The Pirate's Legacy: New Horizons

Chapter 7: Wading in the Jungle

The Jolly Roger arrived at Port Harbor in the late morning. A handful of other ships and boats were berthed in an otherwise empty dockyard. No greedy harbormaster came to collect a docking fee. The usual chaotic bustle that marked the careful preparation of a vessel had been replaced with subdued movements. The men all held themselves in rigid tension, their eyes alert and shifting. Lips moved silently in prayer. No one had time to meander about and admire other ships like in more peaceful days. Everyone was armed at the very least with a sword of which their hand was wrapped tightly around its hilt. Most stayed anchored to their vessels, but those who had the distasteful job of going into town for supplies traveled in groups.

And that was just the scene at the dockyard.

Even after a night of drunken debauchery, Port Harbor had looked alive. Now windows were boarded up. Chimneys reached for the sky without the haggard breath of smoke. Crows and seagulls looking in vain for scraps that had once been so abundant in the mornings circled in the sky or perched themselves on the dilapidating buildings, crying out for an end to their hunger. The town was covered in a perpetual shadow that stuck to every inch of its surface. Except for the occupied gun towers that stood on either side of the dockyard, most denizens had run into the jungle. Better to take their chances with wild spirits and runaway slave colonies than with the Draconians and Portunus's wrath. Most ports had been abandoned or utterly destroyed. Pirata was no longer protected by Portunus. Port Harbor was only one of three pirate havens that hadn't succumbed to tidal waves or sea monsters or Draconians. In fact, the town was holding barely onto its coast thanks to the gun towers' might. Tidal waves, though a different problem than sea monsters or Draconians, were not a complete cause for concern since the people had fled to the jungle and the town stood on ground higher than the docks.

"Makes me wonder if Politicka is in similar a state," Em said as she walked down the gangplank. Seeing Port Harbor before her eyes, she had to ask herself what would there be to find when it came time to journey to Politicka.

Beside her, Michael said, "The city-states are in just as much danger, or worse. The people here believe Calypso Herself created Pirata for us vagabonds. That's why we haven't fallen. Some Calypso-worshipping islands in Politicka are being swallowed up slowly by the sea, courtesy of Portunus."

A deep, muffled voice hissed from behind them, "Temper your tongue, Michael. We may not be in open waters, but we are still beside the waterfront."

Em and Michael jumped apart at the bottom of the gangplank. Dread Pirate Robin strode through them without another word. Em scowled at his back before turning to Michael. She and Roger had not spoken to each other in a week since the dagger incident.

"Superstitious prig. I hate it when he sneaks up on me like that."

"Louise says the same thing about me," Michael mused. He moved over to Em's side as a couple of more people came down. "I must be getting better at quiet walking, or being quiet in general."

Not taking the bait of humor, Em looked back at the ship. "Do you think we should take Louise along with us?" She bit her bottom lip.

Michael placed a hand on the small of her back and began to guide her up the dock landing. "I'd like to bring her as well, but we both know she's much safer there," he said. "You shouldn't be coming along with us either, but you insisted."

Em lifted her chin. "I want to see Craig."

Michael grinned. "No, you want to see our new hideout."

He and Em spoke no more as they stopped behind Matt Colosi, just outside the circle of men that surrounded the Pirate King. He was bringing along about a third of the crew. Everyone carried at least a minimum number of weapons that consisted of a dagger, cutlass, and firearm. Though the weapons could do nothing against spirits, they were perfect for rogue former slaves, who were threatened by the pirates' new settlement and wanted vengeance for their time in bondage as well. Joshua Langdon was in charge of The Jolly Roger in the meantime, with a tattooed-face man by the name of James Wilks as acting first mate.