Devoted to The Tide

-PROLOGUE- I held Vlad’s head in my lap as my tears mixed with the rain that hit his scruffy face. His skin had turned pale the moment the Kraken tooth speared through his abdomen, forcing all of his blood to drain from every inch of his body. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Vlad had endured worse situations than this, the Kraken should not have been his doom. Despite the sounds of a dozen shouting men, violent winds, and eerie sounds from the dying Kraken, my focus was on the man whose life was withering away in my arms. The man who has been my First Mate for the last six years. The man who has been my right hand man, my mentor, my friend. The ship swayed aggressively as the waves crashed alongside the edges, breaking off pieces to fill the ocean with more debris, but I didn’t care. “C’mon Vlad. This isn’t it for you. You’re going to be okay.” I managed to get out between silent sobs. He chuckled at my attempt to hide the pain of watching him fade, and as he spoke, his voice was hoarse and cold. “I’m afraid this is it for me. I’m sorry I failed you, Captain.” “No. You didn’t fail me. We're going home. There’s a pitcher of ale with your name on it.” My cries turned into sobs of sorrow as my words continued to shatter my heart. “You have the respect of a thousand men, dear child. You don’t need me anymore. You run this ship until there’s nothing left. You hear me Charlotte?” His body got heavier and heavier in my arms as he spoke but I refused to loosen my grasp on his head. I was blinded by the tears that welled in my eyes and silenced by his words. I knew this was the end. I knew it was time to let go. “It has been an honor to serve you, Captain. Your grandfather would have been very proud.” Another cough had escaped his lips after those last words were spoken. It only took a few seconds after that until his body had gone completely limp, and his eyes faded away to nothingness. I have seen hundreds of men lose their life at the risk of serving on my crew, and no amount of death I’ve witnessed during my time as Captain of the Gallient, can compare to the trauma that filled my body as I watched my best friend die. The scream forced its way out of my mouth as I cried out for the lost life of someone I loved like a father. “CAPTAIN!” I turned my head to one of my men, calling for me in time to witness the death of the sea beast that had attacked my ship in the late hours of the night. We’ve all encountered battles like this over a dozen times, and yet, this one was the one that will never be forgotten. The waters calmed, and the sky had cleared, and my men rejoiced in victory for the Kraken had been defeated. I allowed my men to wallow in this victory but as moments passed, my heart hardened and turned ice cold once again. My good friend Caspian, approached me kneeling down on the floor of the ship, holding his uncle in my arms. It didn’t take long for him to join me on the floor, allowing tears to escape his eyes. “I’m so sorry.” I forced out with remorse in nothing but a whisper. Caspian places his hand on my head, pulling me into him for me to rest my head on his shoulder. We won this round, and now me and my men live to see another day and go home to our families. But all I can ask is, at what cost? PERSEUS Flipping the store sign from open to closed has always been the highlight of my day. Today being even more satisfying due to it being my last day I run this place. No more flour in my hair and up my nostrils after a long day of baking bread and sweets. No more tight aprons and torn up shoes from standing on my feet all day long. The bakery is the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. I have been in this place for too damn long and honestly, after hearing about my father’s passing, nothing else has been on my mind. I’ve only opened this place to help support my mother and I but she hasn't been in the picture for over a year now. First my mother’s death and now my father’s not too long after. I haven't thought too much about what I wanted to do with my life since being a baker wasn't exactly my first option. But since my father left my mother and I to fend for ourselves to pursue his dreams, I think it’s only fair if I did the same now that no one depended on me. Because that is what real men do. I don't hate him. I’ve been wanting to hate him and pretended to hate him for what he did to my mother and I. But for some reason I couldn’t find the hate. I just felt sad. And now since I caught word of his passing from one of the townies here in Irongarde over a month ago, I just feel nothing but remorse. It doesn't make sense. My father was very proud of his work despite the fact that he left his family to pursue it, and I now felt that it was my destiny to carry on his legacy. Hopefully I can find the same passion for it as he did. Because baking is definitely not my passion or legacy. After locking up the store for the last time, I wasted no time getting the hell out of here. My subconscious took over and I found myself quickening my pace down the street to make my way to the old Hickory Tavern down by the docks, for I knew the Gallient crew would be there. The Gallient crew is the most fierce and powerful shipping fleet in all of the Motherlands. They are trained for war. It was every man’s dream to be a part of that crew for it was the manliest and most noble title you can have. The bloodshed that the Gallient crew had endured is foretold in stories through generations. It’s not easy living in the city of Irongarde or even the country of Vasgatan without hearing about the adventures that the Gallient crew had triumphed over. And one of those stories was always about the newest captain. Captain Charlie O’Dell. Nobody knows much about him at all. All they know is that he is the grandchild of the previous captain, Captain Walter O’Dell, who was also a legend beyond belief before he died during an excursion. It was stories like these where I wish that my father was still in my life, given that he was First Mate for both O’Dell captains, I was sure that there are many stories that have never been heard. But I was determined to experience them first hand. It’s not easy being the son of a legend with an unforgettable legacy and being absolutely nothing like him. I guess this is what happens when you’re the spawn of a celebrity. My thoughts faded as I got closer to the door of Hickory Tavern. Music, laughter and shouting filled the building and can be heard from a mile down the road. My palms started to sweat as I swung open the door with as much confidence as I could muster. I wasn't sure what to expect, all I knew is there I have a dream and a goal, and it all started in this building. The aroma of the tavern was lively to say the least. I’ve never stepped foot into a tavern since I wasn't a big drinker, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn't familiar with this sort of atmosphere since it was similar to the local brothels. The energy in the room was lighter than I thought. Men danced with the barmaids to the beat of the drums, other folk shouted in chants as they encouraged each other to chug a pint of ale in their drinking games, and the bigger men gambled amongst their peers with arm wrestles and fist fighting sparring matches. This was incredible. “I’m tellin’ ya lads! If I were the one that took on that ol’ sea beast a month ago, I would have crushed his thick skull in de palm of my hands!” A drunk sailor exclaimed in confidence, forcing half the tavern to laugh in hysterics. I walked through the tavern, trying not to draw a speck of attention to myself and sat at the bar in silence to take in my surroundings. “Can I get anything for ya hon?” A barmaid asked me, interrupting my trance. “Uhh no I don’t drink. But do you think you can point me to Captain O’Dell?” She looked at me unamused by my question. “The Captain is busy at the moment, but you can talk to the First Mate, Caspian Thorn.” She pointed right at my bastard cousin who was sitting at a near table playing cards with four others. Gods be good. Not him. Caspian and I never got along. We've hardly seen eachother since my father left and I resented him for going with my father to join the crew. Caspian was the biggest asshole I've ever known. He was always competing to be the best in our family. And because of that, he was always the favorite. Neither me nor Caspian had siblings, so our fathers always played the “My horse is bigger than your horse” game against each other, forcing Caspian and I to always compete. Let’s just say he has had more victories than I’ve had. I went to turn back to the barmaid to ask for the captain again but she was nowhere to be seen anymore. Great. Seeing Caspian was the last thing I wanted to do. Now kicking myself for making such a dumb decision to come here in the first place, I quickly stood up to leave the tavern before I was spotted. But of course, my plan was quickly foiled before I could even take a step. “Perseus Thorn!” Caspian’s deep, painful voice pierced my eardrums. “I knew my eyes weren't deceiving me. It’s really Perseus f*****g Thorn!” He shouted, causing the whole tavern to turn their attention towards us. He had a grin on his face like he was happy to see me as he came up to pat his hand on my back. “What the hell are you doing here cousin?” He asked in between chuckles, keeping his arm on my shoulder. I stepped away from his reach, putting some distance between us, trying not to freeze up in front of this crowd that tuned in on our conversation. “I was just leaving.” I said as I attempted to escape once again. Of course though, I was stopped by two bigger guys who placed themselves in front of the door in defense. This is not good. “What’s the rush!? Clearly you've come for a reason, so tell me. To what do I owe the pleasure?” He sneered with such arrogance. I scanned the room to find several pairs of eyes on me. “I didn’t come to see you. I’ve come to see Captain O’Dell” Him and the rest of these folks laughed at my response. “And what sort of business do you have exactly with the captain mate? I know it has nothing to do with my uncle since you never cared about him.” He did not just f*****g say that to me. I got closer to him as threatening as I could for those words were completely uncalled for. “You have no f*****g clue what you’re saying, Caspian.” “Do I not? You’ve come to interrupt my crew’s time of mourning for former First Mate Thorn because why? You miss him all of a sudden? Now that he’s dead, you want to say how much of a good father he was?” Caspian mimicked my body language and got closer to me too, raising the tension of our soon-to-be brawl if he didn't shut his f*****g mouth. “Where is O’Dell?” I asked again, this time with venom in my voice. My body was tensed up as Caspian looked at me like he was repulsed. “That’s Captain O’Dell you f*****g knave. Have some f*****g respect.” With that, five men surrounded me, ready to take me down at Caspian’s word. I never liked violence, but boy was I good at it. And none of these guys have even the slightest clue of that. But alas, I stepped back in hopes of settling down the tension since I wasn't exactly itching for a fight. Not now at least. As much as I would love to crack open Caspian’s skull to see what the inside looked like, I also didn't want to ruin my chances at joining this crew. “Just tell me where I can find Captain O’Dell, and I’ll be out of your hair.” I said calmly. Another grin painted Caspian’s face once again out of amusement for my request. “How about you tell me what you want the Captain for, and maybe I’ll just tell you. Or… I can mop the tavern floor with the blood of your body. Your choice.” My temper must've gotten the best of me because I don't remember swinging at Caspian hard enough to beat him to the floor. Two men attempted to pull me off of him and take me down along with him but my struggles were just enough to get them off of me long enough to throw a few punches at them too, knocking one out cold and the other with a broken nose. The people in the tavern who were watching this whole thing roared in fury. Some were cheering on Caspian and some were throwing words at me. Caspian got his footing back and tackled me to the floor, getting a good hit to my jaw. We tumbled on the floor of the tavern but were quickly stopped at the sound of a threatening voice. “Thats enough.” These words made my blood run cold and froze everyone else in that tavern. The silence was deafening. Everybody turned to look even though they blocked my view to see who exactly was approaching us. However, the clicks of their boots got closer and closer and people made way quickly to make a path straight to us. I was straddled on top of Caspian who was covered in blood on his face. Caspian managed to push me off and forced both of us to stand up to our feet just to be greeted by… her. This five foot four, petite, young woman looked at me dead in my eyes, piercing through them with her wicked green eyes. I was mesmerized. She wasn't threatening at all. And yet, she drew the attention of every single soul in this building. “Apologies, Captain.” Caspian forced through his hoarse voice. Captain?? I was stunned by this woman’s stature for she carried herself in confidence and intimidation. She scanned the two of us in curiosity as if she was trying to figure out what happened a few moments ago but seemed to lose interest in it rather quickly. “Who are you?” She spoke with such velvet and venom in her voice. It was intoxicating. I was captivated by her beauty with her flawless tan skin, and long, curly black hair. There is no way that this beaut is the Captain of the Gallient crew. I cleared my throat. “My name is Perseus Thorn, and I’ve come to speak with Captain Charlie O’Dell.” The woman straightened her posture ever so slightly. “Ok. Speak.” The captain is a woman?? That is completely unheard of! How do people not know that the captain is a woman? You would think this would be the talk of a town. I found this exchange comical to say the least. “You’re Captain Charlie O’Dell?” A smirk creeped on her face for a split second before her expression became cold and emotionless again, but yet, she said nothing. She just stood there holding her gaze with mine, waiting for me to say something. I cleared my throat to fill the awkward silence that rested upon us. “Can we talk in private, Captain?” I asked in hush tones. She held her gaze into my eyes for a moment longer before scanning the room around her, allowing the silence between us to linger. “It’s about my father.” She made eye contact with mine once more and took a sigh. She was definitely a sight for sore eyes but that didn’t stop my hands from clamming up and my throat running dry. “Fine. This way.” She immediately walked through the full tavern as if she was parting the Red Sea. I quickly followed behind her without peering at the damage I inflicted on Caspian or the dalcops that attempted to back him up. Facing the Captain in front of dozens of people was intimidating enough but being held in a room alone with her was one of the most intense feelings I’ve ever felt in my life. Her silence was deafening as she sat across the room that was clearly rented for her to use for the time she was staying. The creaky wooden floors adjusted beneath my feet as I stood there facing her, not knowing what to say. She watched the flame from the lantern dance and light up the room. I cleared my dry throat once again. “I guess there is no easy way to say this, miss, but I-” “Captain.” She corrected me in a harsh tone. “There’s no easy way of saying this, Captain, but knowing how important this crew was to my father, I wanted to request a position to carry on his legacy.” Every word that came out of my mouth felt like a waste of breath. She remained still, keeping her stare on the flame, almost as if she was oblivious to our conversation. I couldn’t help but fill the silence with more words, despite this feeling more and more like a lost cause. “I know how much of an honor it would be to serve on this crew and I-” “I didn’t know Vlad had a son.” She cut me off. My mind went blank suddenly, leaving me curious to what she meant by that. “He didn’t say he had children at all. Why do you think that is?” She questioned. My mind was flipping through a million thoughts a minute. “We never got along, I'm afraid.” “No, I never got along with one of my gunners for he acted like a wench when he was famished. But I’m afraid I still know him and won’t ever forget about him.” She could see right through me and yet she wanted me to submit. If I had any chance to get into this crew, it would be telling her what I knew. “He left to join the Gallient crew when I was a kid. I suppose we hardly knew each other.” Another moment of silence. She rose from her chair and peered out the large bay window that looked out to the docks just a few hundred feet away. “You want to ‘carry on a legacy’ for someone you hardly know, right after he had passed on. Your motives are a bit blurred in my opinion.” I looked down at my hands for I was a bit shameful to say the least, but if only she knew what kind of person my father really was. There wasn't enough time in the world for that though. “What fleet have you served previously?” She asked. This is the part where I needed to search for my inner saving graces to say anything that may impress her enough. “I don’t have sailing experience. I was hop-" "Navigation?” I chuckled nervously at this comical interview. “No, I-” “No sailing, no understanding of navigation… and you want to join the most elite crew in all the Motherlands.” “I can fight. I’m very strong and know how to wield a weapon.” I chimed in. “What battles have you won?” More silence, for I didn’t know how to answer this without it sounding foolish. “I’ve never fought in battle, per say-” “What exactly did you do? Before you wanted to join this crew, I mean.” Nothing I could say would save me now. “I was a baker.” I answered with as much confidence as I could muster. “A baker.” She repeated. I stood there, watching her expression but it remained as blank as it has been this whole conversation. She sat back in her chair with nothing but a sigh that escaped her puckered lips. “Get some sailors' experience and come find me in seven years. You are dismissed.” She spoke, coldly. I felt defeated at this moment. “Captain, if I may-” “No, you may not. Now get out.” I didn’t know what I was expecting. Of course she would reject me. And call me selfish, but I guess I was hoping for a little bit of remorse given she knew my father. I definitely ran out of saving graces, so I walked back out the door and took what little pride I had left with me.