flags, ordering the merchant ships to stand down and prepare for boarding. Zeb ordered the ships to drop anchor and comply, but he quietly passed word to remain on alert. The ships drew near, and a man in an officer’s uniform stepped to the rail of the navy vessel and raised a megaphone to his mouth.
“I am Captain Tobias Munce of His Majesty’s Royal Navy. Prepare to be boarded. Any interference in the performance of our duty will be met with force.”
Zeb cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted. “I’m the Captain of this vessel and senior member of this group. What is the meaning of this?”
“Due to the heightened state of war and the threat of political destabilization, the King has demanded an expansion in regular customs duties,” came the shouted response.
Zeb looked at men gathered on the deck and the heavy weaponry trained on his ships. “Throw your lines then! Make fast for boarding!”
The crew of the navy ship threw lines across the short stretch of water between vessels and lowered gangplanks once the merchant crew tied them off. Sailors streamed across the gangplanks with Captain Tobias leading the way onto Zeb’s ship.
“This is highly unusual, and I don’t like it one bit,” Zeb said to Tobias.
“It’s not your job to like it, only to comply,” Tobias responded and began directing his crew to key locations on the deck.
Zeb gave Eva a sidelong glance. “The first instant this doesn’t look legit, I want you to blast that ship to splinters.”
“Let’s not lose our heads,” Daebian whispered into Zeb’s ear. Eva let out a small squeak when Daebian poked her in the back with his sword. “I mean that quite literally.”
“Damn your hide, boy! I took you aboard and made you a sailor! You have friends on this ship!”
“Which is why my people are not cutting yours down as we speak. Now, order your men to lay down arms and take a seat on the main deck.”
“You just keep finding new ways to disappoint your father,” Zeb hissed.
“He disappointed me first. Let this be the last time we mention him lest I become unpleasant. Now order your people to stand down, and signal your other ships to do the same.”
Zeb’s face burned scarlet, and he gritted his teeth in barely suppressed fury. “Men, lay down arms and gather ‘round the mainmast!” The crew’s first reaction was looks of confusion. “Do it, now! Balor, signal the other ships to do the same.”
Balor looked about to argue but did as his captain ordered. He affixed several colored pennants to a line and hoisted them up. A minute later, both ships flew pennants of acknowledgment. Daebian’s men quickly bound the hands and feet of the merchant crews. Daebian took the extra precaution of ordering gags in the wizards’ mouths.
“Sorry about this, Eva, but we don’t want anyone making this more unpleasant than it has to be.” Eva surprised Daebian by simply smiling coyly and biting down on the braided cloth as he tied it around her head. He then turned and addressed everyone aboard. “For those of you who do not know me, I am Daebian Giles, outcast son of your precious Lord Giles. I understand this is likely a frightening situation for some of you, but rest assure I have no intent of harming you as long as you offer no resistance. Try to escape, fail to follow instructions, or offer my crew any form of violence or resistance, and you will be run through and tossed overboard. If you look off to starboard, you can see another of my ships approaching. That ship will carry a letter of ransom to my father and, when he pays it, I will release you all to go about your merry way.”
It took a great deal of shuffling prisoners and crew about to properly man all eight ships now in Daebian’s command. He sent the smallest of his ships to convey his ransom demands while the rest of his pirate group sailed southwest into uncharted waters.
“What’s next on our agenda, Captain,” Tobias asked as he and Daebian shared a
“I am Captain Tobias Munce of His Majesty’s Royal Navy. Prepare to be boarded. Any interference in the performance of our duty will be met with force.”
Zeb cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted. “I’m the Captain of this vessel and senior member of this group. What is the meaning of this?”
“Due to the heightened state of war and the threat of political destabilization, the King has demanded an expansion in regular customs duties,” came the shouted response.
Zeb looked at men gathered on the deck and the heavy weaponry trained on his ships. “Throw your lines then! Make fast for boarding!”
The crew of the navy ship threw lines across the short stretch of water between vessels and lowered gangplanks once the merchant crew tied them off. Sailors streamed across the gangplanks with Captain Tobias leading the way onto Zeb’s ship.
“This is highly unusual, and I don’t like it one bit,” Zeb said to Tobias.
“It’s not your job to like it, only to comply,” Tobias responded and began directing his crew to key locations on the deck.
Zeb gave Eva a sidelong glance. “The first instant this doesn’t look legit, I want you to blast that ship to splinters.”
“Let’s not lose our heads,” Daebian whispered into Zeb’s ear. Eva let out a small squeak when Daebian poked her in the back with his sword. “I mean that quite literally.”
“Damn your hide, boy! I took you aboard and made you a sailor! You have friends on this ship!”
“Which is why my people are not cutting yours down as we speak. Now, order your men to lay down arms and take a seat on the main deck.”
“You just keep finding new ways to disappoint your father,” Zeb hissed.
“He disappointed me first. Let this be the last time we mention him lest I become unpleasant. Now order your people to stand down, and signal your other ships to do the same.”
Zeb’s face burned scarlet, and he gritted his teeth in barely suppressed fury. “Men, lay down arms and gather ‘round the mainmast!” The crew’s first reaction was looks of confusion. “Do it, now! Balor, signal the other ships to do the same.”
Balor looked about to argue but did as his captain ordered. He affixed several colored pennants to a line and hoisted them up. A minute later, both ships flew pennants of acknowledgment. Daebian’s men quickly bound the hands and feet of the merchant crews. Daebian took the extra precaution of ordering gags in the wizards’ mouths.
“Sorry about this, Eva, but we don’t want anyone making this more unpleasant than it has to be.” Eva surprised Daebian by simply smiling coyly and biting down on the braided cloth as he tied it around her head. He then turned and addressed everyone aboard. “For those of you who do not know me, I am Daebian Giles, outcast son of your precious Lord Giles. I understand this is likely a frightening situation for some of you, but rest assure I have no intent of harming you as long as you offer no resistance. Try to escape, fail to follow instructions, or offer my crew any form of violence or resistance, and you will be run through and tossed overboard. If you look off to starboard, you can see another of my ships approaching. That ship will carry a letter of ransom to my father and, when he pays it, I will release you all to go about your merry way.”
It took a great deal of shuffling prisoners and crew about to properly man all eight ships now in Daebian’s command. He sent the smallest of his ships to convey his ransom demands while the rest of his pirate group sailed southwest into uncharted waters.
“What’s next on our agenda, Captain,” Tobias asked as he and Daebian shared a
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