Bookworld Online: Marsh Man

Bokuboy

The other ship was prepared by suppertime and we slowly left the harbour behind. A lot more slaves than I assumed had stayed behind, as if they thought ship life wouldn't be good for them. Little did they realize that it would be better than anything they could have back where they used to be slaves. The crew tried to tell them and they wouldn't believe it.

We gained a few of the more prolific slaves that decided to make a life for themselves wherever we ended up and a lot of slaves that just wanted to be away from the horrors they had experienced. Well, perceived horrors. None of them had gone through what I had, not even the excessive whipping by the slave trainer. Most accepted their new fate after only a whip or two.

I didn't hold it against them, since none of them were me. Like I had told Vanessa, anyone else but me would have given up years ago and died.

We set sail and I assumed that it would take the same amount of time as the ship that had brought me to the new land. I couldn't have been more wrong. None of the people I had access to had ever sailed that way before and our supposed two week trip ended up taking a month.

The crews and passengers of both ships were grateful for my protection enchantments, because we met a plethora of sea monsters along the way. We were lucky that only one or two were strong enough to fight the pain and approached the ships, because the ones that did were the leviathans that Jensen had warned us about. The cannons and Heavy Kracken Tubes took care of them eventually and we only lost three days to repairs.

The worst part about it was that we couldn't use all of that meat. I tried several tricks and I couldn't get the meat to be edible, not even for just the magic users or myself. So, we fed it to the water beasts that kept following us. They didn't complain about the free food and even seemed to like it.

When we reached what I thought was familiar waters, I felt something in the pit of my stomach. I had no idea what it meant, because I was eating well and was as healthy as I could be with a mangled back and fingers and toes missing. I felt a hand on my arm and turned my head to look at Gella, my sworn sword.

“You're nervous.” Gella whispered.

“What's nervous mean?” I asked.

Gella blinked her eyes at me several times, then sighed. “I guess you wouldn't have felt it after what you've been through.” She said and explained that normal people become almost scared at the prospects of what they were going to encounter.

“I'm not scared.” I said.

“No, you aren't up here.” Gella said and tapped my temple. “You are here.” She moved down and tapped my heart. “Your body is reacting to a false fear that what you are expecting won't be there.”

“I don't understand.” I said.

“You will.” Gella whispered. “If what you want is there, you'll feel relief and that fake fear will fade. If it's not, that fake fear might become sadness or anger.”

I opened my mouth to respond when Jensen's voice called out from the crow's nest.

“Sir! We're being approached by a Gulf Kingdom's scout clipper!” Jensen shouted and pointed.

“All stop!” I shouted and the crew prepared for my order. They knew I could stop the ship instantly and made sure to secure everything in case I had to. I glanced at Farra. “Let the other ship know to slow down.”

Farra nodded and ran to the back of the rear deck and held a hand up to shoot off a series of small fireballs. It was a specific sequence that told the other ship to pull sail and to let the ship drift. They were far enough behind us, on purpose, to escape if the Gulf Kingdom became hostile. We were pirates, after all.

I eased the ship to a slow stop and then lowered it down into the water. If the clipper ship became hostile, the cannons would make short work of them. I walked over to the side of the ship and turned it slightly to bring the hidden cannons onto the target faster. I didn't do it all at once and pretended that the ship was drifting slowly in the waves.

We all waited silently as the clipper ship grew from the small thing it had been in the distance, then we saw the sails be pulled up. Since it was a fast ship, they did it much earlier than they normally would. The ship also turned across the back of our ship and then turned out to bring its own meagre cannons to bear from its broadside.

The crew of my ship chuckled at the shocked looks on the clipper ship crew's faces as they came close enough to realize the size of our ship and that it was populated by albino slaves. The clipper came to a stop, several hundred feet away and everyone stared at each other across the distance.

I used the amplify spell on myself and waved. “Ho, the Gulf Kingdom clipper ship! We seek entry and escort for rescued slaves!”

The crew of the clipper jerked as if slapped and they started talking furiously. One of them disappeared and went inside the ship. I was using my vigilance technique constantly again, now that I was feeling more like myself, and my eyes widened as a woman I recognized stepped out onto the clipper ship's deck. She wore an actual Gulf Kingdom's uniform and not the costume I did.

“Good day, Lady Ming.” I said and bowed to her with a regal bow that was solely for the royal family. She wasn't a member; but, she would recognize the gesture. I thought I heard her curse loudly and ignored it. “It's been a long time since last we met on Tori's ingredient trip.”

The little woman's figure seemed to stop around on the deck and I definitely heard her curing. She started barking orders at the crew and they started moving around quickly.

“Please hold.” I said and they all stopped and looked at me. “Instead of risking your ship, which I know you do not want to do, I can come over to you. We have boats for that.” I waved at the crew and one of the assault boats was loaded onto the pulleys and lowered into the water. With the ship so low, it didn't have far to go.

Lady Ming looked conflicted and talked to several of the men. She nodded and turned to me to give the signals for two men and myself, and no weapons were allowed. I made the signs for agreement and that I would be over promptly. She looked surprised and the men around her laughed at my ridiculousness.

I ended the amplify spell and looked at the women beside me as I handed my sword to Hanna. “Gella, Farra. You're with me.”

Both women smiled and nodded at me before Gella gave Hanna her sword and we walked over to the side of the ship. We hopped over the railing and dropped down ten feet to land in the boat. It didn't shake at all and the looks of shock on the clipper ship's crew were almost funny, until we sat down and I used the movement enchantments to launch the boat out like a cannonball straight towards them.

Some of the men screamed in fright and Lady Ming looked cross. She didn't like that I was approaching exactly like I told her, promptly.

I brought us to a stop ten feet away and looked up at her angry face. “Permission to come aboard?”

Lady Ming looked at the Kracken Tubes on my assault boat. “I think you're close enough as you are.”

“They're not loaded.” I said and put my hand inside one of the tubes to prove it and then turned it to show her that it was empty. “I assumed that I wouldn't be needing them.” I looked into her eyes. “I won't, will I?”

Lady Ming looked like she was going to tell me that I did. “You're supposed to be dead.”

“Anyone who knew me would know I wouldn't let that stop me from coming back.” I said and her angry look changed to surprise.

“You've died before.” Lady Ming whispered.

“Several times.” I said and the two women with me nodded.

“That... witch... tore out your heart.” Lady Ming said.

She must have heard that from someone that was there. I thought and held my hands up in surrender, then slowly pulled open my uniform coat and shirt.

“By the Son's Light!” One of the crewmen gasped at the mangled skin over my heart.

Lady Ming looked sick. “You... you're really you.”

“I always have been.” I said and quickly buttoned my shirt up. I've had a lot of practice with only two fingers on each hand and a thumb.

“Do you realize how long...”

“About six months.” I said and she nodded. “I came back as soon as I could.”

“How?” She asked and looked at the frigate I had come from. “I can see that you were made a slave...”

“It doesn't matter.” I said. “Will you escort me back into friendly waters?”

Lady Ming sighed. “Mister Drake...”

“Lord Drake.” I corrected.

She gave me a brief glare. “I can't abandon my post. The Gulf Kingdom and the Eastern Empire are at war and...”

“I know. I was there when it started.” I said and pointed back at my ship. “I've also destroyed eighteen navy ships of all sizes, six pirate ships, thirty two Eastern Empire merchant ships, and burned their main shipping port to the ground and freed all of the slaves there. Hundreds of them.”

Lady Ming stared at me with her mouth open, clearly shocked.

“Would you like a tour of my ship, The Frigging Frigate?” I asked and bowed slightly as I waved at it.

“You want to take me over in that?” Lady Ming asked and looked at the assault boat warily.

“No, we can tow you over.” I said and looked at the man beside her. “Give me the front guide rope.”

“Captain?” He asked the woman beside him.

Lady Ming nodded and gave me an odd look. I smiled at her and moved my boat around and caught the rope thrown from the front of her clipper. I made a show of tying the rope onto the back of my boat while Farra attached a weight enchantment to the bow of the clipper. When she nodded to me, I moved the boat out to remove the slack from the guide rope.

“Brace yourselves. I'll bring you up alongside.” I said and the crew scrambled to grab onto something. I activated the weight enchantment on the clipper and then used the movement enchantment on my boat to pull the much larger ship as if it was just a barge.

“Someone get on the rudder and keep us stable!” Lady Ming spat and the wobbling ship straightened out a moment later.

I pulled them in a wide arc and then slowed us down to make sure I didn't ram the clipper into my ship. Not that it would hurt it, just because it would unnecessarily shake the people on my ship. When we came close enough, boarding hooks were deployed and grabbed onto the clipper.

“HEY!” Lady Ming yelled.

“It's all right. Any damage is easily fixed. You have my word.” I said and untied the guide rope to toss back onto the clipper. I tied on the pulley ropes to the assault boat and we were pulled up onto the deck.

“What kind of ship is this?” One of the clipper crew asked. He looked nervous, now that I knew what it meant.

“It's my ship.” I said and Hanna handed me my sword back. “Heavily modified and reinforced with eight cannons on each broadside with two more at the bow and two more at the stern.” I said. “Below deck.”

The crewmen stared with wide eyes and Lady Ming looked like she didn't want to step onto my ship.

“Do you have a mage onboard?” I asked and she shook her head. “How do you send messages?”

“We go back to the closest port.” Lady Ming said, as if reluctant to admit it.

“They still underestimate you, even in a time of war?” I asked and she nodded. “I assume you're the only ship out this far.”

Lady Ming nodded again. “There have been raids on both sides, damaging infrastructure and ship building capabilities.”

“They can't spare anyone else for an early warning that they may never get.” I said and she sighed. “If the Eastern Empire catch you out here alone, you won't survive.”

Lady Ming scowled. “You think I don't know that my clipper is out-classed?”

“I meant you personally.” I said and her eyes widened. “They don't treat captured women well.”

Gella, Farra, and Hanna shook their heads several times.

Lady Ming's face paled.

“Yes, exactly.” I said and held my arm out to her in the escort pose. “I invite you and your men onto my ship. Guest rules apply. Anyone caught harming my people or stealing, will be dealt with appropriately.”

“I punish my crew.” Lady Ming said as her hand hesitated from accepting my arm.

“You don't value my things or my people like I do. You are not a fair judge if they commit a crime that you believe isn't a crime.”

Lady Ming gave me a stern glare for a moment, then she sighed and looked at her men. “Foreign lands.”

Her crew looked startled.

“Captain, you can't think...” One of them started to say.

“This man took the first princess' arm when she robbed him. What do you think he's taught a ship full of freed slaves?” Lady Ming asked and the men all looked sick. “Keep your hands to yourselves or lose them.”

I beamed a smile at her and it was her turn to look startled. “My lady, the Heavy Kracken Tubes await your inspection.”

“Y-yes, of course.” Lady Ming said and took my arm and intertwined hers with it. “Why are you so much taller?”

“The Hag took my toes.” I said and she looked down at my feet, only to gasp. “It's much easier to walk like this.”

“You're wearing women's boots.” Lady Ming whispered as I walked almost exactly like her and led her across the deck to the closest heavy weapon. “How... how can you...” She shook her head. “What am I even asking?”

I chuckled at her confused look, because I knew she liked women and not men. I must be a vexing thing for her with my current behaviour and walking style. My boots are nicer than hers, too. I pat the thick tube in front of us. “As you can see, no miniature catapult is needed. It also launches full logs.”

Lady Ming ignored it and looked up at me. “Why are you wearing that ridiculous uniform?”

“To make the crew laugh and to show the Eastern Empire who was wrecking their things.” I said and she looked surprised. “What better way to make them nervous than to show up in a huge ship that they assume is the Gulf Kingdom's?”

Lady Ming couldn't stop her smile. “You were hiding in plain sight.”

I smiled back. “If they knew I was a slave, they wouldn't have reacted like they did. Most only saw the uniform and didn't bother looking at my face.” I waved at the crew around us. “They also saw how many slaves I had.”

Lady Ming caught her breath. “By the Son's Light, their own belief system helped you defeat them.”

“Yes, the more slaves, the higher my influence. With a ship full of them listening to my orders, I was almost a lord in their eyes and I don't even own any land there.”

Lady Ming laughed. “I can't wait to get back to port to report this.”

“Does that mean I get my escort for myself and another ship of slaves?”

“You have another ship?!?” Lady Ming asked, surprised.

I turned and pointed to show her. In the distance was a large ship just floating there.

“I didn't even notice.” Lady Ming whispered.

“Well, I was putting on a good show for you.”

Her arm tightened on mine. “I suppose you did. And succeeded.”

I nodded. “Shall I show you the dining room next? It's almost time for lunch.”

“I think that would be fine, Lord Drake. Just fine.” Lady Ming said and I took her down into the ship.