by Ben White
They ran for the gazebo, which was near the edge of the cliff overlooking Blackport and the harbour.
"Phew!" Miya said, as she reached the shelter. "Now THIS is rain! Could you please light that lantern up there?"
Sola did so as Miya shook some of the rain out of her hair.
"What do you think they're talking about?" she asked Sola, as a dim glow lit up the gazebo.
"You."
"I know that, but what?"
"If they want you to know, they will tell you later."
"You're not all that much help sometimes, you know that?"
"Sorry."
They looked out from the gazebo, but the rain and the darkness made it impossible to see far—they could make out the port below, but not much of the harbour. However, perhaps in an attempt at psychological warfare, perhaps simply to stop them from running into each other, the ships of Badger Pete's navy each had a bright lamp aboard, clearly seen through the rain.
"It looks like so many," said Miya.
"It is so many."
"I know, but ... maybe I should just go. Just go, right now. Take one of our corvettes, smash through all those little ships in front, ram right into Badger Pete's big ugly frigate out there, jump on board and ... and ..."
"Put your sword through his heart?"
"Well ... no, I guess not." Miya sighed. "It's hard being good sometimes."
"Perhaps harder to be bad."
"I dunno."
"To look back, and know that even though you won, it was the wrong way? That, I think, would be hard."
"Yeah, maybe."
They were silent a moment. Miya sat down on one of the gazebo's seats, Sola remained standing.
"Perhaps that is why our grandfather came," said Sola, after a while.
"What, because he's bad?"
"Because he wants to be good."
Miya thought about this a moment.
"I know he's done bad stuff," she said. "I kind of ... some of it I don't want to hear about, don't even want to think about. Some of the stories ... even if they're only half-true ... I mean, I always thought they sounded amazing and exciting, even the bad stuff was kind of ... you know. And, actually, sometimes it IS amazing and exciting. I think about duelling Badtooth all the time, and fighting off those thugs, and I've NEVER felt ANYTHING like how I felt when I was duelling with my grandmother ... I wouldn't change any of it. I wouldn't trade the adventures for anything."
"Even when you got hurt?"
"Almost especially then! Look at this scar!" said Miya, pointing to the one on her cheek. "I've wanted a scar on my face since I was seven! I know it's just a little one, but still ... it shows I've done something. It shows I've had an adventure, that I duelled with a master swordswoman and lived to tell the tale."
"A lot of pirates don't live," said Sola. "The stories are filled with those that fell."
"I know ... and I wouldn't—I mean, I don't think I'd want to be a pirate, not like in the old stories. Fighting to the death and looting and pillaging and hurting people that don't deserve to be hurt, there's got to be a better way. Dad's right, there's no need for that kind of pirate in this world. Those pirates that are out there ... frankly, they're not doing it properly," said Miya, a little huffily. "But I know that my kind of pirate, the kind Dad was ... brave, adventurous, freedom-loving ... noble," she said, grinning at herself, "the kind of pirate that fights for what they believe in—for their families, and their homes, and the people they care about, and for what they know is right ... there has to be a place for that kind of pirate. Doesn't there?"
"I think that for you, the world will be forced to make a place," said Sola.
"Well ... thanks, Sola," said Miya, smiling up at her brother. "What a good thing to say."
"Because if it doesn't, you will make a great mess as you tear a place open for yourself."
"That wasn't quite so good."
"Miya!"
Miya jumped to her feet and turned, a smile instantly lighting up her face.
"Penny!"
"I'm so glad you're all right," said Penny, as she leapt into the shelter of the gazebo and embraced her friend. "I just heard from Midge that you escaped—"
"I didn't escape, I was never kidnapped, I—oh, forget it, I'm happy you're okay!"
"Hi Sola!" said Penny, releasing Miya and smiling at him. "I'm glad you're still in one piece too."
Sola nodded at Penny.
"I love how quiet he is," said Penny. "So different to his sibling."
"Hey!"
"Hey yourself, for not telling me that you were back!" said Penny.
"I ... I'm sorry," said Miya. "I was busy, there were fires and then the raiders, and then Dad coming back, I—"
"I'm just teasing you, I know all about the Trials and Tribulations of Miya Black. I am your best friend, after all. You're like a little hurricane, you know? All these troubles whirling up around you."
"I am not! I am NOT a little hurricane! Sola, am I a little hurricane?"
"More a tornado," he said, smiling. "Very destructive over a small area."
"And he's so funny," laughed Penny.
"Great, now my brother and my best friend gang up on me. This is just perfect. I should never have let you meet Penny, that was a terrible idea."
"Come here," said Penny, grabbing Miya in another hug. "You know what it is, it's that you just make it too easy."
"Not on purpose!" protested Miya.
"Princess!"
Miya struggled out of Penny's hug to look past her. Charles Sharpe was hobbling up the path towards them.
"Chuck!" called Miya. "Come in out of the rain!"
Charles limped into the gazebo, and smiled awkwardly at Miya.
"How's your leg?" she asked him.
"It's, uh, fine," Charles said. "Um, hello Penny. Hello, um ..."
"Sola. My brother," said Miya. Sola nodded at Charles.
"A pleasure to meet you," said Sola.
"V-very nice to meet you too. Uh, Mi—Princess Black, I have a message—"
"Why are you delivering messages with your leg like that?" asked Penny. Charles blushed a little.
"I, uh, volunteered, it's for your father—"
"He's presently occupied," said Miya. "I'll pass it along to him. What is it?"
Charles swallowed, then cleared his throat.
"It's Badger Pete," he said. "H-he's here, on the docks. He w-wants to parley."
17
Wish For Something Better
It was still dark and raining hard as the Black family made their way down to the docks, torches hissing and sizzling as fat raindrops hit them. Heartless Jon had decided not to come—"Always hated parleying, bloody waste of time if ye ask me"—and Sola had also chosen not to attend, for reasons he kept to himself. So, the group that went to parley ended up being Tomas, Lilith, and (at her firm insistence) Miya (despite some feelings of trepidation from everyone else).
Because of the rain it was hard to see more than a few metres away, so it wasn't until they reached the pier where Badger Pete was standing that they could see who he'd brought along—Miya assumed they were his lieutenants; on the left a slim, dark man with dangerous eyes, on the right a calm-looking woman with angular features and strikingly red hair beneath a tricorn hat. As they got a little closer Miya realised there was another person with Pete also.
"Grace," she growled. Her father glanced down at her.
"This is a parley, Miya. Not a time to be settling scores or picking fights—we're trying to avoid fighting here."
"She hurt my ship, Dad."
"Regardless of that, this is for the island. Be civil," said Tomas, as they stopped a few metres from where Pete's group was standing. Badger Pete had on shiny black boots, black trousers, and a black jacket over a white shirt—the same as his daughter and the two others with him, almost like a uniform. Pete wore no hat over his short blonde hair, although Grace had on the same wide-brimmed one that Miya had seen her in previously; Miya was so
mehow gratified to see how limp and sodden the rain had made the white feather stuck in it.
Before speaking, Pete looked Tomas up and down, glanced at Miya, then examined Lily long and hard.
"Lovely weather in this part of the world," he said, finally, as the rain pelted down with no sign of stopping. When Tomas made no reply, Badger Pete went on. "I believe you know me as Badger Pete, although my daughter prefers that I introduce myself as Peter Morgon."
Still getting no reply from Tomas, Pete grinned and continued. "Perhaps I should introduce my associates," he said, "Mr Mulligan and Ms O'Toole—"
"We've met," said Tomas. He glanced at the two in turn. "Darkeye," he said, nodding to the man. "Steel," he said, nodding to the woman.
Miya looked up at her father, but he didn't speak further.
"Ah?" said Badger Pete. He looked at Tomas a moment, then smiled again. "They won't be talking much at this meeting. But if you've met them before then maybe you'll know why I'm standing here on, forgive me, hostile ground with only two crew as backup. But I forget myself—also with me is, of course, my lovely daughter, Grace Morgon."
"Shall we get straight to business, Badger?" asked Tomas. "I was under the impression that this was a parley."
"Quite so," said Badger Pete. He grinned. "I have something of a proposal for you, Mr Black."
"We're listening."
"Nice little family you've got here," said Badger Pete. "Believe it or not, I know the importance of family. My daughter here's the pride of my life, much as I imagine your wee girl there is yours."
Tomas narrowed his eyes very slightly.
"We're listening," he repeated, his voice hard.
"I was thinking, sitting out there in my big old ship, what a waste this all is. Never mind the fact that we're just sitting around in the rain, waiting for a break in the clouds so we can all start shooting at each other again—"
"Speak for yourself," snapped Miya. Tomas glanced down at her and shook his head slightly, and Miya frowned, annoyed at herself. Grace gave her a very superior look, and it was all Miya could do not to leap at her then and there.
"In any case," said Pete, "I was thinking, there are a lot of islands in this archipelago, plenty to go around, and you must yearn for something more than this place—"
"There's your first problem," said Tomas.
"Oh? And what's that?" asked Pete.
"You only know what it is to take."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" said Grace, before scowling as her father frowned at her. Miya did her best imitation of the look Grace had directed at her seconds earlier, and was rewarded with a venomous glare.
"I'm a little confused at your choice of words there," said Pete. He shifted his weight a little. "I'm just a simple pirate boss. Could you maybe explain a little clearer?"
"You think me to be like you," said Tomas. He looked at his wife and his daughter before turning back to Badger Pete. "But I've learnt to build. Taking holds no appeal for me now."
"Maybe you don't understand what I'm offering here," said Badger Pete. "You could have much more than this island—"
"You have no idea what I'm talking about, not the slightest understanding of who we are or what we have here," said Tomas, his voice level. "I suggest that you stop talking before you embarrass yourself further."
Pete hesitated a moment, then he chuckled.
"Well then, I'd hoped we could work together but apparently that's off the table."
"A shame your father is too stupid to recognise a good offer when he sees it," Grace said, smirking at Miya.
"Come over here and say that again, if you've got the heart," Miya spat back. Lily put her hand on her daughter's shoulder, and Miya forced herself to calm down. Grace rolled her eyes and shook her head dismissively, and Miya bit her lip hard. Badger Pete looked at Miya coolly, just for a moment, then smiled at Tomas.
"Then let me propose a different sort of deal. We dispense with all the nasty, prolonged fighting and accept the foregone conclusion—that there will be blood on both sides, but more on yours than mine. I think that's a reasonable assumption to make. It's clear to see that my navy is superior to yours, and once this rain clears up I'd say my ships will have scuppered the lot of yours before the sun breaks through the clouds."
"Wouldn't bet on it," muttered Miya.
"Miya, over there. Right now." Miya looked up at her mother, wounded, as Lilith pushed her to the side.
"This is a parley," Lilith said, her voice low and angry. "You represent your kingdom and your people. This is not a time for petty sniping and snide remarks, you understand me?"
"But—"
"You obviously can't keep your mouth shut, so please stay over here until we're finished."
Miya looked back at her family as her mother returned to her father's side.
"I apologise for my daughter," said Queen Lilith. "These are stressful times and she's under a lot of pressure."
"Really," said Grace. "It's such a pity that some people can't—hey!"
The shame of being told off by her mother lessened somewhat for Miya as she watched Pete take his daughter by the arm and pull her aside. She couldn't hear what he said to her but judging by her face it wasn't good.
"These young ones," said Pete, with a light chuckle, returning to his place in front of his lieutenants. "I love her dearly, goodness knows. Which brings me to my proposal. I'm sure there are a lot of families on this island. Their safety must be a priority for you."
Tomas studied Pete for a moment before replying: "The safety and well being of our people is our greatest concern."
"With that in mind, perhaps you'd see fit to giving over anything of value you've got lying around—money, jewellery, you know what I mean. Then maybe line up all the fit lads and lasses on the island, give 'em a chance to make up their own minds about joining me. Royalty is royalty, but you can't speak for every person on the island on every matter—"
"Hear me when I say this, Badger," said Tomas, his voice sharp. "There is not a single soul on this island that would ever consider joining you."
"Ah? Pity. Then perhaps just—"
"As to the first part of your proposal, you want us to hand over anything of material value on the island."
"Aye."
"And then you'll leave us be?"
"Aye, that's the sum of it."
"I don't think so," said Tomas. "I think that's just a way for you to get your booty without going to the trouble of searching for it, and after we hand everything over you'll attack us anyway. That about right?"
Pete's expression hadn't changed much—it was still, on the surface at least, open and friendly. But in his eyes there was a hardness that grew by the second.
"A moment to consult with my lieutenants," he said. Tomas nodded, watching Pete carefully as he and his lieutenants moved back a distance, talking in low tones. He turned to Lilith and whispered something to her, in response to which she shook her head and whispered something back.
While these two groups discussed their next actions, the third group present at the parley was also engaged in a whispered discussion:
"Do you know, Pancake, I rather liked the look of that bay you showed me yesterday. I think I may have a vacation house built there."
Miya closed her eyes a moment and tried to find some kind of inner strength, some hidden reserve of calm and patience to help her keep her sword in its scabbard. Parley, she thought to herself. Parley parley parley.
She opened her eyes again to see Grace smirking at her.
"Too bad 'King Black' won't do this the smart way," Grace whispered. "Your father's a fool."
"If that were true then we'd have something in common," Miya hissed back, thoughts of patience and calm gone in an instant.
"I have nothing in common with you, you scruffy little wench," spat Grace.
"That's true. After all, I'm a princess and a pirate."
"You? A pirate? At least I have a ship."
Miya growled and dr
ew her sword, Grace following suit in an instant.
"Miya!"
"Grace, what do you think you're doing?"
Both girls turned to see their respective fathers glaring at them.
"I ... she—"
"Miya Jean Black," said Lily, stepping forward and grabbing her daughter's arm. "You are ... you ... go and stand over there behind us until we're done. And if I hear another word out of you, then so help me I will throw you off the docks myself, right here and now."
"Grace Mary Morgon," growled Pete. "Sheath that sword, lest I tan your hide with it."
"But Daddy—"
"Stand behind me and stay there, ye bloody savage disgrace."
Pete and Tomas looked up at each other, for a moment seeing a flicker of fellow-feeling in each other's expression. Unfortunately, this passed quickly.
"I'm a reasonable man," said Pete. "People often tell me so. But I don't have time to stand around going back and forth about this and that. It's beneath both of us. I know you to be an intelligent man, and your wife has a reputation for straightforwardness, a reputation that, I must say, I admire—"
"You've been spending too much time with Highlanders," said Tomas. "You've picked up their habit of using a dozen words to say exactly nothing—although one thing you just said does have the ring of truth about it. You 'don't have time'. What's the hurry, Mr Morgon?"
Pete's eyes narrowed for a moment.
"Perhaps I came at you from the wrong angle—"
"Perhaps so. Setting fire to my island may have been the wrong way to start off negotiations."
"Well, ye know, position of power and all that—"
"Position of power, interesting choice of words," said Tomas. "Because I happen to know that you've been attacking my home for over a day now. How many ships of mine have you sunk?"
"Four, I think it was," said Pete, levelly.
"Four. I don't know how many of yours we've sunk," said Tomas. "My captains stopped counting after the first dozen."
"That may well as be," growled Pete. "But it don't change the fact that yer piddling little navy'd be routed within minutes in any kind of straight fight. My navy's five times the size of yours and all you've sunk have been a few brigs and corvettes."