A Pirate's Life for Me

[Remedy]

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Money. It’s often shiney, sometimes papery, but always valuable. I love money, I love what it does, and what it can do. So, when I received a note about a potential money making venture it would be fair to say that I was somewhat interested. The note was somewhat bereft of information, but given the person it was from, anything was a blessing.

Remedy Blue,
There is a pirate ship located off Scara Brae at an island north west of the northern port. I had reason to cause a hole in the side of the ship, it will be beached to buy the crew time for repairs.

The ship has looted at least three other ships and is still carrying their cargo.

The captain is Morgan Teach. You’ll need help.

~Talen

Talen and I had met a few months earlier, where the little scamp had saved my life. I liked to think of myself as a complex person, with layers and stuff. Talen though had this annoying way of dangling something in front of my head that I couldn’t resist. I knew that he wanted to use me to exact revenge on whatever had pissed him off, but how could I turn down all that potential loot?

Scara Brae docks were something magnificent to behold. The island’s location made it the trading centre of the ocean, the last top before jumping to the bigger continents that wrapped around the inner ocean. By necessity the docks had grown as well, and it was now one of the largest in Althanas. What’s more, it carried far more variety than any dock I’d ever seen. Akshima ships often came up from the south with fish and their finer trades of tea and silk. Metal and wood came from Corone, often competing with Aleraran ships carrying high quality metals and alchemical reagents. I didn’t have a home, but I felt like I did when standing on this dock.

I made my way quickly through the bustling crowd of sailors and merchants. The day was early and the sun had not yet peaked over the horizon. The scenery was draped in blue that was slowly warming to the yellow of day. The local fishing ships were pushing out for their daily catch and the larger trading ships were making preparations to follow. I had to drag myself several times past opportunities to make a quick buck as merchants sold wares underprice as they realised they had overstocked their ships. Finally, gut wrenchingly past missed opportunities, I reached my destination.

The Red Pig was not much in name, but beautiful to behold. It had been a warship at some point, and carried several cannons on the sides. After leaving the Corone Navy it had been painted red, with the customary woman at the front replaced with a large squealing hog. The sailors were not what you’d called reputable, but honest enough. They were at that moment hauling cargo that had arrived earlier in the morning. I waited for a pair of sailors to carry up a barrel before following up the boarding plank.

“REMEDY!” The voice was gruff, but welcoming. Soon Captain Every Kidd was squashing me in a bear hug and I could do little bit to grunt back a welcome.

Every looked every bit (hehe) the part of a sailor. He had a long black beard platted into a series of knots. From within the dark whiskers you could catch a glimpse of an every present smile, and his eyes were as dark and blue as the sea he lived on. He was quite an imposing man as well, and he towered over my short butt.

As soon as I was released I did a quick check on my leather cloths. Every had known me for a long time, and his face filled with concern that he might have broken one of the complicated pipes that ran along the inside of my cloths. I flashed him a toothy smile to ease his mind.

“How long till we are ready?” I asked.

“Twenty minutes I’d say Lass. Now lets be clear, this isn’t no uptown voyage. Morgan Teach is a bit of work. She’ll play the damsel in distress when it suits her, and gut ya for a fist full of coins. So you best be watching your back.”

I nodded, Every had treated me light a niece since I met him. His care was appreciated, but somewhat frustrating as well.

“I’ll be get’n back to work. You and your can hole up in in my quarters. I don’t expect you’ll be needing to bunk.”

I nodded as the Captain went back to barking orders and directing his men. Last night when I received the letter from Talen I had put the word out that I was looking for three or four people to join my venture. I’d had only two responses, but with Every’s crew, I reckoned that would be enough. I made my into the Captain's quarters; a large room, square on one side with the back curving with the ship and a large window looking out into the dock. The room was spotted with trophies of a life of sea, and a large globe of the known world sat near the Captain’s chair. I slumped down in one of the other chairs and dropped small knapsack I had been carrying next to it.

I could feel my stomach fluttering slightly, I didn’t normally make money through action and Every’s warning was more ominous now I was alone.

[Andy Rorton]

In the corner of the Captain’s cabin, a hammock was strewn from a small chest with the other end tied to the lock on a window sill. Andy Rorton was sprawled out upon the mesh makeshift bed and one of his arms swayed back and forth as the docked ship rocked on the small waves of the port. His cowboy hat was intentionally placed on top of his face to both avoid the stares of his temporary crew mates as well as to mask the legend killer’s deep snoring habits.

When the door closed behind Remedy, it jarred the gunslinger awake. His body fell to the wooden floor below while one of his arms got tangled in the hammock. As his body collided with the ground, he made a loud thud that brought the girl’s attention squarely on him. He looked towards the door and by proxy, Remedy, and quickly stood up. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free arm while his other arm fought its mesh prison.

As he freed his arm, he nodded to his new companion. He was told by Captain Every that Rorton would have company on his travels to square off with Captain Teach, though the cobra did not expect a teenage girl as his partner for the expedition. His face contorted to something of a scowl as he sighed.

“Is this what I can expect of the Six,” he asked to nobody in particular, “To be the babysitter and punching bag to a group of kids?” Rorton reached around for his hat while he kept his eyes upon the girl. Once he found his headpiece, he placed it back where such things belong which caused his bangs to fall in front of his face. “Well, might as well get to it then.”

He approached the girl and gave half a bow. “I assume your Talen’s contact? It’s a pleasure to meet you. The names Andy, Andy Rorton. I work for the Red Six, and by association, Talen Shadowalker himself. He told me of an opportunity that presented itself on the ship we’re going after.” His eyes shifted around as if he was worried about someone eavesdropping upon them, his hand nervously upon the handle of his whip.

“You’re welcome to whatever treasure you want, but I want Teach,” he explained, “Let’s just say there’s some history I need to settle with her. Deal?”

[Leaf]

Quietly he trudged his way up the gangplank to the ship itself, careful to avoid the water. Water was not his friend, indeed, it was never the friend of any faun. Fauns were of earth and not of any other element; that Leaf knew well as a truffle hunter of the finest degree. His knowledge of the fungi world was so vast he could now tell by smell if certain foods were poisoned by those ungamely mushrooms.

Uneasily stepping over onto the ship itself, he gave his hooves a satisfying couple of skip-steps, liking the sound. Of course, through it he recieved a few ungainly looks, which were not helped by the fact he was soon joined by a black-splotched piglet.

Popsy came to be beside him, bold and strong. Her held tilted to one side she gave an obvious snort before slumping her rear end down. Glancing down at her, Leaf smiled, then gave a grunting note of, "come on," in faunish. In no less than two shakes of a lamb's tail two more piglets ran their way up the gangplank and joined him and the sow, squealing for all it was worth.

Mine, mine, mine! Thor, the largest black boar and extremely deadly with his jaws, was roaring. Clear anger was visible in his dark eyes.

Cookie was grinning, and came to dance around Leaf's feet so his younger, but stronger, brother had to chase him in circles. In his mouth he had a large piece of chicken and had a noise like laughter spilling from his snout.

The two raced for some moments. More eyes raised to stare at the faun and his strange company, some not friendly. They were seasoned sailors, kind hearts and gentle souls, but not many had the patience for irrtating piglets. Leaf only gave a shy smile, shrugging to them an apology before bending down and catching Cookie in his run. Standing up with the pig in his arms he allowed Thor to confusedly race around a couple more times before he figured out the ploy. Stepping past Popsy, all quiet and pretty, he moved over to where the Captain's cabin likely was and knocked twice on the door, before entering.

Popping his head around the entrance he let in a cocophany of sound, of oinking and his own timid voice. He saw a cowboy and a young lady, and he smiled to them.

"Hello, I was told to be here by umm ... an Every Kidd?"