I always work alone (Eustass Kid x OC)

Chapitre 16 : Olek and Tirsa

Even if Kid wanted to go on with their journey, all the crew thought that it was a better idea to find a calm island to give him time to heal. Killer and Lanniya spent the most of their time trying to convince him, even if it was difficult. He finally gave up, saying that he would build an artificial arm. Killer sighed but she nodded.

- If that's his condition, we shouldn't question it, you told Killer when you were out of his room.

- I know. But the time we took to convince him made us pass by the last islands.

She bit her lip.

- We'll find something.

The navigator, however, was not so optimistic. He accepted to deviate from the usual navigable seas to go find islands in more unknown parts of the New World. It was a dangerous move, but there was not really another option. Luckily, he soon got the signal of a calm island.

- I don't see it on the card, but it seems to be a quiet good opportunity, he said.

- OK, said Killer looking at a card. As long as you know how to put us back on the navigable seas.

He said that they would be there the day after. Lanniya let Killer tell the news to Kid. As promised, they were there in the afternoon of the following day. It seemed to have hills and not a lot of trees, excepting around the coast. There seemed to have only one side of the beach where they could accost. But something was off. This place seemed familiar. The beach, the cliff, those hills... Her face became always paler as they went around the island. When Lanniya finally saw a house on top of a hill, it became clear : it was the island where she was born. She didn't say a thing. Someone was coming out of the house. A young boy. There was no doubts : he had seen the ship.

- Guide us to the beach on the other side, she said to the navigator.

- How do you know there's a beach there ? Won't we be too close to the house ?

- Trust me. I know this place, she said without looking at him.

He obeyed to her without a word. Lanniya could see the young man running to the beach in the far. She knew the ship would be there before him. Kid went out of his room and went down on the beach, helped by many other sailors. She jumped but passed through them to go directly in a little path that was going into a small forest. There, a face suddenly appeared. A young man with blue eyes like hers and blond hair. He had grown up, but she knew him for sure. He was Olek, her little brother. He seemed to recognize her as well and they both ran to each other. He fell in her arms and they both started to cry under the sight of the rest of the crew. Lanniya took his face in her hands. He was 16, now. He was so big and looked so strong.

- Olek...

After some long minutes of sobs, they managed to calm down. Lanniya was so happy to see him again. He was still holding his head in his hands. They were both on their knees on the ground. They were now smiling.

- I can't believe it's you, Lanni. After all that time...

She helped him get up. He finally noticed her crew.

- I guess they are your new mates, he said.

Lanniya looked away, embarrassed. 

- I'll explain to you. I'm sorry about that.

- I knew, he said wiping his eye. I recognized your picture. But I guess we have a lot of things to explain don't we ?

He looked at the others. He didn't seem to fear them.

- You can come to our house little by little. If the villagers see you, I'll have troubles.

- Crane, who is him ? asked Kid, suspicious.

- My brother, she answered blushing. We can trust him, captain.

He sat on the floor and sighed. He was not especially happy to meet her family who might distract her from her tasks as a pirate. But having a place where they could sleep in peace at night would for sure be useful.

- I guess we don't have the choice.

She had guessed what his problem was and went to him.

- You're still weak, Kid. You need time to recover. I won't let you down for them, honey, never, she added, touching his hand and speaking more quietly for him.

She knew that a sweet name would make the difference.

- That's an opportunity we won't have two times, I know, he said standing up. Lanniya, Killer and I will go with the young man, the others will stay in the forest.

He turned to her brother. Lanniya was surprised that he seemed to respect him, but maybe that was because he was her brother.

- You will get in trouble if we see too many of us in your house, right ?

Olek nodded.

- If it's OK for you that way...

- Is Tirsa also there ? she asked.

Olek nodded again. They prepared their things and went up the little hill. They could see the village down the hill. So much memories were going through Lanniya's mind... Olek helped Kid sit down in the dining room. The house had not changed. There were always two rooms, the one of their dead parents and the other for them. Lanniya had forgotten how comfortable the house was, despite its little size. On one of the wall of the kitchen, there was her wanted poster beside Kid's and Killer's. This detail was not missed by Kid himself. They heard a laughter as clear as a bell. Tirsa. She was running outside.

- I've got a surprise for you inside, was saying Olek with the same tone as Lanniya used when she was still living with them.

When she saw her sister, she jumped into her arms. She had become a beautiful child with blond locks and ocean eyes. Lanniya was happy to see that she looked healthy and energetic. Kid didn't seem too happy about having a child in the surroundings. When they were finally all inside the house, Olek started to make food and sent Tirsa outside to play with little animals she had befriended.

- We have a lot of things to talk about, he said to you.

Lanniya seriously nodded. Kid and Killer were all ears as well, curious about the serious look they were both having.