What are we thinking so far lovelies??
I'm too fucking excited about this one, oml
Enjoy!!
xoxo

Chew The Fat: To talk/discuss/converse

Alistair

"You don't usually take a slave." Cael noted beside me, watching with me as my crew worked down below, from our station aboard the top near the starboard and stern. This was where the steering board was located, but Cael knew that wasn't really what steered this ship.

Caspian was sitting against a wooden post for one of the sails down below, his restraints still keeping those hands bound tight in front of him. He hadn't moved an inch since we left the now burned down merchant boat. I thought back to our conversation on that boat...

Merchant my fucking arse.

The man was too elegant to be one. Not enough callous on his fingers to justify his supposed life at sea. His sturdy build would work for helping around the ship, but then again I was starting to wonder how much he actually knew about the ship. Hell, any ship, let alone mine.

Snips was getting the sleeping quarters besides mine ready for our guest of honor, then we'd have dinner in my chambers. I was planning on learning more about what his merchant business entailed especially around these parts, and just how long he'd been out at sea for.

Maybe he was worth something on land. Dead or alive, it still couldn't hurt looking into.

"Yes well this one's different. This one didn't belong on that ship, and I'd like to know why. He's also clearly got at least one maybe two screws completely loose up there." I pointed to my skull.

Cael nodded. "I can't argue with that. I don't think I've ever heard someone tell you no to wanting to live. Not when faced with your blade, the deadly end anyways."

"Aye," I agreed. "He's very well built, almost my stature. At the very least, let's get some free labour out of this while I learn more." Cael nodded again. I watched as his hands ran through his scruffy thick black beard, the curl texture matching his shoulder length braided hair. Night time made his sun touched skin darker to the common eye, creating an even more alluring demeanor than he already had.

With him at my side, many wouldn't guess that he was our Navigator. It was deceptive on his part, for though he preferred to look to the stars, his mind was very much here at sea. I didn't know my who could fight like Cael, he just preferred not to.

I allowed that hesitancy because he was one damn good Navigator.

"I don't think he's a merchant, but then again, it's challenging to tell. He could've just made it out to sea." Cael's arms relaxed at his side now. "Try to get as much as you can out of him tonight, and I'll start to see if there's any bounty out on him around these parts. Maybe he's a shipwreck survivor or something of the sorts. A cash reward would be nice considering all those other merchants were too worthless to even take. As was most of their cargo."

"Aye, let me know what you find."

-

"Get up." I spoke to Caspian, kicking him in the leg rather lightly considering. He was still seated in the same position my men had left him in once his body slumped to the floorboards hours ago. I watched him slowly rise to his feet, doing his best to dust off the dirt on his already very filthy rags for clothes. Clearly the merchant business hadn't been all that generous with him.

I didn't wait to see if he was following as I started climbing up to the top cabin area. It was my private quarters, a place I spent far less time in than I wished to.

Caspian steps were light behind me, I barely noticed he was following so close until I pulled open the door for both of us to walk through.

Inside was an open spacious room, filled with a sitting area, my personal dining, and an open washtub located towards the back. On the farthest right were two rooms that now held a bed in each. One was my study before Snips moved those items down below this evening. "You will be sleeping through there." I pointed through one of the archways. "My chambers are adjacent."

I turned to look back at Caspian who was staring ahead at where I was pointing. He slowly nodded, allowing more of his long surprisingly kept hair to fall forward.

"We'll have dinner in private tonight. Go change into something that isn't... well, that."

Caspian glanced down as his tattered long sleeved shirt and faded linen trousers, before he nodded again and slowly made his way to his quarters.

I let out one long sigh, feeling the tension of the night slowly leave my body. I hadn't even drawn my sword this night, and yet the fight had drained me. I glanced down at my hands, the blood now dry but staining my beige skin a dark red.

It didn't use to be like this, I thought to myself.

-

By the time Caspian had finished changing, dinner was ready. Finn, our cook, had brought the food directly up to my chambers as directed. The hunger I was feeling tonight almost made me impatient to wait on Caspian, but I forced myself to. My fingers unclassped the front of my long coat, allowing myself to sit more comfortably at the table. I needed out of these filthy clothes soon.

Once Caspian emerged from his room, I gave his change of attire a once over before nodding to myself. I approved of the fresh grey linen sleeved shirt paired with black trousers. The material was specifically for resting in, however anything was an improvement from his previous appearance. And neither of us would be leaving these quarters tonight. "Have a seat." I gestured to the chair across from me. Caspian hesitantly sat down.

I reached across to grab a Turkey leg from the large platter Finn had also been instructed to make, and bring. Caspian followed in suit, selecting some breads and meats from the many plates displayed on the large circular wooden table.

"You find everything you need?" I asked him. His gaze finally tore itself away from his plate to meet mine, yet all he did was nod.

It appeared that coercing information out of this man was proving to be far more difficult than I anticipated tonight. It didn't help that my immediate solution to most problems resorted with me threatening a life. And that was clearly not a threat to him at all considering how little regard he had for his own.

I could torture him, but there was just something about those eyes. Something that told me he'd allow me to beat him to death easily without a second thought.

This was one interesting situation to be in. Can't say I had ever found myself here before.

"Tell me about your merchant business." I told the man.

There was absolutely nothing there behind his pale blue eyes when he answered vaguely with "we move products. Food mostly."

Okay.

Maybe just a little torture wouldn't hurt...

"How long have you been at sea?"

There was a pause as Caspian started to cut his food with a fork and knife. Merchant my fucking arse.

"No longer than one moon. I just received directions for the voyage a fortnight ago."

I took a large bite out of the Turkey leg, choosing to then wash it down with some wine Finn poured. The deep red reminded me of the dry blood I was still very much covered in.

"Who was that other merchant?"

"Someone who also took this job around the same time I did."

This man was incredibly skilled at lying, but that merchant was not.

"Can I ask what your name is?" He then asked, pulling me from my brief thoughts. That question alone was wildly unexpected, and almost made me forget my line of questioning.

"You... you don't know which ship you've boarded?"

Caspian slowly shook his head no.

Well, I thought. This was... new. "Where were you when my men found you on that merchant ship?"

"I was sleeping down below."

Sleeping? Through all that? I wondered, remembering the ear piercing screams flooding the sea while my men enjoyed themselves. I studied Caspian a moment, taking in his features more clearly now. This man wasn't all there, that was a given. I'd never see a man remain so calm whilst the last of his crew were being slaughtered right in front of him.

Whoever that merchant was, didn't seem to mean much to him either, though strangely enough this man seemed rather important to the merchant. Caspian hadn't even tried to convince me to spare his life.

"Why haven't you just taken your own life?" I asked.

Caspian waited a moment to respond. "I... can't." He settled on.

I felt my brows slightly crease in bewilderment."Do you lack the courage or something?"

Caspian slowly nodded. "Something to that effect."

Interesting, I thought. This man didn't seem like he lacked the courage to. He seemed rather determined to cut his life short by almost any means necessary, so there had to be more to that.

"So then... what's your name?" He asked again, taking his first few bites of food. He was bold, yet I had to remind myself that the object of his desire was death itself. How testing.

"Alistair." I replied. "But Captain to you, and everyone else on this vessel."

Caspian nodded yet said nothing as he continued to eat. I could tell the food was likely far above the standards the merchants were accustomed to, especially out on sea, however Caspian paced himself as he ate. It was the refined etiquette that further interested me. Nothing like the men who spent time on the water.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance, Alistair- or I mean, Captain."

I chuckled a bit unexpectedly. It's nice to make your acquaintance...

No one has ever uttered those words a moment before in their entire existence when addressing me. I promise you that. There was nothing nice about what we did here, or who these men including myself, were.

"Well I guess it would've been more of a pleasure had you actually killed me tonight."

His comment kept my smile there. "That would've been too simple. I don't like simple." My hands reached for another Turkey leg. Caspian continued to work through what he had on his own plate, but he paused a moment to ask another question. I couldn't remember who was supposed to be gaining information here anymore. It felt like I was losing the winds favor.

"Are you going to kill me eventually?"

I leant back in my chair, bringing the almost done first leg to my mouth for another bite, before tossing it back on the plate.

"Possibly. If you hold your own out here, I may keep you aboard." It was impossible to miss the disappointment on Caspian's face at my words.

"So... the more useless I am, the better chance I have at death?"

My eyes narrowed at the man. "If you intentionally prove yourself useless, I will chain you to the post below deck and allow your body to wither away naturally— however long it takes."

Caspian had a tinge of something flash through his eyes again before he glanced away from me. If I didn't know any better, I would swear it was fear. Genuine fear.

Good.

"So this is slavery."

I broke out into laughter abruptly at that, finding the sudden realization to be just perfect. This man was something.

Once I finally got my unexpected outburst managed, my eyes narrowed at Caspian again. "I'm not an entirely unreasonable man. You'll be kept near me at all times, my men won't dare touch my property. And as you can see, I gestured around the well kept room, "you've got the best room aboard."

Caspian turned his head some to study the long wall of bookshelves. There was a metal strip stretching across the length of each shelf to keep the books in place when the waters got rough. I had collected... well, stolen quite a bit over the years, which resulted in a collection I took great pride in. Especially during this age, where the people on land had more of a tendency to burn these things.

Books about science. And magic.

We were entering the age of Purity as the people of Azul liked to call it. Yet all it was was dictating. And a complete strip of freedom. Of rights. This was why the sea would never conform, not so long as my heart beat.

"Do you know anything about working a ship? You'll be expected to start in on stations by daybreak."

Caspian's eyes found mine, but he waited a moment before eventually shaking his head no.

Lovely. What a fucking waste.

"Snips will show you the ropes tomorrow. He's the ships boatswain, he knows almost every inch of her, and under instruction, will have you start to log repairs. We have about a two moons journey ahead before we dock off the coast of Azul for a supply party again, so you two will lead."

Caspian nodded slowly once more, but the confusion in his eyes irritated me.

"Do you know what a boatswain is?"

Caspian shook his head no.

Maybe I should just kill him.

"He keeps every inch of this ship ready for battle. From the ropes, to the canvas, to the wood itself. He's the quickest way to learn about this ship, but keep in mind Snips is short tempered. It's best you learn quick."

Caspian nodded again.

He was a quiet one.

In an effort to steer this conversation somewhere, Caspian had managed to successfully deflect most questions. When I asked about where he was born, he told me Gatvia, a small self governed island far off the coast of Azul. I knew that wasn't the truth because Caspian wasn't a name from Gatvia. The island was so small, most shared similar names because they were named after their forefathers, and those before them.

I knew this because one of my men came from there. We traveled back often to gift his family a portion of our loot.

The immense exhaustion from the night stopped me from pressing further. There were many more dinners to come before we reached Azul again, and by then I was certain I would know who this man was.

So instead, I released him after dinner to his chambers. The sun would emerge from the waters soon, engulfing the sky with daylight, and we would all need our rest before then.

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