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Bell had a fantastic behind. Not that Archet was into men’s behinds. He wasn’t. But it made him think. Was Bell’s behind the ideal thing? What all women stared at when no one was looking? Certainly knowing so was paramount given Bell’s promise. Archet tapped on the wheel as he thought furiously. What about his own behind? What shape was it? Curiously, he reached back for a feel. “…they’re almost to us. Hours that’s Tuile. Cursed man. Archet we need to… What are you doing?” Archet was like a brog caught in the lantern nights. He had one hand on the wheel the other on his arse. He smiled, nervously, “I had an itch.” “Right. An itch. Well, when you’re done groping yourself, I’ll need help moving the cannon.” “The cannon?” scoffed Archet, letting go of the wheel then leaning against it back first, “You wound me, Bell. This is the final touch! The cherry on my cake.” “What’s with you and cakes lately?” “Well I want cake,” Archet bounded off the wheel, letting it turn as he paced away from it, “No, I shall have cake. Cherry cake! It’ll be our reward after we ingeniously defeat our foe.” When he turned to Bell, he found his companion at the wheel, desperately trying to right it. Bell grunted, “You’ve—gah—want to talk with them? Hours Archet, they’ve got fifteen ships all presumably manned and all very angry.” “Angry? Why’d they be angry?” As he said that the singing below reached a climax, and he recalled it instantly. “Oh her? They’ll never find her,” said Archet, waving his hand. They probably would. They definitely would. And she’d be naked. Oh. The implications. Archet flushed momentarily, but shook it off quick. A peak at the approaching ships told him they had minutes at most. Not a lot, but he’d done better with less. With a new found swagger, Archet made to Bell, then slung his arm over the man’s shoulder. “Look,” said Archet, “We’ve got one shot at this, and I don’t think you’ve got a plan this time.” Bell frowned, “I can swim. What’s your plan?” Archet raised a finger with his free hand but let it fall a moment later. He was a terrible swimmer. Not much water to practice in the flying whale cities, “We’re not swimming,” said Archet, letting go of Bell, “No, my friend, we’re going to stop the ship.” Silence as Bell stared at him with dead eyes. In the distance, the cutters were closing in. That made Archet think of a delightful pun, but given the circumstance, he wasn’t sure Bell would appreciate it. Yea, the Gekken had a look about him that told Archet that puns were the furthest thing from his mind. “Alright, we’ll stop,” said Bell, flipping a lever that locked the wheel. Archet flinched. That was easy. “You’ve already got a name, I assume?” asked Bell. “A name?” “Yea, for the ship.” He said. His voice was calm at first but quickly heating. “Can’t well call it Chastity after FIFTEEN fully armed cutters rammed into us.” Bell was upon him in an instant, fuming, stepping close. “Archet. Are. You. MAD?!” “Not particularly. But you seem a little less than… happy?” Bell grabbed him by the collar with one hand and pointed back towards the ships with his other. His green eyes traced Archet’s golden ones, “We’ve got one shot at this, you’ve said so yourself. That shot is in our cannon aimed directly at Tuile.” “You think he’s behind this?” Bell let go, soon pacing to the stairs, “Undoubtedly.” Archet ran to the stairs which Bell was already at the bottom of, “wait,” said Archet, scanning the sky ahead of them briefly. He couldn’t let Bell fire that cannon. It was the first of Bell’s conditions. He’d agreed to sail with Archet but only if they had a means of protecting themselves. That meant a cannon. Problem was, the cannon Archet got was a dud. A prop used in plays. It wasn’t right killing people. He’d learned that the hard way. Honestly it should have been obvious, but it seemed less and less so to those who thought they knew better. The cannon was the first time he ever lied to Bell. Now he would have to lie again. To Bell. He hated doing that. “I’ve got a plan,” said Archet. “A real plan. Not improvisation.” Bell sighed, opening a hatch that was in the middle of the main deck, “Any plan now is improvisation.” To that, Archet pointed at the sky, “I made a call before we got captured by the bandits.” Bell looked up. The hatch lowered. He seemed to understand what Archet had been implying. Though probably not that he’d been lying. Bell stood up, arms crossed, “You’ve anticipated that the bandits would see through your rouse?” Archet shrugged, “Dreaded it more like. The Mirin Le are a ferocious group of bandits, who took out all other bandits gangs on isle within a year. They’re cunning. Deceptive. I do listen, you know. Might not seem it, but I try.” Bell seemed skeptical as if expecting more than a history lesson. “Cherry cake,” added Archet, “you love cherries. Always have since your mother took you to the cake shop. She knew the baker, who opened up the shop early on Haresday for you two to eat alone. You couldn’t do that normally considering how you’re a--” “Noble,” finished Bell, tugging his hair down. Archet, meanwhile, stood straight. That was one of the stories of Bell he’d never forgotten, partly because the Gekken hardly spoke of his personal life. But what the story was about did not matter now. The declaration did. Listen to me. I can do this. “Cherry cake,” said Bell, his voice cracking, “Well I do enjoy freeing cakes of their cherries.” “Yea, as do I. It’s the best part really. Only if they use real cherries, can’t stand the fake ones.” Archet shook his head. Focus. “I need you to warn Mirina. Then go in with her. Scream like a girl when they enter—its part of the plan. I’ll stop the ship and put up the signal. Are we far enough?” Bell nodded, surprisingly with no argument, “We should’ve passed an hour by now.” “Good,” not wasting a minute, Archet raced to the wheel and pulled the lever all the way forward, prompting the engines to power down. Then, he searched under the wheel until he came across a small metal button. Pressing it, his attention was drawn to spotlight on the main mast, which pierced the night sky. Still working. He moved to the stairs. The ship was already slowing by the time he reached the main deck. Bell was by bathhouse door, speaking into it. Arguing really. It seemed Mirina was quite enjoying her bath. With sail lever next, Archet hurried up to the upper deck. That’s when he heard them. Bandits. They were here. Taking one last breath, Archet pulled the lever. The sails were rolled up moments later. Then there was silence. From the lack of sounds coming from the bathhouse, it seemed Mirina had also pipped down. The calm before the storm. Archet met Bell at the main deck. The Gekken gave him a worried nod then fled into the bath house, closing the door as gently as possible. Slowly, surely, the gentle splash of water sounded below the main hall. Archet made towards the railing. He saw them approach on a lifeboat. It was Tuile and two of his henchmen. The henchmen were rowing, while Tuile was standing with practiced ease. He had his eye on Archet. Archet backed away. He had to think. After all he’d done Tuile had still gone after him. And in full force to. The boat tapped against Chastity and Archet paced, his hand holding his chin. Whatever Tuile had on him it wasn’t just conjecture. He had to have had evidence. But what? A rope ladder flung over the railing. Harl? Legi? Well he had given his name... but then again Harl and Legi should have been still asleep nor had they learned of why Archet and Bell had gone there. Then there was how Mirina’s guard had been knocked out in the same way. Yes that would have seemed suspicious. Yet did they know how they had been disabled? Archet stopped. That had to be it. Tuile had discovered Bell’s toxin. So when the man in question finally arrived, Archet surmised he was facing an alchemist or a man under the console of one. “Ah,” said Archet, spreading his arms out to greet the invaders, “What brings you here to my abode?” Tuile straightened his jacket when he was over the edge, “You know why I’m here. Mirina. Where is she?” Curt but expected. “Mirina?” “Oh don’t be coy,” snapped Tuile stepping forwards with his hands held behind his back, “I know you know where she is. Better. I know that it’s you who’s behind the rumors as of late. Time mage? Mirina captured? Did you honestly think that would work?”