Given the current circumstances, Sky decided Dustin's plan wasn't the best idea. It had nothing to do with the fact that she felt a lot better at having a pistol tucked into her pants in place of the white one still on The Belladonna, nor that she was more confident in her abilities to sneak into the manor by scaling one of the far walls where she knew she could listen to the meeting without the fear of being set away without any information. That meant there was no need to chance into a restricting dress and the only thing Sky had to ask for was one of their gun which was given to her by a boy only a few years younger than her. He blushed shyly as she took it and wished her luck. After Sky had thanked him and had made sure the pistol and flare gun were secure, she readied herself to leave through one of the murky windows that faced away from the main road and out into the shrub surrounding the town.
"Here," The woman leaned on the bar counter and passed a glass of water over to Sky. The cool liquid was gone in seconds and Sky had to restrain herself from asking for more and perhaps some food as well. There would be time for that later.
"Thank you." She set the glass back down and looked at the open window to her right. "I hope this works." The woman smiled at her with worried eyes. A think silence had begun to grow between them when the woman spoke.
"I have to know," She said with concern in her eyes, "Marle, is Marle here?" Her voice dropped so that no one could hear her but Sky. "I was sure you wouldn't come back. There have been words of your crew in Karniva. I feared..."
Sky gave her a genuine grin as a light flush appeared on her face. "He is fine. After this is all over I'll tell him to find you. I'm sure he will be pleased to see you again." The woman's small smile turned sad but she nodded.
"I have something I need to tell him." She looked away from Sky and to the window, her voice strained. "You should go if you want to hear the end of the meeting. Good luck. And..." She looked back at Sky, "thank you. For coming back, no matter you reasons." The woman leaned over the counter to kiss Sky on the check causing her to blush.
Sky nodded, her face warm with happiness, and moved towards the window checking her blades were covered and pushed her salt crusted hair back off her face. The window was small and only just big enough for her to climb through. But she would have to be fast if she wanted to get to the cover of the shrubs without being seen. It was also likely that some of Dustin's men were outside waiting for her to emerge again. Sky placed her hands on the pane and lifted one leg over the edge of the window sill. The rest of the people in the tavern watched her with concern, some waved to her and others turned away as if to give her privacy, but most just watched and waited.
As Sky ducked her head when a small hand on her leg made her stop. She looked down at a sweet face gazing up at her with big eyes. A huge smile graced Sky's lips.
"Hello," She greeted the girl racking her mind for her name. A name she had only heard once. Her last memory of this little girl was her lying on a table as Bates stitched her up from a bullet wound.
The girl didn't say anything as she held out her hand, her rounded face truing a bright red and her eyes flickering down. Sky placed her hand under the girls as she looked down at the top of her head. The girl let go a piece of black ribbon and it fell into Sky's grasp. She looked at it briefly before shifting her eyes back to the girl.
"Thank you." Sky told her with a smile. Her chest was tight and she felt a strong urge to hug this child. Before she could do anything else the girl turned away and went back to the woman who Sky had assumed was her mother before remembering that she had been orphaned. Sky sighed and sat half out the window as she reached around to tie her dark wavy hair up in a high ponytail. Sweeping the stray strands off her face, she hitched her other leg up and climbed out the window.
Her feet landed softly on the sand coloured ground and she strode forward into the near cover of vegetation. The sun was high in the sky and there was little wind to cool down the warm air. Once hidden from view Sky was instantly aware of how much rested on her shoulders. It's not the first time, Sky told herself, I just hope it is the last. She had been right about Dustin's men keeping the perimeter as she was greeted by the familiar face of Aster.
"Is that a gun?" Aster questioned her immediately, his face slightly annoyed at the pistol in her pants. "And why are ya still dressed in that? The Cap'n said ya-"
"Change of plans," Sky told him as she crouched in a dying shrub that barely covered her though she was glad as it would give her clothes to dry a little and the building mostly hid them from view. Not very far from where she and Aster were, Sky saw more of Dustin's crew giving her confused looks. She took the opportunity to explain what she had learnt.
"There is a meeting being held right now with the Navy and a few of the town's people," Sky told Aster who was crouching close to her, "The rest of them have been forced to remain inside until 'arrangements' are reached."
Aster frowned at her. "So why not use the cap'n's plan and say you're late for the meet'n?" His gruff voice still held annoyance in it.
Sky didn't look at him and instead inspected the manor's surrounding wall. Most of the buildings obscured her sight but from her former knowledge of the manor's garden told her that there were little trees she could use to scale the wall from the inside, however getting in would be a little harder. She clearly remembered most of the grounds to be flower beds and if her memory served her well she recalled that she had smashed many of them up out of rage towards Dustin. Sky smiled as the memory flittered away and she faced Aster again her plan almost solid in her mind.
"The Captain's plan won't get me inside that meeting."
"It ain't supposed to, you were only meant to figure out if these Navy bastards are here to kill or not."
Sky gave him a look which he returned informing her that he too agreed there was little point in wasting time on what was obvious. "I have to see what the result of the meeting is. That way we can make an educated and accurate decision on what to do next." Sky shook her head, "Instead of making it up once everything has blown up in our faces." That made Aster smile.
"You've been with us a long time, ya should know by now that that is how we live."
Sky grinned to herself. "It's a wonder you're not all dead at this point."
Aster gave her a little chuckle, "Alright, go make your 'educated' decision. The Cap'n won't be too pleased." Though he said it like it was a good thing and Sky took a deep breath. Dustin would just have to wait until she returned with the information to yell at her.
"Tell him to keep everyone back until I come out. Once the meeting is over the towns people will most likely be able to come out. We can meet up after that where we will be less notice able." Sky stood and set her eyes on her path to the east wall of the manor, "Also, the towns people have agreed to help us. If the Navy isn't very forthcoming."
Aster looked surprised but nodded. "Aye. I'll get a word to Dust as soon as I'm able."
Looking at the grassy path in front of her with a fair amount of coverage, Sky took a deep breath and pushed forward still crouched low to the ground. As she advanced on the manor she passed a few more of Dustin's men. They didn't say much to her; however Sky did notice that they all watched with sharp eyes and as she passed them they looked back to the guards to make sure she was safe in her position.
The sun was hot on her back as she ran towards the right side of the manor's front. Across from her on the other side of the road Sky could see more of the pirates, black shadowy figures that lurked out of sight. There was movement from them and Sky wondered it Aster had already told Dustin of her intentions. She honestly hoped that the message wouldn't reach him until it was too late for him to stop her.
The manors cream coloured walls were in view now with its iron gate to Sky's left. There was a gap between the end of the row of crumbling buildings and the cover of the walls edge. It was exposed as standing in the middle of the main street. Sky cursed as the guards, two strong looking men fitted in the King's royal blue and red, tuned from the middle of the road, down to the port and over to where Sky was hidden. Sky cursed louder still as she watched their patterns and realised that they had timed them so that there was nothing left unsupervised for less than a few seconds. Not enough time for her to make the fifteen foot distance. As the guard closest to her turned to look over at the street, his partner faced Sky's direction. A frustrated huff escaped Sky's dry lips.
Now what?
Sky waited for a moment longer and watched the men complete their round again. Street, right, left. Right, left, street. Shifting her gaze downwards Sky scanned the ground around her for some way of gaining the men's attention. A big rock would work, Sky figured, but that would also draw them to where she was and Sky doubted she would be able to run that distance, scale the wall more than twice the size of her and remain unnoticed and unseen.
Less than a foot from the cover of the building something that Sky could use. It was large, wider than Sky's hand, but would make a suitable thump when it hit the ground. Looking out around the wall Sky recounted the time she had when her spot was unsupervised. Less than three seconds. A time Sky could work with. She would just have to be fast.
It was two more rounds before Sky was mentally prepared and as soon as the guard closest to her turned his head, Sky reached her foot out along with almost half of her body to gain the distance she needed. Her toe connected with the top of the stone and just as she pulled it in to towards her the other man turned in her direction. Sky pulled back, panting slightly from her open mouth, the stone now close enough for her to grab it. When no call reached her ears she extended her arm and gripped the rough surface or the rock.
It wasn't symmetrical with its uneven edges and heavy in Sky's hand, light enough for her to throw it a considerable distance. Sky back-tracked down the way she had come slowly so that she was about three doors away form were she had just been and peered out around the side of what looked to be a hat store. Weighing the stone in her hands, Sky looked back up to the wall of the manor; if she was fast she'd be able to reach it in time before the men got back from checking the stone.
That is if they even do. Sky took a deep breath. If this failed then she would try something else. So please work.
Farther down from where she was, Dustin's crew pulled back. In fact Sky saw that there were less of them than there had been when she'd passed by before. She waved her free had at them and relaxed slightly as the disappeared into the leafy back drop behind them. Turning to face the small space Sky aimed for the other side of the street. She did not think she would not reach it, but it was worth a try. Across from her was a shuttered up house that rose two stories up and must have belonged to someone with considerable amount of wealth because the white paint was well kept its uncovered glass windows were clouded with a hazy green tint.
Lifting the stone ready to throw, Sky also prepared her legs to sprint. She had one chance at this. It had been a long time since Sky had thrown anything. Her aim was well enough, but as a child she had never taken part in the ball games that had been played in her street. Not even when James had run out, his own handmade ball in his hands, to meet his friends. Sky had preferred to sit inside and study the old maps her father had sketched out from his days in service.
So she was so surprised when her stone flew over the road shattering right through one of the green windows of the house across from her that her feet did not move. For a moment Sky was completely dumbstruck, across from her the emerald glass scattered across the ground below the window sill like large shards of broken ice. Sky watched her heart a steady thump against her rib cage as a tall man emerged from the door already yelling. If his enraged face and tense hulking form didn't give knowledge to his demeanour then his loud voice certainly did. Up the road from him was a harsh call that smacked Sky's body into gear and sent her shooting up toward the manor as the two guards came away from their posts to investigate the racket.
Their raised tones could be heard over the desolate silence of the town and soon Sky saw windows crack open as the villagers curiosity brought them out into the street. The two officers were speaking to the man with stern voices that were washed out by the man's yelling.
"Broke me window they did! Bloody young'uns'." His angry words reached Sky just as she crossed the fifteen feet gap.
The officers were completely distracted by the man who waved his arms around indicating the jagged whole in the green glass, Sky's stone now in his hands as he explained what had happened. Once she was definitely out of sight, Sky pressed her back against the cream wall, the manor, and the meeting within, on the other side. Giving herself a second to catch her breath Sky looked up, resting her head against the cold wall as her chest rose and fell gently. She could have rested a few more seconds longer had the yelling down the street not died down. Looking over her right shoulder to where the gate was, Sky saw the two guards walking back over to their posts shaking their heads and grumbling.
Sky was thankful that her stunt hadn't caused the towns people distress or injury and backed up proving more distance between her and the iron gate when the guards voices grew too close for comfort. Her hand trailed along behind her against the rough surface of the wall before it was ripped away and Sky fell back against a softer wall, her wrist held firmly to her spine, though not hard enough to cause her too much pain. A large hand came down over her mouth just as her mind told her to scream effectively tuning her yells to a muffled murmur.
Panic flared up in Sky's mind as she realised how imprudent she had been. Of course there would be other guards; they would never be stupid enough to leave the perimeter of the manor exposed. Sky's first thought was to struggle and tear herself from the officer, he was clearly a lot taller than her so she could use her size to her advantage, however from his close proximity she could also tell that he was heavily armed. The hand that held her arm loosened slightly, though her mouth remained covered.
Unarmed herself, yet unwilling to go down without a fight, Sky was limited in her options. She contemplated head butting him but his warm hand prevented her from getting enough force so she changed tactics assessing her alternatives and lifted her boot off the ground relying on the officer to take her weight as she bent her knee up to her chest and lashed out towards in what she hoped would be his leg. Just as she put all of her effort into the kick the hands released her having now established what she intended on doing, but it was too late for the poor officer as Sky's heel connected with the man's shin.
Sky fell to her knees just as a hushed yet raw string of curses informed her exactly who she had just injured. Sky rose slowly guilt and anxiety weighing down her shoulders, she turned to see her captain facing away from her his back tense with pain and his leg, the one Sky had just smashed, lifted slightly off the ground.
"Shit," The word was like a hiss through clenched teeth and Sky bit her lip as Dustin spun gently testing his foot. His light eyes snapped up to hers, the annoyance in them sent a light red across Sky's cheeks. "Sky."
Sky was momentarily captivated by his appearance. His gold eyes shone with anger, making them crack as if it were flames that gave them their intense colour. The sleeves of his shirt had been pushed up to halfway so that the cuffs were sticking out like wings at his elbows and revealed the muscles in his strong arms. Sky cursed herself for wanting touch the light hairs there to see if they were as soft as the messy strands that were currently curling around his temples from the salt water.
"Never listen, do you Sweetheart?" Dustin's face softened and he shook his head in look looked like exasperation. "Aster tells me you don't approve of my plan and so have decided to replace it with your own."
Reminding herself that the meeting would almost be over, Sky didn't respond to the sly and playful tone of the captain, despite her longing to simply be with him. Hear his normally commanding voice tease her and see him smile gently to himself when she replied with her own thoughts. She wanted to be able to just be herself with him without having to always think of other things. Like war with her King, country and brother. Soon. Sky told herself a twinge of doubt gnawing in her stomach.
"I need to get into the manor." She said crisply knowing that Dustin would understand.
He lifted one eye brow in an arch and his mouth turned down. He turned to look at the manor wall next to them his brows coming down and then back to Sky. She could see his eyes calculating things, though she wasn't really sure what.
"Aster told you about the meeting?" Her question was met with a deep hum as Dustin scanned the roof of the manor that was visible the top of the wall. "Dustin, if I can hear the end of that conversation we may be able to apprehend the King's men and stop whatever they plan on doing here."
"Which we will know once you eavesdrop on this meeting. Won't we Sweetheart?" Serious gold eyes met hers. "And when you have said information that we can use to 'apprehend' the Navy, you can just walk out the front gates where I will be waiting patiently for you with my dear friends." Dustin gestured to the guards who were back at the gate on watch with a tight smile. "Perhaps we could set up a lovely tea party as we wait together? Talk about our opposing opinions on the upcoming war." Sky's eyes narrowed at him as he mocked her.
"Your plan wouldn't have worked, Captain." Sky said back. "The town's people are prohibited from leaving their homes. Even if I could have made it up to the gate before those guards shot me, they wouldn't have told me anything." Dustin's eyes also narrowed in reluctant annoyance and Sky could see that he agreed with her.
"Fine." He stepped closer so that she was forced to look up to him. "But I'm going." Sky was about to tell him that the two of them would be easier to spot than just one, when he kept talking. "I want you to go back to Aster and tell him to pull back. I will take care of this." Dustin placed a hand on Sky's shoulder as he moved past her to stand in front of the wall that keen look in his eyes that showed he was willing to cut down anything. Despite his lack of hat, he looked like a true pirate. He looked up; it was too high for Sky to get up on her own, but Dustin would be able to.
"And the second one of those guards sees you, you are dead. Which would leave us with no information and no captain to lead us into the 'upcoming war'." Sky snapped at him and saw his spine straighten. She heard a strangled sigh of frustration and couldn't help but smile.
"Fine Sweetheart." He turned to her and Sky saw the trust in his eyes hidden within his concern that made her think of how much she truly loved this man, "What can I do to help?"
Sky came to stand next to him and gave him a sweet smile that he scowled at.
"Give me a lift up?"