19. An Easy Job

19. An Easy Job

Early afternoon on the second day, the crew spotted the perfect vessel. A shallow leisure-barge drew away from the coast towards the sandbar close by the headland. Hakan and the others watched through spyglasses (he was beyond grateful to be reunited with such modern conveniences in Loula and Ozzo's dhow) as it headed towards the pretty, white cliffs that were a common spot for sight-seeing.

And the perfect spot for pirates to loiter.

The barge got larger and closer over the next hour. Emancipation remained hidden at the bottom of the cliff until the barge was too far from the coast for flight to be successful. Then, they pounced, skirting quickly around the more cumbersome barge so it was trapped between them and the cliffs.

A grappling hook held the two vessels close. Hakan and Ozzo scrambled onto the barge while Loula held a bow to dissuade their victims from attempting anything heroic.

They all appeared too surprised to be heroes. The two crew simply cowered – perhaps they'd encountered pirates before – while the passengers (three youths who were almost certainly old enough to know better) seemed dumbfounded to be boarded.

Ozzo and Hakan both drew blades, gesturing at the young men who raised their hands in almost comical unison. "We'll take your valuables and no one will get hurt," Hakan told them.

One of the men stepped forward, arms raised in surrender, which rather undermined his declaration, "You won't get away with this."

Hakan raised a brow. "I don't think you'll be stopping us."

The young man's face worked with contained fury. "Do you know who I am?"

"Not a clue," Hakan returned glibly, partly because it was true but mostly because he knew it would infuriate the silly peacock. "Come along, your valuables and any money you have about your persons."

The other two youths began to comply and Hakan stepped forward to take their rings and necklaces, leaving Ozzo and the argumentative peacock facing each other. He was confident Ozzo could manage him.

"Come along," Ozzo drawled. "I'd hate to mess up your pretty face, but I'll do it if I must." He gestured with his sword, "I can see a silver pendant and three rings at just a glance. Hand them over, or things will get unpleasant for you."

Glaring as though he'd like to kill Ozzo, the peacock removed the chain around his neck and handed it over. Ozzo pocketed it and gestured with the sword, "And the rest."

The peacock blinked in shock. "Don't you know what that's worth?" He gestured to indicate the chain and pendant he'd just handed over.

"I'll get it valued at a later date," Ozzo said, "Along with everything else you're about to give me."

Hakan had taken everything the other two had. He could have intervened, but Ozzo was handling it all beautifully – and providing excellent entertainment into the bargain.

"You can't mean to take everything I have," the peacock protested.

Ozzo looked him insolently up and down. "I'm in a good mood. You can keep your clothes."

Peacock sputtered, then scowled. "You're a despicable lout." He pushed a ring at Ozzo.

Who simply grinned. "I've been called worse."

"Take it, then!" He pushed two more rings into Ozzo's hand.

His crewmate grinned as he stowed the booty. He gave the peacock a considering look and Hakan could almost predict the action before it happened.

"There's just one more thing I think I'll take." Ozzo stretched out almost lazily and grabbed the indignant peacock by his shirt, hauling him close. "This," he declared, before covering the youth's mouth with a kiss.

Hakan shook his head. By then, Ozzo was done with the peacock, stepping back with a grin as he pocketed the coins he'd taken from the other man's pocket while they'd been kissing.

Hakan swung back into the dhow.

The peacock sputtered, fists tight, stepping forward but not actually trying to follow. "I'll have my revenge!"

Ozzo grinned. "Sure you will, sweet thing." He gave a wink, then followed Hakan, jumping onto Emancipation and pushing the barge into the waves so they'd struggle to follow.

"I'll find you!" Peacock called.

Ozzo gave a second wink, flicking one of the coins he'd just acquired into the air and catching it. "You're welcome to try."

They sailed rapidly away, Loula catching the wind just right while the crew of the barge struggled with its unwieldy mass.

Ozzo laughed triumphantly.

Loula gave an indulgent smile. "It's like watching you in miniature," she told Hakan.

Ozzo threw a ring so it struck her temple. It should have clattered to the deck, but Loula snatched it before it could fall. She pocketed the prize, her gaze on the barge. "We could have taken them as slaves," she grumbled, watching the barge fall away behind them. "Or hostages. I'm sure we'd have got more than one ransom payment, whoever they were."

"Nah." Ozzo focused on his work as he replied. "Would take too long to get them to Mosbahl or negotiate ransoms when we need to get our esteemed captain to the Three Sisters for new moon."

Ozzo was focusing on the practicalities, but Hakan wouldn't hide behind that. He intended a big change, and his crewmates deserved to hear it openly from him.

"I'm not interested in slaving raids. Not any more." Hakan chewed at his moustache as he waited for Ozzo and Loula's reactions.

His two crewmates once more shared a glance before turning to him. Their time in captivity had clearly been quite the bonding experience. "Because of what happened between you and the sultan?" Ozzo ventured.

"No. Not because of that." Tension tightened his chest and he took a deep breath. Echoing in his memory, he could hear what were almost Ramorran's first words to him: I hate thieves, and I loathe slavers. Another breath and he was able to answer almost normally. "Ramorran finds slaving repellent, so I won't make a living that way any more."

Ozzo blew out a breath. "We'll be cutting off a lot of opportunities."

Loula rumbled a considering growl in the back of her throat. "Plenty else we can do. And the tide's turning on the matter of indentures. It's going to be much harder to take slaves in Sudharain, and that will probably spill up and down the coast." She lifted a shoulder. "I don't fancy going all the way to the other side of the Sundering Sea just to take on a hold full of bolshie Exiles."

Ozzo looked from her to Hakan and back. He gave a shrug. "Majority rules. I won't sulk."

"Come on, Ozzo," Loula fixed him with a stare.

Thirty seconds and he caved, "Fine, fine. I agree. Not sure I'm keen to enslave people now I've seen it from the other side, either. That makes it unanimous."

"Excellent." Loula beamed. "I do like it when we're of one mind."

Ozzo huffed.

Hakan chuckled. "You do realise that intimidating someone into agreeing with you doesn't mean you're of one mind?"

"Nonsense. Ozzo could argue if he wanted to," Loula replied. "He's not half as weedy as he makes out."

"Hey!"

Hakan guffawed, turning away to hide the gesture. It felt just like old times. And he hoped they wouldn't collide too painfully with new changes when he reconnected with Ramorran. So long as he did reconnect with Ramorran.

"Think we've time for one more raid before we have to get you to lover boy," Loula said. "Shall we head more westerly tomorrow?"

"Yes." One thing at a time, Hakan told himself. This was his time to cement relationships with his old crew. At new moon he'd deal with whatever happened with Ramorran, even if that was waving the man a cheerful goodbye as he returned to his people and his family.

Hakan chewed at his moustache. There was no way he'd wave Ramorran away without a second thought. Not now. Still, he was a pirate; he'd find a way to get what he wanted, whatever it took.