I

Captain Morgan Ryley looked up from his pile of paperwork for shipments and payments. His shoulder length, dark brown hair framed a well-tanned, handsome face, that spoke of a well seasoned, but not aged seaman. His pale blue eyes narrowed at the young, wiry man, who dared to disturb the monotony of this tedious chore. His first mate straightened himself to his almost five foot height and gave a sharp salute. Ryley bunched his eyebrows together at the formality, but this was Mathews, and he had long ago learned there was nothing to be done for it. The subordinate’s long blonde hair hung in his face, but it could not exactly be called messy. He wore casual work clothes, but they seemed to be the height of a formal uniform compared to the one that accompanied the mate.

The visitor was the reason for the disturbance and made the captain raise his dark eyebrows further. The stranger stood not much better than waist high to Mathews, and he could be easily mistaken for a child. His loose white shirt hung in tatters around his bony arms and collarbone. The brown pants and red socks were torn and muddied. His toes hung out of his right shoe, and the sole of the left shoe hung by mere threads. Outside the rags on such a small being, what struck the captain next about this little one was the fact that the left hand was replaced by an iron hook. Despite the obvious weight, it did not seem to hinder one so childlike in appearance in his movements. It was strange enough fo a full size man to sport such a replacement because of cost and the fact that it was more of a hindrance than a help, but it was totally incredible to see it one so small and destitute. The captain narrowed his eyes to slits as they traveled the figure to look into the eyes of his adversary. Ragged brown hair with streaks of a darker brown cover the left side of the tanned, scarred face.. Although a brown leather strap around the head suggested an eyepatch in the mass of unkempt hair, this is not what caught the man’s attention . The one opened eye was as black as coal and a tanned pointed ear rose up from the right side of his head. Ryley forced himself to be calm. This being before him was not human.

The captain sat back and stroked his well trimmed beard. He had no need for his first mate to tell him to tread carefully. He had heard many such stories of the fairy folk as a child. He studied this small visitor with some interest. The little one had the look of uncertainty, a bit of pleading, and a fair amount of fear. Was it possible for mere humans to hurt those of the magical blood? The injuries to this one did suggest such. How ironic, he thought. Shouldn’t the tables be turned, and the humans should be afraid of the otherworldly creature? After all, seamen, as a rule, were a superstitious lot. With a brief glance to his mate, he thought with a chuckle that Mathews was the top of the lot. He could most possibly come up with quite a yarn for this incident.

Shaking his head, Ryley decided to play his part given. “What is it you want, fae?” he queried in a deep, stern voice.

The figure before him noticeably jumped. He took a step back from the desk. The sudden movement displaced the unruly hair. A torn, stitched ear flopped out atop the mass on the left side. He hurried to push the fallen locks out of his face with his only hand. With an effort, he forced himself to regain his composure. Taking a deep breath, he straightened his back to stand up to his full height. He dropped his arms to his sides for a moment. With a moment of thought, he put his hand to his heart and made a graceful bow before the captain. Then he pulled himself up straight again with his hand at his side clenching and unclenching into a fist. His dark eye made direct contact with Ryley’s ice blue eyes.

“I sign aboard your ship, sir. I do have some experience with the sea, and I think you might find me useful. I need no pay. I only wish to return to my homeland.”

Ryley snorted, and his audience jumped again. “I bet you do in the thieving ways. You have the look of a pirate about you.” The small creature swallowed hard at his words. “I despise pirates,” he stated firmly with a finality in his words that the other could not argue.

“Yes, sir,” the other replied. He licked his dry, torn lips and clenched his fist tightly at his side. “It is true. I have worked for pirates, sir. We . . . I had a disagreement with them. They abandoned me here.”

The man shook his head. “This is your reward for serving under a scoundrel’s flag. I will not employ one of their yolk aboard my ship. Be gone from here, and be glad that I don’t turn you over to the authorities.”

Mathews gasped at the words and crossed himself. The visitor stiffened, but he soon recovered himself. With his hand to his heart, he made another courteous bow to the man before him. “Thank you for hearing me,” he replied with a forced calm voice.

With the business settled, the mate knew that the spirit was not invited here, and he had no power to avenge himself upon them. He moved to grab the unwelcome guest’s arm, but the small being pulled away from him forcefully with a shred of his dignity left. The captain raised his hand to stay his officer’s actions. The fae looked around him briefly. Squaring his shoulders, he made his way out in a too hurried of a step to be truly dignified. Mathews let out a heavy relieved breath.

“Very wise decision, sir,” he announced as he crossed himself again. “It is best not to have dealings with the devil’s people.”

Ryley shook his head at the mate’s foolish reaction and words. With a sigh, he returned regretfully to his menial task. The event was weird, but he had seen many a strange thing during his time at sea. One of the wee folks was not about to shake the way he did things aboard his ship. Besides, it was far safer to deny a magical creature’s help, because there would be no obligations later and no chance of the famed retribution of a slight insult. There would be no worry about double crossing and wicked trickery on the other’s part if no agreement was made.

The mate, having been dismissed, followed the most unusual being out of the cabin to be sure it left. They had enough pestilence on board of the natural time without having otherworldly vermin infesting the woodwork as well. He would not feel safe until the childlike being stepped off the gangplank onto the busy docks again. As soon as this was done, Mathews looked heavenward and gave a quick word of thanks.

Once the visitor made his expedient exit from the captain’s cabin, he slowed his pace. Giving a quick glance up and around the ship and the crew preparing her for the voyage, he gave a deep sigh and lowered his head. His shoulders dropped and he slunk his way off of the ship. His pace was neither hurried enough to please the mate nor pitifully slow. Once his feet touched the docks again, he looked up and around himself at Ryley’s men and the cargo that was being loaded. He wove his way in and amongst the crates that greatly exceeded his height. Any of the laboring crew that might have noticed him soon lost track of him. No one noticed that he failed to reappear at the end of the maze nor did anyone notice the lost tattered shoe on the dock.

Once the paperwork was done and the merchandise fully loaded, Ryley was glad to cast off and move onward to his new destination. He was much more adapted to dealing with the nature of the sea and the obstacles she could throw at him than all these tedious technicalities. Yet, like his crew, he needed the payment and the closing of the deals to keep his business and livelihood. The interview with the strange little guest was soon forgotten for more mundane matters.

A/N: This is a story that is aching in the back of my mind. It comes between "The Story of Olivier Part I" and "The Bane of Rendsberg Part II" It was intended to be a short story, but it got a little out of hand as most of my stories do. Anyway, this is a one shot chaptered story. No parts involved in this one. Actually, this story kind of came about because of the research I am doing on ships and pirates so that I might go back to working on Bane.

As for my activity on here, I am still trying to get things straightened out, and the blackout last week from Ike didn't help things either. I live on the Kentucky side of Ohio, we don't get hurricanes here!! Anyway, I'm getting around to reading again.