Arya's heart skipped a beat as Bloodsail's suspicious eyes bore into her. Could this be the moment her disguise unraveled?
"Start with yer name," Bloodsail's gruff voice demanded.
Arya cleared her throat, willing herself to sound deeper, more like a young man. "My name is Robb. Robb Hardwin," she replied, the name catching in her throat momentarily as memories of her noble brother Robb Stark flashed through her mind.
Bloodsail's brow furrowed deeply as he crouched down, his voice a low rumble meant only for Daenerys, the crocodile resting calmly nearby. "His voice. Feels unnatural, don't ye think, Dany?"
Daenerys regarded Arya with a slow blink, as if assessing the truth in Bloodsail's words.
Bloodsail straightened, his towering frame casting a formidable shadow over Arya as he advanced towards her.
"Speak yer name again," Bloodsail commanded, his voice now a blend of challenge and curiosity. "Love to hear ye."
Arya squared her shoulders, meeting Bloodsail's intense stare with unwavering resolve. "Robb Hardwin," she repeated firmly, her voice steady despite the rapid beating of her heart.
Silence stretched between them, the only sound the gentle lapping of waves against the ship's hull.
Bloodsail's suspicion thickened into certainty as he shook his head slowly, "Nah... Nah... Nah... ye look like an impostor. Yer not Robb. Yer something else. Me could read yer eyes."
Arya's heart sank, her mind racing for a way to salvage the situation. "I am Robb," she insisted. "This is how I speak, my captain."
Bloodsail scratched his chin thoughtfully, his gaze flickering briefly to Lazey, who seemed lost in his own thoughts. "Lazey, do ye believe him?"
Lazey remained silent, his eyes fixed on the deck as though searching for his dead brother's soul in the worn wooden planks beneath his feet.
Bloodsail's patience wore thin, and he raised his voice sharply. "Lazey!"
Startled, Lazey snapped out of his trance, his response quick and deferential. "Aye! My lord."
Bloodsail's expression hardened, his displeasure evident. "A crime has been committed. What would ye like as punishment?"
Lazey struggled to comprehend his mistake, "Apologies, but me not so aware of my crime."
Bloodsail's anger surged unchecked, his grip tightening on Lazey's ear as the crew member winced in pain. "It's not yer mistake. It's yerrrrr ears. Me disgust them now. Cut 'em off."
Arya's mind raced with desperate thoughts—what horror was the captain capable of doing next?
Lazey's composure shattered, tears streaming down his face as he pleaded, "My lord, me won't repeat it again."
Bloodsail gestured with two fingers mimicking scissors, a grim smile twisting his lips.
Then, he turned to Arya, his voice cold and taunting. "Would ye like to witness it? Go, my eyes will find ye again, boy."
She couldn't bear to watch another suffer, especially not like this. Pity surged within her for Lazey.
Unable to bring herself to witness the brutal punishment, Arya turned away, her gaze falling to the deck beneath her feet. Lazey's eyes followed her, silently pleading for her presence, perhaps hoping her presence could somehow mitigate his suffering.
With a heavy heart, Arya pushed open the cabin door and stepped outside into the salty sea air. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, a whirlwind of guilt and helplessness swirling within her.
She felt useless, powerless to intervene. But why did she feel this way? Lazey wasn't her friend or ally. Could she have done something to save him? Her sword—her trusted weapon—was nowhere in sight. How could she protect anyone without it?
Standing on the deck of the ship, Arya observed a couple of crewmen engaged in quiet conversation near the helm. The night sky stretched above, adorned with a tapestry of stars, casting a gentle glow over the calm sea below. The moon, veiled intermittently by wisps of dark, swirling clouds, seemed to watch her with an enigmatic gaze.
The sight of those dark clouds stirred something within Arya—a reminder of the mysteries she sought to unravel. Where was the egg she knew must be hidden aboard this vessel?
She walked to the rail of the ship, leaning against it as she savored a fleeting moment of freedom under the starlit sky. The pleasant breeze caressed her skin, offering a brief respite from the tumultuous events unfolding around her.
Suddenly, she heard the soft thud of a walking stick approaching from behind. Alert and cautious, Arya turned to find a middle-aged man standing just a few inches taller than her. His gray beard tapered to his belly, and a dense mustache framed his weathered face. He wore a long black coat that fell to his knees, giving him an air of authority and mystery.
As he neared Arya, an uneasy feeling crept over her. His presence was unsettling, and she couldn't shake the feeling of being scrutinized.
The man took a deep sniff, his words measured and cryptic. "New smell. New boy. But smells like a..."
He didn't complete the sentence, but Arya knew the man had sensed something about her.
The man held Arya's gaze, his eyes probing and knowing. "Ye want that thing. Ye will find it."
Arya's mind raced. Did this man somehow know what she was searching for? Was he an ally or another obstacle in her quest?
He extended his hand in a gesture of unexpected civility. "Pirates aren't known for their manners, but address me as Beelim. The first mate of Dragon mother."
What was Dragon Mother? The name of the ship.
Arya nodded cautiously. She was about to ask him something when the doors of the captain's cabin swung open, interrupting their conversation.
Out stumbled Lazey, a grim sight with a bloody bandage wrapped around his head where his ears should have been. The horror of Bloodsail's punishment was starkly evident.
Beelim turned to Lazey like a bad omen. "Me think you won't survive for long."
Lazey seemed oblivious to Beelim's words, his gaze fixated on Arya with a haunted look. He snapped at her with a harsh command born from anguish, "Oye Boy, come back to yer cell."
Beelim's expression softened into a sheepish smile. "Pray the gods that Captain didn't take his tongue. He could still speak."
She moved past Beelim towards Lazey. Before Arya could reach Lazey, Beelim called out to her again, his voice feeling eerily urgent. "Boy, keep looking."
Beelim turned and disappeared into the captain's cabin.
