"You caused nothing. The idea of putting anyone in debt to someone with absolute disdain to an entire family, one we are working to try to save, isn't right. I could have asked what the debt would be, but I chose not to and to reveal a truth to him he didn't know. If anything, I am more to blame than anyone else." Ida says to Hamish but at a volume Darwin can hear. "Let's take the transport offered, and be on our journey."
Darwin wanders over to Hamish and Ida with his backpack, not quite meeting their gaze.
”It wasn’t either of you really”, he says, looking up quickly then down at his feet again.
”I just get angry sometimes when we are unjustly pushed around. And my….my mouth engages before my brain can stop it. I told Solvig what I thought of him, and it wasn’t pretty”, he says, once again throwing a quick glance at them.
”I didn’t want him to get violent with you both, I thought you would be safer in the crow’s nest”.
”I’m…sorry”.
He looks over at Agnar. “But all we are doing is for him, and he is more useless than a felled tree. He should be speaking up, he should be the one in debt to anyone…”, he starts a tirade and then realises he is doing it again and shuts up. He is not exactly being quiet either, so anyone will have heard the last part.
Agnarr arches an eyebrow at Darwin, 'Solvig was conceived because my grandfather raided the underwater kingdom of the sea elves and took their Queen as part of his plunder. Solvig was born among my people and made a slave and his mother died birthing him. He escaped at a young age and took an oath to defend the oceans and all those who call them their home from people like my grandfather. The underwater city of Paorarowai was lost after the raids and he seeks to reestablish his people's home. This is what the legends say anyway.' he shrugs.
'The sins of the father and all that, he blames my people, but mostly my family, for his woes, a story which is clearly true. What would you have me do, friend? I cannot right the wrongs of almost a century ago with an apology. I did not buck at owing him a debt, because my family already does so far as I see it but I do not have grounds to demand anything of him and he will not listen to my pleas. It was the best course for me to stay out of any negotiations with him to avoid angering him.'
“Hm, perhaps you are right”, Darwin says thoughtfully, but the look on his face shows he is uncertain.
“It is a terrible story. Tell me, how does your father feel about his treatment? It seems we know very little about those we have risked our lives to help”, he adds, his indignation and frustration replaced with doubt.
He looks across at Solvig, not regretting his outburst but feeling a kinship with him all the same. They had both been displaced in one way or another.
Agnarr sighs and shrugs, 'Honestly, I do not know, I've never asked him. He is the King who outlawed raiding, which was not a particularly popular decision but he did so in the face of threats of an invasion from the Confederation, a war that would have cost us more than we can comprehend. That in itself was not popular, the idea of Southern Islanders backing down from a fight went against a core part of our peoples' culture.' Agnarr glances at Solvig.
'I know I'm not exactly painting him in the best light but my father was also the first king in centuries to not lead a single raid, even before he outlawed it. I firmly believe that he is a wise king, a just leader, and a good man. Like any man, he has his faults and he makes mistakes, but if any other man had been sat in his throne the last 40 years, things would be much worse.'
Darwin listens to Agnar intently and places a hand up onto his hip.
"Ok, I am starting to understand", he says, before moving over to Solvig cautiously.
He looks up at him to say his piece. "I am not a child, despite my appearance, but I am young for my kind and somewhat impetuous", he starts. "I am naive to the ways of this world, but I am learning. I apologise for my harsh and ill informed words. I know what it is like to be displaced from ones home, and had we run across each other in different circumstances things may well have gone differently. I wish you luck in your righteous endeavours", he says bowing his small frame, before making to back away and rejoin his friends and leave the ship.
Ida couldn't be prouder of her companions at this particular moment. She realizes that she should also say something to avoid further conflict, and also because Agnarr's explanation gives new perspective.
"I wish to apologize for my behavior, King Solvig, and offer my condolences to you and your kingdom for the suffering you have endured. When those with power choose to abuse it, it is usually the innocent who suffer."
Hamish watches and listens as his friend seem to make some amends, but he does not move to join them. He still harbors a bit of resentment for this presumptuous king of the sea, who acts far too much like the patronizing and cruel people he often encountered on Haukberg's streets. But he is also nervous about whatever it was that sought to use his anger like a channel or path for something more dangerous and uncertain.
Solvig turns from his endeavor of getting the crew loaded onto the Killer Whales he has summoned to act as a taxi service.
'Does this mean you'll reconsider my offer? The debt would not be anything egregious.' he says as he quirks an eyebrow. 'Dame Ida, as a knight of the Confederation, you have the ear of at least whichever lord you serve, and Agnarr has the ear of the King of the Southern isles. I would ask that you speak to those who hold power on my borders to ask them to recognize my kingdom officially.'
'I will speak to my father on your behalf.' Agnarr says solemnly.
Darwin stops in place as he is turning around, surprised at Solvig's offer. He had not anticipated a change in attitude from the king of the ocean, he just wanted to apologise because it was the right thing to do.
He gives Agnarr a firm and approving nod as he accepts the terms of the debt, then looks to Ida.
"This is your land Ida, as always I will follow where you lead. I may make the road a little bumpier than normal mind", he says with a grin.
"I agree to speak with the Duke of Haukberg on your Kingdom's behalf. I will also speak with my family to see if any additional influence can be spread to neighboring land. And if our journey takes us to speak with anyone with influence upon the Emperor himslef, I will speak on your behalf."
Solvig nods, apparently satisfied. 'Then the ship, and any of the crew who will follow you, is yours.' he walks back to the rail, 'But if I see this ship sailing under pirate colors again, I will sink it without warning to any aboard. Farewell.' and with that, he performs an ostentatious backwards dive over the rail into the water and is gone.
Some of the crew are currently on the backs of Orcas who circle the ship, lines tied to the rail hanging over the side that they climbed down to get there.
'Guess we should get them back on board then?' Agnarr asks.
"Only if you feel like you want to share our destination with them? I know we could use their help to reach our shore, but do you want them with easy access to what you're trying to ascertain? I know it isn't a fair option, but right now they have safe passage and aren't a threat. If we take them back on board, we have to carry them with us, then back to Haukberg, and they will all have to be watched to avoid treachery. And who knows what could happen if we take them back to Haukberg and the speak about where they've been...
Agnarr thinks and shrugs, 'We put in port as planned, leave them in the port town and set out for our destination without them. They still don't know who we are, where we're actually going or why?' the barbarian points out
'We can use the gold we saved on our travel to hire some mercs to guard the ship in the dock until our return, just in case some of the crew decide they'd rather be free lancers'
"It's more drab than that. Traditionally it is black, with a skull and crossed bones. At least where I come from", Darwin says in reply to Hamish.
Turning back to the question at hand, he gives his opinion. "Who knows how much of what has been said has been overheard. Having said that, will we not need help to man a boat this size? I have no experience, and I am certain Hamish doesn't either", he says.
He lowers his voice to a whisper just in case any of the crew can overhear, "They are pirates, not to be trusted it is true, but also easily bought. We just have to offer them the best deal? They won't resort to piracy any time soon anyway after that threat", he says pointing at where Solvig just jumped overboard. "They will need a way to earn honest money".
Hamish signs in relief as he looks down at his own clothes, ensuring nothing on them might be remotely piratical. At Darwin's comment, he nods. "This is the first time I've ever been on a ship at all."
Agnarr looks around the ship, 'I've got quite a bit of experience, this ship ideally would need 30 hands. We just killed, what, 8 but we can each do some work to help mitigate that. I think we'd need a minimum of 15 sailors to manage this thing at all, in addition to us but it wouldn't be smooth.'
“I would be happy to keep around all those that laid down their weapons and didn’t oppose us. That leaves the dead and the first mate to remove”, Darwin says simply.
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Hamish's face flushes and concern furrows his brow. "Did I cause this? I didn't mean to."
"You caused nothing. The idea of putting anyone in debt to someone with absolute disdain to an entire family, one we are working to try to save, isn't right. I could have asked what the debt would be, but I chose not to and to reveal a truth to him he didn't know. If anything, I am more to blame than anyone else." Ida says to Hamish but at a volume Darwin can hear. "Let's take the transport offered, and be on our journey."
Darwin wanders over to Hamish and Ida with his backpack, not quite meeting their gaze.
”It wasn’t either of you really”, he says, looking up quickly then down at his feet again.
”I just get angry sometimes when we are unjustly pushed around. And my….my mouth engages before my brain can stop it. I told Solvig what I thought of him, and it wasn’t pretty”, he says, once again throwing a quick glance at them.
”I didn’t want him to get violent with you both, I thought you would be safer in the crow’s nest”.
”I’m…sorry”.
He looks over at Agnar. “But all we are doing is for him, and he is more useless than a felled tree. He should be speaking up, he should be the one in debt to anyone…”, he starts a tirade and then realises he is doing it again and shuts up. He is not exactly being quiet either, so anyone will have heard the last part.
Agnarr arches an eyebrow at Darwin, 'Solvig was conceived because my grandfather raided the underwater kingdom of the sea elves and took their Queen as part of his plunder. Solvig was born among my people and made a slave and his mother died birthing him. He escaped at a young age and took an oath to defend the oceans and all those who call them their home from people like my grandfather. The underwater city of Paorarowai was lost after the raids and he seeks to reestablish his people's home. This is what the legends say anyway.' he shrugs.
'The sins of the father and all that, he blames my people, but mostly my family, for his woes, a story which is clearly true. What would you have me do, friend? I cannot right the wrongs of almost a century ago with an apology. I did not buck at owing him a debt, because my family already does so far as I see it but I do not have grounds to demand anything of him and he will not listen to my pleas. It was the best course for me to stay out of any negotiations with him to avoid angering him.'
“Hm, perhaps you are right”, Darwin says thoughtfully, but the look on his face shows he is uncertain.
“It is a terrible story. Tell me, how does your father feel about his treatment? It seems we know very little about those we have risked our lives to help”, he adds, his indignation and frustration replaced with doubt.
He looks across at Solvig, not regretting his outburst but feeling a kinship with him all the same. They had both been displaced in one way or another.
Agnarr sighs and shrugs, 'Honestly, I do not know, I've never asked him. He is the King who outlawed raiding, which was not a particularly popular decision but he did so in the face of threats of an invasion from the Confederation, a war that would have cost us more than we can comprehend. That in itself was not popular, the idea of Southern Islanders backing down from a fight went against a core part of our peoples' culture.' Agnarr glances at Solvig.
'I know I'm not exactly painting him in the best light but my father was also the first king in centuries to not lead a single raid, even before he outlawed it. I firmly believe that he is a wise king, a just leader, and a good man. Like any man, he has his faults and he makes mistakes, but if any other man had been sat in his throne the last 40 years, things would be much worse.'
Darwin listens to Agnar intently and places a hand up onto his hip.
"Ok, I am starting to understand", he says, before moving over to Solvig cautiously.
He looks up at him to say his piece. "I am not a child, despite my appearance, but I am young for my kind and somewhat impetuous", he starts. "I am naive to the ways of this world, but I am learning. I apologise for my harsh and ill informed words. I know what it is like to be displaced from ones home, and had we run across each other in different circumstances things may well have gone differently. I wish you luck in your righteous endeavours", he says bowing his small frame, before making to back away and rejoin his friends and leave the ship.
Ida couldn't be prouder of her companions at this particular moment. She realizes that she should also say something to avoid further conflict, and also because Agnarr's explanation gives new perspective.
"I wish to apologize for my behavior, King Solvig, and offer my condolences to you and your kingdom for the suffering you have endured. When those with power choose to abuse it, it is usually the innocent who suffer."
Hamish watches and listens as his friend seem to make some amends, but he does not move to join them. He still harbors a bit of resentment for this presumptuous king of the sea, who acts far too much like the patronizing and cruel people he often encountered on Haukberg's streets. But he is also nervous about whatever it was that sought to use his anger like a channel or path for something more dangerous and uncertain.
Solvig turns from his endeavor of getting the crew loaded onto the Killer Whales he has summoned to act as a taxi service.
'Does this mean you'll reconsider my offer? The debt would not be anything egregious.' he says as he quirks an eyebrow. 'Dame Ida, as a knight of the Confederation, you have the ear of at least whichever lord you serve, and Agnarr has the ear of the King of the Southern isles. I would ask that you speak to those who hold power on my borders to ask them to recognize my kingdom officially.'
'I will speak to my father on your behalf.' Agnarr says solemnly.
Darwin stops in place as he is turning around, surprised at Solvig's offer. He had not anticipated a change in attitude from the king of the ocean, he just wanted to apologise because it was the right thing to do.
He gives Agnarr a firm and approving nod as he accepts the terms of the debt, then looks to Ida.
"This is your land Ida, as always I will follow where you lead. I may make the road a little bumpier than normal mind", he says with a grin.
"I agree to speak with the Duke of Haukberg on your Kingdom's behalf. I will also speak with my family to see if any additional influence can be spread to neighboring land. And if our journey takes us to speak with anyone with influence upon the Emperor himslef, I will speak on your behalf."
Solvig nods, apparently satisfied. 'Then the ship, and any of the crew who will follow you, is yours.' he walks back to the rail, 'But if I see this ship sailing under pirate colors again, I will sink it without warning to any aboard. Farewell.' and with that, he performs an ostentatious backwards dive over the rail into the water and is gone.
Some of the crew are currently on the backs of Orcas who circle the ship, lines tied to the rail hanging over the side that they climbed down to get there.
'Guess we should get them back on board then?' Agnarr asks.
"Only if you feel like you want to share our destination with them? I know we could use their help to reach our shore, but do you want them with easy access to what you're trying to ascertain? I know it isn't a fair option, but right now they have safe passage and aren't a threat. If we take them back on board, we have to carry them with us, then back to Haukberg, and they will all have to be watched to avoid treachery. And who knows what could happen if we take them back to Haukberg and the speak about where they've been...
What are your thoughts Darwin? Hamish? Agnarr?"
Agnarr thinks and shrugs, 'We put in port as planned, leave them in the port town and set out for our destination without them. They still don't know who we are, where we're actually going or why?' the barbarian points out
'We can use the gold we saved on our travel to hire some mercs to guard the ship in the dock until our return, just in case some of the crew decide they'd rather be free lancers'
Hamish listens to this new plan and suddenly his eyes grow wide. "Uh, what colors are pirate colors? Is it ... like, red?"
"It's more drab than that. Traditionally it is black, with a skull and crossed bones. At least where I come from", Darwin says in reply to Hamish.
Turning back to the question at hand, he gives his opinion. "Who knows how much of what has been said has been overheard. Having said that, will we not need help to man a boat this size? I have no experience, and I am certain Hamish doesn't either", he says.
He lowers his voice to a whisper just in case any of the crew can overhear, "They are pirates, not to be trusted it is true, but also easily bought. We just have to offer them the best deal? They won't resort to piracy any time soon anyway after that threat", he says pointing at where Solvig just jumped overboard. "They will need a way to earn honest money".
Hamish signs in relief as he looks down at his own clothes, ensuring nothing on them might be remotely piratical. At Darwin's comment, he nods. "This is the first time I've ever been on a ship at all."
Agnarr looks around the ship, 'I've got quite a bit of experience, this ship ideally would need 30 hands. We just killed, what, 8 but we can each do some work to help mitigate that. I think we'd need a minimum of 15 sailors to manage this thing at all, in addition to us but it wouldn't be smooth.'
“I would be happy to keep around all those that laid down their weapons and didn’t oppose us. That leaves the dead and the first mate to remove”, Darwin says simply.