“Ramble, take us over there,” ordered Tristan.
“Aye, Cap’n,” said Ramble.
“Are ye goin’ to fight them to save Nairnie?” asked Gavina.
“We won’t have to. Look. Just as I thought.”
Gavina looked over to see Nereus’ men dumping Nairnie over the side of the shuttle into the sea. They continued on to their ship, while Nairnie splashed around in the water.
“Hold on, Nairnie, we’re coming,” shouted Tristan, but the woman was struggling and it was taking them too long to get to her. “Ramble, row faster.”
“I’m sorry, Cap’n, but I’m goin’ as fast as I can.” Ramble wasn’t the strongest since he was still a young man and didn’t have the muscles like the rest of the men.
“Out of the way. Let me row.” Mardon switched spots and took the oars. He was able to row much faster, but Nairnie went under, and came back up sputtering. With nothing to hold on to, the old woman wasn’t going to be able to stay afloat for long.
Tristan stood up and removed his weapon belt, coat and boots.
“Tristan? What are ye doin’?” asked Gavina.
“Saving my grandmother before she drowns.” He dove into the water and swam as hard as he could, getting to Nairnie just as she looked like she was going under for the last time. With one arm around her, he tried to hold her and swim back to the shuttle. Nairnie seemed panicked and kept squirming, her desperate actions about to make them both drown.
“Stop your struggling old woman or we’ll both die.”
“Dinna – call me an – auld woman.” She wasn’t making this easy. Her panic had overtaken her and Tristan had to do something to give the shuttle time to get to him or he was going to lose his grip and she was going to drown.
“Forgive me for this, but it’s the only way, Grandmother.” He reached out with his other fist and hit her hard in the head. Her eyes rolled back and she stopped struggling. Her body went limp in his arms. “That’ll do it.”
“Is she alive?” Gavina called out as the shuttle boat finally got there.
“Aye. I just knocked her out to shut her up.” Tristan pushed her while his brothers pulled her into the boat, almost capsizing them all. Then Tristan flopped into the shuttle as well, seeing the Poseidon sailing away.
“Worried that we shouldn’t have let them go?” asked Mardon, taking the oars again.
Tristan looked back at Nairnie who was starting to come to. “Not as worried as I am about Nairnie’s wrath. God’s toes, I’m never going to hear the end of this one, am I?”
Chapter 20
Later that morning, the Falcon headed in the direction that the Poseidon had taken, heading south away from Hartlepool. Tristan and his brothers sat on the deck around the main mast drinking whisky, passing around the bottle while Stitch manned the helm. They’d buried their dead but they’d also ended up with nothing to show for the lost lives. They still had no treasure. The crew was in bad spirits, so Tristan had broken out the whisky he’d hidden, letting them drink their fill.
“I still dinna understand why ye had to hit me, Tristan. There is no excuse for hurtin’ yer own grandmathair.” Nairnie scowled at Tristan as Gavina dabbed at the cut above her eye. “Och!” she cried out in pain, her hand touching her eye. “I’m lucky ye didna try to break my neck while ye were at it just to shut me up.”
Gavina’s eyes shot over to Tristan.
“You told her what I said?” he asked.
“Well . . . I guess I did,” said Gavina. “Sorry.”
“Nairnie, I only hit you to save your life,” explained Tristan. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m sorry I hurt you?”
“Hrmph. Once more,” Nairnie retorted. “But this time call me grandmathair, no’ Nairnie, or auld woman, or anythin’ else.”
Gavina saw Tristan look around to see who was watching. “Mardon doesn’t call you grandmother,” said Tristan.
“He will. In time.” Nairnie gently pushed Gavina’s hand away. “I’m waitin’, Tristan.”
“Will you stop bothering me about this and swear to never mention it again if I do?”
“Well . . . all right,” she agreed.
“I’m sorry . . . Grandmother,” he said, lifting the bottle high and nodding. He sounded to Gavina as if he had drunk too much whisky.
“That’ll do. Thank ye,” she said, squeezing the remaining water out of her wet gown. “I wish I had somethin’ hot to serve ye.” She glanced over at the galley that was still black with soot from the fire.
“Don’t even think about starting a fire to cook on the ship,” Mardon warned her. “We’re going back to cold meals again. It’s not as dangerous.”
“I agree,” said Tristan.
“Well, I don’t,” complained Aaron. “I really liked those hot buttered biscuits.”
“I’m tellin’ ye, it wasna me, but those two traitors, Noll and Wybert, who did it,” Nairnie said in her defense. “Ye’ll see now that they’re gone that Gavina and I are no’ bad luck at all.”
“I believe you,” said Tristan. “Still, no more fires on board. We’ll get our hot meals on shore from now on. We’re going to dock somewhere so Peg Leg Pate can get materials to make the repairs. Here, have yourself a good swig of whisky. It’ll help your eye feel better.” He handed Nairnie the bottle.
“Well, why the hell no’?” she asked, surprising Gavina when she took a huge swig. Lowering the bottle she smacked her lips in satisfaction. “Blethers, ye’re right, Tristan. My eye already feels better.” She started to lift the bottle to her lips again, but Gavina pulled it away.
“Perhaps, ye should give someone else a turn.”
“Go ahead, Wife,” said Tristan with a grin. “Try some. You’ll see why we like it so much.”
“Have you ever had whisky before?” Aaron asked her.
“Well, nay, I dinna think so.” Gavina looked down to the bottle in her hand.
“Take a sip,” Tristan coaxed her. “Unless you want me to wipe it off first.”
“No need. I like puttin’ my mouth where yers was,” she said, lifting the bottle and taking a big swallow the way she saw Nairnie do. She immediately felt the burning in her throat and felt as if she couldn’t breathe. The whisky was too strong for her.
“That’s enough.” Tristan took the bottle from her and handed it to Aaron.
“I still dinna understand why there was no treasure,” said Gavina as soon as she could talk.
“It was our father’s idea of a cruel jest,” said Aaron, sounding disgusted.
“Losh me, I almost forgot!” Nairnie patted herself, then reached into her bodice and pulled out a torn piece of parchment.
“What’s that?” asked Tristan, as Nairnie held it up to the sun to dry it.
“It’s part of the map that led to the treasure. Nereus took the rest of it, but I was able to rip off a piece first. I didna have enough time to get the whole thing.”
“Looking for a momentum?” mumbled Tristan. “Well, I’m not. The sooner I find another treasure, the better. I don’t want to think about the king’s treasure anymore.”
“Father must have found it years ago,” said Mardon.
“I wonder what he did with it?” asked Aaron.
“He hid it and left clues,” said Nairnie, holding up the piece of parchment. “On the back of the map were clues tellin’ where to find the real treasure.”
The crew heard this and they all perked up.
“Let me see that,” said Ramble taking it from her.
“So there is a treasure after all?” asked Gavina.
“It looks like it,” said Nairnie. “Ye lads just havena found it yet.”
“Give me that, Ramble.” Tristan took the piece of parchment away from him. “This is only part of something,” said Tristan. “It makes no sense at all.”
“Well, at least Nereus only has part of it, too, so we’ll have just as much of a chance of findin’ it as he does,” said Nairnie with a smile. “We just need to figure
out the rest of the clue.”
“The sooner the better,” Mardon chimed in. “The longer we wait, the more chance Nereus is going to get there before us.”
“The women are not going after the map, or any treasure,” said Tristan.
“Tristan, I have to,” exclaimed Gavina.
“Why?” he asked. “You never did explain to me why this treasure was so important to you.”
“It’s to pay off her faither’s debt and buy back the freedom of her little brathair,” said Nairnie. “Tristan, ye are her husband. Ye should ken this.”
“Aye, I suppose I should,” he said. “So your brother is someone’s prisoner?” he asked. “Who? Where?”
“An English lord raided our Scottish town because my faither was supposed to collect protection money for him from the border villages where we used to live.”
“Let me guess,” said Tristan. “Your father gambled it all away.”
“Aye,” she admitted. “He had a habit of makin’ bad choices. When the lord discovered the money was gone, he wanted revenge. In return, our town was attacked, and my mathair and older brathair died in the battle. We were no’ warriors or knights and were no match for them. Some of the children of our village were taken by the English as servants, includin’ my little brathair. My faither was told that they would no’ be returned until he paid back all the money he lost. That is why we wanted to find that treasure. It would buy back no’ only my brathair’s freedom, but also the freedom of the other four children that were taken. It would right the wrongs of my faither.”
“That’s awful. What kind of man would take children as prisoners?” asked Tristan.
“Aye, who was this man, Gavina?” asked Nairnie. “Ye never told me.”
“He is called the Beast of Ravenscar,” she said, noticing the way Nairnie’s eyes popped open.
“How old was yer brathair?” asked Nairnie.
“He would be seven now,” she told her.
“Och, lass! Is his name Rab by any chance?”
“Aye, it’s Rab. How did ye ken that?” asked Gavina.
“I have met him as well as the rest of the orphan children.”
“Where? I dinna remember ever meetin’ ye in Scotland.”
“Nay, lass, it wasna in Scotland. It was in England. In Ravenscar to be exact. Ye see, I ken Lord Ravenscar, because I raised him as my own son.”
“Ravenscar? Are ye sure?” she asked. “How could ye? He wasna a young man.”
“Och, ye’re talkin’ about the black-hearted Beast of Ravenscar who served as lord before my Benedict took his place. Benedict is Lord of Ravenscar now.”
“So . . . then the man who took my brathair is dead? Are ye sure?” asked Gavina.
“Dead and long gone.”
“Was Rab set free?”
“Benedict married Autumn, one of the sisters of the Legendary Bastards of the Crown,” Nairnie explained. “I was close to all of the girls – Autumn, Spring, Summer and Winter.”
“Are you talking about Rowen the Restless’ sister?” asked Mardon. “He was one hell of a pirate.”
“Was,” Nairnie stressed the word. “He gave up piracy and now pays fealty to King Edward, his faither.”
“Wait, the Demon Thief who used to raid the king is now on his side?” asked Aaron.
“Aye, Rowen and also his brathairs, Rook and Reed. Well, Reed no’ so much, but that’s no’ important right now. What I mean to say is that Benedict and Autumn have taken a likin’ to the children and are raisin’ them as their own. They thought they were all orphans.”
“They all are. Except my brathair, Rab,” Gavina explained.
“Rab, that little rascal is the one they like the best,” said Nairnie. “They’ll be sorry to see him go. But dinna worry, I’ll talk to them. Ye’ll get yer brathair back, I promise.”
“Then I willna even need to find a treasure?”
“Nay,” said Nairnie. “Benedict is no’ that kind of man. Plus, if he even thinks about askin’ ye to pay back any debts, I’ll box his ears.”
Gavina, as well as the others all laughed. “Oh, Nairnie, thank ye,” said Gavina, hugging the old woman.
“Watch the eye.” Nairnie’s eye was swollen and she looked even scarier now when she gave the boys the evil eye.
“Stitch, how close are we to Ravenscar?” Tristan called out.
“We’re just approachin’ the shores of Ravenscar now, Cap’n. Why do ye ask?”
“We’re going to dock there.”
“Aye, Cap’n,” Stitch answered.
“Why are we going there?” asked Mardon.
“Because we’re dropping off the women on shore,” Tristan told him. “They will not be going along to find any more treasures.”
“Ye’re goin’ to leave me there?” asked Gavina, her heart aching. “Please, Tristan. Change yer mind. Let me stay on the Falcon with ye.”
“Nay, I can’t do that.”
“Why no’? I dinna want to be apart from ye. Ye are my husband. I am yer wife!”
“Aye, that’s true,” he responded. “That is also why I’m going to stay with you in Ravenscar.”
“What?” both Mardon and Aaron asked together.
“Does that mean ye’re no’ goin’ out to look for more treasure?” asked Nairnie.
“It means, I’m going to settle down and, hopefully, raise a family with my wonderful wife.” Tristan held out his arms and Gavina ran to him, hugging him, never wanting to let him go.
“Oh, Tristan, I am so happy,” she said, her cheek pressed up against his chest. “Now, I will never be alone. I’ll have the family I always wanted. I’ll be happy after all. I canna wait.”
Tristan hugged his wife, feeling her excited heart beating rapidly against his chest. He kissed her atop the head. After the scare he’d had concerning Nereus, he decided he never wanted to be apart from his wife again.
“Tristan, what the hell are you saying?” Mardon stared daggers at him. “You’re the captain of this ship.”
“Aye,” said Aaron. “So how can you be staying there?”
“Not anymore, I’m not,” he answered. “I’m relinquishing the position of captain to you, Mardon.”
“You’re jesting with us. Right?” Aaron’s eyes went back and forth. “He can’t mean he’s giving up piracy. It was his idea in the first place. We made a promise to each other!”
“Aye, that’s true, Aaron. However, I made a promise to Gavina as well when I married her.” Tristan pulled Gavina closer to him, wrapping his arms around her. “I love Gavina, and I don’t want to ever take the chance again that I might lose her. A pirate ship is no place for a woman, and certainly not where I want to raise my children.”
“We’ll make Ravenscar our new home,” said Gavina excitedly. “Now that I ken the true Beast of Ravenscar is dead, we can stay there.”
“Och, I’m sure Autumn and Benedict would love that,” said Nairnie. “Autumn will be so excited to have ye around, Gavina. Did ye ken her sister, Spring, is Scottish? Actually, Autumn and all her sisters are half-Scottish.”
“How excitin’,” said Gavina, smiling more than Tristan had ever seen. “I canna wait to meet her.”
Nairnie and Gavina talked more than Ramble, making Tristan’s head spin with all the noise. Still, he loved every minute of it and wouldn’t trade it for anything. It felt right. It felt like he’d made the correct choice, and he was happy with that. However, things weren’t going to be easy.
“Tristan, what’s the matter?” asked Gavina, realizing he was in deep thought.
“It will not be all that easy for me to live on land,” he told her.
“Is that all?” she asked with a giggle. “If I can learn to live on a ship, ye can get used to land.”
“That’s not what I mean, sweetheart.”
“He’s a pirate,” Aaron told her.
“Nay. No’ anymore he’s no’.” Gavina shook her head. “He said he’s givin’ up piracy.”
“I am, G
avina, however there are consequences I’ll have to endure,” he told her, wishing that it wasn’t so.
“What kind of consequences?”
“If our brother stays on land too long, they’re going to hang him,” said Mardon.
“Aye, all pirates that get caught get hanged,” Aaron told her. “That’s why we live on a ship at sea. It’s safer that way.”
“Nay,” said Gavina. “Please, there must be a way to stop this.”
“It’s true,” he told her. “I’ll always be looking over my shoulder and I’ll always be on the run. I made a choice to be a pirate and now I’ll pay for it the rest of my life. It will only be a matter of time before they catch me and condemn me to death.”
“Nay,” she cried. “Nairnie said Brody was a pirate and he has a family. They didna kill him.”
“That’s because he’s been pardoned,” Nairnie explained.
“How did he do that?” asked Aaron.
“Aye. It’s highly unlikely,” added Mardon.
“True, it usually is, but ye’re all forgettin’ that Brody was once Rowen’s first mate,” Nairnie explained. “Rowen is a Legendary Bastard of the Crown. The king is the man’s faither.”
“Then Rowen was able to get King Edward to pardon Brody?” asked Gavina.
“Aye.” Nairnie reached up and touched her eye and winced. “I’m sure if I tell Autumn yer story, Tristan, she’ll get a hold of Rowen and he’ll talk to his faither for ye. If anyone can get ye a pardon from the king, it’s Rowen and his brathairs, Rook and Reed.”
“Do you really think so?” asked Tristan, not allowing himself to get too excited about this in case Rowen couldn’t pull it off.
“I ken he can do it. However, it might take a while, so ye might have to keep a low profile until it happens. I’m sure there is no need to worry because my Benedict will hide ye if need be. He’s like a son to me and will do what I ask. He took the place of yer faither once my poor Cato was stolen from me.”
“What do ye think, Tristan?” asked Gavina with hope in her eyes.
“Well, I like the idea, but I’m sure my brothers aren’t going to accept it.” Tristan dared to look over to his brothers. They were both scowling at him.
Tristan (Pirate Lords Series Book 1) Page 29
