RP Pirates of the Hard Nox 2



"Goswick." Emryk repeated, brow furrowing. The panic in her voice, however slight, did not go unnoticed; a moment later, and he stood, moving beside Juniper-- keeping a respectful distance, but drawing a bit closer.

"Caleb says that-- King has commanded he kill the Duke of Goswick, and his family. Something to do with that mark on his wrist..." Emryk muttered. "I'm trying to do everything in my power to prevent that. What is wrong? Is everything alright?"

A pause.

"... what do you know of Goswick?"

 
Hearing it the second time was worse than the first. Fears confirmed, Juniper turned their gaze away, a tight feeling in their chest. They'd not been back, since. It felt wrong to go back.

"It was-... home."
 


"I see."

Not the first thought that came to mind, but given her reservation... it made sense. After all she had confessed to him in the Ice Lands.

"What do you want to do, then?" He asked. Silence pervaded as he watched her, earnestly. "What do you think should be done?"

 
“It’s not a change of plans, just a short detour.” Caleb said, leaning on the back of a chair. “How much for you to come with us?”

A simple question that shouldn’t come with a complicated answer. If Argent needed his hands wet, Caleb could see to it. It was rare to meet a pirate that would rather side with the crown, but in the rule of the highest bid, he’d have to make sure whatever he had to offer was more valuable than what he could get for a knife on Caleb's back. Luckily, the nobility wasn’t known for keeping their word either.

***

“He’d probably go too easy on you.” Summer replied, before the tonal shift, and the mention of plans. She'd almost forgotten about it.

"Is it worth the risk? You know the odds of us dying or getting arrested - and then dying - is pretty high, right?" She asked matter-of-factly. Of course there had to be a good reason for them to go after the duke of Goswick and his family, and it had to do with the captain's sudden health issues. "You'll be staying with the ship... And I'm the one who likes to watch." Summer chuckled, enlacing her hands on the back of her head.
 
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”Right, a detour.”



His tone was mildly sarcastic, though he turned his attention fully away from what was left of the apple as Caleb leaned against the chair. The crux of his question had been left unanswered, the reasoning behind their detour left hanging in the wind. Though the offer of money was tempting indeed, Argent felt sure there would be plenty to be gained inside the palace they were meant to break into.



”The truth, Captain.” Argent set the apple core on the table in front of him and his blade disappeared into his sleeve once again. ”That is my price. At some point or another we are going to have to trust one another, after all.” What better way to establish mutual trust than through murder?
 
Pris got her guard back up, sort of aware that the only reason she had actually managed to get her guard back up was because Mr. Lucien was waiting for her to do it, but she supposed she didn't have to learn everything all at once. He probably could have "killed" her before she'd even recovered her weapon, but he waited for her to pick it up and get back in position, and only then did he strike.

He was really fast. Maybe a more experienced swordsperson could have had a better idea of what he was going to do or what to do in response, but an experienced swordsperson was... well, not Pris. She pretty much just stood there as his sword went right past her guard and into her stomach.

It struck bone, though, not flesh.

Skeletal fingers wrapped around the point - or where the point would be, in any case, were it not blunted - but even a blunt sword could draw blood in a straight thrust like that. With a hand wrapped around it, though, it was more like... well, more like getting punched in the stomach. It didn't feel good, and Pris definitely went sort of "Oof," even if she wasn't screaming, and she landed on her butt and she was probably going to have bruises there tomorrow and probably also everywhere else.

This was fun, actually. She smiled, quick, but genuine, and gave the skeletal hand sitting on her midsection an admonishing poke. "You're supposed to be on my side." A pause. "Well, okay, sure, but it still hurt - couldn't you, I don't know, push the sword sideways or something?" Another pause. "It would not make bad habits. Besides, Alys is my teacher, not you. You're my construct, and you're supposed to listen."

The silence seemed very easy to interpret on that one, even to those who were not Pris. "Okay, fine. Thank you. I guess." She sighed, then got back up, the skeletal hand returning to its perch on her shoulder, presumably content to wait there until it was needed - or until Mr. Lucien decided he was done practicing.

Pris didn't think he'd do that, though. If he had wanted to kill her, he would have had plenty of chances already. She raised her sword, once more, ready to try again.
 
Sparring always seemed to clear his mind, or rather fill it with thoughts of combat and comradery for a time. Unfortunately, now was not a good time for such follies. "Planning would do us good." His metal hand rested on the hilt of his saber.

"This ship will always be worth it." His eyes shifted to Summer, not a glare - but certainly firm to contrast her nonchalant demeanor. "If the captain says it's what we've gotta do, then it's what I'll see done."

"You are right, it is dangerous - but, we've got more than a few good heads on this ship. We'll be alright." Ciaran looked to Alys, his friend. "Penny for your thoughts, first mate?" He hoped to leave an impression on the newcomer with his demeanor, it was up to her to see him as she chose.
 
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The truth. Caleb scoffed.

“That’s not how you earn a man’s trust, Argent.” The captain said, knowingly. His expression changed into a serious one, searching for the elf’s gaze. “Do this for me. Kill who needs to be killed with no casualties on our end, and when we get back on the ship, you’ll have it. Not many people do.”

He let the offer hang for a moment before turning to the door.

"I have to go find Juniper. prepare your gear, we'll be landing soon."
 
Emer leaned back against the wall, one hand bracing herself on the counter, her other resting her head in her hands. Choices, she found, were not her strong suit. This is what Emryk wanted of her - and truly, it was what was right, she thought. She hoped. She was doing well by her folk to do this. Doing well by the blessed sky. It was a time for change, a time for betterment -

But with the crew in such a precarious position, would any change risk shattering that fragile balance?

Nessa put her turmoil to words. Emer laughed - short and crisp, a sound quite unlike her.

"Things have never been so tense," she agreed. "But we do what we can, yes? And as we can, we do what we must."
 
Argent raised a single eyebrow slightly to Caleb’s knowing response to convey his doubt. Perhaps it might not have been the way to earn most men’s trust, but it was certainly a step in the right direction to earn a pirate’s. He met Caleb’s eye with a cool stare as the Captain’s expression changed, and he was proven right.



Argent didn’t break the silence after Caleb’s stipulations, taking the time to consider his words. As Caleb turned and stated his intention to resume his mage hunt Argent stood, grabbing the apple core from the table with a soft sound somewhere between chuckle and scoff.



”Those are hardly fair terms.” He stepped around the table and made to follow Caleb through the door. ”I might be able to assure the safety of a single person, but…” Argent trailed off suggestively. O’Cain hadn’t mentioned how many of his crew were assigned to the mission, but from the way he spoke of it Argent assumed subtlety was in order.



”You could assign me to the mage’s protection, perhaps? Or your own.” It seemed a task best worked in pairs, though the Captain might have had different plans.
 
The woman was strange; desperate to know and integrate, yet socially unaware. Alys raised a brow, and might've bit back a remark if Ciaran hadn't addressed Summer first, in a way that was far more polite. A huff and tumble behind them caused the fae to shift her gaze beyond the annoyance, and she watched as Pris took a moment to scold Lady Fingers. Then she stood, back in her defensive stance.

First mate.

Alys turned her head to look at the master gunner and offered him a tight smile. She began to walk towards the office with him, and after a few steps, looked back up at him. "How about a drink? Or two... or three - for my thoughts. After we survive Goswick?" It'd been far too long since they'd drank together, exchanging stories and laughter.

"And in the mean time, how do you feel about becoming a noble guard?"
 
“Mm, I suppose that’s true enough.” Nessa said, resting the back of her head against the wall. Maybe it was the argument, maybe it was just the ring, but the fatigue lingered heavy on her shoulder. “I always thought as long as I just followed her orders, things would’ve worked themselves out in the end, that she had her eye on where she wanted to go. That wasn’t the case, was it?” Hard to see Sinead having seen this in the cards and simply allowed them to be dealt. Or, maybe it was never really possible to get to where she wished to go?

Nessa looked to Emer, and raised her hands a little uselessly. “I’ll do what I must for Caleb, he’s our people, and I suppose what comes after will just have to be what comes after.”
 
Ciaran was confident about the future, or at least he acted like he was. Summer wasn’t so sure, but she’d be fine either way.

As Alys began leading the way to the office, Summer wasn’t sure if she was meant to follow, but she did. The invitation for a drink was one thing, but if she was a part of the plan she was sure to be included in at least some of it. This time though, she’d try her best to keep most of her comments to herself.

***

“Ciaran will be in charge of your group.” Caleb said, walking down the corridor of the ship with Argent following closely behind. “Neither of them are going to need your protection, but it’s important to have each other’s backs. You can obey orders, right?” He glanced over his shoulder for a moment, remembering the compliments of his former captain.

“Do what the master gunner tells you to do. You’re going to break in as guards, try to go in and out as quietly as possible. We don’t want to kill anyone else if we can avoid it, but if it’s a random person or crew… You save the crew. Always.” Caleb walked a few steps quietly before adding: “And keep an eye on Lucien. You’re allowed to kill him if he becomes a problem.”
 
It was a big question to ask. Emryk surely knew that, and he must've known there would be no easy answer. A million thoughts ran through Juniper's mind, as they pushed memories of a life once lived away. This was a nightmare scenario, going back to make things worse. It couldn't-

Why is Caleb letting himself be told what to do by King? Were they not pirates? "I don't think we should go. If it's something King wants done, why should we do it?"

Of course, it wasn't just defying King that had them saying this. Goswick deserved better, after what had happened- they didn't deserve to have everything thrown into chaos again.
 
It had been too long since they'd joked like that. It seemed like every other time they spoke it was of gloom on their horizon, somedays he forgot to be more than her - relatively new - subordinate. "Aye aye, chief." Ciaran chuckled, and there it was. They could do this, he was so sure of it he could smell the brew and hear the music.

"It wouldn't be my first time, not a highlight of my career." Ciaran followed with a relaxed gait. "I'd say I'm the most qualified onboard when it comes to impersonating the men at arms of the Empire," he said, certainly not out of pride. It had taken sometime after proving his worth that others onboard had forgotten his past as a sailor under the Imperial flag - an officer, no less.

"If anyone is sticking their neck out, it's going to be me." The master gunner had held back last time his captain went feet first into the fire, he wasn't about to let that happen again. This time would be different. He had to believe that.

He looked to Alys with a curious eye. "So, where are you fitting into all of this?"
 


"Because he will die if he does not, according to him," Emryk stated. "He'd passed out in the clinic, earlier. Said he doesn't know how much time he has left."

His brow furrowed. He looked to Juniper, for a moment, then looked away-- opening his mouth to speak, and then closing it.

"I do not think we should go, either." Emryk replied. "But we may have no other choice. And that is his decision to make-- his cross to bear. His path to take." There was a moment of silence. "But if they are to kill the Duke of Goswick, after the mandate Caleb gave... I cannot walk it with him. I cannot allow him to bring me along." He looked to Juniper, at that, a shadowed expression upon his face. "I do not regret the path I have put myself upon. You should not, either. Make peace-- understand-- but move on. Grow stronger. The steps you took to come here-- the mistakes of your past-- are just that. In the past, Juniper. You are a different person, now, than you were when you first came to Goswick-- and you have grown. For the better."

Emryk stood, at that, and looked away.

"I have been thinking of taking my leave, from the Nox." The quartermaster stated. "I do not know if there is much for me, here, or what else I can do. I dread the person I may become if I remain; I dread that I have no longer become an example to set for the folk here."

Finally, he forced himself to face Juniper, kneeling before her. A hand upon her shoulder.

"But if you have proven one thing to me, Juniper, it is that my deeds here have amounted to something. I am proud of how far you have come, from the Truth Teller's cell. And I am sure she would be, too, if she were here to witness you. Never forget that."

A weary smile, and then he returned to his feet. "I would like for you to see my estate, one day, perhaps. I have asked Emer, but she seems... rooted here. And I cannot change that." His gaze hardened. "People may change, Juniper, but there's a..." He gestured, indistinctly. "... symbiosis to it all, isn't there? The change you inflict, in turn, changes you. And you must always ask yourself how much of yourself you are willing to bend-- the lengths you must go to-- in order to find what you seek."

Perhaps she would understand what he meant to say; perhaps not.

"Only you can determine what is too far. Only you can determine your path. And I trust your judgement, if no one else's. There will always be a place for you at the Isles, should you ever need it." The smile returned, melancholic. "I'll see what arcane supplies I might be able to drum up for you when we reach port. Until then, be well."

And then he was gone-- back into the depths of the ship.

 
Hiding a grimace, Alys took a seat at the table, hand splaying flat against the map, smoothing down a slight raise in the paper. She'd remembered - once an officer, now a gentleman pirate, plotting the murder of a noble family. Perhaps a gentleman no longer. If the stakes weren't so high or if the company wasn't partially unwanted, she might've cracked a joke. Instead, she didn't acknowledge the sentiment.

"Caleb suggested a distraction, here, in the woods," she stated, hand skimming over the corresponding part of the map. Cliffs and ocean on one side, forest on the far other, with the sprawling coastal town of Goswick in the middle, like a bottle neck. "The group ambushes the guards and walks back in, undetected."

A brief silence followed his final statement, or question, as dread once more swelled. She looked down at the map, preoccupying herself with studying it, avoiding his gaze for a moment. "Better not to put all our eggs in one basket. We'll be ready to leave immediately upon your return. Or, if things go south, I'll have a second group ready to intervene. We'll need a signal."
 
Argent fell into step behind Caleb dutifully, offering a small grunt as an answer to the Captain’s question. He had yet to meet the reclusive Master Gunner, though he had heard nothing bad of the man so far. By all accounts he was nearly as moral as the Baron, though Argent would hardly call that a benefit to piracy.



Caleb went on to expand upon his conditions. Argent nodded behind him agreeably as they walked through the ship, and to his credit only paused in the slightest at Caleb’s final request. It seemed the Captain still had worries over his leashed beast, and the expectation for Argent to keep the monster in line was either flattering, or telling.



”And what is the plan when things go sideways?” the elf asked without addressing any of his silent concerns.
 
Lucien expected his blade to slam slam against soft flesh, perhaps with a slight jarring from a feeble attempt to knock his strike away. Instead, he struck something hard and skeletal. The damned hand that seemed to follow that girl everywhere had leapt in and blocked the tip of his blade, softening the blow. The force was still enough to send the girl falling backwards, but Lucien simply watched, a mask of impassivity hiding the thoughts brewing beneath the surface.

The little necromancer was turning out to be very interesting.

Lucien waited until she had finished her one-sided conversation, his expression bored but his eyes fixed on the skeletal hand that clutched her shoulder. He had not studied necromancy, even in a theoretical context, but something was different about that construct. His gaze shifted and he began once again.

"I am going to strike your left side." He said plainly. "Block me."

No tricks, no games. Lucien whirled another strike, similar to the first he'd launched, a simple slash to the ribs that, regardless of if she managed to block it or not, would only be the first hit. Lucien then spun around, blade flashing as he sent his sword slashing towards her other side, the one with the mysterious hand. Lucien wanted to see what it would do.
 
Caleb went quiet at the sound of steps that sounded more like stumps. He lowered his head as the baron walked past them, with no words left to be said on both parts. It was only when he was out of sight that he looked back at Argent.

“If things go sideways we die, and those who stayed on the Nox will carry on without us.” By his stare, Argent should know these were Caleb’s last words on the matter. Expecting not to be followed, Caleb took the path opposite to the baron to find the person he’d been looking for, seemingly distraught.

“He told you, didn’t he?” He asked Juniper, crossing his arms over his chest, while leaning against the doorway.
 
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