A nearby pirate watching the conflict with interest overheard the man’s comment and peered over the counter, meeting eye to eye with a very startled Aislyn hiding in the cabinet.

“I’ll be damned! It is a broad back ‘ere!” He exclaimed a bit too loudly.

All activity in the bar ceased at the pirate’s announcement, lusty appetites were whetted and blades drawn for the inevitable struggle over who would take her first. Odell dropped his tray and ran over to the counter, standing between the pirate and Aislyn who had remained in hiding to little avail.

“Get outta the way barmaid! I spotted ’er firs’. I’ll be damned if I’ma lose this piece o’ ass to some punk in a fuckin’ dress!”

“An’ I’ll be damned if some pirate is ta lay one diseased finger on my friend.” Odell’s eyes burned with resolve, though the tremor of one coming of age made itself apparent in his voice.

“Get outta ’ere you!” he snarled as he shoved Odell into a nearby sleeping pirate, spilling his beer and toppling both stool and table.

“You sonovabitch!” He roared at any and all for his rude awakening.

The horde of sailors inched closer to the bar silently, hungrily.

“Hey, Odell, was it?” Aichlan and Eth excused themselves as they made their way to the bar.

“She’s the fourth! We got a ship in the harbor but haven’t been able to leave, you get us outta here an’ it’s yours!” he fumbled to remove the dress, eventually ripping at it until it came off.

“ Ow big is it?” Eth queried pragmatically.

“It’s a merchant vessel, two hundred fifty-footer! Now do something’!”

The dreadlocked captain slowly pushed his way forward and looked down at Odell disappointedly.

“Though’ I told you ta stay in yer dress boy?” he shook his head in feigned remorse. “Have at ’er lads.”

“Aw hell…” Madden slurred as he muscled past Ransom, unconcerned with the daggers.

A roar of lust for blood and womb went up throughout the bar as Aislyn stood, giving a face to their prize. Without warning, Eth turned and coldcocked a pirate behind him, shattering his jaw and spraying those nearby with teeth, blood and saliva as he went down in a limp heap. Aichlan followed with a right cross from his steel plated gauntlets, shoving the bewildered pirate into his crewmen.

“What, are we fightin’ now?” Ransom yelled as he ducked and returned a blow. “Lil’ warnin’ next time huh?”

Madden charged as a mad, drunken bull, and shoulder rammed his way through the sea of pirates. Eth grabbed one by the collar and head-butted him repeatedly, took the half full bottle of rum from his limp hand, finished it off and smashed the bottle over another’s head. Odell scrambled to his feet and hopped over the bar to join Aislyn, ducking wild swings and tossed barstools.

“Come on! Madden’s cleared a way fer us!” He grabbed her hand and led her around the bar.

“What about Rassvete? We can’t leave him!” She protested, struggling against his lead.

“That guy’s in The Order just like Rassvete. They probably know each other or something. And unless you got a yacht under that skirt of yers, we gotta get the hell outta here! Like now!” He ducked a mug thrown in his direction as Aislyn finally saw the logic in his arguments and followed him.

“What about our bows?”

“We’ll get new ones in Eefrit!” He shoved Aislyn to the floor as a lance of fire pierced the air before them.

“What the hell? Was that a Colby-Nau?” Aislyn exclaimed as she wiped the mystery gook of the floor off on her skirt, following Odell’s lead towards the door.

* * *

A table crashed through the window of the EToS, followed by two flaming, screaming pirates. Several barhopping crews saw this as an invitation to a melee and rushed to join in on the brawl, no matter the cause. Inside, the tavern was alight with several small fires and the flares set off when several genius brigands decided to douse the flames in one hundred fifty proof rum. Eth held a man by the throat over one particular fire, whilst stomping his companion mercilessly into the floor. Aichlan drew his sword and swatted a tomahawk one of the pirates had drunkenly launched at him. The dreadlocked captain drew his scimitar and blocked Aichlan’s killing blow to one of his crew.

“That’ll be eno’gh of that then lad.” He calmly stated, his eyes colder than the ice that forms in Deadsun. “You don’t agree with us pillaging’ and carryin on as our job so entails, then I’ll let you an’ yours walk outta here right now wit da girl, but the boy stays. And he puts the dress on.”

Aichlan backed away, perplexed and wary of the man who so suddenly appeared with this logical and generous proposal, especially given the fact that they were a bunch of black-hearted pirates.

“Seems fair, but why the boy? And who’s ta say you won’t ambush us at a later point?”

Aichlan placed a hand on Eth’s shoulder, signaling him to cease his rampage as the Admiral did the same with a loud, shrill whistle. The men all stood at attention and the bar was silent save the crackling of several unchecked fires.

“Firs’ off, the boy shot at me an’ needs ta learn a lesson. As fer you gettin’ jumped later on…” he sheathed his sword and took a sip from a mug, miraculously unharmed. “Watch yer back.” A smirk curled on his ringed lips.

Aichlan ground his teeth in irritation. “Fine, where is the girl? She probably knows just as well as he where their ship is.” Everyone looked around in vain; Odell, Aislyn and Madden had already escaped.

“Well, seems we’ve been bamboozled mate, cuz I can tell ya fer certain that boy ain’t got no vessel. The stink of the swamps and ash from yonder mountain was ’eavy upon ’em all.”

“Light damn it…”

“So it’s up to you lad, you can keep this goin’, or you can walk away. Do you really wanna keep fightin’ like this lad?”

“Not particularly…”

He sheathed his sword and they all stood in tense silence, as none knew how to proceed. As he signaled for them to leave, Eth picked up a barstool and smashed it over the head of a pirate. The utter violence and randomness of the strike caused everyone to pause momentarily before giving way to the melee once again.

* * *

Maleah rode over to Clarissa and her brother as they loaded a chest with various supplies and goods from an affluent looking home. She signaled for her men to halt as she dismounted and sauntered over to meet them. She wore her black and white coatee unbuttoned with her rank insignia hanging precariously from the collar.

“So what’s the deal? Thought Aichlan didn’t want anyone with a vagina to join him on his lil’ operation?” Séverin pointed to his collar with a disapproving look.

“They’ve got a pirate infestation,” Maleah sighed as she fussed with the back clasps of her rank insignia, “he wants to liberate the city and—”

“Reap the rewards of its grateful citizenry. Haven’t heard that one before.” Maleah interrupted, unimpressed. “What his type don’t get is that any time you show up in uniform or with a banner of some sort the people think you owe it to them and don’t give a shit. I swear Séverin, if this is all for naught I’ll—”

“Feel good inside for a good deed rendered to good people. Now help me with this chest.” Séverin wiped his brow as he latched and locked the chest of spoils. “The old man has a cart around back.”

She frowned and looked doubtfully towards the ports. “I think it’s a mistake to count on these people.”

“If generosity won’t gain us passage, then this shall. Now go get the cart.”

Maleah sighed in resignation and motioned for two of her soldiers to carry the chest. “Sasha, go around back and hitch the cart.”

The one named Sasha nodded and spurred his horse to carry out his orders. Séverin continued to stare at her with a blank expression she had come to recognize as disappointment. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the spoils her brother had inexplicably acquired.

“And how’d we come across this?” She eyed the treasure-laden chest keenly as it was carried off.

“An Elysian merchant became stranded when our dear brother paid a visit bringing these filth in his wake. He was returning from Lyresia and stopped here to find an Aes Sidhean before continuing to Cassatt.”

Maleah flicked her hair from her face as she rummaged through the crates of foodstuffs. Most of it was pickled pork or vegetables, some jams, coffee beans and bags of tealeaves. She scrunched up her face in disgust, none of it sounded appetizing.

She closed the chest and stood up. “Doesn’t matter anymore. Osric sailed the Bay of Woe and Sea of Sorrow with a Xanavien crew.”

“You’re mistaken,” Séverin said dismissively as he directed more soldiers into the house “you only need one Aes Sidhean, perhaps you didn’t notice.”

She stopped a passing man and removed the cloth covering a basket he carried. Her face lit up upon discovering it was full of sugar frosted fried sweet breads. She ignored her brother and helped herself to two.

“Yep, he says the curse is null and void now.”

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

“Well whatever the case, if we get rid of these pirates he says he’ll ferry us to Port Romance.” He said offhandedly and helped a soldier lift another chest onto their cart.

Maleah watched as a steady stream of crates and barrels were rolled out and loaded onto the cart. She took a large bite of the sugary pastry, delighted to find it was cream filled. Séverin ordered the cart return to camp and the soldiers grounded the rest of the supplies and took a break.

“Doesn’t he know there was a war in Elysia?” She asked through a mouthful of pastry. “Not much to go back to, especially not in Cassatt.”

“Well, just keep dzat to yourself dzen.” Clarissa hissed; fanning herself as she searched the faces of those Maleah brought. “Where’s Ashe and Taryn?”

Maleah held up a finger as she chewed and swallowed a mouthful of pastry. “Ashe said she was sick, been tossin’ up everything that she puts down, and I didn’t feel like Taryn’s bitching today.”

She licked the frosting and syrup from her fingers before holding up her hand for Cookie to finish the rest.

Clarissa shuddered and looked away, busying herself with packing. “Are you sure dzis will be enough? Soldiers dzat is, shouldn’t we call in Donough’s men?”

“Maleah’s men should be fine Clarissa. It will help in easing our General’s fears and concerns.”

“Fuck that guy.” Maleah sneered as she bit off a chunk of the second roll. “And the last thing we need is a bunch of bloodthirsty pyro’s settin’ fire to everything.”

“Besides, once they see one hundred mounted, trained, soldiers galloping down upon them, they’ll dive back into the sea whence they came. You haven’t seen my sister in action yet.” He said with a wink.

The soldiers returned with the cart and two more loaded it with the loot.

Séverin grunted as he placed the last crate of supplies onto the cart. “As for you and I, we’ll ride back to camp with the supplies and get this underway. The army will march in after us to sweep away the fleeing pirates and provide reinforcements should the need arise.”

Clarissa bit her lower lip as she glanced from Maleah to Séverin. “Hmm, I’m not sure zat dzey should be sent in without a ’ealer, it’s not what Aichlan ordered.”

“It’s just pirates, sea scum.” Maleah mounted Cookie and removed the cover to her lance head. “Aichlan will agree that this is an efficient tactic.”

“He would agree that it is a Xanavien tactic and most certainly not approve, and neither do I.”

They looked up to see where the voice had come from, and spotted Enyo standing on the second story balcony. She did a front flip off the railing, using a gust of fiery wind to break her fall just before landing.

“Fortunately I’ve followed his orders and a company of warriors is en route with a detachment of healers. No need to thank me.”

Maleah leaned forward lazily in her saddle, staring at nothing, seeming to gaze right through Enyo. Enyo returned her gaze, her eyes boring holes into Maleah, carrying antipathy and arrogance. Maleah sat up straight and turned her horse around, uninterested in further staring contests.

“…Whatever. Just don’t set fire to the whole town or this little exercise will have been for naught.”

Maleah reared her stead as she signaled her men to ride out, galloping off into the city center.

“Is one such as her truly capable of this task?” Enyo scoffed.

“If you actually are curious, you’d best hurry before it is all over.” Séverin said with more than a hint of derision. “My sister may seem slothful, but she also excels in the ways of wrath.”

“Hmph. We shall see whom is the more wrathful.”

Enyo leapt into the air, boosted by a gust of wind and fire at her feet, bounding over several city blocks.

Clarissa playfully slapped him on the shoulder with her fan. “Now why would you go and do something like zat?”

“Blame it on family pride.” Séverin grumbled as he watched Enyo disappear into the city.

* * *

The thundering of hooves went unnoticed until it was right on top of the city center. The first to notice were the whores of the second and third floors, who let out a shriek of terror when their dulled senses registered the threat the black armor riding upon them represented. The drunken pirates on the streets below however, did not notice until Maleah had impaled several upon her lance as she galloped down the narrow street, trampling and goring all in her path. By the time they grasped they were under attack, each ship was so scattered and drunk that they could not mount an adequate defense, and reverted to a screaming mass making a break for the docks as Séverin had predicted. She thundered past the Eternal Tears of Sorrow, briefly catching the bewildered and bloodied look of Aichlan, Eth and Ransom.

* * *

Eth pulled a shard of glass from his forearm, shaking cigarette ash from his tangle of hair. “That purple haired broads’ wit us ain’t she?”

“Yes.” Aichlan leaned against the doorframe to catch his breath without agitating his broken ribs. “Where’s that kid? I’ma kill ’em.”

“What about this guy?” Ransom jerked his thumb towards Eth. “Why’d you throw the barstool and kick it all off again Eth?”

Ransom had managed to abscond with three bottles of wine and a stack of banknotes, as well as the least war wounds out of the three of them. Aichlan spat out blood and one of his eyeteeth into his hand, and hoped that Clarissa would be able to do something for it later.

“I don’t care, get me a bloody boat and that lil’ bastard.”

An explosion in the port caught their attention as a pillar of flames sunk one of the galleons.

“Are you shittin’ me!” Aichlan punched the doorframe in frustration. “Don’t they know we need those?”

“Those fren’s o’ yers guy”’ Francis stepped over one of his fallen crewmen as he put on his tri cornered hat. “Be’er not be fuckin wit my ships.”

“Damn it Donough…”

“Actually Gen’ral, those’re Enyo’s men.” Eth corrected, digging more glass shards from his arms.

“Damn it. Let’s go! Before she burns the whole damn harbor.”

* * *

The battle lasted a little over an hour, the majority of the pirates died in egress or vainly appealing to Enyo’s compassion and humanity. What remained was a harbor full of stolen ships and about three hundred pirates bound in ropes and chains along the 39th pier. Citizenry surrounded them, up and ready for vengeance, and their cries for blood were a deafening roar. The gallows were hastily raised and a guillotine was hauled in to do multiple executions. Maleah’s units formed a perimeter between the prisoners and the citizens as Enyo and her soldiers performed fire brigade duties, dousing the flames they so rashly set.

Odell and his companions had also been caught attempting to ‘commandeer’ a merchant’s sloop and were being held along with the other pirates and criminals as the crowd surged and jeered, crying out for a show of death. The cities elected official was a man in his mid-thirties, and despite the ordeal of his citizens, seemed in relative good health and clean dress.

“I take it you are the leader of this operation?” He smiled plastically and extended his hand to Aichlan.

“I am.” Aichlan shook the man’s hand, not missing his leery eyes.

“Well, better late than never I suppose. Thought they’d show after that Xanavien fellow came through here.”

“I’m sorry? Were we expected?”

“Yes! Of course, you were expected!” He leaned in closer and lowered his tone. “But tell me, why did you bring along these savages?” He gestured jovially to Enyo and Maleah with a wink and a nudge.

Aichlan smiled civilly and pushed the man away. “I do not believe we are who you think we are…”

The mayor looked Aichlan over suspiciously. “You wear the uniform of a Knight of The Order, is it not yours? Were you not sent to liberate this city?”

“I’m not sure if you realize this, but the world is currently at war with the Xanavien you saw come through here before. Elysia is in ruins and quite frankly, I doubt they even know of this ports existence.”

“That’s not what the monk said!” The mayor pulled a letter from his breast pocket and thrust it at Aichlan.

He took the letter and looked it over. It was a crude and poorly done forgery of an official memo. The letterhead was official, but whatever had been written on it originally was obviously bleached off. The wording was wrong, as was the signatory. There was even a postscript, something never found in official documents, asking for a line of credit to be extended to the deliverer of the letter. Aichlan looked to at the man in disbelief, it seemed impossible for anyone to be so stupid as to accept a letter such as this.

“He did mention a war; he said The Order was on its way to confront the enemy in—”

Aichlan placed his hands on his hips and sighed loudly as he kicked at the dirt with his boot. The man’s face dropped as Aichlan crumpled the letter in his hands.

“He lied didn’t he?”

“The Order is no more; those that travel with me are all that is left as far as I know.”

The mayor grew red-faced and clenched his teeth and fists. “I see…”

“If it’s any consolation, he shall be dealt with, but that doesn’t change the fact that we need passage to Duvachellé.”

“…No.”

Aichlan raised an eyebrow, uncertain of what he just heard. “I’m sorry?”

“Our city is a sovereign one, and up till this point we have been left alone. Even when Xanavene made port here, we retained neutrality. I thank you for your assistance with the pirate scourge, but I am afraid that I cannot further jeopardize the safety of my citizens by abetting your, group. Just look at the damage this ousting of pirate scum caused!”

“Nae fu—”

Aichlan held up his hand to keep Eth from attacking the frightened man. “You can’t be serious…”

“I’m afraid so Brother Knight. And I must ask you to take your army and leave.”

“Light, they’re serious.” Aichlan exclaimed horrified.

Francis stood and called out over the low roar of bloodthirsty villagers and whimpering pirates. “Oi! What’s yer name again lad?”

He was tempted to ignore the pirate, but the sight of the Mayor had begun to make him ill. If he continued that conversation, they could very well end up with another brawl on their hands. He shoved the mayor out of his way and approached the pirate, more interested in what he had to say as his conversation with the town’s leader was officially done with.

“Aichlan, why do you ask?”

“Yer papi wasn’t Garrick was he?”

Aichlan folded his arms across his chest. “Aye, he was.”

“I sailed him to the shores of Rhodarcium and back again to Aes Sidhe with our tails square ‘tween our legs back in the war.”

“Shut up you!”

A town constable struck the pirate in the face with a truncheon and readied another strike before Aichlan held out his hand for him to cease.

“And how do you know of me?”

Francis glared up at the constable, and spat at his feet before continuing. “He told me, you wanna hear more, get me outta these bloody shackles or I ain’t sayin’ a light-damned thing.”

“You trust this guy?” Ransom eyed the pirate with distrust.

Eth shoved his way past the constable. “He got a ship?”

“Got a couple galleon’s and a Catharonian merchant’s freighter in yon harbor mate, free ma crew an me an’ we’re at yer service.”

“Those ships belong to the city of Vergas now pirate scum!” The constable spat.

“Well consider them as payment for freeing your city.” Aichlan snapped. “Captain—”

“It’s Admiral son, Admiral Donnelyn.”

“Well then, Admiral, consider it a deal. Eth, remove his bonds.” Aichlan turned and glared at the constable and approaching mayor. “As for you, you will release this man’s crew; I care not what you do with the rest.”

“This man and his crew are criminals! They must be punished!” The mayor barked in protest to the constable’s emphatic nods of agreement.

“It will not kill you to show leniency upon this man, should you not acquiesce however…”

“I will.” Eth snapped his fingers, shooting an arc of flame menacingly close to the men.

The mayor scowled and spat at Aichlan’s feet in disdain. “…Fine. Take them and go.”

Aichlan bowed mockingly. “You are most kind.”

He turned to leave, but stopped short, remembering the reason he sought to clear the port out to begin with. He begrudgingly turned back around and tapped the mayor on his shoulder.

“One more thing, the refugees of Rhode, you will take them in.”

The mayor contorted his face in disgust. “You dare ask for more after what you’ve done?”

“I’m not asking.”

The mayor loosened his collar and looked to the constable for backup. The somewhat portly officer had already begun his retreat to hassle other prisoners. Seeing as he was alone, he cleared his throat and addressed Aichlan in a more civil tone.

“We simply haven’t the room or the supplies. Most of our food is imported, we can’t sustain them.”

The land around Vergas was green and full of vegetation, unlike the wasteland they had crossed to reach it. While he had seen farmland, it admittedly was not enough to feed even a quarter of the city’s population. However, from what he knew of the city and its inhabitants, this was likely due to them having more merchants than farmers. He could not see any reason the Colby-Nau could not settle the lands around the city and solve both of their problems by working the land.

“If not within your cities borders then just outside of them, but you will provide for them and they will do in turn. I’m afraid this isn’t a request.”

“And the others were?” The mayor stammered. “You’ve been issuing veiled threats this entire—”

“The veil has been dropped at this point. Should I get word that you mistreat or shun these people in any way shape or form, let us say your tenure as mayor will be effectively cut short. Am I clear?”

The mayor glared at Aichlan’s stern expression, then softened his own as he came to realize it was a battle he could not win.

“It will be as you ask, sir knight.” The mayor put on a faux smile in response.

Aichlan dismissed the man with a disgusted wave of the hand. The mayor drew himself up and gave one last contemptuous glare to Francis before he stormed off to address the screaming mob.

Francis guffawed heartily. “Yer Garrick’s boy alright.”

“Hurry and ready your ships Admiral, I’ve little more patience for this city.”