Chapter 20: What Now?
Elias closed his eyes, the soft hum of the pirate song still echoing faintly in his mind. The prison's damp cold felt a little less oppressive with the music lingering in the air, weaving through the cracks of the stone walls like a ghost of freedom. His fingers tapped quietly on the rough wooden bench beneath him, keeping rhythm with the fading tune.
Jake, leaning against the cell bars, smiled to himself, the gleam of mischief never far from his eyes. There was something about being locked up that didn't quite extinguish the spark in a pirate's heart—if anything, it seemed to stoke it.
Raina, sitting cross-legged on the floor nearby, broke the silence with a practical question.
"So… what now?" she asked, eyes darting between Elias and Jake.
Elias opened his eyes slowly, the light catching the glint of the black compass hidden beneath his shirt. He gave her a sideways glance, amused.
"What do you mean, 'what now'?" he replied, voice low and steady. "I mean, sure, I can cut a man's head off faster than you can blink. Fight like some wild animal clawing for survival. But… do you think I can just walk up and cut, steal, and run? Like it's some simple dance?"
Raina's brow furrowed, clearly unsure how to answer.
Jake smirked, pushing himself off the bars to stand beside them.
"Come on, Raina," he said with a playful raise of his eyebrows. "You know Elias can do that. The question is, does he want to?"
Raina turned her gaze back to Elias, curious now.
"Can't you?" she asked quietly.
There was a pause, a stillness that stretched just a moment too long. Then Elias cracked a grin that was equal parts cocky and charming.
"Hell yeah I can," he said with confidence. "But I need a sword to cut 'em."
Jake chuckled, shaking his head.
"Well, a sword's important," he agreed, "but don't forget, a good pirate's got more than just a blade. We've got wit, tricks, and charm. A sword just helps with the charm part when words fail."
Elias nodded slowly, considering. "True. But you ever try cutting someone down with your bare hands? Not as clean as you'd think. I need something sharp, something that sings through the air when I swing it."
Raina smiled a little, her earlier tension easing.
"So, we get a sword," she said, "then what?"
Elias looked out the small barred window, watching the moonlight spill silver across the courtyard.
"Then we get out," he said simply. "Stealing, fighting, running—we do what pirates do best. But it's more than just swords and fighting. It's about knowing when to strike, when to vanish like smoke in the wind. And, sometimes, knowing who to trust."
Jake clapped Elias on the back. "Right you are, mate. Trust is the real treasure, not gold."
The three of them sat in thoughtful silence for a moment, the weight of their situation settling like a shadow in the cell.
Elias broke the silence again.
"I've been thinking," he said quietly, "about that sword I took from the market. It wasn't much, but it was mine. If I can get something like that again… well, maybe I can even start planning a little chaos around here."
Raina looked intrigued.
"What kind of chaos?" she asked.
Elias's eyes sparkled with that familiar fire.
"Enough to get us out of these chains and back where we belong—on the sea. Free."
Jake's grin grew wider.
"That's the spirit," he said. "Because no matter how deep the prison walls, a true pirate always finds a way."
The moon climbed higher, and the night around them grew quieter. But inside the cell, the three pirates were already dreaming—of swords, of freedom, and of the wild, open ocean calling them home.
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