Race to the Fountain

Chapter 16

Captain V's POV.

Xavier and I have been practicing since early morning. He has been asking for a while and my cramps have lightened up enough for us to actually go. He has been very excited and he's learning fast.

We found a secret hiding place just for us to practice. The only people that know I am here are Rich and Samuel. I only told Sam, because if something happens to Rich, he is my back up. Regardless of how peaceful it is here in Xavier and I's slice of heaven I don't like being away from my ship. It currently has a patch missing in the bottom. We've been looking for some materials to fix it.

"Aunty." Xavier calls.

"Are you tired?" I ask studying him and seeing sweat through his shirt. The temperature has climbed quite a bit.

"Yes, but can you attack me."

"Xavier-"

"Not for real. I just want to see what I need to improve on. I've been practicing a bit without you. I think you'll be pleased."

I look around and see their is nothing to truly worry about. I smile at him. "You ready?"

"No. I am the thing nightmares are made of."

Content fills my heart and then I attack him. He is swift with dodging my attacks. He definitely has speed on his side. His attacks are quick as well. I block one and sweep his legs. He falls and quickly rolls and gets back up. I charge forward. He defends himself well but gives me an opening. I take it and he ducks and my sword hits the tree and drives a wedge in it.

"Got you." He cheers, breathless pointing his sword at me.

I pull my staff blade from the tree and bow at the knee to him. "You did good today. You are smart when you fight."

He smiles.

"Now our family saying is dangerous. Don't say it unless you mean it."

"I meant it." He tells me.

"I'm proud of you."

He hugs me.

"Do you want to know what my name is?"

He looks at me. "Yes."

"I tell you this name, because it binds us, but you only say my name when you want me to find you and when I find you it won't be good. My name is Vanessa."

He looks at me for a second. "I wasn't expecting that."

"What did you think it was?"

"I thought you and mommy had the same name. She was gonna be Valarie and you were gonna be V."

I shrug. "That makes more sense."

We hear a couple animal noises. I grab my staff. "We should be heading back."

He nods gripping his beautiful sword tighter and moves closer to me. We walk the same way we came. It's soon that we find trouble.

A man and a woman step from behind the trees and face us.

"Oí magi cqunmet unini soy papoiu cacumesca." The men speaks.

They know who I am because of my father. Papa taught me this language. It is his tongue.

"Omini otpaunm u tegugf." The woman says.

I have been here before. I think that's how I knew about the secret hiding place. "Comine oeh teows macel labeo." I ask them for safe passage.

"Nei comsy undilied mantelque." The man denies, because he and his woman hungry.

I lose coloring in my face I remember this place. Papa took me here as a child and I saw him and the rest of them drank the blood of innocence children. They were the first monsters to give me nightmares. "Nei! Qui minki Blackbeard ogogo papoui Xavier." I explained that Xavier is Blackbeard grandson.