Ale's Well That Ends Well

The day had passed in a wash of watercolour blue, with the cotton sky blown by and the calm seas swimming past the pirate ship that lay host to Smaz, Marco and Aera. Now the sky was erupting with a glorious sun-kissed atmosphere as the Sun proceeded to set behind the horizon, flourishing a burst of orange-gold colour all around.

Smaz walked to the front of the rickety ship, as it slowly bobbed on the waves, to watch the emblem of the waves that stood before him. It was beautiful. The sun rather reminded Smaz of a large orange sinking into the depths of the sea, and he longed to cherish this moment for longer.

Marco had been sailing the ship for most of the day, at the wheel, recounting past tales which Smaz regarded as the ramblings of a drunkard rather than the truth. He had even told Smaz of his bond with the ship and where the secret ale stash was. Of course, this made it no longer secret.

Eyeing the sun just a while longer as it shone brilliantly around, seeming to warm the world with it’s colour, Smaz thought about the journey ahead, and what could be in store. He was somewhat saddened that he may never be able to return to his homeland and branded a traitor, but the best he could do was push such thoughts away and concentrate on what was ahead – which excited him greatly. Being the uptight knight he was, however, he did not show his eagerness and excitement of the journey.

“So how do we know where to locate this Seal of the Seas?” Smaz asked, his eyes still on the large, falling Sun. Marco seemed generally uninterested in the Sun, evidently seen the sight all before.

“Arr, well, good knight, I believe tha’ devious assassin, on the floor still, told me tha’ you ‘ad the box containin’ the map to it. I jus’ wanted to ge’ ou’ ta sea first, before I did anythin’ more,” explained Marco, calling down to Smaz in his heartily friendly tone.

“Hm?” Smaz murmured, and looked down at his waist belt to find the small box he had stolen for the King, earlier. “In here, you say?” he asked, picked the box out and showing it up to Marco.

“Aye, tha’ll probably be it.”

Making sure Aera was still unconscious, on the deck floor, Smaz attempted to open the small box, to no avail. A small keyhole was on the front of the box, on a golden latch, and it was evident that Smaz was missing the key to such a small artefact.

“Sorry to trouble you, Marco, but the small box will not open – it seems to need a key of some sort.” Smaz lifted up the box in the air and turned away from the Sun to show Marco. His voice was particularly posh, to Marco, and the pirate had noticed that Smaz had a way of speaking which involved never slurring together any words, with no colloquial abbreviations as ‘it’ll’ or ‘isn’t’ used at all. As Marco’s dialect amused Smaz, Smaz’s amused Marco.

“Hmmm… lemme ‘ave a look,” Marco shouted down, walking down the small wooden steps and towards Smaz, away from the wheel.

He handed the box over to the pirate and Marco turned it over in his hands carefully. Marco then grunted and then placed the box in his metal hand. There was a slight cracking sound as he squeezed the box in his palm. Ordinarily, a wooden box would have shattered by now, but for some bizarre reason, it remained totally intact. Growing angry, at the box, Marco took out one of his long-pistols with his other hand.

“Hold the box, Smaz,” Marco commanded, irritated, “I’ma gonna shoot that darn thing like there’s no tomorra!” He threw the box to Smaz, which the knight caught in both hands.

“Now hold on a minute – why should I hold this box? I do not know how accurate you are with that pi-” Smaz didn’t have time to finish, as a loud gunshot, from nowhere, erupted the air, sending a bullet directly towards the box. There was a loud ‘clink’ as the bullet made impact. Then another loud ‘clink’ followed as the bullet ricocheted onto Smaz’s thin, metal boots. Finally, the bullet ricocheted back towards Marco.

“That’s why.” Marco sniggered, catching the bullet in mid-air with his metal hand. Smaz simply stood there, bewildered. He was somewhat shocked from the sudden bullet fire, but was also shocked from the accuracy of Marco. It was evident that Marco was a sharp-shooter with his pistols, and had lived many years to become such an experienced shot. The box was small. Marco’s accuracy was not.

As Smaz and Marco pondered over how to open the small box, containing the map to the Seal, there was a rustling sound. Smaz looked up, from the box, to see Aera groggily sit up, rubbing her head.

“If you had looked in all directions, instead of gloating over your own ego, then you would have avoided that blow to the head, when I landed, miss Aera!” Smaz chuckled, with a very patronising tone.

Aera looked up and her vision returned from a blue to the usual sharpness she sported. She said nothing for a moment as she collected her thoughts on what had happened, and simply eyed Smaz’s location. It was somewhat beautiful, with the orange glow of the huge Sun in the background, and Smaz standing there, with Marco, silhouetted to the light behind, and Aera admired it, slightly, before realising the situation.

“Wait a minute. DARN IT!” Aera suddenly cursed, looking back down at the ship’s deck. A sharp pain then rung through her head and he rubbed her temple with her gloved hand, once again.

“Yes, I am here, Aero!” Smaz, again, mocked.

“I was rather hoping we would leave you behind, despite you having possession of the map, you cur! After all – you would be a pathetic additional nuisance to the cruise.” Aera spat. “Also, I am NOT a chocolate bar, and need never be as low as something that melts under heated pressure.”

Smaz simply laughed. He knew Aera was dangerous, but the whole atmosphere of the voyage and scenery of the Sun had lifted Smaz’s spirits, slightly. He needed to get his mind off of the position he would be if he returned home, to the castle lands.

“You might as well had be one, considering how sweet you are!” Smaz continued. Marco laughed at that.

Aera stood, fuming, but somewhat felt complimented by Smaz’s remark, despite the fact it was more of an insult than anything else.

“I’ll kill you, fool!” Aera roared and raced towards Smaz at her somehow impossible speed. Smaz was ready, however, and performed one of his special high-jumps into the air, soaring up past the sails. Aera, evidently, missed. Smaz then spiralled in mid-air and performed a kick off of one of the mast poles, propelling him back towards the assassin at high speed. Aera, who hadn’t time to look up despite her unmatched speed, was then pushed down on the deck by the force of Smaz’s body on hers. There was a loud thud as the pair collided.

“I think it be plain enoff that missy, here, can’ look up very well,” Marco laughed, holding the box in his hands. It seemed to be true up to this point.

Smaz had rather expected Aera to react when he was falling towards her, but she didn’t, due to her strange inability to look up, and so had taken the impact at full force, too.

“It is a good thing… that you cushioned my fall.” Smaz wheezed, with himself on top of Aera.

“Get… off… of me…” Aera coughed out, winded from the blow.

“Awww, but you are so fluffy and warm…” Smaz joked, attempting another fake smile and moving to get off from the assassin. Aera blushed, slightly.

**********

“How about some ale?” Marco smiled later on that evening. “I like ale. A lot.”

Aera looked up from the rounded table that she was sitting at, with Marco, in the captain’s quarters. It was late in the evening, possibly around 11:00pm, and Aera had decided there wasn’t much else she could do but co-operate with Marco and Smaz for the treasure. She didn’t particularly want to, and claimed she could easily cut their throats if she wanted to, but she needed Marco to navigate, and Smaz had kept the locked box hidden away somewhere, where neither she nor Marco knew. Killing him would lose the location of the box and she didn’t want t to waste such time searching for it. Smaz had not told her it was locked.

“No… I’m fine. I only drink when I celebrate a high pay rise. Until we find that treasure, I’m not drinking from a lowlife like you.” Aera coldly said, placing a card down on the table. They had been playing a few card games throughout the evening, but now the novelty was wearing thin, and Marco was in a real urge to get some ale.

“Suit yourself, missy. Wha’ about you, Smaz?” Marco warmly asked as he got up from the table. Smaz was standing, looking out of the captain’s quarters’ main window, looking out at the boat. Despite earlier actions, he was now deep in thought over the King’s death, and was somewhat mourning over everything that had happened throughout that day. He never expected to kill the King through magic… magic that he didn’t even know he had, and never expected to be exiled by the citizens in such a way. It was all catching up on his thoughts.

“I told you, Marco – I do not drink alcohol.” Smaz simply replied, staring out at the starry sky.

“Not even alcohol with tasty bubbles that pop in your mouth like thousands o’ chocolate bars?” Marco tempted, Smaz, shaking a small empty glass.

“No.”

“Not even alcohol with a taste so strong that you are glad to be alive, me friend?”

Smaz took a few seconds to reply this time. The term ‘friend’ was a rarity to hear considering he had been a loner for most of his life. Here he was, with a friendly pirate, who considered him a friend, and Aera who…

“No thank you.” Smaz replied, simply.

“I see ya took ya time answerin’ that time – you were considerin’ it, weren’ ya? Not even alcohol that makes you so drunk tha’ ye forget such bad incidents in yar past?” Marco was now directly behind Smaz, pouring some ale out into his glass, making a refreshing hissing sound to Smaz’s long ears.

“GIMME” Aera pounced out from her position towards Marco.

“Arrrr, so ye DO want some!” Marco smiled, passing the glass to Aera. The assassin took the glass, and then threw the contents onto Marco’s face, washing him with the alcoholic beverage.

“…Yes, but only to shut your loud mouth up!” Aera growled, although there was a lop-sided, and somewhat superior, smile from her mouth as she said this, amused to see the wet on Marco’s face. It seemed she was sadistic in such ways, enjoying the misfortune of others.

“Mmmm, it tastes even better on mah face…” Marco said, sighing and licking his fluffy lips with his tongue. “I’ll be righ’ back – I’m gonna ge’ some more from below the ship.”

Marco then walked out of the cabin door and left Smaz and Aera alone.

“I am going outside to admire the stars.” Smaz simply said, his voice somewhat monotonic.

Aera kept her eyes on Smaz whilst he walked out of the door. Each footstep he made, before he exited, made her think more and more about the deeper meaning behind Smaz. As the door closed, Aera was left alone in the room. She smiled a malicious smile, and began to rummage around the room for the box.