My Precious Cargo ⚔ Volume 2 (An AtsuKage ff) ✔

XII

The Prince left his room before heading down to the training room that had been prepared for the evening. There he would find his father in simple armour, sword at the ready to duel him. Or maybe they would train hand-to-hand combat, that was when the old man would really give it his all. The familiar feeling of his throat closing up made him tug the collar of his shirt away, but to any passers-by it would seem that he was only a little hot and not fearful for his life.

He only needed to last an hour, two at most. His father seemed in a good mood so-

His eyes widened as he ducked to the ground, a dagger being thrown his way the moment he opened the door to the training room.

"Late." the King declared before waving him over. 

"I apologise."

Whack!

"A King never apologises." the old man glared at his son, who he had struck across the face leaving behind a red mark.

Tobio nodded before inquiring into what training they would do tonight. But it didn't really matter. The weapon, the time, how old he was, it was still the same suffering he had always endured. He went to grab a dagger but was struck by a fist in the ribs, his father shouting at him for turning his back to the enemy. Biting his tongue to stop himself lashing out, he resumed a fighting stance and prepared himself to once again face his father. He could do this...

From the position of the moon, Atsumu could guess that it was early morning, maybe 2 or 3 o'clock to be precise. His crew were all asleep and snoring as they rested their aching bodies, and he himself was willing his eyes to stay open. He wanted nothing more than to drift off into oblivion and never wake again, but he had a responsibility to his crew to protect them.

Each minute blended together in the stillness of the dungeon, the darkness only revealing flickering shadows beyond the cell from different soldiers doing their rounds. Atsumu questioned how they could do that sort of job: they had no autonomy, no freedom, just blind devotion to a tyrant. No wonder so many people tried to flee from the kingdom, even if most were too scared to try to now.

A faint clacking sound drew his attention. It was most likely a guard coming to check up on them, so he pulled himself up and settled on a steely glare at the door. A lone figure came closer, carrying a large bag over their shoulder, but it didn't have the same rigid posture as a guard, no. They were limping, almost hunched over as they carried the large bag. 

His glare dropped the moment the visitor revealed his face.

"Tobio." he muttered inaudibly, their eyes locking for a moment too long.

"Get up." the Prince instructed as he dumped the bag on the floor. Grabbing some keys from the wall nearby he unlocked the door and swung it open, the gust of wind alerting the rest of the crew who awoke, their surprise evident as they watched the Prince drag the bag in.

"Tobio?" Suna called out, his mouth switching between a smile and a grimace.

"Get up and get ready." the Prince repeated, beginning to toss all of their belongings at the pirates.

"Why-"

"Follow me or you'll hang tomorrow." 

Staggering up to standing, the crew all grabbed their weapons, cloaks or other items before looking to their Captain for orders. He nodded for them to follow, not taking his eyes off the Prince as they snuck out of the dungeon. 

It was silent for a while, their footsteps light as they travelled through the maze that was the castle's dungeons. Tobio paused here and there to look around corners to see if there were any guards heading their way despite knowing their timetable like the back of his hand. But he also used those seconds for rest, leaning against the wall and taking the weight off of his left ankle whilst holding his palm to his ribs. The crew noticed this too.

"What-?" Osamu tried to ask, but he was interrupted.

"Keep moving." 

They reached an old wooden door, black bolts crossing it from left to right. Kageyama seemed to glare at it for a moment before lifting his right leg and kicking it hard in the centre; as he hoped, the door gave way, leaning on its hinges enough to not make a sound. He grimaced and swore under his breath, taking a deep breath before setting off at a jog towards the docks, the crew growing more confused and concerned behind him.

"Tobio, what the hell is going on?" Atsumu caught up to the Prince, demanding answers.

"What does it look like? I'm helping you escape."

"Why?"

"You..." Tobio looked over at him with pain in his eyes before turning away, his gaze set on the sea. "How quickly you lose faith in me."

"No I-"

"It doesn't matter. It was either this or your ship gets destroyed and you all die immediately, getting sent to the locker before you can bargain for a plea."

"What?"

"I didn't betray you, that was never my intention. However, before he sent me off to the North, he warned me that should I encounter any pirates I should fight and take them hostage, transferring them to another of my father's ships to be sent back to him. But I betrayed him and joined you willingly. I remained undetected these past few months, but I knew my escapade was over the moment I saw my father's councilmen; of course they would make chase so I had to choose between making you suffer a little longer or your immediate deaths. You can show me your thanks by sailing far away from here."

The crew were stunned silent as Tobio explained his true intentions, and they all felt sick to their stomachs at how they thought the Prince had betrayed them. And seeing him like this, injured and in pain yet not complaining a word, they knew now the true reason he had escaped with them: all those years alone and suffering, and now he was willingly going back to his tormentor just to set them free.

They reached the docks and found Inarizaki's Revenge still in its waters. They immediately began unravelling the ropes attaching it to the port, a few climbing up to check their stocks.

"Most of it should still be there, I convinced them to leave it until tomorrow so stock brokers could calculate how much it was all worth." Tobio explained as he handed at bag of food over to Atsumu. "You should b-be-" he cut himself off, gritting his teeth as he wrapped an arm around his ribs. 

"Tobio-"

"You need to go before the g-guards figure out you're m-missing." the Prince urged, taking in a sharp gasp of breath that made his lungs burn.

Turning to look over his shoulder, Tobio could see a group of soldiers rushing out from the now-broken door. He ushered the pirates onto the ship, telling them to not stop for at least five days to know they aren't being followed. Before he could hand over the ladder, a hand covered his own, and he looked up to see Atsumu looking down at him with fear in his eyes.

"I will be okay. Thankyou for the past few months, it was an adventure just out of my storybooks."

"Come with us." the Captain implored. 

"And risk you getting caught again? I cannot. Just promise me something: find the Ocean's Heart and bring peace to this world. And maybe then, I will meet you again."

"Tobio, please-"

The shouts of the soldiers made them turn to look up the port, finding a cohort heading in their direction. Tobio looked back up at him with wide eyes, before giving him a nod and a smile.

"I will lead them away. Farewell Atsumu... I love you."

How could it be this way? Atsumu hearing those words from Tobio for the first time when they were being split apart for what could be the forever? As he watched Tobio run up the docks and head in their opposite direction, the guards sighting him and following him with torches and swords, he couldn't help the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I love you too, my Prince."