Night fell on the sea, and the white ship sailed quietly across the water. The sky was overcast, and the moon was half hidden, casting a pale light across the surface. The crew was tired after days of tension, some asleep, others taking turns on guard.
Linus sat on the deck, silently observing the horizon. He felt something was wrong. Since leaving the Sand City, he had a vague sense that eyes were watching them, that danger was no longer just from the sea or the pirates, but from within as well.
Romulus approached and said in a low voice, "I see you are nervous, Linus."
"Trust is the most precious thing we have… and I fear losing it," Linus replied, staring into the darkness.
At that moment, they heard light footsteps on the deck. Linus turned quickly and saw a shadow moving near the supplies. He motioned to Romulus to be quiet, and they moved forward briskly.
The man was Marius, one of the new sailors who had joined them in the Sand City. He was carrying a small sack, trying to tie it with a rope to throw it into the sea. But before he could, Linus grabbed his wrist firmly.
"What are you doing?" Linus said sharply.
Marius was confused and tried to wriggle free.
"No… nothing, I was just…"
Romulus interrupted him as he opened the sack.
"Don't lie. This… is a letter wrapped in leather."
Romulus opened the letter and found it carefully written: "Arcann, Commander of the Sand City Guard: Position of the White Ship, bearing northeast. Send your men, and you will find them undefended."
A heavy silence fell. The sailors, awakened by the noise, gathered around, their faces furious.
Callias shouted:
"Traitor! You were going to sell us to the merchants!"
Marius answered pleadingly, "I didn't mean to... They forced me! They said they'd kill my family if I didn't!"
Linus looked into his eyes for a long time. He saw fear, but he also saw greed. He wasn't sure if the man was telling the truth.
Linus said in a steady voice, "Treason is no excuse. We're all in danger, but we haven't betrayed each other."
Darius, the thin young man, stepped forward and said, "Let me teach him a lesson, sir!"
But Linus raised his hand, ordering him to retreat.
"We won't kill him," Linus said. "But he won't stay with us. We'll leave him on the first island we come across. The sea is merciless to traitors, but we won't stain our hands with his blood."
Some of the sailors protested, but Romulus said firmly, "The captain has made his decision. And that decision is what distinguishes us from pirates. We are not like them."
The men lowered their heads and accepted the verdict. As for Marius, he sat on the ground, panting with fear, knowing that his life was no longer his own.
After the situation had calmed down, Linus gathered his men. He said to them in a strong voice:
"This night has been a lesson to us all. The sea is full of enemies, but the most dangerous of them is betrayal from within. We will not allow it to tear us apart. From today, each of you is your brother's eye, sword, and shield."
The men's voices rose in cheers, feeling that this incident, despite its cruelty, had strengthened them.
Linus then sat with Romulus and said:
"I feel the weight of the decision… but I could not kill him."
Romulus replied with a calm smile:
"And that is what makes you different. A true leader does not rule by fear, but by justice. Tonight you have proven that you are a leader who knows that mercy is as powerful as the sword."
Linus raised his head to the sky, where the clouds were beginning to part, and said in a deep voice, "I will not allow betrayal to break us. Athens is waiting… and we will reach her, no matter how long the road."