Madam Penny's cottage was a haphazard cluster of everything and anything Blaine could possibly imagine. There were jars of teeth, birds in cages, various objects that Blaine could only assume were medical instruments but hoped to God would never be used upon him. There was an entire wall dedicated to various herbs and jars of tinctures. Upon the other wall were numerous books. They were dog eared and laid upon their shelves as if someone had started reading them but lost interest. Blaine sat upon a bed in this room, his chest rattling and feeling extremely lightheaded after the walk. The cottage itself was just a small trail walk off the shoreline and built up on stilts to prevent any high tides from whisking it away. There were three cottages each with three bedrooms. They were used to house and rehabilitate pirates. Not very many real doctors would tend to criminals. Madam Penny was the best pirates had which wasn't very good at all, according to some reports. But she was very good at taking off limbs. Sam, however, spoke about her like she was a miracle worker, and Blaine could use a bit of optimism right now.
"Alright, Sam has given me the run down." Madam Penny bustled into the room. She was a buxom young woman with bright red hair. She had an expression that told Blaine that she was always thinking of something. She gathered a cluster of herb jars in her arms. "So, you almost drowned. Tell me, how are you feeling now?"
"It's difficult to breath." Blaine wheezed. "And really sore around my ribs. I feel really tired." Penny examined Blaine sitting in his bed for a moment, watching how the pirate struggled to open his chest wide as he inhaled. Thoughts ticked through in her brain and she put one jar back and grabbed another. She tossed a decent scoop of each herb into a bowl and added some boiling water that had been brewing over a small fireplace in the corner of the room.
"Do you like your tea sweet?" She inquired as if she were whipping him up some afternoon tea.
"With all due respect, I'm not in the mood to stomach anything."
"Sweet it is." Penny picked up another pot and drizzled a generous serving of honey into the brew. She stirred it a little then strained it into one large mug.
"You need to drink all of it and keep drinking. I'll brew some more for you here. Drink at least three cups please. The outhouse is down the ramp and to your left, however, if you are too tired to walk that far there's a chamber pot under the bed."
"What?"
"The tea, it will make you pee like your trying to fill the ocean back up, but it will clear your lungs and take away your pain. Chop, chop, drink up."
"And Sam?"
"He's gone into town for a little while, he will be back soon. I'll be just outside if you need me, I'm just tending to the chickens and a few more pirates."
"The crew?" Blaine leapt from his bed and regretted it instantly, the pain in his side felt like there was a dagger being twisted.
"Yes, but you aren't doing anyone any favours by trying to stand right now. Sit, drink, rest." And with that Penny hitched up her bustling skirts and toddled back down the ramp towards the clucking chickens that were scratching around outside.
Blaine liked his tea sweet. He knew it wasn't exactly a pirately thing to admit but right now he did not care. He rested himself as comfortable as he could upon his bed and sipped his tea. He was grateful for the honey, because the aftertaste was particularly bitter. He spent the first cup of brew contemplating the events of the week before….
"Oh, Aye I'm a sailor
I navigate the seas
And I might thieve a thing or two
So, a pirate I will be"
"Singing down here again, are we?" Sam interrupted Blaine, catching him by surprise. Blaine had been humming tunes in the hold of the ship for as long as Sam could remember. If Blaine wasn't up captaining his ship, he was down in the dusty storage space alone with his thoughts. Sam always knew where to find him.
"It's got the best acoustics." Blaine lied. there was no where on the ship that had the best acoustics, everywhere was terrible. But Blaine seemed to have taken a liking to this part of the ship. Perhaps it was because he could hear the slosh and splash of water against the boat. It made him feel like he was singing with someone rather than just to himself.
"One of these days I want to thieve myself a guitar, or a lute or something so I can play while you sing." Sam mused as he examined the broad wooden box that was the latest edition to their storage space. It was watertight and secured, bolted in several places and the lid locked shit with three separate locks. "I wonder what is in this thing." Sam tapped on the wood in two places. Two different sounds. Air and liquid.
"It's full of liquid." Blaine replied. He had been listening to it slosh with the rocking of the boat. "Maybe some expensive wine or something." Blaine didn't really care all that much what was in the casket as long as he received payment, then maybe perhaps he could purchase a guitar for his friend so he wouldn't have to steal one.
"Aww, come on man, let's guess. It could be anything in there. What if Sebastian Smyth has drained the fountain of youth? What if it's the deadliest poison in all the world? What if it's whale snot?" As Sam spoke, he jumped upon the top of the box and began to walk across it.
"I highly doubt Sebastian Smyth had paid a small fortune for us to transport a box of whale snot."
"Why don't we go ask him, he's just up on deck."
"Don't you think I've already asked him? His lips are sealed. The only way we are finding out what's in there is if we crack it open. And get down from there."
"Why don't we just open it, it wont hurt to just take a peek." Sam was right, they were pirates after all, and pirates were, by definition, rule breakers.
"Do you know how to pick a lock?" Blaine raised a thick eyebrow to his friend.
"Phht, what kind of question is that? I'm a pirate, of course I can pick a lock. Didn't they teach you that in pirate school?"
"I didn't go to pirate school. I was just too good."
"Oh please, you and I both know you were never meant to be a pirate." Sam was examining the locks, tugging them back and forth while he lounged across the casket.
"Yes well, when your father tries to have you hung, really the only acceptable thing to do is steal his best ship and sail as far away as possible." Blaine spat bitterly. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy being a pirate, but it wasn't exactly the life he had planned for himself either. But Sam and his crew made it all worth it. They were more than just pirates; they were a brotherhood.
"Ah, Captain?" there was a cough from the other side of the hold. A young boy with a round face had just clopped down the stairs into the hold.
"Yes Wes?" Wes was the ships look out.
"We have a problem. The Adrenaline, she's on our tail."
It had been two days since Blaine had arrived at Madam Penny's abode and he was recovering slowly but surely. He spent most of his time sleeping, drinking tea or peeing. God, he was peeing every hour. He was tormenting the chickens with a stream of puddles by the side of the cottage. He didn't see much of Sam during those two days. Mostly because Sam was either in town or flirting with Madam Penny. Blaine didn't mind. It gave him time to grieve. He needed to grieve for his ship, for his scattered crew. Sure, he wasn't meant to be a pirate, but at least he was something. At least he was master of his own ship. And now? Now he was nothing but a man with a terrible cough and an overworked bladder.
He couldn't stop thinking about that merman. What was wrong with him? It was all just an illusion, a drowning fantasy. That's where the myth came from, right? Sirens that dragged drowning men to their death. Well, what if the men were already drowning and that's when they saw the sirens? Whatever, it didn't matter. That sea angel face was gone now.
"Hey, Blaine, Blaine!" Sam came bounding up the pathway as Blaine buttoned up his pants. Despite all that tea his entire mouth was dry with thirst.
"What is it Sam? Did Madam Penny finally let you kiss her?"
"What? No, we've totally been making out while you were asleep these past two days." Sam replied unashamed.
"So glad I was asleep for that." Blaine scoffed.
"Anyway, I found us a ship!"
"Blaine we can't afford a ship." Blaine knew how Sam dreamed big.
"No, it's true. It's not as big as the Dalton, but it's sturdy."
"So, what's the name of this ship? What will I be captain of?"
"Well, that's the thing." Sam looked apologetic. "It wouldn't be your ship. You would be crew." Blaine's face dropped. "I'm sorry man, but it's the best I could do."
"You've done well Sam." Blaine sighed, knowing that he couldn't stay in the town forever. "So, what's this ship called? Does it at least have an awesome name?"
"The McKinley."
"Oh." It was no where near as cool as 'The Dalton'.
"I know, Blaine, but I tell you, you have to meet the captain, honestly, the coolest captain I've ever met… besides you of course." Sam added, meeting Blaine's raised eyebrow.
"And I found some of our old crew too, so they will join us. I had to avoid Sebastian Smyth, however, he's in town and he is pissed that he lost his cargo. He's wanting to put a bounty on our heads."
"We better get out of here quick then."
"Not until Madam Penny gives you the all clear. Oh, but the McKinley leaves tomorrow, so really, you have to be better by tomorrow, do you think you can do that?" Sam was talking too much, which really meant he was quite excited. Blaine wondered what was so great about this new ship. who was this captain that was cooler than him?
"I think I'll be alright by tomorrow." Blaine confirmed. besides, he was eager to get out into the ocean. He felt safer there than on land.
Kurt was a merman, a very stupid merman. A stupid, foolish merman who had spent the better portion of his newfound freedom helping an obnoxiously gorgeous pirate find land. Kurt didn't know why he did it, no, he knew exactly why he did what he did it. But that didn't make his actions any less stupid. What if he had been caught again? What if those two pirates had injured him? Kurt knew Blaine would never do that. Yes, he knew the pirate's name. He knew the blond man's name too; Sam. He had heard the two pirates laugh in the hold of the ship enough to know a little bit about both of them. He knew Blaine was a good commander and always put his crew first. He knew Sam often daydreamed about imaginary sea monsters (which weren't all that imaginary). He knew that Blaine's dream was to sail the world until he found a place to call home, and he knew that Sam would follow no matter what. But most of all, he knew that Blaine's voice was so beautiful it rivalled even the deadliest of sirens. It took every ounce of self-control for Kurt not to sing back. It was the sound that kept Kurt form losing hope.
Then when the cannon fire started, Kurt's wooden confines was blown to pieces. Sea water had spilt from the casket and he had been left to flop and tumble across the hold of the ship. The ship lurched and rocked, more cannons bombarded their way through the ship and Kurt, dragging himself on his hands, pulled himself to the splintering edge of the ship and propelled himself back into the sea.
That was when he saw Blaine's face for the first time. Of course, he didn't know it was Blaine at first, he was just a dashingly handsome pirate drowning in a sea battle, but then, a blond man dived right in after him. Sam screamed his name. The blond man thumped and thudded at Blaine's chest all night long, floating further and further away from their crumbling ship. Kurt watched and prayed Blaine would survive. He needed to hear that voice again. It was the most beautiful sound in the ocean.
Now that Kurt was free and Blaine had made it to shore, Kurt had come to his senses. This was a human he was talking about! It was foolish and downright dangerous. What would his friends say, what would his father say! So, with his pristine emerald tail, Kurt swam full speed back to his reef, where his clan were undoubtedly worried sick.
Kurt's mermaid clan lived upon an extensive reef system which, on a clear day, could be seen from the water's surface. However, merpeople were extremely good at not being seen when they don't want to be. Others, wanted to be seen, and often flaunted their perfect bodies and enchanting voices. These were the sirens, and they often left no survivors. Kurt was both, his father Burt, was a merman and his mother had been a siren.
Burt what you could call a king of his clan. Burt would never refer to himself as a king, however, he was a kind and gentle leader who strove to keep the peace between sea folk. He had fallen in love with a siren many years ago, which had brought unity between the two sub-species. From that unity came Kurt. When Kurt's mother had been captured and killed the entire clan went into mourning. Both sirens and merpeople alike were bound together in grief. From that day forward the sea folk had been united against the true enemy; humans.
"Kurt! Oh, my sea urchins! Is that you!" A long-haired brunette mermaid with peach pink fins swam through the open ocean towards him.
"Rachel!" Kurt didn't realised how relieved he was to see his best friend. They swam circles around each other in the water before embracing in the tightest of hugs.
"Kurt, Kurt, is it really you? You have been gone for days, over a week. We thought you were dead."
"No, just captured." Kurt held still while Rachel swam around him, checking for injuries or wounds. He appeared unchanged, just a few tattered fin scales here and there.
"Captured! Kurt, we must tell your father about this. Your father! The king will want to see you immediately."
"You know he hates it when you call him 'king'."
"He won't care if I call him a blobfish once he sees you." Kurt didn't need to kick is tail, Rachel had grabbed his hand and swam with enough strength to carry them both.
The reef was a broad collection of coral and rocks with impossibly large underwater caves and tunnels, some large enough to house over fifty merpeople. It is in these caves that the merpeople hide should a ship or diver cross their path. Of course, now with a few sirens in their clan, humans were not much to worry about.
King Burt resided in one of the deep overhanging rocks on the ocean floor, it was well sheltered from above, but from the sides it was open enough to allow visitors and sea life to consult with their king as they needed. Burt did not have a throne, just a well-padded mound of sea anemones that he could have happily rested in all day. To Burt, comfort was the key to peace. If his subjects were comfortable, he would rule a happy reef. That included ensuring that the sirens were well fed and the merpeople had plenty of ocean treasures and trinkets.
"King Burt, King Burt!" Rachel called as she dragged Kurt deeper towards the ocean floor. Rachel's voice was so shrill and loud, sea-people were popping out of their abodes to witness what chaos. There were gasps of bubbles all around.
"Kurt!"
"Dad!" Kurt released himself from Rachel's grip and tumbled into his father. "Dad I'm home." Burt did not let go of his son. If it were possible to cry under water, that is exactly what he would be doing.
"Kurt you're alive. Thank the seven seas you are alive."
"Dad, you're crushing me."
"I don't care, I'm never letting you go."
"Seriously, my gills, you're squashing them." Kurt rolled his neck out of the way. His gills were three little slits down each side of his neck. When he lifted his head out of water the skin sealed so tightly shut to protect the delicate filaments, it was like there were no gills there at all.
"I thought I had lost you." Burt finally released his son and held him by the shoulders. Just like Rachel had, he examined his son from nose to fin for any injury.
"Dad, you look like you've been living in a whale carcass this past week." Burt was a wreck. His beard was unshaven, his eyes were blood shot. His tail, which was usually a healthy onyx colour was a sickly grey. He even looked like he had lost weight.
"Kurt, what happened?"
"I was captured." Kurt admitted, feeling so foolish. He wanted to spare his father the details. "He put me in a box of water. I was breathing the same air and the same water for almost a week. Then the ship that I was being carried on got blown to pieces and I escaped." Burt stared at his son with grave concern. Burt knew when his son wasn't telling him the whole truth. Kurt was the most vigilant of all the merpeople. He knew to never get too close to any ship. Kurt's greatest fear was to have happen to him what happened to his mother. This was Burt's greatest fear as well. So, Burt just didn't understand how Kurt managed to get caught. But it didn't matter. He was back, he was here.
"I'm never letting you out of my sight again."
"Dad."
"I'm not kidding. You are never leaving this reef. Rachel, I'm counting on you to be by my kids' side twenty-four seven."
"Dad!"
"Yes, your majesty." Rachel took her duty very seriously, even if Burt was joking.
"Kurt, I want you to be able to look out for yourself, so this never happens again. You are half siren and I know you've never really taken an interest to that part of you, but you need to know how to defend yourself. Tomorrow I want you to spend the day with the sirens and learn what you can do."
Kurt didn't particularly enjoy the company of sirens, he found them a little vulgar and annoyedly bitchy, but he would have agreed to anything to see his dad smile.
"Of course, I understand."
"I'm so glad you're home." Burt crushed him into a hug again.
"Dad, Dad, gills, remember?" Kurt spluttered as his gills were once again crushed back into his neck.
Don't forget to please, please follow or review if you are enjoying this story so far. (up next, we meet some sirens!)