《Here There Be Pirates: The Dragon and the Bear》


 Lets Make a Deal

    ¡°Click!¡± Kaida stood on the deck, looking up to the young man who was standing in the crow¡¯s nest. His head could be seen from the top, his dark hair peeking out when he looked down at her. The breeze wiped it around, but he never seemed to mind. ¡°Can I join you?¡±


    ¡°Aye, but can you make the climb on your own this time, Ryo? I''d prefer not having to come down just yet.


    Kaida rolled her eyes and smirked while climbing up the mass to join him. Once she had reached the top, she settled in next to him. ¡°You¡¯ve been up here for awhile,¡± she noted, watching him closely. Click was leaning against the edge, his eyes focusing on the horizon before them.


    ¡°It''s a brand new adventure out there. I''ve been stuck close to home for so long. I can''t wait to see what it''s like.¡±


    She caught a smile from growing on her face and looked out to where his attention was caught. Off in the distance, she could see the faint outline of Barbados; after years of hearing her uncle talk about it, they had finally made it. It almost seemed like a dream. One that she didn¡¯t want to wake up from. She glanced back at Click, noticing how much he had changed since they had met in Cape Town. He had matured a lot in that time; his skin was tanner, his face more defined, and taut muscles framed his body from working long hours on the ship. He looked less like the timid boy she knew and more like a man comfortable with his body; even the scar under his right eye now looked more fitting. He was oblivious to how handsome he was, never paying any mind to the girls that watched him anytime they stopped in port. He was always so focused on his next adventure, always filled with passion and curiosity.


    Kaida turned her gaze away from him, her heart sinking slightly. She peered down at her flat chest, the tight bandages around her a daily reminder of the secret she couldn¡¯t tell him. Shaking her head discreetly, she pushed her negative thoughts aside and forced out a soft laugh. ¡°Think you could handle the heat?¡± she teased.


    Click let out a hearty laughed and snatched Ryo¡¯s hat off his head, placing it on his own. ¡°Have you already forgotten I lived in Africa? This heat is a welcome paradise compared to that place.¡± He stood up and held onto the mast for support while he climbed atop the nests railing. ¡°What do you think we''ll see, Ryo? I wonder if the pictures of all those strange animals are real.¡±


    ¡°I hope so. I could use some excitement,¡± she sighed and watched him climb above her, cursing herself for not being more subtle. She cleared her throat, ¡°What¡¯s the first thing you¡¯ll do when we get there?¡±


    Click turned back to Ryo and pushed the hair back from his face with one hand. ¡°That is an excellent question my friend. I¡¯ll probably buy a map of all the islands to start.¡± He sat down on the railing, hooking one leg through the supports to keep his balance as the ship swayed back and forth. ¡°A map, and perhaps a spyglass, I¡¯ll need to be back on the ship before the turn of the tide of course. Someone has to watch your back, especially if the stories are true about pirates.¡± A devilish smirk played across Clicks face as he began to think of all the adventures he could have. ¡°Naturally, I hope you¡¯d watch mine as well.¡±


    Kaida grinned up at him, but the mention of pirates was enough to set her on edge. She knew her uncle was worried about that. While the Caribbean was profitable, it didn¡¯t come without its vices. She had heard the stories, and while she was somewhere new and exciting, she knew she had to be extra careful. ¡°Of course I¡¯d watch your back,¡± Kaida said. ¡°Someone needs to keep you out of trouble.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Staying out of trouble is no fun, no good adventure came without some sort of trouble. That¡¯s why we need to stick together.¡± Truthfully while he wanted adventure he was himself a little nervous about pirates. The cape had its own set of dangers and even a number of pirates but nothing like the Carribean was supposed to be. It was the only place he knew of where merchant ships traveled with full escorts of armed galleons. He shook the nervousness from his head, ¡°I wonder how long we¡¯ll stay here. It¡¯s more profitable, voyages are shorter, goods from the caribbean are in high demand all throughout these seas. I wonder if this is where I¡¯ll become a captain.¡± He looked back out to the horizon, this time back towards the open sea.


    ¡°I hope we¡¯re here awhile, we¡¯ll need that time if this is where we want to make names for ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I don¡¯t plan on being a merchant sailor for long.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal, shall we?¡± She asked looking up at him with a crooked smile.


    He looked down to Ryo before stepping off the railing and sitting beside him again. ¡°What kind of a deal?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s see, neither of us want to be merchant sailors. So we should make a wager. Who ever becomes a captain of their own crew first, the other has to become his first mate. What say you?¡±


    Click smiled and his eyes lit up as he held out his hand to Ryo. ¡°I¡¯ll take that wager, says I.¡±


    Kaida took his hand and shook it eagerly. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll start thinking of names for my future ship, then.¡±


    Click playfully shoved Ryo and placed his hat back on his shaved head before leaning back against the mast. ¡°Already one step ahead of ya. Gotta catch up Ryo, you¡¯ll never become a Captain at this rate.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not worried, I¡¯ve already got some ide-¡±


    ¡°Boys!¡± Kaida¡¯s uncle, Nabasu, called up to them, waving his arm to catch their attention. Kaida and Click poked their heads out to look down at him and he beckoned them down. Kaida pushed herself ahead of Click and laughed as she climbed back down the mast.


    ¡°Yes, uncle?¡± She asked as Click climbed down to join her on the deck.


    ¡°Click, I need you to guide us into port,¡± he smiled at him.


    ¡°Aye aye Captain.¡± Click rushed off to the wheel, shouting to the men to prepare to stow sails as he did so.


    ¡°Ryo, ready the mooring lines.¡±


    Kaida nodded and turned to follow orders after Click had already left, but her uncle called back to her. ¡°Ryo,¡± his tone was softer. Kaida looked at him and he gestured her to come closer and he laid a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Are you excited that we¡¯re finally here?¡± He asked and Kaida nodded eagerly. ¡°I am too,¡± he agreed. He glanced over to Click and his expression looked a bit guilty. She eyed him curiously.


    ¡°Uncle?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s grown a lot since he joined us, hmm? He¡¯s no longer a boy.¡± Kaida¡¯s face flushed and she looked down at her feet, too sheepish to look him in the eye. ¡°... Be careful of your lingering gaze, Kaida,¡± her uncle whispered. Humiliation rushed over her, but she nodded and looked back to her uncle.


    ¡°Aye, sir,¡± she said glumbly, giving Click one last glance before turning to fulfil her duties.

 Causing Trouble-7 Years Later

    A faint billow of smoke rose up into the air, soiling the perfect blue of the sky; in the open water, a ship lay in near shambles, giving into the depths of the ocean.  Another, much larger vessel rested triumphantly beside it, a vibrant British flag flowing out from amongst the sails.


    Kaida lowered her spyglass and frowned at the sight of the two ships.  Always getting in the way, she thought, shaking her head slightly.


    ¡°Your orders, Captain?¡± Jones said, standing at the helm beside her.


    ¡°That royal ship took down what seems to be another pirate ship¡­ I''ve never seen it before,¡± she said, the last bit more to herself.  ¡°... Why don''t we pay them a visit?¡± She smiled. ¡°I feel like causing a bit of trouble.¡±


    ***


    Kaida stepped lightly onto the deck of the British ship, calculating the time she would have before the ship sank and they¡¯d have to leave.  Knowing that they¡¯d have time to check the brig for survivors and poke around to see what goods and supplies they could take, Kaida smiled to herself and made her way to the captain of the ship who was currently on his knees with his hands tied behind his back.  Behind him were the remaining members of the crew, their uniforms dirtied and faces bloody, looking back at her with confusion and fear; it was an expression that she had gotten used to seeing. Only the captain was glaring at her with a look of contempt.


    She ordered some of her crew to check the brig and check for supplies while she stood in front of the captain.  He scowled at her and spat at her feet. ¡°Damn you,¡± he muttered, blood dribbling down his chin.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too happy to see me, Captain,¡± she smirked, unphased by the spit.  ¡°Care to tell me why?¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Go burn in Hell, you witch¡± he spat again.


    ¡°So original,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°I know who you are¡­ and my answer is no.  I¡¯d never sail with a woman.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Kaida smiled at him, while pulling out a long knife from her waist.  Without hesitation, she placed it against the captain¡¯s cheek, pressing lightly into his skin until she drew blood.  The man watched the blade with frenzied eyes as she grazed it down onto his neck. Just not worth the time.  She stepped back with the blade, wiping it on his coat and turned to Jones.  ¡°See if any of his men are open to the idea.¡± She walked down below deck to the sound of men crying out right before their throats were slit.


    Down in the brig, water was already seeping into the ship; several of her men were down there, helping the prisoners make their way to the deck.  One man, dirty and malnourished, stared at her with wide eyes as he made his way out, muttering under his breath. ¡°It¡¯s you. It¡¯s you- why did you save us?¡±


    Kaida trudged her way through the quickly rising water, looking for anyone else that was still alive but may have been overlooked.  In a dark corner of a cell, she saw two men slumped on the ground, the water threatening to cover their faces. She called over to a few sailors to assist her and she stepped carefully into the cell.  She bent down over one man and felt for a breath or pulse and found nothing, his lips blue and skin pale. She shook her head and the sailors and tried with the other man, rolling him over to his side.  His clothes were a bit nicer than any of the other men they had rescued, denoting rank. Dark, wet hair plastered his face and blood trickled down his head. Kaida felt his neck, feeling a faint pulse. ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± she told the sailors who went to lift him.  The man, even while unconscious, was imposing with his stature, dwarfing the three men who struggled to carry him out.


    As they brought him out onto the deck, Kaida looked again at the unconscious man, his face now more visible.  Kaida stared at him, a peculiar unease setting in the back of her mind. She focused on the scar that lay just under his right eye.  She squinted at it before shrugging the unsettling feeling away. ¡°Take the survivors to the brig,¡± she ordered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 First Impressions

    Click groaned as consciousness returned to him. His head was pounding and when his eyes fluttered open everything was blurry. He could vaguely feel his hands bound behind him, by the British, of all people¡­he rolled and fell off the small bench onto his side, his cheek hitting the solid wood boards and causing his headache to compound. ¡°Anskotan Dj?full,¡± he growled before hands gripped him and pulled him to a sitting position.


    ¡°Skeppare, it is I. You sailed with us to Barbados. Are you alright my friend?¡±


    Click opened his eyes and blinked to clear his vision a bit more. He tilted his head back to look at the dark man, ¡°Alvaro? Well looks like we aren''t dead, I doubt your God would allow me to visit.¡±


    Alvaro laughed and slapped his shoulder, ¡°Ah my friend, It truly lightens my heart that you are alright. You are correct however he would never let you in. Your gods scare him.¡±


    Click nodded and smiled with him. Pokk s¨¦ alfodurnum, ¡°Where are we Alvaro? The British? And hey, why aren''t your hands tied eh?¡±


    ¡°You are far more imposing than I Skeppare and no not the British. We have been rescued, my friend.¡±


    Clicks brow furrowed and he looked around at the Iron bars and wiggled his wrists against his bindings. ¡°It''s been awhile for me, is this normally what happens when you''re rescued?¡±


    Alvaro chuckled again and helped him sit back on the bench. ¡°No my friend, by the Silver Dragon.¡±


    Click raised an eyebrow and looked at him. ¡°Is that a good thing? Because I still feel like a prisoner.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Alvaro shrugged.


    Click simply shook his head, ¡°What happened Alvaro. I remember stepping onto the deck to meet them in battle, then I woke up here. Don''t get me wrong, I''m glad I woke, it would not have been a worthy death.¡±


    This time Alvaro shook his head, ¡°You and your gods¡­ The powder magazines were ignited, you were flung into the mast of the British schooner. They threw us in the brig, but I believe they thought you dead.¡±


    Click nodded as he listened, an unworthy death indeed, praise heimdall for thy watchful gaze. ¡°Wouldn''t have been the first time my friend. Did any others make it?¡±


    ¡°They took them up a short while ago, I know not of their fates. I pray for their safe journey should they be joining their gods.¡±


    ¡°From the stories I''ve heard, this Silver Dragon is not known to be warm hearted.¡± He struggled against his bindings again. ¡°Alvaro, can you get me out of these bindings? I have the worst itch on my eyebrow.¡±


    Alvaro simply reached up and scratched his eyebrow for him. ¡°I have no interest in upsetting the Silver Dragon my friend. My apologies.¡±


    Click squinted at him, ¡°¨¦g mun muna eftir pessu, my friend.¡±


    ¡°You are most welcome.¡± Alvaro said with a smile.


    Click rolled his eyes and was about to speak when he heard footsteps approaching from the upper deck. Alvaro straightened next to him but Click remained relaxed and rested his head against the hull behind him. The person who came down the stairs was not in any way what Click would have imagined. They wore a slim, black coat with silver embroidery that looked to be oriental and very formal. A thick leather belt with a metal buckle in the shape of a strange animal fastened around the waist. The collar ended at a slender neck and a striking face, framed by medium length silver hair. Hidden behind freckles were two piercing brown eyes with a scar that ran across her right cheek. Click raised an eyebrow again and glanced to Alvaro who looked even more nervous. He looked back to the stunning woman that approached his cell and let out a slow exhale. Well, this got interesting.


    A few steps behind the woman was a stout man standing a few inches taller than her. He wore a plain, but clean brown coat that fell to his knees. He had small eyes that darted around the brig, finally settling on Click and Alvaro. The woman glanced back at the man and said in a soft, but firm voice, ¡°Jones, please take the older gentleman up on deck.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain,¡± Jones opened the cell and held it open for Alvaro to step through. Before he left with Jones, she looked at him.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± She asked.


    ¡°It is Alvaro ma''am.¡± He gave her a bow as he said his name.


    I like this one. Kaida nodded at him and allowed him to pass with Jones, leaving her alone with the man shackled and kneeling before her; the same man that she had found unconscious on the brig. Now that he was awake, Kaida could get a good look at him though the light was dim. The same unsettling feeling sat with her as she looked over him.


    He was wearing a long brown coat with black fur trim, fastened together with what looked to be claws. He had a black sash of some sort tied around his waist with a piece of fabric that hung down lower and was covered in runic symbols. The brown pants were nothing special but the black boots appeared to have been well kept, and were tied tightly by leather cords. Black hair just a bit longer than hers fell around his face, framing his strong features. She stepped in closer and he looked back at her with striking and peculiar eyes a deep purple color. Kaida paused and her breath caught, looking at him with disbelief. I know those eyes. She stared into the face of a man that she hadn¡¯t seen for seven years, the passing of time making him look unfamiliar to Kaida, but she could never forget his eyes. They were the eyes of her best friend. Of the boy she once loved and thought was dead.


    He looked back at her with a curious and intrigued expression and Kaida set her mouth in a firm line, quickly masking her surprise. ¡°You¡¯re not dressed like a common sailor,¡± she noted. ¡°What is your station?¡±


    Click chuckled, ¡°prisoner, ma''am.¡±


    A slight smile played at the corner of Kaida¡¯s mouth. ¡°Strange attire for a prisoner... What do you call yourself?¡± She asked, anxious to see if he would say the name she knew him as.


    Click eyed her cautiously for a moment before answering. ¡°Aegir. Skeppare Aegir ma¡¯am. Is there something wrong with my attire?¡±


    Kaida raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t often have captains held in my brig¡­ And you¡¯ll refer to me as Captain Yasashi.¡± As she said this, Jones made his way back down the stairs and stood behind her again, waiting for his next orders.


    ¡°Captain Yasashi.¡± He smiled and straightened himself on the little bench. ¡°The Silver Dragon, Captain Yasashi, sorry to disappoint, but I''m not a captain. Not anymore.¡± He said the last bit mostly to himself and turned his gaze away from her to inspect the man called Jones. He clicked his tongue and turned his gaze back to her. ¡°You didn''t kill Alvaro did ye? Captain Yasashi.¡±


    ¡°Right now, I have no reason to,¡± Kaida said, turning slightly away from him. Her mind was racing to ask him hundreds of questions, but she maintained her composure. For two years Click thought she was a boy, now was not the time to be bringing up the past. Seven years was a long time, and she knew she had changed a lot. Click obviously had as well, but she wasn¡¯t sure if that change was for the better yet. It¡¯s better to wait. I need to see what kind of man he has become. She looked back at him. ¡°... You assume I would? What have you heard about The Silver Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Ruthless, breathes fire, only takes silver pieces. Kills all but the strongest on a ship, keeps shrunken heads of the men killed. Always kills the captain and has a thing for cutting off the good bits.¡±


    ¡°Breathing fire sounds nice, but shrunken heads really are unsanitary,¡± Kaida replied simply, with a smirk.


    ¡°Once knew a man who could did that, breathe fire, obviously.¡± Click looked up while trying to think, ¡°Oddly enough, you being a woman was never mentioned to me though. Imagine that, you''d think that would be a worthwhile note.¡±


    Kaida¡¯s smile fell into a firm line again. ¡°And here I thought that was the most distinguishable fact about me. I hope you weren¡¯t too disappointed.¡±


    He tilted his head to the side, ¡°Must be the fact that you don''t leave survivors, right?¡± A small smirk grew on his face, ¡°Captain Yasashi, have you heard of a Valkyrie?¡±


    ¡°Is this one of your gods?¡± She asked, now intrigued. She noticed the clothes he wore were not ones she had seen before. He looked like a man she had heard tales about from across the Atlantic.


    Click laughed and shook his head. ¡°I''ll take that as a no¡­I was surprised Captain Yasashi, certainly not disappointed.¡± So far she wasn''t at all like he''d been expecting. She seemed firm but he hadn''t missed the corners of her mouth twisting up in a hidden smile. So what''s the real truth about you, Silver Dragon?


    ¡°I see,¡± Kaida said flatly. He was still as cheeky as ever, but Kaida wondered if that was only because he didn¡¯t see her as threatening. She turned back to Jones, cutting their conversation short. ¡°Please help Aegir up and escort him on deck.¡± Without looking at Click again, she made her way back up the stairs.


    Jones stepped towards Click and grabbed him around the arm. ¡°Those are peculiar threads, sir,¡± he noted about his outfit. ¡°Ne¡¯er seen the likes of them in these parts. Where do you hail from?¡±


    Click willingly let the man help him stand and lead him from the cell. ¡°Far to the north Mr. Jones. I doubt you''ve seen the creature this coat is made from.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Jones said with a laugh.


    As they stepped into the sunlight from below deck Click winced and turned his gaze down. He''d have shielded his eyes if his hands weren''t tied behind his back still. The rest of her crew was on deck gathered around as he was led to the small group of survivors. Hasn''t killed them yet either? ¡°Mr. Jones if I may ask, why am I the only one tied up? I''d like to scratch my nose at least.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Sorry, Aegir, sir. A bear of a man like you shouldn¡¯t be kept untied,¡± Jones mumbled as he handed him off to a few other deckhands who grabbed him roughly.


    The deck hands tried shoving him towards the other survivors, but Click dwarfed them all and moved at his own pace. ¡°Easy there boys, ask nicely, there''s no need to shove.¡± The men pushed on his shoulders to make him kneel like the others but Click stood firm. One man kicked at the back of Clicks knee, he didn''t have a chance to recoil as Click spun and headbutted him. The man''s nose broke and he fell backwards unconscious on the deck. ¡°¨¦ttu skit aumingi,¡± Click growled as he glared at the other deckhands who all warily took a step back. ¡°Yer lucky my hands are tied, now ask nicely.¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± Jones said quietly, still standing near Click. ¡°Would you please?¡± He was eyeing Captain Yasashi wearily, before looking back at him. His eyes pleading. Captain Yasashi gave Click a hard look, her more agreeable demeanor from before completely gone. She stood in front of the other survivors, waiting for him to comply.


    Click locked eyes with Captain Yasashi, studying her for a moment. He was wrestling with the entire notion of kneeling. Not because she was a woman but because it was something unheard of for a Viking. I am a Viking Skeppare, I am Aegir of the sea, I do not kneel¡­  He looked down to Alvaro and then back to Jones whose eyes almost seemed to be begging him to just kneel. Mighty Tyr forgive me this act. ¡°Mr. Jones, just this once¡­ But I ask if I am to die today, put a sword in my hand and let the sea reclaim me.¡± He then walked to Alvaro and bit his tongue as he got down on his knees next to him, though he refused to look up from the deck.


    Jones stood completely still as Kaida approached him. She stood shoulder to shoulder to him, her back turned so no one but him could see her face. ¡°Your heart is too kind, sometimes,¡± she said under her breath. She was used to people opposing her or fighting back, but she refused to show any weakness in front of her men. She clenched her jaw, waiting for Jones to respond.


    ¡°Aye, Captain,¡± he said softly. He cleared his throat before addressing the survivors. ¡°You¡¯ve been spared today by the Silver Dragon. She extends that mercy to you now for your pledge to join her crew.¡±


    A few of the men exchanged glances before one was brave enough to speak out.


    ¡°I¡¯d sooner die than serve under a woman,¡± he said, and the other two mumbled in agreement.


    So be it, Kaida rolled her eyes, grateful no one else could see her; hearing that reasoning sometimes got tiring and she was hardly in the mood now for theatrics. As soon as the words left the men, three of her deckhands stepped forward and ran their knives across the three mens¡¯ necks. They fell to the floor unceremoniously, their blood pooling together. Kaida turned around, not surprised to see Click and Alvaro still kneeling.


    Click still didn''t bat an eye though he could hear Alvaro breathing heavy.


    ¡°I will serve ma''am, if you will have me.¡± Alvaro said as he bowed from his kneeling position.


    ¡°I knew I liked you,¡± Kaida said, giving him a small smile. ¡°Somebody help this man up. Get him something to eat.¡± She focused back in on Click. And now you. The troublemaker. ¡°And what about you, Aegir? Do you have anything of value to offer this crew?¡± Knowing Click growing up, he was an excellent navigator and skilled at the helm, but she questioned if he was still eager to prove himself.


    Click finally looked up from the deck at her. He squinted his eyes and wrinkled up his nose before leaning forward till his nose touched the deck. He quickly wiggled his nose against the wood and sat upright again, ¡°By the gods that was an annoying itch. While I have no issues serving under you, I do have a promise I''d like to keep to someone. Don''t suppose we could reschedule?¡±


    Still as cheeky as ever. Kaida suppressed a smirk and looked at him blankly, though her men looked anxiously at her. One sailor stepped forward, hand gripped around a knife, waiting for her orders, but Kaida held up a finger. ¡°Matsu,¡± She ordered and the sailor lowered his knife slowly. ¡°Do thirty, just to test his endurance,¡± she said simply. She nodded at Jones and he walked towards Click. Jones kneeled down and untied Clicks bindings.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± he mumbled to Click.


    Click rubbed his wrists and stood, once the feeling came back into his hands he began to undo the toggles on his coat. ¡°Don''t be Mr. Jones, just look after my coat for a moment please. Do that, and I''ll let the bosun get his thirty.¡± He finished undoing his coat and let it fall off his shoulders exposing his torso. He handed the coat to Jones and said in a low voice, ¡°You seem like a kind man Mr. Jones, I respect that greatly, but my hands are now untied and you have a lot of loose weapons on deck. Ruin my coat, and your captain will have to find a whole new crew, savvy?¡± Click dropped the coat into his arms and walked towards the main mast. He wrapped his arms as far as they would go and waited for them to be tied. He didn''t look at Captain Yasashi the entire time, fear and intimidation¡­ I find it hard to believe that''s all you are. But if I''m mistaken, you might as well just kill me. Make this easier for us both.


    Kaida held her hands behind her back, and nodded for the lashings to start. Don¡¯t make me do this, Click. She didn¡¯t turn her gaze away and watched solemnly from behind him. Though tattoos covered the majority of his upper body, there were still visible scars that littered his skin, and she noticed the familiar scars on his back, clear evidence that he had faced this type of punishment many times before. She wasn¡¯t surprised, he knew exactly what to expect when she ordered the lashings. Still, just like everyone else on this ship, Kaida had a duty to fulfil and her men expected her to be ruthless. She had to be.


    The first lash struck and left a sting that quickly faded in his back. He smirked and shook his head against the mast as the second hit. ¡°Try not to ruin the ink, I''d hate to have to get it touched up again.¡± More lashes and his back began to heat up as the pain spread and the skin became more sensitive. He gripped the ropes that held his hands, this wasn''t the worst he''d been lashed, but he''d never been hit more than 15 times. He looked over his shoulder at the bosun, ¡°Oi, I¡¯ve been slapped harder, don''t waste my time.¡± the next few had some power behind them and he gritted his teeth, determined not to make a sound. Thor give me strength, I will not cry for Valhalla today.


    Kaida looked over to Jones, who was glancing nervously between her and Click, waiting for her to order the punishment to stop. He knew better than anyone that she wouldn¡¯t go through with the full 30. It was clear that this type of punishment wouldn¡¯t work on him. Cheeky and stubborn as ever. She squared her shoulders and waited a bit longer. She had her reputation to uphold, afterall.


    Click¡¯s body tensed as the most recent lash left its burn on his back. He gripped the ropes tight and fought to control his breathing. 16? 12? 20? Should have kept count.


    19... This is enough. Kaida clenched her hands behind her back, gazed fixed upon the blood on Click¡¯s back. ¡°Sorede j¨±bundesu,¡± She ordered, and the bosun stopped immediately. He released Click¡¯s bounds and he wavered slightly on unsteady legs before catching himself.


    Clicks legs wanted to give out but he willed them to keep him upright. ¡°Come now¡­ that can''t¡­ have been¡­ thirty..¡± He slowed his breathing as best as he could half expecting another lash. He wasn''t sure if he could stand another one though.


    A deckhand untied Click while a few more took him by the arms and braced him as they turned him around. They pushed lightly on his shoulders remembering what happened to the last man that tried to force him. He shrugged them off and got into a kneeling position again, facing Kaida once more. His head hung as he breathed deep and his vision blurred as he focused on the deck in front of him.


    Kaida bit her tongue and looked at Click for a moment before deciding what to do next. I can usually stand these sort of things. But this. This is not what I wanted to happen. She thought of the boy she had met all those years ago, full of life and a sense of adventure. What has become of us, Click? She glanced around at her men. She was proud of what she had built and overcome, but in doing so, she had made difficult decisions; the one before her being the hardest, she now realized.


    Izanagi, forgive me. Kaida approached Click and kneeled before him on one knee, though she barely came to his shoulder. It wasn''t often that she dragged out a punishment like this. Usually, if a man was showing this much attitude to her, she''d have him killed and be done with it. They were usually expendable, but she knew Click. She knew that he would make a great asset to her crew. She also knew she could never bring herself to kill him. As she knelt he raised his head to meet her gaze, the corner of his mouth pulled up into a weak smile but it quickly faded.


    ¡°I''m sure this is not the kind of death you envisioned for yourself, hmm? Would your gods be displeased that you didn''t die in the midst of some great battle?¡± she asked quietly so that their conversation couldn''t be heard over the sound of the wind and waves splashing against the ship.


    He stared into her eyes for a moment longer before lowering his gaze and nodding slightly. He spoke to her in the same hushed tone. ¡°Aye Captain, the gods have turned their gaze from me. I do not wish to die today.¡±


    Kaida nodded and her expression softened a bit. ¡°... I don''t think they have. Otherwise you would have already been dead when I found you. Perhaps your gods are giving you a second chance?¡±


    He chuckled slightly. ¡°It would not be the first time¡­¡± He returned his gaze to her face and studied it again, no, not just intimidation¡­ ¡°Captain Yasashi, I will serve you. You won''t find a better navigator than I. My only request¡­ ¡° He lowered his voice even further, hesitant to even make a request. ¡°... Is that should you come across a man named Ryo. You spare him for me, I must honor my promise to him.¡±


    Kaida''s heart thundered against her chest and it took all her strength to not embrace Click and tell him the truth. ¡°I''ve never met a man named Ryo,¡± she said carefully. ¡°But I''ll honor that request.¡± She stood and stepped away from him. ¡°Skeppare Aegir¡­ Welcome aboard the Jewel of Ryujin.¡±


    Some of the deck hands carefully helped him stand again and supported his weight on their shoulders. They were careful to avoid his back which he appreciated. ¡°Captain Yasashi. ¡± he said once more then nodded to her as the crew helped ease him below deck to tend to his wounds. The mood below deck changed completely, the crew perked up and began asking him all sorts of questions, laughing amongst themselves and introducing each other. Some even gave a few extra handshakes out of respect for taking the lashings and not showing fear. Truthfully though all he wanted to do was lay down and get some rest. His head still pounded and now his body was beginning to shake from the after burn of the whip. He entertained the crew as best he could but his mind was elsewhere. Thinking back to the small smile Captain Yasashi hid so well, the coldness with which she commanded her ship, and the small act of respect she''d given him. Which mask is your true face, I wonder. What adventures await me now? Still he could not shake the weight in his heart. He''d come here to find Ryo not embark on another adventure. Wise Odin, leiebeindu m¨¦r.


    ***


    Kaida stood alone in her quarters, standing in front of the full length mirror. She sighed and undid the clasps on her coat, her hands trembling slightly. After she shrugged it off, she laid it carefully on her bed and looked back into the mirror, noting how pale her face was after today. Her eyes were distant and tired and she could sense a terrible weight start to settle in on her shoulders. Laying a hand on the mirror, she hung her head. I sought to break his spirit today, and for what? I never questioned my actions until now. She looked back up at her reflection. They had both changed so much in the past seven years; both had experienced hardship and trials that shaped them into the adults they were now. How could she tell Click she was the child that was there with him when they had their innocent adventures and dreamed of becoming captains; the same child who hid the truth from Click about who she really was. She was still deceiving him.


    Her stomach twisted with guilt and anger. I am not Ryo. Her eyes grew colder as she told herself the same reminder she had everyday for the last four years. She pulled out the knife that she always kept at her side, inspecting the intricate design of a dragon etched into the ivory handle. I am Yasashi Kaida. The Silver Dragon, Captain of the Jewel of Ryujin- A wave of frustration overcame her and she forcibly stabbed the knife into the frame of the mirror, gripping the handle tightly. Her hands shook now with more fervor as an unwanted thought popped into her head.


    -And I am a liar.

 Secrets

    The sun beat down relentlessly on the back of Kaida''s neck; even sitting in the pitiful shade of a palm tree, she could feel a sunburn start to settle in on her skin.  This was a terrible day to stop in port... She wiped her forehead and looked over to Click who was sitting hunched over a book, his brow furrowed in concentration.  "How''s it coming?" She asked him.


    ¡°Not great,¡± he mumbled, ¡°what¡¯s this one?¡± He held the book up to Ryo with his finger pointed at a particularly difficult word. ¡°App-rocks-mate-lie?¡±


    ¡°Approximately,¡± Kaida corrected.  ¡°That was pretty close though, you¡¯re certainly getting better.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡± Click closed the book, running his hands along the worn cover. ¡°I still don¡¯t get why I need to read these, It¡¯s just extra wording for that stupid test. I already know how to navigate, and I can tell you a heading without needing to tell you the¡­ approximately degree of latitude when I can just say we¡¯re heading south by southwest.¡±


    ¡°Approximate degree,¡± Kaida corrected with a chuckle.  ¡°The more knowledge you have Click, the more power. Plus if you want to be a captain someday, knowing how to read and write will be beneficial.¡±  She looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Unless this is you giving up and just admitting I¡¯d make a better captain?¡±


    Click scoffed as he set the book to the side and stood up. ¡°Reading and writing alone don¡¯t make a good captain Ryo. You have to know and understand your crew, when¡¯s the last time you ran rigging? Swabbed the lower decks? Hauled anchor in the hull? A good Captain knows their crew, and the crew knows their captain.¡± He smirked down at Ryo, ¡°don¡¯t worry, when I get my ship you can still be first mate and I¡¯ll put you right to work.¡±


    Kaida rolled her eyes and stood up as well.  ¡°I never said it did, but it sounds like we both have things to work on.¡±  She stretched and wiped the sweat from the back of her neck. ¡°If you wanted, you study under my uncle for a week while I take up your duties on deck? Walk in the other¡¯s shoes for a bit.¡±


    ¡°That''s¡­. Actually a good idea, can we do that? Would your uncle let us?¡±


    ¡°He may need some convincing, but it¡¯s worth a shot.¡±


    Click wiped a few beads of sweat from his brow and shielded his eyes as he looked up to the blistering sun. ¡°Gods this sun, I¡¯m in need of a good cool off, you?¡±


    ¡°Ah-¡± Kaida¡¯s face flushed and a familiar discomfort began to form in her stomach.  ¡°Suppose I wouldn¡¯t mind getting my feet wet before we head back to the ship¡­¡± she said hesitantly.


    ¡°Come on, there¡¯s a small stream coming down to the beach, if we follow it up i¡¯m betting there¡¯s a pool inland a little ways.¡± Click started heading towards the tree line, signaling Ryo to follow him in. The sudden sense of adventure giving him new energy after nearly being put to sleep by the book. ¡°So will you put in a word with your uncle?¡±


    ¡®I certainly can,¡± Kaida said, the pit in her stomach growing as she followed Click towards the tree line.  Just have to be casual about it, don¡¯t make a big deal of it and say you¡¯re just not getting in.  Her eyes fell on Click¡¯s back, sweat starting to seep through the cotton and her stomach twisted.  ¡°... we probably shouldn¡¯t be too long, Nabasu wanted us back within the next hour.¡±


    ¡°Plenty of time for a quick dip to cool off once we find this pool.¡± The stream was beginning to widen while the plants around them grew thicker, Click knew they were getting close to the source. He nearly fell into the pool when the trees and bushes suddenly stopped at the water line. Skirting the edge for the moment, they managed to make their way to a more open area along the border where Click finally stopped to dip his hand in the water. It was crystal clear, and refreshingly cool, a perfect spot to escape this midday heat. ¡°See, that took no time at all, plenty of time now to spare cooling off.¡±


    Kaida fiddled with the top button of her shirt nervously, not looking at Click but trying to calm her nerves.  She glanced around to find somewhere to sit, spotting a small boulder she could rest against. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I won¡¯t be getting in all the way,¡± she said weakly, sitting down on the rock.  She immediately set to work on removing her boots, too nervous to look up at Click or listen for his response. ¡°I¡¯ll just put my feet in.¡±


    Click pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the side before setting to work on removing his own boots. ¡°Seriously? Ryo you¡¯re dripping sweat I can see it from here, sticking your feet in is going to do nothing for you.¡±


    One boot off, Kaida set on the other one, glancing up briefly to see him taking off his own boots and her face burned with embarrassment to see him shirtless.  ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I don¡¯t want to get out wet and try and get into dry clothes,¡± she said, trying to be casual.


    ¡°You¡¯re already soaking wet with sweat,¡± Click remarked as he took the rest of his clothes off. ¡°I¡¯d rather be cool and getting back into clothes wet, then sticky, mucky, and hot the rest of the day. Besides I am not carrying you back if you faint from the heat.¡± Click approached ryo and stood in front of him waiting for him to see logic. He had this strange aversion to getting into water period without his clothes on. ¡®Probably a bit nervous of his body, but on a ship you needed to be comfortable, otherwise you¡¯ll always be uncomfortable.¡¯


    Kaida finished rolling up her pants and heard Click approach her; she looked up again, her eyes growing wider as they fell below Click''s waist.  She darted her attention quickly elsewhere, feeling the heat of shame grow over her whole face. "You''re not carrying me anywhere, I''ll be fine," She said firmly, she stood up and made her way to the edge of the pool, making it a point to not look at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re bright red, probably going to have a nasty burn. You really need to¡­¡± he shoved Ryo forward into the pool, ¡°cool off.¡± He didn¡¯t shove him too hard, just enough to make him stumble till the water was up to his waist.


    Irritation rushed over Kaida for a moment as she straightened up in the water.  ¡°You little shit-¡± she pushed out her hands in the water to splash him with water, but she could feel herself a bit less embarrassed now that she was in the cool water and had a distraction from looking at him.


    Click laughed as he walked past him into the pool and swam out to the center. ¡°There ya go, see, this feels great doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a real pain in the ass sometimes. You know that?¡± Kaida asked with a grin, still keeping her distance from him.  Despite being more comfortable in the cool water, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to get too close or really look at Click.


    ¡°Yes, yes I know.¡± He splashed a bit of the cold water on his face, still chuckling at Ryo¡¯s embarrassment at getting undressed. ¡°You do realize that at some point, you¡¯ll have to take off those clothes with a woman. If you can¡¯t undress around your best friend how are you ever going to make a woman happy?¡± He gave Ryo a teasing smirk which Ryo continued to ignore.


    ¡°I¡¯ll worry about that when it becomes relevant,¡± Kaida mumbled, crouching down into the water until it reached her chin.  ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m interested in anyone at the moment anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°No one?¡± Click said while swimming till he could stand on the bottom, ¡°We¡¯ve been in how many ports and you haven¡¯t met anyone who¡¯s caught your eye? I find that hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°Why is that so hard to believe?¡± Kaida raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why fall for a girl when you just leave port soon after? I''d rather have something that would last longer and be more meaningful,¡± she said a bit hesitantly. Not like it matters anyway... She never liked having these kind of conversations with Click. It was hard to hear when a beautiful girl caught his eye and listen quietly as he spoke about her.


    Click sighed, ¡°I said hard to believe not impossible, I feel the same to be honest. Don''t get me wrong, I notice the looks I get every now and then from the girls in the ports we''ve stopped in, but none really interest me, especially when I''m just going to head off in the morning. Guess that''s why so many of the men head to the brothels as soon as we dock, little desperate and dirty if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I think so too,¡± Kaida gave a small sigh of relief.  ¡°But you¡¯ve never seen a girl that you¡¯ve been interested in? Nabasu says romance is kind of a waste in this type of life... Maybe he''s right.¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but unlike your uncle I¡¯m not giving up just yet. Every girl I¡¯ve met so far is ordinary, looking for the next strong young man to leave the sea and marry them. That doesn¡¯t interest me in the slightest, I want adventure, I want excitement, and I want someone to share it all with. Not someone who just...waits at home, staring out a window at the rolling sea, hoping for a glimpse of sails on the horizon.¡± Click stared up at the light breaking through the canopy overhead, lost in thought for a moment before shaking his head and heading up towards Ryo. ¡°I need a girl who likes a little adventure ya know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kaida mumbled.  She stood up straight again and tried to discreetly turn her head away as he moved towards her into more shallow water.  ¡°I want something like that too-¡±


    Click placed his hand on Ryo¡¯s shoulder, interrupting him, ¡°I¡¯d hope so. If you¡¯re going to be my first mate you¡¯ll be going on plenty of adventures.¡± Before Ryo could respond, Click laughed and placed his hand on Ryo¡¯s chest, giving him a playful shove back down into the water. He landed square on his back in the water, and Click laughed even harder as he headed for the edge of the pool where his clothes were. ¡°You¡¯re feeling a bit squishy there Ryo, need to get you working some oars again, build back up those muscles before you get too soft.¡±


    Kaida consciously put her hand up to her chest as she pulled herself up to a sitting position in the water, her throat tightening with mixed emotions.  No one had ever touched her chest, the feeling was strange with the bandages but a part of her was torn between yelling at him and crying. She didn¡¯t look at him while he got dressed, she couldn¡¯t be angry with him, he didn¡¯t know.  She was more angry with herself, she decided. If he knew¡­  She shook the thought from her mind before giving it a chance to grow and forced a laugh.  ¡°Piss off.¡±


    ¡°Ah come on now Ryo I''m just teasing.¡± He finished pulling his boots up and leaned against a tree waiting on him. ¡°You tease me about reading and my shit handwriting all the time. As well you should to be honest. I''m pretty sure I''m hopeless and you just refuse to accept that.¡±


    Kaida wiped the water from her face and wrung out her hat before plopping it back on her head.  She pulled herself out of the pool and grabbed her boots. Click grinned at her and her heart leapt in her chest.  ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Kaida asked as she pulled her boots over her feet. ¡°your handwriting is shit, don''t get me wrong,¡± Kaida chuckled.  ¡°But you''re smart and a quick learner.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I suppose I am,¡± a sly smile played at his lips but it quickly faded. ¡°but that means nothing in the tests to become a lieutenant or captain. If I can''t read and write properly, or gain even a basic grasp on mathematics I''ll never make it far. Yet no matter how pointless teaching me seems, you refuse to give up on me¡­¡± Click looked up through the trees again, getting his bearings and a rough idea of the time of day. ¡°You''re a good friend Ryo, and an honest one at that. If you do win our little bet, I''d gladly serve as your first mate. It would be the least I could do after all you''ve done for me.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Kaida''s eyes fell on him, a soft smile playing at her lips as she watched him stare up above them.  Click underestimated himself, he was confident in many ways, but there was a vulnerability about him when it came to his education.  Kaida wanted to help him because she saw potential in him and she wanted him to have his best chance at passing his test to become lieutenant and captain. Even if she wanted to be a captain as well, deep down she didn''t really care if she served as his first mate.


    He looked back at her, curiously awaiting her response. His bright eyes shone against the shade of the trees as they walked back to the ship, and Kaida bit her lip nervously before speaking.  ¡°Honestly Click, I don''t care too much on who becomes captain first. I just want to help you¡­¡± she said, staring straight ahead now, too nervous to look at him. ¡°I just want us to sail the seas, share wild adventures together.¡±


    Click laughed heartily and clapped Ryo on the shoulders, pulling him down the path and pushing him ahead of himself. ¡°And we shall my friend, we¡¯ve only just begun to discover the caribbean, there¡¯s a whole ocean waiting for us to sail. Unless you end up getting lovestruck and settling down in some port town with some, over powdered, rosy cheeked lass.¡±


    ¡°Oh I wouldn¡¯t worry about that,¡± Kaida chuckled to herself as they broke through the line of the trees and spotted Nabasu¡¯s ship.


    ¡°If you say so my friend, if you say so.¡± Click patted him on the shoulder once more as they neared the boat. ¡°I¡¯m off to meet the boys at the beach camp, come find me later on and let me know what your uncle says about switching duties for a time.¡± He grasped Ryo¡¯s forearm before turning and heading towards the small campfires along the shore, singing a little tune as he went. ¡°Farewell and adieu, to you spanish ladies, farewell and adieu, to you ladies of spain.¡±


    Kaida watched him leave, the ghost of his touch still lingering on her arm, and a small sadness came over her.  Really shouldn¡¯t worry about that, Click¡­


    ***


    Back on the ship, Kaida snuck her way through the deck to her and Nabasu¡¯s quarters as discreetly as she could, trying to make it to her room before he spotted her in her soaked clothes.  Much to her dismay, as soon as she stepped through the main cabin doors, Nabasu was coming out of his room, papers in hand, and frowning at her with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Why are you drenched?¡±  He asked, setting the papers down on his desk and raising an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°Ah, yes- well you see, that is an excellent question-¡± She said, inching towards her room.  Nabasu¡¯s frown only deepened and Kaida finally stopped in front of her door. ¡°I¡­ it was hot today¡­¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you working with Click on his reading?¡±  Nabasu asked, still watching her carefully, but moving to his desk and taking a seat.  ¡°Am I to assume that he¡¯s also off somewhere, just as soaking as you?¡±


    ¡°We just wanted to find a river or pool to cool off, that¡¯s all,¡± Kaida said, starting to get defensive as she stepped away from her door.  ¡°Nothing happened, I only took my boots off.¡±


    Nabasu let out a soft sigh and leaned onto his desk, ¡°Kaida, you know I care about Click, but- I don¡¯t think spending so much time alone with him is a wise decision¡­¡±


    ¡°Why? He¡¯s trustworthy and good.  He¡¯d never do anything to hurt me,¡± Kaida stepped closer to his desk, her heart starting to beat faster in her chest.  She rarely argued with her uncle, but something was giving her the courage to speak up for herself and for Click. ¡°He¡¯s my best friend, If I could just- tell him, maybe¡­ he, we¡¯d-¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d what?¡± Nabasu said, raising his voice a bit.  ¡°Fall in love with the person he thought was a boy for nearly two years. Someone who had kept a significant part of their life from him?  I know you want to believe that things could work between you two, but Kaida, you¡¯re putting yourself at risk because of it-¡±


    ¡°How?  By being honest?¡±  Kaida said, her voice raising now to match his.  ¡°Would it be so wrong if I told him? I trust Click.¡±


    Nabasu scowled at her, his fists clenched.  ¡°So you reveal yourself to be a girl, and then what?  This sea is full of unsavory men, even some on my own ship that I don¡¯t trust.  You put yourself in danger if you reveal who you are.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but if I only told Click and he kept my-¡±


    ¡°Then you put the both of you in danger- if you act too comfortable with each other, if your guard is down.  People would only see two boys, and either punish you for that, or your secret is exposed to everyone then-¡±


    ¡°But, Uncle I-¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡±  Nabasu stood from his desk, his tone was now quiet, and a brief glimpse of anger flashed in his eyes, replaced by fear.  Kaida stood across from him, now shivering from her wet clothes and her uncle¡¯s unsettling tone; his face was tired, aged.  The years of carrying too many sorrows and burdens now visible. His mask that he wore in front of Kaida so often was slipping and for a moment, she saw the face of a man who chad cried outside of her room the day he realized he was alone to raise a child.  The face of a man who didn¡¯t know what to do, but was just trying his best to raise a daughter he never expected he would be.


    Guilt fought against Kaida¡¯s own anger as she watched her uncle and she lowered her eyes to the floor.  She wanted to tell Click, but she wanted to obey her uncle¡¯s wishes. He only wanted what was best for her, but by her following what he wanted, Kaida wondered if there was anything left for herself.  Or would everything she cared about slowly be stripped away from her? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kaida said quietly, holding her hands behind her back.


    Nabasu walked around the desk and laid a weary hand on Kaida¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°I am too¡­¡± he gave her shoulder a feeble squeeze before letting go. ¡°Go get changed¡­ I don¡¯t want you getting sick.¡±


    Kaida clenched her jaw and nodded slightly, trying to keep her emotions under control.  She inhaled and put on her mask, the one that she wore in front of the others, the one that she was getting so tired of wearing; Ryo¡¯s mask.  ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Nabasu walked out of the cabin, leaving Kaida alone again and she made her way into her bedroom, allowing her emotions to escape once she was alone.  Hot angry tears streamed down her face as she tore the wet clothes from her body and threw them onto the floor. She clawed the damp bandages away from her chest, reluctantly taking fresh ones from a chest near her bed and wrapping them tightly around herself.  Her vision blurred with tears as she secured the bandage and she wiped her eyes before catching herself in the mirror.


    A boyish figure stared back at her, toned but still petite with the hint of maturing curves hidden in loose pants.  Her shaved head devoid of any silver hair; she could hardly remember the last time she had hair on her head that was longer than the pitiful fuzz that grew back before her uncle shaved it again.  She had seen this reflection everyday, but now it was unfamiliar to her; a body she didn¡¯t want. An identity she didn¡¯t desire. Why would he want you anyway?  Look at you. Kaida wiped a stray tear that fell down her cheek and pulled a clean shirt over her head.


    Once more, she slipped on her mask, though she wanted nothing more than to be alone.  As she made her way back onto the deck, it was nearly devoid of any crew members so she slipped off of it and down towards the shore where the beach camp where Click was waiting for her.  She spotted him among a few other younger crew members, laughing and joking against the dying afternoon sun. She hesitated and slowed her footsteps, instead veering away from the camp towards the beach, losing her courage to face the others at the moment.  ¡°You''re a good friend Ryo, and an honest one at that.¡±  Kaida sighed as she sat down, digging her bare feet into the soft sand until they disappeared.  I¡¯m sorry Click, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m just a coward.


    ¡°Looks like we had the same idea, get as far from Johnny¡¯s cooking as possible.¡± Click stood behind Ryo, the soft sand making his approach silent. He¡¯d watched him turn away from the camp and head down the beach, a sign that things had probably gone poorly with Nabasu. ¡°We¡¯ve told him you can¡¯t just add gunpowder to help cook things faster but, he doesn¡¯t listen.¡±


    Kaida stared straight ahead at the water, her throat still tight and untrusting to speak yet.  She wasn¡¯t expecting Click, she had hoped he hadn¡¯t seen her. She finally glanced back at him, ¡°He really is a terrible cook,¡± she mumbled, smiling slightly despite her mood.


    He noticed the small tear streaks on Ryo¡¯s face, Nabasu always had high expectations for him, and being his nephew meant he was often the hardest on Ryo. He¡¯ll mold you into a good Captain, but even Captains are allowed a little fun aren¡¯t they? ¡°His rat stew isn¡¯t all that bad, although I think that¡¯s due to the gunpowder making rat taste...well not like rat.¡± Click took a seat in the sand next to Ryo and offered him the small bottle of rum he had. ¡°I take it the chat with your uncle didn¡¯t go so well?¡±


    Kaida took the bottle and took a sip, though she didn¡¯t care for alcohol, every once and awhile she¡¯d drink some to spite her Uncle¡¯s wishes to stay away from it.  It felt like one small way she had her own freedom to do something she wanted. She handed it back to Click and shook her head at his question. ¡°...Didn¡¯t even have the chance to ask him¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, clearly it was not a good time to bring it up.¡± He took a swig from the bottle himself before setting it down in the sand between them. There was a moment of silence between them before Click spoke again, ¡°I¡¯m going to ask if you¡¯re all good, you¡¯re going to say you¡¯re alright. But we both know that¡¯s not the case because something is clearly bothering you, so whats going on Ryo? Why was your Uncle so hard on you this time?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±  I want to tell you. Everything.  Kaida looked at Click, into his calm, bright eyes that she had come to love.  I want to tell you so you don¡¯t have to call me that name anymore.  She clenched her jaw as silent tears came to her eyes.  Her uncle was right though, she hated to admit it, but it was selfish of her to tell him.  She was safer keeping this secret and ultimately so was Click, but knowing that didn¡¯t make it any easier.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Click¡­ My uncle is a good man, he¡¯s just- expects a lot. And that takes a toll¡­ sometimes. I¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    Click nodded and laid down on the soft sand, it was a warm night, the stars were out and twinkling while the calm sea continued to lazily roll in. ¡°Well, you have the ability to be a Captain far sooner than the rest of us if things keep up. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just trying to keep you on that path so you don¡¯t waste any time¡­ That being said, once you¡¯re a Captain it¡¯s a whole new life. You¡¯ll be able to go anywhere you really want and do the things you want, but you also have a ship and a crew to look after. Right now in our lives, this is when we can enjoy being selfish, being truly free of any cares but our own. I know why he¡¯s hard on you, but sometimes I wish he could put aside being a Captain and let you enjoy the selfish moments before they¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°... I do too.¡± Kaida looked over and gave Click a sad smile before she laid down on the sand, putting her hands behind her head and staring up at the stars above them.  It was as close as she could get to him, and though it hurt to have to accept that, Click still had the ability to calm her whenever she was with him. He may not know the truth, but his words were comforting just because she knew he was always there to listen when she needed it.  ¡°I just think I need a distraction from those things right now,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about duties or becoming a captain or any of that at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± Click laughed. ¡°You aren¡¯t on the ship right now, we aren¡¯t sailing. There are no duties to be done right now and no expectations to¡­.Ah there it is!¡± He said pointing up to the stars, ¡°been looking for you ever since we came to the Caribbean.¡±


    Kaida smiled at Click¡¯s excitement, he loved the stars more than anyone she had met before.  She glanced over to where he was pointing and grinned at him. ¡°Looking for what?¡±


    ¡°Draco, just there, ya see?¡± Click scooted closer to Ryo so he could better help point out the faint line of stars. ¡°It snakes through the two bears, but it¡¯s stars are softer so it doesn¡¯t show up as often. We¡¯re in a good spot tonight that they can shine through.¡±


    ¡°The dragon?¡±  Kaida asked, holding her breath once Click had moved closer.  She looked between the faint constellation and Click¡¯s eyes, shining mirthfully at her.  She let out a soft sigh and looked back to the night sky, focusing her attention there instead of him.  ¡°Is that constellation meaningful to you?¡±


    ¡°In a way I suppose, my father showed it to me once, on the voyage from London to Africa. I¡¯ve just, I guess always had a soft spot for it. Such a powerful name, Draco, the dragon, yet its stars are soft, more distant than the ones surrounding it. It¡¯s always there but hidden, just out of sight until the clearest of nights.¡±


    ¡°Sounds a bit lonely,¡± Kaida responded with a sad laugh.  ¡°But it¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°The most beautiful things are often the least noticed...But aye, it does seem a bit lonely doesn¡¯t it? Maybe that¡¯s why I like to look for it, make sure someone sees it.¡±


    Least noticed¡­ Kaida couldn¡¯t help herself and glanced back at Click who was watching the stars with wonder, admiration and curiosity in his eyes.  If I told you the truth¡­ would you eventually look at me like that?  Would you notice me too? An odd but familiar feeling formed in the pit of her stomach; a feeling that she got when they stopped in ports and saw how girls looked at Click. It was a feeling that she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d have now, but as she watched Click look up at the stars that he so clearly loved, she couldn¡¯t help but be jealous.

 Tall Tales

    Click finished checking the sails and worked his way down the rigging back on deck. He made sure the belaying pins were safely secured and continued his menial inspection towards the bow of the ship. After awhile he stopped and leaned against the railing, peering down to the waves below. It had been a long time since he worked as a simple deckhand. Years ago, and even then his skills elevated him quickly. Sorry Ryo, looks like I''m going to be delayed again. I owe the Silver Dragon my life, even if the gods weren''t watching, I could not simply abandon that debt to her.


    Mist sprayed him as the ship broke through a small wave, the mist felt good against his exposed skin. He''d taken his coat off as the wounds on his back were still too tender to touch, a small reminder of her cold demeanor. Yet there was also mercy, he''d seen it when Alvaro bowed to her and again when she offered him his life. He had kept to himself since joining her crew, hesitant if her mercy was only to be shown once. He didn''t wish to die at the moment in any way, least of all with his throat slit because of an ill placed remark. He¡¯d come much too far to die when he was so close to his goal. Still she intrigued him, he couldn''t get the small smirk she''d given him out of his head. He looked up and noticed a deckhand resting against the railing as well curiously eyeing the tattoo on his arm. ¡°It is a bear, have you ever seen one?¡±


    The young man shook his head and stepped closer to him. ¡°No, but I''ve ''eard of ''em.  Why a bear?¡±. He looked over the tattoos, intrigued by all the different designs. ¡°I never seen tattoos like yours before.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I doubt you would have. They are from a land of ice and snow. The bear is for my test of courage and my passage into manhood.¡± He turned to better speak with the man, ¡°Some brave the winter winds, some swim through frozen seas, me¡­ I killed a bear and made a coat out of it,¡± he laughed.


    The man''s eyes grew wide, but he laughed. ¡°Takes a bear to kill one. What about ''em other tattoos? They special too?¡±


    ¡°They are all special to me. I''ll make you a deal, answer a couple questions for me, I''ll tell you all about my tattoos and the Vikings who gave me them.¡± Click raised his eyebrows expectantly.


    ¡°Vikings, you say?¡± The man leaned closer, lowering his voice. ¡°You mean the people from across the Atlantic? I come from London, I''ve ''eard of the Northmen.¡± He squinted at Click a moment then smiled, showing dirty, yellow teeth.  ¡°Alright. You ''ave a deal. Name''s Conall, by the way. Conall Dobson.¡±


    Click paused for a moment at the mention of London. The man was from his own backyard, what a small world, he thought to himself. He extended his hand and gave the man a firm handshake. ¡°Conall Dobson from London, you can call me Aegir. Tell me, how long have you sailed with Captain Yasashi? What do you know about her?¡±


    Conall chuckled and glanced back to the Captain, who was standing beside Jones at the helm.  ¡°Over five years, I¡¯d reckon. But if you''re looking to find the truth among the rumors, then good luck. There''s no one on this ship that she trusts more than ''er first mate, Jones, and I doubt even ''im knows ¡®er full story.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Click wasn''t as obvious with his glance as Conall was, but he turned so he could see her. ¡°She does seem to have quite the reputation. Are there any particularly, interesting tales of the notorious Silver Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Aye, that there is. I''ve ''eard many things, some I know are true, things I''ve seen ¡®er do myself. Other things, I still question.  There''s a reason she''s known in these waters, and not just because she''s a woman. I''ve ''eard not a single man that ¡®as tried to touch ¡®er ¡®as lived to tell about it.¡± Conall nodded his head slightly, pointing Aegir''s attention to the knife at her side.  ¡°And not just ''er, but if she ¡®ears of any man that ''as forced ''imself on a woman, she uses that knife to¡­ well, let''s just say she takes their, erm¡­ dignity before killing them.¡± He gave him a solemn look. ¡°... And that, Aegir, is no rumor.¡±


    A slight unease ran up Click¡¯s spine for a moment as he looked at the dagger. He didn¡¯t doubt the man, a woman on board a pirate ship, a very beautiful woman, and a captain no less. What hardships must she have endured to get to where she is now. No wonder she seemed so ruthless, she had to be, no one would take her seriously if she wasn¡¯t. However, it wasn¡¯t as though Click would ever give her reason to use the knife on him. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, I¡¯d prefer not to witness it for myself. Though I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be getting close enough to be in reach of the dagger anytime soon, think I¡¯ll keep my distance.¡±


    Though he was curious for more and he knew all crews could be chatty, he didn¡¯t think it wise or right to ask too many questions about his new captain so soon. Conall was friendly enough, but others might be more inclined to find a reason for his quick release. He cast a glance to the man whose nose he¡¯d broken only a few days before. ¡°Conall, you said you¡¯ve heard tales of the northmen? I hope you wouldn¡¯t mind, I¡¯m curious what they say of my brethren.¡±


    ***


    ¡°A lot on your mind, Captain?¡± Jones asked, pulling Kaida away from her thoughts.  She had been absently watching the crew on deck, going about their daily tasks. It was nothing new, but the last several days were different for Kaida.  The crew was always excited to welcome more people into the fold, but admittedly Click¡¯s arrival had left her on edge. She had hardly spoken to him, only given him orders in passing, but she watched him carefully as he went about his duties.  Kaida acknowledged Jones with a nod.


    ¡°Mmm.  What do you think about our new crew members?¡±  She asked, watching Click speak with Dobson, who was known for his loose lips.


    ¡°The men like them.  They do their work with no complaint and do it well.¡±  He looked over to her. ¡°You been watching them carefully, what do you think about them?¡±


    Kaida tapped a finger to her chin and thought over her words carefully.  ¡°I do like Alvaro, he¡¯s already proven himself a loyal man¡­ Aegir is¡­¡±


    ¡°Different?¡± Jones mused.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that would be the first word I¡¯d use to describe him.¡±  Her eyes fell over Click¡¯s arms and chest; his tattoos were unlike any she had seen before, but it was clear they held importance to him.


    Jones followed her eyes.  ¡°... I¡¯ve heard whispers from the men about him.  About where he¡¯s come from and what he¡¯s done. He¡¯s a Northman, from across the Atlantic.¡±


    Kaida hid a knowing smile.  ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s well accomplished, Jones, but you and I both know that there is a thin line between truth and tall tales.¡±  What kind of secrets are you keeping, Click?


    ¡°Aye, that be true.  I wonder what he¡¯s heard about you.¡±


    Kaida didn¡¯t respond, but only smiled at Jones.  She had been keeping her distance from Click since she had ordered the lashings, but now her curiosity was getting the best of her.  ¡°Jones, have someone else take over Aegir¡¯s duties right now and have him come see me. I want to see if I can discover where that line lies.¡±


    A wider smile grew on Jones¡¯ face and he nodded.  ¡°Aye, Captain.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Well yes, yes that bit is true but we don¡¯t rush into battle naked. That would just be asking for trouble, but I do know some berserkers who do that¡­ it¡¯s terrifying honestly, but you always have an easy target.¡± Click and Conall laughed together, ¡°but typically in a raid you aren¡¯t expecting much of a fight, you go in fast, light, and unexpected. In a true battle you wouldn¡¯t find many Vikings out of hardened leathers. Although Valhalla does not call the cautious, It sings the praises of only the mightiest of legends. I was present when Harald Hardrada sent a lone berserker to hold the bridge in York. You should know the place if you¡¯re from london, might have even heard the story. The lone viking who held the bridge of Stamford against the English army. Valhalla itself shook with cheers as that man fell, the gods themselves sang his praise.¡± Click shook his head smiling, remembering the day well, he looked up to see Jones approaching them and straightened up with Conall.


    ¡°Sounds as though you¡¯ve had quite the adventures,¡±Jones said pleasantly.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t mean to interrupt you from reliving those memories. You could entertain the crew all day with your stories.¡±


    Click nodded to him, ¡°Aye, I suppose I could, I¡¯d offer you to join us, though I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to get the chance to continue my stories at the moment?¡±


    ¡°The Captain would like a word with you.  Maybe you can entertain her with your stories,¡± Jones said with a wink while walking away.  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    That same uneasy feeling crawled up his spine again as he looked to the Captain now watching him closely. ¡°Hey Conall, you think that was a good wink or¡­?¡±


    ¡°In regards to the Captain, it¡¯s ¡®ard to tell,¡± Conall said with the same look of unease.  ¡°She doesn¡¯t often spend much time talking to crew members alone.¡±


    Click nodded, ¡°Best not keep her waiting then. Pleasure to meet you Conall, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± He gave Conall a firm handshake and made his way up the stairs to the helm where Captain Yasashi still stood. He approached her and stood at attention, ¡°You wanted to see me Captain?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Kaida said cooly, making it a point to look him in the eyes.  Though it had been so long since she had seen Click, she had to admit that the years had been kind to him physically; the boy that she knew was now a man.  He held himself confidently and was every bit as handsome as she remembered. "You seem to be getting along well here, the men find you fascinating. How have you been adjusting to your new station?"


    Click raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t turn his gaze from hers. ¡°It¡¯s a step up from prisoner,¡± He gave a small smirk. ¡°And I think they find my tattoos more interesting than I.¡±


    ¡°Do you not find yourself interesting?¡±  She mused, feeling a slight smile grow on the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°A bear to me is as interesting as a flamingo is to you. I¡¯m interesting because I am from the north, while you are intere-¡± He quickly cut himself short and eyed her cautiously, not fond of the idea of overstepping her leniency with him.


    ¡°Am I interesting to you because I¡¯m a woman in a position reserved for men?  Or because I too am from an unfamiliar place? Or perhaps for other reasons¡­¡± She said, finishing the last thought softly.


    Click blushed slightly and averted his gaze, ¡°Being a woman and Japanese are only two reasons...I do not hold the same superstitious beliefs most sailors do.¡±


    Kaida let slip a genuine smile, grateful his attention was elsewhere.  ¡°That¡¯s refreshing to hear.... You didn¡¯t answer my question, however. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more to you than just being from the North¡­ but perhaps you don¡¯t know the answer to my question yet.¡±  She eyed him curiously for a moment. ¡°Though you could answer this one- The Caribbean is not a part of the world that my people have really ventured. How did you know that I was specifically Japanese?¡±


    He gave a small sigh, ¡°You are not the first Japanese Captain I have had the pleasure of sailing with. Once upon a time I sailed these seas as the helmsman on a Japanese merchant ship. Though I¡¯m sure by now the Captain¡¯s long since returned home...Not the most interesting start to a tale is it? Especially for the man from the North.¡± He looked out to the horizon lost in thought.


    At the mention of her uncle, Kaida¡¯s heart ached and she instead focus on Click as he stared out onto the sea.  A wistful expression seemed to cloud his face, making him seem more open and youthful and Kaida was reminded once again of the boy she cared so much for.  Though he had aged, in that moment, she could have easily imagined them together on her uncle¡¯s ship, talking about the next great adventure they would have.  Looking at him now, it appeared as though Click was able to make his wish for adventure a reality. She thought of the pain she had inflicted upon him days ago and her eyes dropped to the floor in shame.  I don¡¯t mean to hurt you, Click.


    ¡°Many extraordinary tales have ordinary beginnings,¡± she said softly.  ¡°... I can tell when a person has spent most of their life on a ship, Aegir. Did you like being the helmsman?¡±


    Click smiled and turned back to her, catching the last remnants of her smile before her lips returned to the flat line, masking her remaining emotions.  ¡°Behind the wheel is where I belong on a ship. I have sailed through the fiercest storms and across featureless sea¡­ Truth be told I¡¯m wasted on menial deck hand chores. Navigating is my gift and you won¡¯t find any better than I¡­ If you gave me a chance to prove myself able to take the wheel, Captain Yasashi, you would not regret it.¡± He glanced down to the blade on her hip, ¡°and you will have another reason not to use the whip, or that dagger of yours on me.¡±


    Kaida raised an eyebrow at him.  ¡°You speak openly for a man who was punished for your boldness hardly a week ago.¡±  She glanced down at her knife. ¡°And I expect to never use this on you, regardless if you were at the wheel or not.¡±


    ¡°Your expectations are well placed Captain, some men have a little more decency than others, I¡¯m simply attached to...certain bits, and whether I use them or not, I¡¯d like to keep them.¡± He bit the inside of his cheek and bowed his head slightly.  ¡°Forgive my boldness, I meant no disrespect. Being bold has earned me as much respect as it has punishment I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°I assumed as much,¡± Kaida chuckled, amused at how he seemed to get nervous at the topic.  Curiosity prompted her to ask another question. She had so much to learn about what had happened to him in the last seven years, and she had the perfect leverage to ask.  ¡°Are you always this nervous around women when discussing such things? You strike me as a man who would be comfortable in many aspects of your life¡­¡± She smirked at him.


    Click raised his eyebrows in surprise, he wasn¡¯t expecting the conversation to go that way, he certainly wasn¡¯t expecting her to tease him. ¡°I¡¯m very comfortable, I simply¡­¡± He struggled for a moment finding words, he wasn¡¯t used to being nervous, especially around women. He¡¯d been around plenty, he¡¯d had many make passes at him but he¡¯d never gotten flustered over it. ¡°No, I¡¯m not usually nervous...if you must know, I¡¯ve had many offers, but a powdered face and rosy cheeks don¡¯t much interest me. Tease me all you want, but I¡¯d prefer to be with one special woman over several I¡¯d simply leave in the morning.¡± He blushed again, for some reason his nervousness was making him divulge far more than he normally would have. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly eager to change the subject again.


    Kaida gave him a satisfied smirk and laughed.  ¡°You¡¯re very open with your escapades, Skeppare Aegir¡­ or lack of escapades, I should say.¡±  She looked out over the edge of the ship so that he didn¡¯t feel she was teasing him too much by watching his face grow red.  ¡°I won¡¯t tease you about it any further. You¡¯ve been very honest with me, which I appreciate.¡± She glanced back to him, hoping she hadn¡¯t dropped her guard too much, but she wanted to know him better; to go back to how comfortable they were with each other when they were kids.  Click seemed genuine in what he said. In fact, she had never yet seen an instance where he had shown any guile. You still have so much integrity¡­ ¡°Well I would hate to see good skills go to waste¡­ but I have skilled sailors on my ship, so tell me Aegir, why should I allow you to stand at the helm?¡±


    Click was too caught off guard by her laugh to really respond properly. He knew his face was red, he just hoped she¡¯d keep thinking it was from teasing him. It took him a second before he responded, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me being blunt once more. I¡¯m sure your helmsman has already mentioned this to you, but something¡¯s messing with your rudder, might¡¯ve happened when you sailed through the debris of the ship. Its dragging your ship and if it snags, could rip your rudder off. Even fully laden, we should be getting another two knots at least with this wind, and her turns should be quicker. With every new current and wave the ship seems to fight to keep a true heading. If the rudder is cleared, the ship pointed more to a south by southeast heading and the sails trimmed I could get her another three to four knots... Just wanted to make sure you were aware Captain.¡±


    ¡°Impressive insight,¡± she said.  ¡°That has not been brought to my attention.¡± She wasn''t surprised that Click had noticed, and she wanted to give him a chance to prove himself.  Now would be the perfect opportunity to do so. ¡°Why don''t you prove to me that you are a man of your word? If I stop the ship and you take care of it, you can man the helm.¡±


    Clicks eyes lit up and his smile returned. ¡°Aye, aye Captain. I¡¯ll have her ready to sail again shortly.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for her order to drop anchor, he nodded his head respectfully to her before grabbing a length of rope from the stern and looping it around the railing. Once it was tied off he wrapped the other end around his arm and leapt off the deck to the shimmering water below. The boat was being slowed enough he didn¡¯t need to worry about how hard it pulled him, only about losing the rope. He was jerked forward lightly as the rope was pulled taught and began dragging him along at a leisurely pace. It was actually quite enjoyable, the water was warm and almost crystal clear, he half hoped they¡¯d take their time dropping anchor.


    Kaida watched Click from the edge of the ship, hands placed behind her back, admittedly impressed by how forthright he was in fulfilling the allotted task.  Many of the crew members were watching from the side as well,talking amongst themselves, speaking in awed whispers. Jones approached Kaida, standing beside her and peering out over the water.


    ¡°He¡¯s a peculiar one, isn¡¯t he?¡±  Jones asked, carefully watching for Kaida¡¯s expression.


    ¡°That he is¡­¡± Kaida said, eyes transfixed on the water.


    ¡°May I be frank, Captain?¡±


    ¡°You usually are.¡±


    Jones laughed softly before continuing.  ¡°You¡¯re not usually this quick to assigning a new deckhand such a task.  You¡¯re putting a lot of trust into Aegir by giving him a chance at the helm.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯ll admit that I am,¡± Kaida agreed.  ¡°But he intrigues me¡­ and this is the first time that we¡¯ve had a former captain onboard.  He carries himself differently. I want to see what he has to offer.¡± She looked over at Jones expectantly.  ¡°Do you trust me to do the right thing with him?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Captain.  You¡¯re good at reading people¡­ though he is still bit of a mystery.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s partially what makes him so intriguing.¡±


    ¡°The men have been saying some things about him.  I don¡¯t know what is true and what is just talk, however.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Jones, you¡¯re too skilled at getting information,¡± she smiled at him.  ¡°What are they saying?¡±


    ¡°They say he¡¯s the same Northmen that has been talked about on these waters.  Aegir the Drowned, some say.¡±


    Kaida nodded.  ¡°I remember the story¡­¡±


    ¡°Seeing him now, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if some of those tales turn out to be true.¡±


    Kaida turned and walked down to meet the rest of the crew on the deck, Jones following after her.  Peculiar indeed.  ¡°Jones,¡± she said, turning back to him.  ¡°After Aegir is back on deck and dried off, send him to my quarters.  I want to go over the particulars of his new position.¡±

 Truth and Fiction

    The rudder was a relatively easy fix for him; a length of sail had become tangled around it. It was a simple job with his boot knife to simply cut it away and climb back on board. He''d barely set foot on deck again when Jones pulled him aside and told him the captain wanted to see him in her quarters. He stood in front of her cabin now, dry other than his hair still slightly damp, and wearing his coat which he''d left open. It was far too hot for him to keep it closed but he didn''t want to head into her cabin shirtless. Still he was hesitant to actually knock and enter. What is it about her that''s making me so nervous? She''s hardly the first intimidating woman I''ve come across. He was about to knock when another thought crept into his head, She''s intimidating in others ways... He shook the notion and image of her little smirk out of his head and knocked on the solid door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Captain Yasashi¡¯s voice called to him. He opened the door and stepped inside closing it behind him. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the room after being out in the sun for so long. Eventually the room came into focus. On one side of the room was a row of bookcases lined with books and a variety of strange items, a large globe was situated between them as well. On the other side, intricate and exotic swords were hung neatly on the wall next to a door leading to what Click guessed was the captains sleeping quarters. In the center of the room was a large desk covered in maps, charts and a fair number of books opened and marked on different pages.  Her knife was stabbed into the corner of the desk,he focused on the handle from where he was and was just able to make out the silver dragon inlay against the ivory handle. It was quite elegant and it made it all the more unsettling. Behind the desk, Captain Yasashi sat comfortably in a large chair. The large window at the far wall bathed her in the rays from the setting sun making her silver hair almost shine with an ethereal glow. Click swallowed hard, suddenly aware of his heart beat in his ears. He opened and closed his hands nervously a few times as his eyes finished adjusting. When they fully adapted he could see she was watching him with an amused expression. A slight flush started in his cheeks but he composed himself before it could spread. ¡°You called for me? Captain?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she said. She found that she quite enjoyed seeing him nervous around her. That was something she never got to see when she was pretending to be a boy.  ¡°You did well today, I''m impressed.¡±


    He relaxed slightly, ¡°Thank you Captain, although removing the sail was a relatively simple task. My apologies for not pointing it out sooner.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright.¡± She leisurely reached over to the knife and her fingers grazed over the handle.  ¡°While you''ve kept your head down since being here, it''s clear that you''re experienced¡­ From what I hear, you have quite the story behind your name.¡±


    His eyes tracked her fingers as he raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. He took a few steps closer to her, ¡°Oh? A simple story I''m sure but may I ask what it is you''ve heard?¡±


    ¡°A simple story, yes,¡± she said with a faint smile.  ¡°One of a boy who drowned, but was claimed by a god of the sea to explore the world of men... It''s not a tale told by my people, the tale of Aegir the Drowned.¡± she eyed him carefully while prying the knife up from the desk.


    Once more he stepped closer till he was just on the other side of her desk. ¡°I''ve heard the story, it started here in these very waters, though it is my people who tell the tale. There was a boy once, who fell beneath the waves.¡± His eyes wandered over the maps and charts on her desk as he spoke. ¡°who breathed his last amidst a storm, and sank to an icy grave.¡± He shook his head and chuckled to himself. ¡°They say the great giant Aegir found the boy there in the depths and raised him up once more. Claiming his soul as his own and imparting great power unto the lad to be his vessel. Till ragnar?k and the Great gods rise again...If you believe such things, though he prefers to be called Aegir of the sea.¡± He said the last while flashing her a small smirk. ¡°The truth is far less exciting I assure you, captain.¡±


    ¡°Then what is the truth?¡±  Kaida asked quietly, her heart now racing.  Underneath the fabrication that came with tall tales, Kaida knew he was telling his story; the story of his second chance.  The beginning of the part of his life that she wasn¡¯t apart of. ¡°You were that boy,¡± she said with surety.


    Click smiled at her but it held no joy. ¡°Aye, Captain Yasashi, I was that boy, and the truth?¡± He slid his coat from his shoulders and placed it on the back of the chair next to him. He pointed to the picture on his upper right arm, ¡°During a storm I fell into the churning waves, I cried for help, I struggled for what felt like hours and yet the storm did not cease. Finally I could fight no longer, I breathed one last time and my lungs filled with the sea.¡± He sat down in the chair and pointed higher on his arm. ¡°I remember looking up as my world darkened and lightning arced overhead. I remember¡­ dreams and faces.. Voices calling to me. I awoke on the shore.¡± He pointed to his shoulder now, ¡°A shaman on one of the islands claimed it was a God who carried me from the sea to him and breathed life into me.¡± He shrugged, ¡°either way, the boy died in the storm, and the tale of Aegir of the sea was born.¡± He leaned back against the chair and clasped his hands on the desk. ¡°Not quite as entertaining as a God walking amongst mortals.¡±


    ¡°... But no less extraordinary,¡± Kaida said, eyes cast down at the desk.  She carefully placed the knife down on the desk before her hands could start shaking and mirrored Click by leaning back in her own chair.  ¡°Your gods must hold you in high regard for you to be alive today¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at him when she asked her next question.  ¡°What happened to you after that?¡±


    ¡°My gods are a peculiar sort when it comes to their regard for mortals.¡± Click took a moment to look at her while she was looking down at the notes on her desk. She seemed weary, or sad, she masked her emotions well enough he couldn''t quite tell if it was simply from the rigors of commanding a ship or from hearing a simple sad tale. ¡°After that I was picked up by a pirate ship, I sailed with them in these waters for almost a year. And before the storm that changed my life, I sailed on a ship with a boy called Ryo. I had no control over where I sailed with the pirates, but in every port and with every passing ship I looked for my friend. Sometimes I wonder how things might have changed if I had found him again.¡± Click leaned forward on the table slightly, glancing from the intricate dagger to her slender hands. ¡°I found myself in the north soon after that, a prisoner of a Viking raiding party. Luck hasn''t quite changed in the being taken prisoner aspect as you can see,¡± he laughed. ¡°I proved myself to them, they gave me a home, a name, a story to tell and eventually even a ship. From prisoner to Skeppare¡­. You don''t need to call me that by the by, you''re the Captain, you shouldn''t be referring to me as one.¡±


    Kaida gave him a hint of a smile, trying to control her emotions before she spoke out.  She almost regretted asking him her question in the first place. There was so much she wanted to know, so much she wanted to tell him.  How would things have changed if you had found me?  Would I have had the courage and told you then? She shook the thoughts aside and tried to lighten the mood.  ¡°...In my culture, names and titles hold great significance. I don¡¯t use your title lightly,¡± she said.  ¡°And I don¡¯t intend to stop now that you¡¯ve pointed it out.¡±


    He bowed his head, ¡°You honor me Captain. Truly, to a Viking, our titles are what we are. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°... You''re welcome.¡±  Kaida Really looked at him since he had first entered her quarters.  Having him sit in front of her was like seeing a ghost, or being caught in a dream, that if she reached out to him, he''d disappear again.  The gods truly do have a cruel sense of humor.  ¡°I''ve heard interesting things about Vikings,¡± she said, no longer wanting to dwell on her poor thoughts.  ¡°Like many pirates, I''m sure there is more than one story to your name. Rumors and lies¡­ and also truths. What should I know about Aegir of the sea?¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose a few truths are the least I can offer. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard of me but I can¡¯t freeze ships, and I¡¯m not fifteen feet tall. Hard to believe, I know.¡± He smiled again and watched the corners of her mouth curl slightly. Click then pointed to his left arm where the bear was tattooed and then to his ribs on his right side where more pictures were. ¡°You should know they call me Aegir the Bear. Many vikings hold belief that we each have a special connection with an animal spirit. It helps to guide you in your will, your spirit, and in battle.¡± He stood and his finger slid down his side showing more of the story. Click watched in slight amusement as her eyes followed unwavering. ¡°In my rite of passage I was tasked to hunt and kill a mighty bear that I may imbue myself with it¡¯s spirit and become a true Viking. Contrary to popular belief, I did not do it bare handed.¡± He reached into his boot and placed his own dagger on the table. Its handle was antler and carved with runic symbols while the blade angled after the hilt and continued into a wicked point. ¡°I had a little help.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°May I?¡± Kaida asked, gesturing at the dagger.


    He nodded and watched as she carefully picked up the blade, inspecting it¡¯s design. He patted the coat behind him, ¡°I did however make a nice coat out of it.¡± When Kaida looked back up at him, Click then pulled his sash slightly lower, exposing a little more of his tattoo down to his hip. ¡°I became Skeppare Aegir and commanded a crew of mighty warriors and my deeds after that became legend, the god who walked amongst his people. Chosen by mighty Tyr to be his champion, the one whom the sea will never hurt and cannot be drowned.¡± Her eyes were fixed on the images along his hips and Click found himself suddenly blushing. He cleared his throat and pulled the sash up before sitting down again.


    He did it again.  Kaida thought to smile at seeing him blush, but she didn''t want to make him feel more uncomfortable.  ¡°You still have quite the story, Skeppare,¡± she said, making sure to emphasize the last word.  ¡°It sounds like I should be grateful to have you on my crew.¡±


    ¡°You offered me life, I will repay that debt in any way I can¡­¡±  Captain Yasashi only gave him a soft smile as a response, so he continued.  ¡°You should know I can plot any course you might need. I can sail a ship better than any other, and if you put an axe in my hands there are few who could stand before me¡­ You asked me if I had anything of value to offer to this crew. That, is what I offer, the experience of a man who has sailed many seas on many ships each more dangerous than the last.¡±


    ¡°You speak highly of yourself for a man who blushes so easily,¡± Kaida said, already regretting letting it slip from her lips, but she couldn¡¯t help but grin at him.  So much for not making him uncomfortable.


    Click blushed even more and rubbed his eyes just waiting for it to pass. ¡°I think any man would blush with your eyes inspecting them like that. Especially...inspecting so low.¡± He locked eyes with her but coupled with her wicked little grin it only served to make him blush even more. ¡°...And what of the great Silver Dragon? What should I know about her? Other than her apparent interest in making the famed Skeppare Aegir blush.¡±


    ¡°Famed, right,¡± Kaida smirked, feeling better about him being able to at least tease her back, but she knew she was enjoying it too much. This isn¡¯t fair to him.  She bit the inside of her mouth nervously and straightened up in her chair.  ¡°There are a lot of things you could know about me, but if I told you, I would lose a lot of the mystery behind my name.  Who am I if I¡¯m not the ¡®great¡¯ Silver Dragon?¡±


    Now it was Click¡¯s turn to smirk, ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know... I understand wanting to keep a bit of mystery, but sometimes knowing the truth of a tale or two adds to the legend. When I stepped into your quarters I was Aegir the drowned, the boy who died and became a god. Are you disappointed with the truth, captain?¡±


    ¡°Certainly not.¡±


    His smirk turned into a grin as he leaned forward on the desk again. ¡°I do not believe I would find any truths about you disappointing either... They say you were a slave brought here from an exotic land for a wealthy merchant. They say you killed him, truth? Or tale?¡± He motioned with his head to her dagger. ¡°Is that where the story of that dagger began?¡±


    Kaida eyed him carefully, wishing she had better prepared for his questions.  No one knew the whole truth about her; looking at Click now, she knew she couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell him.  I can¡¯t¡­ then what would you think of me?  She nodded slowly, thinking over her words.  ¡°I wish that were the truth,¡± she laughed quietly.  ¡°But that is the story most people want to believe, so I let them.¡±  She handed him back his dagger and put her hands behind her desk so he couldn¡¯t see them if they started shaking.  ¡°I left Japan on my own accord, sailing east until I came here. Thankfully, my secret of being a woman was kept until about four years ago¡­¡± her eyes fell, looking at her dagger, fighting back the unfavorable memories that came with it.


    ¡°I had worked my way up to first mate before the captain found out who I was¡­ This used to be his ship.  And this used to be his dagger.¡± She looked back at Click, his smile was gone and he was watching her intently, listening carefully to every word. ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to hide yourself for so long, Aegir?  You forget who you are after a time¡­ and you question if you actually were anyone to begin with. Perhaps you were nothing but a ghost from the start¡­ or a mirror of what other people expected you to be.¡±


    Click was silent for a while, carefully considering her words and breathing out a long sigh. ¡°To pretend to be someone you¡¯re not for so long¡­ I imagine that must¡¯ve been lonely. Losing track of yourself bit by bit, never trusting anyone else to help keep you intact...I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t imagine the hell that must¡¯ve been. I have only ever been me, though my path has shaped me, I never had the burden of pretending to be something I wasn¡¯t, of lying to myself.¡± What else had she gone through to shape her. What hardships would she have had to endure to get to where she was now. He could see it now that her mask had slipped, the weariness behind her piercing eyes. The look of a warrior who¡¯s fight was fading, yet unwilling to put down their sword and give in.


    ¡°... There was someone else once,¡± Kaida said hesitantly.  ¡°Truthfully I think he may have made me even more fearful to divulge the truth¡­ But I regret not trusting more people.¡±  Maybe it would have changed things.  Maybe I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here now, deceiving you again.


    ¡°It made you strong, but hardened you against trusting others...I wonder where you¡¯d be if you had trusted more people with your secret. Some may have ended up under your knife, but I like to think some would¡¯ve helped. I mean, you¡¯d still have been you under the mask... but I was right though¡­¡± She looked up at him, her brow furrowed, questioning his words as his grin returned. ¡°I find you even more interesting now.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes the truth is more interesting than fiction.¡±  Kaida gave him a sad smile. ¡°And perhaps you are right¡­ Perhaps others would have been worth trusting-¡±  She gave a small sigh, already feeling herself shut him out again. At this point it was too easy for her harden herself from others;  it almost pained her to tell Click that much, despite wanting to tell him everything. He deserved so much and yet she punished him to maintain the mask she currently wore.  ¡°-but I didn¡¯t call you in here to swap sad stories.¡±


    ¡°And here I was just starting to get comfortable,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too comfortable,¡± Kaida smirked.


    Click smiled, ¡°Why did you call me into your quarters, Captain?¡±


    ¡°... I wanted to commend you on what you did today, and now that I have your respect and know a bit more about the man behind the myths, I want you to take the wheel.¡±


    Click stood and bowed to her. ¡°You honor me yet again, thank you, Captain.¡±


    Kaida stood and turned to pull her coat off of her chair.  ¡°I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m good at reading people, Aegir. Now is your chance to prove me right.¡±


    As she turned, Click caught a glimpse of ink peeking out from underneath the collar of her shirt. What it was, he couldn¡¯t tell but it made him curious, he made a mental note to ask Conall about it later as he put on his own coat and followed her from the cabin. He doubted very much he¡¯d get to see what it was but he was still curious what it could be. ¡°If I may ask Captain, when shall I take the wheel?¡±


    ¡°I already had Jones speak to the crew,¡± Kaida said, leading him out onto the deck.  ¡°They¡¯re waiting for you.¡±


    Click climbed the steps and made his way to the wheel, trying to hide the genuine smile growing on his face. His hands gripped the wheel, testing the feel of the wood and weight of the ship it was connected to. He looked back to the crew watching him expectantly and raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯re ye waiting on me for lads? Hoist anchor, unfurl the sails! Captain¡¯s got places to be.¡± He turned to her as he began rolling up his coat sleeves and the crew eagerly began executing their tasks. ¡°Do you have a heading for me, Captain?¡±


    ¡°Continue the course for Nassau,¡± Kaida said, placing her hands behind her back.  ¡°I have some unfinished business there.¡±


    ¡°Aye Captain, Nassau it is.¡± Click carefully undid the leather bracers on his forearms and hooked them onto loops at the waist of his coat. He cast a glance to the setting sun, then to the tattoos now exposed on his forearms and gripped the wheel, turning starboard to put the sun at his back. Trim sails lads,  we make for Nassau.¡±


    Kaida eyed the tattoos on his forearms and she turned her head to hide a grin that so desperately wanted to make itself shown.  She caught Jones making her way towards her and her smile quickly fell and she cleared her throat. ¡°Practical tattoo choice,¡± Kaida noted, nodding at Click¡¯s arms.


    Click smiled without looking down, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. ¡°So I never get lost, Aegir star keeper some call me. If you believe such things, the gods whisper in my ears from the heavens, guiding me to distant shores.¡± the sun was finally low enough on the horizon that the brightest stars could be seen. He looked up at them memorizing their position then glanced to the constellations on the inside of his forearms. ¡°If the legends about me are true, and the currents and winds are mine to command, I¡¯ll put us in Nassau within the week.¡±


    ¡°Well, Aegir Star Keeper.  Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    He looked at her from the corner of his eye and caught that same little smile playing at the corners of her lips. He adjusted his grip on the wheel as his heart began to quicken its pace. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it, Captain Yasashi.¡±

 Ekki hl?ja

    Click gazed up at the stars, he wasn¡¯t looking to find his way he was just admiring them. It had been only a couple days now that he¡¯d been the helmsman of the Jewel of Ryujin. Most of the time he¡¯d spent awake, it felt good to be behind a wheel again. There was a slight breeze billowing in the sails and the steady current he¡¯d put them in would allow them to reach port sooner than he¡¯d originally planned. His coat lay over the railing, it was always warm in these seas, he hardly ever wore it in the first place. Still, it was a reminder to him of his old ship and crew, being at the helm without it almost felt sacrilegious. ¡°I miss you my brothers, my sisters, and I''ll come find you again someday. I''ll have a story to tell you then¡­¡± He smiled as his gaze returned to look out over the sea again. Somewhere out there, perhaps captaining his own vessel now was his friend. Ryo¡­ I pray that you are well, that wind fills your sails and the sea is ever kind. I pray that you have found your way and achieved our dream¡­. But what''s more, I pray the gods let our paths cross again. I miss my friend, and even if we then go our separate ways, I wish to tell you where I''ve been. To tell you the things I''ve done and the adventures I''ve had¡­ and simply, that I am alive.


    He let himself have a moment to let the years catch up with him. To remember what he''d gained and lost, earned and forfeit. He leaned casually against the wheel and ran his hand through his hair, breathing out a content sigh as the moment passed. Down below he saw Conall heading below deck, he¡¯d be alone on deck for the next few hours before the next watch. A thought struck him just then, a chance to try and unravel another curiosity he¡¯d been mulling over. ¡°Conall,¡± he called. ¡°Conall do you have just a moment before you head under?¡±


    ¡°Aegir,¡± Conall smiled up at him. ¡°What can I ''elp you with?¡±


    ¡°Just a simple question I find myself in need of an answer to. The Captain, does she...have any tattoos?¡± He didn¡¯t know why but he felt almost bashful for asking someone else instead of the captain herself.


    Conall¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise and he laughed after coming back to his senses. ¡°Seen something you shouldn''t ''ave?¡±


    Click rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Just curious Conall, just curious.¡±


    ¡°Hmm well if you ''ave to know, no one knows the answer to that. I ''eard it from several that she does, but no one''s ever gotten close enough to prove it. Just another rumor.¡±


    Rumors upon rumors, is there no end to your mystery? ¡°Seems I''m destined to wonder as well. Thanks for indulging me as always, sorry to keep you from your rest.¡±


    Conall smirked at him before walking away.  ¡°Of course¡­ ''ave a good night, Aegir.¡±


    Click nodded to him once more as he headed below deck and Click was left alone on deck. The gentle waves and creaking of the ship the only sounds. He returned his gaze to the stars once more. I know I saw something, I guess I¡¯ll have to bring it up with her at some point...question is how long I can be patient till my curiosity boils over. Maybe she¡¯ll tell me just to appease my curiosity, although she does like to tease me as well...maybe she¡¯ll- He shook his head, No, no, you stop that Click, that...is certainly not happening. The stars twinkled back at him and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Ekki hl?ja,¡± he whispered to them, don¡¯t laugh.


    ***


    Jones always knew there was something off with Captain Yasashi when she called him into her quarters after night had fallen.  If she did, it was because she had a difficult decision weighing on her, preventing her from sleep, and needed advice. He was always willing to listen and help, he owed the Captain so much, but it was sometimes difficult to help her when he could only piece together what he knew of her life.


    When he entered her quarters, she was standing at the window, staring blankly out into the night. Jones cleared his throat softly to catch her attention and he took a seat at her desk.


    ¡°Captain,¡± Jones smiled as she turned her head slightly to look at him.


    ¡°Sorry if I woke you, Jones,¡± she said, looking back out the window, intently watching the stars that reflected brightly against the mellow water.


    ¡°Not at all. Is there something on your mind?¡±


    Kaida crossed her arms.  Honestly, she wasn''t sure why she called Jones in to her quarters. He didn''t know anything about her history with Click, and she didn''t intend to tell him.  Perhaps she just didn''t want to feel so alone. She trusted Jones, even if he didn''t know the full story.


    ¡°I hope you don''t think I''m being too rash in promoting Aegir to helmsman,¡± she said bluntly.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Jones said. He always trusted her decisions, though now it sounded like she was questioning herself.  ¡°You recognize that he is experienced and skilled. And despite his first impression, he does respect you¡­ and he honors the debt that he owes you. That shows the sign of a man worth trusting.¡±


    Kaida laughed softly and glanced back to him.  ¡°You sound as though you¡¯re trying to convince me to trust him.¡±


    ¡°Do you need convincing?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kaida shook her head.  ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not quite it.¡±


    ¡°If I may be frank, Captain¡­ Would you have given Aegir a second chance to join your crew, had you not known he was a former captain?  That was a rare instance in which you showed mercy like that in front of the crew.¡±


    Kaida bit her lip, catching her reflection in the window.  That¡¯s not why I spared him.  She debated speaking her thoughts, but didn¡¯t want to feel the need to explain herself.


    ¡°Forgive me if I spoke too boldly,¡± Jones continued after she didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°No need to¡­¡±  Kaida said. ¡°I expect you to keep me honest, Ulysses.¡±  She wanted to laugh at how hypocritical she sounded at the moment, but she kept quiet as her eyes wandered over the water.  Maybe she just needed some fresh air and time away from her stuffy quarters.


    ¡°I certainly try my best, Captain,¡± Jones said with a smile.  He watched the Captain carefully. He had never seen her look so conflicted before, she was typically very good at maintaining her firm persona, even when it was just the two of them. He was always willing to listen to whatever was on her mind, but he knew as well as anyone that Captain Yasashi did not open up easily.  Even in the past few years that he had known and worked alongside her, there was still much he didn¡¯t know, but wish he did. I wish I could help you, Captain.  Like you¡¯ve helped me.


    ¡°Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?¡±  He asked, unsure if she even wanted to talk to someone at the moment; she seemed lost in her own thoughts.


    ¡°No, that will be all.  Sorry to keep you awake.¡±


    ¡°It is never a burden, Captain,¡± Jones said, standing up.  He had reached the door when she spoke up again.


    ¡°Jones,¡± she said and he stopped and looked back at her.  ¡°Have you¡­ have you ever felt that you were doing the right thing, but questioned yourself after contemplating that perhaps there was a better option?  A different decision that could have changed the way your life turned out?¡±


    Jones¡¯ hand gripped the handle of the door and he gave the Captain a sad smile.  ¡°Aye... I have indeed.¡±


    ¡°And what did you do?  Once you realized that your previous decision may have been a mistake?¡±


    He closed his eyes a moment and thought.  ¡°I learn from it¡­ And I pray that my next decision will better.¡±


    ¡°... Thank you, Jones.  Have a good night.¡±


    Jones bowed his head slightly before stepping out the door.  ¡°Good night, Captain.¡±


    ***


    Click¡¯s attention was pulled away from the constellations on his arms by the sound of the captains doors opening again beneath him. He glanced down onto the deck as Captain Yasashi stepped out from her quarters and made her way to the starboard railing. Her hair shined with a mesmerizing glow, bathed in pale starlight. Her appearance was different than when the sun''s rays had framed her features. She seemed more delicate now, softer than he''d noticed before. She was facing away from him slightly and his eyes wandered from her hair to her back. Curiosity plagued him again and as his eyes followed her curves lower still, he wished that was all that plagued him. But as he watched her, silently staring out over the sea, he began to wonder again about the truth behind all her rumors. It must''ve been lonely for you, did you find solace in quiet moments like this? What were you like before it all? Did you laugh? Did you chase a boy? Did a boy chase you? Did you in your dreams ever think that this is what you would become? He looked to the heavens, the stars still twinkling at him. I am sorry for the twisted hands you were dealt. They offered strength at the cost of joy, and an iron will at the cost of having a single friend to truly trust. ¡°Captain?¡± He called gently to her.


    ¡°Cl-Aegir,¡± Kaida turned her head quickly to see him behind her, and she did her best to recover from being surprised.  That was too close.  ¡°I didn''t expect to see you out here.  Why aren''t you asleep?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow in amusement at her stumbling over his name. ¡°Someone has to steer your ship Captain. Though I could ask you the same, why aren''t you asleep?¡±¡±


    Kaida cleared her throat and looked away from him for a moment. Of course, he¡¯d be out here, don¡¯t make it awkward.  ¡°Sometimes I can''t afford the luxury of sleep,¡± she said quietly.  ¡°You were a captain, I''m sure you can understand that.


    Her words stung a bit though he knew she hadn''t meant for them to. He lowered his eyes and nodded, ¡°I can understand a Captain¡¯s burden, yes¡­ and I also know an empty deck is the perfect place to collect one''s thoughts.¡± Click adjusted the wheel slightly as she climbed the steps and met him at the helm. ¡°What is keeping you from sleep tonight?¡±


    ¡°The answer to that question may take us far into the morning,¡± she said, leaning onto the railing.


    He gave her a soft smile, ¡°I have time¡­¡±


    I wish I did.  ¡°Perhaps some other sleepless night.  I have plenty of them¡­¡± She looked back at him and she could feel her heart start to race; his hair fell softly on his shoulders and his bright eyes outshone the stars. She missed those eyes, but it pained her to think of the suffering they held.  It hurt her even more to think of the suffering that she caused him. How many times have you thought of me and questioned if you should give up hope of seeing my face again, Click?  Maybe it would have been better if you had. What have you sacrificed to come find a person who no longer exists?  ¡°Aegir¡­ the ship I rescued you from was not your ship, was it?¡±


    Click shook his head, more in frustration than as an answer. ¡°No Captain, they were merely kind enough to offer me passage to Trinidad. They weren''t even flying pirate colors, I slept thinking they''d be safe but it seems the British didn''t care. They must''ve come upon us as if to trade, otherwise an alarm would''ve been raised¡­. cannon fire woke me, I didn''t even know who was attacking till I woke again in your brig.¡±


    ¡°These waters can be dangerous for a smaller ship like that,¡± Kaida said solemnly.  ¡°...If it''s not too forward, may I ask why you came back to the Caribbean? Why give up your life and station to come here?¡±


    ¡°...For Ryo.¡± It was the same reason and answer he¡¯d said every time he asked himself the same question. ¡°Ryo was more than just another cabin boy I sailed with. He was my best friend, because of him I was able to come here in the first place. We were to be a part of each other¡¯s adventures, we had each other¡¯s backs. We made a promise, that whoever became captain first, the other would sail under them as first mate.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    A smile crept onto his face remembering the day well, he¡¯d often thought of it during empty nights like this. ¡°I was older so it was assumed I¡¯d probably become captain first¡­ if I could complete my tests, but truthfully¡­. I always intended to sail under him. I was able to sail again because of him, traveled to a whole new ocean and saw lands I¡¯d only heard stories about because of him. I wanted adventure, but I never thought I¡¯d have it without my friend. I just hope he hasn¡¯t gotten lost without me.¡± It hurt remembering but he still found himself laughing. ¡°I loved my crew, and I miss the freedom that comes from having my own ship. So when you ask me why I gave up being a captain, it¡¯s because that was never really my dream, it was Ryo¡¯s.¡± He gently placed a finger on one of the stars on his arm. ¡°I can always find my way home, and I will see my brothers and sisters again someday. But I have never given up my hope of finding Ryo again, even If I can¡¯t fulfill my end of our deal...I need to know he¡¯s alright, I want to tell him my story.¡±


    Kaida¡¯s back was facing Click while he gave his reasoning and she made sure he couldn''t see her face.  Her eyes stung with the threat of tears that refused to flow. She hung her head down slightly, regretting that she had even asked him.  Her throat tightened before she had a chance to speak, but she didn''t even know what she would say. She was ashamed, standing before him as he opened up to her.  I''m right here, Click. She bit her tongue and closed her eyes.  A wave of guilt and pain washed over her; pain of going years, thinking he was dead.  Of being exposed for who she really was and living with the fear and loneliness that came along with it.  But mostly the pain of not being courageous enough to tell Click the truth when he had never given up on her.  I''m so sorry.  I''m sorry I''ve caused you so much sorrow and hardship.


    Click waited patiently for a response that never came. Captain Yasashi kept her back to him and he wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d even heard him the past few minutes. She must have something heavy on her mind. I understand her not wanting to talk about it with someone who¡¯s been on her ship for such a short amount of time. He looked down from her silver hair to where her skin disappeared behind her collar. His eyes found the spot he knew he¡¯d seen the ink and he again wondered what the full picture was. I doubt you¡¯ll answer me, but maybe it¡¯ll at least distract you from whatever¡¯s clearly troubling you.


    Click cleared his throat and pushed his hair behind his head again. ¡°Uh, Captain...Do you, you don¡¯t have a tattoo, do you? I just, thought I might have seen a little ink, on your neck and I was curious.¡± He turned his head and pretended to inspect the tattoos on his arms but when she didn¡¯t respond again he glanced up.


    He was debating just leaving it alone and leaving her to her thoughts when she slowly turned and finally looked at him. Her eyes were wide and her face had lost some of its usual color, something was clearly bothering her more than he originally realized. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again and simply held her gaze. She looked so vulnerable right now, a shell of her normal self, ready to break. Or perhaps this is who you really are under that mask? Is the cause of all your sleepless nights the burden of being The Silver Dragon? Or perhaps something much more than I could hope to guess. It may mean nothing coming from me, but I¡¯m sorry.


    Kaida gave him a sad, timid smile.  She knew how vulnerable she must have looked to him at the moment and she wanted nothing more than to tell him why.  She was grateful, though, that he had changed the subject. ¡°Your curiosity makes you quite bold, Aegir,¡± she said, relaxing her shoulders and attempting to recover her controlled fa?ade ; She knew it was too late, he had seen her mask slip, but it was more comfortable for her to act like he hadn''t.


    ¡°Where do you think you saw one?¡± She raised an eyebrow, amused to hear his answer.


    Click was happy the distraction seemed to work, however he hadn¡¯t actually expected her to respond. ¡°Uh, just there,¡± he said pointing to the base of his neck where it met his shoulder. ¡°The other day when we were in your quarters. Thought I caught a glimpse of one when your shirt sli-when you turned your neck. I didn¡¯t see what it was though.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Kaida laughed softly when he corrected himself.  I didn''t realize you were watching, she thought with a faint smile.  ¡°And if I did have one, how do I know you would keep that secret?¡±  She leaned towards him a bit, but kept her hands holding onto the railing.  ¡°The rumor of having tattoos is part of my mystery.¡±


    He winked at her then looked up to the stars, this time actually checking their positioning. The Captain usually made him nervous, but knowing she was getting distracted from what was bothering her helped keep him bold. ¡°Rumor is one thing Captain, I know ink when I see it, even if it¡¯s just a glimpse.¡± He looked down to his forearms, carefully studying the charts and images on them before turning the ship''s wheel another few degrees. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one with hidden tattoos.¡± In the back of his mind he knew he¡¯d probably have blushed saying that to her, focusing on their course was a good distraction for his usual tells. Click made a mental note to do it more often should these nightly chats become more frequent.


    At the mention of hidden tattoos, Kaida briefly glanced down Click''s body, indulging herself for a moment before regretting it and meeting his eyes.  Though, she was grateful for the change of subject and how light-hearted he could make a situation. "You seem to be comfortable with showing skin, so I can only imagine where they would be."


    Click watched her eyes travel down his body and a slight blush crept onto his cheeks when she looked back up at him. Well I¡¯ll be damned, is she making a small pass at me right now? Best not to test those waters Click, just keep her entertained, it looks like she could use a good laugh. ¡°S¡¯pose I don¡¯t leave much to the imagination, there do I? I can wear my coat if you¡¯d like Captain?¡±


    Kaida was surprised at herself for being so bold with him; Click was the first man that she felt comfortable really teasing and a as woman in her position and reputation, she never gave herself a chance to do so.   She pushed aside the guilt for a moment longer and just allowed herself to briefly enjoy the moment. ¡°The days are warm, do you think you could handle the heat?¡± Kaida smiled.


    He smiled right back, depends on the heat, ¡°Once upon a time I lived in Africa, this heats a welcome paradise to that place.¡± Click allowed himself a laugh that turned into a sigh. ¡°Though that was a long time ago, and the north is a cold place¡­.but you¡¯re ignoring the question Captain Yasashi.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t think I was obligated to answer it,¡± she said with a smirk.


    Click shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll just have to imagine what it is then.¡±


    Kaida looked away from him and looked out out towards the water.  She knew she trusted Click to not tell the rest of the crew, but she did like the thought that he was so curious.  ¡°Perhaps¡­ but you didn''t ask what it was, you just asked if I had one. Which¡­ I do.¡± She turned her head back towards him, eager to see his reaction.


    ¡°So you do?¡± He raised an eyebrow, no longer nervous, but suddenly very, very curious. ¡°I don¡¯t however, get to know what it is though, do I? Gotta keep some mystery right? Keep me...wondering?¡± His eyes started falling from her neck, down her back, imagining what she could possibly be hiding.


    Her heartbeat quickened further as his eyes grazed down her back.  Someday you''ll know what it is, I hope, she smiled to herself, but she didn''t allow herself to think much beyond that.  There was no way she could actually show him the tattoo; that meant fully letting him in. And as much as she wanted that, she hardly felt deserving of him given what she''d done.


    ¡°You do seem quite determined to solve that mystery,¡± she noted.


    ¡°Sometimes the truth is more interesting than the fiction.¡±  Click flashed a crooked smile.


    Kaida chuckled and nodded slightly.  ¡°... Much like you, my tattoo is a testament to my story.  Evidence to show what I''ve overcome to be here today, I suppose.  I only have one, but it was... important for me to have that reminder to stay true to the life I chose.¡±


    ¡°When a tattoo is that meaningful to someone, a single piece can be far more beautiful than a full canvas of art¡­ Thank you for telling me. Your secret is safe with me Captain.¡± He didn''t need her to tell him exactly what it was. She''d opened up a little more and that was enough for him. Besides, she''d given him a hint to keep him wondering and guessing. Maybe one day you''ll tell me¡­ A reminder of the life you''ve chosen, what single image could describe the mystery that is you?


    ¡°I was never worried about you telling anyone,¡± she said with a smile, standing away from the railing.  She wished she could stay out there all night and speak with him, just like they had when they were kids.  It made her realize how lonely she had been since he disappeared. This was the first time that she had allowed herself to open up so much to someone else and even then she had struggled to do so, and she felt she only left Click with more questions.  I want to tell you everything¡­ but am I too selfish for wanting that? For wanting you? Either this is the gods giving me my second chance as well, or they are playing a cruel trick on me for the things I have done.  You''re a good man, Click. I think I saw you again hoping that you would no longer be so that I could better live with my guilt. Her smile faltered and she glanced away from him again, not wanting him to see her vulnerability slip through once again.


    He watched her put her mask back on and turn away. Once more whatever was bothering her, whatever truths she hid, taking over and closing her off. He nodded to himself, you opened up for a moment, it''s a start. There will be other nights¡­  He smiled softly and continued to watch her. Even with her mask on she intrigued him no less. He watched for any tells she might have, a slight wrinkle at the corner of her eye, a twitch at the corner of her lips. It was difficult to watch her and not notice how beautiful she was. His heartbeat sped up slightly and he forced himself to look away. She needs rest, she''ll need to have the strength to keep her mask up in front of her crew. Though I doubt she''d listen to me¡­ ¡°You know¡­ the next watch isn''t for a couple hours and I''m starting to get a little tired. Would you mind staying on deck with me until then? I could use the company, even silent company till more of the crew wakes up. After that I think It''ll be alright for you to head down and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to give your Captain orders, Aegir?¡± she said, looking back at him with a faint smirk.


    ¡°Wouldn''t dream of it Captain, Merely a suggestion.¡± Learned my lesson on giving a captain an order a long time ago.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Kaida held his gaze and her smirk grew into a smile.  I won''t be able to sleep right now, anyway.  ¡°I''ll stay up and keep you company, but only if you tell me more of your adventures.¡±


    ¡°Petta var g¨®evild Captain. That is most kind of you, I''d be more than happy to entertain with some far fetched tales.¡± He smiled to himself, content with how the night was turning out. ¡°It was early one morning, the snow fresh upon the ground. We were preparing for battle when we heard them. The two brothers, singing to each other across the battlefield¡­¡± for the next couple hours Click told Kaida many stories of his time in the north. Everyday was a new adventure for a Viking so he had plenty to tell while still keeping his own mystery intact. Time blurred for him, she smirked at his tales of drunken challenges in mead halls, hung on every word as he spoke of battles past and friends who were lost. He liked telling her his stories, he enjoyed her company. But soon they were interrupted by the first crewman back on deck as he rang the bell for the next watch to begin. ¡°Seems our time for now is up, my Captain.¡±


    ¡°Seems it is.¡± Kaida''s heart sank a bit at the thought, but she knew it was for the best. She had allowed herself too many indulgences by learning more about him, because the more she did, the more she fell for him again.  As she led them down the stairs she glanced back at him again, wishing for a simple answer to her overwhelming situation. Perhaps it would have been better if someone else had found you on that ship¡­ but then you would still be out there looking for me.  ¡°Aegir,¡± she said softly, her voice catching on the warm breeze.


    He stopped with her outside the Captain''s cabin. The way she said his name just then, there was something different about it, but he couldn''t quite figure out why. ¡°Yes, Captain?¡±


    ¡°Your friend, Ryo¡­¡± she struggled to get the words out, but she needed to know and she wasn''t quite ready to say goodnight.  ¡°You''ve risked so much to find him, what will you do if it''s all in vain? What if.. Ryo had died in that storm?¡±


    He¡¯d hoped she wouldn''t ask, just like he hoped no one would ever ask because it was something he chose not to ask himself. What if his search was in vain, what if he gave up the life he''d made for an empty hope of a dream. What if, Click¡­ your Captain asked you a question, and she''s waiting for your answer. Click looked up to the night sky knowing the stars would still be twinkling at him. ¡°I promised Ryo I''d watch his back, I gave him my word. And if he is gone while I¡­ while I remain¡­ then I wish the gods had left me in the depths. I''d wish they''d taken me instead.¡± He hung his head, the long days and nights finally beginning to catch up with him, or was it the guilt of not allowing himself to think Ryo might be gone. He was tired now, the energy to even smile was gone. What if you''re gone Ryo. What if I failed you? What if the gods did not give me a second chance, but chose to play a twisted game?


    Kaida started to reach out to touch his arm, provide some sort of comfort, but she stopped herself.  Instead, her eyes stung again with the threat of tears that she thought she was no longer able to shed.  They stood in silence for a moment and she sought desperately for something to say. ¡°... I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have mentioned it.  I didn''t realize how insensitive that was,¡± she said weakly. Coward, she thought and her heart sank even further.  ¡°... You shouldn''t give up hope, Aegir.¡±


    It was Click''s turn to put on his own mask, he blocked out the worry and grief and gave her a smile again. ¡°Think nothing of it, Captain, just starting to feel the pull of sleep, is all.¡± He nodded and bowed to her, then began to turn away but stopped himself. He tilted his head back to her. ¡°I have not lost hope. I will see Ryo again.¡± In this life, or the next.


    Kaida nodded and tried to give him a reassuring smile, but she found herself unable to offer words of encouragement.


    ¡°Till the next bell, Captain.¡± With that, he turned and headed away from her, down into the belly of the ship where he couldn''t see the flickering stars.


    Kaida watched him until he had disappeared down below the deck before she slipped inside her quarters.  The faint moonlight was streaming through the window and she could clearly make


    out the stars. They paled in comparison to Click''s eyes that seemed to bear into her whenever she caught his gaze, but the stars mocked her nonetheless.


    She slowly fell back against the door and sank to the floor, cradling her knees to her chest.  She reached her left hand around to the base of her neck and felt her skin where the top of the tattoo rested.  She laid her head on her knees, but she could no longer lie to herself. ¡°I never stopped loving Click,¡± she told the stars.  ¡°Is that what you wanted to hear?¡± She looked up and demanded. ¡°... Now please let me be.¡±

 Silent Stars

    After waiting until long after Nabasu had gone to bed, Kaida snuck out of her room and onto the quiet deck; a sleepy helmsman stood at the wheel, but paid her no attention as she made her way to the mast and began to climb it.  She hated seeing someone else at the helm, looking back at him made her angry. He¡¯d still be here if it weren¡¯t because of you.  She bit the inside of her cheek and turned away, focusing on climbing up to the crow¡¯s nest.  I shouldn¡¯t think that¡­ she reprimanded herself.  ¡­ he¡¯d still be here if it weren¡¯t because of me.


    Once she was up, she settled down and looked up at the clear night sky, her eyes already blurring with tears.  It had been over a week since Click had disappeared; over a week without her best friend. If I had told you before, would you still be here?  With the back of her hand, Kaida wiped her eyes and sought out the faint outline of stars.  ¡°Draco,¡± she whispered. The silvery stars continued to twinkle down at her, always beautiful and always mocking in their distant happiness.  ¡°Everyone misses you, Click,¡± She said softly. ¡° I can even tell with Nabasu that he misses you, he-¡± she paused to wipe her face again. ¡°He¡¯s been.... Different since¡­¡± She breathed out a long sigh.  ¡°I miss you.¡±


    Her eyes stared up at the stars, pleading that someone, somewhere could hear her.  Praying to her gods and his that her message would reach him somehow, if anyone cared enough to relay it.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Click.¡±


    ***


    Dobson found himself outside of Kaida¡¯s quarters, like many nights, coming to get patched up after their captain had his fill of beating the boy.  The ship¡¯s doctor was usually ordered not to see him, only to make his suffering last longer, but Kaida had a soft spot for him, and she hated seeing him beaten for no reason than beyond the captain¡¯s own entertainment.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    He sat down in a chair in Kaida¡¯s quarters as soon as she had opened the door and bashfully looked to the floor as she searched for a clean cloth; the left side of his face was bloodied and scraped up and he was shaking slightly.


    ¡°What happened this time?¡± Kaida asked as she poured some alcohol onto the cloth and gently began dabbing his face with it.  Dobson winced but looked back to her, forcing a small smile on his face.


    ¡°Captain didn¡¯t like my cleaning job on deck, made me clean it again.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m to assume the bloodied face is from you working so hard?¡± Kaida raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°No¡­ well, ¡®e¡­ beat me to the ground then ¡®eld me face to the deck, dragged it against the wood til I bled.  Then ¡®ad me clean it again¡­¡±


    Kaida''s heart sunk a bit.  Dobson was young and had a bit of a mouth, but he never spoke around the captain unless spoken to;  he did his jobs well and quietly. She knew he never stepped out of line because he genuinely feared the man, she could see it in his eyes everytime he spoke about him.  She just wasn¡¯t sure what more she could do to relieve his pain; they were each living their own kind of hell.


    Pulling a tin of ointment out of a chest near her bed, she smoothed it over his cheek.  Dobson¡¯s eyes fell to the floor again as she did so. ¡°You¡¯re a good worker, Dobson,¡± Kaida said.  ¡°Just keep your head up, hmm?¡±


    Dobson gave her a more genuine smile and nodded slightly.  ¡°Thank you, Yasashi.¡±


    Kaida returned the smile and put the ointment away.  ¡°Try and get some rest¡­ and I¡¯m sorry about what happened,¡± she said quietly.  Dobson remained quiet, but he nodded again before standing and making his way back to the door.


    ¡°Goodnight, sir,¡± he said to Kaida and carefully made his way across the deck.  She watched him until he was out of sight and safe below deck, then looked up to the clear night sky.  It had rained earlier that day and the stars were finally out to play. Her heart ached to look back at them, but they gave her a distant sense of comfort anytime she saw them.  Her mind wandered back to the night when she and Click looked up at the stars and a bitter though rose to the front of her mind.


    I Was jealous then¡­ I still am, I suppose, She thought to the twinkling stars.   I hope you¡¯re keeping him safe and happy.  He deserves it.

 Nassau

    ¡°Aegir!¡± Jones¡¯ happy voice called out to Click and he saw the shorter man''s dark bald head bob up the steps until he stood next to him at the wheel.  There were only a few other people up and about and the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, but Jones was consistently one of the first people up in the morning and always the most cheerful.  ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± He asked.


    Click yawned, ¡°I did.¡± He didn''t. He''d just woken up but after another nightly chat with the Captain, and the fact that he knew they''d make Nassau soon, his sleep was restless. Now the port town of Nassau was before them, another hour or two out. ¡°The Captain was kind enough to share some stories with me last night. Though I''ll admit, I may have been a tad restless while thinking about them once I laid my head down.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± A curious look passed over Jones¡¯ face.  ¡°Stories of Nassau?¡±


    He leaned over the wheel and rested his head against his arm. ¡°Well, more so the plan for Nassau. Although there was a rather disturbing one about feeding bits to sharks¡­. But mostly about the plans for this joint effort we are about to embark upon.¡±


    Jones chuckled.  ¡°And¡­ what are your thoughts on the matter?¡±


    ¡°I think I''d prefer sharks not to have a taste for bits.¡± He looked over at Jones and laughed with him. ¡°It surprised me at first, hearing the Captain was interested in stopping a slave ship. I mean there''s the rumor of her being a slave herself so naturally she''d have a soft spot. But knowing the truth of that tale¡­ she can be very kind under that mask, can''t she?¡±


    ¡°Aye, Aegir.¡± Jones said, with a knowing smile.  ¡°That''s what makes her a good captain.¡±


    ¡°Not many would go out of their way to stop slavery, soft spot or not. I¡¯ve seen the truth of that far too much,if the Captain wants to shut it down I''m all for it. Though I''m curious why we''re robbing the governor instead of stopping the slave ship.¡±


    ¡°Captain Yasashi has ties with other pirates who share a common idea in terms of slavery, some of them being former slaves themselves.  Captain Sulaiman first contacted her when he heard of a ship coming into the port and he wants to be the one to meet them head on, so she has offered to take care of the other end of things by dealing with Governor Jennings.  Plus, we''re running low on firepower after taking down the British ship that attacked you, so we''d be unprepared if we took on the Spanish ship and things happened to go south. Spending some time in Nassau is also a good chance to get more supplies.¡±


    ¡°How many other captains will be involved with this? Captain Yasashi and Captain Sulaiman each have a different objective. If you mix other captains into those plans you¡¯re likely to have one mess up another. I just don¡¯t want to be dealing with Governor Jennings only to find another captain turns on us.¡± He did agree that they needed supplies however. He¡¯d noticed their significant lack of firepower each time he¡¯d gone down below deck, and he himself was still without weapons that suited him.


    ¡°The Captain chooses her associates very carefully.  With this trip we¡¯ll only be involved with Sulaiman, as that is what the Captain prefers.  If anything, Sulaiman would have more reason to distrust us since we¡¯ll be the ones with the money, but the Captain and Sulaiman have a level of trust that goes beyond just sharing common morals,¡± Jones said simply, holding his hands behind his back.  ¡°Though you¡¯re smart to bring that up. There¡¯s still plenty that can go wrong. As Nassau slips further from the hands of the British, the port becomes more and more chaotic. Most of it good chaos for people like us. Some of it dangerous.¡±


    Click raised his eyebrow and eyed Jones suspiciously. What level of trust might that be? A slight pit formed in his stomach as he thought about it but he chose to ignore it.  ¡°Last time I was here things weren¡¯t as bad for the port. The British still had a tight grip, do you know what changed? If it¡¯s become dangerous what does Captain Yasashi need from me when we dock? Am I to be watching the ship?¡±


    ¡°After a previous Governor allowed a pirate to do his dealings there without punishment, they quickly started to lose their authority.  The British never had much of a presence here to begin with; settler numbers are low and they lack military strength and soon Nassau became a beacon for other pirates¡­¡± Jones glanced over to Click and a sly grin grew on his face.  ¡°As for what the Captain needs from you¡­¡± he paused for a moment and his smile grew a bit wider. ¡°I¡¯d imagine that she¡¯d want you there alongside her due to your size and fighting experience, but you¡¯d do good to ask her yourself.  She¡¯s still in her cabin.¡±


    ¡°But...she didn¡¯t call for me? I don¡¯t think the Captain wants me going into her cabin without being called for.¡± Click stood up straight again and chuckled a bit hesitantly., unsure if Jones was being serious or not. He cleared his throat before continuing,  ¡°I¡¯d need weapons if she wanted me next to her for this.¡±


    Jones nodded and turned to walk down the stairs.  ¡°The Captain has weapons in her quarters,¡± he called back, leaving Click alone again.


    Click was left utterly confused as Jones walked away. ¡°That doesn¡¯t¡­¡± I mean if the Captain¡¯s already talked to him, maybe she¡¯s already expecting me? You¡¯ll be stuck on the ship if you don¡¯t go Click. Click grumbled, trying to figure out what he should do when he saw Alvaro coming on deck. ¡°Alvaro, come here a moment.¡± The words left his mouth before he could stop them. You¡¯ve made your choice, stick with it. Alvaro jogged up the stairs and stood next to him.


    ¡°Aegir my friend, what can I do for you?¡±


    Click stared at him for another few seconds before simply walking away from the wheel. ¡°You¡¯re at the helm till I get back.¡± He began making his way down the steps as Alvaro stammered after him and finally resigned himself to the wheel. At the Captains quarter''s Click stopped again, If she gets mad¡­.blame it on Jones. He nodded in agreement with himself and knocked on the door. ¡°Captain?¡± There was no answer so he knocked again a little harder. ¡°Captain, it¡¯s Aegir, Jones sent me to you.¡± Still nothing. Click looked around for Jones but the man was busy giving orders on the other side of the ship. He sighed and carefully opened the door, peeking inside. ¡°Captain?¡± The room appeared to be empty, not even the candles had been lit yet. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him looking to where her room was. He walked towards the second door and paused for a moment to look at the swords decorating the wall. A small wave of nervousness hit him and he shook his head to compose himself.  Definitely blame Jones. Click knocked on her door. ¡°Captain? We are coming up on Nassau.¡±


    Kaida slowly pushed herself off of her pillow, her head pounding from the consecutive days of little sleep.  Though the knock on the door was soft, it vibrated in her ears and she held her temples a moment before answering.  ¡°One moment, Jones,¡± she muttered before pulling herself out of bed.


    Click couldn¡¯t quite make out what she was saying. He stepped closer to the door trying to hear better. ¡°Sorry? I didn¡¯t quite get that.¡±


    She stood next to the bed, letting the headache subside a bit before pulling her nightgown over her head and quickly dressing. I shouldn¡¯t have stayed up talking to Click so late last night.  In a haste, she slipped her boots on and was only just tucking her shirt in when she opened to door to address Jones waiting for her outside.


    ¡°Yes, what is- Aegir,¡±  Kaida¡¯s eyes bulged and her headache suddenly left, replaced with a nervous knot in her stomach.


    Click pursed his lips trying to keep a straight face and raised his eyebrows. He¡¯d clearly woken her up, he quickly looked her up and down, making sure not to let his eyes linger where they shouldn¡¯t.  ¡°Morning Captain. Sleep well?¡± Damnit Jones, you sly old dog.


    She glanced down at her shirt, which was still untied at her chest and exposing more skin than what she was comfortable showing.  She also grew keenly aware of how messy her hair looked when she first woke up and her face flushed. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡±


    ¡°Jones was busy, we¡¯re coming up on Nassau and he wanted me to check in with you. Something about your plans with me.¡± Click was enjoying this moment, it was the first time he¡¯d really seen her blush and he couldn¡¯t help flashing a crooked grin.


    Damnit, Jones.  Kaida scowled but the knot in her stomach remained as Click grinned at her.  ¡°Plans?¡± She racked her brain, trying to remember what she had talked to Jones about last night.  It was a bit hard to focus at the moment though, it was a rare case that anyone else was in her quarters besides Jones, and she certainly wasn¡¯t expecting a shirtless Click to be the first person she saw when she woke up.  ¡°Right¡­¡± she cleared her throat and tied the shirt up to her neck while looking down, her cheeks burning out of embarrassment. It was a feeling she hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time, but things were different with Click. She hated to admit it, but he made her nervous.


    She¡¯s adorable like this...but she¡¯s the Captain. Click stepped back from the doorway, ¡°Aye Captain, for me being with you.¡± Her face flushed even more but he pretended not to notice. ¡°Jones said you might want me with you once we get into port rather than keeping me on the ship...If you need me to come back though¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kaida said firmly.  Damnit Kaida, you¡¯re acting like a child.  She shook off her nervousness and looked at him with a straight face.  ¡°He¡¯s right, I don¡¯t want you to stay on the ship.¡± She stepped away from him and made her way over to her wardrobe to pull out a shorter, crimson coat of thin cotton.  She glanced in her mirror, noticing her hair wasn¡¯t as bad as she thought, but she still quickly ran her fingers through it. ¡°I¡¯m only taking a small number of men with me, so I want those who I know are good in a fight.¡±


    Click leaned forward so he could still hear her clearly without actually entering her room. Doing so however gave him the chance to look quickly into her private quarters. A large bed sat in the center of the room, one side near perfect while the other was clearly the side she favored. Her nightgown lay on the floor and he turned his attention back to the main room and her desk. If she had opened the door in that, I¡¯d have been the one blushing for sure. ¡°I understand Captain, though it¡¯s been awhile since I¡¯ve gotten in a fight with only my knife.¡±


    ¡°Well, what is your preferred weapon of choice?¡±  Kaida asked, making her way back over to him. She took a step back when Click was closer to her than she expected, waiting for her in the doorway.


    Clicked moved out of her way and stood at the corner of her desk. ¡°An axe, preferably two. Your crew doesn¡¯t seem to like them however, the few they have are¡­.wrong.¡± He shook his head and absent mindedly felt the empty space at his hip. He¡¯d left his in another''s care, which was probably a good thing as they¡¯d most likely be at the bottom of the sea now. ¡°If I had time in Nassau and a place to meet you I could pick up what I need. But for now, even a cleaver would work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can work with,¡± Kaida said, glancing back at him with a smile while she made her way over to an oversized cabinet in the corner of the room.  She opened it to reveal several more weapons cleverly secured inside the cabinet. ¡°I don''t really like using an axe, but I''ve taken it upon myself to collect as many different types of weapons as I can since becoming a captain. You can take a look if you''d like.¡±


    Click nodded and stood beside her at the cabinet. She wasn¡¯t kidding, inside he found a variety of weapons, some of which even he¡¯d never seen before. He began to wonder where she¡¯d found them all, and then his gaze rested on an intricately carved handle filled with very recognizable runes and wrapped slightly in fine leather. In his surprise he reached in and delicately lifted the axe from the cabinet without asking. His fingers gently gliding over the smooth wooden handle and up to its polished metal head. One side contained a perfectly balanced axe face while the other side ended in a dagger like pick. Even the metal was carved with beautiful knots and runic symbols and gold was inlayed along several of the expertly carved out lines.


    He stepped back from the cabinet, only vaguely aware of Captain Yasashi watching him. He spun the axe around his wrist then balanced it in the center of his hand. Click firmly grasped the handle and looked up to Captain Yasashi watching him curiously. He narrowed his eyes at her, ¡°Where did you get this axe?¡±


    ¡°Some of these weapons were here before, collected by my¡­ former captain,¡± she said carefully.  ¡°The axe was one of them, but I don¡¯t know how he got his hands on it.¡± She glanced down to the sash around his waist with the runes and then looked back to the runes on the axe¡¯s handle.  ¡°I thought those looked familiar...¡±


    Click nodded, accepting her answer and turning his attention back to the axe. ¡°Aye, this...is a very special axe, given only to those called by the god of war himself. The mighty Tyr. Those who have¡­¡± He paused, choosing his words carefully, ¡°proven themselves, are given the honor of carrying his axe, and wearing this sash to distinguish themselves on the battlefield. This axe should be buried with it¡¯s wielder, or passed on to a brother...your former captain, was he a northman?¡±


    ¡°He was...¡± Kaida said, watching Click carefully.  He was acting strange. ¡°But he never used the axe and he refused to tell me anything about it when I tried asking.¡±


    Click spun the axe in his grip, sucking in his cheek as he thought to himself. He hadn¡¯t expected there to be many northman if any in these seas, least of all one like him. It¡¯s possible it wasn¡¯t his. It¡¯s possible, but¡­ ¡°Did he wear a sash like mine?¡±


    ¡°No. I would have remembered a sash like that¡­ he didn''t like talking about his past.  Even if he had tattoos like you did, he made it a point to not show them.¡± She could feel a line of sweat start to form on her brow. She hated talking about her late captain, but she could understand why Click was curious.  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Did he steal it? Did he abandon it? Click shook his head and tore a piece of his sash off. He wrapped it around the axe head and tied it off as he spoke. ¡°What became of him?¡± He didn¡¯t look at Captain Yasashi, Click knew his questions were far too bold of a deckhand to ask his Captain but he needed to know.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Kaida said harshly, shutting one of the cabinet doors a little harder than she intended.  She saw her hand start to tremble and she balled it into a fist on the door. She let out a soft, weary sigh and glanced away from Click, knowing that her reaction would only leave him with more questions.  ¡°... It¡¯s better off that way, Aegir.¡±


    ¡°Aye Captain...it is.¡± He watched her carefully, unsure what her reasoning was for his death being preferred. Whoever he was, he¡¯d either abandoned Tyr and dishonored himself, or stolen the axe from a brother. In which case Click would have been honor bound to hunt him down regardless of his promises or current duty. Watching her, she did not seem keen on opening up and explaining more to him. He¡¯d have to be content for now and hope Tyr accepted him as it¡¯s new wielder. ¡°Forgive me Captain. It was not my place to ask¡­¡± He held the axe head to his hand and cut into his palm, letting the small trickle of blood soak into the torn piece of cloth and seal the knot he¡¯d tied.


    Kaida nodded and closed up the cabinet with care.  ¡°I don¡¯t want it back in this cabinet, it¡¯s yours to keep.¡±  Her stomach turned anxiously with sour memories. She finally looked back into his eyes, he regarded her curiously with subtle concern.  ¡°... I hope you do that axe the justice it deserves.¡±


    That is for the best, I¡¯m sorry Captain, but you wouldn¡¯t have gotten it back. ¡°It is a gift for an honorable and worthy warrior, I will have to cleanse it of the dishonor your former captain left on it.¡± He sighed and slipped the axe into his belt loop, his frustrations were misplaced here and he knew it. Whatever her previous captain had done, she hated him, and Click regretted finding the axe. He bowed his head to her, ¡°What do you need of me, my Captain?¡±


    Kaida looked down at the axe; it was fitting for him and for once she didn¡¯t view it with discomfort.  She hoped looking at the weapon, she¡¯d think of Click instead of her late captain. She shook herself out of her thoughts, and focused on the question he asked.  ¡°First, I want you to take us into port¡­ ¡± she said, now walking over to the wall with the swords. She cautiously lifted the lowest one off the wall; her father¡¯s katana rested in a wooden sheath, the hilt wrapped carefully in red silk.


    Everytime she used it was a privilege and it deserved a moment of respect before she attached it to her side.  She closed her eyes, forgetting Click was still in the room with her.  She ran her fingers over the design carved into the side; it was a scene of a waterfall and temple, a sacred place in Japan she¡¯d never see again.  Her thoughts fell to her uncle,who continued to teach her how to fight after her father passed. I found him, Nabasu.  I hope you can still watch over me though I continue to deceive him.   Kaida opened her eyes before bringing the sword to her waist.  She finally acknowledged Click still standing in the corner of the room, his head still slightly bowed, but his eyes looked up at her with the same curiosity they always did.


    ¡°And then? Captain?¡± He had many more questions now, especially in regards to the beautiful sword she now held but he¡¯d asked enough. It would be wise for him to speak sparingly and simply follow orders.


    ¡°Then you will come with me to meet Captain Sulaiman.¡± She said with a grin.  The excitement of going to Nassau was starting to catch up to her, replacing the tension that had rose between the two of them over her late captain.  Instead, she had to focus on the task at hand. Nassau was unpredictable; it was full of backstabbers, and double crossers, but Kaida still found herself fond of the port town.  When she was there, people feared her, and more importantly they left her alone. She really only had to worry about the Spanish and British, other pirates were hardly her concern.


    ¡°Aye Captain. Shall I return to the helm then?¡± That same pit began to form in his stomach. What kind of a man must this Captain Sulaiman be, to be in such good standings with her.


    ¡°Please.¡±  Kaida led him up the stairs and stood next to him as he at the wheel.  She subtly watched him from the corner of her eye. While he seemed excited, she noted a strange, hesitant expression pass over his face, taking away his usual smile.  He wasn¡¯t one to shy away from a fight, so she couldn¡¯t imagine what could be bothering him. She took a small step back, her eyes going over the beautiful tattoo that covered his back, but the marks from the lashing she ordered were still pink on his skin.  She dropped her gaze in shame, Of course¡­ How could I earn his full trust after treating him like that?


    Click remained silent till they arrived in Port minus the occasional order to the crew. The weight at his hip never fading from his thoughts. Despite the all the thoughts swirling in his head, Click gracefully tucked the ship against the dock, paying no mind to the nods of approval from the crew. For the first time since they came back on deck he turned to Captain Yasashi. ¡°I''ll follow you Captain, just lead the way.¡±


    Strange.  Kaida noticed how he hadn''t spoken to her since leaving her cabin and even now, he seemed distracted by something she couldn''t figure out. Let''s hope this goes away quick.


    ¡°Food and other supplies should be loaded by tonight,¡± Jones said coming up beside her.  ¡°We can expect the firepower to be ready by tomorrow morning. Afternoon at the latest.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.  We should be back soon then.¡±


    Jones grinned at her.  ¡°Best of luck, Captain.¡±


    Kaida nodded and made her way down the steps.  ¡°Aegir?¡± She looked up at Click expectantly and he met her gaze. As he reached the bottom of the steps, she called for three more men to join her.  ¡°Dobson, O¡¯Malley, Avery. Let¡¯s go.¡± She led them off the ship and into the bustling port town that was Nassau. Along the beach, dusty buildings lined the street and the warm morning air was full of yelling and drunken laughter.  While there were British soldiers out and about, many of them were drunk or not paying Kaida and her men any mind. Once they had made their way into the street, Kaida turned to the others for their next direction. ¡°We¡¯ll meet Sulaiman at a pub aways down, The Siren¡¯s Cove.  Keep an eye out for any Spanish. And Dobson,¡± She looked pointedly at the man who stared back sheepishly. ¡°Try not to bring attention to yourself this time, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain,¡± Conall blushed, bowing his head slightly.  ¡°Won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Click brought up the rear of the group, silently following behind the brute of a man named O¡¯Malley. He stood a few inches taller and was wider than Click with a bald head and nearly every inch of him covered in celtic tattoos.  If he didn¡¯t already stand out, he boasted a long, fiery red beard and was missing his ears; two scars on either side of his head crusted over the holes. Atop his shoulders and peering down at him expectantly sat Will Avery, a midget with frizzy blond hair covered by a floppy hat.   A crooked nose and sharp eyes peered down at Click, making him look more like a bird than a man.


    He''d never really talked to them, well O''Malley didn''t speak at all, Will did that for him. But he hadn''t had the chance to really meet them yet. He wondered why she''d chosen them specifically but it was just another question to add to his growing list. It had been too long since he''d seen Nassau, much had changed. When he was here last, it was still firmly in the control of the British, a thriving and civilized town. Now vagabonds and soldiers shirking their duties either lay passed out in random corners or lazily meandering about their own business. The presence of pirates didn''t necessarily settle Click, just more people who''d be willing to put a bullet in your head for a gold piece.


    ¡°Got a lot on your mind, Aegir?¡±  Conall asked, sliding up beside him.  ¡°You been to Nassau before?¡±


    ¡°Aye, just once before. A long time ago, it''s changed a lot since then.¡± He looked down at the man beside him and put an arm on his shoulders. ¡°Am I going to have to worry about you Conall? I''ve a lot on my mind tonight, I know all about your sticky fingers and I''d prefer not to keep an eye on you.¡±


    Conall laughed nervously.  ¡°Between you an¡¯ the Captain, I¡¯m starting to wonder why I left the ship¡­¡± He glanced over at the Captain Yasashi and said in a low voice.  ¡°I think she''s teasing me. Waiting to see if I''ll make a mistake this go ''round. Captain don''t like mistakes¡­¡±


    ¡°So don''t make one Conall. I''d hate to see what that knife of hers can do. You''re one of my favorites so don''t go getting yourself killed, got it?¡±. Conall nodded in response and tried to smile reassuringly.  It was true enough, the man was usually pretty good company, Click liked him. However if he screwed up, Click was in a mood to see how sharp the axe was. ¡°You ever met Captain Sulaiman?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I ''ave. A good man ''e is¡­ for a pirate,¡± Conall smirked.


    Click held his hand in front of Conall to reveal Conall¡¯s own coin pouch. ¡°What say you give me a little more to go off, and I won''t tell the Captain how many pockets you''ve picked since getting here? Savvy?¡±


    ¡°... Aye, sir.¡± Conall''s eyes grew wide.  ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    Click grinned, ¡°You''re a smart lad, what do you think I''d find mo-¡±


    ¡°Oi.  Pretty boy,¡± Avery called to Click in a nasally voice, a smug grin on his face.  ¡°You sure ask a lot of questions.¡±


    Click looked to Avery unamused. ¡°I thought you of all people would understand the value of questions. Or do you only repeat what you hear, and leave the questioning to those above you?¡±


    Avery narrowed his eyes at Click, remaining silent while he sized him up.  He chuckled and winked at him. ¡°T¨² ert feitletrae maeur, Aegir. M¨¦r l¨ªkar pers¨®nu t¨ªna.¡±


    Click nodded to him, ¡°Einn daginn munum vie sitja og tala vinur minn.¡±


    ¡°You have a deal.¡±


    O''Malley turned slightly to look at Click and gave a low grumble in the back of his throat.  ¡°... O¡¯Malley likes you too,¡± Avery laughed before facing forward.


    ¡°Hear that Conall? I''ve made new friends.¡± The quick conversation had helped put him in a better mood but he knew it would pass. There was still the pit in his stomach ready to bother him once more. He didn''t know why it bothered him so much, she was his Captain. Nothing could come from that anyways, just wishful thinking.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Kaida said, stopping in front of the pub.  She had heard most of the conversation that the men had behind her, but found it amusing and decided not to say anything.  Avery''s not wrong.  You are a curious one, Click.  She smiled to herself as she opened the door.  He also wasn''t wrong about you being a pretty boy.  Her smile lingered as she glanced back at Click and caught his eye. His grin faded into a small smile and he nodded to her.


    Kaida¡¯s eyes shifted away and she reset her focus to what was before them.  The Siren¡¯s Cove was known to be a rambunctious pub and it certainly lived up to it.  As soon as they stepped inside, they were met with the strong smell of alcohol and boisterous singing and yelling.  Any man who wasn¡¯t passed out drunk was either flirting with a barmaid or arguing with a friend over a game. Kaida didn¡¯t care much for the noise or alcohol, but a noisy pub was a good place to keep unwanted ears away from private conversations.


    As Kaida led her men through the maze of people, they garnered some looks of awe and confusion; those who had never met the Silver Dragon were surprised when they saw her for the first time.  Her small stature wasn¡¯t imposing, and she always traveled with a group of men who stood out, even amongst pirates. It was a good way to distinguish herself from the others.


    In the far corner of the room, a man stood up from a table and ushered Kaida over.  He towered over her; a thin, African man with graying dreads that hung low on his back.  He wore a well tailored and clean coat, most commonly found on a British soldier, but Sulaiman enjoyed wearing it to mock his once captors, so he wore it with pride.  Under thick eyebrows, his sharp, gray eyes looked over her and her men. His mouth twisted into a crooked smile and he chuckled at Kaida. ¡°As always, Captain, you bring with you the most interesting company,¡± he said in a rich, low voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s usually the point,¡± Kaida smiled.


    He bowed his head to her and turned to the men.  ¡°It¡¯s been some time, boys,¡± he smiled at them.


    ¡°Sulaiman,¡±  Conall nodded.  ¡°Pleasure as always.¡±


    ¡°Nzuri kukuona tena, Captain,¡± Avery grinned from atop O¡¯Malley¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Asante,¡± Sulaiman thank him before turning to Click.  He regarded him thoughtfully, giving himself time to look over the tattoos on his arm and chest before speaking.  ¡°I haven¡¯t met you before,¡± he noted. ¡°And I¡¯m not a man who easily forgets a face.¡±


    ¡°Aegir, a pleasure, Captain Sulaiman, I presume?¡± Click extended his hand to the man who shook it firmly.


    ¡°Aye,¡±  Sulaiman said, glancing briefly to Kaida before looking back to Click.  ¡°Captain Yasashi has a way of finding the most exoctic of men to join her crew.  Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°Exotic?¡± He too glanced to Captain Yasashi. ¡°I don''t think I''m interesting enough to be labeled as such. Simply a man from the north.¡± Click smiled to Captain Sulaiman, ¡°Na kusini, na maeneo mengi katikati.¡±


    Sulaiman grinned and shook Click¡¯s hand again, clapping him on the back.  ¡°Kaka yangu!¡± He beamed at Click.


    ¡°Unachagua vizuri,¡± he said to Kaida, to which, she laughed softly and nodded, hoping Sulaiman didn¡¯t mean anything more than just being good at picking a new deckhand.


    ¡°Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t know what is going on,anymore?¡± Conall asked, and Avery slapped him on the back of the head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot,¡± Avery hissed at him.


    Sulaiman just laughed and gestured for them to take a seat.   ¡°Please, please. Sit.¡±


    Kaida sat across from him, flanked on either side by O¡¯Malley and Conall while Click leaned against a support beam, keeping watch.


    ¡°So what can you tell us, Captain?¡± Kaida asked.


    ¡°My men are ready to intercept the Spanish before it reaches port, but we have to act quickly before they get too close and other ships come to their defense.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s risky to come back to Nassau after that,¡± Kaida noted.  ¡°Freeport would be our best option at that point. We can reconvene there.¡±


    ¡°Aye, that would be safest.¡±


    ¡°What can you tell me about Jennings?¡±


    Sulaiman chuckled.  ¡°He¡¯s lazy and careless, with insufficient security at his home.  That¡¯s where the money is, but frankly I trust your crew over some of my own men.  I always have,¡± he said solemnly.


    Kaida gave him a small smile.  ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°I for one am excited,¡± Conall said, rubbing his hands together.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too excited,¡± Avery warned. ¡°Things can still go wrong.  Remember that time in Ocho Rios?¡±


    ¡°Aye, don¡¯t remind me,¡± Conall said tersely.


    Click leaned against the beam idly twirling his knife in his hands. He''d listened to the conversation, but he was simply waiting on orders. He did have to admit though, he liked Captain Sulaiman. I will pray to the gods that your hunt will be fruitful. He glanced over his shoulder to the group laughing at Conall, and to Captain Yasashi. He knew what the pit in his stomach was, it was for the way her lips curled when she smiled, and for the way her eyes lit up when she laughed. It was for the way he was beginning to feel about her, it was because he knew he shouldn''t. Click slipped the knife into his belt and stole a drink off a passing drunk. There were too many promises to keep and duties to fulfill. A friend to find, a God to serve, and a Captain to follow. He downed the ale in one go, Valhalla awaits Aegir of the sea¡­ but do the fates have anything just for me? Will I ever simply get to be Click again?