Open Wardrobes

"You will still let me live?" Dain ventured.
"All I care for is the map," Red said bluntly. "If you hand it over quickly, you may yet be fortunate enough to have me overlook this transgression."
"Aye, but Captain," Howl lamented, "'tis been so long since we be able to draw and quarter ourselves nice prisoner."
"And we be starved for some real amusement," Jat chimed in.
Dain looked to be considering this carefully, then suddenly asked, "Who is that?"
"I am Captain Lemuel Drake," Lemuel said stiffly as he picked himself up from the dust, "and I am in a position little better than yours."
"What have we done to you that you must hunt us all so?" Dain demanded.
"You withhold that which is mine," Red said, "and you are being given now your last opportunity to yield it up without great pain."
"Yes, yes, I understand," Dain said, more bent and less proud. "This way then."
"Not so fast," Red snapped. "You will tell us where it is first."
"Word came of your hunt," Dain explained, "which is how this map came to me, but a short time ago."
"That much we are aware of."
"That is why I set such a trap," Dain continued, "and to further protect the map I did not attempt to hide it in my own dwelling, but rather have buried it just outside the town in a place only I know." Red looked at him with a skeptic's eyes. "It is the truth!" Dain insisted. "And it is in an open place, there shall be nowhere for any assassins to hide, if I even had more such men. They were good men," he added.
"Who chose a poor master," Red said and prodded him with her pistol, Kelt having now bound Dain's hands.
"Come then," Dain said and led them from the alley and out of the town. He brought them to the base of a tall tree surrounded by many rocks. Dain spent several minutes examining the rocks carefully until he found the one he was looking for.
"Beneath here," he told Red, "buried in an iron box."
Red nodded and Jat and Kelt set to work. It was a large rock that clearly had needed two men to push it into place. Jat and Kelt with some efforts moved it aside and Red saw underneath signs of recent digging.
"It is not deep," Dain added as the two pirates scraped at the dirt.
Soon, as she dug with the butt on her pistol, Jat struck metal. With Kelt's help she extracted the metal box and opened it. Red withdrew the parchment inside and examined it eagerly.
"It is the map," she said at last. Carefully, she folded it and hid it deep within her coat.
Jat grinned as she wiped the dirt from her hands. "Then it be done!" she exclaimed.
"Aye, well done indeed, Captain," Howl agreed. "Worth, I think, a shot of lead to the shoulder."
"You have what you came for," Dain said, a hint of his former bravado returning. "I assume our deal remains?"
Red laughed. "If by that you mean the island in exchange, most certainly not! You have sought to betray us and as such I do not consider that agreement binding."
"And my life?" Dain asked between gritted teeth.
"Of that I still have to decide."
"Might I still put in a vote for drawin' and quartertin'?" Howl inquired.
"I have given you what you asked," Dain insisted, "and in so doing have betrayed my kingdom. Can you blame me for the attempt?"
"It is what I myself would have one," Red agreed, "but that does not alter the fact you attempted to assassinate the King of the Islands in our own lawful realm. Did you think that would escape punishment?"
Dain pleaded no more and allowed Kelt to lead him back into town. The others followed as they made their return to Dain's residence.
"I trust I have better abided by our agreement?" Lemuel asked Red as they walked.
"Indeed you have, Lemuel Drake. You have served the pirates with great distinction," Red told him and was glad that Dain Melthew should hear of it.
Lemuel scowled. "I have been brought low enough as it is without further mockery."
"And yet your sense of humor has not improved," Red noted.
"Simply say whether I have my freedom or no."
"You shall," Red said, "once we have finished dealing with this one. Then stay or go as you like."
"Aye," Jat added, "and I be hopin' ye enjoy the catching of fish." She and Howl had a long laugh at that and Red could not fully suppress her own smile.
When they reached Dain's house again Jat and Kelt search it for any further items of value, but found nothing save a small purse of coins.
"Consider your life a gift," Red told Dain. "You shall not suffer the punishments my folk would dearly love to visit upon you. You shall, however, be delivered into the care of the harbormaster and stand five days in the stocks. Your home and belongings are forfeit to our kingdom."
"And I suppose you ask thanks for such a gift?" Dain sneered.
"I do not expect it, no, though if you value your life I would think such light punishment deserved thanks." She turned to Lemuel. "As for you, Captain Drake, you have fulfilled the terms of our bargain and I release you." And so Red unlocked Lemuel's chains. "Be reminder, however, of further oaths you have sworn for I have no doubt they shall come to their conclusion in one way or another."
"So it would seem," Lemuel said.
"You have been given the gift of life twice by my hand, and that is the limit of my mercy," Red continued.
"I understand perfectly the situation," Lemuel said testily. "But I might remind you of your promise today, should I join this party."
"I have not forgotten," Red said. "Howl, you and Kelt may take the prisoner to the harbormaster and see his punishment fulfilled. Jat and I shall meet you on the Arrow in a short while."
"Aye, Captain," Howl said and with Kelt's help dragged Dain from his home and onto his just rewards.
Red sat next to Dain's table and laid out the second half of the map. "You may peruse it as you wish," she told Lemuel.
Jat stood by as he did so, not taking her eyes from Lemuel for a moment, certain he still had some treachery left in him. But if he did, Lemuel made no sign of it. He studied the map carefully until he handed it back to Red, satisfied.
"I cannot argue that you have kept to your word," Lemuel told her, "but now I ask one thing more."
"Which would be?"
"Release me from my oath to seek your death," he pleaded.
"Because you believe me to be someone else," she said.
"I still believe it to be," Lemuel confirmed, "and though all the years have passed between us I would not be made to do such a thing."
Red's demeanor grew cold. She could not comprehend what device this might possibly be. It seems only possible that he truly believed all he said, but it was not a truth Red was prepared to accept.
"I shall not release you," she told him and she returned the map to its hiding place, "and I look forward to facing you for the third and final time." With that Red left the house and strode towards her ship.
Jat remained a moment longer to add, "That be if I do not be findin' ye first." And she joined her captain. And so they left Lemuel alone. Heremained sitting where he was for awhile yet, unsure of his next direction.
Red and Jat made their way quickly back to the Arrow and there met Howl. In Red's cabin she rummaged around and drew out the first half of the map. Seated around Red's table the three of them put the two halves together.

*****

In his tower the Sorcerer lay deep in thought. He had listened to Howl's meeting with Red Foxx and knew now that the pirate captain was but an inch away from reclaiming the map. He had underestimated the Foxx's cunning. She had figured out the mark far more quickly than he ever could have guessed. Fortunately she had not thought of the possibility that Howl Matton might have one until it was too late.