by K Hanson
They entered the building, and Brynja spotted a uniformed man at a desk. He glanced up at them, with a raised eyebrow at their rugged appearance. “May I help you? Are you lost?”
“No,” said Brynja. “We’re reporting for duty as privateers.” She passed him the paperwork from Commander Erhan that marked them as legitimate recruits.
“I see. You’re Brynja, then?” He tapped a line on the paper and glanced up.
She nodded.
The man frowned.
“Admiral Mansur is quite busy at the moment,” he said, “but if you wait in that room over there, he’ll see you when he’s available.”
Another marine ushered them into a room with a scattering of empty chairs, enough that about half of her group of sixteen could sit.
After Brynja had been staring out a window at nothing in particular for an hour, a marine marched into the room and addressed the crew. “Is there a Brynja here?”
“Yes, I’m Brynja,” she said as she stood.
“Excellent. Admiral Mansur will see you now. Please follow me.”
As she followed, she adjusted her shirt. Her time in the mines had left her thin, so her clothing felt a bit too loose.
The marine led her up to the third floor and into a spacious office that overlooked the harbor outside. A man in a uniform that seemed to have more medals than bare fabric sat at a large desk, his attention on a document that lay in front of him. He glanced up as Brynja entered the office with the marine.
“This is Brynja, sir.”
“Thank you, Ensign. You may step outside.”
The man nodded and left.
“Come forward and stand in front of me.”
Brynja obeyed and stood across the desk from him.
Cool gray eyes studied her above a hawkish nose. “So you’re the pirate.” He pointed at the paper in front of him, apparently given to him by the clerk. “It says here that you were captured. Not a very good pirate, are you?”
She didn’t know what to say, so she remained silent.
“I asked you a question, sailor.”
Brynja swallowed and averted her gaze. “No.”
“What was that, sailor? Are you talking to me or someone out the window? When you address a superior officer, you look him in the eye.”
She forced herself to meet his gaze. “No, I’m not a good pirate.”
“That’s what I thought.” He sneered. “If you let yourself get captured, what use are you to me as a privateer?”
“We’ll follow your orders, sir. We’ve learned our lesson in the mines.”
He snorted with derision. “You don’t have the typical attitude that most privateers have, I’ll give you that. It seems that the mines did their job. You seem like the obedient sort. I can’t tell if the mines broke you or just taught you the error of your ways, but I think we can find a use for you. Do you know what a privateer does?”
“I’m not sure. It’s like a mercenary of some sort, isn’t it?”
“Sometimes they’re mercenaries, but not in your case. You’re still serving a sentence, so you will not be paid beyond what you need for rations and supplies. Privateers serve to augment the Imperial fleet. You will attack enemies of the Cambisian Empire, but you won’t fly the official flag of our navy. That way, if you’re captured, it makes a diplomatic incident less likely. It means you’re expendable. Doubly so for a rotten pirate like you.”
Brynja’s calloused spirit ignored the insult. “What will be our first assignment, sir?”
“You and your crew, along with whoever else I assign to be with you, will take a frigate and harass the Stalstan Empire. After their stunt at the mines, we need to take the fight to them. ‘Brynja’ sounds like a Stalstan name. You have the blonde hair and blue eyes of a Stalstan, as well. Will your heritage be a problem for you on this mission?”
“No, I have very little attachment to Stalsta. I barely remember my parents, and I’ve lived my life on the sea.”
The admiral nodded. “Excellent, then I’ll leave you assigned to this campaign.”
“Who will be in command? Me?”
He gave a dark laugh. “Not entirely. You’ll be in command of your crew’s operations on the ship, but you will also have a representative of the navy with you. Most of the time, he will be there to observe and make sure that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. However, if he gives you an instruction, you are to consider it an order that bears my own authority. Also, this representative is our insurance policy that you won’t hijack the vessel. You will need to report back at prescribed intervals, and your representative will need to be with you, alive. If you fail to return entirely, you will be considered pirates and enemies of the state. If my representative is dead or unaccounted for, you will lose your status as a privateer and be sent to finish your sentence somewhere far less enjoyable. The mines are gone, but I have other choices that are equally unpleasant. I also do not hesitate to hand out punishment myself. Oh, and because you are pirates and may not mind being on the run from the law, I am also going to keep one of your crew mates here at all times.”
“What if your representative dies in battle or because of illness? Will we be held responsible even if it’s through no fault of our own?”
“You should not be picking battles that put anyone on your ship at significant risk. I do not want you attacking Stalstan warships on your own. For now, your purpose is to harass their trading operations. If you encounter a war vessel or anything that is an even match or better than your own ship, you are to retreat. If the representative falls ill, you are to return to port. We’ll find you a new representative for the duration of the other’s absence.”
“Understood. When do we start this mission?”
“You will report to the Tavara tomorrow. Ilker will meet you there as my delegate to your ship, and you can begin preparations.”
“Do you have quarters for my crew and me until then?”
“Take this.” He passed her a sealed envelope. “Bring it to any inn in town that has enough rooms for your crew, and they will need to accommodate you. If you face any resistance, report it and the owner of said establishment will be dealt with.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Despite the morning chill in the air, Limbani’s palms were sweaty underneath her riding gloves as she passed the reins of her horse to the stablehand. After helping to rescue the pirates from their ill-fated attempt to steal a ship, Adnan had finally submitted his report about the drink she had while on duty. She had received an order from Lord Devrim to report to his office first thing in the morning. A dewy smell hit her nose, and the rising sun streamed through the trees that surrounded the estate as she strode across the grounds to the servants’ entrance.
She followed the familiar route to her lord’s office on the third floor. She found the door closed, so she rapped on it with three sharp taps.
“Come in,” called the voice of Devrim from within.
As Limbani pushed through the door, Devrim remained in his seat at the desk and watched her cross the room. She stood straight at attention in front of him. “Reporting as instructed, my lord.”
“Yes. Good job with helping our pirate friends. Despite their recklessness, I anticipate them being valuable allies. However, I received a disturbing report about your recent behavior.”
“I understand, sir. I have no excuses for my actions.”
He frowned at her. “Is it true that you drank alcohol on duty, Captain Limbani?”
“It is, sir.”
“I’m surprised that you of all people would break a regulation like that. Can you explain why you did it?”
“Our . . . guests were getting out of hand, and the fastest way of getting them to settle down was to accept a drink from their quartermaster. It worked, as he got them to quiet down right after that.”
Devrim raised an eyebrow. “Did the pirate captain rub off on you during your ride together yesterday?”
“Excuse me, sir? I’m far from a p
irate. It was a lapse in judgment, and it will not happen again. I will accept any punishment that you deem appropriate.”
Devrim cracked a smile. “I’m just teasing you, Limbani. I have no desire to punish you. I know that this isn’t like you. We’re both facing quite a change in circumstances, and we have to figure out how to deal with it.”
“So you won’t take disciplinary action?”
“Do you think it’s necessary? Will it help you avoid a repeat incident?”
“I am already set on avoiding a repeat, sir. However, it will not set a good example for the rest of the unit. Give me an undesirable post or something of the sort.”
“If you insist on a punitive assignment, then I have something just for you. Whenever you are on duty, you will remain in the company of our guests. You will see to their needs and even accompany them if the situation calls for them to have a guide. In your off-hours, I also want you to spend time with them. During that time, you may socialize or drink or whatever you wish to do. But I want you to get to know them.”
“So my punishment is to be a babysitter?”
“If that’s how you choose to view it, I suppose so. But the fact that you look down on such an assignment makes it a good punishment, doesn’t it? Besides, if you’re going to be leading the rest of our forces alongside them, you will need them to trust and respect you.”
That caught Limbani off guard. “What do you mean by leading the rest of our forces?”
“I mean that I am putting you in command of all regular guard and military units that are part of our growing resistance. You’re a general now. Captain Nereyda and her people will remain separate from that chain of command. I don’t think it would go well to mix a bunch of pirates in with regular soldiers. If someone with your exemplary record can be led astray, even if it was for a mere sip of a drink, I can only imagine how some of our less disciplined people would behave. We don’t need their influence spreading, as useful as they may be in the fights to come.”
Limbani bowed her head. “Thank you for this honor, sir. I’ll do my best to make you proud. Although it seems strange to get a promotion at the same time as getting chastised for my infraction.”
“Oh, I had already planned to grant this position to you. However, Adnan’s report gave me the perfect opportunity to make you nervous and have a little bit of fun at your expense.”
Limbani laughed and relaxed her shoulders. “I hope it was entertaining, sir.”
“Of course. You’ll forgive me for making you nervous?”
“Certainly.”
“And while I appreciate your professionalism, it is quite okay to turn that off at times.”
“It’s something I need to work on, sir.”
“Spend some time with Nereyda, and I’m sure she’ll be happy to help you with that.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now, I need to speak with Nereyda today. Could you please go and fetch her from the tavern down below as soon as possible? I wish to have breakfast with her and go over her role in the rebellion.”
“Of course. I’ll go get her at once.” Limbani bowed as she backed out of the office, then returned to the stables. Part of her looked forward to waking the pirate up, knowing that she had spent the night drinking with her crew.
Before long, she tied her horse to a post outside the tavern where the pirates and Islanders had taken up residence again. Limbani walked in, took the staircase to the room that the captain had claimed, and raised her hand to the door.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A knock sounded at the door and shattered Nereyda’s peaceful sleep.
She rolled over and covered her head with her pillow. Her head hurt from a night of drinking with her crew, and she wanted to sleep it off. Normally she didn’t drink so much, but she had needed to drink away her disappointment at failing to secure a ship.
Another knock.
Nereyda pulled the pillow from her face and threw it at the door. Squinting her eyes against the morning light streaming in through her window, she rolled out of bed.
The knock came again, louder and more urgently this time.
“I’m coming, settle down,” she said as she staggered to the door. Nereyda reached for the door and pulled it open, revealing Limbani standing in the doorway in a crisp uniform.
“Sorry for waking you, ma’am, but my Lord Devrim has summoned you to his estate for breakfast and a meeting.” Despite her courteous tone, the slight smile on Limbani’s lips suggested she wasn’t sorry at all.
“What time is it? Isn’t it a little early for breakfast?” Nereyda asked with a scowl.
“It’s nearly eight; two hours since sunrise, ma’am.”
“Clearly Devrim has never worked with pirates before. We’re rarely up before noon when we’re on land.” She started to push the door shut. “Come back in another two hours.”
The door caught on something. Nereyda looked down to see the woman’s boot blocking the way. “Sorry, ma’am, but my lord is insistent that you join him now. I’d think you would be a bit more grateful after he sent us to bail you out.”
Nereyda considered grabbing her cutlass and sticking the guard captain in the gut to get some more sleep, but decided that would put a damper on her relationship with Devrim and decrease her chances of getting a ship. “Fine, I’ll be out in a minute. Also, don’t call me ma’am.”
“What should I call you then? Captain?”
Nereyda shook her head, then winced at her headache. “No, my crew calls me Captain. Nereyda is fine.”
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that. I was raised to treat a fellow officer with respect. Addressing you so casually feels like a breach of etiquette.”
“A breach of etiquette, you say? Then you should definitely call me Nereyda, or even Reyda.” Despite her hangover, she gave a wink. “Also, isn’t it disrespectful to call a person something she doesn’t want to be called? I think it’d be politer to call me what I want.”
Limbani frowned. “I’ve never thought about that.”
“Most haven’t.” Nereyda sighed. “If you insist on taking me with you, give me a minute to get dressed.”
After Nereyda dressed, she joined the guard captain out in the hallway and headed downstairs. She stopped to chug a mug of water at the bar, then followed Limbani out of the tavern.
Normally, she’d chat with her companion as they walked, but her headache left her in an unsocial mood. Nereyda trudged behind Limbani up the hill to the estate, then her escort led her into the house and showed her to the same dining room where she had shared breakfast with Devrim before. Once again, the table was strewn with a feast.
The lord himself sat at the head of the table with a half-empty plate, reading a letter set next to him on the table. He glanced up and his eyebrows raised as he spotted Nereyda. “Ah, Captain, I see that Limbani roused you. Please, take a seat and help yourself.” He waved at the food covering the table.
“Thanks,” said Nereyda as she sat down in the chair on Devrim’s right hand and began to pile her plate with food.
“You seem quiet and hungry this morning.”
“I’m not a morning person when I’m on land, especially after a night with my crew.”
Devrim placed a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry your plan to take that ship didn’t work.”
His gesture surprised Nereyda. After she resisted the urge to push him away, she enjoyed the reassuring strength of his gentle touch. “It’s no use dwelling on it. I appreciate the assist on getting out of there alive, though.”
“It’s not exactly the resounding blow I’d imagined we’d use to start our rebellion, but it was no trouble.” He pulled his hand back. “I’ll let you eat your hangover away. Once you’re full, we can start discussing our next move.”
Nereyda stuffed herself full of eggs, bacon, and sweet rolls and her headache subsided. “Okay, I’m ready. What do we need to talk about?”
“Not here,” said Devrim as he stood. “Follow me.”
“Are we going to your study?”
“No, that is too easy to find if someone were to break into my house, as you so skillfully demonstrated not long ago.” He winked at Nereyda. “You’ll see.”
Nereyda followed him into the kitchen and to a door at the back. He pushed the door open to reveal a staircase that descended into a basement.
“Really? The cellar? This isn’t hard to find.”
He gave her a small smile. “As I said, you’ll see.”
Devrim lit a lantern from the kitchen counter, then carried it down the stairs. At the bottom, he lit a lamp on the wall. In the dim light, Nereyda looked around the cellar. The ceiling was low, less than two feet above Nereyda’s head. The walls consisted of gray stone bricks. Along one wall were several casks of wine. Other barrels and crates lay strewn around the room, which Nereyda assumed contained the mansion’s food stores.
On the wall opposite from the casks, Devrim pulled on a lamp, which moved slightly as if it were a lever. Next, he ran his hand over the wall, scanning it for a moment. He stopped his hand on a specific brick and pushed in. As the brick slid into the wall, a click sounded, and a section of the wall swung open. Nereyda’s host beckoned her into the darkness beyond and slid the stone door shut behind them.
In the glow of his lantern, Devrim yanked a chain on the wall, and a number of wall lamps flickered to life, revealing a spacious conference room with a large table occupying the middle. A map of the Cambisian continent was on the top, with various flags and wooden carvings of soldiers in various colors dotting the surface; a handful of blue pieces were scattered across the map, a large number of red ones, and a few green.
“What’s all of this?” Nereyda asked, waving at the map.
“This is our battle map, if you will. I use this to help plan out where our support comes from. The red pieces are Imperial units and cities, the blue are known allies, and the green are cities where I think we can get some more supporters or that we have a chance of taking.”
“That’s a lot of red.”
“It is, but as we have some success, we can turn some of that to green, then blue.”
