Fable - Ask Matters of Experience

[Surraya Evermor]

A few minutes later, the ship started to gradually move out of the harbor, gliding through the gentle waters. Surraya moved to a counter, leaning her hip against it with her arms folded over her chest.

She was unsure if she should linger and or see herself out, but since she had not yet been dismissed she decided to stay for now.

"How can I help in the interim then? Since nanny duties are off the table." She quipped, shifting her posture to pour the pirate lord a glass of wine. With just a few strides, she closed the distance between them and set the drink down in front of him on the map.

 

[Naser Talzin]

Naser regarded the alcohol for a moment, wondering just how old the bottle had been. Not that he cared about the vintage or anything of the sort, more than it had likely been sitting in this damned room for a decade or so.

"Help where you can." The Pirate Lord said with a shrug.

Most of the Maw really ran itself. Marius took care of most things that a Captain ordinarily would, and the crew was extremely experienced. Most of the men on board had traveled and worked with Naser for years upon years.

They were dedicated, loyal, but also damned good at their jobs. "Learn about the crew, don't isolate yourself."

He told her.

"Some of them know Noah." Most of them actually, but some better than others.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

It was a little disappointing for Surraya that Naser didn't so much as crack a smile. She found it frustratingly difficult to get a read on the Pirate Lord. Did he hate her guts? More than likely, she reasoned, he was only tolerating her presence because of her connection to Noah.

Not that it mattered. She didn't need the old pirate to like her, she just wanted to find her Captain and crew.

Naser may have been as stoic as an old bull, but smiles came easily to Suri. She smirked at him and gave a small nod in understanding.

"Simple enough." She said in good humor, turning for the door.

She paused as she opened it, looking back at Naser. "And thanks, by the way, for actually givin' a shit about him."

 

[Naser Talzin]

"I'd go to the end of Arethil for all of them." They were words that Surraya had heard before, words that her own Captain had said to her more than once.

They were Naser's words, but he had told the members of his crew dozens of time.

The Pirate Lord had never been shy with how he felt about his crew, had always made sure that they knew how he felt. Respect and loyalty were how they survived. He had given them all a home, a place to stay, a life to enjoy and revel in.

Twenty years ago he had been a different man. A pirate that enjoyed battle like the rest of them, that had laid down the lives of his crew for gold and treasure.

He wasn't sure when it had changed, when he'd become a different man, but he was now. He supposed that was all that mattered in the end. He took care of his people, and that was all that he could do. "We'll bring him back."

Naser told her.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Surraya managed a strained smile after Naser's reassurance. She knew all too well the lengths that the Pirate Lord would go to in order to protect his people -- though she doubted that included her.

"You're damn right we will." She replied, shutting the door behind her as she left.

As she made her way across the deck, she couldn't help but wonder what the cost would be to get Noah back. If Dorian still had him, she knew that it would be high.

Unsure of what to do with herself, she made her way down to the galley to grab something for herself and Naser. She smiled and made small talk with the chef, a young woman with long braided pigtails called Vex. It turned out that the pair of them were bunkmates.

Some time later she returned to the Captain's Quarters with the two trays of food. "Here... Just grabbed for you something while I was down there."

 

[Naser Talzin]

Naser looked up from the map, looking at her for a few seconds before he looked down once again. It was clear that he had spent the time apart charting a course for their voyage.

The open ocean was no joke, and Naser had made sure that they could skirt away from the coasts that were to be avoided and headed through trade lanes only in ways that wouldn't see them caught by any Governments who might be sending out patrols.

On this side of the continents not many nations had the power to control a navy, but there were a few.

Naser had no doubt that his crew could handle most ships they ran across, but any fight would slow them down by a day or more. He couldn't allow that.

"Thank you." He had manners, at the very least.

The Pirate Lord penciled in another line on the map, circling a small island where they could go to take on fresh water. "Where did Noah find you?"

He asked idly, grabbing a small potato with his fingers and simply chomping down on it.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

A bright smile settled over her features at the question, her keen eyes following the line that he marked on the map.

"At Tally-ho in Respid. I was on shore leave and we got to talkin' over drinks. He seemed to get it in his head that he could beat me in a game of cards. We were pretty deep in the sauce when he offered a wager: if he won, he got a kiss; if I won, he'd hire me on the spot." She started to explain as she poured herself a glass of wine, chuckling at the memory.

"Poor fool never did learn how to bluff properly. To this day he's yet to win that bet." Suri added, sipping from the drink in her hand. "You should have seen his face when I won that night."

There was a brief pause as she tilted her head. "I'm surprised he never told you about that. Seems like he always tells you everything."

 

[Naser Talzin]

He smiled slightly. "Ah, lass."

It would be the first time that she had seen him smile since they'd met, the first time that Naser had shown really any kind of emotion at all aside from anger. The Pirate Lord chuckled, it was dry, but it was also genuine in it's own sort of way.

"I'm afraid I got something to tell you." His hand ran through his hair. "Don't think he played his own way, least not that first night."

He shook his head. "Noah cheats."

At least when he wanted to really win.

It was, of course, a massive complement in a way. Noah had not cheated against her, had not forced that win, because he'd wanted her on the crew.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

A genuine laugh ushered forth from the woman and she shook her head. "That would explain why he's so lousy at cards then, almost like he's always letting me win if that's the case."

She sighed as she leaned her hip against the table, looking back down at the map. "He's a sly one, for sure. It's part of why I've stuck around for as long as I have. Noah's always one to think before he acts, he doesn't just bullrush into a situation. There's always a reason why he does what he does."

Absently, she reached up to brush her fingers across the opposite shoulder, lost in thought for a moment.

"Whatever his reasons, I'm glad he didn't try to cheat that night. My time on the Ruby was... special. That crew means everything to me."

 

[Naser Talzin]

Naser nodded his head. He could understand that, he lived it himself. The Crew was important, the crew was family.

He knew Noah had taken the same view on his own ship. "What happened to the ship?"

There was no accusation to the words, not like there had been when they were first in the Tavern. There was more sympathy to his tone, though there was reason for that too. The Ruby had been one of the ships in Naser's own fleet, when Noah had still been a part of his own crew.

When the lad had said he'd wanted to make his own way Naser had gifted him the vessel. The ship was of no consequence, not next to Noah and the others, but he still wanted to know.

"Was it him?" He meant her brother of course.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Suri took a moment to consider her answer before she answered, as she often did. Not because she had anything to hide, but because she wanted to organize her thoughts.

"Everything happened so quickly, it was difficult to figure out what happened in the moment." She started slowly, idly trailing her thumb over the brim of her glass.

"We were heading home to Teth on a cargo run. Open water, clear night skies, a steady tailwind... perfect conditions for sailing. This... strange miasma rolled in. It wasn't a natural fog bank, but we didn't realize that until we were surrounded by it." The woman paused again, looking down at the red wine in the glass, frowning.

"It was crimson, smelled like death, and was dense enough to just... blot out the fuckin' moon. Best I can figure, that's when they sent swimmers in to disable our rudder. By the time the Raze was on us, we couldn't maneuver the ship and there were fires in the sub-decks." Her eyes lifted from the wine to meet Naser's gaze.

"Once they boarded us and Noah realized we'd lost the ship... he shot me in the shoulder and threw me over board." She spoke in a monotone voice, grappling with the emotions that came with the statement. "Noah and the survivors were dragged over to the Raze, bound and taken below decks. The last I saw of the Ruby her main mast and sail were burning. They just let her sink, didn't even try to take the cargo."

 

[Naser Talzin]

"Personal." Naser said, not having to be a genius to figure out that piece of information.

The expression on his face was a grim one, his fingers tightening for a moment. A slow rumble rocked the ship. Most people would have mistaken it for a rolling of the waves, a clap of thunder, but those of his crew would recognize what it truly wise.

Naser took a breath, closing his eyes. "He did the right thing."

He meant Noah of course.

The boy had always had a mind for strategy. There was no doubt in the Pirate Lord's mind that his son had done his best to get whatever crew he could away from the slavers. Surraya had been one, at least, and even that was a small victory.

"Your brother, Lass." Naser said as he looked at her. "He do magic?"

Naser was no stranger to such things of course, a third of his crew held some sort of sorcery.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Her thoughts were still clouded with the dark memories of that night. She clearly remembered the anguish on Noah's face when he'd been forced the make the decision to throw her overboard. He'd hated every moment of it and she knew the guilt would plague him... But there had not been another choice.

It took her a moment to realize that Naser had posed another question. Softly, she cleared her throat and then she nodded. "Yes... He's a blood mage."

In his lust for power, Dorian took short cuts and there was no line he wasn't willing to cross to get what he coveted.

 

[Naser Talzin]

Naser nodded, as if he had all but expected the answer. His face darkened slightly and he reached up to run a hand through his beard in thought.

Idly he scratched his chin. "I've met more than a few blood mages in my time."

It was just a natural thing in their line of work. A lot of pirates didn't want to do the actual work, didn't want to get their gifts through practice. They took shortcuts, that, or they saw an opportunity for even more power. One of the Other Pirate Lords was such a man.

Elspeth was his name. Surprisingly, he was rather nice. At least if you didn't meet him on the battlefield anyway.

Blood Magic was like anything else, a tool to be used, but he knew how Suri's brother used it. He didn't have to ask that question.

"Not the first time I'll see one of them on the other ship." Naser mused, taking a step back from the map and wandering over to a simple wooden chair in the corner of the room. "Good thing about blood mages, you know they bleed."

He sounded bitter.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

"I suppose that's one way to look at it." Surraya murmured, her tone made it difficult to tell what her opinion on the matter really was.

Shaking her head, she finished off the last of the wine.

"In the spirit of being honest, there's probably something I should share." She said with a sigh, turning her gaze back to Naser.

"Dorian is... Fixated on me, like I'm a belonging that was stolen away from him. It's why he attacked the Ruby. He seems to think he can use my blood as a source for his magic..." She explained with a grimace.

There was more to Dorian's obsession, but she didn't think Naser needed every last detail. It made her uncomfortable to think about, and the only person who knew about the from reality was Noah.

 

[Naser Talzin]

Naser frowned for a moment. "The blood of siblings."

The old Pirate Lord said cryptically with a shake of his head. It was clear that something bothered him, but as he leaned back in the chair he did not speak up again. Eyes flickered up towards the table one more time, then over towards Surraya.

He did not like that Noah was in the middle of it, that the boy had found himself thrust into a position he should never have been in. He should have known better, he should have asked for help.

Lips thinned.

"What of you lass?" He asked. "Any magic?"

Was her blood potent in same way? Or was it just the ravings of a paranoid man that made him want her so badly. For some reason he had an inkling it was more the latter than the former.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

"No, just a boring sailor." She remarked with a wry smile, shrugging her shoulders.

"Only thing magical about me is my charm." Suri quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.

"I just didn't want anything to blind side you, so... Thought you should know."

 

[Naser Talzin]

He nodded. "Most of my crew are boring sailors."

That was a lie.

There wasn't a single man or woman on his crew that he would describe as 'boring'. Even the cabin boys could slit throats and climb the main mast like the monkeys of the Wild. They were all well trained and experienced. Most of them had some skill or talent.

That was how they had made it here in the first place, why they had joined his crew.

Naser was retired, but even when Marius flew the flag of The Maw their reputation still preceded them. For many the old Pirate Lord was an idol, for many others a rival.

"There's no wasted talent here." He mused.

It was clear that he did not want her to linger on her brother, at least for now.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

She smirked at him, understanding his meaning. Naser was an imposing figure, a living legend, but he wasn't heartless. Noah had chosen his mentor well.

"You've a good crew here." Surri replied with a warm smile.

"If anyone can find Noah and the Ruby crew, it's you and your men."

 

[Naser Talzin]

I'd fucking hope so. Naser thought to himself with a frown, thinking back on all the challengers that he and his men had faced.

They had fought fleets, Kraken, mages, and even burned a city or two in their days. What the fuck was finding one ship in the face of all that? His fingers curled into fists, the wood of his chair creaking slightly as he held it firm.

Then slowly he stood. "Come on."

He told her.

"Let me teach you a little lesson." Naser said the words as he walked towards the door, intending to walk forth whether she followed or not.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

She hesitated at Naser's reaction, but she turned to follow the Pirate Lord out of his quarters. It was fairly obvious that he was rather miffed by what she said, so she opted to stay quiet for the time being.

He cared about Noah, not her. She would do well to remember that distinction.

As they stepped out of the room, she wondered if Naser would toss her at Dorian's feet once they found him. The thought made her stomach churn, but it was certainly the best way to ensure Noah's safe return.

Was that really a sacrifice she was willing to make? Of course it was, if it wasn't, she never would have come to Naser in the first place.

 

[Naser Talzin]

As they stepped out onto the deck of the maw they would find people moving and milling about.

The sun had set by now, and the dark sea surrounded them. To the east behind them one could just barely make out the lights of Teth. They were far away already, a mark of just how fast The Maw could actually go when it got speed.

Above them were thousands upon thousands if tiny pinpricking stars that seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Naser glanced up at them for a moment, then wandered over towards the port side of the ship.

His steps were thunderous on the deck, his near giant like stature never even swaying as he moved towards the railing.

When Suri finally joined him, he looked up at the stars. "Noah taught you the stars, aye? Or you learned them before the Ruby."

He could only assume.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Suri leaned against the railing, lacing her fingers together as she looked up at the stars above. The sea breeze pulled at the loose curls that framed her face, causing them to dance about and tickle her cheeks. She had to admit, it felt good to be on the water again.

"My father taught me, actually. He had a small fishing boat that he would take us out on, taught me to sail when I was just a little girl. I was navigating by the time I was twelve." She answered with a small smile, a hint of pride in her expression.

It had been a simple life, but one she cherished.

"Noah taught me other things though, like siting a cannon and treating wounds. I've been fortunate enough to have good teachers in my life so far."

 

[Naser Talzin]

Most pirates were sailors before they entered the life, connected to the sea in some way. Naser was no different. He had been in the navy before turning coat, deciding to be the very thing that most of his ilk hunted.

"Not bad ones." He agreed with a nod of his head.

For a few seconds the giant of a man looked out over the railings, then after a minute or two his gaze turned upwards towards the sky. "Do you know the mark of winds?"

Naser asked as he looked up at the constellation.

It was not one that many knew, or rather cared about. Even sailors did not use it for a guide, not unless you were in the far south seas, where Naser had been born.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

"I... Think I've heard it mentioned in a few songs, I can't say that anyone has ever pointed them out to me though." She admitted without shame. Suri was not afraid to let it be known that she didn't have all the answers. Learning was a part of life, without it, one could never improve.

She followed his gaze upward towards the star, having to tilt her head close to his shoulder to figure out the direction.

"Why do you ask?"