It was around lunchtime that the girl woke up the next day, the sound of talking waking her up.

Jing woke up, blinking in surprise as she realized it was later then she expected. “Oh shit!” She said before quickly getting up and looking around confused for the source of the talking.

“Well we can’t just leave that pirate there.” Said Leria. Rena shrugged, “I dunno… up to you.” The girl said.

Jing headed over to Leria and Rena quickly, looking around a little “What time is it?!” She asked, seeming worried about something.

Leria blinked in surprise, “Ah… prolly a bit past noon.” She said, lacking a watch.

Jing shook her head a little, this was not good… that soldier had said that he and those others would hang at noon… she had slept in to late!!

“What’s wrong?” Asked Leria, turning fully towards Jing.

Jing sighed quietly before starting to explain about the kankiru, the fact of how he had helped out more than once, and what had happened last night with him being taken away to hang at noon with the other pirates.

Leria blinked in surprise, “And you want… to save him then?” She asked. “I heard a commotion outside, there’s a large crowd over at one end of the quay not far from here, maybe that’s where they’re hanging the pirates.”

Jing nodded a little. “I do want to save him. Leria, if he hadn’t shown up you would have returned to the ship with Iris and me locked below deck! And that Rakune… might have hurt Iris… in more than one way. And I might not have come back last night with the supplies at all! I couldn’t fight those three who had grabbed me!”

Leria nodded, “Well it might not be too late… you’d better run though.” She said, “I’m taking that rakune to meet his end.”

Jing nodded again “Alright, I’m going to, Leria.” She said before quickly running off the ship, glad she had already said where she had heard a commotion from.

The crowd gathered was quite big by now, and as she ran a big cheer erupted, as the third of four figures above a raised platform dangled and swayed as the chair below him was kicked away. The first two swayed softly in the air, dead, and the third struggled faintly, but his weight made his neck snap quickly, and he too was dead.

Jing struggled to get through the crowd, unable to see who had already been killed and who hadn’t, the rakune cursing how short she was.

The crowd was quiet again, as the last prisoner was approached. Jing passed trough a place where she could see the fourth prisoner, and saw Bast, standing straight up on his chair, hands bound behind him, holding his fluffy hat. He stared towards the horizon, a small resigned smile on his face as he heard the steps of the executioner behind him. He inhaled, then exhaled, “Vur tenpiswo yth gethrisj tenamalo…” He muttered, as the chair was kicked from beneath him.

Jing looked towards him, and heard what he said, freezing in horror at the words he spoke and the tongue he said them in. “Tenamalo…? Coi shilta ti qe…” She muttered before looking at him, struggling through the crowd. “Confn ekess udoka sva siksta lleisgar…!” She tried calling to him quickly before he would die.

The kankiru struggled as he swayed, going slowly purple as the air was cut off, neck straining against the pressure of his body. His ears twitched though, and he shot Jing a surprised look, then he closed them, still struggling, then finally slowly stopped, hands going lax as his hat fluttered to the ground among the cheers of the spectators.

Jing was able to see the look in time before he died, wincing a little as she watched him go limp and continuing to try and make it through the crowd so she could get in front of everyone, and try and grab the hat when some left. He had reacted to what she said… that look he had given. Maybe he would show up at sunrise.

“Moom, what’ll they do with the bodies?” Came a child’s voice. “Most of them are thrown over the side of the cliff rock.” Came the reply, “To be eaten by wild animals. Pirates don’t deserve proper burial.”

Jing’s ear twitched as she heard that, sighing quietly. That didn’t sound good… she would have to find a way to keep his body from that fate, at least for now. Why couldn’t they just bury them all in one big hole? Make things a lot easier then throwing off a cliff!

As she made her way to the edge of the raised platform, the bori captain from the day before knelt down to grab Bast’s hat, twirling it in his hands as he looked up at the dead kankiru, then at the other three. “Cut the big ones down, we’ll leave this guy hanging here… as a deterrent.”

Jing looked over at the bori, biting her lip and walking over to him and looking up. “Can I… have his hat… please?”

The bori was surprised to see her, walking over. “Sorry ‘bout your friend.” He said, kneeling by the edge of the platform and giving her the hat. “I tried to intercede, but they wouldn’t free him.”

Jing nodded a little, taking the hat and looking over at the hanging body. “Please… At least give his body a little respect and not leave it there… or throw it over the cliff…?” She asked.

He hesitated, “I’ll see what I can do, but for now he’s to remain there.” He said, “Sorry.”

Jing nodded a little. “Ok…” She said quietly. She would come check back later… if he was still hanging close to sunrise she would just cut him down herself.

The hat in her hand was heavy, heavier than a regular hat would be.

Jing looked down at the hat curiously as she walked back towards the ship, studying it and wondering why it was so heavy.

It took a while, but eventually she found a hidden pocket along the top section, and inside it was a worn notebook and a pen attached to it. “Vethturasjir” was engraved on the leather binding in flecked gold.

Jing looked at the notebook curiously “Vethturasjir…?” She muttered before putting it back in the hat and soon enough was back on the ship.

Leria was gone with the rakune pirate, Rena informed her, as she looked at the hat sadly. “Is… he dead then?” She asked.

Jing looked at the hat for a moment before nodding “He is… I’m not sure about how he will be later though…”

The girl blinked, “What do you mean?”

“I’ll explain when Leria gets back alright?” Jing said with a smile before heading down below deck. She would leave the hat there for now.

Rena nodded, and followed her below deck. “There’s some food done, if you want.” She said, “Kinu woke up a while ago, she ate and then went back to sleep.”

Jing smiled as she heard Kinu had woken up. “Thats good news. What about Iris?”

Rena sighed sadly, shaking her head. “No… she’s just like yesterday. She hasn’t moved at all.”

Jing sighed, getting some food before sitting down to eat. “I see… I guess we have to wait longer for her to wake.”

The small acara nodded, climbing onto the bench on the opposite side of the table. “I hope she’ll be okay.”

“I hope she will too.” Jing said before starting to eat. “By the way… do you remember a kankiru from this ship when it was still crewed by the pirates?”

The girl hesitated, then bit her lip. “That wore the hat you brought?” She asked.

Jing nodded “Yes. What was he like?”

“I didn’t see him much.” She said quietly, “When they bought me, and started using me on board… he… got into a fight with the captain.” She explained, “He didn’t want anything to do with slaves, he said, and demanded they free me.”

Jing sighed as she heard that. “So he was kicked off? How long have you been on here?”

She nodded, “They made him walk the plank.” She said, “I guess he survived if it’s the same kankiru.” She said, “That was two years ago, when I was brought on board.”

Jing thought for a moment before chuckling. “He might not have…” She said, almost too quiet to hear and continued eating.

The girl did not hear her it seemed, as she hopped off the bench and went to get herself something to drink.

Jing was soon done eating and went to clean the dishes she had dirtied.

Leria came back an hour later, without the pirate. She sighed as she sat on a bench in the mess-hall. “Well, that’s done… sorry bout your friend.” She said to Jing. “I saw him hanging when I came back.”

Jing sighed a little, looking at Leria. “He might show up at sun rise… Actually… I really think he will.”

Leria blinked in surprise, “Oh?”

Jing nodded and looked at Leria. “When he was standing there and they were about to kick the chair away… he said ‘Vur tenpiswo yth gethrisj tenamalo.’”

Leria blinked in surprise. “You think he’s a cursed one like you?” She asked.

Jing nodded a little, “I called out to him in Draconic… Saying I would see him at sunrise… He reacted and looked right at me.”

The dragon nodded, “Yes, I suppose it is possible then. I guess we’ll have to see tomorrow at sunrise.” She smiled.

Jing smiled a little and nodded, “Before sunrise though I’ll go and check on him. If he is still hanging there when sunrise comes… he will just end up choking and dieing again.”

Leria flinched, “Yes, I think he’d appreciate you making sure he doesn’t die again.”

Jing nodded again, “Yes dieing repeatedly like that just as you wake tends to get annoying…”

Leria looked slightly amused at this confession. “Seems you are ready to sympathize with him more now.”

Jing nodded a little. “Truth be told… I’ve wanted to meet the other cursed ones… since I came here. That’s one of the reasons I chose the name I did.” She admitted.

Leria nodded, “Well… did he react to your name before?”

Jing thought for a moment, “He did suddenly smile when he heard my name. But he didn’t say much.”

Leria nodded, “Well, we’d best finish stocking up for our trip today then.” She said, “I’ll go into town, you stay and guard the others?”

Jing nodded, smiling at Leria. “Sure. Do you feel better?”

Leria nodded, “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She assured Jing.

“Alright then. I’ll see you later Leria.” Jing said before standing. “I’m going to check on Kinu.”

Leria nodded, turning and walking out.

Jing just headed to the dorms and over to the bed Kinu was on, putting a hand lightly on the dragon’s head.

Kinu stirred, eyes fluttering open at her touch, and she looked up with a small smile.

Jing smiled in relief as she saw Kinu wake, tears coming to her eyes. “Oh Kinu…” She said quietly, moving to get onto the bed and be close to the little dragon.

Kinu crawled into her lap weakly, snuggling against Jing.

Jing’s tail curled up around Kinu and she hugged the dragon carefully “Oh Kinu… I’m so, so, so sorry.”

Kinu sniffed faintly. ‘S..not your fault.’

“Please Kinu, don’t talk alright? Just rest. I’m here… and please… just… let me say I’m sorry…?” Jing asked quietly.

Kinu nodded silently, eyes closed as she relaxed in Jing’s arms.

Jing just kept close to Kinu and closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to leave her side until she had to.