Unforgiven Swords: Finale

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 In the end, neither of the swordswomen, in their conflict, hurt each other.

 Although Grainne’s short sword, the one with the red blade, was broken on the single impact that was their fight.

 Now, while Karen patiently waited for her uncle to return, Grainne stared her hands.

 Nothing had changed… that was the problem, and the solution, at the same time.

 Lura, using his sword sheath as a can, stopped by her side.

 Lura: How are you?

 Grainne: I’m fine.

 Lura: I know this is not true… We both do, in fact.

 Grainne: What about you? You’re all wounded. Don’t you want me to take care of those wounds?

 Lura: I’ll be fine. You seem to forget that was I who taught you how to be a doctor. Now, someone there needs some help, for sure…

 He pointed, with his head, to Karen RedClaw.

 Grainne: What? Are you crazy? Why would I…?

 Lura: Because you need someone to talk to, and I am unable help you with it. In fact, I’m only here now waiting for Hiruna… there she is!

 Grainne: Ugh… Miss Hiruna, your face is…

 Hiruna: Don’t say it! I tried to fight against the first mate of the pirates, you can figure how it ended. What is she doing there…?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> She meant Karen RedClaw.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Lura: (puts hand on Grainne’s shoulder) Grainne needs someone to talk to!

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> And smiling, Lura pushed his sister to the pirate.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Lura: See you, little sister! Someday, somewhere! Hiruna, I’ll be heading to the exit, come when you can.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hiruna Kanpare Nu sighed and approached the redhead girl she liked so much. At that moment, she was going away from Karen RedClaw.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hiruna: Grainne, my dear? I need to tell you something.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre had turned around and he was going to walk away, but he didn’t move in the end.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The White Wolf simply stood there, where he was, listening to Locke Wolff’s mumbling. He was, in fact, crying.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> “I’m not ending like this,” he thought. Then he walked away.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Only until much later Hiruna’s words would get off Grainne’s head.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> “Your father reunited us, but there was nothing that would keep us together,” she had started, and spoke slowly, sadly, “each of the Unforgiven Swords had their own objectives and ideologies, so we had nothing to keep us attached to your father, and he, well…”

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: My father is not an easy main to stay close.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> After those words, Hiruna had said goodbye and went. Grainne noticed how none, neither Hound, who had already been gone, or Hiruna or even Lura said anything to her father before going.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: To tell the truth, I don’t know if I would either… Locke Wolff is so obsessed that he simply… drives away everyone that comes close to him.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Now, while passing a bandage on her nude chest, Grainne talked to Karen.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: You’re lucky for… having your uncle. He’s… (gulps) he’s exactly how I wanted my father to be.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Releasing all the sadness and sorrow, Grainne of the Tides cried. She cried all she could.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Karen RedClaw hugged her while she did so, as she knew how that feeling was.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The feeling to find out that you’re not as strong as you think you are.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Finally, after what seemed to both like an hour, the bounty hunter raised her head, to see the pirate sympathetic towards her.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: Karen… may I call you Karen?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Karen: Sure. What is it?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: I want to discover myself, but I can’t do it without following someone, at least for now. I understand if you do not trust me and refuse, but I…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Karen: The captain is coming from the other room. Why don’t you ask him personally?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Where the sun hit the trees and the wind blew tenderly, Naishi awaited.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Covered in blood, Ainer Grave awaited next to him when Macabre and Karen RedClaw emerged from the ruins.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: Oh my… Ainer, how can you still stay on your feet?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: That was nothing! Hohoho! I only need to rest a bit and drink a lot of tea.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Karen: Don’t you do that every day?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: Yes.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi: He refused to let me take him to the town. But how did it go anyway?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: We’ll talk about that later. I’m too tired right now, and we have to wait for our doctor to come.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi: Eh? Doctor?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: Doctress, to be precise. I’ll also explain it later, but, well…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Karen: She’s just a girl who needs help.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: (smiles slightly) Yes… Just a girl who needs help…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> It was almost pitiful to see the great Locke Wolff, otherwise known as Wolfe Hazard, laid down there, weak and tired, noticing his truly faded persona.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> His daughter entered the room, laying down when reaching that lonely figure.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Now, instead of the typical melancholy that his eyes bared, she saw only sadness. Instead of the normal strength he always showed, he looked small and weak.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> As she got on her knees, Locke Wolff, aware of his mistakes, opened his mouth.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Grainne, I… I am so sorry. I should… I… I shouldn’t have…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: Stop, father. Know that I hold no hatred towards you. That’s how you are, father, and I know that, it cannot be changed.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: No, it can! Grainne, listen to me, I…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: Your arm… The RedClaw really got you, huh?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Grainne, I can change! Stay with me and I’ll…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> She put her extended index finger onto his lips, and he quieted down.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: It’s far too late for regrets, father. I still love you, don’t forget that, and I owe you my life, literally, for taking me when I appeared from the sea. However, I… I…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> She struggled to say the words.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> That was when the father, seeing his daughter almost into tears, remembered all the moments that he was pleased to spend with her. All the moments which she seemed so distant… And he remembered Lura.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Lura hadn’t failed him, he failed Lura, as a father.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Stop, Grainne. You’re right, it can’t be helped, that’s the way I am, or was up until now, at least. My justice, Wolfe Hazard’s justice, that’s all that mattered to me, none of you, of the Swords, not even my own family, none really mattered to me… Don’t cry, Grainne, I don’t deserve your tears. Just go, I’ll be better alone… I always was.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> He felt the lips of his daughter touching his cheeks, along with the wet feeling of a tear.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: Good luck, father…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Good luck, Grainne… Be a good girl… No, be a good woman, not like the man I tried to be…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The Claw seemed like a whole new world for the newly-recruited Doctor of the RedClaw Pirates.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne was quite amazed by seeing a ship different from the old thing that sailed with the Unforgiven Swords, and then she realized how little she knew about anything.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Without noticing, she ended up alone in the same room with the musician Diarmuid.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Diarmuid: I don’t think we know each other yet. My name is Diarmuid, bard and lover of the beautiful things of life.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne: Oh! You scared me! I’m Grainne of the Tides… your Doctor, I guess…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Diarmuid: (extending hand) May I show you your new ship, then?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> For the last time in Ver-Ashtra, Macabre RedClaw and Ainer Grave drank tea. A lot of tea, actually.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> That time, they finished their fifth teapot.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: I wonder how you can drink so much losing so much blood…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: That’s why I’m drinking… We talked about trivialities enough, anyway… (takes papers from a bag next to him) Here are the maps you’ll need, and this is your Log Pose, configured to the next island.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: I can’t thank you enough, Ainer.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: No… Bringing me here was enough. Now, finish drinking with me! A toast!

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> With that toast, they finished their last cup of tea in a long time.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: For defeating the bounty hunters and going away safely!

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: For... Authentic men. There aren’t many nowadays.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: Yes, yes… For me, for you…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: For Date RedClaw… and for Locke Wolff, he deserves it, despite everything.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: I agree. You know, an authentic man needs an authentic woman…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: What you mean?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: I say you should meet Felicity, she’s perfect for you!

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: Some other time, maybe… I still don’t have business with the Revolutionaries.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grave: Feel free to call me if you ever have, one day.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The RedClaw Pirates departed.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> All of them in the Claw, they departed.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Then, that was the moment when Macabre RedClaw decided to call his whole crew, reunited all in the same room of the ship, simply to talk.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> It was a sunny day, and all sat on the deck, the captain on the center.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: Now that this mess is over, I think I should be talking about my real motivations for having started a pirate crew… Karen already knows it, but I’m the one who is telling the story here. This is captain’s duty… It all started with Date RedClaw, my older brother… He was but a Marine at the time, serving alongside his family…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> “What I am going to tell… is how the Vice Admiral’s throne got bloodstained.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> End

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> The Bloodstained Throne