Where Loyalties Lie

Chapter 42 - Starry Dawn

If someone had asked Elaina just a few weeks ago, she would have quite firmly stated Cinto Ceno was the most uninhabitable island in the isles. She was glad someone hadn’t asked her a few weeks ago, because now she would have to admit the mistake and would look a right fool to boot.

As the refugees from Lillingburn rushed down the gangplanks, they were greeted with open arms by folk who usually would have been suspicious, cautious, and downright hostile. Now they were welcoming and bordering on friendly.

“What in all the watery Hells is going on here?” Elaina asked of no one in particular.

“Fuckin’ creepy, if ya ask me,” Four-Eyed Pollick said. “Nobody in the isles is this welcomin’. We’ve got generations of breedin’ to make us untrustin’ bastards. Can ya imagine steppin’ off the dock on Fango an’ someone welcomin’ ya with a clap on the back?”

“Depends if they had a knife in the other hand,” Elaina said, watching the refugees being welcomed to their new home.

Elaina recognised one of the other ships floating out in the bay, Mary’s Virtue. That meant the insufferable Daimen Poole was somewhere in the town, unless – and Elaina dared to hope – he’d been killed and someone else was now captain of the frigate. The second ship she didn’t recognise. Elaina had never even heard of a boat called North Gale before.

“What do ya think?” she said to Rovel, to her right.

“I don’t see The Phoenix anywhere. Stillwater ain’t here. I think we should throw the rest of these mouths off our boat and sail back to Fango. Ya da won’t be pleased we’re here.”

“Screw my da,” Elaina said, and hoped none of her crew were secretly his. “I’m curious. Want to know what’s going on here and how they managed to settle despite the burning cliffs and the sand monsters.”

“Recognise the hat?” Pollick said with a sneer.

Elaina did recognise the hat that was strolling down the beach towards the docks. As far as she knew, only one man in all the isles wore a round-topped hat. Most preferred flat-tops or tricorns these days, but Daimen Poole liked to stand out.

“Reckon I might need a translator,” Elaina said, grinning. “Bastard’s accent is thicker than Gurn's porridge.”

Poole reached the docks and greeted the refugees from Lillingburn; Elaina heard none of what was said from her position on Starry Dawn, but she got the distinct impression Poole was in charge of the town. After a brief conversation with some of the refugees, Poole started weaving his way through the bodies up to Elaina’s ship.

“An’ what brings the Lady Black ta our little town? Other than droppin’ off these fine folk, that is.”

“Lillingburn is gone.” Elaina stared down at the man, refusing to join him on the dock and refusing to extend him an invitation onto her ship.

“So I hear. Reckon that evil bastard you call Da would prefer you took these folk ta Fango, but, well, here ya are.”

Elaina ignored the insult to her father. Poole would get what was coming to him in due course. “They wanted to come here. I wanted to see if you really had colonised Cinto Cena.”

“Aye? Well, as ya can see, we’ve colonised the fuck out of it. Bye now.” Poole turned to walk away.

“We have goods to sell.” Elaina smirked down at the man. “Assuming your little town does actually facilitate our profession.”

Poole stopped, and Elaina could tell by the slump of his shoulders that he’d let out a sigh.

“Cap,” Rovel hissed. “Ya da won’t be pleased if ya sell here.”

“Shut up. I have a plan, and you will fucking well follow my orders.”

“Aye,” Poole said without turning around. “Little building attached to the tavern is where you’ll find the man with the money. He’ll buy ya crap off ya.”

After Poole had walked away, Elaina turned on Rovel like a storm cloud. “Next time you try to contradict me like that I’ll have you mounted onto the keel of the ship. Folk here are in straights, just look at the town up the beach. Plenty of mouths, and I don’t reckon they got near enough supplies. That means they’ll pay over the odds for any old loot we can give them. That and the longer we’re here, the more shit we can dig up to take back to my da.” Elaina didn’t mention that she wanted to wait for Keelin to come back.

Rovel didn’t look convinced. “You heard the folk from Lillingburn, Cap. This here is Drake Morrass’ town. What’ll he do to us if he comes back?”

“Likely he’ll wet himself,” Elaina spat. “Morrass is a coward. Only reason my da hasn’t already gutted him is the bastard is too good at running away.”

It was three days before Keelin returned to New Sev’relain, and in that time Elaina sold all Starry Dawn’s loot, allowed her crew the run of the town, and drunk herself into a stupor twice. She was back aboard her ship, stark naked and enjoying a saltwater wash when the call went up. The Phoenix had been spotted rounding the shore line and was heading into the bay.

Elaina didn’t rush; she wouldn’t let her crew see her excitement. She calmly finished scrubbing herself down, doused herself with another bucket of salt water, and walked back to the cabin. Once inside with the door closed, however, she became a flurry of activity.

Elaina wanted to be waiting on the docks when Keelin stepped off his ship. He’d know she was here by now – it was impossible to hide Starry Dawn – but she wanted to see his face as he docked with his town and saw her waiting. After that she’d drag him to the nearby inn, or to her ship, or maybe back onto his, and they’d pick up right where they’d left off. It had been a while since Elaina had had a good fuck, and it was fair to say she was looking forward to their reunion.

Elaina dressed black on black, with britches, a shirt, and a long jacket over the top. She bound her breasts a little higher than usual and buttoned her shirt a little lower. After running a brush quickly through her hair, she decided to leave it down instead of in her usual tail, and after pulling on her newest pair of boots, she delved into her oils, powders, and scent kit. Elaina was not one to make herself up regularly, but she knew how to when it suited her, and knew she would turn heads. She ran some scented oil through her hair and wrapped a black bandana over it, sprayed a similar scent onto her clothes, and ringed her eyes with a black powder to make her icy blues stand out.

When she was finished she emerged into the morning light and buckled a rapier onto her belt before leaping down to the docks and making her way to the free berth, just as The Phoenix was being towed in by her dinghies.

Keelin spotted her. She could see him standing at the railing, and when he looked her way it was obvious. Elaina cut a striking figure on the worst of days, and right now she was on one of her best. She fixed a wry smile onto her face and waited. Keelin was the first ashore, leaping down onto the docks as soon as The Phoenix was in place and long before any gangplanks had been extended. Behind him, his crew rushed to get the ship tied and docked, and a few of them jumped down to follow him, but he was far ahead. Elaina knew he’d missed her as much as she had him, even if neither would admit it.

“Elaina…” Keelin started as he stopped just a pace from her.

She gave him no time to continue. Closing the gap between them with one easy stride, Elaina went up onto her toes and kissed Keelin, grabbing his cock through his britches at the same time.

For a long moment Keelin kissed her back, and Elaina felt him going hard. She leaned into him and wondered which was closest, her cabin or his. Then Keelin stepped backwards, breaking the kiss and making Elaina stumble to catch her feet.

“Elaina…”

“What?”

“We’re not doing this,” Keelin said, and it didn’t look like he was joking. Elaina felt an anger pulsing up from somewhere deep down, but it did nothing to stop her feeling horny.

“Why not?” she asked stupidly. “Felt like you were up for it.”

Keelin glanced behind him quickly. “We’re just not anymore.”

Elaina looked past Keelin to see a few members of his crew securing the ship, others in the dinghies, and one just a dozen paces back trying desperately not to look interested in her captain and Elaina.

“Really?” Elaina felt her cheeks go hot, as well as a pressing need to hit either Keelin or the bitch. “That mousy waif?”

The girl looked up at the insult, and there was a fire in her dull brown eyes, but it was nothing compared to the inferno raging in Elaina’s chest, choking her breath and making her want to scream.

“She’s not…” Keelin started, but Elaina wasn’t about to stand around to let the bastard finish.

Elaina gave Keelin the full force of her anger in a glare that could have boiled the sea. “Fuck you, Stillwater.” She turned and strode away.

Her anger filled her like a furnace, and it was all she could do to not stab the nearest man she came across, but Elaina kept her sword firmly in its sheath. She couldn’t go back to her ship – it would look too much like running away, both to Keelin and her crew – so she headed for the next best place. The tavern.