"As to hanging, it is no great hardship. For were it not for that, every cowardly fellow would turn pirate and so unfit the sea, that men of courage must starve."
-Mary Read
The crew divided, highlighting the Helm at the end of the man-made corridor. Adibas extended his arm, invitingly.
"Shall we set sail, Captain?"
"Aye, mate. I fancy we will." She smiled at him.
"So, all of this is yours?" Varric spoke up.
"Oh, did I forget to mention I was a pirate?" Naomi laughed, turning to him, "maybe you all shoulda' been more mindful of yer company."
The Captain turned her back to the small group. She felt a pang of resentment towards them.
It's not that she disliked the Inquisition, but she definitely didn't appreciate the gauntlet she'd been running since joining.
"Have you told them?" Adibas whispered to her as they walked through the sea of crewmen.
The Captain rested her right hand on the hilt of her sword, grinning.
"Adie, what's the third tenet of the Creed?" She asked him quietly.
"Never compromise the Brotherhood." He understood.
"Should we let them on the Captain's Deck, Quartermaster?" Naomi yelled, as to draw attention away from their whispered conversation.
He pondered for a moment.
"Spose' they've earned it, Captain."
"Aye, follow us, then." She waved at them.
Drawing ever closer to the Helm, she gently slid her hand up the railing, walking up the stairs that lead to the control of her infamous ship. She took in every step, every breath; her heart gave way to her excitement. She stood in front of the wheel, staring. The blackened wood, the golden borders, the red gems that sparkled in the sun; even the compass in the middle was decorative with leviathans painted on the inside. She slowly took the leather-wrapped handles in her longing, anxious hands.
Her eyes gained a certain ferocity, her smile- ear to ear. She raised a single fist into the air.
"Spread her wings to the wind, mates!" Naomi roared over the deck, the men and women responding with equal vigor.
The wheel spun, turning the ship around.
"Quill n' Kilean on deck!" Captain McNamara ordered.
She watched as her associates scrambled to get the two affront.
"Cap'n!" They responded in unison.
"Take one of these down with yeh, they have maps and such. I'll be getting' Her 'way from the shore while you chart course."
"Aye, aye!" They responded.
Cassandra, Varric, and Solas looked at each other.
"Fine…" Cassandra mumbled, "I have a map you may use." She regrettably walked down the steps.
The sails of The Dishonored, red in color, came to life among the foreign seas. The gold-threaded Celtic embroidering that lined the borders had a soft glow to them as they touched the faint sunlight. The two mainsails held black, snarling, wolf heads that faced each other, a sword dividing them.
"I think I know what time it be, Cap'n!" Thaddeus yelled.
Naomi saw the Shantyman open a keg of rum.
"Lord have mercy…"
"Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack."Tad started.
"Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack."
"Long we've tossed on the rolling main,now we're safe ashore, Jack.
Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!"
The ship was picking up speed, Naomi humming along with the men.
"Quite fitting, this one."
"Aye, he's a crafty one." She paused, "Adibas…"
"Aye, Captain?" He looked at her from the side.
"You did a good job taking care of Her, mate. I'm proud of ya."
"I merely kept the wheel warm. I knew you'd come back to us." He crossed his arms protectively, watching the crewmen work.
"Hah, you'd be more hopeful than I, then. I'd be dead if it weren't for these merry bunch." She referred to the Inquisition.
"Then you have my thanks." He looked behind him, studying the two non-human beings.
They returned an equally curious look.
"It was our pleasure." Solas nodded.
"She's more trouble than she's worth." Varric surmised.
"That be the truth if I've ever heard of it!" The Captain agreed.
"Since we sailed from Kingston town, four years gone, or nigh, Jack.
Was there ever chummies, now, such as you and I, Jack?
Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.
Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!"
"Isabela won't be happy about this." The dwarf huffed.
"Isabela?"
"She's been called the 'Pirate Queen of Thedas. She doesn't respond well to competition."
"Good thing she has none, then."
"She doesn't?" Adibas looked at Naomi, confused.
"Nay, lad, she'd have to have half a damned chance to be competition for us. We're out of her ranks, mate!" The two laughed hysterically.
Varric found Naomi's arrogance astounding. Solas chuckled to himself, as usual.
"This is why you're Chuckles…" Varric whispered to him.
Naomi gleamed at the bickering.
"How long have you sods been at sea in Thedas?"
"We arrived with three days supplies, and I'd press we're empty."
"Three days, just sailin' around?"
"Aye. Aimlessly. Drove us near insanity." He shook his head, as if wanting to forget.
"We have worked the self-same gun, quarterdeck division.
Sponger I and loader you, through the whole commission.
Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.
Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!"
"We've got a lot to discuss, eh?"
"The short spell is-I woke up in the snow damn near my end, was rescued by an astoundingly handsome fellow, blew up a holy building of which their Pope-of-sorts lived in, and was then dubbed the Herald of their Prophet Andraste after failingto seal that huge hole in the sky. Oy, and me hand glows and closes the other li'l holes that come about. That bout' cover it?"
"Sums it up to a degree." Solas affirmed.
"I leave you alone for just three nights' time and you blow up a building and become a Saint. My, the Lord has funny ways of guiding us, he does." Adibas's velvety voice boomed with laughter.
'When the middle watch was on, and the time went slow, boy,
Who could choose a rousing stave, who like Jack or Joe, boy?
Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.
Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!'
Kit met the Captain on deck, Cassandra trailing behind him.
"Aye, First Mate, what'll it be?" Naomi addressed him.
"Three leagues northwest, Cap!"
Using the compass inlaid in the Helm, Naomi steered the ship accordingly.
"So, when we get to this place- Val Royeaux, it's called- there's a mighty fine chance the entire city'll try to kill me on sight."
"Ah, so nothing new, then?"
"They reckon I blew up their Temple of Sacred Whatevers, killing the Grand Divine, or what have you."
"Temple of Sacred Ashes; killing the Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry." Cassandra resounded, "A murder most heinous in the eyes of the people."
"Only issue is- I didn't do it. And now I've gotta' go convince a right grand collection of arses o'that." She sighed, "Remember the good ol' days where if yah had a disagreement, yah beat the piss out of each other and called it square?"
"Aye, Captain. I imagine this lot of ours still live in those times. Hope we can keep 'em there."
There she swings, an empty hulk, not a soul below now.
Number seven starboard mess misses Jack and Joe now.
Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.
Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
The sunrise came up off the water, gracing them with its presence. The sky was clear; the clouds were red, pink, and orange. A small trail of light began to form upon the water, inviting them to the edge of the world. Glowing chops kissed the Hull ofThe Dishonored, Her wolf sails howling into the wind.
"Ever see the sun rise at sea, before?" Naomi whispered.
"I have not." Cassandra walked over to the railing of the ship, leaning over.
Her purple-hued armor glistened like amethyst caught in sunlight, casting glimmers of color onto the wood. Her shield and sword casting a similar display-she was spectacular.
Naomi caught Adibas staring.
"Aye, what's this we have here?"
"What?" He looked to Naomi, startled.
"Don't play daft."
He cleared his throat, and listened to Thaddeus sing away.
"It's quite lovely. The air out here is delightful." Solas took a deep breath of the ocean air.
"Leave it to the elf to talk about air." The rouge dwarf held his stomach, "Are we almost there?"
"Feelin' sea sick?" Adibas looked to him and pointed to the railing farthest away from them.
Varric hobbled over, releasing his bowels into the water.
"Cassandra, you're not goin' to his side?" Naomi jokingly asked her.
"No. He is not the Herald, he doesn't get my assistance when he loses his stomach." She laughed.
"Seeker, did you just laugh?" Naomi looked to her.
"I did." Her face hardened.
"Well, that was a short spout."
But the best of friends must part, fair or foul the weather.
Hand yer flipper for a shake, now a drink together.
Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.
Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
"At eleven knots for three leagues, we've an hour till' landfall. So, let's get'ta talkin, yeah?" She spoke to Adibas, as well as the three standing behind her.
They had a lot of catching up to do before they were all on even footing.