She hadn't been seen around here. This was a new port, recently established on one of the more distant islands of the Eastern Sea. People didn't know her. They may have heard stories about her, or her exploits, but there was no way they could connect this woman with them. But all the people still seemed to step aside for her, avoid her, have a strange mixture of fear and respect for her.
She didn't know why. True, her brown pants were patched and re-sewn. Her tan tunic was rumpled, torn, repaired and stained. Her boots were weathered, much like her skin, and showed distinct signs of wear. But that wasn't unusual, she had just stepped off her ship. Most sailors, captains or not, looked as though they'd been at sea for months. Even the scar and patch over her left eye weren't unusual. The ocean had many dangers, from storms to pirates to the creatures of the deep, that made her far from the only sailor with scars. She flipped her long braid oner her shoulder and smiled to herself. Was it her captain's hat? No, she wasn't the only woman captain. was it her ship? No, the colors had been taken down well before entering the harbor, and the figurehead was not so outstanding as to cause undo attention.
She strode into the tavern and found a seat in the corner to the immediate right of the door. She leaned back in the chair and propped her feet on the table. pulling out a knife to toy with, waiting for the man who arranged this meeting. She didn't have to wait long. In a few minutes, a tall man with light hair and dark clothes stepped through the door. He jumped as the knife the woman had been holding flew past his face at eye level and imbedded in the door frame.
"Honestly, Trinity, is that anyway to act?" He sighed as he turned towards her. She smiled sweetly at him.
"Honestly, Luke, isn't that a little ungrateful? You know I didn't miss on purpose." Her voice sounded sweet, then turned hard. "Take a seat." She kicked a chair out to him, hitting his knees and making him stumble slightly.
"I don't know why you're so angry. I know you were successful. Your first mate delivered the sea serpent eggs as I was leaving." He pulled the chair up to the table and sat.
"It's not that I had any problem raiding the nest. It's that as soon as I came within three days sail of this island, I somehow had a royal ship hunting me. Know one outside my crew and you knew we were coming here. How much did they give you?" She had pulled another knife from her boot.
"Now, Trinity, calm down --" Luke held his hands up, palms out, trying to placate her.
"HOW MUCH?" Trinity roared, rising to her feet. "I lost a quarter of my crew, and my second mate is still under the care of our ships surgeon. How much?"
"You can't honestly believe --"
Trinity came close to him, lowering her blade to his pants. "The captain and first mate both gave your name before they died. How much did the king pay you?"
Luke began to sweat and shake. "One hundred thousand. They've been chasing you for years --"
"If I don't have that in my possession by the time the sun sets, your most precious treasures will be mine instead." She prodded with her knife to punctuate this. "If you try to run, try to hide, try to tell any of the authorities, You'll be dead." She looked up behind him and smiled. "Jake and Thomas will make sure of that."
Luke looked to either side of him, seeing two very burly, identical men with matching tattoos on their right arms. He recognized them from the few times he had met Trinity on her ship. Twins, silent and ruthless. He gulped and slowly stood, easing back from Trinity's knife to do so. "Sunset, right. And, uh, these gents will help me get there in time, I'm sure. Right. Sunset. I'll be seeing you then."
"Yes you will." Trinity smiled sweetly at him and sheathed her blade. "I look forward to it. oh, and do be careful. I hear there's some brutal people on the island right now."
Luke walked hesitantly out the door, flanked on either side by the twins. Trinity leaned back again and gestured a bar wench to her, ordering a pint of ale and the stew.
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