The Red Cape

VI.

Volume I.
When Rose and Hunter first entered the tavern, they were greeted by boisterous laughter and many drinking men and a few women. A flutist and a fiddler were playing a lively tune and many were dancing. Rose had pulled her hood over her head, trying to be inconspicuous.

"Look, over there," Hunter pointed to a man sitting at a table, with a large hat, slightly tipped over his eyes, holding a bottle of some kind of liquor.

Rose looked at Hunter questioningly, "Why him?" she asked. "There has to be someone else."

"He seems to be the only captain that is not intoxicated so much to the point he cannot speak," Hunter pointed out.

That seemed to be true, all the other men were dancing around or drinking a significant amount more than what they already had. But concerning the latter, Rose did not understand one thing about Hunter's logic.

"How can you tell which ones are captains?" Rose asked curiously, looking around the room. As far as she could see, none of the men had particularly distinguishing qualities from one another.

Hunter pointed around the room, "See their coats? Some of them have silver buttons, indicating they are wealthier than the common folk around here; they look sufficiently more well fed, they are less tanned, and their hands are softer than their crew, since their crew does more manual labor."

Rose gawked at him, "How on earth did you know all of that?"

Hunter shrugged, "I've spent a lot of time traveling; you'd be surprised what you can learn."

"Let's talk to him then," Rose decided, and headed towards the captain.

"Rose," Hunter put a hand out to stop her, "Let me."

She sighed, "Fine."

Hunter strode towards the captain, Rose trailing behind.

Once they just about reached him, a tall man dressed in a worn shirt and long boots with brown trousers.

He had warm hazel eyes, but his face said don't mess with me.

"You must request an audience with the captain," he stated.

"Uh," Hunter said.

Rose pushed him slightly a side.

"Do you mind asking him if we could speak to him? It's of the most importance." She responded to him in a sugary tone. She looked up at him with her big green eyes.

His expression softened a bit. "I'll ask him," he said. "For you," he added.

Rose beamed, "Thank you."

The crew member whispered something into the captain's ear. The captain responded something without lifting his hat.

The crew mate walked back to Hunter and Rose.

"The captain will see you now," he said.

Hunter and Rose slid onto the bench on the opposite side of the captain.

"How can I be of assistance?" The captain drawled in a gravelly voice, his hat still over his face.

"We would like to purchase a passage to Trailia," Hunter stated.

"What is the cargo?"

"Two passengers."

"That's gonna cost you extra, mate."

"Name your price."

"500 Eulons. I'll be generous, since we happen to be passing by Trailia."

"You've got to be joking," Hunter said.

"Every word."

Hunter looked at Rose, "We could practically buy our own boat with that much."

"Yes," the Captain said, "But," he sat up, and looked at the pair of them with a slightly tan face, dark hair, and almost black eyes. "I can guarantee that every other captain in this tavern would charge you twice as much for cargo, let alone passengers. So, I suggest you take my offer."

"But-"

"We'll take it," Rose interjected. She reached into her cloak and brought out a bag of money and placed it in front of the captain, who took it with disinterest.

"There's 100 extra Eulons for your silence. Do not tell anyone we were aboard your ship," Rose added.

The captain nodded, "We leave tomorrow at dawn. You may stay in the lower deck of the ship over night if needed. It is the Dauntless."

Rose nodded to Hunter for them to leave. They both arose from the table and walked back behind the bar.

Hunter grabbed Rose's shoulder and turned her around to face him.

"Why did you do that?" He asked her. "That must've cost you all that you had!"

"No," she smiled and held out 11 silver coins, "These are all worth 600 Eulons."

Hunter looked at them in realization. "Quols," he said, "Where did you get them?"

Rose hesitated for a moment. "My parents gave me a small fortune before they died," she lied. She put the silver coins back in her cloak.

Hunter nodded, believing her. "Well, we have a passage now."

"Are you still coming with me?"

"I wouldn't miss it."

End of Volume I.