| Chapter Six A skinny pirate pulled the Queen gruffly into the boat. Little Bear jumped out beside her and a few pirates eyed him cautiously. Her royalty wasn’t acknowledged on the pirate’s ship. Come to think of it, neither was her gender. “Thank you,” she said straightening her leather waist coat with a disapproving look. A large and burly sea rouge came up to her and clapped her on the back. “Arr,” he said in pirate lure, “’ello ‘Annah’ 'ow’re you?” It took her a few moments before she could regain her breath to talk. “Great, Barry,” she said weakly. “Aye, that’s the spirit!” He smiled a large and toothy grin. “How are you?” She asked, “Good, oh good, we’ve got a mighty bounty,” he whispered confidentially. “Have you now?” She asked innocently. “Yes, there was this Japanese-” but Barry never finished got to finish what he was saying. “Tsk, Tsk, Hannah‘! Stealing information form your lesser acquaintances again I see!” said a man across the deck. “Hello Dylan,” she said stiffly, instantly throwing her chin in the air. “If I’ve told you once, Miss Hannah’ I’ve told you before. I don’t discuss my personal business with you and you don’t discuss yours with me. Now, what can I do for you, Miss Hannah’?” “At this moment in time our personal matters are one in the same. Without our colonies you cannot survive,” she said hotly, “Now, you can either help or you can stand by watching your own lives crumble along with ours.” “By this I assume you mean Russia’s measly attacks. Please, come into my office,” said the pirate captain motioning for her to follow. He spoke without a trace of the stereotypical pirate accent. In fact, strictly determining by the way he spoke, one would say he was very well educated. “Bye!” cried Barry, “Be nice to ‘er Cap’n or I may have to come over there.” The ship roared into laughter again and one pirate with a missing leg and arm fell off the side of the boat, his laughter continued until he splashed into the water. Dylan led her and Little Bear to a small room furnished beautifully by what Hannah fancied to be stolen property from the Japanese trade ships. “Now,” said Dylan sitting down behind his desk, his black eyes seemed to bore into her head. Hannahoko followed suit and sat down on a chair with a red cushion, her brown and sliver hair fell around her shoulders. “Dylan,” Hannahoko began, “our former allies, the Russians, have attacked us several times. I believe they will resign a peace treaty with us, but too much damage has already been done. Cold weather is coming and I don’t know if we will survive it, not all of us at least..” “And what do you want from me? There is such a veil of stupidity around you that you can’t see two steps in front of you. Do you honestly believe you can trust Russia again? How did you ever become a Queen? Are you sure you’re in the right line of work? You are far too trusting. Even now I could slit your throat and no one would be the wiser. How many people know you’re here?” He smiled darkly. “Enough know,” said the queen, “do anything to me and Little Bear will leave you badly deformed, if you even live.” Little Bear growled softly at her side. “Hannah’ I’m not going to hurt you, but Russia will. Whatever you do, don't give them your trust again, I say this as a friend. Russia is not the only evil that is against you, there is another evil far, far worse.” “Dylan, what are you talking about? How do you know this?” “Miss Hannah’, how naive you are. You don’t honestly believe pirating is my only skill? My abilities stretch farther than simple thievery. I am the king of thieves, the prince of deception, and the duke of stealth.” “Witty...And how did you come to such a power of hierarchy?” Hannahoko mocked. “My dear Miss Hannah’,” he replied, “In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.” “Dylan, tell me what you know,” Hannahoko’s eyes narrowed. “And I in return?” he asked calmly. “Name your cost.“ |