The Secret King

A Meeting of Minds

Greensap pounded the table.
"It isn't that black and white, Crookfang!" he shouted in frustration, "The Brotherhood has got the harbor blocked. They already sank two of our boats that tried to make a run to Grenel Bay. There ain't no way past them. There are shoals to either side of their fleet..."

"Excuses...yer in prison and that's a fact. Sink the dogs, turn the harbor red, I say!" Willum responded.

Yellowtooth spoke up.
"The dogs got six ships and five hundred able hands. We got six ships countin' yours and three hundred beasts tops, what can we do?"

"We got brains and guts, matey. We can take these blighters out and go back ta where we belong...the open sea! We kin sail to the cursed land and end the scourge of the Brotherhood, sendin' 'em ta hell one ship at a time, that's what we can do. Do ya really want ta live under the thumb of Azmeritus? The same dog what burned and hung our brothers. Is that what we done become, cowards?"

Redbush, who had been silent, stood up and spoke.
"Willum is right, though I hates to admit it. Better to die fightin' than live at Azmeritus' whim. We were all ready to cross swords with the Brotherhood when the Deev were gonna to pay us. Those ghosts deserted us and we plain gave up...That ain't the pirate way. To hell with the Deev and to hell with the Brotherhood! We'll eat their hearts and have their guts fer garters! Me and me crew are with ya, Willum!"

Willum grasped the fox's paw.
"Glad ta have ya matey. Past differences be damned... it's good ta see there's still a real pirate fer folks ta write songs about!"

The two weasels huddled in conversation. The older one, Hogbrow spoke for them both.
"We may be nuts, but we're with ya too. We're goin' broke sittin' here in Minga. Smugglin's a tough trade if ya can't leave port."

"Glad ta have ya, boys," Willum said with enthusiasm.

"Count me in," the nutria, Yellowtooth, said quietly, "all things bein' equal, I'd rather get kilt fightin' than drink meself ta death in this dive."

Willum turned to the human, Greensap.
"That leaves you matey, what do ya say?"

Captain Greensap stood and walked to the fireplace in thought. He turned back toward the table.
"I still don't like it. But there's lots of things I don't care for. I don't like bein' shunned 'cause I'm man 'stead of beast. I don't like bein' told what ta do. I don't like you comin' in here tellin' us what we should do like you was some sorta king, but most of all I don't like those self righteous monks keepin' me from my livelihood. I need ta kill something and I figger those blasted brothers'll do just fine. So I'm with ya, but don't expect me to take orders from ya. Greensap is his own man and I expect ya to respect that."

"Well said, Captain," Willum said loudly, "no need ta fear, we're brethren, each beast 'is own boss. I don't mean ta lead yas, I got troubles of me own." He looked around at the beasts at the table and asked, "So we're in agreement then? We take these devil's on and reclaim the sea?"

Every captain raised his arm and shouted "Aye."

"Unanimous it is, then!" Willum proclaimed loudly. Suddenly the smoke around the hearth of the fireplace began to swirl. It spiraled like a small tornado and in an instant, Prince Vasheron was standing in their midst.

"Not quite unanimous, not yet," he said calmly.

"Deev!" Yellowtooth shouted in shock. Everyone at the table stood and faced the intruder cautiously. Ursamus stood on his hind legs, towering over the other beasts.

Vasheron smiled. He loved the feeling of power he felt in other creature's fear. His paw fell to his hilt and he took a step forward. All the beasts save Willum and Ursamus moved backward cautiously. An evil smile crossed the mink's features.
"I'm offended that I was not invited. You all know what I am capable of, it was a foolish choice on your part." He took another step forward.