Frozen Holidays with Pirates

Today has been much colder than usual, I know so far that in Orbis Island is almost always summer and you only feel cold at night. After all we are in an island! But this was not right, the snow was coming from Stardust Doom and so on. All Aurora Land is covered with a white layer of snow. This is weird happening everywhere, is not common. Something might be happening. Tho instead of taking a boat and check for ourselves we got a new problem and that took us more time to solve, because of the snowstorm we hardly could see outside and we could hardly find what we needed. At least, I'm one that had to swim in the cold water if we wanted that. It was too cold, Siara and Lucah closed the windows and the aquarium, I had to check that the fishes had fresh water to survive in this cold. But what we didn't check was Astrea.

"I feel sick... my whole body is frozen." She had fever, a lot if I can mention. Siara had to take a warm sheet to cover her and bring her home after we closed the aquarium. In that cold weather we had to walk to home, yes, my home is a bit far away from the job but I prefer that because it feels more private and now that I have two girls to take care off it feels correct to do it this way. But Astrea was not feeling good, and we needed medicine and for that one of us had to go out and look for it. Probably she wasn't the only one ill, after all, this phenomenon was happening in all Aurora Land. There were other kids like her suffering or maybe covering inside their homes with hot chocolate or warm sheets. A soup would be fantastic right now. Dolly was with me, he decided to come with me while Lucah and Siara looked out for Astrea's health. 

I took a warm sheet and a scarf to cover my neck and body, Dolly covered himself inside the scarf and come with me to the marketplace. "I'll be back in some minutes, take care!" I said before leaving and gave a kiss in Siara's forehead. "Be careful, dear." She replied while hugging Astrea so she could get warmer too.

    I left the place, hardly seeing where I was going, had to start to glow if not I wouldn't be able to see my path. Dolly seemed to felt something. I tried my best to keep walking, my feet were starting to freeze and my muscles were heavier now. My teeth trembled and with semi-closed eyes the path was starting to disappear. "No, no, please don't!" I whispered during the storm until the path completely disappeared. I stopped for a second and see at my surroundings looking for the right way to go, I managed to spot some lights at the north and walked there, just guiding my body with the lights in front of me. I arrived at the Harbor, the last place I wanted to be, and the Cove was open. Two big Kamishibas were outside and looked at me, grabbed me from the tail and well... I was inside now. I wanted to go out as soon as possible, but the place was warm and it felt, good, somehow. I should be focusing in bringing the medicine home and cure Astrea's fever, but it was impossible.     Everyone looked at me, Dolly hide better on the scarf and I walked to the counter. "Do you have hot chocolate?" I asked, everyone laughed at me, and the owner came from the back, with his pirate hat and long mermaid tail. He sat right at my side, visualized me for a minute and then with his paw gave a small slap on my back. "What bring you here, sunny boy?" he asked while serving some of whisky in two glasses. "Here, take it, drink some!" I had to take it and drink hard, it felt so strange, but it was good to my throat. At least it kept me warm. "I asked you, what bring you here?" This time in a serious tone. I tried my best to answer without fear. "I-I need to go to the marketplace". Some of the Kamishibas were laughing and others whispering somethings. "Ah, but you're in the wrong place!" the one on my side told me. "My name is Killian, I'm the owner of this Cove and I'm a pirate as you can see!" I was too nervous to reply so I just nodded.

"Look, I really need to go. My friend is sick and she needs medicine. The marketplace should have some meds, right?" I asked. All laughed, except Killian. He leaned forward and lend me the paw. I looked at it and shake it with mine, but he abruptly removed his. "You're too kind. Listen, boy. IF you want to leave you have to pay a commission. I gave you whisky after all, pay that and some more and you'll free to go. And pay attention to what I'm gonna say." I swallowed hard. "The marketplace will close soon, I don't think you'll find that medicine there, HOWEVER, my people can go to the city and find some supplies for you, FOR A COST of course. Are you willing to pay? You will either pay for the whisky and the stay, the supplies is an extra thing. And I will only say this once: If you go to the market and don't find anything but came back here, I will charge you again the same amount of wing coins! Copy that?" I didn't have enough wing coins with me, and what I had was for the medicine. I had to think carefully and see what favors me the most but either way I needed the medicine, Astrea's health was priority. I had to speak firmly this time, with no fears.

"I understand. I'll pay for the cup and the stay, but I don't have enough for the supplies. Even so, I'll give you everything I have for that medicine. She has fever and this cold weather is not passing by soon, I know what I'm involving myself with pirates, but I really need that and I won't run the risk to find the marketplace closed before I arrive. Please, lend me a paw. My child needs it!" The girls looked at Killian and the guards gasped for a while. Killian looked at me and lend the paw again. I had to take our my wing coins bag and gave it to him. "Is all I have." He opened the bag and counted so far 34 wing coins. "Dude, this is nothing. You really want that medicine, right?" I looked down with my head and almost on my knees. "Please, she's only a baby. She needs the medicine!!" The girls went over to me and helped me be back to my self. They looked at Killian, even the guards, and some took out more wing coins. Someone at the back spoke. A blue Kamishiba with long hair and a mermaid tail too. "Do it, Killian, I'll pay you the rest. That child might die if she is not given what she needs immediately!" Killian had no other choice, he grabbed my bag and took some wing coins and gave it back to me. "Next time I won't be too generous!" I saw the bag still had some wing coins inside, I sighed in relief and went to the other blue Kamishiba to thank him. "Thank you so much for your help, I promise to pay you back!!" The blue Kamishiba grabbed my back and we both went outside, the snowstorm was starting to calm down but not so much, the path was still unrecognizable. "It was nothing, Killian is, too arrogant to help others. He only cares of treasure and more treasure, in short. Is better you stay out of his way." I agreed, and waited outside for the supplies. 

    Some hours passed by until a guard came outside and gave me a bag filled with medicine and some hot cocoa. The blue Kamishiba came with me and Killian was behind. "Listen kid, next time you're here I'll be sure your bag will be empty, copy that?" I nodded and started to walk with the blue Kami on my side. "You don't have to come with me." I mentioned and he laughed slightly. "If I don't you'll get lost again and go back to the Cove. I better make sure that medicine arrives home." I couldn't say anything else. "Thank you. Your name?" He looked at me with a smile. "My name is Poseidon, but call me Pontus." I smiled back "Mine is Aegis." The whole way home we talked about our jobs and what we were doing at Orbis Island. It was nice to meet someone else in here, apart from the Cove and the marketplace. We finally arrived to my home. "Thank you again for helping!" He nodded "No problem, I hope your friend gets better soon. This cold is going to last for a while, see ya" He waved goodbyes and I went inside, Dolly still on my side. Siara and Astrea were already asleep, and tho her fever was not passing. I had to wake both up so Astrea could take his medicine. "Ah, you're back. How was it?" Siara asked, I had to tell her the truth. She got mad to know that Killian took some wing coins.

"Don't fight it, he's a pirate."

"We should call the authorities! Is not fair!"

"But if it wasn't for his crew we would not have the medicine for Astrea, the marketplace must be closed by now and the storm is not helping at all. I don't hate him, he saved us. And Poseidon too." I looked back to her and gave her the shot for Astrea. "With that, she should recover from that fever."

"All right, but if he causes you troubles again I won't hesitate to call the authorities." She took the shot and with some help of Lucah and I holding on Astrea and receiving all her kicks on our body, Siara managed to used it and Astrea crying from the shot. "Aw come on, it didn't hurt." 

"Of course it did!"

"I thought you were a braver princess!" I teased.

"I AM!!" 

We all laughed together and drink hot cocoa for the rest of the night until once again both the girls felt asleep. I took Astrea to her room with Lucah on her side, and then went back with Siara and hugged her so both we stayed warm. "Happy Holidays, dear."