re-edited: 7/18 | total word count: 1741

SEA OF SILVER

I ran a hand through my hair — the brown strands no longer than my middle finger — as I walked down the dark white bridge leading away from the Going Sally. The sun was long gone, and the moon was nothing more than a large crescent that gave little light. The silver water slapped against the wooden bridge as if daring it to continue to block its path.

Even with it being so late at night, those who lived in Carlisle were wide awake. Light streamed from behind the large silver wall. It was like a guide to help anyone lost at sea during the cold nights.

A shiver passed through me as a wind cold fingers brushed over me, my hands reaching for the poncho I had left behind. George would bring it if he noticed any time soon.

Music floated with a soft melody to the gate, coming from one of the five-story buildings near it. It housed citizens who continued to show each day and night that they never slept.

The gate was wide enough that a two-person boat could easily slide through the water-way. The white bridge parted in the middle, the wood soon turning into paving as one stepped through the gates. Snakes were engraved on both sides of the silver wall, one looking as if it would slither up while the other was faced down.

The watcher merely waved her hand at me to continue my way, a yawn escaping from her at the same time. Knowing that it was better to not question the wave, I continued through Carlisle's main gate and along the narrow path that would take me to the East Dock.

There, I knew I would find Hywel Davis.

The quickest way to get to the dock — without a small rowing boat — was through the backstreets of the city. The east dock was where most captains went to berth their ships if they didn't need repairs.

Depending on the size of the ships, cargo, and other factors, there weren't usually more than two or three docked at one time. Because there weren't any shallow waters that surrounded Carlisle, a lot of the ships could anchor without a worry of hitting another. Most tried to remain further from the city in case of an unexpected storm or a large wave, so their ship wouldn't crash and cause damage to the city.

Repairs they would need to repay themselves.

Rounding another corner that brought me closer to the east docks, I spotted Hywel. He was a short, slightly thin man who was running in my direction. Sticking my foot out, I waited to see if he would trip or stop when he finally took notice of me. If he didn't stop, he'd go flying into the waterway or skid on the ground.

His running slowed as he lifted his head more. "If it isn't Miss Schmidt." A lopsided grin grew on his face as he stopped, his eyes dropping to my foot. "Hoping to trip me?"

"Only if you didn't plan to stop," I offered, with a tight lip smile. "Where you off to, Hywel?"

Pushing strands of long black hair out of his round face, Hywel shrugged. "Orders. I'm supposed to be searching for two missing kids. Said they belong to Admiral Jennings."

I was surprised any of her kids would be missing. It wasn't often an Admiral's kid would disappear, which had me doubting it was anything serious. I was sure they were just caught up with a few friends.

She was always the type to be overly worried. At least, that's how she was when I last saw her fussing over her oldest son when she was still stationed here.

"When did they go missing?" 

It had been a few hours since Medusa came looking, and something tells me it was the Admiral's kids she was hoping to find. But with her way of just giving generic looks, I would be surprised if she made any headway. Not that she was going to if she kept who they belonged to a secret.

Still, I doubted the two I was planning to help were the same ones missing. Jennings would never allow abuse to come to her kids, I was positive of that. And as far as I knew, none of hers was named Jacob.

Though over the years I couldn't remember her oldest name. But I knew the second I saw him I would know. There's no way I wouldn't recognize that sweet innocent kid.

"Didn't get told," he answered. "The chances of those kids still being here aren't high. Heard from the south docks that a repaired pirate ship left just this morning. Two small ships left around noon, when the winds were calm."

Hywel was always the one I went to when I wanted information on ships. He knew when they were coming, when they planned to leave, and usually where they were headed. It wasn't often he would be surprised by a ship's departure.

"Not to mention, at least five ships came and left since dawn over here. No idea where they were going," he continued, releasing a sigh. "My shift was so close to ending, too. Why couldn't these kids have waited until tomorrow?"

The corner of my lips shifted into a wider grin at his complaint. "I'll walk with you," I said with slight amusement.

He eyed me before shrugging. "Need help?" He already knew the answer, even without the need to ask the question.

I nodded as we started down the way I came from. It wasn't all that often I required his service and when it wasn't required, I usually didn't show up on his doorstep. Not after what happened two years before.

"Not much this time. When's the next time a ship is leaving?"

One of the lights we passed under flickered before becoming solid. Laughter from an alley reached us, a group of friends stumbling out from it. They paid little mind to me and Hywel as he answered my question.

"Captain de Berry's ship is coming in tomorrow. I saw her sails, but I wouldn't know how long she plans to stay. Golden Roger is leaving at dawn tomorrow but it's headed to the Island of Giants. It'll be a long voyage on that one, and face plenty of bad weather." He raised a hand, brushing his hair back once more. "There's another pirate crew at the south. From what I hear, their ship will be fixed in two days."

We reached a bridge and slowly crossed over the waterway. There was no rush to our steps even if he had a job to do.

"Who's the pirate crew?"

Sometimes it was easier to buy passage onto a pirate ship. Unless I didn't know the captain or their reputation, I usually took that risk. I had a few bad encounters with Captains of the navy throwing my items to the seas.

It took him a minute to answer: "The crew belonged to either Don Gibert or Henry Jennings. They were both here at the same time. Which is rather odd. There's trouble brewing if those two are getting along."

I chuckled as I looked into a barrel at the end of the bridge. It was empty, with a foul smell. And there were no kids or money in it.

"Going Sally had an unusual amount of saylors today. There must have been other ships that came but haven't left yet."

"I would avoid those at all costs," he advised as he waved me to quickly follow him to a street between two houses. "Whatever you're planning it won't work on them."

This caught my interest the most and it sounded like some juicy information I had. If I didn't want to work with them, then it could mean the opposite and that they were my best bet.

"Why?"

"Didn't you hear?"

I rolled my eyes at his question. "Stop with the suspense before I find a narrow waterway to push you in and leave you to drown."

Hywel laughed. "As if a saylor would drown. I'm not too clear on the details of who their captains are or what the ships are called, but from what I've gathered they managed to catch a crew of pirates and plan to hang their captain tomorrow." He grew serious as he continued. "Usually only Commanders or higher can order a hanging."

"How brutal."

"Brutal, huh?" Hywel shook his head. "As I said, it's best to leave those alone. Even my sources couldn't get the name of the captains, and if my gut is right, they're worse than Medusa."

I nodded but wondered about those captains he warned me against. Could it be possible that they were the strange men from the Going Sally? No, that couldn't be it.

If they were keeping such a low profile, they wouldn't go to a bar where anyone from their crew would recognize them.

"But you haven't heard anything about Commanders heading this way? What type of ship do they have?" I asked.

"That's the oddest thing. They left their ships out at sea and have guards posted. Every time I go to get a look or send someone to get me pictures, we're told to go away."

That did sound odd, yet I was sure Hywel would figure something out. He didn't get stopped very often.

"Do you know who the pirate is?" I asked, deciding to push for that information.

"Surprisingly enough, no."

We crossed another bridge, the lights from the windows of the building going out as residents slowly started to go to bed. We started back towards the east dock.

"You're rather lacking on that information," I stated. "I guess it's too be expected. You're close to retirement."

I heard him stop before his footsteps echoed behind me.

"I am not that old!"

"And I'm not a smuggler."

I could see his eye twitch at that. "You are."

"Then you must be old."

We've known each other for many years. Sometimes as friends and sometimes as just mere acquaintances. Both Hywel and I knew that he would put his duties as a saylor first, just like I would put my life in front of everything else. 

"Twenty-five, Rachel. It's not old. Old is George."

"He's barely older than you."

"So you claim. You're the youngest one here."

I shot him a strange look. "What makes you say that?"

[to be cont.]