The Thorn in My Shed

Chapter 81: Pirating the Pirates

Briggs returned home, dirt smudged all over his face and covered his body. He didn’t even bother taking off his dirty boots, leading him to track dirt, mud and debris through the house. Taron, his toddler, ran up to him with his hands in the air opening and closing them as he begged to be picked up. Briggs walked right past him without so much as a glance.

Taron sat on the floor with his bottom lip quivering as tears filled his eyes. Tara ran to him and picked him up before he exploded into an all out crying fit. She rubbed his back and bounced him lightly as she followed Briggs.

He stood at the sink and rubbed his face with water, cleaning it of the filth that covered it.

Tara stared into his eyes after he dried off his face. It wasn’t just physical exhaustion that was plaguing him.

"How was today?" She asked cautiously as Taron stuck his thumb in his mouth to self soothe.

Briggs placed his hands against the counter and hung his head as he let out a huff.

"The same as every damn day. Misery. Tears. Injuries. Fear. Absolute fear."

Tara reached a hand out to rub his back but he lifted his arm to shove away her touch as he took a few steps back to put space between them.

She let out a gasp as her hand recoiled.

"Bridge. What is wrong with you?"

He shook his head and let out a laugh. "Bridge? Don’t call me Bridge. Don’t act like the world is right again and we’re just a happy little family with no worries!"

Tara furrowed her eyebrows.

"Cut the self-pity act, Briggs. We ARE a happy little family. I am safe, you are safe, TARON is safe and we are together. Our home still stands; we have food to eat and beds to sleep in. You are capable of helping people that need it. We are okay."

Briggs rolled his eyes with a scoff and ran a hand through his black, full of debris, hair. "How wonderful that I’m in such a great position. You don’t understand at all."

"Then explain it to me. I am your wife, your partner. I am the person out of anyone in the world that you should lean on. Or did you marry me just so I could have your children?"

"That’s not fair."

"No. What’s not fair is you acting like I’m the bad guy here when you come home. Or is it that you blame me because you couldn’t go with Marix?"

"Don’t you dare throw that in my face!" He hissed.

"Then? Tell me. What’s the truth?"

He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply as he drummed his fingers against the counter.

"I’m the General now. The King has gone to Sola. He could be killed. Marix would be next in line for the crown, he’s not here. Everything falls on me as the General. Everyone looks to me to lead to fix to make everything better and I don’t know how. I’m not a leader, Tara. I’m an assist. Marix is the one that should be here leading, instructing, not me."

Tara nodded slowly as she listened, not daring to interrupt him as he vented.

"He knows how to command, he knows how to take charge. There’s a reason more than half of the army went with him and those who remain curse themselves for not being able to. What if Sola returns and takes over? What if they come back with their soldiers? We won’t be able to take them."

Briggs shoved his face in his hands and shut his eyes as if trying to block the world out.

"People’s businesses and homes are destroyed; the roads are a mess. Just clearing the debris fields is taking so long. Don’t even get me started on rebuilding what was destroyed....."

Tara walked closer to him and rubbed his back.

"I believe in you. Did Marix always have such an easy time leading? Or did he have to learn too? You’ll figure it out." She reached up and dusted off some of the debris in his hair. frёewebηovel.cѳm

He sighed. "I don’t have time to learn and figure it out. The lives of Viraaz are in my hands and if my fingers falter for even just a moment they will slip through."

"You need to have more confidence in yourself. Would Marix be able to accomplish everything without you by his side? Yes, he is a great General but you contributed a lot by being able to help and support him. Remember that."

Marix quickly shoved his finger against his nose, halting a sneeze.

"What’s wrong?" Eilownia whispered quietly. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Once the feeling passed, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against it, "I had to sneeze. I suppose Captain Deka is talking about me."

Eilownia smiled and breathed out a laugh through her nose.

They were both tired, their bodies ached from remaining in the same position for so long and their stomachs stung with hunger pains.

Marix chewed on his bottom lip as he looked up. It was already nightfall, but the voices in the bar were loud with cheers, laughter and the sounds of cups clinging together.

He wanted to leave once it got dark and use the cover of the night to escape but with everyone in there, the risk of someone coming in and catching them was high.

Not to mention people probably walking by the window on their way home.

Eilownia shifted in his arms, wiggling frantically.

"What’s wrong?" He asked, his voice full of concern.

"I need to use the restroom."

He chuckled at the sudden mundane statement in their position.

"Can’t you hold it?"

"I’m trying!"

"Try to wait a bit more. They should be going home soon."

Eilownia continued to wiggle as the sun began to rise and the cheers quieted down.

The man from earlier entered the room again with another unknown man.

"Time to lock up. Don’t forget to make sure the safe is locked up once you add all the earnings from tonight in."

"Yeah yeah. I got it."

One set of footsteps left the room as the other headed to the safe and opened it up. They could hear the sound of money and coins being moved around.

Eilownia took a deep breath and covered Marix’s ears as she let out a blood curdling scream.

Marix’s eyes opened wide and the man gasped sharply above them as he fell on his butt.

"H-Hello?"

She let out another screech, the echo from the vent aiding in the hair raising sound. The man scrambled out of the room and they could hear him fumbling with the lock loudly as he jangled the keys in the front door of the bar.

Once they were alone, Marix ripped her hand off his mouth and glared as he reached up and lifted the vent open.

"What the hell was that? Are you crazy?! We could’ve been found out!" He grabbed her waist and hoisted her up, helping her crawl out of the vent.

"I wanted him to go faster and leave this open."

When Marix got himself out of the vent, he saw Eilownia sitting by the safe, pulling money out.

He raised an eyebrow and she lifted it up for him.

"Now we can buy things."

A slow smile appeared on his face.

"That was more risky than I would’ve liked but, smart girl. Now. Let’s hurry up and go."

"Wait! I need the restroom-"

Marix wagged his finger towards the corner, "Go over there."

She stared at him with her mouth open wide.

"On the floor?!"

He nodded, "This place is full of drunken idiots, I’m sure that’s the least disgusting thing that’s on these floors."

She hung her head and walked to the window, "I’ll hold it."

He lifted her up and helped her climb out before following behind her.

Marix placed his hand on the small of her back as he pointed to an alleyway.

"Go in there."

She sighed and quickly rushed over.

Marix kept watch. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon. He looked around, searching for their next course of action.

Which way should they go? Where could they hide? He rubbed his forehead in frustration.

Once Eilownia came back around, he grabbed her hand and led her along the path. He could hear a few drunkards approaching, laughing and slurring their words loudly. He quickly pinned Eilownia against the wall and pressed his lips against her.

The group of men passed and whistled loudly as they saw them.

"Git’a room luhbiirrdss~!" They laughed and shouted.

Once they were clear, Marix grabbed Eilownia’s wrist and pulled her after him, the look in her eyes dazed.

They climbed the stone steps, their back muscles tightened as the lights in houses they passed lit.

Marix gritted his teeth, "Damn. They’re already waking up for the day."

"What do we do?" Eilownia asked, "Where are we even going?"

"Our best bet right now is to find a new place to hide until night comes again."