~ 41 ~

The Captain in Everything but Title

“Woah, hoah! So you are the big guy that I'm being paid a lot to shut my mouth about.” The voice pulled me from my thoughts. Looking down from my great height, I saw a figure approach me from below. Tanned skin and dressed in loose white clothes.

A scimitar glinted from his waist. It clinked against a sabre. His hazel eyes caught my curled tail. Whistling, he rested a hand on it, feeling across my scales. “Smooth! Delicate and fine like! Thin, like cloth, but stronger and more flexible than metal. Y'know, this would make for terrific armour! Quite a hide to cut and sew.”

He tilted his chin up. “Tell me. Could I carve a chunk out of you? I would be willing to share in the profits.”

Despite his words, his voice housed no hostility—only smooth playfulness. He spoke like he was always joking, except that he would follow through if one accepted his advances. I chuckled, slithering my tail away.

He stepped back with raised hands.

“Sorry,” I replied. “But my scales don't grow back like they used to. But when I start shedding—“

“Yack,” the man waved and made a face of disgust. “No better than picking fur-balls from a kitten. No-no-no. That will not do. Not at all.” His lips pushed left, and his eyes shifted right. A snap of his fingers focused his everything on me. “How about this? You shall have my unyielding loyalty until the day of your death.”

He nodded. “After that, you leave your body to me.”

I smiled with bunched cheeks in repressing the truth.

There's a chance that, once I die, someone else might take over this body.

“Isn't that a conflict of interest?” I asked. “You only benefit after I'm dead. Your loyalty is stacked against it.”

The man waggled his index finger in the air. “See? It's only because you're a stranger that I'll allow that comment to pass. But here and now is the only time you get to doubt my loyalty. Dragon. Princess. King. Those things do not matter. Foul words will be punished the same.”

Bullshit, or is he for real?

Then he dismissively waved his hand. “Take your time to debate it. Should, after our time together, you decide to see me for the fine lad that I am—then we can enter that agreement. Until that time, I am Sebal Al Del'tori.”

Sebal entered a deep bow, extending an arm over his chest, looking to the ground. “And I am an honest smuggler, thief, and combatant. If I am your foe, I shall let you know. I have worked for men that I have robbed. Once I am set, I am set until I am done. Then I'm loose until I am set again.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And you fight fairly?”

Sebal rose and spread his feet, crossing his arms. He looked up at a giant without fear. He didn't seem like the sort to have much of it. “As far as fates allow. If you cheat, then I shall cheat. I will not cheat first. However, I will cheat to even the odds for one more powerful. That is the measure of my fairness.”

I shrugged. “Seems fair.”

We both grinned.

“Tell me, now, is it true?” Sebal began. “The whole human-eating thing. Are we like deserts or a special dish for you?”

This shit again.

“Fuck no.”

“Aha! I knew it! Knew it, knew it!” Sebal began to pace from side to side to match the momentum of his thinking and speaking. “It did not make much sense! So much harder to capture and devour—and never packing the same meat or cattle. Knew it had to be a fear tactic. Or the whims of a bored dragon.”

Then he pointed at me. “You. Will you ever eat me?”

I blinked. “I hope not.”

“Ever encounter someone wanting to be eaten by you?”

“One lady had been raised to think that was her purpose in life,” I said while stroking my chin. “Think it merged into some sexual desire or something.”

“Eating another—power play.” Sebal stopped pacing. “Attractive to the submissive until they reach the stomach. Then... not so good, I imagine.” It seemed like I wasn't the only weirdo in the world—which was refreshing. “But enough of these strange talks. They are for another time. You will not fit on the ship.”

“Not even if I lose some weight?”

“Best I can do is if you shrink to the size of an elephant.”

“Sadly, I forgot the spell for that.”

“Then flying and swimming for a time will be your curse.” Sebal walked between my feet, drawing a hand across them while passing beneath me. Behind me, the father and daughter had been watching. Astria looked more confused than Zinnine.

“Aha! King Zinnine! Good to not be battling with one of your ships this go around.” Sebal approached them with a hand over his heart. He looked at the hooded girl next. “My. You must be careful. You'll easily attract others.”

Astria did her best to smile. “Bad people?”

“Those you do not have to worry about.” Sebal peeked over her shoulder, trailing his gaze across her sword. “Your weapon is meant for keeping away such folk. What you'll attract is good people. The sort unable to be solved with a sword. They are more troublesome. And you might agree or be ensnared in things you'd rather avoid.”

He stepped back and began spinning his hands. “There are some important phrases you must learn on the boat before the Mainland. Are you ready for them? They are simple—but hard to say. You must get accustomed to having them be your first resort. Are you ready?”

Astria hesitatingly nodded.

“Good! First word is no.”

“N-No.”

“No! No, no. You must say no. No.”

“No?”

“Again!”

“No.”

“Splendid! No remorse! Deceive enough that not even a beggar will think to push on it.” Sebal coughed into a fist. Clapping, he resumed. “Next lesson. Go fuck yourself. Can you say that?”

Astria looked at me with a smile. “Go fuck yourself.”

“Perfect! The lady has already had some training!”

I stuck out the middle talons of both claws.

“Fuck all of y'all.”

“Yes, yes! You both already know how to speak!” Then Sebal swept us all inward with a sweep of his hand. He bounced back several steps, tilting his head toward the dimly-lit docks. “Come now. Your king provided enough booze for us to be alone. Let us take a look at the ship. The crew will welcome you now.”