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Salt and Blood - Chapter 42
🕑 Added 2024-10-13 12:24:30 +0000 UTC<< Chapter 41 | Table of Contents | Chapter 43 >>
1.42 - Every Crew Needs a Name
Having a forgettable name or a poorly drawn flag is the easiest way to become a laughing stock. Every pirate worth their salt can be recognised in an instant. Any sailor who sees their flag should be struck with terror; any admiral spotting their ship should feel his heart fill with fury.
-Excerpt from ‘The Pirate’s Code’ by Castell Saltbeard
Rose struggled to come up with an answer. It wasn’t for lack of ambition. When she ran away from Fairwater Bay and stole that little fishing boat, her mind had been bursting with possibilities.
Seeing the realities of a life at sea had tempered her ambition, though only a little. She wanted to explore the world, to see its wonders. Even the more mundane marvels like the moving platforms at Eastfel Bay had been magical to her.
“I want to discover what it means to be a pirate,” she declared.
What she truly wanted was far greater than that. Rose wanted to see every corner of the seas, explore more convergences, and discover treasure beyond her wildest dreams.
At her core though, she had left home to seek something more than a simple life. To discover who Rose Everblue truly was—if her desires were childish dreams borne of bedtime stories, or true ambition.
“As good an answer as any,” replied Nasar with a satisfied smile. “I know you, old friend. For the girl’s benefit, speak your dreams out loud.”
“My goal? Seduce a maiden on every continent of the world,” he said without a hint of laughter on his face.
Nasar smacked him on the back of the head and shot him a fierce glare. “Don’t take this lightly. There is true importance behind a name. The tide is always listening.”
“You’re right. My apologies. That was just a lesser ambition of mine,” he said with a wink. “My goal is to free my people from their chains.”
That answer piqued her curiosity, but he seemed unwilling to expand on the simple statement. However, it told her plenty about his history; the kind of man she was setting sail with.
Nasar nodded. “A fine goal. Tide willing, you will live to see it happen. As for me, I wish to taste the nine divine ingredients and prepare the greatest dish this world has ever seen.”
“Divine ingredients? What are those?” asked Rose.
“There are legends and stories among chefs. The higher level an animal or plant is, the greater energy it contains and by extension how wonderful its flavour. The nine divine ingredients are a myth; nine ingredients rumoured to be so potent that even a single bite can cause you to glimpse at the secrets of heaven itself.”
As he spoke, Rose saw the flames of passion in the man’s eyes for the very first time. When she’d complimented his cooking he’d been pleased, but this was on a whole other level. Could I claim the same obsession with my dream?
“Three very different goals. How do we condense that into a name?” said Trent.
“Not at all. While our goals may be different, they do share a single common thread,” replied Nasar without missing a beat.
The two stared at him with interest, wondering what he had figured out. Of the three of them, the skinny chef was the most gifted with words and therefore the most qualified with such matters.
“Each of us wishes to become a pioneer; to reach the pinnacle of our respective fields. Or, to achieve a feat beyond common belief,” he stated as they nodded along. “The Ascendant Pirates. To triumph over that which stands in the way of our ambitions.”
He had foreseen her questions. Rose’s eyes widened at the name. It was more than fitting—it encapsulated everything they stood for.
Trent nodded sagely, the man never displaying too much emotion. “Ascendant Pirates it is,” he agreed, pulling a dagger from his belt.
Having said that, he cut his palm and let the blood trickle freely before passing the blade to Nasar. The chef did the same and then turned the handle to Rose, who baulked.
“Why are we cutting ourselves?”
“Old pirate’s ritual. To initiate a new crew, the members should bind each other by blood on the open sea,” he explained. Then, seeing her grimace he added, “It brings good fortune.”
Despite her reservations Rose wouldn’t refuse. This ritual seemed to carry a great deal of weight in the two men’s minds and thus far, fate had seemed to smile on her.
She nicked her palm and returned the dagger to Trent. He took it with a smile and then the three of them held their hands out, grasping the others in a three-way handshake.
“To calm weather, rich treasure, and a life on the open seas. It’s a pirate’s life for me,” Trent recited.
Nasar repeated the mantra, utter seriousness and dedication on his face. Rose hadn’t heard the phrase before, even with all the pirate stories she’d read. Yet with how firmly her two crewmates declared it she knew this wasn’t a moment to take lightly.
Rose prepared to repeat it herself, when a nearby barrel burst open and the lid flew over the side of the ship into the ocean below. Trent drew his pistol and a chef’s knife appeared in Nasar’s hand.
Seconds later a familiar figure sprung from the barrel like a jack-in-the-box. The weapons were put away as the boy held his hands up in surrender, a grin plastered on his face.
“You can’t be thinking of setting sail without me, can you?” Felix chuckled nervously.
“What are you doing?” laughed Trent. “Are you addicted to being a stowaway, boy?”
Caught in the act, Felix looked guilty but could only shrug his shoulders and step out of the barrel. “Sorry about the lid, but I couldn’t let you finish… Whatever this is without me. It felt wrong.”
“Well, I suppose if you truly want to join us then it is only right to include you in the blood bond,” said Trent, turning a heavy gaze on the youth.
Felix skipped towards the trio and held out his hand, accepting the dagger from Nasar. Right as he was about to cut his palm, Trent grabbed his wrist and Rose felt the air itself recoil from the pirate.
“But,” he warned. “This is no joke or half measure. Unlike our last voyage, this is the birth of a true pirate crew. Once you accept this bond, it is a heavy oath to break. Do not take it lightly.”
His face paled as Trent released his wrist, but Rose saw his knuckles whiten as he tightened his grip on the dagger and sliced his hand open with a little too much vigour. Despite the flowing blood there was no reservation on his face as he passed the blade back.
Joining his hand with theirs, the crew had grown in its first moments. For good measure, the two men repeated the mantra. Felix hesitated briefly, staring at the sky with a somewhat apologetic look in his eyes before doing the same.
Rose’s eyes circled around the group. It had only been a few short weeks but she’d already had enough adventures to last most people a lifetime. For her however, it was far from enough. “To calm weather, rich treasure, and a life on the open seas. It’s a pirate’s life for me,” she declared.
As the newly baptised Ascendant Pirates shook their hands the tide murmured. The winds of fate had changed course that day. Rose swore she felt the energy within her roiling briefly, settling in that same spot in her navel as it had during the binding.
“What was that?” she muttered to herself.
“You felt it too, Rose?” said Trent. “The tide has blessed this day. I sense good fortune in our future.”
“So, Captain. Where are we headed?” asked Nasar.
“To Zoria. We have another old friend to collect in Clissolt. I don’t imagine she’ll be too pleased to see us, but I’d never forgive myself if we set sail without trying.”
“Zoria?” exclaimed Felix. “Isn’t that dangerous for pirates?”
The boy had leapt forth and slipped from Nasar’s hands as the man attempted to bandage the zealous cut he’d given himself. After a cuff on the temple he muttered an apology, but still had an expectant look on his face as he stared at Trent.
“Where isn’t dangerous for a pirate?” chuckled Trent. “Now, get to work you lazy gits. Adjust the mainsail and prepare for our new heading.”
Rose felt that his statement was more philosophical than it seemed at first glance. There perhaps was no place in this world—or at least the Bluestone Sea—where a pirate was truly safe. Yet, was there anywhere more secure than in the middle of the ocean? Truly, it was freedom.
“Wait!” she exclaimed, causing the rest of the crew to stop and stare at her. “What about the flag?”
“Ha, you’re right. We forgot. I blame your little friend,” said Trent.
Felix shot him a glare but it was just as half-hearted as the captain’s joke.
“I don’t think the blue antlers fits us anymore. They don’t resonate with our name. I have a much better idea,” she said. “What about a rising sun?”
Nasar beamed. “I’ll make a poet of you yet, dear girl.”
Trent nodded and rested his chin in the crook of his fingers, mulling it over. After a few seconds of deliberation he nodded once more. “I like it!” he declared. “The rising sun it is.”
She smiled. Everything had been decided and it was time to begin their voyage in earnest. Not only was she a real pirate, but she was part of a proper crew. I forgot to write that letter to my parents.
All in good time. Perhaps they had moved on already, but she would write when the moment struck. The others started moving around the deck to adjust their course.
Before moving to assist, Rose had a look at her status. It had been a while since she last checked it and there seemed to be new entries that she’d missed somehow.
Name: Rose Everblue
Race: Human
Occupation: Apprentice Scholar 9
Title: Apprentice
Available Titles: Murderer, Apprentice
Bound Items: Sunsplitter 51
Skills: Cleaning 11, Reading 11, Fishing 14, Swimming 8, Writing 13, Butchery 6, Cooking 6, Herding 2, Focus 14, Drawing 11, Sailing 14, One Handed Weapons 5, Blades 7, Pistols 9, Firearms 5, Unarmed Combat 2, Endurance 5, Precision 5, Arcane Attunement 2, Light Attunement 4, Stealth 4, Athletics 7, Toxin Resistance 2, Appraisal 1
Traits: Sensitive Line, Deft Hand, Good as New, Tunnel Vision, Endless Inkwell, Quick Consumption, Knot my Problem
She knew where Appraisal had come from and the section for bound items made sense. However, Toxin Resistance was a mystery—along with an extra level in Unarmed Combat and Endurance. Thinking back, there was only one answer.
Rum.
If one night of drinking had given her four skill levels, it looked as though she would be spending a lot of time at sea in the embrace of that stormy mistress.
As Trent yelled at her to get moving, Rose giggled. The next adventure awaited and she was eager to see another corner of the world.
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