Herera - Stories of The Purple Pearl

11. A double victory

Hardly anyone could wait to join us on The Purple Pearl to be properly reunited. After almost completely healing Idir and me, Catharina had already started on taking care of the Leafstorm, so that when we had docked both ships at Spark Town, one of the furthest of the Thunder Isles, Lemington could regain all his energy.

Spark Town was yet another of the Thunder Isles' shady places, but ideally situated to get sight of Hachi if they did get it in their mind to come after us. I'd assured everyone they wouldn't. I knew them at least that well, and my guilt was constantly reminding me of it.

I had expected to have some difficulty with betraying Yui. I was a pirate, but not that kind of filth. Technically I didn't do anything unexpected, but I swore even some of Hachi's people were judging me when we left Yui behind.

Just settling scores, I reminded myself, but it didn't really soothe my conscience.

I shook the thought out of my head and let myself be surrounded by the happiness, joy and fun that was filling my beloved Pearl.

Layla had come to talk to Idir. She'd taken over the rental ship's wheel from Kailynn and had followed us over the Shockwave in a perfect steady formation. My first mate better watched out that his trainee wouldn't surpass his skills.

I let them have their own astronomical conversations and strode on deck, taking in the changing smells, sights and sounds of a healing ship and crew.

Some birds had already returned, mourning the loss of the other animals. I didn't know what ancient spells Catharina had used, but the Leafstorm already looked like it was entering early spring and would soon be enjoying her summer glow again.

Rhea and Elio had helped Lemington change ships and had brought him to us. His strength was instantly improving, as the ship's plants, animals and life energy were gradually growing as well.

The old gnome hated hugs, so I just knelt beside him and took his tiny hands. If I didn't have an image to live up to, I'd start crying then and there at the sight of my friend getting better. He saw me struggling to keep away my tears.

"If I'm ever dead, you all better cry yourselves an eye out, showing the world how irreplaceable I am," he said, his voice still soft and his smile weak, but his spirit already in top-shape. "But this grumpy old friend isn't going anywhere soon."

I shook my head, smiling. We all did. A reassuring nod from Catharina transformed the heavy load in my chest into a pile of feathers. My grumpy old friend was going to be alright.

The warmth inside me cooled down at the sight of Rhea. She sat a little further away at the stump of a cut down tree, a young tree that I knew was still healthy a few weeks ago. She scrambled between the dark brown leaves and was utterly failing to hold back her tears.

All the plants Hachi's pirate scum had harmed, the animals they had brutally killed and... I didn't let my thoughts finish that sentence. I walked up to her, but Nifan beat me to it.

He knelt down beside her and showed a little wooden box. The box with the youngling finch that Kraken had brought back yesterday.

"I figured you'd want to bury it properly on The Pearl," he told her with a serenity in his voice that I had never heard from him.

Rhea swept away her tears, only making place for new ones. She softly hugged Nifan and they both left between the small forest that surrounded the Leafstorm.

"Of course they didn't break me," Ruby's voice echoed from behind me. "I broke some of them, along with their bones." The girl, barely eighteen and already a foot taller than me, was exclaiming her heroine stories to Kailynn and Elias.