Silence

Chapter 20

Redbeard

I attempt to walk back home without thinking too much about what I've learned from the crew but it's almost impossible to stop thinking about. They were probably just spreading rumours, there's always rumours going around the crew so this is probably just another one even if it does feel like it's eating away at the inside of my head. The people who attacked Andrew were apart of the crew, that's what they said anyway. I don't want it to be true but it almost sounds reasonable given that people are missing. I can't believe them though, that's buying into this nonsense when I can just ask Andrew what happened.

Besides, I have more important things I should be focusing on than rumours even if they are about what happened to Andrew. I've got Ianite's heart on my person that what I should be thinking about not rumours that are almost definitely not true. I need to get my head straight. I'm sure anyone would tell me that at this point. Just focus, that's all I need to do. Lady Ianite is what I should be focused on, it's beyond stupid that I'm not.

I enter the house not expecting anything to be unusual since there's no reason to assume things would be anything but normal yet the sight upon entering proves otherwise. It's not completely obvious but the place has been messed up in the sense that everything is ever so slightly out of place. I mean I'm not sure I'd notice if it wasn't seemingly everything, I know I'm not as observant as I could be for these things but I doubt anyone could actually hide this, though they've certainly tried. It's as if whoever was putting everything back into place has been given instructions about where everything went but had never actually seen the inside of the house. A lump forms in my throat as I realise that, given that Andrew is in no condition to be moving furniture, that may well be what happened. It was obvious from the beginning he was attacked in here no matter who he was attacked by so, of course, the place is a bit of a mess.

"Red, haven't had too much trouble have you?" Andrew asks as soon as he sees me, a smile on his face as he prepares himself to stand up. I still feel uncomfortable looking at his injuries as not only was I not here to help him, I didn't even see what was going to happen. That's never happened before, normally even if I can't help him and I've seen when something is going to happen to Andrew, same as I have with Capsize and used to with Dad. I don't understand why I didn't this time, it's not like I care less about what happens to him. "Red?"

"No, it was fine really just a lot of talk among the crew as always," I attempt to assure him, joining him and Capsize to make sure he doesn't actually stand up. I don't want him to accidentally be hurt more than he already is. Not to mention I don't see the point of leaving right now when the champions are clearly preoccupied with something so I have some time to talk with Capsize and Andrew but, just to make clear I did what I said I was going to, I place down the box that contains the heart on the low-table by the seats. Capsize smiles.

Should I go get the others? Despite her smile and clear desire to this over and done with, I shake my head at Capsize's question. She looks confused which is understandable seeing that we've been working towards this goal for months before Ianite even told us about the champions and a large part of her own safety depends on us freeing Ianite but I just want a few minutes to talk with them. I won't keep them for too long.

"Just leave them for a few minutes, I don't want to leave when I've just got in," Capsize rolls her eyes but all the same allows me to sit next to her rather than leaving to get the others. I feel a smile grow on my own face since, despite the situation and what I want to talk about before we leave, I'm happy to be back for a few days even if parts of my hopes have been shattered since there's no way Andrew can come with us back to the Champions' Realm in the condition he's in. "I actually wanted to discuss something with you, about one of the rumours the crew were going on about."

Both of them look a little surprised since they know better than anyone that I don't exactly like listening to the rumours that float around with the crew, mostly because, as a higher ranked member a somewhat ungodly number of them are about me. I feel like I have to ask about this though because if it is true then it's important that Capsize and I know about it.

"They said it was members of the crew who attacked you, that that was why people are missing, it's not true though, right Drew?" I expect Andrew to explain that, of course, no one in the crew hurt him and they were just asked to join another crew that was short a few people. That's not what happens though. Andrew bows his head and Capsize looks at him wide-eyed. It's like a feel my heart stop. We trusted them, we trusted all of them, and someone took advantage of that trust when we needed to be able to trust people the most. It's almost overwhelming as I try to figure out what could've happened when Cap and I weren't here but I can't, all I can do is manage to get out a question I need to ask at this point. "Who did it? Gods, Andrew, who did this to you?"

A/N:

I'm not exactly sure what to say about this chapter since most of what I want to say is what this chapter is building up to and hasn't actually happened yet and obviously that would be spoilers.

I hope you liked the chapter, comments and feedback are welcome :D