Chronicles of the Dragon Pirate by David Talon Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: David Talon
Cholula put a hand, rough as salt-washed leather, to my face and gently stroked my cheek with her calloused thumb as her smile grew gentle. “You’ll hate me at first, as I hated the Dragon-captain who made me his apprentice when I was fourteen. But hate will turn to respect, and respect to love, as you begin to enjoy the things we do as we share my bed.”
I shrank back from her. “You’re old enough to be my mother.”
Her smile grew hungry once more. “Can you believe Johanna and I were only born a few months apart? Poor woman; I asked her what she would do when you turned eighteen and went into heat for the first time, and she said...she’d lock you in a room for the three days.”
All the members of Draco Dominus laughed, General Montejo remarking, “She has no concept of how desperate Dragons become when they go into heat.”
“Or how resourceful,” Lord Marcus remarked, smiling. “I envy you your first time in heat. Every woman able to bear children will wish to lay with you, and you will barely sleep, for your need and for theirs. It is fortunate for the world that a Dragon is only fertile a few times in his life, else we would rule the world and not be its servants. Your first time in heat will truly be a magical experience.”
Captain Cholula looked at him. “It’s not magical for everyone.”
Lord Marcus leaned forward, his wrinkled face sympathetic. “I know, and shall always regret what happened.”
She shrugged. “You did the only thing you could. Besides, had it happened differently, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.”
“And were you not that woman,” Karl said beside her, half turned so he could keep an eye on Alfonzo, “I wouldn’t have signed on as your armsman.”
Captain Cholula looked up at him with a delighted grin. “You know, I never thought of that. I may have lost a child but I gained a mercenary.”
“Regardless,” Lord Marcus said, “we will see to it that Tomas fathers several children during that time.” He turned towards me. “I plan to take your foster-mother with us when we sail. The town around our fortress is growing, and needs a good apothecary. I will see to it she owns the business free and clear from the start, to recompense her for the loss of your companionship.”
It seemed too good to be true. “That’s been her dream all her life.”
“So Captain Cholula told me.”
“Johanna won’t leave St. Augustine,” Alfonzo snarled, “not while I’m there.”
Captain Cholula snorted. “You do think highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“Johanna Rios is an attractive woman,” Lord Marcus said. “Once she has been properly baptized and accepted into the loving arms of mother church, I feel certain she shall not lack for...unmarried...suitors.” His voice became brisk. “Now, the ceremony of the Dragon-swearing shall take place at the fortress on Jamaica as soon as we arrive...”
Behind me there was a loud rapping sound on the door, which I heard opened. “Lord Marcus,” a man’s voice said, “the group of savages you’ve been waiting for are here.”
Lord Marcus stood up and turned around. “Indeed? I am surprised they finally showed.” I scrambled to my feet and Captain Cholula followed suit, everyone turning toward the open doors of the church as Lord Marcus continued. “How many are waiting for us?”
“Maybe a couple hundred local natives,” the soldier responded. “But only a few are armed.”
“They are only here to watch the performance,” General Montejo said. “What of the others?”
“Close to fifty,” the soldier said. “All of them are armed, except for five of them wearing animal skins. They look like shamans of some sort. But all of the warriors have their weapons put away, except for some in the back that bear gunpowder muskets.”
Karl gave an amused snort. “Didn’t anyone tell them the age of gunpowder’s at an end?”
“Evidently not,” Lord Marcus remarked as he looked toward the men
I shrank back from her. “You’re old enough to be my mother.”
Her smile grew hungry once more. “Can you believe Johanna and I were only born a few months apart? Poor woman; I asked her what she would do when you turned eighteen and went into heat for the first time, and she said...she’d lock you in a room for the three days.”
All the members of Draco Dominus laughed, General Montejo remarking, “She has no concept of how desperate Dragons become when they go into heat.”
“Or how resourceful,” Lord Marcus remarked, smiling. “I envy you your first time in heat. Every woman able to bear children will wish to lay with you, and you will barely sleep, for your need and for theirs. It is fortunate for the world that a Dragon is only fertile a few times in his life, else we would rule the world and not be its servants. Your first time in heat will truly be a magical experience.”
Captain Cholula looked at him. “It’s not magical for everyone.”
Lord Marcus leaned forward, his wrinkled face sympathetic. “I know, and shall always regret what happened.”
She shrugged. “You did the only thing you could. Besides, had it happened differently, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.”
“And were you not that woman,” Karl said beside her, half turned so he could keep an eye on Alfonzo, “I wouldn’t have signed on as your armsman.”
Captain Cholula looked up at him with a delighted grin. “You know, I never thought of that. I may have lost a child but I gained a mercenary.”
“Regardless,” Lord Marcus said, “we will see to it that Tomas fathers several children during that time.” He turned towards me. “I plan to take your foster-mother with us when we sail. The town around our fortress is growing, and needs a good apothecary. I will see to it she owns the business free and clear from the start, to recompense her for the loss of your companionship.”
It seemed too good to be true. “That’s been her dream all her life.”
“So Captain Cholula told me.”
“Johanna won’t leave St. Augustine,” Alfonzo snarled, “not while I’m there.”
Captain Cholula snorted. “You do think highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“Johanna Rios is an attractive woman,” Lord Marcus said. “Once she has been properly baptized and accepted into the loving arms of mother church, I feel certain she shall not lack for...unmarried...suitors.” His voice became brisk. “Now, the ceremony of the Dragon-swearing shall take place at the fortress on Jamaica as soon as we arrive...”
Behind me there was a loud rapping sound on the door, which I heard opened. “Lord Marcus,” a man’s voice said, “the group of savages you’ve been waiting for are here.”
Lord Marcus stood up and turned around. “Indeed? I am surprised they finally showed.” I scrambled to my feet and Captain Cholula followed suit, everyone turning toward the open doors of the church as Lord Marcus continued. “How many are waiting for us?”
“Maybe a couple hundred local natives,” the soldier responded. “But only a few are armed.”
“They are only here to watch the performance,” General Montejo said. “What of the others?”
“Close to fifty,” the soldier said. “All of them are armed, except for five of them wearing animal skins. They look like shamans of some sort. But all of the warriors have their weapons put away, except for some in the back that bear gunpowder muskets.”
Karl gave an amused snort. “Didn’t anyone tell them the age of gunpowder’s at an end?”
“Evidently not,” Lord Marcus remarked as he looked toward the men