The Battle of Dragon's Bay

There was a knock at the carriage door, and Zhi opened a panel to speak with Li Gang, captain of her guards. His grey eyes were cold as he scanned her and her maids. He turned over his shoulder and barked an order to his men before facing the coach again.

"We are ready, your highness," the captain said, and Daiyu sighed. It was time to go. She nodded to Zhi and the door opened. She stepped out into the blinding sun and was briefly thankful for her veil. The walk to the gangplank was cleared for her and her attendants, lined by two ranks of guardsmen, one facing in and the other facing out. Commoners in the assembled crowd strained to see her over the guardsmen, but the soldiers of the imperial household were chosen for their height, among other qualifications, and they kept the common rabble from catching sight of her. With her maids in the lead, Daiyu began the walk to the gangplank.

A great cheer went up from the crowd. Someone must have caught a glimpse. They cried out in the commoners' tongue, a foreign tongue to the princess who had never left the sprawling imperial palace grounds.

"What do they say?" she whispered to Zhi. Her handmaiden listened a moment.

"They wish you well, highness," she replied at last. Daiyu could not see through the veil, but she suspected Zhi was lying.

There was a commotion behind them, and while Daiyu had enough poise not to look Zhi informed her that a man had thrust his head through the cordon to get a better look. Captain Li ordered the man seized and beaten, then throw into the harbor.

They climbed the steep gangplank to the main deck of the ship and Daiyu felt herself teetering as she rose higher. Would it be so bad, she thought, if she toppled from the gangplank and fell to her death in the harbor? It would at least spare her the horror of becoming the Tyrant's wife.

She looked down, her pace slowing, and saw a gull on the quay, with the tail of a fish flopping around in its mouth. Daiyu felt a pang of pity for the fish, but just before she moved on, the fish spurted from the gull's mouth and flopped back into the water below.

"Your highness?" Zhi was looking at her with concern evident, even through her veil. She extended a hand. Daiyu pointed down at the escaping fish. The gull dove in after it, only to resurface a moment later empty-handed.

"The fish escaped from certain death," Daiyu whispered, "It is an omen, an omen of deliverance."

Zhi nodded. "Of course, highness. Come on now, we're almost there."

Daiyu took her hand and resumed the climb. At the top, they were greeted by Shi Bei, captain of the Heavenly Grace and fleetmaster of all the ships assembled for the journey. The older man stared straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact. He was a stern man in his forties, with a hard gaze and thin mustache. Despite not meeting her eyes, as was protocol, he gave her a deep bow as she approached.

"Welcome aboard, your most imperial highness. My ship is yours."

"Thank you, captain," Daiyu said, feeling hope in her breast for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. "Please lead me to my quarters."

The captain nodded. He turned and pointed toward a great pavilion that had been erected along the center of the deck. It was three stories tall, and built from timbers in the style of the imperial palace.

"The pavilion is reserved for you and your servants, as is half of the throughdeck just below. I had it built when I learned you would be aboard. I home it makes you feel right at home."

"Thank you again, captain," Daiyu said. She was not sure that she would feel that way, but at least she hoped that the ship was big enough that she would not feel the churning of the sea beneath them. The captain led her to the door, and Daiyu dismissed him with a wave before going inside.

The first floor was set out like her quarters in the imperial palace, though it had no windows or garden. Daiyu sighed, for at least she had a passable salon. In the center of the room was a steep, narrow staircase, and as she entered a group of her servants moved up it. They bowed low at the sight of her, touching their heads to the wooden deck.

"Welcome, your highness. We have made every possible preparation for your arrival. We are at your service."

Daiyu sighed. A few short moments ago, she felt that she was in the clutches of despair, but now she decided that all she had to do was make herself at home and wait for the gods to save her. She wondered how long that would take.

---

Caeruthir stood at the prow of Tempest as they made landfall at Gaodeng Island. The island lay at the northern end of Dragon's Bay, separated from the mainland by a placid strait. His spies revealed to him that the imperial fleet would soon pass through the strait, and his pirate armada was assembling here. Galleons, galleys, grabs, xebecs, and even a few mighty frigates packed the wide cove on the eastern face of Gaodeng Island. With the tall peak of the island between them, they would be hidden from the eyes of the fleet, waiting just a few miles away until the fleet sailed into the trap. Caeruthir smiled at the thought of what was to come.

The lord of Gaodeng was a wily old pirate named Mohal Sharktooth. Sharktooth had been just one of many pirates until the war between Dorhacin and the Wise Emperor, when he had gathered a great armada and plundered the coast for five hundred miles. With the imperial fleet stranded in port, the emperor's ministers had resorted to other methods to pacify the old pirate, and offered him lordship of the isle and other coastal regions in exchange for ending his raids. Mohal had accepted, and soon his fleet had dispersed for lack of plunder. Not that it bothered him, for he had the life of luxury that he had always wanted.

But he and Caeruthir had sailed together, even before the war, and while Sharktooth might be a greedy scoundrel, he never forgot a friend. Just in case, Caeruthir had sent Thoramar to make landfall first.

Tempest dropped anchor in the crowded harbor, already full of ships. The swift, teak-hulled galleys favored by Vaedian pirates crowded along the shore, while further out were anchored the sloops, brigs, and hulking galleons come in from the western seas to plunder the wealth of Indica. Veil of Spirits stood out even among such varied company, her ghost-white hull and pale sails flaming in the hot sun. Caeruthir and his lieutenants piled into a longboat to row ashore, where they were greeted by Mohal's men.

The leader of the group was a pirate named Kyrann that Caeruthir knew from their days at sea. He was short and stocky, with a jagged scar across his face he had earned from Vaedian captain's tulwar. Kyrann smiled in greeting, showing a mouth missing many teeth where the blade had cloven his face.

"Good to see you again, Immortal One," he said. "We have made the preparations you requested. Lord Mohal had also prepared a great banquet to welcome you here and sacrificed a hundred hogs to pray for your victory. Please, follow me to his humble abode."

"Lead on, Kyrann," Caeruthir signaled. They turned and strode away from the harbor, heading up the island's steep slope to the lord's palace. It was still under construction, his lordship still recent, but already his masons had laid out a grand square between the outstretched wings of the palace, with a fountain at its center. The square was crowded not only with masons and other laborers, but with the entourages of the various pirate lords assembled for the coming battle. Caeruthir saw human pirates from all along the coast of Leiyan and the southern land of Vaedia, along with dwarves, orcs, minotaurs, and even a few vislings in the crowd.

There were also, of course, the elves of Thoramar's crew. They stood out among the crowd, often head and shoulders over the others except the minotaurs. The brutish, horned beasts towered over all the rest, but for all their animal ferocity they gave the elves a wide berth, for the elder kindred were to be feared and Thoramar's crew most of all.

Caeruthir smirked to himself as the crowd parted before Kyrann and his entourage made their way into the main palace hall. In the center sat Mohal Sharktooth, two naked girls lounging at his feet and a pair of huge minotaur guards armed with halberds standing guard behind him. Before him was a table covered in charts and papers, surrounded by the many pirate captains Caeruthir had assembled for his war council. Thoramar stood off to one side, aloof and engrossed in his own scrolls.

The other captains were as storied and varied as the lands Caeruthir had plundered. The Vaedian exile Aravin, captain of the galley Unicorn, sat to Mohal's left, dressed in saffron colored silks and a great jeweled turban. To his left was the fat orc Surrak, captain of the galleon Red Castle, his scarred chest bare beneath a leather vest and chain of black iron woven through his graying hair. Surrak wore two cruel falchions on his broad hips, hanging from a wide belt of sharkskin trimmed with gold.

Across from them were many captains, the most infamous of them being the dwarf Dural of the xebec Slasher, and the Leiyani rogue Xi Cao of the galleon Naked Wench, an enormous lumbering mountain of a ship that carried sixty-four wrought iron guns of various types.

Mohal perked up at his approach and stood from his throne, arms spread wide.

"Ah, at last! Here you are! It is good to see you again, my old friend."

"And you as well, Mohal.' Caeruthir turned to nod at the others in turn. "Surrak, Dural, Cao, Aravin. And of course, Thoramar."

The other elf returned to the table at last, holding a rolled-up scroll in his hand.

"Let us begin," said Thoramar, and Caeruthir could almost see the Axis of Heavens shining in the elf's eyes. "The enemy will reach us soon, my spies report, likely on the morrow."

"You took your time, elf," said Aravin, eyeing up Caeruthir suspiciously. Caeruthir merely shrugged.

"Zaratans are not swift creatures," he replied easily. He had left the giant turtle far behind, in a safe place, but he thought it best not to enter the viper's nest of pirates until he needed to. Thoramar had apparently shown no such concern, for his ship had been one of the first into the harbor.

"I propose an attack in four columns," Caeruthir said, unfurling a map of the strait on the western side of Gaodeng Island. "Once the enemy fleet passes through the strait, they will be battling against headwinds that will leave them quite immobile. Three columns can cut through their fleet across the wind while the fourth closes off escape to the north."

"Battle is all well and good, but where is the treasure?" Aravin demanded. Caeruthir smiled.

"There are four great junks laden with all manner of treasures. Also, the fleet is accompanied by twelve cargo ships carrying tribute to the tyrant of Indica, the personal effects of those in the fleet, and other valuable goods ripe for the plundering. The emperor lacks for sailors, so any sailor taken will fetch a fine ransom as well."

"Caeruthir's plan is good," Mohal put in, "We would do well to accept his offer."

"Good," Surrak mused, rubbing his chin in thought. "Perhaps. Our fleet is not a fleet, however. You have a hundred ships under a hundred captains, many of whom have never sailed together. None of us have fought a battle of this size in all our lives."

"Neither have they," Caeruthir replied. "The emperor's fleet is a paper tiger. It has spent more time rotting in the dockyard than practicing at sea, and is sorely outmatched at every level. The instant they see our sails, they will collapse."

"Even a frightened enemy is dangerous," cautioned Aravin. He stepped close to the table, studying Caeruthir's map and plan of attack. "We are likely to lose many men. The great junks are tall and difficult to board, especially from a little galley."

"You have men to spare," Thoramar said, stepping forward at last. "The dead will only reduce the shares of the spoils. I will lead the southernmost attack," he declared, thrusting his finger at the prong drawn on Caeruthir's map. "I will sail close to the wind, and take the bulk of the oared vessels behind him. Aravin, you will follow me in Unicorn."

Aravin looked suspicious. "Follow? And let you have first pick of the plunder?"

"My guns will batter aside any enemy foolish enough to stand their ground. Once their shells are cracked, you may have the spoils. I want only the Axis of the Heavens."

"Dural," Caeruthir said before Aravin could protest the assignment. "Take the lead on the third column with the galleons. My ship Unrelenting will command the reserve squadron coming from the north." Following this, he rattled off the names of the other captains and their ships, assigning them to the four squadrons that would lead the attack, all to little protest. But once the assignments were made, the pirates turned to the most important of concerns, loot.

Here Caeruthir knew he must be careful, for so many endeavors between pirates collapsed at this stage. The division of plunder was the chief concern of pirates, and they were all insatiably greedy.

"How will we divide the plunder?" asked Mohal. He looked to Caeruthir with some concern, for they had not arranged this already. Caeruthir plucked a scroll from his belt and laid it on the table.

"Each captain will have a share," Caeruthir began, "Along with a minimum payment guaranteed from the treasure before any shares are paid out. Thoramar and I, along with our crews, will guarantee the payments. The captains who put their ships further ahead in the battle order will receive an increased share as hazard pay. It is all explained on the scroll here."

He passed the scroll around the captains, some of whom needed lieutenants to explain it to them. He and Thoramar both stood watching, Caeruthir confident and Thoramar aloofly impassive, as usual, as a consensus grew that the agreement was fair. Many of the captains never got a chance to look at the agreement themselves, but when it passed by a score of captains who made no objections, the others agreed sight unseen. With a little more haggling over places in the battle order, Caeruthir soon had their assent.

Mohal smiled in triumph. "We are in agreement! Everyone, sign the contract and let us feast! Feast!" He leapt up from his throne and clapped his hands. At his signal, an army of slaves entered the room, carrying couches, pillows, and trays heaped with food. It was only then that Caeruthir realized he could smell the kitchens. The scent of meat, spice, sweet fruits, and strong wine reached him, and he licked his lips. They were in for a feast.

---

Caeruthir sat beside Mohal, gorging himself on wine and spiced meats as the feast turned raucous around them. Mohal's slaves served them naked, and it was not long before their lusts overtook them, and they pulled the servers into their laps to fuck.

Mohal turned to his servants and motioned to bring him something. "I have a gift for you, my friend," he said, and Caeruthir raised a curious eyebrow. In short order, Mohal's minotaur guards appeared, escorting a naked girl between them. She was olive-skinned, brunette, and almond eyed, with warm brown eyes that drank up the sight of Caeruthir as she approached through the burgeoning orgy. Her little breasts were round and smooth, and her sex shaven. "This," Mohal said as she stopped before the throne. "Is my gift to you. Li Mei, a slave from one of the Indican markets. I know the sorts of gifts you like," he said with a lascivious wink, and Caeruthir smiled.

"Come," he said to the girl, holding out his hand. She smiled at him and approached, and he took her into his arms. "Have you ever taken an elf to bed before?" he asked, and she shook her head with a nervous giggle. "Good," he mused. "For you have no idea what awaits you."

"I look forward to it, master," she said in a heavy accent of the south lands. "I have dreamed of you ever since Master Mohal told me why he bought me."

"Well, there's no sense in keeping you waiting any longer." Caeruthir opened his trousers and drew out his cock. He held it out, already stiffening, and Li Mei eagerly dove to her knees and took him in her mouth.

"Look at how eager a slut she is!" Mohal crowed, and Caeruthir nodded in agreement. The girl moaned in agreement around Caeruthir's cock, which was fully engulfed in her hot mouth. Caeruthir wound a hand through her dark brown hair and pulled sharply. "I chose well for you, did I not?"

"You did," Caeruthir agreed, gasping as the girl caressed his cock with her deft tongue. Her soft hands worked his shaft and balls while he stroked her hair. Mohal leaned in, resting an elbow on the arm of his throne and watching with interest. "You take a great risk with this endeavor. What are you hoping to gain from this?" he asked.

Caeruthir rested a hand on the girl's bobbing head and smiled. "What I am always looking to gain, Mohal. Gold, jewels, spice... slaves." He leaned forward and slapped the girl's round ass. Her squeal of delight was muffled by the cock in her mouth, but she grinned at him in reply. "Nothing changes, Mohal."

"I am not so easy to fool," the other pirate cautioned. "This imperial fleet is far greater than any challenge you have taken on before. To call together so many captains... you have spent every favor you have for this. Why?"

"I will win a great victory," Caeruthir said, his eyes utterly fixed on Li Mei as she sucked his cock. "And then I will go home." He turned to face Mohal. "Far greater treasures await me at home, and the victory here will win them for me."

"So, it's true," Mohal muttered. "Your time here is coming to an end."

"I am an immortal," Caeruthir laughed. He wound a hand through Li Mei's hair and pulled her up off his cock. "My time will never end. You will see me again after tomorrow, but I will not be the same. Come, put those from your head. I want to fuck."

He pulled Li Mei forward onto her hands and knees and knelt behind her. Mohal stirred from his throne and roused the two naked girls sitting at its feet. On their knees, they laid themselves across his lap and undid his trousers to release his cock.

Caeruthir paid him little more attention and slid his cock into Li Mei's waiting purse. She moaned and quivered at his touch and he felt her growing wetter insider. He reached down and took her by her wrists, pulling back on her as he fucked her from behind. His hips clapped against hers, his cock driving deeper inside her hot, wet cunt. She screamed, her little breasts shook beneath her, and her long brown hair slid down her sides to hang loose below.

Mohal watched with interest, barely acknowledging the two girls sucking his cock. The retired pirate was suspicious of Caeruthir, and clearly hoped to use the presence of beautiful women to wheedle the truth out of the elf. But Caeruthir was no stranger to lust, and knew how to keep his cards close to his chest. He kept his attention on Li Mei, ignoring Mohal's gaze.

All around him, pirates and pretty girls were fucking. The vast, smoky hall of Mohal's palace was filled from wall to wall with a great orgy, the cries of pleasure echoing around the bare stone walls. Ramairan and Linanthras shared a buxom wench not far from him, her big breasts swinging beneath her as she was fucked from both ends. On the couch behind them, Thoramar had mounted a girl with her ass in the air, fucking her roughly as he pushed her face down into the couch.

The movement of food and drink about the hall had ground to a halt, as the slave girls and most of the boys were pressed into service satisfying the pirates in their revel. As the orgy became wilder, Caeruthir saw a platter of meats knocked over, spilling its delicious pork onto the floor. No one paid it any mind, their attention locked on the big minotaur who had knocked it over while he fucked a young, shaven slave boy with wild abandon.