Freed ➳ James Kidd

Crystal Skull

Also, I want to warn the readers that in this fanfiction not every details might be accurate, I just write everything how I imagine it, and because of that the game situations change a bit. :)

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My dreams were interrupted by steps coming from the estate. 

I turned my head and saw my father standing. It was a sign for me to go inside. I sighed silently and got up from the bench.

As soon as I stepped through the door to my chambers I felt a bit sad. I knew that my day outside is over and the rest of the night I will have to spend my time surrounded by walls. 

Father kissed the top of my head as a goodnight and locked the door. That's right, he locked the door from the outside so I wouldn't run away. At first I tried to contradict this idea, but it ended up in a huge argument so I just say nothing anymore. 

When my father walked away, I heard another set of steps approaching my door. 

Guards.

He even placed a pair guards to protect my chambers, more accurately, me. 

I succumbed to my huge bed and thought about what father is trying to protect me from. I honestly had no idea, Havana seemed like a peaceful town, guards in the city haven't had much trouble lately... 

I looked through my window into the nocturnal Havana: dozens of lights dazzled in the dark background, I could even hear music playing in the far away tavern. 

I sighed again. I've never gone into the nightlife. Father would never let me go for a walk at this time of the day, not even with a guard. He once told me that many dangerous and foul creatures hide in the dark. I wonder what he was referring to. 

Or maybe who?

It was really dark outside, but I didn't go to sleep yet. I was sitting by my table and reading an old Herbology almanac with a lit lantern beside it. 

I love reading old books, I like their smell. It's like I can dwell into the time they were written and think about the circumstances of writing it, or even the author ... 

It was quite chilly already so I stood up and made my way to the window. I was going to close it but some figure in the dark got my attention. 

I could see a ship docking in the port. I like ships as well, I associate them with freedom, which I never experienced, apparently. I sighed again and closed the window, then returned to my reading.

Half an hour passed when finally sleep began to take over me. Just when I was going to lay into the bed I remembered the ship I saw. I looked through my window again, and it was still there, of course, docked. Not far away from it, I could see bonfire lit on the shore of the beach, as well as several figures sitting around it.

"Pirates?" I thought to myself. 

If so, they would be risking their freedom by coming to Havana, because father made sure that no pirate would step his foot onto these lands by making this whole area restricted for the bandits. However, they're not really in Havana, they're just outside of it, on the beach, so, technically, they didn't made their way into the city yet.

°°°

I was woken up by the sound of the knocking on the door.

"Lady Calista, wake up please, it's time for breakfast." Maid's voice ringed and I started to get out of the bed yawning. 

I opened my closet and picked out a rosy dress with golden laces on the chest. My father wanted me to live with all of the advantages of the aristocratic life, such as maids helping you to dress, but I don't consider it as an advantage, it's more like being spoiled, so I dress by myself. There's really no need of an extra pair of hands when I can do it all by myself.

When I made my way to the huge dining room I sat down across my father and we both started to eat. We were chitchatting when a guard approached father hastily. He looked ... worried. 

My father wore a smile on his face but when the guard leaned down and whispered something into his ear his smile slowly faded, brows furrowed a bit. I watched intensely, wonder what could make my father leave his breakfast table without telling me anything. That's rude, but it doesn't matter, it's probably something really important. 

I finished my meal and then an idea came to my mind: father left in a rush, without giving orders to the guards to watch me. This is my chance, I can roam outside freely! 

When I was about to step outside, the guards stopped me.

"Lady Calista, we are ordered not to let you outside of estate." One of the guards informed me with stone hard voice. 

Apparently, father did order them... 

I said nothing, just turned around and mingled back to the estate. There's no way I'm going back to my chambers. I walked around and wondered where my father is and that gave me another idea.

Father never knew how curious I am.

I quietly tiptoed to the thick double door of his office. I looked around again and made sure that no one was following me, then I opened the door and peeked inside. I've been in the father's office only a few times, I could count them on my fingers. If he saw me here, right now, he probably would lock me up in my chambers for a whole year. I suppose he keeps a lot of secrets here if he doesn't even let me approach the office.

 I entered it, breathing heavily, because it was really risky, father could get back at any moment, but my curiosity took over me completely. I went through all the books stored in the wall length bookshelves with my eyes, when I saw something shiny. It was also a book, just ... golden. 

Dazed, I reached it with my arms and as soon as I took it, the shelf started to rumble. I dropped the book gasping and looking at the moving shelf. It moved towards me and then to the left, revealing a secret entrance. I knew this was certainly not right, but maybe there are answers of those 'creatures hiding in the dark' and the reason behind my father's overprotection. I quickly made my way down the stairs craving for answers.

It was cold down here. Many old manuscripts and scrolls were placed in the shelves, many boxes, many old stuff. I walked wrapping my hands around myself when I lightly stumbled upon a chest. To my surprise, it was unlocked, so I did what everyone would do – I opened it. I opened it and I saw a very eerie object – skull. My heart flickered out of fear, but the skull was shiny. 

It was like ... crystal.