Chapter 16x – The Port of Badon

Rei grimaced as she looked down at the port town. This was going to hurt. It was only a few months since the last time she'd been in the Pirate City, and that wasn't long enough – according to the whims of her geas – before it was worth checking again.

"Well, this is it. Our ticket to Valor lies down there." Hector looked almost eager to get down into the town. "Along with pirates and riff-raff just waiting to try and rip off a travelling Lord."

"And if you wade in to try and sort things out with your axe, it'll be your face that gets ripped off, rather than your wallet, young Master." Matthew told him, cheerfully. "Just leave the talking to me."

"You, Matthew?" Eliwood looked at the thief sceptically. "You'd have us empty the royal treasury before we could even open our mouths."

"No, that would be far too inefficient." Matthew chuckled. "You can't just walk in there like you own the place, though. I'm serious."

"What do you suggest we do, then..?" Lyn asked, frowning slightly. Pirates were no better than bandits in her mind. Just a different species of the same breed, really.

"Gambling, lady Lyndis." Matthew's smile grew. "Any captain willing to take us to Valor is going to have a sense of adventure and will probably adore risk. We'll just have to stack the game in our favour somehow."

"I don't like risking my father on a game, spy." Eliwood frowned. "There must be a better way."

"No better way, my Lord." Matthew sighed. "Anything else really would empty our coffers to the bottom, and Merlinus' too."

"What do you think, Rei?" Eliwood looked at the silent tactician.

"Matthew is right." It wasn't what he wanted to hear, but her dark eyes didn't lie. "A wager is the best way. There's a captain here, Fargus by name. He'll be our best bet. I'll have to stay out of sight on this one though."

"Why? Have you been here before?" Lyn asked, frowning slightly. "He didn't try anything, did he?"

"I was here a couple of months ago." She nodded. "He was a perfect gentleman, he just... disagrees with my devotion to my quest. Told me if he ever saw me again he'd... well." she blushed a little at the memory.

"I see." Hector sounded amused. "But you think we should talk to this Fargus fellow?"

"Yes." Rei nodded. "He's the captain of the Davros, a converted trade schooner."

"I've heard of him, too." Matthew told them, unsurprisingly. "He's good for his word. A gentleman pirate. Not a bad sort, unless you've got something he wants."

"I don't like it." Lyn grimaced. "Dealing with sea bandits... it doesn't sit well with me."

"I know, lady Lyn..." Rei sighed, softly. "Please, just bear with it... for a little while."

"I guess I'll have to ratify Matthew and Rei's plan." Eliwood sighed. "Sorry, Lyndis."

"It won't be so bad." Hector grinned. "Besides, it'll offer plenty of chances for pirate bashing when we're on the boat."

"I suppose..." Lyn still looked uncertain, but she accepted his words as the army started to move. She had no real choice.

Rei allowed herself to drift towards the back of the group as they moved down into the town, expecting at any moment for the pain of the geas to strike her as she got too close to the area.

"Lady Rei..." She turned at the voice to see the concerned face of Lucius as he approached her.

"Brother Lucius. Is there something I can help you with?" She asked, managing to smile as the first twinges his her, warning her to turn away.

"You seem troubled. Is there perhaps something I can help with?" He offered with a knowing look.

"I..." Rei hesitated, then nodded, slowly. "You remember, then. Yes... please. What do you know of healing?"

"A little. You are apprehensive of the pain... yes?" He inclined his head, slightly. "If it would help... I can make a Dagga and Valerian tea that will put you to sleep for a few hours, hopefully long enough to get what we need and move on."

"Please do." Rei nodded with a relieved smile. "Will you let the lords know that I'm staying out of sight?"

"Of course. Leave everything to us." Matthew smiled, appearing on her other side and making Rei jump out of her skin.

"You.. M... don't do that!" She scowled at the thief.

"But it's so much fun!" He grinned. "Come on, I'll go spin a story for the lovely Lyndis while the good brother knocks you flat." He chuckled at the outraged look on their faces as he urged his horse to the front of the group.

"He'll keep your secret, lady Rei. He's flighty, that one, but he means well." Lucius smiled, slightly, and the two of them dropped back to Merlinus' caravan.

"Do you think that's him?" Eliwood murmured to Hector as he looked around the tavern.

"Big beard, big stomach, big man?" Hector asked, his 'quiet' voice easily audible.

"... yeah." Eliwood replied after a moment.

"No." Hector shook his head. "That's him." He nodded in the direction of a grizzled veteran in the corner.

"How do you know?" Eliwood frowned, slightly.

"Matthew's about to strike." Hector grinned, watching as his thief approached Fargus. Words were exchanged, then the pirate looked up at them, then back at Matthew.

"Where's Lyn gone?" Hector asked after a moment, looking around.

"Probably back outside. She's very attached to that foreign woman. It's inappropriate." Eliwood scowled.

"You mean Rei? They're very good friends, that's all. Can you blame them, after everything they went through last year?" Hector scowled down at his friend. He loved him dearly, but sometimes the smaller man said such stupid things. "Besides, even if there was more going on, it's none of our business."

"I don't like it." Eliwood scowled, but then Fargus and Matthew were approaching and there was no more time for idle chatter.

"Oh! You're awake!"

The cheerful voice made her wince. Opening her eyes a crack revealed the slatted wooden ceiling of a steerage bunk aboard a ship. It was a familiar sight, though one from long ago – the last time she'd seen the inside of a sailing vessel, it had been on her way to Elibe from her island home.

"Hi, Lyn..." She smiled a little, rolling over to blink at the Sacaean. "We got a ship, then..."

"Yes. A crew, too..." Then the swordswoman frowned at her. "Rei, why did you have Matthew lie to me? I thought you were going to trust me with your problems."

"I..." She bit her lip, then sighed. "I'm sorry, Lyn... it just happened too quickly. I should have told you before... last year, even."

"What is it? What happened, Rei..? Lucius just told me he had to sedate you." Lyn's anger had faded in exchange for genuine concern.

"I know... it's a geas." Rei finally told her, and waited for her response.

"A geas." Lyn frowned. "What kind of a geas?"

"To continue my search, until I find him or proof of his death. It's why I had to leave you last year. I can't stay in the same place for more than three or four days at a time, depending how big it is, and I can't go back to that place within four months. If I do..." She looked away, hunching over her knees.

"I see." Lyn growled, her anger returning. "I see why you didn't tell me, but Rei... this can't stand. We have to get it taken off! It's inhuman." She stood, pacing as far as she could in the small confines. "What do they think you are, some kind of slave? They..."

"Did what they thought was right." Rei told her, quietly. "Don't hate them, Lyn... please. They're my family."

"No!" Lyn turned, glaring at her. "No, they aren't. Family wouldn't treat you like that just because you don't want to marry some arrogant prick. Family wouldn't use magic to torture you for disobeying, Rei!"

"It's not just because of Kojiro..." Rei mumbled into her knees. "It's because of what I am... my stupid, filthy little secret..."

"Rei..." Lyn's expression softened, and she moved to sit on the bunk beside her, taking her hand and holding it gently. "Rei, you can't keep blaming yourself. What can you possible have done to deserve this?"

"I..." Rei looked at her, startled by the touch, but the words stuck in her throat. "I... no..." She looked down. "I'm sorry, Lyn..." Her heart was aching as she forced her words – her confession – down. "I can't tell you yet... I just... I can't tell you. Please, don't hate me..."

"Oh, Rei... you know I could never hate you." Lyn sighed, softly, and hugged her for a moment. "I just can't bear to see you beating yourself up like this. Just tell me when you're ready."

"I will.. I promise. Some day, I'll tell you everything." Rei promised. "When I'm finally brave enough..."

"I'll hold you to that." Lyn smiled. "How do you feel? Ready to get up?"

"I... yeah." She smiled. "Yeah, I am. How long have I been asleep?"

"A few hours." Lyn chuckled. "We're half an hour out of the port now, heading out towards the open sea."

"Is Hector being sick yet?" Rei asked with a small, impish smile.

"Not yet." Lyn laughed, and helped the islander up.

At fourth bell of the forenoon watch, the next day, Dart laughed to himself as he watched the blue-haired Lord throwing up over the side of the boat again. The poor man had no sea legs at all. Glancing up towards the horizon, he revelled in the feel of wind in his face, before something caught his eye. Squinting, he tried to make it out.

"Captain! Longboat sighted! Looks adrift!" He called over to where Fargus was speaking with the helmsman, Jason.

"A longboat here? Could be a mutineed captain." Fargus mused, scratching his beard. "Alright. Three points to starboard, Helm, lets see who's adrift."

As the ship came around, it heeled slightly until the crew let off the mainsheet to compensate for heading up towards the wind. They weren't on the most efficient point of sail, or the best rig, but Fargus had ordered they try to keep things peaceful for the land-lubbers aboard, much to the amusement of the crew.

"What's happening?" Eliwood asked, ducking out of the captain's ready room under the helmsman's position and looking up at them.

"One of my men sighted a longboat. Shouldn't be anything that small this far out, so we're investigating. Might be a captain put off by his crew or sommat." Fargus told him, then pointed. Eliwood looked, then frowned slightly.

"That's unusual. Doesn't look like there's anyone in it..." He murmured. They were on the boat five minutes later, and hauling the dehydrated occupant on board. Eliwood blinked when he saw, then rushed over.

"Is that... Ninian?!" He yelped in surprise, and at his voice she let out a soft groan, opening her eyes to look at him. Smiling, she relaxed and drifted off into a proper sleep.

"Sir! Two schooners on the horizon, no flags up!" The call came down from the crow's nest a moment later.

"No idiot would attack the Davros." Fargus scowled. "You know that girl?"

"Yes, she's Ninian... one of Lyn's travelling companions. I don't know her story, but I know she's involved in some bad business, and not by choice. Those ships might be out looking for her."

"I see." Fargus thought about it for a moment. "I reckon a couple of rogues like that won't have anything pleasant in mind for the lass. Whaddya say we show these mates what real pirates are made of?" He grinned, wolfishly, and went to gather the crew without giving Eliwood or Hector a chance to respond.

"He's even more bloodthirsty than me.." Hector groaned, before turning back to spit bile into the water below.