Where Loyalties Lie

Chapter 49 - Fortune

“Well, it’s fair to say Tanner got here first,” Drake mumbled as they approached the island of Ash. He was looking through his monoscope and giving what he saw the frowning of a lifetime. Three ships: The Black Death, Blu’s monstrosity Ocean Deep, and Hearth Fire. “Looks like Barklow threw in with Tanner.”

“Three ships apiece,” Princess agreed. “Seems fair. If any shit does start we’ll be evenly matched.”

“If any shit does start it’ll be the end of us all. Not to mention the isles.” Drake shook his head. “We can’t afford to be divided anymore.”

Princess groaned.

“Out with it,” Drake snapped.

“Ya really reckon Tanner’s just gonna see sense and pull in behind our flag, Cap’n? He might see the need for unity right now, sure. But Tanner ain’t exactly the type to take orders from anyone, least of all Drake Morrass.”

Drake hated to admit it, but Princess made a good point, and it was a thing that had been on his mind for the entire journey to Ash. “I’ll just have to be convincing,” he said with false cheer.

“Or,” Princess said cheerily, “we could just kill the fucker and see if that fleet of his falls in line. I’m just saying, Cap’n, options there.”

Drake smiled. “Something tells me his fleet wouldn’t just fall in line. Even if we killed Blu as well, I think his ships would rally around that damned daughter of his. We’d still be fighting a war against them, and Sarth and the Five Kingdoms would sail in and slaughter us all. No, mate, we do this the peaceful way. Tanner’ll see sense.” Drake wished he believed his own words.

“You’re the cap’n, Cap’n. I’ve always wanted my own ship.”

Drake shot Princess a glare, but the man was grinning. “Sail us in. Signal Stillwater and Poole to stay close. Just in case.”

“Just in case,” Princess echoed and walked away to carry out his captain’s orders, just as Beck joined Drake at the railing.

The woman was looking less an Arbiter and more a pirate every day. Her skin had darkened from the constant exposure to the sun, her coat was a distant memory, and the shirt and britches she wore were stained and mended from heavy use. Beck kept her hair tied up tight beneath her new tricorn hat, and the brace of pistols she carried attached to her leather jerkin had seen a lot of use of late. Unfortunately, despite the burgeoning transition, the woman had still managed to keep herself out of Drake’s bed, and that was as frustrating as her changes were welcome.

“I’ll be coming with you,” Beck said, her blue eyes staring out towards the island.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Drake said. “I’ve got used to having you around. You make me feel all safe and cosy.”

“Don’t get used to it. I’ll wager as soon as we’ve killed those Drurr who are after you, the Inquisitor will order me back to Sarth.”

Drake almost laughed. He very much doubted Hironous would ever order Beck back to Sarth. She was as good as a pirate now, and Drake’s brother would happily leave her as a bodyguard to the soon-to-be pirate king. He wondered if that was why Beck had been sent. Eventually Drake would need a strong queen to sit at his side. Sometimes he wished his brother would share more of what he saw in his visions of the future.

Ash was a small island alone in the surrounding water, little more than a rock covered in smaller rocks and even smaller trees. There was no wildlife to speak off – the island was too small to sustain any – and the trees were little more than wiry bushes clinging to what little life they had in such harsh conditions. The wind around Ash was relentless and merciless, gusting first one way then the other, and many a ship had accidentally got too close and gutted itself on the hidden rocks beneath the waters. The island was littered with the carcasses of ships and the bones of their sailors.

Drake’s small fleet anchored just a short distance from Tanner’s, far enough to be out of bow shot. Stillwater launched a boat, rowing it over from The Phoenix to the Fortune by himself. He tied it up and boarded Drake’s ship with an anxious look that did little to lighten Drake’s uneasy feeling.

“Elaina isn’t here,” Stillwater said in a hurry as soon as he saw Drake.

“I had noticed a distinct lack of Starry Dawn. Should this be worrying me, Stillwater?”

“I don’t know. It was her idea as much as it was mine to meet here. I just thought…”

Drake turned a stern gaze on his fellow captain. “You got a legitimate worry, or are you just pining for the Lady Black’s cunt and trying to curdle my gut?”

“I just thought she’d be here,” Stillwater said, his voice hard.

“Perhaps Tanner didn’t want his daughter and you anywhere near each other. Find it hard to fault him, given your past relationship. Don’t reckon either of you thinks clearly when near each other, and I bloody well hope your cock hasn’t just clouded your judgement to bring us here. I see two men on Ash. One looks like Tanner, the other looks like Tanner, so I’m guessing his useless, mouldy, salt-licker of a son is with him.”

“I have a history with Blu as well,” Keelin muttered.

“There any member of that family you haven’t fucked?” Drake grinned.

Keelin laughed. “We just don’t get on so well.”

“But you and Tanner are close as barnacles, aye?”

“Good point. Are we going ashore?”

“Mhm. Just you, me, and Beck.”

“The Arbiter?”

“Can you think of anyone better to watch your back?” Beck said, strolling over to the railing and leaning against it, treating Stillwater to a cold stare. Drake was of the opinion those two needed to start getting along, but Keelin seemed to have some issues with the Inquisition.

“If we’re taking a third person ashore I would rather it was Kebble,” Keelin said, ignoring Beck. “I wouldn’t trust her to watch my back if my life depended upon it.”

“Well then, we’ll be fine,” Beck said. “I’ll be there to watch Drake’s, not yours.”

“Both of you can fucking stop this shit, right now,” Drake hissed. “We got enemies enough on that little shit of a rock without you two trying to screw each other over. Beck is coming along, Stillwater. The sooner you accept that, the sooner we can get in that little boat of yours and convince Tanner Black to join me rather than kill me. Good?”

Beck nodded. Keelin didn’t.

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking that was a question, Stillwater. Either you get on board now or you drown in my wake.”

Drake could see the anger in Keelin’s eyes as easily as the grinding of his teeth, but eventually he nodded. “Good.”

“Right then,” Drake said with a smile. “Now let’s all have us a hug.”

Both Beck and Keelin shot Drake an incredulous look.

“Of course I’m bloody joking, you damned idiots. Onto the boat with both of you.”

There wasn’t really a landing on Ash, so they followed Tanner’s example and tied the little boat onto a rock, leaping overboard and splashing through the shallows to clamber up onto dry land. Green algae covered the rocks at sea level and made the footing slippery and treacherous, but all three of them managed without even a grazed hand among them. The climb up to the centre of the little island was steep and tough, and by the time they reached the top all three of them were short of breath. Drake was certain he would have been dripping with sweat if not for the gusting wind whipping at his face.

Tanner Black and his son were waiting for them in a small stony clearing surrounded by rocky outcroppings with a single bush clinging desperately to the ground. Tanner was wrapped up tight in a huge black cloak, and his hateful bird, bigger than most cats, perched on his shoulder, staring at Drake as he approached. Tanner was armed, the tip of a sword poking out of the bottom of his coat, but then they were all armed. If any trouble did start, it was unlikely any of them would make it off the little island alive.

“See anything off?” Drake whispered to Beck, and the Arbiter only shook her head by way of reply. He asked the same of Keelin, but the captain was locked in a vicious staring contest with Tanner and didn’t answer. “Well, let’s just hope fortune favours the fucked.”

Drake stepped past the last few rocks into the little clearing on the top of Ash. Both Captain Blacks watched him, Blu with his arms crossed and his dark eyes full of hate, and Tanner with his hands in his coat pockets and a welcoming grin.

“Well, ya got me surprised, Drake,” Tanner shouted over the whipping wind. “Can’t say I thought you’d have the stones to turn up.”

Drake stopped a good few paces from Tanner and his son. “Folk may say a lot of things about Drake Morrass,” he shouted back, “but none of them call me a coward, mate.”

Tanner laughed. “Reckon you’re talking to the wrong folk then. And Stillwater.” Upon hearing Keelin’s name, the giant crow perched on Tanner’s shoulder shifted its malevolent gaze and let out a piercing cry that ripped the air in two and seemed to silence the wind, if only for a moment. “Didn’t reckon I’d ever see you again.”

“Where’s Elaina?” Stillwater said.

Tanner’s grin disappeared, and for just a moment he looked angry enough to draw steel. “What do you care, boy? Girl was never anything to you but a hole to fill and a ship to steal.”

Drake had the sinking feeling that if Tanner and Stillwater continued to air their differences the meeting would end in blood, so he cut in. “We here to piss into the wind? I thought we came to discuss terms. Forge an alliance.”

Tanner’s grin reappeared. “Ah, Drake, ya really should have known better, mate.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Drake saw the rocks around them begin to move.