Fate - First Reply Blood On the Rocks[Pirates]

[Edward Lorain]

Edward did not like her answers or the ones that he came to in his own head. The Naghi weren't avid sailors, and would have waited to attack them once on land or in more shallow depths. Damn, it would have been easier if it was the Naghi and that was saying something.

"Boys, all hands!"

If the earlier movements had been quick and efficient then this new order sent the crew scurrying about with more of the crew coming from below deck.

A sudden jolt had the ship quickly moving over the waves, the wind picking up behind them and Edward's features looked slightly ashen.

Ed took a hard left forcing the ship heading for them to sail nearly directly into the wind. It wouldn't stop the new arrivals, but it would force them to sail in the direction of Ed's choosing.

"Bean! As soon as you get a confirmation on that flag then I want to hear it! If it's one of the giant spawn then we sink 'em before they can even look us in the eyes."

The young boy in the crow's nest yelled in acknowledgment followed by the rest of the crew.

"I would suggest holding onto something."

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

Seyah watched the entire process of the ship with an intense interest.

She watched every thing and every one. Picking up what she could, and tracking those movements which she could easily follow. It was a beautiful sort of dance, she almost immediately noticed, like a performance at a theater.

Everyone moved exactly how they should. One man rushing to the hitches, another moving to shift the sails, while yet another quickly climbed the rafters. Every single person aboard knew what they were doing, and all of them moved in tandem. It was impressive, and for a moment Seyah found herself she could get her girls to move in the same way.

"Hm?" She intoned as Edward urged her to hang on to something.

"Oh yes." The Taverness said as she gently stepped over towards the railing, wrapping an arm around the heavy wood. "Boys!"

Seyah called to the Ogre's she had brought aboard. "Make yourselves scarce, but be ready."

A frown touched her lips as she glanced at Ed. "There may be trouble soon."

There was a reason that she had brought the Ogre's, and it wasn't for the pirates she found herself surrounded by. Though she had little doubt Naghi and his skin were stronger, more skilled, and had enough men to bury most anyone; the former Death Watch members at least afforded her some protection. She would not want them below deck if things turned...bad.

 

[Edward Lorain]

"They'll never get close enough to touch us."

Nahgi could likely bull Ed apart with his bare hands...on land, but the seas were his, and he was making a big mistake coming for them out here.

It did not take long for the ship to get close enough for Bean to confirm their opponent. The opposing ship had turned to continue its beeline right for them. Both ships were loading and preparing ballista bolts to fire.

Edward never said a word, but the men were holding their fire like they were waiting for something. Ed had his head cocked to the side like he was trying to listen for something. Whatever he was listening for must have happened because he yanked the wheel to the right just as the other ship fired bolts flew into the air.

As soon as the ship straightened, the Siren launched its own volley of bolts. There was no reason to cautious in such a fight. Both sides knew what they wanted. No need to beat around the boat.

One of the sailors let him not that only one bolt had struck them with no real damage.

They managed to hit us first try, impressive.

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

Seyah watched with quiet fascination. Her eyes drawing over the railing of their own ship, across the seas, and towards the vessel in the distance. She knew it was not Naghi, it could not be. There was no doubt the Giant would welcome them into their harbor, but this foe was of his siblings.

That much the Taverness was sure of.

A loud thunk rang out as the enemy ship struck theirs with a ballista bolt. Seyah's eyebrows shooting almost immediately as she glanced out over the railing. "Oh. This is going to be dramatic."

Suddenly, she found herself wondering if she too would not have been better off going down below deck. Then again, if she did that, she wouldn't be able to take any of this in.

A frown pulled upon her lips as she watched the coastline, her gaze sweeping over the distant vessel and how it was slowly skirting around the deeper waters. She mused for a moment, and then called out to Edward behind her.

"Captain." Seyah began. "It seems to me like they are avoiding something in the water."

But what? Was was the question.

 

[Edward Lorain]

Edward's gaze swept over the depths in response to Seyah's words. She was right...she would make a good lookout. One of the crew members alerted him that their own bolts had hit as well. For a moment, the thought passed through his brain that it may be the abyssal, and a shiver ran down his spine. No, they could not be out here. It was probably just a reef or their ship was a shallow water vessel.

"Someone better figure out what's down there."

Even without knowing, Ed turned his ship towards the deep waters. If their opponents did not want to go there, all the better reason why they should.

"Seyah, I haven't been around been around these parts too much. Are there any known large reefs?...or large sea beasts?"

Please let it be a reef.

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

"Reefs?" She echoed the question, musing.

In truth, she had absolutely no idea. The seas were about as mysterious to her as the stars. Which was to say, she knew absolutely nothing about them. Her mother's educations had been in the Blood, and how to survive. nothing else had ever been important. "Why I've no idea, Captain."

She offered rather politely.

Though, those keen eyes which had spotted the motions of the enemy saw something else.

"I think, perhaps." She said, frowning and looking towards Edward. Her head shaking. "We may wish to turn away from the depths however."[/color[

No small amount of panic touched her tone. "There seems to be something rather large there."

Seyah called out just as a massive tendril extended from the seas.

 

[Edward Lorain]

Ed actually laughed at the ignorant innocence about the ocean. Of course, she didn't know. Why would she? She was not a sailor and probably could count on one hand the number of times she went out to sea. Of course, the laugh was wiped away with what followed next.

Tentacles, man he hated tentacles.

A quick spin of the wheel had the ship turning abnormally sharp to avoid the tentacle. Well, they figured out what they were running from and their opponents showed no sign of getting closer. That was going to make matters more difficult, the field was far more narrow than he had realized.

"We're gonna go with fish chum!"

The crew groaned but sprang into action correcting their course to head straight for the other ship. Another tentacle crashed down at them, but just out of reach.

"Fire on the tentacle."

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

The ship rocked as waves crashed against it's hull, Seyah's hand reaching out to brace herself against one of the nearby railings as her eyebrows rose sharply. "Captain."

There was a remarkable calmness to her tone, though the moment Ed turned and saw her face the panic in Seyah's eyes was more than a little obvious. The Taverness kept herself cool under pressure, but a Kraken was too much even for her.

A heavy snap rang out as a ballista bolt was loosed. It's thick steel shaft piercing directly through one of the nearby tentacles that had just raised to slam down on the ship.

It weaved back and forth in pain, as though a finger that had been caught in the door. It lashed back and forth, creating more waves and win.

"I fear we must brave the shallows." She said, her voice constricting in fear as the beast beneath the waves seemed to shift. Backing off for a moment at least as the pain within it's tendril lanced outward. "Perhaps we can lure one into the other?"

Seyah asked, the Taverness' voice tight.

 

[Edward Lorain]

Edward grinned mischievously as he looked at Seyah, she was smart. That was exactly what fish chum was, but she did not need to know that. Great minds think alike. However, there was one small problem. Judging by the design of the other vessel, it was designed for shallow water travel, while Ed's Siren was a more standard vessel. They would likely have a disadvantage in the shallows, but if the plan worked then that really would not matter.

"You heard the lady, get moving people."

Again more bolts shot out at the tentacles, not enough to definitively defeat such a beast, which this ship likely could not do anyway. Instead, it was just enough to keep the Kraken angry and its attention hooked.

Ed, himself, was playing a fine-line game of cat and mouse pushing the ship to stay just out of reach of the creature but close enough to urge the creature to keep following.

In all this chaos, Ed could feel his heart beating so fast that it threatened to pop right out of his chest. This was fear, and he knew it well, but he was already prepared to resolve himself to this fear. After all, this kraken was nothing when compared to the previous encounter with the eldtrich kraken on the Cortosi coast.

His journey down memory lane was quickly sent careening off its path as a large tentacle slammed down right next to the ship sending the ship rocking. Ed furiously turned the wheel as he hung on for dear life.

"Cutting it a little close, Ed!" One of the crew yelled.

"Hey, I don't tell you how to look ugly do I?"

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

Slowly, as the Kraken chased, so did the other ship. They moved almost in tandem, shifting through the waves and cutting towards the smuggler's vessel with speed. Wind lashed within their sails, throwing them forward directly towards their would be prey.

A laugh echoed passed Seyah's lips as a spray of water speckled her satin green dress. "This is delightful."

She exclaimed, feeling the rush come over her as they went in directly towards the shallows. In the distance the Taverness could almost feel the confusion aboard the other ship, their blood gently pulling her towards their mind.

A small, toothy smile bit at the edge of Seyah's lips.

"Left!" She suddenly called, her fingers twitching as she managed to catch sight of the other's vessel's pilot. Her hand scrunching ever so slightly Seyah called to the Blood, and it answered. "Go left!"

The Taverness called as the other ship suddenly went careening directly towards their own. Towards the Kraken upon their heel.

 

[Edward Lorain]

Seyah's laugh accompanied by the crashing of the waves was like music to his ears as a small broke onto his face followed by joining in with the laugh.

He heeded her call and pulled the ship harshly to the left, several of the crew sliding to the rails before the ropes at their waists pulled taught. The ship held together, but Ed could still feel the Kraken right behind them as well.

This was going to be close.

Ed strained to turn the ship as sharply as the vessel would allow, barely avoiding direct contact with the other ship. Unfortunately, their pursuers had also timed several ballista shots that smashed into the Siren sending splinted spiraling.

As they passed by the ship, Edward reached his hand out for the opposing ship and, for the first time motioned directly. Almost instantly, the wind around their pursuing vessel died down significantly slowing the ship...directly in the past of the kraken.

"Have fun with that."

Finding a small moment of reprieve, he quickly turned to Seyah with a smile, "It's intoxicating, right? The winds, the waves, and the feeling."

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

"Oh, it certainly is a rush." Seyah agreed as she turned her head back to look at the ship they had just evaded. The tendrils of the Kraken already lifting from the sea and slashing towards it's sleek form.

"But." She mused with a grin. "I think some things in the sea are still not for me."

Though her exterior was cool and calm, Seyah could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The thunder of it ringing in her ears. It would have been foolish to say the encounter hadn't been a close call, and doubtlessly Naghi's brothers would try again if they could. "Might we find safe harbor?"

She asked, the Ruined Towers of Mechtren now perched in the distance. The cities massive seawalls stark against the bleak land of the blight that surrounded it. Two huge towers sat upon the cities harbor entrance, and as the Siren approached a massive iron chain began to lower itself into the water.

Allowing them safe passage into the city itself.

 

[Edward Lorain]

Edward was still largely focused on the Kraken, wanting to make sure the thing sunk the other ship or at least crippled it to the point that they would not be worrying about pursuers. As the first tentacle fell like the watch of a forgotten sea god, Ed could see he had nothing to worry about. He turned away as the monster struck cracking a portion of the ship.

Taking a good long look at the city before him, he let out an impressed whistle.

"There aren't many places that could be considered a safe harbor to a Kraken, but this looks like one of them."

Ed slowed the ship timing it perfectly so that they crossed over the chains just as they lowered enough for them to pass. The crew already new the next steps as men began to signal to the harbor where they would be docking.

"If it helps, I've been on the sea since I could walk and I still don't think those things are for me." He indicated by jamming his thumb back in the way they came.

"Still, overall, not too bad. It could have been worse. Could have been fish food. You and your boys have a great story to tell, not many can say that their first major journey on the seas involved surviving a Kraken."

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

In truth, Seyah would have been more than happy not to have those bragging rights.

There was little doubt in her mind that tales of this adventure would go far when she returned to running the Orchid, but that didn't mean she liked experiencing it. It came with a certain rush, that was true, but she did not like how close they had come to death.

Not here where she had so little control, not here where all she could do was shout. "Doubtless it was no coincidence."

She said quietly, though more to herself than the Captain. Such a notion was naught more than conjecture of course, but the sons of Menalus had their ways. It would not surprise her if this had been two attacks upon them which had run into one another.

A stroke of luck.

"Will you be joining me in the city, Captain?" Seyah asked. "Doubtless, our host will want to meet my escort."

 

[Edward Lorain]

"Well..."

Edward looked skeptically toward the harbor as he started trying to come up with some excuse. The longer he was in this unknown city, the more dangerous this was going to be for him. He could just tell her that they needed to get going to keep up with some unknown schedule.

"Captain, some of the lads and I are going to go into the city and buy some supplies and goods that we can potentially trade at our next stop."

Damn, that was his quartermaster.

"Looks like I'm free. I can't say no to good company." He offered her a charming smile.

He had never been to this city, so it could also serve as a good chance to make some good contacts. Maybe even find a job while they are here...This was going to take longer than he thought.

"Boys, we will be here for a day and night. Enjoy yourselves."

A cheer went up from the crew, just as Edward was bringing the ship into the docks, incredibly smoothy, stopping the ship right at the dock as he expected they were soon to be met with a dockmaster.

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

"Delightful." Seyah purred, the smile on her face hopefully putting him at ease. There was little doubt in her mind that they would be safe within the city walls. Naghi, after all, had invited her here himself.

The Half-Giant was as keen to make allies as Talmanes was. Seyah knew as much, and she had been instructed by the wayward Prince to make whatever deal she thought was fair. His trust went a long way, and it was one of the reasons the Taverness had agreed to all of this in the first place.

"Worry not, Captain." Seyah said with that same easy smile. "Tumi and his brother will guard us with their lives."

Though she doubted even three Ogre's would be much protection against the forces that lay within Mechtren.

The city was more of a fortress than a city, carved from a dark marbled granite. The citadel was something of a stark beauty, though appearing more a natural formation of stone than something inhabited by men, orcs, and half-giants. As they came to dock, some of those Orc were already waiting in greeting.

Their armor was a dark steel color, unpainted save for the mark of The Dread of Dragons; A Red Hand clutching a Dragon's skull. One of them wore no helmet, and over his shoulder lay half a cloak. As the two Ogre's came to the top deck, Seyah glanced back towards Ed. "Quite the welcome party, no?"

 

[Edward Lorain]

Edward was watching for the dockmaster when he spotted the orc welcoming party, and his confident grin instead fell. This was not what he was expecting. Were they in trouble? He shot Seyah a questioning glance.

He turned to Seyah's own guards who were making their way onto the deck. It was clear Ed was trying to perform some mental gymnastics, but most definitely, which group would win if they were in trouble...He did not like his odds.

"Yeeeaaahhh, super fun."

Edward offered weakly as he moved to put his sword and dagger on his belt, but then settled for just the dagger. Judging by the size of those orcs, a sword would not do much for him if trouble arose.

"I sure hope you are in friendly relations with these people...Otherwise, I'm going to haunt you for as long as possible."

Although the crew was eager to get off the ship and go explore, no one wanted to be the first ones off the deck to greet the welcoming party. Edward mouthed the word 'cowards' to one of the crew, before he walked down the ramp next to Seyah, forcing a grin back on his face.

"Hello, gentlemen."

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

Seyah flashed Edward a quick smile. "Oh, I don't think you'd want to be a ghost around me, Captain."

The Blood Witch said with a smile, leaving the words in their cryptic mystery as the two of them descended down the gangplank. As they reached the docks below, a snort echoed from the Orc out in front of the others, his head shaking at the Captain's greeting.

"The Dread of Dragons waits." The scrunched mass of Flesh and Muscle answered them, his tusks sticking out from the underneath of his lips. "Do not linger."

He added, turning on his heel and sending those around him forward in a march upon the docks. Seyah watched them for a moment, glancing at her companion with a bemused smile. "Rather terse, aren't they?"

The Taverness asked in bemusement as they began to march into the city.

Their journey would not be a pretty one. Surrounded by spires of black rock and brutal buildings carved from stone. Though the walk was not swift, those that surrounded them did not impede their journey. Crowds of downtrodden humans and rough Blue Orcs breaking their stride to see them quickly towards the Palace steps.

Once they arrived there, the Black Spires of the city rose high above them. Huge muscular Orcs clad in black guarding the entrance of the palace. Their size nearly equal to the Ogres who followed after Seyah and her companion.

"Really is quite something, isn't it Captain?" She verbalized, looking up at the great black keep looming above them.

 

[Edward Lorain]

What the fuck did that mean?

Edward raised an eyebrow before slightly stepping further away from her. Did Seyah deal in ghosts? He hated ghosts.

And by the looks of things that was exactly what he was about to become. These big slabs of metal that were called guards basically radiated the same aura that people that disliked Ed tended to have.

"Yeah, absolutely vibrant." He mumbled sarcastically.

While they walked, Edward was largely silent which was a big accomplishment for him. When he did make noises, it primarily whistled at the architecture or mumbling a sorry as he tried to get out of someone's way before they split for them.

The more Edward got a look at the city the more impressed he got, but it was the same type of impressed when Edward met a Captain that could kill 20 men by himself. He knew to be impressed but it also left a bad feeling in his stomach.

The architecture of this place was amazing, but he could only liken it to one other thing no matter how hard he tried.

"This place feels like a prison...or the executioner's block."

That line made it clear that the thing that was unsettling him about this city was not the literal architecture, but the aura it created. It was menacing, domineering, and constricting...All the things Edward hated.

 

[Seyah]

”Well, I don't suppose they call him the Dread of Dragons for nothing.” Seyah remarked off-hand, as though the looming bastion in front of them were nothing but a pleasant manor house.

In truth though, her own feelings were a reflection of Edward’s.

Though her face was a mask, she could not help the roil of anxiety which turned in her stomach. Seyah knew that even with her Guard, even with her control of The Blood, if Naghi wanted it there would be no method of escape. This city was a dangerous place to be, despite the advantages it might bring. She was not used to this sort of thing, and the lack of control made her bristle with stress.

Eventually they were lead into the fortress itself. Guided along winding paths and quick turns obviously made for war. It was not until they reached the central Keep that things began to open up, and a man dressed not in armor finally appeared. He was pallid, almost deathly so, his skin nearly translucent. The eyes in his skull were black, and his teeth showed through peeled back lips in what some might describe as a smile.

“Welcome, honored Guests. Naghi the Dread of Dragons, King of these walls and High Lord of Kech hopes that the interruptions of his brothers did not cause you too much concern.”

Seyah stared at the creature for a moment, glanced up at Ed, and then spoke. ”The trouble was of little concern thanks to Captain Lorain. His remarkable skill saw me to your city safely.”

She smiled, and the odd man looked at Edward assessing him for a moment.

“We are glad of this, and bid you and the Captain rest for a while. A suite has been prepared, and My Lord wishes for you to join him for Dinner.”

”We would be honored.” Seyah said in a nod, answering for them both as the creature turned away and lead them into the Keep. Shortly thereafter, a pair of double doors was thrown open, and the two foreigners stepped into a luxury suite with multiple rooms. A few more pleasantries offered before they were finally left alone once more.

 

[Edward Lorain]

"Well, I thought it might just be something they say. Like a pirate I know calls himself the world's greatest lover, but that doesn't make it true."

He quickly shut up as they neared the fortress. The one benefit of Ed already being so freaked out was that when they neared the fortress, he could not actually get any more scared. He was already walking into death's doors...hopefully 'metaphorically'.

Edward nearly jumped out of his clothes at the arrival of the envoy, just managing to hold back a curse. Kiva's tits, why did everyone here look like straight up monsters from scary stories.

He was so busy and lost in his own thoughts that he almost missed when Seyah gave him a compliment. Not wanting to stumble over his own words, he just awkwardly bowed before following after Seyah as they were led away.

As soon as they were alone in the guest suite, Edward released a breath that he was more than aware he had been holding onto. Only then did he get a good look at the place and he had to admit, this place was nice. It wasn't often that Ed got to enjoy true luxury, which was why it was so important when he enjoyed it when he got the chance.

Edward quickly moved over to lie down in one of the soft rooms that was in the room over. Rolling over until he could look back at Seyah, "So...we've got some time. Care to relax a little? I've been told I'm great with massages."

Ok, he had to at least try.

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

Mirth echoed from the Taverness’ lips, her head shaking as she stepped passed the open doors of the room Edward had claimed. ”I'm afraid a sailors hands are much too rough for me.”

Seyah retorted, taking no insult from his forwardness.

After all, in her line of business she'd hear much worse from more awful men.

”I prefer something softer.” There was a twinkle in her eye, but she did not linger on the doorway long. Instead making her way to the middle of the room where she found a table plied with dozens of different bottles of wine and liquor.

There she plucked for a few moments, brows furrowing at the labels she could not read. A few times she uncorked one of the bottles, sniffing it before finally finding one whose scent matched her taste. Seconds later she poured herself a drink, then did the same for Edward with another bottle which was found in much the same way.

”Join me, Captain?” Seyah inquired. ”I think perhaps it might behoove us to talk about dinner. In case things go…”

She took a sip. ”Awry.”

 

[Edward Lorain]

Edward could only grin back in playfulness as he let the rejection slide right off his back like water after a swim. He almost mentioned that he was about as soft as sailors came, but then realized that was not the manliest of things to say in the moment.

After one more moment of enjoying the soft bed beneath him, Edward forced himself up to take a seat next to Seyah. Gratefully taking the glass of the drink before sighing, he was going to need a lot of whatever this was.

"Sure, but I don't know what help I will be. I'm just a sailor, and I still have no idea what you are even doing here...If things go awry, then we best run for it."

Even to his ears that did not sound like a great plan, but Edward was used to brainstorming with a bit more control or understanding of the situation.

"You do have a plan for all of this right?"

Seyah

 

[Seyah]

Seyah leaned back into the plush comfort of the sofa behind her, smiling as she let Edward voice his concerns. "I am here to make a deal, simply put."

He did not need to know everything of course, the details could still be a secret, but he had earned some of her secrets. The journey here had already been dangerous, and there was little doubt that Dinner would be any less so.

Not to mention the journey home.

"I represent a man in Tyr who wishes to create ties with Naghi." Seyah said simply. "We are here to negotiate the terms of those ties. I do not think the Dread of Dragons will much see us as a foe, or obstacle."

She said, frowning for a moment as she remembered Talmanes' warnings. "It is his brothers that we have to worry about. The Giants are at constant war with one another, their father encouraging such machinations to 'find the strongest' among them."

The Taverness scowled for a moment, then shook her head.

"We've already run into them once, and they will doubtlessly come again." She mused. "If something were to occur during dinner, it is of the utmost import that we are...prepared."

She did not want to seem weak in front of Naghi.

 

[Edward Lorain]

Prepared? What the fuck did that mean? Like prepared to choke on a chicken bone? Edward also felt comfortable in his seat as he tried to think about what she had said. So this brother might just try and start a fight at dinner? He had never been assassinated, but he had been in plenty of bar brawls. Was it like that?

"Um, I'm usually a bit more prepared on a ship, but I'll do my best."

In truth, it felt more like Edward had gotten wrangled into something that was largely out of control as he had no way to add or even defend himself in all of these discussions. He was just along for the ride on this stormy adventure.

"Hmm...maybe I can slide in the fact that I'm just the ship Captain so I don't get my head cut off." Ed offered jokingly before returning to his drink.

"Will this Dread of Dragons try and protect us if this all goes south? Rich people like hospitality right?"

Seyah