The Fires of Summer (first draft)

"My son certainly made an impact on my ship," Corvus sighs as Haley and the Pirate Lords are carried up onto the great man of war. It's not missing anything that should make it non-functional, but the wood is splintered and the gold lining on it is bent in funny angles.

The ship itself is massive, its deck stretching out far and its masts hosting massive sails with the Sanguis colours upon them. They set sail before Corvus has even decided what to do with them, Pirate Island slowly becoming more and more distant behind them.

Haley is pushed to his knees before the peacock King. He paces back and forth for a few moments, his lips pursed, before he points to the middle mast. "Tie them to the mast. Lukas, pick someone you're familiar with and watch over them."

That's when Haley recognises the man holding onto Henry. It's none other than Lukas. Despite his melancholy he can't help but let a little amusement slip at how they keep meeting each other. He supposes this time Lukas gets a point over him for winning.

"Haleyyy, Haleyyyy," Henry calls out to him as they're taken over to the mast, slurring even worse than Gambi had been, "what's this handsome guard's name? He's got a tight grip on me."

Lukas' expression doesn't change. He looks thoroughly tired.

"Henry, we're being tied to a mast, I doubt Haley knows," Vane groans.

"...It's Lukas," Haley sighs, looking down at the floor. Everyone turns their head to him expectantly, and he flushes under their gazes, trying to stop himself from crying. Instead, he thinks about all his run-ins with Lukas, trying to bring back the inkling of humour in him. "I stole his jacket and we keep running into each other."

Lukas seems relieved at the lack of mention of his numerous failures. Jack's maniacal laugh breaks through the quiet. "Henry, your crush got his jacket nicked."

"It's okay, he doesn't need a jacket to win my heart," Henry sounds out of his mind. Haley tries to pay him little mind, more upset about the fact he's currently being tied down. He's situated inbetween Gambi and Henry, who is making doe eyes at Lukas. Lukas doesn't seem all that happy about his victory.

When they're all tied down, he stands a distance away from them on a crate, looking tired. He turns to the man who had been helping him tie them up. "Will you get me a book from my bed? It's going to be a long day."

The other guard nods obediently and rushes off to do his bidding. Lukas looks over them all with his tired blue eyes. "Maybe you lot wouldn't be in this position if you hadn't had so much to drink."

"We're pirates, we always drink," Henry says merrily. "Do you have more rum? I'd like more rum."

"No," Lukas says simply. Soon the man returns with his book and Lukas takes a leaf out that'd been marking his spot.

"What are you reading, Lukas?" Henry asks, trying to lean closer to him. Lukas doesn't respond verbally, instead lifting his book so that they can see the cover. If Haley has to guess from the name, Secret of the Voiceless Visitor, he'd have to say it's some sort of mystery book. "You know, you're very firm. I like those muscles, do you work out a lot?"

Lukas, seeming thoroughly annoyed that his reading experience isn't going to be easy, says, "Yeah."

"God would you let me watch you, come by my cell later?" Henry slurs, sounding deeply invested in Lukas. It almost makes Haley cringe to hear his dad flirting so plainly.

"I don't think Corvus will be upgrading your accommodation to a cell," Lukas says.

"Y'know you're kind of hot, you manhandle often?" Henry continues.

Lukas just sighs in response, no longer indulging him with answers to fuel his fire.

That night Haley can't sleep without Axel. His dads manage to slip off to sleep, but all he can feel is himself pulling at the bond, trying desperately to get something, anything from Axel. He can't be dead - he would've felt that for sure - so where is he? What is he doing?

Haley stares up at the stars for a while, remembering what the Raven Queen had told him about how they're made. Whenever someone rises to godhood, or whenever a new god is created, their first task is to create a constellation. He pinpoints hers, a raven looking back over its shoulder. He misses being in the aether, but he also doesn't wish he was there, even now.

He looks at the guard in front of him. Lukas has switched his spot with a brown and white owlin, who seems to be taking their job quite seriously, watching Haley for any wrong move. Haley watches them back for a while, staring into their yellow eyes, until he decides to just rest his eyes, even if he can't sleep. The time seems to go faster like that, so he keeps at it until eventually the sun rises and the next day begins.

The Pirate Lords are incapable of shutting up. Vane and Jack, despite having next to nothing to argue about, somehow end up in an argument. Haley wants to cover his ears, but with both his hands and arms bound, he's forced to brave through their bickering. It at least keeps him from getting bored.

Eventually the topic of Axel comes up and Haley's stomach starts to ache. He misses him more than anything, craving to be close to him.

"So, I'm not the only one that saw that giant dragon turn into Axel?" Vane says, sounding drowsier than usual. He mustn't have fed yet, and being a vampire especially that's not a very good thing.

"I don't think even he knew he could do that," Haley hums, looking at his feet. It'd been strange, seeing Axel's form break and change like that. Worse than that is the fact he looked like the creature from Haley's dreams. He's not sure what it means, or how his dreams could've known he would look like that. It feels almost as though they aren't his own.

"You seem to have a thing for dragon people," Jack jokes, keeping the mood light as ever.

Haley goes red. "I do not have a thing for dragon people. It's a total coincidence."

"Sure it is," Jack laughs as if it's the funniest thing in the world. "You know, I totally have a thing for vampires, so I get it."

Haley wants to gag. Vane speaks for both of them when he snaps, "We do not need to hear about your vampire fetish."

"What are you gonna do about it, attack me?" there's a smirk in Jack's voice.

"As soon as I get the chance I will wrap my hands around your throat," Vane promises, his voice dangerous.

"How are you both arguing when we're on our way to be killed? Do you seriously want your last moments together to be fighting?" Gambi complains, understandably tired of it all.

"Yes, absolutely," Vane says matter-of-factly, and Jack makes a noise of agreement.

"God, the two of you are insufferable," Gambi groans.

"You'd think we'd be used to it by now," Dixie hums, his voice low and quiet.

Haley can't help but smile a little. Even in the worst of situations, they're still themselves.

A little while later, Henry is the one to speak. "So, Jack, aren't you related to Corvus? Cousins, right?"

"Well, I'm not technically related. My dad and Regus are sort of like unwanted adopted siblings," Jack answers with a groan.

"Have you ever met Regus?" Gambi asks. Haley thinks to when he'd seen Regus. He's underwhelmingly short, but there's no doubt of his status and he holds himself well, even next to Lucifer who seemed to make it his mission to embarrass him at the ball.

"Never seen him in my life," Jack has that smirk in his voice again, and immediately everyone groans.

"Seriously though, have you?" Gambi pries. Admittedly, Haley is curious.

"Maybe once or twice, when I was a kid. I think I remember his voice because it was really deep, telling my dad to be good to me and stuff," Jack says seriously, which is a strange and uncommon tone on him. "Well, we all know how that turned out."

"You're telling me Regus was warning your dad?" Vane asks.

"Yeah, that's kind of funny now that I think about it. He was having a proper rant at him," Jack laughs. "I wonder what I was thinking at the time. It was probably something really funny, 'cos I bet when I could still see I was thinking about how short Regus is."

"Well apparently Regus has got it on with Haley's brother," Vane adds. Eyes turn to Haley. He feels the subtle gaze of Lukas on his skin.

"I danced with Lucifer at the ball and he said Regus is 'totally into' him and that Regus is his 'piece of ass', and Regus did walk down the steps with him," Haley says. He remembers Lucifer, and wishes he'd had more time to get to know him. Revealing his identity would've been dangerous, though he has a creeping feeling that his secret might have been safe with his brother.

"He's lucky that Regus hasn't cut out his tongue for it," Vane shuffles uncomfortably. "Lukas, does anyone have any tobacco? I'm dying for a smoke."

Lukas looks around and then calls over a particular guard. "Help the one in the white coat smoke, will you?"

The guard rolls his eyes but does as he's asked. Gambi chuckles, "The Emperor isn't going soft, is he?"

"Maybe he is. Regus is finally losing it," Jack suggests light-heartedly. The group share a small laugh, and Haley manages a smile. He wonders what Lucifer is up to now, whether he's with Regus, whether he knows that his brother is coming to Gore in chains.

Haley doesn't sleep a single night on the ship. He's relieved when they finally come to land, and he recognises the little village they dock at as the one he'd come to with Axel for the ball. Haley and the Pirate Lords have their waists tied with a rope that keeps them joined together so that they can't make an easy escape, and they begin their long walk together.

Along the way, Jack can't help but start teasing, as he always does. This time his victim is someone other than Vane. "So, thinking of switching teams for dick, Hen? Like that fucker Whitmore - yeah, I know you're here bitch."

Haley doesn't look up to check. Henry doesn't seem amused. "I will punt you, Jack."

"Right here, right now?" Jack asks as if hopeful.

"Yes, who has my gun?" Henry groans, and the guards look among themselves as if considering it.

"Please don't," Haley sighs, looking back at Henry and then ahead at Jack, "we are literally walking to the palace to be executed."

"Sorry duck," Henry says, the term of endearment soft on his tongue, "but your other dad is being a dick, as if he wasn't flirting with Vane last night."

"At least he's a pirate and not a Sanguis guard you fucking twat," Jack bites, as if actually offended by the comment.

Henry suddenly jerks at the rope, moving swiftly in Jack's direction. The rest of them are forced inwards as Henry goes at Jack, smacking him over the head and kicking him. Jack shrieks as if he's being murdered, trying desperately to fight back, punching Henry with both of his fists. Henry recoils but doesn't wait for long, going back in for more.

Eventually the guards stop watching in amusement and dive in at Corvus' command, Lukas grabbing Henry and another guard grabbing Jack. Henry headbutts Lukas' face, sending him reeling for a moment before he comes back from behind, holding onto him hard. Jack breaks out from his guard and several more have to pile onto him, his otherworldly strength shining through.

"Sorry love, I'm a flirt when I'm drunk," Henry half-hisses to Lukas, "so don't get your hopes up. Unless you plan on fucking a corpse, then whatever floats your boat."

"I... didn't plan on that," Lukas sounds positively stunned but his grip doesn't falter and the two are forced to simmer down. They glare at each other for a while, then Henry lets out a sigh and rejoins the line.

That night, Henry waits for the other Pirate Lords and Haley to go to sleep. There's a makeshift camp, with the captives getting their own small tent and the guards sharing various ones spread across a small clearing. He'd watched them put it out, Corvus using a strange kind of magic to bring the materials through a portal. He catches Lukas as he's on his way to swap over guard duty for the night. "I need to speak my will. Do you have anything to write with?"

Lukas looks at him with those tired eyes and sighs. "Come with me."

"Good lad," Henry offers him a small smile. Cautiously Lukas unties him from everyone else, allowing him to stand in just his handcuffs. Henry follows the guard into a tent that seems to be dedicated solely to him, with a small desk with an inkwell, quill, and a few folded pieces of parchment on the side. "Do you do scribe work?"

"It's part of my job to send letters for Corvus," Lukas shrugs, unfolding a piece of paper and setting it on his desk, prepared to write. "Your will, then?"

Henry clears his throat. "Of course. To begin with, I want my body donated to science so I may further its progression in this world. My discovery of the fountain of youth and my studies of it should be published, and I also keep a diary that I would like to be published as a book. Haley is to receive my ships and my gold - I don't plan on myself or my son dying, but I would like to take precautions - and my other belongings are to be shared among Haley and the Pirate Lords, though I encourage as little arguing to take place over that as possible. I also make Jack Rackham my sworn enemy."

"Science and studies," Lukas raises a brow, "admirable of you to share that with the world."

"Admirable because of my career choices? I am also a scientist and fully intended to submit my work when it was complete," Haley shoots him a hard look.

"Admirable regardless of your career choices," Lukas corrects him. "Someone dissecting my body for science freaks me out. Anyway, the fountain of youth is real? Did you drink from it?"

Henry purses his lips. "Yes it is real and yes I did drink from it. I'm much older than I look, lad."

"What made you drink from it?" Lukas asks, his voice quiet as though this is something of utmost secrecy.

Henry raises a brow, a little amused. "I was dying of an illness."

Henry recalls nights spent awake vomiting and coughing up blood, a family running their funds dry to try to save him, a desperation to stay alive, to not succumb. He remembers a sickly child, so frail and so vulnerable, bedridden with even the most inoffensive cold.

"Well that's fair enough," Lukas looks down, folding up the will and putting it in his pocket. "Must have been a blessing to find the fountain, then."

"It was," Henry agrees, "I lived a longer life than anyone thought I would and I still have my handsome looks from my youth. A true blessing."

Lukas laughs lightly at his comment, then turns to lay his bright blue gaze on Henry. "What makes you choose to be a pirate, when it's so clearly dangerous and so persecuted?"

"It's been this way for a long time now, lad. You can't turn your back on a call to the sea, or the family you've made, or to freedom and acceptance when this land is so devoid of it. I hardly feel I have a choice. It's as ingrained in me as your freckles are to your skin," Henry explains. He wonders what his crew are doing. He expects that they're alive and well on Pirate Island, helping everyone to recover from the attack. Such fine men wouldn't hesitate to offer their assistance.

"I sort of know what that feels like, I guess," Lukas says quietly, clutching his pen hard in his hand. "Anyway, I'd better let you get off to sleep. I'm sorry you don't have a better bed to use."

"I'm a prisoner, I'm not expecting plush sheets," Henry jokes sardonically, though in truth he feels a little less resentment towards Lukas as he's led back through to the tent with the others.

His waist is tied back up and like that he finally lays himself down to sleep, thinking over his conversation long and hard. There's something about Lukas that he can't quite put a finger on, something that he'd explore further if he had more time. Henry shakes his thoughts off and curls in on himself, getting as comfortable as he can on the hard ground, and eventually he slips into a quiet and uneventful rest, dreaming of his youth.