Blood of the Righteous

Popinjay!

David leaned upon the poop deck railing at the Waverunner's stern, watching the city of Port Maynard become little more than a speck on the horizon.

It was another amazingly successful trip, resulting in enough money to buy some Gylinian luxury items such as wines, fine ales, and beers that would sell handsomely in Port Cauldwell. However, given the small amount of money left over for the crew after buying the commodities, David had received some angry stares. Still, the choice of more money later or a small amount now kept them from having to hire on more crewmen. Fyke had told him that with the exception of Captain Karinga himself, there wasn't a decent sailor to be found in Gylinia's southern port city, partly due to the war and partly due to the fact that they were mostly farmers. Decians, however, were natural born sailors, so David had concocted the plan to keep all of the current crew on board. Not one had of the men had cashed out and left.

David smiled and turned, heading for his cabin. He had bought some sweet rolls and dried beef when they were ashore, and he was anxious to partake of the treats.

A hard, wet object struck him in the back of the neck. A scrub brush landed on the ground next to him and skidded across the deck. David spun around to see who threw it.

All six of the men were busy tending to various mizzen ropes that controlled the sails at the aft of the ship. All six were also trying to hide their snickering.

He turned and continued towards the forecastle, when someone said "Popinjay!" in a falsetto. David stopped and walked over to where the men were working.

"Do one of you have a problem?" he said, trying to show as much authority as he could muster.

One of the deckhands, about three years older than David although much thinner, stepped forward and pushed the young Yeoman in the chest, shoving him a few steps back. "Never has to do any work, always lounges around dreaming. Now we're not getting paid for our last trip!"

"I assure you, you will get paid once we reach Port Cauldwell. Probably more money than you've ever had at one time in your entire life. Now get back to work and don't bother me again!"

The crewman glared daggers at David. "Oh yeah, you little fop? What if I want to do nothing like you do?" He shoved him again, driving the point home. A few other crewmen had come up from the quarterdeck to watch the altercation.

"Don't do this," David said, trying to remain calm. "I am in no mood to explain my function on this ship to the likes of you. Now get back..." His words were interrupted with a stinging slap to his face.

David hesitated a second while the anger was unleashed within his blood, and he was on the older boy in an instant. He jumped, wrapping his arm around the boy's neck. The crewman's greasy hair enabled him to pull his head free and he punched David square in the stomach, making him stumble backwards.

The boy picked up one of the wooden anchor pegs in the railing, sending a strand of rope flying upwards. A mizzen sail high above lost its wind and began flapping uncontrollably. Brandishing the peg like a club in his right hand, he stepped forward to pummel the young Yeoman. David, however, was ready for the strike. Recalling his martial lessons, he blocked upward with his left forearm impacting upon his attacker's wrist, stopping the blow. Quickly, he reached up behind the boy's arm with his right, and placing his right hand upon his left, David forced his arm back at a bad angle, popping the crewman's shoulder out of the socket.

The crewman dropped the peg anchor and screamed as David slammed him backwards to the ground. Instantly, David jumped upon his chest, straddling him. Grabbing a handful of greasy hair, he began to slam the boy's head against deck. "Damn you! You bastard!" David's screams carried across the entire ship as he released his pent up rage on the young sailor.

A strong pair of hands pulled David from the battered crewman. "Enough, Yeoman! Its over!" Edge held onto David, waiting for him to stop flailing.

"What in the hellfire is going on here?!?" screamed Captain Karinga as he climbed the ladder from the quarterdeck. Veins were popping from his neck as his face turned a deep shade of crimson. "You!" he said, pointed to one of the six poop deck crewmen. "Tell me what happened or I'll throw you overboard!"

The crewman shrank from Karinga's gaze. "Young Georgie got a bit hot under the collar because he be workin' all the time in the hot sun while Tanner stands around and does nothin' all day!"

Edge set David down, satisfied that he had finally settled. "Cap'n, Yeoman Tanner told them ta get back ta work, an that lad slapped him. Then Tanner beat the live long piss out of 'im."

The captain looked at the boy, lying on the deck, arm twitching uselessly by his side. "Edge, pop his arm back in. Then give him five lashes for striking an officer and throw him in the brig! We'll put him to shore when we reach Port Cauldwell." Karinga turned and shouted to the rest of the crew. "And any other of you who have a problem with Yeoman Tanner's duties aboard this ship, feel free to put some chum around your neck and swim back to Gylinia! The next person who disobeys his orders or dares pick a fight with him or any other of my officers will find themselves worked over so badly they'll be wishing their pappy had pulled out early! Now back to work!"

Karinga's face melted from anger to concern as he walked over to David. "Tanner, are you alright?"

David nodded. "I'm fine, Captain. And thanks to Edge, he's fine too," David said, pointing to the battered Georgie. He looked to the other five men who had been in on the taunting, but none of them dared meet his gaze.

"Good," said Karinga, walking David towards the quarterdeck. "What do you say you, Fyke and I tap one of those ale barrels and discuss where we are going to go from Port Cauldwell?"

Fyke stuck his head up from the quarterdeck. "Did I hear the magic words 'tap one of those ale barrels'? If so, I know just the one!" Fike turn and practically skipped towards the spar deck, bringing a smile to David's face.