by Charles Lamb
“And what brings you here?” the pirate captain asked.
“You appear to be in need of assistance; that is some serious damage,” Alex replied as he pointed to the section of ships railing missing with burned decking all around.
“A cooking mishap, nothing more,” the Captain answered nonchalantly.
“Not dragon fire?” Alex asked directly, getting weary with the banter.
“I recognize that ship you are on. We met a few weeks back. You threatened to fire our ships, is this what you meant?” he asked in a more hostile tone. Alex could see the words put an edge in the attitude of the crew.
“I did prevent you from making a very big mistake,” Alex replied while he looked to a nearby sailor. Gently, without causing the man injury, he wrapped him in shields and used them to levitate the sailor about ten feet above the deck. Then he slowly floated the man over to the captain before softly placing him on the deck once more.
“I don’t need dragons to do my bidding. If I had wanted your ships to burn, they would be at the bottom of the ocean right now,” he replied calmly. From the murmuring of the crew, Alex hoped his demonstration had the desired effect, however, he partially cloaked himself in shields just in case.
“What is it you want, Wizard?” the captain asked, more civil in his tone this time.
“Tell me about your dragon encounter and who does your iron work.” Alex asked as he slipped off Shadows and pointed to some ornate bands binding a cabin door. He then turned and approached the captain with a smile.
“Today may be your lucky day!” he finished as he led the captain away from the crowd.
Chapter 20
It was late the following day that Kelby caught word of Cassie’s Quest making port in Nyland. Rather than meeting the ship at the docks, the twins decided to await their arrival at the Drowning Man so as to not raise any suspicions with the locals. As for the four Gundor guards, they had slept off their binge, all none the wiser that they had been pumped for information.
Kelby and Leena laughed as they heard the four boast of the entertainments provided them by the mermaid staff as they left. One of the effects of the elixir used to knock them out was vivid dreams, undisguisable from a drunken reality.
It was just before nightfall that Kelby watched the four companions enter the tavern and take seats at a table well away from the other patrons. While waiting for their arrival, she and Leena had killed time working the bar and fleecing the customers.
It was funny, but she didn’t feel the same rush as she did with her time at the Siren’s Song, or just recently with the Gundor guards. She almost felt sorry for these men as she automatically worked the same swindles she had performed over the last few years. Shaking it off as she crossed the room, while subtlety waving off the brunette that was headed to the table, she slid up behind Alex and placed her arm around his shoulders.
“Now, what can I get you?” she asked, turning on her sex appeal as she made a show of rubbing against Alex. She hadn’t actually meant to do that, but for some reason, every time she got near the wizard, she just couldn’t turn it off.
Kelby noted the slight flush in Cassie’s face and immediately regretted the action. Thankfully, Leena appeared at Leander’s side, mimicking the move, and distracting everyone at the table.
“We are interested in rooms for the night,” Abrianna replied while looking daggers at Leena. Even though everyone here knew this was all a charade, Kelby wondered how much of the women’s response was an act.
“Well, let’s go upstairs and see what’s available then,” Kelby suggested as she backed away from Alex and turned to lead the group to the back stairwell. Unlike other taverns she had seen, the Drowning Man had three floors. The first floor was the bar, the second provided lodging for travelers or patrons too drunk to leave safely in the winter months and the third was mermaid territory.
No sooner had they cleared the third floor landing than Kelby spun on Cassie and wrapped her up in her arms.
“By the gods, I am so happy to see you!” she declared, surprised at her own outburst. She was additionally shocked at the strength of Cassie’s return hug.
Leena motioned everyone over to a large table, and gathered mugs and a pitcher of ale for the group.
“Did you have any problems getting here?” Cassie asked, as everyone took the offered seats. Kelby noted that the nearby mermaids vacated the area and was thankful for the privacy. She did see several confused expressions at her outburst over the nymph’s arrival.
“No, the trip was uneventful, but I still hate the cold water!” Leena replied. Kelby was sure she did not want to be left out of the discussion.
“I expected you earlier today. Did anything happen?” Kelby asked. She noted a look pass between Cassie and Alex before the latter replied.
“We ran into pirates as we passed through the channel off the coast,” Alex answered.
“Yes, we passed those ships at anchor on our way. They seemed to be damaged, I can’t imagine they could give you much in the way of trouble,” Kelby replied while focusing on Alex. With what she had seen him do to a dragon, she hardly expected a few pirates would even matter.
“Oh, they were no trouble; he wanted to make friends!” Cassie replied, the irritation in her tone clear to everyone.
“Let’s not rehash this again. Were you able to find out anything?” Alex said while diverting the conversation away from the pirate encounter and back to Kelby.
“Yes, we landed four Gundor guards yesterday,” Leena interrupted before Kelby had a chance to speak.
“And?” Cassie quickly asked, her earlier distraction completely forgotten with the news.
“Well, Tantalus is definitely holed up in the Stronghold. The four were adamant on that part. What was not so clear was the dragon and Amelia. They gave us indications that something was going on deep in the mountain, but no one had seen either,” Kelby replied while eyeing her sister. Her sister’s need to blurt out answers first was becoming an irritation.
“What indicators?” Abrianna asked, her earlier anger apparently forgotten as Leena had seated herself between her and Leander without a reaction.
“Big game hunters that never return with a kill, human food delivered to empty dungeons, and everything below ground declared off limits,” Kelby replied.
She smiled as Alex nodded in agreement.
“We need to find a way into the mountain without attracting attention from the residence above,” Leander stated sourly.
“I may have found a way,” Alex replied with a smile of his own.
“How?” Cassie asked.
“With a little help from our new mix of friends,” he replied cryptically.
“Who?” Leander and Abrianna asked in unison.
“Dwarves and pirates!” Alex replied with a grin.
----*----
It was well past sunset when the six returned to Cassie’s Quest at her spot on the docks. While the original four had gone on to the Drowning Man in search of the mermaid twins, Captain Yeager had been tasked with finding them a place to tie up on the waterfront where they could unload the horses safely.
Alex had proven that flying Rose and Shadows off the deck was more than possible, but it did little to get the other mounts off ship. It would also generate far more attention than any of them wanted. As it was, just having the mermaids aboard was a risk to creating unwanted attention, but one that was unavoidable.
“Ok Alex, share!” Cassie said once they had settled in the lounge below decks. He had insisted that they retreat to a location more secure before outlining his plan.
“When we spotted the two pirate ships anchored off the coast, it struck me that the ironwork on both was of such high quality. It was consistent between the two so it was unlikely that it was part of the original build.”
“So?” Abrianna asked, not catching the point.
“Who do we know that considers ornate metalwork as run-of-the-mill?” he asked the group.
&nbs
p; “Ok, so the pirates got hold of some dwarf metal work… so?” Kelby replied.
“Not some, a lot! The pair of ships had been reworked bow to stern in quality metalwork. And not just decorative, the ballista on deck had obviously been redone by a master weapon smith,” he added.
“I am beginning to understand,” Leander said with a smile.
“Well I am not!” Cassie replied, frustrated.
“The pirates are trading with the dwarves. The mountains push out to the sea at that point, which is why it towers above the coast there,” Leander supplied.
“Yes, and also why it’s such a good ambush point. You cannot see what’s on the other side until you pass the point. My new friend, the pirate captain, says there are tunnels that exit close to where they were anchored. They meet the dwarves there and trade stolen goods for repair work,” Alex explained.
“So they were waiting for the dwarves to come help fix their ships?” Cassie asked, starting to understand Alex’s insistence on meeting with the pirates.
“That and trade for weapons capable of killing dragons,” he replied with a nod.
“Oh, dwarves hate dragons,” Leena added with an ominous tone.
“Alex, that bay is leagues from Gundor Stronghold,” Abrianna stated.
“Yes it is. Regas insists, though, that the dwarves have tunnels going from the bay into the Stronghold itself and beyond. He has personally traveled deep into the mountains, emerging high above the valley, at a peak looking down onto Gundor Stronghold, so he knows it to be true.”
“And why would they want to help us?” Cassie asked as her mistrust of pirates appeared evident to all.
“Two reasons. The first is they have a debt to settle with that Sea Dragon. The captain had the misfortune of selecting Tantalus’s ship as a target on its way to Nyland. He lost a third of his men between the two ships.”
“And the second?” Leander asked.
“I bought both his ships,” Alex said with a smile.
----*----
Captain Yeagars was not completely surprised with the order to sail at first opportunity. He had been working for the Lord Protector long enough now to understand you couldn’t predict his decisions. He was, however, unsure of the choice of destinations.
It was one thing to parley with pirates from a distance, it was quite another to ask him to drop anchor within shouting distance. He had complete confidence in his crew’s ability to protect the ship, but with three to four times their numbers, he was at the mercy of Lord Alex to address the shortfall, should they come to blows.
It was still dark when they warped away from the dock they were tied to and made their way back out to sea. The massive hulk of the House of Drakon’s cargo vessel was still discernable where it lay anchored in the harbor. Yeagars was positive that the owner was the target of this search, so he was confused at their departure.
It struck him as odd that the ship still sported so many men aboard, and all so well-armed. Usually once a ship was set at anchor, only a minimal support crew maintained the vessel until needed.
He paid no more attention to the ship as the cleared the harbor mouth. Once safely in deep water, he turned the command of the helm over to Mr. Sikes and headed below for a nap. He left orders to be awakened just before they arrived at the point.
----*----
Alex had discussed more than dragons and dwarves with the pirate captain before leaving for Nyland. The comment about the purchase of the pirate fleet was a simplistic way of describing a complicated negotiation. Alex suspected Captain Regas would better describe his new position as head of the Windfall Navy.
Prince Renfeld had gutted his sea forces when creating a land army to threaten Great Vale. Alex was aware he now owned many empty ships sitting at anchor in the bay that had once patrolled the seas off the coast of Windfall. Without willing sailors to operate them, they were just a backdrop for merchant vessels passing in and out of the port.
Alex had left the former pirate captain with orders to make his ships seaworthy, a task already underway, and instructions to contact the king of the mountain dwarves for a meeting upon his return. Though unsure of his influence, he hoped his relationship with King Brokkr of Two Thorns might carry some weight in his favor.
So it was, that by sunrise, Captain Yeagars had Cassie’s Quest within a stone’s throw of both vessels. Alex was on deck as they approached the two ships, positioned exactly as they had left them the day before. He noted there seem to be a lot more men working on both ships than when they had left.
“Try not to freak them out,” Alex commented to Kelby who was standing nearby, noting the slightly bizarre fascination/fear that the sailors had with the mermaids. His own crew, now somewhat accustom to the mermaids’ presence, still watched them with a wary eye as they moved about the schooner.
The little redhead nodded in reply, even if he suspected she had no idea what he had just said.
“Captain, once we are settled, can you put a boat in the water for us to cross over in, please?” Alex asked while indicating the party of five standing with him. Kinsey gave him a look of anticipation, one he was going to have to disappoint.
“Kinsey, you stay here,” he said apologetically.
“Sire, are you sure about these men.....” Yeagars began.
“It will be fine, Captain, I promise,” Alex replied, but he was interrupted, as there was a sudden jar. He could feel the ship slammed from below, as if they had hit a reef.
“DRAGON!” he heard someone yell as the beast they had encountered at sea appeared from the water between the three ships.
“Cassie, my bow!” Alex screamed. He took the dragon’s first fire blast and funneled it skyward, while collecting free energy into a fire bolt that the dragon took full in the chest. He could smell the burnt flesh as he drove the bolt hard into the beast. The thrashing of the beast in the water rocked all three vessels, sending men into the sea all around them.
He continued to concentrate energy into the wound as he waited for his bow, where a fire glass tipped arrow could provide a lethal strike. A flash to his right caught Alex’s attention as he saw three splashes hit the water below. Nearby were two piles of clothing on the deck that he recognized from the twins and his bow with no arrows, well out of reach.
“Where is Cassie?” Alex asked no one in particular, as he sent a second blast directly into the face of the beast, interrupting another fire bath. The energy bolt slapped the dragon’s snout, forcing it up and away from the ship.
“There!” Leander said while pointing to a head bobbing in the water nearby. He could see Cassie as she tread water off to his right.
It was then that the dragon howled in pain as Kelby exploded from the water, fire glass spear in hand, propelled high by the dragon’s tail. As the dragon’s head snaked out to snatch her from midair, Alex slammed a shield into its head, diverting the lunge.
The mermaid landed safely near Cassie as the nymph began an attack of her own. Alex had just begun to gather an overpowering charge of free energy when someone called out.
“Look there!” Leander pointed.
As the two men watched, a whirlpool started to form around the point where the dragon’s body emerged from the water. It quickly became a vortex so strong that it threatened to pull all three vessels from their anchors.
The dragon however, acting as the center point of the vortex, had no means of countering the action. Within seconds, it was spinning violently out of control, flailing in all directions as Cassie directed the forming waterspout away from the ships and into deeper water.
With more water to work with, she created a massive spinning waterspout, one that appeared to tear at the dragon, working to shred the beast. Whether by Cassie’s manipulations, or by acts of the dragon trying to free itself, the beast suddenly went flying. As they watched, it tumbled uncontrolled, sailing farther out to sea and landing by one of the nearby islands. Alex swore the thud he heard indicated a shallow-water landing, one not conducive
to avoiding injury.
Scanning the horizon, with both his eyes and senses, he detected no trace of the creature attempting to return. Turning back to the space between the three ships, he watched as the two mermaids returned sailor after sailor to the safety of ship or shore. Cassie had moved to a spot between the ships and open sea, holding the spear and acting as a guard should the beast return unexpectedly.
Soon enough, all were safely returned to ships or sat on dry land. Alex quickly had dry towels brought up as he first helped a soaking wet Cassie aboard. He greeted her with a hug and a kiss, unsure of what to say at the moment, but angry at the risk she had taken. Taking the offered spear, he handed it off to a nearby crewman.
“We will talk about this later,” Alex commented as she left his embrace, wrapped in a towel, and went below to change. The twins emerged from the water naked, as expected. Abrianna quickly wrapped the two in towels, while Yeagars, Leander, and Alex ushered the overly interested sailors on to their duties. Now was not the time for mermaid distractions.
With the flurry of activity, Alex had barely time for more than a few words with Cassie, and she appeared in no mood to listen to his lecturing on her safety. Within the hour, all was back to normal and the six had been ferried to the ship commanded by Captain Regas.
The man was there to greet them as they climbed aboard the brigantine from the jolly boat. As he was the last to board, the others saw Alex greeted with less respect than he deserved, but far more than a pirate would normally provide.
“You said nothing about nymphs and mermaids when last we spoke,” Regas declared as he embraced Alex as one might a fellow sea captain.
“Are you complaining? They just saved your ass!” Alex replied after the man released him.
“I believe proper introductions are in order,” Abrianna announced before the captain could continue.
“So they are,” Alex responded while stepping over to his five companions.
