Disclaimer: The same as ever. I only own the characters that I created myself, NOT Legolas and Gimli... unfortunately.
Thak you, whoever you are, for adding my story to your C2.
Well... here's the third chapter, please review. I want to find out what you all think of it.
Chapter Three: Captain Kalias
In the dark, it was hard, even for Legolas, to make out very much on the boat they found themselves on. Throwing a quick glance over his shoulder, Legolas could tell that the pirates' vessel dwarfed their own, and as they were marched further along the ship he saw that those who had boarded their own ship were but a sliver of the real number. If things turned sour, it as likely that things would fall against their favour. He could only hope that Gimli would be able to keep his temper under control.
No one had said anything since they had reached the second ship, but a curious gathering was forming in the wake of the two unlikely friends. Both could hear the strange words that they assumed were the native tongue of the Saenian pirates.
The two friends were led down into the bowls of the great ship, and as they walked down into the darkness their ears met the sound of many people snoring, and neither could help but wonder just how many people lived on the ship.
When they were finally led into what could only be the leader's quarters, they were nearly blinded by the sudden change in the quality of light. In the wooden cabin there were no corners left dark and shadowed, instead the number of candles that were dotted strategically around the room was almost dangerous. If one fell on the floor… well it didn't bear thinking about. The room was obviously only half of the quarters as there was no sign of anywhere to sleep, but there were a couple of tables piled high with parchments and maps and a few well fingered books.
Sitting behind the larger of the two tables was the man who could be none other than the commander of the vessel. He had looked up as the two captives were escorted inside and sat looking intently at them for long enough to allow Legolas to make a firm mental image of the man.
He was in his middle years, with a few wrinkles around his brown-black eyes. His skin was the darkest he had ever seen, much darker than that of most of the crewmembers. It made the whites of his eyes standout, and when he smiled to one of the escorts Legolas noted a good set of teeth. This man was active and healthy, and apparently lacked a sweet tooth. His coarse black hair hung in loose curls around his face. If he stood he would be tall and almost lanky, although it was hard to be sure under all the layers of clothing he wore. In all he did not remotely resemble the cold-blooded killer the elf had expected to find. In truth, he looked almost jubilant to see them.
The man rose from his seat and gestured for the crewmembers to leave them, and then he turned to them and spoke.
To both of them it sounded like little more than gibberish, and Gimli raised an expectant eyebrow. If an ordinary member of the crew could speak their language, then this man certainly would be able to.
The man spoke again, though a little less certainly this time. On seeing the bemused expressions on their faces, he sighed resignedly and shook his shaggy head.
"I am Kalias." The man stated, his lilting voice tugged at Legolas's memory, but he could not comprehend why. "You are on my ship, and for now you shall be my guests, sirs…?" He spoke each word slowly, as though he wasn't sure that they would be able to understand him, but that didn't lessen the politeness that reverberated in his tone.
"I am Legolas, and this is my companion Gimli." Legolas said after a pause. He had been debating whether or not to tell the truth. In the end he chose the route he thought would cause the fewest problems for them in the future. He knew from the sharp intake of breath from beside the dwarf wasn't of the same opinion.
Kalias smiled. "You are welcome aboard my fine ship, Sirs Legolas and Gimli." He said, bowing his head to them.
"Welcome? Your men took us captive!" Gimli said, his confusion at the situation manifesting itself as anger. "How is that welcoming?"
Legolas sighed. "I apologise for my friend, he h-" he started, but was cut short when Kalias raised his hand, a small, rueful smile on his face.
"Nay. It is I who am in the wrong." He said when Legolas opened his mouth to speak again. "I should have told my people to treat you honourably and with respect. But they sometimes get carried away. We so rarely sight another ship that when we do, they often forget themselves. Again I am sorry for any harm they did you."
Legolas's brows were knit together as he tried to make sense of the situation. They had been taken onto this ship as guests? He thought that pirates stole anything that they could trade. Maybe he had heard wrong, but it couldn't be possible. He knew his hearing was, if not perfect, then not far off. But at least it did not like they were in any immediate danger at the hands of these people.
"Let me explain," the man started, as if sensing the thoughts as they crossed the elf's mind. "We call ourselves, but only live up to the title when there is naught else we can do. For nigh on most of the time, we are a peaceful folk."
He said the words as though they explained everything, but for all their intelligence and wisdom, the nature of their hosts still eluded them and, although he would never admit it, it was frustrating the elf. He hated not knowing and having no way to find out.
"Who we are, why we are here, and why we took you from your own vessel will all be explained in due time." Kalias continued as if the questions were irrelevant. "As for now, would you care to eat or drink? I am sure you are thirsty at least."
The two friends looked dubiously at one another for a couple of seconds before each of them nodded. Neither of them particularly felt like eating, but thought it someone might make it all easier to understand.
Kalias nodded and clapped his hands. The door opening and people entering followed shortly after the action. They carried a tray of bread, and a jug of water and three small mugs. Another carried a small crate that would act as a table for the tray, while the last brought in two chairs, one for each of the guests.
When everything was in place, and they were all seated around the crate, Kalias started to talk again, stopping every now and again to take a sip of water.
"As I have already said, I am Kalias and I am Captain of this ship. My people and me are Saemian. We come from lands for far away we have lost track of the leagues that separate us from our ancestral home. As to why we are one a ship in the ocean, that tale is too long to tell this night.
"I had my people bring you on board for a good reason: your health, safety and possibly lives. My weathermen are talented, and I admit to not understanding how they know what they know, and I believe their warnings. A storm is coming, and your ship would not have lived to see the second day. One the women saw you, and the Council decided that we would help you travellers in anyway we could. And the only way we could do that was to take you off your own ship and bring you onto ours."
Kalias stopped as much to regain his breath as to take a sip of the cool water. This task of explaining took much out of he who wasn't overly familiar with the skill of reassuring suspicious guests. But presently, he started to speak once more.
"I have had a small room prepared for you, and all of things have been taken there. If anything is missing, I am most sorry and if I am informed in shall do all I can to remedy the matter. Now, however, I can see that you are weary and dull eyed from tiredness. Good night, honoured guests."
Before the two had time to think over what was said, and the sincerity or lack of it in Kalias's words they were ushered out of the man's room and along the cramped way. It wasn't far to the newly converted storeroom, and they took the candle and shut the door gratefully. Kalias hadn't lied, all of their things were now stacked on the corners and on shelves. On one side of the room, two piles of thick blankets had been stacked, obviously to act as beds for the pair. Without further thought, the two slumped down onto the piles and gave in to their tiredness. It wasn't long before they were asleep, all worries and doubts left forgotten until the morning.
On the horizon, unseen in the darkness, storm clouds rolled, slate grey and angry. The men and women up on the deck of the boat raised the faces heavenwards as the first droplets of rain fell. A few shuddered, muttering uneasily, but they all stayed on deck. It wasn't their time for food and sleep yet, and it wouldn't do t break the cycle. And so, while the elf and dwarf slept oblivious the Saenians waited in trepidation for the moment the first roll of thunder would be heard.