Laver’s Gull was lost on the horizon when the call of a ship aft came from the crow.
Kraken raced up to the crow to see the ship.  The flag was Freeman Shrill, and the ship turned on an easterly heading.  Kraken called general quarters and descended.

Gabb used the ocean currents to look for other ships.

“What say you, Gabb?”  Kraken asked joining him on the quarter deck.

“First ship headed off.  A second is gaining.  Should be in sight in an hour or so.  Unless you want to draw up.”

“No.  Any idea who?”

“Not yet.  And there is something else.”

“Keep me informed.”

“Aye, Captain.”

Kraken went to the galley looking for Cousin.

“Just missed her, Captain,” Jak said.

Kraken grabbed a piece of meat and put it on a biscuit.  Jak waved him out.

Kraken found Cousin sitting at the base of the figure head.  The great wings of the dragon flared out and framed her in a way that made Kraken think of royalty on a throne.  She had papers spread and pinned down out in front of her with different runic systems written on each.  She ran her fingers over one set then another.  She frowned at Kraken when he sat across from her.

“Problems?”

“No.  Just more than I wanted.”

“How so?”

“You know how runes work?  Just writing them shouldn’t be enough.  But feel these.”

Kraken felt the papers with his power.  A small pulse was there.  He wouldn’t have felt it if he hadn’t looked.  More than subtle.  “Just from writing them out?”

“Yes.”

Kraken leaned forward over the papers.  He motioned Cousin to him.  “Can you write a spell on the hull?  Just write it, no intent, no power.”

“Yes.  What?  Why?”

“Also, can you write out charms for the crew?  Just the same?”

Cousin wrinkled her brow.  She met Kraken’s dancing eyes.  “You know what you want?”

“Yes.”

Kraken sat on the railing next to the gangplank, watching the delivery of provisions.  He sent a wave of his power over each item.  More than a few were returned to the dock to be searched.  Several more were refused out right.

Two men carried a large crate up the ramp.  Kraken blocked the way with a boot.  “Toss that one in the drink.”

The men stared.

“Gabb!”

Gabb walked over.  “Aye.”

“Toss these interlopers into the drink with their treacherous crate.”

“Aye.”

The men stumbled backward and lost hold of the crate.  It hit the gangplank.  The gangplank bounced, and sent the first man and the crate into the water.  The other man fell to the dock.

Kraken leaned over to see two men come out of the sinking crate.  Three men swam under the dock.

“Eyes on, Gabb.”

“Aye.”

The rest of the provisions were loaded and cataloged.

“Ahoy, Kraken Pirates,” came the call from the dock.

Kraken looked to the dock to see Jones Bone with three wet men.

“Didn’t you like my present?”  Jones laughed at his own humor.

Kraken waited.

“Going to invite me up?”

“No.”

“Then come down from your perch, Pretty Bird, and I will sing to you.”  Jones laughed again.

Kraken waited.

“I hear things,” Jones said.  “I hear you have something, or somethings, worth more than this island and every life here.  I hear that you have a power and no idea how to use it.  I hear.”  Jones laughed again.  “I hear, Pretty Bird, that you want to be rid of it before heading to – deeper waters.”

Jones cackled like a mad man.  His eyes rolled into his head, and he bent back so far as to all most fall over.  Then he gulped air and sobered.  “What say you, Pretty Bird?”

Kraken looked at the older man.  Jones’ men shuffled nervously.  More than once Kraken fantasized about killing Jones Bone.  More than once he reminded himself it wasn’t worth it.  The man was mad.  Those waiting to fill his place were worse.

“No.” Kraken said.

“Aww, Pretty Bird,” Jones said as if he were ashamed of he favorite dog.  Whips of greasy hair flung about as Jones shook his head.  “No.  No.  No.  Pretty Bird sings a sad song.  Careful, Pretty Bird, someone may put you back in your cage.”

Kraken watched Jones walk away.  His smile was tight and grim.  The waters were indeed stirred.

Full night cloaked the docks when Kraken and Cousin climbed onto the deck from the bay side.  Raymond, on watch, didn’t acknowledge them.  They slipped into the hallway, to the cabins, where Gabb was waiting for them.

They gathered in Gabb’s room.

“Report,” Kraken said keeping his voice low.

“Three tried to board without writs.  Two merchants wanting to speak with you, and Jones Bone came looking.”

Kraken told Gabb about the fight on the cliffs, the paper talismans for silence, and Drake.  “It was the smell.  They were rank and away from town it wasn’t mixed with all the other smells.”

“Good case of regular bathing,” Gabb said.

Kraken nodded.

“And the kiss,” Cousin said.

“Kiss?”

Kraken smiled, and stayed silent.

Cousin touched her lips.

Gabb shook his head.  “About Drake?  We can’t be hoping to smell his people coming every time.”

Cousin stretched.  “I know the counter rune.  Even better, I know the origin.”

The grubby streets turned into over grown paths.  Kraken moved with sure steps over roots and around trees and vines.  He knew the cliff edge would be coming up because the steep climb had leveled out.  He heard no voices, no sound, on the path.  Cousin was silent in her movement, though he could feel her presence close behind.  No birds or insects sang.  Yet the smell of oily, unwashed bodies was clear to Kraken.

The path cleared to a breath taking view.  Sunset over the ocean painted scarlet hues across the breaking waves.  Sparse clouds floated dark in front of a brilliant  horizon.

Kraken stopped and looked.  He stood taking in the sight.  He breathed deep.  “Well, this is worth the climb,” he said.

Cousin didn’t answer.  She stood her back to his.

“You could at least look at this before it is gone,” Kraken said.  “And give an opening to our ambush party,” he thought.

“Aye,” Cousin said.  She put her dirk away.  Stepping to Kraken’s side, she took in the sunset painted ocean.  She thought it was almost as good as a starry sky.

Kraken turned and pulled her to him.  He kissed her soft on the mouth.  Breaking the kiss, he whispered to her about the smell and the motion he was seeing out of the corner of his eye.  He ducked his head to her neck, asking her to look with different eyes.

Cousin knew the kiss gave Kraken a reason to whisper to her that wouldn’t rouse suspension.  She changed her eyes, and the heat from eight bodies became clear.  Cousin pretended to kiss Kraken’s check.  She whispered what she saw, and wished they were alone.

Kraken straightened, his eyes glazed over.  He wished he hadn’t started the kissing.  His body’s response was beyond anything he had experienced with another.  “Definitely, not a sister,” he said, his throat working while he struggled to focus on the present.

“Never,” Cousin said, and tripped the first attacker sending him over the cliff.

Four men swarmed Kraken trying to push him over.  Kraken lunged forward, and sent them tripping over his low flung body.  Another fell.

Three men circled Cousin.  Their jeering faces taunted.  They grew bold when she didn’t draw her dirk.  Laughing the largest promised to educate her in what men wanted if she would come quietly.  Cousin waited until he grabbed her before she ripped the heart from his chest.

Kraken stood facing three. The change in circumstance was still registering on his attackers.  The black staff thumped against Kraken’s leg.  He scowled at the men.  They gathered their courage and charged.  The staff connected with the first man, and his bones shattered with a muffled explosion.  He fell in a heap that did not resemble anything human.  The staff met the second man’s sword.  The man fell through a rain of metal splinters, and into the path of the third man’s attack.  Kraken jumped back.

Two men watched their comrade sink to his knees and tip over.  The laughs and leers melted away when they saw the still beating heart in Cousin’s hand.  She tossed it at their feet.  They stumbled back and bumped into each other.  An argument ensued.  The first un-clipped the whip from his belt, and they flanked her.  Cousin looked straight ahead, not favoring either man.  The whip stroke wrapped her Sor-von protected forearm, and the other man lunged and grappled.  The Sor-von sliced the whip, and the first man fell.  The second man crumpled at Cousin’s feet, a portion of his spine dangling from her fist.

Kraken waited for his remaining attackers to re-group.  He chanced a glance at Cousin, and one of the men threw a long knife.  The black staff moved on its own and took the blade.  A flick of Kraken’s wrist, and the blade lodged in its owner’s eye, and protruded through the back of his skull.  The second man was dead before he saw Kraken move, the staff connecting with his head.

Cousin stood over her attacker.  He scooted backward on his ass until he bumped into Kraken’s legs.  The black staff came to rest gently against the man’s chest.  He looked up and knew his life was over.

“One chance to live,” Kraken said.  “Who?  How? What?”

The man blinked.

“Who sent you?  How did you shadow us?  What were you to do?” Cousin said.

“Captain said we was hired.  He gave us these papers,” the man said taking a charm from his pants.  “We were to capture you and kill Kraken.”

“Captain?” Kraken asked.

“Captain Drake.”

Cousin stood back.

Kraken stepped away from the man.  “Your choices: go back to Drake, or run and let him think you died with the rest.  Me.  I wouldn’t go back.  Drake’s an asshole.”

The man scrambled to his feet, dropping the paper.  He walked backward stumbling over roots and rocks until he got to the tree line.  With one last look at the scene he turned and ran.

Cousin looked at the paper on the ground where the man had dropped it.

Kraken took a stick and punctured it.  He tossed the whole over the cliff.   “Any of that blood yours?”

“No.”

“I think I’ll use this as an example the next time one of the crew refuses their bath,” Kraken said.

Time moved on.  They saw pirates from all the other crews filter in and out.  Matty and Jak came in, made reports and left.  Before long Frick and Ollie came in, reported and left.

The room was becoming more crowded.  Merchants and traders started to come in to mingle.  Prostitutes and thieves plied their skills.

The trader from the dock plopped into the chair facing Kraken.  “The word is you’re looking to sell some unique items.”

Kraken looked back blank faced.

“Word is no one can handle what you have.”  The trader paused, smirking.  He glanced at Cousin and winked.  “I can handle what you have.”

Cousin drew her dirk, and laid it on the table.

The trader laughed.  “I’m the only one who can handle it.”

“It?” Kraken asked.

The trader quit laughing.  “You’ll seek me out before it’s over.  Some things are simply, how shall I say?, a greater Depth than you know.”  The trader stood and walked out of the pub.

Cousin left her dirk on the table.  Kraken had placed a hand on her leg.  She liked the warmth and weight of his touch.

“Depth, he says.”  Kraken took a drink.  “Ideas?”

“Would rather gut the pig.”

Kraken shrugged.  “Gabb would say the same.  Then remind me that money holds no enchantment.”

“Aye, Captain.”

The maid returned with a pitcher.  Kraken waved her away.  She sat the pitcher on the table and asked about food.  Cousin shook her head, and the maid left, leaving a paper where the pitcher had been.  It bore a rune in the middle of a wet ring.

Kraken pretended not to see it.  He rose and made his way through the crowd.  The black staff tapped his shoulder.  Cousin followed behind, the blade of the dirk against her forearm.

Outside they stopped to scan the street.  Kraken stretched, arching backward, and throwing his arms wide.  The staff stretched over Cousin’s head.

“Heading, Captain?”

“A walk I think.”  And he started down the street.

Cousin fell in behind.

A scream came from The Lost Sailor.  Someone had picked up the paper with the rune.

Kraken stepped into his favorite pub, The Lost Sailor.  The ruckus was standard for those long from land and looking to act out.  Kraken smiled at the memory of his last fight at The Lost Sailor.  He tossed a small bag of coins on the bar as he passed by.

The bar keep picked it up, and bounced it in one palm.  “Food?  Room?”

Kraken shrugged, and went to a table in the corner.  He stared at the dirty men until they looked up.“You’re at my table,” Kraken said.

Two of the men got up and left.  The last sat back.  “I don’t know you.  Don’t care who you think you are.  Shove off or get dead.”

Kraken smiled.  “Don’t make me have my Cousin clear you from that chair.”

“You’re brother, father, gramps couldn’t move me.”

“Cousin, take out this trash,” Kraken said and stepped to the side.

“Aye, Captain Kraken.”

The man snorted as the small girl walked forward.  He stood.  When she didn’t draw her blade he lunged.
Cousin used his momentum to throw him over the nearest table, spilling drinks along the way.  Men jumped up ready to fight.  The thrown man seized a chair and came back swinging.

The chair shattered against Kraken’s black staff.  It rained splinters.  The room became still.  Kraken tapped the staff against his shoulder.  “Cousin, you can kill any you choose.”

“Aye, Captain Kraken.”

The whisper “Kraken” rolled through the room.  Men sat back down, and pretended not to watch.  Several headed for the door.  Others turned to face the action.

Kraken sat where the man had been.  Cousin stood facing the room.  The ousted man made colorful treats as he left.  Cousin joined Kraken behind the table.

The ruckus picked back up, and a bar maid brought drinks.  She flinched when Kraken tried to hand her a copper.  He sighed, and the girl hurried away.

“One in every port,” Kraken said.

Cousin watched the room.  The girl didn’t bother her.  Hardship and cruelty happened everywhere, and the smart knew how to survive.  The girl didn’t flinch at the other tables.  She even hit a man who tried to grab her.  She was playing to the crowd, and every pirate was a mark.  Cousin made a note, playing to another’s expectations was the best lie.