By: Bryant R. Haake, Honors College, Presidential Honors Student, English Major
“Land ho, Captain!” Deighly shouted over the sound of crashing waves and wild winds.
“You shouted that an hour ago, Odin!” Bandy yelled up, laughing as he steered them into port. Deighly grinned.
“I know, but all of you two-eyes are so bad at seeing, I figured you would’ve lost sight of it now!”
The crew erupted in laughter. Cassandra joined them despite not being in on the joke. Heilyn was glad to hear her laugh considering it was Deighly telling the joke, and he’d been the one to knock her out the previous day. It seemed their relationship was fine, though.
The whole crew worked as the land came closer. The Owl Den was set on the opposite side of an island with a large city in the middle, though it took a few days of inland travel to get there. The whole place was meant to be a sort of conjoining area for pirates and privateers, run by a particularly powerful sigilurgist named Domin. Heilyn didn’t know much about magic, and sigilurgy was merely a name to him, but Vexx had always made sure the crew was on their best behaviour when they visited the Owl Den, due largely in part to Domin’s patronage.
The Den itself was a large cave that could be sailed into. The mouth of the cave was wide and smooth near the bottom, washed clean by the sea. The water was deep but remained clear despite the constant movement of ships. None of that movement was able to disturb the deepest waters, making the actual scenery look much shallower than anyone could guess.
The top of the cave was also new enough for there to be no stalactites; either that, or there had been work done to keep it smoothed down. That was the most likely scenario, because there were also added supports to ensure the protection of the cave. Two banners guarded the entrance, heads of owls on the bodies of lions, equalling a powerful, watchful predator. If such a beast existed, it must’ve been landlocked, and Heilyn hoped to never see it.
Bandy pulled them through the ample-sized cave mouth and into the cave proper. It was a winding journey that they had to do without sails, but that was one of the cave’s benefits. One side of the cave had a current running to the Den, while the other had one leading out. Either way, Heilyn was glad to finally be out of that terrible wind.
After a few minutes, they cut one final corner, and the Owl Den opened up before them. True to its name, owls of all kinds flew all around, each one carrying some small item or another in its talons. Some had rolls of paper, small packages, or treats for doing a job well done. That was the mailing system around town. It was mainly used by the permanent residents, but the docks also used them to send messages to incoming pirates who had just docked. Usually they were from pirates who had been or were still in town and wanted to get ahold of a specific crew.
The town itself was mostly made of floating buildings attached to platforms. Ropes extended to the bottom of the water or, more often, to the system of metal beams running out of the small rocky hill in the middle of the whole underground lake. There was no sunlight; instead, floating lanterns were kept lit by the townsfolk. There were some who even took it as an occupation, making it their job to keep the Den lit up. They’d hop on their dinghies with a small vial of fuel and some matches and float around for a few hours a day, refueling and lighting any lanterns which had gone out.
The dock itself was attached to the rocky island through its own separate system of metal beams, ensuring the large ships wouldn’t dislodge any important infrastructure. There were currently over a dozen ships docked, all of which Heilyn either didn’t recognize or only recognized from reputation or bounties. That was the other thing about the town. The pirates weren’t allowed to cause any trouble for the privateers by getting back at them for betrayal or taking down a friendly crew, but the privateers also weren’t allowed to ask for information or hunt bounties. Some of it still happened, but it was lessened greatly by Domin’s intervention as town herald, mayor, warden, and barkeep. Afterall, you don’t mess with the guy pouring the whole town’s drinks.
Bandy made quick work of the docking process, throwing anchor a few feet before their stop. They were near the back of the current lot, though there were still about a dozen spots still open behind them. Heilyn took the opportunity to do one last check over the crew, making sure each knew what they were there for and how to handle themselves.
It was to be a two day trip, arriving on the first and leaving the next. The only crew members allowed to leave the ship were those who Heilyn or Deighly decided were integral to the task. That meant themselves, Hacksmith for building materials, and Soos for food. Most normal chores would cease, and a deep clean would begin. Someone was to stay with Cassandra at all times since they still didn’t know who all was after her, nor what they would do—or what laws they would break—to get to her. The four men going into town would also stay in groups of two. Word traveled fast, and they couldn’t risk someone catching wind that they were harboring a potentially expensive mark.
Heilyn chose Soos to go with him, and Hacksmith to go with Deighly, since that meant both men in either group would have a brawler and a marksman. Heilyn’s first line of business was to go to the owl house.
“I swear I won’t admit it to her or anyone but you and Deighly,” Heilyn explained to Soos as they walked, “but some of the things Cassandra showed me are eatin’ at my brain. There’s one thing in particular though. I don’t suppose you remember tying up or throwing out a young lad in green when we raided Riot’s ship, do ya Saltyboots?”
Soos scratched at his wiry beard, tapping the other hand against his sidearm. “No Cap’n, I can’t say I do, though that don’t mean much. May’ve just not been me who did it.”
“Aye, I hear ya,” Heilyn said as they stopped in front of a large red olivewood door with an owl insignia. “Even still, I’d like to try and get a word out to Jasper if I can.”
The pair walked inside and were met by a strong smell and the noise of hundreds of birds. Owls were generally quiet creatures, but when there were enough in a single room, even the scattered, random squawks and caws of individuals could rise into a cacophony.
A young man with slicked black hair sat at the front desk reading a book. Heilyn couldn’t see the cover well, but the title looked something like The Hollow Minds Book 2: A King’s Tide. He’d never been one for reading and didn’t recognize the title, but the tome was thick enough to keep even the wobbliest of tables standing on all four legs.
The man looked up as Heilyn and Soos approached. After quickly picking up a bookmark from the desk and marking his spot in the book before closing it, he leaned forward and smiled.
“Welcome, gentlemen. What can I do for you today? Checking for messages? Looking to send one? Just want to pet the birds? There’s a fee for all three, just so you know.”
“I know,” Heilyn said, tossing five carp onto the desk. “I need to send a message. How often does Captain Jasper of the Stormsailer come through here?”
The man sighed. “No one ever wants to send messages to the little guys anymore. It’s always business between captains and that whole schtick.” He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Captain Jasper doesn’t come here often, maybe once or twice a year. He’s only been captain for a couple years though, and it seems like he’s becoming a little more frequent. Got a message for me to hold onto?”
Heilyn held out a rolled sheet of paper for the man. He took it and, after glancing through it—that was one of the caveats of using the system, and another way to make sure privateers weren’t asking around for bounties—took a sealing stamp and held it over the letter.
“May I ask why you’re wondering about a man in green? Sounds like you’re looking for a bounty.”
“I’ve got no interest in bringing him in if he’s got a bounty,” Heilyn admitted. “We raided his captain’s ship this past week, and after some… expert information, I’m merely wondering who he is. He seems like he should be the son of a more famous captain, so it’s strange to me that he wouldn’t be with his father.”
The black-haired man nodded and finally brought the seal down on the letter. He grinned at Heilyn, getting up and putting the letter into a cubby on the wall.
“Come back in a few weeks,” the man said as he sat back down, “and I’ll let you know if Captain Jasper’s come back through here. I believe it’s been a while since his last visit, so he might be due for some communal chit-chat and such. Is that all?”
Heilyn finished his interactions and he and Soos left for their next stop. Due to the crew having left the safety of the Company, now likely being hunted by both pirates and privateers, Heilyn thought it was likely they would need almost twice as much food as they’d normally buy. Soos was glad to hear it, because it meant he got to do one of his favorite tasks: spice shopping.
Since most kinds of food didn’t keep well on the sea, Soos had developed what he considered the perfect sailor’s menu back before even joining the crew. While he’d had the menu for a long time, he’d never actually had the chance to try it on a group of sailors before joining since he’d either only cooked in landlocked restaurants or for crews that were stingy with their food money.
Luckily for Soos, the day market was filled to the brim with spices, and what he couldn’t get during the day, he could get at the night market. Most of the foods he bought were fairly basic by all standards. Flour, rice, cheese, salted meats, alcohol, butter, the works. One staple he could not live without buying at least a little of each time however were truffles.
Soos had created his own method of jarring truffles. He used smaller jars, only enough for one meal for the crew each. He tended to use them more like seasonings than anything else, but there would usually be at least one full bite in each plate, or something to eat with a larger portion of the truffle. He preferred black truffles for both taste and shelf-life, but he did usually buy at least a few white truffles.
Heilyn acted as a guard of sorts while Soos shopped around. He kept one hand firmly placed on his bolo rope, and whenever someone got close enough for him to deem them a threat, he’d take one end in his other hand and fidget with it. The seas were wide, and not everyone knew about his reputation as Vexx’s first mate, nor did everyone know about Vexx. Even still, most knew not to mess with someone who so easily brandished a weapon like his. It was like a sign that said, “I’m one of the most skilled warriors you’ll ever meet; don’t test me.”
Heilyn glared at a child who got a bit too close. Good chance he was a pickpocket, maybe even hired to steal. Heilyn wouldn’t take that risk. Soos took another two hours to finish his food shopping. He’d rented a cart and horse to lead through town and kept tossing in food. Most of it he bought in full barrels or crates, or at least in jars.
As soon as Soos tossed the last of his new prospects into the cart, Heilyn began leading the way back to the ship. He let Soos ride in the back of the cart, making sure both the back and front were being watched. Deighly and Hacksmith were already back when they arrived. It was difficult to tell time in the city, but Heilyn assumed it was nearing nighttime due to how many shops he saw closing up as they were leaving. He and the crew hurriedly helped unload both Soos’ cart and the carts Hacksmith had filled with his own building materials. There were three in all, far too much to be of use just for the ship, but far too little to get much more than a start on building their own pirate den.
When they finished, Hacksmith and Deighly quickly returned the carts while Heilyn and Soos took theirs back into the night market in search of more spices. The actual foods were done, but the night market sold things the day market wouldn’t. It wasn’t necessarily illegal—they were in a den of pirates, afterall; not much was illegal—but it was more dangerous by multiple standards. More thieves, more people looking for fights, more people willing to break the law, however well-enforced Domin kept it.
Halfway through their shopping, Heilyn could feel his eyelids starting to droop. He followed Soos around a few more minutes before realizing how much they’d both slowed down.
“Saltyboots, wanna get a drink?” Heilyn asked, clamping a hand on Soos’ shoulder.
“Aye,” the man replied, “I could use one.”
Heilyn led the way to the tavern he knew, a cozy place called the Rotten Falcon Inn. they pushed their way inside and were met with the sounds of merriment. A band played upon the stage, and the dance floor was filled to the brim with all sorts of people. Old men, young men, old women, young women; even a few children danced off to the side where they couldn’t be accidentally hurt by the adults.
Around the dance floor was a semicircle of tables. The bar itself took up the entire right side of the room, and while there were plenty of waiters running between tables and delivering food and drinks, there was only one bartender.
Domin was a dark man in his middle years. His head was clean-shaven, he had a lean build, and a booklet strapped firmly to his side. A full book sat behind a glass case in the back. It was displayed in a slanted way, opened to a specific page with some sort of sigil Heilyn didn’t know the meaning of. It was like three different six-pointed stars set within each other, with smaller four-pointed stars floating around it, all encompassed in two circles.
Heilyn pulled out a stool at the bar and waved to Domin. Domin nodded and slid over a glass filled with a dark, amber liquid. Foam covered the top and quickly coated Heilyn’s upper lip as he took a sip. It was sweet like berries, but with a bitter aftertaste. Delicious.
Domin filled another for Soos and walked over, handing it directly to him. No one else was at the bar at the moment, so after a few looks around his bar, Domin looked right at Heilyn.
“Word on the waves is that your Captain’s died, Payday,” he said. “Does that make you captain now?”
Heilyn nodded. “Captain Payday is what I’m going by.”
Domin nodded. “Alright, I’ll spread the word. It’ll spread by itself if I don’t, and you know how rumors start.” He looked deeper into Heilyn, almost like he was trying to look through him, or look for something inside of him. “Vexx was a good man, Heilyn. Even back in his days as a true-blooded pirate, he still had more honor to him than most privateers that come through here these days. You’re gonna have a target on your back now that he’s gone, but if you’re really his crew, I have no doubts you’ll make your own name.”
Heilyn nodded back and took another swig, draining half his cup. The glass was warm; it was hard to come by ice without having specific systems or magic in place to make it. Heilyn knew Domin kept some on hand, but it was an extra charge, and they both knew Heilyn didn’t mind.
Heilyn didn’t actually know Domin that well. Domin was older than him, but not by much, and he kept most of whatever he had of a personal life separate from his job. He was only ever gone for a week or two out of each year, and no one had ever been confident enough to follow him, nor were they confident enough to try anything in the Den with him gone. He had a way of popping up wherever there was trouble, and no one wanted to test their mettle against his.
Heilyn drained the last of his drink. The image of Cassandra’s empty glass from the other night flashed through his mind, making him crease his brow. Strange thing to think about, but it was probably just because of the similarities in the two actions.
He asked for another drink.
Soos was taking longer to finish his glass. The liquid in his was of a darker, redder color, more like a diluted wine than ale or beer. There was also very little froth, though the rim was salted like a margarita glass.
“Salty, we need to get going I think,” Heilyn said. “We don’t want none of your spices being stolen, right?”
Soos nodded, already seeming inebriated despite his half-empty drink. He stumbled to his feet and tossed a few coins onto the counter. Domin nodded at them both and took their glasses as Heilyn quickly drained his full glass.
“I wish you luck in your crew’s privateering, Captain Payday,” Domin said.
Heilyn opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by Soos slurring, “We’s ain’t no privee-teers, ya daft slug seal. We now pirates. Thass’ what Cap’n here saids anywhosnow.”
The bar seemed to quiet down at his words, and Heilyn couldn’t tell if it was only his imagination or not. The remaining noise was hushed by his racing mind. Their anonymity was what kept them safe at the moment, and Soos may have just broken that. Why was he so stupid? He knew Soos was a lightweight, but of course he just needed a damn shot of alcohol.
Domin was just nodding along, seeming unfazed. “That’s nice, Soos. That’s real nice.”
Heilyn breathed a small sigh of relief, not yet ready to fully relax, but it seemed like Domin thought it was just Soos talking as a drunkard. The blood stopped rushing to his head, and he could tell the noise had never actually died down, either.
Just because it was your imagination doesn’t mean you didn’t mess up, Payday, he chided himself. You’ve got to get your alcohol under control.
Heilyn grabbed Soos by the shoulders and led him back outside. The older man struggled against his grasp, but Heilyn’s was firm. He picked up Soos and plopped him unceremoniously in the back of the cart, leading the horse back to the docks. A few vendors tried coming up to them, asking about whether they’d like to buy this or that, but all it took was a single glance from Heilyn and they backed off. It was only a few minutes before they were back on board.
Deighly carried Soos off to the barracks, giving Heilyn a look he couldn’t quite place. Heilyn unloaded the rest of the spices and seasonings out of the cart, setting them all on a central table in the kitchen, before returning the cart and paying for the hours they’d used it.
Heilyn finally returned to the boat for the night. Bandy was exchanging watch shifts with another crew member; Heilyn didn’t bother to stop and see who it was. Jensen maybe. Instead he headed directly to the captain’s quarters and ripped off his clothes, collapsing into the bed. He stared at the ceiling for a long while, eyes slowing beginning to close on their own. The whole time, he kept repeating to himself a single phrase.
I will go sober for my crew.
I will go sober.
I will go sober.