Completed [Solo|Flashback] Unfaithful Telling

[Montaine]

Unfaithful Telling Summer 65 498 AV His father was weeping again. Montaine lay in his shabby little bed in the corner of his room, across from the dying embers of the hearth. They weren’t particularly wealthy, indeed even keeping up a relatively low quality standard of living was hard given the boy’s fragile disposition, but they could afford the expense of renting out the little two room suite from the man next door. Unfortunately, those two rooms only included the bedroom, his father’s living quarters, and the main room that led out onto the street by means of their rickety front door. This meant that not only was this the boy’s bedroom, it was also their kitchen, living room, and often enough their bathroom. Between his makeshift sleeping quarters and those of his father stood a door. It wasn’t a fancy door, it wasn’t even a well constructed door, but it was a door nonetheless and viewed as something of a flashy luxury in their house. After all, who needed two doors? The old, infested frame creaked something terrible and there was a good inch and a half of gap between the base and the floor, where the wood didn’t quite fit the ingress, that let in a draught all through Winter. It was from this opening that his father’s soft sobs emanated. He had heard those same sounds before and wished and wished that he could find a way to stop them. His father was an intimidating man, and often difficult to get along with, but he was the boy’s world. His father was all that he had, and in turn he was all that his Da was left with. Unable to listen to the sorrows of the next room, the boy slipped out of the relative warmth, and uncomfortable itchiness, of his sheets and made his way to the door. He inched it open, creaking all the way, and clambered onto the aged mattress. The boy’s father sat on his bed holding the crisp, charcoal sketch of his wife that usually adorned the little cabinet by his bedside. This had happened before, many times before, so his father was not surprised. He turned to his son and gave a weak smile, waiting for those words the boy always asked. Why are you crying, Da? But they never came. The boy knew the answer already, and though it was his custom generally in these circumstances to ask nonetheless, perhaps through habit or impulse, this night of all nights he remained silent. Instead, he just put his arms around his father’s neck and hugged him close. The old Drykas man was speechless. So shocked was he, in fact, by this breaking from the norm that he ceased his crying altogether. The tears still on his cheeks rolled off and fell on to his son’s dirty nightshirt, but no more welled up in his eyes. He paused for a second, unsure of what to do, but in the end took his son’s arms, removed them from their embrace and lifted the boy in the air. He sat the lad down on the very edge of the bed, his small legs hanging over a little way above the floor, and knelt down to look him in the eye. And he spoke to his son, ‘Now Monty, I’m going to tell you a story,’

[Montaine]

‘A long time ago in a place far, far away, a strong and proud race of nomads lived in peace. Among these noble warriors was one from a land very different to the one known by the nomads – a fair maiden whose delicate and beauteous form hid a heart and spirit as fierce as any of those who carved a life on the grasslands. She had piercing, brown eyes of a colour so deep you won’t find it in nature, no, not if you scoured to the very edges of Mizahar herself. Her hair was just like yours, Monty, only longer. Soft tresses and curls hung down her back and smelt so delightfully of the Cyphrusian grasslands in the Spring. ‘She captured my heart in an instant; from the moment we first met I was in love. I courted her for many weeks and when it came time for her to leave and return to Zeltiva, for this is where she was from, I convinced her to stay. I’d say it was my peerless skills of rhetoric, but in all honesty I don’t know why she stayed. Of course, your Da was a brave warrior of the Ruby clan, unbeatable in combat, I was. But when it came to your mother and her remarkable, relentless wit, well. I never stood a chance against her. ‘Everyone loved your mother, they did. She was fragile, like you Monty, but it didn’t matter to us. She more than made up for it, and she still always did her share of the work. Sometimes I had to help her a little, but she always insisted that she pull her weight. In short order the two of us were married and a little time after that we were blessed with a little, teensy weensy baby boy,’ ‘Me?’ ‘Yes, Monty. You were born easy as anything into the world with a little tuft of hair on your head of the very same colour as your mother’s. But making a baby and keeping you safe for all those seasons in her belly had been tiring for your mother, and she missed Zeltiva terribly, so we decided that we’d take you here as soon as possible, so that she could recover. Our family in Cyphrus didn’t want us to leave, because they’d miss us both so much, but we managed to convince them that it was for the best. The whole clan turned up to wave us off on our voyage as we set off across the sea, on course for Sylira. I had only heard of the nation from traders from the north and the tales your mother had told me, and though I knew I would long for home, I was eager too to see this distant land, and sail across the waters in a mighty ship. And a mighty ship it was! A great galleon of the finest calibre, with a sturdy, honourable crew to match, and a captain of the greatest reputation we could find!

[Montaine]

Eight years previously, in a large tent on the Sea of Grass a woman screamed. ‘Stop that screeching, you silly girl! The baby’s breeched and there’s nothing no one not you nor I can do about it, so stop it! All that wriggling and writhing’s not helping you nor this little fella,’ Herenna’s face screwed up tightly as she tried to withstand the pain, keeping her arms locked at her sides to prevent potentially dangerous movement. She gasped for breath and found the air to ask, ‘A boy? It’s a boy?’ Gabrinne nodded, ‘Yes, it’s a boy, his little organ’s all mucky from being in you, but it’s out now, just keep up the pushing, girl. I haven’t lost a grandson in five years and this fella’s going to grow up big and strong like his brave pappy, not weak and frighted like his mam,’ Herenna attempted to retort but all she could manage was another frightful scream. It felt so painful, all she wanted was a little sympathy but her dear sisters-in-law and the petching witch of a matron currently tending to her immediate condition would have no such thing. She’d been in labour far too long and it had been trouble and pain and blood for all that time. She felt so weak, so tired. A good time later, after the screaming had ceased, the portly Gabrinne opened the flap of the tent and walked out into the cool, night air. Tiffan waited nervously for word of his wife and when he saw his mother approach he noticed straight away the unhealthy maroon of her hands. He began to open his mouth, a torrent of questions forming in his mind and on the tip of his tongue, foremost of which was for the condition of his beloved wife. Gabrinne’s daunting scowl stopped the words in his throat. ‘The babby’s out, and it’s a boy, though you couldn’t tell by the size of it. The girl’s asleep and very weak, I doubt she’ll last much longer, shame about the lad, weak as its mother,’ Tiffan stood silent. His hands balled into fists. ‘Mam! She’s my wife! And he’s my son, your grandson! Doesn’t that count for naught?’ Gabrinne clipped him round the ear, ‘Don’t talk to me like that, boy! Of course he’s my grandson, and I’ll love him just as dear as I love Candon and Rodhri and all the other boys, but he’ll be a sickly one, I’m telling you. Like his mam, ‘cause she tainted him, I know you don’t want to hear it but it’s true, he’s got her sickness and she won’t last, not our life,’ ‘What are you saying, Mam?’ the young horseman asked, peering in at his unconscious wife through the tent flap. ‘I’m saying you should send her away, if you want to give the girl a chance, send her back where she came from, where she belongs, she’ll die out here and I know you don’t think I care, don’t try and deny it to me boy! I know my sons! I don’t want her to die, because as weak and rude as she is she’s still a daughter of mine, still a wife of my son’s, so listen to your Mam, Tiffan, and listen good, you’ve got to send her away for her own good,’ Inside the tent the infant slept in the arms of his mother, breath so very shallow.

[Montaine]

In a small apartment in Zeltiva, on a quiet night in 498 AV, the story continued. Montaine shifted uncomfortably on the bed and scratched his neck. Tiffan chuckled at his son and heaved him back up into the air. The powerful Drykas man swung the little lad round and sat himself down on the pallet, bringing the boy down to sit on his knee. The sudden surprise of being lifted upwards and twirled around brought Montaine out in a fit of giggles. ‘Tell me more about mother, Da!’ ‘Well, I was telling you about the Captain, wasn’t I? His name was the fierce Captain Hodge! Don’t laugh, that was really his name. He was as tall and daunting a figure as you ever did see, he had a scar down one side of his face that they say he took fighting the vicious pirate Bohsselcavaris in a swordfight! They say that in the midst of their duel the dreaded Cavaris threw his sabre away and transformed, his legs merging and shredding his breeches, the cloth flying off into the wind. The monstrous captain rose up on his long, scaly tail and stood well over eight feet tall! He was a constrictor and I swear, he coiled round the brave Captain Hodge and tried to squeeze the very life out of him! ‘There’s another story that speaks of how he once navigated round all of Mizahar, even through the ice fields of Taldera, in his might vessel, The Nuzem. You’ve never seen such a ship, Monty, it was incredible. Three towering masts with pristine white sails that reflected the sun so brightly! Mounted on the bow was a great harpoon that the crew could use to defend against the many marauders that littered the seas. Captain Hodge welcomed us onto the ship himself, you know, and took us to our quarters personally. ‘Our quarters were roomy and had a large, downy bed, much better than the one your old Da has now, and your poor mother was very tired from all the excitement,’ ‘Was she having happy wheezes, Da?’ Tiffan laughed, ‘Yes, Monty, precisely. She took a little lie down and I took care of you. I played with you all that morning as we sat in the dock and when the ship set sail I stood and watched Cyphrus fade over the horizon with you in my arms. You were very popular among the crew. There was this one lad, a little older than you are now, who wanted to do nothing but play games with you! Some days, when I was tending to your mother I would entrust you to him, because you would have such fun together, you would giggle and grin like you had not a care in the world,’ Montaine smiled. He knew he hadn’t been born in Zeltiva, but it was cheering, and admittedly a little exhilarating, to know that he had been aboard a ship. He might not be able to remember the times that his father described, exactly, but he hadn’t always been the sick little boy trapped in the safety of his home. The knowledge was comforting, somehow.

[Montaine]

Eight years previously, in a light rain, a family huddle together by the ocean. ‘It’s a wreck, Tiff,’ Herenna shivered in her coat as Tiffan bundled his round her shoulders, trying desperately to keep her warm. They stood at the Claridon docks staring at the ship that was to take them across the sea. It appeared to be an old, converted fishing vessel, decked out optimistically with a rusty harpoon and the flaking painted insignia, Th N zem, adorning the side. The pale Herenna clutched her tiny babe closer to her and contemplated whether it would not be safer to just throw her child into the sea now. Tiffan looked sceptically at the boat, ‘How’s it even afloat?’ ‘I’ll brook no slander of my fair Nuzem on board her decks, y’hear?’ A bloated, old whale of a man leant over the railing and spat into the sea, ‘You’s two the fare? We ain’t no fancy people transport, we’re a cargo ship so you’s two are gonna have to sleep in the hold, y’hear? I’m Hodge, ‘n’ I don’ want to hear hide nor hair of your from the second you step on my boat ‘til the second you’re off in Zeltiva,’ The captain heaved himself off of the railing with a mighty creak and disappeared into the bowls of the ship. Herenna sneezed, ‘Come on, Tiff, I need to lie down, take Monty, I might drop him,’ the pallid woman carefully placed her child into the arms of its father. The small, newly formed family made their way aboard the craft that would be their home for the next few weeks. The young mother had been around boats since she was a young lass, tasting the echoes of the Bonesnapper on a brisk Zeltivan morning, but the instant she stepped on that rocking hulk she felt a nausea take her. Tiffan hurried her below decks where one of Hodge’s slovenly crew led them to the cargo hold. Tiffan shut the hatch with one hand, the other still grasping the writhing babe, as his wife promptly and thoroughly painted the boards with the vibrant contents of her stomach. Hearing her pained retches, the horseman went to her side and rubbed her back. She looked at the pool on the floor and whimpered. ‘Tiff, darling, look, it’s red,’ The blood and bile mixed and swirled as they soaked into the beams. The infant Montaine began to cry, as did his father, albeit silently. Herenna stayed silent, breaths shallow. She managed to pull herself to her feet and wiped the foul fluids from her lips. The hold was quite small, and largely filled with crates, strapped down to the floor. In one corner sat a makeshift palliasse, constructed of hay and linen. Herenna took her husband’s coat and wrapped it around her son, gently rocking him as she carried the baby to the bed. ‘It’s alright, little one,’ she whispered softly, ‘Your Mam’s here now, come little one, feel the rocking of the sea and let it take you off to your sweet, little dreams. The waves are in your blood, my dear, beloved Monty. You’re a Zeltivan boy, so let the ocean take you off to sleep,’

[Montaine]

In a small apartment in Zeltiva, on a quiet night in 498 AV, the story continued. Montaine rubbed his eyes with a hand, the other wrapped around his father. Tiffan watched with a smile as his son’s lids began to droop. The boy must have been incredibly tired. The moon had reached its zenith an hour ago at least and the poor lad never normally stayed up this late. His father pulled back the covers to his bed and tucked the boy in. He could sleep here tonight, and rest. The horseman stood up to leave; perhaps he’d go get ready for some work tomorrow. ‘Da,’ Monty murmured, ‘I want to hear more about mother,’ ‘Don’t you think you’re a bit tired?’ The child wriggled and shifted in the confines of the bedclothes and pushed himself to a sitting position, he shook his head, ‘I want to hear more, please Da, I want to hear it,’ Tiffan sighed. He clambered onto the bed and lay alongside his son, ‘Fine, Monty, well, I was telling you about the crew, wasn’t I? There were quite a lot of them, all in all, as it was a very large ship. Well, besides the Captain, and the cabin boy, the lad who got along with you so well, Gideon was his name, there was the first mate, this huge Akalak called Beliton. Never before have you seen such a terrifying and powerful warrior, even your ol’ Da wouldn’t have stood a chance against him, Anyway, your mother, as I said, wasn’t feeling too well but after a few days she was able to get up on deck and out into the sea air. See, your mother might have lived in the grasslands for many years but she was a harbour girl at heart and once she got into that ocean breeze and smelt the salt of the sea she perked right up. Looking at her then, I thought she looked as beautiful as any day I’d known her, she looked as healthy and as hearty as she had the very day I’d met her,’ Tiffan stared at the charcoal sketch of his wife, ‘She was beautiful, your Mam,’ Montaine frowned, ‘What happened to her? Did she get sick again?’ The boy’s father took a deep breath and sighed, ‘Well, she was never really better to start with, was just she was so happy to be at sea again, she hid it so well,’ The two lay in silence for a while, until Tiffan finally spoke again, ‘But we had clear skies and easy sailing for many weeks and the sun shone every day. Hodge regaled us with epic tales of his travels, and we feasted on the most delicious sea cuisine. Your mother laughed a lot and always had a smile on her face, and it was infectious! Whenever she was among the crew everyone would be in high spirits. But then, one day, it happened!’ Monty gasped, ‘What Da? Was it mother?’ Tiffan slowly shook his head and whispered, ‘Pirates!’

[Montaine]

Eight years previously, a man stood uncomfortably in the mess with a child in his arms. ‘I don’t know what you want, Monty!’ he cried, ‘Please, stop crying!’ A rough looking group of sailors sat at a nearby table. One looked over his shoulder at Tiffan and spoke something under his breath. The rest laughed and knocked their mugs together. The horseman scowled. He wasn’t in his environment, on the grasslands had any of his compatriots dared to talk about him, to jest about him, behind his back he would’ve known precisely what to do. Here, now, on the incessantly rolling waves, oh how they rolled and never ceased their infernal rolling, here and now he didn’t know how to deal with the situation. A lad of tender years rose to his feet and swallowed his mouthful before jogging over to where the confused father stood, positively pained. The boy held out his arms. ‘Give ‘im to me now,’ Tiffan didn’t move, ‘Why? He’s my son, I can deal with him,’ ‘You think so? Me Ma has me ‘n’ four others ‘n’ I ‘ad ta deal wit’ all o’ ‘em as babbies, so I knows a thing or two,’ Tiffan’s eyes flicked nervously between the boy’s smiling face, with its wide trusty eyes, and the door leading further down into the bowels of the ship where his wife lay. He dumped the child unceremoniously into the arms of the boy. ‘Watch him, okay, I need to get back to my wife, so you watch him! Keep him quiet, and happy, I don’t care, I just need to get to Hera,’ and despite the boy’s immediate and squeaky protestations, Tiffan was off, through the door, to be by Herenna’s side. The lad was left clutching the tiny, squirming form of Montaine Redsun. He peered down at the little face and gently poked it with a finger. He turned to his chuckling peers, ‘Wha’m’I s’pposed to do now?’ The hatch to the forecastle slammed open and terrifying roar silenced the rowdy inhabitants of the room, ‘GIDEON! YOU SLIMY, WRETCHED VENHREHK!’ A mighty Akalak stood breathing heavily and adorned in the most vibrant facial tattoos. The scrawny cabin boy squealed and dumped the child on a table as he fled out the other door, chased by the resounding stomp of the first mate. Down in the cargo hold Herenna shivered, barely conscious, not truly aware, and struggled to grip her blankets. She’d taken a terrible turn for the worse a few days ago and found herself unable to get to her feet. Her mother-in-law’s words rang bitterly in her ears, this fella’s going to grow up big and strong, not weak and frighted like his mam. The boy wasn’t strong though, she could see that as well as anyone, that’s why she had to send him away, she couldn’t make him sick; she couldn’t let him die so young. If she couldn’t be there to raise her poor, sweet Monty, the least she could do was keep him alive a little longer. Tiffan lay beside her, arms wrapped around her cold body, hands gripping hers tightly. She kept murmuring to herself in her delirium. ‘Big and strong…weak ‘n’ fright…’n’ strong ‘n’ weak…’ He felt the tears roll down his cheeks once more.

[Montaine]

In a small apartment in Zeltiva, on a quiet night in 498 AV, the story continued. Montaine’s eyes sparked up at the mention of the word, pirates! His Da had told him stories about pirates before and they had always been exciting tales, full to the brim with feats of outstanding derring-do. But those had all been stories, maybe there was an element of truth to them somewhere down the line but the trustworthiness of the source material had always been in question. These had satisfied Monty many a night but tonight he was going to hear about pirates first hand, from his Da, who had seen them! Tiffan waited for his son to stop wriggling before he re-embarked on his yarn, ‘Right, so there were clouds on the horizon, this was about two thirds of the way to Zeltiva, and these clouds were a dire omen of things to come. Up on deck everyone was looking out to the sea and I thought that was what they were looking at, but then I heard the call,’ ‘Pirates!’ ‘Yes, Monty, pirates! A ship, just as big and swift as our own, was bearing down on us in such an aggressive manner it could only have been pirates, fierce brigands, thieves of the sea and downright bad-uns. Evidently they had spotted our fine craft and sized us up, guessing we’d be stock full of treasures, and they weren’t wrong. You see, Captain Hodge, and his ship, wasn’t by nature of profession a transporter of people, your mother and I just managed to get on board due to the Captain’s good will, and sympathy for your mother’s condition. No, The Nuzem carried trade goods, of the most valuable and rarest kind. Vast reams of silk from Kalinor, and the most exotic perfumes and paints and dyes from the deserts of Eyktol, he carried enormous hides from the ferocious Myrian tigers of Falyndar, but what he prized most was a great, gleaming gemstone from the depths of the Kalean volcanoes themselves. It was this vast quantity of treasure that drew the pirates to us. The brave Captain stood at the helm and as the enemy ship grew close he didn’t even blink,’ ‘Where was I, Da?’ ‘Well, you were inside, playing with your mother, keeping her company, completely unaware of the terrifying events taking place outside. See the pirates, like us, had a harpoon. When they got close enough, they fired it, straight into the side of the boat, tethering us together! Everything moved so quickly then, I can barely keep it straight in my head. The next thing I remember was pirates getting aboard our ship and the clang-clang-clanging of swords as our courageous crew fought back!’ ‘Wow! Did you fight too Da?’ ‘Hah! Well, Monty, I did pick up a sword, but I needn’t have because the fight was over so fast. The captain yelled something over the fray and Beliton, the Akalak first mate remember, grabbed him up in his arms and charged across the field of battle, stopping only when he reached the other side, and dangled the man over the railing itself! I can’t imagine what it must have been like, but the captain was hanging, held on only by the first mate’s grip on his ankles, right over where the pirates’ harpoon was wedged in our hull. With one mighty swing, Captain Hodge sliced clean through the rope, setting us free to make our escape!’ Monty clapped his hands and laughed, then paused and raised an eyebrow, ‘Wait, if the rope was strong enough to keep the boats together, then how come Hodge could cut through it?’ Tiffan gave it a little thought, ‘I don’t know Monty, all I can say is what I saw and that Hodge was the strongest man I ever knew. A great man, he was,’

[Montaine]

Eight years ago, a man stood at the railing of a ship as the cabin boy stood nearby, cradling his infant son. ‘Are you sure they were pirates? They sailed right past,’ Tiffan yelled over the rain. Gideon hugged the tiny babe close to his chest, trying to shelter him as much as possible from the storm, ‘Aye,’ he shouted back, ‘Ain’t got no int’rest in nah piece o’ shyke like Nuzey, lis’n, can’t we not go insi’? ‘m freezin’ me nadgers clean outta use, an’ yer babbies doin’ nah be’er!’ Tiffan closed his eyes and leaned over the side, feeling the drenching, freezing spray of the sea on his face. It stung everywhere it touched, yet still he did it. His wife was dying and he was on a one way trip to a world he never knew, never wanted to know. He could toss himself overboard and into this tumultuous tide and be done with it. Let the brine have him. He turned to the shivering, quivering cabin boy and squinted through the rain, and nodded. The three of them, the man, the boy and the babe, hurried into the relative warmth of the ship’s innards. ‘Yer babbies gon’ catch a chill,’ Tiffan slumped against the timbers, ‘That harpoon, on the front of the ship, looks barely working,’ Gideon sniffed, ‘S’cause s’not. Cap only put it there ta scare ‘way pirate types. Needn’ bothered, nuttin’ worth stealin’ anyways. Thing’s rusted so’s not even t’gods could ‘elp it. Not even s’pposed ta put one on boat size o’ this, stupid Cap,’ ‘Hodge, tell me about him,’ The cabin boy slowly rocked the child in his arms and made faces at him as he talked, ‘Not worth a soddin’ thing ‘n’ couldn’ run a ship ta save ‘is life. S’why he took you three yer know, you ‘n’ the missus an’ the li’l one, need money fer repairs. S’why we only got skell crew, see? Cheaper. Cap’s a fool, yer wan’ know ‘ow ‘e got that scar on ‘is face? Bar room brawl, wi’ a Dhani vagik called Bossycarvs or Bosslcarveys or sommat silly. Thing is, right, this Dhani, this petching azmashe of a snake, ‘e was nearin’ two, two fifty years an ‘ almos’ got the fat bastard! This Dhani ‘ad ‘im in an ‘old and damn near scratched the bugger’s eye out!’ Gideon burst out laughing. The sudden loud noise caused the infant in his arms to scream out, so he quickly returned to rocking it. ‘Would you keep it quiet?’ Tiffan said, rubbing his temple. Gideon scowled at the horseman, slouched on the ground, back to the wood, ‘You should be nicer ta the li’l one, he’ll be all youse ‘ave left when ya missus goes,’ Tiffan surged upwards and slammed the boy against the wall so hard he almost dropped the child, ‘Never!’ he shouted, ‘Never say something like that to me again you foul-mouthed little jakri of a brat!’ Tiffan breathed heavily and glared at the wide-eyed cabin boy. They stood like that for a good few moments, when the infant held between them sneezed. The horseman looked down and released Gideon from his hold. He took the baby from his warden and began to walk deeper into the ship, heading down to the hold. Gideon shouted after him, ‘Yer crazy!’ he rubbed his neck where the man had grabbed him and muttered, ‘Crazy, petchin' shyke,’

[Montaine]

In a small apartment in Zeltiva, on a quiet night in 498 AV, the story continued. From through the wall that they shared with the landlord next door, Tiffan and Montaine could hear shouting. Mister Beaufont and his wife were having another argument again and it was a good fifteen minutes before the noise died down, and silence returned to the cool, Zeltivan night. In the meantime, the tall horseman got his son a drink and contemplated the next part of his story. ‘Okay, you comfortable, Monty? It was a few weeks later, after the attack, and your mother took a turn for the worse, but more than that, there was a surprise in store for us. The Nuzem was far faster than any pirate ship in those waters, but with the damage done by the harpoon, the Captain wanted to make repairs, and while we fixed her up the pirates caught us! You and your mother were sleeping in our big, soft bed in the guest quarters when they struck, while I was in the forecastle, where they served all the meals, getting us all something to eat. Suddenly, I heard a ruckus from outside and the sounds of swordfights rattling in the air! I grabbed a blade and rushed out to meet the foe! The pirate ship was alongside and a number of planks led across the waters to our decks. Both crews came together in a crash. The first mate Beliton lowered his head and charged into a whole group of the enemy as they crossed over, knocking them into the ocean! Suddenly one of the fiends attacked me, swung once, I blocked, swung again, I parried,’ Tiffan leapt from the bed as he spoke and began to mime the battle with his imaginary sabre, ‘I struck him a blow round the side of his head and drew blood! ‘I looked across the ship to the entrance way to our quarters and saw a band of the ruthless brigands at our door. I ran across the decks, ducking and dodging a hundred blows and saw that it was none other than their captain, the dread Sphefke, six-armed scourge of the Suvan Sea!’ Tiffan delighted at his son’s gasp, ‘I called out to our captain, “Hodge!” I cried, but the brave sailor was doing battle with four, no five, pirate foes up at the helm. I reached our room but it was guarded by the dreadful pirate first mate, but I slew him with a quick thrust to the gut, spilling his innards to the timbers!’ Monty squealed in ghoulish delight, ‘But what about Sphefke?’ Tiffan paused, ‘Do you really want to hear the rest of the story? It is very late,’ his son nodded furiously, ‘Well, I suppose, okay,’ he climbed back into the bed and continued, ‘I stepped over the corpse of the wicked first mate and into the room. Outside the battle went well, their raggedy rabble no much for our Hodge’s disciplined crew, but inside I saw Captain Sphefke, with a blade in four of his six hands, holding you in his remaining two. I raised my sword to duel him, but I was no match. I could barely block his whirlwind blows, relentless as all four blade wielding arms struck with the fury of the desert. But then, over the noise of the fierce onslaught just as I was about to be slain, your mother heard you crying, and, with the very last of her strength heaved up the bedside table and sent crashing over the pirate’s head! The captain’s skull had been severely weakened, you see, by many brawls across the ocean, and that blow killed him. He teetered on his feet and your mother ran and grabbed you, just as you would have been crushed,’ Monty smiled, but noticed the sad look on his father’s face as Tiffan spoke on, ‘The battle was short from then, and your mother had used the very last of her breath to save you, before the last of the pirates were thrown from the ship she had passed into her next life by the guidance of the gods,’ Tiffan grew silent and Montaine was unsure as to what to say, he turned to his father and asked, ‘Then Mam was a hero?’ The horseman looked at his son and smiled, ‘Yes, Monty, Mam was a hero,’