"Pirates!" One of her crewmen cried and that was all her men needed to hear to start scrambling to their positions without a single command from their Captain.
The ship was still far off, but there was no mistaking the colors of the flag for the Felicisima Armada.
"Finally, some action!" Isabela cried out. "It was getting awfully boring around here."
"What? I'm not entertaining enough for you?" Hawke teased.
Isabela snorted "Hardly Hawke. Teasing only goes so far. When you don't let me get into your pants much less touch you, you become an awful bore."
"But that is how it has always been between us and we've known each other for six years. You've never said I was a bore before." Hawke said in the most pathetic voice, a fake pout on her face. It was really quite adorable.
"Yes, but in Kirkwall we were always fighting...and I had a brothel."
"You have a full crew of men that could satisfy your...itch."
Isabela opened her mouth to retort, but one of her crewman cut her off by calling out a warning that they were nearing the ship.
"Is everyone ready?"
"Aye, Captain."
"Good. I'll take the wheel. I want to show Hawke how it's done."
Hawke snorted. "Lead the way almighty Captain and show me your amazing skills." Hawke bowed, her right arm outstretched to the side.
Isabela laughed as she started to head to the wheel. "That's more like it! I wish you'd say that more often - specifically in a more private setting" she purred.
Allie rolled her eyes. "Let's keep walking. Don't want to miss out on you showing me your amazing steering skills."
"Hmm...true. I don't want you to miss out on that, but we can walk and talk at the same time, so you needn't worry. Or is it because I make you uncomfortable that you wish me to stop talking?"
"You always do. But if you insist on talking, could you talk about something other than sex? It would be a nice change of pace."
"You can be such a bore sometimes, Allie. Do you want me to talk about the weather or how nice that pirate ship coming toward us looks?"
"You could." Allie replied with no hint of sarcasm.
Isabela shook her head. "Guess walking will be just fine."
"Thought so." Allie smugly replied. Isabela looked over her shoulder toward Allie and mouthed the words I hate you in mock-anger. Allie only continued to smile causing Isabela to sigh in exasperation. She can be so infuriating sometimes.
They continued to walk in silence until they finally made it to the wheel. "Ah, this is perfect. These pirates won't have a chance, the poor sods."
"Well, glad you're so confident because if we all die I'm blaming you."
"Please, Hawke. We've fought far tougher things these pirates. Not only that, I'm the best pirate in all of Thedas. Don't doubt me."
Allie chuckled. "You're right. I'm sooo sorry to have ever have doubted you. I'll never do it again."
Isabela nodded in mock-satisfaction. "You better not or I'll have to punish you." Isabela put a finger on her lips looking distant. "Mmmm actually that doesn't sound like such a bad thing. I might just do that to you anyway."
Allie shook her head and sighed with a slight chuckle. "There goes your mind again, always in the gutter."
"Wouldn't be me otherwise." Isabela grinned. "Now, shhh. Watch how I get us into the perfect position to kill these pesky Antivan pirates." Isabela maneuvered the ship so it would be only a few feet apart from the Antivan ship once they got alongside it. The ship was now only a few hundred meters away from them.
"How does getting closer to the enemy make it easier to kill them? Doesn't that make it easier for them to board our ship?"
"But it also makes it easier for us to kill them. Just trust me, Hawke." As soon as Isabela said that a fireball flew straight into one of their sails.
"Oh, yes. You're right, Isabela. I should trust you because as you said you are the best pirate in all of Thedas. There should be nothing to worry about." Hawke's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Oh, shut up." Isabela said, directing her attention to the crew. "Someone put out that fire! And kill that mage ASAP!"
"I think that's my cue to go. I'll try to get the mage if no one else does. I'm assuming you will be fine here?" There was a sudden explosion at the back of the ship.
"Shit! What was that?" Isabela asked.
"It was the mage, Captain. He blew the rudder!" One of her crewmen replied.
"That mage is a dead man!" Isabela hissed, but regained her composure and yelled back to her crew. "We can't worry about it right now just focus all of your attacks on that damnable mage." Isabela directed her attention back to Allie. "Well, I guess there's no point in me staying up here."
Allie smirked. "Guess not. Let's go."
They ran down the steps toward the middle of the ship where some of the Antivan pirates had already swung over to where the fighting had begun. Isabela's men seemed to be holding their ground quite well but looked like they would be outmatched at any moment with more of the Antivan pirates flooding the ship.
"I'm going to try to get on to their ship to kill that mage. You stay here and help out my men with the pirates." Isabela told Hawke.
Allie looked conflicted and it seemed she would argue with the pirate, but her expression eventually became one of acceptance. "Ok, but be careful."
"Please, Hawke. It'll be a piece of cake. Trust me."
Allie groaned. "The last time you said that a fireball hit us."
Isabela laughed. "It'll be different this time. Sneaking and stabbing are my specialities and I'm prepared for the mage unlike last time. Don't worry." Isabela said with a wry grin. The fighting was increasingly becoming more tense, the pirates starting to take the upper-hand.
"Fine, go! Your men need my help." The two women went their separate ways.
Allie grunted, a greatsword hitting her shield. Aren't pirates supposed to be small rogues with small swords? Not big brutes with big swords…or mages she thought angrily. Hawke had been fighting these pirates for what seemed like ages killing one after another and now this giant human had gotten in her way. Why can't they all just die?
She was not in a good mood. She had not planned on being attacked by pirates today…or ever. Though she had to admit in the beginning when the pirate ship was first spotted she was hardly bothered. The warrior had actually thought it would be simple and over in no time - that was until they realized that the pirates had a mage. Then she knew that this was not going to be fun which darkened her mood dramatically.
The situation was made even worse when the mage destroyed the rudder, which brought up the question: What were they going to do after they killed all these pirates? After all with no rudder the ship couldn't move so they were stranded. Killing the pirates would mean nothing if they were just going to be stuck. Well…we could take their ship. Isabela wouldn't be happy, but we can't just sit out at sea.
Thinking about Isabela brought her to the main reason she was pissed. She couldn't believe the pirate had run off on her own…without her. It was infuriating. She understood her need to be here to help out her men even if she didn't like it but were none of her other men able to help their Captain kill the mage? Why did she have to do it alone? If she gets herself killed, I swear I'll go through the Fade itself to bring her back just so I can kill her myself.
She knew the pirate was more than capable of taking care of herself but that didn't help shake her worry. She should have just gone with her anyway ignoring what the pirate had said to her but Isabela would never have forgiven her for leaving her men to be killed, so the warrior had stayed.
With a push, she got the huge human off her knocking him off-balance and giving her the perfect opportunity to thrust her sword straight into his chest…
Perfect!
The raider looked at her, wide-eyed with shock, then slumped over her sword, dead. She removed her sword from his chest and watched him crumple to the floor, blood pouring everywhere.
With the short reprieve from fighting, she took a quick look over at the raider's ship to still see the mage with no sign of the Rivaini. Dammit! Where is she?
The mage hadn't done any serious damage to the ship probably wanting to preserve it for raiding, but he had killed a considerable amount of Isabela's men. They would be overrun soon if Isabela didn't hurry. But what if she-
No! She refused to believe anything bad happened to the pirate. They'd been through too much together for it to end like this. She knew Isabela would kill the mage. She had to.
Suddenly the mage froze as if one of his frost spells had backfired on him, falling forward to reveal Isabela. Finally!
But now all the Antivan pirates still left on their ship now knew of her presence and were starting to close in on her. Shit!
She wouldn't be able to get to her in time because there were still pirates on the ship blocking her way, but she quickly came to a decision. "Anyone with a bow or anyone that can get to the other ship quickly needs to help Isabela out!"
Her order given, all she could do now was fight through the pirates as fast as possible and hope that Isabela would be safe.
Balls! There were probably ten or so pirates coming straight at her and there was no way out...unless she jumped. Ships are too close for that. Guess I'll just have to take them on.Isabela nearly snorted at the thought. When had she ever taken anything head on? No, she would fight these men as she normally did: with lots of tricks and backstabbing.
She threw a smoke bomb giving her enough time to quickly hide in the shadows. Unfortunately, there weren't a great many places to hide on a ship in broad daylight but she could manage just as she did when she had snuck over to the mage without anyone noticing. But the difference this time was that everyone knewthat she was on the ship so she would have to act quickly before they spotted her.
While she was in the shadows preparing to kill one of the pirates further from the group, she noticed arrows whizzing overhead from her ship toward the Antivan pirates killing a couple of them. Well, that'll make things easier.
She quickly took the opportunity to jump out of the shadows to kill the pirate she was nearest to. With the arrows still flying over, the pirates were too distracted to notice her.
She took the opportunity to get behind the pirates and kill as many as she could. She was only able to kill a few before they redirected their attention back to her realizing they couldn't do anything about the archers. But by then there were only a few of them left and they were easily dispatched with the help of the archers. Within a few seconds the rest of the pirates were killed.
"And here I thought that this would be more of a challenge. Disappointing. I bet Allie had much more fun than me." Isabela sighed and made her way back to her ship, secretly hoping there would be more pirates to fight.
As she arrived back onto her ship she found there was not a single Antivan pirate left, her crew having killed them all. "It seems I missed out on all the fun." Isabela said.
"Fun?" Allie asked stalking toward Isabela looking none too happy. This can't be good. "Some of your men died and many more were injured. I don't consider that fun." Isabela winced. That was insensitive for her to say especially since this was her crew. She now felt extremely guilty. "You...I..." Isabela sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry."
Allie blinked. "Wh-what?" She spluttered. "No! You're not supposed to be agreeable. You're supposed to argue! I – I – "She cursed. Isabela rose an eyebrow, very confused.
Allie sighed. "Sorry. I'm..." She hesitated looking conflicted on what she wanted to say then made up her mind, but it seemed it was not what she had initially intended to say. "I'm still tense from the fight. I just need to cool down a bit."
"Well..." Isabela began with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I know of a very satisfying way to relieve that tension."
Allie snorted. "I'm sure you do but I'll have to politely decline. I'm sure one of your men would happily agree to your offer, though."
"Hmph, you're no fun."
"I know." Allie replied, a smug grin on her face that made Isabela not only want to slap her but kiss her, too. How does she make me feel this way?
"Now, don't we have damage to assess..." Hawke's voice turned solemn. "...bodies to count?"
Isabela sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose not looking forward at doing that at all. "Yeah, the perks of being a Captain."
"I know this will be pretty hard for you. These are your men and I know how much you care about them even though you never say it out loud. I just want you to know you don't have to suffer this alone." Allie's eyes were filled with sympathy and comfort, something the pirate felt she didn't deserve but welcomed nevertheless.
"People die. I'm used to that. I'll get over it...but thank you." Isabela forced a smile. She would never admit it to Hawke, but those words meant more to her than she thought possible. It made her realize how lucky she was to have Allie as her friend. Her heart constricted in a painful yet also pleasant way.
"No problem. Well, ready to get started?" Allie asked.
"No, but it's gotta be done."
"Well, as I said I'm right here with you." Isabela genuinely smiled feeling much better about the gruesome task ahead of her.
A/N: This took much longer than I expected to get out but real life got in the way as it usually does. And unfortunately the next chapter will take even longer because I'm leaving for Europe tomorrow for about a month. But I do already have half of the next chapter already written as I was going to have it in this chapter but decided against as I thought it didn't flow well. So when I get back, it should only take a couple of days to get the next chapter published.
And once again a special thanks to my lovely beta, strangegibbon.