Chapter Text
"Rem-Rem!" Roman called into the forest, tilting his head in concern when his older brother don't appear. Rem always told him not to go into the forest cause of all the creatures that lived in them but he was Prince Roman the Brave! He could handle some bad faeries! And anything else! Roman narrowed his eyes determined, but hadn't even taken a step into the forest when he was scooped up into someone's arms.
The little boy fought and twisted in the person's arm's trying to escape before he heard his brothers voice. "Now, now little Prince! Don't hurt your knight!"
Roman twisted back around in Remus' arms to see his brothers face. "Rem-Rem!" He tackled him in a hug best he could. Remus laughed, nearly falling over. "Oof your heavy," he joked, holding his little five year old brother close, his hand brushing over the amulet his brother wore, to make sure it was still on him.
"Now why we're you sneaking off into the forest little Prince?" Remus questioned, setting Roman on his hip the best the ten-old could. "You know what's living in the woods. Have I not told you the stories enough?"
Roman pouted, crossing his arms unhappily, slightly mad at being caught doing something they both knew, that he knew, he wasn't supposed to be doing. "You left, and momma said we're gonna eat in few minutes! Was only gonna get you, wasn't going in for fun! Promise!"
"Oh really? " Remus asked smirking and tickling Romans side softly. His eyes watched the forest behind them as he moved away from them and towards the cottage, surrounded by a tall strong iron fence.
Roman giggled and battered at Remus' hands. "Yes! Not Lying! Though Dads not coming home tonight Momma said. Said he staying at the Drinking place?"
Remus barely keep the sneer from his face at the mention of their father. He looked over to the window where he could see their mother cooking through the windows. She looked beaten down and exhausted, even more than normal. Remus turned back to Roman giving him a fake frown. "Oh that's sad! Well maybe we'll see Dad tomorrow?" He said, cursing his father in his head and wishing he never returned to their home.
Roman cheered at that and leap down out of Remus' arms. He ran off towards the cottage, babbling about different things, expecting his brother to follow. Remus watched him run off fondly and looked back to the forest. He gripped his amulet in his hand, identical to his brothers, and glared at it making a warding off sign and spat at the ground; before following his brother into the cottage. He shut the door quietly behind the both of them, only after making sure the iron gate was firmly closed.
Many years later...
Remus grinned as he survived the ocean before him. He took a deep breath letting the salty morning air full his lungs. The sun had barely begin to rise over the waters giving them their beautiful blackish blue shining deep reflections. So many body's hidden below the surface that no one would ever find, or see again. Ha! Sea? He laughed throwing his head back the absolute joy filling him as the sun begin rising.
He closed his eyes letting himself drift with the waters for a minute, imagining being drowned in its depths forever, before falling off the crows nest towards the deck that seemed so far below. He didn't even hear the cry of alarm, before he grabbed a rope, relishing the stinging in his hands, and swung down the rest of the way, rolling as he hit the deck.
Remus got up and brushed his coat off, adjusting his shirt and putting his hat back on before he heard someone yelling at him. He turned to see Patton, followed by Logan and Virgil marching towards him.
"Remus Dane Raymond! The fuck was that shit?" Patton was angrily waving a ladle and looked more than pissed at Remus. Remus simply grinned. When had he told Patton his full name again? Or had Patton just know? That would make sense, Remus mused. Patton did seem to just know a lot of things.
"Now come on Patton darling, you know you should address me as Captain Remus~" he purred, one hand resting on his sword handle and the other waving about dramatically.
"I'll address you as Captain when you stop acting like some Cabin boy! " Patton yanked him closer and checked him over with a huff, growling at the rope burn in his hands. "I swear it's like caring for a bunch of children. "
Remus rolled his eyes but didn't fight against Patton knowing it would do no good. As their ships Medic and Cook, Patton was not one you wanted upset at you.
Not that Remus cared. This was his ship dammit, and if he wanted to feel like he could fly for even a few seconds he was going to damn well do it! Besides he'd never gotten hurt and this certainly wasn't the first time he'd done it. Oh but wouldn't it be cool to have some scar from a terrible injury if it all went horribly wrong and he splattered against the deck?
Logan raised his eyebrows at him, the quartermaster looked very annoyed. "And what would happen if you had broken your leg? Or a rib perhaps? We can't possibly afford to have a Captain who needs bed rest for six weeks. Especially sense we're still being chased by the kings ship."
" Wouldn't that be funny though, " Remus stuck his tongue between his teeth. "Could you imagine the blood? Oh what if the bones poked out? Wouldn't that be gross?"
" We should've left that Siren. " Virgil, (His first mate) muttered unhappily, ignoring Remus' words. Honestly they were used to he was pretty used to his Captains random gross shit. "Honestly what good is he now huh? What good are Sirens anyway? "
Remus gave him a warning look. "We saved that Siren because what the kings navy was doing to him was inhumane. Even for me, " he grinned at Virgil who fake gagged. " Also we're pirates, messing with the kings literally our thing. And I have a feeling..." Remus muttered gripping the amulet he still wore, even after everything, and looking off towards where he knew land lay. "I'm going to need that favour he promised me sometime soon."
" You can't trust a siren! " Virgil said exasperated, he rubbed his forehead like Remus was causing him physical pain.
"I am curious however," Logan said as he and Remus moved to the wheel of the ship, Virgil waking everyone up for their morning shift , and Patton going back below deck to finish breakfast for the ones heading in for some sleep after being out all night. "Why are we headed towards this particular island? You've avoided going there for years. Ever sense we got this ship."
Remus sighed, gripping the wheel tight. "I'm not sure…something tells me I'm going to need to face someone of my past...their on that island, it's why we never go there. But the last time we saw each other years ago...they were quite clear that they never wanted to see me again."
Logan raised his eyebrows. "So why? It seems like that person should stay in your last then. You've haven't been yourself Remus. Everyone's noticed. You're moody, you don't crack your jokes as much, seemingly keeping it all in your head, and you stare off thinking for hours. It's not like you. "
Remus chuckled. "Well I can't deny that. It's hard to be cracking the jokes when you have a sinking feeling in your gut. My amulets been weighing on me...It warns me of bad omens and it's warning me now. But it's seems to direct me back to this island. It hasn't been wrong yet, so that's where we'll go."
Logan nodded. "You know we'll follow you Remus. You've certainly earned our loyalty. Are you sure it's a good idea to see this person again though? If they hate you so much, should we even save them from whatever this bad omen is?"
Remus closed his eyes breathed, trying not banish the images of all the different ways he could kill Logan. Logan didn't know who Remus was speaking off, nor did he know their past. He probably never would have suggested it had he known who Remus was talking about. Be still... Remus but the inside of his mouth and taxed blood.
He opened his eyes and looked back at Logan with his trademark insane smile. "Well you know what they say about family, " His eyes glowed with the sun as he looked back ahead of them, towards where the island lay in the distance. Where his brother was, his brother who he hadn't seen in years, who he couldn't deny he was excited to see again. Even though he knew...his brother wouldn't be happy to see him. "You can never seem to escape from them...even when they want you to."