Privateer (The Five Kingdoms #1) Read online

  "Are you going after my bond?"

  "We have already sent word to your brother," the captain replied. "If he does not bargain a ransom for you, you may remain our guest longer than your sister-in-law."

  "This is barbaric," I told her, barely controlling my words.

  "I agree with you," she replied, surprising me. "Perhaps that is a conversation for another time. Why did you step forward?"

  I sighed. "My niece."

  "Your niece?"

  I looked away. "She's the only person who doesn't hate me. She was terrified. I was holding her hand when your first mate asked who was a legitimate hostage. She's been twelve for three weeks."

  "She has a mother."

  "You have met her mother, have you not?"

  "You volunteered so that you could comfort her?"

  "Yes. I repeatedly told her to be brave up until your mate gagged us. She was going to gag Minori first, but I asked her to start with me so Minori would see it was okay. I almost ruined it when I felt the magic."

  "That was bravely done of you," the captain said.

  "If I knew then what I know now-" I started to say.

  "You would do the exact same thing," the captain interjected. "Wouldn't you?"

  "I may have controlled my temper better last night."

  She smiled. "I do not believe you would have."

  I turned away from her, and she lowered her hands from my shoulders. I swayed to the motion of the deck, but I didn't need her support.

  "Both your nieces are fine. This is not the first time we have had children aboard the ship. We are not monsters."

  "You could have fooled me," I replied without thinking, but it was said half under my breath.

  "Perhaps that is a discussion for once you have had a little more distance from your time in the brig," the captain offered.

  "Do you think I am likely to forgive and forget?"

  "No. But I am enjoying our conversation and would prefer it not become one sided while the other of us is gagged."

  I turned to face her, my eyes flashing in anger, but I kept my mouth closed. I didn't need to be reminded of my lowly position or the power she held over me.

  "What do you resent the most, right now?" she asked. "Answer calmly. Is it the interruption to your life?"

  "No," I said after a moment. "I have completed my task for my brother. I would have left three days ago, but I had been invited to the party you interrupted."

  "I gather you are not socially popular."

  "I am not. I was invited out of obligation. I attended largely because my niece begged me to, and partly to vex Glora."

  "Am I keeping you from other obligations?"

  "I keep a small home that is paid for. I forced my father to buy it for me if I promised to never repeat the reason we are estranged. I have no particular financial obligations."

  "You live off income from your parents?"

  "No. I perform odd tasks, similar to the one I did as a favor for my brother. People pay me. It is enough, but I am not wealthy."

  "And am I keeping you from these tasks?"

  "Yes, but the clients will wait, or they won't. No one will blame me."

  "So you resent that I will take your bond?"

  "Yes, if my brother doesn't pay. The dress and shoes represent another significant investment that is lost. But that is not what you asked."

  She smiled. "True. I asked what you resented the most. If not the bond, and if not obligations, then what?"

  "I resent being a prisoner of your whim. I resent knowing you have a gag waiting for me in your pouch. I resent knowing you will undoubtedly end up using it. I resent the snickering that will follow and wonder how much of it will come from you and your crew. I resent how I was treated last night. I do not deserve any of this. I should not be forced to choose between spending weeks in your horrid brig or in the bed of the woman who gleefully has put me in this position."

  "You resent being subject to someone else's power?"

  "Yes. I resent being subject to anyone else's power. I especially resent being subject to your power."

  "Mine, personally? You barely know me. Do you even remember my name?"

  "Captain Sorri Westmere," I replied immediately. "I shan't forget. And yes, you personally."

  "For heaven's sake, why?"

  "Because you are cocky and arrogant and act as if this is all your due, that you have the right to rip people from their homes, that you have the right to rip children from their homes and subject them to this. You wage war on women and children that have never done a thing to hurt anyone instead of on the people who deserve your nefarious attention. I would pay quite a bit to see you and your crew taken down a notch or three."

  I closed my mouth before I said anything else, as I was sure any more words would earn me the gag.

  "There's more, isn't there?" she asked quietly.

  "Do you have a gag with you?"

  "Yes. You haven't earned it yet."

  I breathed deeply several times and then said quietly. "I think I've said enough. I've certainly answered your question."

  "It is the governor that will pay for his wife and children, and perhaps you."

  "And so you justify the harm you do to children because the governor will pay?"

  "They are hardly children," she said hotly.

  "Don't give me that!" I yelled. "Minori is twelve. Twelve! She should be home safe in her own bed, not a pawn in the barbaric games of adults. She should be worrying about her schoolwork and whether she will attract a good husband or perhaps follow in her wayward aunt's footsteps and fend for herself, building the skills required to do so. She shouldn't have been taken from her first ball and have her first ball dress ruined during a forced march through the jungle. That ball should have been a source of happy memories for her entire life, but thanks to you, it will instead be a source of nightmares. You should be ashamed of yourself."

  I clamped my mouth shut, wondering if I had earned the gag. If I had, then I certainly had more to say to her before she could fish it out. But if I hadn't, I knew it was a close thing.

  "I don't make the rules," she said quietly.

  I considered before I said anything. "Have I earned the gag?"

  "Not yet," she replied.

  I considered further.

  "Ms. Karden, I will not punish you for speaking plainly. I will punish you for speaking rudely. If you had this conversation with my officers, I might be forced into a different response."

  I glanced over. Two of her officers were watching us and could undoubtedly hear every word."

  "Ignore them but don't call me names," she said.

  "Are you baiting me into the gag?"

  "No. If I wanted an excuse to use it, you've given me one. But you haven't forced my hand, and I would rather have an honest conversation."

  "Fine," I said tightly. "So your defense is that you don't make the rules? That's it? So, somewhere, someone is forcing you to kidnap helpless people? Why didn't you take the governor instead? He is certainly not innocent!"

  "If you don't like the rules, change them!"

  "Yes, because those of us who you kidnapped have a great deal of influence over the wizards."

  "No, but you have influence over those who declare war."

  "Yes, because Minori has the ear of the lords."

  "She has her father's ear, and he has the ear of the lords. If you want someone to hate, then hate the people who made this war happen. It wasn't me."

  "You're happy to capitalize on it. That makes you part of the problem."

  "Perhaps," she agreed. "Have you had this conversation with anyone else in the past?"

  "No," I responded.

  "Do you think it is more likely you will some time in the future?"

  I stared at her. "So that's your excuse? You kidnapped me and subjected me to your brig so that I would yell about the wars in the future?"

  "No. I kidnapped you for money. I subjected you to the brig so you would be convi
nced to offer your parole and to convince you I was serious. Would we have had a reasonably civil conversation now if you weren't convinced I was willing to gag you?"

  "So you make my point for me?"

  "I didn't say you were wrong, Ms. Karden," she said. "But if I were the monster you think I am, would I bother listening to your argument?"

  "Are you going to amend your ways?" I asked.

  "Probably not," she replied.

  "Even though you admit what you are doing is wrong?"

  "I haven't admitted that at all," she replied. "But these economic wars have gone on like this for centuries. That is certainly not my fault. Several of your ruling lords have at one time or another been in the position you are right now, and yet they aren't doing anything to discontinue the wars. Maybe you should ask yourself why that is?"

  "I already know why that is," I replied. "This is all a game to funnel money from people like me to people like them. How much of my ransom will go to some lord in Alencia?"

  "Twenty percent."

  "And somewhere there is another privateer capturing children in Alencia, with twenty percent of their ransom going to a lord in Norida."

  "Undoubtedly," Captain Westmere agreed. "And do you know why you want me doing this instead of someone else?"

  "Oh, this should be good," I said.

  "Because I am good at it, Ms. Karden. I am very, very good at it."

  "And that is supposed to make me feel better?"

  "Beware the amateur kidnappers," she said. "They're the ones who make mistakes. They are the ones who lose their prisoners. They are the ones who grow scared and become cruel. We carried off our raid with the worst damage being a few bruises."

  "Now you brag!"

  "I state facts," she countered. "Your little niece is perfectly safe on board my ship. No one would dare touch her. Most of the crew will be very kind to her. The cabin boys have been flirting with her already."

  "They better-"

  "They won't touch her," the captain said hotly. "Not even if she offers." She licked her lips. "I trust my crew with your niece, but I know there are crews that can't be trusted."

  "And you have first-hand experience of this?"

  "Yes," she said. "I do."

  And I realized she wasn't talking about having been a witness, but a victim herself.

  "The rules-"

  "Apply to hostages. They don't necessarily protect the recovered hostages."

  I turned away, wrapping my arms around me, my back to the captain. She stepped closer and set her hands on my shoulders. I shrugged out of her hands. She paused a moment then said, "Your niece will be returned home safe and sound. I do not leave my prisoners to find their own way home. I deliver them myself."

  "How do you do that? Certainly that is dangerous."

  "We have many flags, and the rules are complicated. It is as safe as a similar voyage during peacetime. The danger would come in the form of a new foe of both Alencia and Norida. They aren't obligated to honor our flags and would, indeed, take great delight in capturing us."

  "So you would sail back to the inlet and return us through the jungle?"

  "Actually, no. I will sail into the Southgate harbor and deliver you directly to your brother, most likely on the wharf, but perhaps in his home. How can you not know all this?"

  "It seems I am ignorant of more than navigation by starlight." I turned around to face her again.

  "Find the cat," she said. "And I will show you a few more things. Then I must speak to my officers briefly, and after that I would prefer we retire."

  I nodded and looked up into the sky. It took only a moment to find the cat. "She has turned."

  "Yes, a little," Captain Westmere agreed. "And so where is north?"

  I pointed at the proper star.

  "Point towards the horizon," she ordered. I lowered my hand until I was pointing over to a point over the right railing. "Good," she said. "Are you ready to be polite?"

  I nodded, and she took my arm, pulling me towards the ship's wheel. There was one man, barefoot like I was, wearing breeches and a plain tunic, standing at the wheel. Standing beside him was a woman, dressed in somewhat finer clothing.

  "Captain," said the woman.

  "Lieutenant Nordon," the captain said. "May I present Ms. Rani Karden, our guest?"

  "Ms. Kardon," the woman said in greeting, offering a tiny bow of her head.

  "Lieutenant Nordon," I replied, returning the gesture. I looked to the man. "And this is?"

  "Seaman Nordon," the captain replied.

  "My nephew," Lieutenant Nordon replied.

  "Seaman Nordon," I said in greeting, offering a similar nod of my head.

  "Ma'am," he replied, staring straight ahead. He hadn't looked at either the captain or me during the entire exchange.

  "Captain," I said. "This is a private ship, is it not?"

  "Yes."

  "Yet you use naval ranks. Are you in the navy?"

  "No," she said. "But if it works for the navy, it works for us."

  "I had thought there were two officers standing here."

  "There are just the four ship's officers. We also have a marine captain and lieutenant, but they have no authority over the ship. During a blow, the marine officers remain below decks, although most of the marines are able bodied seamen, and they are expected to assist with the operation of the ship."

  "How many total?"

  "Four ship's officers, forty seamen, and a similar number of marines," the captain replied. "We are fast, but not large." She paused. "But this is part of a small fleet, and the other ships are somewhat larger."

  "That is a lot of people to feed on the ransom from this raid," I indicated.

  "We captured two merchant brigs on this voyage," the captain said. "They foolishly hired the wrong escort."

  "Subterfuge?" I asked.

  "Cowardice," she replied. "They took one look at us and ran. Pity. We could have added to our fleet, at least temporarily. Rather than pursue them, we pounced on the plump bounty they left behind for us."

  "How many dead?" I asked.

  "None. They surrendered."

  "And are the ships with us now, the ones you captured?"

  "Oh, of course not," the captain said. "They were way too slow to join us. We relieved the holds of any food we wanted and delivered the ships to Southgate where we collected our ransom for them and the ship's officers."

  "Not the seamen?"

  "Who would pay ransom for a seaman?" she asked. "They were free to go. Enough questions for now, Ms. Karden, if you don't mind."

  I nodded acquiescence, and she turned to the man at the wheel.

  "Seaman," she ordered. "Report."

  "Captain," he said, his voice uncertain. "Um."

  "What is our heading?" Lieutenant Nordon asked him quietly.

  "Ma'am. Um." The seaman was flustered.

  "Captain," his aunt prompted quietly.

  "Captain," he said. "We're sailing north-northwest. Winds are steady at twelve knots from the west-northwest. We are tacking close to the wind, and all is quiet."

  "Very good," the captain said. "How long will we maintain this heading?"

  He glanced over at his captain. "Um. I don't understand the question, Captain."

  "What are your orders, Seaman?" the captain asked.

  "Aunt Mara-"

  "Lieutenant Nordon," the captain said, interrupting.

  "Yes. Um. Lieutenant Nordon ordered me to hold this heading." He glanced at his aunt. "Isn't that right?"

  "Yes," she agreed.

  "So how long will we hold this heading?" Captain Westmere asked him.

  "Um."

  "Until you're ordered differently, seaman," I suggested.

  He glanced at me. So did the two officers, both of them frowning.

  "I'm sorry," I said. "It won't happen again." I shouldn't have interfered.

  The captain nodded, saying nothing further, and both officers returned their attention to the nervous seaman. "Pl
ease don't force me to ask my question again," the captain said.

  "We maintain this heading until I am ordered differently," he said immediately. "Captain."

  "Or?"

  He gulped and looked back and forth between the two ship's officers. He clearly didn't know what was expected.

  "Think, Seaman," his aunt prompted.

  He turned his attention directly to her and said, "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Nordon. I don't know."

  "Ms. Karden?" the captain asked. "Would you care to answer for the seaman?"

  "Are you inviting me to do so?" I asked immediately.

  She smiled briefly. "Yes."

  "He is to hold this heading until ordered to a new heading or in some way relieved of his post."

  "Anything else?" she asked me.

  I considered the choices. "There are no other circumstances that seem likely to me," I replied.

  "Offer a few unlikely choices."

  "Every member of the crew with greater rank than the seaman could suddenly fall down dead," I explained, "rendering him captain of the ship."

  "What else?"

  "Your navigator could be exceedingly poor and may be driving us onto a shoal. One presumes Lieutenant Nordon-"

  "Who is the navigator," the captain interjected.

  "One presumes the navigator, having realized her mistake, would offer orders. But there is always the possibility both you and she could be swept over by a rogue wave, and the seaman could be forced to avoid the rocks without time for another officer to provide direction. I presume you would rather he violate his orders than knowingly running the ship aground." I paused. "Unless he is ordered to run aground."

  "None of that is going to happen," the seaman said.

  "And so, how long do we maintain this heading?" the captain asked.

  "Until I am ordered otherwise, or until I am relieved."

  "Very good," the captain said. "Carry on. Ms. Karden, you are with me."

  "Yes, Captain," I replied immediately. She took my arm again and led me back to the ladder descending to the main deck. She led the way, proceeding down facing forward, but I turned around and climbed down while facing the ladder. When I turned around, she was waiting for me.

  "I am sorry, Captain," I said. "I should have kept my mouth shut."

  "Yes," she said. "But it was painful to watch, wasn't it?"

  "You aren't angry?"