Chapter Text
Part 1
The sun sank into the sea, sending shadows across the boy’s bed. He lay on his stomach, pillow under his chin, book in hand, silently praying the candle wouldn’t go out. The small flame sent flickering light across the pages, giving the room a soft glow and making the illustrated charts seem to move.
Turning the pages slowly, he barely paid attention to the sounds drifting through the window. Waves lapped at the distant shore, gulls cried, the fading of chatter of people moving inside for the night. The faint scent of salt could barely be detected under the smell of tonight's fishcake dinner.
"Siv," a deep voice said, making him jump.
Siv looked over his shoulder sheepishly. "Sorry, Pa. Wanted to finish my book." He shook a loose curl from his face. 'Damn, missed the creaky floorboard this time. Gotta fix that.'
His father stepped into the room with a chuckle. "I get it, but i's nearly nightfall. But yer gettin' up early to help with the fishin', remember?"
Siv couldn't help pouting. "Do I have to? Fish scales make me itch." But he closed his book anyway and blew out the candle. Wriggling under the covers, he grumped wordlessly as his father ruffled his hair. Scowling, Siv ran a hand through it to fix it back. 'Wish he'd stop that...'
Smirking, the older man sat on the edge of the bed. "I understand, which is why I'm gonna have ye work on the docks afterwards instead of helpin' me skin n' gut 'em." When Siv relaxed a little, his father grinned and stood. "Promise, no touchin' the fish. 'Less it's an accident, of course. Get some sleep."
Siv yawned and nodded. "Alright." He snuggled deeper under the blanket; he winced at the scratch but sighed as the warmth seeped in. 'Maybe Pa can let me get a new book tomorrow.'
"Oh, and Siv?" His father stopped in the doorway, hand on the post and gaze fixed on him.
"Yeah?"
"Happy birthday, son."
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He dreamed he was sailing. Not in a fishing vessel like his family did, nor like the grand ships the king sometimes went by in. Instead, it was a big galleon, with lots of sails and crewmates exploring the world. They'd go from place to place, find out new things, and then go elsewhere and tell others about what they found.
The moment he smelled smoke, he figured they were going to have a big feast to celebrate a new discovery.
Instead, the ship was on fire. Flames licked along the deck like snakes. People screamed. He tried to find out what had happened, but no one paid any attention to him.
A sailor grabbed his shoulders and shouted in his father's voice, "Siv, get out of here! Get yer brothers and-"
He bolted up, his chest heaving, as the sound of cracking wood filled the air. Heavy smoke flowed through the open door, making him cough harshly. His eyes stung - wrong - and the rolling heat threatened to scorch his skin - worse. He lurched upright, half-falling as he shoved his feet into his shoes. Holding the front of his shirt to his mouth and nose, he staggered through the opening, but froze as heat assaulted him. 'What's going on?!'
"Siv! Pa! Mama!"
Siv turned sharply down the hall, calling through his shirt, "Kell! Hold tight!" Coughing as he stumbled through the hall, he found his brothers' room and banged on the door. "Open the door!" Smoke covered the ceiling like a warning, heavy and dark.
Crackling came from outside - fire. A big one.
"I can't!" Kell cried. Small thuds came from inside the room. "Siv! It— it hurts! Where’s mama?!"
With a groan, Siv backed up. "Kell! Get away from the door!" Footsteps scrambled back, and he bolted forward. His shoulder hit the thick wood, and he grit his teeth at the ache, but he did it again. 'Come on!' And again. 'Open, damnit!' And finally, the door crashed open. Clenching his jaw and gripping his shoulder, he looked around until four pairs of eyes met his - all hiding under a bunk bed. "Let's get out of here!"
Three younger boys ran to him, and one toddled unsteadily, all of them coughing.
Lifting the youngest against his chest, Siv herded the other three through the door. "Keep moving. Get outside." The boy in his arms wrapped his own around Siv's neck. A frightened whimper left him. Siv took a quick second to bend down, scooping up the makeshift fabric-scrap doll, and handed it to him.
Kell tugged Siv's free arm. "What about the others?" His eyes were wide, his lower lip trembling.
Looking back at the door across from theirs, Siv handed the younger boy to Kell. "Carry Harron; you can do it."
Harron reached for him, his hand grasping as he clutched the doll, as Kell took him. "Siv!"
"Get them outside," Siv told Kell; his brother nodded and followed the other two down the hall. 'Of course his first word come today. Of course!'
Wood cracked nearby. A sound under it almost made him pause, but he moved for the door. 'Was that—? No. No, keep moving.' He shoved the door open and coughed as his eyes watered. Flames had already consumed the room.
He closed the door immediately, then fell to one knee, gagging and coughing. "No... no no no..." Shaking the image of burnt skin and small, twisted bodies under broken wood from his mind, he staggered after the others. 'Find...Find the others!' Reaching another door, he peered inside. "Ma?"
His parents' bedroom was empty, but the window was open and curtains pulled back.
His breath froze as he took in the sight of the neighbor's house in flames. Without hesitation, he bolted after the others, slitting his eyes to avoid some of the smoke. 'Shit! Someone must've left their candle burning!' He reached the front door but tripped over something laying just outside.
Thick black smoke filled the air. The acrid tang of ash and fire seared his nose and tongue. The smell of burnt flesh almost made him vomit. His ears rang from the flames roar.
"Hey, there's someone still in there!" a voice called out, ringing with authority he'd only ever heard from one kind of person.
A group of soldiers raced towards him as he glanced up, but a coughing fit had him hanging his head after a moment. Each held a spear, or a sword, or crossbow, or shield - all weapons from the king's city on the next island over.
He gulped in air as he got to his feet. "T-The neighbor's house! It's on fire!" He flung his hand behind him, but then he finally looked up and froze.
Everything was on fire, bodies lying strewn in the streets, and the soldiers raised their weapons as they closed in.
His eyes widening, Siv bolted, but sprawled after tripping over someone laying on the ground. Groaning, pushing himself up on one arm, he lifted his gaze and met the glassy eyes of his mother.
Bile rose in his throat, but he choked it back. 'I-I just saw her before bed!' Scrambling to his feet, he dared to peer behind him — and nearly fell.
Kell. Harron. Jack. Liam.
His heart stopped. The ringing in his ears grew. His vision blurred to everything but them.
They lay in a heap, blood pooling on the ground and soaking their clothes. The doll stared at him, splattered with red.
'They...they just left! W-Who did this?!' Tears pricked his eyes. Blistering heat seared his lungs with each breath.
Nearby, three others - Nate, Victor, Danial.
'My brothers...' Tearing his gaze away, he forced himself forward, away from his burning home, as the soldiers reached him. One grabbed his arm, but he jerked himself free, staggering. His stomach churned, but fear wouldn't let him stop.
He didn't want to end up like his family. He didn't want to die under a blade or an arrow.
"Don't let him get away! We have to get them all!"
His breath coming in heavy gasps, his legs burning from more than the flames that had engulfed everything in the village, he headed for the only safe place he could think of - the docks.
He skidded to a stop by the blacksmiths as he caught sight of the sinking, shattered remains of the fishing vessels. Sails torn, ropes snapped, wood broken jaggedly.
Ducking behind the forge, he sank against it and curled up. 'What the hell is going on? What are the soldiers doing? Why-Why is everyone dead?'
He'd never forget the bodies he saw in the streets.
The grocer. The weavers. The elderly couple that gave him a cake just that morning. The girl in his class who had just moved here.
Shouts from soldiers echoed over the crackling fire. The occasional scream punctuated the air. Sobs suddenly cut off nearby. A heavy thud of someone falling.
Looking around wildly as the sound of armored footsteps grew closer, Siv grabbed the first thing he spotted. 'They are not taking me down like this!' Getting to his feet, he heaved the sword up with a grunt. 'Seas, this things heavy!' Panting from that effort alone, fear spiked through him as three soldiers appeared around the corner.
One spotted him and flung his sword to point at him. "There he is!"
Siv tried to back away, but his spine pressed against the side of the forge. As the soldiers grew closer, he took a deep breath and lifted the shaking sword with both hands.
Even if he didn't make it, at least he could say he fought.