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 (Scars)
The 16th entry in the Pirate Fantasy Flash Fiction series The Wicked Cat and the start of the second arc in this series. I am glad this made it so far and I hope I can make another 15 more interesting and engaging. Thanks for the read and enjoy!
“If you keep squirming like that, I can’t get that lead shot out from your shoulder. Stay still and if it hurts, use the bite block,” The older man said as he clamped the small metal tongs together hard enough o make them vibrate.
Brynn lifted her head and glared at the man, her hair draped over her left shoulder so the surgeon could access the wound on her right. She reached across the table and grabbed a bottle of dust-covered alcohol, took a deep breath and took a drink. She growled, blinked a few times as her face twisted in disgust, “Don’t preach to me, old man. Do your job and get this damned thing out of me before I have to hang you all from the fore to use as bait!”
“Aye Cap’n, that’s the third time you’ve promised that since you started drinking that Ebrann whisky. Put the bottle down, take the bite block and put it in your mouth.”
“Go screw the Forty-Two,” Brynn spat as she slammed the bottle on the table, causing droplets of whisky to splash out from the opening. Her hand moved to the block when the door burst open and slammed against the wall. Hirum ran through the opening with a panicked look on his face. He turned his head to address Brynn but reeled back when he spotted her naked torso. Brynn looked at the older man, shook her head and sighed, “By the Eight! These are just tits, Hirum. You’ve seen them on how many whores while we drifted across New Nimeria?”
Hirum covered his eyes with his hand as he pretended to be interested in the damaged table and chairs that were scattered across the floor, “Beggin’ your pardon Cap’n, I should find the Princess- the other Princess to-”
“Don’t you dare, Hirum! I am no Princess and I will not start acting like an Eight damned court lady because some blasted sea witch decided to reveal my secret. You’ll treat me as if I’m a normal captain and no more, do you understand?”
Hirum bent forward to bow but the motion from the sea caused him to stumble and nearly trip over a wayward splintered chair leg.
“Answer me or I swear on Vokago I’ll strand you on the nearest island with no provisions and a gun with one shot so you can kill yourself after you understand how bad your life is without this crew!” Brynn said.
“Aye Cap’n, I understand!”
Brynn threw the block in disgust and took the whisky in hand, slamming more back in her mouth. Her face twisted as she belched, “Tell me what you were going to tell me and get on with your duty, Coxswain.”
“Captain, I believe that we-”
Hirum was cut off by the footsteps of Myrilda and the squawking of Bluefeather as he issued orders to the rest of the crew, “Ye bildgerats best be tightenin’ the Mizzen lest I feed ye to the powder boy and let him give ye the Hyril torture again!”
Brynn covered her chest with her arms and hissed when she felt the wound on her shoulder. The old man grumbled and smacked her on the injury with the metal tongs. Brynn yelped and scowled at the old man as she bellowed her frustration, “What in the Forty-Two hells do you think you are doing here, rat? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have lost my best crewmember and have two balls of lead in my body!”
Bluefeather shifted his gaze toward Brynn and whistled. Myrilda turned her head and shot him a threatening glare but the cursed captain ignored her, “Forgive me, lovesome. I came to tell ye I be in control while ye-”
“I don’t care; get your blue tailed toadie ass away from this cabin. While you’re at it, why don’t you climb the Main and hang yourself?”
“Lass, ye don’t-”
“Get. Out.”
Myrilda took Bluefeather in her hands and placed him on the ground. She offered him a gentle smile though her eyes smoldered with fire, “I think it’s best you leave before you make matters worse. Why don’t you take Hirum here and find out how long it will be before we make landfall?”
“Aye, ye be a smart lass, my sweet. Come along, Coxswain. It be best we leave these angels be.”
“But I have to report-”
Hirum bellowed a sharp yelp in pain as Bluefeather skittered to his legs and bit him on the right ankle. The Coxswain hopped on his good foot and he clutched the bleeding wounded leg in his hands, “Ye best obey me orders, ‘Swain. I may be small in stature but I’ll still see ye off to the masked devil!”
Hirum released his leg, offered a salute to the four figures in the room and hobbled through the doorway. Bluefeather bowed his head toward Myrilda and hopped away from the ladies but not before he offered another whistle. Brynn screamed in frustration, grabbed the bottle and was almost ready to throw it when she stopped, placed it on the table and started to sob. Myrilda ran toward Brynn and helped her sit straight as the old man nodded his appreciation, “Thank you Princess.”
Myrilda offered a smile at the old man as she placed her body under the captain’s good arm, “You need this done soon, Brynn. We are almost at King’s Watch. Your crew needs to see you recovering or they’ll mutiny.”
“They have that blue toad to follow, they don’t need a false princess,” Byrnn mumbled.
“I don’t think that will hurt you, I think they respect you because you are their captain. You haven’t led them astray before, right?”
“By the Eight, you are a cheerful little wench. Don’t you understand? The crew listened to me because we were on equal footing, I had no right to give them orders and they had no right to take them but we worked with one another anyway. Fodd’s revelation will force some cutthroats onboard to see the free-flowing coinage in their mind and betray us to Hyril. That Eight damned sea witch might as well have broken my neck for all the good living would do me now,” Before Myrilda could offer a retort; Brynn leaned forward, grabbed the bottle and slammed it against her chest. The captain grabbed the bite block and placed it in her mouth before she nodded at the old man.
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!
