D
Danny
The winds howled as soon as the man set foot outside his ship, docked in the tiny harbor of that village. Danny's hair were messed up as he felt the cold sting of the sea breeze for the first time that day, after days of slow travelling thanks to the lack of wind. He was sure something was up with his luck, or someone had done some kind of juju for him. Either way, the lack of activities that month prompted him to take a rather extreme measure, one that he preferred to avoid, but alas, circumstances ended up forcing his hand. His quartermaster, Rhondon, already set aside some of the crewmembers to go into town and search for supplies for the long journey ahead, before joining up with Danny, walking amongst the crowds of villagers.
"You sure we should take this contract, captain?" Questioned his best mate, the only half orc in the world to actually earn Danny's trust and friendship. He wasn't a big fan of them, or their brutish and sometimes cannibalistic ways. Well, at least the orcs that he did meet were like that, and Rhondon always said that they were honorless rogues. He'd take his friend's word for the moment, as his mind was occupied with other thoughts.
"We don't really have a choice. Month's been slow and we have wages to pay, else we could have a mutiny on our hands", Danny replied swiftly afterwards, rudely pushing aside a villager with his shoulder, without even looking back. He didn't enjoy being anywhere near the Black Bay, especially since he was kind of a wanted man in those parts. There were more than a few pirate crews just itching to take his head for his infamous ways of taking prizes and attacking other pirates, instead of defenseless merchant ships. But that was the Calypso's way. They never attacked weaker ships when there were more rewards to be pried off some other pirates' hands. Always seek the biggest target, as his adopted father used to say. It wasn't just a matter of honor, but a matter of pride, and Danny was a prideful man.
"This is the place then", Rhondon said as they stopped in front of a broken wooden gate leading to a uninhabited place filled with big, wild plants and a terrible scent that could be felt from miles away.
The whole fishing village was a poor facade to a very discreet business, tended by wealthy and corrupt merchants seeking no attention from raiders or other unwanted parties. Top grade smuggling, as they used to boast around. One of their fences was the one to contact Danny shortly after his little venture in Alliria, having heard of his deeds and his expertise, and they were very serious about his contract, whose reward was far too great to pass on. Danny and his crew needed the coin, and those fatty merchants were stupid enough to pay so much money for such a simple job as transporting illegal cargo through royal ports.
"Ah, the man of the hour! Welcome, Captain Reed!" Spoke one of the leaders of that shady business as soon as Danny and Rhondon stepped inside a much more organized area, a clean and rich courtyard filled with many wonders and a few large wooden boxes, which Danny assumed to be the cargo they were to transport. The contract spoke of the cargo to be taken to an associate of theirs in Elbion, but it said nothing of what exactly it was.
"Not really up for small talk, gents. Just give me the cargo and hand me half my payment in advance so I can set out about my business, if you would", Danny said with an air of light rudeness as he rested his hands on top of his guns holstered on his wast, almost hidden from sight thanks to his long and dark cloak. Rhondon was already checking a few of the boxes, but he had no success in opening them to check their contents, as some of the guards appeared to help them in carrying them to Danny's ship.
"Very careful, Mr Reed! This is most important and fragile cargo, and a bit heavy too", said another one of the merchants, his face so taken by wrinkles that Danny thought he was talking to a walking corpse.
Before he could muster up a toxic enough response to that man, their guards started lifting the boxes and taking them towards Danny's ship, with Rhondon fast behind them, his brutish figure enough to put off a few curious looks from the villagers as they passed through the very small, seaside town. The third merchant arrived with a purse heavy with coin, carefully putting in Danny's palm.
"Pleasure doing business", Danny whispered before taking his leave and started walking towards the exit, failing to hear one of the merchants' own whispers before he departed, back to his already loaded ship.
"I'm sure you will, Captain Reed... I'm sure you will."