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

XIV

Tobio and Atsumu spent most of the next few days encompassed in each other's arms, either in their quarters, at the wheel, or up on the crow's nest. Simply basking in each other's presence, the lingering pain from being apart so long dissipating with each lull of the ocean waves as Inarizaki's Revenge sailed the sea.

With no real direction in mind, the crew sailed wherever the wind took them, relishing in being free again instead of locked up in a musty smell. The Prince constantly apologised for not helping them as much as he could, that he could have let them out or other ideas, but they were adamant he drop the self-blame. It wasn't his fault that his father took such actions against them, and that Tobio saved all of their lives.

Osamu made sure to cook delicious meals once they had stopped at a port to renew some expired food or to get materials to sharpen their weapons, blunt from weeks of misuse. He had even made gumbo and shortcake, alongside curry, which made Tobio smile as he ate his favourite meals with his favourite people. 

After a while everything was back to normal, the pirates finally shaking off the fear of being followed when they had seen no sails in sight for at least a fortnight. It was during the evening, everyone around the table in the kitchen and eating bacon sandwiches when Ren returned from duty with an odd expression on his face.

"We're near home." the pirate declared, causing all eating to cease.

"How far?" asked the Captain.

"We'd get there tomorrow if we stay at this speed."

"Aye." replied Atsumu, quiet for a moment of thought. "Anyone wish to visit?" he asked his crew.

During their years at sea, they had only returned to Inarizaki twice, the sight of the homeland pillaged and decaying, overgrowth and ivy covering the old shops and houses, and bones and swords intermingled on the ground made their chests tighten with pain. The first time they had visited was to pay respects, the second to see if anyone had begun a new kingdom. But Inarizaki was now a country of the past, its history ending in a storm of steel and bloodshed.

"Aye." Tobio was the first to respond, looking around at the other pirates with a frown. "We don't have to but... but I want to see what happened, I want to know your history. But if it is too painful then we can keep sailing."

Tobio looked down at the table when he felt all eyes on him, but dared to peek up when some gazes alleviated and instead the pirates looked at each other in silent conversation. Their past was painful, and it wasn't something they liked to share, but Tobio was one of them now and if he wanted to know about their past, well...

"Aye." Suna agreed with a nod.

"Aye." Kita echoed, Aran nodding from next to him.

Slowly, the pirates all agreed to go and dock at their homeland; they just hoped their Little One wasn't too horrified at what he saw...

The next morning, Inarizaki's Revenge docked at its homeland, and the pirates slowly got ready for the day before their boots landed on the rickety, rotting port deck. Tobio could see their sullen expressions and felt dread bloom inside him; so, hand gently entwining with Atsumu's, the pirate giving him a small smile, they walked up the small path to the old town centre.

Tobio could see the remains of shop signs, doors, and what must have once been a fountain. The houses that weren't piles of debris had vines climbing their walls and seeping in through the empty windows, and even though there was little left the Prince could imagine a modern, busy little town full of families laughing and merchants selling their wares. To think of the level of power that led to this destruction, the cruelty it would take to harm innocent, unprotected people, it was almost-

A glint of a shield caught his eye, but more so the traces of blue and silver the decorated the front. Taking slow, cautious steps, his hand slipped out from Atsumu's as he went to investigate the armour. The design was ornate, intricate texts and interweaving vines all coming together in the shape of a dove at the centre. He bent down to pick it up, brushing away the soil and dirt to get a closer look. The curves, angles and colours of the design looked so... so... familiar.

A flash of memory appeared in his mind, when he was a young child and playing in the Great Hall with his sister. He wasn't more than 4 or 5 years of age, but it was before his father began his descent into darkness. The walls were lined with past Kings and Queens, their glittering silver crows and matching emblems on their staffs. Blue, with silver vines-

Clang!

Some of the crew look over to where the sound came from, each being drawn away from their memories as they wandered the small lanes between the broken buildings. It was Tobio, and he looked pale, eyes wide and hands shaking from where he had dropped a shield.

"Tobio?" Atsumu called out, making his way over slowly. "Are you okay?" he asked, worried at the shaken-up expression on the Prince's face.

Tobio said something, but it was too quiet for them to hear. Atsumu soon reached him and looked down at the shield, a grimace settling on his face.

"That was the emblem of the army who invaded our town." he explained, frown deepening when Tobio clenched his fists. "Hey, love, what's wrong?"

"The seal." whispered Tobio, eyes slowly dragging themselves away from the shield and towards the pirate. "This seal. It's my- it was my father's old emblem."

Now the crew were closer, they all looked stunned at the words that left Tobio's mouth. In one way it made sense now why they were targeted so much by the King, but also made them more confused than ever. Tobio had said his father's cruelty began when his mother died, which was after their village was destroyed.

"Tobio... You're- It's-" the Captain struggled to get his words out, looking once more at the emblem that seemed to sneer at him even more, its vines suffocating and metal gaudy in the early morning rays despite the rust and decay around its edges.

"I have to see." Tobio took a few steps back, in the direction of the village. "I have to see what he did."

Then before anyone could say a word the Prince was running deeper into the village, soon getting lost in the dust and debris mountains around them. The Captain teared his eyes away from the shield and to where Tobio ran off too, immediately following in hopes of preventing Tobio from the one sight that was sure to break him, that would break anyone.

"Tobio!"