Talf had been below deck with Estella when the fighting began with a thump. They exchanged worried glances and, without hesitation, nearly flew up the stairs to the deck where they saw the fight had already ended and Morien standing over Captain Oros and Fendwall. Talf immediately dropped his sword and held his hands up in surrender. Estella was not so quick to give in, but a quick look around and a snarl from Livian, she too dropped her knives.
Es came up behind them. She squeaked with fright and tried to run, but Drida caught her by the arm and dragged her next to Oros. Screeching with rage, Es clawed at her fellow Halfling's arms until they bled. Drida tossed Es like a ragdoll at the deck and stalked off. A dumbstruck Estella and Talf were prodded toward the group and forced to kneel. Estella found herself next to Fendwall, who seemed to be fading in and out of awareness. A bloody gash ruined his left calf muscles.
Morien stood in the center, tapping his fingers against his thigh and looking from one person to the next. He grinned and kicked Oros over. Their captain let himself be pushed over.
"My first order as captain of the White Raider is to offer a few of you a chance at joining my crew."
"Why are you doing this?" Estella demanded. Morien shrugged.
"It seems to be the best option considering our circumstances. A few die, so that the rest may live."
"You're a monster," Es whispered. Morien scowled at her and she flinched, edging her way toward Dahari, who was quietly trying fish a flaying knife from his boot without Livian noticing.
"I'm not the monster, the sea is. She takes and she takes, never giving back, so I'm taking what I can from her and getting out. You all would be wise to do the same. Of course, some of you I can't allow to stay," he said with a glance at Fendwall and Oros. "And with our resources so little, a smaller crew has a greater chance of survival. So, who would like to join my crew?"
After a moment's hesitation, Calen stepped forward, followed by Livian. Morien smiled broadly and bowed.
"Anyone else?" he asked. Drida stepped up. Es' little mouth fell open in shock, but then she realized she should have seen it coming when Drida dragged her over here. Shortly behind the Hobbit, Qrow left Caston's side, shooting a guilty apology at his new friend. Caston scowled and turned away. What did Morien have that Qrow could possibly want other than his two companions he had arrived with?
Reluctantly, Norin stepped up, but before Morien could welcome her, she cut him off.
"I am only staying because I was promised passage back home by the captain, I will hold you that same promise or I swear on my mother's life, I will hunt you down and kill you."
Morien nodded mutely, too stunned to say anything.
"I will stay, but only because Norin is," Lendethiel said stalking up to Morien. "But know this, you lay a hand on me or her and I will make you regret it." Morien made a mental note to watch the two women carefully. Talf still knelt on the deck, torn between his loyalty to his captain, and his friendship with Lendethiel and Norin. Everything had happened so fast. He was still trying to wrap his mind around it all when Lendethiel beckoned to him.
"Come, Talf, we have waited too long to throw our lives away. Let us go home."
Home.
What was home? Certainly not where he grew up. The White Raider? He listened to the creak of her sheets, the gentle flapping sails, and the sea lapping at her hull. She was peaceful, but sad, her true captain lay upon her deck, broken and torn from his place. Talf realized his eyes had filled with tears. He blinked quickly.
"Talf, we got off that island. We had a chance then to go home and we still do. Who is captain doesn't matter as long as we can get home."
She was right. He owed no loyalty to specifically to Oros, who had promised that as soon as this mission he was on was complete, he would take them home. Now they would not have to go on a fruitless mission. They could finally be free. He stood and joined Lendethiel and the others.
"You coward," Fendwall spat. Talf flinched. "All of you. Abandoning your captain because what? He promised you something? Gold? Drink? Fame?" Morien's heavy fist connected with Fendwall's face with a sickening crack. Calen, standing near the Losoth, flinched. Fendwall worked his jaw and spat blood. Had Morien looked back, the first mate's glare would have chilled his blood. Morien stalked away, shaking his hand.
"Anyone else?"
Adrahil groaned and rose to his feet. Brandt's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Addy, no," he breathed. Adrahil looked away from his friend's pleading face.
"I'm sorry, Brandt, but I'm not ready to die. Not yet." He couldn't meet Brandt's eyes. His longtime friend slumped over, fighting back anger and sadness.
"How could you?" he whispered. Adrahil paused, shook his head, and walked away.
"No one else? Or are you all still loyal to your pathetic captain?" Morien kicked Oros, who groaned but did not fight back. Fendwall struggled to stand but couldn't get his feet underneath him and fell back. The world spun while he sat in a pool of his own blood. Morien kicked at Oros again and continued to abuse him.
Calen, seeing Morien suitably distracted with his hatred for Oros, knelt beside Dahari. She wiped the blood dripping into his eye from a gash above his eyebrow. He moved away.
"Join us, Dahari, none of us want Morien to be captain, but he was the only one with a plan. Join us and help overthrow him. We need someone who knows the sea and her ways. You could be a captain again. Isn't that what you want?"
His far away look made her think he was considering taking her offer, but his next words were anything but acceptance.
"You misread me, Isildur's Blood." His voice held none of the former respect he had used when speaking with her. "Oros is my captain. I will never captain a ship again. Not in this lifetime. Besides," he glanced at the sea with ill humor, "I will have a better chance of surviving out there than here." Calen stood abruptly, disbelief and disappointment radiating off her in waves.
"Then you will die, gripped in the arms of the sea and drowning in her waters."
"Oh, I don't doubt that. I intend to die among the waves, it is merely a matter of when."
A cold shiver ran down Calen's spine. Somehow, she knew they would see each other again and, when that time came, he would not be at her mercy. Shaking her head, she walked away.
Morien finished beating Oros, hauling the dwarf up by the collar of his shirt and spitting in his face.
"I will enjoy tossing you overboard, dwarf."
Oros said nothing, staring forlornly at the battered mast of his beloved ship, feeling her soothing rock as she crested the growing waves. Her sails flapped, she was speaking, but now he didn't know what she was saying. She belonged to a new master, one that would never listen to her speak. A single tear rolled down his weathered cheek and lost itself in his beard. Morien scoffed.
"Tears? You are weaker than I thought."
A strangled grunt escaped Fendwall as he tried to defend his captain's honor. He fell back, dizzy from blood loss.
"Toss them overboard," Morien said, dragging Oros toward the railing. With a heave and a grunt, he sent their former captain to the sea. Oros fell silently. Everyone on board, except Morien, flinched when he hit the water with a splash of finality. Livian and Calen each took Fendwall by an arm and dragged him over. Before they sent him over, he lifted his head and glared at Morien.
"I will kill you for this."
Morien merely laughed. "Adrahil, Qrow, throw Caston and Brandt over." Adrahil's face froze in horror. Qrow likewise stood, too shocked to move. "Come on, move, you lazy sea rats!" Morien's shout served to galvanize them into action. Caston had barely regained consciousness when Qrow seized his arm and began pulling him. With a yelp of surprise, Caston clawed at Qrow's arm.
"No, stop!" he shouted, realizing what was happening. He got his feet under him and tried to break free, but Morien's hand around his arm stopped him and, before he knew it, Caston was falling through the air toward the dark, hungry sea.
"Adrahil, please, don't do this, you don't have to."
Fighting back tears, Adrahil led Brandt toward Morien, who waited with a smile.
"I don't want to die, Brandt," Adrahil mumbled. Brandt stiffened and drew back. Anger, confusion, and sadness worked in quick succession across his face, but worst of all was the pity in his eyes.
"I would rather die beside my captain than live alongside someone as fickle as you," Brandt said. They were words meant to cut deep, and they did. The air inside Adrahil's chest tightened. Morien grabbed Brandt and tossed him overboard. Estella was thrown after him. Es shrieked and ran past Morien. He deftly caught her and held the little Hobbit up.
"Put me down, you filthy, mangy, worm-ridden-"
She shrieked when suddenly there was nothing but air between her and the sea. Of the crew members who hadn't stood with Morien, only Dahari remained. Morien started toward the elf, but Calen stood in front of him.
"Morien, wait. He could be of use. Who else would know the sea better than one who has been sailing it for thousands of years." Morien paused, a thoughtful look crossed his face.
"Well, Sindarin? What say you?"
"I will take my chances with the sea, Daedhel," Dahari said. He sprang to his feet and dove almost gracefully into the deceptively calm water. Morien's face turned ashen, then livid red.
"Haul anchor," he commanded. "We make for the port of Mithlond."
****************
Well, I did it. I updated twice in a week. I told you I would have the next chapter out soon. It's not a very long one, but I guess is it part two of the previous chapter so, eh. Next one might also be short.
As for when the next one will be up... well... I don't know. I won't promise that one will come within a week.