Difference between revisions of "Logs:The Pirate Queen"

He'd been worried about turning thirty. Worried that time was moving too quickly, that there was so much more he had to do, and it felt like his patience wore thin at every turn.

Issedi had outdone herself. His Turnday become a grand affair, a feast and a lavish ball for all the Hold. Sealene fell asleep early in aunt Rilka's arms, and Vinien tried his best to keep awake, until he devolved into a cranky fit that undoubtedly other residents of the Hold would remember -- and remind him of -- one day when he took over Lordship of the Hold.

The idea of that made him smile, made him relax. Even if Devaki didn't finish everything he wanted to do, there was always his son, and his son's son to continue to carry out his work. To be there to look after their people and protect them.

Issedi was warm enough to him that night that it surprised him; still more surprising was her climbing on top of him later, in bed.

---

It was just over three sevens later when he carried her, blindfolded, down towards the docks. It was mid-afternoon, so the sun was still out, but the wind was still cold: Issedi shivered against his chest.

Devaki set her on her feet, positioning her just so, so that she could see their flag ship moored in the dock, towering above them. He slid off her blindfold, and watched her. Issedi attempted to look impressed, but he could tell she wasn't. "I've... seen it before, Dev," she said, hesitantly.

"Have you?" he lifted his hand, drawing her attention to the letters that sprawled along the side of the ship. "I named her after you."

The Pirate Queen.

Issedi's eyes widened, and she laughed, abruptly. It was something they'd talked about the first day they met, Turns ago at the High Reaches Hold gather: Issedi had confessed her wish when she was young to be a pirate.

"If there are any pirate ships out there, she'll command them, like the dragons do." Devaki said, grinning at her reaction.

"Oh, Dev," Issedi said, breathlessly, turning to throw her arms around him. A moment later, she murmured, "Let's have another baby."

Devaki froze, momentarily, surprised -- then squeezed Issedi briefly when he realized she was serious. "Yes."

---

They took a tour of the ship -- Issedi insisted the ship looked different now it was named, and it needed a bit of a woman's touch. Devaki wasn't sure how well the crew might take to his Lady's suggestions about decoration, but once they were on the sea they could do what they liked.

It was as he was escorting her back off the ship that he saw the briefest flash of familiar hair.

He walked Issedi up to the Hold proper, then paused, snapping his fingers. "I left something on the Pirate Queen. I'll catch up."

Back on the ship, he searched: he went to the Captain's cabin first, then the kitchens, then back out onto the deck.

From above, there came a bemused, feminine voice: "She seems very dull. Are you sure you don't want to put her aside and marry me instead?"

Devaki looked up. And up. There she was, arms and legs folded casually around the rigging, looking down at him with a satisfied expression. Devaki guessed she'd be thirteen, or close to, now, and she was starting to look more like a young woman than a scruffy young urchin, though her clothing was picked, he thought, deliberately to hide any curves that might be forming.

"Itsy," he called, "You know I'd love to, but you're a little young for me."

"Give me a few Turns," the girl called back with a smile.

There was a jerking motion that pulled Devaki's gaze further upwards: above her, another figure, larger than her, hovered. His mouth was twisted, clearly jealous, though Itsy seemed oblivious.

"What are you doing on my ship, anyway?" Devaki asked.

Itsy began climbing adeptly down the rigging with the ease of long practice: even Devaki was impressed. Her friend followed, nearly as fast to reach the ground despite being higher.

With her hands on her hips and chin lifted to look up at him, Itsy was the picture of defiance. "We belong on the seas. Drex and I." She glanced over her shoulder at the boy, then back. "When she sails, we'll go with her."

"No." Devaki said, firmly.

"Yes!" Itsy replied. "We belong on the sea."

"I'd... I'd hoped you want to stay around with us for longer. Raum's got more to teach you, and you've... been gone so long."

She squinted at him, then looked pleased as she realized, "You missed me."

His expression probably agreed, though he didn't acknowledge it aloud. "Things are much more settled than in Tillek."

"We're going on the ship," Drex rumbled from behind Itsy, determined. "We've sailed with pirates. We think like pirates. We know how to find them."

Devaki glanced between the pair of them, smiling inadvertantly at their body language: Itsy, defiant and determined, Drex, protective and jealous.

"Fine," Devaki exhaled. "Fine. But," he held up a hand, "You owe me a last meal. You two, Raum, and I. We've some things to speak of before you leave port. And this time," he pulled Itsy into a one-armed hug, muttering into her hair, "You'd better answer my messages or I'll order order the Captain to turn around. Got it?"

"Got it," Itsy muttered into his jacket, though the pleased note was audible in her voice all the same. "But I aint wearing no dress."

It made Devaki smile; that's one battle he'd leave for Issedi, if it ever came to that. "No dresses, promise. Now, I've just got one more thing to show you on our ship that I didn't show my Lady..."