Disa’s Acceptance
Disa had
been with the Emerald Rose now for two months. They hadn’t attacked any
ships during that whole time. She’d learned that while they were a pirate ship,
they were a picky pirate ship. They’d only attack a ship if Cap’n Sampford knew
without a doubt that it held enough treasure for the taking.
Disa fitted into pirate life rather easily. At any given time, one just had to look up generally to see her hopping and scampering through the rigging on some errand or another. Though there was always a chance she could be up there just for the fun of it, or exercise as she was known to call it.
At times Red thought she could be worse than any monkey from one of the islands of his home waters, but he’d never see her removed from the ship. In fact he’d fight any and all to keep her on the Emerald Rose. Any time there was work to be done, Disa was usually right there working harder than the grown men.
There were many nights where Red and Disa would sit in that out of the way place where she had shared what her life was like before the Emerald Rose. Sometimes they talked, but most times they just sat in companionable silence while Red smoked his pipe before bed. The spot was close to Sampford’s cabin, so the rest of the crew never bothered them unless it was dire. Red knew a lot of the nights Sampford would be there as well, lurking in the shadows. He’d never again joined them as he had the night of Disa’s horror story.
This night Red planned to ask Disa about a ship that Cap’n Sampford wanted to know about. Before he could though, he noticed Disa had a look of puzzled frustration on her face. These were the only times she showed emotion thus far on the ship, when they were alone. Well, when she thought they were alone anyway, and that another crew member wouldn’t be around. “Lass?” She looked at him, and while her face had a look of expectancy, he could still see the puzzled frustration dancing in her eyes. He shook his head, Sampford’s query would have to wait, this was more important in Red’s opinion. “A’igh’, wha’s ea’en ye?”
Disa turned to the sea and tried to form her chaotic thoughts in a way she could express. “Why…” She gives a frustrated growl, which causes Red to raise brows, and he notices Sampford start in his shadowy place. That nearly caused him to chuckle. His attention returns to her as she tries to start again. “Tibble, Manford, Jonaby, Hammons, Doc… they are…” She trails off.
“T’ey are?” Red finally prompts her as the silence stretches too long.
“They-are-acting-odd-around-me.” She said it so fast that Red had to blink a few times before his brain realized what she’d said. “Why, Red?”
Slowly he asks, “Odd? In wha’ wa’ lass?”
She props her chin on a fist and scowls at the deck. Red had a small smile watching her. “They… well; they’re talking to me… and… joking?”
Snorting laughter erupted from Red, causing Disa’s head to snap around at him. She glowered at him. He waved her off as he got himself under control. “Lass, t’ey like ye. Tal’ back. Joke back.” He shook his head at her, smiling in amusement.
Disa looked at him askance. “Like me? Why?”
Red huffed in exasperation. “Lass, ye defea’ed Miggins in a fair figh’. Ye pull mor’n yer fair share o’ ta wor’. Which ye needs ta be stoppin’.” He eyed her; she just gave a twitch of a shrug. “I mean it lass. Slo’ dow’ ‘efore ye ‘arm yersel’.”
Disa shook her head. “I can’t, Red.”
“Cannae? Wha’ ye mean ye cannae?” He looked at her puzzled, and caught Sampford half out of his shadow hiding spot, a look of puzzlement on his face as well.
Disa ducked her head and spoke so softly both men had to strain to catch her words. “If I don’t work so hard, I’ll be kicked off the Emerald Rose. I won’t go back to my fadir’s house, and I don’t fit in my own country anyway. Emerald Rose is the only home I have now. I don’t mind the hard work, specially if it means I can stay.”
Red snorted. “’Oo been tellin’ ye such nonsense? Lass, Cap’n nae gonnae kick ye off ta Emerald Rose.” Disa gave him a ‘how can you be so sure’ look, and he growled in exasperation. “I tell ye Lass, he ain’tae gonnae kick ye. Are ye Cap’n?”
Disa started and partially turned in the direction Red was looking. She saw the Cap’n walking slowly towards them. He had a look on his faced she couldn’t read.
“Disa, Red’s right. I’d never kick you from Emerald Rose. This is your home now, you don’t have to worry about that. So there is no need to try to kill yourself to ensure yourself a spot here.” He was thinking of her high flying rigging antics. He settled himself against the railing between the two of them, his back to the sea so he could face them.
Disa ducked her head again and mumbled, “yes, Sir.”
He quietly observed her for a long time. Eventually, Disa raised her head and stared out to sea, just off his right side. He wondered what it was she saw or thought. She always stared out during these quiet moments at night. He wondered if she relived her life before Emerald Rose. Studying her some more he realized her eyes were unfocused , as if she was far away from the here and now. After an intermittent amount of time he cleared his throat. He watched as her eyes snapped back into focus though she still stared at the same distant spot. “Disa… I was wondering if you could help me with something.” She looked towards him and he winced slightly at her eager expression. “Do you know anything about a ship out of Gudvangen that is called Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi?” He was startled at the expression that came over her face and glanced to Red at a loss.
Red too was startled at her sudden demeanor at his friend’s question. When his gaze met Sampford’s he gave a slight shake of his head and a small shrug. When Disa spoke they both snapped their gazes in her direction. Once more, the cold harsh weather of this part of the world had entered her voice, chilling them both.
“That would be my fadir’s skip, mm ship. He considers himself quite the business merchant. He had about four ships in his fleet. But Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi is his pride and joy. Why?” Her face was blank as she stared at Cap’n Sampford.
To say Red was stunned would have been an understatement Sweat Shoney! Her da’s own ship. He looked at Sampford wondering what he’d do now.
Sampford had a very thoughtful expression on his face Her father’s ship, how interesting. Suddenly he pushed off the railing and beckoned to the both of them. “Come.” He headed for his cabin.
All Red could think was, uh-oh, as he and Disa followed the Cap’n. He could see that Disa had a puzzled nervousness about her. As they entered through the door, Red clapped her on the shoulder reassuringly. Disa flashed him a faint apprehensive smile as they stopped before Sampford, who’d plopped into his chair. He was sorting through various piles of parchment littered across the table. Absently he told them to find a seat.
Red motioned for Disa to sit in one of the two remaining chairs at the table, while he took the other and lounged in it. He shook his head at the mess on the table as he eyeballed it, but he was grinning as well. His friend would never change and be more organized.
Disa perched on the chair, looking around the room she had first woke in. It hadn’t changed except to get messier. One of the on going jokes was how Cap’n Sampford wouldn’t take on a cabin boy. They said he claimed that he knew where everything was, and that he didn’t need someone coming in and moving things around so he couldn’t find it. Her attention was suddenly brought to Cap’n Sampford as he shoved a thick stack of parchments at her. “Here. Go through those and tell me what you think.”
She starred wide eyed at the parchments and shook her head. “I can’t read.”
Both men’s jaws dropped simultaneously. She ducked her head as her face turned a rather lovely shade of scarlet. Red sputtered, only to stop when Sampford spoke with a bit of a drawl. “Let me guess. Females don’t need to know how to do that either?”
Disa peeked up at him, his eyes were as hard and glittery as the stones they were coloured after. Disa shook her head and spoke in a barely audible voice. “No, just me.”
“Tha’ tears i’!” The anger in Red’s voice as he cursed caused Disa to flinch. Red was turning towards Sampford to go on a tirade, and failed to see her flinch.
Sampford saw it though and held his hand up, causing Red to snap his mouth shut with an audible click of teeth. “Patience Red. All things in good time.” While his voice was calm, it still had a hard edge to it, clueing his friend in that he was just as angry over Disa’s treatment.
Sensing Disa’s discomfort, Sampford attempts to lighten the mood. “It’s not a worry Disa. I’ll teach you to read, if you wish to learn. I taught Red to read, and if I can teach that lummox, I can teach anyone.”
Just as Sampford had hoped, Red rose to the bait. “’Ummox? Why ye… If ye ‘and’ been such a naggin’ fish-wife maybe I’da lernt quicker.”
Disa’s eyes darted back and for the between the two as they bantered with each other. She even snickered here and there as she relaxed listening to the two.
“So, what say you, my dear? Do you wish to learn to read?” She blinked as the Cap’n went from playful humor with Red to sudden seriousness with her. She slowly nodded. “Good, good. We’ll get those lessons started tomorrow. In the mean time, what say you I read these and you tell me your thoughts on them, hmm?”
Disa shrugged. “I’ll do my best, Cap’n.”
“That’s all I ask. Now…” He started reading from the pile of parchment. She told him which were true facts and which were lies or exaggerated rumors her fadir had started. He and Red both listened in thoughtful seriousness.
Finally, after going through half the pile, she couldn’t contain her curiosity anymore. “Why is it that you wish to know so much on Cruel Judgment Time?”
Sampford and Red both blinked at her in puzzlement. The Cap’n was the one to ask “Cruel Judgment Time? I thought it was Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi?”
Disa snickered, like last time he’d seriously butchered the pronunciation. She nodded, “Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi translates to Cruel Judgment Time. I am sorry but you do not come close to pronouncing it correctly in Norse. You call it Precious Thing Deep Ten.”
Red snickered as Sampford eyed Disa. She ducked her head suddenly worried she’d gone too far. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“Disa…” Sampford’s tone was grave and she shrunk in on herself at it. “…your father is very wealthy, yes?”
Her head jerked up at his question, it hadn’t been what she expected him to say. She studied him with curiosity and nodded. “He is.”
“I plan for the Emerald Rose to take some of that wealth from him.” He pauses watching her. Her eyes had widened in surprise at his words, but she didn’t say anything, waiting. “I wasn’t sure yet and that was why I asked you what you might know about it. Finding out whom… Cruel Judgment Time belongs to sealed the decision for me. Emerald Rose will not only take whatever Cruel Judgment Time carries when we find her, but I will see to her sinking as well.”
Disa stared at him shocked and confused. “Why would Judgment being my fadir’s ship decide this?”
Sampford looked at her thoughtfully. Is she upset I’m going to attack her father’s ship? Before he could say anything, Red spoke. “Cuz the ba’tar’ should suffer fer all ‘e’s done ta ye!” The look in his friend’s face was fierce and righteous.
Disa frowned at Red in confusion. She was observant enough to know both men had been extremely upset about how she’d grown up. It had puzzled her then, and still did. “I don’t understand. What does the way I was raised have to do with attacking Judgment? Shouldn’t it be how much treasure you can get?” She looked back and forth between the two, lost.
Before Red could warm up to the long winded tirade that Sampford could see him forming, he spoke. “Disa, parents…” He shook his head. “Good parents don’t raise their children as you have been. And yes, generally the decision to attack another vessel is based on how much loot we can gain.” He had watched her closely and spoke in a gentle voice. He’d seen her expression go from confusion, to astonishment, to dawning understanding. “Yes, this time the choice to attack Judgment is based on revenge you could say.”
She nodded as she finally understood. “Very well, then you will need to know its strengths and weaknesses, crew compliment, and how she’s built.”
Sampford started. “Wait! How? I thought you’ve never been on a ship until now?” His eyes narrow as he wonders if this girl had lied to him.
She snorts and states rather mildly. “Just because I’ve never stepped foot on Judgment doesn’t mean I don’t know these things. My fadir does love to brag to any who will listen after all, and I have seen the drawings.” While she’d been speaking, she’d swept all the parchments off the table to the floor. She’d quickly grabbed a blank parchment and the quill and ink and was sketching a fairly good and accurate picture of the ship, several as she kept grabbing pieces and drawing the ship in question at various angles.
Red chuckled as he watched Sampford wince as all his precious parchments were unceremoniously dumped to the floor by the lass. But soon became just as intrigued as his friend with what the lass was drawing.
Once she finished drawing the last one she came around and stood between both men. She peered back and forth between the parchments the men held and pointed out where the crew slept, her fadir, where cargo would be kept by types, where extra guards would be if the cargo was especially profitable.
Red absorbed all she had to tell, his mind working over various scenarios, asking the occasional question. They’d never had this kind of inside information before. It was like a gift from Arnemetia. He started grinning with undisguised glee. They’d be able to take Judgment with ease. He turned to gloat at Sampford and… blinked. His friend looked so ill at ease. It didn’t take Red long to figure out why.
Sampford could have happily shot himself for the sudden thoughts and feelings he was having about Disa with her so close. She is going to break hearts when she is a grown woman. Which he reflected, was going to be in a year’s time. He silently railed at Fate. Why couldn’t I have found this child a year later, when she’d be an adult? With much effort he brought his attention to the discussion at hand. “Thank you, child. Go on and go to bed. Red and I have some things to discuss.”
Disa blinked, his tone was curt and chill. She wondered what she’d done wrong. Should she have not given the information up so easily? Meekly and a bit hurt, she left his cabin. Though she wasn’t about to go below deck and sleep. While the old crew may finally accept her, her people had not. Instead, she drifted back to the spot her and Red always sat before bed.
“Tha’ was ‘arsh.” Red spoke mildly while he eyed his friend. Sampford glowered at him. Red tried his best to look innocent. “Yer attra’ted ta ‘er. ‘Ot sur’risin’, she tis a beau’y af’er all.”
Sampford growled. “She’s a child, Red. You know how I feel about that.”
“Aye, she’s a bairn now. In a year she won’nae be.” He looked at Sampford askance. “So, ‘ait ta year.”
Sampford shook his head and gave a weary sigh. “I will always remember her as the sick child I rescued, Red.”
Red shook his head this time. “Yer bein’ an idiot, Art’er.”
“Maybe. Look did you pay attention to what she was saying?”
“Aye, an’ I’ll nae be discussin’ I’ wit ye tonigh’.” He rose and headed for the door. “Ye char’e me wit loo’in’ af’er ‘er. She’s still nae safe from ta res’ o’ ta crew.” With that he left his friend to wrestle his demons. Fortunately, he spotted Disa sitting in their nightly spot. He walked over to her. “Rea’y, lass?”
She looked up at him and nodded. He noticed the shine of unshed tears in her eyes. As she rose to and turned in the direction of the crew quarters he stopped her and searched her face. “Lass?”
At his gentle question the tears she’d been fighting, as well as pain and hurt, released. “What’d I do wrong?”
Red sucked in a breath and cursed, causing her to flinch. He pulled her into a quick hug. Letting her go, he grabbed her chin and tilted her face to look her in the eyes. “Ye di’nae do a t’ing wrong. He’s jes bein’ an idiot. He gits like tha’ whe’ he doe’nae git enou’ sleep. T’ings will be back to normal in ta morn. Ye’ll see.”
She saw and heard the sincerity in his face and voice. “Ok.” Then she yawned hugely suddenly, allowing Red to see all the way to the back of her throat.
He chuckled. “Co’ on le’s git ye ta bed. Pas’ yer bed’ime.” He draped an arm over her shoulders and steered her towards the crew quarters. He was startled when she quipped back at him.
“I don’t have a bedtime; I live on a pirate ship.” She grinned at him.
Red let out a loud laugh. “Aye, tha’ ye do, lass, tha’ ye do.” He marveled at how she’d bounced back and even made a joke. He knew right then and there, when the rest of the crew got around to accepting her, she’d fit just fine.
*****
After the Cap’n had made the announcement to the crew that they were going after the Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi, the relaxed atmosphere of the ship changed. Disa had no problems adjusting. In fact, she’d given both Sampford and Red near heart attacks when they’d discovered she was over the side of the ship watching out for rocks and other dangerous things that could sink the ship. They had both tore into her in their fear.
She didn’t bat an eye as the crew watched, some smirking. In fact, she raised her chin a fraction and gave them a haughty look, which caused both men to snap their mouths shut in surprise. “Emerald Rose sits too deep. Norse boats practically glide on top of the water. Do you know why?”
Both men shook their heads mutely. “Because the fjords hold many dangers under the water from the bottom of the cliffs that rise above us to even ice. Do you wish your Emerald Rose broken and sinking?”
Again they shook their heads, horror now filling their eyes. “I thought not.” And with that, she clambered back over the side and slid down the rope to position herself where she could see the water.
“Damn monkey.”
Red looked over at his Captain and chuckled at his statement. He looks over at the rope Disa had gone down and sees Hammons standing by it. “Ye ‘atch ‘er an’ be sure no’e ‘er Nor’e kin decides she needs an a’ciden’. Ye hear me?”
Hammons gives him a look. “I have been, Red, and so have the rest of us from the ol’ crew.”
Red nodded and he and Sampford walked off. “Aye, she’s ‘ore monkey t’en a monkey it seems.”
Sampford snorted. “She’s going to be the death of us, Red. My heart fails every time I see her hopping around in the upper rigging like she thinks she has wings.”
Red chuckled. “I’va learnt nae ta wa’ch.”
“I can’t help it sometimes, Red. She is rather graceful about it, though it scares me to death.”
Red nodded. While it was true he’d learned not to watch every moment he was on deck, sometimes he too couldn’t help watching her, like all the crew. She had a grace and agility as she made her peculiar way through the rigging that was amazing and beautiful.
In two days Disa got them to a cove to lie in wait for Cruel Judgment Time. In that two days she hadn’t slept a wink, stubbornly insisting that she was from here, she knew these waters best. And maybe she did. Maybe she had some deeper connection with the area to be able to navigate waters she’d never been in.
Finally, clambering back on deck she stood there swaying before her eyes rolled up and she dropped to the deck in an exhausted, boneless heap. It was Hammons who’s turn it had been to watch over her. “CAP’N!” he hollered as he worked on sorting out her dead weight and picked her up.
Red came running up before Sampford. “Wha’ ‘appen’d?” His scowl made Hammons swallow hard.
“She’s exhausted and just passed out is all.” Hammons was more then happy to let Red take Disa from him. He didn’t want the Scot to continue glaring at him so.
Hammons knew that amongst those left over from the old crew, Disa had become like a mascot, as well as someone to pass on their wisdom, knowledge, and skills. She was comfortable with the older crew that accepted her, and would sit and listen and learn whatever they wanted to tell and show her. She asked intelligent questions and was a delight to the men. Hammons just wished she’d hurry up and turn sixteen so he could do the things he dreamed of with her and the Cap’n couldn’t kill him.
It was only another three days before their patient waiting was rewarded. Cruel Judgment Time was spotted floating past. The excitement was palpable, and Disa was just as caught up in it. Until the Cap’n ordered her to the crow’s nest.
“Why? I want to fight.”
“Because that is where I’ve ordered you to go, Child. You do not argue with your Captain at times like these. I am responsible for everyone’s life on this ship. That is where your skills are best. And you’ll be safe.”
“I don’t want to be safe.”
“And have you ever killed before? I don’t mean some animal you’re going to eat. Have you ever killed another human before?”
Her eyes widened a bit and she shook her head. “No.”
“This isn’t a game, Disa. People will die today. Please, for my peace of mind, go to the nest.”
Without a word, she turned and left heading for the crow’s nest. Red’s mild voice startled Sampford. “Ye cannae prote’ ‘er fere’er/”
“I know, but today I can protect her from her father.” He turned to Red and caught his nod of understanding.
The wheelman was impressed. The maps of the waters in this fjord that the girl had drawn were dead on. He soon had the other ship boxed into another cove. With the knowledge they had from the girl about the other ship, it was dead already, her Captain just didn’t know it yet.
The wheelman knew there were a few Norse like himself that didn’t really have a problem with Disa, but like himself, never spoke up or made it known. He decided it was high time he did, she’d proved she was useful, and no disaster had befallen the ship as the wives tales claimed. Her fight with Miggins had been pure beauty. It still amazed him that she’d taught herself mostly. Disa, he chuckled to himself, she sure was an active spirit all right. Even those who didn’t want her on ship marveled at her audacity in the rigging. His eyes drifted towards that same rigging and he nodded as he saw her scamper up to the crow’s nest.
Disa watched as the pirates boarded Judgment. She stared in shock as she watched the brutal fighting. She’d always known people can die from the business end of a sword, but she’d never actually seen it happen. She didn’t shy away from the brutalness of it all though, watching closely as she did in everything she was curious about. Suddenly in her observations, she saw a large number of men slip onto the Emerald Rose from her fadir’s ship. Those handful left to guard Emerald Rose were hard pressed to defend themselves.
Disa didn’t even stop to think, her home, her family, they were in trouble. She launched herself out of the crow’s nest much like she has the very first time she ever attempted the decent. As she reached the yardarm, she swung down on a rope and slide down, drawing her scimitar.
Her feet hit the deck and she drew her stiletto, rushing behind those fighting what was left of the crew on the Emerald Rose, she started swinging. She’d downed three before they even knew she was there. They weren’t dead, but they might as well be. She’d hamstrung them all on both legs, they’d never walk again. Then suddenly, one of her brothers loomed before her.
“Well, if it isn’t the Devil’s own whore.” His sneer and cruel words just pissed her off. “Fadir has put a bounty on your accursed head. If I kill you, I probably won’t get the bounty, but he just might give me command of one of his ships, and I’ll forever be the favored sonr.”
He watched as her eyes turned as cold as their North home weather in the deepest winter, and a smile came to her lips that caused him apprehension. “If, Bjorn, but then you never were good at fighting.”
With a cry of rage he swung on her. She was in her own rage as well; the only difference was she fought with clarity. Her Stranger-Teacher had told her to never fight in a rage, it clouded judgments. From that statement she took it as a challenge, and set out to learn to control hers and channel it into her fighting. It gave her the advantage of crystal clarity and it seemed that her brother moved slower.
Soon it was just the two of them left fighting. Their dance was pure deadly beauty. Each had scored hits here and there on the other, but neither could quite manage to get the killing blow in.
Sampford stared in horror at the fight, restrained by Red. “Nae Cap’n. Let her finish it, or the crew will never accept her.” Sampford understood his friend’s words, but his heart galloped in fear. She was supposed to be in the nest. SAFE!
Disa’s moves were fluid and never wasted. Her face held a cold fury for all to see. While her brother’s moves were becoming more wild in his rage at his inability to kill her. Finally the opening she’d been waiting for happened. She stepped into it, weapons crossed to touch her brother’s throat. She jerked both arms out, slicing it. She stared into his horror-filled, shocked eyes, and smiled coldly at him as the life faded from him. His lifeless body hit the deck with a loud thud.
A cry of grief stricken rage caused her to whirl, weapons ready. She saw her fadir being restrained by several of the Emerald Rose crew, and Sampford restrained by Red. She found the latter an odd sight. Finally having the chance to look around, she saw that there was no more fighting. She turned back to her brother’s lifeless body, and with no emotion on her face, she bent and cleaned her weapons on his corpse. That, of course, set her fadir off more.
“DEVIL’S WHORE!”
A loud slap rang out, and when Disa looked, she saw Sampford beating her fadir, all of his pent up fury and frustration plain on his face. The crew he commanded just watched, none were about to stop him.
Finally, when he’d just about beaten the man senseless, he stopped. He was breathing heavy, but now in a much better mood. “Transfer the cargo, anything you find, bring it aboard. We’re sinking the Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi.” As one, the crew stared in surprise, but then hastened to do as he’d ordered.
Sampford sent Red to find longboats to put Judgment’s crew in. Leaving what was left of that crew and it’s Cap’n under guard. He approached Disa, and toed the corpse at their feet. “Who was he?”
She looked at the corpse and blinked, then looked to the Cap’n. “One of my brothers, Bjorn.” She shakes her head. “No, he wasn’t my brother, any more than that man over there is my fadir. Emerald Rose is now my family.”
Sampford had winced when she said who the corpse was. He then stared in wonder as she made her statement. “Always.”
She gave him a wan smile, and then sheathed her weapons. Grabbing the corpse, she drags it over to the growing pile to be tossed overboard. She next sets about helping the cleaning detail with the rest of the corpses. Sampford just watched and admired her fortitude.
Soon everything was transferred; loot to Emerald Rose, dead body’s to Judgment, survivors to long boats. Sampford stepped up and motioned for Disa to join him. “Translate.” He started speaking, his voice filled with loathing and disgust, while Disa translated in a completely emotionless voice. “You named your ship Cruel Judgment Time, Sir, and now it has come upon you. You are Judged for your cruel raising of Disa, and are found Guilty. You have lost your cargo, a son, and your ship to pay for your Crime.” Sampford matched glaring stares with Disa’s father as he ordered the sinking of the Judgment.
Before he could order the shoving off of the survivors to drift, Miggins stepped up and said something in Norse to the survivors, loud enough for everyone to hear. When he finished he walked off. Sampford ordered the long boats cast off and turned to see Disa staring after Miggins in surprise. “What did he say?”
“’Be warned. IssDreki now sails these waters, on the prowl to protect and avenge any woman or child wronged. She has no mercy.’”
“IssDreki?”
“Ice Dragon.” Sampford watches as Disa walks to the place she sits with Red most nights and lean against the railing to watch the Judgment sink.
***
Sampford soon learned the whole story of why Disa had been fighting her brother instead of safe up in the Crow’s Nest. “We shoul’ fin’ ta lass. I ‘aven’ seen ‘er since we lef’ ta sunk Judgment.” Red looked to Sampford, worry for the girl was plain on his face.
“Last I saw, she was at your nightly spot.” Red nodded as both headed in that direction. When they arrived, they found Disa shaking and a blank stare on her face. Both men hurried over to her quickly.
“Lass?”
“Disa?”
She started shaking violently at the sound of their voices, and her arms wrapped around herself tight as if to hold herself together. Her voice was just a whisper. “I killed him.”
The men looked at each other, the memories of their first kill in their eyes. “Let’s get her inside.” Sampford’s head jerked towards his cabin as he gathered the girl in his arms. Red quickly moved to get the door open, then entered the cabin after Sampford, and closed the door. “Find her some clean clothes in one of the chests.”
While Red busied himself finding clothes, Sampford undressed Disa. He then moved her closer to a barrel of water, and with a rag, started cleaning the blood off of her. He used the opportunity to also check to see how bad her injuries were. He was surprised to only find almost healed marks. Damn! She does heal fast.
Red soon arrived with clothes. “Pour her some whiskey, me too while you’re at it, and some for yourself.” Red grinned and soon returned with three whiskeys. The two men worked on getting the clean clothes on Disa.
Disa was practically catatonic during all this. She was aware of what the men did and heard all that was said in a vague far off kind of way. Her mind kept playing over and over the moment she’d killed Bjorn. The sensations that had gone with the killing seemed to happen again each time it played over in her mind. She started shaking more.
“Here, drink this.” Sampford held a glass of whiskey to her lips and she swallowed reflexively. He didn’t dare let her hold the glass just yet; she’d spill it, wasting good whiskey.
Disa coughed and sputtered at the first swallow, bringing her out of her current state abruptly. “What in Odin’s name is that?”
She heard Red chuckle as Sampford replied quietly. “Whiskey, drink some more.”
Disa looked at him like he’d lost his mind, but dutifully took the cup and drank it all at once. It burned going down, but she managed not to cough and choke on it this time. Sampford took the empty glass from her and handed it to Red, who went and quickly refilled it.
As Disa took the refilled cup, she looked at both men. “I killed him.”
Sampford and Red both nodded. “If ye ‘adnea lass, ‘e’da kilt ye instea’.”
Disa nodded. “I know.” She quickly drank the whiskey, which Red promptly took and refilled for her.
Sampford watched her as she took the third glass and drank it off. While he wanted her to get drunk enough to sleep with no bad dreams, he knew it was only a temporary fix. He needed to help her to, at the very least, come to grips with killing before she got too inebriated. He sipped his drink, and then spoke. “You know, anytime we go up against another ship, there will always be the chance you’ll kill someone. Just the chance of you knowing the person you kill will be practically non-existent.”
She looked at him sharply, then tossed off her fourth glass. She automatically held the glass out to Red. She gave a curt nod at Sampford. “I understand. I will --”
Sampford interrupted as he noticed her voice and expression grow cold. “Disa, stop. It is ok to be upset. This is the first time you’ve killed. It takes a bit to get used to the idea. It doesn’t get any easier. Well, for most anyway.” He paused as he reflected back on a few blood thirsty pirates and Navel sailors he’d known in the past. “If it ever does, then it’s time to hang up the weapons and find a deserted island somewhere.”
Disa cocked her head at him and her vision went funny with the move. She blinked a couple of times, and then looked frightened. “Wa’s happenin to me?” Her voice was a bit slurred and she started and looked wildly between the two men. Which, of course, caused not only her vision to act worse, but now she felt funny too.
Red chuckled, “relax lass, we’re jes’ getting’ ye drunk is all.”
Sampford smiled and shook his head at Red. “Tactful as ever there, Red.”
Red just shrugged as he handed Disa a refilled cup. “Well, we are.”
Sampford sighed. “Yes, we are.” Turning to Disa with a cheeky grin and a twinkle in his eye. “So drink up, dear. The three of us will drink to your first kill until we pass out. In the morn, Red and I will be hung over and surly as hell. And you, well come morn, we’ll know how well you handle whiskey. It’s your first time drinking, huh?” Disa nodded, Sampford and Red grinned, and the three of them got extremely drunk.
Disa fitted into pirate life rather easily. At any given time, one just had to look up generally to see her hopping and scampering through the rigging on some errand or another. Though there was always a chance she could be up there just for the fun of it, or exercise as she was known to call it.
At times Red thought she could be worse than any monkey from one of the islands of his home waters, but he’d never see her removed from the ship. In fact he’d fight any and all to keep her on the Emerald Rose. Any time there was work to be done, Disa was usually right there working harder than the grown men.
There were many nights where Red and Disa would sit in that out of the way place where she had shared what her life was like before the Emerald Rose. Sometimes they talked, but most times they just sat in companionable silence while Red smoked his pipe before bed. The spot was close to Sampford’s cabin, so the rest of the crew never bothered them unless it was dire. Red knew a lot of the nights Sampford would be there as well, lurking in the shadows. He’d never again joined them as he had the night of Disa’s horror story.
This night Red planned to ask Disa about a ship that Cap’n Sampford wanted to know about. Before he could though, he noticed Disa had a look of puzzled frustration on her face. These were the only times she showed emotion thus far on the ship, when they were alone. Well, when she thought they were alone anyway, and that another crew member wouldn’t be around. “Lass?” She looked at him, and while her face had a look of expectancy, he could still see the puzzled frustration dancing in her eyes. He shook his head, Sampford’s query would have to wait, this was more important in Red’s opinion. “A’igh’, wha’s ea’en ye?”
Disa turned to the sea and tried to form her chaotic thoughts in a way she could express. “Why…” She gives a frustrated growl, which causes Red to raise brows, and he notices Sampford start in his shadowy place. That nearly caused him to chuckle. His attention returns to her as she tries to start again. “Tibble, Manford, Jonaby, Hammons, Doc… they are…” She trails off.
“T’ey are?” Red finally prompts her as the silence stretches too long.
“They-are-acting-odd-around-me.” She said it so fast that Red had to blink a few times before his brain realized what she’d said. “Why, Red?”
Slowly he asks, “Odd? In wha’ wa’ lass?”
She props her chin on a fist and scowls at the deck. Red had a small smile watching her. “They… well; they’re talking to me… and… joking?”
Snorting laughter erupted from Red, causing Disa’s head to snap around at him. She glowered at him. He waved her off as he got himself under control. “Lass, t’ey like ye. Tal’ back. Joke back.” He shook his head at her, smiling in amusement.
Disa looked at him askance. “Like me? Why?”
Red huffed in exasperation. “Lass, ye defea’ed Miggins in a fair figh’. Ye pull mor’n yer fair share o’ ta wor’. Which ye needs ta be stoppin’.” He eyed her; she just gave a twitch of a shrug. “I mean it lass. Slo’ dow’ ‘efore ye ‘arm yersel’.”
Disa shook her head. “I can’t, Red.”
“Cannae? Wha’ ye mean ye cannae?” He looked at her puzzled, and caught Sampford half out of his shadow hiding spot, a look of puzzlement on his face as well.
Disa ducked her head and spoke so softly both men had to strain to catch her words. “If I don’t work so hard, I’ll be kicked off the Emerald Rose. I won’t go back to my fadir’s house, and I don’t fit in my own country anyway. Emerald Rose is the only home I have now. I don’t mind the hard work, specially if it means I can stay.”
Red snorted. “’Oo been tellin’ ye such nonsense? Lass, Cap’n nae gonnae kick ye off ta Emerald Rose.” Disa gave him a ‘how can you be so sure’ look, and he growled in exasperation. “I tell ye Lass, he ain’tae gonnae kick ye. Are ye Cap’n?”
Disa started and partially turned in the direction Red was looking. She saw the Cap’n walking slowly towards them. He had a look on his faced she couldn’t read.
“Disa, Red’s right. I’d never kick you from Emerald Rose. This is your home now, you don’t have to worry about that. So there is no need to try to kill yourself to ensure yourself a spot here.” He was thinking of her high flying rigging antics. He settled himself against the railing between the two of them, his back to the sea so he could face them.
Disa ducked her head again and mumbled, “yes, Sir.”
He quietly observed her for a long time. Eventually, Disa raised her head and stared out to sea, just off his right side. He wondered what it was she saw or thought. She always stared out during these quiet moments at night. He wondered if she relived her life before Emerald Rose. Studying her some more he realized her eyes were unfocused , as if she was far away from the here and now. After an intermittent amount of time he cleared his throat. He watched as her eyes snapped back into focus though she still stared at the same distant spot. “Disa… I was wondering if you could help me with something.” She looked towards him and he winced slightly at her eager expression. “Do you know anything about a ship out of Gudvangen that is called Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi?” He was startled at the expression that came over her face and glanced to Red at a loss.
Red too was startled at her sudden demeanor at his friend’s question. When his gaze met Sampford’s he gave a slight shake of his head and a small shrug. When Disa spoke they both snapped their gazes in her direction. Once more, the cold harsh weather of this part of the world had entered her voice, chilling them both.
“That would be my fadir’s skip, mm ship. He considers himself quite the business merchant. He had about four ships in his fleet. But Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi is his pride and joy. Why?” Her face was blank as she stared at Cap’n Sampford.
To say Red was stunned would have been an understatement Sweat Shoney! Her da’s own ship. He looked at Sampford wondering what he’d do now.
Sampford had a very thoughtful expression on his face Her father’s ship, how interesting. Suddenly he pushed off the railing and beckoned to the both of them. “Come.” He headed for his cabin.
All Red could think was, uh-oh, as he and Disa followed the Cap’n. He could see that Disa had a puzzled nervousness about her. As they entered through the door, Red clapped her on the shoulder reassuringly. Disa flashed him a faint apprehensive smile as they stopped before Sampford, who’d plopped into his chair. He was sorting through various piles of parchment littered across the table. Absently he told them to find a seat.
Red motioned for Disa to sit in one of the two remaining chairs at the table, while he took the other and lounged in it. He shook his head at the mess on the table as he eyeballed it, but he was grinning as well. His friend would never change and be more organized.
Disa perched on the chair, looking around the room she had first woke in. It hadn’t changed except to get messier. One of the on going jokes was how Cap’n Sampford wouldn’t take on a cabin boy. They said he claimed that he knew where everything was, and that he didn’t need someone coming in and moving things around so he couldn’t find it. Her attention was suddenly brought to Cap’n Sampford as he shoved a thick stack of parchments at her. “Here. Go through those and tell me what you think.”
She starred wide eyed at the parchments and shook her head. “I can’t read.”
Both men’s jaws dropped simultaneously. She ducked her head as her face turned a rather lovely shade of scarlet. Red sputtered, only to stop when Sampford spoke with a bit of a drawl. “Let me guess. Females don’t need to know how to do that either?”
Disa peeked up at him, his eyes were as hard and glittery as the stones they were coloured after. Disa shook her head and spoke in a barely audible voice. “No, just me.”
“Tha’ tears i’!” The anger in Red’s voice as he cursed caused Disa to flinch. Red was turning towards Sampford to go on a tirade, and failed to see her flinch.
Sampford saw it though and held his hand up, causing Red to snap his mouth shut with an audible click of teeth. “Patience Red. All things in good time.” While his voice was calm, it still had a hard edge to it, clueing his friend in that he was just as angry over Disa’s treatment.
Sensing Disa’s discomfort, Sampford attempts to lighten the mood. “It’s not a worry Disa. I’ll teach you to read, if you wish to learn. I taught Red to read, and if I can teach that lummox, I can teach anyone.”
Just as Sampford had hoped, Red rose to the bait. “’Ummox? Why ye… If ye ‘and’ been such a naggin’ fish-wife maybe I’da lernt quicker.”
Disa’s eyes darted back and for the between the two as they bantered with each other. She even snickered here and there as she relaxed listening to the two.
“So, what say you, my dear? Do you wish to learn to read?” She blinked as the Cap’n went from playful humor with Red to sudden seriousness with her. She slowly nodded. “Good, good. We’ll get those lessons started tomorrow. In the mean time, what say you I read these and you tell me your thoughts on them, hmm?”
Disa shrugged. “I’ll do my best, Cap’n.”
“That’s all I ask. Now…” He started reading from the pile of parchment. She told him which were true facts and which were lies or exaggerated rumors her fadir had started. He and Red both listened in thoughtful seriousness.
Finally, after going through half the pile, she couldn’t contain her curiosity anymore. “Why is it that you wish to know so much on Cruel Judgment Time?”
Sampford and Red both blinked at her in puzzlement. The Cap’n was the one to ask “Cruel Judgment Time? I thought it was Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi?”
Disa snickered, like last time he’d seriously butchered the pronunciation. She nodded, “Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi translates to Cruel Judgment Time. I am sorry but you do not come close to pronouncing it correctly in Norse. You call it Precious Thing Deep Ten.”
Red snickered as Sampford eyed Disa. She ducked her head suddenly worried she’d gone too far. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“Disa…” Sampford’s tone was grave and she shrunk in on herself at it. “…your father is very wealthy, yes?”
Her head jerked up at his question, it hadn’t been what she expected him to say. She studied him with curiosity and nodded. “He is.”
“I plan for the Emerald Rose to take some of that wealth from him.” He pauses watching her. Her eyes had widened in surprise at his words, but she didn’t say anything, waiting. “I wasn’t sure yet and that was why I asked you what you might know about it. Finding out whom… Cruel Judgment Time belongs to sealed the decision for me. Emerald Rose will not only take whatever Cruel Judgment Time carries when we find her, but I will see to her sinking as well.”
Disa stared at him shocked and confused. “Why would Judgment being my fadir’s ship decide this?”
Sampford looked at her thoughtfully. Is she upset I’m going to attack her father’s ship? Before he could say anything, Red spoke. “Cuz the ba’tar’ should suffer fer all ‘e’s done ta ye!” The look in his friend’s face was fierce and righteous.
Disa frowned at Red in confusion. She was observant enough to know both men had been extremely upset about how she’d grown up. It had puzzled her then, and still did. “I don’t understand. What does the way I was raised have to do with attacking Judgment? Shouldn’t it be how much treasure you can get?” She looked back and forth between the two, lost.
Before Red could warm up to the long winded tirade that Sampford could see him forming, he spoke. “Disa, parents…” He shook his head. “Good parents don’t raise their children as you have been. And yes, generally the decision to attack another vessel is based on how much loot we can gain.” He had watched her closely and spoke in a gentle voice. He’d seen her expression go from confusion, to astonishment, to dawning understanding. “Yes, this time the choice to attack Judgment is based on revenge you could say.”
She nodded as she finally understood. “Very well, then you will need to know its strengths and weaknesses, crew compliment, and how she’s built.”
Sampford started. “Wait! How? I thought you’ve never been on a ship until now?” His eyes narrow as he wonders if this girl had lied to him.
She snorts and states rather mildly. “Just because I’ve never stepped foot on Judgment doesn’t mean I don’t know these things. My fadir does love to brag to any who will listen after all, and I have seen the drawings.” While she’d been speaking, she’d swept all the parchments off the table to the floor. She’d quickly grabbed a blank parchment and the quill and ink and was sketching a fairly good and accurate picture of the ship, several as she kept grabbing pieces and drawing the ship in question at various angles.
Red chuckled as he watched Sampford wince as all his precious parchments were unceremoniously dumped to the floor by the lass. But soon became just as intrigued as his friend with what the lass was drawing.
Once she finished drawing the last one she came around and stood between both men. She peered back and forth between the parchments the men held and pointed out where the crew slept, her fadir, where cargo would be kept by types, where extra guards would be if the cargo was especially profitable.
Red absorbed all she had to tell, his mind working over various scenarios, asking the occasional question. They’d never had this kind of inside information before. It was like a gift from Arnemetia. He started grinning with undisguised glee. They’d be able to take Judgment with ease. He turned to gloat at Sampford and… blinked. His friend looked so ill at ease. It didn’t take Red long to figure out why.
Sampford could have happily shot himself for the sudden thoughts and feelings he was having about Disa with her so close. She is going to break hearts when she is a grown woman. Which he reflected, was going to be in a year’s time. He silently railed at Fate. Why couldn’t I have found this child a year later, when she’d be an adult? With much effort he brought his attention to the discussion at hand. “Thank you, child. Go on and go to bed. Red and I have some things to discuss.”
Disa blinked, his tone was curt and chill. She wondered what she’d done wrong. Should she have not given the information up so easily? Meekly and a bit hurt, she left his cabin. Though she wasn’t about to go below deck and sleep. While the old crew may finally accept her, her people had not. Instead, she drifted back to the spot her and Red always sat before bed.
“Tha’ was ‘arsh.” Red spoke mildly while he eyed his friend. Sampford glowered at him. Red tried his best to look innocent. “Yer attra’ted ta ‘er. ‘Ot sur’risin’, she tis a beau’y af’er all.”
Sampford growled. “She’s a child, Red. You know how I feel about that.”
“Aye, she’s a bairn now. In a year she won’nae be.” He looked at Sampford askance. “So, ‘ait ta year.”
Sampford shook his head and gave a weary sigh. “I will always remember her as the sick child I rescued, Red.”
Red shook his head this time. “Yer bein’ an idiot, Art’er.”
“Maybe. Look did you pay attention to what she was saying?”
“Aye, an’ I’ll nae be discussin’ I’ wit ye tonigh’.” He rose and headed for the door. “Ye char’e me wit loo’in’ af’er ‘er. She’s still nae safe from ta res’ o’ ta crew.” With that he left his friend to wrestle his demons. Fortunately, he spotted Disa sitting in their nightly spot. He walked over to her. “Rea’y, lass?”
She looked up at him and nodded. He noticed the shine of unshed tears in her eyes. As she rose to and turned in the direction of the crew quarters he stopped her and searched her face. “Lass?”
At his gentle question the tears she’d been fighting, as well as pain and hurt, released. “What’d I do wrong?”
Red sucked in a breath and cursed, causing her to flinch. He pulled her into a quick hug. Letting her go, he grabbed her chin and tilted her face to look her in the eyes. “Ye di’nae do a t’ing wrong. He’s jes bein’ an idiot. He gits like tha’ whe’ he doe’nae git enou’ sleep. T’ings will be back to normal in ta morn. Ye’ll see.”
She saw and heard the sincerity in his face and voice. “Ok.” Then she yawned hugely suddenly, allowing Red to see all the way to the back of her throat.
He chuckled. “Co’ on le’s git ye ta bed. Pas’ yer bed’ime.” He draped an arm over her shoulders and steered her towards the crew quarters. He was startled when she quipped back at him.
“I don’t have a bedtime; I live on a pirate ship.” She grinned at him.
Red let out a loud laugh. “Aye, tha’ ye do, lass, tha’ ye do.” He marveled at how she’d bounced back and even made a joke. He knew right then and there, when the rest of the crew got around to accepting her, she’d fit just fine.
*****
After the Cap’n had made the announcement to the crew that they were going after the Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi, the relaxed atmosphere of the ship changed. Disa had no problems adjusting. In fact, she’d given both Sampford and Red near heart attacks when they’d discovered she was over the side of the ship watching out for rocks and other dangerous things that could sink the ship. They had both tore into her in their fear.
She didn’t bat an eye as the crew watched, some smirking. In fact, she raised her chin a fraction and gave them a haughty look, which caused both men to snap their mouths shut in surprise. “Emerald Rose sits too deep. Norse boats practically glide on top of the water. Do you know why?”
Both men shook their heads mutely. “Because the fjords hold many dangers under the water from the bottom of the cliffs that rise above us to even ice. Do you wish your Emerald Rose broken and sinking?”
Again they shook their heads, horror now filling their eyes. “I thought not.” And with that, she clambered back over the side and slid down the rope to position herself where she could see the water.
“Damn monkey.”
Red looked over at his Captain and chuckled at his statement. He looks over at the rope Disa had gone down and sees Hammons standing by it. “Ye ‘atch ‘er an’ be sure no’e ‘er Nor’e kin decides she needs an a’ciden’. Ye hear me?”
Hammons gives him a look. “I have been, Red, and so have the rest of us from the ol’ crew.”
Red nodded and he and Sampford walked off. “Aye, she’s ‘ore monkey t’en a monkey it seems.”
Sampford snorted. “She’s going to be the death of us, Red. My heart fails every time I see her hopping around in the upper rigging like she thinks she has wings.”
Red chuckled. “I’va learnt nae ta wa’ch.”
“I can’t help it sometimes, Red. She is rather graceful about it, though it scares me to death.”
Red nodded. While it was true he’d learned not to watch every moment he was on deck, sometimes he too couldn’t help watching her, like all the crew. She had a grace and agility as she made her peculiar way through the rigging that was amazing and beautiful.
In two days Disa got them to a cove to lie in wait for Cruel Judgment Time. In that two days she hadn’t slept a wink, stubbornly insisting that she was from here, she knew these waters best. And maybe she did. Maybe she had some deeper connection with the area to be able to navigate waters she’d never been in.
Finally, clambering back on deck she stood there swaying before her eyes rolled up and she dropped to the deck in an exhausted, boneless heap. It was Hammons who’s turn it had been to watch over her. “CAP’N!” he hollered as he worked on sorting out her dead weight and picked her up.
Red came running up before Sampford. “Wha’ ‘appen’d?” His scowl made Hammons swallow hard.
“She’s exhausted and just passed out is all.” Hammons was more then happy to let Red take Disa from him. He didn’t want the Scot to continue glaring at him so.
Hammons knew that amongst those left over from the old crew, Disa had become like a mascot, as well as someone to pass on their wisdom, knowledge, and skills. She was comfortable with the older crew that accepted her, and would sit and listen and learn whatever they wanted to tell and show her. She asked intelligent questions and was a delight to the men. Hammons just wished she’d hurry up and turn sixteen so he could do the things he dreamed of with her and the Cap’n couldn’t kill him.
It was only another three days before their patient waiting was rewarded. Cruel Judgment Time was spotted floating past. The excitement was palpable, and Disa was just as caught up in it. Until the Cap’n ordered her to the crow’s nest.
“Why? I want to fight.”
“Because that is where I’ve ordered you to go, Child. You do not argue with your Captain at times like these. I am responsible for everyone’s life on this ship. That is where your skills are best. And you’ll be safe.”
“I don’t want to be safe.”
“And have you ever killed before? I don’t mean some animal you’re going to eat. Have you ever killed another human before?”
Her eyes widened a bit and she shook her head. “No.”
“This isn’t a game, Disa. People will die today. Please, for my peace of mind, go to the nest.”
Without a word, she turned and left heading for the crow’s nest. Red’s mild voice startled Sampford. “Ye cannae prote’ ‘er fere’er/”
“I know, but today I can protect her from her father.” He turned to Red and caught his nod of understanding.
The wheelman was impressed. The maps of the waters in this fjord that the girl had drawn were dead on. He soon had the other ship boxed into another cove. With the knowledge they had from the girl about the other ship, it was dead already, her Captain just didn’t know it yet.
The wheelman knew there were a few Norse like himself that didn’t really have a problem with Disa, but like himself, never spoke up or made it known. He decided it was high time he did, she’d proved she was useful, and no disaster had befallen the ship as the wives tales claimed. Her fight with Miggins had been pure beauty. It still amazed him that she’d taught herself mostly. Disa, he chuckled to himself, she sure was an active spirit all right. Even those who didn’t want her on ship marveled at her audacity in the rigging. His eyes drifted towards that same rigging and he nodded as he saw her scamper up to the crow’s nest.
Disa watched as the pirates boarded Judgment. She stared in shock as she watched the brutal fighting. She’d always known people can die from the business end of a sword, but she’d never actually seen it happen. She didn’t shy away from the brutalness of it all though, watching closely as she did in everything she was curious about. Suddenly in her observations, she saw a large number of men slip onto the Emerald Rose from her fadir’s ship. Those handful left to guard Emerald Rose were hard pressed to defend themselves.
Disa didn’t even stop to think, her home, her family, they were in trouble. She launched herself out of the crow’s nest much like she has the very first time she ever attempted the decent. As she reached the yardarm, she swung down on a rope and slide down, drawing her scimitar.
Her feet hit the deck and she drew her stiletto, rushing behind those fighting what was left of the crew on the Emerald Rose, she started swinging. She’d downed three before they even knew she was there. They weren’t dead, but they might as well be. She’d hamstrung them all on both legs, they’d never walk again. Then suddenly, one of her brothers loomed before her.
“Well, if it isn’t the Devil’s own whore.” His sneer and cruel words just pissed her off. “Fadir has put a bounty on your accursed head. If I kill you, I probably won’t get the bounty, but he just might give me command of one of his ships, and I’ll forever be the favored sonr.”
He watched as her eyes turned as cold as their North home weather in the deepest winter, and a smile came to her lips that caused him apprehension. “If, Bjorn, but then you never were good at fighting.”
With a cry of rage he swung on her. She was in her own rage as well; the only difference was she fought with clarity. Her Stranger-Teacher had told her to never fight in a rage, it clouded judgments. From that statement she took it as a challenge, and set out to learn to control hers and channel it into her fighting. It gave her the advantage of crystal clarity and it seemed that her brother moved slower.
Soon it was just the two of them left fighting. Their dance was pure deadly beauty. Each had scored hits here and there on the other, but neither could quite manage to get the killing blow in.
Sampford stared in horror at the fight, restrained by Red. “Nae Cap’n. Let her finish it, or the crew will never accept her.” Sampford understood his friend’s words, but his heart galloped in fear. She was supposed to be in the nest. SAFE!
Disa’s moves were fluid and never wasted. Her face held a cold fury for all to see. While her brother’s moves were becoming more wild in his rage at his inability to kill her. Finally the opening she’d been waiting for happened. She stepped into it, weapons crossed to touch her brother’s throat. She jerked both arms out, slicing it. She stared into his horror-filled, shocked eyes, and smiled coldly at him as the life faded from him. His lifeless body hit the deck with a loud thud.
A cry of grief stricken rage caused her to whirl, weapons ready. She saw her fadir being restrained by several of the Emerald Rose crew, and Sampford restrained by Red. She found the latter an odd sight. Finally having the chance to look around, she saw that there was no more fighting. She turned back to her brother’s lifeless body, and with no emotion on her face, she bent and cleaned her weapons on his corpse. That, of course, set her fadir off more.
“DEVIL’S WHORE!”
A loud slap rang out, and when Disa looked, she saw Sampford beating her fadir, all of his pent up fury and frustration plain on his face. The crew he commanded just watched, none were about to stop him.
Finally, when he’d just about beaten the man senseless, he stopped. He was breathing heavy, but now in a much better mood. “Transfer the cargo, anything you find, bring it aboard. We’re sinking the Grimmr Dớmr Tỉmi.” As one, the crew stared in surprise, but then hastened to do as he’d ordered.
Sampford sent Red to find longboats to put Judgment’s crew in. Leaving what was left of that crew and it’s Cap’n under guard. He approached Disa, and toed the corpse at their feet. “Who was he?”
She looked at the corpse and blinked, then looked to the Cap’n. “One of my brothers, Bjorn.” She shakes her head. “No, he wasn’t my brother, any more than that man over there is my fadir. Emerald Rose is now my family.”
Sampford had winced when she said who the corpse was. He then stared in wonder as she made her statement. “Always.”
She gave him a wan smile, and then sheathed her weapons. Grabbing the corpse, she drags it over to the growing pile to be tossed overboard. She next sets about helping the cleaning detail with the rest of the corpses. Sampford just watched and admired her fortitude.
Soon everything was transferred; loot to Emerald Rose, dead body’s to Judgment, survivors to long boats. Sampford stepped up and motioned for Disa to join him. “Translate.” He started speaking, his voice filled with loathing and disgust, while Disa translated in a completely emotionless voice. “You named your ship Cruel Judgment Time, Sir, and now it has come upon you. You are Judged for your cruel raising of Disa, and are found Guilty. You have lost your cargo, a son, and your ship to pay for your Crime.” Sampford matched glaring stares with Disa’s father as he ordered the sinking of the Judgment.
Before he could order the shoving off of the survivors to drift, Miggins stepped up and said something in Norse to the survivors, loud enough for everyone to hear. When he finished he walked off. Sampford ordered the long boats cast off and turned to see Disa staring after Miggins in surprise. “What did he say?”
“’Be warned. IssDreki now sails these waters, on the prowl to protect and avenge any woman or child wronged. She has no mercy.’”
“IssDreki?”
“Ice Dragon.” Sampford watches as Disa walks to the place she sits with Red most nights and lean against the railing to watch the Judgment sink.
***
Sampford soon learned the whole story of why Disa had been fighting her brother instead of safe up in the Crow’s Nest. “We shoul’ fin’ ta lass. I ‘aven’ seen ‘er since we lef’ ta sunk Judgment.” Red looked to Sampford, worry for the girl was plain on his face.
“Last I saw, she was at your nightly spot.” Red nodded as both headed in that direction. When they arrived, they found Disa shaking and a blank stare on her face. Both men hurried over to her quickly.
“Lass?”
“Disa?”
She started shaking violently at the sound of their voices, and her arms wrapped around herself tight as if to hold herself together. Her voice was just a whisper. “I killed him.”
The men looked at each other, the memories of their first kill in their eyes. “Let’s get her inside.” Sampford’s head jerked towards his cabin as he gathered the girl in his arms. Red quickly moved to get the door open, then entered the cabin after Sampford, and closed the door. “Find her some clean clothes in one of the chests.”
While Red busied himself finding clothes, Sampford undressed Disa. He then moved her closer to a barrel of water, and with a rag, started cleaning the blood off of her. He used the opportunity to also check to see how bad her injuries were. He was surprised to only find almost healed marks. Damn! She does heal fast.
Red soon arrived with clothes. “Pour her some whiskey, me too while you’re at it, and some for yourself.” Red grinned and soon returned with three whiskeys. The two men worked on getting the clean clothes on Disa.
Disa was practically catatonic during all this. She was aware of what the men did and heard all that was said in a vague far off kind of way. Her mind kept playing over and over the moment she’d killed Bjorn. The sensations that had gone with the killing seemed to happen again each time it played over in her mind. She started shaking more.
“Here, drink this.” Sampford held a glass of whiskey to her lips and she swallowed reflexively. He didn’t dare let her hold the glass just yet; she’d spill it, wasting good whiskey.
Disa coughed and sputtered at the first swallow, bringing her out of her current state abruptly. “What in Odin’s name is that?”
She heard Red chuckle as Sampford replied quietly. “Whiskey, drink some more.”
Disa looked at him like he’d lost his mind, but dutifully took the cup and drank it all at once. It burned going down, but she managed not to cough and choke on it this time. Sampford took the empty glass from her and handed it to Red, who went and quickly refilled it.
As Disa took the refilled cup, she looked at both men. “I killed him.”
Sampford and Red both nodded. “If ye ‘adnea lass, ‘e’da kilt ye instea’.”
Disa nodded. “I know.” She quickly drank the whiskey, which Red promptly took and refilled for her.
Sampford watched her as she took the third glass and drank it off. While he wanted her to get drunk enough to sleep with no bad dreams, he knew it was only a temporary fix. He needed to help her to, at the very least, come to grips with killing before she got too inebriated. He sipped his drink, and then spoke. “You know, anytime we go up against another ship, there will always be the chance you’ll kill someone. Just the chance of you knowing the person you kill will be practically non-existent.”
She looked at him sharply, then tossed off her fourth glass. She automatically held the glass out to Red. She gave a curt nod at Sampford. “I understand. I will --”
Sampford interrupted as he noticed her voice and expression grow cold. “Disa, stop. It is ok to be upset. This is the first time you’ve killed. It takes a bit to get used to the idea. It doesn’t get any easier. Well, for most anyway.” He paused as he reflected back on a few blood thirsty pirates and Navel sailors he’d known in the past. “If it ever does, then it’s time to hang up the weapons and find a deserted island somewhere.”
Disa cocked her head at him and her vision went funny with the move. She blinked a couple of times, and then looked frightened. “Wa’s happenin to me?” Her voice was a bit slurred and she started and looked wildly between the two men. Which, of course, caused not only her vision to act worse, but now she felt funny too.
Red chuckled, “relax lass, we’re jes’ getting’ ye drunk is all.”
Sampford smiled and shook his head at Red. “Tactful as ever there, Red.”
Red just shrugged as he handed Disa a refilled cup. “Well, we are.”
Sampford sighed. “Yes, we are.” Turning to Disa with a cheeky grin and a twinkle in his eye. “So drink up, dear. The three of us will drink to your first kill until we pass out. In the morn, Red and I will be hung over and surly as hell. And you, well come morn, we’ll know how well you handle whiskey. It’s your first time drinking, huh?” Disa nodded, Sampford and Red grinned, and the three of them got extremely drunk.