The Ambition of the Dreadlord Raveres

Part I: The Hakseer Voyage

Episode Three

In the two days since 'bedding' with the slave Mariana, Raveres' felt far more confident and sure of herself. She focused on learning the more intricate aspects of being part of a ship's crew, and the first mate began taking the far younger female Druchii under his wing.

Captain Dorath had somewhat cooled towards Raveres since the killing of Lieutenant Hathan, and he ensured the respect and loyalty of the crew by promoting a well-liked and eager to please replacement.

To show that Raveres meant no disrespect to Dorath and had no intents on mutinying she purposefully developed a cold and impersonal attitude towards the crew. They already distrusted her, but now they feared her enough that the captain once again felt secure as the official and only legitimate leader of the expedition.

Then one evening, she went further… During the officer's mess, Raveres quietly swallowed her pride and expressed to Dorath that she had acted brashly and that her youthful passions would not go so far as to insult him again. Impressed with her humbling apology the two shared the captain's dry ruby port and no more was made of it.

Though Raveres was filling into her role and her current position much smoother since the raid, her only moments of awkwardness came when she'd pass the Human Mariana on the lower decks.

The Druchii would surreptitiously avert her eyes and avoid looking at Maria, or she'd loudly and scornfully berate the slave, plainly indicating to her fellow Druchii her contempt for the Human woman. Outside of these brief meetings Raveres hadn't any further interaction with her.

But Raveres had made an oath… and though she was sexually compromised and in a semi-trance state of desperation when she did it, she had still shed blood and sworn in Khaine's name. She'd stupidly vowed, of all things that she would buy Mariana and make her free!

Since the Human parted from the Druchii's cabin she hadn't received any kind of indication that Raveres had any intention of actually holding her side of their bargain. In fact, Maria was beginning to grow numb with fear and anxiety. She'd shown herself as still free in spirit, and thus painted a potential target on her back, a target that certain Druchii would feel nothing but pleasure in punishing her for.

Unbeknownst to Mariana, despite her repression and cruel verbal treatment of the slave, the pleasurable company of the Human woman was never far from Raveres' thoughts. But she'd just smoothed things over with Captain Dorath. She couldn't risk aggravating him now over a slave, could she?

…

The ship's runner knocked on the door to Raveres' cabin and she responded disinterestedly, barely even looking up as she grumbled, "Enter, it's unlocked."

She was re-reading a scroll her father Lord Titos had written, wherein he, and her mother, had included several lines of advice as well as an overall declaration that she was never to forget the honour of the house, the legacy she was heir to, the blood she bore, and so on…

It was dry and tedious, but in a small, strangely pleasant, way she enjoyed it as a reminder of home, and by Raveres' recollection, tomorrow would mark the longest she'd ever spent away from Blacklight Tower. Despite being a fully grown Druchii, she still couldn't help but feel a small twinge of melancholy at the vast distance now separating her from her childhood home.

The runner slowly opened the cabin's door and poked his youthful, scruffy, and narrow face into view,

"The officer's dinner is being laid out; 'Captain wants to know if you'll be attending?"

Raveres wrapped the scroll and nodded, "I will. What's the meal?"

The runner paused as he recalled, "It's salted veal brisket, fresh-tack, and fresh fish sauce. Dorath requested caramel pudding for 'afters."

Raveres smirked, it was nothing like the food the family slaves cooked at home, but every few days the rations seemed to be marginally better than usual. She grunted in affirmation and the runner saluted before leaving. Then Raveres slid off her seat by the porthole to begin putting her boots back on.

Out of view she heard the door open wider and someone re-enter. With a chuckle she asked the runner, "What did you forget?"

The runners typically didn't miscommunicate or forget anything, but there had been a few times where one of the messengers turned to correct themselves. But instead of the spry Druchii boy, the lithe and shapely body of Mariana entered and closed the door behind her.

The unusual sound drew Raveres' interest and she looked up. Instantly her expression changed and her eyes nervously looked at the slave.

"Perhaps I should be asking you?"

"Y-you…" Raveres stuttered in surprise.

Mariana raised a brow, "Why has it taken you so long to speak with me?"

She took a few steps closer to Raveres and dared to furrow her brow, "You gave me your word and a sacred oath."

Raveres stood up to her full height; stepping forwards as she straightened her back and shoulders, hoping to intimidate Mariana.

"Listen slave I will not be lectured to by the likes of you."

Mariana's confidence left her rapidly. Raveres was not in a mood of desire and the slave thought anxiously, 'Perhaps I… I've made a mistake?'

Then Raveres' resolve faltered, "You come in here, and dare to…"

Looking down at Mariana's hidden bust and the soft curves of her hips, Raveres shook her head, "I don't need reminding of what I swore."

Then with a grunt, she stepped past the slave and put her hand to the doors lock.

"I will fulfill any-"

Mariana's hand shot forwards and wrapped around Raveres' arm interrupting her. Raveres looked down with a raised eyebrow before turning to the slave. Mariana's face was flush red and her eyes stared unblinking as moisture began to collect in their corners.

Her lip quivered. She wanted to say something, anything. But nothing came out. Raveres remained silent and composed and simply stared back at her. Eventually Mariana found her voice and sternly asked;

"What does your god Khaine do to blasphemers?"

Raveres' throat dried and her mouth pursed. Then Mariana continued,

"What would happen if I told the captain you were disrespecting a blood oath, made in Khaine's name?"

Raveres cleared her throat nervously, "I… I-I'll speak with Captain Dorath at dinner."

A tear fell down Mariana's cheek and she snarled, "I hope so. I'll be serving tonight."

Raveres exhaled tensely and the Human slowly let go of her arm before asking, "Do you know what Prince's Crown is?"

Mariana shivered and stepped back from Raveres. Furrowing her brow, Raveres shook her head.

Quietly Mariana let out a forced laugh, "Ask the captain at dinner, in addition to my purchase."

Mariana's hand went for the lock and she opened the cabin door for her soon-to-be mistress. Raveres somehow knew that the Human had made a threat. But it was such a nervous and strange interaction that she didn't know what more to say, and was forced to walk through the doorway and to dinner feeling like a fool.

…

"Ah, Raveres!" The First Mate announced.

He held his wooden cup of grog high and saluted the female Druchii as she entered. The new Lieutenant likewise saluted her fearfully and then the captain motioned towards the free seat to his right. In addition to her, three more members of the crew made up the 'officers' of the ship.

There was alcohol and jovial conversation over the course of the evening; and though it was utterly beneath her station and breeding Raveres had become used to the coarse and vulgar manners of the men.

But with Mariana so close, refilling the officer's cups and occasionally making laps around the table to show herself off to the Druchii men, Raveres remained quite uneasy. Eventually Captain Dorath caught on and leaned towards his financier,

"In future I will make sure not to have the Human serving while you're in attendance. We're… quite unused to having a female Druchii aboard and a noble one at that."

One of the officers gestured towards Mariana and the woman coyly played along, making the men laugh and loudly hoot and holler. She sat on the man's lap and he loudly began boasting of his martial accomplishments. Raveres looked away from the display and shook her head before responding to the captain,

"That's not necessary."

The captain raised a brow in surprise, "I've heard that she's displeased you? Some of the crew have told me that you've been scolding her?"

Raveres locked eyes with Mariana and immediately looked away, an idea forming in her mind.

"Yes. Actually, on that point I'm quite glad you brought it up."

Mariana tried to watch Raveres and the captain as long as she could before returning to playing courtesan for the men. Then Raveres leant to the captain and whispered,

"I would actually like to purchase the mayfly."

Dorath sat back and scoffed in surprise, laughing dryly as he took up his cup of port, "Well… Whatever for? I mean… forgive me, but what use would you have of her?"

Raveres thought about how to play this, what strategy to go with and how to succeed.

"It is as you said. The little trollop has displeased me, an offence really; to my honour."

The captain became serious and his eyebrows furrowed in concern, "A-as my property please, allow me to punish her!"

Raveres felt relieved, 'He believes me! Perfect, he might just be willing then…'

Dorath continued; "As my property I'm legally responsible for what ever the whore does, so please Lady Raveres, we can have her scourged immediately, or at first light!"

Shaking her head Raveres raised a hand.

"I appreciate the offer, but my family would never allow it. These men? They'd talk of it, and how quickly would you think it'd get back to my father once we put to port? Though I would relish to hear her screams."

The captain took a sip of his drink, listening in concern as Raveres continued,

"No one can know how she's insulted me. And I've been taking my time in bringing this to you; I wouldn't want a repeat of Lieutenant Hathan."

The captain nodded appreciatively, "I understand."

Then he shook his head, chuckling dryly, "My, my! I didn't realise all the considerations a noble lady such as yourself has to make!"

Raveres exhaled tensely and took a sparing sip of her port.

"As you know I'm not that old a Dreadlord." Dorath laughed, "And other than offending my sponsor I didn't see just how many rules came with being a noble of Naggarond. I far prefer the freedom that being a corsair brings."

He smiled broadly as Raveres raised a brow, "So, you understand my predicament?"

Eventually Dorath answered, "Aye."

With an anxious breath Raveres nodded, 'Here it is… Give him your pitch.'

Clearing her throat and darting her eyes to the table Raveres began her proposal,

"I'm willing to part with, let's say, eighty percent of my share of the raid's treasure to compensate you for the slave, and the rest of my spoil can be given to assuage the crew for the loss of their whore."

The captain put down his cup as he did the tentative math in his head. He and Raveres had personally counted, divided, and inventoried the hoard of coins and bullion and he was happily considering the new division of wealth.

With a sly, predatory grin he bowed his head and raised his cup, "I think that's more than fair, Lady Raveres."

Raveres nodded curtly, hiding her relief. Then she took up her own cup and held it aloft for the captain to clink against.

"We're agreed?"

He touched his cup to hers and nodded, "Aye, we're agreed."

Without any indication of it, Raveres released the largest sigh of relief she'd had in a long while. All but draining her cup as she threw the burning alcohol across her tongue. She'd succeeded, somewhat, and her stupid temptation of Khaine's wrath was postponed for a few days more.

…

After dinner Captain Dorath signed his tattered and water-damaged proof of ownership over to Raveres and the two draughted a bill of sale for Mariana, signed by both parties. Then, once the other officers enjoyed the sight of her for a few moments more the captain formally ended the meal and the officers all saluted before retiring to their cabins for the evening.

Next, Dorath approached Mariana and she convincingly played dumb, even going so far as to drop to her knees and beg the captain to remain his and the ships' property, anything to spare her from being given to Raveres.

Eventually he frustratingly pushed her off his leg and bitterly announced, "The sale is done! And with it I'll be able to buy replacements, more whores, who know their place!"

Raveres walked beside the captain and grabbed Mariana by the neck. Watching the force with which the female Druchii proceeded to drag Mariana out of the room the captain couldn't help but entertain a sadistic smile and imagine how Raveres intended to punish the insolent slave.

"May her screams satisfy your insult, Lady Raveres!"

The captain shook his head and thought of the highly inflated price Raveres, willingly, paid for the sake of her 'honour'. Then he mused to himself, 'These highborne… if they got rid of their fixation on honour, they'd all probably be richer!'

…

When Raveres was finally in the security and privacy of her small cabin she let go of Maria's neck and locked the door. Turning quickly around she exhaled and felt a shiver up her spine before looking down at the groaning slave.

"There!"

Raveres reached her hand towards her belt and pulled a folded piece of parchment out from the leather strap, "I've bought you."

Throwing the parchment towards Mariana, she excitedly grabbed the document and held it in her fingers reverently. Unfolding the document Mariana stared at the Asurian script across the page while Raveres walked towards her hammock.

Looking over the she-elf scoffed, "You can read?"

Mariana's expression began to drop shamefully, "N-no."

Raveres sneered and reached her hand to grab the page back. In a rare display of mercy, the Druchii looked over the document and then pointed to the third name on the bottom. Below her and the captain's signatures, the captain had written Mariana's name, making the transfer and sale of property legal by Druchii custom. Though their legal precedents and 'courts' were subject to much manipulation and arbitrary rulings, when it came to their slaves the Druchii were quite meticulous.

"This is your name."

Mariana's eyes widened as she followed the elegant curvature of the letters.

'My name?'

Folding the document Raveres turned away and descended to open her trunk. Throwing the parchment inside she huffed and tried to relax. But Mariana stood and darted behind her, wrapping her arms around Raveres' waist while pressing her face into the Druchii's back. Tightly the Estalian hugged her new mistress in gratitude.

'I'm actually that much closer to freedom!'

Raveres' eyes opened wide at the sudden assault and she quickly tried to pull the slave's hands off of her.

"Thank you." Mariana meekly whispered, "Thank you so much!"

Raveres didn't know how to react so she stood awkwardly as the Human continued to cling to her. Then she sternly growled,

"Unhand me."

Mariana let go and stepped back, rubbing her nose and nodding, "I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Ignoring her apology Raveres continued towards her hammock. She was so flustered herself that she didn't know what to do now, except hope that sleep would provide her an answer.

Standing in front of her fur-laden hammock, she furrowed her brow as Mariana quickly descended to her knees and began unclipping Raveres' boots. Wordlessly the Druchii assented and her expression and demeanour softened,

"You may collect your things and bring them here when you're done that."

Mariana nodded gratefully and after Raveres was undressed and at rest in her hammock she left the cabin. Quietly, Mariana retrieved her few possessions from where she'd hidden them in the ship's kitchen and hurried back to Raveres.

Though she was consumed with optimism a few nagging doubts kept at Mariana for hours in the darkness, until finally sleep came to her. Curled under a thin blanket the Human slave slept on a bedroll just below her swaying master.

…

In the early twilight of the morning Raveres awoke to the sound of her newly acquired slave stirring beneath her.

Rubbing her eyes, Raveres squinted and looked towards the cabin's porthole to see very dim fingers of sunlight creeping over the horison. Stretching her arms, the Druchii then stared upwards at the ceiling as the rigours of sleep began to wane.

Then, with an innocent voice, she asked aloud, "Where do you come from?"

Mariana stirred again and quietly groaned below, she too was awake. Raveres repeated the question and waited. Eventually the Human responded, her voice somewhat melancholic.

"My country lies across the seas. I was born in the city of Magritta."

Raveres listened and tilted her head before rising out of her hammock. Setting her feet down over the side of the 'bed' the Druchii exited and turned to look at her slave, slowly sitting to the wooden floor as she listened.

"There it is warm almost all year round."

Raveres made no change in her expression, she merely continued to listen as Mariana closed her eyes as she recollected.

"The city is like, like a great horseshoe, built around a deep-water bay. Ships are constantly coming and going. From all corners of the world."

Raveres followed quickly with another question, "Tell me how you came to be on this ship."

Mariana raised a thick eyebrow, somewhat off-put by the strange change in the Druchii's demeanour.

"Well, I was bought by a captain from Araby. He sailed back to his country and I was then sold to a brothel. I worked there for a few years, and then I was eventually sold to your Druchii captain."

She smirked as she recalled the finer points of her journey but kept them to herself. Then Raveres leaned forwards and cupped her chin in her hand as she watched the Maria's chest move up and down as she breathed.

Then Raveres spoke neutrally, "We're going to be putting into port at the first city we see."

The Estalian looked back at her master and piqued up.

"I don't know what the city will be… I don't know whether it will be friendly to a woman from Estalia or not."

Raveres sighed and began to rise, "But when we do, I will burn the slave register, and you will be free."

Mariana's face was one of disbelief.

Then Raveres scoffed, "I don't imagine I will ever see you again."

Mariana risked a smirk and responded coyly, "I don't imagine you will."

Raveres paused, her expression unimpressed. Then she lowered her voice and issued an order, "Take off your clothes."

Marina's smirk evapourated and she sobered. Until she got off the boat, she was officially Raveres' property. Swallowing she watched as Raveres stood and picked up her belt from beside her trunk. Then Raveres cleared her throat,

"Before we do depart from one another's company. I will be rectifying something. And giving you a gift to remember me by."

Mariana was pulling her tunic off when she finally saw what Raveres was doing. Straightening the belt out in her hands she snapped it taut before whipping it to her side. Mariana's eyes opened widely as her heart quickly began thumping.

She shuddered and her voice quivered, "But, why? Y-you s-swore!"

Raveres raised an eyebrow and smiled sadistically, "Swore?"

Then she laughed eerily, "I swore to free you, and I did so in a, vulnerable state. A mistake which I will not be repeating."

She lowered to a crouch, "But, I said nothing about not hurting you."

Mariana backed up from her 'master' and was now against the wall under Raveres' hammock, her bottom jaw shivering in fear as Raveres repeated,

"Now, strip."

…

The newly minted Lieutenant had the morning watch and stood at the bow of the Witches Wail eyeing the horizon as the sun began to rise above the edge of the world. The night had been warm and as a result there were clouds of fog rolling across the water. Some spots were thin, but others were frightfully thick.

They had just sailed through a thicker patch and now were in a large clearing between lighter patches of the smoke-like fog. Above the lieutenant, in the foremast crow's-nest, the sentry yelled over the quiet ambience of the morning,

"Ship! Starboard bow a-hoy!"

The lieutenant looked up to see the sentry pointing. Following his finger, the lieutenant drew his spyglass and looked afield. Amongst the rolling clouds of grey fog, he saw a vague shape disappear between two intersecting walls of the smoke.

'Those may have been sails…' he thought. Then he barked up to the sentry, "What kind of ship was it?!"

"Looked like an imperial frigate sir!"

The lieutenant furrowed his brow and searched the area again. Beside him the First Mate stepped along the deck and opened his own spyglass, "Frigate he says?"

The lieutenant confirmed, "Aye."

"Did you see it?"

"No. I saw sails, but it moved too fast for me to get a good enough look…"

The mate peeled his eyes and scanned towards their front. Then he spat over the rail, "I don't like this fog."

He sniffed deeply, "I smell bloody daft magic at work…"

The lieutenant looked at the mate with concern. Then the mate nodded, "Best beat to quarter's lieutenant."

The lieutenant's eyes widened and he turned to sprint towards the ship's bell. "Beat to quarters, you sea-rats!"

The trumpeter on deck loudly began a reveille at the lieutenant's order and below deck loud groans and shouts began erupting as the crew began waking up and making the ship ready for combat. At the reveille Captain Dorath erupted out of his hammock and rushed from his cabin barely dressed.

The ship's crew clumsily began making their weapons ready until, in short order, the crew were all armed and running to their battle positions. When the captain reached the top deck, he announced his arrival, yelling to the mate and lieutenant standing to the starboard side of the bow, "Report!"

The mate immediately began explaining the situation and the captain began searching as best he could through the fog a head of them.

…

Mariana groaned, shivering, and stifling a wail of pain as Raveres' belt collided across her bare buttocks. The hitting wasn't that painful at first, but as Raveres continued she began adding extra force behind her blows. And now the stinging, pulsing, sensation in her skin began to climb in severity.

Raising the belt behind her shoulder Raveres then brought it down as hard as she could. The loud snap of the leather against Mariana's skin made her wail in pain and writhe onto her side, shooting her arms up in a desperate attempt to escape the sadism of her Druchii mistress.

With a perverted smile Raveres watched on as Mariana's skin reddened and enflamed as the whipping left several thick lines across her smooth skin. Extending her empty left hand Raveres caressed and ran her fingers along the deep red hits and developing bruises that she had made.

Mariana shut her eyes and a tear fell involuntarily from the stinging pain. She'd tried her best to keep quiet through her punishment, and now she risked asking,

"A-are you… d-done milady?"

She hoped her voice and her words were respectful enough to not draw any additional ire, and with a smirk Raveres withdrew her hand from Mariana's rump and nodded.

"I believe I am. But there remains one more thing I desire."

Mariana remained still and silent as she frightfully waited. But before Raveres continued the ships' trumpeter began playing above deck. Widening her eyes, Raveres' expression changed as she snarled, "What?!"

Outside the cabin the formerly quiet and sleeping ship began to erupt with life. The sound of shouts, boots on wood, and the rolling of carronades ruined the tranquility of her beating. Raveres looked down at Mariana, and the Humans face was one of confusion as well.

"W-what's happening?" she asked tentatively.

Through the door they seemingly received their answer; as a muffled voice began shouting down the wooden hallway,

"Beat to quarters! Every man at his station!"

Raveres narrowed her eyes at the door and groaned with rage. Then a loud knock on the wooden barrier was followed by a clearer voice, "My Lady! You're wanted at the bow."

Standing up from Mariana Raveres looked at the door with madness in her eyes, "Aye, I'll be there!" But before the voice darted away, she quickly added, "What's happened?"

The voice coughed and cleared its throat as it answered, "Sentries spotted a ship close by hiding in the fog. The first mate and lieutenant says it's a frigate."

Wordlessly Raveres snarled and threw her belt to the floor. Then the voice departed with loud footsteps and Raveres slowly turned back towards Mariana.

"Get up." she ordered sternly.

Mariana struggled to her feet and her blanket fell from her calves, the Estalian was now nude and her bruised body now stood exposed in the morning light. Ignoring her whimpering Raveres barked, "Dress me."

Though she looked at her benefactor in a completely different light Mariana had to remember that despite what may have transpired between her and Raveres, the Druchii was still just that: a Druchii.

There wasn't any certainty to be had on future interactions between her and her 'temporary' master. But despite this Mariana knew that the she-elf was going to hold up her end of the deal. Just how much more sadism and mental anguish she'd experience until then would remain to be seen.

…

With the attendance of the slave Raveres stripped out of her sweaty bedclothes and drew on some simple day-clothes.

Mariana helped tighten Raveres' cuirass, drew up her right-hand gauntlet, and even affixed her sword and sheath to Raveres' belt. Smirking all the while, Raveres realised she enjoyed having someone squire for her, even if it was a witless, mayfly.

The last thing that Raveres had Mariana do was to comb and tie back her long, white, hair into a tall ponytail. While Mariana did that, Raveres applied dark smudge around her eyes. The effect being a Druchii warrior staple: intimidation and allure in equal measure.

War-paint was something that Raveres had longed to be able to wear freely, but until leaving home, she'd never been able to except in the secret of her personal chambers. But now? Potentially facing a frigate on the seas Raveres no longer felt reluctant…

When she finished applying the paint, Raveres turned towards her cabin door and Mariana stood with her hands to her chest somewhat covering herself. Looking over the Human Raveres cooed,

"Come here."

Mariana slowly looked upwards and complied. But shrieked when Raveres drew her dagger and grabbed Mariana's neck. She struggled backwards and cringed as she tried to fight Raveres' grip,

"No! Please, my lady!"

"Silence!" Raveres snapped.

Then Mariana quieted and held her tongue, shivering and terrified. Bringing the edge of the blade over her cheek Raveres ran the tip of the steel down the side of Mariana's face and Mariana shut her eyes as she whimpered.

With hardly any pressure the razor-edged dagger cut into Mariana's skin and warm blood quickly oozed from the small wound created in her flesh. Raveres smiled and looked over the side of the blade before wiping it off on her blouse and returning the dagger to its sheath.

Then she let go of Mariana's neck and ran her left thumb up the wound to collected her blood. Coating her thumb Raveres then withdrew her amulet of Khaine up from around her neck. Stepping away from Mariana Raveres began rubbing the fresh blood onto the previously clean silver charm.

As soon as Raveres had moved away, Mariana brought a hand to her face and shuddered, whimpering as she lowered to the floor. With a smirk Raveres finished anointing her talisman and let it fall from her hands to clang against the metal of her cuirass.

"You should be grateful."

Raveres took the door's handle in her grasp and opened the wooden barrier.

"More superstitious Druchii would have slit your throat or made an offering of your flesh to assure their victory."

Mariana gulped nervously as her hand became slick against her face. Then a surge of brave defiance made her find her voice,

"Would you have? If you didn't make your oath?"

Raveres took a step through the open doorway and smiled.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

…

"Lady Raveres? Took you long enough!"

The captain was along the ship's port side as Raveres made her way towards the group of officers. The deck was bustling with crewmen as they stood ready; crossbows, swords, and other weapons waiting for anything.

Cocking an eyebrow Raveres replied, "What's this I hear, a frigate sighted?"

The captain nodded, "Aye. Lieutenant?"

The officer nodded, "We saw sails and a hull a few times getting closer to us through the fog! We've adjusted our course eastward but we keep seeing the blighter!"

The first mate handed Raveres his spyglass and pointed through the clouds above the waves to the left of the ship whispering to her,

"Just there."

Bringing the glass to her right eye she searched in the direction the mate indicated as the captain and lieutenant began talking. Through the thinning clouds of fog Raveres saw a sudden flurry of light, as soon as they appeared, she asked uncertainly,

"W-what are those lights?"

The mate's brow raised and the other officers' faces dropped.

"Hit the deck!"

"All hands down! Hit the deck!"

Raveres' face became bewildered as she took the glass away from her eye, then the first mate pushed his hand to her shoulder and forced her to the deck as he screamed,

"Incoming cannon shot!"

Then Raveres heard it. It was like the loudest drums on the festival of Death Night, and in an uncoordinated series of 'booms' each explosion was followed by another and another, each overtaking and covering the previous.

The flurry of noise was immediately followed by 'whooshing' through the air as the hostile cannon balls collided with the Witches Wail and began doing their foul damage. Timbers split and splintered as members of the Druchii crew screamed and became injured by the flying shrapnel of wood shards from their own ship.

"Bring us about! Let battle be joined!" the captain roared.

The deck erupted as the men jumped to their feet. At the quarterdeck the helmsman began turning the wheel rapidly to the portside and the ballistae crew selected fire-bomb bolts from their munitions crate. The ship presented itself to its still hidden enemy and the crew along the rigging began taking in the mainsails.

Raveres, the mate, and the lieutenant searched the fog for the hostile ship and still could not see it. The ship's cannon-smoke mixed with the unnatural fog creating a screening wall. And only when the enemy ship was at perfect range were the Druchii able to see their enemy. The suspicion of magic was proven correct as the fog rapidly lifted and a loud voice boomed across the water.

"It was a spell!?" Raveres roared.

The captain sneered and turned to his men, "When battle is joined I will give one hundred gold pieces to the Druchii rat that brings me that wizards head!"

The men cheered in response as the ship came about. Looking above the masts and rigging Raveres saw that their foe was flying a yellow flag and plain sails. It appeared to be a galleon of some sort, but the ship was unnaturally fast for its size.

The Druchii ballistae began letting fly their bolts towards the target and the few cannon below deck began firing hastily. Their barrage was uncoordinated and quickly the men began firing at will. Raveres returned the spyglass to the first mate and the Captain waved the officers to follow him as he walked towards the quarterdeck.

"They're pirates I'm certain! Their yellow flag is not unknown to me!"

Taking position on the quarterdeck and observing the motions of his crew the captain took hold of the railing and continued,

"First mate you have command of the deck! Ready our butchers for boarding!"

The mate nodded and drew his sword, "Aye-aye!"

Then Dorath turned to Raveres and grinned, "These are pirates of Sartosa! Human scum who raid every thing they see without thinking! Haha, bleating sheep to the slaughter!"

Raveres smirked but her expression and confidence faltered when she saw the captain's smile droop somewhat. Mumbling under his breath he looked away and thought aloud, "But I've never known them to use magic like this before…"

Raveres furrowed her brow and was about to ask a question when the mate on the main deck shouted, "Darkshards fire at will! They're closing the distance!"

To port the enemy galleon was bringing itself alongside of the Druchii vessel and the main deck showed the scurrying Human crew armed with black powder weapons taking aim. The Druchii crossbow repeaters began firing and sending their hissing bolts towards the pirates and Raveres could hear their Human counterparts issuing similar orders in the own tongue, though the pirate's volley was far louder than the Druchii crossbows.

Smoke erupted as fire and explosions spewed from musket barrels. Druchii crewmen fell clutching at sudden wounds as Raveres' eyes widened. She'd never seen black powder weapons at work before and her ears rang uncomfortably with the noise of the guns' rapport.

Nearly crouching Raveres couldn't help but flinch reactively. Beside her Dorath grunted, "Raveres! We need to take the fight to their deck, close the distance and use our skill with blades to even the odds! If they keep us at range, their muskets will tear us apart!"

She nodded at the captains' words. Then he struck her shoulder as he continued, "I'll collect our men from below deck and lead the second wave, you will take charge and follow the mate as he crosses the gap and makes the first advance!"

Raveres nodded wildly and stuttered as she accepted the command, "A-aye sir!"

Drawing her sword, she leapt over the railing of the quarter deck and avoided the bodies of the writhing or dead Druchii until came to the first mate at the port rail. The Human ship was now sending hooks and ropes over to land and pull the Witches Wail closer, and at the same time small bridges and platforms began appearing and laying over the galleon's rails.

Roaring over the noise of the cannons and guns Raveres patted the first mate's shoulder, "You and I are to lead a counter attack onto their deck!"

The older Druchii grunted and took up a dead crewman's darkshard thrower. Firing the last bolts in the repeater he nodded and yelled to his men,

"We're taking the fight to them! Cross their own bridges and put the lambs to the slaughter!"

The men who heard him yelled and drew their steel. Throwing the repeater to his feet the mate re-drew his sword and growled as he looked at the bridges. Humans in varying costume and dress began sprinting across the precarious bridges.

With a flurry and yell the mate ran past Raveres and skewered the first Human to successfully cross. The melee had now been officially joined. Watching on Raveres clutched her blade tensely and felt her breath slow as she remained steady. Many of the crew began following the first mate and they struggled to mount the Human's bridges.

But it became increasingly clear that there were more Humans aboard the galleon than Druchii aboard the frigate.

As the mate dueled with a cutlass wielding Human along the bridge, he was forced off the thin wooden platform. Falling backwards, the Human leapt after the mate and would have impaled the defenceless and winded Druchii, but like the snap of a viper Raveres stepped forwards in a lunge and easily stabbed the tip of her blade through the Humans' loose blouse and into his chest.

Wailing loudly the bearded and hairy Human stepped backwards and stopped as he hit the ship's railing. With a scream and a kick Raveres sent him flying overboard as she withdrew her blade from his flesh. Then the first mate hopped back to his feet and nodded appreciatively before turning towards the onslaught of Human pirates.

…

There came no opportunity to mount a counter-attack and take the fight to the galleon. There were far too many Humans, and the Druchii were locked in an intense fight on their main deck.

The volleys of musket fire reduced in frequency for fear of hitting their own men and instead the shots were being made sparingly by far more accurate sharpshooters. In response the Druchii darkshards who were not yet engaged in melee tried to pinpoint and respond to the muzzle flashes but for all their efforts when a musketeer was hit with a bolt a comrade would pop over the railing with a freshly loaded musket and fire in response.

Raveres had been forced to back up towards the quarterdeck while the first mate and the crew on the other half of the ship were separated and corralled to the fore of the vessel. The pirates had succeeded in taking the middle of the Witches Wail and now formed two well practised lines with a stream of reinforcements continuing to leap from their ship.

By contrast, the Druchii received no such support from below and the Humans began descending the stairs into the lower decks of the Witches Wail.

Watching on in battle-lust Raveres cried to her fellow Druchii, "Send them to Mathlaan!"

The men fighting at her side cheered in agreement as they maintained a tight defensive line against the pirate's advance. Tensely Raveres disengaged and stepped backwards as an eager crewman who'd shed his shirt and purposefully carved the mark of Khaine into his flesh replaced her position.

Enjoying the reprieve Raveres caught her breath before she shouted encouragement to her men as concern began to cloud her mind; 'Morale will be the only true factor here, if we cannot keep our spirit then we are finished! These fucking fools are jeopardising my legacy!'

Rage began to mount in Raveres' heart as she considered the very real implications should they lose the fight. With renewed vigour she screamed over the din of arms to 'her' men,

"Push this mayfly afterbirth back to their rotting hulk!"

Some Druchii yelled in response but it didn't seem like she'd made any impact. Raveres' thoughts raced, 'How can I better motivate them?! We, we're losing!'

With a growl she screeched, "Lord Khaine is watching us you fools! Keep at it!"

The fighting was becoming bloodier and more brutal as the free space on the deck diminished. Taking a sharp breath and wiping her mouth with her left hand Raveres took a step behind a crewman who was successfully parrying and forcing back his opponent and she encouraged him,

"Riposte!"

At her voice the Druchii crewman slipped his blade under the Human's and drove it through the man's belly. Widening her eyes Raveres cried in joy, "Yes! Spill his blood! Send him howling into death! Battle pleases Khaine above all else!"

The men became encouraged with Raveres' faux religious language, and to them she was quickly taking on the role of a pseudo-Death Hag. Although she wasn't, the men began to fight as if they really were accompanied by a Bride of Khaine.

Crowing loudly, all but screaming encouragement, Raveres was subconsciously praying off of the beliefs that all Druchii shared. None of them wanted to disappoint or show a lack of faithful commitment to Khaine in the presence of one of his priestesses.

Yet her crew were not the only ones to have noticed Raveres' growing importance. Watching her scream orders and encouragement, a colourfully dressed Human with a black powder pistol in one hand and a rapier in the other finally leapt out of the mass of fighting and set towards Raveres.

In surprise, Raveres brought her blade up as a reflex but she was hit in the chest nonetheless. The man had fired his pistol just a few feet away from her and she loudly groaned in pain as she felt the hard impact into her chest. She stumbled backwards and several Druchii immediately jumped in front of her and the Human.

Two men grabbed her before she could fall and they helped keep Raveres standing. Loudly announcing her pain, she looked down to regard her cuirass. The lead ball projectile was lodged into the metal at the centre of a wide dent.

Raveres' brow relaxed and she laughed in anxious relief as she regarded the 'wound'. But all around her crewmen were asking, "Are you alright?!"

Nodding and standing back up Raveres roared in response, "Let me at the fool!"

To the men's relief Raveres moved from their hands and leapt forwards. Minding the fighting around her, and the bodies underfoot, she growled and committed a well-practised fleche, aimed her bold attack at her would-be killer.

With a smirk, the man dropped his empty pistol and performed an elaborate parry. Raveres' confidence melted as she was forced to counter his swift riposte.

'What? H-he's a duelist!'

Very quickly, Raveres and the Human began exchanging an elaborate and intricate dance of moves. Fighting for more space, Raveres growled and pushed the Druchii at her sides out of the way as necessity demanded and the man, she fought did the same to his fellows.

The noise of the melee around them began to quiet somewhat as the Humans and Druchii previously engaged in a fight on the aft of the ship simply began watching the duel. Dripping with sweat and brutishly leaping from side to side avoiding the Human's strikes Raveres began punctuating her movements with loud grunts or guttural roars.

The Humans to the fore of the ship had successfully driven the Druchii crew into the edge of the bow and loudly held them at swords' length. While the Humans who had descended to the lower deck likewise began to re-appear from the hold, swords sheathed and faces marred with blood and sweat.

Eventually the sound of musket shot died off, until the loudest noises were that of Raveres and the Human duelist still locked in combat.

Though she was a well-practised Druchii swordswoman and had been tutored all her life by professional blades-men Raveres was still in a class below the Human facing her. He quickly picked up on this and began toying with her; deliberately moving his sword and snapping strikes high and low in such a way so as to tire her out.

Sweat was running down Raveres' face and caused her black eyeshadow to run, the effect made the Human duelist smirk and speak tauntingly while they fought. Though it was a foreign tongue Raveres knew he had insulted her and hastily spat a response,

"Focus on the fighting! You jumped-up peasant!"

The man pursed his lips and furrowed his brow as if he understood the insult. In reply he lunged to Raveres' side and easily cut along the bicep of her sword arm. She cringed and let out a shrill groan.

Taking a wide step to her side she now unwittingly presented her back to some of the Human pirates standing, panting, along the edge of the port side. The Human likewise now had his back to some Druchii sailors doing the same. The two sides began shouting various words of encouragement, or shots of venom towards one another as Raveres and the Human kept at their fight.

Seeing an opening Raveres made a rookie mistake and lunged farther than she should have, overextending her arm the Human easily parried her blade downwards towards the deck and stepped to her side reaching for and taking her right forearm in his left hand.

Raveres let out a sharp exhale, freezing in place, 'I-it's over.'

Raveres' eyes widened as she pictured what was to happen next, 'What?! N-no! It can't end like this!'

The man brought the edge of his rapier to rest across the she-elf's neck and she began panting as her heart thundered. Sweat glistened on her skin and she looked into the Human's smiling face with terror.

The Human crew cheered and aimed reloaded pistols and muskets at the exhausted and demoralised Druchii. Raveres' lip and chin shook as she waited the coming slice of her throat.

'I… I'm dead. Raveres, a seventh-born child and fifth-born daughter, slaughtered like chattel! Y-you fool… you utter and complete fucking fool…'

The man looked away from Raveres' face and yelled an order to the Humans. They responded and began moving, some restarting their fight with the Druchii while others began moving out of the she-elf's peripherals. Then in heavily accented Druhir, the man issued Raveres an order,

"Drop your blade."

His voice was lyrical and deep. But stubbornly Raveres refused. He furrowed a brow and pressed his blade into her flesh; forcing her to move her chin upwards and make her neck even more vulnerable.

"You have fought valiantly." he paused and cleared his throat searching for his words in Druhir. "Your honour has been successfully defended."

Raveres' lip moved into a sneer as she maintained her awkward stance, "What do you know of my honour."

The man smiled, perplexed. "Are you the king of this vessel?"

Raveres eyes narrowed, the Human eventually noticed his blunder and shook his head as he chuckled.

"I apologise my lady, but my Druchii is not as good as my other tongues. We seldom join battle with the shadow-elf kind."

"My captain is down below." Raveres responded through gritted teeth.

The Human shouted in his native language to one of his fellow crewmen and eventually another Human walked into Raveres' peripheral view, but she dared not take her eyes off her potential executioner.

The man pursed his lips in disappointment and clicked his tongue, "Is this your captain?"

Raveres dared a look to her side. The Human crewman held Dorath's decapitated head by his hair. Raveres eyes widened and she felt her heart sink. Immediately her muscles felt tighter, her lungs smaller, and her legs and chest burned with pain.

She finally noticed how strained and exhausted the fighting had made her and the knowledge that Dorath was dead did not fill her with hope. The Human waved the grotesque trophy away and the two stared at each other again.

"If it is any… consolation… My men tell me he fought beautifully."

Raveres wanted to spit; she writhed under the rapier's cold touch and felt a scream build in her head. Then the man asked her, "Who now is in command?"

Raveres' brow relaxed as she realised… it was her. The mission, the ship, the men, they were now hers… and absolutely not in a fashion she had desired.

The man clicked his tongue and smiled, "I see…"

He looked Raveres over from head to toe and then bowed his head slightly.

"Then perhaps as one captain to another we might share introductions?"

Raveres held her lips tightly shut as the man straightened his back and puffed out his chest proudly.

"I am! Annio-Luis Philipe de Bilbali!"

He bowed his head respectfully and lightened his grip from Raveres' blade hand. There wasn't any need to keep holding it: She was unable to move and they both knew it. Placing his hand to his chest he performed a flourish to accompany his name.

"I am a captain, a renegade, a pirate, a sword-dancer, master duelist, and… gentleman…"

He smiled and extended his left hand to Raveres' chin. She cringed and tried to avoid the touch but he stopped before actually contacting her skin.

"Which is why I shot you my lady! I had hoped you'd receive a clean and swift death but now I am glad your armour was as strong as it was!"

Raveres remained silent.

"I've not fenced with someone as talented as you in a long time, and a woman too!"

He looked over Raveres again approvingly, as his men finished off the resisting Druchii and began pushing the crew around.

"I must tell you, you have a most skillful hand with the blade… But,"

He 'tuck-tuck-tucked' with his tongue against his teeth disapprovingly, "you're far too brutish in your movements! That may work on the land, but here? On the seas you must flow with the tide."

Raveres shook with impotent anger, not only was she defeated and remained on display in a position of embarrassing failure, but now she was being lectured to, like a child, by a Human!

"My hand is beginning to tire…" he announced comically, "would you mind dropping your weapon?"

Raveres lowly responded, "No…"

"Ah! She speaks!"

Raveres wanted to roll her eyes but she maintained her angry stare.

"So… my shadow-elf lady-captain… I have given you my name? What might yours be?"

Spitefully she began to respond, "I am a daughter of Lord Titos-"

He shook his head and smiled interrupting her, "Your name, I care not for your father's."

She bit her tongue and begrudgingly restarted, "I am Raveres Morthai of house Naguii."

"Raveres de' Naguii?" he repeated, "I am honoured to meet a noble lady such as yourself… Though I hope you may forgive me."

With a quick flurry his legs moved and tripped her as he smacked her blade with his and grabbed her hilt with his left hand.

Falling to the deck Raveres loudly grumbled, "You greasy peasant!"

The man took her sword in his hand and threw it to one of his men. Then he pressed the tip of his blade to her throat and kept her to the floor. The motion left a small nick along her pale skin and a few drops of her dark blood oozed through the tiny cut.

"I apologised Lady Naguii! But you were not complying with my request…" His voice sounded pained and lyrical.

"Now! As I said you, and your men, fought bravely! But they have lost… and we will fairly take your cargo."

He lowered to a knee, "What is it your ship bears?"

Raveres held her tongue and instead pushed herself into a sitting position. The man allowed her to rise, but he kept his blade still when he wanted her to stop moving.

"I understand your reluctance… but I must avow your crew's fate rests in the balance…"

A fellow Human yelled to Annio and he began smiling.

"Looks like my men have found your treasure!"

He raised an eyebrow inquisitively, "But they tell me your holds are mostly empty? Perhaps we caught you on your way to a destination rather than from one, no?"

Raveres exhaled heavily as she pictured the Humans stealing the ships' chests full of elven gold and plunder.

"Ah… say no more… A woman's sigh speaks volumes."

Raveres' expression soured and she began to protest, "I didn't sigh! You speak nothing but cack like a fishmonger's wife, or a lying merchant!"

A few Druchii laughed at her insult but captain Annio lowered in faux embarrassment, "My lady! You wound me."

He extended a hand towards her cheek and Raveres angrily batted it away, much to the amusement of the Humans. Annio laughed, "Alas! If only we had met at a ball… I've bedded she-elves before you know?"

Some Druchii hissed at his insinuation. He removed his blade from Raveres' neck and stood up. He laughed loudly,

"Afterwards, effeminate elf-cock could never satisfy them again!"

Several Druchii crew growled and broke out in futile melee with some Humans again. Raveres sneered as rage began to build in her chest.

'I don't care if he runs me through… I will kill that man… I will KILL that man!'

Annio smirked as he watched her face.

"My lady… if only eyes could wound."

He flicked his sword and performed a graceful flourish before sheathing it. Reaching her right hand to her side Raveres drew her dagger and hastily jumped to her feet. With a loud yell she leveled the weapon and charged the Human. The man was cool, calm, and had expected the attack. Easily he avoided the weapon and used Raveres' momentum against herself.

Taking her arm and tripping her again Raveres faltered and flew headfirst into the wooden railing behind Annio. Her eyes fluttered and she shook at the shock of the fall and the immediate pain from the collision. Disarmed yet again, and having been shamed twice, Raveres writhed on the wooden floor in embarrassing pain as her ego began chanting for her suicide.

Captain Annio kept Raveres' dagger and pointed to his men, switching to his native Estalian he announced; "Decimato!"

The Humans looked at the Druchii crew and a merciless slaughter commenced; the Humans let fly a volley of musket fire and the Druchii in response lashed out with as best a defence as the morale-broken crew could muster.

While at Annio's feet, bleeding from her forehead and ringing from the concussion-inducing hit Raveres tried crawling on the floor as she coughed and sputtered. Annio descended and took hold of her hair. Kicking her side, he flipped her over and delivered a strong punch to Raveres' face.

Raveres tried responding with her own fists but her vision shook from side to side and her uncoordinated hands missed Annio and instead only grabbed hold of his shirt. He easily knocked her hands off his clothing and stood up.

Panting loudly Raveres wasn't about to give in just yet… she had to continue. She'd been shamed far too publicly to die this way…

"I… must…" she thought aloud.

Rolling back onto her front she tried punching towards Annio's legs and the Human danced out of reach. Seeing a broken Druchii blade within arms' reach Raveres tried as best she could to grab the weapon. But as soon as her fingers wrapped around the hilt Annio issued a sigh and brought his boot down on her gauntlet covered hand.

At first the armour stifled his weight, but he then brought his leg up and down heavily until Raveres cried out and relinquished her grip.

'This is it… just… kill me…'

Rolling the shamed and tired Druchii onto her back once more she clutched at her injured hand with her left and quietly began voicing her thoughts;

"Kill me… Just kill me y-you foul scum."

Annio raised a brow and lowered to listen to her weak voice over the noise of the resumed battle.

"Kill me."

In a very short amount of time Raveres went from haughty and bloodthirsty to painfully aware of her mortality. The shame of her failure was so great her mind had emptied itself and death was all she could focus on.

She was filled with rage yes, but her desire for redemptive suicide or merciful slaughter was far greater. Her black makeup ran from her eyes as she began thinking about how stupidly foolish she'd been.

'Of course, your mission was to fail… you always were the weak link.'

Her thoughts began to take on the voices of her childhood and teenage detractors, daemons of another sort which no matter what she had done, or who she brutalised they would never let her think she was any good at anything.

'Raveres, she lacks the conviction necessary!'

'Oh! There's Lady Raveres of the Naguii… lowest of her sisters… I hear she fancies Human slaves!'

'Ha! I heard her father castrated their male slaves for fear of her insatiable appetite and a possible half-breed bastard!'

The lies, the gossip, the horrible venom coated words of her fellow Naggarothi each felt like a stone cast at her heart, and it was pushing her over the edge. So, she issued a plea and captain Annio's face recoiled in surprise.

"Please, kill me."

Her voice was meek and low, her eyes wept but her mouth and body struggled to remain composed. Annio leaned closely to her face, but she didn't recoil. She didn't seem fazed and instead quietly looked back at the Human.

He took her head in his hands and brought his tanned and moustached face towards hers. Raveres was so low that she couldn't muster enough against her resignation to death to try and fight back. And then, Annio-Luis Philipe de Bilbali became the first Human man and first man in general to kiss Raveres Naguii.

As if she couldn't feel worse, revulsion and disgust became the strongest things she felt next to her shame and humiliation. Leaning away from her Annio laughed and called to his men in Estalian. Then he looked back at her and translated,

"I told them it was true, Druchii do taste like snowberries!"

Raveres' mouth curled and she futilely tried to look to the starboard side of the ship. Defeated with the greatest feeling of disappointment Raveres' shuddered and let out a quiet sob; in the distance swayed the tops of green trees and the white caps of waves against the shoreline.

'It's just there… you were so close…'

She began quietly sobbing as she fought against her emotions. Clutching her blood smeared amulet her arms began shaking. Annio pursed his lips and stood up, before stepping away from the broken Druchii noblewoman his voice sounded honest as he spoke a farewell;

"Lady Naguii, I am sorry that chance threw our two paths together. But I was once in a position very similar to yours!"

Raveres held her breath and turned to look at the Human.

"I had nothing, was left for dead. Poor, broken, alone…" he nodded, then he laughed, "It's not a country for women or elvish-kind. Definitely not for shadow-elves! But maybe in Araby you may find another start?"

Raveres let out her breath and sharply took in a new one as Annio offered one last, taunting piece of advice, "I was once told, where there's life, there's hope!"

Then he nodded, "I hope you can swim!"

Turning to his men he spoke in Estalian and two of his crew stepped towards Raveres head and legs. Quickly they took hold of her and lifted her up. Screaming and protesting forcefully the Druchii tried to escape their grip.

"Una! Deo! Trea!"

On the third number Raveres flew over the side of the ships railing and fell, flailing, towards the water below. She didn't have any time to take a breath as she screamed before slamming into the water and sinking under the surface.

With Raveres taken care of Captain Annio happily yelled to his crew,

"Kill them all! Burn the ship! Leave nothing of value behind!"

The order was met with cheers and loud agreement as the pirates put the remaining Druchii to the sword or bullet.

…