::Chapter Four::
Capture
Capture
Kairu stared at his feet, stepping slowly upon the damp earth laden with pebbles and stones. It had been about two hours since his brother had gone missing, and it was becoming less and less likely that he would just pop out of the shadows, a cheeky grin on his face. Kairu’s eyes were bloodshot and his tear stained face was whipped by the freezing wind. Folding his arms and shivering from the cold, he realised that he didn’t have any weapons with him. His bow and arrows were still in the tent, and a sword that he gave to Nazume as a present was sitting near his bed. Nazume cherished that sword and practiced with it nearly everyday, although most of the time he hurt himself while doing so.
A rustle was heard in a bunch of bushes not far off the path, which made Kairu stop abruptly and listen. The wind howled in the trees and rainwater dripped from a lone tree. Maybe the rustling behind the bush was his brother, trying to escape from the kidnapper. Kairu decided to investigate, although he knew it was probably just a wild animal making the noise. Slowly but cautiously he walked up to the bush, praying to the heavens that Nazume was behind it. He wanted everything to be all right. For Nazume to come back to him and they could live happily ever after in the forest. Like it was before Nazume went missing.
Reaching his destination, Kairu took a deep breath and stood before the bush with his eyes closed. There was a lonely emptiness inside his heart that only Nazume could fill. Kairu focused on his breathing and thought about how Nazume was before the fire that took their mother’s life. He was such a cheerful boy, who wanted to study martial art when he grew up. Kairu opened his eyes slowly, gasping in terror at what he saw next.
A cocked gun was pointed directly at Kairu, held tightly by a fierce looking pirate. Un-shaved and dirty, the pirate had a cruel expression on his face and had a silver tooth that glinted whenever he talked. A loose white shirt covered his torso and a thick belt kept multiple pistols and a cutlass in place. Tuff of blonde hair peaked out from under his red patterned bandanna.
“I think you be better coming with us, matie.” The pirate grunted, his pistol still aimed at Kairu’s face.
Kairu stood their, not moving a muscle. His body felt numb and unable to move. Where had this pirate come from? The ocean was miles away and this forest wouldn’t be easily assessable for a seafaring man. An evil grin was splashed across the pirates face.
“Give me back my brother.” Kairu angrily ordered as at least fifteen more pirates surrounded him, all heavily armed. Kairu was positive that they had Nazume. They captured him and now they were going to kidnap Kairu.
“Sorry mate, we don’t take children or women, that’s the rule.” Kairu’s heart sank. He had heard this rule before from storybooks his mother used to read him. If the pirates weren’t holding Nazume captive, then who was? Kairu cried out in pain as something solid and hard hit him in the back of the head. As he fell to the floor, the noise of laughing pirates could be heard. “Take him onboard!”
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