Drummen opened his eyes and looked around sighing. He tried to move his hand and saw it was tied to the bed. "Hahaha… Got to love redheads."
He relaxed and looked at the ceiling with a smile on his face. "Coming on the Nebi was a great decision… I wonder how Cliffhopper is doing."
"Hello mine… I see that you've woken up. Did you miss me while I was in the bath?"
He smiled at her and nodded. "Life without you my captain makes my life boring. How about you let me go so I can show you how much I missed you."
He smiled as she walked over and untied him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. He felt her push him on the bed. "Later mine… I'm needed on the bridge… There's something that has come up that needs my attention… Would you like to watch me work?"
"I need to get dressed first… Then I would be happy to watch you work."
"Hahaha. Fine. Hurry up then I don't want others to see your goods."
Drummen smiled as he dressed and followed the captain walking towards the front of Nebi. He looked up and sighed.
"Here on Nebi I have no idea if it's day or night. I don't even know how long we've been down here…"
He felt her fingers scratch his head and smiled.
"Don't worry about that. We'll surface soon and you'll be able to enjoy the sunlight and moonlight again."
He nodded following the captain in silence while watching her as she walked in front of him.
"Captain's on the bridge…"
He opened his mouth in surprise and cursed loudly. He smiled as he saw Cliffhopper with his arms around some of the female crew. He walked over to him and smiled.
"Seems you've been busy here…"
"You've got to admit being on the Nebi is something special. It's not every day you get to experience this. We should be arriving at the island chains soon."
"Boys… You're about to see what we do best��"
Drummen turned and looked at the captain and smiled. "Finally, some pirate action." He cracked his neck. "I was getting a bit itchy and knocking a few heads together will do me good."
"Are we in position?"
"Yes captain. No signals around, but they should be arriving soon."
"Good… Lets go to the surface and get some fresh air… Mine follow, bring muscles with you."
He looked at Cliffhopper and nodded his head towards the captain who had already left the bridge as he walked after her. He turned and saw Cliffhopper bring some of the female crew with him and laughed to himself.
"It seems you're still hungry…"
"Hahahaha… I'll always be hungry in this form… There's just too much for me to try and taste… Also, they're not complaining at all."
He smelt the air and smiled. "I can smell the sea… We must be on the surface." He looked up and saw the captain standing at a ladder waiting for him.
"Hurry up mine… You wanted to see… Then let's go see."
He watched her climb up the stairs and followed her up the stairs watching her closely with a smile on his face. "Is it a nice view?"
"The best captain… The best."
He watched her disappear as she got off the ladder. He stepped off and looked around with his eyes wide open. "This is beautiful. Stars and a full moon… No cloud in sight. I've never seen a sky so beautiful like this."
"Come over here mine… We can watch the stars from here while we wait."
"What are we waiting for?" He walked over to the captain and sat on the surface of the Nebi. He put his arm around the captain and kissed her neck.
He looked at the captain. "The sky is beautiful, but it's not as beautiful as you are…"
"Hahaha. Good save mine. Since you've asked. We're waiting for a ship to arrive. Until then we can enjoy the night together."
He smiled and looked into her eyes, then kissed her forehead. "The only thing missing is a drink."
He felt her punch him in the arm. "We can drink anytime… Why do you want to drink now? Am I not beautiful without you drinking?"
Drummen shook his head. "No need for a drink to see your beauty."
"I love you captain…"
He looked up at the sky and then at the captain. "I've never said that to anyone…"
"I love you to mine… Since you know I'm a pirate, you know what I do. I steal and take from factions that have the gold, and I sell it to others for a nice profit for myself."
He looked at her and nodded as he listened. "It's your way to live… As long as you don't die at the end of it…"
"Yes… I'm not planning to do that anytime soon… Mine I have something to ask you… I want you and muscles to become pirates with us on the Nebi…"
"Where do we sign up?"
He looked at her eyes and saw her shake her head. "You're both not ready yet… You need to be stronger, right now a breeze can push you over. If I'm the pirate queen, then my consort needs to be stronger…"
He looked down and listened to the water splashing against the Nebi and sighed. "For you I'll become stronger… Then I can help you and protect you always."
"You always know the right words to say mine…"
"Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz."
He turned his head towards the tower of Nebi annoyed.
"What is it? It better be our target… I'm spending time with mine and you know I don't like being disturbed…"
"Sorry captain… Target is on approach."
"Come mine… Muscles we've got to go under! It's time for us to work and earn some coin."
Drummen sat up and scratched his head. "You mean hunting time?" He stood up and followed the captain down the ladder and onto the bridge. He looked at Cliffhopper who still had two of the crew in his arms.
"Sorry muscles. They need to go to work now."
Drummen smiled and laughed to himself as he stood at the rear of the bridge watching the captain and the crew work.
"Mine… Just watch… Battle stations! Move it! Let's get Nebi under the water."
He turned and looked at Cliffhopper. "Do you have any idea what's going on here?"
"Hahaha… No idea. Just looking forward to cracking a few skulls."
He sighed and shook his head at Cliffhopper. "Do you think they'll let us do any fighting this time." He pointed at the captain. "She told me that I was too weak…"
"Hahahaha. That's because you're weak. You can use a staff, but out here they don't use that. All battery weapons here. You wouldn't last a second… Unless…"
Drummen cursed and shook his head at Cliffhopper. "Don't say it…"
He tapped the wall with his fist in annoyance. "Are you going to say what I think you're going to say?"
Cliffhopper nodded his head. "If you do the trial and pass it then you'll have the strength to stay here. If not… They'll just drop us off on the island chains and leave us behind."
Drummen leaned against the wall in thought. He looked at the captain watching her sit and command her crew. "I'll think about it."
"Where's the contact heading? Prepare all stations for battle."
"Hey brother… It seems this red head has really got under your skin. Is she worth it? All the drinking and women we could have, even better than her and you're willing to stay…"
Drummen punched Cliffhopper in the arm cursing.
"Hahahaha. She's right. You're a weakling without your staff."
He cursed and clenched his fists. "You're right… If I want to drink and ignore what's happening in this world, then I need to be strong, but the trial…"
"Fire! Prepare for ramming speed…"
Drummen looked confused. "Ramming speed…?"
"That means to hold on to something mine or you'll go flying across the bridge."
He cursed as he grabbed the edge of the wall. He looked at Cliffhopper who just stood there smiling.
"Aren't you grabbing something?"
"I don't have a need too. I'm strong enough that I can stand just by curling my toes into the floor. Hahaha. Hold on weakling…"
He cursed at Cliffhopper and held onto the wall as hard as he could.
"BANG!"
He felt himself flying through the air and crashing into the back of a chair. He touched his face and looked at the blood on his hand. He cursed.
"Ready boarding parties… Send mine to the infirmary."
He tried to stand up and fell back onto the ground closing his eyes and cursing.
"…"
"Ahhh… my head." Drummen sat up opening his eyes and rubbing his head.
"Relax… You hit your head hard. I had to cut your hair to stitch it. You'll have a headache for a while… Lucky it wasn't too serious."
"Bang!"
"Mine… About time you woke up. You missed all the fun… Is he going to be alright?"
"Yes captain, I had to cut his hair and give him a few stiches, but he's fine. Just a few headaches for a while."
He looked at the captain and smiled sheepishly while holding his head."Sorry captain. I held on, but it seems I slipped and fell."
"You would think muscles is in love with you… He carried you here, and he's been outside waiting for you to wake up. Pity about your hair… Hopefully it will grow back quickly."
He touched his head and felt the bandage covering his head. "This wasn't just a cut. All my hair is gone…"
He cursed and fell back on the cot.
"You're finally awake brother… About time I was getting bored. Hahaha, you really look like a priest of the dome now and not just an apprentice on trial."
"Shut up…" Drummen touched his bandaged head. "Ouuuugh."
"So mine is an apprentice on trial is he? Well, that won't do… I told you that you need to be stronger if you're going to be my consort with the pirates, and I haven't changed my mind. You need to do the trial before you step on Nebi again."
He looked at Cliffhopper and shook his head at him while cursing. "Why did you open your big mouth?"
He saw Cliffhopper lower his head and let out a long breath. "Yes… He's right I'm on trial… For you captain I'll do this stupid trial. I'll be back on the Nebi again very soon."
"Where is the trial to take place mine?"
He sighed and shook his head. "It's the defender of the faith trial… In the western Firelands."
"Then we're changing direction…"
He cursed as he watched her leave the infirmary. He turned and stared at Cliffhopper angrily.
"Sorry brother… It just came out when I saw you had no hair on your bald head... Pious monk don't bully me."
He shook his head and sighed. "What's done is done. Now I have to somehow survive this stupid impossible trial…"
"There is a way brother… Learn some of my skills and you can survive. If you learn them, you can pass the trial. Then we can drink and have fun as pirates on the Nebi… That's if you still want to follow the red head's skirt."
Drummen looked at the door and nodded. "If it makes me stronger, then I'll do it, but I'm not following anyone's skirt. She just is incredible and amazing."
He smiled and shook his head. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but when do we begin?"
"As soon as we get off the Nebi we'll begin."