~ A Blue Kingdoms Story ~
Captain Ali al Shahar eyed the golden trinket in the girl’s hand. “So, Princess,” he said, “why is this bauble so important to you?”
Princess Makachiko Sunrii averted her brown eyes from the captain and adjusted her carefully fitted silk garments. “It’s been in my family a long time,” she said. “I didn’t want to see it lost.”
The captain shook his head. “That may be your story, but I’m not buying it,” he said. “Even with the pirate ship burning, and cutthroats all around you, you were more concerned with rescuing that necklace than with saving yourself. Why?”
Kor dar-Bek, the Starcutter’s first mate, nodded. The half-ogre’s huge frame completely filled the cabin door blocking the afternoon sunlight; his brutish countenance made the nod seem vaguely sinister.
Makachiko frowned. “It’s really none of your business, Captain,” she said. “You may have rescued me from my captors, but neither I nor my family owes you any explanations.”
“True enough,” Ali said. “All I was promised for your return was a fat reward. However,” he continued, his hazel eyes growing cold, “I am captain of the Starcutter, and anything that may imperil my ship or crew concerns me. Rescuing you from the Purple Tern Brigands was dangerous. Taking you home, even with the pirates defeated, will be more dangerous still. Everything aboard this ship concerns me, including that necklace.”
“What the captain is saying,” Kor explained, “is that you either come clean about that trinket, or you practice up on your swimming.” The half-ogre’s eyes gleamed poison-green, and a wide grin cracked his gnarled face. He bowed slightly and added, “Yer highness.”
The princess looked alarmed, too alarmed, really, for one of her breeding. She glanced hopefully from the captain to the half-ogre and then back, pleading with her deep brown eyes.
Princess Makachiko’s looks were enough to sway the mind of nearly any man. She was round in the right places and slender in the rest. Her dark hair cascaded over her bare shoulders. Her silken clothes, rescued from the pirates, clung lovingly to her figure, and revealed much of her tanned skin. “Captain,” she said, “please....”
Ali folded his arms across his chest and gazed sternly at her.
“Give it up, girl,” the half-ogre said, laughing. “You’ll never win a battle of will against the captain!”
Makachiko sighed. “Very well,” she said. “It seems I have no choice but to tell you.”
She held the necklace out so that the captain and the half-ogre could see it better. The medallion glittered enticingly in the sunlight leaking through the cabin’s starboard porthole. The necklace looked like a tiny silver dragon. Its bejeweled form dangled from the end of the stout chain twined through the princess’ slender fingers. The dragon’s body curved into a sinuous “S,” and its blue gemstone eyes gleamed. It almost looked alive.
“This bauble, as you’ve called it,” Makachiko said, “was given to my father by the dragon queen Argentia Lumus—for services rendered during the recent Wizard War.”
Ali arched one dark eyebrow and studied the necklace carefully. “So you’re saying its value is more sentimental than monetary,” he said. “Somehow, I don’t buy that.”
Kor moved forward, ducking to keep his head from brushing the cabin’s top timbers. He laughed. “The captain’s heard enough fish stories to last his lifetime!”
Makachiko’s face reddened. “This necklace is a gift from the dragons. Its price is beyond measure!”
Ali’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“The dragon lady gave it the power to summon her people to my family’s aid!” the princess replied.
Kor dar-Bek frowned. “That’s a lot of fish-oil, too, Captain,” he said. “If the trinket has that kind of power, why didn’t she have the dragons save her ship from the Purple Tern Brigands? Or rescue her from their brig? For that matter, why doesn’t she call them now to ferry her back to Sunrii Isle and save us the trouble?”
“It will only work once,” the princess said icily.
The half-ogre scratched his stubbly chin. “Well, when your shipmates were being slaughtered might have been a good time to use it.”
“The pirates caught us by surprise,” the princess hissed. “And, besides, the necklace was immediately taken from me. Do you think I wouldn’t have saved my crew if I could have?”
The half-ogre shrugged. “From what I’ve seen of you so far, it’s hard to tell.”
“Enough,” Ali said. “Why the princess didn’t use the medallion’s magic—if it exists—is none of our concern.” His handsome face melted into a smile. “Besides, if she used it to fly home, how would we collect the reward for her rescue?” He balled up his fist and affectionately slugged the half-ogre in the left biceps.
Kor dar-Bek rubbed his bony head. “Well ... if we get into another fix,” he said, “I hope her worship will be a bit more generous with her dragon-magic.”
Ali looked from the half-ogre to the princess. “Don’t worry,” he said reassuringly to her. “I’m sure we’ll have smooth sailing from now on.”
“I agree,” said a musical voice from the cabin door. “With their home base ablaze, the Purple Terns will be hard pressed to follow us. I saw no other Tern ships as I scouted the surrounding seas.” In the doorway stood Sarifa T’Liil, the Starcutter’s master-at-arms. The siren warrior folded her wings to duck through the cabin’s human-sized portal. “I have assessed the damage from the skirmish, Captain,” she concluded.
Ali nodded at the lightly-armored bird-woman. As usual, Sarifa appeared completely unfazed by the difficulties of the recent battle. Not one delicate red feather atop her head appeared out of place. “Go on,” he said.
“Many minor scrapes and bruises,” Sarifa reported. “Seven wounded, three severely—one may join his ancestors in the stars.”
“Who?” Ali asked.
“Old Tifek,” the siren replied.
Ali nodded grimly. “Is that Doran’s assessment?”
Sarifa nodded. “The physician’s Il-Siha training only extends so far. If you’ve any magic to spare, Captain, now would be the time to use it.” She looked at him hopefully.
Ali shook his head grimly. “I used all the ship’s blessing stones during the fight. I’m fresh out of miracles—even minor ones.”
“Maybe her worship can help,” Kor said. He turned toward the princess, bumping his brow on the rafters as he did so.
“I can’t use the necklace for just one sailor,” Makachiko said. “I have to save it for important things.”
“Every life is important,” Ali reminded her.
“Things that are important to my family ... to my kingdom,” Makachiko shot back. “The power of the medallion is not mine to throw away as I please. It belongs to the whole kingdom of Sunrii.”
Kor glared at the princess. “What’d I tell you, Captain?” the half-ogre said. “The highborn are always trouble.”
“It’s not that I don’t care,” the princess explained. “It’s just that I have to consider my responsibilities. If I wasted the dragons’ gift on one lone sailor.... Well, what would the people of Sunrii say when the next typhoon struck?”
Ali looked from the princess to Sarifa. “Tell Doran to do what he can,” the captain told his master-at-arms.
The siren woman nodded curtly. She folded her red wings tightly against her back and turned to go. As she paused at the doorway, the sunlight silhouetted her lithe frame. To those inside the cabin, she looked for a moment like a fiery-winged angel—a messenger of light and darkness, bringing portents for mankind.
Suddenly, the ship lurched hard to its starboard side.
“Rogue wave!” Kor blurted.
Read more in “The Gift of the Dragons” found in Martian Knights & Other Tales and in single-story form at better e-book sellers everywhere!
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