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TurkeyxReader~The Legend of Citaqua~Ch 7

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~The Legend Of Citaqua~Ch 7

As hinted by Neoklis, the captain of the Pinta was a laidback individual. It wasn't his appearance; it was the air he gave off. It was subtle, but you could tell he was relaxed just by being around him. Still, there was something else about this olive-skinned, brown-haired captain that felt like there was something more that could have been said about him, something that definitely needed emphasis.

Never mind making assumptions right off the mark, you were an audience to the captain of this sandship, and regardless of what Neoklis had told you, sand rats were not forces to be reckoned with.

While Sadık's quarters were adorned with tapestries, weapons, and random assortments of decorations that proved to be of little life-sustaining worth, Antonio's quarters displayed icons of gold after gold. It was a beautiful color, but in the middle of the water-deprived lands of Arbren, such a precious metal was only useful in the form of a cup or bowl. It was a hunch, but something told you that this sand rat valued material gain above most other things.

The captain of the Pinta folded his hands across his wooden desk; wood was hard to come by these so he must have come from either a wealthy background or a resourceful one.

After demonstrating the power of your blue stone, you tucked it away and prepared yourself to ask some questions as Antonio had allowed.

"First of all, how did you know I was the one with this ability?" you asked. "How did you even know it existed in the first place?"

Antonio chuckled. "You're a woman, aren't you? How many women do you see boarding the Aral, or any sandship for that matter?"

"Not many if any at all," you admitted.

The Pinta's captain continued to answer your other question. "As for knowing about the stone, I've got my own as you've already seen. Your stone, however, is mentioned in the legend of Citaqua."

You blinked. You had been trying to remember as much of Sadık's song as possible and mentally leafed through the verses.

A new gems awaits
With the powers and control of the water.
Blue.


Was the song referring to your stone? You really wished you had managed to successfully press Sadık about the meanings behind the song before getting kidnapped—again. Unfortunately for you, you hadn't been close to any of the men aboard the Aral save for Heracles who knew as little about the actual legend as you did. There was Sadık and Tunç, but Sadık had been too busy to give you a straight answer, and Tunç wasn't the most patient of people when it came to answering questions he didn't care for in the given present.

Nevertheless, Antonio's answer sufficed. At least you were able to understand that part of the song now.

"Anything else?" Antonio piped up.

You pressed your lips together as you thought of your next question. "What about your green stone? I don't remember hearing about invisibility being a part of the legends."

"That's because it really isn't connected to the legends—not specifically," Antonio replied.

What?

You frowned. "So there are other pieces of…something—for a lack of a better word—that aren't connected to Citaqua?"

Antonio nodded. "As far as my own knowledge goes, there is little relation to my stone with the actual legend of Citaqua."

Despite being your second kidnapper, it was nice to know he had quite the patience with you—especially someone responsible for your second kidnapping—but it was very different from your experience back at the Aral. Sadık had rarely responded to your questions directly as if he was holding something back from you. Good, bad, or not, it wouldn't have hurt to know the truth. Ignorance may have been bliss in several cases, but the occasion tended to be momentary. You would have to know the full truth behind Citaqua sooner or later even if it didn't come from Sadık's mouth, himself.

"Back on the Aral, the captain never told me, but since you've brought me aboard the Pinta, I'm guessing my stone has something to do with Citaqua."

The captain wagged a finger at you. "That's only part of the truth, ___________. It's not just your stone that's connected to Citaqua—it's you."

"Me?"

"Yep," Antonio smiled. "That stone has been around for a long time, but haven't you found it strange that no one has gone kidnapping your relatives or even ancestors?"

"Sometimes I wish I were that fortunate…" you mumbled under your breath tired of being held captive on the Sandsea.

"Oh, but you're the lucky one!" Antonio exclaimed in such a surprisingly childish way that made you flinch.

Your blinked incredulously confused at the captain's rebuttal against your previous comment.

"I-I don't get it…"

"It's simple: no one has been able to activate the powers of the stone before you," Antonio clarified.

This was a mind-boggler. If not, then how in the world did anyone know about you? How did you not hear about your part in the legends all of this time?

One confusing thing after another…

"So you're saying I'm the only one who's been able to do this?"

"It looks that way, doesn't it?" Antonio pointed out. "How many people have you seen or even heard about having the power to turn sand into water? Don't you think those with such powers would have used their abilities for their own gain?"

"I—" You clutched your stone from outside of your top. "I've never dreamed of using it to harm anyone if that's what you were wondering."

Antonio shook his head. "I was implying that your heart also allows you to use this power."

"Oh?"

The captain pointed to the place where you were clutching your stone: your heart.

"I'm guessing you've never charged anyone to drink water before, right?"

"Right," you replied.

"And you haven't thought of using the powers for any ill intentions like, oh, I don't know, killing people by turning a body of sand into water?"

"Um…" There was that one time you had threatened to turn the entire Sandsea into water, but any sane person with a pulse would have never done something so insane…right?

"See?" Antonio smiled oblivious to your hesitation from only a microsecond ago.

"Sure…" Since you could still use the stone, you merely concluded that you were still in the clear for having honest intentions.

"But my ability to use this power…what is its significance?"

"It's like a gateway," Antonio said. "Do you remember how the legend goes? 'The breath will reveal its path…'"

"'…Past the glimmer and liquid fields of wonders never told'" you finished.

"Precisely."

Goodness, the entire thing was a puzzle waiting to be unraveled—actually it wasn't that it hadn't been unraveled before you came across it; you just hadn't come across a situation where picking apart the legend would have made a difference to you.

"Does that mean that turning a particular place into water will reveal the way to Citaqua—wait, wait wait. Before we go any further…What exactly makes you believe that Citaqua exists? What if the legends are really just legends?"

"Then how does that explain your stone?" Antonio pointed out. "How does that explain your connection to it? It's all there."

"That's what Tunç told me…" you sighed. "Another thing: how did you know there was anyone connected to the legend if I, myself, didn't know about it before?"

This got the sand rat into a moment of deep thought—one that only lasted no more than ten seconds.

"__________, when you were growing up, did your parents do anything…particular?" he asked.

You blinked. "As far as I recall, I've never thought of them as suspicious. They were good people."

"You said 'were?'"

You nodded with a heavy heart. Sadık…That bastard had killed your parents, your family, and as you constantly reminded yourself, you had been taken hostage aboard his ship with Heracles. Not only that, but Heracles was apparently tied to the legend, too. Everything had fit into a jagged, convoluted sheet of puzzles pieces with an image you couldn't understand.

"Oh, that's too bad," Antonio said without the slightest hint of remorse or sympathy—as expected from the captain of a sandship.

"You know, it might not have been a bad thing that the people connected to you aren't anymore," he added.

"What?!" you shrieked rising from your seat and attempting to strike the captain. Courtesy and common sense flew out the window; all you could think about was how pettily Antonio had brushed your family and misfortune aside. How dare he!

"__________, calm down!"

You had forgotten about Feliciano. He had been so quiet and unheard of that you were completely taken by surprise as he locked your arms with his and pulled you back onto your seat. During the course of your near lashing out, Antonio didn't move from his seat.

"I didn't finish," he said with an even tone void of any disapproval or disruption.

You sighed. "Sorry. Continue."

Antonio cleared his throat. "I'm thinking that somewhere along the way, that certain group of people you called your family knew that you had something special, and they wanted to keep that a secret from the rest of the world."

What?

"Hold on, are you implying that the people the Aral's sand rats killed weren't my real family?"

"It's a high possibility."

"How—What gives you the right to say that? They were good to me. I had food, I was happy, I had a home—even if it wasn't permanent, at least I had a place to call my own. If they weren't my real family, then why did they treat me that way?"

"Because they were afraid," Antonio said.

"I don't understand."

"___________, you can turn sand into water," Antonio said. "How many people—excluding sand rats—would jump at the opportunity to be able to freely use that type of power?"

"Quite a few," you replied confident that it only made sense in this desolate world.

"Precisely. Whoever those people were clearly did not want you or anyone else to find Citaqua. They didn't not want you to give you that mindset and turn on them; so, they did the easiest, most harmless thing that they could have down to prevent any thoughts of leaving them: they loved you."

"That's ridiculous."

"Don't you find it much easier to feel rebellious urges when you're told not to do something?"

You hated to admit it, but perhaps it was just human nature: when denied one thing, you sought to do it. You had been like that several times when Heracles had warned you about using your powers in the open.

Disregarding your silence, Antonio continued to speak. "I believe your foster family did not want you to find Citaqua for a few important reason. Why they didn't is something I don't know." He shrugged. "I'm guessing your previous captor knows something I don't. It's all general speculation."

"It's still not in your place to say who was my real family and who wasn't," you snapped back.

"It isn't," Antonio acknowledged. "But it's something to take into consideration. Still, you'll never know the real truth with the way things are. They're dead, right?"

"You really expect me to answer that question?" you asked dryly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Then I won't."

"Oh. Anymore questions?"

You pressed your lips together. "Neoklis said we all have our reasons for finding Citaqua. What's yours?"

"Ah, that…" Antonio hung his head towards the ceiling of his adorned living space as if reminiscing some fond, distant memory.

"It's because I want an easy life."

Well, that couldn't have been more blunt.

"An…An easy life?"

Antonio nodded. "The legend speaks of richest, right? Whatever riches those may be, once I get a hand on them, I'll be sure to live the good and easy life for the rest of my days. Of course, good things come to those who wait."

You freeloading bastard! You just waited for the Aral to get in vicinity so you could take me for yourself!

"Anything else?"

You held your breath. There was no point in spending anymore time with this person however much he had to say to you. According to the last few words you had exchanged with him, Sadık knew something that you and the rest of the people aboard this sandship clearly did not. Perhaps Neoklis knew something. He was related to Sadık, after all.

"I'm done, Antonio. Thank you for being patient with me," you said bringing the question-answering session to a close.

"Alright," the captain smiled. Though he may have claimed to want an easy lifestyle after finding Citaqua—if the place even existed—he sure looked like he was enjoying life as it was. His very pose with his back rested against his fluffy red armchair and his lax smile gave you the impression that he was feeling pretty content. Maybe it was because you were here?

"Feli, you can take her back to the cat keeper's room," Antonio said gesturing towards his crewmember.

"Right away!" Feliciano said with a bright smile and took your hand and led you out of the captain's quarters.

"Feli—uh, can I call you that?" you asked as you made your way back to where Neoklis was staying.

"Of course, __________," Feliciano smiled.

"Thanks. Feli, Antonio was saying that he wants to find Citaqua because he wants to live a good life. Did he say anything about including you guys in the package?"

"Ve…" Feliciano thought about your question. "In a way, life isn't so bad right now. There's plenty of fun things to do, napping in the sun, people to talk to, and plenty of water now that you're here. But if you're wondering about us, then he did promise us a fraction."

"Oh. I was just curious is all."

"What about you, __________? What do you want to do once we find Citaqua?"

You hopelessly shook your head. "Up until a few weeks ago, I never even knew Citaqua existed. I was brought up only thinking it was a story for bedtime or a fruitless fantasy." You clutched your stone again. "Everyone keeps telling me that Citaqua exists because I exist, but I'm still confused about why everyone knows more about this whole Citaqua thing than I do."

You sighed. "I want things to go back to the way they were. I want to be travelling across Arbren with my family—who apparently wasn't my real family according to your captain—and I just want to spend time with my friend. I wonder how he's doing on the Aral…"

"Ve? Who is this person?" Feliciano suddenly asked.

Strange of him to be taking interest…

"He's just a childhood friend, but after the sand rats on the Aral killed my family and friends, he's all I have left. To make matters worse, the captain took him aboard so I wouldn't step out of line."

"Oh that's awful."

You think? you caustically thought.

"By the way, where are we headed?" you asked changing the subject. Perhaps looking forward to something else would take your mind off of all the bitterness that had accumulated over the course of only a few hours.

"Issao," Feliciano replied. "We may have a steady supply of water, but that doesn't mean we don't need food."

"That makes sense." The Aral was going to Issao, too. Maybe the two sandships would be able to meet? Oh, but the Pinta was invisible...

Just as you were about to go into the lower deck, you paused to look at your surroundings overhead. You weren't sure how long you had been aboard the Pinta, but from the looks of things, your conversation had lasted longer than you would have liked. The sky had darkened with the coming of dusk, and the stars were beginning to dot the open atmosphere. What struck your curiosity was the tone of colors; instead of the usual warm reds, oranges, and purples, the entire surroundings were cloaked with a warped green glow. It must have been the work of the stone you had seen Lovino use earlier.

"Feli, does the Pinta always travel with an invisible force field?" you asked.

"Just about," Feliciano answered. "There are times we don't use it like when we were sent to pick you up. We've only got one stone, after all."

Then it's impossible for the Aral to find us, you thought with a sigh. It was no wonder Sadık and Tunç never brought up their brother; they must've given up on looking for him. But since you had disappeared in the same fashion as he had, then would they give up on you, too, or would they set off in search of you? The point of the voyage was to look for Citaqua, wasn't it? If you were tied to finding it, then there had to be a chance, however small that was, of looking for you again. Still, it was upsetting in Neoklis' case that he wasn't worth it to go on a search-and-rescue mission for him. Speaking of Neoklis…

"Feli, I'd ask Neoklis, but he's probably taking a nap in his room…Why did you guys kidnap him?"

"Neoklis?" Feliciano repeated. "Oh, that's because we needed a cat keeper. Our other one went missing a while ago so we just took the one on the Aral because the ship was in the area."
Going on a series recap for everything I've done because I figured I should also try to get to the things most of my watchers watch me for in the first place. :iconlazycryplz:

I'm trying to restrict the point of view solely to the reader for this story because it would open up way too much exposition that shouldn't be allowed this time around, so unfortunately, we won't be seeing Turkey, Greece, and TRNC for some time.

I do not own any characters of Axis Powers: Hetalia. They belong to Himaruya Hidekazu.

Any similarities to characters, settings, scripts, or stories from other pieces of literature or media are purely coincidental.

©This story belongs to me, *GydroZMaa.

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Other stories by me:
RomaniaxReader~Sustenance Pact~
[link]
EnglandxReader~Finding Face~
[link]
AmericaxReader~Duo Duality~
[link]
Hong KongxReader~Snake Eyes Olivine~
[link]
© 2012 - 2024 GydroZMaa
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BunnyFitzgerald's avatar
I like how you circled back to the mentioning of the vanished cat keeper here with Neoklis on the Pinta.