Rigid Compromises
A/N: Here’s my entry for this week’s @flashfictionfridayofficial prompt. I’ve been in a Doom Patrol mood lately, so here’s chaos from a disaster crew from my WIP, Blasted Scorn. Featuring pirates and knights reluctantly working together and tired dread pirate, who didn’t sign up for this bs. Plenty of friction going and they have no idea on what to do about it.
Word Count: 908
TW: None
***
Across the steady seas, a large pirate ship sails across the waves. On the wooden walls of the corridors, arguments are getting thrown as the voices raise high with anger and panic. More on panic actually.
"This won't work!" Miss Kentway protests, shaking in tremor. "What if one of our own gets captured by the general's troops? Or worse? Go through treason?"
A woman slams her hand on the desk, almost crushing the object with a strong bang that echoed throughout the galley.
"Well, what else can we do?" Elthesa asks, aiming a finger at the older woman. "Unlike you, I have a responsibility to fulfill. If the queen wants me to find her missing daughter than I will. The princess will return home, no exceptions. I don't care if I have to lose myself for my duty to the kingdom."
"I do," Ianete murmurs, checking their nails. "You see, I don't want to get involved in this royal bullshit or whatever you name it. It's all lies if you're going to be honest."
Elthesa scrunches her face, folding her arms over her chest. Lepella throws her hands in the air, pacing the room with fear.
Titanrin sighs, hoping no one noticed them. Truth be told, they're in the middle of this conversation and saying nothing because. . . no sensible person would want to get involved in an argument that they can't win.
This deal they struck with the knights isn't going so well for them.
"This will not go according to plan, will it?" Kentway asks with horror.
Billigan taps his forehead. "Well, Miss, per'aps, we'll have to wait and see.
"That was a rhetorical question, Billy," Ianete mutters, pressing a hand over their forehead.
Eubha glowers at Ianete, who scowls back at them. Oh Bast. And here, Titanrin hoped they would set their conflict aside for the mission. And that wasn't the case, apparently.
"You think you know everything?" Lepella asks, visibly boiling with rage. "You don't, you dishonorable rogue!"
Ianete rises from their seat, their eyes on her like daggers. "Oh, I'll show you, who's dishonorable, little girl."
"Hey, don't make me miss a piece of the action."
Billigan grins as if ready for a fight. He always was and it's nothing new.
"Stay out of this," Lepella snaps.
Kumari winces, ducking her head. She clasps her hand on Nishan, who's quite occupied by the maps and plans laid across the table.
Nishan removes her glasses, looking out at the windows.
"We're almost there, Captain," Nishan murmurs, her voice getting lost among the noisy commotion.
"Finally," Elthesa murmurs in relief.
"About ten minutes at most, Ma'am," Nishan answers quietly. "Once we reach the land, we can board the ship and proceed with our plan. According to reliable sources, the general spends his time on the Chesaven Empire for reasons unknown."
Lepella snaps her fingers. "That's where, they must be keeping the princess."
The youngest member, Eubha, swings her legs and jumps to her feet. She props her hands on her hips, a smile on her face. Her attempt at being optimistic feels goofy if Titanrin's being honest with themself.
"We pirates are stronger together now, aren't we?" Eubha asks, her dark eyes twinkling. "With the knights on our side, we could take down those bastards and rescue the princess! We can do it, now that we've a plan figured out!"
The rest of the group exchange looks of uncertainty and irritation. Nishan winces, Kumari stares ahead at the ceiling, Elthesa sinks down on the chair, Lepella lifts her chin like a haughty royal, Kentway turns her back on them, Ianete cracks their knuckles, Billigan gets up and leaves the room.
Damn it. If Titanrin could do that without getting caught, they would have.
If they could, they could commission a painter to capture this moment in a canvas and frame it on the docks. That's how awful they are all together, Titanrin believes. If they didn't argue constantly since the knights gotten on board, they would be sailing the seas and stealing from the royal and rich.
They never wanted to rescue royalty.
Now they're trapped in this compromise they had lost control over. Once they got their way again, they'll be sure to not be damned in the process.
"Shut up," Ianete mumbles, dragging their palm down their face. "I swear you little. . ."
"Whatever," Eubha replies cheerfully.
Someone snickers and someone else sighs. Yup. They're going to lose their dignity for this.
Titanrin leans back on their chair, resting their chin on their knuckles. When they formed the crew in the beginning, they expected the complains and ramifications that would occur on board on The Blasted Scorn. Most of them had difficulty trying to get along with one another, barely adjusting to their differences from their respective walks of life. As time passed and bars demolished by their brawls, they seemed to have treated each other as a team.
Not necessarily as a team though. They're all bloody terrible at that, Titanrin thinks with dismay.
Their common goals only made their crew stronger together. As soon as they find that missing princess and completed the part of the bargain with the two stuffy knights, they would have to work harder on improving their status as a team and share a laugh through all this.
Reaching for the bottle of rum, Titanrin hopes it could alleviate the sheer oddity of the moment.
***
