Travels with a Yellow Bird Part 8: Out for Blood

>Last time on Travels with a Yellow Bird

>You conscript new veteran crew and acquire new cannon from the sinking pirate ship

>An iron Dragoon frigate, possibly detached from a larger convoy or fleet, arrives and immediately begins pursuit of your small damaged windjammer

>The ship is faster than your wounded boat and is gaining slowly

>You find out your magic map is more like a magic bird's eye view of the ocean, even details like ships can be seen at the smallest resolutions

>You go over your options with Elsa and Flit

A smart man knows when it's time to run!

"We sail for the reefs. Dump the rocks, I'm not giving up any booty after all we had to fight for it." I grit my teeth and say to Flit. She sets the crew in a bucket brigade fashion to haul ballast out of the depths of the ship and toss it overboard. The men sing an old Auk drinking song to keep up the tempo as chunks of rock splash against the side of the hull in rhythm.

After about an hour the ship rides noticeably higher in the water and I feel it rock more heavily with every rolling wave. I look aft and the sails of the Dragoon frigate loom large behind us. We're almost in range of their forward light guns. I watch for a hard minute as more ballast is thrown over the side. They're beginning to fall behind!

I order our goliath crewman to continue dumping what ballast she can on her own before I put the rest of the crew to work on patch repairs to the foremast and cutting and sewing the old foresail to fit the new truncated pole.

I hear a tweety screeching curse from up above. Flit sits in the crow's nest, spyglass pointed at the frigate. "Those Kreld-eating 'goons are dumping supplies and laying oars. You better hurry scribe boy."

The crew are stringing up the new sail when the first cannonball splashes into the water just off the port stern.

Everyone redoubles their efforts to get the sail up. Lead flies in every half minute or so as fast as the Dragoon can reload their long guns. I duck as a cannonball tears railing from the stern. Our ship is really starting to look like a beaten heap of junk.

I hear a cheer from the crew as the new sail billows, catching the wind. The fractured and broken mast is holding. I feel the ship begin to pick up a little more speed. I hope with all my heart it's enough. "Flit, report!" I shout up at the harpy. Her golden eyes concentrate hard on the ship behind us. After a minute she calls down to me. "They're barely holding even. Once the rowers tire, we should be able to pull away. Just pray they don't get a lucky hit between now and then."

The evening and the night passes tensely, the whole crew sleepless as regular light canonnfire continues to drop around us. We spend the time rearranging our cargo to balance the ship and making sure the patchwork repairs hold. In the morning I'm greeted with only the sounds of the sea, the Dragoon warship falling farther and farther behind. They refuse to break off pursuit, but by the next day they are over the horizon behind us. The following two days pass uneventfully on our way to the Natans reefs.

I smell the tropical jungle over the salt of the sea as we approach. Fathoming the waters as we get in close, and reading the map carefully, we weave our way through the treacherous coral and mollusc to a hidden lagoon.

I've seen no sign of monster or man as we lay anchor. Now would be a good opportunity to grab a new mast from the jungle, replace our water, and continue repairs. But I dare not linger too long. The Dragoon charts for these waters all say "Beyond this point, there be wild monsters." The frigate will also be reporting back to her home port. We cannot delay.

>Send an expedition to find a mast in the jungle
>Replenish water from local streams
>Attempt hull repairs
>Let Elsa cash in her first favor

I decide to keep my promise first as I drag my exhausted sleep-deprived body to the brig. Elsa waits at the door of her cell, beaming. Her smile is a kind one, but tainted with a sharp toothy predator's gleam. 'Alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears.' The thought comes unbidden to my addled brain.

"I knew you could make it, if you gave absolutely everything." Elsa says sweetly, breath quickening. Her emerald scales glitter as they catch the light. Ebony claws shine like true black jet. It's almost hypnotic. "And you didn't ask for my help again either. I'm impressed." Her dress is clean and her bandages changed, I look to the floor and see someone has given her a washbin. "So tell me, have you returned to earn my favor as promised?" She reaches through a gap in the cell door and runs her sharp claws over my chest, gently up the side of my neck and caresses my face blindly.

I clench my teeth. "I'll hear your favor, and grant it if it's in my power and doesn't endanger my crew." I'm tired and surly. I really don't feel like playing her games today.

"Conditions? Smart. But you should have included yourself in them. Remember that next time." She pulls me close, nose touching mine. My own heart begins to pump faster. She eases me into an awkward kiss, blindness and inexperience overcome with pure passion as she clutches my face in her embrace. She smells like lye soap, salt and something finer, sweeter. I'm too tired to fight it. I am not sure I would even if I wasn't. She lets me go after a moment, leaving me breathless. Her own face is flushed with emotion. "Now for my favor."

"But you." I stutter, disheveled hair sticking out wildly.

Elsa shrugs, tail swaying. "That's wasn't it. Don't stand so close to the bars if you don't want that to happen." A darker look crosses her face, dead eye seeming to fill with light for a moment. "What I want from you is to bring me the heart's blood of a mermaid."

"There are uncivilized half-fish in these waters." She points at her bandaged eye. "Heart's blood will fix this while I am still healing." The Lizarda leans forward, straight-faced. "I'm a Dragoon warrior. I have no greater joy than to fight. I've no greater love than for a man tough enough to best me, even through dirty tricks. If I can see, I can fight again. Do this for me and I am yours. I will give you all I am. I will love you. I will fight for you. I will kill for you. I will burn my homeland to the ground for you!"

Elsa is panting, sweaty after her outburst. She catches herself and clears her throat. "It must be heart's blood. None other will work. I need to heal, not live another fifty years blind. Do you know what that means? They are filthy singing slimy half-fish, but they are not your enemy like the Dragoon. Can you slay even one?"

I don't even know what to say. I promise I'll consider it before returning above deck to supervise the hull repairs. Things are going better than I expected. The spare parts we acquired at Limus are being put to good use and the new crew are adept at repairing battle damage.

Flit accosts me when I get a small break, she's already back from her quick recon of the area. "Your face is troubled and you smell like lizard." She rubs her soft feathers on my back. "Conversing with her is not good for your health. She has a dark soul. It will only drag yours down."

"So what did you see?" I ignore her.

"There's a suitable mast about five miles into the jungle. We'll need almost the whole crew to get it hauled back here in time. When the tide goes down in a few hours, we should be able to get clean water from the streams pouring into the lagoon without venturing far into the jungle."

Flit leans up against me, her way of asking for a head pat. "There's two other things you should know. I spotted large webs in the jungle, and there's nets and fish traps set up along the shore. I don't think we're alone out here."

I get some restless sleep while the repairs are completed to the best of my crew's ability. In the afternoon I wake up, eyes red and mind set. Against the protests of the bird and the confusion of my fellow men, I order our ship to weigh anchor and leave the lagoon.

"We're going to catch a mermaid?" The old crew whispers uncertainly among themselves. The new pirates quietly begin attaching leader rings to the end of some throwing spears we keep on deck. I note the pirate's experience as they fashion the homemade harpoons.

"You heard the Captain. Snap to it!" Flit gives me a dour look but backs me up. She tries hard not to undermine me in front of the others, no matter how vehemently she disagrees. She spears me with a look of deep frustration and disgust as she flaps off deck to search the waters along the coast for our prey.

Her argument still rattles around my skull as I watch our refurbished windjammer amble along the shore, shallow draft safe from all but the tallest reefs even at low tide. "Captain, I am game for any kind of death if it comes in the way of the quest we follow. Know that. But I came here to save you from the 'goons, not hunt the blood of innocents. To become entangled with a blind brute that only acts out of instinct, the very enemy you swore against, is blasphemous!" Flit's anger had flowed from her like a wave. She left downcast with only these parting words. "Let the Captain fear the Captain. Beware yourself, my princeling."

My thoughts continue to chase in a circle as I get news of some mermaids near the shore every once in awhile. They always see our stolen Dragoon ship in Dragoon colors. They always assume the worst, and are always gone by the time we arrive. My stress mounts as the sun sets and I call it a night. Do I need to lay a trap? Should I try to catch them underwater? Steal some of the nets on the shore use as a dragnet?

I'm about ready to scream when I see a face staring up at me from the water.

There's a small girl, watching curiously from below. Her long hair floats around her in a green halo, the moonlight casting her face in a pale glow. She sees I notice her and waves at me happily with her tiny hand. I wave back kindly and reach for my harpoon when I see her blue scales and tail glimmer in the dark water. I need to be quiet and careful.

The small mermaid opens her mouth and begins to sing an old children's song about a boy who lived by the sea. It's beautiful. My heart begins to falter. She just seems so innocent and kind. This isn't right. I should try to find another way.

I have no more time to think as I see a harpoon pierce the small maid's chest. Her song dies into a gurgle and the water begins to turn red as she flops onto her back, spasming, eyes filled with tears. One of our new crew, the small tattooed one in northern furs, steps beside me and begins to lower a large juryrigged dip net. "This where you want kill mermaid." She grunts and points to the wound. "Pierce lung so not scream, but not swimbladder so float. Never pierce heart. Most valuable part, best blood. Never break head, too much blood lost too quick." The mermaid goes into shock as we lay her on the deck. Her tiny mouth forms words she can't voice and she stills, heartbeat growing weaker. The pirate hands me a knife made of sharpened bone. "You want heartblood. You need collect it while body warm." She holds a sturdy glass jar at the ready.

>Try to save the mermaid, back to square one if she dies
>Take the heart's blood
>Other

I shove the knife back toward the pirate, hands trembling. I don't know what possessed me. Flit was right, this is a terrible thing, one that would eat at my insides if I took it any farther. "I have to find a way to save this poor girl." I turn to the pirate.

The northerner scoffs "You say hunt mermaid. Little cries make you soft. You pathetic. How you kill monsters when you am no able to hide behind gun or crew?"

I glare at her. "You should take an interest. I'll keelhaul you she dies. You know about mermaids. You help me!" The nightwatch comes over, a small crowd starting to gather.

The little maid coughs, blood foaming on her lips. The pirate takes the knife and cuts her own hand, blood pooling in her palm. "Her blood no heal self. But blood from other will help." She pours a little into the wound and the rest into the mermaid's mouth. The mermaid responds with a vicious coughing fit. The northerner pulls a small sewing kit out of her belt, barely more than a bone needle and some tendon fibers. "Now we seal lung and wound. Hold her down." The crew and I pin the small mermaid. She's still choking and fighting, more so than a minute ago. The pirate works quickly, sewing with deft hands. On each suture the pirate smears her blood, the wound turning an ugly inflamed red but scabbing and sealing instantly. She places a small hollow bird bone through the chest suture for no reason I can see. The blue color starts to leave the mermaid's lips. She remains terribly pale. She still has difficulty breathing but seems to be stabilizing. The pirate starts to remove her heavy furs and place them over the girl's torso. "No move her. If she strong she make it now. Monsters tougher than man. Wash tail and neck with sea every once in while to keep her wet. Wait a few days to know." The mermaid's breath is calming now, the whole crew is gathered around. Flit glowers from the fringes, infuriated.

The northern pirate stands up, almost naked, dark tatoos entwining every limb. She looks up at me and then at the crew. "You happy? Good." She shoulders through the crew and heads down below decks. "So cold cold cold." she mutters under her breath.

I clear off the crew and reassign Elsa's guard to take care of the young mermaid. The crew at least seem to be in better spirits. I see their more familiar confidence in me returning instead of uncertainty and whispers of madness. It's not long before Flit almost bodily drags me back to the captain's quarters. She takes a deep breath. "A girl. She was just a little girl. How could you?"

I explain what happened, the mistakes made, the reasons why. Flit makes a face. "Pirates. I hate that we need that kind of scum." Her talons clack on the deck as she seems to deflate, feathers falling flat against her as she flops on the bed. "What makes you think Elsa will keep her end of the bargain anyway? How do you know she won't just haul you off the next chance she gets and betray the rest of us? Why do you trust that lizard?" Her tone is almost pleading. I recognize that jealousy. Flit has always been possessive of me like a meddlesome elder sister. And this instance, she does have a point. Still, Elsa has been very helpful so far. With the rest of the crew to keep her in line, I could see her becoming a great asset in the journey to come.

What I really need to do now is make my new plan of attack.

>Find a way to fake the blood for Elsa's favor
>Find a doctor that can treat mermaids/Dragoon port in mermaid territory/mermaid village
>Find someone who already has some mermaid blood harvested for sale
>Cut your losses and choose one of the courses through Natans
>Other