Pirates and Wizards

by Jaxon Reed

  Dudge nodded. The wizard and the human prince stuck out in the crowd of sailors even more so than the merchant twins and young Kirt. By the looks of their conversation, the two groups had not seen one another in a while. He deduced they must have come in on different ships, and he suspected Trant and Greystone were from the naval ship while the twins and Kirt had traveled on the merchant vessel.

  Fret cupped his hands excitedly and yelled a greeting. When the humans looked his way, the young brewer scampered toward them.

  Dudge smiled, but continued walking. It seemed a more fitting pace for a prince, he thought to himself. A movement to his left caught his eye, and he turned to see Puffin approach, followed by two other guards.

  “Yer Highness?”

  Dudge stopped and turned toward the guards. He said, “Aye?”

  Puffin whipped out a dagger with lightning speed and stabbed Dudge in the stomach. He walked away with the other two guards without stopping to watch as Dudge grabbed his middle and collapsed to the ground in pain.

  13

  When Stin shared the tale of the Mystic Bank during supper at Widow Raynora’s house, Quent grew intrigued.

  “I wonder if the bank could hold things other than gold?” he said.

  Stin shrugged and said, “Couldn’t hurt to ask. They do take a three percent cut upon withdrawal. Perhaps if you contributed some gold they’d take their fee from that. It’d be a shame if you deposited a hundred of your rare books and they kept three of them.”

  Quent remained enamoured with the idea, and queried Stin closely as to the exact location of the bank. Once the guests cleared their plates and helped Raynora clean things up, Quent returned to his room to read while Stin headed out looking for a card game. The sun sank low in the sky and light began to dim when he hit the street.

  He had given up on Berti’s. Nobody there would play with him anymore. Two other pubs held regular games, but word had spread. After a few rounds, when other players saw for themselves how successful Stin could be, they abandoned the game.

  Tonight, Stin decided to try and sneak into the bad part of town. He suspected his ability to see through the backs of cards would be of less use in the dockside pubs. He presumed the stakes would be much lower among the seadogs, with games played for copper and silver rather than gold. But the crowds might offer some excellent pickpocketing. At the very least, the new surroundings would offer a change of pace.

  Caught up in his thoughts, he did not notice the fine carriage on the street until it pulled alongside him and Captain Cessic poked his head out.

  “There he is, just the man we were looking for. Hold, driver!”

  The driver, dressed in fine red livery, pulled the team of four white matching horses to a halt.

  The carriage, Stin noted, seemed rather more ostentatious than the carts comprising most of the street traffic in Corsairs Cove. It was fashioned with fine white oak paneling and accented in gold leaf. It even had a couple men standing along a platform in the back, dressed in the same red livery as the driver.

  The one standing curbside jumped down and retrieved a small footstool from a hook underneath. He opened the carriage door and bowed to Stin in a flourish.

  Cessic said, “Come on in, Steck! There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  Left with seemingly little choice, Stin mounted the step and entered the carriage. He sat down on a plush brown leather bench facing Cessic and an elderly man dressed in a crisp, finely tailored suit of clothing, the same shade of white as the carriage.

  “Lord Toliver, meet Steck, my third mate.”

  Toliver brushed aside a strand of thin white hair and gave Stin a friendly look of assessment.

  “I hear you are a man with a nose for gold,” he said.

  Stin replied, “I’m fond of the color yellow.”

  “Indeed. I also hear you are remarkably adept at playing cards.”

  “I discovered the joys of Primero recently. I was introduced to it not long after arriving in Corsairs Cove. Unfortunately, I’m afraid not too many people are willing to play anymore.”

  Toliver smiled and said, “It happens when you win practically every game. Perhaps if you lost more, you could play more.”

  “Perhaps. I don’t like losing, though.”

  “Not when there’s gold at stake, ay?”

  “Precisely.”

  Cessic said, “Toliver is one of our sea lords. His house is up in the mountains outside town.”

  Toliver nodded and said, “I was 18 when the sea called me. Captured by pirates on my first voyage, by Captain Nikaro on the Windfarie. Our crew was ransomed and everyone went home, except me. I fell in love with Corsairs Cove. I sailed with Nikaro from then on. Eventually I became his first mate. And after he became a sea lord, he funded my first voyage as a captain.”

  Impressed, Stin said, “And now it’s your turn to sponsor other captains.”

  “That’s the way of Corsairs Cove. Successful officers become captains. Successful captains become sea lords. Each supports those below him, helping the talented attain a higher rung.”

  Cessic said, “We think you are particularly talented, Steck.”

  Toliver nodded again. He said, “You have proven yourself multiple times. You’ve paid your debts. You’ve found gold where others missed it. You have made me quite a bit of money. I have recommended Cessic take you on his next voyage. He sails in a few days. He can teach you more about what it takes to run a ship. Mayhap one day he will fund your first voyage as a captain when he becomes a sea lord.”

  Stin thought about Bellasondra and Kirt, and how he wanted to see them again. But here among the powerful men on Corsairs Cove, he felt like he was being offered something special. The way these rich and influential men were looking at him . . . He felt honored. And who was to say he couldn’t slip away sometime and still find his former traveling companions?

  He said, “I’m your man.”

  Cessic and Toliver both grinned. Toliver said, “And now, if you would care to accompany us to my home tonight, several other people are anxious to meet you. You’ve developed quite a reputation. Some brave few would even like to play a few hands of Primero with you, just to see how you can be so lucky without magic.”

  Stin readily agreed. He said, “If the sea lords are willing to lose their gold, I am willing to take it.”

  The three men continued their conversation as the carriage passed swiftly through the streets, then out into the countryside.

  -+-

  Stin woke up the following day in time for lunch, whereupon he regaled Raynora and her guests with tales of Toliver’s manor party. Most of the sea lords were there, ten or twelve incredibly rich men. There were no female sea lords. This led to some discussion with Raynora about women pirates, of which there were a few.

  At the moment, Raynora said, there were no women captains or sea lords. But there was a legendary one by the name of Kyla, who proved so skillful at taking ships that she quickly amassed a fortune in loot and became one of the youngest sea lords ever. She lived during the time of the Battle of Hest, and had even tackled the evil wizard Lok at sea, if the legends were true.

  Once the table was cleared, Stin told Quent he needed to go to the bank again. The sea lords had been quite fascinated with his abilities at the table. Despite Toliver’s house mage keeping an eye on things, along with everyone else keeping a wary eye out for magic, Stin continued to win round after round at Primero. Nobody could figure it out. In the meantime they kept contributing gold to the pot, and Stin came home almost four bags richer.

  Out on the streets he searched for and found Cuppers, and hired his horses and wagon to help carry the bags. Quent came out with a thick bundle of books tied together.

  “If the bank accepts these for safekeeping,” he said, “I’ll bring the rest over.”

  Cuppers said, “What’s all the rush to get to th’ bank, sirrah?”

  Stin said, “Cessic sails again soon, and we’ll be going with him.”

/>   Cuppers’ eyes grew big with wonder. He said, “I want to go, too!”

  “You don’t want to stay with your horses?”

  “Sod that, sirrah. I want to go to sea! I want t’ help capture a merchant ship and share in the gold! I’ll never amount to much drivin’ a cart.”

  Quent and Stin exchanged glances.

  Quent said, “We could always use a cabin boy. When you hear the Wavecrest is loading men and supplies, show up at the dock and ask for me. If they won’t let you on as a cabin boy, I’ll take you as a healer’s apprentice.”

  This statement pleased Cuppers greatly, and he practically bounced in the driver’s seat all the way to the Mystic Bank.

  When Quent followed Stin inside the little storefront, disappointment streaked across his face. He said, “This is it?”

  “Yes,” Stin said. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but the place is amazing.”

  Stin set his four heavy bags down and they waited in silence, staring at the closed door behind the counter. Finally it opened and Mandross stepped out, loose clothes hanging off his thin frame. He looked utterly miserable.

  “Oh. It’s you again. We take a—”

  “Yes, yes, I know. Three percent upon withdrawal. I’m make a deposit today, though. These four bags.”

  Mandross dolefully leaned over the counter to take a look. He said, “You sure do have a lot of gold.”

  “Mandross, this is my friend Quent. He wants to know if he can deposit some books with you.”

  Mandross looked at the bundle of books Quent had brought in and sighed dramatically. His shoulders slumped and his head drooped even further than before. In a monotone he said, “We accept anything. We’ll hold onto your entire room full of books for three gold. When you retrieve them, we’ll keep the gold.”

  Quent’s brows furrowed. He said, “How did you know I have a room full of books?”

  Stin smiled and slapped Quent on the back. He said, “They don’t call it the Mystic Bank for nothing.”

  Mandross groaned. He said, “I’ve never heard that one before.” He turned back to Quent and said, “Do you accept the deal?”

  Still somewhat amazed, Quent said, “I’m afraid, uh, I don’t have that much on me.”

  “Here,” Stin said. “Take three of mine. Pay me back sometime.”

  He opened one of his bags, pulled out three gold doublets and handed them to Quent.

  Quent thanked him, handed the coins to Mandross and said, “I’ll have to make several loads with the horse and cart we hired.”

  “No need,” Mandross said, sounding tired. “We’ve already transferred them for you.”

  “Oh.”

  Stin looked up and said, “What? You can do that? Why didn’t you do that with all my bags of gold I hauled in the other day?”

  Mandross looked at him with a sour expression and said, “You didn’t ask.”

  “Well, he didn’t either.”

  Mandross ignored Stin and looked at Quent. He said, “Will that be all, milord?”

  Quent said, “There was one I wanted to bring with me on the ship. Ethel’s Book of Herbs and Poultices.”

  Mandross said, “It’s on the table where you left it.”

  “Oh. Uh, thanks.”

  Mandross reached below the counter and pulled out two scraps of parchment and a quill pen. He scribbled down some numbers and handed one to Stin, the other to Quent.

  “Bring this back when you want your books,” Mandross said in a flat, dreary monotone.

  Quent stared at the markings on the parchment and realized it must be the number of books now held by the bank. He said, “What happens if I lose this?”

  Mandross sighed heavily and said, “You won’t lose it.”

  “But what if I do?”

  “Even if you do, which you won’t, I know how many books you deposited. Rest assured you’ll get them all back. Your items are safe with the Mystic Bank.”

  To emphasize his statement, Mandross yawned, revealing yellow teeth.

  Quent said, “Mm. What if someone steals this scrap of parchment? Can they show up and take my books?”

  “No one can steal it from you. If they do, the parchment will return to you. But if you give it to someone willingly, they can bring it to any office and retrieve what you deposited.”

  Stin patted Quent reassuringly on the shoulder and they turned to leave. When Quent looked back on the way out the door, his bundle of books were gone. So were Stin’s bags of gold.

  Mandross stared back with sad eyes and a miserable scowl. He said, “Have fun. Don’t get shipwrecked or anything. It’d be a shame to gather all this wealth and then die.”

  -+-

  The next day Corsairs Cove turned into a beehive of activity. Melton made the rounds of food merchants, ordering supplies. Other officers gathered up rope, canvas, carpentry supplies, and dozens of other items needed to outfit the ship.

  The following day, seadogs turned up at the dock by the dozens to sign on for the voyage. Word spread that Third Mate Steck would return. His legend had grown considerably, helped in no small part by his prowess at the gaming tables. Unbeknownst to Stin, tales of his lucky streak at Berti’s and elsewhere had spread to the dockside pubs.

  His time onboard the Wavecrest grew embellished, too. The stories became more outlandish over time. Soon, every pirate happily confessed to losing all their gold to him. They said he could practically smell riches, and a dozen new tall tales were told about him before noon.

  The seadogs began to call him things like “Seeker,” “Gold Finder,” and “Lord Fortune.” The last one stuck, and when he approached the docks for the first time since stepping off Wavecrest, a loud cheer greeted him from the men in line.

  Plinny knocked over four or five people in his rush to meet Stin. He said, “Bwahahaha! Thar he is! Lord Fortune! I brought him aboard the Wavecrest meself, and he made us all rich. He’ll make us rich again, laddies!”

  Another roar of approval went up from the crowd.

  Stin waved politely and suffered several near-crippling blows as Plinny slapped him on the back in jubilation. But he gladly let the giant shove people out of the way to clear a path to the gangway for him.

  Stepping onboard, he grinned at Melton who was sizing up the seadog coming aboard. Melton, back at work, frowned at him, all onshore pleasantry gone. He said, “Same bunk as before, Steck.”

  Melton turned to look down at a boy staring up at him expectantly, next in line. He said, “We don’t need another cabin boy. Go away.”

  The boy’s shoulders sagged.

  Stin recognized Cuppers. He said, “You cleaned up! Welcome aboard. It’s alright, Melton. Quent asked this young man to come along as his apprentice.”

  “Well why didn’t he say so? I’ve got a hundred men to sort through. Speak up next time, boy!”

  “Aye, sirrah! Ye’ve m’ word on that!”

  Cuppers eagerly followed Stin onboard. Stin said, “I’ll show you where Quent runs the healer quarters. You can stay there until he arrives. He’ll find an appropriate bunk for you.”

  “That’s mighty kind o’ ye, Lord Fortune.”

  “Don’t start with that.”

  -+-

  At long last the tugs pulled Wavecrest out into the harbor, oarsmen churning the water. Cessic nodded at Melton, who gave orders to unfurl the sails. She caught the wind and sped out to sea.

  Stin made his way to the stern to catch one last glimpse of Corsairs Cove, only to find several others already there including Quent and Cuppers. Stin found a place at the rail next to Quent and breathed in a lungful of the warm, salty air. Seagulls followed in the ship’s wake and the dock grew ever more distant.

  “Missing it yet?” Quent said.

  “A little. Time seemed to fly by so fast, I never got a chance to do much, or see more of the town.”

  Including the seedier parts, which seemed more interesting, Stin mused to himself, because they were roped off from the part he had stayed in.<
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  “Mm. You were too busy collecting gold at the card tables, I imagine.”

  Stin smiled, silently acknowledging the fact.

  Quent said, “Ever wish you went back to Heart’s Desire?”

  “I did.”

  “What? You never told me that. When did this happen?”

  “A couple days after we first visited.”

  “Well? What did you get?”

  Stin paused, reflecting on the wisdom of sharing with his friend. Finally he shrugged and said, “Ocularus taught me a spell that opens any lock.”

  “That was your greatest heart’s desire?”

  “At the time, yes. I didn’t know it would be, of course, until he told me about the spell. Then I had to have it. Kind of like you don’t know what book he’s going to show you.”

  “Mm. I suppose knowing how to unlock things might be useful to a pirate. How much did it cost you?”

  “All I had, of course. Which was two bags of gold. After I left I decided to hold off showing up every day. I’d never accumulate any money that way. It was hard. After a few days, when my wealth radically increased, I began to wonder what sort of knowledge or object that much gold would buy from Ocularus. I still do. Then after I made my first deposit in the Mystic Bank I began to wonder if Ocularus could take every coin I had in the bank, or if he’d only take what I brought into the shop.”

  He smiled sheepishly and said, “Now I’m afraid to find out. So I hurried onboard before the temptation to go back overwhelmed me.”

  “Mm. That’s probably for the best. I have given all my gold to Ocularus over the years, and I have nothing to show for it but old books.”

  Stin snorted, “I suspect you have the greatest library of rare books in the world, Quent. And now they’re safely in the Mystic Bank rather than piled on the floor at Raynora’s.”

  “And for that I owe you three gold, which I will repay upon our first capture.”

  A yell from the bow went out and everybody turned toward the front.