SEASICK

19 ☠︎︎ 𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣'𝕤 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕪 ☠︎︎

[[ I do NOT own the art or music. Please enjoy - AE DRAGON ]]

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"Ekapan?" Alana asked startled. She was standing at the gangplank, Ivo already on his way down. She was nervous knowing this was her brother's kingdom. King Amun was the prince of Taycia until he married the princess of Ekapan. Amun was not like her parents, in fact, he was kind and gentle. But she worried anyway, though she had not seen her brothers in years she was nervous that maybe he would be in town and maybe recognize her. She told herself it was a silly thought as Amun probably would not recognize her in slightest, even if he just so happened to be in town. She wore a pair of black trousers, a black short-sleeved turtleneck, and a light linen cardigan that was black with a detailed red and white floral pattern, which stopped just above her knees. Around her right thigh was the holstered and sheathed dagger Kazumi had given her.
"Yes, we have someone we need to talk to here." Ivo held his hand out for her to hold but she did not immediately take it.
"Don't worry, little dove. This isn't Taycia territory, there won't be any children being beaten in the street." Ivo said, a little too cheerful for Alana's comfort. She had no excuse to skip the excursion, so she took Ivo's hand and they made their way down to meet the other three at the bottom.

As Alana walked through the town she was almost completely sidetracked from her nerves as she saw the prosperous state of her brother's kingdom. The citizens seemed to help each other, no one looked overly fed, or scarcely underfed, and the scenery was beautiful. There were flowers plotted all throughout the town. Alana told herself if she ever saw her elder brother again, she would congratulate him on his kingdom. She was proud, Amun had always been a kind soul and it seems like his kingdom took on that attribute as well.
"Alana, this way," Kazumi said as they turned a corner, Alana was so distracted that she almost walked away from the group. She quickly turned with the men down an alley, embarrassed by her mistake.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind, dear." Leopoldo patted her head.
"It is just great to be in a new place." She smiled, he seemed satisfied with her answer as he did not press further. At the end of the alley was a door, Kazumi knocked two times paused, then three times. As they waited for the door to open Alana noticed the men positioned themselves around her, two in front, two behind, so she was huddled in the middle. She was worried about what was on the other side of the door if they are taking a protective stance.
Finally, the door pulled up quickly, on the other side was an extremely short man. Alana cocked her head to the side.
"Kazumi Tachibana." The man 's voice was high pitched, he smiled opening the door all the way, revealing a tavern. They flooded into the room. Alana stayed close to Leven and Leo, as Ivo and Kazumi were being ushered by the small man towards the back.
"He's been waiting, it took you long enough to get here." The small man complained.
"Yes, I have been preoccupied." Kazumi simply said.
"I'll let him know that you've arrived, wait here." The man disappeared behind another door.
The group stood near the back; Alana observed the bar closely. All the characters in the establishment looked pretty intimidating, covered in scars or muscles. They were either drinking by themselves, with their own group or playing what looked to be a game in the middle, most people crowded around that table.

"This is a secret hideout for pirates, dear." Leopoldo noticed her staring.
"Oh," She simply said, she kept looking around. She could not spot another female in the whole place.
"Okay, okay, you four, come back." The small appeared out of nowhere. "Leave your little girlie here, he insists it's a man's conversation." A man's conversation? Her brow twitched a little.
"No," Kazumi said. "I am not leaving her out here."
The little man scoffed. "Oh, please. Nothing is going to happen to her, not in my bar. Go, go." He started to swat his hands in the directions of the door. Alana looked to Kazumi and smiled. "I'm okay," She reassured him. "I'll be waiting, please go, have your important conversation."
"It might take a while, little dove." Ivo also was obviously reluctant to leave Alana in a bar full of pirates unattended.
"I will be fine," She waved them off. With the urging of the small man, the three disappeared into the back room. Alana's stomach twisted into knots as soon as the door shut. What am I going to do?
"Okay! Who's next?" She heard a female's voice and perked up, and like a puppy, she followed it. "Who's next I said!" The feminine voice shouted. Alana followed it right into the middle where the game was being played. When she came upon the table there was a raven-haired beauty sitting at the table, and in front of her sat the game she was playing. "Come on, pussies! Scared of girl?" She called out to the men who surrounded the table looking at each to see who will volunteer to be her next victim. Alana recognized the board, it was a simple enough game, Mamoru and she would play before he went away. "I will play." Alana offered excited, the woman looked her up and down with an evil smile.
"No one has beaten me in this game yet," She praised herself. "You think a little girl like you could?" She scoffed. Alana's brow twitched again. What is with these pirates having something against women? Alana happily took a seat. As she settled into her seat, she felt the knot in her stomach tighten as the burly pirates towered over her sitting shape.
"Well, you are a girl." Alana surmised. "So maybe it takes a girl to beat you." She smiled. The female pirate laughed.
"Get a load of this chick." She sat forward in her chair. "Okay, this is Renju, do I have to explain the game?" She said in a mocking tone as if Alana was a child. She did not know why she was being talked down to, as far as Alana was concerned, she had a very womanly appearance.
"No," Alana smiled at the woman. "Let's begin."
The object of the game is to connect five of your pebbles, either diagonally or straight. You can play offensive or defensive, trying to block your opponent from finishing their line.
"What are you betting?" The woman asked.
"Betting?" Alana echoed.
"Of course, that's the whole reason we're playing!" The woman snapped.
"Oh, I didn't realize," Alana said thoughtfully. "Well, I don't have anything to bet." She smiled, adjusting her cardigan to cover the dagger.
The woman smirked. "You have the clothes on your back." Whistling and clapping erupted through the tavern, but she did not let it bother her.
"Okay, I bet the clothes I'm wearing." Alana smiled. She felt bad betting clothes Ivo had bought her, but she was confident.
"Well, then I'll raise and go all in." She tossed a small burlap sack onto the tabletop, it landed with a heavy thwack, and Alana heard the coins jostle inside. The pirate men around her grumbled, the bag was probably filled with what they had just lost. This woman was also confident. "Let us start." The woman placed a black pebble in the middle of the gridded board. Alana followed suit placing her white pebble below the woman's piece. The game began.