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"Thousand winters ago, far across the vast ocean sailed the sailor with glee. He was a boy, fifteen summers old. Born from the womb of a courtesan and raised in the brothel. The day his mother died the boy left that place behind. His yearn and love for the sea raised the words that he's the seed of a pirate, foresee."
The old man sprinkled some of his mead in the bonfire and the flames roared up, making the kids hold their breath as they gazed at the wise old man with their wide innocent eyes; not understanding half of the words he used.
"What is a seed Mr. Baltasar?" Asked the small girl with a confused face, making the old man's face frown.
"It is nothing little girl and do not interrupt when I'm deep in the tale." Mr. Baltasar scolded the child who nodded her head with wide eyes and motioned at the old man to continue.
"The boy sailed for years across the seven seas; learning the aspects of the sea. His bravery and battles reached the ears and many young lads left to join the boy. Slowly and gradually he became the notorious captain. He made a massive ship that was called the 'DARK SOUL.' It was said that the ship has some magical powers; no one was able to fight him."
Mr. Baltasar narrated the tale in his captivating way. "What was his name?" Asked the small Caspian with raised brows.
Mr. Baltasar glared at the kid with a sharp gaze making him shut his mouth. The thing old Baltasar hates the most was being interrupted in his tales.
"One more word from y'all and I'm going to bed!" Baltasar said sharply, making them shut their mouth as their wide light filled eyes waited for him to continue.
"As the power comes, so do the evil. Within a few years he became the king of all pirates across the seven seas. With every step towards power and treasures, he lost the boy he was. He became a cold, menacing pirate; looting the kingdoms after kingdoms. He was unstoppable."
Baltasar smiled smugly looking at the anticipated eyes of the kids that were circling around him in this cold weather.
"All the kings of the land made a truce. They called upon a witch and asked for help. The witch was granted freedom on behalf of the end of the captain of DARK SOUL. She agreed, delighted and went in search of her prey."
"The captain was sailing across the Erythraean sea and came across a malnourished woman on the timber plank; she begged him for help but he only laughed and offered help that was death, his crew laughed at the joke of their captain and that woman shook her head in a weird manner."
Baltasar splashed the sprinkles of his mead on the fire making the flames to roar as the kids waited with mouths ajar.
"The woman changed her appearance into a witch in a blink of an eye. She laughed at them but the Captain wasn't scared at all. The witch cursed DARK SOUL. She said and I quote; 'I curse upon you-"
"No Baltasar do not curse on us!" Caspian spoke up with wide eyes shaking his hand in negative as the other kids joined in with the small devil.
"Yes, do not curse on us. We don't want to be monsters." The small girl interjected as the kids all nodded in approval of their leaders.
"You wanna listen to the story or not!" Baltasar snapped, making the kids shut their mouth as they sat down again. Before Baltasar could start again a high pitched shriek was heard.
"BALTASAR!" Came the voice and everyone stilled out of fear.
"Run for your life little things." Baltasar yelled and the kids went rampant running here and there and hiding whereas a furious looking redhead approached him.
Baltasar stood up with the help of his stick. He was a sailor in his youth and lost his foot to the sharks and now he has a wooden foot to help him walk.
"Rest assured I'm not taking more mead then given." He gave her a cheeky grin but she just kept glaring at him with her big jewel like emerald eyes that looked like ablaze due to the reflection of fire on her.
With redhead and blazing eyes, she looked like a flame herself but she was small. "I'm no fool." She said with narrowed eyes and he just looked at the peeking heads of the kids from behind him.
"You realised it today?" Baltasar asked with a confused face and kids hiding here and there let out small giggles.
She raised her perfect brow at him. "Were you feeding them myths?" She asked exasperatedly and he made an ugly face.
"Tales my Rose. These are tales." He said with a grin on his face his blue eyes shining with years of wisdom as wrinkles adorned the side of his eyes. Even though he's aged, yet he looks powerful and strong.
"Baltasar!" She whined like a child. "Caspian will eat my head out with this new myth of yours." She complained, crossing her arms across her chest.
Baltasar let out a chuckle as Caspian came out from his hiding. His ginger curly hair made him look like a chubby stuffed doll.
"I can not eat your head Rosi. I'm not a cannibal." The seven year old boy shrieked out in horror.
Rose slapped her palm on her forehead as all the kids along with the old man started laughing.
She gave them a sting eye. "I'm going to close the bar, I want everyone going to their beds, right now." She ordered with a stern voice and the kids faces fell but the old man grinned as if he was allowed to be out.
"Including you Baltasar." She said, making his face to fall as the kids laughed at his sulking form. Rose took the large mug of mead from his hand as he whined but she just walked to the bar.
Rose is an orphan and her parents died when she was eleven. Their boat drowned in the middle of the sea. The only family she has is her brother Caspian a 7 year old little devil but she loves him with her life. Rose is 19 and she along with her brother stayed in Baltasar's orphanage along with other kids; in a beautiful town as port was attached to it. Baltasar became her father figure, though he never showed it but he deeply cared for her a lot.
Getting inside the bar she was met with Celia, her co-worker who was putting the chairs on top of the table, gathering things up.
"Where did you go?" Celia asked as Rose immediately cleaned the tables with a cloth in her hand. "Baltasar was again feeding myths to the kids." Rose said with a sigh and Celia frowned.
"You do know, those aren't myths. My mom used to tell me those exact same tales." Celia said while doing her work and Rose just shook her head.
"I don't believe in those things which I don't see." Rose said simply making Celia roll her eyes.
"Do you won't believe that men have penis as their genital organs until you don't see it?" Celia countered.
"CELIA!" Rose yelled as her face became tomato red and her emerald large eyes stared at Celia as if she had committed a sin.
"I was just putting your theory in facts; maiden." Celia teased Rose making her look away as she started doing her work with concentration.
"You remember the guy from yesterday, who was staring at me nonstop. His name is Bradley and I'm going to meet him tonight." Celia winked at wide eyed Rose.
"For lord's sake Celia! You just met him yesterday." Rose said with exasperation.
"Oh come on! I'm not a Virgin Mary, I like to experience things." Celia said with the wiggle of her brows which caused Rose to make an ugly face followed by a vomiting face.
Celia glared at her, making Rose to grin and next thing Celia was running behind Rose with a broom in her hand as their laughter resonated in the empty bar.