A Pirate's Life for Three

Bloody Navy - Chapter 4

"Oh my, you didn't tell your new friends about me?"

"What is she talking about, Rusty?" 400 growled from the doorway.

"Alrigh' then! Gods..." Rusty said, with an exasperated tone, "She has a...special kind of magic she can use. It's only 'er and 'er family that can use it."

"Blood magic, my dearies." The woman finished, "And I have a name, Rusty. You still have no manners, I see."

"I'm nothin' if not consistent."

"Blood magic? I've never heard of such a thing." Gwen said, frantically wiping her hand.

"My family tends to keep our gift to ourselves...and close friends, of course."

"Speakin' of bein' close friends, we need a favour from you."

"I would normally love to help you, but you still owe me."

"Oh, come on, you're not still mad about that, are ye?"

"Are you serious? What now?" Gwen sighed.

"Well, you see, your little Eladrin friend here stole from me."

Gwen and 400 both slowly turned their heads to Rusty, staring daggers at her, before the former spoke up again, "You are so lucky this doorway is in my way right now."

Rusty just shrugged before the woman spoke up again, "Nothing to worry about, she was just a little tyke after all. I told her I wouldn't tell her shipmates I caught her if she brought me a gift in return...yet here I stand, with no gift."

"Uhh...I forgot?" Rusty said with a shrug and a mischievous smile.

A thud echoed around the walls as 400 tried to force her way further in and grab the Elf. Rusty jumped and hid behind Gwen, who rolled her eyes.

"This is ridiculous. What gift did you want?"

"The most sacred treasure within the ocean. A gift of such unprecedented beauty and grace. Truly, the gods' greatest work."

Gwen and 400 went silent as the woman described the gift. Her voice was genuine, slow, and intense. Whatever it was, it was special and valuable to her. Something incredible and worth being so upset with Rusty over.

"What is the gift?" Gwen asked again, her voice barely above a whisper from awe.

"A pufferfish."

The girls all went completely silent. 400 and Gwen waited for the woman to burst out laughing and tell them she was kidding, but that did not happen. She was completely serious.

"Couldn't you just...go fishing?" 400 suggested.

"And kill it?! Pufferfish are sacrosanct! I would never do such a thing."

"That explains why Rusty didn't get one for you. Too much effort." Gwen thought aloud.

"'Ey!"

"What if I got it for you?" The aquatic girl continued, ignoring Rusty's offence, "I can breathe under water. If you give me a container or something, I can do it."

The woman's eyes practically glowed. Her lips stretched into a huge smile, showing her darkened teeth. She quickly turned and rummaged among her belongings before coming back with a glass case with a hinged lid and a clasp. She handed it to Gwen, explaining that it would be enough to transport it before putting the creature in a permanent home. The young pirate nodded before walking into the ocean with the box and disappearing into the blue. The three others waited in silence for a while before a thought occurred to 400.

"That blood magic you do. What can you do with it?"

"Use your imagination, child, I'm sure you can guess." The woman said with an unsettling grin.