A Pirate Tale (Poseidons looking glass)

Chapter 18: Where the silver reflection lives, the treasure is

That night, the villagers built a huge bonfire on the beach. Giant logs were rolled up to sit on. The five crew mates of the Duchess watched as dancers preformed. Jade and shell bracelets clacked in time to the music as the dancers stomped their feet. Torches planted in the sand cast eerie shadows on the dancers faces. Men and women in the audience chanted along.

"You must admit this is fascinating, and quite exquisite." Chris whispered to Cora.
"It's a lot of fun, I'll grant you that" Cora conceded.
Bows of soup were passed around and so was a bundle of boiled eggs. Cooked manioc was served on leaves. Platters of fish garnish with oysters were set before them. Seabirds were roasted whole and served with avocado.

"This here meal is mighty tasty, mate," Kidd said chewing happily. "Do ye know what this dish is called?"
"Xoloitzcuintli," Mason said with a faint smile.
"What is that, some kind of bird or rabbit?"

"It's a small hairless dog" Toby said with a grin. Kidd choked, spitting out what was left in his mouth.

Giant stone mugs with chocolate were passed around for dessert. Cora was delighted and wound up drinking hers and Chris'. And part of Kidds. Then the crew and the villagers gathered around the fire and told stories. Mason translated the stories Kidd told about his adventures at sea, after that Cora told a few tales about living in the ocean. Other people told stories about their heroes, and gods. Suddenly the old man cleared his voice and tapped his cane on the ground till everyone was quite.

"He's telling a tale of a cursed treasure" Mason whispered.
"My treasure?!" Kidd asked exited.
Mason shushed him.
"This treasure is not to be sought out" Mason translated.
"It's worth more then the city of gold!" The old man said.

"El dorado! I have head of that, apparently it was a great waste of the Spanish economy to set out sailers to find it."

"No, not El dorado" Mason translated.
"It's something else, it's the cursed mermaid treasure"

"Told ya, well where is it mate? Cause that be a mighty fine place to visit!" Kidd asked.
The old mans eyes grew unreadable as he looked at Kidd. He spoke quietly. Mason looked at him questioningly, then said it in English.
"Wherever the silver reflection lives, the treasure is" A hush fell over the crowd; even the insects in the bush seemed to fall silent.
The crew of the Duchess shivered.

The evening was soon over. Villagers began to get up and go inside, to avoid the cold of the night. The bonfire was dying down to red and orange embers that glowed feebly against the blackness of the sea and sky. Chris gave Cora his jacket, and she pulled it tightly around her shoulders.

"Where the silver reflection lives, the treasure is." She murmured softly. "What do you think it means?"

"Perhaps it's near a silver mine? Maybe 'living' is just another way of saying 'being mined'"

"That is so unpoetic" Mason objected.
"Maybe it means that anyone who seeks it out has the precious metal on the brain, like it's all they think about?"

"Or maybe," Kidd interrupted "it's just - oh and this one is gonna be hard to believe mates. It's just a bloody figure of speech" Kidd eyes grew wide and distant, imagining the treasure his father had left him. If it had become an urban legend in a place such as this, it had to be quite the treasure.

Mason wandered off, but quickly returned with some more firewood.
"There, now we'll be nice and toasty for the night" he threw a few logs on the embers, and tucked his brother close to him as the fire slowly began to rise again.
Some of the villagers had offered the crew mates a few sheepskins and cowhides, so they could sleep comfortably on the beach. Kidd and Chris had laid some out around the campfire and were slowly drifting off. Cora however felt out of place, she couldn't get comfortable, and her mind kept traveling all over the place. How was she going to find her mother? Was Chris into her? Was Kidd? Then again Mason was so dreamy and responsible. No, focus on the treasure. Why does being a girl have to be so bloody stupid?
Her brain got more and more tired, and then she fell asleep.

As the piercing sun rose on the morning sky, the cremates began to wake up. Cora, Mason and Toby were the first ones up, and they couldn't help but noticed how Kidd and Chris were laying. Durning the night the two, had moved closer to each other, and were now sleeping in the arms of one another.

"Now I really wish I could save an image of these two onto some sort little square box and use it against them for the rest of their lives" Cora said. Mason had gotten one of the cooking pots and a stick, and he started banging the pot uncontrollably by the ears of Kidd and Chris, who woke up so startled it took them a second to realize they'd been spooning the entire night.

"Oh my god, I touched him" Chris whined, as he moved away from Kidd in a quick motion, his ears turning red with embarrassment.

"Oh ye know ye loved it," Kidd teased, stretching his tired body. "Ye are a very comfortable person... to sleep on that is" Kidd added.

"We never speak of this again, Ever! Am I making myself clear?!" He said prepaid to pull his sword if a threat was necessary.
"Calm your tits" Cora teased. "We don't judge"

Chris walked frustrated and embarrassed away from the crew, but they quickly gained on him. Luckily for him the subject had changed from Chris and Kidds midnight adventure to how hungry everyone was.

"Lets head to the center of the village to see if someone could spare a bit of bread" Mason suggested.

"I want milk" Toby noted, "and porridge would be nice"

"We'll see what we can do" Mason reassured.

As they were walking into the unknown jungle/village territory, Kidd suddenly stoped in front of a hut that seemed to belong to the leader of the village, when he noticed something laying on the ground, covered by dirt.

"What wrong?" Cora asked.

"It's my hat" Kidd picked it up and placed it on his head.

"Well what does it mean?" Cora asked a bit more cautious. Kidds eyes whitened.
"They have James!"