Pirate's Honor, page 6
"This is my cabin, which I share with my navigator, Celeste." The door swung open. "She's a—"
"Captain! Look out!" The tall elf standing beside Torius grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back while reaching for the blade at his hip. He drew the weapon, but the long rapier didn't quite clear the scabbard before his elbow met with the wall of the narrow passage.
Celeste's reaction was reflexive; she rose on her coils, flared her body wide, and hissed. Her most destructive spell leapt into her mind, but a warning flashed through her thoughts. Casting the spell in the confines of a narrow corridor could easily catch the entire ship on fire. Even as she pinched back on the spell, dismissing it, Torius grabbed the elf's wrist and bellowed a command.
"Stand down, Mister Thillion! This instant!"
"But sir! It's a ..." The elf took a step back, clearly unsure of exactly what Celeste was, and let his rapier slide back into its scabbard.
"This," Torius interjected, stepping between her and the elf, "is Celeste. She's a lunar naga, as you can see. She's also Stargazer's navigator and an invaluable member of my crew."
"A member of your crew?" The elf gaped at her, his pointed ears drooping in shock. "I'm sorry, Captain, but when you mentioned getting along with other non-human races, I assumed they would at least have legs!"
Incensed, Celeste whirled and slithered back into the cabin, away from this insulting elf and out of striking distance. She was sorely tempted to bite him, but knew Torius wouldn't approve. She whirled back to watch them with narrowed eyes.
"I'll thank you to keep a civil tongue in your head, Thillion." Torius stood before the door with his shoulders squared and his arms folded, which was never a good sign. "Celeste is not only the finest navigator I've ever met, but a star-reader as well. She's been with me for years."
"She also ssspeaks perfectly good Taldane and does not appreciate being ssspoken of as if ssshe is not here!" Or she could speak perfectly, if she could stop hissing like a snake. She bit back her anger and slithered forward again, glaring at the elf and striving to speak clearly. "Who is this?"
"Thillion is our new first mate, Celeste. He'll be taking Caliel's position."
She looked him up and down. "I hope he's more trustworthy than Caliel. He's certainly no better mannered!" Whirling a final time, she retreated into the cabin without another word.
She heard Torius sigh and tell the elf, "Well, get acquainted with the ship, Thillion. Have Grogul or Snick show you around. We're taking on fresh provisions, but should be able to make the evening tide's ebb."
"Aye, sir."
The door closed with a click and she turned back to Torius. "An interesting fellow. I wonder if you'll end up having to kill him, too."
"I sincerely hope not." He grinned at her and raised a hand to run it through her hair. "I think you already scared him half to death."
"What was I supposed to do, roll over and play dead?" She slithered away from his touch, her tail flicking against the chart table hard enough to rattle the instruments in their rack. "You've been gone all day. Did you have a nice time with your courtesan friend?"
"Vreva isn't a friend, Celeste. You know that. She's a business associate." He hung his cutlass on its peg beside his bunk and turned back to her. "I told you, you needn't be jealous of her. She's not my type." He removed his head scarf and kaftan and tossed them on the bunk.
"Your type?" Celeste had thought that she had calmed herself, but her encounter with the new first mate had agitated her again. It didn't help that she was exhausted. It was almost evening, and she hadn't slept a wink. "She's human, isn't she?"
"Yes, she's human, but she's also a prostitute. You know how I feel about that."
"And what am I, Torius? Your navigator? Your lover? Your pet?"
"Celeste!" He stared at her in shock. "You know how I feel about you!"
"Yes, Torius, I know, but does anyone else?" She slithered a tight circle, indicating the confines of his cabin. "I spend so much time in this room that I feel like a prisoner! In port I have to stay below, at sea I can only go on deck when we're out of sight of land and other ships. I feel like you're ashamed of me. Of us."
"That's not fair, Celeste. You know why you have to stay out of sight. If someone saw you, there'd be trouble."
"Are you sssure that's the reason?"
"Of course I'm sure!"
Celeste hissed again. She knew she was being unreasonable, but couldn't help lashing out. She wanted to believe him, needed to believe him, but ..." Then why didn't you tell your new first mate that we're lovers?"
"I ...I just met the man this afternoon. It didn't come up."
"So what did come up this afternoon, Torius?" She glanced pointedly at his trousers. "Did your courtesan business associate do any of her own snake charming?"
"We talked, Celeste. That's all. We have a job that's going to pay, and pay well." He retrieved his sword and clipped it to his belt. "We'll be back on our feet inside two weeks, with enough money to take a little time off."
Surprised, Celeste swallowed the next jibe she had readied. This was the first time she had ever heard him mention taking time for himself—for them. "Time off? You mean ...off the ship? You and me? Us?"
"Yes, us. I was thinking we might visit the observatory southeast of Katapesh city. You've always wanted to see it."
"The magical one?" Celeste shivered, her scales rustling against the wooden deck. The mystical observatory was purported to be an ancient shrine of the goddess Desna. She longed to lie atop the warm stone at sunset, watch as the light faded and the stars appeared, and observe the heavens magnified. Perhaps the magic would allow her to peer into the very depths of the universe. "We could go? Really?"
"Really." He moved to her once again, his hands up, palms out in supplication. "We can arrange a caravan. Take a couple of weeks."
"You promise?" His arms encircled her, so warm and strong. She shivered again, and wrapped her tail about his legs. She considered telling him about the scroll she'd deciphered, but didn't want to interrupt this moment.
"I promise, Celeste." He released her and stepped back. "Now please, get some rest. I've got to get the ship ready, and I'll need you to plot a course for me later."
"I will." Exhaustion rose up like a wave in her, and she looked forward to curling up and dreaming about their visit to the observatory.
"Promise me you'll get some sleep?"
"I promise, Torius. Thank you." She hesitated then added, "I do trust you. It is just that ..."
"I know, Celeste. Don't worry. I'm yours and no one else's."
"All right."
He left the room and she curled up on her pillows. She did trust him, and soon they would travel together to the observatory, fulfilling her dreams' desire. The thought relaxed her, the uneasiness flowing away like water, but still a bothersome worry niggled at her mind. Her thoughts continued to run in circles, and she knew she had to do one more thing before she could sleep.
Uncoiling, she slithered to the bunk where his kaftan lay, the clean white cloth with its shiny gold thread gleaming in the faint light through the ports. She leaned close and flicked her tongue over the collar. There was a faint scent of him, spice and leather and sweat, but no sweetness of perfume, nothing feminine. She flicked her forked tongue again and breathed deeply of his aroma. She lifted the kaftan with a flick of her magic and brought it back to her nest, then curled up with it tucked under her head like a pillow. His scent calmed her, eased her mind, and allowed her to drift into a restful slumber.
paizo.com #2495541, Ronald Hartman
Chapter Five
Thieves in the Night
Moonlight wove a path of silver across the ocean swells to the west, illuminating Stargazer's quarterdeck in a pearly glow. The same moonlight tipped the peak of the Stepped Tower of Djedefar, barely visible far to the southwest on the tip of the Alamein Peninsula. Celeste hummed as she manipulated the stylus to mark an "X" on the chart and jot down the time. She glanced aloft. Any minute now ...
As if he had read her thoughts, the lookout in the crow's nest called out, "Sails to the southwest, Captain! A galleon! Looks like they're turning north!"
Celeste felt Torius's hand run through her hair. She leaned into him as he whispered into her ear, "Right on the mark. Again."
"I don't believe it!" Thillion stepped up and stared down at the chart, apparently oblivious to their private moment. "Almost two hundred sea miles and you make contact at the moment he makes his turn!"
"You doubted me?" She hissed quietly, but Torius ran his fingers along her spine until she ceased her complaint. The elf had been cordial toward her since their first run-in, but she was still unsure about him. He had made no more rude remarks, but she had occasionally caught him glancing at her nervously.
"Not at all, Miss Celeste. If Captain Vin has confidence in your abilities, so do I. I'm merely curious as to your technique. Your precision is astounding!"
"It's a simple calculation of multiple vectors with set and drift figured into the equation." She manipulated the dividers with her magic to walk off the distance from their starting point to their current position. The tool resembled little silver legs pirouetting across the chart of their own accord, like a dancer she had seen in Katapesh during one of her infrequent trips ashore.
"As any competent captain would do, once out of the River Sphinx, the master of the Queen's Chalice hugged the northern Osirian coast on his westward leg to take advantage of the prevailing winds and currents. By staying close to shore, he also keeps within the area patrolled by the Osirian Navy. Their war galleys rarely venture into open waters."
She glanced at Thillion, realizing that, with his experience, he probably already knew much of what she was telling him. He seemed to be listening attentively while examining the chart, running his fingers lightly over the parchment, tracing their route. Perhaps, she considered, he's not as bad as I thought.
"Torius's ...informant ..." Celeste wrinkled her nose at the thought of Vreva, but shook off her temper and continued. "...told him that the Chalice is a galleon half again the length of Stargazer. Once we caught sight of her north of Totra, I was able to determine her course and speed and plot an intercept, keeping us just out of sight. We intercepted him here to confirm his turn to the north to strike out straight for Ostenso."
Torius took up the explanation, tapping a finger on the chart at a spot north of the Alamein Peninsula. "We'll take them in the open sea, outside of Osirian territorial waters. We'll keep our distance until they're well offshore, then close in after moonset. If they spot us and run downwind, a galleon's best point of sail, there's no port to put into within a couple of days. We should be able to catch them if that happens, but I'd rather take them before they have a chance to run."
As Thillion peered at the chart, he withdrew a small length of twisted chain from his pocket. The metal links jingled as he twisted and turned them, and Celeste realized that the chain was actually a complicated puzzle. He fiddled with it as he thought, and squinted into the night sky and at the ship's black sails. "And you always strike at night?"
"Generally," Torius said. "We'll tack to the southeast now to stay out of sight, then tack again and come up on her windward quarter. With our black sails and all lights doused, they shouldn't see us until we're right on their beam and ready to board."
"In the dark?" the elf said. "That sounds ...challenging." The puzzle chain fell silent.
"Most lookouts look forward," Torius said. "And merchantmen run lights at night. That'll give us a target."
"Impressive," Thillion said in an appreciative tone. "I look forward to the plan's implementation. In addition, and with your permission, Miss Celeste," he gave her a short bow, "I would like to have a look at your calculations."
She didn't know if Thillion was just playing up to his new captain, but he seemed sincere enough. She always enjoyed showing people her work, but few had shown interest. Their previous first mate had disliked her, and Grogul and Snick showed little aptitude or interest.
"I have no objections," Celeste said.
"For now, why don't you hit your bunk, Thillion," Torius interrupted. "You'll need your rest for later. You can have a look at her calculations during your watch."
"Aye, sir." The elf saluted the captain and nodded to Celeste. "I look forward to your tutelage."
"Good night," she said with a nod.
Celeste set about putting her tools away while Torius ordered their course change. After the ship came about, he stood at the taffrail watching the Stepped Tower shrink in the distance, his hands clenched behind his back. Sensing a tremor in his stance, Celeste slithered up behind him. His hands shook slightly, clenched so tightly that his knuckles shone white in the moonlight.
She pressed her body against his back and lowered her head to nip him gently on the neck. Before she pulled back, she tasted the familiar mingling of his blood and her venom. Resting her chin on his shoulder, she watched the distant tower. After a moment, his trembling ceased. Torius unclenched his hands and leaned on the rail, breathing deeply, his eyes closed.
"Feel better?" she whispered, nuzzling his neck.
Neither of them knew when his body had become dependent on her venom, but it had. Now, if he went for more than a day without some small touch of her fangs, he began to shake and have sweats. The symptoms worsened day by day until he could barely hold a sword, but vanished immediately when she gave him her next bite.
"Yes." He drew a sigh and let it out slowly. "Thank you."
"Good." She tickled his neck with a flick of her tongue. "Don't get blood on your collar."
"Oh, thanks." He withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away the tiny dribble before it could mark his shirt. "Can't have the whole crew knowing their captain's a venom addict."
His tone made the last a jest, but she knew he was self-conscious about the issue. As if his crew would think him weak for having such a dependency.
"Your secret is safe with me, my love," she whispered, leaning in for a kiss.
They both turned back to watch the Alamein Peninsula fade into the moonlit night.
"So ..." Torius began, his voice exaggeratedly casual, "this scroll we found works like the potion? Is it the same spell?"
"No, it's different." She had mentioned the scroll, but both of them had been too preoccupied to discuss it. Also, her own feelings about the ramifications of this new magic were troubling her. Though she craved more intimacy with Torius, she sometimes felt as if she was being untrue to herself by taking on human form merely for their pleasure. The potions they used were expensive, and so their lovemaking rare. But now ...She took a deep breath and said, "It will transform me into any humanoid form I desire. In fact, it would change you into another humanoid form, if you could cast it, but it wouldn't change you into a naga like the potion is able to do. If you would only try ..." She glanced at him sidelong.
"Celeste ..." Torius gave her an uneasy smile. They'd talked about him using the potion to take naga form before, and she knew he had an aversion to the notion.
"Never mind, my captain," she said, nuzzling his neck. "I'm only teasing."
"And you say this is a simple spell ...as in, ‘inexpensive'?"
"Less expensive than the potions, without a doubt. I'm sure you could get a wizard in Katapesh to scribe copies of it. And when we have more than one, I can commit it to memory."
"You can?" His eyes widened in pleased surprise.
"Yes. It should be well within my capability."
"If you can cast it multiple times per day, it would come in handy for our trip to the observatory," he said as he ran his hand through her hair again.
She brightened at his mention of their trip. Celeste wasn't sure which excited her more: time alone with Torius away from the ship and crew, or visiting the mystical observatory. Both at once sounded like paradise.
Flicking her tail against his leg, she said, "Go be captain and leave me to do my navigation. I must plot our course to intercept the Queen's Chalice."
"Was that an order?" The lilt of his tone made the question a joke. "Because I thought that I was captain of the Stargazer."
"Oh, you're captain, Captain," she said, casting a smile back at him. "And yes, it was an order."
His laugh carried far enough to earn a few curious glances from the crew.
∗ ∗ ∗
Black sails tore through the night, the wings of a great raptor swooping down on its prey. Torius stood beside his helmswoman, his eyes fixed on the high transom lights of the Queen's Chalice. They were less than a quarter mile away and closing fast. The wind had kicked up a bit, propelling them across the wave tops and whipping his hair about his face. The approach would be tricky, and the danger, the tension surging through him, heightened every sensation to fever pitch.
Gozreh help me, but I love this!
Glancing across the deck, he saw his crew arrayed for the pending action. Thillion stood forward with the boarding party, while Grogul stayed aft on the quarterdeck. Celeste was out of sight, just inside the sterncastle door, as usual. He didn't want rumors spreading around the Inner Sea of a lunar naga aboard a black-sailed brigantine, but her magic would be a formidable asset if all Hell broke loose.
If our ruse works, this should be more of a negotiation than a fight, he thought, though a twinge of worry pricked at him like a dull needle trying to pierce heavy sailcloth. This was not their regular approach to thievery on the high seas.
"Everything ready, Snick?" he asked quietly as the gnome drew near. Sound traveled far over water, and he didn't want to alert a keen-eared merchant sailor to their presence.
"Ready to light 'em up, sir," she said with a grin. Snick had taken to his plan like a mermaid takes to water, gleefully adding a few embellishments of her own.
Stepping away from the helmswoman and lowering his voice further, he asked, "You think it'll work?" Torius often confided things to Snick that he shared with no other member of the crew, including Celeste. The little gnome, despite her quirks and often inappropriate humor, had earned his unwavering trust. He'd known her longer than anyone else on the crew, and he'd come to rely on her devious sense of trickery.
