Chapter 12.6- The Seadragon's Roar

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After a long afternoon, we made landfall at what remained of the Pirate’s castle. Castle was a strong word. It was a building made of wood, bigger than the others in what passed for a capital city on this island, but not much so, and mostly by virtue off the other buildings being little better than hovels.

“Well done, my son” Corlys said, clapping me on the shoulder while I walked over to the flash on the desk tat he sat ion front and poured myself a healthy gulp. So much fire, I thought, reminiscing about what I had jut finished. Igneel was outside the castle, looking for something else to amuse himself and I could not bring myself to stop him from playing what he considered to be a prank on a few of the men at arms that got too close. Let him have his fun. At least one of us ought to.

“Your mother used to get a similar look on her face” Corlys said, cutting through my thoughts.

“What?”

“This isn’t the first time we’ve moved against pirates. Before you or your sister were born, some pirates had taken Vaemond as well as several of my ships hostage on one of those islands too small to earn a name. She put me on Meleys’ back with her, and we flew over it, setting fire to everyone and everything we saw. They returned your Uncle in no time, and all was well. But after that, she had this look on her face. Being on dragon back lets you see just how small we humans are— just how weak and helpless we truly are when faced with the apex predators of the world” He said with a smile that I returned.

“Does the smell of burning flesh ever leave?” I asked. I couldn’t regret any of what I had done. At least I shouldn’t have. They had been pirates, the scum of the earth— less than human— they would have done the same to innocents if given half the chance, they had done the same to innocents themselves. But I just couldn’t stop seeing the woman and those boys she held in my mind. Had they deserved it?

“You learn to ignore it” Corlys said, giving me a meaningful look. I nodded.

“Now, there is another matter to deal with. Somehow we were spotted on the way. When we arrived here, the town was more or less empty.”

“The pirates escaped?”

“With their King.” He added. I felt myself flush.

“Vaemond is preparing a chasing party now. They went into the forest and can’t have made it all that far. It’s a small island. We’ll find them sooner or later.” He completed, and I nodded, feeling my rage begin to subside.

“Give me leave, I’ll take Igneel and flush them out.”

“And waste the wood we need to build our own ships? I think not. This will be done by men on horses, not on dragons” He said. I nodded. He was right.

“To a stupid man with a hammer, every problem looks a nail. You are not a stupid man, my son” He said. I nodded.

“Give me leave to join the search then” I said.

“Feel free. Amuse yourself” He said, waving me away.