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year 5, quarter 3
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You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
”No, please.”
Faris couldn’t say he was surprised. He wasn’t unsurprised either. He was perfectly in the middle, half expecting her to accept his ill-gotten spoils with a thank you and half expecting that she’d protest. It didn’t much matter to him either way. It was better that she saw someone was on her side no matter how she felt about it.
But then she gave her speech. And Faris winced.
She had a certain way about her, head held tall. She had a certain authority to her voice that he hadn’t heard before and that certainly needed no help from him. She scolded Faris first and then turned her scorn towards the weapons dealer. She had a way for diplomacy. No wonder considering she was a queen.
When she called, Faris came in a heartbeat. It was half in interest and half on instinct. She just had that kind of presence.
Faris willed his crystal’s power away, and in another flash of light, his armor had melted away. He shot the shopkeeper one last challenging look before he hurled his spear into the air. It dematerialized before it could skewer him. Serves him right.
”So you’re a queen,” Faris said as they joined the crowds. Queen Garnet til Alexandros the seventeenth of Alexandria. It was a mouthful for sure. ”That’s a surprise, but I’ve heard worse.”
A certain princess on his pirate ship for instance. Or a certain history of his own.
”I put you in a rough spot,” he said, shaking his head. ”That’s not what I meant, but it’s what I did. He’s a yellow-bellied cur that’ll tear a lass down if he thinks he can get away with it. Men like that make my skin crawl.” He scowled. There was a reason he’d started dressing like a man.
”It was as much for me as it was for you. I’m a princess myself, after all.” He couldn’t keep the bitterness from his tongue. ”Princess Sarisa Scherwil of Tycoon.” A strange name. The kind of name he’d have used for ransom not so long ago.
”Though that'll be Faris to you. The former's not a name I’ll take if I can help it.”
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
”Man the sails! South-south-west! You! On deck! And have the lifeboats at the ready!” Faris climbed the riggings himself, muttering curses as he went. He knew the sea’s rage like he knew an old enemy. The sting of salt, the barrage of wind and water. He spat out a mouthful of rain and kept climbing, the ropes rough and twisted in his hands.
This wasn’t exactly how he’d pictured his return to the sea.
What had started as a storm had quickly escalated to a hurricane. Faris had smelled it on the wind, and he’d shivered. Part of him had urged him to flee. The other part, the thinking part, knew that the city would need him. Whatever was about to happen, the kingdom wasn’t ready. No kingdom ever was.
His expectations had been met in spades. Wicked waves had swept whole docks away. Flooding had flattened coastal houses and carried their inhabitants out to sea. He’d spent a whole two days driving his spear into a race of oversized crabs that had swarmed the beaches. The city needed someone like him, he knew, but he couldn’t have ever expected just how true that was.
”A fool’s job if I’ve ever seen one,” Faris muttered as he anchored himself at the sails. This storm was the kind of nightmare that would wake a sailor screaming. It was the kind of storm that trapped you, spinning and gasping until the rain had cleared and you were left wondering exactly what fates had spared you. If anyone else had asked him to set sail in this kind of weather, he’d have laughed in their faces, except…
”Out of the way! You’ve got the hands of a cuttlefish!” Faris edged another sailor sideways and grabbed the knot for himself, gritting his teeth as he pulled against the wind tightened the rope against it. Every muscle strained to popping and he let out a sharp yell of adrenaline that threatened the very thunder itself. In seconds, the knot was tied safer than it ever had been before, and Faris let out breath.
His heart was hammering. They couldn’t take this much longer.
”Where are you, you overgrown octopus?” He searched the shrouded horizon with a snarl. ”I’ll drive a spear straight through you, and call you calamari!”
"Angry" and "Pirate" is not a combination you want to be on the wrong side of
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
Torensten. It was a city unlike any he could have imagined -- tall, complex, and swarming with people. It wasn’t so foreign as that metal monstrosity up north, but it was still almost too much to take in. Faris stood on the edge of one of the city’s most prominent marketplaces, arms crossed as he looked up to the sky. Or rather, to the sky trains. They sailed along like mini airships on their path, laden with passengers ferried from one side of the city to the other. It was too loud. Too busy. Too much.
Yet here he stood with nothing better to do than linger on the sidelines, watching the people bustle past. He was here for a reason. A reason he hated. A reason that could wait a little while longer.
Yuna. She’d been like a spot of sunlight on the horizon. She’d been gentle, yet strong. Caring, yet fearless. She’d had a good heart with a fire in it, and that fire had really put his life into perspective. Not the piracy, but Yuna’s friends. Caius more specifically and his cause.
Faris sighed and started into the crowd. All around him were market stalls selling all manner of swords and platemail and fearsome arrows. The place attracted a rough crowd, and he pushed past them with a hard look to keep them in line. Faris knew these kinds of people, and he knew to stand tall and look them right in the eye. These were men with something to prove, and men with something to prove would break down anyone in their way to prove it.
He didn’t notice the girl at first. He’d been so caught up in his own dread that she didn’t quite stick out to him the way she should have with her small frame and long hair. She was the kind of girl that didn’t quite belong -- not among these would-be mercenaries and sailors with their boasting and tall tales. He didn’t notice until he heard a snide voice. A gruff voice. It was taunting her.
”And what weapon would that be? I’m not sure we have one that’ll match your fine clothes, m’lady.”
”O-oh. I am not a lady. My name is Dagger.”
”I’m sure it is.”
Faris stopped. What kind of low-life cur would string a woman on like that? Faris turned to see them deep in some kind of exchange. The man was boorish with thin eyes and a wide smirk. The girl was nervous with her hands clasped and her eyes wavering. She wanted a staff. The man thought she was too soft to carry one.
Faris felt a rage grow inside him that he quickly clamped down. What right did he have refusing a lady service just for her pretty face? Well, if he wouldn’t get her a staff then Faris was more than willing to do the job.
”A man, eh?” Faris marched towards the table, eyes bright with a challenge. ”You’d best give up your weapons then. You’re no more a man than a wood louse!”
”Wha-?” To say the man was surprised was an understatement. In fact, he looked baffled, taking in the pirate with the worn tunic and wild, violet hair. Once the shock passed, his eyes turned hard. ”It’s none of your business,” he said. Faris gave him a look that was even harder.
”It’s my business when a lass is made to feel small,” he said before turning to her. For her part, the whole encounter had gotten nothing but a sharp huff from her and a turn of her back. Still, Faris shot her a smile. It was good to know when someone was on your side.
”I can sell to whoever I want.” The man drew himself up to his full height. In truth, he towered over Faris at about half a foot taller. He scowled dangerously. ”Keep walking.”
A lesser man might shrunk away from someone with that many muscles and that big an advantage. Faris just laughed. ”I'll not drop a fight once it's started,” he said. ”You’d do best to hand over a staff. The strongest you have.”
”And you’ll get out of here if you want to keep arms.”
Faris’ eyes glinted. ”I wasn’t asking.” There was a great flash of light as he called upon his crystal shards. He felt the fire crystal’s power surge through him with a searing heat as his tunic hardened to crimson armor and his headband elongated into a full helm in the form of a dragon’s snout. Finally, a familiar weight dropped into his hand. His spear. He spun it until he held the man in a death’s grip.
”That’ll be your best staff,” he said. ”Free of charge.”
Taking that risk. Oh Faris. You are not a nice person lol
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
It did sound nice now that he thought of it. Not the smartest. Not the most practical, but there were times when Faris had to throw aside both of those for the sake of just feeling alive. As the captain of a ship (and of Bartz), it had been some time since he’d had the chance to toss his cares away. This was one of those times.
Faris nodded at her and waited for the wind to give him an opening before he undid his knots and folded the sail. Their boat skidded along a while, losing speed until they came to a slow stop. Faris peered over the side into the water below. It wasn’t the clear, blue marvel that he saw out at the widest depths, but it wasn’t overly polluted either. It was somewhere in the middle, just clouded enough to hide whatever lurked within. Faris shrugged and stood, using the mast for support. It was good enough.
”All clear,” he said, and she was as ready as she’d claimed. She knew the water well enough, it seemed, and she wasted no time in removing each piece of jewelry one by one. Then there were her boots, sash, and lowing sleeves. Faris tilted his head, looking her over in her crossing halter shirt and slitted skirt. She looked slightly bashful as she turned to face him, but he didn’t mind. She had that same light to her with or without all the accessories.
”Do you do this a lot? I haven’t been swimming in a long time.”
He laughed to himself. ”It comes with the job,” he said. How long had it been since he’d gone swimming for the sake of it? He supposed anything would lose its spark when you did it often enough, and he certainly had. Since the day he’d been hauled aboard his first ship in fact. They’d lost no time in putting him to work.
Yuna hesitated. She saw the longing in her eyes as well as the fear. Was she seeing flashes of the world she’d left behind? Of that hideous fiend that had terrorized her for so long? Whatever it was, it wasn’t enough to stop her. In a moment, she steeled herself, took a breath, and charged the side of the boat, jumping without a hint of fear.
Faris grinned. He couldn’t help but admire a woman like that.
He slid off his boots while she took in the water below. Then came his scarf, his bracers, his belt. As soon as Bartz had mentioned the ’dating event’, he’d wondered if he should have worn his formal coat with its patches and vest. He’d decided he hadn’t much cared to impress, and now he was glad for it. His usual tunic was good for swimming, and it seemed that Yuna hadn’t much cared besides.
With all of his extras tactfully set aside, Faris sidled the boat’s edge, took a breath of his own, and dove expertly off the side. The water rose up to meet him, and he parted it like a spear with his hands folded to a point over his head. Once he’d lost momentum, let himself drift below the surface, wading his arms to keep from floating. His eyes stung as he took in the blue-green haze. His lips were bitter with brine. Not far away, he saw Yuna resurfacing, her legs kicking slowly below her.
And then he had a thought. A terrible thought. A terrible, exciting through that could backfire on him in an instant. But hadn’t he always been one for taking risks?
He swam forward like a frog, wading and kicking in wide motions. Then when he was close behind her, kicked up hard. As he burst from the surface, he grabbed her shoulders and dunked her down. Not by much. Just enough to get the top of her head a little wetter. Then he laughed and threw himself back, wading as he waited to see her reaction.
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
Yuna looked thrilled at the mention of Syldra. It was a natural feeling, that wonder and excitement. A tamed drake? A sea one at that? It wasn’t the kind of sight that one usually saw if they saw it at all. Sea drakes were more elusive than their skyborne sisters, and even more deadly if they saw fit to fight. Still, she must have noticed his shift in tone because hers dampened to match it.
”Oh...I’m sorry. You must miss her.”
”I do,” he said. ”More than I’ve the words, but it was good to know her at all.” He shook his head. Enough with all the somber talk. ”We met when she caught us in a whirlpool if you can believe it! She was trapped herself, stuck on the debris of a poor ship lost under the waves. She drained the water just to keep her head above it! I didn’t see another way about it. Our cannons wouldn’t reach so I dove into the water myself.”
He laughed. If that wasn’t the craziest thing he’d ever done.”I saw the problem in an instant. I cut the sails that had her tied, and she was stuck to my side ever since. That’s how I became the captain. It’s hard to argue with a beast like that!”
Faris had been younger. Brasher. But he couldn’t argue with the results. Maybe he’d nearly drowned, but it had been worth it to save the life of a drake. And to take the reigns of a ship of pirates of course.
Despite their conversation’s somber turn, it seemed he still had a charm to him that only a sailor could bring. He saw her cheeks turn bright. When she spoke next, there was an excitement in her eyes. The kind that only freedom and a little rush of adrenaline could bring.
”Yes, sir!” She smiled at him as she took the tiller in both hands and sailed them carefully into open waters. Faris took hold of the sails, keeping them steady and strong.
He was grinning. He couldn’t help himself. With a smile like that, she could have melted the heart of the most hardened of men.
Whatever she’d said before, Yuna wasn’t afraid. In fact, she wanted to take it all by the reigns and urge it faster.
”Maybe...I’ll jump in. When we’re far enough out.”
It was such a bold idea that for a moment, Faris could only blink at her. Then he laughed, hard and loud. ”That’s a mighty leap forward!” he said. ”Anything could be swimming these waters.”
But he liked the idea. He gave her a sharp nod, his eyes lit with a mischievous fire. ”I’ll have to join you,” he said. ”In case there are any sea drakes that need dealing with.”
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
”Steering. I can do that.” Yuna had a determination about her even if she clearly had no idea what she was doing. Faris could respect that. Even if her lack of experience was worrying.
She’d do fine, he told himself. A girl like that? She’d figure it out on the fly.
She shoved the tiller into a sharp right and they tipped violently to the side. ”Argh!” Faris grabbed the side, waving out an arm wildly as he threw himself back to counterbalance the weight. She laughed, apologizing sweetly. Faris couldn’t be mad at her. Instead, he gave her a stern look, grinning all the same. ”You’ll want to keep it light and strong. She’ll buck you right off if you let her.”
He laughed as he set himself upright, grabbing at the sails again. They wouldn’t be venturing far. Just far enough that the coast wasn’t in sight. So long as they were both strong swimmers, it wouldn’t be a bother. And he was just about the strongest there was.
They made their slow, careful way out of the harbor, and Yuna got a feel for the tiller. Still, Faris couldn’t help but glance back every now and then to make sure there wasn’t a panic to her eyes. Really, it was far from it. She was nervous, he could tell, but also excited. No matter what her feelings, no matter what her fears, she was ready to take them head on and she’d come out the stronger. He smiled to himself as he sat forward again, ready for the launch of speed.
Now that was his kind of woman.
The sails caught, and he felt his heart race the same way it always did as he was thrust forward, skipping along the waves with only himself and his sails to guide him. He wasn’t used to such a small vessel. In truth, he’d only taken to this kind of wild wind a few times in the past, but he couldn’t get enough of it. The risk. The speed. The way he held his own life in his hands. Yuna laughed behind him -- a wild kind of laugh that left all her fears behind her. She was a new woman out on the water, free of her worries and obligations. Faris closed his eyes, feeling the sea and its bitter spray.
This was exactly what he loved. Exactly what he’d wanted to share.
He slowed the sails as they made their distance from the harbor, and looked back to check on her. She was quiet now. Thoughtful.
”You were right. This is beautiful,” she said. ”I’ve been on the sea before, but I was always just waiting for Sin to show up.” That damned monster she’d mentioned. It had carved a hole right out of her and burned the pieces left behind.
Yuna shook her head, trying for a smile. ”You look so at home here. How long until sunset do you think?”
”It’s my home as true as any,” he said. ”My old captain. My crew. We used to have a sea drake as big as a merchant’s ship. We were close as…”Sisters.”Well, we were close. She would pull us along when the winds were low. A damn useful trick when you find yourself stranded.”
There was that same pain, dulled with time but never forgotten. The day he lost it would be the day he’d betrayed her. Syldra. He’d never let her go.
Faris stood, angling his hands towards the horizon as he squinted into the sun. ”That’ll be an hour, I’d guess,” he said. ”Enough time to get us off the coast. I want you to see it with everything it has. It’s the best sight I’ve ever seen.” He settled back into his seat before turning to wink at her.
”That’ll be your hand to guide us,” he said. ”The sea’s yours for the taking.”
I sure wish I knew literally anything about sailing
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
Yuna took his hand, stumbling as she found her balance until she pressed herself against the side, laughing. ”It was lower than I thought,” she said with a smile, and Faris joined her laughter.
”Aye, that’s always the way of it. Every ship’s got a mind of her own. You’ll get used to her. So long as you don’t topple overboard.” She looked nice, clutching the edge, that slight caution in her eyes. He could tell the water scared her, but she wasn’t the type to stand down. Faris wasn’t so much pressuring her as giving her a chance. A chance to face that fear and come out all the stronger for it.
”I want to see the seas like you do. I don’t want to be afraid of them anymore.” Yuna settled against the floor, legs folded under her. ”You said sailboats take two people to sail, right? Put me to work, Captain Faris.” There was a kind of teasing to her voice, and Faris laughed again. She had quite the spirit.
”We’ll have you taken to the sea in no time,” he said. He finished rigging the sail before he paced around it, running through a checklist in his head. ”That should about do it. I’ll get us out of port. Then I’ll have you working the tiller. I’ll be on the sails.” The wind was good for it, he thought. He felt its bite from a steady north-north-east. That would get them set in the right direction.
Faris sat at the boat’s side, tiller and rigging in hand as he cast Yuna a wild grin. ”Once we’re out, you’ll steer. I’ll be along for the ride.”
He unknotted them from the dock, led them along the planks, and then they were loose. Faris kept them steady, moving at a careful pace along the wind’s back edge as they passed hulls of the ships lulling about in the waves. The wood was weathered with brine. Barnacles pickled the sides. Faris took a deep breath of bitter air. His heart pounded with anticipation.
”Here.” He offered Yuna the long handle extending from the rudder. ”You’ll want to sit on the side like I am. Take it in both hands at first and keep her steady. If you want to turn us right, you’ll make a slight move left. If you want us left, you’ll push right.” He nodded at her with an encouraging smile. ”You’ll do just fine.”
With that, he scooted forward to give her room, waited until she was in position, and tilted the sails so they caught the wind. Then the boat was off, skidding across the water with a salty spray. Faris grinned as his hair caught in the wind and they started off into the bay. Ahead, there was only the horizon.
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
Faris stopped at the edge of the dock, hands at his hips, and breathed deeply. He’d always loved the smell of the harbor. It had a bitter taste to it, half salt and half sweat mixed with creaking wood and sour fish. It wasn’t pleasant in the traditional way, but it smelled of home to him. Home. Something he could really do to find again. But then again, when had he ever found it to begin with?
”This is it,” he said, watching the waves. They expanded out towards the open, empty horizon, sparkling in the late afternoon sun. From here, it looked like the water could have gone on forever, simply swallowing them whole. He couldn’t say for certain that it wouldn’t.
”Are you ready?” Faris turned to Yuna, barely containing his excitement. The docks had him slipping into his sailor’s stance -- all practical, confident, and in charge -- but he knew the fire that lit his eyes. It had been too long since he’d sailed these waters. Even longer since he’d had someone to take alongside him.
Faris grinned and hopped into a small sailboat -- the kind of hold maybe half a dozen passengers max -- taking a moment to steady himself before reaching out a hand for her. ”I doubt you’ve got your sea legs,” he said. ”This one’ll treat you rough if you let it. You’ll want to keep off your feet.”
The same advice he would have given Lenna. Or anyone, really, had they ever had an interest in taking to the sea with him. Out on the water, there was no one to rely on but yourself. The sea was as cruel as it was exciting. It took no prisoners, and it couldn’t be tamed.
With Yuna safely stowed on board, he took to the sails, untying the mast and readying it for the wind. ”We’ll have a long ride if we want to make it before sunset,” he said. ”No change of heart?”
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
”The perfect amount of people then,” Yuna said, smiling. Did that mean she agreed? Faris felt a fire in his heart, something only partly fueled by liquor. He didn’t know why he was so excited, really. He’d taken the boat to see before, and he’d do it again, but there was something special about this time that caught his attention. He’d never really shown someone the beauty of the sea before. He couldn’t wait to share.
”Aye. If you’re willing to do the work.” Even if she wasn’t, he’d manage. Sharing the sea was like sharing the world. He’d get a smile out of her yet.
The only question was when. And the answer was now.
”You’d come then? Before sunset?” He leaned forward, grinning. He couldn’t help himself. He was like a child promised a ride on a chocobo. ”We’ll not have long to waste then! We’ve got to set sail before the hour’s right.”
He looked to the bar and then to their empty shot glasses. He wouldn’t need another round if he wanted to keep the sails straight. He supposed that was the end of it then. No matter how he longed for more.
”I’ll, uh. Pay the gil then.” He reached for his coin purse and fished out what he thought was right. The pouch was light in his hand -- a lot lighter than he’d have liked it to be. He’d have to have to hit another mark soon. He’d have a lot more drinks to pay for yet.
He dropped the coins onto the table, not hearing a word otherwise, before he stood. It was crowded now. So crowded he feared he’d run into more familiar faces before they found the door. ”Let’s take to the streets,” he said. ”It’ll be a while before the harbor, and I think I could use the air anyway.” He cast a dry look to the paper hearts dangling lifelessly from the rafters. ”It’s a sore sight in here.”
With that, he offered her a hand and led her to the entrance. Friends, adventure, and whiskey. He’d have to thank Bartz once they found each other again. This trip hadn’t been such a waste of breath after all.
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
A parrot? Faris laughed. He didn’t know what a movie was, but whatever stories she’d heard sounded like nonsense if he’d ever heard it. How was a man supposed to keep a monkey aboard a ship? They’d run out of fresh food in an instant, and keeping a beast like that on anything else was just cruel. Still, it sounded like quite the image.
Faris, sending out a monkey to grab some coins.
”I’ve had nothing like that,” he said. ”But I tamed a sea drake when I was young. She went by the name of Syldra -- about as long as a ship and thick as a whale! We were close anyone, and she’d even pull the ship like a cart chocobo when the winds were low. A lifesaver, she was. She saved me as much as I’d saved her.”
He sighed. Syldra. The thought of her still twisted like a dagger in his heart. Her cries, piercing the sky. Her eyes, sinking into the waves. Faris had tried to rush out to meet her -- anything when she was in such pain -- but it was a fool’s errand and his friends had known it. They’d held him back no matter how he’d swung at them. In the end, there’d been nothing to do but fall into the sand.
He rubbed at his eye. It wasn’t tears. Just a little itch along the side.
”Haven’t heard of anyone like that,” he said. ”Squall, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis. I’ll keep the names in mind, and if I come across someone of the description, I’ll let them know Rinoa’s looking for them.” He smiled at her just a little. It was hard finding yourself alone. Faris knew that better than anyone. He thought she would handle it better than he had though. She didn’t seem the type to drink her troubles away at a bar table.
”As for me…” he paused, thinking. ”I’ve found Bartz, but there’s still my sister. She goes by the name of Lenna. She’s strong and caring and just about the kindest woman you’ll ever meet.” He looked at her closer and then fished around beneath his scarf. ”She’s got pink hair and wears a pendant like mine.” He pulled it out, letting it glint in his palm. ”I miss her terribly. More than Bartz even…”
It was sad, but true. Bartz was his closest of friends. Lenna had the bond of their blood. After so long searching for it, Faris wasn’t about to let that go.
”We’ll help each other then. We’ve got to with everything gone up in smoke. There’s not another who would do it.” He slid his pendant back under his tunic. ”I hope you’ve got luck on your side. If I could find Bartz, I’d say anything’s possible. He’s about as hard to catch as a wild chocobo.” He smirked faintly. No matter what he said about him, he couldn’t help his own fondness. The likeable lout.
”I won’t take all your time. Go have fun. Have a drink while you’re at it. You deserve a night to let loose.”
