The Pirate's Legacy: New Horizons

Chapter 4: Harvest Festival

The only reason Roger had accepted to attend the royal function celebrating the autumn equinox was to watch the queen of Tayrm lie to each and every one of her courtiers' faces.

Two weeks had passed since he had stormed Peralta's shores in order to reach the queen in the Temple of the Gods. For each day that passed, Dread Pirate Robin grew more and more restless to return to the sea. His loathing for the court's creatures rivaled his abhorrence for the land. Everyone, from the queen's councilmen to foreign dignitaries, knew of his influence over the queen. Tarymian courtiers who looked past the fact that he was the Pirate King did not hesitate to use this knowledge to their advantage. The queen never knew of the countless times in the first few years of her reign when the Pirate King was accosted in shadowed corridors, the bends of staircases, or behind concealing pillars by social climbers who wanted to use his influence in their favor. Roger's answer was always the same: to put a knife at their throat and tell them that if they ever approached Roger again, not only would they tell the queen of such political groveling but he would do it after dispensing great injury for being bothered. Eventually, they stopped approaching him for favors, and the opportunists found other vessels of higher or equal standing to irk. Although Roger had to admit secretly that he missed the nice bribery gifts they had tried to foist upon him.

The Pirate King and the queen of Tayrm should have left three days before the autumn equinox. Yet the council members insisted on bogging the queen down with detailed stipulations to follow during her absence. As well, there was the matter of what the queen would tell the court about her disappearance. The autumn equinox had been the proposed setting in which the queen could make her announcement of departure to her court. After having to endure two weeks of the usual snide insults or poisonous looks from the courtiers, Roger agreed without his usual hesitation to go to the celebration. He looked forward to the prospect of watching those same courtiers squirm after hearing the queen's announcement.

Wearing his best clothes, Roger stayed in relatively isolated pockets of the Grand Hall and refused to eat anything offered to him. His malevolent disposition and his infamy as Pirate King kept everyone at an arm's length. The few male courtiers who thought they could throw barbs with him were buried quickly by his own volley of subtle and not-so-subtle condescensions. Invitations to dance were nonexistent. While many women almost understood why the queen could possibly favor the Pirate King on looks alone, they were not so brave as to learn for themselves if the rumors about a volatile nature underneath the stern mask on his pale face were false or true. Plenty of glances were thrown his way. Roger was sure the main topic among the courtiers in the Grand Hall was on him.

"Captain, I never thought to see you a dull wallflower," remarked a familiar jovial voice.

The jagged scar on the left side of Roger's mouth contorted as Michael came to stand beside him. When his stoic companion continued his silence, Michael suggested, "Why don't you dance? I saw plenty of women eyeballing you, even from across the room. You've no excuse for a lack of willing partners."

"Such as yourself?" muttered Roger with some irritation.

A wide smile spread across Michael's tanned face. The first mate cut a roguishly attractive figure despite his simple garb. He wore a clean white blouse underneath a pine green vest. Every woman in close proximity could see Michael's muscled bulk through the thin cotton fabric of his sleeves. His trousers were starched, and his black boots shined. His blond hair had been trimmed short.

"Thank you again for letting me tag along," said Michael. His twinkling blue eyes reflected the flames of the candle chandeliers hanging from the Grand Hall's ceiling.

Roger, despite himself, smirked. "I recall not having any other choice since you were begging like a child," he remarked.

Roger had watched Michael enjoy himself immensely after an awkward beginning with the Tarymians keeping their wary distance from the pirate pair. His first mate had soon been regaling tales of their travels to an enthralled audience of courtiers won over by his charm and genial demeanor. Michael had just been entertaining a bevy of eager dance partners before he decided to check up on his reclusive captain.