“Be careful someone doesn’t take her from you. There're more’n a few unscrupulous people on these seas.” The smile never left his face as he took one intimidating step closer.
Tanner kept his voice even. “Yes, I’ve heard the names of some pirates, thieves, and even the name of a worthless captain to avoid dealing with.”
Captain Brice balled his fists, but Carrion pulled a knife from his hip and used the sharp tip to clean his fingernails without ever glancing at the man. But the message was sent and received. When Captain Brice was back aboard his ship, Carrion looked at Tanner and shrugged.
“He’s going to cause us trouble,” Carrion said.
“I know.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Tanner said, “We need to talk. Care to eat at the Anchor where we have some privacy?”
“Privacy?” They left the ship and headed for the inn. At a table to one side, they bent their heads and ate fried meat pies as Tanner retold all that Bishop, the drunk Captain from the evening before, had told him about tattoos, freemen, crabs, ships that used to sail to Breslau, and that he had called the Royals Dragon Masters.
“Dragon Masters. That’s pretty specific when you take it in a certain way,” Carrion mused.
“Does it mean,” he lowered his voice even more, “people like us are Royalty?”
“I guess it could mean they work together in some fashion, but I don’t believe that. I think it means exactly what it sounds like.”
“I also agree they’re the same.” Tanner continued, keeping his voice low, “He said they wear cloaks because of the sun burning their skin. Crabs are given tattoos at birth and not allowed to even work at jobs other than the most menial. Only freemen can hold most jobs. Freemen and slaves.”
“That explains the tattoos. What worries me is the Royals. If they are like us, but also rule and they want to expand their rule, Princeton is a perfect target. I’d hate for it to turn out like I hear Breslau did.”
“That’s what I was thinking. King Ember has no sons yet. An invasion could take the crown and join it together with theirs.”
Tanner said, “Especially if they use dragons to crush armies and palaces.”
Carrion paused in his eating as a new thought crossed his mind. He said, “The only thing standing in their way is not King Ember and his army. It’s the Dragon Clan.”
Tanner felt the blood rush from his face. He felt faint. Carrion had put his finger on it. To defeat Princeton, the Royals would have to defeat the Dragon Clan if they wished to be the only people who called down dragons. They now controlled their version of the Dragon Clan, and the crown at the same time.
Before Tanner could express his thinking, Carrion said with a shrug and smile, “Or I guess they could try and convince us to join with them in the fight against King Ember. Maybe include us in the Royal family on this side of the ocean. We’d be better allies than enemies, and the only thing that would change is that instead of us being perceived as outcasts we’d be Royals.”
The information Tanner was about to share stuck in his throat. He wanted to ask if Carrion was joking again, but knew the answer before he asked. If given that opportunity what would the other Dragon Clan families say? Would they join in a war with allies who had hunted them almost to extinction for hundreds of years? Or would the families choose to become Royals and help rule the kingdoms of Princeton—and beyond?
Carrion held his mug high for a refill. After the girl had brought them more ale, he said, “That one took you by surprise, I see.”
“They haven’t asked us to join them.”
“Not yet, but if you were across the ocean and already ruled there, what would you do?”
Tanner thought. “There are two ways to think about it. First, you can ask the Dragon Clan families to join them and offer some reward, or equal standing with the Royals. Or, second, you could decide to keep all the power in the hands of those Royals who already have it. I see advantages to each.”
Carrion paused and gave consideration to the choices before speaking. “Let me ask you something. No matter how much power and money someone has, is it ever enough? Does anyone ever willingly give it up?”
“No. Never.”
“So the idea of asking us to join with them is slim if it even exists. That leaves us either letting Ember stand alone and losing the war, or joining forces with him in some manner.”
Tanner said, “There is a third choice. And maybe a fourth.”
“Tell me, oh wise one.”
Despite the smirk, Tanner said, “We could just stay out of the way and after the war is over we could negotiate with the winner. The fourth thing is that we could attack first. Take the war to them.”
“You should have been born the son of a king. You have the temperament and a way of looking at problems from all possible angles, then choosing the best. You would make a good Royal.”
Before he could answer, a hand was placed on Tanner’s shoulder. He glanced up and found Bishop, the Captain of a cargo ship. His hair was wild, uncombed and tangled, his beard little better. Tiny red eyes peered from eyes half-closed, and he reeked of last evening’s ale consumption.
Bishop said, “I wanted to thank you for helping me to a room to sleep it off last night. Hopefully, I was not too talkative, and if I owe you for anything, I’ll gladly make it up this morning.”
Before he could respond Carrion was on his feet with his hand held ready to shake. “Captain, Tanner was just speaking of you. All good, I assure you. Please join us. We’re new here and anxious to learn. We are going into business with Captain Jamison.”
Bishop sat and motioned for a mug by tipping his fist towards his mouth. “A fine man on hard times, Captain Jamison.”
The statement made Tanner feel much better. After talking of little, another captain joined them. Then another. All had heard they owned The Rose. All expressed confidence in Captain Jamison. Most offered advice and then argued with the others as to what would be the best course of action. They joked and laughed like old friends, including Carrion and Tanner in the conversation.
Finally, Tanner said they needed to get back to the ship. Each captain took the time to welcome them. Offers of support and help delayed them even more. As they approached the pier, it had taken on a new life. Wagons were lined up to drop off supplies. Everything from at least ten sizes and kinds of rope to folded canvases so large, it took six men to lift. There were men climbing all over The Rose. A table under a tarp had been set up with Fisher and the Captain on one side and a ragged line of men on the other.
Devlin waved from halfway up a mast. Others were with him, cutting away the old ropes and rigging to clear the way for the new. Piles of what was to be discarded lay on the pier. Fisher and the Captain were hiring a crew.
Most of the crew of the Far Seeker and Captain Brice watched from the rails of the other ship. Now and then one of them called out an insult and the others laughed, but none had the sense of humor. Tanner looked away deciding to ignore them. Soon The Rose would sail away, and the animosity would be left behind. At least one side of it would.
He addressed Captain Jamison. “How many more crewmen will you hire?”
“Are we getting short on funds?”
“Not at all, but I did want to talk to you.”
Carrion watched the activity, hands on hips and a smirk on his face. He said nothing, allowing Tanner to actually be in charge for a change.
Captain Jamison said, “I’ll keep twelve, I think. But I’m hiring twenty, initially. They all tell a good story, but you never know until you get a full day’s work from them. Plus, there are the bad apples. Those who complain or upset the others on the crew with their bad attitudes or churlishness. In a few days, there will be several leaving with wages for a day or three.”