Chương 24: Monster beneath the sea - Part 1

"Ah, finally you have come, my sweet swan. But I've already finished eating. What made you so late?" The captain of the Cinnamon Wind asked his daughter casually as he took a sip from his cup filled with rum.

Kojja had entered the cabin with Arrluk following behind and the question came just as they sat on the table where the dishes were placed.

Arrluk fidgeted in his seat when he saw Ko's father examining him with a look that seemed anything but friendly. Maybe, he was imagining it becasue he had slept with the man's daughter on his own ship.

"What say you, lad? I was informed you were also in her room. What were the two of you doing so important that you couldn't even join this old man when I even sent an invitation?" Quhuru said while staring at Arrluk.

"I-I ah, we were, um-" Arrluk didn't know what to say and gulped internally.

"Dad, stop it. Don't scare him. Arrluk, don't mind his words, he is only jesting with you." Kojja said nonchalantly and picked up an apple slice that was placed on the platter.

"I'm jesting? Do I look like I'm jesting? I'm very much serious. YOU BOY! Don't stutter, tell me, what were you doing in my daughter's chambers? Say it, or I will throw you out in the sea." the captain bellowed that even the people standing outside on the deck could hear it.

Before Arrluk could reply, Kojja said "He was showing your sweet swan a good time, Dad. And it was not just me, Xhasa was also there. She can attest. Arrluk has the stamina of a bull, I dare say, Njya and Pihu will leave you for him if they knew what he could do in bed. If anything you should reward him"

'My god' Arrluk sat in his chair dumbstruck after hearing her words.

"No way! There's no man on this ship better in bed than me, much less this pipsqueak" Quhuru said feigning a look of not believing her daughter.

To which Kojja said with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Wanna bet? If what I say is true, you will let me command the Cinnamon Wind from now on. Do you dare?"

"Hah! Do you think your old man has gone senile? Don't even think about it." Quhuru slams his hand down on the table, rattling the bowls and plates, "Everyone on this ship knows you three were rutting until dawn. There's no way I would take a losing bet. Not with my beloved Cinnamon on stake."

"Tch! Scared of a young man." Kojja shook her head in disgust and picked up another slice to eat, sprinkling it with some salt.

'What the fook?' Arrluk lips twitched as he looked at the father and daughter with incredulity in his eyes. . .

"Hahaha, glad to hear you found a place in my daughter's bed. But I warn you, kid, as a father. Do anything to hurt her and I will feed you to the sharks. That I swear by the sea and the sky. Do you understand?" Quhuru chuckled before giving out another threat though this time he didn't seem that serious.

"Yes, Captain," Arrluk replied. Now that he knew this old bastard was toying with him, he relaxed considerably.

"We will see the coast of Walano in a sennight if we are lucky but if that doesn't happen then we may fall short of food and fresh water. With extra mouths to feed, we will run out of stock before we reach the island." Quhuru said with some seriousness.

Kojja became serious hearing this and so did Arrluk. By extra mouth, Quhuru meant the slaves they freed last night. They numbered around 200, mostly women and children. Those bastards from Meereen had stuffed them inside the ships like cattle.

"If the wind is with us, then we will arrive at the island in four days," Kojja said after some thinking. Quhuru might not have understood her meaning but Arrluk sure did. She definitely knew or at least had the suspicion the cause behind the abnormal wind was him.

"Yes, but I've been on the sea since I was a child and I found she is a bitch. What I've learned is to never hope for the best but prepare for the worst if you travel out in the open sea. Some of the slaves we have freed might not survive to see the land if we are delayed at sea by the storm and I pray not to meet any of those monsters." Quhuru said.

Arrluk noticed the Captain shivering when he mentioned those last words.

"Monsters?" Arrluk asked surprised.

"Arrluk, the sea is wrought with dangers you can't even imagine. Pirates, you can fight off, the storms you can barely weather on and come out alive but even the best fearless seafarer prays that he never encounters those giant beasts." Kojja said with some fear etched on her face.

"Have you heard of Krakens and Sea dragons, lad?" Quhuru asked.

"Yes, but are they not just legends?" Arrluk shuddered to even think about them. The books had mentioned them but only as myths and legends, a thing of the past. But white walkers and dragons came back and Children of the forest and Giants are as real as the sun so perhaps those sea monsters might still be roaming the sea.

"No, lad, even though their sightings have gone down in the last century they are very real and still living. Even if you have the greatest fleet in this world, never consider yourself safe out in the open sea becasue you aren't really. Many a fleet they have destroyed and dragged them to the depths. It's not just those two, the sea holds monsters that you cannot even imagine. It's all written on our trees or was until they were burned by the damned slavers. But enough about them, let's talk about things that we can deal with." The captain seemed like he didn't want to talk more on that topic so he changed it.

"Kojja, make sure no one drinks rum more than they ought to. I will order the lads to throw some nets out and catch some fish to replenish our stock." Quhuru said before telling them to eat their fill.