Open Chronicles What Was Beneath

[Peyton]

She believed him this time. The dimples in her cheeks crinkled as she shon a bright smile, because if she looked this genuinely happy about it there was no way he could disappoint her by changing his mind... Peyton was fond of getting her way.

“Yes! You will.” she nodded firmly and let go of him, he could run now if he wanted but he’d be at the west dock in a fortnight regardless, or she’d track him down and drag him there.

Her smile lost its shine a little but not completely, she didn’t want to look at him with sadness or pity, even though in her eyes it was clear. She sighed, and the smile fell a little more. “I wish you’d have found me sooner..” she told him gently. “My father would have me strung up for letting his crewmen live in a gutter..” she rubbed at her face, the guilt excruciating.

She was being groomed to be captain one day and she knew that, now it seemed unlikely, but the least she could have done was make sure the remaining few were alright. She made a mental note to seek out the others in the coming days..

“You have me, you’ll always have some place to go.” she told him with a firmness that’s caused a brief frown, but the anger was with herself. She softened quickly again and held out a hand for him. “Come with me?..” her brow lifted.

 

[Lucius]

Charity wasn't easy for any man to accept, especially a pirate.

Lucius would have been lying if he'd said Peyton was the first one to offer him a hand. There had been a few others from their crew, some associates he'd known before, and even a few of the gangs he'd worked for. Always he'd pushed them away, always he claimed he didn't need help.

For some reason this time that idea rang even more hollow than it had all the others. He couldn't get himself to say that he would be alright. He couldn't get himself to lie.

"Alright." Lucius said on quiet tacit agreement. Part of him still wanted to deny all of this, walk away and return to the gutter with a bit of Shade...but he knew it would only end up killing him.

If it was a choice between death at sea and death in a gutter, he'd choose the former every time.

Even if he had to brave a few nightmares. "Thank you."

He added quietly.

 

[Peyton]

She smiled warmly at him and took his hand and held it tightly, as though afraid he might decide to run. They had to be careful, since people were no doubt still looking for them, and she paused at the end of the alleyway before stepping back onto the street and cutting through more splintered streets of the lower city. Even in Teth, a city filled with lowlifes and scum, there was a segregation as with any city. Old, creaking and rickety ships had built most of this part of the city, grey and rotting. From every covered doorway came the dejected stares of men and women, drinking, gambling and vomiting. Whores stalked the streets in their skimpy outfits and high boots looking for work, their drug-addled bodies as thin as pins, their cheekbones jutting out through pallid skin.

As they grew closer to the heart of the city, the ships and monoliths of masts grew in what would once have been grandeur, a splash of flaking colour here and there, but it was still far from grand. A huge barge served as the city's main square, alive with the swarm of pirates, resident and visiting, old cabins and holds now blacksmiths and taverns, brothels and everything else a land city needed.

Peyton led him through the square and further up the Main Street, responding to another few greetings and playfully kicking a lad on the street who tried to taunt her. She ignored the curious stares from the upper windows and turned up a side street. She fell ahead of him in single file as they crossed a series of single planks and onto another merchant ship, once named The Aurora. "Home sweet." she smiled and let go of his hand.. "A few crewmen have the gun deck and hold.." she nodded toward the stairs to the lower decks. "I have captain's quarters." she smiled smugly. "Won a bet." she shrugged.

There were two floors to her home, she was luckier than most. The twin doors opened out onto the deck, a large room with several paned glass windows that looked out onto the sea without obstruction. The room was still furnished with the previous captain's tables, now littered with several rolls and maps weighted down, her tools left messily scattered across them. A desk sat by the windows, also messy, and on her chair perched a large raven which ruffled it's feathers to see her. The rest of the room consisted of a large pile of cushions and throws, melted candle sticks and stacks of books piled up on the floor, and a pantry that was currently scarce of food but housed a few good bottles of wine and rum. "Excuse the mess." she smirked and pulled off her jacket to throw it down onto the chair, stroking at the raven's chest with the back of a fingertip.

 

[Lucius]

Teth was an amalgamation of dozens, maybe even hundreds, of ships. Barges, galleons, sloops, whatever the hell else anyone could get their hands on.

It never ceased to amaze Lucius just what this city was. Some saw it as a ramshackle collection of trash and forgotten ships, but the men and women who loved here had turned it into a genuine city. In some parts they had even built actual buildings on top of some of the ships.

These places though, the ones that Harlem back to Teths true origins were always the ones he'd liked the most.

There was something intensely charming about living in a cabin like this, even if it was stuck between a dozen other vessels. Lucius liked it, and perhaps that was because a ship was the only place that had ever felt like home. "It's certainly nicer than my last accomidations."

He joked with a smirk, somewhat awkward as he tried not to get his filth on...well anything.

"Reminds me of the first ship my parents ever took me on, the Jubilee." A no name merchant vessel that hadn't been unique in the slightest, yet had been the greatest thing in the world when he first saw it.

 

[Peyton]

She returned a small smirk at his comment and busied herself unstoppering a large crystal decanter of rum and pouring the honey liquid into two cups, a quiet laugh given as her place seemed to stir some nostalgia. "Hm.. This is Aurora. And this isn't the best part." she grinned at him, offering him one of the cups and taking his hand again to guide him back out and up the stairs to the gallery and through another door to her sleeping quarters. The panes of glass were weathered but their stained colours remained, casting pink and red hues into the space. A large four poster bed stole the room, it was tidier than her working quarters but still a jumbled mayhem of cushions and velvet throws and books. The smooth mahogany ceiling was painted with stars she'd mapped out, and a large ship in the centre of it, The Concordant, as though it floated through the skies. In the corner there was a cosy hammock, and a large bathtub rimmed with melted candles. She was still as spoiled as ever.

She led him through the room, up two steps to the stained window that looked out to sea, unlatched it and pushed it open to climb through it and onto the large ledge.. with of course, more cushions. She let go of his hand and sat, her legs dangling from the edge and sipped her rum.. "There's plenty of room, you're welcome to use the tub and eat what you like. I'll restock the pantry later.. Just, try not to fall asleep out here." she squinted and looked down at the sea below.. "It's never a pleasant way to wake up."

 

[Lucius]

Seeing the picture of the Concordant nearly made him stumble and fall, an image of something flashing over his eyes as he spotted the painting. His head shook slightly, fingers tightening on the cup of rum as he steadied himself and quickly followed after Peyton.

"Quite a nice space you've carved for yourself." He commented, sounding rather pleased.

Lucius could still remember when he'd met Peyton, could still remember the way that her father had looked at her when she mastered some kind of new trick or charted a new star. He thought it fitting that she'd found her way back to a Captains Cabin.

She deserved one.

Sitting himself down besides her he glanced down at the ocean, wondering if sharks were lurking beneath the waters. They almost always were in Teth. "Your dad would be proud."

He said quietly

 

[Peyton]

She settled back against the window with a deep sigh, there were little things more relaxing in life than the ocean and she watched it breathe, rising and falling with rhythmic ease that seemed to bring her pulse to heel and wash calm over her. She remembered only vague images of her much younger days in Ragash, such memories made the thought of living on dry land a fearful one, and she wished to stay as far from it as possible, a single day on land was uncomfortable enough. It's what made Teth so perfect.

"I'm glad you like it.." she smiled, and golden eyes stared at him over the rim of her cup at his words about her father. She drank, and dropped her gaze into the now empty vessel. "I'm not so sure he would be.." she answered honestly, forcing a small smile "But thank you."

Peyton had spiralled after that day, she'd found herself in plenty of trouble, hell she'd spent one or two nights in the gutter too. But what was more shameful was that when she'd found herself back on her feet that she'd chose to forget about the others, push all thoughts of her old life to the back of her mind and become something entirely different that she didn't like, something that her father wouldn't like either.

With Lucius she was herself again, but it only made her feel worse about everything. "He'd tell you to take a bath." she smirked, her eyes on the horizon. Even the seagulls laughed.

 

[Lucius]

Lucius smirked. "You sure about that."

Memories flitted through his mind. Thoughts of the Concordant and the times they had all shared there together.

He didn't remember the battles, he didn't remember the times they seized merchant ships or fought an Anirian Galleon. No, what he remembered was the small ment. Holing up on the Bayou, stealing some of the calm at sea, playing pranks on the quarter master. Those were the times he cherished.

Not when he'd tested his mettle in battle, not when he'd killed half a dozen men in a single board.

"I seem to remember him telling me there was no need to bathe." The pirate grinned. "Not when there was a storm coming that would do just as well."

 

[Peyton]

Peyton's face lit up again as she laughed and nodded at his words "Hm.. That's true." she nudged at his shoulder with her own. "Though if I asked him to he would've.. Don't forget who really commanded that ship." her eyes narrowed playfully and she smirked. She was lucky that her father was a decent captain, at least she thought so. It was impressive for a captain to hold a ship for as long as he had, he was elected young, and his crew had stuck by him until the end..

"Do you remember the day you came aboard?.. I think I was what, fourteen at the time?.." she laughed under her breath, realising how quickly the years had passed. They had many good memories to look back on, but they all seemed so tainted and she generally avoided thinking over them. It'd been the first she'd spoken about the ship or her father in years, but she found herself easing, so long as they didn't dig a little too deep into those memories, the conversation should remain pleasant.

 

[Lucius]

"I do." He had been working on a merchant vessel as a guardsmen at the time.

The pay hadn't been good and the Captain had been an asshole, but he'd still done his best. Things had been difficult, and it was only when he'd met someone else who'd worked on the Concordant that he'd actually seen a better future.

"Grim recruited me." Lucius said with a smile. "Said I'd make ten times the money in half the time."

The young pirate chuckled. "Goddamn liar. I think I made less money in five years than I had one."

It wasn't that they hadn't taken good ships, nor that they had even never had a score. No. The Captain had had a way of convincing everyone to pool their wages. They'd always been upgrading the Concordant, always been making things better for each other.

The crew truly had been a family. At least most of the time.

 

[Peyton]

Peyton bit on her lip and grinned as he spoke of their wages and she chuckled. "Oh, I guess nobody told you I got a sixty percent cut of everyone's wage.." she pursed her lips and shrugged a shoulder smugly. She was kidding, of course, but Peyton had always been a little spoiled. The captain's protective nature had bled into that of the crew.. "All the gods wouldn't have been able to help any suitor who had an eye on me. I think there were three sent overboard and Grim hung poor Oliver out on the bowsprit until he could keep his eyes to himself." she grinned. She'd been ungrateful at the time for such overprotection but she understood now just how much of a family they'd been. She missed them.

"Perhaps." she paused and turned to look at him. "Perhaps we might recruit our own crew some day. We could run a ship, right?"

 

[Lucius]

He scoffed. "Wasted the money a bit I see."

Lucius teased quietly. With the amount she was talking about Peyton already would have been able to afford her own ship three times over.

The Concordant had been one of the most succesful pirate vessels of the last few decades. Their Captain had been good, and the crew had been even better. They had all worked together seamlessly, and that was where their strength had truly come from.

Her question made him shrug his shoulders.

"You could." Lucius had no doubt about that, but as for himself? He still wasn't entirely sure he could even walk on a ship without puking.

 

[Peyton]

She snorted at him and her lips curled "I'm kidding. I earned my keep like everyone else aboard that ship.. I just, got a few extra breaks and better meals." she smirked. "You wouldn't have gotten anywhere without me, let's face it." she laughed and looked down at her dangling feet..

"Not on my own, I couldn't. I told you I need someone that I can trust. And, not many men would follow a woman as captain. My father held clout, the crew might have elected me in another ten years time when he was ready to step down, but there's no way I could get a crew of random pirates to take orders from me. You could do it. We both could." she arched her brow, the idea brimming in her mind and taking over all reasonable thoughts and questions. It'd been the most excited she'd felt about anything in a long time and she was off on a tangent.

"A few times back at sea and you'll gain your confidence back, I know you will. Fuck it. We could do it. We're doing it." she nodded firmly. She'd gone from not pushing him to telling him he'd be captaining his own ship soon enough. She cleared her throat, realising how overbearing she was likely being and huffed quietly.

"I mean..can't be that hard." she added on a calmer note.

 

[Lucius]

Lucius couldn't keep the smile from his face.

Optimism wasn't something that he had seen or heard for...gods he had no idea how long. Everything had been misery and depression for as long as he could remember. The Shade had clouded his mind for so long that even this moment seemed like it was ripped from some sort of distant reality.

Yet Peyton's ambition was almost infectious, and he couldn't help but settle a grin on his face as she kept on talking and egging herself on. A hand came up to run through his hair. "How about I sail first."

He said with half a chuckle.

"If I make it through that, then we can talk about who will be Captain." Lucius shook his head.

The idea seemed utterly absurd to him, but then again this morning he'd woken up in a gutter and now...now he was sitting on the ledge of a ship aiming to sail again.

Maybe new things were possible.

 

[Peyton]

Good. He was smiling, not running for his life or jumping into the ocean. She couldn't have been too bad.. Or perhaps he was smiling at her foolishness. She'd always been ambitious, but recruiting your own crew and getting your own ship was something far bigger than anything Peyton had ever considered possible until now. She'd started life as a slave, slaves didn't generally dream big, but her father had, and for some reason, having one part of their crew back, made her believe it entirely possible.

She beamed at his words, dimples reappearing in her excitement "Yes. Sail first. I'll find us a ship tomorrow." she grinned and held her hands up. "Kidding."

"I'm glad you're here." she shrugged and smiled at him. "You're not going to run in the middle of the night are you?.. If I'm, too much just tell me so, I won't make you bathe if you don't want to." she fought a smirk.

 

[Lucius]

"No." He told her softly, slowly dragging his eyes away from her and glancing at the ocean below. "I won't run."

Lucius was sick of running.

It felt like that was how he'd spent the last few years of his life; running. Shade, booze, all of it had been a way to get away from his past. What had happened that night haunted him, perhaps worse than it did some of the others.

He'd never wanted to face his fears, never wanted to look at what it had made him do. It was time to change that.

"I'm here for good." The words were so quiet that they might as well have been a whisper.

--
​

A fortnight passed, and Lucius did not run.

Just as he had promised he had stayed with Peyton for the two weeks time, even bathing twice in the span of it. The nights had been the worst of it, though he'd taken small doses of shade in order to actually help him sleep.

Each time he had done his best to hide it from her, though more than once he had caught a look that told more than a small story. Peyton wasn't a fool, but she hadn't said a thing.

It was on the day of their leaving that Lucius sat quietly on the same platform she'd brought them to on the first day. In his hand was the last of the shade he'd bought the day before their meeting. His fingers gripped it tightly, a breath filling his lungs.

"You promised." Lucius said quietly to himself, closing his eyes and slowly turning his hand over.

The crushed leaves slowly fluttered into the ocean.

 

[Peyton]

Most of Peyton's things were already on the ship though she returned back from the blacksmiths with her weapons sharpened and cleaned, and a package which she left on the drawing table. "Lucius! We gotta go!" she called from downstairs and ran around, a disorganised mess as usual, her feet a shuffled rush on the decks as she lifted a few more rolls of parchment and the caged raven under her arm. The bird cawed irritably. "Hush Talus, squawky little bugger" she muttered.

"A gift. Hope you like it." she grinned eagerly and dipped her chin toward the package on the table when Lucius came down. She'd had a sword custom made, the blade a folded steel and the handle was carved mahogany with inlaid ivory waves. She wore a new coat too, cream with a red collar, cuffs and shoulders with gold stitching and brass buttons. "And yes I look adorable." she rolled her eyes and huffed with a smirk.

She looked him over, subtly, looking for any of the signs she'd managed to pick up whenever he'd been using shade..he'd promised her and she'd believed him and chosen not to press him on the matter, but she was also vouching for him on this voyage, and she had to be sure.

 

[Lucius]

Lucius was more than a little weary of the package.

There would be no trick of course, he was confident of that. Over the years he had developed a distaste for charity. Accepting help from anyone was difficult, and Peyton had already done more than enough to get him back on his feet.

Anything more a this point just made him feel guilty. A frown touched his face as he looked at the package, glancing at it before casting a look to her. "You shouldn't have."

He told her in all seriousness before letting out a small sigh and beginning to open it.

A few seconds passed as he tore at the packaging, his face paling as he revealed more and more of the ornate blade. Fingers caught around the hilt, and he pulled the sword free before the whole of the box had even been peeled away.

"Kress." The name of the old god passed between his lips. "I can't accept this."

Lucius told her. "It must have cost a fortune."

 

[Peyton]

She looked at him sternly and nodded "I should have. And you can." she frowned at him though her smile remained. She didn't see it as charity, but she knew he would. Honestly no amount of payment could stop her feeling guilty about abandoning him to the gutter, not that she'd say so, today was not a day for sadness and pity. "I appreciate you coming with me." she smiled warmly. "And eh.." she shrugged "Blacksmith took a shine to me years ago, we have a decent trade deal."

Her eyes narrowed a little and she squinted awkwardly at him "I also had some clothes tailored, nothin' fancy..sorry." she chewed on her lip. She'd been used to doing these sorts of things for her father, it was actually sort of nice to think of someone other than herself for a change. "Right. Let's go!" she beamed and turned to lead them toward the West Bank, where their ship waited.

 

[Lucius]

Lucius still felt more than a little awkward taking both the blade and the clothes.

At least the latter weren't half as fancy as the former. In truth he wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, perhaps just Peyton being happy to once again be able to take care of someone. A sigh escaped him, and he quickly slipped out the door after her as he pulled on the jacket she had purchased him.

The sword he cradled in his left hand as he hobbled onto the deck of the ship, quickly cutting to the right as they headed towards the docks.

"Whats the ship?" He asked curiously.

The question had been looming on his mind for nearly a weak now, but he'd never quite managed to spit it out until now. He was still somewhat apprehensive about this trip in general. "And the cargo."

 

[Peyton]

Peyton fought a smirk as she looked him over and gave a quick nod of approval. She had always enjoyed looking after her father's crew, though she sensed that he'd felt awkward about it and chewed on her lip. Perhaps she was being a little much, she was really trying not to be pushy, she just felt the man was owed a lot more than a place to sleep and a few hot meals, he'd saved her life and he'd ended up there whilst she had her comforts. She was sorry for that, she simply didn't know how to say it in fear of making him feel weird about it.

Peyton groaned on the way to the docks as he asked the name of the ship, grimacing slightly.. "The Devil's Whore.." she squinted awkwardly "Captained by a guy called Anderson. Greedy bastard, bit of a hot head, but his Quarter master is worse." she shrugged with a huff.. "Needs must, had to go where the better coin was. They've been targeting Merchant ships on the Gulf of Liad, ships from Oban and Elbion mostly. But there's an import from Alliria heading for the Cortosi coast, shipment of luxury goods heading to Vel Anir. Probably heavily guarded."

It took some time to reach the docks, the deck hands were still loading crates and they acknowledged her as she stepped onto the gangplank, and Lucius earned a few curious looks..

"Takin' in the strays are we Peyton?" one man snickered at her. He'd remembered Lucius from the gutter.

"Oh fuck off Jared." she growled and shoved a box of her things against his chest. "Be a good lad and take this to the Captain's quarters for me would you?" she smirked dryly. The man sneered, but begrudgingly obliged.

 

[Lucius]

That was a long trip.

Lucius felt his stomach drop somewhat as she said just where they were going. His lips thinned, but he didn't make a single sound of complaint. Peyton had done a lot for him over the last two weeks, and he couldn't very well back out now.

Some of the sailors on board glanced at him, but with his own quick sweep Lucius figured out that none of them would know him. He was rather glad for that. "Seems a pleasant crew."

He commented dryly, though quiet enough that no one would overhear him.

It didn't pay to make enemies on the first day, and Lucius had no intent of making any of these men stand against him joining this voyage.

Not when Peyton was so dead set.

 

[Peyton]

Peyton had of course failed to mention that it'd be some weeks at sea, and tried not to catch his eye again until he spoke. "Hm. They're alright. Some of them are just a little rough round the edges. Some are just bastards.." she shrugged, her eyes searching for the captain as she pushed through the men as they readied the ship to sail. He was a tall, brutish looking man, but the quartermaster was doubly so, surely a man with giant's blood. He was easy enough to spot.

"Captain." she dipped her chin as she climbed the steps toward the two hulking men. "This is Lucius." she turned toward him, her tone suggesting she'd already told the Captain to expect him aboard.

"Peyton my dear.." the Captain rumbled and gripped hold of her chin and she forced a smile that said she was okay with it when she wasn't. "Welcome aboard lass.." he grinned at her and turned to regard the man, pulling Peyton's back against his chest with a possessive arm around her neck. Peyton looked at Lucius with a dry smirk and rolled her eyes. "Lucius, is it? Name yer skills boy." he growled at the man, looking him from foot to face thoughtfully.

"Looks a bit of a welp, Cap'n" uttered the quartermaster as he folded his massive arms over his chest.

"He's anything but a welp. He'd give you a run for your money Sol." she smirked at the man, gaining her a sneer. "But we're all professionals here I'm sure we can get along." she frowned, and the captain's chest rumbled in a laugh against her back.

 

[Lucius]

Lucius knew that he had to let Peyton do the talking, but when the Quartermaster spoke up he couldn't help but frown slightly.

"I didn't get this scar by falling over." The young Pirate said as he motioned towards the half X over his left brow. He still remembered the day it had been carved into his face. An Anirian Corsair had given it to him, a man who'd been less skilled with a sword than him but far more ferocious with a dagger.

That fight had nearly killed him, but had also made him a bit of a legend. He'd stepped off that Anirian Ship covered in blood and half blind, but with more than twenty dead in his wake.

He placed a gentle hand on the hilt of his sword. "Name anyone on this ship, and I'll put them to the deck."

It was an audacious challenge, especially considering his state. After five years of barely any food and use of shade he was hardly at full strength. Still, he trusted his skills, and he needed to show that Peyton's skill was not missplaced.

 

[Peyton]

Peyton's lips curled into a smiled at Lucius' words and she glanced up at the captain behind her. She had a way of manipulating him in a similar way as she'd had her father wrapped around her finger. The only difference was that this was intentional and she adored her father. The captain smirked down at her and focused his attention back on Lucius, his bushy brow arching at the man's confidence.

"Is that right?" Sol took a stride toward the man, his black beard and hair seeming to bristle aggressively, but the Captain reached out his arm, releasing Peyton from his embrace and slammed his hand against the quartermaster's chest to stop him in his tracks.

"Good. But it isn't our men you'll be needin' to be putting' down, lad. I'll make sure an' put that promise to the test when we get to where we're goin'.." he grinned and gave a nod and a gruff chuckle. "Sol here's a bit of a grumpy bastard, pay no mind to it, just do your job an' we'll have no issues. Right, Sol?" the Captain grinned without taking his eyes from Lucius. Sol grunted and stepped back and turned to leave. "Find a cosy spot lad. We set sail in an hour."

Peyton stepped away from the captain with a small smirk and padded back down the steps, the Raven's feathers fluffed as he swayed and staggered on his perch. "Let's go." she smiled at Lucius as she passed him.. "I have my own cabin, you're welcome to share it, it's not as spacious as the Aurora but it's comfortable enough. Either that or you can find a decent hammock below deck if you're lucky. Wish you luck with the smell though.." she laughed under her breath, fighting through the scurry of pirates.