Posted by Leif G.S. in Fantasy, Flash Fiction, The Wicked Cat Series, The World of Niris (Manuscript World) | 0 Comments
Pirate Fantasy Flash Fiction: The Wicked Cat (Feather)
The 8th entry in the Pirate Fantasy Flash Fiction series The Wicked Cat, the high seas adventure involving pirate, cursed birds, princesses and a little magic too. Thanks for reading and enjoy!
“You were going to tell me about this bell and why it means so much to you. It isn’t my fault that you allowed Brynn to put the sea mage and his familiar on the fore, you have to pay attention to what’s going on around you before you let her do something like this!” Myrilda said.
Bluefeather turned his head and glared at Myrilda as he snapped his beak at her. “Arrr, why nae be screamin’ ye lungs out, I dinnae believe the deep sea critters heard ye! Ye know I be distracted by keepin’ this vessel afloat!”
Myrilda shook her head and laughed, causing Bluefeather to dance from side to side on her shoulder as he flapped his wings in frustration. She reached over with her right hand and smacked Bluefeather on his head. His chest feathers ruffled as he showed his annoyance but they soon flattened when they reached the deck. Bluefeather hid behind Myrilda’s brown hair, poking his head out to spot the large cat lying on the deck with his belly turned toward the sun, fast asleep. Myrilda scanned the deck and spotted the carved bell, turning her head to the left as she spoke. “I think I found your bell here.”
“Aye, I dinnae see the mage either. Be keepin’ ye eye on that one, he be a crafty devil.” Bluefeather whispered.
“What in the world are you talking about? I’m asking about the bell!”
“Would ye stop yellin’! Ye’ll attract-”
Footsteps behind Myrilda cut Bluefeather’s words off, forcing him to hide in her hair once more. Myrilda turned to spot Fodd standing there with his arms crossed and a pleasant smile on his face, offering a polite bow as she took a step back. “Excuse me Master Fodd, I didn’t see you there.”
“Forgive me for sneaking up on you like that, your highness. It isn’t often I have two visitors in one day while aboard this ship and only one can’t seem to find enough words to speak the King’s Nimerian. Is there anything I might assist you with, Princess?” Fodd asked.
Myrilda blushed and turned her head, looking at the cat as it twisted its belly to find direct sunlight. “No, Master Fodd. I came here to look at this bell as a favor to Bluefeather; he said there was something I needed to see with my own eyes.”
Fodd nodded and walked past Myrilda, approaching the bell with a gentle gait. He touched the bell, his hand causing the hammer to strike against the faded brass body with a muted ring. “Ah, you must mean this fine piece of artwork. I have never seen something so gaudy and atrocious in all Lyonhead Bay, much less the world. I’m not sure what he wanted you to see, unless he wanted to tell you about the fading glory of this ship.”
“Master Fodd! That is no way to talk about the ship; the crew is working hard to maintain it as well as they can!” Myrilda replied.
“You must not know the glory this ship once had. She was the pride of Duke Engon from the North. She sailed with the Last Hope to strike out against the Hyril taint that spreads even today. When the captain of the Last Hope was marooned for treason, the Sorrow’s Bell changed course and laid in wait. When the Last Hope was lost to circumstances unknown, the Bell sailed to the desert island and rescued the captain. As an action of thanks, the captain killed the Duke and threw him overboard, commandeering the vessel and marking the crew as pirates in the Bay.”
“The captain didn’t turn against the Duke, he couldn’t have!”
Fodd slapped the bell again; the rusty hinges on the hammer groaning as they slammed against the bell’s wall once more with a louder ring. “But he did, history proves it. He allowed the King to sail the ship and murdered the only successor the kingdom had in case something were to go wrong. The captain destroyed a nation by his actions. LaCramoix will always be considered a traitor no matter what pretty maiden might vouch for him, no matter how many standing ovations the people in New Nimeria give him while professing their love.”
Myrilda’s voice trailed off as she looked away from Fodd and the bell. “I can’t…”
Fodd slapped the bell once more, this time with enough force to cause the carvings draped over the hinges to rattle. “You should watch for that little blue devil, your highness. He is a treacherous little weasel who loves to take advantage of women for easy gold and carnal pleasures. I know you are smarter than that, aren’t you Myrilda?” Fodd asked.
“I…”
Bluefeather burst from Myrilda’s hair, winging his way toward Fodd. He stopped a few inches from the mage and screamed at the top of his lungs as he flapped his wings with enough force to cause fathers to drift to the ground. “I’ll send ye to hells-fire for speakin’ lies, bloody sea witch! See that ye keep the waggin’ tongue in ye skull lest I run ye through!”
A gust of wind blew against Myrilda and Bluefeather as claws swiped through the air, narrowly missing the bird. Bluefeather squawked and flew over the railing toward the sea, screaming in terror as Natt jumped with another swipe. Myrilda tried to grab the large cat’s studded collar to get him to stop but before she could touch him, Natt turned his head and emitted a low growl. Myrilda yelped and took a step back, bumping against Fodd. She turned her head and spotted he held a blue feather in his hand with a smile. “Natt, relax. You know better than to threaten a Princess. Please forgive my familiar, sometimes he forgets himself.”
Myrilda spun and slapped Fodd across the face. The sound of hand contacting flesh echoed along the ship, causing more than a few crewmembers to stop their work and watch. Myrilda grabbed her hand as she winced in pain, drawing her arms closer to her. “You seem to forget yourself, Master Fodd! You’ll never see the next dawn if you insist on insulting us like that!”
Fodd rubbed his jaw and smiled, nodding once in satisfaction before offering a mock bow. “Please tell the captain if he wants to hide in your hair again, he should make sure no one can see his tail feathers. If you will excuse me, I have a new matter to attend to now.”
If you enjoyed this piece and are new to the series, please click on the link below to start from the beginning. Thanks for the interest and I hope you enjoyed the piece!
