Chapter 5
Upon Wicked Tides
Lo-vellah`s eyes peer open slowly as a horrible pain throbs in her skull, she feels the gentle rocking of a ship beneath her.The smell of stagnant air and gunpowder fills her lungs.
As she opens her eyes she sees the interior of a ship illuminated by the bit of light coming from an open hatch above and the few small lanterns strewn about along various support beams."W Where am I?"She mumbles to herself as she tries to stand, only to find her hands are chained to one of the support beams.
"You my dear lady are aboard the Dragons Skull. I would say welcome aboard but... you didn't exactly have a choice did you?"A dark voice booms out from a shadowed part of the ship, the only visible cue of where it came from being two glowing blue eyes looming in the darkness .
A small flame from a match illuminates the sitting figure as it lights a cigar in its mouth. In the moment of light Lo-Vellah can make out only the rough shape of a man in a white Doublet with a wide brimmed white hat.
"And I suppose you are its captain?"She says with a defiant shake to her chains.
"Ey That I am my lady."The figure says as the embers from his cigar glow with his breath.
"Well Captain."She says with a hint of sarcasm and disdain.``If you were hoping for a ransom, I hate to break it to you but I am but only the lowly wife of a blacksmith. We don't have any treasure or money to trade."
"Now, now , who said anything about a ransom?''The figure rises to his feet and slowly begins to step towards her. His every step closer caused an ever increasing pressure in the air.
The hairs on the back of her neck begin standing on end as he steps into the light shining down from the open hatch above."I have much bigger plans for you my dear lady."He says as he raises his head into the light, his face was pale with an undertone of blue and his sharp jawline was slightly covered by a trimmed beard in the shape of an anchor with a thin disconnected mustache.
Along the right side of his face was a glowing red scar just under his eye. His eyes caught Lo-vellah`s attention the most, the only color from them was the deep glowing blue of his iris`s,where the whites of his eyes should be was nothing but a black void occasionally arching with electricity. The very glance at his eyes caused a sense of dread to fill her body.
She steps back as far as she can before the chains halt her retreat.``D Don't come any closer! I'm warning you or I`ll-"
A faint grin begins to inch across the man's face. "You will do nothing I`m afraid.''He begins circling around her.``How rude of me. I have yet to introduce myself. I am Graken Zolas, Captain of the Dragon skull. Now by what name shall I call the lowly wife of a blacksmith hmm?"He grins at her as he blows a puff of smoke towards her. The smoke filled with small sparks of electricity arcing through it.
"Lo-Vellah... My name is Lo-Vellah "She says hesitantly. So what, am I to be sold to the highest bidder or-"
"No nothing of the sort my dear Lo-vella. You are our very special guest and as such, you will be treated as such.''He interrupts. as he takes a step closer before leaning in and unlocking her chains being sure to leave the shackles around each wrist still securely locked.
"W why is that?"She stutters as she feels an arc of energy escape his breath.
"Because I know what you are.''He whispers in her ear as he steps back, a look of terror covering her face."And I wouldn't want such a prize as yourself being spoiled now would I?"He turns his back towards her. You may follow me to your quarters but first I believe it best for you and I to have a word with the crew."
She falters back for a moment."Get a hold of yourself girl"She thinks to herself."You wont get out of this by panicking , just steady your breathing and do as he says for now. Reamus will be here to help in no time."She takes a deep breath and allows the emotions to flow but for just a moment before focusing back on her surroundings.
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She begins to follow Graken through the dark hold of the ship until he leads her to a set of stairs. As the two of them travel up the stair way Graken opens a large wooden door and the light of the sun pours into the shadowed hold. The glare from outside blinding her for a moment as she steps onto the upper deck and feels the fresh air across her face.
As her eyes adjust she sees the deck sprawling with crewmen each attending to their duties aboard. She looks around to each of the sailors. Most of them were human men with a few scattered women among them but there were also a small number of elves of different varieties and a lone half-orc man holding a map and a sextant looking out over the horizon.
What caught her eye the most were a pair of young boys, no older than Uriah who were busy hoisting up a cannon from below decks. The two of them looked nearly identical with red hair and fair skin, far too fair to have been on the sea for more than a week.
"Avast ye all!''Graken calls out to his crew as all of them come to a halt. The half orc lowers his tools as he turns and the two boys grit their teeth as they hold the line suspending the cannon in the air."This my dear crew is our most honored guest,and she is to be treated as such."He says as he leads her around the deck."Her name is Lo-Vellah. If any of you salty sea dogs lays a single hand upon her you shall answer to me."He smirks wickedly."And my justice shall be swift and painful.Of that you have my word as your captain."
As they continue walking across the deck they pass under the hoisted cannon just as one of the boys grip starts to fail and the cannon comes plummeting down towards Lo-vellah.
In a dark blur Graken shoves her out of the way and catches the cannon with a single outstretched arm. The sleeve of his coat falls slightly exposing the skin of his forearm, the skin of which was black and rough as of scales.
"Which of you filthy brig maggots let that cannon fall?!"He drops the cannon at the boys feet before picking the younger of the two boys up by the collar of his shirt.
"It was me sir!''The older of the two called out to him."M My hands had been soaked with sweat sir… the rope just slipped.''The boy stuttered as Graken set the other boy down only to approach him.
"Did they now?''Graken growls at him slightly before placing his hands on his shoulder."Well we cant be having that my young lad , now can we?''He says with a drastically calmer demeanor. Lo-Vellah looks to him with a worried eye as the very tension in the air could be felt growing tighter with every passing moment"Why don't you take a swim to cool off.''He turns to the crew. "Keel haul him!''The deck Quickly erupts into action as Graken grabs the boy along with the rope still tied to the cannon.
"N no you can't!"The younger boy ran up to him before being kicked to the deck."Do not dare halt me boy. Your brother traded your life for his. It isn't too late for me to take both of you for your failure!"He says before lifting the older boy into the air with the rope tied around his hands. The crew members rotate the yard arm over the water as the squirming boy dangles above the twisting waves below.
"Halt this madness Graken!"Lo-Vellah shouts to him."
"Well well my dear lady I didn't think we were on a first name basis." Let him go for a swim lads!"As Graken turns to see the boy be dropped into the water Lo-Vellah grabs a hold of a pistol from the belt of a nearby pirate and aims it upon herself."If you kill that boy I go with him !"She shouts to him.
Graken holds up his hand and halts the rest of the crew from dropping the boy or rushing her. with a slow pace he turns to her as a wicked grin crosses his face."You do have some spunk in you. I had only heard tell of it by my man you struck with the boat oar last night. I must say I didn't expect his words to be as true as they are. "He laughs." Fine, fine you have my word. I will not let the boy be dragged under the ship. but you must give me back that pistol as a sign of good faith.``
"Good faith?”She says with a huff.”Good faith in the word of a pirate? I think not. Let the boy down first then you can have this blasted thing back as soon as he is safely back on board!''She glares at him with the barrel pressed against her chin.
"Fair enough my lady.''He turns to the crew."The boy has hung around enough, bring him back aboard. And do be gentle about it.''With that word a few of the pirates growl with protest under their breath but they lower the boy back on the deck and untie the rope from his wrist. His younger brother hurries to his side and helps him up.
"Now, I believe we had a deal. or perhaps the women of Crescent ridge were not as respectable as I was told, Hmm?"He smirks at her as he holds out his hand.
With a sigh Lo-Vellah hands over the pistol, in a split second some of the crew men rush her and grab her by the arms."Unhand me you filth!"She shouts at them as she thrashes about.
"Remember boys do be gentle with her."Graken says as he approaches." Now to your cabin.``He leads her to the stern of the ship and opens the door to a well furnished cabin and stateroom."This will be your quarters for the time being, my lady. Oh and should you get any more ideas about what kind of man I am. "He raises the pistol back towards the deck and fires towards the boys. With a loud puff of fire and smoke the older boy falls into his brother's arms dragging them both to the ground as a puddle of blood starts soaking the deck.
"No!You monster!"She shouts as he shoves her into the cabin.
"Welcome aboard the Dragon's Skull, miss. I do hope you enjoy your stay!''He says with a laugh as he slams the door in her face securely locking it.
"Toss the chum overboard! Let the sharks have their first meal for the day."He says.
As his words fade into the torrent of voices on deck Lo-vellah shakes in anger and fear with tears streaming down her face. She watches through the window as the boys body is tossed into the sea his brother nearly jumping off the deck with him before the Candarian from the night before grabs him by the collar and tosses him to the deck next to a bucket and sponge.
The Candarian begins mouthing some foul words in a tongue that she could not understand nor even fully make out as the young boy begins wiping up the puddle of blood from the deck.
"I have got to get off of this ship."She thinks to herself as she wipes the tears from her face."And he is coming with me!"She says as she looks out to the boy.