>>The story continues....
[The Raw Deal, Captain's Cabin]
The Rakash eyes his captive carefully.
"What will you do with me, pirate?" the Merlew struggles to ask though his sobbing.
"First, I will give you a moment to gather yourself. You are a wreck, and we cannot have that." he replies.
The Merlew takes a few quick breaths, attempting to steady himself.
The Rakash nods.
"Secondly, I am no pirate. If I were in your place I would choose any further words carefully. It is you who would seem to be the guilty party on this vessel." the Rakash says with a smirk.
The Merlew glares at the young Rakash, obviously not impressed.
The Rakash sneers.
"I could always carve out your eyes..." the Rakash says as he pulls a fillet knife from his nauda.
"Perhaps the crew outside my door would like to hear you scream." he muses to his captive.
In a quick motion, the Rakash tackles the Merlew, holding his face against the deck while the other holds the fillet knife a hairs width from his eye. The Rakash holds it there for a moment, considering his options and weighing the outcomes.
He breaks his hold on the Merlew, pulling him to his knees as he stands and then dismissively flinging him to the floor again. Fear creeps back across the face of the aquatic hunter. Perhaps he realizes that his situation is not one that can be improved by posturing. He lowers his head, gazing at the ground.
"What do you want to know..." the Merlew says slowly with a tone of defeat.
Victory. The Rakash thinks to himself as a smirk crosses his face.
"How long have you been following me?" the Rakash points his fillet knife at the Merlew as he asks, as if to enforce his words.
"For two summers." the Merlew says.
The Rakash asks, "Why?"
"We came across your last 'crew' of pirates, poisoned on the ocean floor. We knew their faces and we had seen you before, but you were no concern. All you and your scavengers did was swoop in and loot others victories." the Merlew says, smiling at the insult.
"We?" the young Captain asks with a frank stare.
"Yes." the Merlew replies. "I am one of many. A clan of our people dedicated to fighting your ilk."
The Merlew adds, "When we didn't see your face among the others, we thought perhaps you had been taken hostage. Imagine our surprise when we found you out again with another crew."
"And why did you not come for me first?" the Rakash asks.
"Like your last crew, this one you picked up has some in it that have done far worse things than you. Some of these rouges we've spent a long time looking for, little Rakash. I could not pass the chance." the Merlew replies.
"I have no love for pirates..." the Rakash begins to say.
"But you are one!" the Merlew cuts him off.
"I did to those men what they would have gladly done to me given the chance. Each one of them was a crook and a scoundrel. The sea is better without their sort." the Rakash attempts to explain.
"And you are just like them. A pirate who preys on pirates." the Merlew says coldly.
"What of you, killer? Are you so pure and your intentions so righteous?" the Rakash asks.
The Merlew pauses. He opens his mouth to speak but is unable to come up with anything valid. Acknowledging his defeat, he hangs his head once more and gazes at the ground.
"As I thought." the Rakash answers his own question.
The Rakash says, "It would seem we have more in common than you might like to admit. Perhaps in my own way, I too am a 'pirate hunter' and just doing my job as it were."
He pauses, looking carefully at his hapless victim. The bindings are knotted tight, he could not simply claim the fish-man slipped his grasp. No. It seems they will have to come up with something clever.
"What to do? What to do?" the Rakash muses as he walks in lazy circles around the bound Merlew.
* * *
Day 20:
I think we may have our solution. It took some time and we were interrupted more than once. I had to rough up the Merlew a bit to keep up appearances. However, to be honest, I found it rather easy after all the trading of insults during our conversation. I have him chained to the mast for the night, hopefully nobody cuts his throat before the sun rises.
Luck be with us, him and I, for on the morrow we will see how sharp I have become over the years.
~K
>>Fin?
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