High Seas Hijinx

  • There I was, just mindin' me own business when I spot a skull in the sky. "Well," I says to m'self, "Time to be headin' that way." So off I sail. As I approach the fortress cannons from all over the island fire. "Their balls putting many a trails in the sky, each aimin' for me." Bwomp. Bam…Shudder. Time to turn the rudder. The I glance at the many patrons around me. Not that I ask them to gather around me. It's just been a time since I told a tale.

    "So I get m'self anchored off Old Boot Fort and begin hacking away at the denizens of the fortress. "So, there I was betting back wave after wave of skeletons. Some with kegs, those hurt but give ya the most bang for your…. Well bang." A few laughs ripple through the crowd. "Then what?" asks one of the listeners. After giving the gent, if you could call 'im that, a soft look I continue. "Not sure when the Captain will arrive, but I was long in to the battle when I hear more cannon fire." I lift my grog to my lips and take a gulp. "I ran back to me vessel and start lookin' around for the interloper." A murmurs ripple about me as I continue. "I spot it, a galleon, anchored right at the piers, tucked between two towers." Someone shouts, "Yer screwed lass." I give the pirate a laugh while slapping the table, "No, 'cause the captain an' its crew must have been sort on brains. They didn't see me, or my vessel." A laugh erupts within the tavern, "Then what did you do?" After I pause a bit a tuck on a few fingers of me gloves, "I boarded their vessel. They was doin' a right fine job of killin' them skeletons. So I gave 'em a hand." With all the fingers finally tucked neatly in to place the story continues, "You must understand, they was at full sail, and the wind…well was with me. That's for sure. I raised their anchor." "No ya didn't, y'ld be daft to do that." I laugh again, "Then I be daft, because that's what I did. They was busy worryin' about the battle within, I had the ship. I struck the island and put a tiny hole in the galleon, then jumped ship." All goes quiet in the tavern, only the crickets can be heard playing their song outside. "T'was a sight. I don't remember what happened, I think I got killed. But the Ferryman holds me a bit then sends me back to the world of the living." A bar-woman refills my grind and I give her wink and a doubloon for her troubles. "So?" Someone else asks. "So, " I continue, "Got back to my sloop and they must have figured out what was going on and attacked me with guns and swords. Right sad bit of luck on my part mind you." I look thoughtful for a moment, tapping my lips trying to recall what came next."

    "Well, by that time I was getting' worried that they might sink me good ship," I says. Another voice chimes in as another woman pushes through the tavern doors, "I was up in their bloody crows' nest watching it all." I raise my mug to the new arrival, "Come, sit. Finish the tale." "Aye, " the visitor says, "As I was saying; I was up in the crows nest, then I hear it. The finality of a ship going down.." A crusty old pirate points at the stranger, "Was it yer sloop." I laugh and waggle a finger at my guest and the other pirate, "Our sloop. No, it wasn't." The old man rubs his chin, 'Then who's?" My friend simply replies, "Theirs. The galleon sunk. That small hole made a difference." A cough and a sputter of laughter rips through the old man's mouth, "What?" Lady nods, "Aye, was the galleon. There I was hanging on to the railing for dear life and the ship begins its death roll." By now even the crickets have gone silent. Even Duke is looking aghast as the story continues to unfold. "Right. The galleon goes down. Them crewmates that was left on the island died before they could save their galleon. And some died at my hand." I nod, "That's what happened. But it gets better, continue if you would Lady." I wave a hand for the other woman to then continue. "The best part, not the galleon sinking, but that was, " then in a seductive voice she drawls out, "Good. What was really good was that they did all the work for us." Duke shouts, "No, they didn't. Did they?!" Lady laughs, "Yes, the captain was the only one left, and not without any a guard."

    Duke drops in to a nearby seat, sitting on a pirate that has it already occupied, "Right sad mess then. For them." He laughs a deep throaty laugh. "And that's not all," Lady says. I just sit quietly as my mate tells more. "Well, One of us, I don't rightly recall who, killed the captain. We unlocked the vault and …" Someone shouts, "You grabbed every-th-th-th-thing?" Lady shakes her head, "Not quite, we figured it would be best to grab one valuable item and leave the rest." Dukes eyes bulge out, "You what?" He shouts. Spittle flying everywhere. "Calm down Duke, calm down.", Tanya says aloud, "Let her continue." After Duke collects himself he waits for the rest and it finally comes. "Right, thank you Tanya." Lady lifts her mug to the tavern keep. "As we sail off, I glance to starboard and spot a galleon coming in fast. We got underway as quick as could be." Lady gestures to me to resume telling the tale. "Off we went, to Plunder Outpost." Tanya smiles cheerfully. "The galleon fired off a shot. Maybe a cannon ball, maybe a crew member. But after a few reach shots struck the vessel, wellll, it was one of their crewmates." As I swirl a finger around the lip of me mug I continue to recall, "As we approached the outpost, I grabs the one item, one of the stronghold's powder keg. Right heavy they are." I swat away something buzzing around me. "Anyway, I gives it over to the merchant. And what to do get for it?" I laugh and dramatically swirl a finger in the air, "Some gold an' a shot in the back for it." Duke's head drops to the table as he bangs it a few times against the wood. Lady glances at me, "You got shot? You didn't tell me that." I roll my eyes, "No reason to, I made it back. To you." Lady smiles fondly. Duke mumbles, "Tell me you got away." I nod, "We got away." Lady nods in agreement, "That we did. But there's more."

    Duke sits up, "More? Due tell." I laugh, "Very well." Lady reaches over to my hand and gives it a pat. "Well, you know how some shipwrecks been castin' to the skies?" Duke nods, "Yes, Reaper Chests." I nod, "Yes, Reaper Chests." "And," Duke sits back up. An inquisitive look on his face. "We picked up three of them." Duke's lips curl into a smile only a shark could love. "Oh, and did we mention that we returned to Old Boot Fort?" Lady nods as Duke looks about to have a fit. "Yes, we picked up some more treasure, the galleon's captain thought not to check the vault. It was all there. And we retrieved the good bits." Duke's face goes pale, "And?" "And," I resume. "We picked up the third Reaper Chest right after that. There we were at Smuggler's Bay and ready to pull the third chest from the water when we spot a galleon coming at us." At this time, nearly a voice is quiet not even the Mysterious Stranger speaks. "We drop sail and head off.", I say. "They give chance, and took to noticin' that there was a skull in the sky, but it vanished." I roll my shoulders and turn my head to loosen some knots in my neck. "They was getting' close, so I decided to drop a Reaper chest in the wat..' Duke jumps to his feet, "You bloody did what?!" His fists shake with rage. Lady gets to her feet and shoots daggers at Duke, "You heard her, you idiot. We dropped one in to the water." Duke stomps over to our table and puts his hands on his hips, "Even I wouldn't do that." Lady slaps the man across the face, "Shut it and sit down." Duke's eyes bulge out and he sits. Perhaps he was inspired to do so with quite a few pistols and blunderbuss' pointed at him. "The galleon stops to pick up the chest. They dropped anchor to do so, and that got us a bit further away from them." I smile, "Yes, and the wind changed direction." Lady glares at Duke then returns to her chair. "The galleon was getting close again, so we … " Duke begins breathing heavily, "You didn't …" Lady nods, "We did. We dropped another in to the water. And they stopped to pick that one up." I chuckle.

    "They resumed their chase. But I had to laugh, I was worried about the Kraken." Lady takes a sip of grog then steeples her hands together, "And Athena's graces must have fell upon us. The galleon was the chew toy for the kraken." Duke gets a wild look on his face, "So, you're saying you dropped two Reaper Chests in the water, they got the kraken and you got away?" My mate and I nod at the same time. "And you still had the treasure from the fortress?", asks Duke. Again we both nod. "And if I recall, you … " He looks thoughtful then recalls, "Aye, you did bring me a chest. And I heard you turned in a chest to the Gold Hoarders, and a few other bits of treasure." Duke laughs, "How daring! A finger to everybody in some way, I would say."

    My crew and I both glance at each other, then Lady speaks, "Let's see what else happened this very day?" She chaps her chin, "Oh, We made our way past another outpost and while going to retrieve another Reaper's Chest, and spotted a galleon and a skeleton ship near." I laugh, "Oh, I remember that. I was on the island. And the galleon dropped anchor to turn in treasure. They didn't see me." I pinch my nose to stifle a laugh, "Carefully I made my way past the galleon and edged along the shore line." I take a swig of grog and continue, "As I am about to board the skeleton ship it turns to start battle. But with whom?" Lady slaps the table, "Not with us, I was already in the Devil's Roar." I laugh as well, "The galleon crew thought the skeleton ship was after them, so they opened fire on it. Now they did it, they give the skeletons a reason to attack them." Duke begins to shake with laughter, "What next?"
    "Well, I did manage to get to the skeleton's ladder and climb. I was getting shot at by the skeletons so I climbed aboard and run across the deck and dropped down the other ladder." Duke's body continues to shudder with laughter, "How daring!" I roll my eyes, "I couldn't see the battle unfold but both ships were giving it their all." I purse my lips to stifle a chuckle. "Next thing I know I was getting' shot at. I look up and spot the skeleton captain takin' shots at me with her blunderbuss." Lady glances at me as does Duke. "What, I took a few shots to the my body. It was, Daring." Duke laughs heartily.

    "So, I finally meet the Ferryman." I sigh. Someone asks, "And what happened to the galleon?" I shrug my shoulders, "Not sure, we never went back to find out." Lady smirks, "Right, we didn't. We did manage to sink at least two galleons, one by kraken, and the other at the fortress." I yawn, "Well, I'm tired. C'mon Lady, let's turn in for the evening." Lady and I stand a toss a look to Duke, "Good evening, Duke. I hope you enjoyed that." He nods briskly, "That I did, that I did."

    The end.

  • 2
    Posts
    1.1k
    Views
  • Editor's Note -
    Forgive my errors but do enjoy the story. Or try to. I know how it feels to hit an error. To me it's like running in to a pot hole in the road. Your brain goes - What was that? and you look back and figure it out or you continue on. Anyway, enjoy!

2
Posts
1.1k
Views
1 out of 2