If I Were a Herald

Chapter 37

Livin' La Vida Loca

A/N (12/25/05): The book I'm reading has reaffirmed my initial view of romance—and the reason I object to the genre. The plot goes as such: boy meets girl, they do some stupid stuff, boy tries to seduce girl, they do some more stupid stuff, girl succumbs, yet more stupidity and thickheadedness, girl falls in love with guy, she does some extremely stupid stuff, boy falls in love with girl, he does some extremely stupid stuff, boy denies he's in love with girl, they get really angry at each other and part ways, more stupidity ensues, someone finally beats some sense into both of them, they kiss and make up, and live happily ever after. I believe in love, and I believe in happily ever after (although I know that's usually harder than it sounds), but this whole raging passion thing taxes my ability to suspend disbelief.

A/N (12/26/05): The holiday chapter has been uploaded. It is now in the position of Chapter 8. Which is why this chapter matches the chapter number given it by ff.mort. Go read it. If you can't review (because ff.mort is stupid), you can put your review to that chapter in the slot for Chapter 36. Or as part of your review for this chapter.

A/N (1/1/06): Happy New Year! Taking a break from a Star Wars marathon (the little brother and I are watching all six episodes in order) to upload this chapter for you.

D2queen: There are going to be about forty chapters… probably a few more than that, since I've got three or four chapters planned out after this. No, five. At least. Anyway. Less than ten, more than five. But don't hold me to it. I reserve the right to change my mind.

Dark Angel Lytha: Thanks for the complements. I find I tend to rewrite published stories as well…but only passages. Certain sentences often strike me as badly worded, and I can't continue until I've found a way to make them flow.

Nawyn: It's good that you're wondering. That was what I hoped for when I wrote the chapter.

I was insane.

There was no other explanation for it. The blasted man was a pirate, a criminal. He had the body of a god and the morals of a devil. No scruples whatsoever. And he'd been trying to seduce me ever since he first laid eyes on me. Even when he thought I was a guy. He didn't want me for my brain, or my personality. He wanted me for my looks. Though why he wanted me was something I hadn't yet fathomed. Maybe because I was a challenge. There couldn't be too many women who could resist his devastating good looks. Maybe because I was there. The only woman on a ship full of men. The important thing was, he wanted me.

And now I wanted him back.

Oh, I'd been attracted from the beginning. Who wouldn't be? Even the guy I think I was in a past life would have been attracted to him. The difference was, until now, I'd been able to resist. I'd been able to tell myself that I'd made a vow and I wasn't going to do anything to endanger it.

Now I was just desperate enough to convince myself that I'd be able to stop him before it got to that point. And just crazy enough to think that if I couldn't, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Other girls did it. Hell, I had to be the only twenty-three-year-old virgin Herald in the history of Valdemar.

Totally insane.

Crazy with love.

It had been okay when he was in charge of the ship. I'd had a job to do. I couldn't let anything distract me from my quest to defeat Mortimer. Then, when that was done, he'd locked me in the brig.

And now. Now he was a prisoner. No longer my responsibility. No longer my concern.

Only that wasn't true. Because they were going to hang him. There was never any doubt in my mind that he would be found guilty. Guilty he was, as I had already testified. When Herald Vandir asked me, upon our arrival, to testify about my experience with the pirates, I couldn't very well tell him no. And even though the god to whom I swore to tell the truth wasn't my God, he was still a god, and I'd still given my oath.

Now I was the only ally Jacoby had left, besides his crew, who were imprisoned alongside him. The only person who cared what happened to him. The only person with the ability and the inclination to help him.

Lyrna wouldn't approve. If she had any inkling about what I planned, she'd do her utmost to stop me. She might approve of this new love thing, but I just couldn't trust her not to give away my plans. Freeing Jacoby would be okay, but not his crew. So, like Tylendel, I blocked her out completely. I could only hope that she wouldn't do as Gala did, and repudiate me when she found out what I had done.

I had checked and rechecked my vows as a Herald, and there was a loophole. It was wrong to hang Captain Jacoby. He was a good man, in his own way. No scruples, perhaps, but a moral code very similar to mine. He had a conscience—deeply hidden, yes, but strong.

"Perhaps, on the rare occasion that pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course."

That was my explanation for what I was about to do.

"Psst! Jacoby!" I pressed my face against the bars, not quite believing that I was really doing this. I'd imagined it often enough. The rescue. The romantic scene before hand. Sometimes I'd been outside the bars, sometimes inside. Always in my stories the outlaw had a noble reason for the crimes he had committed. Like Robin Hood.

Jacoby had no excuse. Here I was anyway.

"What do ye want now?" he demanded harshly. "Come to gloat? Ah, yes, the terrible pirate has finally been caught. 'Is trial will be tomorrow an' they'll hang 'im the next day."

"Listen to me, Jacoby. This is none of my doing. I just want to help."

"Ye coulda helped earlier. Ye coulda gotten us all free. Jes' free the ones on the Falcon an' take over the Hindsight. Wi' yer help it coulda worked. Ye dinna have to testify, neither."

"I'm a liar, I'm a cheat, I'm a spy. I'm every despicable word you can call me. But I am not an oathbreaker. I had given my word that I would see your men safely to Vertin. And when I testified, I gave my word to tell the truth."

"Then why be ye here?"

"I've come to get you out. But first I need to know the schedule of the guards. Can you tell me?"

He laughed cynically. "Ye just want to find out if we 'ave our own escape planned, so ye can foil it."

His disbelief cut at my heart. "I swear to you, that is not true. Please, believe me. This is your best chance at freedom."

"Ye be a Herald. Why would ye help a known pirate?"

"Because underneath all your bluff an bluster, you're a good man, and I think it's the right thing to do." Because I'm crazy about you, you bastard, and I can't bear the thought of you dying. "Like I said, I'm not an oathbreaker. I promised you my help. Now will you accept it?"

"The guard comes by every two candlemarks," was Jacoby's response. "There's on'y the one. They don' expect us to try to escape. Someone tol' them we were good men." A quirk of his brow indicated who he suspected that had been. "'E jus' left, so ye've got a' least a candlemark an' a half to do whatever ye came to do."

"Perfect." My mind worked furiously even as I spoke. "The Falcon is in the harbor. It's unguarded. Herald Vandir has already gone back out on patrol. You and your men can get to it easily enough under cover of darkness." Or just his men. If I can convince him—

"An' ye?"

"I'm returning to Haven. I can't avoid my duty, not to be a pirate." But I could—and would—avoid my duty to save your life. "You told me, once, that you wanted to go to Haven sometime. Start over." I held my breath while I waited for his answer.

"Aye, I was goin' to pretend to be a noble come upon hard times. Go legit."

Maybe this would be easier than I'd thought. "I've got a better idea. The Guard can always use more volunteers. As long as you stay out of trouble, they won't question you too closely about your past. Between us we could cook up a believable story."

"Ye wan' me to come with ye?" From the sound of his voice, he couldn't quite believe he'd heard aright.

"I love you, Jacoby. I want forever. Faithfulness. Failing that, I'll take your friendship. Are you willing to give me that?"

"Friendship, aye. The rest'll have to wait. I can't promise ye aught else."

"I understand. I'll be back in less than two candlemarks. It should be dark by then. Bye, Jacoby. I love you."

"Stay safe," he cautioned. It was as close to a declaration of love as I was likely to get.

Two hours later it was indeed dark. The moon was a mere sliver in the sky. I stole from shadow to shadow. Once at the gaol, I moved as if I belonged there. On the off-chance that I was caught sneaking around, I had a story ready. I was going to speak with the prisoners, hoping that maybe they would be more forthcoming about the whereabouts of pirate sanctuaries if asked by someone with whom they had sailed. I could then relay the information to Herald Vandir.

Like hell.

After long deliberation, I'd decided to wear my Whites. That way, if I was spotted, my story would ring true. Even so, they made me feel vulnerable, like I had a target painted on my back. Eh, why couldn't we wear camo, like any rational person would? Bloody irrational Heralds.

I had to force myself to breathe as I worked at the locks. I was no expert thief, just a mage with too much time on her hands and an inclination toward the shadier side of the law. All my senses were on full alert. A portion of my power went into the lock, stretching, straining, feeling for that click that meant I had solved the puzzle.

There.

"Herald—" Yeller began.

"What?"

"Jes'—me thanks, lady. Ye dinna 'ave to do this."

"All our thanks," Kent added.

Jacoby spoke to the first mate. "Yer in charge, now. I'm goin' with Herald Kali. Take care o' me ship. She's in the harbor, jes' like I said. Ye'll find 'er without trouble. Now begone with ye!"

"I'm comin' with ye, dad," Jimmy declared staunchly.

"Very well," I agreed. "Jimmy comes with us. It's for the best anyway."

The young boy's father favored me with a smile. "'E can meet yer kids in person, now."

My heart lifted with pure joy. I was so happy I just had to sing. "Odin loves the little pirates, all the pirates of the world. On a ship or on a steed, drunk on ale or drunk on mead, Odin loves the little pirates of the world. Odin loves the little pirates, all the little pirates of the world. When you're drunk and thrown in jail, Odin and your sword survail, Odin loves the little pirates of the world."

I led Jacoby and Jimmy through the town. A light rain had begun to fall. "Rain!" I laughed joyously. "I love rain. Come with me, love. Let us dance in the rain." Like two children we were, exulting in our newfound freedom. Jimmy splashed in the puddles beside us, uninhibited. But Jacoby was holding something back.

"We should be leaving," he said gruffly. "The watch…."

"Oh, pooh on the watch. I'm a Herald. I can handle them." I smiled up at him, my eyes twinkling merrily. "They wouldn't dare cross Herald Death."

He whistled. "Herald Death? Tha's ye? Damn. Even I've heard o' ye."

"It's nice to be famous. Or infamous, as the case may be. Herald Death I am. Do I look dark and gloomy to you?"

"Ye look—ye look like light an' life, like happiness incarnate," he said. To himself, he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Ye look like a thief abou' to steal me 'eart."

:Lyrna: I asked hesitantly, dropping the shields that had blocked her from my mind.

:You little minx! What did you think you were doing: Lyrna demanded. :You could have used my help. Now get that pirate of yours over here so I can carry you away. You'll need two extra mounts for the men.:

Relief made me weak. So she approved. Great. "This way, Jacoby. We've got a ride to catch."

We crept into the stables, where Jimmy easily filched a horse. I watched him carefully while he stared into its eyes, no doubt communicating with it. He then turned to another horse, giving it the same treatment. They both came with us docilely enough. God bless Jimmy and his Animal Mindspeech.

"Can either of you ride?" I finally thought to ask. Both father and son shook their heads. Damn. It was a complication I should have expected. "Alright," I said, thinking aloud. "Jimmy should be alright, as long as he stays in constant communication with his horse. Jacoby—you can ride Lyrna. I'll ride this horse. I know how to keep my seat, and Lyrna will keep you from falling off." :Is that alright, love:

:Fine. I've carried him before, although at the time he didn't know what I was.:

"She won't mind?" Jacoby asked.

"I've already cleared it with her. She likes you, Jacoby. She really does."

Lyrna met us outside town. I helped Jimmy mount, then swung onto my horse's back. Lyrna knelt down so that Jacoby wouldn't have any trouble getting up. Once we were all situated, I gave my mount a swift kick to the flanks. He took off, the other two streaming after.

My laughter floated backwards on the breeze.