Pirates of the Sorcerean II

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Hearing a knock at the door, Eldon looked up suspiciously.

"Relax Eldon, I invited someone else to this meeting. I didnt mention it, because I didnt know whether the invitation would be accepted"

Opening the door, Percival let Matty Groves into the room.

Raising his eyebrows Eldon looked at Percival, distrust clearly on his face.

"I think this young.... lad, may be able to help with these documents. A musician hears a number of things in taverns afterall."

"True," Eldon replied, "But he's also close to the Cap'n"

 

[ July 15, 2004, 16:33: Message edited by: NaeVa ]

 

"I don't want the Cap'n knowin about my personal motives."

Eldon looked over to Matty "Don't worry lad, I'm not havin thoughts of treachery, I just like to keep my cards close to my chest."

"What is said in here is between us"

Eldon's eyes slowly made there way back to Percival, still feeling something was odd about the young boy. He thought of young Fredo, the othere young boy on the ship and he was different in manner and dress in many ways. Still, Eldon could not place a finger on it.

"So what are these documents you have found?" he asked confused.

 

Lamira was just about to get up from the cot and stretch her legs when she heard boots scraping against the wooden floors, the sounds getting closer and closer to the cabin where she had been deposited. She immediately flopped back down on the cot, turning on her side, facing the wall and trying her best to still her body and ignore the pain in her stomach from the sudden jarring.

As it turned out, her hunch was correct, and she soon heard the door creaking open and many footsteps walking into the room. Lamira closed her eyes and steadied her breathing in an attempt to feign slumber. It had always worked before for her, and there was no reason for it not to work now. She knew that there was no way that the pirates could be as observant as she.

Lamira tensed up as she heard the soft clump of the tray being set down on the table next to the bed and almost groaned out as the wonderful scent of fresh food assaulted her senses. But, she remembered her training on how to deny her natural impulses and knew that if she revealed herself now, she wouldn't learn half as much if they thought she was still asleep.

And so, she waited, letting her ears be in command of her senses. She was surprised when she heard a very subtle scraping that almost seemed to come from underneath her. While she shrugged that off, leaving that mystery for another day, it was what she heard next that was her golden opportunity! She heard the quartermaster's voice as clear as day, his whispering sounding like a horn blast to her attuned ears. She wanted to scream and jump up in joy at hearing her four favorite words: learn, information, profit, and thievery. And since her facade held up, there was absolutely no reason she could think of that she couldn't share in this wonderful exchange.

Lamira waited until she heard the familiar footsteps exit the cabin and until the footsteps exitted her range of hearing before she jumped up from her position and grinned from ear to ear in happiness. She looked over at the food, licking her lips unconsciously. This was her opportunity, but it had been so long since real food had passed her lips. She shrugged to herself and quickly began to shovel the savory bits of meat and vegetables into her mouth. "Can't be on your toes if your mind's on food," she told herself as she licked her fingers clean and drank deeply of the wonderful tasting water. The rum was out of the question, of course, thievery required a clear mind, not one so inebriated with spirits. Maybe when she came back, but certainly not now.

Lamira hopped off the cot and slid out of the cabin, staying close to the wall. She chuckled softly, recognizing her particular technique and wanted to smack herself. This wasn't the familiar streets of her beloved city, it was a ship with little places to run and even worse places to hide. While she had to be careful, to slink about would cause even more suspicion. She forced her body to be loose yet alert as she walked down thhe hall, ignoring the revelry from above the deck and forcing her ears to listen only for the quartermaster's voice.

After wandering around the passages for what seemed like an eternity, Lamira spotted someone who was definitely looking more suspicious then she walk into one of the numerous cabins. She perked her eyebrows up with extreme interest. If she didn't know any better, she thought that that person was a woman, merely dressed up to pass as a boy. She shook her head, amused at the idea. These pirates aren't really that keen, girl. Just imagine the possibilities... But, now wasn't the time to envision other things. She wanted to know this information, and she had a gut feeling that it was all inside that cabin.

Lamira smiled as she eagerly crept up to the cabin, kneeling right before the entrance way and planting her ear against the door. The sound was a little muffled and a bit garbled, but she would stay here forever if she had to. This was her trump card, she felt it.

 

"well, while I was looking through the captain's cabin on the Wave Crest, I broke open a tough strongbox. Inside was a box of gems, and a large amount of documents. I put the gems in with the ships loot, but kept the documents fer meself."

Looking around at the others, he made eye contact with each. "Whatever happens, nobody must know of this. We dont know where it could lead."

Bringing out the papers he handed them out.

"Some of these show the cargo of both ships, and the crew rosters. This one should interest ye Eldon, it has the name of the Charlaine's first mate on it."

Looking over to Zilah, he handed her some charts. "See what ye can make of these. Some of these islands I dont recognise, and I dont know why the captain has 'em. One thing I noticed, they're marked with the initials D.H. That could prove useful."

Looking even more eager, he pulls out another letter. "This one has something about a meeting with a man in port Quinn, just where we are heading. The man is a property manager, and jewel merchant. I'm thinking we could break into his house for more info. But I'm not much of a thief."

 

"I don't much appreciate you killing my crew, but take a seat." Pierre said coldly. "Now, perhaps you can explain to Mr. William and I about your preposition?"

 

Abell walked confidently over to where some manner of food was sitting, ravenously hungry after the soldier's upon the prison ship had neglected to feed her during her stay. She picked up a piece of salted pork and bit in, aware of the pirates from The Black Wind looking at her. One began to walk over.

Bloody hell she thought as he put his hand on her arm.
"Y'heard what the capt'n said," he leered at her. "No rapin', so why don't y' just come along with me an we'll 'ave some fun."
"Let go of me y' stinkin' bastard, or my brother'll have y' keelhauled'n gutted!" She glared at him, speaking with such conviction that the pirate chuckled.
"An' who be this brother o' yours, who could git me keelhauled?"
Abell looked at him and smiled. "Why, the Jackal himself of course."

The pirate laughed, and a few of those around him chuckled. A few stared at him in disbelief and slowly edged away to get a drink, at the other end of the ship.
"Now come on lass, y' cannot expect us t' be believin' that ... Still, y'heard what the capt'n said. I best be leavin' y' alone then, ain't I. Unless y' be changin' y' mind," he gave a look to suggest that such may be a good idea.

Another of the pirates leant forward and whispered in his ear, words which Abell couldn't catch.
"Oh," said the pirate. "I'll er, be over 'ere if you're er, interested later an' er ... stuff."
He quickly backed away, leaving Abell to remove some more food from the wooden plate and take it over to a keg for consumption. There she sat, and awaited her brother's appearance.

 

[ July 15, 2004, 16:34: Message edited by: NaeVa ]

 

Eldon just sat there staring at the papers he had just been given. A silence decended over the room, with just the rustles of the maps Matty was pouring over. Despite the quietness he could almost feel Percival's smile without even looking.

The documents held the crew rosters for both the Charalaine as well as the Wave Crest and metioned a change in first officers two months before. Not only that, the first officer that transfered had originally came to the Charlaine a year and a half ago. The exact time Eldon was a prisoner aboard the Charlaine himself. The time he looked to the 'messenger' and could do nothing to gain revenge.

Eldon looked up to Percival, his face glowing "His name is Erol Langstan!"

"He is still a..aalive!" he continued in excitement and disappointment.

The sudden break in silence gave Matty a shock, bringing a low chuckle to the two men.

"We must plan quickly but carefully, for it will not be long before we reach Port Quinn." warned Percival.

"How do you think we should proceed?" Eldon asked wishing for Percival's experience to aid in the matter.

 

"Hmmm." considered Pierre, glancing at Naelo. "I would have no qualms with that."

Oh yes I bloody well do. Pierre thought. Time will solve everything.

"Now, perhaps the Jackal would have a problem?"

 

"First, I think we should break into our dear merchant friend's place of buisness and his home. We want to get as many clues as we can from this man without his knowledge. The only problem is, I'm a pirate, not a thief. I'd be useless at that task. Same goes for ye Eldon, unless ye got some sneakster's trainin' and didnt tell me."

"His home, and buisness should have somethin' and maybe some jewels and money besides. Which be to me likin'. After, we then meet him at the correct time. That's where I'm at me best. I'll kidnap him and force him to talk." Percival chuckles at this. "The break ins should give us some clues as to what to ask 'im."

"That takes care o' that angle. Also there be yer messenger. Do ye know where he be Eldon? we'll track him down too. Lastly, we need to know what these maps mean. Any ideas what they be about Matty? And do ye know of anyone who might?"

 

"If'n it weren't fer needin' repairs, ye may wan' t' avoid Port Quinn," Matty interrupted. "If'n we gots t' dock there, make it quick an' keep yer heads low."

Zillah briefly enjoyed the surprise that flashed across the men's faces. From the thick accent Percival knew that 'Matty' wasn't ready to reveal himself to Eldon just yet. "I ken a few o' these places from me travels wi' me Da. They was mos'ly forts on th' edge o' plantations, gettin' they supplies from any ship wha' passed by. Bu' th' funny part wa' 'ow they flew they flags. Marspada's flag wa' there, but on the bottom. Atop was some jack none o' us 'ad ever seen afore. I' 'ad some fancy design on i', an' tangled in all them fancy curlicues was th' letters D H, like they was tryin' to' be hid."

 

"That's an interesting turn." Percival considers deep in thought. "If we go in on the ship, it could arouse suspicions. Perhaps if Eldon and meself go ashore in a longboat out of port, we can sneak in without connection to the Black Wind. That way we can do what we planned without endangering the ship. How does that sound?"

 

"So long as ye can pull this off wi'out any link t' the Black Wind, it sounds fine t' me."

[ July 13, 2004, 18:01: Message edited by: Rallymama ]

 

Eldon smirked at the thought of sneaking off in the night on a longboat. Reminds me of bein a lad again he thought.

"Plan sounds good but we'll need Matty here to be our little sneaker."

He looked to Matty, curious if he was keen.

"You up for that lad?"

"On top of that we need to keep my past secret during the...interogation." Eldon looked slightly deflated at the idea of the torture that the interrogation would entail. He was not afraid of armed combat and even enjoyed it, considering death in combat honourable. He began laughing to himself looking to Percival... "I'm a pirate". He knew he was capable of the less glamourous side of his chosen profession and he would gladly enact all manner of ugly retribution on those who deserved it, but at times he wished it could all be honourable conduct.

Percival didn't know what thoughts were rolling around in that head of Eldon's but he knew that he was level headed enough not to let any problems or discomforts get in the way of what had to be done.

 

Zillah shrugged. "Sneakin's not me bes' thing bu' I know a thing or two abou' not bein' seen. I'll help ye."

 

"Then we are set then" Eldon replied.

"I'll prepare the longboat for our journey, perhaps you could give a reason to the captain for our early departure Percival?"

"If we do have to leave unnoticed by LeVarde, a cover story for our return should be made."

 

William leaned back, looking thoughtful as he tried to understand the plan.. even though it was futile. Giving Pierre a scrutinizing look, as if to read his face what he thought of the plan he nodded and turned to Naelo, giving him a grim stare.

"As a matter of fact, I do.." he said with heavy voice.
"I have no conception of your boyish dreams, but I can imagine quite a lot of treasure. How is it such a young rashkal as you that's been a pirate for doubtly less time than I, can earn or reap enough treasure to fill twelve schooners. That's at least a 100 tonnes of gold, quite a lot for such a young one as you unless you base your treasure in rice or ale. Nor do I know what this.. insurance thing means?"
William took a glass of wine and emptied it, and as he set it down on the table he rose making sure his gun was at hand and ready to aimed at this strangers face within a splitsecond.

"Secondly, Nor do I see the sanity of three small pirate vessels engange well disciplined and trained coastal militia that will without a doubt blast these small ships out of the sea. The Crimson Dagger is a pirate ship, not a war ship, and as for the Black Wind here, I think it much applies the same capabilities. Of course, if your ship happens to be a warship, it might work out, but that depends on the ship of the escorts as well."

"Thirdly, why by Tritons beard would you want to plunder your own riches?"

Sitting down again, still having a hand by his gun, William made a sly smile.
"I'll however, consider your proposal if you give some more information. Where are they headed, how many guns on the Schooners, what kind of ships are the escorts. I'll discuss it with my crew then, maybe even.. bring my flagship too. If you can supply all this info to gent Pierre here, I'll lend ya quest an ear. Till then however, I didn't come here for business, but to celebrate."

With those words, he rose and walked back to the gathering of celebrating pirates that had been drinking heavily upon their success. Finding his sister among the crowd, William pushed a man next to her away with a growl and sat down, looking slightly annoyed. Taking a big bite of some pork, he flushed it down with a mug of grog before giving Abell a concerned look;
"Still in one piece sis? Ye look quite a mess, I'll need to have Chan look at ye tonight.. So how are you? How did you end up in those devils' chains anyway?"

[ July 14, 2004, 03:51: Message edited by: Lokken ]

 

[ July 15, 2004, 16:30: Message edited by: NaeVa ]

 

Pierre nodded. "That's interesting. Very interesting. And which port is this ship of yours in?"