They returned from the beach and into town as the sun was setting. They had said goodbye to Pika on the trek back from the beach, just briefly because she was so busy, and Theo alerted the crew that was in there to start heading back soon. There was a nightly curfew imposed and Theo wanted to get going long before it was that time. At the beach, though, they didn't end up going into the water any further than their knees. Ava had let her know she couldn't go in.
"I know you can't swim. I'll take care of you," Theo had said as she peeled off her shirt to not get it wet. She would just have to swim in her undershirt.
"That's not it," Ava chuckled, "I, uh, don't have anything under this so I would be soaked on the way back."
"You mean to tell me you are wearing no underwear?" Theo raised an amused eyebrow.
Ava crossed her arms in front of her chest and shrugged, "Aye, so what?"
"Why?"
"It's freeing."
"Justifiable," Theo laughed and she resigned to just splashing around ankle-deep in the water.
They sat in the sun, lounging and lazing around until late in the aftermorning, which is when they started to head back. They took the same route as before, passing through the large industrial farms that littered the landscape. They walked through dirt and gravel and through well-laid paths until they got to the city. Theo recognized some of the women out and about as her crew and reminded each one that she passed that they would be embarking to the next destination soon.
Theo had decided to cut behind the spread out buildings on the main road, it was a slightly faster way to get to the port that way. Taking the alleyways behind buildings was a direct line to their ship and not a winding path down to the docks. As they approached the middle of their trek through the city, two figures emerged into their line of sight. Theo slowed her pace and Ava matched her. They were still several hundred feet away and Theo could barely make out what was happening but she was careful as they got closer.
Theo began to hear shouting as they got closer and Ava began to run towards it. Theo reached out and grabbed Ava's coat and tugged her back then held her in place. Ava looked back at Theo, indigent. Theo shook her head and put a finger to her lips. Theo walked them closer to the backs of the buildings and away from the long alley path. As they got closer, the scene was clear.
There was an old man surrounded by scattered fruit and a large basket tipped over. Above the older man was a guard dressed in the typical army uniform. This soldier, like many of the ones that engaged in abuse, was Eloxian. Theo watched as the soldier brought down a baton on the poor man's back. The elder was already hunched over in pain, his screams shattered Theo's heart. Her first instinct was to run toward the scene and help but it was futile to intervene without escalating everything. Theo grabbed Ava's hand and pulled her to the side of a building, out of sight.
Ava tried to pull away from the iron tight grip Theo had on her wrist, "We've got to go help, Theo."
Ava looked distressed as if the screams had shaken her to her core. She tugged against her captor in an attempt to help the elderly man.
"We can't help," Theo tried pulling her back, closer and closer to the main road so they could distance themselves. If they were caught, the consequences to witnessing the beating was bad. The Eloxian soldier would make sure there were no witnesses and Theo would be forced to strike the soldier down. A dead Eloxian was the last thing Alenroux needed.
"Theo, let me go!" Ava tried to pull harder and managed to drag them towards the edge of the building again, threatening to expose them.
The reason that this entire town crumbled to the ground couldn't because she couldn't control her new recruit. Theo roughly grabbed Ava and pushed her against the wall, one arm coming across her chest to keep her pinned and another hand coming up to cover Ava's mouth. Ava's eyes went wide at the sudden aggression and Theo felt Ava's heart beating hard against her arm and they kept their position for a few more minutes. Once the noises had died down Theo slowly released Ava and the scowl was prominent on the redhead's face.
"I thought your whole thing was helping people, not running like cowards," Ava spat and Theo brushed off the anger that wanted to rise up from the jab.
"What would you have done?" Theo asked.
"Tried to stop it," Ava answered obviously.
"And he should listen to you why?" Theo crossed her arms, "What if he turned on you and started beating you for interfering?"
"I-" Ava frowned, "I would have fought him."
"Aye," Theo nodded, "and he would overpower you because he has lengths of training. That would drag me into the fight to protect you and I would have no choice but to kill him."
"Killing seemed to be right up your alley if I recall correctly," Ava challenged.
"Killing a guard is a different story, Ava. Killing a guard would mean this place would be razed to the ground. We wouldn't get away with that," Theo spat back, miffed at Ava, "This isn't Niveal, there are consequences to our actions."
"So we just leave him to be beat?!" Ava yelled.
"If it means saving a whole town from being burned? Yes!" Theo yelled back and then began to walk off into the direction of the man, the guard having cleared out.
She paid what Ava did next to no mind as she went up to the man. He was laying on the ground, huddled into a ball trying to protect himself. He looked in bad shape, with blood splatters littering the stone white gravel around them. Theo fell to her knees and gently held the man's head up. It was scratched on one side as if his head had been pressed into the rough ground below them. The man opened his eyes weakly and let out a pained cough, there was blood seeping from his mouth. Theo tried to wipe it away as best she could with her coat and then looked around to figure out her next move.
Ava had jogged up after her and was looking at the scene with unease and trepidation.
"Go into that building there and tell the shopkeepers what has happened. They will know what to do," Theo said with an urgency in her voice, this man did not have much time left to get help if he was to survive, "If there are soldiers, exit and find another place to get help."
Ava stumbled back and ran to go get help. Theo focused back on the man in front of her and she gently moved so that his head was resting in her lap. His breathing was labored and Theo could tell the man was in unimaginable pain. His arm was visibly broken and bleeding from where his bone broke the skin. For a man of his age, these extensive injuries did not seem to favor a good outcome. Theo tried to calm him down but she couldn't understand what he was saying. He repeated one word over and over, she didn't recognize it.
" Giorina ," he cried out, " Giorina !"
Theo spoke to him, "Jui, hyrinda pline."
I do not understand.
The man did not say anything else, just kept repeating the word over and over again. It was getting harder for him to speak, the cuts in his mouth were still bleeding and he was getting winded. Theo tried to shush him and rub her hands over his shoulder. She looked around for any sign of Ava but saw nothing. The man had quieted down now, knowing he had to save his energy.
"Jui, binul?" Theo asked in a whisper. What do you need from me, sir?
There was no response, just some muttering. The man was in shock. From the beating and from the pain. What seemed like hours later, Ava came running ahead with a group of around ten people following behind her.
"I think I found his daughter," Ava panted as she arrived, "I went to three other stores, there were soldiers in all of them."
Theo looked up at the group and saw one of the girls break away and run towards the man. She let out a scream as she recognized who was laying on the ground and sprinted as fast as she could. She fell to her knees and tears were already streaming down her face.
"Papa!" she cried and held his cheek in her hand.
"Giorina," his bloody mouth broke out into a weak smile as he put his hands over hers.
Giorina was his daughter, it wasn't a Safritiain word Theo didn't know. The man had been calling out for his daughter. She spoke to him in Safritian, trying to keep herself calm for him. The group of people finally arrived and picked him up carefully, trying to get him help as quickly as possible. Giorina was by his side the whole time and Theo was right behind them all, following them to the hospital. Alenroux's hospital was a small one-story house with three beds for the sick. Everyone but his daughter was pushed out once the healers got him settled in a bed.
Theo explained the situation to those that had been helping once things had calmed down. She told Ava to stay there and monitor the situation, she had to head to the ship to let Navi and Xyra know they would be delayed. Theo jogged back to the ship, sweat dripping down her face by the time she got there. She found Xyra in her room and explained the situation. Together they found Navi to inform her then made their way back to the hospital together. Halfway there, they saw Ava running down the path towards them.
She stopped in front of them with a red face and a trail of tears appeared on her face, "He didn't make it."
"Fuck," Xyra lamented and Theo rubbed her face.
"Is the daughter still there?" Theo asked.
"Aye."
"Xy, go tell Morgana to gather the vanguard and meet at the square. There is going to be a vigil and with the curfew in place, trouble will be brewing," Theo said and Xyra doubled back and made her way back to the ship.
Theo kept walking and Ava walked behind her, "How did you know there was going to be a vigil?"
"It's Safritian tradition to hold a ceremony in the honor of the deceased before the night ends on the sun of their passing. It allows the family to get support immediately from the community and then have the ability to grieve alone after that," Theo explained, as she walked as quickly as she could back to the infirmary.
It was a quiet walk back up and when they arrived, Theo instructed Ava to stay outside. She walked in and asked the healer to leave them. Giorina was bent over the table where her father lay, dead. Theo walked over and stood quietly until Giorina looked up.
"I am sorry about your father," Theo said. It was the first time she had spoken to the woman.
"Grandfather," Giorina replied shortly.
"Grandfather... " Theo repeated.
"You were there?" she asked, but the tone was not accusatory.
"Aye," Theo nodded, she had recounted the story to others but not to her, "My companion and I were walking when we came across your father being beaten by a guard. We hid and came out when it was safe."
Theo willed the conversation to end there. If Giorina asked why Theo didn't help, she didn't know what she would say. But Giorina didn't ask. She knew the reason, everyone had known the reason.
"At least I got to see him one last time," Giorina whispered and then let out a sob and turned back to her grandfather and put her head on his chest.
"I came to leave compensation for your loss," Theo said, "I know money cannot replace him but with this, you can get by while you mourn."
"I do not need your money," the woman said but Theo left the coins by the bedside table anyway.
"My name is Captain Theo, I am the captain aboard the Scorned Woman. We will be docked until tomorrow morning so if there is anything we can assist you with, don't hesitate to find us," Theo explained and then began to walk out.
"Aren't you those pirate girls?" Giorina asked.
Theo turned around slightly and tipped her hat, "That is us. Like I said if you need anything we are here until tomorrow."
"I want you to protect us at the vigil."