Fantasy Fiction posted May 21, 2021 Chapters: 1 2 -3- 4... 


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After weeks stranded at sea Gangus is rescued
A chapter in the book The Chronicals Of Bethica: The Rise

The Chronicles Of Bethica

by amahra




Background
After weeks lost at sea, Gangus and clansman are rescued by the very lively and very secretive Captain Orroh.
Chapter Three
Pirate Ship
     
 


Traveling in the company of a ship's captain who had a huge bounty on his head was not something Gangus had anticipated. However, Captain Orroh, or as he was affectionately called by his mates, Captain Orr, was sailing west towards Skatts Island. There, Gangus could use Brehira's jewels to finance a large ship with an experienced captain and crew, who would take them to their destination. But first, he would need clothes, food, and lodging for the nearly sixty people who came with him.

"Sir," one of Orroh's shipmates called. "Lady Abram asked that I fetch you. We put her in the cabin next to the captain's. I'll take you there, sir."

Gangus nodded and set his mug of hot tea aside. He stood, tightening the blanket around his shoulders, and followed the man whose name was Khomo.

Down a loose-board staircase, then a narrow, dim hallway--Gangus lagged behind, his eyes taking in the appalling view. If the smell wasn't bad enough, three very large rats met them in the hall and didn't look too intimidated when the men's feet clunked towards them. Khomo had to kick at one before they all scurried into a half-oval hole. The man stopped. "Here, sir," he said to Gangus while pointing to the cabin door.

Gangus thanked him and opened the door to a pouting Brehira who was facing a portrait of an exotic princess, with chocolate bare breasts and charcoal nipples. "Disgusting," she said turning away from it and facing Gangus.

"Well, honey it is a ship full of men."

"Do you know one of those sleazy maggots made advances to me? The one with the eye patch?" she said with her arms folded across her chest.

"He touched you?" Gangus asked, glaring at her.

"No. He became quite the gentlemen once I told him I was your wife. But I still don't like the way he gazes at me--like some drooling cyclops."

"Honey, you're still attractive. The years have not yet caught up with you." He smiled.

"I tell you a man undressed me with his eyes, and you stand there smiling?"

"Dear, I didn't mean to make light of your situation. I'll speak to the captain." He turned to leave.

"That is not really why I called for you."

He turned back. "Then why?"

She tiptoed past him and peeked out the door, making sure no one overheard her. Satisfied, she closed the door and turned to him. "When some men drink too much wine, they reveal much of what they should not."

"What have you heard, my sweet?"

"Celio got one drunk and had him talk about their real mission. He bragged that, after dropping us off, they would attack a king's ship full of treasure. Honey, these people are thieves...cutthroats. We could all be murdered in our sleep."

"Where are your jewels?"

"There," she said, pointing to where she hid them.

He pulled her to him. "There is honor among many Volarian men. I looked into captain Orroh's eyes, and he has assured me safe passage to Skatts Island. He gave me a note of introduction to give to a tavern owner who owes him a favor." He put his finger under her chin and lifted her head. Her beautiful brown eyes flashed up at him. "I will let nothing harm you," he assured her.

"You trust him, then?"

"I trust no one with the people I love. If he has lied, Celio and the others know what to do. Captain Orroh does not know I have fighting men on board."

"But, our weapons are still packed away."

"Celio and Dinary have been quite busy bees. They discovered a locked cabin full of them. It's never guarded."

A grin stretched across her beautiful face. "The gods bless you, my husband."

"I promise you, no matter what happens, we are all getting off this ship in one piece. Now, lock the door and open to no one but Dinary and me."

She nodded. Gangus kissed her gently on the lips. When he left the cabin, he heard the latch click as he walked off to find Dinary.

That evening after dinner, the women gathered in Brehira's cabin to brush each other's hair and complain about the food and dingy bed sheets. The men had gone to the large cabin at the end of the ship. It was the largest cabin and where the captain had meetings with his crew. Tonight, it was used for drinking and singing and, of course, strange adventure tales from each of the men.

Hours later, the women went back to their cabins as did the captain and some of the men--minus the ones running the ship and those at the top of the sails keeping watch. The night was quiet.

*****

Days went by, and everyone began to feel more comfortable and trusting of one another. The women cleaned the cabins, washed the bedding, making the cabins quite livable, and to everyone's delight, they took over the cooking. The nude portrait of the dark princess disappeared from the wall. Gangus was not surprised.

The women complained to their husbands about the long journey. They were tired of washing and wearing the same clothes. Brehira assured them, just one more week and they would reach Skatts Island where fresh clothes, clean water, and good food awaited them.

In Dinary's cabin, Celio sat swilling wine. He brought the jug down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I heard one mate speak of a treasure map hidden on board," he told Dinary.

Dinary chuckled. "Every captain or shipmate has a tale about a treasure map. It's as old as the gods. There hasn't been a real treasure map for centuries."

"Hm...I'd like to think there is," Celio said, guzzling the rest of the wine.

*****

In one of the servant's cabins, Rhia stood braiding her sister Lucia's hair. "A few more days and nights and Skatts Island will be ours," she said excitedly "I can't wait for my feet to touch land," Lucia said. The sisters talked about hot baths and washing the dust from their hair--and finding husbands.

As everyone settled back and reflected on what they wanted to do once they landed, something hit the ship with such force, the lanterns turned over, and a small fire flashed up from the floor. Nearly everyone was thrown against something. Pieces of the ceiling fell, injuring some men. Women were screaming and calling for their husbands. The captain's men practically mowed Gangus' men over, running in the same direction.

"Oh, no. This can't be happening again," Celio shouted.

"What did we hit this time?" Dinary asked.

"The ship is under attack, you fools!" said one of Orroh's men. "Either get out of the way or help us," he said running up the stairs with a sword in his hand.

The ship had been rammed, the mates from the enemy ship had jumped onto Orroh's ship, and a battle had begun.

"Great gods!" Dinary said. He yelled to Methius to gather the women--put them in one cabin and for him not to leave them alone. He told Celio to hand him the weapon he was holding and for him to get more to pass out to his men.

"I'll go and find my father!" he yelled over the loud shouts and thundering noises from above.

As Dinary hurried down the hall, a mate from the enemy ship jumped from the staircase and landed in front of him. He appeared young, about twenty, with his head wrapped in cloth like a gypsy. He advanced on Dinary with his sword raised. Dinary's sword clanked against his several times;  then Dinary, a master swordsman, did a circling maneuver with his sword and lifted the man's sword from his hand. It went flying up in the air. Dinary lunged forward' running the man through.

"Um, that was short work," he mumbled to himself.

He heard footsteps behind him. He suddenly turned and stood in a fighting stance. He relaxed when he saw it was Gangus running up on him.

"Father, we're under attack! Why have you left Mother?"

"She's safe in the cabin."

"You stay with her! I'll join our men on deck."

"But this is not our fight, son!"

"We can't take the captain's generosity and not help him in his hour of need!"

"All right, then! Let me go see to your mother! And I'll join you!"

"Then you'll need this." Dinary handed Gangus his sword then brushed by him, scooped up the dead man's sword, and ran up the staircase to join the battle.

Gangus ran back to his cabin; shielding himself from the falling debris, he braced himself for a sure argument with Brehira once he told her he and Dinary would help the captain whom she loathed. He opened the door and found her on the floor in a daze due to the ramming of the ship. He helped her to her feet. Neither spoke but searched each other's eyes.  After seeing she wasn't seriously injured, Gangus turned from her and rushed from the cabin. She locked the door behind him as he ran down the hall towards the staircase.

But halfway up, an enemy's foot landed on his chest and sent him hurtling down the stairs. Gangus fell backward. When his head connected to the floor, everything went black. The enemy stood over him with his sword and raised it. An entire blade of a sword came out of the man's abdomen as Celio ran him through from behind.

When Gangus came around, Brehira was putting another cool cloth on his forehead, and one of the other women pressed a cup with a nasty-tasting liquid to his lips. He parted his lips and swallowed, then tightened the muscles in his face.

"That is awful," he said, still grimacing.

"Stay quiet. You've been out for hours," Brehira said.

"But the fight....what..."

"We won the fight, Father," Dinary said from across the room. "That is, the captain and his men did. We helped a little," he said, turning to Celio.

"And the enemy ship that attacked us?"

"We set it on fire. It's probably still burning in Erebus," Celio chuckled.

"I'm proud of you, my son...you too, Celio. Wish I could have stayed on my feet."

"Yes, you missed the whole thing. You sure you didn't fake being out? I mean, Father all you had to say was that you didn't want to fight. But to throw yourself down the stairs..." he teased.

"Ha ha," Gangus uttered rolling his eyes at Dinary.

"You leave your father alone. Here," Brehira pushed a basin to him, "go fetch me more water for your father's wounds." Dinary grabbed the basin, still grinning, and left the room.

"I have good news, my husband," Brehira smile. "We'll be in Skatts Island in two days. The shipwreck and ship attack--all behind us. If I never see another ship or ocean for a while, it will be fine with me. Promise me we can stay at least a month or so before boarding another?" she said, her eyes pleading.

"All right. I've had enough seawater for a while as well."

The days flew by, and not too soon for Brehira and the women. They pulled into Port Raven at Skatts Island days behind schedule, due to the damages to the ship. The little town was called Orange Tree. Captain Orroh would have to layover to get the ship back into shape. Gangus thanked the captain for his hospitality; the captain thanked him for the use of his men.

"Your men fight quite well to be just farmers. You never mentioned they had other skills,"  Orroh said with a slight smirk.

"There were many things I failed to mention, and for good reasons, I thought at the time."

Orroh laughed loudly, and then his smile became genuine. "I like you, Lord Abram. You're like me. Trust no one." He extended his hand and Gangus pretended to shake it, but instead, placed a small emerald in the captain's palm.

"This will aid you beyond the repairs to your ship," Gangus told him.

The captain gasped and smiled then the men parted. Though both swore they would someday cross paths, Gangus secretly hoped he'd never see Orroh again. He liked the captain, but Orroh had far too many enemies for Gangus to be a friend.

Being in a strange town, Gangus didn't want to reveal Brehira's entire jewelry collection. With the note Captain Orroh had given him, he went to the tavern to see the owner. Sure enough, the man knew Orroh and was very helpful to Gangus in directing him to the right people. "Just tell them Tedor sent you," the tavern owner said. "They will give you good price."

The first place Gangus went was to a jeweler who specialized in rare pieces. Gangus handed him a gold ring with two emeralds on either side.

"Exquisite," Pennypod said, examining the piece carefully. He didn't hesitate to place two three-inch stacks of silver coins on the counter.

Gangus frowned. "But I paid nearly two dylories if not more."

"I'm sorry, but that's all I can spare right now. But if you can wait a few days, I'm certain I can fetch you a buyer."

"With an enormous finder's fee, no doubt," Gangus mumbled to Brehira.

"I believe he is an honest man. Just take the coins," she whispered. "We are all dying for a hot bath, some food, and a decent place to lay our heads."

He turned back to Pennypod. "All right, we accept your price." Gangus took the silver and placed them in his coin pouch. Next on Tedor's list was the name of the landlord. Gangus needed to rent several cottages--all furnished. Brehira and the women went shopping for food and clothes for themselves and the men. After a few hours, everyone settled in for the evening.

Brehira hummed a little tune as she bathed and washed her hair in scented water. Gangus had bathed earlier and was sitting at a small table with pad and feather pen in hand. The servants sang as they prepared lamb chops with boiled potatoes, carrots, and green beans. A fruit pie sat cooling on the window ledge, and a jug of wine and freshly baked bread sat on the table.
Gangus penned a notice he planned to have placed in every village in a couple of days. It read:

ADVENTURE: all expenses paid, one-way trip to a new land. Own the house you live in. Eat the foods you grow. Only men and women with skills are wanted. Sign-up sheet outside Trading Marketplace. Be ready to travel in ninety days. Only leaving with the first seven hundred.

"Good," Gangus whispered to himself, examining what he wrote.

"Now, all you need is a ship," Brehira chuckled, peeking over his shoulder. She placed a kiss on the top of his head and turned to set the dinner table.


Image: by Dantegrafice from Pixabay

Main Characters
Lord Gangus Abram Leader of his clan
Lady Brehira (Bree he ra) His wife
Dinary (Di nary) Youngest Son
Celio (Seal le o) Soldier and close friend
Princess Netrekka (Neh trek kah) Dinary's Lover/wife


Minor Characters
Khimah (Kee ma) Eldest Son
Captain Dulcy P Dordrecht (Door check) Captain of the Cristofur
Judian (Jew-dee-in) Second in Command of the Christofur
Kofius (Ko fee us) The Sail Master



 




When Lord Gangus Abram is awakened by a mysterious voice in the night and told to seek out the Oracle Naman, he must make a journey across the Endless Ocean to destroy the Nordoxz, an undefeated race of humanoids that are controlled by powerful forces of evil.

Lord Abrams plunges into a perilous trek to obey the gods and settle in Bethica, a land of dragons, cannibals, Fallen Angels, Amazonians, and Dark Lords. He is joined by his wife, Brehira, youngest son Dinary, comrade and friend, Celio, Shapeshifter and Beast Master, Olutunji, and 750 people willing to risk their lives for land and freedom.
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