Chapter Text
The smell of rum, sweat and blood could be felt even by those who no longer had any nostrils, inside that tavern riot was already part of the daily routine, there the language was a mix between dialects of the pirates and the constant conflict with those of the sailors of the Capital looking for a fight. Mugs flew mostly not so empty, after all no one even dared to go to that dimly lit place in order to have a good drink. No! No one was crazy to drink a mug of that unknown fermented drink just for drinking, but still, despite being a sour drink it was cheap and for those who lived for years at sea there could never be any lack of alcohol in their system, no matter how rotten it was, that of course if said fellow didn't have the money to buy rum. However, the main bonus of that establishment was precisely its nature, there even the pirates felt within the law, a place so without order that among all the commandments, principles, rules the only code that was not null was that of Hammurabi, but as few there even knew how to read nor were conventionally considered educated, just the popular jargon sufficed: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
As punches were exchanged, spit was spitted and teeth flew, the screaming was muffled by the music being played. It was an old song from the times of the south of the Capital before being taken over by the southeast part. So the mandolin was been played while the verses sang about “a friend who didn't return from the sea”, the rhythm was faster following different chords than the original song. Anyone from the south of the Capital and its former territories would recognize the lyrics, but not the music itself, it was as if their interpreter adjusted the rhythm according to the energy of the fights.
The fingers were strumming quickly as if in a hurry, and the voice. What a voice. Though agitated, it sounded as clear as a caress to the ear. And to accompany the thenar eminence part of the hand would beat the body of the mandolin following the rhythm.
The music performer known as Luco in the region was one of the only ones who had a good reputation with all the inhabitants of the island, the Island of Imbiaçá was a place since the southeast part of the capital took over it that became very frequented by pirates. Because of this, it was very common to have spaces of the island exclusive to pirates and others to sailors from the capital, except for the no man's land that were the taverns and cabarets.
But returning to the said tavern, Luco was amused by the confusion, between the song there were pauses caused by his uncontrollable laughter and his face was characteristically happy. It is then that a group of pirates entered and sat at a table far from the brawl, Luco knew they were pirates since, in addition to clothing, they had a tattoo on the neck of a skull in front of a sun where each of the six rays were drawn in different ways, rays that resembled figures native to different islands. The musician had already heard about that insignia and a few times crew members with that tattoo had already stopped there to drink, but Luco only had talked to one of them, the pirate in question seemed to be about 5 years younger, had long blonde hair that covered a good part of his neck tattoo, always carried already yellowed lenses on his nose, and was undeniably very well dressed despite spending so much time sailing, his name? Sebastián Ocaso.
He was a kind gentleman and just gave a slight wave to the musician who returned it with a smile. Such sympathy was not replicated by the other pirate who came behind, he must be Sebastián's brother by the physical similarities, both being pale but with slightly sunburned skin, also blond but this time his hair was shorter, making the tattoo more apparent, had green eyes, probably older, handsome but with a much more arrogant energy and sent the performer a venomous, almost jealous gaze.
Luco just raised one of his thick eyebrows and with a sneer face continued playing.
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.
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The musician took a 15-minute break to rest and prepare for the rest of the night, so he went to the back of the tavern to take a piss, when he was done, he reached a bucket of water filling his hands, in order to get the sweat off his face. Running his wet hands over his face and part of his hair, he looked at the reflection of the water and examined his appearance. His mulatto skin turned golden in the warm light of the lantern, and his rebellious, fluffy brown hair complemented his thick eyebrows nicely. With an inflated ego he sighs. He knows he's hot. Giving a last look he goes back to the bar but notices an abnormal silence. Soon understanding the reason.
At the door were high-ranking officials with emblems from the southeast part of the capital, and in the corner the tattooed pirates, both pointing guns at each other.
—Everyone out! Here only the Sun's Disgrace pirates. —The commodore bellowed, naming the insignia pirates and all the clientele rushed out. Luco tried to leave with them but was taken by surprise when the man recognized him. —Hold up! It's the rascal that tricked me!
Luco was paralyzed for a second until he picked up a flintlock that had probably fallen to the ground from the rush, and shot one of the officials who pointed a blunderbuss percussion at him when he saw that there was no way out.
Soon a shooting breaks out and as soon as the bullets run out, the officials bring their blades into the fray, the pirates do the same. One of the uniformed men tries to hit a diagonal strike at Luco but is stopped by Sebastián who quickly turns the blade and kills him.
The blonde then points his flintlock at another official who was pushing forward but when he squeezed the trigger the miquelet jams.
—Que bosta! —Luco and Sebastián exclaim together and start running when more soldiers come.
In the tavern, more and more troops start to appear until the musician and the pirates are surrounded.
—Shit, I should have realized it was an ambush. —Ocaso's older brother approached in frustration.
—Calm down Martín, getting nervous isn't going to help us now. Luciano, any ideas? —Sebastián calls the friend by his real name, causing a certain emotion of familiarity in the artist.
—There's a window big enough for everyone to go through in the cellar. —Luco or Luciano, answers, dodging an attack then kicking an official in the balls.
—Guys! Let's get out of here! —Martín yells as he takes down two officials.
Everyone follows the brunette to the cellar and quickly all the pirates manage to enter while Luciano holds the window shutter. When the last Sun's Disgrace's turn came, shots were fired.
—Careful!— Luco ducks pulling the pirate, dodging the bullets by a hair.
Outside was chaos, the noise of cavalry and men screaming could be heard. The musician, having no idea what to do nor where to flee, kept running with the pirates until they all arrived the docks “Our ship! Quick” then Luciano sees a huge ship far away full of cannons moored next to another pirate ship, approaching he can read the name Solsticio engraved in gold on the hull.
Suddenly the sound of a shot echoes, when looking down the brunette sees himself bleeding, by putting his hand on his belly he falls. Then everything goes dark.