Hi lovelies!! So I'm in the process of moving into my new spot this week so just fyi my upload schedule between last week, this week, and next week all finna look questionable as fuck
As always though, I love y'all
Enjoy!
xoxo

Alistair

"Are you looking forward to seeing your family?" I asked Caspian, watching as he loaded pig rib after pig rib onto his plate. Today must've required more energy from him because I hadn't seen him gain such an appetite like this before.

It was either that, or he was doing everything in his power to keep his mouth further occupied. He had started to fidget, busying himself with his utensils as soon as I brought up our travels to Gatvia. Snips had told me he had mentioned our destination to our guest during their work day, which made me all the more intrigued to see how Caspian would react when I spoke of it.

His dead eyes finally found mine for the first time since we sat down in my private quarters. His gaze rarely ever held anyone's on this ship, but when we were alone, I noticed he was far less reserved. Tonight, however, was different.

"My family is all dead." He practically deadpanned, succeeding in something men rarely ever did. Surprise me. His voice held absolutely no emotion with what should've been some emotionally heavy words. And I suppose that should've been expected considering he seemed to rarely ever react to anything at all. But those eyes...

Even if just for a moment, I saw something in his eyes that I wasn't expecting, even from a man who's only objective in this here life was to die. It was something that made his features entirely... shift, one could say.

He no longer conveyed disinterest. Those eyes instead held an unfathomable amount of sadness. Something that didn't match his usual unamusement.

And in the most unbelievable twist of fate, and maybe for the first time since I've prodded for answers about his family, I actually believed him. I believed those words in their entirety. I may have not believed he had even a single family member who was raised in Gatvia... but those words about his family being long gone held an absolute complete level of truth about them.

I then found myself doing something I've possibly never done with anyone who wasn't my crew. I felt that rigid, cold exterior of mine soften. Not by much, but enough to warrant something dashing across Caspian's clear eyes. I saw it flicker for a second, only caught by the warm lit candles around us keeping light throughout my chambers, and the moonlight behind my seat that cast through the room's open windows. I felt the sea breeze through my long strands of drawn back hair, which made my body relax more in my seat.

He was the first to break our gaze, looking down at the plate of food he had now surely overloaded. I could see it in his eyes, the realization that he had bitten off more than he could chew.

This wasn't a feeling I had often, nor was this a choice I made often, but I decided not to press the conversation about his family any further. At least for now.

His discomfort was causing me discomfort and the day had already been long enough. Nothing needed to be added to it.

"Snips said you've taking a liking to my sword." I continued, tapping the handle of the large metal blade that was sheathed at my side.

That question didn't do much to improve Caspian's mood. Instead, he took a few large bites of dinner, forcing me to wait until he fully chewed and swallowed. I instead helped myself to a large swig of rum. After the work Cael and myself put in today, I felt like doing nothing but drinking.

Caspian was chewing slowly deliberately and yet all that did was make me smile. This man was still struggling to grasp what his newfound captivity meant for him, but he'd soon understand that on this ship we'd have nothing but time.

While he worked on chewing through the tough yet well spiced meat, I decided to take more of his appearance in.

It was abundantly clear that this man needed rest to physically function properly. He was far more alert than our previous dinner, to the point that I almost wouldn't recognize him if it wasn't for that same usual uninterested appearance on his face that could possibly never leave him.

He had changed into nightwear, his usual long sleeve shirt now replaced with sleeves that cut themselves short right above his elbow. I could see his large veins running down his intriguingly toned yet slender arms. My attention was drawn there further when his hand slid up his sleeve to scratch his upper arm.

It pushed up some of that linen material, revealing, if for only a moment, the edge of a tattoo.

I noticed it was some sort of chain, and I could've sworn the tip of a dagger showed too, but I couldn't be certain before the material fell back down again.

Interesting, I thought. An enchanted tattoo of some sort.

Now I could somewhat understood how he was able to pull his weapons out of what appeared to be thin air. That sleeve fell past the markings again, covering his upper arm up, which pulled my attention back to those dead eyes.

"If you tell me more about your enchanted tattoo, I'll tell you more about this blade of mine." I tapped the hand of the large sword still strapped at my side, before gesturing to his covered upper arms. That brought Caspian's attention back to me as he swallowed the last few bites of his food. It must've taken us both by surprise with how much he managed to stomach tonight.

He didn't say anything to that right away, but I could visibly see him thinking. I was no stranger to enchanted ink, and yet there was something in particular that intrigued me. It was something Snips had noticed and debriefed to me on shortly after his and Caspian's tasks were completed for the day. He, too, had picked up on the similar sounding metal between this blade at my side, and the daggers etched into Caspian's arms.

"It's..." Caspian started, setting the fork down on his almost empty plate. "It's not enchanted."

That made my eyebrows furrow some, deciphering whatever he could mean by that, but luckily the man wasn't done explaining.

"It appears like an enchanted tattoo and works like one, but it not enchanted ink."

That only made my eyebrows furrow deeper.

"It's my blood that makes the tattoo come to life." His eyes looked up from his plate towards mine again.

That made those same eyebrows of mine raise slightly in both surprise and curiosity.

Interesting, I though to myself. I once crossed paths with a man who spoke of this. The abilities of his blood. He was madness encompassed, and yet, I was starting to see some similarities between the man that pulled me to the bottom of the ocean, and the man sitting before me.

As my gaze held Caspian's, I couldn't help but wonder. Some would say I allowed my mind to. He should've been a merchant no different from the rest my men slaughtered on that ship nights ago, and yet this man was the farthest from it.

Somehow I was now starting to find similarities between himself, and the mad man I had struck a sinister deal with in the depths of hell itself. Which rightfully so worried me.

This man made less sense the more I uncovered. That was a similarity all in itself.

"Your blood you say?" I asked Caspian to which he slowly nodded.  He was on his very last bite now with no excuse to keep that mouth of his busy any longer, and we both knew it. He had no space left in that stomach of his either.

"The art was carved into my skin at a young age. The ink mixed with my blood is what conjures the daggers, lifting them from the engraved art itself to do my bidding." I watched as he then finished off his last bites.

I brought the cold metal chalice to my lips, enjoying the slight sweetness of the rum as it slowly traveled down my throat before filling my stomach with warmth. A pleasant contrast to the thick clothing and cool breeze. I noticed Caspian didn't drink at all, on any night, but nothing compelled me to question him on it.

This just meant there was more rum for me and my men.

"Does it hurt?" I asked him once I finished the sip of my drink. Most enchanted tattoos didn't, but I was now recalling how Caspian looked right before I saw those daggers appear. How he was gripping his upper arms in what I thought was a shiver.

I watched as Caspian loaded just a little more food onto his plate, going for the healthier options which was the fresh fruit Finn cut up in addition to the plethora of meats. He most likely assumed this would take less space in that stomach of his.

I had meant to eat with my crew tonight. I was asked, as I was every night. And I wanted to get some understanding on how everything was with them, which was what dinner with those men consistently provided. Insight.

My men never complained, but they did usually get a great deal of chatter in once the food hit the table, and that rum was well flowing in their system. I was interested in knowing exactly what they thought about our guest on this ship.

My gaze fell briefly past Caspian's eyes to his lips. His tongue slid out ever so slightly to lick up some of the juices that dropped from the vibrant green grapes he popped into his mouth. Then I watched as his head slowly nodded. This man was... interesting, to say the least.

"Yes. Not as much as when I was younger, but it increases the less I call upon the weapons. As you can see, I don't necessarily prefer to fight."

That made some abrupt laughter push past my lips. "Now you sound like Cael." I told this slightly shorter man.

It was Caspian's turn to look back over at me, his gaze holding some confusion. "Snips had mentioned that both you and Cael are strong fighters, but the other night..." the man trailed off a moment. "Does Cael choose not to fight as well? Like myself?"

I nodded, thinking back to the words Cael had said to me that night in front of Caspian, but then I slowly shook my head. "He's the only man I give that option to." I clarified.

"How come?" Caspian asked, causing the edges of my lips to twitch up into a slight smile. Who knew taking this particular slave would lead to such an uncalled for dynamic. My visceral reaction was to slit the throat of anyone who questioned me... and yet, I found myself more intrigued than offended. This was becoming a pattern with Caspian.

"Cael is gifted. Very very gifted. Him coming aboard my ship was already a gift within itself, and he came with only one clear rule. He chooses when and who he kills."

Caspian held this gaze, his attention no longer on the fruit he had loaded onto his plate. "Why do you grant him such mercy?"

It was a question that was both valid and offensive to myself personally. I looked at the man who had only truly contributed to the wellness of this ship less times than I could count on one hand, and wondered where he had found this sudden urge to dictate how I organized my men.

"What have you discovered since being on this ship?" I asked this man, my anger forcing itself not to cut through my words much like my sword wanted to cut through his skin. Caspian seemed to realize the overstep he took, to which he slowly shook his head.

"I mean no offense," he started, "...I'm just simply trying to understand."

My eyes peered over at him, neither of us interested in the food and drink before us any longer.

"My question stands." I reiterated. My voice had far less bite this time. There was still something inside me however, that curiosity, that wanted to hear his answer to my question.

I knew this man wanted to die, and yet something made him call upon those daggers. Something made him slaughter all those men. I just didn't understand what.

Caspian, much like with every other question I uttered, took his time before replying. He clearly wasn't hungry however he managed to use that fruit on his plate as a distraction. If I hadn't of known he was buying time, he would've been killed right here right now for wasting this delicious fruit. As a merchant, he should know what it took to have something this fresh so far off the coast.

"Well," I heard him start finally, finishing the last of his sliced apple chunks. "You... your men... it's not what I imagined."

"What have you heard?" I continued.

"About pirates?" He countered. "Not much. I just expected more... discourse?" He settled on finally. That made my lips curl up into a smile.

"My men," I myself countered, "they do not blindly follow. I may give them orders, however with every tide we pass, every order is on the table for negotiation. It can be contested. I make sure my men's voices feel and are heard."

Caspian's eyes widened slightly at my words, but not much else of him changed.

"I do not rule this ship, Caspian." I continued. "I am it's Captain. I am my crew's Captain, and I care for nothing more than they're happiness and their willingness to let me guide them across seas- seas that would otherwise swallow a ship whole."

There was something there again, something the ran across his face so different than his usual deadpanned responses.

"I can tell this crew has nothing but adoration for you." He stated, to which my smile widened.

"Imagine what it takes to build such a trust." I replied.

My eyes could only watch as the edges of Caspian's lips twitched up into the slightest smile.

"I don't think I could." He answered honestly, to which my smile widened more.

I think he was finally starting to understand.

"You're men..." I heard his voice trail off. "why... why don't you join them for their chores? Or dinner?"

Now I couldn't help but question whether my men had put him up to ask such a question. Not in regards to their daily tasks, but more so the dinner.

"Because," I replied, "i have my own obligations during the day, and I only join for supper when it's asked of me."

That made Caspian's eyebrows crease. "Have you never been asked?"

His response made me chuckle. "No of course I have. My crew asks me every night as soon as their obligations are completed and tasks get done... Yet you haven't. Been asked, that is."

Caspian looked bewildered, accepting, yet slightly offended. I chose to both accept and appreciate all three.

"Why do you insist on having dinner with me each night when you could be with your crew?"

That made my grin widen to a laugh. "Because you are my slave. You go where I go, as is the same for me with you. And I want to see whether my crew will accept you as that." I replied. "If they don't, you're as good as useless weighted cargo."

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