The Sea Orb

CHAPTER 10

The sun had already set when Marin reached the merchant house. She entered the house to find everything cleaned and hopper was playing around with Johnathan. While Renne was busy preparing dinner. Elijah was missing. This made Marin frown.

"Uncle John!" She called out while Johnathan looked at her in question.

"Where's Big brother Elijah?" She questioned taking a seat near them.

"He had things to pack so he went back. He would be here in the morning I guess" Johnathan spoke while Marin nodded her head.

"Well, here. I bought it." She spoke casually handing him the papers who received it in confusion.

"What-" He stopped his sentence as he went through them. His hands trembled slightly as his grip tightened.

"Th-This!" He exclaimed looking at her in astonishment.

"Is this real?" He asked her again.

"See that for yourself tomorrow." She spoke with a grin while Johnathan laughed out loud startling Hopper and Renne who was in the kitchen. She came outside to see Johnathan wiping his eyes and laughing while Marin sat with the same grin.

"What happened?" She questioned.

"The ship!!! It's ours again." Johnathan exclaimed happily while Renne took the papers from his hands.

"You went out for this?" She questioned Marin who gave her a wide smile.

"But how did you get the money kiddo?" Johnathan who was finally calm questioned her.

"Well, I sold something that was not needed anymore." She spoke, her voice had a distant sadness.

Renne and Johnathan looked at each other for a moment.

"Nah you don't need to worry about it." Marin waved her hand at them while Renne sighed.

"Then tomorrow we will go to the ship, we need to check it's current condition too." Johnathan pointed out while Marin nodded her head.

"Yeah, I have some bills and gold. We will be needing supplies and rations. I will be going back to Northlyn in two days' time. First of all, Uncle John, you are in charge of the ship repairs and getting some extra crew. Then, Renne, you and Hop can buy the bandages and medicine and some sleeping drugs. While big brother Elijah will be responsible for the food and rations. I will inform him tomorrow when he comes. I will take care of the remaining things." She spoke while Johnathan and Renne nodded their heads. It was a good plan.

"Well, then I will be going to my room," Marin spoke as she walked towards the steps. She was tired for the day, tired but happy.

"Mom, What's going on?" Hopper questioned coming near her.

"Nothing Hop, tomorrow we will go to the sea. There is a big ship there, do you wanna see it?" She asked poking his cheeks. While Hopper widened his eyes.

"Can I get on the ship?" He asked with an expecting gaze.

"Of course bun. It's ours after all." She spoke with a wide smile making him smile.

"Yay! Yay! Ship! Ship!" He shouted cheerfully while Johnathan laughed at him.

~.~

Next morning.

Four more days to go.

Johnathan thought as he gestured the workers to check the ship. He only bought his most trusted people.

They checking everything while Johnathan walked towards the Captain's cabin. It looked just like it was 7 years ago. Thankfully the officials didn't change anything. He closed the door and leaned against it. He looked at the desk and the chair in which Captain Neil used to sit.

"Hah! Those puny officials dare to look down on us pirates." Johnathan spoke slamming his hand on the desk when the man sitting in the chair laughed loudly.

"John! You know why they look down on us." He questioned while Johnathan looked confused.

"Captian Neil, ya know I don't get it." He spoke with a defeated sigh making the man laugh even more.

"They don't have the freedom as we do." He spoke with a grin on his face as his green eyes shined with mirth.

"Hehe." Johnathan snorted while Daniel shook his head.

Johnathan blinked his eyes coming out of his daze. He was confused.

But there is something I don't get... Why did Captain Neil agree to work with them that time?

Shaking his head, Johnathan went out of the cabin to see one of the workers standing with a piece of paper.

"We have almost covered all the details, and there are somethings we need to buy. The deck is good but the mast step is a little weak. The Rudder has collapsed. There are a lot of minor cracks." He spoke handing Johnathan the paper who sighed.

"Seems like there's a lot of work." He muttered.

"Well, Can all this be completed in 4 days?" Johnathan questioned while the worker looked at Johnathan like he was out of his mind.

~.~

Three more days to go.

Renne and Hopper were at the market place in Oakhelm. She held Hopper's hand so that he wouldn't get lost.

"Welcome, welcome. Have some freshly baked bread!" One of the shopkeepers announced.

"Mom! Mom! Bread." He tugged her hand continuously.

"No Hop! We have work to do." She spoke while Hopper pouted.

"Come along and try our new chocolate. Delicious chocolate!" The other shopkeeper announced.

"Try some caramel nuts! Free caramel nuts!"

"Mom!"

"No!"

"But-"

"No!" Renne quickly dragged Hopper away from there. She went towards one of the bigger merchant's houses.

She rang the doorbell and waited for it to open.

"Hello! Come in." The lady spoke while Renne went inside along with a reluctant Hopper.

"What do you need?" She asked while Renne took out the list from her sack.

"Well, I would like some disinfectants, along with some bandages, and fever medicine, and some sleep-inducing drugs." She went on with the list while the lady looked at her in horror.

"Why do you need these? Especially sleep-inducing drugs?" She asked being suspicious.

"Well, my family wants to set up a physician house, and my grandfather has problems with sleeping," Renne lied with a smile not stuttering once while the lady narrowed her eyes before nodding at her.

"Mala, could you get what this lady wants?" She ordered while the young girl nodded her head.

"Please sit." The lady gestured while Renne nodded her head and sat down with a sigh of relief.

"Mom?" Hopper questioned while Renne shook her head.

Thankfully they brought her story. With this, My half is completed.

She thought looking at the bundles being bought out.

~.~

Two more days to go.

Elijah looked at the bustling market of Springfield. He didn't know where to start.

He went to the first shop he could see. His huge figure easily towered over the shopkeeper.

"Ye- Yes?" The shopkeeper stuttered while Elijah just looked at the slip in his hands.

"Eggs, flour, bread," He continued while the shopkeeper looked at him with a weird face.

"Sorry but I only sell vegetables." He spoke while Elijah tilted his head expressionlessly.

"Where can I get these?" He showed him the list while the kind-hearted and scared shopkeeper pointed out the shops to him.

Elijah nodded his head and thanked the shopkeeper before going towards the other shop.

The shopkeeper released the breath he was holding in.

"That was scary." He muttered before continuing his work.

~.~

One day to go.

Marin was busy packing her clothes and other stuff as she stood in the same inn in Northlyn. The plan was coming together pretty well. Almost all the arrangements were done.

She looked around the room to see if there was anything left. After checking one last time she came downstairs to find the innkeeper gazing at the painting. She couldn't control her curiosity as she walked towards the painting and spoke up "This painting?"

The innkeeper looked startled for a second before he composed himself "Beautiful isn't it?"

"Yes, but it's a pirate ship," Marin spoke.

"There are few things in our life that are irreplaceable. Even if we move on in our life they still hold a huge place in our hearts and in our memories." He spoke looking lost in the painting.

"You are a pirate right?" Marin spoke turning to him.

"Were." He added with a sad smile.

"Only if you want that to be true," Marin spoke.

"What do you mean?" He questioned in confusion.

"You can always go back you know." She suggested.

"It's not so easy kid. My ship was destroyed, my crew was killed and I was the sole survivor. End of the story." He spoke a little sternly.

"It doesn't have to be," Marin spoke softly. "I am a pirate like you. I lost my ship and crew. But still, I didn't want to think that it was my end. I found the ones who survived and then we got our ship back and now we are finally going back to the sea." She spoke her eyes twinkling.

"You could come with us." She offered while he gaped at her.

"I know it's too sudden but honestly please think about it... We will be leaving tomorrow night... The ship is in Oakhelm and its called devil's snare." She spoke and left giving him the much-needed space.

D-day.

Seated in the corner seat and having the breakfast made by the innkeeper she told about yesterday's incident to Jonathan and Elijah. She had two reasons to choose George - the innkeeper as their crew member. 1) Obviously, because he was a pirate 2) He makes delicious food. The food was the major reason for her offer. And her stomach couldn't agree more to it.

The sun was setting when the palace gates were bubbling with the crowd. It was mayhem in there. Which she was thankful for as it would give them the opportunity to slip in. She turned around to find Jonathan and Elijah. Elijah was in servant clothes. The moment she looked at Jonathan she could stop her chuckles. Seeing him a duke's attire with a potbelly was a little funny. Jonathan glared at her and proceeded inside. Seeing him passing through the gates showing the invitation with ease made them relieved. The had stolen a certain duke's invitation after tying him up.

She looked at her clothes. It was a typical servant's attire. She nodded at Elijah and they both moved to the back gate with some boxes following other servants who were carrying similar boxes. The only difference was theirs had something in it while hers and Elijah's didn't. She held the box tighter as they passed the guards and sighed in relief after entering the kitchen.

Before anyone came to know they weren't part of the kitchen crew she and Elijah left into a corridor. After moving for a while she spotted Jonathan who was hurrying towards her.

"The prince is in his room... It's the second room on the first floor. Don't worry I took care of the guards. They will leave soon. I will be waiting at our meeting place... Hurry." He whispered passing by her.

Marin nodded and climbed up the stairs. She looked towards his room to see two guards standing at his door. She saw a guard walking to the two guards. They discussed something for a bit before the guards went with him. She entered the room quickly followed by Elijah.

She entered opening the door of the study room to find a guy quickly turning around, shocked.

"Who are you...?" Xavier spoke widening his eyes. Marin looked at him a little lost. His eyes. They were the deepest of the blue she had ever seen. Like the ocean.

Elijah moved forward and before Xavier could shout she covered Xavier's mouth with a cloth. Within a few seconds, he was unconscious. Marin snapped out of her trance and moved towards the window while Elijah followed behind carrying Xavier. The back of the palace had a huge forest so there were few guards at this side. They took care of them. Being a commander, she definitely had skill to show off.

"You should go ahead," Marin spoke while Elijah frowned.

"Don't worry I will meet you in the forest area where the carriage is waiting and then we will go to Oakhelm. I just need to do something before that." Marin spoke while Elijah nodded and left.

Marin looked at the room and started collecting every cloth material she could find and place them in a heap. She took the candle placed on the study table and lighted the clothes. Since the place had huge books soon the fire started spreading. She smirked hearing people shout that the prince's room is on fire. She turned around and jumped through the window safely landing on the haystacks. With one final look at the spreading fire, she sprinted to the forest.

She saw the carriage waiting and entered. The guards at the entrance were gone. Probably for putting out the fire. She thought. She had no regret for whatever she did. They totally deserved it.

"That went quite well considering that we are rookie kidnappers eh?" Jonathan spoke chuckling. Marin grinned at him while Elijah shook his head.

"Off we go!" Johnathan announced.

The carriage turned towards the road and finally, they were en route to Oakhelm.