Chapter Text
“Captain! Storms rollin in,” came a voice from the other side of the solid wooden door of Logan’s cabin. Logan rolled over and slipped on his boots and coat, he groaned as he stretched his back, walking over to the door and opening it to peer out onto the deck.
“Mornin, Cap’n, the storm don’t seem too bad yet, but we thought you should be made awares,” one of the younger crew members spoke, waiting for a nod of confirmation from Logan before he skidded away to one of the sails to help take it down. Logan watched him go, shaking his head and moving towards the bow of the ship to take his position by the navigator.
“Good morning, Zaid,” Logan spoke once he observed that the navigator was already up and working.
“Mornin, Captain,” Zaid replied, his lip caught between his teeth as he looked over the map in front of him. “We’re on course, everything seems fine for now, but some of the others were saying they saw a ship on our territory.”
Logan huffed in exasperation, looking over the waters around them. They were moving steadily through calm waters though the clouds behind them rolled dark with the impending storm. To the East of their current position, Logan could see what appeared to be the outline of another ship. He sneered at this and turned his attention towards the navigator. “Change our course to intercept that ship.”
“With all due respect sir, if we do that we risk getting stuck in the storm instead of skirting around it,” Zaid returned respectfully.
“Did I ask for your opinion?” Logan glared at him, the navigator shrinking upon himself under the flare of the captain’s eyes. “You act as if you’ve never seen a storm before, from the look of that cloud formation it should only be a steady rainfall. I think you princesses can handle getting wet,” he spits out before turning back to head to his quarters.
Zaid grimaced at the form of Logan leaving and shook his head. Nonetheless, he proceeded to bark orders to the men on deck who scattered to attend the sails to direct them on their new course.
It wasn’t long before they’d approached the neighbouring ship and as soon as they were close enough for it to be more than an outline, it was clear that this ship wasn’t a threat and that Logan was going to have an absolute field day.
The crew boarded the ship and called Logan, the captain sauntering over one of the planks and rather eloquently jumping down onto the deck. With his sword in hand, he stepped forward. “Which one of you is responsible for this vessel?” he called out, his voice despite being soft holding a far more sinister tone.
For a moment there was only a murmur among the men standing before him. Then an older gentleman stepped forward, rather cautiously. “I am in charge of these men and the provisions we carry. We are but a humble merchant vessel and we mean no threat.” The man tried to speak with an even tone but there was a faint tremble to his words and his posture was one of distinct fear.
Logan smirked, “Oh, good. You’ll be no trouble at all then,” he grinned, letting out a faint chuckle before he raised his head again. “Why the fuck are you on my territory? The only people usually stupid enough to do that are pirates mistaken when they think they have a chance.” he spat snarkily. “Everyone knows they all end up in the same place,” he added, pointing down at the ocean’s bubbling waters swirling at the side of the ship.
There was a collective shudder among the crew of the vessel as they stared at each other helplessly. The man who had spoken up was shocked into silence, unable to respond. A younger man next him decided to speak next. “Sir, it… it was an accident. We were set off course at the sight of the approaching storm and we didn’t realize we had crossed into pirate territory…”
Logan pouted condescendingly, clearly making fun of their predicament. “Well, that isn’t my problem,” he scoffed, running his finger along the edge of his sword and then drawing his eyes back to the group of people in front of him.
“I guess we’ll have to kill you, that’s a shame…” the captain trailed off and as the group’s eyes filled with fear and it looked as if they were about to start pleading with him, he held up a finger to silence them. “We’ll have to kill you, unless… you can offer me something worth letting you go for.”
“All we have is livestock and cotton… but we were nearing a trading port. With everything we have, it will all be very valuable and those we are set to exchange with will be willing to pay an excellent price for it all,” the young man went on to explain, “Perhaps we could arrange once we get there in terms of repayment…”
“Well, that sounds...feasible,” he replied slowly, watching as the man seemed to almost breathe a sigh of relief. “But, I want… something to make sure you keep your side of the deal. A member of your crew for example,” he smirked, tapping his fingers against the side of the boat as he leaned against it. “That way I'll know you won't try anything funny.” he grinned with a glint in his eye.
The young man blinked and turned to the older gentleman who simply nodded in agreement. “I’m giving you fifteen minutes amongst yourselves to decide who is to come with me before I change my mind and kill you all,” Logan threw out casually as he made his way back to his ship. The men were left to stare and murmur between each other about who they could send.
Within the next couple of minutes, the sound of slightly raised voices travelled between the two ships and a few shifting noises as a man was brought across the plank by two members of Logan’s crew.
The man in question was looking intensely at the plank below him, shaking slightly as he made his way cautiously across the gap. It was clear by his expression that he wasn’t even the slightest bit used to the daunting fall into the ocean that stood between the two immobile ships.
He finally made it across and Logan raised an eyebrow at him as he looked up simultaneously to meet his gaze. The hostage didn’t look afraid, more excited which wasn’t what Logan was looking for. “Put the hostage below decks,” he commanded as he stormed back onto the other ship.
The captain quickly grabbed one of the men closest and drew his sword to his throat. “You better not be playing me for a fool.” he spat, “If I find out you are, it will not be pretty.”
The man he was holding immediately tensed and closed his eyes, “He’s valuable to us, I promise. He’s very good below decks and has always worked incredibly hard. We’re taking you seriously, I promise.” he whimpered and Logan pulled the sword away, pushing the snivelling man over hard into the wood of the deck and climbing back to his ship without another word.
The planks connected the two ships were removed and the merchant’s vessel continued on its way, the pirate ship following close behind. Logan paced for a while on the decks as he eyed the sky, the clouds swirling near them were getting darker and darker and the smell of rain in the air indicated that it would start falling at any moment. He then decided to make his way down below the deck to check on his bargaining piece.
Once below, Logan shooed the men he’d left to guard the hostage and sent them back to help the others. He approached the cell and got another look at the man. While the area was feebly lit, there was still a beam of light flickering from above deck to give enough light to see who he was dealing with. The man inside the cell was lying on the bench, one foot propped up as the other hung beside him, all the while humming happily to himself seeming completely unbothered.
Logan did find this odd but realised it was possible he just knew how to keep his cool. “My name is Captain Logan, you will address me as such and work on my ship for however long we decide to keep you around,” he spoke gruffly, “What’s your name?” he then proceeded to demand.
The man quickly perked up and smiled widely at him, “Remus! My name’s Remus!” he grinned cheerfully, standing up and bouncing on the balls of his feet as he was trying to contain all his excitement and seem at least slightly professional.
Logan frowned at this, unsure what to think of his behaviour. “Well then Remus, I was told that you knew how to make yourself useful. What exactly are you good for?” He was still debating whether he should put his hostage to work or not. On the one hand, cheap labour was always something he needed, but he also wasn’t sure he could trust to do anything that wouldn’t end up endangering himself and everyone else on the ship.
Remus could no longer repress his smile as he began to word vomit excitedly once again, “Well, I’ve cleaned most everything, mended anything from weapons to holes in the ship, got rid of rats, treated wounds and done other things within that area because I was a self-taught medic for a while. I don’t mind dirt or gore, I’m also good with organisation and the tedious sort of jobs,” he listed, discreetly counting the jobs on his fingers as he did so. “Ooh! I can also navigate a little if I have a map and a compass, I'm good with my hands, and my mouth, amongst other things if that’s what you need.”
“Hmm, okay I think I've heard enough,” Logan mused, internally double-taking at Remus’ last comment as he continued eyeing the strange man suspiciously. “I guess I could send you to the top of the mast to serve as a lookout.” That would work nicely, that way he could keep an eye on Remus and it would be an easy way to make sure he didn’t try to escape. However, Remus immediately paled at the suggestion, Logan raising an eyebrow at this questioningly.
“Well...uh...I don’t think I’d be most helpful there...I have uh...the tiniest slight bit of a fear of heights and I’m sure I’d be much more helpful...anywhere else,” Remus admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor as he looked rather ashamed at having to say this and risk disappointing Logan. Though it was still unclear why he was still so eager to please him.
“Excuse me, but did I ask for your preferences?” Logan boomed in response, effectively causing Remus to cower under the intensity of his presence. “You don’t get to choose here and insolence is not something that I will be tolerating. I’d have you thrown off the ship for that but fortunately for you, I need you alive for this deal to go through,” he sneered at the figure before him.
Remus looked almost as though he was about to protest but Logan cut him off before he had the chance. “Not another word out of you or I may just change my mind about having you thrown overboard. Get back to the deck and you better be halfway up that ladder once I reach the top of the stairs.”
Remus cowered and nodded nervously; as the door to the cell opened, he obediently rushed up the stairs and made his way over to the daunting position he’d been given. He was about three-quarters of the way up the rickety ladder when he paused, stopping and clinging onto the rope.
The crew below began to snicker, but as Logan approached and gave them a swift glare, they all went back to what they were doing. He looked up at Remus with a raised eyebrow, wondering why he’d stopped when it became apparent that he was slowly losing his grip and not long after, he dropped from the ladder, having passed out before he’d even reached the top.
Not a moment later Logan had crossed the distance between where he’d been standing and the base of the mast, just in time to catch Remus and keep him from smacking onto the deck. In doing so he fell somewhat to the ground where he stayed on his knees as Remus lay on his back. A few seconds later his eyes were fluttering open and he looked up at Logan staring down at him.
Remus’ cheeks went immediately red at the realisation that he’d just fainted. “I tried to warn you…” he said with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry about that it’s never happened before, I can try again though since that’s where you wanted me,” he went on as he tried to sit up but was immediately hit with a wave of dizziness.
Logan rolled his eyes, helping him up and half lifting him to take him into one of the cabins. “You need to stay here and take a minute otherwise you’ll make it worse. Don’t go up there again and let someone know when you’ve had a break and you’re feeling better,” Logan huffed, walking out of the room and locking it behind him.
Logan went to his cabin to take a moment to collect himself. Remus was like nothing he’d ever encountered before and he was half out of his wits with what to do with him. While part of him was massively annoyed at the man for having caused a scene and for ruining his plans for the hostage, another part of him also felt bad for having made him climb up the ladder after he’d distinctly expressed his discomfort at the notion. Logan caught himself at this, since when did he care about the wellbeing about any of his crew? Let alone someone like Remus.
******************
Remus himself wanted to spend time to ponder over everything that had just happened, but honestly found himself speechless and also incredibly dizzy with fatigue. He managed to get some sleep and after a while, someone came in to check on him. They got him working on polishing some swords by order of Logan who’d figured Remus wouldn’t sit still without something to do. Even if he was supposed to be resting, from what Logan had seen, the man was a whirlwind.
Logan was surprised to learn not even an hour later that Remus had already finished with the polishing and was asking what his next task would be. Initially sceptical at the speed at which this had been done he went to inspect Remus’ work but found all the swords to have been polished to a pristine degree. He did, however, notice that Remus seemed to be sporting small bandages around multiple fingers which seemed to suggest that he was as accident-prone as he looked.
Logan furrowed his eyebrows and turned to a small notepad on the wall. “These will be your quarters, for now, I’ll put up new things for you to do on this notepad and I want you to get them done,” he ordered before stepping out of the room and returning to his office.