The Blue Kingdom

Riko rowed steadily, muscles burning with the effort. His eyes remained fixed on Adan’s fleet, now a disaster covered by smoke in the distance. The battle with Indri had gone worse than he’d feared. Flames licked the broken masts of several ships, and the few vessels still afloat bore the scars of the fight, now all fleeing east, towards the second part of the plan.

Of all the losses, it was the men’s deaths that weighed most heavily on Riko. They had planned to sail with minimal crews, many of Adan’s crews transferred to Marie’s ships to bolster their forces. But those who had remained faced almost certain death because of his decision. The thought made Riko dig the oars harder into the water, punishing his arms to exhaustion.

A sharp whistle signalled his approach to the destination. He looked over his shoulder at the ship looming ahead—Indri’s Sea Viper. It was as hideous as the souls of the men who sailed her. A monstrous figurehead of a giant sea serpent jutted out from the prow, a perfect image of the heart of the one he was going to surrender to. The ship’s timbers were old, the wood darkened with age and rot, nails rusted and threatening to give way at any moment. The stench of brine and decay hung heavy in the air, mingling with the odour of tar and sweat.

A ladder was lowered, and Riko stomped the bottom of the rowboat to ease the tingling in his legs. Or so he wanted the men watching him from above to believe. He began his climb, each rung bringing him closer to a fate he couldn’t predict. Would Indri order his death as soon as he stepped aboard? Vega had placed a bounty on his head, a price equally high whether he was brought in dead or alive. Unlike Ivy, whom Vega wanted captured alive, Riko’s value was in his demise. Of all that, he wasn’t sure. Still, he climbed in without hesitation.

The crew received him with palpable tension, weapons at the ready. Blades flashed in the dim light of the cloudy dusk, and pistols aimed at his chest. He was surrounded. With deliberate slowness, Riko raised his hands, taking a cautious step forward. The entire circle of armed men shifted with him, fingers trembling, hands shaking.

They barked orders at him, commanding to follow the way to the ship’s bow while rough hands searched his body for hidden weapons. When he reached his destination, the surrounding circle widened, but not a single weapon was lowered.

Two brutes dragged in a throne-like chair, and Indri emerged from among her men, her presence filled with the usual arrogance. She clapped slowly before she settled into the seat, crossing her legs and resting her head lazily on her hand. Her best fighters flanked her, but the chair faced the wall of the castle and therefore the foc’s’le entry: an expected mistake she made other times Riko visited her ship, and one he was glad she repeated.

He prompted himself to speak, hiding a treacherous, subtle grin with a bold challenge. “I came to propose a duel. You and me. We settle this the old way.”

Indri laughed obnoxiously loudly, a voice dripping with disdain. “Hells! I never imagined the squid legend was such a fool! No wonder you talked a little the other times we met. You’re not my crew, neither one of my captains. So you can’t challenge me. Why would I accept a duel for a battle that I have already won, anyway?”

“Is that fear I smell?” Riko goaded.

Indri’s laughter echoed again, but this time it tinged with irritation. “I don’t fear you, Riko, or that freak girl of yours. I fear nothing!” She sniffed the air, her expression hardening. “That doesn’t mean I’m stupid to face you, especially for no reason. This duel nonsense is just to keep me busy while the girl sneaks onto my ship, isn’t it? I know she can dive well. What a freak, huh?”

Indri snapped her fingers, and a few men stepped closer, their pistols aimed at his head. “Before she tries anything,” Indri shouted, “I want her to know you’ll be dead as soon as she shows up. She may kill me, but I’m not afraid of death. Are you, squid?”

Riko took his time to survey his surroundings. The barrels of guns pointed at him were steady, but he noted their precarious angles. “It’s a dangerous setup you’ve got here. Don’t you think they might shoot themselves if I crouch?”

“Cut the parni-port, Riko. Tell her to come forward already.”

Ivy appeared from behind him, two men pushing her roughly into the light. She was soaked, barefoot, dressed simply to aid in her stealthy approach. “She had no weapons on her!” one of her captors said.

Indri leaned forward, raising an amused eyebrow. “What’s this? Did you plan to kill me with your bare hands, little one?”

“I didn’t bring her to kill you,” Riko said, his voice steady. “I brought her to show your men who should be the new finger of the Fist after you’re gone.”

Indri erupted in another laughter, this time with genuine mirth, her men joining in. She reclined in her chair, legs flailing as if she was a child.

“She’s young and inexperienced, but brave and strong.” Riko continued. “My proposal is that she be the hand in action, with her second as the voice of command until all captains’ blessing.”

The laughter only grew louder. “You as her second, squid? We don’t like you!”

Indri clapped her hands, and the laughter gradually subsided. “The deal was, we’d accept your surrender if you showed up here. Now, stop this nonsense and head to our cell, or I’ll resume my cannons and obliterate your pitiful navy once and for all.”

“It’s not me who’s sponsoring her claim,” Riko countered. “It’s the King of the Blue.”

“King of the Blue is dead,” someone from the crowd muttered. “Blue has no king!”

“He’s not dead,” Riko replied coolly. “He came in one of my ships.”

Indri’s laughter stopped abruptly. Her gaze darted toward the distant horizon where Adan’s fleet still smoked. Her fingers drummed nervously on the arm of her chair, and her feet tapped a rapid rhythm on the floor.

“You know his face.” Riko said, looking at his surroundings. “You’ll see I’m not lying when he arrives. Some of your older dogs know him too. Am I wrong?”

Fear and doubt spread among the crew. Confusion, disbelief and fear were working better than he had hoped, but the real victory was in drawing attention to himself and Ivy.

“I really need to set sail south. My fleet is waiting,” he added, loud enough to drive gazes at him. “There’s a new deal, Indri. You step down from your throne and face judgement for betraying the Blue and cutting off the admiral’s hands. Then your men can decide if they want to follow this girl as the new finger of the Fist or face the wrath of the old King. And let me tell you, that’s a challenge you don’t want to face! Ask your old mates, fellas. They remember. They have seen.”

“Shut up!” Indri snapped. “Check everywhere! Look at Riko’s bat! And kill them! Kill them both, or I swear I’ll have you all kneel’houled!”

“Why should you listen to her?” Riko’s spat, strong and clear, all the power of his lungs into it. “She’s not in a position to give orders anymore! She has betrayed the old covenants! old friendships and old alliances.”

The surrounding men hesitated, confusion now brimming as they glanced at one another.

“Bring me my sword! I’ll do it myself!” Indri said, desperation growing. As his fist hit the handle of the throne, a bloody, rusty knife slid out from behind, taking Indri and his guards by surprise, and reached for her throat with a nimble, precise move. Then, a wet figure covered in lampblack emerged from over her shoulder. His grin from the underworld unfolding with the company of a deep, hoarse chortle.

“Hey, hey, hey naughty girl. Ye miss me?” AhLong said. “Yer mates, no checking under boat. Riko strong, uh? He carries small dive bell underneath for uncle. Oh, surprise, surprise.”

Long’s blade poked Indri’s skin playfully, then caressed her neck slowly. “Ye betrayed ma Daddy. You pay for it, I no lie.”

Indri’s lip trembled. Eyes widening to the foresee of death. Holding her breath, she remained paralysed, unable to react to what fell over her. Then, reacting to Long’s bursting chortle, the Harpy’s fledgling, scourge of the south and the Finger of the Fist: a woman afraid of nothing, soaked her pants.