Chapter 7: Captain's Savior
The next morning Arthur is rummaging through their belongings. Picking up various items of clothing and making a complete mess of things. As socks, trousers and other articles of clothing fly all over the cabin Merlin become increasingly frustrated with Arthur.
"What are you looking for? You're making a complete mess."
"Hey I need another shirt where do you keep them?" Arthur asks his cousin.
"What happened to your shirt?" Merlin asks Arthur in the morning as they are getting dressed.
"I uh it got torn."
"Oh let me see it I can stitch your shirt really quick."
"No I think I can handle it."
"Arthur you couldn't sew to save your life just give me the top. I can handle a small tear just give me the shirt."
"Here" Arthur tosses his ruined shirt to Merlin.
"Bloody hell what did you do to this top. It's ripped to shreds I couldn't possibly fix this." Merlin stated wondering how his cousin ripped a shirt from top to bottom. "What have you been up to?" He gives Arthur a knowing look.
Arthur smiles then shake his head. "Just give me another top please."
"The top are in the bottom of the bag. You know that it's going to take about four weeks to get to Pendragon estates. What are the two of you going to do when we get there?"
"I don't know Merlin but, I know that I am going to make every moment I have with Guinevere last as long as I can."
As Arthur is leaving the crew cabins he can hear Merlin mumbling something certainly negative about him. While the door is closing he can distinctly hear him say something about moonlight and madness. Followed by a yelp of pain as he pricks himself with a needle while trying to repair the ripped top.
While the crew are on the top deck completing their duties the Captain exits his cabins and calls for everyone's attention. He sends Dageal to gather all the ship's crewmates on the top deck once all the crew is on the top deck the Captain speaks to his crew.
"Alright listen up we have a drop to make in a few hours. We'll be landing in a port town to make a delivery. Now this particular client is rather shifty so I'll need Gwaine and Percival to come along while me make the drop. Make sure you are armed a pistol and a small dagger something you can easily hide. We don't want to appear hostile but we should be ready just in case."
"You got it Captain." Gwaine says.
"Yes sir Captain." Percival remarks.
Arthur and Merlin are engaged in a quiet conversation away from the other ship members.
"I'm going to ask to go along." Arthur states.
"What? Why would you want to do that the Captain just said it could be dangerous."
"I know that's exactly why I should go. Merlin this is my chance to prove myself. Trust me I can do this."
"Well nothing I say is going to convince you otherwise. You've already made up your mind about this haven't you?"
"Yep."
"You can be so stubborn sometimes. Oh just be careful."
"Yes mother."
"Shut up clotploe. Just don't get yourself killed." Merlin gives his cousin a playful shove.
Arthur clears his throat to speak. "Um Captain I'd like to volunteer maybe I could help carry some of the crates or something? I've finished all my work I just wondered if I could be any help I pretty handy in a fight if it comes to that."
The Captain turns to look at Arthur his eyes light up with curiosity. What in the world would make Pendragon willingly put himself in harm's way? The Captain watches Arthur quietly for a moment considering if he should let him tag along or not. Then he reflects on his last conversation with Arthur. He just wants to prove himself, everyone deserves a chance.
"Alright Pendragon take this." The Captain hands him a small revolver. "Go talk to Percival will get you a dagger. I hope you know what you're doing."
"Thank you Captain I won't let you down I promise." Arthur adds as he walks over to talk with Percival.
Leon steers the Vengeful Wench and lands in port and the anchors are dropped. The Captain is the first to leave the ship with Gwaine, Arthur and Percival all following close behind carrying medium-sized crates. The Captain leads them towards the meet up place when he spots a wanted posted nailed to the wall of a pub. The posted has a fairly accurate drawing of him sketched with his mask and everything with the words :WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE FOR MURDER, RAPE, THIEFT AND ASSAULT. The reward amount was 700 gold coins dead and 1000 gold coins alive.
The Captain shows the poster to Gwaine, Percival and Arthur. "What! That's not right look at this!"
"Dayum Captain that's a lot of coin though." Gwaine adds with a mischievous grin.
"Fuck off Gwaine this is serious there are probably hundreds of these all over when only half of it is true."
"Half of it's true?" Arthur questions shocked.
"Yeah but not the bad parts. I mean I've nicked a few things and knocked a few heads around but rape and murder that's not me at all." Arthur's jaw drops in surprise and Percival and Gwaine laugh.
"Get real Pendragon I'm a pirate, not a saint, but I sure as hell ain't no fucking rapist or murder."
"We know you didn't Captain but somebody set you up, I've never seen a bounty so high in my life." Percival admits.
"Come on let's go." The Captain commands.
The Captain turns and walks to the back a brothel and knocks in a secret coded tune on the back door. An old toothless man cracks the door open slightly and asks what business did they have there.
"I'm here to see Cendred, tell him the Masked Captain is here he's expecting me."
"Hold on a minute." The old toothless man shuts the door. He returns seconds later holding the door open for them letting them inside.
As they enter the building they walk inside the dimly lit room they all squint trying to adjust their eyes from blazing sunshine to a room light with a few candles.
"Ah The Masked Captain so go to see you, well most of you anyway. We never have had the pleasure of meeting face to face have we? I would so love if you wouldn't wear that dreadful mask we could get better acquainted without it." Cendred says as he sits down in a chair facing his guests.
"I get the shit you ask for, you pay me the amount I want. I see no reason for us become better acquainted as you put it."
"Alright fair enough. Forgive me I have always been the curious type." Cendred says with a chuckle.
"Do you have my payment or not." The Captain asks his patience wearing thin.
"Of course I do. MORGUSESE!" He yells as a scantily clad blond-haired woman emerges from the back room. She is wearing a very short very tight emerald green dress that leaves very little to the imagination.
She sways over to Cendred and Gwaine's and Percival's eye's don't focus on anything else but her curvy figure. She stands in front of Cendred bending over slighty giving all the men a good view of her ass. Arthur turns away disgusted that she would be so whorish. For god's sake she wasn't even wearing any undergarments. That's just nasty.
"Morgause would you be a dear and tell the fellas to bring in the Captain's payment?"
"Sure." She walks away giving Cendred a peck on the cheek as she heads for the same door she enter through.
They wait only a few moments when twelve large men enter the room armed with an assortment of metal pipes, blades and swords and a few two by fours. They had been set up.
"What the fuck it this, Cendred we had a deal!" The Captain yells.
"Oh right our deal well I honestly had fully intended to hold on to our little agreement until I saw this." He pulls out a piece of paper and unfolds it turning it around so they can all see it. " See I could make so much more money if I turn you in."
"So you're gonna kill me?"
"Well that depends on you Masked Captain. How difficult do you want to make this?"
"I'm not going to prison."
"Alright have it your way." He turns to his men. "Take care of it. Kill the others but I would prefer the Captain alive if you can manage it." Cendred smiles at them as he calmly leaves the room.
As soon as Cendred closes the door behind him all his men attack. Fist and bodies go flying as Percival takes on six of Cendred's men all by himself. Gwaine is laughing as he knocks out one of his attackers with his fist taking his steel pipe ans bashing another attackers face in.
The Captain punches out a few attackers but he is on the hunt for Cendred. That little fucking shit set me up. When I get my hands on him I'll kill him.
So consumed with his thoughts the Captain doesn't see the one of Cendred's men sneak up behind him with a sharp blade raised about his head preparing to strike the Captain down.
"Captain!" Arthur yells. But the Captain doesn't hear him or notice the danger lurking behind him.
Arthur sees the Captain but there isn't enough time to warn him. He aims at the Captain's hidden attacker and throws his dagger aiming right for his back. The dagger lands squarely in the attacker's back as crimson blood oozes from him mouth. He coughs once spitting out blood, getting the Captain's attention as he hears someone calling his name.
"CAPTAIN!" Arthur yells again.
"Pendragon?"
He turns to see the dagger protruding from his would be attacker's back as the man slumps to the ground. Pendragon just fucking saved my life. I didn't even hear the bastard creeping up behind me. If not for Pendragon I'd be a goner for sure. Damn I guess he didn't let me down after all.
Gwaine and Percival are fighting and knocking out the last of Cendred's attackers. The Captain nods a thank you at Arthur as he continues his search for Cendred since his men have finished off the last of Cendred's henchmen.
It doesn't take long for the Captain to find Cendred as he is walking down the hallway he hears moans coming from one of the doors. The Captain opens the door and finds Cendred sitting in a chair with Morgause on her knees moving her mouth up and down on his member.
"Get rid of the girl Cendred we've got some unfinished business you and I."
Cendred pushes Morgause away like she is a piece of trash as he rights his trousers" Hand me my cup of tea and get the fuck outta here."
She climbs to her feet placing his tea cup gently in his hand and leaves the room obediently shutting the door quietly behind her.
"Okay Captain let's talk." Cendred says quietly sipping his tea. "I know that you really didn't do most of those things the wanted poster accused you of."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I did them."
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"I'm saying it was me it's been me the whole time the rapes the murders. Here check this out." Cendred stands up the Captain takes a few steps back unsure of what he has planned. Cendred goes to his wardrobe and pulls out a coat identical to the one the Captain is wear with a matching mask. "Do you see now? I'm the Masked Captain too." He laughs hysterically.
"You are seriously fucked up in the head." The Captain pulls out his pistol and aims at Cendred.
"Now you wouldn't want to shoot me not with all the armed officers in the building upstairs. Surely the sound of gunfire will get their attention. Don't be foolish put that gun away." Cendred says calmly walking to stand face to face with the Captain.
"This ends now Cendred. Whatever twisted ass game your playing I want no part of it."
"Oh what are you gonna do kill me?" He coughs. "You not the murder remember I am." He coughs again and clears his throat."Here's what going to happen I'm going to kill you and continue to use your clever mask disguise to keep myself safe from being discover then I'm-
The last words were cut off as he grips his throat tightly his face was turning red and it appeared that he was choking. He falls to the floor and his body began shaking violently as white foam sputtered out of his mouth.
"What the fuck?" The Captain asks watching Cendred dying on the floor before him.
The door opened behind him as Morguase stepped inside the room looking quite pleased with herself. "I'm glad to see the poison worked." She said smiling at the Captain.
"Damn I bet he didn't see that coming. But what reason would you have to kill Cendred?"
"Honestly he's a total ass I have wanted to get rid of him and away from here for years. I've watched him do terrible awful things for a long time, but the other day while he was out in the mask and all he came backing bragging about raping a little girl." He eyes well up with tears as she confesses. "A child not older than six years old I just couldn't- ."
"It's okay he's dead now he can't hurt anyone else again."
She wipes her eyes quickly laughing at herself. " I can't believe I got all emotional over this. I don't remember the last time I cried. I just never killed anyone before. Oh, before I forget here is your payment I was supposed to hang on to it until he turned you in but since he's dead it is rightfully yours." She says handing The Captain a bag of coins.
"Thank you for everything." The Captain says reaching into the bag and giving her a handful of golden coins. "That's for you. Think of it as a chance to start over."
"Really." She smiles as her eyes light up full of hope. "I'm going to pack my things I'm getting out of this hell hole right now!" She leaves the room hurrying down the hall in the opposite direction, The Captain closes the door behind him as he heads back down to hallway toward the exit.
He is greeted by Gwaine, Arthur and Percival in the hall in search of him.
"Oh we was just coming to find ya Captain." Says Gwaine smiling.
"Where is Cendred?" Arthur asks.
"He's dead."The Captain answers.
"How about Arthur though he did pretty good on his first run eh? I didn't know this fella was a fighter." Percival says shoving Arthur playfully.
"Yeah he did well. We're done here let's get on the ship and get the hell outta this port. I have no idea how many of those wanted posters are hanging around."
Back aboard the Vengeful Wench the Captain recalls their misadventure to the rest of the crew. The entire crew is surprised that Arthur saved the Captain's life given how much the Captain hated him. Some crewmates call Arthur an hero or the Captain's saviour he just brushes it off saying that he only did what anybody else would have done. After a few hours of talking with the crew the sun set and everyone began to descend below deck for the nightly curfew.
Arthur checked his pocket watch the time was 2:00am hopefully Guinevere would still want to meet tonight. After making sure that everyone in the cabin was asleep Arthur quietly snuck on his boots and tip toed up to the main deck.
Guinevere was leaning against the railing waiting for him tonight. She was a vision of loveliness as always her hair was pulled into a single braid that hangs delicately over her left shoulder. He just stands on the steps and watches her for a few moments before she turned around to see him staring at her like a love sick puppy.
"What are you doing?" She asks smiling at him.
"I was just watching the most beautiful woman in the world." He replies making her blush.
"I heard about what happened today."
"It was nothing, really the crew wants to paint me as a hero. I'm not, I just did what was right."
"Well to me you did more than that. Arthur if you hadn't been there I-"
He wraps his arms around her shoulder rubbing gently circles on her back. "It's okay I was there and everything turned out fine."
She wipes her eyes as they begin to water. "There must be some way I can repay you."
"There's is no payment necessary. I assure you."
"Really there isn't anything that I could give you."
"No it's really quite alright."
"Oh okay I would love to show you how grateful I am. But if you can't think of any I'll let you mull it over for a while afterall we'll be sailing for four weeks straight untill we reach Pendragon Estates. Think about what I said I'll see you tomorrow."
She turns and heads for the Captain's cabins Arthur watches her walk away completely dumbfounded by her trying to pay him for saving her brother. What in the world was that about? Wait a minute anything she could give me? Some way to repay me? She wants to show me how grateful she is? Oh my God!
"Guinevere wait please."
He can hear her giggle on the other side of the door as she closes it behind her.
"Crap I really can be such an idiot sometimes." He scolds himself as he heads back down the stairs to the crew cabins. Oh he would think about it alright he'd be thinking about it all night long.