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“Leader of the Silver Rings, Treasure-Marked Vincent set to be executed!” the crier shouted. The news was the talk of the town. Everyone wanted to hear the infamous captain admit to his crimes before he was hung. Sadly Vincent had no plans to do that.
“Bring the prisoner to the court!” the marshal yelled. Vincent chose not to move. His jailor didn’t enjoy that. He was swiftly kicked in the knees.
“Move it, pirate scum,” the jailor hissed.
Vincent glared at the jailor, but walked forward. He kept his head high as he cleared the darkness of the cells. A place they built just for him. At least if the guards could be believed. Each night as they threw his food against the wall they mentioned it. A cell to keep his crew from finding him. No using the moonlight to send a signal like the last time.
“Hang him!”
“Kill him!”
“Dirty pirate!”
The crowd screamed as he arrived at the top of the gallows. Normally a trial would be held in a court. He’d have a chance to prove his innocence, not that he was innocent. His crew had been the worst terror to hit the seas in decades. It started as revenge against the crew that scarred his eyes for seeing their treasure. It continued because he realized he liked being a pirate. Liked what came with it too.
The marshal waved a hand to silence the crowd. Vincent smirked at the anger on all of their faces. Another hand motion, this time directed at him. He didn’t move. The crowd shouted again. A cacophony of anger that only made him chuckle. The jailor that brought him to the gallows kicked the back of his legs so he fell to his knees. Vincent glared up, but a hand pushed his head to stare at the ground.
“Treasure-Marked Vincent, you are charged with piracy in the high seas. How do you plead?”
Vincent stayed silent. The crowd entered his plea for him. Guilty.
“The next charge. Destruction of naval vessels, both docked and out on the seas. How do you plead?”
Once more the voice of the crowd answered for him. Guilty.
“Destruction of port cities all along the coast. Your plea?”
Guilty.
Another charge and the same plea. It went on for a few minutes. He didn’t expect half of what was brought up. Illegal country entry, destroying a fish population, ruining some random lighthouse. Not all of it was his fault exactly, but they were more or less his crimes.
“Captain of the Silver Rings, you’ve remained silent as your charges were read out. The guilt is clear. Are you ready to face your sentence?”
Another burst of shouts from the crowd. Vincent fought the one holding his head to look up at the marshal.
“Why don’t we stop this sham of a trial and you throw the noose around me neck? Unless ye’ve grown to like me,” Vincent laughed.
The crowd erupted. The marshal sputtered out denials and insults. It only made Vincent laugh more. He’d always enjoyed moments like this. His normal days included flustering someone that took a lot more work. These people were easy.
“Treasure-Marked Vincent. You are sentenced to hang for your crimes!” the Marshal shouted over the crowd. Silence settled once the punishment was announced.
Vincent took the chance to watch the sea. Eerily calm, exactly what he wanted. The day was clear too. So clear that a ship on the horizon could be seen for leagues. His crew was long gone. Far off and safe. He felt the executioner stop next to him. The continued calm of the sea gave him an ounce of fear.
“Prepare the guilty!” the marshal cried.
Vincent bit his tongue as the executioner grabbed his head. He was forced to his feet. They marched him towards what should be his doom. A stage that held a noose ripe for him. Despite the impending death, Vincent kept his head high. Walked on with the confidence he’d needed to be a captain. He didn’t become a terror by showing weakness.
“Prepared to die?” the executioner murmured as they approached the stairs.
“Aye, are you?” Vincent said. “I hear you lot think I’m cursed. Are ye ready to die just to take me head?”
“Curses are tall tales.”
The executioner pushed him after that. Vincent stumbled, but caught himself before he fell. The pride around that didn’t last when he was dragged towards the noose. The trap door was painted another color. It felt malicious. He was stopped on top of the door and turned towards the crowd. The marshal slowly sauntered up to join Vincent at the gallows. The man smirked once he stood next to him. Just slightly taller than Vincent.
“Are you prepared to pay for your crimes?” he whispered.
“Aye, if there were any I should pay for. Don’t think the crowd would be as happy if they knew ye hunted the merfolk. Invited their anger to those cities ye blame on me and me crew,” Vincent said. The marshal’s eyes went wide, but he held his calm. Grabbed the noose from the executioner and placed it over Vincent’s head.
“If I knew you had that knowledge-” the noose tightened- “I would have had you killed last night.” Tightened again. “No matter. You’ll die today, scourge of the seas. Maybe you’d be remembered if you had a more imposing crew name. Silver Rings doesn’t inspire terror. Maybe a dread pirate would have been better?”
The noose left Vincent with barely enough room for small breaths. It didn’t matter. He still laughed. “Ye should realize it inspires terror in the ones who learn the source. If anyone could figure it out I would have expected it from ye. After all, ye were the bastard that brought me to the treasure that scarred me.”
“Here I thought you forgot, another thing that makes it good you’ll be dying today.” The marshal that a lifetime ago had been his friend turned around. Walked towards the crowd and bowed. “The legend of Treasure-Marked Vincent dies today!”
A new cacophony of screams. Vincent stood tall as the executioner took their place. A hand ready to seal his fate. A mutual understanding that if he tried to spill the truth, his death would be instant. This was the closest they’ve gotten to killing him. He looked towards the sea. The waters had started to move again. Vincent smiled.
“Any last words, captain?” the marshal asked. The executioner laughed softly.
“Ye really should have worried more about me crew,” Vincent laughed. The marshal and executioner were stunned by the confidence in his tone. The crowd chanted for his death. Vincent laughed louder as a form rose from the waters.
“What in the seven seas is that?!” shouted a member of the crowd.
A shadow coated the world. Giant pink eyes glared at the crowd. The monster only seemed to grow larger the longer it was watched. Vincent laughed again. The eyes locked on him, but he had no reason to care. Death was at his doorstep
“Look, all over its body!” Another onlooker screamed.
The tan skin of the beast was covered in rings. From the light they were in it was hard to see the color. One of his hands slammed down next to the crowd. People fell, others ran. The marshal fell off his feet, the executioner backed away. The active danger to his life was gone.
“Run, leave the pirate to die!” the marshal cried.
The crowd that had fallen wasted no time in getting to their feet. The executioner looked between the monster, Vincent, and the lever that held his life. They settled on hopping off the gallows’ stage. The right move honestly. It was a waste to die failing to kill a pirate. Especially one that couldn’t flee what looked to be a worse death.
The marshal climbed to his feet. They paused as they met Vincent’s eyes. A look of pity that quickly morphed to confusion. Vincent held no fear in his eyes. He was happy with the sudden destruction that had happened. His smile grew as the arms of the creature moved to surround them. A glare that only bled fire and anger at the marshal.
Fear took the marshal’s reason. He dove for the lever. If the trap door triggered, he could hide under the stage. One of the beast’s claws stopped him. Held him by the edge of his coat. Vincent smiled. The pain the marshal caused would see justice now.
“Take him and spare me!” the marshal cried. The beast growled. His arms came closer. Crushed the sides of the stage to ensure the humans there were held up by his choice. “I-I can tell the navy to spare your kin!”
“Aye, that he could. We both know he’d only tell ‘em to hunt ye,” Vincent countered.
“You can’t trust a pirate! Th-their kind is what showed us your value. They’re the ones that you should kill! I-I can convince other marshals that your kind should be treated with dignity. Show that you’re not savage beasts.”
“Aye, it’s true. Pirates did sell the scales of merfolk first.” A shadow settled over Vincent. He smiled as the crunch of wood sounded above him. “Sadly, the merfolk know my kind had bartered for them from the start. Yer the ones that felt it was better to kill or maim them.”
The beast’s head shifted. Allowed the light to hit the rings on the arms that had become the support of the stage. It blinded Vincent for a moment. He was used to it though. His vision cleared quickly. Allowed him to watch as the arms around them moved more. Replaced the stage entirely with one single hand.
Now that the beast could sit up, he moved. Pulled himself and the two humans off the land. Vincent enjoyed the salty air as it passed them by. The marshal’s vision had yet to clear. He rubbed his eyes over and over. The rings were a powerful weapon against normal humans.
The marshal finally looked up at the source. In theory it would be long gone, but the beast kept them near one. The color was now plain as day. “S-silver?”
“Silver rings,” the beast said. Vincent smirked as the marshal paled. It seemed he finally made the connection.
“You-you can’t mean th-this is the reason…”
“Aye, that it is. Ye know those pirates ye let hurt me; they left me to die. Thought I would until someone took pity on me soul,” Vincent said. He placed his hand on the skin of the beast. “I thought I’d die once I realized it was a merfolk. Monsters the navy said. Beasts. They’d skin a sinner like me and eat me.”
“Y-You work with this monster?! No, I’ve seen your crew. Your human crew.”
“And I’ve left the name of me first mate for ye to find after each escape. Ever wondered how he never arrived with the rest of me crew?”
“Are ye done with him yet, Cap’n?” the beast said. Vincent smiled.
“Aye, Rhys. We’re done with the marshal. Good luck next time ye catch me. If ye survive”
“Tell him not to kill me Vincent. I-I’ll give you money! Status! Anything you want!”
Vincent waited until two massive fingers had pinched the marshal. Pulled him up into the air. “If he was the kind to hurt ye, I might take that offer. Rhys is no more beast than either of us. He won’t be ending yer life.”
Vincent watched as the marshal was pulled away. The hand that held him tilted enough he could see the land below. The marshal was dropped from just high enough it may cause bruises. Rhys had gotten pretty far from the port already. Vincent always forgot how fast his first mate could swim. Of course that was something necessary for them.
“Ye’ll survive here until someone comes along. Unless a crueler member of his kin finds ye first. If you survive, have fun convincing the people we work with merfolk.”
Rhys pulled his hand back before the marshal could respond. Vincent didn’t mind, he’d been close to death this time. Even thought his first mate might not manage to save him. He was pressed flat against Rhys’s skin. The hand carefully slid up the merfolk’s chest until he was near the base of Rhys’s gills.
The time to relax was nice. A welcome change from the cells. Especially with the warmth of Rhys’s skin to soothe his muscles. He tried to listen to the merman breathe or his pulse, but both were too far. He was held in a different spot than usual. Something he only grew annoyed by after the water started to splash through the massive hand and onto him.
“Rhys,” Vincent said. The merman offered a short, almost curt chirp. He sighed and dropped the pirate persona he’d used for his ‘trial’. “You’re mad, aren’t you?
Another short chirp.
“I didn’t plan to get captured. It was supposed to be a supply run.”
Just a huff.
“I’m sorry. I knew you’d show up for me though.”
That got a reaction. The fingers closed in around him. Claws pressed against his skin as the hand was ripped away from the merman’s body. Vincent’s stomach dropped as the hand and merman rose from the water. He had to fight to keep whatever was in his stomach down by the time the hand flattened. It was bad enough he almost missed the glare from the pink eyes.
“You almost died,” Rhys growled.
“I almost die a lot,” Vincent said with a shrug. He tried to wave away the concern. Rhys wasn’t ready to accept that. A claw tilted Vincent’s head up. He knew it was to check for bruises. It didn’t make it easy to accept the sharp claw at his throat.
“You’re bruising, in the wrong spot too.”
“It’s fine.” Vincent tried to pull away, but the claw followed him.
“If they pulled the lever you would have died. They could have killed you while I watched.”
“If I did it was my own fault. There’s no reason to worry.”
Sad chirps followed his words. The fins on Rhys’s head drooped. He was brought painfully close to the giant pink eyes. They bled worry and pain. He knew Rhys cared, but it didn’t matter. If he died his crew would keep moving. The others had been shown kindness by merfolk too. They all wanted to stop the hunts.
“Of course I worry. I…” Rhys whispered. A rumble, almost like a purr, bubbled from the merman. Vincent wanted to push away the feeling this caused. The feeling Rhys almost acknowledged. It was too much, too real. Too painful.
“You don’t have to worry. If I die, I die. You can go back to living like a normal merfolk too,” Vincent said. He ignored the pain in his chest.
“If you die, I die.”
“Rhys no. Let’s not talk about this now, I just want to rest.”
“When will you talk about it Vincent? After decades have passed and you’re about to leave me? I don’t want to wait forever… I-”
“Rhys please, don’t say it.”
“Why not?”
“It’s… Just don’t.”
“That’s not enough reason this time. I lo-”
“Rhys don't!”
Vincent covered his ears. He didn’t want to hear the words. They’d change everything. Things would have to change. It couldn’t be how it is anymore. They would have to decide what those feelings meant. There was a chance they were different. Love had so many possibilities. One could see them as lovers, the other as family. It was too much.
A claw pried his arm off his ear, “You’d hate to hear it that much?”
Vincent snapped his head up to meet Rhys’s eyes. Tears sat at the edges. Not quite sea water, but close to it. Just light enough to float. He only saw Rhys cry one time before. It tore at his heart.
“No not that. I just… don’t want things to change.”
“Would it be a bad change?”
Vincent cringed at the pain. All of this was wrong. The wrong time, the wrong way, the wrong feelings. It didn’t matter though. He could have truly died today. Rhys… Rhys at least deserved to hear what he felt. Even if it was different than Rhys wanted. Even if it made the reason for his crews’ name leave.
“Maybe…” Vincent took a deep breath. “What if you love me differently than I love you?”
Somehow, Vincent never imagined the giant merman could blush. The fins on his head folded back. High pitch chirps were the only noise he made. Vincent chose to believe this was a good sign. Maybe it was the same. That the changes could be good. He tried to find the words to say what he meant.
The hand he was on moved before he could. He found himself face to lips with Rhys. Hope he hadn’t had in years filled his chest. He leaned forward and placed a hand on the lips. An attempt to test the waters. Rhys took that as an invitation. The lips smashed into him and pressed him firmly against the hand. It took a few seconds for him to comprehend the feeling and then try to kiss back.
It seemed like they shared the same love. As Rhys pulled away and Vincent took in the breaths he needed he smiled. The changes would be good.
“I won’t go near a city if you’re hunting again,” Vincent said. Rhys chirped the ones he knew meant joy.
The hand he was on moved to hold him next to Rhys’s throat. Right where he could listen as the gills took in air and water. Just beneath he could catch bits of pulse. Soothing, relaxing, and somewhere he felt safe. The purrs that started a few seconds later made it even better. His closest brush with death at least ended in something worth it.