Captain Fury: Pirate of Berk

32: Parlay

Thirty-Two: Parlay.

It was snowing and the sea was milky with incipient ice around the huge ship. The jagged angles and naked masts of the heavily armoured vessel jutted against the grey and story sky. Guards huddled against the snow, none daring to leave their posts for fear of their dark master and officers patrolled, keen eyes seeking the vaguest hint of slackness. The loss of the flagship had redoubled vigilance within the entire fleet and everyone was on edge.

Within the new Flagship, the warm lights of the main cabin did little to lighten the grim mood. Drago was still furious at the loss of his ship and the fact that the man responsible had escaped from the Berserker galley and evaded capture. Drago had demanded the man be brought to him and so far, the Berserker had failed in his task.

Dagur was pacing back and forth, already agitated and angry at the rank sarcasm the Lord of the North was using. Drago had sources who had informed him that the man was safely on Berk, in the custody of Lady Astrid Eretson and alive. Far too alive for Drago's liking: he had ordered the pirate be captured to die under torture at Drago's hand and so far Captain Fury was irritatingly free.

"I can hardly walk into Berk and demand him back!" Dagur protested. Scowling, Drago turned slowly, his black lizardskin cloak swirling around his stocky body, the empty left sleeve pinned to his shoulder.

"I would have thought that was precisely what you should do!" he growled, his deep voice sour with sarcasm. "The man is a convict, doomed to die in your galley. He escapes and you learn he is on Berk, the island where he was arrested and convicted. You have every right to demand your slave back!" Scuffing his heel like a sulky child, Dagur pulled a face.

"It's not as if they shouldn't already have killed him-but they tried to hang him and he was rescued!" he spat. "What the Hel does it take to kill him?"

"A swift sword thrust to the heart would do the trick, I presume," Drago growled, his scarred face twisted in exasperation. "And I hear our allies on Berk have lost. Magne Jorgensen, Eret Eretson and Egil Hofferson are dead."

"Leaving the eligible...and very rich...Lady Eretson a widow and sole heir to the Hofferson fortune," Dagur realised, rubbing his hands together. "Perhaps that would provide a valid reason to head to Berk...and see if we can't snatch ourselves a pirate on the way!" Pacing to the window, Drago stared out into the grim afternoon, his dark, dead eyes scanning the ships clustered around his current flagship. Dagur was violent and self-serving...a useful but expendable ally, yet he had failed to grasp the import of Drago's words: Berk was now a very hostile place to Drago and his allies. Including Dagur the Deranged. He rested his remaining hand against the window frame and leaned forward.

"Do what you feel you need to," he said coldly, "But I will not delay my attack on Berk for that long. I await the arrival of my new flagship from the dockyards in Snowhaven...and a strong northerly wind that will carry us to Berk." Folding his arms, Dagur turned to the man with a nasty smile on his face.

"I'll have him waiting for you...to destroy at your pleasure...my Lord," he leered.

oOo

Hiccup had needed a lot of help from Astrid to get dressed, mainly because he was weak as a kitten and any movement caused him pain. To his surprise, she had produced a brand new deep red tunic and dark olive leggings and had very gently and carefully helped him pull them on. She had seen his wounds already...including the brand from Drago that he hadn't shared with his crew and her fingers trailed lightly over the healed wound. The azure depths had widened with pity and her other hand had gently pressed against his cheek. Closing his eyes, he had pushed his cheek back against her tender touch...and then the tunic had concealed the scar again. Her maid had fetched his armour-repaired by Gobber and oiled and buffed so it looked ridiculously good. His hand trailed over the smooth leather and he frowned slightly.