A light as bright as morning (Pirates)

[Deleted]

It had been a long .... time period. Deva wasn't even sure how long it had been by now. Days, sure, but weeks or months? Perception of time without any sort of set schedule or anything but the passing of days became hard to follow. She wasn't even sure if she really wanted to know. At first she'd been terrified and scared out of her mind. She'd spent countless hours just sitting in the corner, terrified at every voice and sound. She'd barely eaten and had been in terrible shape. Time had passed and slowly she realised that they had no intentions of bringing her harm directly, as long as she didn't try anything to escape. Eventually she'd became as comfortable as was possible and well, she'd been making requests. Things to clean, fresh clothes, a change of sheets, all simple and basic things and products. By now the room was almost sterile, as the only thing she seemed allowed to do was wipe down her own room. She didn't exactly have a window.

With no wand or other things to entertain herself, Deva had ended up spending most of her time lying on the slightly uncomfortable bed, staring at the ceiling. She no longer dreaded the voices in hallways as much, only the creaking of the door as they came to bring food. Not all those that came in were kind, and some outright attacked her to ensure she wouldn't escape. Tracking time was done primarily by meals, so Deva had figured it had been weeks by now. How many she wasn't sure of but it felt like it had to be nearly two months by now. Had she had her birthday yet or was that still to come? It was difficult to tell.

Yet in all her despair and the endlessness of days she kept hope. They'd taken her necklace that Bjorn had given her for Christmas so it was impossible to tell where he was. All she had was the little nightlight on the bedside table and the light that crept in under the door and through the few cracks in the wall. She'd never lost hope that Bjorn was trying to find her. She remembered his fevered attempts to keep her safe as he'd feared the mutiny among his crew when he'd gotten injured. No, he was out there, looking for her. They were just good at hiding, that had to be it. He wouldn't give up on her.

She froze for a moment as she heard the footsteps outside her door halt for a moment. She scurried over into the corner and pulled her sheets up over herself. The door creaked open and she listened for the sound of the plate to be put down... They'd be gone again soon enough.

@bjorn
@cashel
((I'm thinking I post Luth after the two of you? Then Deva again after Luth or puppet master the one in the post of the other? Whatever works on that end))

[Deleted]

It had taken some time, but Ri's burns were healed, and he was itching for revenge, justice, whichever came. The herbs and potion from Hy-Brasil helped speed up the process, and there were no signs of the damage done. He had rejoined the crew, ensuring to still take time for Renfri. But once he was up and able, he was back and ready for action.

In time, he was ordered by Bjorn to head out in a specific direction and watch for an owl. The captain was cryptic but Ri didn't need more. He ran out onto the deck and leaped off the ship, morphing into his powerful golden eagle form once more. It felt good to fly. As he did, he spotted what he was looking for. A nondescript owl, the exact type that Luthien would send. Banking around he flew with the creature, ensuring it's safe arrival to the ship. In time, he grew impatient with the small winged creatures speed, and he overtook it and stole the letter, ensuring it was for Bjorn. Picking up speed, he was back to the ship, the sound of his heavy boots on the wood echoed, returning to the captains cabin, personally delivering the promised information.

@bjorn
@luthien
Deva - Didn't tag, to save from double tagging Seph

[Deleted]

March 2026
@cashel , @luthien

Those that knew Bjorn had been seeing a very different side of him over the last month. A very terrifying side of him. Bjorn had been horribly silent, and when he spoke his commands had been like the edge of a knife. His temper had been very short and explosive. He was more aggressive then usual, and it terrified the crew. They'd always known Bjorn had the side to him, he was his father's son after all. He commanded the ship for a reason, and it wasn't just because he knew how to run a ship. He made people bend to his will, or he broke them. But they'd never seen him so ruthlessly brutal. It reminded them of Bjorn's father when he was in his prime. Bjorn's father had a bloody and savage reputation.

He'd gotten a note or two from Luthien during the time. HE wasn't just sitting and twiddling his thumbs though. He'd spun an intricate web of information and tasks, real and decoys. It was like the Bjorn was playing three games of chess all at the same time, all with the same end goal in sight. No crew member knew more then their share of his plans, even Ri, or Lotten. All for good reason though. Because the more pieces there were, the harder it would be to piece everything together. None had known of what exactly Bjorn had Luthien doing, and only Ri knew that Luthien wasn't on the ship to begin with. His girlfriend had come in quite handy, downing polyjuice potions and pretending to be Luthien in brief moments. But now? Not all the pieces were starting to fall into place and his enemies were about to realize just how dangerous a game they had been playing... and how they'd lost before they even made the first move.

Earlier that day, Bjorn got the news he'd been waiting for in the form of a patronus. Luthien's patronus found him in his cabin. "I found them. A letter with more detail is on the way. They're hiding in Hawick." Bjorn couldn't help but smirk. A dark, cruel smirk. Finally. HE got up from the table and left the cabin.

He headed above deck first. "Take us to Kirkwall." He ordered the crewmate currently navigating the ship. The crewmate didn't ask any questions, just nodded and started to change course. He'd had the ship coasting between Scotland and Northern Ireland. He'd discovered very quickly that Deva had had the necklace he'd given her when she was taken, which meant the traitors could track the ship. IT was why he'd been moving it very little in the past month, and why he'd never docked the ship the entire time. He stayed in areas that he could get into international waters, or was in international waters, at all times. Because a smart enemy would reign down the authorities on you if they could track you. While his moving into Scottish waters might do nothing, at minimum it would at least make them remain unaware that Bjorn now knew where they were. If he was lucky though, the traitors would try to pull a stunt and put in an anonymous tip to the authorities to try and get Bjorn's ship captured and Bjorn arrested. While Bjorn kept a low profile in the UK, Interpol still had a presence and they could arrest him.

Then, he went to Ri. "Owl coming from southeast. Deliver it personally to me." He didn't say what the owl had, or why. Bjorn had been giving the crew very little information for weeks so they were used to it.

Now, all he had to do was wait. He returned to his cabin, which he'd heavily reinforced since the incident. No one unwelcome could enter the cabin now. After some time, Ri returned, letter in hand. Bjorn accepted the letter adn sat down to read. He didn't dismiss Ri, instead giving him a look that told him to stay. He skimmed the page, absorbing the information... before reaching for his wand and setting the letter on fire. A necessary precaution in times like this. He stood and turned to Ri. "Find Lotten and tell her it's time and we depart in ten minutes. If you're coming, be here." Bjorn dismissed him. HE didn't say what was about to happen, but Ri would know by the inflection in Bjorns voice what he meant. Time to save Deva. After Ri had left he sent his own patronus message back to Luthien. All the message said was "Ten minutes", and then an address.

Ten minutes later, Lotten, a handful of crew that had already been prepared for his moment, Ri, and Bjorn stood in his cabin. Bjorn had dug out a portkey and enchanted it to go to Hawick, only a block away from the designated spot. He placed the portkey between them, holding onto one end as every crewmate reached out to get a grip on the portkey. When time, the portkey turned, dragging them through space, to deposit them in a quite, silent Hawick alley. It had long been known that you couldn't get on and off the ship by magical means such as aparation and portkey, but Bjorn had lowered that charm just long enough for the portkey to work. Time was of the essence.

If Luthien had gotten his message, she should be waiting for them.

(Pushed it forward a bit to get all the pirates together hahah)

[Deleted]

Luthien had been longing for this moment ever since that knife in her shoulder. Revenge was a dish best served cold and her hatred always burned like ice. She had chaos in her veins and longed to unlessh it upon these people. They'd see the dark side of the crew of the jolly roger today, the despicable fools. She had grabbed quite the collection of guns, knives and other implements to ensure revenge could be long and slow and painful, if their captain wanted to stretch it out as much as possible. She came prepared for more than just a dual. She was prepared to torture maim and kill. They had her missing out on the proper honeymoon weekend she'd hoped for and they'd pay for it.

So she was waiting at the location, making sure no muggles were nearby to see the crew arrive either. Nothing ought to get in the way of getting the good life back where the captain was in a better mood. Luthien knew what it felt like to lose somebody you cared about deeply and she didn't wish that upon her old friend. Nor did she want his girlfriend hurt, considering the girl was practically like cotton candy, even if she felt differently.

So as the crew appeared her face was serious and the glint in her eyes malicious. "If anybody wants a gun I brought spare ones." She stated simply, but didn't quite expect others to be as fond of muggle toys as she was. She sought Bjorns gaze after this and looked him straight in the eye. "The pattern indicates they should all be present around this time. Seems to be a moment of internal structure and vigilance. If we attack swiftly none should be able to escape. I can't promise they'll be distracted by whatever their planning is though." She informed him, her voice practical, but her eyes betrayed her bloodlust. Clearly somewhere this month this had become personal for her too. All the better, since it awoke the most dark aspects of her personality that he surely could use.

@cashel
@bjorn

[Deleted]

((I am not a bully >.>))

Despite the fact she wasn't instantly moving she didn't hear the door shut. It was almost as if they were waiting for her to make a wrong move so they'd have an excuse to hurt her. Luckily for her, most of them were not cruel, some were even somewhat decent. She waited for what felt like an eternity but the door didn't close, there were no footsteps. She only heard the calm and steady breathing of whoever brought her the food. She lowered the sheets a tiny bit and found the calm and collected face of the leader staring at her. His face was deceptionally calm even, as if he was considering his options. He licked his lips. "My apologies you got caught up in this. I figured I'd give you a fair warning. If he doesn't get in touch by the end of next week we'll have to provoke him a little bit. It'll be painful of course but it can't be helped." Deva didn't want to know, but she somewhat relaxed her stance. He was usually one fo the types that was more clever and not doing things just for the sake of violence. She knew all their faces by heart. They were burned into her memories. She waited for a moment.

The man gave her a suspicious look. "We'd be very amused if you at least tried to run at some point. Hunting down a runner is good for sport and morale, you know? It's incredibly foolish of course, but it would still be entertaining." He said with a bit of a smirk, which she choose to ignore. She could tell he was just looking for excuses to hurt her and she wasn't about to give them to him. No, Bjorn would come to save her and she was going to do what she could to stay relatively safe until then. "Thank you for the food." She muttered in a hoarse voice. He looked at her briefly, his expression growing sour before he stepped out and slamming the door shut on her. She flinched at the sound and instantly no longer trusting the food. What if they wanted to make her suffer by poisoning her and were just claiming to wait another week? She wasn't even sure how long a week would take! Not to mention the brief exposure to very dim light had practically blinded her, so she couldn't have found the food even if she wanted to. She felt sick to her stomach at the idea of being here for another week before things getting worse. She ran her hands through her hair, feeling the tangles resist against her fingers. She was too tired to cry, but she was scared and lonely. The only thing she had left was her faith in Bjorn. He'd try to find her. So would her dad and her uncles. She had people out there looking for her. That was all she had to hold on to. She curled up, hearing the heavy footfall in the hallway. At least she was granted a moment of peace again.

@bjorn and @cashel
yup, I did it.

[Deleted]

When Ri had returned to the ship, he had found many crew mates on edge. Some were still not in the clear, while others worked hard, and was cautious of any heavy boots thundering in the halls. He had found that Bjorn had maintained his mannerism while he searched for his woman. It was anticipated, and Ri didn't need, nor did he want conversation. He was ready to assist. Anger still burned, though he was glad he could partake in setting things right. Those that did this needed to pay, and now that he was back on the ship, he was in the perfect position to dish that out. Once he was back, he ensured that he was armed to the teeth at all times, having his wand, roughly repaired, along with a seemingly infinite amount of hidden and not hidden throwing knives. While his magic was formidable, his knives were deadly.

Now back on the ship, he allowed Bjorn to use him as the captain willed. He was sure the man was playing an intricate game, and he would happily play one of the mans pieces. He didn't ask question, he wasn't one to do so anyway. Ri had also abandoned the notion that Bjorn needed advice. He had been away for long enough, he was out of the loop.

Ri went about his normal actions, working on the ship, putting off his distillery until this madness was over. At Bjorn's order, he was off to retrieve what the owl had. Without fail, he accomplished that. Leaving a potentially confused owl in his wake. Delivering the letter directly to the man. Safely entering the captains cabin, he handed the wrinkled letter to him. Ri then waited. Understanding the severity of the time, and knowing that the ship was headed in the same direction as the owl had come from. Staying where he was, he watched Bjorn read and waited for his next action. Nodding at his next order, he set off to find Lotten. It wouldn't be hard. Since returning, Ri made a point to know where crew mates were as much as possible. His over caution was useful. He found the woman quickly "Ten Minutes, Captains cabin." He sated, knowing that the woman would get his meaning. Now was not the time to mince words.

As he moved back to return, he was ready for what would happen next. Ri knew that now was the time for action. He was physically prepared, and it didn't take much for him to mentally prepare. He had been ready for this from the moment he had returned. When the time hit ten minutes past hearing his order, a small group had assembled. Everyone seemed ready for a fight. Reaching out, he took hold of the portkey. The group was yanked through space. The violent spinning and pulling seeming only seconds. After that, the crew appeared in a small alley, deserted and still. Every breath seemed loud.

Arriving, they found Luthien there and waiting. She offered any who would want it, guns. Though Ri wasn't interested in the weapon, and wasn't as accurate with them as he was with his knives.

@bjorn
@luthien

[Deleted]

March 2026
@cashel , @luthien

Luthien had gotten his message and met them there. No one else was in sight so Bjorn assumed she had put out muggle repelling spells or something else to keep any unwanted attention away. Good. Her first response was about having extra weapons. A few of his trusted crew that were joining them on this adventure immediately took Luthien up on the offer, moving towards the woman. Bjorn didn’t move though. His gaze had turned towards the his surroundings, taking in the sights and sounds and formulating a plan on how to proceed.

He only looked back when Luthien had turned her attention to him. His eyes were icy and cold as he met her gaze, listening to her report. Then, he reached into his pockets and pulled out a small pouch. Only those of his crew would recognize it for what it was. A magically expanded pouch, bigger on the inside then out. He reached into the bag and pulled out a few spikes and held them out to Lotten, who took them immediately. ”Go set those up now.” he ordered. She nodded and apparated away. Only then did he look back to his crew. ”Once Lotten is back we move. Those will prevent anyone within from apparating.” Including them. Which meant he was offering no second chances. ”I want all of them alive,” he added slowly and his voice low.

Lotten reappeared at that moment, nodding to her brother to confirm everything was set. ”I will find Deva. No one else approach her,” he spoke. It wasn’t because he didn’t trust these people. But because he knew Deva. He knew that upon her rescue she wouldn’t want to leave his side and he wouldn’t let her, either. She also didn’t know a few of the crew mates in this party well, so she might not recognize them immediately as allies.

Bjorn moved toward the end of the alley, taking in the location in front of them once more before looking over his shoulder at the crew to give them the final command before all he’ll broke loose. ”Go.”

[Deleted]

Busy, busy, dizzy. Quite a month it had been. While Luthien had plenty of time to sort out the part of the mess she'd been responsible for, she'd also found herself to have a fresh new outlook on life. Crazy, the things getting married and discovering a brother might do. Luthien looked on, feeling the rush in her blood as Lotten disappeared to set up precautions to prevent disapparating. Perfect. Too bad he wanted all of them alive. She grinned as she playfully grabbed one of her guns and sighed in satisfaction at what was ahead. How little of an idea they had what was about to hit them. Naturally he told them all not to approach his girlfriend and honestly, Luthien didn't mind. She was a sweet kid, which meant Luthien lacked the patience to deal with her. On that point Felix really was her better half in far too many ways. She smiled a bemused little smile as the rest of the team headed out. She glanced briefly at Bjorn. "Let me know if you want me to pluck through their heads for her location. I'll see what I can find." She said before going in herself.

Needless to say she left a trail of injured people behind her. Mostly a bloody trail, but she enjoyed herself a lot. This was the kind of thing she was made for after all, chaos and destruction. No deaths, but that was more because it wasn't allowed. She could feel the pain she'd inflicted take a slow toll on her system but for now it wasn't too bad just yet. She motioned to one of the others. "Border maintenance time." She simply said, watching them head out to ensure none would get away. She was pretty sure Bjorn would not be too forgiving on the crew if any of his targets escaped.

@cashel
@bjorn

[Deleted]

The air was still, and stagnant. Any small shuffle seemed like bells, every breath a hurricane. Ri's movements changed. He moved softer, as if he was in a forest, a hunter stalking his prey. As such, he slowed his breaths, elongating and hushing them. Some seemed eager, pumping themselves for the coming battle. Ri seemed to do the opposite, seeming almost peacefully calm as he prepared. Some trusted crew members took Luthian up on her offer for weapons. Ri moved, leaning against a wall, to let them see the product she was offering. Ri leaned, one foot against the wall, his body tense, ready to push off and go to war when his captain was ready. He knew the man would have a plan, Ri kept his focus on Bjorn, and his ears to his surroundings. He wasn't one who liked surprises like an ambush.

Bjorn pulled out a few spikes, giving orders to Lotten. He knew what they were, and what they would do. A corner of his lips turned up. Those spikes were proof that this was it for the traitors. They wouldn't be getting away. Ri only hoped that he would be able to get his revenge before their inevitable demise. Bjorn mentioned wanting each person there alive. Ri didn't mind this. That only meant that he would potentially have more chances to enact his anger on them. And once that was out, perhaps some moving target practice. He didn't want to get rusty after all. The Druid nodded at his captains orders, he was ready.

The final order was in regards to the woman. It was understand able, and while Ri had the intention of helping save her, he also had little intention to ignore anyone else there. Once the captain moved to the opening of the alley, Ri kicked off the wall and got ready to move on a single word. Once the order was given, Ri took off, his blades ready and his wand prepared to cast.

The siege moved quickly and Ri moved instinctually, throwing and wounding traitor that he came across. He accurately was sure to hit in ways that would prevent them from getting too far. During the rush, he was hit with something, or somethings. But there was no time to think on it, he simply turned and countered the different spellcasters. It didn't take long for him to spot a unique door. This one was locked, and seemed to be the only one like that. Instantly, Ri conjured a patronus to summon Bjorn and stood to defend the door. If he was right, the puffball girlfriend of their fearsome captain was on the other side.

@bjorn
@luthien