Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Pirates …Ah Pirates!

“You got any interesting stories, Captain?” It had been two day since they had set off on their journey and Braydon was starting to get bored. The ocean was beautiful, yes, but that was contingent on not having it as almost the only scenery at all times. The only thing that made for a different view was that they were still in sight of the coast. Passing by the Brimstones by ship made for an impressive view yesterday but that was yesterday, they had passed the mountain range and it was merely a view in the distance now.

“Stories, ey? Not many of my own, but there are always rumours circulating among the sailors and merchants, keeps ‘em sane on long trips. What'd you like, pirates or exotic places?” Braydon had guessed as much. The man had a sailor’s mannerisms but that was about all the connection he had with an interesting life. Being the captain of a noble’s private ship was not a recipe for great tales of adventure. Though the man sure did love being called Captain, that was all he had been introduced as; and by the crew’s admission, none of them knew his actual name.

“Pirates. We don’t hear much of them around Fiveria?” Braydon had more of an interest in the ways of pirates then the amazing places people had been. That sounded more like something that would interest Mireille and she was back in Cliforge, probably still sulking that she did not get to come. Or not. Braydon found her thoughts to be an enigma.

“Well that is because it is not worth the trouble. Fiveria is not as rich as it once was and the southern Dukes boast powerful navies. Ryder alone has a navy that would rival the entirety of Shuluk before their civil war, Duke Burn’s is not quite as big but it’s nothing to sneeze at. Most pirates these days are in the northern ocean, valuable trade up there. But a story about pirates, huh. How about the most successful pirate in the southern sea? He’s long dead now, though.” He noticed that Captain had a tendency to ramble on but the things he said were still somewhat useful pieces of information. At least pirates would not interfere with his trade, though he could not say the same of noble sanctioned ‘pirates’.

“Well, he was known as Anas the Exiled, a true scourge of the seas. He made his name during the great war between the western coalition and the old Barakhil Empire, raiding what merchant ships there were and pillaging the coast of both sides as he saw fit.” Just the basic introduction had Braydon impressed. With such fame, he was sure that those gossiping nobles long knew and had grown tired of his story.

“Some say that he was the captain of a navy ship of the Barakhil, others that he was a ruined merchant from Ciai. Still some say that he was a self-made man who grew bored of his life in the small Fiverian city of Kilwith, better known now as the port city of Kilwed. But one thing is for sure, he was welcome nowhere.” Captain’s story continued at a slow pace, Braydon didn’t mind. He was just glad that there was something to do to while away the time. ‘Wait, isn’t Kilwed the largest city after the Boshil? That’s Duke Ryder’s main city.’

“Indeed it is the same Kilwed that you likely thought of. Trade picked up after the coalition war, and tales of Anas’s treasures being left in his hometown emerged soon after the war. He was never caught and all the treasures he stole disappeared with him. Many people moved to the areas that he was rumoured to live. With the exception of Ciai, for obvious reasons. It is widely thought that his treasure trove is somewhere on the petty kingdoms’ coast.” Braydon thought that it was all well and good, but how much had the man stolen to get such great interest in his wealth. He was only one man, even if he had a ship and a  crew behind him.

“And the frenzy was not without reason. It was rumoured that during the course of the war that he raided no small number of navy ships, by picking off scouts or attacking leftovers from battle. On one such trip, he managed to strike the jackpot. He successfully pulled off a raid on the almost destroyed flagship of the Fiverian navy, after a particularly nasty battle that almost saw the entire of Fiveria’s navy sunk. The King at the time, Aeleth III, had been on the ship.” The story left Braydon very impressed, he knew of that battle very well. It was taught by his tutors in his youth as an example of a horrendous defeat, after all. Had it not been for the other kingdoms in the coalition, Fiveria would likely have been conquered after that.

“It is not known if the King had spoken with Anas, but it was known that the original crown of Aeleth I, the founder of Fiveria, did not return with him. It is speculated that the crown is among Anas’s other plundered treasures. Such an item would gain a small fortune at the very least.” That was an enticing proposition, Braydon agreed; but without any concrete knowledge on where the man lived or stored his treasures, finding the crown was a pipe dream.

“And did anybody ever find it?” Braydon could not help but ask. It had been a long time since then, centuries in fact. If somebody was going to strike it lucky then that would already have happened. Otherwise, it would take more clues than rumours to find the original crown.

“Of course they didn’t. There would be no fun in passing the story down otherwise. Though before it collapsed, the Ciai emperor did officially deny that Anas was from Ciai. Never believe something until it has been officially denied, that’s what I say.” Captain finished his ramblings with an unusual take on believing what he was told.

“Well, I best get back to actually doing my job, before the first mate comes by and kicks my ass.” As Captain went to go and do whatever work a captain does he stopped and looked out to the ocean.

“Get a lookout to check the colours on that ship.” A Ship was coming over the horizon, in their direction. As a lookout scrambled to the highest point on the ship, Captain took position at the helm in case of emergency.

“...Ah Pirates!”