[Episode 5] Spire and the Dragonwood Affair

[Novelette] Tales of Stonehaven [1,244 words]

Spire and the Dragonwood Affair is the first of five novelettes in The 5th Compass series. Captain Silverblade, the most feared and hated pirate in all of Stonehaven, has put her life in the hands of four of her most trusted pirates. Their mission is to each take possession of an enchanted compass and hide them where no one can ever find them. This is the story of Spire and how he got on with hiding the compass given to him.

Spire’s words wavered slightly as he ordered his men to ready the sails and navigate his ship around the stone mermaids. At first glance it didn’t seem like so many, but as they got closer, they realized getting around them would prove difficult.

There were some that looked frightened, their mouths open wide in a perpetual scream, and others were missing bits of their faces and body. Perhaps birds, other creatures of the air, and the weather had taken its toll on them.

As the ship slowly passed them, the men stared in disbelief, many whispered amongst themselves, wondering who could have done such a thing. No one likes mermaids, known for being devious and deadly. And pirates hate them most of all.

“How much further?” Spire asked no one in particular as he looked past the closest mermaids and saw there was a clear body of water up ahead.

“You worry too much for a pirate. Whoever did that has surely come and gone. We have nothing to fear,” Wendynn said, taking leave of his usual demeanor and slapping Spire on the shoulder.

Shrugging the pat off he walked across the ship towards the wheel to make sure they don’t veer too far from their intended course.

“Land, cap’n, up ahead!”

“Land? Where? That’s impossible,” Wendynn said, leaning over the ship to get a closer look. “Out of my way,” he said, shoving a pirate aside when he realized he would get a better look on the other side of the ship. And there it was, a small piece of land, jutting out like a spear in the water. “That wasn’t there before. Was it?”

Wendynn looked back at Spire and shrugged. He could think of no reason for this piece of land to exist especially as it was unknown to them on any map they had ever seen. Wendynn heard of large land formed by Zoldir during the Dragon Age, but that was centuries ago and as far as he knew, her powers no longer worked in Stonehaven.

“First the stone-maids and now this… this land I’ve never seen before. Something is definitely not right about these waters. Are you sure we’re headed for Dragonwood?” Spire asked, leaving the wheel to observe the land they were approaching.

“Dragonwood, sir?” One pirate who had remained silent ever since they set sail, like the others, dared to ask. “You plan on taking us to Dragonwood?”

Spire gulped; his mouth suddenly gone dry. Many years had gone by since he thought he’d ever have a chance to return home and seek the woman he wronged or the man who wronged him. And now that he was so close to making amends and seeking revenge, the memory of who he was before, of Shade, came crashing back and he was terrified.

“Now, listen, men. I’m sure they would have forgotten what I did to them. I know I have. Besides, we’ll be in and out of there in no time.”

“Did he talk you into take us to Dragonwood, sir?” the pirate asked Wendynn. “If so, you have been taken for a fool. The rest of us, we know what he got up to before he joined met up with Silverblade, but we promised not to say a word about it as long as he kept his word to never go back there.”

“What are you talking about, Stubs?” Wendynn asked. Stubs looked around at the other pirates and all of them nodded their heads in agreement that he should speak for them and answer Wendynn’s question.

“Well, sir, if he saw fit to break his word, then I see no reason we should keep his secret any longer.”

“I’ve heard about enough, Stubs. Now, all of you men, return to your duties. Make sure my ship does not hit that, that piece of land there.”

Two of the pirates stood at either side of Spire. “Beggin’ your pardon, Cap’n, but not yet. Quartermaster, this man was a thief before he left Dragonwood. Friend to a most awful man. Lord Baylish. I’m sure you never heard of him and lucky you haven’t. Shade, was what he called himself back then, did a terrible thing just before he left Dragonwood. Lord Baylish wasted no time letting everyone know.”

“What exactly did he do that was so terrible? This Lord Baylish doesn’t sound like a good man,” Wendynn asked, crossing his arms as he waited for an answer.

Spire wanted to stop him, to say something in his defense, but he knew he had none. All he could do was listen to a tale he spent a long time trying to forget.

“He stole from Lord Baylish. He and one of his friends, Duke, I think was his name. They planned to take everything Lord Baylish had and run away. But Spire was too in love with a maiden in town. Too bad she had four gruesome brothers looking out for her, or he might’ve stayed long enough for Lord Baylish to catch him. What happened, Spire, were the Maisey brothers too much for you to handle?”

The pirates all snickered and laughed.

“I assume they didn’t catch him, or he wouldn’t be standing here today.”

“He always could run, sir. And that he did. Ran right out of Dragonwood and onto a ship. This ship as a matter of fact. He liked to tell the others what a great hero he was, and the woman he was forced to leave behind, but when I came to be a part of his crew, I told them all the truth. And I do speak the truth, don’t I, Cap’n?”

Spire nodded his head briefly though he wanted nothing more than a few moments alone with Stubs. He knew the men who flanked him would never let him get close enough. He would have to wait for a time when they were alone, but he would never forget what Stubs revealed to Wendynn and just how he planned to get back at him for it.

“I see,” Wendynn said, smirking at Spire who was fighting to stay calm. “And how much of this story does Silverblade know?”

“Sirs, I hate to break up the comradery, but we’ll be reaching Dragonwood soon, and perhaps seeking a different call of port might be best… considering…” The pirate looked over at Spire then quickly bowed his head and returned to his post.

“Well,” Wendynn said, looking to Spire for direction. “What do you suggest we do? Take this ship elsewhere?”

“Stubs exaggerates. Surely, you don’t believe all that he said. I wasn’t run out of town. I left because I had someplace else to be just then. And as for how quickly I left, I don’t recall moving as quickly as he claims.”

“Then she doesn’t know?” Wendynn laughed out loud. Spire looked on with an odd expression, unsure of how to respond. “Sorry, I’m only laughing because she believes the best of all of you. Misunderstood and misguided she says. Bunch of criminals, I say. And I’m right.”

“You’re going to tell her, aren’t you?”

“Not at all, Spire. Not at all. It’s just funny, isn’t it? Don’t look so scared. The last thing I want to do is make our Captain Silverblade think her boys are anything short of pure as the driven snow.”

Wendynn patted Spire on the back then left him to ponder if he was telling the truth.