[[I do not own art or music, please enjoy this chapter! Remember to vote if you like the chapter!
I would also like to say constructive criticism is much welcomed. As in, if a sentence isn't making sense, I used the wrong spelling or if there is a grammar mistake, please feel free to let me know. But criticism (insults, sarcastic remarks, snippy comments), though expected, is extremely unnecessary. I love getting notifications from my readers and reading all the fun and interesting comments, but opening the app to a negative comment is a gut punch. I know, I know, putting my story on the internet is an open game for hate comments, but I would rather not read them, so if you hate my story and you're at this point, please just never read it again, close out of it and leave this as a safe place for me lol. I love you guys! Okay, enough of my whining and more handsome pirates — L. RANDY]]
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Alana was so shellshocked she could not even blink, her gasp lodged somewhere in the back of her throat and her fear hid along with it. She was frozen staring at the striking profile of her older brother, the king.
It has been six years; I doubt he would even recognize me as I am right now.
Distracted by her older brother appearing in the oddest of all places she did not notice the table behind them getting into an argument. She did not care to spare them any mind until an elbow thumped into the base of her skull as one pirate reeled back to punch another.
The pirates' eyes widened at the sight and sound of the impact on her head.
Alana's head rocked forward with a jerk, black spots filled her vision for a few seconds, and she raised a hand to the sudden injury.
"Ow..." She finally muttered.
"Hey, watch what you're doing!" Leven stood from his seat as Leopoldo helped inspect Alana's head.
It was a short-lived investigation as the man who was punched dove for the man who sat behind Alana, in turn, both crashing into the dazed girl.
Alana covered her already wounded head with her arms as the two men weighed her down, struggling with each other atop her.
Leopoldo wasted no time jumping up and grabbing the aggressor, throwing him to the side with ease.
Though, the aggressor landed on someone else, causing that person to spill their beer.
'Spilled Beer' stood with a nasty scowl and cracked their now empty mug over 'Tackler's' head.
Leopoldo turned to the pirate who had elbowed Alana, for some reason finding Leopoldo a threat now, and was already sending a fist Leopoldo's way.
Leopoldo dodged the fist and sent 'Elbow' flying after 'Tackler', who was now fighting 'Spilled Beer'.
Another man grabbed Ivo's shirt, again for some reason, wanting a fight, and pulled him to his feet. Ivo looked disinterested, elbowing the man in the gut as soon as he was on his feet, and then once the nose.
That man went stumbling back into a woman who was attempting to entertain another pirate, and then that pirate soon joined in.
Kazumi stood from his chair, but as he did a drunken man took that as a threat, and attacked, using a mug as a weapon. Kazumi evaded with a quite bored expression, turning around, and planting a solid kick into the man's chest.
The whole scene was a chain reaction, as soon as one man was punched another joined in until soon the whole tavern was fighting each other.
"Get under the table, idiot!" Leven scolded Alana as he pushed off another pirate.
She quickly listened to what he said and slipped underneath the table. She could not see what was going on, other than everyone's boots.
She heard cursing, saw tables falling over, men hitting to the ground.
Too much is happening! Alana shouted to herself. My brother and now this?! What has my life come to?!
Her life with the pirates was undoubtedly eventful if nothing else.
"Come with me," A voice to her right caused her to jump. She stared into golden brown eyes, a deep scar going down his right eye.
"Amun..." Alana trembled.
He had tawny, golden-brown skin like her and smiled a bright smile that matched hers as well. Smiling even on his hands and knees amongst an all-out bar rumble.
"Call me Anubis, but never mind that now," He offered his hand to his younger sister, she hesitantly took it.
"Keep your fingers curled in if you don't want them getting squashed," Amun warned as they began to crawl through the tussle, weaving through tables.
Anyone who noticed them would have pegged them as cowards for crawling away from a fight.
Amun led Alana to the side door, she remembered it was the door the pirates disappeared behind on their first visit. As Amun reached up for the handle he turned to search over the tavern once more, looking for a specific person.
He found him just a few feet away, a scowl painted on his features.
"Harold! Tell Kazumi and his crew I have taken their girl up here once this settles down!" Amun shouted to the small man.
Harold was busy himself beating some tussling pirates with a club, trying to break them up.
Harold just waved him off and went back to beating the rowdy patrons.
Amun swung the door open and scurried in, pulling Alana with him.
Once inside she discerned it to be a stoned stairwell, dimly lit with single candles leading up to a mysterious door.
She looked up to her older brother in the faint orange cast in wonderment.
"Oh, little sister..." Amun caressed her cheeks as he looked over with adoration. "You have grown into such a lovely woman." He complimented, stroking her right cheek with his thumb.
Alana let out a shaky laugh, a teardrop rolling down her cheek into his palm.
"It's you... It's really you." She breathed, holding onto his wrists.
"Your hair..." Amun moved his hands to the ends of her short hair, and again she felt ashamed of it.
"I know..." She whispered, seeing that even Amun kept his long hair.
It was dark brown like hers and tied into a loose braid over his shoulder coming down to just below his chest.
Not wanting to waste the moment Amun wipes away her tears with an assuring grin.
"Come, we have much to discuss before that fight ends and those four notices you are gone." Amun grabbed her hand and hastily pulled her up the stairwell.
They arrived at a faintly lit room, it held only a large circular table paired with six wooden chairs and a few candles.
"Anubis? Rebellion leader?" Alana immediately questioned as Amun shut the door behind him.
He let out a hard sigh.
"I know what you must think, but let me explain myself," He requested before looking her over. "And then you can explain yourself."
Alana pressed her lips into a tight line acknowledging he had a point.
"We both know what it was like growing in the castle," He began.
"The locked doors, the guards following us everywhere," He began to pace. "But what was worse was watching the people suffer from our golden thrones, switched every day by tutors, knowingly being used as pawns by our parents. I went to study abroad hoping I could escape the reach of our parents, but no matter what I did, it was like every step I made was not my own. I am sure if I had not married into the Ekapan royal family against their will I would still be just a pawn." He ranted.
"Even though I am no longer in Taycia you cannot begin to imagine the number of growing citizens coming to Ekapan for a better life, fleeing our home kingdom because that is where the rich eat the poor. They come malnourished, beaten, broken and I look unto them knowing if I stayed I could have changed it."
Amun's voice was low and he was trying his best to speak calmly as to let it crack. Alana too was becoming emotional listening to her brother's explanation, having the same feelings inside herself.
"Alana, you must understand, I saw no other way to change Taycia and bring down our parents than to revolt against them. I could not do that as King Amun of Ekapan, so I became Anubis, the rebellion leader." He explained stepping towards his kin.
"You would kill me just to get to our parents?" Alana asked feeling more tears well up, taking a reflexive step back.
Amun's face scrunched up in bewilderment.
"No! No, I am aiming for the king and queen to be overthrown, not you. On the date of the attack, I had planned to steal you away that morning, and by the time the pirates showed up, you would already be gone. You know our parents, they would not have noticed you were missing until it was time to parade you around in front of the guests." He explained. "I have never plotted your death, just the deaths of father and mother."
"So... you were the one who gave them the blueprints...?" Alana wiped the spilling tears.
"... Yes."
"How long have you been planning this, Amun?"
"Ever since I left home, and please- Anubis."
"Okay, Anubis... I believe understand quite clearly." Alana nodded. "I am also helping to murder our parents, so I cannot judge you too harshly."
"Speaking of... whatever are you doing with those demon pirates? How did you end up here?" Amun asked leaning against the stone table.
Alana let out her heavy sigh.
"As you said, living in that palace was hell, so I ran away a few months ago. I cut my hair, headed anywhere but the palace, and very stupidly wondered on board their ship." Alana smiled softly at the thought.
"And it was the best mistake of my life."
After a short pause, Amun moved on to the next burning question.
"What do you think of this plan?" Amun questioned.
Alana took a deep breath.
"I am... so scared, brother." She felt more tears slip down her cheeks. "I ran away from the palace like a coward, I am lying to the people who come to mean so much to me, and suddenly planning my parent's murder. I am so afraid I won't be able to do my part in fixing my kingdom." She cried.
Amun watched on with a pained heart.
"Alana... you have the heart of a dragon, the spirit of a mighty beast inside you. If anyone can do this, it is you. I know it is terrifying to face father and mother, and I am truly sorry you are mixed up in it, but you will shine like you always do." He encouraged her. "And if you feel like you can't, say the words, and I will take you away. I will hide you in my palace until the time comes. Do not feel forced into this."
Alana sobbed, "I am weak, brother! I am nothing special compared to those around me. I am just a selfish, spoiled princess. I don't want to leave my friends but I do not want to drag them down either."
"You are a future queen!" Amun corrected harshly. "You will reign peace and prosperity upon Taycia." He stepped closer to wipe her tears. "It is okay to be terrified, it is okay to cry, but never let anyone see it."
She nodded stiffly, sniffling. Amun brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"Okay, brother." She gave a clumsy smile once she collected herself. "Then I wish to stay with these men for as long as I can. Mamoru is even helping."
Amun slightly raised his brows at the mention of the fox-spirited man, remembering him completely just now after long forgetting the character of his childhood.
"And what about Silas?" Amun questioned, causing her smile to falter.
"I hear that he is coming for me," Alana softly said. "Mamoru has been following me since the last time we were here," Alana added.
Amun chuckled.
"Those two did stick to you like glue back then, I am not surprised they are following you around on this mad journey."
Alana chuckled thinking of her two guards.
"Yes, I am lucky to have them." She admitted.
Another awkward pause fell over the siblings, both trying to figure out if this was real life, the odds of this meeting staked against them yet here they were.
"I cannot believe you are standing in front of me," Amun exhaled quietly. "It has been so long, too long."
"Yes, it has." Alana agreed. "I always looked forward to your letters, it has been somewhat lonely without them during this time."
Amun raised her face to look her in eyes, staring into her carefully, almost making her nervous.
His serious face turned into a big goofy smile, as he raised his hands to squeeze her plump cheeks.
"Look at my baby sister! So, grown-up and plotting revolutions just like her big brother!" Amun cheered, and Alana rolled her eyes. Nothing has changed.
Amun has always been an overly loving and protective brother, often boasting about his younger sister. When they were younger, Amun made it a point to see his sister every day and coddle her. Alana found it endearing at times, at other times it was overkill. Amun was simply just an extremely proud brother.
Alana gently pulled his fingers off her aching cheeks, with a playfully annoyed smile.
"I know, it is surreal, a few months ago I never would have thought I would be seeing you at a pirate hideout planning to destroy Taycia."
"We will destroy Taycia, only to rebuild it." He comforted her.
Alana smiled, embracing her brother.
"I have missed you, Amun."
"I have missed you as well, more than you know." Amun hugged her back, placing a hand on her head. The siblings embraced each other with the pain only they knew between them, comforted in each other's arms.
The door swung open not even five seconds later.
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[[Amun pictured below. Scar added by me but credit goes to signed artist.
And for the super freaky fans: there is no and never will be any romance between Alana and Amun, just to be clear from the jump. He is just a overly doting and adoring older brother— this is fiction after all 😂
I am simply making this clear because I see a lot ships and stories about the *I* topic, especially in the yandere section. I never thought I would have to draw that line but it's there.]]