A Mermaid's Tale

Chapter 21

Arthur felt worse and worse about the whole ordeal the closer the Queen Lady got to the Gulf of Misery. Yes, Yao wanted him to go to the Ruins of Tantus in a place called the Gulf of Misery. If that didn't make him hesitant, he was a fool. The Captain was not a fool, however, and he was seriously considering forgetting the whole thing. At least until the mermaid showed up on deck.

Her feet skipped lightly across the wooden deck. The Captain had never seen anything so graceful. She was as good on her feet as she was in the water, although he was under the impression that she would disagree. At that moment, she seemed to realize she was being watched because she turned to meet Arthur's eyes with an intent gaze. His heart almost stopped at the intensity of her look, but her face quickly transformed into a smile. She joined him at the helm in a heartbeat.

"How are things going?" she asked in a soft voice.

"We're almost there."

She frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Don't worry it's-"

"Don't say it's nothing, Arthur."

She got him. He didn't want to divulge his worries, so he decided to go a different route. "I was just thinking about how you still owe the whole crew some pies."

Surprisingly, the mermaid laughed. "I can't believe you still remembered that."

"You owe me," Arthur said with a smirk. "Especially after that." He nodded at the knife strapped around her hip in its red scabbard. "It suits you."

"I'm glad you think so," she said as her smile returned. "But really, do I have to make those pies?"

"Going back on your word?"

"N-no!" Her smile quickly shifted to dismay. "It's just..."

"How's this? If you can find a suitable replacement for your pies, I'll let you off the hook."

"Really?" Her eyes shined excitedly. "Okay, deal!"

The Captain chuckled softly. "A deal made in haste can lead a pirate to ruin and waste."

"What?"

"Just something my old captain used to say."

"Your captain?" She seemed intrigued. "Who was he?"

"Well, we never knew his real name, but we all just called him Germania. Captain Germania."

"Tell me more about him."

"Not now, love." The ruins slowly appeared through some thick foliage on the shore. A small beach stretched out in front of the leafy forest, and Arthur steered his ship close. "It looks like we've arrived."

The crew assembled on deck once the Queen Lady settled herself and dropped anchor. The Captain picked a small handful of able-bodied men to accompany him and the mermaid in the ruins. They took a few small rowboats to the sandy beach and took a look around before making an attack plan.

"Alright you lot, I want two groups. I'll lead the first, and Christov will lead the second. The mermaid will come with me, and we will cover the western side of the ruins. Whoever finds...whatever it is first will be rewarded with gold." A murmur of excitement followed the Captain's words. "Let's get moving!"

Arthur lead his group into the the green foliage. He drew his cutlass to hack through the large, leafy plants, but they hardly seemed affected by the deft strokes. His group fought their way through the undergrowth until they reached the gray stone ruins that was their destination. The place was worn down and crumbling after what could have been centuries of neglect, but as Yao had warned there were signs of recent human activity.