Demi Heroes

by Andrew Lynch

  The inevitable question of how much they were interfering with Moxar’s quest was bandied around. Markun seemed to be more than just your average henchman, so was removing him from the narrative ruining Moxar’s story? Oh well, it couldn’t be helped - Markun had been rather intent on killing them.

  The most worrying thought was that Markun had manufactured everything specifically to harm Moxar’s reputation. Did that mean someone, somewhere, knew that Moxar was being helped and managed by the Company? They could only speculate among themselves in quiet corners away from the sailors' ears, and when Jess was included in the conversation she was quick to remind them how pointless speculation was.

  They were only making a short hop from one small dock to another, skirting the edges of a mountain range. It would take a normal man fifteen days to make the journey to the next assignment point, so Moxar would probably make it in eleven. From what Lucian remembered from the map, it would take them three days from the town they would dock at to get to the assignment spot on horseback. The captain informed him it would take five days of sailing, so Lucian hoped to be back on track, ahead of Moxar at last. There were a few side issues to be dealt with, like having no money to buy horses or weapons or food, but Lucian put that to the back of his mind.

  Jess was keeping herself amused by steering the ship when the captain would allow her. Darrius had taken a liking to climbing around the rigging, much to the consternation of anyone that was supposed to be up there, but eventually he settled on the crow’s nest being his position of choice.

  Gar spent most of his time on his knees, head over the side of the railings, trying not to throw up. Between bouts of extreme sickness, he would explain that the mountain deserts of Karakgar were landlocked. Lucian tried to ask about the fabled mountain oases but Gar stopped the conversation by adding a bit more to the sea. Sailors stopped by to point at passing wildlife and that Gar should be careful, because if he fell, the sea creatures would eat him - or slowly absorb his essence.

  Lucian had managed to enjoy himself despite the occasional dizzy spells he still felt, and was learning as much as he could about sailing. It was his first time on a ship, and he was determined to make the most of it. Besides, Lord Orson’s spies might still be looking. Certainly Lucian caught some of these rough looking sailors watching him every time he turned around.

  Learning boating was heroic, right?

  The captain had assured him that it would be a quiet voyage, and that ship life would be quite boring.

  ‘But... this is a pirate vessel.’ Lucian pointed at the large black flag. He still hadn’t gotten used to sea spray filling his mouth with salt, and spat over the railing.

  ‘Arr, ye not be wrong, lad. Doesn’t mean every day can be nought but booze and booty.’

  ‘You’re just allowed to pull into ports flying this flag?’

  ‘Ye don’t know much about naval policy, do ye? Don’t suppose a stiff-leg like you needs to know much of the intricacies.’ Lucian and the captain were strolling around the deck, in theory to make sure everything was ship shape, but really to keep the blood circulating as there wasn’t much to do most of the time. ‘As long as ye make no aggressive moves at dock, ye can do pretty much anything ye want. No one owns the sea but Goddess Ocean herself.’

  ‘The Empire still runs patrols and tries to police it though, surely?’

  ‘They do, aye, but the key word there is “try”. Great for loot though,’ the Captain said with a toothy smile - citrus being something sailors were force fed at meal times. In fact, the whole group were issued a lemon every morning, and ordered to finish it before bed.

  A sailor called for the captain, and Lucian decided to do another round on the deck. The ship was a medium sized frigate, not particularly impressive by any measure. It seemed well maintained on the inside, but a bit ramshackle on the outside. Lucian assumed the appearance was to dissuade any rivals from attacking. Even the masthead was a weathered nub, unrecognisable as to what it may once have been.

  The only thing of note to outsiders would be the name of the ship, “Torpid Rebel”, in big bold letters along the starboard bow. Or the port bow. Or the hull. Lucian didn’t know anything about ships. Or boats. Either way, the name seemed rather fitting given the Captain’s laid back view on piracy. They'd passed a few ships, and he hadn’t even deigned to look at them. Some of the crew said this was normal and that they allowed his instincts to guide them.

  Lucian discovered later that the captain ordered the name to be painted fresh every time they docked. The captain knew that Goddess Ocean was fickle even at the best of times, but he’d served on too many ships that had sunk, and the one thing he’d remembered about them all was their worn out name.

  The night of the second day fell short of Lucian’s expectations. He had heard tales of the jaunty singing and plentiful drinking that happened on pirate ships, but the captain dispelled that illusion, insisting that brightly lit shenanigans tended to end in an ambush and being sunk. Lucian decided that catching up on his rest would be a better idea anyway.

  The third day began with Gar and Darrius teaching, and being taught, new strategies for dicey cardy, while Khleb looked on sullenly, fingers twitching at the idea of playing - and cheating.

  The crew had taken to using the wolf as a timekeeper. She woke up? Time for bed. She was leaning over the side salivating at passing schools of fish? Time to eat. As the wolf signalled the change of shifts by howling for no apparent reason, Lucian found himself by the Captain’s side after finishing mopping the decks.

  ‘Ye don’t need to mop the decks so often, ya know lad?’

  ‘Keeps me...’ Lucian’s face scrunched up for a second as he bit off a small chunk of lemon. ‘Occupied. I don’t have any books to read, so like Admiral Mayhart, I’m mopping the decks to stay fit.’

  ‘Admiral Mayhart? Aye, I’ve heard of him. Men mutinied when he volunteered them for a suicide mission.’

  ‘That... is correct, actually, yes. But he was fit as a fiddle when they did.’

  ‘The men that stole his ship started the most successful pirate outfit in the Empire, you know?’

  ‘I was not aware, Captain... you know, I don’t actually know what your name is?’ Lucian decided he should finally ask.

  ‘And I don’t know what your pet’s name is.’ The Captain motioned towards the wolf who was staring intently over the side of the boat.

  ‘I think “pet” is a bit of a push. We saved her. From ourselves, in fact. She’s only just recovered enough to move about properly, and I think we've been overfeeding her as she’s getting larger. Still, I think she likes us.’ Lucian appraised the wolf, and she was certainly looking bigger than when they first caught her.

  ‘Any animal that follows you willingly onto a ship has decided to stick with ye for a while. Ye should name her.’

  ‘I think we'll have to,’ Lucian admitted, but he knew it would be a group discussion. No doubt Darrius would have strong views. ‘Presumably you already have a name, Captain, or do I need to name you too?’

  ‘Har har. Aye, I’ve a name.’ The Captain looked out to sea, lost in thought for a moment. Then he checked the crow’s nest, manned by one of his own sailors since Darrius had become more interested in dicey cardy for now. He called up to it. ‘Nest, what ship is that?’

  Lucian squinted out to sea, but couldn’t see a ship against the horizon. He looked to the crow’s nest, and after a few seconds a tiny head popped over the side and shouted, ‘Good spot, Cap'n! It’s flying an Empire flag!’

  The Captain muttered a quick “Arr” of triumph under his breath, and began shouting orders to change the Torpid Rebel’s course.

  ‘Captain, are we about to attack a ship of the Empire?’ Lucian asked, caution in his voice.

  ‘That we arrr. It will be a few hours. Naval combat doesn’t march to the same beat as infantry combat, stiff-leg.’

  ‘We can’t do that, Captain.’ Lucian kept his voice calm. This wasn’t a morally grey area,
where things could be cleaned up later as they’d done with the messengers. This had nothing to do with the job, and if he or his team took part in sinking an Empire ship - which in no way impeded Moxar - he was sure they'd be hanged for treason. Or mutiny. He wasn’t sure of the seafaring term.

  ‘I’m sure ye can. Ye took passage on a pirate ship after all. If ye can’t, then stay in ya cabin.’ The Captain turned and continued giving orders as sailors scrambled to follow them.

  Lucian made a decision and reached for his hatchet.

  It wasn’t there. He’d left it with most of his possessions in his cabin. This just reminded him that they still needed to resupply when they docked.

  He looked around and considered grabbing a cutlass from a passing sailor, but quickly realised how poor that course of action would be. He’d give negotiation another chance - being outnumbered forty to five were odds he wouldn’t bet on. He wasn’t Khleb in a game of dicey cardy!

  ‘Captain!’ he barked. Apparently no one used that tone of voice with the Captain, as it got his attention along with every other sailor on deck. Lucian gulped, but if this was going to end badly, it didn’t matter how much he pushed. Dead was dead. ‘I can’t let you attack a ship of the Empire. You may be pirates, but me and my men are honest folk.’

  The Captain looked back to the Imperial ship and seemed to weigh his options. He shrugged and stepped towards Lucian. The sailors decided this meant it was fair game and they all gathered round to watch. To Lucian’s relief, his team were in the crowd as well, ready to back him up. At least he hoped that’s why they were there.

  ' “Honest folk”? Do honest folk always have the town guard chasing them in the middle of the night? It may have been a while since I was a stiff-leg, but I don’t believe laws have changed that much.’

  ‘Just because guards were chasing us doesn’t mean we were in the wrong!’

  ‘Oh? And why were they chasing you then?’

  ‘Because we killed the town magistrate.’ Lucian answered in the heat of the moment. The clues that he had said the wrong thing came from Jess’s exaggerated eye roll. And from the sailors laughing.

  ‘Very honest folk, sure,’ the Captain taunted, hamming it up for the crowd. ‘Then give me a reason not to raid a ship that will give me and my crew enough supplies for a month.’

  Lucian considered telling him of their true reason. Reveal the Company, and their role in Moxar’s legend. But he knew better. Still, perhaps Moxar’s name would carry some weight. ‘I hadn’t wanted to mention it, Captain, but we are followers of Moxar Lightshield.’

  The jeering died down at the name, replaced by hushed whispers.

  ‘Why should I care?’ The Captain squinted at Lucian in suspicion.

  ‘We parted ways with him and have lost his trail. We simply want to help a mighty warrior. Help a man forge his own path. Make a name for himself. You can appreciate that, I’m sure.’

  ‘Arr, any pirate can, tis true. But still, lad. A month’s supply from one raid. Forging your own way isn’t the same as quantifiable goods.’ The Captain considered it for a moment in the silence of the crowd. ‘But let it never be said I’m an unreasonable man... I challenge you!’

  The sailors roared their excitement at the game.

  ‘I have no weapon, so I clearly stand no chance,’ Lucian said, once the noise had died down.

  ‘I didn’t say a fight. I’m a pirate, not some barbarian. To a game!’ The crowd shouted a round of enthusiastic “Arr”.

  ‘It doesn’t seem like I have much choice. Saving that ship is the right thing to do, so I will play your game. What are the terms?’

  ‘If ye win, we continue on to the next port, and ya team disembark with no problems. Great seas! I'll even throw in a few supplies and a cutlass or two for your troubles. Fair?’

  ‘And if I lose?’

  ‘You’re not planning on losing, so it shouldn’t matter. But I suppose, if you lose, then I'll still let you all disembark. Right here!’ Another round of cheering at the game of life or death. ‘Ye'll walk the plank!’

  ‘That seems very one sided, but I have no choice,’ Lucian said begrudgingly. ‘I’m not as skilled at dicey cardy as some, but I can hold my own.’

  ‘Arr, dicey cardy is a game of skill, no doubt, but it’s not a game to be playing when life is on the line. All ye must do is...’ - and the Captain turned, showing off to his sailors, enjoying this far too much - ‘Guess my name!’

  Unsurprisingly, the crowd cheered for longer than Lucian felt was appropriate. ‘As always, the pirate code will be enforced in this game,’ the Captain added, as some sort of minor technical detail.

  ‘For my benefit, I’m sure,’ Lucian said, unhappy with the way the conversation had turned - why people always wanted him dead so much, he didn’t know - but determined to do what he must to protect the innocent men on that Empire ship.

  ‘Ye have three guesses. No talking from anyone. Silence!’ And with that, the noise of man left the ship. The lapping of waves against the battered hull was the only sound. Even the wolf stopped its heavy panting and paid attention.

  Lucian’s mind raced. Three days on the ship, and with the Captain, but a name? How could anyone guess a name! He considered what he’d seen. The most obvious name to jump out was ‘Torpid Rebel'. The Captain was obviously a pirate. Lucian crossed his fingers and took the first guess.

  ‘Torpid Corsair.’

  The crowd remained silent, all eyes on the Captain, who stood motionless. It stretched on long enough that Lucian wasn’t sure the Captain had heard.

  ‘Arr, lad. Ye guess well.’

  Was that it? Had he actually managed to guess the Captain’s name on the first try?

  ‘But ye be wrong!’

  Predictably the crowd roared with laughter, cheers, and jeers.

  ‘Ye have two more guesses.’

  Lucian took his time. Whole minutes passed without a single word being said. He looked over to his team and tried to read their faces. Khleb clearly had no idea, Jess seemed uninterested, Darrius looked concerned, and Gar was stony faced. No help there! That’s just how they always looked.

  A gull squawked overhead. Not unusual, as this entire journey kept them close to the shore, but that made him aware of other sounds, the sounds of animals. The wolf.

  The Captain had taken an interest in the wolf. Felt it should be given a name. Childhood issues of abandonment? That could lead to a life of piracy. If he had no parents, then he wouldn’t have a family name. Might that be the trick he was playing? Yes! Lucian only needed a single name.

  Lucian snapped his fingers. It made sense. So what would it be? A single word to encapsulate all that this man was. Lucian thought hard, but he’d only known the man for three days - this whole thing was a bit of a farce. Clearly the Captain had a fondness for piracy. Or was his fondness for his crew? He dealt with his abandonment issues by acting as a father to his men. Of course! That explained why he was so willing to attack the Empire’s ship. He had stressed not how much money he could make from the Empire ship, but how long it could keep his men going. So he was kind. Giving. Magnanimous in forgiving his childhood abandonment and forging a family of outcasts like himself.

  One name. Magnanimous.

  ‘My second guess is...’ - and he paused, all ears and eyes on him, rousing those whose attention had wavered. They all held their breath.

  ‘Magnus!’ he shouted, sure he had figured it out.

  Again, the Captain played to the crowd. Keeping them on their toes, quite literally, as everyone leant forward to make sure they could hear the answer.

  ‘Just Magnus? Are ye sure, lad? Don’t forget, the lives of ye and ye kin depend on this.’

  Lucian could see the double bluff for what it was. ‘Magnus. I’m sure!’

  ‘Ye be brave, lad, but ye also be... wrong!’

  The crowd whooped and hollered, sailors jumping in excitement. His team was rather more static, shuffling uneasily as the nerves got to them, their imminen
t deaths on their mind.

  It was obvious that the sailors weren’t used to entertainment like this on their ship. The Captain had to call them to silence.

  ‘Final guess, stiff-leg,’ the Captain said with a wink.

  On second thoughts, Lucian really wasn’t quite sure how he’d made the jump in logic to “Magnus”.

  Bah, what was the point in this! Trying to guess the name of a stranger? Yes, his name could have been something that had clues from his environment, like “Falseship” or “Gullshit”, but it could also be a normal name, like “Steven”. This was impossible!

  But he had a task to do. To save that innocent ship. Lucian was beginning to learn that not all lies were bad. If Lord Orson could tell a lie - let Heroes live a lie - to bring hope to thousands, then Lucian could do what needed to be done to save the dozens of sailors on the Imperial ship.

  His hands itched to resolve this with violence. That would be the easy option. He knew he’d lose a fight against an entire ship, but the solution seemed simple from where he stood right now. A lunge for the captain’s throat, a cut of the jugular, the crew giving up in fear at the mighty skill Lucian showed. No, Lucian wasn’t Moxar yet. He knew he’d probably trip as he lunged, and throw himself overboard to whatever horrors lay in wait.

  Anyway, this was all academic. He’d left his weapons in his cabin.

  ‘We both know this is pointless, Captain. Just get it over with!’ Lucian shouted.

  The Captain seemed taken aback. ‘Ye don’t even want to try a third guess, lad?’

  ‘There’s no way I could get it right. Make me walk the plank!’