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Tales from the Ghostsea Chapter 8 Love and Mutiny (Updated 11/05/05)
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<blockquote data-quote="Tolen Mar" data-source="post: 2699849" data-attributes="member: 1295"><p><strong>Chapter 7 The Baron</strong></p><p></p><p>Chapter Seven: The Baron</p><p></p><p>Baron Jean de Seguzzo stood at the bow of the ship as it navigated the narrow entry to the cove. He couldn’t help but note its position. As a baron of Mala, he was part of its military, and he knew that pirates plagued the region. The cove was one hideout he had never before found. </p><p></p><p>And no wonder, when he thought back on the number of bribes he had to make, the sheer cost of getting someone to give him the information, and the expense of pretending to be someone other than a Mala, he was not surprised. The governors of the cove took their privacy seriously. He was here on more personal business, but once it was resolved, he now knew where to find this hive, and he would come back.</p><p></p><p>It was just like the woman to leave. The Veranese were very headstrong. The note she’d left all but demanded he come after her. Jean was mystified, as well as angered. After all, life would have been luxurious for her. All she had to do was be beautiful, hang on his arm at parties, and in return she would have enjoyed the wealth of the Seguzzo family. It was true that she came from money herself, but the Veranese were a small family. The marriage was less about love than it was joining their two lands. It would have given him power in the council to make real change, a change that might have freed some of his people from the oppression the council enforced. </p><p></p><p>He thought back to the lat time he had seen her. He had hand picked her from all of the duchess’ granddaughters because of her appearance. The red hair, the fair skin. Standing next to him in a flowing gown would have projected just exactly the kind of image a rising Baron needed to sway support. She would come back with him, and she would learn to love him. If she didn’t then at least she’d learn to enjoy the life he could provide for her. The two of them would produce heirs fair and strong enough to take what he was doing now and turn the land of Mala into a completely new place.</p><p></p><p>***************************************************************</p><p></p><p>After the ship docked, Jean spread a few more coin around, asking pointed questions. This place was a mess of squalor, and its stench burned at Jeans nostrils. His noble bearing drew more than one unfriendly glance as he passed, and he knew that more than a few were thinking they would have a chance to take some of his gold, whether he wanted them to or not. If they tried, they would be surprised. His armor was more than a simple protection. It was a sign of his skill, his power, and of his transition to manhood. For generations, the Seguzzo’s passed the art of armory down from father to son. They learned together how to fight in it, until their motions were as smooth as a hind on the meadow. Anyone that tried to pick a fight with him would soon find how much trouble they had raised for themselves.</p><p></p><p>Nonetheless, the sight of a fully armored man walking the streets was attracting attention. He could only hope that news of his requests were making it to the right ears. No one seemed to remember more than a fragment or two of the woman he was searching for, but with what he pieced together, he learned that most likely, it was a Captain Raymond Perri who had her. Apparently, he had taken her as a slave. Jean did not think that was terribly likely given her upbringing, she would never allow it, but he made it a point to find the ship.</p><p></p><p>The ship had left port two days ago, and no one knew when it would be back. He was directed to the ‘Blind Sailor’, a tavern not far from the docks. He was told that Perri’s crew often went there after a voyage to relax. Jean paid for a room at the inn across the way and began to wait.</p><p></p><p>Every night he would sit in the back, and watch the patrons come in and out. A few times he would stop one of them and ask his questions, but aside from what he already knew, he learned little. </p><p></p><p>“Aye, I know’em.” One half blind patron said one night. “He’s got this one woman whorin’ herself out for coin. Everything she makes, he gets. She’s a real beauty that one. Got to say I took advantage of her…’services’ more than once.”</p><p></p><p>Disgusted, Jean paid for the man’s drink and left him behind. He could hear the man shouting out crude details of a late night’s adventure. Perri had a lot to answer for.</p><p></p><p>On the fourth night, as Jean was about to give up and retire to his room, a small band of favorites wandered in. A handsome young man, a bruiser of a barbarian, two lithe women, one looking like a desert traveler, the other with exotic looks, plus one more man, who carried his sword on his hip. They were regulars, the others in the tavern shouted their greetings. The young man separated himself from the group. He sat at the bar drinking alone. The rest found a table, and, looking morose, also began to drink.</p><p></p><p>At the bar, the young man and the barkeep exchange a few words. The bartender pointed at Jean, and the young man looked around. Jean knew then that these were the people he was looking for. He was about to stand and introduce himself, when another band entered the tavern. They were a mixed bunch, all them wiry, none of them well cleaned. They carried an assortment of weaponry. They looked around, spotted the man at the bar, and surrounded him. Jean watched. If a fight broke out, he would learn how they fought, always good information to have.</p><p></p><p>“This the one?” the biggest asked.</p><p></p><p>“Yeah, boss, he’s the one that tried to steal from me.”</p><p></p><p>“Grab him, take him out back and show him what happens to people who mess with the Dema guild.”</p><p></p><p>The two made a grab for him, and his companions moved to stop them. Daggers came out, as well as swords, and the fight began.</p><p></p><p>“Not here!” shouted the barkeep. He ducked when a mug flew past his head, and then beat a hasty retreat.</p><p></p><p>From his vantage point, Jean watched the group fight. The young man was quick, slicing one of the men’s gullets open before either could react. The desert woman, and the exotic sliced into the other small man, blood flying across the room. The big one cursed, drew his own sword and started swinging. Some of the bar patrons fled. Others, seeing brawl beginning, grinned and joined in. In a matter of seconds, virtually everyone in the place was fighting someone. </p><p></p><p>The crew Jean was watching was outnumbered. They couldn’t give him information if they were killed, so he drew his sword, and stepped up. In two quick slices, he had downed two of the bar patrons, and punched a third in the face with the pommel of his sword. By this time, the young man had gotten up on the bar and was fencing with a few of the patrons. The two women were like whirlwinds as they sliced, dodged, jumped, and somehow managed to not be hit. The others were holding their own as well.</p><p></p><p>Jean downed another as he waded toward the bar. His blade drove home in the big mans back, and one by one the other fighters surrendered. The fight was over, the tavern a shambles. </p><p></p><p>“This wasn’t your fight.” The young man said.</p><p></p><p>“No, it wasn’t. You looked you might need help.”</p><p></p><p>“We could have handled it. Who are you anyway?”</p><p></p><p>“I am Baron Jean de Seguzzo, of Mala.”</p><p></p><p>Behind him, the exotic women and the barbarian both rolled their eyes.</p><p></p><p>The man held out his hand. “Name’s Lorenzo. That’s Dunstan there, Aoife, Khadija, and Orange.”</p><p></p><p>Jean nodded at each of them in turn. His eyes lingered overlong on Aoife’s features, but then he turned back to Lorenzo.</p><p></p><p>“I saw you talking to the bartender.” Jean said. “I think you are the ones I’ve been looking for.”</p><p></p><p>“Why is that?” Orange asked, looking down from his height.</p><p></p><p>“I need to speak with your captain. Captain Perri?”</p><p></p><p>The group exchanged glances. Ren was the first to speak.</p><p></p><p>“Why do you need to see him?”</p><p></p><p>“My business with him is my own. He has something of mine.”</p><p></p><p>Once again, they all looked to one another. Jean could see the distrust in their eyes, but that was to be expected. First he was Mala, and they were pirates, second no one knew him nor he any of them. If he weren’t so confident in his abilities, he might have been worried about putting his life in the hands of such obviously capable strangers.</p><p></p><p>“Yeah,” Ren said eventually. “We can take you to see him. We should go back anyway. Won’t be many folks who are happy with this mess.”</p><p></p><p>***************************************************************</p><p></p><p>At the docks, Jean stepped toward the gangplank of the ship. The exotic looking woman, Aoife, was blocking the way. “You don’t go aboard until the captain says you can.”</p><p></p><p>Khadija ran up the ramp and retrieved the captain. He stepped down to the dock, looked Jean up and down. “Good evening, sir. Can I do something for you?”</p><p></p><p>“I’d prefer it if we could speak in private, captain.”</p><p></p><p>Perri looked the crew over, and then responded, “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of them.”</p><p></p><p>“Captain, I must insist. This matter only concerns myself, you and one other.”</p><p></p><p>“That’s not going to happen. Either you tell me who you are and what you want, or you go back to where you came.”</p><p></p><p>Jean sighed. One day, the pirate would get what he deserved. “My name is Baron Jean de Suguzzo, of Mala. Word is that you have slaves aboard. A woman among them. I’ve come to get her. I will pay your ransom if I have to.”</p><p></p><p>“Slaves?” Perris raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, Baron, closest thing I have to a slave is Aoife there, and that’s just cause her father owes me. You’ve got the wrong ship.”</p><p></p><p>“I don’t believe I do. Her name is Lady Charity Veranese. She is to be my wife.”</p><p></p><p>“Charity?” Ren choked. The mood around the baron turned icy. </p><p></p><p>The captain drew a long breath. “Baron, you are mistaken. She wasn’t a slave of mine. She joined my crew willingly.”</p><p></p><p>“Willingly?” Jean asked. “You are trying to tell me she wanted to be a…a…”</p><p></p><p>“A what?” asked Dunstan, stepping forward with a glare in his eye.</p><p></p><p>“A sailor.” Jean finished. “That doesn’t matter, then, I must see her.”</p><p></p><p>Perri waved Dunstan down. “That won’t be possible, Baron.”</p><p></p><p>“Why not?”</p><p></p><p>“Charity was recently taken. These fellows here were ambushed by ghouls. She…didn’t make it.”</p><p></p><p>“Dead?” Jean could feel his political plans crumbling around him. He had already wasted too much time tracking her down, when he should have been making his case before the council. Now the whole trip was wasted. “I must have her body. I’ll return her to her family.”</p><p></p><p>“She had ghoul fever,” Lorenzo told him. “I couldn’t save her. We had to burn the body…” He paused for a moment, trying to hold back tears. “To keep the infection from taking hold of anyone else.”</p><p></p><p>“I can’t believe this.” Jean said, stunned. “I followed her trail for a month, found this place.”</p><p></p><p>Perri placed a hand on the Baron’s shoulder. “If it helps lad, she was as much a part of this crew as the rest of us. We all miss her.”</p><p></p><p>Jean shrugged the man off. “Then I suppose there’s nothing for it.” Jean muttered a few things under his breath, it was almost like he was having a conversation with himself. Everyone watched his odd behavior. Then he turned to face Perri again. “Captain, I would hire your ship. I need to return to Mala as quickly as possible.”</p><p></p><p>His request came from an unexpected direction. Jean certainly wasn’t showing much remorse. “I… don’t think that’s such a good idea, Baron.”</p><p></p><p>“Oh, I’ll pay you, of course. I need to take word back to her grandmother of course, and there’s the time I’ve lost…damnit, this is a problem.”</p><p></p><p>“You can tell he’s broken up, eh?” Ren whispered to Khadija.</p><p></p><p>Khadija just nodded.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tolen Mar, post: 2699849, member: 1295"] [b]Chapter 7 The Baron[/b] Chapter Seven: The Baron Baron Jean de Seguzzo stood at the bow of the ship as it navigated the narrow entry to the cove. He couldn’t help but note its position. As a baron of Mala, he was part of its military, and he knew that pirates plagued the region. The cove was one hideout he had never before found. And no wonder, when he thought back on the number of bribes he had to make, the sheer cost of getting someone to give him the information, and the expense of pretending to be someone other than a Mala, he was not surprised. The governors of the cove took their privacy seriously. He was here on more personal business, but once it was resolved, he now knew where to find this hive, and he would come back. It was just like the woman to leave. The Veranese were very headstrong. The note she’d left all but demanded he come after her. Jean was mystified, as well as angered. After all, life would have been luxurious for her. All she had to do was be beautiful, hang on his arm at parties, and in return she would have enjoyed the wealth of the Seguzzo family. It was true that she came from money herself, but the Veranese were a small family. The marriage was less about love than it was joining their two lands. It would have given him power in the council to make real change, a change that might have freed some of his people from the oppression the council enforced. He thought back to the lat time he had seen her. He had hand picked her from all of the duchess’ granddaughters because of her appearance. The red hair, the fair skin. Standing next to him in a flowing gown would have projected just exactly the kind of image a rising Baron needed to sway support. She would come back with him, and she would learn to love him. If she didn’t then at least she’d learn to enjoy the life he could provide for her. The two of them would produce heirs fair and strong enough to take what he was doing now and turn the land of Mala into a completely new place. *************************************************************** After the ship docked, Jean spread a few more coin around, asking pointed questions. This place was a mess of squalor, and its stench burned at Jeans nostrils. His noble bearing drew more than one unfriendly glance as he passed, and he knew that more than a few were thinking they would have a chance to take some of his gold, whether he wanted them to or not. If they tried, they would be surprised. His armor was more than a simple protection. It was a sign of his skill, his power, and of his transition to manhood. For generations, the Seguzzo’s passed the art of armory down from father to son. They learned together how to fight in it, until their motions were as smooth as a hind on the meadow. Anyone that tried to pick a fight with him would soon find how much trouble they had raised for themselves. Nonetheless, the sight of a fully armored man walking the streets was attracting attention. He could only hope that news of his requests were making it to the right ears. No one seemed to remember more than a fragment or two of the woman he was searching for, but with what he pieced together, he learned that most likely, it was a Captain Raymond Perri who had her. Apparently, he had taken her as a slave. Jean did not think that was terribly likely given her upbringing, she would never allow it, but he made it a point to find the ship. The ship had left port two days ago, and no one knew when it would be back. He was directed to the ‘Blind Sailor’, a tavern not far from the docks. He was told that Perri’s crew often went there after a voyage to relax. Jean paid for a room at the inn across the way and began to wait. Every night he would sit in the back, and watch the patrons come in and out. A few times he would stop one of them and ask his questions, but aside from what he already knew, he learned little. “Aye, I know’em.” One half blind patron said one night. “He’s got this one woman whorin’ herself out for coin. Everything she makes, he gets. She’s a real beauty that one. Got to say I took advantage of her…’services’ more than once.” Disgusted, Jean paid for the man’s drink and left him behind. He could hear the man shouting out crude details of a late night’s adventure. Perri had a lot to answer for. On the fourth night, as Jean was about to give up and retire to his room, a small band of favorites wandered in. A handsome young man, a bruiser of a barbarian, two lithe women, one looking like a desert traveler, the other with exotic looks, plus one more man, who carried his sword on his hip. They were regulars, the others in the tavern shouted their greetings. The young man separated himself from the group. He sat at the bar drinking alone. The rest found a table, and, looking morose, also began to drink. At the bar, the young man and the barkeep exchange a few words. The bartender pointed at Jean, and the young man looked around. Jean knew then that these were the people he was looking for. He was about to stand and introduce himself, when another band entered the tavern. They were a mixed bunch, all them wiry, none of them well cleaned. They carried an assortment of weaponry. They looked around, spotted the man at the bar, and surrounded him. Jean watched. If a fight broke out, he would learn how they fought, always good information to have. “This the one?” the biggest asked. “Yeah, boss, he’s the one that tried to steal from me.” “Grab him, take him out back and show him what happens to people who mess with the Dema guild.” The two made a grab for him, and his companions moved to stop them. Daggers came out, as well as swords, and the fight began. “Not here!” shouted the barkeep. He ducked when a mug flew past his head, and then beat a hasty retreat. From his vantage point, Jean watched the group fight. The young man was quick, slicing one of the men’s gullets open before either could react. The desert woman, and the exotic sliced into the other small man, blood flying across the room. The big one cursed, drew his own sword and started swinging. Some of the bar patrons fled. Others, seeing brawl beginning, grinned and joined in. In a matter of seconds, virtually everyone in the place was fighting someone. The crew Jean was watching was outnumbered. They couldn’t give him information if they were killed, so he drew his sword, and stepped up. In two quick slices, he had downed two of the bar patrons, and punched a third in the face with the pommel of his sword. By this time, the young man had gotten up on the bar and was fencing with a few of the patrons. The two women were like whirlwinds as they sliced, dodged, jumped, and somehow managed to not be hit. The others were holding their own as well. Jean downed another as he waded toward the bar. His blade drove home in the big mans back, and one by one the other fighters surrendered. The fight was over, the tavern a shambles. “This wasn’t your fight.” The young man said. “No, it wasn’t. You looked you might need help.” “We could have handled it. Who are you anyway?” “I am Baron Jean de Seguzzo, of Mala.” Behind him, the exotic women and the barbarian both rolled their eyes. The man held out his hand. “Name’s Lorenzo. That’s Dunstan there, Aoife, Khadija, and Orange.” Jean nodded at each of them in turn. His eyes lingered overlong on Aoife’s features, but then he turned back to Lorenzo. “I saw you talking to the bartender.” Jean said. “I think you are the ones I’ve been looking for.” “Why is that?” Orange asked, looking down from his height. “I need to speak with your captain. Captain Perri?” The group exchanged glances. Ren was the first to speak. “Why do you need to see him?” “My business with him is my own. He has something of mine.” Once again, they all looked to one another. Jean could see the distrust in their eyes, but that was to be expected. First he was Mala, and they were pirates, second no one knew him nor he any of them. If he weren’t so confident in his abilities, he might have been worried about putting his life in the hands of such obviously capable strangers. “Yeah,” Ren said eventually. “We can take you to see him. We should go back anyway. Won’t be many folks who are happy with this mess.” *************************************************************** At the docks, Jean stepped toward the gangplank of the ship. The exotic looking woman, Aoife, was blocking the way. “You don’t go aboard until the captain says you can.” Khadija ran up the ramp and retrieved the captain. He stepped down to the dock, looked Jean up and down. “Good evening, sir. Can I do something for you?” “I’d prefer it if we could speak in private, captain.” Perri looked the crew over, and then responded, “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of them.” “Captain, I must insist. This matter only concerns myself, you and one other.” “That’s not going to happen. Either you tell me who you are and what you want, or you go back to where you came.” Jean sighed. One day, the pirate would get what he deserved. “My name is Baron Jean de Suguzzo, of Mala. Word is that you have slaves aboard. A woman among them. I’ve come to get her. I will pay your ransom if I have to.” “Slaves?” Perris raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, Baron, closest thing I have to a slave is Aoife there, and that’s just cause her father owes me. You’ve got the wrong ship.” “I don’t believe I do. Her name is Lady Charity Veranese. She is to be my wife.” “Charity?” Ren choked. The mood around the baron turned icy. The captain drew a long breath. “Baron, you are mistaken. She wasn’t a slave of mine. She joined my crew willingly.” “Willingly?” Jean asked. “You are trying to tell me she wanted to be a…a…” “A what?” asked Dunstan, stepping forward with a glare in his eye. “A sailor.” Jean finished. “That doesn’t matter, then, I must see her.” Perri waved Dunstan down. “That won’t be possible, Baron.” “Why not?” “Charity was recently taken. These fellows here were ambushed by ghouls. She…didn’t make it.” “Dead?” Jean could feel his political plans crumbling around him. He had already wasted too much time tracking her down, when he should have been making his case before the council. Now the whole trip was wasted. “I must have her body. I’ll return her to her family.” “She had ghoul fever,” Lorenzo told him. “I couldn’t save her. We had to burn the body…” He paused for a moment, trying to hold back tears. “To keep the infection from taking hold of anyone else.” “I can’t believe this.” Jean said, stunned. “I followed her trail for a month, found this place.” Perri placed a hand on the Baron’s shoulder. “If it helps lad, she was as much a part of this crew as the rest of us. We all miss her.” Jean shrugged the man off. “Then I suppose there’s nothing for it.” Jean muttered a few things under his breath, it was almost like he was having a conversation with himself. Everyone watched his odd behavior. Then he turned to face Perri again. “Captain, I would hire your ship. I need to return to Mala as quickly as possible.” His request came from an unexpected direction. Jean certainly wasn’t showing much remorse. “I… don’t think that’s such a good idea, Baron.” “Oh, I’ll pay you, of course. I need to take word back to her grandmother of course, and there’s the time I’ve lost…damnit, this is a problem.” “You can tell he’s broken up, eh?” Ren whispered to Khadija. Khadija just nodded. [/QUOTE]
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