Seas of Gold

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Kleon gave a short smile. "It will be done before you ever take a step out of this room, sweet captain." Kleon turned and nodded to his cousin, who in turn thumped his axe three times on the wooden floor. A young Isene boy came in, he was shirtless and tattooed with the Eye of Horus, Kleon's family symbol. "This is my serving boy, my youngest brother Ra. I told him not to come with me, but the hard-headed brat snuck his way into the hold. As punishment, he's to serve me until we get back home." He ruffled the boy's hair, and Ra stuck his tongue out.

He gave the note to Ra and sent him off. He sighed as his brother left. "The legacy of Horus: a dim brute, an unwanted murderer, and a serving boy." He turned back to his crew. "I'll need you all to be on your working behavior now. Aou-bi, I'll need you to play nice with Akumu. I don't want this ship set ablaze while I sleep. Kazimir, I want you to tell me about Breaker Bay and Black Cove. Adventurers like you surely know some secrets about that place, right? Ahksha, when we get to Breaker Cove, I want you to come with me and Ramses. Stay in the shadows. It's best to have two guards, my mother once said, one who everyone sees, and one everyone never sees." He turned to Olivia. "Captain, I believe it's time to set sail."
 
Olivia nodded in respect before walking out of his cabin and up to the bridge behind the wooden steering wheel that controlled the rutter and masts. She waited a few seconds before taking a deep breathe and shouting "ALRIGHT WE'RE HEADING OUT, BRING DOWN THE SAILS TO HALF MAST, HOIST THE ANCHOR, LOAD THE CANNONS, AND IF YOU DECKHANDS AREN'T DONE BY THE TIME I START TURNING THIS WHEEL THAN I SWEAR TO THE DEITIES ABOVE THAT I'M THROWING YOU OFF THIS BOAT AND RUNNING YOU OVER WITH IT!" She finished before taking another deep breathe to calm herself, she had learned early on when being a captain that most, if not all, crew wouldn't work unless you gave them some motivation, though almost every captain made empty threats, and the crew knew this, there were a few that carried these out, and to the deities these poor souls pray to that they don't piss Olivia off more than they have to, as the last time she had carried out one of her many threats and it didn't end so well for the one she did it to...
 
Fifty cannons, now that was impressive. She didn't even want to think about how much money that would cost, and she definitely didn't want to mess with someone who'd be up to their eyebrows in money.
"Yes sir." She replied, her eyes glancing over Akumu for the briefest of moments. Aou-bi didn't think she'd have many problems, though from simple observations it wouldn't be long before one of them snapped at the other. Of course, she wouldn't set the ship on fire, even if she had the ability to do so.
 
Akumu looked at Aou-bi but didn't say anything. She wasn't that social, but she knew she had to at least not get on the girls bad side. And she knew the girl would do the same. Akumu turned away, nodding. She decided to go below deck and pick our where she would sleep. She wasn't planning on resting, she just wanted to put her spell book away for now. Akumu ran a hand through her short hair and walked out the small room. She decided she would try introducing herself formally to the other girl later, when she felt slightly more social. Well, as social as she can get.
 
Kazimir stayed towards the back of the dimly lit room, his arms crossed. He wasn't much of a sailor, his exploits had always been over land, so this was something a bit new to him. Sure, there was ice dodging at home, but he had never had much of a skill for it. He didn't particularly need it, he'd earned his status by other means. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall behind him, closing his eyes and started to doze.
Before he knew it he heard his name said, and Kazimir jumped. He straightened up quickly and pushed his hair back, trying to look like he hadn't just fallen asleep. "Oh. Uh. Sure." With a half-smile he stepped forward until he was across from him and looked down at the map, studying it. "Well, Breaking Bay is a small port town. Not really much of interest, some merchants go through but mostly its just poor sailors. Lots of squatters and beggars and pickpockets. You'll want to watch your jewelry there." Kazimir looked up at him and smirked. "Black Cove is a little more infamous. Its lawless and unregulated. It was once a vacation home for a rich family and their servants, but it was taken by pirates and has since become a sort of capital. Its good for information but you won't find much else."
 
Kleon nodded. "Thank you, Kazimir, that's all for now." He felt the deck begin to sway as the anchor was hoisted up. "Best get on deck. The greatest part of sailing is the beginning."

He got up from his throne of cushions and exited the room. He took a whiff of the sea air and watched his port slowly shrink away. Olivia was barking orders and threats at the crew to get all the sails hoisted. Kleon remembered the first time his sisters took him as a serving boy on their ships. The twins couldn't decide who he should serve, so they took turns each day. The twins had their own twin ships, each as indistinguishable as the twins they were made for. The crew sometimes got confused and boarded the wrong ship, just as sometimes his sisters' lovers got confused and tried to kiss the wrong twin. Only the twins and Kleon could tell the difference.

That was years ago. Kleon had his own ship now. His sisters were off far, far away to the east on some business they wouldn't share with him. Kleon wanted to carve out a larger name for himself before they came back, as a sign of love. He would make the Horus family as great as it was when the first Horus came from the black desert to the islands of Isis. As the port fully disappeared from view, Kleon leaned over the rail to watch the water splash against Champion's hull. In a few days they would arrive at Breaking Bay and hire their own corsairs. Then their adventure would truly start.
 
Delacroix
Port of House Arnholdt
Dusk

She felt the dull thud as the anchor line pulled taut, and tugged the ship, listing it to port-side... The waves bobbed the ship up and down slowly as they anchored just out of the ports range, and sight. The waters were uneasy, and the waves whitewashed with foam further on into the bay. The sickly thin arms enclosing the port, protecting it from storm waves and pirates, seemed to reach out towards her ship, like tall jaws closing in on their prey.

Delacroix smiled as her boat was lowered and she climbed in with six of her men. She carried herself with a professional aura of authority as she descended down the side of her ship, one foot on the edge of the life boat whose duty it was to shuttle her to the port, through the inhospitable waves.

She cast the lines off the lifeboat and sat, impatient, as her crew watched her depart the ship... She knew mischief was at hand already as she saw heads appear and disappear from the railing of her ship. The female slaves would not have a pleasant night tonight...

"Faster... If I reach shore fore' the rain, you'll all have warm beds and drink tonight."

She smiled as she lurched forwards with the longboat as her men redoubled their efforts... She didn't tell them she intended to let them sleep in her room either way, but some things were best kept secret. And besides, a happy Captain was the best Captain...

She eyed the golden lights of civilization and watched them draw closer, and closer until they seemed she could reach out and touch them...

The boat knocked against the side of a long pier, next to which was docked a small merchant ship. Six cannons, three on each side, and one mast, a third the size of hers. She imagined they transported spice or textiles and had stopped here to rest.

She didn't have to tell her crew what to do. It was the only sizeable ship in the bay besides hers, and she couldn't imagine they would stay aboard such a ship with warm beds, rum, and women within a rocks throw. She didn't smile, nor did she even look back as she left her crew to their work... Instead she strode towards the nearest inn, making her way through the unfamiliar maze of shallow docks, until she found herself right where she needed to be...

*Bang!* the sound echoed through the air overwhelming the clamor of odd noise that emanated from the less than reputable establishment before her... It was only a few moments after the gunshot that a form could be seen thrown out an open doorframe to sprawl in the mud outside...

"No guns!" a rough sounding womans voice called out... Laughter boiled up at her statement, and the merrymaking inside resumed.

Delacroix passed the drunken sailor lying on the ground, smiling down at his pitiful form as she walked by without without a care.

The light assaulted her eyes, instantly giving her a headache before she had even had one drink. She covered her eyes only to be bumped into by a wobbling old man in what appeared to be females clothes. He laughed with a hacking cough as he choked on his own ale and fell back into his own chair, giving up on his legs.

Delacroix ignored him and waded into the crowd of horny, drunken, men, making her way to a table in the far back of the... Establishment... And she didn't have to wait long before she was approached by a waiter.

"What'll you be 'avin today?" the older woman asked, politely but brusquely... She was in a hurry and she didn't mind showing it...

"I need... Seven beds for one night... Seven meals served to those seven heads in those seven beds... " she smiled as she finished.

"Who're we servin'... The seven dwarves? And what'll that make you... Snow White?" the older lady laughed once at her own joke, before putting down her tray of drinks. "You'll have your room, and your food... But I smell trouble, and if anythin' comes of it, I'll be leadin the constabulary right to ye'... "

Delacroix smiled and leaned back as business seemed to be concluded.

"Aye... That ye will... "
 
Delacroix
Port of House Arnholdt
Midnight

She lay in her bed... She could hardly get any sleep, despite her exhaustion. Six men and four other women snored, giggled, tossed, and turned, making closing her eyes a daunting a task as any. She turned her head and looked back at a younger sailor she'd taken a liking to. He was currently impregnating a local raven haired girl. She was lovely... But she was as plain as anything, and thin. Delacroix sighed... It was tough being the Captain. You couldn't just up and fuck whoever you wanted lest your reputation slip... Next thing you know, you're in chains along with the rest of the slaves... On your back.

She smiled before attempting to close her eyes once more. It was dark, but her eyes were adapted to the dark by now. Lights flickered outside... Flames from the night long party that seemed to rage in the bar below.

-Morning-

She woke with one of the women from last night splayed across her torso, naked of course... She looked down at the whore incredulously before shoving her off, unceremoniously, to the floor. The woman woke slower than she looked... The dumb blonde looked around, trying to decipher what had happened as her partners from last night began laughing as they packed their things and got dressed once more...

Delacroix glared at the woman once more before rolling out of bed, nearly fully dressed herself... She avoided looking at her men. Most were completely naked... It was nothing she hadn't seen before, but if they caught her looking, she'd not hear the end of it for months...

She slipped on her boots and buckled on her pistol belt, and her rapier frogg before roughly slamming the door to their room open, heedless of the other naked figures privacy.

She walked by the older woman from the night before and tossed a small leather pouch of gold onto her beverage tray. It was far more than she deserved for the room and food for the night, but it was also mostly her own money anyways thanks to a little slight of hand, and trickery...

Not long after Delacroix left, she heard her sailors following close behind. She stole a glance backwards only to find a party of seven instead of six... The younger sailor was trying to bring the young raven woman with him...

"And what is this... ??" she asked, stopping and turning, blocking the path to the docks until her question was answered...

"Uhh... This is Mira-"

"I don't give a shit what her name is... What are you doing with her... " Delacroix glared at the young sailor as his older mates crossed their arms and smiled knowingly, as if to say " I told you so... "

"Uhh, I was... " one of the older sailors interrupted, finishing for him... "... Fuckin' her... "

The group of men laughed and exchanged slaps on the back before straightening up at Delacroix stern glare.

"You know the policy about fraternization on board... " She glared and stepped into the young mans face, yanking his shirt to pull him nose to nose with her.

"If you wanna fuck someone, you just come knock on my door... " she said, releasing him with a flick of her hand before turning around and waltzing onto the wood of the pier as "oohs" and "aahs" followed... She half turned her head, smiling... "Or you can go say hello to Big Al... I'm sure he wouldn't mind the company... "

Laughter broke out from behind as she climbed into the lifeboat. She watched as the young "couple" parted ways, and noticed his sad expression as he too climbed aboard the little longboat. She almost felt sad for the little bugger...

Almost...

"Jack... What of the merchant vessel... " she asked, stealing her attention away from the broken heart of her loyal sailor.

"Cap'n... Held naught but food stores, salt, rum, and powder charges... " he explained, looking distraught...

Delacroix frowned, understandingly disappointed, as her crew moaned and groaned a little... "And?" she asked...

He grinned beneath his shaggy black beard...

"We took it all... "
 
Delacroix
Port of House Arnholdt
Midnight

Hours after the morn of their departure from the seedy port, Delacroix heard the commotion from across the gently roaring waves... Men yelling, bells ringing, and shots firing. The captain of the merchant vessel had discovered his loss. Albeit too late, it seemed...

"What's the plan now, capn'?" she heard one of the newer members ask...

She didn't have to reply... Her more experienced crew knew what happened when a merchant vessel lost all it's promise of profit... Its sailors left, and waited for the next contract, taking what they could from their previous employer as payment, and leaving him penniless or dead on his own ship for his carelessness, depending on the crews mood...

By the sound of it though, he would have been shot and strung up in his own rigging to dry.

"We should go pick up the stragglers now... " one of her older sailors suggested...

"No... " she whispered. "No, they'll be looking for anything suspicious today. By the evening, alcohol will have washed away all thought of pirates, and they'll be far more easily swayed to join us... "

she almost smiled at her own cleverness, but she retained a straight face, determined to maintain her composure in front of her crew. She had to keep up her reputation as the hardest woman to sail the seas... If she couldn't do that, then all this trouble avoiding being a whore on the streets was for nothing... "What would be better" she thought... "Being a whore on the streets, or a whore on a ship?"

She decided not to answer that question, because she knew the answer... And it wasn't "on a ship"...

"Aye cap'n... " resonated from behind her, as if agreeing with her silent question.
 
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