Chapter 6 Avast

Morgan words were fueled by a need to strip the room of all pretence, “Seriously Castain, you can’t expect me to believe that B S story.” Sha was gripping his hilt tightly enough to make his anger evident, she offered him sound advice, “I wouldn’t Sha, this one’s good, better than you.” Her counterpart was visibly stung by the words, yet she spared no time for the stroking of ego’s, instead choosing to seek the safety of her desk. Castain was an enigma of the most dangerous kind, she thought of him as more of a spy master, than a pirate. Choosing her words carefully, she spoke as openly as the situation allowed, “Explain yourself Castain, I do not have time for your normal allusions. I leave on the morning tide.” Castain sat, the casual action unsurprising, Morgan had never seen him act like a pirate, why would their current situation be any different.

“I don’t tell tales, Morgan.” Castain’s reprimand leaving her in silence, feeling tense, she gripped the side of her chair, his next words not helping. “Yes, I know your real name and to answer your question I keep a man posted at those cliffs for just that reason. It was my men and I that stopped them before they got to your precious cargo.”

“Wh.., who are you?” Morgan spluttered in disbelief.

There was regret in Castain’s guarded reply, “That is not important right now. I’m just a friend, trying to fix what is broken. The black cloaks are familiar to me, so I know they won’t stop coming until we are all dead or they have completed their mission, that’s why I leave as soon as I reach my ship.”

Morgan’s instincts advised her to trust the man before her, she should have demanded an answer—yet found herself asking, “Where will you go?”

Castain measured her with a level gaze, before responding, “I have a long voyage ahead of me. I’m headed to the city of Astrom in Sirillia to glen more information, and you?”

“My heading is Bastien. I will find out who is responsible for all this.” Morgan walked out from behind her desk to shake Castain’s out-stretched hand, offering friendly advice as she did so, “Be careful, when I see you again, I expect some real answers, and for that you will need to be alive.”

Castain seemed to drink in the sight of her, his response wistful, “I hope to see you again as well Morgan.” He left her with the feeling that for some reason the interaction had ended much too soon.

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Blinded by his anger, Sha fired out thoughtless words, “What just happened? How could you just let that man leave? Oh, and he was way too forward with you. I mean, that look that he gave you.” A sharp stinging sensation was delivered to his cheek in the form of a slap, anger replaced by surprise. Morgan had stepped in front of him to execute the harsh action, he felt like the scorned child, even though he looked downwards at her.

“Look at me,” Morgan demanded, he reciprocated, the meeting of her gaze like ice cold water to the face.  Scolded, he stayed silent waiting for her to speak. Thankfully, before long he was gifted with soothing words, “I trust that man because although I have not been able to prove it, he has saved my life at least twice that I can count. I have a gut feel for these things, and if you are saying I can’t trust him, then I can’t trust you.” Morgan had done it again, disarmed him completely. Sha had never thought he would miss the typical but unnecessary complications of the woman from home.

His hand reached out to connect with her shoulder, his careless words driving the instinctual act, a heartfelt apology further locking them together, “Sorry, you are right. I should trust your judgement, but I just don’t trust a man with a pretty face.” Morgan’s laugh left him floating on a cloud of uplifting emotions. Caught in the moment he was taken by surprise when she breached the remaining divide. He quickly got the point, joining his lips with hers, one hand moving to the back of her neck, the other finding a home at the centre of her back. Intoxicated by closeness, it would have been nice to stay in that moment forever, that is when a loud knock at the door ended the fun.

“If you aren’t too busy in there?” A voice announced, the sound of laughter advertising the undeniable fact that all of Morgan’s friends were once again at her door.

 “You’ve got to be kidding me,” He grumbled, the embrace ending as they rushed to compose themselves.

 “Come in, guys.” Morgan announced, her smile still connecting them with its affecting nature.

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Morgan was staring into the distance, musing about a particularly choppy day, after a typical whisky-fuelled debate with her crew it had been agreed that they follow their only solid lead and set sail for Bastien. After further discussion her crew had left her, their intent to play a few rounds of Captain’s Bastard and drank to Pete’s memory. Quill poised over paper she was carried out of her musings by one of Piper’s typically energetic entrances, “So, how was it, did your toes tingle?” The child’s comment was coupled with a mischievous grin.

“Child, if you were older or a crew member, I would take you to task,” she replied, only half joking.

Piper shrugged, perched her bottom upon the desk, then proceeded to swing her legs back and forth, “But seriously, it’s about time you thought of someone other than everyone else on this ship!”

Laughing, Morgan feigned clipping her charge behind the ear before delivering a reminder, “Get to bed, you will need your sleep if you are going to have to put up with Rena without me for another month.” Leaning forward, Morgan kissed the top of the child’s forehead. Panic arrived; her hands responded by surrounding the child in an unwavering hug. Ignoring Piper’s grumbles, she held on for as long as she dared, her words displaying the adoration that she was feeling, “Love you little one, now get to bed. We will see each other again I promise, everything will be fine.” Frowning, Piper stuck out her tongue before moving to leave, nearly walking into Sha on her way out the door. The child turning back just before exit to impart a knowingly mischievous grin.

Sha coupled the shutting of her door with an unusually serious façade, “Ah, you look busy.” He announced, as he took in the piles of paperwork upon her desk. Morgan inwardly admitted to herself that the man standing before her brought an undeniably uplifting presence.

She smiled, “I am, but my doors never really closed, what did you need.”

“I just needed to explain something to you.”

“Go ahead,” she said, eyebrow raised. Morgan knew enough about Sha to know that it was unlike him to be so grave.

She waited in calm, allowing him to find the right words, “Ah, about my outburst earlier. I left Bastien because of the Black Cloaks; the disagreement with a high-rank official that I mentioned, was about them. I’m sorry if I was out of line.”

Morgan had been expecting an explanation, yet she was pleasantly surprised that Sha was reaching out so soon, “It’s quite alright. I figured as much.” She looked at him intently, hoping her eyes displayed the depth of her desire, “I’m sorry, Sha. I would truly like to speak to you more, but I have so much work to do before this ship leaves tomorrow.” An unrestrained sigh escaped.

It would have been so easy to just spend time discovering layers. To ignore the burdensome weight of duty, Thankfully, Sha understood, “How can I help?”

 “Thank you, could you go and get Aroon for me?” She asked.

Sha left after a firm nod, his absence felt, but pressing matters were at hand. It took a few minutes for Aroon to stroll in, a frown upon his weather-worn face. He was a good sailor, actually her best. Even though Aroon was one of Rorg’s original crew, he had proven himself countless times. “I was winning two rounds of Captain’s Bastard,” he announced grumpily.

“You aren’t going to like this news either.”

Aroon was clever, so he knew what Morgan needed, “Shit, Captain, you know I don’t like being left on dry land.”

She opened her desk drawer and took out a large bag of gold, “I need your help, I need protection for those left behind. Plus, I have a little side mission for you.”

 “Out with it,” Aroon replied, frown not so pronounced, “So I know what you have signed me up for. Judging by the size of that bag, it involves a lot of work.”

Morgan took a deliberate breath before responding, “I need you to train the townspeople to fight and be the best sailors that Mierma has ever seen, we need to protect them. Take two crew members, buy the empty shipping yards and warehouses on the western side of the inlet, start with combat and seamanship then go on to ship building, and so on.” Pausing to ensure that she had Aroon’s full attention, she continued, “I need to train good but trustworthy sailors.” The look on Aroon’s face said it all, “I wish you were coming with us as well, but I can’t assign this task to anyone else.” Instead of replying, Aroon picked up the gold and walked towards the exit, mumbling under his breath as he did so. “Can you please grab Rena for me?” She called, before he could step over the threshold. Aroon grunted in affirmation before leaving her for an unforeseen amount of time. Morgan sighed, her thoughts cumbersome, “Am I following the ideals of duty, loyalty and honour or am I just aimlessly striving to keep everyone alive.”

The scowl upon Rena’s face as she entered the office was chased away by Morgan’s words, “I have a business proposal for you, take it or leave it. You can have two hundred gold coins to rebuild the Bosom. Spend it how you like, but only if you turn it into an inn, not a brothel. Before you complain remember that this may not be the life you choose, but it’s all that you have.”

Rena’s eyes started darting, her words panicked, “Only two hundred, I would need to extend and update the taproom, not to mention upgrade and add existing rooms.”

“Three hundred—take it or leave it!”

“I accept,” Rena blurted, throwing out her words as if she was fearful that Morgan might change her mind.

Pushing a contract and a bag of coins pre-counted to 300 across the desk, Morgan ignored Rena’s clear surprise at the premeditation of her act. She waited for Rena to sign before moving from business to personal matters, “Please look after her for me will you, don’t let her push you around too much.”

Rena replied in her usually dismissive style, “Honestly Morgan, anyone would think that you are going to die. Piper will be fine as always.”

Try as she might, she was unable to keep emotion from her voice, “I’m sorry about Pete. I loved him as well.” Rena broke into a fit of sobbing, rushing over to cling to Morgan’s shoulder, quickly leaving an impressive mark from tears and snot. Rena’s outburst released a trickle of emotion, it, like everything else was controlled, pushed out of her thoughts. One day there would be a time and a place to let go.