“Are you trying to save the folk of the isles because they deserve to be saved or because you can’t be king of a sea of corpses?” Keelin said.
“What does it matter? As long as they get saved.”
Stillwater stood slowly, holding Drake’s gaze all the while. “I’m no coward, Morrass. I just know a fight I can’t win, whether I helped to start it or not. We’re pirates, not soldiers. We can’t beat Sarth.”
“Aye, we’re pirates and sailors. Maybe we couldn’t beat them on the land, but we sure as Rin’s wrath can beat them here on the sea. The Pirate Isles has the largest navy in the known world, Stillwater; they just don’t know that’s what they are yet. We pull all the captains together into one force, ally them under me, and crush the bastards looking to murder us all.”
“Then what?” Stillwater said, still staring right at Drake. “You said yourself, they’re killing us because there’s too many of us. So we unite under your flag and beat them back and keep pirating, and how long till they stop sailing ships through our waters?”
Drake picked up the bottle of rum and refilled his glass. “Why did you turn pirate, Stillwater? Fancy bastard like you weren’t born in the isles. Reckon you were Acanthian, maybe? Merchant’s son or some such? Fell in love with the romance of piracy and joined up on a crew?”
“Tanner Black’s crew,” Stillwater said through clenched teeth.
“Aye, bet the romance wore pretty thin pretty quick under that bastard, though fucking that daughter of his probably helped. But you kept on with it, stole yourself your own ship and set yourself up as captain. So why are you still a pirate? Romance has worn off, so… what? You enjoy chasing folk down and killing them for what’s theirs?”
“No! I ain’t Tanner Black.”
“No. I reckon you enjoy the freedom. Sailing the waters to your own schedule and course. Not relying on anyone not on your ship. Every captain is a king of their own vessel, eh? Freedom.”
“What’s your point, Drake?”
“We beat back Sarth and the Five Kingdoms and any other fucker wants to have a go at us, and then we change the way we pirate them all.”
“Huh?”
“Taxes, Stillwater. We let folk travel our waters unmolested, but in return they pay us for the privilege of that protection. Anyone doesn’t pay gets robbed blind. Works out best for us all. Unless you’re in it for the killing?”
“Tanner is. He’ll never agree to it.”
“Tanner will be dealt with in time. Right now, Stillwater, I want to know if you’re in.”
Stillwater opened his mouth, then slowly shut it again.
“Still get to be free, Captain,” Drake continued. “Still get to sail where you will, just without the danger of the fight to take the ships. Still answer to yourself.”
“And to you. To your rule.”
Drake snorted out a laugh. “My rule ain’t shit. King in name only, for the most at least. Truth of it is, pirates rule themselves. Remember, every captain is king of his own ship.”
A loud banging on the door interrupted Stillwater even as he opened his mouth to retort. Before Drake could speak, the door burst open and one of his men, an old pirate by the name of Link, pointed towards the window.
“Ship ahoy, aft of us, Cap’n. She’s a big bitch.”
Drake walked behind his desk and looked out the window there. He could see a speck on the horizon, little more than a dot at that distance. He pulled his monoscope out of his belt and extended it to its full length before looking again. It was a ship, alright, and a large one. He couldn’t see the colours from this far out, but he didn’t need to.
Turning back to the room, Drake found all eyes turned his way. “It’s Sarth,” he said heavily.
“Back to The Phoenix, Morley.” Stillwater turned and walked for the doorway.
“Princess,” Drake said. “Get us ready to sail, all the speed we can muster. Anyone not on duty, wake them the fuck up.”
“I think I’ll stay close,” Beck said quietly to Drake as he made to round the desk and go after Stillwater.
“You do whatever you want, Arbiter, as long as you don’t get in my way.”
Out on the deck of the Fortune, everything was activity. Pirates were crawling over the rigging like fleas on a mangy dog’s back, and the refugees who hadn’t gone below were busy trying not to hamper their efforts. Drake caught up with Stillwater just before the man followed his crew members into the boat waiting below.
“You still haven’t answered me, Captain,” Drake said, grabbing hold of Stillwater’s arm. The other captain turned and gave Drake a warning look, but it would take more than a stern glare to scare Drake Morrass.
“I reckon it can wait, Drake.”
“I don’t,” Drake said, not letting go of the man’s arm. “I’m not running.”
“What?”
“I’m turning the Fortune around and making sure those bastards don’t go burning any more of our towns or our people.”
“Any more of your subjects?” Stillwater scoffed.
“Aye. Can’t be a king without them. I’m gonna turn and fight. I need your help, Stillwater. I can’t do this alone. That Man of War will have twice the Fortune’s crew. Can I count on you?”
Stillwater held Drake’s gaze another moment before his face softened just a touch and he nodded. With that, Drake let go of the captain’s arm and let him descend into his longboat.
“You really think you can take that ship?” Beck said as Drake moved to the stern to watch it approach. He felt her compulsion seek out his will, but as always he slipped away from her.
“You scared, Arbiter?”
“Yes. You’d have to be mad not to be.”
“Aye.” Drake lowered his voice so that only she would hear. “Me too.”
Chapter 13 - The Phoenix
It wasn’t a long crossing from the Fortune to The Phoenix, but it was one of the most tense trips Keelin had ever experienced. Morley and Kebble kept silent despite their knowledge of the situation, and Keelin used his monoscope to watch the approaching Man of War. As the giant ship drew near, Keelin found himself more and more certain that Drake’s plan was madness.
The crew of the Fortune scurried about, making the ship ready to sail, and as the dinghy bumped against The Phoenix, Drake’s ship began to move. A few moments later she started to turn. Meanwhile, Keelin’s crew stood at the railing, watching and wondering what was happening.
“He’s a bold man, that Drake,” Kebble Salt said just as Keelin grabbed hold of the rope ladder lowered to him.
“A captan many would follow,” Morley agreed.
“I hear many follow Tanner Black also,” Kebble said.
Keelin shot the man a dark glare. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew the old bastard.” Keelin scaled the rope ladder up to the deck of his ship. He took a deep breath as the others followed him up and his crew gathered around.
“You’ve all no doubt heard there’s a ship behind us…”
“It’s the Man of War,” Smithe said with challenge in his tone. “Has to be, a ship that big.”
“It is. Morrass means to attack them. Pay them back for what they did at Sev’relain.”
Everyone started shouting at once. Some voices yelled their support of the plan, others decreed it suicide. Keelin noticed a few faces he didn’t recognise in the crowd, those belonging to the refugees they’d saved from Sev’relain. The idea that they’d rescued them from one massacre only to throw them into another occurred to Keelin, and he remembered the woman he’d ordered placed in his cabin.