Chapter 19

One Life Story

Justin looked at the approaching coast with absolute dread. He visited the town of Yakecan at least twice a year and it was usually a pleasant visit, but not this year. What he feared now was worse than anything else he could put it up against at the moment. But, he reminded himself firmly, it had to be done. Even Maath and Namid had agreed it was the wisest course of action.

It hadn’t been a mirage last year when he had dropped the girls off. The Dandy had been tracking him. It had taken The Dandy two full weeks before he’d attacked and disappeared into the fog. In the last nine months, The Dandy had attacked at random intervals and always when The Guardian Star was vulnerable and unprepared to respond. It then disappeared without explanation. Mostly, however, it was spotted following The Guardian Star. Outside of weapons range and too far away to chase, it kept a close eye on Justin and his ship. The result was a paranoia and frustration of the mind. In that battle, it was far ahead. Crew members saw the ship everywhere now and they dreaded anything out the ordinary. It made for a panicked and hyper alert ship, neither of which was good because it wore the crew down quickly.

No. Justin had only one choice. He had come to tell Dabria and Salena he would not be taking them to Triger this year and their reaction was what had him so immensely anxious.

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Stacia scowled at him when she walked into the parlor and saw him standing there, but she said nothing, instead taking a seat on the couch. The silence was almost touchable. It never ceased to amaze Justin at the difference between Tommy and Kiliki’s house verses Dabria’s parents. Justin waited for a few moments, before he could take it no longer.

“Is Dabria coming?”

“Impatient, aren’t you?”Stacia sniffed. “My daughter is on her way.”

In her answer to her proclamation, Dabria entered the room. She smiled when she saw Justin and he had a hard time not staring at the nine month changes in the fully grown pixie. Her white blond hair framed her petite face and her clear blue eyes shown with an internal flame. Her almost white skin glowed in the uneven light of the room and her blue and white dress draped around her with a graceful flow.

“Captain Justin! I’m so glad you have finally made it!” Her voice was subdued, but behind it he could hear the excitement she didn’t allow into her tone. She was acting so odd, prim and proper, and it was almost unreal. Justin had to believe the odd combination came from her mother being in the room and he wondered what had happened in the time he had been away.

“Dabria,” Justin nodded his head. He swallowed. She was acting so different, so odd. How would she react to the news he brought her?

“You’ve come yourself to fetch me this year,” she commented as she moved further into the room. “Why didn’t you send Inu and Sheron?”

This was it. He forced himself to look directly into her eyes and immediately she stilled. Her eye color seemed to deepen as if she realized the news was not something she would like. “What I had to tell you…,” Justin tried again, “I thought I should bring you the news myself.”

Dabria frowned and on the couch Stacia leaned forward slightly. “What do you mean?”

“Dabria, I can’t take you this year,” he blurted out.

The silence that overtook the room this time was nothing like the one before. This was filled with tension, questions, and even rage.

Dabria took a deep breath. “What?”

Justin repeated himself.

Stacia smiled and leaned back on the couch, but Dabria’s gaze never broke away from his. “Why?”

“The Dandy is back. It’s not safe.”

“The pirate? He’s followed you for years. That is not a good reason.” Dabria threw away his words.

“It’s different this time, Dabria. It wouldn’t be safe for you to travel with me,” Justin made his voice firm.

“You heard him, my dear. It’s not safe. You will remain here this year,” Stacia’s glee in her words could not be hidden.

“Be quiet, Mother,” Dabria’s voice bit out sharply.

Stacia and Justin stared at the girl in shock. Dabria was many things, but rude was not one of them.

“Dabria! You can’t talk to me like that!” Her mother spouted.

Dabria’s fist closed. “Mother, I need to talk to the captain alone.”

“That is highly improper! I cannot allow such a disgraceful…” Stacia never got to finish.

“Then have Salena sent in. Either way, you need to leave.”

Stacia’s mouth fell open in shock and it was a full minute before she made any move to her daughter’s side. Justin watched the transformation in both mother and daughter in amazement. He had never seen Dabria react to anyone with such firmness and borderline cruelty. For her part, Stacia’s façade of ladylike tranquility melted away to form a face of hard lines with a fearsome ice in her eyes.

“You will regret this, daughter,” Stacia’s fierce whisper still reached Justin’s ears.

“Perhaps, but not right now,” Dabria replied back in a normal voice.

No one spoke again until Stacia had left the room. Justin had no idea what to say anyway. This was a Dabria he had never dealt with before.

“Explain,” Dabria demanded, her arms crossing against her chest.

Justin only looked at her. What had happened while he’d been gone?

“Please,” Dabria finally added, in a softer tone.

“He’s been attack me at random places. He attacks and disappears without explanation. And he is hitting me hard. What bothers me more than anything is that he is not trying to take me out, at least not yet. He is waiting for something, what I do not know, but I don’t want to risk that he decides his time is right while you are on my ship. I won’t risk your safety,” Justin explained more thoroughly. It was easier without the prying eyes and ears of Stacia Richerson in the room.

The door opened and Salena stepped in. She looked back and forth between the two adults, gauging the heat in the room.

“Uh oh,” she muttered.

Justin sighed. “Hello Salena. How are you?”

“It has been a hard year, Justin. What is happening here? Lady Richerson said we would not be going with you this year?”

Justin’s thoughts were not on the pirate anymore. He was fully focused on Salena’s first words. “Huh? Yeah, The Dandy is causing a lot of trouble and it is not safe. What do you mean it has been a heard year?”

He caught the glare Dabria sent her friend, but he did not turn from her. Salena, however, shook her head.

“It is not really my place to say, Justin.”

He turned to Dabria. He physically felt his stomach drop when he saw tears glistening in her eyes.

“Dabria,” he spoke in a low tone, his hands automatically going to her arms. “Pixie, what’s going on around here? What happened to you?”

“It just… it hasn’t been an easy year, Justin.”

“Why?” he questioned, nowhere near satisfied with the cryptic answer.

She shrugged out of his hands and perched on the couch in behind her. Salena immediately moved to sit at her side. The action looked as if it was purely to protect her friend, leaving Justin to wonder what his Pixie needed to be protected from.

“It’s not easy here, you know,” Dabria started, looking at the ground rather than at Justin. “I live in two different places and for one only three months out of the year. But in those other nine months, I still live.”

“I don’t understand,” Justin said, very confused by her statement.

“Everyone forgets about me when I’m not with them. It’s as if my story only happens when I am at my sister’s or with you.” Now, she did look up to him. “But that’s not true, Justin. While you are out having adventures, my life here may be boring, but it continues and it affects my life with all of you.”

Justin winced in guilt. He never forgot her. It was actually very often that the pixie crossed his mind when he was out having his ‘adventures,’ but he easily could have come seen her more often. He only came when it was required of him or when she was at Tommy and Kiliki’s. It was easy to see how she could believe she was forgotten during those months of silence.

“Pixie, I never forget you. So much of what I see out there, reminds me of you. And sometimes I turn around to show you something only to remember you’re not on the ship. I have no excuse for not coming to see you in those nine months.” He paused to take her small hand in his. “I can see how you would feel that way. Please, forgive me, Dabria. I never meant for you to think that we only care about you when you are with us. You mean so much more to me than that.”

“Thank you, Justin,” Dabria whispered. “That means a lot to me. And I do forgive you, but that is not the real reason I mention that fact.”

Justin looked at her quizzically. “Then why?”

“My parents react the same way, as if my life over in Triger isn’t real and has no bearing on what is said and done here.” Dabria looked down at their clasped hands and then up at him. “They believe I am lying or making up Leon. They want proof of his intent.”

Justin released her hands and sat back on his heels. “What do you mean?”

“I’m eighteen now, Justin. I should be married and I’m not even betrothed! I starting to be consider an old maid and far too soon I will not be considered as an acceptable wife.” Dabria twisted her hands together, as if gathering her courage for whatever she was about to tell him. Justin knew the feeling and dreaded the news. “If I am not betrothed within the next three months, my parents will pick my betrothed for me.”

Justin’s eyes widened and he could only stare at her. His heart beat pounded in his ears. Betrothed in three months? His Pixie married to someone? Perhaps someone she didn’t know or worse the pompous Leon McNeil?

He sprang up from his crouch. “They can’t do that!”

Salena sat back, looking at him, but Dabria only gave a tired smile.

“They are my parents, they most certainly can. Unlike Kiliki, I will have to obey their wishes. If Leon is not the one who….I doubt my new husband will allow me to gallivant across the sea to see my family. My adventures end before they begin.” A tear escaped from her eye and trailed down her face.

Justin had never felt so heartbroken and confused. It was as if her light that had always shown so brightly before her, was being snuffed out in the weight of the real world. Her dreams and adventures gone as if in a puff of elusive smoke and for some reason it seemed Justin’s were as well.

“I won’t let it happen!” He declared loudly.

Dabria shook her head. “And how will you stop it? Force Leon to propose? My parents don’t believe he is real. They’ve gone along with it because having me in such a prestigious position appeals to them, but they believe he should have proposed by now, hence their timeline. He comes through or they force me to marry someone of their choosing. Obviously, they believe it will be the latter. They’ve been screening candidates since I returned home and not discreetly either.”

“I’ve never been so glad my parents are dead,” Justin muttered callously.

“Sometimes, that does not matter, Justin,” Salena whispered from her place beside Dabria. The other girl quickly reached over and took her friends hand.

Justin sighed, realizing he should have expected they would hurt Salena as well. “Salena, please tell me they are not being so cruel to you.”

“That depends on your version of cruelty. For some it is to have a prized passion taken away, for others to marry outside of love, and for those less fortune, it is to be sold from all you know.” Her voice was low, but steady as she spoke of her own fate.

“Sold?” Justin gaped. “They can’t sell you!”

“It is their right. They believe it is my fault Dabria has not yet been betrothed. They say I have too much influence over her. If at the end of the three months, she is not claimed, I will be sold to whoever will take me.” The girl was strong, but she could not stop the quiver in her voice as she thought of all that might entail.

Justin was furious. How dare two people force such expectation on two young girls? He had always enjoyed his freedom, but never had he understood that despite his life, he had it so much better than others. But these were not just any two girls, these were his sisters. He loved them as he never thought possible and he would not allow anyone to hurt them, not like this, not ever. He had to take care of that pirate and then he had to get them away from here. Perhaps at Tommy and Kiliki’s they could come up with a solution that would save the girls from the fate Dabria’s parents were trying to force on them. If nothing else, it would buy them time.

Losing the fists he didn’t realize he had clenched, he knelt again before the girls and took their clasped hands in his own.

“I promise I will not let that happen, any of it. I’ll take care of this pirate and then I’ll be back for you before your three months are up. Once your way from here, we will have more time and we can figure out what to do.” He looked first at Salena and then to Dabria. “You won’t be separated and you won’t marry someone you don’t choose.”

Dabria smiled at him, but he saw no joy in it at his promise. “You can’t promise that, Justin. You haven’t been able to take care of this pirate in years. What makes you think you will do it in the next few months?”

“I have a really good reason now,” Justin muttered.

That earned him a small laugh. “You’ve hated this pirate and his attacks for years. You’ve always had a good reason and we both know it. Please, Justin, take us with you now. It has been true torture for us here and my parents will not stop. Once they find out, I truly am not going with you there will be no stopping them and they might not wait the full three months. Please, don’t make us stay here!” She pleaded, desperation in her voice.

In that moment, he wanted to give her anything she desired. But in the back of his mind, was the nagging knowledge that The Dandy was waiting for something very specific to attack. If it was for the girls to once again be on his ship, he would be putting them in more danger than anything they were in right now. Not only that, but their trip to Triger was through some of the easiest places to attack. It was begging for them to be taken out and he wouldn’t allow that to happen. He squeezed their hands.

“I’m sorry, Dabria,” he said, shaking his head, “but if you will be in a much worse position if you are taken captive by the pirates.”

“You’ll protect us! You always have!” Dabria assured him.

He smiled. “Normally, I would say I could protect you, but this pirate doesn’t follow any of the rules. He’s making them up as he goes along. I’ve almost bested him at his game, but until I do, you won’t be safe, especially on my ship. I can’t risk that, Pixie.” He looked into her eyes, willing her to see how much it hurt him. “I can’t risk losing you.”

“If you don’t take me with you now,” Dabria whispered, tears in her eyes and voice, “you already have. Everyone has.”

“I won’t let that happen.” He stood. “I’ll be back for you as soon as I can. Trust me, Dabria. You’ll be safe.”

“No,” she whispered, “I won’t.”

Justin had never done anything so hard in his life as to walk out of that room with Dabria and Salena in tears. He had been injured before, but he would gladly go through that a dozen more times, than deal with the pain her heart wrenching tears caused. He had to get her away from here and he needed more time to think.

It wasn’t only here that was the problem. Getting her away would buy time, but as she had pointed out, her life continued in both places, not just one. Eventually, she would have to return and if she was not betrothed, her parents would force her hand. The thought of his pixie marrying anyone, especially McNeil, sent a shiver down Justin’s spine and made his stomach want to lose its last meal.

Why was he reacting so violently to her news? He knew it would happen one day, but it had always seemed so far off. Was this how he would react to any sister he might have getting married? He mulled the question over as he rode back to the ship. By the time he arrived, he determined the answer was yes, because the alternative wasn’t something he could not allow himself to think about.

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“She’ll be fine. She’s strong,” Justin muttered, for what had to be the sixth or seventh time in the past few hours. The Guardian Star had set sail over two days ago, but Dabria and Salena’s image was as fresh in his mind as if he was still standing in front of them. He reminded himself again that Dabria was strong. He had seen evidence of that as soon as she had walked into the room. At yet, she had also been disheartened and discouraged. He hadn’t helped her with that. If anything, he had made it worse. He hated himself for putting more pain on her. It also worried him that the stress would induce another round of her sickness. Thankfully, he had seen no evidence of it when he had left and Salena had not started her counting method either. He had to get back to her quickly. But first, he had to solve this pirate problem.

He started his pacing of the full ship over. Over the past two days, he had come up for a plan for that. If The Dandy was waiting for the girls to be aboard, then that was exactly what he was going to give them. Figuring The Dandy was someplace close by; he would plant two of his men on the deck in dresses the following day. The heckling would be intense, but the crew was as eager to get rid of the menace as he was at this point. The weapons always stood at the ready and most of the cargo had been unloaded so the ship was ready for speed. To give the impression she was heavy, extra anchors and other things had been secretly attached in places where they were easy to reach and could be cut off in a moment’s notice. The ship had been ready like this for almost two months now. It required more frequent visits to ports for supplies, but with the added bait of the ‘girls’ on board, perhaps the waiting was finally going to pay off.

He frowned as a crew member ducked to avoid him. He was in a bad mood, true, but avoidance was hardly called for. His mind wandered back to his thoughts. There was one other precaution he had set into place. Justin had told his men to keep an eye out for Conlan’s ship as well. If he couldn’t get the girls by the end of just one month, he would ask Conlan to secure them instead and ship them to Tommy’s estate. He would rather do it himself, but Conlan could be trusted and it was better than letting the two girls sit and stew at the house. They got into trouble that way. Another crew member backed up the quarterdeck steps as Justin started up them and took off for the steps on the other side.

“Deck and cover!” Maath called from where he stood next to Namid, who was at the helm. “Storm’s coming!”

“Am I really that bad?” Justin asked, walking over to them, knowing perfectly well the sky was crystal clear.

Maath shrugged. “Does the Kraken eat ships?”

“You are no help,” Justin muttered.

“You have been temperamental,” Namid put it more delicately.

“I’m worried about Dabria and Salena.” Justin shrugged.

“Worried or frantic?” Maath asked, with a grin.

Justin frowned at him. “It is serious.”

Maath nodded, losing the grin. “I know. But so is keeping the mood on the ship and yours is highly disturbing everyone.”

“Would you feel better if the girls were here?” Namid asked.

Justin glanced at him. “Not really. At least, I know Dabria isn’t being married off and Salena is safe from being sold, but they are at worse risk here on the ship. Especially with the plan we are putting into action.”

“We could always delay it until we drop them off,” Namid pointed out.

“Yeah!” Maath butted in. “I mean, if they stayed in their cabin, no one would ever know they were on the ship.”

“I guess,” Justin replied crossing his arms and looking out over the sea.

“Not even the captain,” Maath added.

Something inside Justin stilled. He turned back slowly to look at his two friends. Namid looked steadily out over the sea, but Maath was grinning like an idiot at him. Somehow Justin just knew.

“Please, tell you are not really saying what I think you are. Tell me I’m delusional,” Justin demanded firmly, but with dread.

“Would that help?” Maath asked.

“Being delusional does not stop the truth from being true,” Namid commented.

Justin’s fists clenched, at the now familiar phrase. “Where are they?”

“Where you would expect them to be,” Maath answered calmly, “in their cabin.”

“We would not have allowed your plan to proceed with them on board, Captain.” Namid added, before Justin could move.

“No, but you allow them to be in danger anyway by putting them on this ship!” Justin burst out. “Who is captain here anyway?”

“You are,” Maath and Namid both answered immediately.

“Do something to prove it,” Justin spat, before moving with a calm fury down the steps and towards the girls normal cabin.

He had only managed to calm down a little by the time he banged on their door. He heard the scuffling of things moving fast and then silence. He banged again, but this time there was nothing. Deciding he could safely enter and not really caring anyway, he shoved open the door to be greeted by a seemingly empty room.

“Out! Now!” Justin commanded, through clenched teeth.

Immediately, both girls appeared, Dabria came out from the head and Salena from where she had been crouched down behind the table and chairs. Neither raised her head to look at him, but silently joined each other in the center of the room.

“Please, Justin, we were desperate,” Dabria spoke softly.

“Your trust is invaluable,” Justin mocked.

“My parents would never have allowed us to wait the three months and what if you couldn’t return?” Dabria tried to reason.

“Could you have waited one?”

The girls raised their heads.

“One?” Dabria questioned. “I don’t understand.”

“If I couldn’t come back for you I was arranging to have a friend of mine pick you up at the end of one month. Could you have waited?” There was no question he expected to be answered.

Salena ducked her head again, but Dabria answered. “Perhaps.”

“But you didn’t trust me to keep my promise not to let anything happen to you,” he stated.

“No! That’s not true!” Dabria cried

“It is true!” Justin shot back. “Or you wouldn’t be here! Now, you’ve endangered both of your lives. Do you really think I would have left you behind if I didn’t have a very good reason?”

“No…” Dabria whispered.

“Of course not! It killed me to have to leave you in that house! But your life is more important to me than even your marriage. I want you to be happy, Dabria, but I want you alive even more!”

“I’m sorry, Justin. We should have trusted you,” Dabria spoke softly.

“Yes, you should have. Instead, you conspired with my entire crew, forcing them to place their loyalty to you above their loyalty to me. I can’t captain a ship full of people I can’t trust. But you didn’t think about that. Now, as always, I will have to deal with the consequences.” He paused in his tirade, but neither girl moved. He hated seeing them this way, but he also needed them to understand the pressure they had put on him and the danger to themselves. “Fine. I won’t send you back now, although I should. Since you snuck aboard, we’ll have to hope you eluded The Dandy’s captain’s senses as well as mine. You will stay in this cabin for the entirety of the trip. Do not set a single foot outside. Dabria, do you understand me?” He waited for her to nod. “If you are seen, even once on deck, you will greatly endanger all of our lives. I don’t think I can even stress that enough that you will actually understand it. You will wait for absolutely everything to be delivered to you, if you need something you wait until someone comes to check on you. You do not leave this room. Do you understand?” Again, the girls nodded. “I want you to say it out loud.”

“We understand,” they spoke in unison.

“Good. I will tell you when we reach Triger. We’ll have to take a longer route to avoid realization that we are going there and some dangerous spots. I need to go plot out a new course. I’ll send someone to check on you in a while.”

He turned to leave.

“Justin,” Dabria spoke from directly behind him. He felt her small hand on his arm. “I really am sorry. We were so desperate, we didn’t think everything through.”

“You usually don’t.” He responded cruelly and felt her hand slip from his arm. “I realize you’re sorry, Dabria. But I’m more sorry your actions have put everyone in danger and that even when you need me most, you didn’t trust me to be there for you.” He walked out without looking back and closed the door firmly behind him.

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