off the gazebo. “Because we are about to whip your butt.”

“Yeah!” Adem exclaimed, even as Tadi took off running.

The chase lasted for a good five minutes before Justin managed to cut him off. Tadi took a left turn and raced into the rose garden. Adem howled and quickly followed. Justin shook his head and plunged in after them. He saw Adem twice before he managed to catch sight of Tadi sneaking out of the garden on his left. Justin yelled a warning to Adem and took off after Tadi. He charged out of the garden only to have a large wooden sword hit him in the shins.

Justin yelled and hopped around for a moment, before looking sourly at Tadi who grinned and moved quickly out of Justin’s reach. Tadi backpedaled so quickly though, he missed seeing a bench behind him and fell over backwards. Seconds later, Adem landed on his stomach, sword raced triumphantly.

“We win! Surrender, vile pirate!” Adem yelled.

“You don’t even know what vile means!”

Adem paused a moment thinking. “Very, very bad,” he finally said with a grin. He pointed the tip of his sword at Tadi. “That means you.”

Tadi groaned.

“You're lucky he caught you before I did,” Justin commented. “You are dead next time. Just you wait.”

“Next time, I’m on the Black Panther’s side,” Tadi said quickly.

Adem nodded as he stood up. “Yeah, and we are coming after you!” He pointed his sword at Justin and took a menacing step forward.

“You might want to think that over, Adem,” Justin warned.

“I’m not Adem. I’m the Black Panther the most feared Pirate on the seas!”

Justin grinned as he thought, not for long, soon the Falconer is going to have that title. Zerlinda will have new legendary pirate, even better than the Black Panther. He’d had three weeks of Evyn teasing him with the new name to grow comfortable with it.

“Hey, you three! Lunch is ready! Why don’t you come get cleaned up?” Kiliki called coming up to them.

“Come on, Adem, I’ll race you to the house,” Tadi challenged taking off.

“No fair!” Adem yelled, in quick pursuit.

Kiliki shook her head as the two raced by her. She turned to Justin and linked her arm in his. “Thanks for playing with them.”

“It’s fun. It would be relaxing, if Tadi wasn’t so adapt with that sword of his,” Justin replied with a wince.

Kiliki grinned at him as they started to walk. “What did he do?”

“He was hiding behind the hedge and rapped my shins a good one.”

That comment caused Kiliki to laugh hard. “The Great Falconer brought low by a fifteen year old! Don’t let Evyn know!”

“You certainly better not. Though if Adem saw he’s already told the whole town.” Justin paused for a moment. “Kiliki, can I ask you something?”

Kiliki looked at him. “Of course you can. You know that.”

“You call me Falconer so easily. Was it that easy to switch for you?”

Kiliki thought as they walked. Finally, she responded, “You will always be Justin to me. But the Falconer suits you.”

“More so than Black Panther.”

Kiliki smiled up at him. “Tommy will always be the Black Panther. But then I’m biased.”

Justin laughed. “I guess that really isn’t a fair question.”

“Not necessarily. It’s just that to me Tommy is the Panther and you are Justin. But I do like your new title and it fits you quite well.” Kiliki paused thoughtfully. “I love Tommy, but the Black Panther has been an idol for you most of your life. The problem with idols is that they tend to fall.”

“Okay…” Justin said slowly, unsure about the new direction of the conversation.

Kiliki smiled gently. “I just don’t want you to get hurt, Justin. And I know how much you admire Tommy. Still, he is only human and so are you. Changing your name will not change that fact. If you are depending on the name to make you famous you are depending on the wrong thing. God is the only one who deserves our dependence. Everyone else will fail at some point.” Kiliki turned and pulled him to a stop. “Even you, Justin Falconer,” she added softly.

“I won’t fail, Kiliki. I learned too much and I’m careful. Now that I’ve decide to use Falconer everyone will know my name,” Justin stated confidently.

“Maybe, but I bet you find out that it won’t be worth it,” Kiliki commented.

“What? How could it not?” Justin exclaimed as the two walked up the steps onto the back porch where Adem and Tadi were arguing over who got the Jaken fruit and who got the apple.

“You want to be a legendary pirate because you think that will make you feel worthy. You want the respect,” Kiliki responded. “Personally, I’ve seen the respect of the pirates and it’s not worth it, however, if you do achieve their admiration, I bet you will find that their admiration will not fill the hole you are trying to make.”

“What hole?” Justin asked nervous now. Kiliki seemed to know more than he had ever given her credit for.

“The same hole in their heart that everyone is trying to fill. If you are not whole without their respect you will never be whole with it. The only thing that can fill that space is God and one day you’re going to end up realizing that,” Kiliki’s voice was gently as she spoke, but filled with conviction.

Justin thought about it for a few moments, but finally shook his head. “You can believe that I guess.”

Kiliki laughed softly. “Justin, the truth will always be true, whether you believe it or not.”

Justin stopped short and Kiliki turned to look at him in surprise. “Tommy said the same thing.”

Kiliki nodded. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

“What exactly do you mean?”

Kiliki paused and settled a second argument between the two eating boys and then picked up a few carrot sticks from the plate. She added some to her son’s plate and then handed Justin one. “Justin, what do you have in your hand?”

“A carrot stick,” Justin said, feeling the game was stupid already.

“What if I told you it was a celery stick?”

“You’d be wrong.”

“But why? I believe that is a celery stick, then for me I must be right. You believe it is a carrot doesn’t mean I have too,” Kiliki explained. “What makes it a carrot stick and not celery?”

“Because it is,” Adem’s voice came from the direction of the table.

Kiliki turned around to face him and asked, “Why, Adem?”

“Mom, everybody know a carrot stick is a carrot stick, you can’t make it something else just ‘cause you want too, silly.” Adem took a bit of his own carrot stick then smiled at Justin. “Right, Justin?”

“Right, Adem,” he managed to say.

Kiliki nodded. “So, no matter how hard I believe in my own mind that this is a celery stick it will still always be a carrot, huh?”

“Of course, Mom,” Adem grinned.

Kiliki turned back to see Justin. “And no matter how hard you believe the truth is false, it will still always be the truth.”

“I get what you’re telling me, but that’s an awful lot to take in,” Justin muttered.

“So think about it some more. The truth isn’t going anywhere and it’s not changing no matter how much you wish it would,” Kiliki said, with a smile.

“Maybe. I’ll think about it some more at least. Okay?”

Kiliki nodded. “That’s all I ask. You might even want to talk to Tommy about it, but of course it’s up to you.”

Justin smiled at her amused now. “I just might.”

“Hey, Justin, if you were planning on getting a cookie you better grab one before Adem finishes his!” Tadi called, as he shot a teasing grin at the scowling Adem.

“Mine,” Justin called, grabbing it just before Adem managed too.

>~>~>~><~<~<~<

“Board them,” Justin commanded.

A loud whoop filled the air as the pirates of The Guardian Star launched themselves onto the doomed vessel. She had barely put up a fight before dipping her colors and Justin doubted her crew would be much of a problem. This was probably a good thing, since he hadn’t really been concentrating since his crew had picked him up a few weeks ago. Kiliki’s and Tommy’s assertions about God and His role in Justin’s life kept coming to his mind. He had never paid much attention to the God his friends served. He seemed so far away and He had obviously never done anything for Justin, so why should he bother to care? He did know one thing. Submitting to their God meant His will first instead of Justin’s own and that wasn’t something Justin was willing to do. Especially not when he could now look fully into the face of his future and enjoy the images he saw coming true. His name, The Falconer, famous throughout all of Zerlinda, famous and feared, no one would ever look down on him, nor cast him aside again.

He patted the object beside him and a small smile came over his features. It was the exact reason he’d commissioned the object to be made and today would be the first time it was used.

“Captain! They’ve surrendered!” Maath called from the lower deck.

“Very good, Maath. Have Inu return to the ship and bring this over.” He stroked the object.

Maath grinned. “Aye, aye, Captain.”

Inu was at his side in only seconds. Justin nodded at him and handed him the heavy object. “You know what to do.”

Inu nodded his head vigorously. “Sure, do, Captain. Can’t wait to see the new look.”

“Me neither,” Justin replied, walking down the steps and across the board that connected the two ships.

The opposing crew was tied to the main mast or sitting in small groups tied together. The Captain was sitting on the steps to the forecastle, his hands behind his back and his hat on the dog’s head sitting beside him. Justin shook his head, recognizing Maath’s handy work. He gestured to the Great Cabin.

“Mind if I have a look? I didn’t think so,” he said without waiting for a response.

The cabin of The Swift Flight was modest compared to most, with only a single armchair, a desk, smaller bed, and a few shelves and trunks. Justin paused at the shelves and noticed a new spyglass with small jewels lining the outer casing. He picked the object up and pocketed it. On the table were a few papers, but nothing that looked of value, except the ledge of the goods currently on board. Namid would be glad to see that. It made the calculating so much easier. A couple of blue ribbons hung from one of the posts for the bed, perhaps belonging to the captain’s latest mistress. Justin pocketed those as well. Using one of the keys he found in a drawer, he opened two of the trunks and smiled at the gold and jewels inside. It was a good day’s wage indeed. The modest ship held much treasure. Justin closed the lids and headed back out to the deck. He’d have Maath start a crew on clearing the good stuff out.

“You have some fine pieces, Captain,” Justin said, pulling out the spyglass to better examine it in the light.

“That belongs to the king!” The captain spouted angrily.

Justin laughed. “You mean it did before you stole it. It’s a very fine piece.” He looked through it. The sight was very good and clear. He didn’t really need another, still the piece intrigued him. Suddenly, he smiled as he realized what he could do with it. Dabria was constantly borrowing his to look out and see what she could spot. It would be the perfect gift for the seventeen year old and Salena would love the ribbons. “I have just the girl for this,” he stated out loud.

“Girl!” The captain sputtered.

Namid laughed. “Dabria will be pleased, Captain.”

Justin nodded. “Yes, she will.”

“I know you! You won’t get away with this, Black Panther! Even now, we are rising up to put a stop to you.”

“From the bottom step?” Justin questioned mockingly. “Please, have you not heard? The Black Panther was my teacher. I am the Falconer.” He lowered his face to the Captain’s. “And I assure you, little captain, I am much worse.” A bang from the side of the ship was heard and the captain’s face turned to horror. “Ah, the deed is completed then. You’ve been marked, Captain. You should feel honored.” He started to walk back to his own ship and called over his shoulder, “You are the first to receive the mark of the dreaded Falconer.”

Justin crossed to his own ship to await the loading of the goods to be transferred. He strode up to the forecastle deck and looked across to where The Swift Flight’s name used to be. Over top of it now, branded in black was the shape of two wings spread out with an ‘F’ in-between them. He’d commissioned the brand while he had been at Triger and both Tommy and Evyn had given their hearty approval of the new way to mark ships that had been hit by the Falconer.

“It’s the start of a great new future,” Justin promised himself out loud.

>~>~>~><~<~<~<

Nine months was a long time, Justin decided as he watched Dabria and Salena walk around his ship. He had started picking her up when she was only nine. Was it really that long ago? She had turned seventeen this year, they both had. She had always been a small girl, and she was still petite, but it was unmistakable she had grown. Even between last year and this, it seemed she had become more subdued and un-pixie-like. Just then, she did a full twirl on the deck and Salena laughed. Justin smiled, maybe he was imagining things. She was growing up, but she was still his pixie.

The two made their way up to him and he took the time to study them as they did. Dabria had only grown a few inches since he had met her, making her just a few inches above five feet. Her build was still small and her skin fair, though it had darkened somewhat with all the time she now spent outside. Her hair was just above her waist and white blond that almost shimmered in the sunlight. Her light blue eyes sparked with life and fun. The same as they had when she had first boarded his ship. Salena was taller than Dabria by a few inches, yet remained on the smaller side build wise, though she still didn’t meet Justin’s height. Her darker tan skin, brown hair, and chocolate eyes gave her the exotic look of a princess from a far away land, and not that of a maid. The two cohorts came to a stop next to him.

“And how are you two today?” Justin asked, smiling at them.

“Fine, Captain Justin,” Dabria replied, using her childhood nickname for him.

“Very well, thank you, Captain Justin,” Salena answered.

“The ship is still in one piece and we’ve been at sea a few days now. What are you planning this time, Pixie?” Justin asked.

Dabria scrunched up her face. “I’m not always planning something. I did grow up you know.”

Salena coughed from beside her and Justin laughed, not about to tell her what he had just been thinking.

“Sure, you did,” he commented, in a non-convinced voice. “But you’re still my Pixie.”

Dabria smiled. “Always.”

But there was something about the way she said it, that made Justin wonder just how much his pixie had grown up and away from him.

>~>~>~><~<~<~<

“All right, what is it?” Salena asked as soon as she cornered Dabria in their room.

Dabria spun around to look at her friend from her study of the picture of the Brents, Solons, Salena, and Justin. “What is what?”

“You’ve been acting quiet ever since we got on this ship and you and quiet are dangerous together. What’s going on?” Salena took a seat on her bed and watched Dabria shrug.

“Nothing. I’ve just been quiet. I am allowed to do that once in a while,” she commented.

Salena nodded. “Sure, but it’s scary for me.”

Dabria laughed. “I’m not going to jump ship, so calm down. I’ve just been thinking that’s all.”

“Thinking is bad. Thinking about what? Leon again?”

Dabria shrugged as she sat back on her own bed. “It’s been nine months since I’ve seen him. Do you think he’ll even remember me?”

Salena shook her head. “Bree, we’ve been over this hundreds of times already. I can’t believe he forgot you and if he did, he isn’t worth it.”

“Or I’m not,” Dabria said quietly.

“What?” Salena sat up straighter. “Where would you get a silly idea like that?”

Dabria gave a half smile, but didn’t answer.

“Bree, come on. So you’ve been sick more often than most, we can control it. And it means you appreciate life more. Anyone who doesn’t recognize that doesn’t deserve to stick around.” Salena’s voice held the compassion of a friend who understood all too well the trials of the life Dabria had led.

“I know. No, really I do, but that can be so hard to remember sometimes. The guys at the parties Mom forces me too are all interested in only my wealth and position. But who can blame them. It’s no secret I’m independent and stubborn and strong willed…” Dabria let her voice trail off. “None of those are traits any guy wants. Leon has only seen me in one light. I doubt he’d want me if he knew the rest.”

“You really think Leon wouldn’t like you if he was aware there’s more to you than a pretty face? I think he has an inkling of that by now, Bree,” Salena pointed out.

“Maybe, but I doubt it. I mean, I really like him, he’s amazing, it’s me I’m unsure about,” Dabria admitted.

“God made you the way He wanted you to be and you need to believe there is a guy out there who is perfect for you. Maybe it’s Leon, maybe not, but you don’t have to decide right now. You do still have time.”

Dabria smiled tiredly. “Not much. I’m already seventeen. And as far as my parents are concerned, if they can announce an engagement to the King’s Ambassador’s son, the sooner the better.”

“Yes, but it’s not the rest of their life. You need to be sure. Pray about it. Kiliki won’t push you to get married until you’re ready and you know for sure what guy you really want to be your husband,” Salena soothed.

“The problem is who is that?” Dabria asked, amused.

A knock on the door caused both to look up.

“Enter!” Dabria called.

The door opened and Justin stepped inside. The girls shared a covert glance before focusing on Justin, who smiled self-consciously at them.

“I know I’m late, but I did manage to find you both birthday presents this year,” he said, holding out two wrapped packages.

“Really?” Dabria half-squealed, jumping off the bed. “Justin, that’s so nice of you.”

“Thank you, Justin,” Salena added, accepting her own package.

Both girls opened their packages and Dabria did squeal then, while Salena wrapped the ribbon between her fingers marveling at the feel. Dabria felt the spyglass all over, opening and closing it, before finally putting it up to her eye.

Dabria looked at Salena and grinned then turned to Justin and for a second she was the young pixie who had first boarded his ship and again when she had seen the room he had rebuilt for them. This time though, she walked over calmly to give him a long hug.

“Justin, they are perfect.”

>~>~>~><~<~<~<

Dabria stared at the box in her hands in complete shock, for once in her life she was unsure what to say or how to react. Leon McNeil had come over to dinner at Javale to celebrate Dabria and Salena’s birthdays with the family. His gift to Salena had been a set of embroidered handkerchiefs with her initials, but to Dabria he had given a sapphire necklace and pair of earrings.

“Wow! Now those are something!” Aunt Jada exclaimed.

“There are very generous, Leon,” Kiliki added, in a more hushed tone.

Dabria glanced at her sister. It was a very expensive gift and spoke of a whole lot more than just a birthday gift. It wasn’t a proposal, but it could be the foreshadow of one. Dabria wasn’t so sure she was ready for that.

“Thank you, Leon, they are wonderful, but I couldn’t possibly…” Leon cut her off before she could finish.

“Do not worry about the cost. They were actually one of many gifts given to my father on a recent mission of his. These reminded me of you and he said I could have them. I promise you, my lady, they are nothing more than the gift they appear to be. Please accept it,” he spoke in a soothing tone.

Dabria swallowed and felt herself nodding her acceptance. “Thank you, Leon. They are amazing.”

Leon smiled at her, his brown eyes showing his pleasure at her acceptance. He was such a gentleman and his gift was fit for any princess. So, why did she feel uneasy?

Later that evening, after the rest of the house was asleep, Dabria sat at her desk studying the objects on top. On the right, she had placed Leon’s present and on the right the spyglass that Justin had given her. The gifts were so different from each other, but then so were the men who had given them.

“And,” Dabria mused, “so is their understanding of the girl they were given too.”

Justin’s gift was beautiful in its own way, but it was also very practical and something she would use a lot on his ship and truth be known, probably off his ship as well. It suited her personality and her thirst for adventure. On the other hand, Leon’s was extremely beautiful and costly. Her mother would be thrilled, but Dabria wasn’t sure when she would use them except for yet another of her mother’s mandatory parties. Justin’s gift exemplified his thoughts of her as his fun loving young pixie sister and Leon’s showed his thoughts of her as a beautiful young lady of marriage potential. Dabria sighed, but which was the truth? Or was either true?

She was far from the little girl that had first stepped onto Justin’s ship as his little pixie and yet she wasn’t ready to be the wife of the king’s future ambassador either. Dabria sighed and picked up the spyglass, extending and collapsing it almost lovingly. It was such a smooth transition between the two positions. What she wanted was to be herself and to know who that was. Did she really want to marry because it was expected of her or could she really wait until her real prince came along? And what if he didn’t? Or what if he had and she missed him?

Leon was everything a girl of reputation could ask for and any of the girls in her station would tell her she was an imbecile for thinking anything else. Not only was he a good catch, he was the best catch. Not only was there his position in society, but add in his character and his Christianity and even Dabria was forced to admit she couldn’t do much better. Justin was the opposite of all of that.

She set down the spyglass and ran her fingers lightly over the sapphire jewels. But if Leon was so perfect, why did she hesitate? She felt her stomach clench in a knee jerk reaction and she knew very well the answer. She hesitated, because despite her efforts to forget the childhood crush, she still had feelings for Justin and she did still use him as a standard that not even the prefect Leon could measure up too, despite the fact that Justin had quite a few flaws that Dabria knew of, including the fact that he wasn’t a Christian.

She stood and turned quickly from the desk. She needed to get her mind off boys. It wasn’t as if she had to choose tonight. Not that there was actually a choice to make and anything could happen. She needed to be content for right now or she would drive herself mad. Maybe she needed a good distraction. She lay down and pulled the covers over her head, already pondering what she could possibly do that would keep her mind off of boys.

>~>~>~><~<~<~<