Where Loyalties Lie

Chapter 47 - Fortune

Drake was calling the little beasty Rag, and it was as vicious a little hunter as the giant spider, Rhi, had ever been. Already it was a foot long with razor-sharp scythe-like pincers and a venomous bite that caused intense pain and mild paralysis, as two of the crew could attest to. Rag wasn’t just dealing with the rat population on board the ship, but had also proved to be an excellent fisher. The giant centipede would crawl onto the outside hull and dangle with its head just above the water’s surface, its body bent like a reed under pressure. Then it would strike, darting its head into the water and, more often than not, pulling back with a fish skewered between its mandibles. It was an impressive sight to behold, and one member of the crew had already learned the hard way not to attempt to take the fish away from Rag. The poor bastard had spent the better part of three days unable to move his arms or legs.

The armour plating protecting Rag’s body segments was already as hard as iron, and Drake had been assured that once the little monster reached its full maturity – and its full six feet in length – the armour would harden even further, and the beast’s venom would become lethal. Thankfully, its voracious appetite would lessen. The creature had already explored the ship from top to bottom, giving Luter a shock up in the nest, and had decided, much to Drake’s approval, to call the captain’s cabin its home. The closer the beasty got to him the better. He wanted it as loyal as Rhi had been, and as dangerous too. Already Rag had taken to using Drake’s body as a climbing frame. It wasn’t entirely comfortable, having a foot-long monster wrapped around his body, but he appreciated the protection having a creature like that at striking distance of his enemies might provide.

For now, Rag was curled up in the corner of his cabin, wrapped around itself, and Drake couldn’t be sure whether it was sleeping or watching the door with its pitch-black eyes. He wasn’t even sure if the little monster did sleep.

A knock sounded on the door and Rag chittered, its legs tapping against its armour, but the creature didn’t move. Drake rolled out of his bed, wondering how it had been so long since the sheets had smelled of a woman. He crossed to the door, still fully naked, and pulled it open, only to be reminded just why it had been so long. Arbiter Beck stood on the other side of the door with an apprehensive look on her face.

“Is it still in there?” she asked, her eyes fixed on his face. She didn’t get on too well with Rag, though the centipede seemed to like Beck well enough.

“Aye,” Drake said, purposefully scratching at his stones in an attempt to draw Beck’s gaze downwards. “Seems to enjoy being near me.”

Beck grimaced. “Captain Khan is here to see you.” She turned away, never having reacted at all to Drake’s lack of clothing.

Drake shut the door, disappointed, and started pulling some clothing together. He’d been chasing Beck for too long, and if she wasn’t about to slip into his bed and let him slip into her, then he’d have to find some other release. He briefly considered a visit to the Dragon Empire. The Empress was always wet and willing for Drake, but he doubted Rei would let him leave without a few good months of service.

Captain Khan was standing at the bow of the ship, staring out at the town of New Sev’relain. Drake stepped up beside the giant pirate and cleared his throat.

“An impressive feat, building a town from nothing,” Khan rumbled.

“Ain’t from nothing,” Drake said. “Towns are never built from nothing. They’re built from people. Folk with a will and a need and…”

“Money.”

“Aye, that too. Ain’t much gets done without pay or promise.”

“You are taking Poole and Stillwater to see Captain Black,” Khan said, dispensing with the small talk. “Why not me?”

“Because I don’t expect a fight, and I reckon that’s where your strengths lie. Look, Captain, I’m taking those two because we all got history with Tanner, some of it good, some bad. But we all know each other. I also need someone trustworthy to stay and look after the town.”

“I’m not much of a governor.” The giant’s statement came out almost as a growl.

“No. But you got a code of honour, and that makes me trust you. That, and I know where you come from. Folk north of the Five Kingdoms like you are raiders and devilish in a fight. You’re also protective of what’s yours. Well, New Sev’relain is yours. It’s yours and mine and Stillwater’s and even Tanner’s. It’s also all of theirs.” Drake pointed out to the town. “It belongs to everyone that calls the isles their home, and those bastards from the Five Kingdoms want to burn it down.”

Drake glanced at the other captain to see his jaw clenched and grating, and he knew he’d hit the right nerve. “I need you to protect it while I’m gone.”

Khan grunted. “The bastards will not take another home from me.”

After Khan had gone, Drake called Princess over. “How long ’til we can sail?”

“Loading supplies now, Cap’n. They ain’t good though. We’ll have just about enough to make it there and back, and we best hope the town gets resupplied whiles we gone.”

Drake looked upwards; the sky was grey and dark and the season was turning. The Pirate Isles never experienced a true winter, but the temperature would soon start dropping, and with it would come the storms.

“First light,” Drake said. “We sail tomorrow and hope we arrive at Ash before Tanner.”