Open Wardrobes

Lemuel and Ton Flint reached for their pistols as the door flew open. Michaels gave a cry and bolted for the door. He fell back when he saw the two pirates and lay whimpering on the ground. Red held his pistol level with Lemuel's head and Lemuel and Flint froze, their own pistols barely removed from their belts.
Hugh most of all seemed to keep his head. "And to whom do I have the honor of addressing?" he asked in a voice more calm than he felt.
Red addressed himself to Lemuel. "I understand you are Lemuel Drake, son of Admiral Drake?"
"I am," Lemuel replied and wondered how much the pirates had heard.
"Am I correct to further understand that you are not in command of what remains of the Ruined fleet?"
"You are. Now, what business do you have for us? Have we broken any of your laws?"
Jat laughed unkindly. "Ye hardly need do so. We need no reason to make a visit."
"We are simply passing through," Lemuel stated, "and are on no errand of war. Or is this no longer a free port?"
"The port is free, but harboring a fugitive from the crown will not go unpunished," Red said bluntly. Michaels made little more than a sound.
"That man has done nothing wrong," Lemuel contested, "and I will vouch for him."
"This is no business of yours, Captain Drake," Red said coldly. "I give you and your mate leave to return to your ship and leave us to take care of this matter."
"Captain!" Jat exclaimed. "Did ye not hear who this is?"
Red gave Jat a glance that returned him to silence. Lemuel stood slowly.
"Our host asked you a question which I would know myself," he said to Red. "Who is it that the young whelp of a Foxx sends to us to do his dirty business?"
A cool and simmering rage filled Red's face and he took a step closer to Lemuel, keeping his pistol aimed at the young man's heart.
"I am Captain Red Foxx, lord of the Islands," he hissed. "And if you do not wish to so quickly join your father you will stand aside."
Surprise gave way to fury in Lemuel's eyes. "Then you should know, Captain Foxx, that you are one I swore upon my father's grave to see dead."
Red's lip curled up in amusement. "How strange, seeing as I made my own father such a promise regarding your own person. But here is not the time or place for such a feud. I gave you leave to return to ship and I hold to it. Their pistols, Jat."
Jat nodded and took the one Flint reluctantly offered. He reached then for Lemuel's but Lemuel did not move.
"You would be wise to obey," Red warned. "I would rather face you in battle upon the sea, but my oath can be fulfilled here and now."
Lemuel handed over the pistol and Red motioned for him to be seated again.
"Your name?" Red demanded of Hugh.
"Hugh Trant, your lordship," the trader answered.
"I shall not hold you accountable for the actions of this... man," Red said, eyeing the disgraceful heap at his feet, "if you relinquish him to us without incident."
"Understood, Captain."
"You can't!" Michaels whined. "They'll kill me!"
"Not unless you prove uncooperative," Red said. Red took one of the pistols from Jat and stashed it in his belt. Jat did the same and heaved the sniveling Michaels to his feet.
"You should know, Captain Foxx," Lemuel said, "that we too know of the map, and the name of with whom the second half now resides." Red's flint-like eyes narrowed and bored into Lemuel. "I shall find it," Lemuel promised, "and we shall see then if you find yourself more in a mood to negotiate."
"Ye have no reason not to kill him now!" Jat whispered fiercely. "Have done with it!"
Lemuel overheard. "Is this the way of the island-folk now? To kill in cold blood?"
"I advise you to heed my advice," Red said, his pistol a few inches from Lemuel's face, "or else I shall let Jat have his way. If you are not on your own vessel within the hour my men shall be waiting."
Lemuel prepared to make another retort when Michaels seized the pistol from Jat's belt and made again for the door. He had not gone half a dozen paces before falling on his face, Jat's bullet in his back. Flint jumped to his feet, but Jat swung his pistol towards him, the second barrel ready.
Red couldn't help but watch Michael's eyes as at first they struggled for life, then faded.
"Any of ye other land lubbers care to try?" Jat said.
"You may as well shoot now," Lemuel told Red. "When out positions are reversed do not expect any similar mercy from me."
"You can be assured that I certainly will not," Red said. "Which is perhaps why our kingdom thrives while yours exists only to feed the wild birds."
Red turned to go, as Jat covered their retreat.
"I do not care about the Heart," Lemuel said to Red's back.
"Then you are a fool," Red told him.
"Strange, you are not the first to say so," Lemuel mused, "but I tell you this: since fate has taken away my chance to end your father's life, I shall revenge myself upon yours instead."
"And what I have done to earn such enmity?"
The image of the girl in the white dress floating facedown in the water flashed in Lemuel's mind.
"I have lost more than my kingdom thanks to your father, and I shall be avenged."
Red laughed. "Save your stories for your own people. Whatever hand dealt you such a blow I do not know, but I do not weep for it."
They locked eyes and Red's did not waver.
"I shall heed your request this once," Lemuel said to Red at last. "We shall return at once and set sail. I learned, after all, all that I came for." Lemuel stood and Flint followed. Red stepped back to let them pass, Jat more reluctantly so. Lemuel led Flint out of Hugh's shack and down the road, stopping only for a moment to look back at the infamous Red Foxx. Tall and thin, with his long red hair pulled back in the pirate fashion, Red stared after him with cool gray eyes. Lemuel vowed to remember that look.
As Lemuel and Flint disappeared into the darkness Red cast a look back through the open door.
"A pleasure to have met you, Captain," Hugh ventured. "I trust you heard all you needed to know?"
Red turned and went. Jat spat into the ground and left. Hugh closed his door and prayed he had seen the last of any visitors that night.
"Why'd ye let them go?" Jat demanded and they walked through the drunken streets towards the ship. "'Twas Captain Drake himself!"
Red moved on in silence, not entirely sure of the answer himself. Now Drake too had caught the map's trail and should he track it down first it would make things difficult. But sure as he had known to draw that day when he and his father found the first half, he had known to stay his hand tonight.
"I do not think my father would have wanted it this way," Red answered simply.
"He'll know better than we where to find this Ward Brawn."