Ben Esra telefonda seni bosaltmami ister misin?
Telefon Numaram: 00237 8000 92 32

Ben Esra telefonda seni bosaltmami ister misin?
Telefon Numaram: 00237 8000 92 32

By the time my mother and I finished our conversation, the sun began to rise. More full than a fisherman’s boat of his catch were the questions she asked me. Each of them more stunned, amazed, and confused than the last. Nevertheless, I gathered up all my patience and answered them all. I spoke to her about Leah and Boreli, what the bastard meant to me and why I’d been so desperate to retrieve him despite the headaches he’d brought upon me.

I beguiled and wooed her with tales of my adventures before my betrayal at the hands of my crew. I told her of Delverhold and the numerous tests I’d passed and failed on its magical shores. I told her all that I could, except for one thing.

No matter how much she asked, I never told her of her fate. I would not allow her to know such a gruesome detail. As I had laid with her over the course of these months, I considered her death one of my greatest failures. However, my mother was a smart lass, stubborn too. Even without me telling her, I was sure she came to some conclusion that made her finally stop asking.

That said, above all that I told her, I was honest that when I returned, I hadn’t made plans to seduce her. I’d never considered the thought until I held her in my arms when she stood against me. The relationship which we’d built, while not what I’d planned, was one I came to enjoy fully. As a pirate, and a man, I’d not regretted the outcome. I hoped she’d not either, but as my mother, I’d respect her desire to continue forward. It sure as hell ain’t like me to offer such a choice, but she was owed that much.

By the time we were done, we were exhausted. When Ellen knocked on the door, I barely had enough strength to tell her that the crew was free to do as they pleased today. I would be going back to sleep. She spoke not a word and accepted my order, walking away as I closed the door.

When I returned to the bed, my mother was already turned over with her back to me. She must not have wanted to face me, but was too tired to leave. I pulled up the covers and faced away from her. I wasn’t sure about her, but the fucking drain on my salty spirit made me fall asleep fast.

I must have been more tired than I thought because the next morning came before I knew it. I didn’t think that I’d sleep the whole day, but perhaps my exhaustion was greater than I’d thought. When I turned over, I noticed the absence of my mother. Her side of the bed was cold so she must have left some time ago.

I closed my eyes, pondering the fucking deep shit I was forced to trudge through. I exhaled through my nose, turning over and reaching for my pitcher of water. I weaved the cool liquid into my mouth and crawled out of bed. I saw the light of the sun beyond the mouth of the cave we’d docked in. I opened my windows and smelled the musky, cavern air and water.

I was thankful that despite sleeping the whole of yesterday, that if there was any noise on the ship, then I sure as hell didn’t hear it. Ellen must have warned them all not to disturb me, which I appreciated.

I decided that it’d be best for me to not pursue my mother. Though unusual for me, I returned the power which she’d given me back to her. What she decided was what would be and I’d think myself a damned fool to convince her otherwise. However, I would not allow her to leave my ship, not yet. Though I love her, I wasn’t convinced that she wouldn’t fall back into her feeble state without me to look after her. She might bark and curse me to the ends of D’orn and back, but she’d not usurp me that easily.

As I sat down, staring into the emptiness of my quarters, a knock on the door came. I might not say it, but I was relieved for the company… whoever it was.

“Enter.”

The door opened and Aesteal came through. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised at the concern on her face. I quickly remembered that she felt what I felt and vice versa. No doubt she became aware of my melancholy mood, the wind taken out of my sails for the moment. It sure didn’t fucking feel like me though.

“You don’t have to gaze upon me as if I’ve keeled over, Aesteal,” I said as she stepped further in.

She quickly shook her head. “When Ellen told the crew that we all had a free day, a lot of us wondered what happened to you. She just explained that you were still sleeping, exhausted from the feat you displayed before. No one was permitted to enter your room unless they didn’t mind cleaning the lower quarters for five months. Most stayed in their rooms and others explored the caves. I think by now, everyone seems to think that I’m the only one who can enter your quarters and return alive without something horrendous happening to me. Ellen asked me to do it, though I would have done it voluntarily as well,” she explained.

I leaned back in my chair and grunted. Sometimes, I wondered if my crew thought I was some demon from the lower realms that dined on the blood of those who dare summon me. It wouldn’t have been the first time someone thought çeşme escort that of me, but it was ridiculous all the same.

“I see,” I said, mostly to myself before I noticed Aesteal was right next to me. She didn’t even have to look at me for me to know what she thought. She grabbed a chair and sat next to me. We both fell into a silence that I didn’t particularly enjoy. I’d never done well in it without something to occupy my thoughts. Silences such as this seemed to only make me angry, bringing me back to times in my life that made me angrier.

“You ain’t alone in knowing my past anymore,” I said, pulling my rapier out so that I might busy myself and make this sentimental shit easier for my fucking pride to handle.

Aesteal turned her head to me, brushing her silver hair out of the way with her hand. She remained quiet even though I was sure she knew who I was talking about. “And how did she take it?” she asked.

“Ain’t much I know about that. She wasn’t here when I woke up today so I haven’t seen her yet to know. Times like this, she’s either pissed, thinking, or both. Can never tell with her. Nevertheless, it be quite the story and not one told over a campfire with your bond-traveling companions. She had many questions and I answered what I could. Might not have been enough for her,” I remarked, as I pulled out some more notes from Delverhold and began reading.

Of all the things Aesteal could have done, I wasn’t expecting her to chuckle. I glanced at her and she had a wide smile on her face, one filled with mirth. When she finally settled down, she pulled my attention to her.

“It is not just where the mightiest tree seeds are planted that they grow so powerfully strong. It is not just how much they are watered, nor just how much sun they are given. It’s not just how much food they are given, nor is it how much they are protected. Give them time and their roots shall bury deep into the earth, strong and unbreakable. When their roots have been planted, they shall grow and endure blows and scratches from animals, nature, and even the wrath of men, yet it will grow so tall that all those who abused it shall stare in awe of its great majesty for it shall become a home to many and a source of great strength. You’re many things, Sir. Patient isn’t one of them,” she said, smiling at me.

I sure as hell wasn’t going to refute that. Even I knew that about myself. Leah, though I despise her, was the first one to chastise me about my impatience and my greed for immediate results. That was also one of the reasons why I’d been so arrogant to bet against Diane and she left me without my clothes. Just that memory was humiliating enough. All this magic, rune sewing, and this fucking rapier, had been dreadful tests of patience as I made my return to the seas and plotted my revenge.

“She’ll come to you, Sir. One thing I’ve learned about you both is that you’re not the most expressive when it comes to the more… humble matters between yourselves. Then again, you’re Draegnarian. It certainly isn’t the type of place that fosters such sensitivities. Give her the time, Sir. Maeloson and I had to give you the time to believe that we would indeed sail upon your ship. Above all, she’s your mother. She’s not gonna devour you. That is, unless you want her to,” she replied with a smile.

I stopped my reading and chuckled. I put my notes down and turned to Aesteal. “A wise mouth, a treasured face, and a stable mind. I know not what circumstance would lead you aboard my ship, but I am grateful for it. What fool would release a treasure such as you?”

If Aesteal was going to answer that, she didn’t get the chance to. I quickly pulled her chin and her lips to mine. I kissed her and she kissed me back. Her lips were as soft as ever and shivers ran through her body.

We parted and my mood was notably lighter. “Aye, I’ll try your patience game. Though, don’t expect it to stick for very long. I’m a stubborn bastard after all,” I said.

“It’s one of your more endearing qualities,” she answered back to me before her face grew serious.

After a moment or two to think, she spoke. “So… what shall you do with the woman of fire you faced? The Liara of your time told you that you needed the help of not just her, but two others like her or else all of D’orn would be destroyed. It doesn’t seem like you’re on friendly terms. Even worse, she’s probably working for the enemy. What are you going to do?” she asked.

“Diplomacy ain’t my strongest suit, but I might be able to work something out if I can get her alone. Keep it mind it’s the first time I’ve met or faced her before. I don’t even know this enemy we’re supposed to be fighting, so it’ll be hard to convince her. However, I’ll know where she is. It won’t be too hard to find her should I figure all this shit out,” I reasoned as Aesteal kept her sharp gaze on me.

I patted her shoulder and urged her up. “Anyway, we’ll have to başakşehir escort discuss her later. For now, we’ve wasted a day due to the circumstances with my mother. Tell Ellen to gather my crew together. This be a day that we should be entering the inner provinces of the Empire of Crystallized Ash,” I said.

Aesteal, accepting the task, stood up and walked away. Once she was gone, I stood up and tossed my clothes away in a dirty hamper. I noticed Nei and the other fairmaids observing me as I opened a cabinet that housed my other garments. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nei lick her lips, clearly aroused by me.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t gotten around to getting myself a new captain’s coat to wear, nor a hat. My pursuit of alchemy and toying with the natural bonds of my body left my clothes a little tighter than before. Perhaps I’d find some time to shop for new clothes while we journeyed through the northern lands of Hæňgaram.

I picked up the fairmaids, the water slipping off their bodies and sliding through the crevices of my fingers. It didn’t take Nei long to settle on top of my head. I wondered why she preferred that spot, especially since she seemed territorial of it. Whenever Lei or the others tried to come near, she’d snarl at them until they backed down. This happened quite a few times until the others got the idea that only Nei was allowed to rest in my hair.

When the others were settled, I ventured outside.

Unsurprisingly, aside from the sun outside the cavern, the area was rather dark. However, I saw some of the crew on the deck of the ship. Most were coming up from the lower deck.

“Ah laddies, the captain boards the deck with us! Best you not sleep in too much captain, lest you find all your strength drained away in the arms and legs of beautiful lasses!” someone said as others laughed.

“Not much grants a man a better sleep than that,” I retorted before I noticed Ellen walking over to me.

“If that’s the case, then you should have fucked that succubus cunt back on that cursed island. She would have had you sleeping forever,” she fired back while I offered her a shrug of my shoulders.

The smile on my face lessened when I thought of Delverhold, and the new failures I’d experienced in addition to the old ones. “And have the lot of you try to sail back to Draegnar on your own? I be unsure of which fate is worse. Besides, be that any way to talk to the man who has captured your tempestuous heart?” I asked before the air was blown out of my lung when Ellen buried her elbow into my stomach.

“Yeah, I love you. I love you like I love the puke and shit that blows out of my drunk patrons mouth and asses in the afternoon. Can’t fucking get rid of it no matter how many times I try.”

I rubbed my stomach as a smile came upon my face, albeit with great pain. One of the fairmaids quickly saw Ellen and jumped on her shoulder. My Quartermaster glanced at the tiny woman and sucked her teeth. It seemed that Ellen settled for a begrudging acceptance of the fairmaid despite her numerous failed attempts to get rid of the small fairy-mermaid.

Soon, everyone was on the deck of the ship. They all looked at me, waiting for me to give my orders.

Even my mother was present, though she made sure that our eyes wouldn’t meet. When I turned to her, she just looked away, almost acting like I didn’t even exist. I’d not known so great a pain since my death at the hands of my crew. I’d rather face Delverhold and the trails it took to get there a thousand times over than see such unease in my mother’s eyes. I was so tempted to cast a spell and peer into her mind that I might know her thoughts about me, but I stayed my hand.

It wouldn’t matter whether I did or not. I vowed that she’d be allowed the time to form her own thoughts without my attention. Perhaps her weakened spirit at the hands of her disease made me a little more guarded of her than I needed to be. It wasn’t like my mother was a fucking child after all.

I turned back to the others and addressed them. “Hope you enjoyed your extra day off because now we’ll need to go over a few things. First, you lot best get this through your thick skulls. We ain’t on the island of Draegnar. We’ve docked at the southernmost lands of Hæňgaram. We are currently a few miles from the city of Taptos that is where the majority of you shall stay until I call for you. Take any job, fuck any wench, make any coin you want, but do not draw attention to yourselves. Even if Taptos is more lenient on unruly activity, the nation of Hæňgaram still abhors pirates, lawbreakers, bandits, and any other scum that society has spewn out. Dare you not test them. Steal a coin and they shall have you drawn and quartered. I ain’t gonna be there to bail you out, but don’t think I won’t make the nation of Hæňgaram my enemy for your sake,” I said as I walked to the other side of the ship.

“That said, I also have a reason küçükçekmece escort to be here. There be a war coming that might make Hæňgaram fall to its knees. I’m here to see that such a fate ain’t gonna befall it. Aye, we shall be headed into war, but it shall be a pirate’s war, done the pirate’s way. Take what you will from the fallen for they won’t be needing it and surely you’ll have more gold to line your pockets provided you not waste this fucking opportunity. However, if I do find you causing trouble, you’ll wish it was Hæňgaram that pulled your spirit away from the realm of D’orn,” I warned greatly.

I would not see a grand collection of crystallized ash squandered because some of my crew had sun-baked brains in their damn skulls. I could already sense the sharp grin on Ellen’s face at the prospect of so much coin being found in one place. I could see the wheels turning in her mind on how to already turn a profit for what she’d gather.

Once I made sure everyone heard me, Ellen got into the usual task for forming groups out of everyone. The entire ship was assigned except for a few of us. I dismissed most of everyone, leaving Goron, Diane, Raven’s Shadow, Aesteal, Maeloson, Nz’ia, Naala, Ellen, and my mother present.

“Change of plans. We’re going to journey towards the Hæňgaram capital, Ynro. That’s where the empire rests and it’s also where most of the noble families and upper class merchants reside. The House of Balamar will be there as well. We’ll go under the guise of merchants, selling a trade of spices. It’s not unusual for merchants to travel through the city to marvel at its grandeur before moving across the mountains to the next part of the empire, especially considering its the center of these lands,” I said before Ellen stepped forward.

“We planned some of this before and I acquired the merchant license. Though, I’ll be damned if I give those Hæňgaramian bastards any of the supplies aboard our ship,” she answered, glaring at me to think otherwise.

Naala grinned and leaned against the portside ledge. “If there’s one thing our favorite quartermaster’s not gonna do, it’s give shit away for free. Anyone ever told you that a shared heart is worth its weight in gold, Ellen?” my dark powder monkey asked while Sothshore snorted.

“I’ll gladly rip the fucker’s heart out of his chest so I can sell the gold. Then I’ll find out how much it weighs exactly,” she returned, getting a hard laugh out of Naala.

Next, Diane spoke. “So then, what are we gonna do about their walls? It’s known by all that Hæňgaram’s notorious for stopping infiltrators. The walls are laced with a powerfully ancient magic that can sense the deep desires of all who pass under it. Very few talented mages have been able to fool it.”

“It’s happened before? I was under the impression that the empire had never been infiltrated. Tales of its defenses even reached the furthest northern lands of Fgg’rial,” Maeloson replied with an expression almost resembling surprise.

“It has.”

All eyes turned to Goron, the big lug’s folded, hairy arms covering his chest. “In fact, it was a pirate that first made it possible. It’s where Hæňgaram receives its great hatred of pirates. Our kind were the only ones who managed to breach their walls. Of course, the pirates were swiftly destroyed before they could leave with any wealth or treasure, but it was always marked as a stain on the empire. It’s something they’ve kept tight-lipped about,” he explained.

“Oh yeah? And just who was this ballsy pirate? You’d think those guys would have fucking gutted him and hung his body out of the empire’s gates to ward off anyone else from trying the same thing,” Naala said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Goron quickly answered. “His name was Gual Haelstrom. With a bounty of 20 Million, he wasn’t a well-known man. It’s why Hæňgaram was so insulted that such a no-name pirate could pierce through them as he had. He also went by another name…”

“The Son of Shadows,” I finished as everyone looked at me.

Aye, I knew the bastard or at least the small tales of him. As Goron said, the bastard wasn’t a well-known pirate. Most wouldn’t even call him a pirate because he hardly ever sailed, and hardly ever amassed anything resembling a crew. Nevertheless, he was an exceptional thief. He’d stolen from many underground organizations, kings, emperors, and any in-between. The only reason people even knew of him was because he left a marker by which to identify himself. A joker’s card with his name written on it.

Few liked to ponder if his stash was hidden somewhere on D’orn. Not even I’d found it. Hell, I started to wonder if it was real myself. Should one sail as a pirate for a great deal of their life, they shall hear tales of Gual, for he had done what so many of us could not, crack the walls of Hæňgaram. No one knew how the fucker did it, but many liked to state that he’d learned and studied under a powerful shadow mage, thus granting him his moniker.

“Watch the sun in the east, for Gual shall come for you in the west. It’s been over 300 years since a pirate’s managed to get in. Aye, mages and Liara have successfully done it, but definitely not a pirate,” I said while Naala grinned.

“So we’re making history then!” she exclaimed while Ellen snorted.

Ben Esra telefonda seni bosaltmami ister misin?
Telefon Numaram: 00237 8000 92 32