The Island With No Parallel

Torches and Pitchforks in France (part 2)

At first, Yunara didn't understand the reason why Luca insisted that they dock in Cannes at night. Not that he was keen on elaborating, simply brushing off any questions or pretending not to hear them. It wasn't until they arrived that night, and she witnessed as torchlight began to slowly glow along the harbor that the realization dawned on her that they were aboard a pirate ship. And Cannes, France already knew them well.

"It won't be safe for the Fantasma to be waiting for us at the dock while we look for Shi'ran," Valentini insisted as he had Matteo help him get dressed, pulling on a loose white blouse carefully over his bandages. Accompanied by the black coat that billowed at his ankles and the pistol hanging at his side, a knife at the other, she understood why Cannes was waiting for them with torches at the ready. She had to remember that only a week ago, they were nearly victims to him as well. Though now in his wounded state, he didn't quite look the dashing vagabond he did when he raided Youssef's ship, and she had to wonder why he was standing in the first place. His back was hunched so he could cradle his stomach with one arm, a cane in the other for extra support. A glance at Matteo's expression told Yunara he was against his captain's decision, but she suspected there was little convincing him.

"Do you know how long this little excursion might take?" Luca went on to ask.

Yunara looked to Youssef, who was scratching his chin as he looked out onto the water. "That depends on how fast we can find him and how much it will take to convince him. According to Lorenn, it will not take much, but we can never be sure. I have not traveled much to Elven country. I know little of what it is like."

At this, all eyes turned to Yunara and Kailu, the only two natives of Caorfi in the room.

Kailu said, "Well, I only know what Papa's told me when he's done trade business with them. Shipping weapons and all that. If this man is a scholar, it may be hard to get in touch with him. The scholars of the Elven countries are very hard to come in contact with. They're considered to be favored of the royals, and the royals usually prefer exclusive rights to the wisdom of their scholars. At least that's what I hear Papa say whenever he went there."

Yunara nodded in confirmation. That's what she knew of the elusive knowledge-seekers of the Elven countries, as well. They were an elite, apparently, and she didn't imagine it would be easy find one without accidentally stepping on a hundred offenses and practically committing blasphemy.

"Then what do we do?" Manuel asked.

"Well, she just said it," Luca said, shrugging and gesturing to Kailu. Not paying mind to any of the confused faces in the room, he told Matteo something in Italian, to which Matteo frowned and gave a dry retort. The two went back and forth in bickering tones, ending with Matteo resigning and walking off muttering to himself, and though Yunara didn't understand Italian, she didn't think they were kind words of any sort.

Kailu raised an eyebrow at Luca. "What was that?"

"I just told him to get the things we need for the plan."

"What plan?" asked Manuel, his tone getting heated.

"Well, she just said that they are an elite that only the royals have access to. So we'll make ourselves royals. Or nobles, at the very least. It shouldn't be too hard, I've stolen from my fair share of both, so we can certainly dress the part." His eyes landed on Manuel, a smile spreading on his lips as he said, "I'm sure you can help us play the role. You carry yourself like a noble, though I daresay you don't look like one."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Let's not get started into something stupid," Yunara said, placing herself in the space between the two of them once she saw Manuel trying to close it, his jaw clenched and his hands in fists at his sides. She glared at him challengingly, Manuel holding her gaze for a moment before finally backing down.

"Thank you," she said as an end to the silent discussion. Inwardly, she wanted to weep at her being in the midst of the two idiots. One that egged on the other, regardless of his injuries, and the other completely willing.

"So we dress up like Lords and Ladies," Kailu summed up, bringing the conversation back to the original subject. "But how will we get anyone to believe us?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Luca challenged. "On this world and any world like it, money talks. We'll claim to be rich foreigners. All we have to do is spend a lot of money everywhere to bring attention to ourselves. Eventually people will ask around for the rich and exotic foreigners and we'll find this Shi-something in no time."

Yunara had to admit his plan was a solid one. There was no reason for anyone not to believe whatever they had to say so long as they looked wealthy. It could actually work.

"That leaves one issue," Youssef commented, looking out the porthole as he did. "How will we use the parallel point within the city if the entire harbour is lined with torches and pitchforks?"

Luca joined him to look out the window. "Ah, I missed France," he sighed nostalgically. "My men will take care of it. They can cover us while you... work whatever magic you use to get us there, to the Elf country."

Yunara looked to Kailu and Manuel to see if they were as uncomfortable as she was hearing the pirate captain tell them that his men would "take care" of the mob. It wasn't as if they were like this without a reason. There was no way that the Diovolo's last visit was friendly.

Luca sensed the silence in the room, turning to glance at Yunara and saying, "Ah, yes, I forgot how delicate a flower you are. Don't worry, I'll make sure they don't do too much to our, uh, adoring public. I don't see any point in taking out on these people, anyway. They won't be carrying any precious valuables if they're all gathered at the peer to stone me. That would just be stupid."

Yunara pressed a finger to her temple and sighed as she watched his eyes glint as he seemed to be reconsidering the possibility, rubbing his chin thoughtfully for a moment, as if hoping that the crowd would be carrying some valuable trinket by happenstance, but then shook his head to himself, dismissing the idea as absurd, as he'd originally concluded. They really were working with a pirate.

She could feel Manuel heating up at her side, and she considered which was worse. The buccaneer or the man willing to further injure a man that had been stabbed in the stomach. At the moment she couldn't decide.

"But wait," Kailu said, gesturing to Luca's cane. "You aren't coming with us, are you? What if something happens? You can't defend yourself. We already have to get past this crowd."

"Of course I'm coming. I told you, my crew will protect us from the crowd. As for the rest, we'll be pretending to be Lords and Ladies, not looking poking dragons with sticks. Should worse come to worse, wherever we're staying, I'll remain there in bed rest while you all go slaying dragons. Besides, the ship can't stay docked here. I've told Matteo to instruct the crew that they'll have to circle back every four days. If we don't come out to meet them, we aren't done with our secret business and they need to leave for another four days to give us time to finish. And if the ship comes under attack, I'm much safer with people that can see their enemies than with those that can't."

The less-than-innocent smirk Luca tried to reassure them with made Yunara think the true reasons for his coming was because he saw opportunity in being around so many rich Lords and Ladies in Gaiza. But she couldn't deny what he was saying. It wouldn't be wise to bring his entire crew and Youssef's into all of this. At the moment they were obeying Luca based on duty, not because they were given any reason or explanation for anything. But they were loyal enough to come through, he assured them, and she believed him. based on the amount of sacrifice it was obvious he was willing to make for his men, she truly believed they were willing to do the same in return.

"Then to fairy-land we go," Luca concluded, returning his gaze out the porthole.

Glancing at Kailu, Yunara found that she was hiding a smirk. She thought this was funny, having to deal with these kind of conflicting characters, Luca and Manuel. She was glad someone thought it was funny. Because at the moment she thought it was going to be a nightmare.

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Only one Chosen left to find!! I'm so psyched that everything is coming to an end. Are you?

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