The Lesser Evil (a Witcher Pirate!AU)
1674 and piracy is rife throughout the Caribbean. Plenty of work for a Pirate Hunter such as Geralt. But when he takes a contract to hunt down a pirate captain who is interfering with important trade, a harsh truth arrises that will question his morals and he will be forced to choose between two evils, and risk the one thing he never thought he would find. Love.
Extract from Chapter 10: The Cargo
The Lark was anchored among the pocket of small islands just off the coast of Tortuga. The sea lapped gently at her hull and the wind whistled through the rocks, rocking her slightly from side to side.
The crew were poised and ready to hoist the anchor and let out the sails the moment the order came. The cannons had been readied, the grapples laid out in preparation for boarding.
Havi perched in the crow’s nest, telescope pointed at the eastern horizon. Renfri was half-way up the rigging of the fore mast with her own spyglass pressed to her eye. Jaskier was behind the helm.
There was a calm focus to the Captain. A stillness and a silence that put the whole crew at ease, even in the face of what they were about to do.
Geralt could feel the crackle of excitement in the air.
He was crouched next to Duny, checking and double checking the security of the knots at the base of the main mast.
They had been in this position for a few hours now. Just waiting.
The blazing sun glinted off the surface of the water making the already bright day almost too painful to even look at. Sweat was building on Geralt’s brow, trickling down his back, soaking into his shirt. It was stiflingly hot, and he couldn’t wait to get out onto the open sea so that the wind could properly move around them.
After what felt like days, Havi finally stirred in the crow’s nest.
“Sails!” came his deep bellow.
A jolt shot through the crew, each one of them pre-empting the orders that hadn’t come yet.
“Renfri?” Jaskier called to her.
“Clipper,” she shouted back, “Flying no colours. It’s them.”
“Haul anchor, full sail,” Jaskier yelled.
The crew lurched into action. The canvas sails flapped as they were released then bulged as they filled with the wind. At the same time the anchor was cranked up and The Lark surged forwards with the push of the wind. The black flag at the top of the main mast whipped back and forth.
The brig cut through the water at a startling speed and it wasn’t long before Geralt could see the merchant ship on the horizon.
Renfri had hopped down from the rigging and was barking orders as she made her way to join Jaskier on the quarter deck.
Geralt held tightly to the side of the ship. Never before had he actually taken part in an act of piracy like this and the rush he felt lit a fire in his gut. Boarding and looting a ship then moving on the cargo. He was going to experience it first-hand and gain invaluable information about the interference in trade that Jaskier was responsible for.
