Open Wardrobes

Only about another 1000 words today as I spent the evening learning about the steamroller that is city government. But nonetheless, here it is:




"That much, Jat, I am counting on."
Red and Jat returned the harbor, but not yet to the Arrow. Ships filled the bay, the harbor was nearly at capacity, as seasoned seafarers Red and Jat recognized many of them by the shape of their hulls and nothing more. And so they sat in the shadows searching for Drake's vessel, the silence broken only by the recognition of one ship or another.
"Aye, that's the Falcon, that one is, haven't seen her in an age," Jat would comment, followed by Red saying,
"And there, next to it, the Commodore. One of the Admiral's, but a trading vessel, that will not be Drake's."
In this manner, even in the deep dark, they scanned each vessel in turn until they found it. Red led them closer, near to the door where it lay moored. A few lights had been hung on deck, just enough for sailors to see there way by, and under this illumination, standing at the fore of the ship, Lemuel Drake stood on deck. Behind him the crew was making ready for a quiet departure. He clearly intended to heed Red's warning all too well and vanish in the dead of night.
Having gained this intelligence Red and sought out the Sea Wolf, Howl's ship, and climbed on board. Thankfully by this time even Howl had turned in, and though a little worse for the wear from the day's celebrations he greeted Red warmly.
"Aye now, it be much to ask a man to stand upright after a day such as this," Howl said to Red, "but it be a pleasure to welcome ye on board, Captain. What can I be doin' for ye here at this time of night?"
"We have news, Howl," Red informed him. "Through a fortunate chance we discovered the one we sought here in Harbarrow, Quince Michaels."
"Not so fortunate for him," Jat put in."
"Did he have it?" Howl asked eagerly.
"No, but he gave the name of the one who does."
"Then this be an easier hunt than I thought," Howl grinned.
"There is more," Red said. "We encountered none other than Captain Lemuel Drake, who has taken command of his fleet on his own father's death. He too now knows of the map and is even now readying to search for the man who has it."
"Ye'll be settin' out after him, I take it?" Howl asked.
"Indeed. It would be none too subtle for all the fleet to follow him, but I would have you join us."
"With pleasure, Captain."
"Michaels did not know where to find this man, Ward Brawn, the very name I gave you," Red continued, "and no doubt he is deep in hiding. But it is my hope that Captain Drake shall sniff him out for us."
"Now this be a plan to my likin'!" Howl exclaimed. "We can be under way in less than an hour, Captain, and shall follow ye where ye go."
"Thank you, Howl," Red said. "We shall leave the rest of the fleet to their errands. It may be that the other name we seek have news we can use, or this Lord Brawn may attempt to pass the map along, as Michaels did, once he catches wind of our hunt. On the seas, Captain Matton."
"On the seas, Captain Foxx," Howl echoed. "And thank ye, Captain. I shall miss yer father much, but I be proud to sail at yer side."
"The honor is mine," Red Foxx said, and he and Jat disembarked to make for their own ship. Jat had the crew aroused and set to work in short order. Some grumbled at the late hour, but Jat was never one to cross when time was of the essence.
Several spies had been sent out to learn the moment Drake's ship, the Savage, hauled anchor. It drifted silently at first, catching just the whiff of a breeze to propel it towards the open sea. Red Foxx smiled to himself as he watched it, a shadow on shadows, slowly move away from the docks. If he had thought to so easily escape their eye... They were pirates, and none knew better than they how to track any vessel that bore sail. They cast themselves adrift once they given the Savage enough distance. The Savage would be watching for following vessels, but the Black Arrow had the good fortune that the moon lay out to sea and would highlight their quarry more than it would their own ship. The Savage rounded the rocks which formed the outline of the bay as the Arrow loosed its own anchors. The Sea Wolf was to follow at a similar interval and Red hoped in this way to avoid notice as long as possible. Keeping as great a distance between them and the Savage as possible, they sailed thus through the night. Red and Jat remained awake. Once they had determined the Savage's initial course they plotted it out to see what possible islands lay along this path.
"There's the Island of Montegal, of course," Jat said, "less than a day's sail from Harbarrow. A man might hide there quite well and for some time and still catch news as need be. Past that I'd say the Fortunate Isle be the next likely place, always assuming this be the straight course to their destination."
"If they yet know it themselves," Red pointed out. "I suspect they are only making for someplace they hope to catch word of Lord Brawn. Where they go from there..."
And so they spent the night, pouring over maps and possibilities until the sun reemerged. The Savage remained but a small mark on the horizon ahead, with the Sea Wolf the same on the horizon far behind. Back at Harbarrow the rest of the fleet would wonder at Red Foxx's sudden disappearance, but they would hold to the errands assigned to them nonetheless. Others, like Howl, had been tasked with hunting down Lord Ward Brawn, and it was not impossible that they would find him before either Red or Captain Drake did. Privately Red hoped that it would be he and Drake to catch the trail first. He did not mind having an enemy so close upon it so long as he was the one who gained the prize.