Chapter 82 - Captain Hook (Part 2)

Captain Vladstin only goes to his quarters to reminisce about his life as a mortal.

Life used to be so simple back then. There was only him and Darling, two against the world. The headstrong prince and the refined personal adviser that he grew up with since they were children.

Leron's mother was lost at sea when she boarded a ship while she was still 5 years old. He believed she was still alive and must be in the legendary land that she told him during his bedtime story called Neverland. In their childhood days, they play make-believe quests of sailing on the ship and rescuing her in this land where nothing ages, with Vladstin and his vast nautical knowledge as the captain and Leron as his first mate who will protect him from any attacks of beasts or pirates. 

"Darling, I think I see land 400 miles ahead!" Little Vladstin would stand at the edge of their make-believe ship made of crates and twigs.

Leron would nod, and raise the 'sails' which were just extra bed sheets that they borrowed from the maid. "Land ho!"

As his younger version went to man the wheel, the memory transformed and become convoluted as he now stood on an actual ship that was in flames.

"Everyone who can jump, jump now! I'll bring the ship to land by myself!" He yelled to his crew.

"Prince Vladstin, let her go! Your life is more important than the ship! You should be the first to jump aboard!" Mr. Smeethington, who they collectively called Mr. Smee, shouted out to him. His legs were already burned and he could not move.

"No! We can make it! I am your captain and you are my crew, I won't leave any of you behind!"

"Vladstin, listen to him!" A familiar hand pushed him off the wheel. "The fate of the kingdom is now in your hands. You need to survive this!"

"Why should I listen to you, Darling!? You burned my ship!" Vladstin wrestled to get his hand back to the wheel, and Leron put all his effort to push him.

"It's to save you, don't you understand!? I need my father to believe you are dead! But I don't really want you to die, so let's jump!" 

Despite Vladstin being the stronger one, Leron's willpower won over the tussle and he was pushed into the waters as the Jolly Roger turned into ashes and smoke billowing into the cold night air.

Vladstin swallowed a lot of water, then spat it out. He tried to swim back desperately to the crumbling vessel, but Leron blocked him. 

"Come on, we need to hurry before my father's men see us!" He goaded Vladstin to swim in the opposite direction.

"I'm not going to leave them! I'm not going to---"

The last bit of explosion came from inside the Jolly Roger, debris raining down and the flames dancing high up for everyone on the coast to see. There is no hope for anyone inside to survive now. Somewhere on the sandy beach of Crescentia were cheers, as fire also came to the only beautiful palace that stood atop of a cliff.

The fire was reflected in Vladstin's golden eyes as he watched all that he loved burn.

Except for one, who was continuously pushing him to swim towards safety. Leron Darling was a ratched piece of work, with his once slick black hair in tangles and a wet pile of mess on his face, but he did not care and kept on swimming with Vladstin in tow.

Soon, they got into a cave, and found it suitable to rest there. Leron twisted his clothes to dry and tried to look for a way to find fire to keep out the cold, and possibly a decent space where they could sleep and spend the night.

Vladstin just sat there silently, his eyes dazed. He had picked up a piece of a splinter from his once beautiful ship, and squeezed it tightly in his hand, causing it to bleed.

"We need to travel once everything is clear, but for now, we should rest and recuperate," Leron mumbled nervously as he collected some rocks and other knick-knacks that he can try to make fire with. "I don't know if the Ilvedians are aware of this location. I hope not. Let's take shifts when we sleep so that one can stand guard at the cave's entrance---"

"Why didn't you just let me die, Darling?"

Vladstin stood up, watching the falling sparks from the incident 400 miles away from them. They fell slowly and looked strangely enchanting, like falling stars. He looked up to the sky.

"The stars are beautiful tonight, Canis Major had risen up in exactly above Crescentia. It's a good day to die." Vladstin said with a solemn smile.

Leron rushed up to hug him from behind. "Your Highness, don't say things like that! There must be some of your people that had survived! You can rise up again to save them from the clutches of my vile people, and build up a new Crescentia. And besides....."

"What about me? Do you hate me so much now that you would rather die than be with me?"

Leron asked him with those pitiful blue eyes, as deep as the ocean that had called out to him since he was young, begging him to take a voyage and explore its true depths. It's easy to get lost in those eyes yield to them.....

...But Vladstin was already so lost at the moment, his heart somewhere drowned at sea.

"I'd rather die than be without my people, Leron. My friends, my family..... my home."

He called out his first name. He only ever does that when he is truly upset with him. He likes to call him Darling because to those who are unaware of their affections for one another, it seems like he was only referring to his surname.

But now it's just Leron.

The Ilvedians eyes fell, holding back his tears. "I am sorry that I took it away from you. You must mean that..... I am not part of this home you speak of. I understand."

Vladstin's daze disappeared for a moment when he said this as tears began to fall on the other's eyes. He reached out to wipe it away. "No... That's not what I meant. I do love you but---"

"Oh, what's this? The savage prince is in love with my son? What a delightful scandal, don't you agree, men?"

There he was, Leron's father. He was clouded in smoke and his face was unclear, but he had ugly green eyes the color of a swamp. So were the men in armor behind him holding swords and spears, grinning like hyenas about to pounce on their prey.

Leron immediately unsheathed his sword from his scabbard and blocked Vladstin protectively. 

"Do not go anywhere near him, father." Leron said. 

But Vladstin just put a hand on his shoulder, pressing it down to lower the sword. "Darling, it is in bad form for a man to protect another man with his sword when that man can fight perfectly well for himself."

Leron turned to him, eyes wide. "You don't mean that.... There are too many of them, I can help you! And you don't have any weapons---"

"That can change." His sneering father tossed his own sword to the ground in front of the two. "Listen to His Highness, son, he certainly knows what is and what is not bad form. And as a gentleman, formalities must always be above all else. If it is bad form for the other party in a fight to not have a weapon while everyone on the other side has, then feel free to take mine, and use it to fend for yourself."

Leron's blood run cold when he heard this, but Vladstin just silently took the sword. His face is unreadable. He weighed it in his hand, observing the shining blade from side to side, and the hilt made of jade with an emerald circle on it.

This is definitely not a sword made for combat, but for a vain display of opulence. A second-hand sword made of pebbles from the beach is much better than this. But Vladstin accepted it formally, giving the ambassador and the secretly true king of Ilvedia a bow.

"Thank you for giving me your sword, Your Majesty."

Leron's father raised an eyebrow. He turned to his son with a chuckle. "Since when did he know?"

Vladstin answered: "Since you came in with a troop of armored guards with you and gave me a highly expensive sword that only a royal can own."

He turned to Leron with a reverent bow. "It is nice to meet your acquaintance, Your Highness of Ilvedia. But we must part ways now."

Leron was horrified by this gesture, his heart filled with fear. "What do you mean by that, Vladstin!?"

"Now that I know you and your father's true identity, everything makes sense now. You cannot be with me." Vladstin said with a cold tone. "It would be a detriment to your kingdom, you are its only heir. Unless you're hiding another prince or princess 'Darling' somewhere?"

The king of Ilvedia was amused by this and laughed heartily. "Oh, I like this one! I can understand why my son would be enamored by you. No, I don't have any more children other than this useless, worthless trash. Unfortunately."

"Is that so?" Vladstin flicked his wrist to turn the sword with a swish!

He aimed the tip to Leron's neck. "Then I challenge your son to a duel."

"W-What!?' Leron took a step back. 

"It is only in good form to formally take over a kingdom by defeating its monarchs to an official duel. An heir for an heir. That is how you earn honor and glory." Vladstin said as emotionlessly as a statue that could somehow speak.

"But Vladstin... You want to fight ME? I'm your ally here!" Leron was beyond shocked, he was outright disbelieving what was happening. This must be a clever trick to get them to escape, right?

Right? Vladstin doesn't really mean for a duel to happen, it must be a distraction!

Leron waited for any sign from him like a wink or a change of expression, but the Crescentian prince's face was unreadable.

"Oh, and I suppose if you do manage to kill my son, you would want your kingdom back? Is that it?" The king tilted his head to the side.

"Mn." Vladstin nodded with pure determination.

The King of Ilvedia clapped. "Splendid! Yes, yes, I'd take that exhilarating offer!"

Leron's heart was crushed to pieces, desperately grasping on straws to rationalize Vladstin's actions. But dread had already overtaken him. "W-Why...Why has it come to this... I sacrificed the Jolly Roger just for you....."

Vladstin did not answer, and posed for the start of the fencing match, counting. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4....."

As he counted, Leron had become more and more sure of his fate. He would let Vladstin kill him, as payback for betraying him and his people.

Vladstin can see it in his eyes that that was what he was thinking. When he counted to zero, Leron just stood there, sword at the side....

And so, he kicked Leron's hand up with his foot and plunged himself into the blade.

It went straight to his chest.

This was not a duel. This was suicide.

What Vladstin did not expect was this turning into double suicide, as once he had passed from this plane to that of the dead, or more correctly, the 'undead', Leron had followed right after him, and used the same sword to pierce himself.

Vladstin sighed at this memory had now come to an end. He sat up, and watch his reflection on his hook.

"You think I didn't love you anymore because you killed me. You're wrong."

"I don't love you because you joined me here.. You are dead."