“If you don’t move you’re getting left behind Evie, come on!”
Jem grabbed both women by the hand and dragged them along behind him, weaving through the maze that was Tretis’ artisan’s district. The clatter of boots behind told him the guards were still following him, and he cursed rapidly in Old Croft under his breath. Eva giggled, and Lineel scoffed.
“Language!”
“Lineel, this is not the time!”
After pulling them into the bustling main market square he paused for a moment, looking around wildly to get his bearings. “Evie, where’s Berit’s place?”
“Next square over, Monkey Face, I told you that already.”
“Then let’s move it!”
He let go of them and set off, trusting that at least his wife would follow him, if not his captain. Gaining the alley he chanced a glance over his shoulder, and saw that both were indeed hot on his heels. Throwing out a hand to catch the post, he threw himself around the corner into the square, and up the first flight of stairs he came across. It wasn’t until he was on the upper level that he realised he was on the wrong side of the square, and the guards were closing in.
“Uh, ladies….we’re taking the scenic route.”
“This is why you don’t get to lead very often, Tamarn!”
Jem stepped back and waved Eva on. “After you.”
She rolled her eyes at him, and pushed past, grabbing the edge and pulling herself up on to the roof. Jem gave Lineel a foot up, and then climbed up himself. Eva was already skipping across the gable, grin slapped across her face.
“Just like the good old days!”
The older woman rolled her eyes at her husband, and set off after their captain. Jem spared one last glance down at the guards arguing below as to how they intended to get on to the roof, and moved off. The tiles were hot on his bare feet, he having lost his boots when attempting to save Eva from the merchant she had ripped off. ‘One day she’ll get over that…’
Up ahead Eva slowed, peering over the edge of the buildings as she gained the far side of the square. Eventually she spotted the window she had been looking for, and squatted down on the edge of the roof. “I think he’s in, Jem.”
“You gonna check?”
“If you’d be so kind.”
Lineel shot them both a confused look, shrugging as Jem knelt down next to his captain, taking the hat she passed him and handing it to his wife. “Wear this a moment babe.” He took hold of Eva’s booted ankles, and shot her a stern look. “No swinging, that’s how you nearly landed on your head last time! Might knock some sense into you right enough…”
“Let’s just get on with this Tamarn.”
Berit looked up, puzzled, as a shadow fell across the table he was counting coins on. He looked to the window, and found his baby sister upside down, waving at him. “What the…”
“Hi Berit. Can we come in?”
“We?”
“Jem and Lineel are here too.”
“What are you doing on my roof?”
“Jem got a bit lost, and there were guards on our tail, so roof was the best option.”
He stared at her for a moment, and sighed. “I shouldn’t be surprised.”
Eva smiled, and put a hand to her head. “Can you get me down? Blood’s going to my head, I’m getting a bit woozy.”
The pirate sighed, and dragged himself to his feet. Moving to the window, he grabbed Eva’s forearms, then stuck his head out, looking up at Jem’s grinning silhouette. “I’ve got her.”
“You sure?”
“She falls, you gonna cry about it?”
“Not really.”
“Hey!”
They both laughed, and Jem let go of her ankles. She swung down, only just managing to get her feet on the sill, falling back into Berit’s arms. He helped her down, and she threw her arms around his neck. “How’s it going, big bro?”
“Same old.” He stuck his head back out of the window, and pointed to Jem’s right. “There’s a trapdoor about three paces over, if you don’t fancy repeating Trouble’s trick.”
“Cheers.”
He turned back to the table and found Eva slumped in his chair, fiddling with a coin, his tankard in her hand. “Make yourself at home why don’t you.” He moved past her to a cabinet on the wall, pulling out more bottles as Jem and Lineel appeared from the next room. He shook the former’s hand, and planted a kiss on the latter’s cheek, before handing them a bottle each. “What are you still doing following that nutter about?”
“Y’know, I don’t know either.”
“Oh shut it Monkey Face.”
Berit let out a gruff chuckle, and took a seat opposite Eva, taking the coin out of her hand. She glared at him for a second, then looked away. Jem and Lineel perched on the edge of a low cabinet near the door, the woman resting her head on her husband’s shoulder, bottle untouched. He kissed her head, and took a mouthful of his ale. Berit looked across at Eva, a scowl on his face.
“You lose the guards?”
“I think so.”
He took a deep breath, rubbing a hand over his eyes. “So who did you piss off this time? Folks round here don’t set the guard on you without very good reason.”
“That why you set up base here?”
“Just answer the question.”
She sighed herself, draining the tankard and smacking it on the table. “Some jackass merchant who doubled his price between us settling the deal and me finishing loading the ship. I told him I wasn’t paying the extra, and he said he knew who I was, and if I didn’t want the guard on me, I’d pay. And you know that’s never worked on me, so I told him so. And he called the guards.” She shrugged, then looked over at Jem. “Guess that’s another country off the list.”
“Which leaves…the three on Selan-shur. You carry on like this Evie, we’re not going to be safe anywhere!”
“Oh quit your whining, this way life’s more fun.”
“For you maybe, I’m the one cleaning up the mess all the time.”
Lineel nodded. “He’s right, Evie, maybe we should calm it a little, Shan’brasik’s already attempting to set the entire continent on us, no point in helping him along.”
Eva waved a hand, getting to her feet and moving over to the hammock Berit had tied up between two pillars. She flopped down, and closed her eyes. Jem laughed.
“Guess that’s that conversation over then.”
Berit grinned. “I’m guessing you weren’t here just to hide out?”
The mate grinned back, sun shining off his tooth gem. “Got a favour to ask…”
“Ok, if you just try and relax, hopefully this won’t hurt too much.”
Jem rolled his eyes at the young man holding the needle poised over his bicep. “Look son, you’re inking about the only space left on my arm, I can take it.”
The young artist grinned, and set his needle to Jem’s skin. “Just don’t move.”
The mate got as comfortable as he could with his arm in such an awkward position, and closed his eyes. Lineel giggled. “You always fall asleep getting these done, I never understood it.”
“It’s relaxing babe, you should try it some time.”
“No thanks.”
He opened one eye, and grinned at her. “Suit yourself.”
She grinned back, then took to looking out of the window into the street below. Berit looked up from the table as he finished counting his coins, nodded at Jem’s arm. “I assume there’s a story?”
“As always.”
“I ain’t going anywhere, Tamarn.”
“Didn’t know you were one for stories.”
The pirate grinned, raising his bottle to his lips in silent answer. Jem nodded once.
“Well, we were over in Genan before we landed up here, though course Shan’brasik didn’t have the foggiest. Scouting about a bit, we found he’s got some artist he’s kidnapped from somewhere, probably here, to make up these posters. Posters with rewards for us. Needless to say, we found it pretty funny. Graffitied a few, stole a few, just made a lark of it. And on the way over, I figured, if we were gonna be that notorious, I may as well have a tattoo to prove it. So the flag. That lot over there believe only true pirates will fly it.”
Berit coughed, choking on a mouthful of ale as he laughed. “By Zerran’s gunwales, will Shan’brasik never learn?” He cleared his throat. “You got one of them posters about?”
Jem fished in his left pocket, pulling a crumpled sheet of parchment from within, and handing it to the younger man. The pirate burst out laughing as he unfolded it, looking to his sleeping sister, then back at the parchment.
“They’ve got her pretty much spot on.”
“That’s why we decided to keep a couple, couldn’t leave such a flattering portrayal behind.”
Lineel scoffed and moved over from the window, placing a hand on her husband’s shoulder.
“You mean your massive egos wouldn’t let you leave it behind.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist, trying to scowl at her, but finding himself unable. “You always know how to wound me the most.”
“And you freakin’ love it.”
She leant down and kissed him, eliciting a disgusted sound from the smuggler flopped in the hammock behind.
“Go back to sleep Evie, we’ll be a while yet. We’ll wake you before we leave.”
“You be’er.”
Berit nodded, face mock serious. “I don’t care what story you make up Tamarn, don’t leave me stuck with my little sister!”
