FireSweet

My Ship

“Enter,”

            I opened the door to Mají’s cabin, walking in and pausing when I saw him.  His back was to me, as it was when I first entered his cabin.  I could see the kingblade across his lap, the light shining through the portholes dancing across it. 

            “I have some questions for you,” I said softly.

            “Do you?” he asked, still not bothering to turn around.

            “It’s about Dikamir,” I said slowly, waiting to see if he would face me.”

            “What about him?”

            “You went to see him,” I sighed, “I want to know what that was about.”

            Mají spun his chair around, studying me as he narrowed his eyes and smirked. 

            “I wasn’t aware that I answered to you,” he said dryly.

            “You don’t,” I corrected.  “I was curious.”

            “If you must know,” he said, irritation lacing his voice.  “Dikamir asked me down there after you burned most of where they were currently living.  I offered to keep you away from them if they would do me a favor.  They refused, end of story.”

            “Oh,” I said, suddenly feeling small and stupid in his presence.  “Just wondering.”

            “Gittoran Flame,” he said slowly, as if he had never said my name before and was trying it on his tongue for the first time.  “Gittoran Flame Scarlet… I have made a terrible mistake.”

            “What happened?” I asked.  “How can we fix it?”

            Mají laughed humorlessly, “We are not fixing anything.  I am fixing something.”

            “What is it?” I pressed.  “Why can’t I help?”

            He shook his head, looking at me with distant curiosity.  “Don’t you see?  You’re the mistake.”

            “I’m the mistake?” I repeated dumbly.

            Mají nodded, his face expressionless, his voice monotonous when he spoke.  “I never should have let you onto the crew.  As King of Pirates, I know better, I know things can’t be like this, that it won’t work.  You’ve caused me to exile one of my crew already, and more will follow if this… this abomination of placement continues.  Gittoran Flame Scarlet, you are dismissed from your place on my crew.”

            “That doesn’t make sense and you know it,” I protested.  “This crew was great before, but it’s the best now.  The King of Pirates and the Queen of Thieves on one crew?  When same said Queen’s magic is so strong that others have to come running for protection?  That would be the dumbest move of your time as a pirate.”

            Mají stood from his seat, walking around the desk and watching me with a detached expression as he edged closer to me. 

“Nothing you say will change my mind.” He said flatly.  “This world has functioned for decades without girls pretending to be pirates, and the turmoil you have caused shows why.  You’ve clouded my judgment, addled my priorities, and made me lose sight of what’s important.  Karius was right.  We haven’t raided for most of the year, and we don’t have much time left.  I’ve squandered Fame’s last year chasing legends, trying to trick the Griffon himself.  I’ve been weak and distracted, and men are starting to say I’ve gone soft.  This is the only way to fix things, to stop everything I’ve worked for from crumbling down.”