Damn Those Inkpot Gods (The Bard and His Captain Book 1) by S. L. Coe

Author:S. L. Coe [Coe, S. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-06-11T23:00:00+00:00

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When he finally stumbled into the tavern with his lute on his back and his navy tunic neatly tucked into his black trousers, the tavern was alive with the sound of drunken sailors and cheery maidens who danced on tables and sung out of tune to most if not all of the bards song category. He couldn’t help but smile softly to himself as he heard the familiar words that he sang at his father’s assassination, especially when they came from none other than his darling captain. For she stood on the central table, loud, proud and giddy with a large tankard of ale – her red and black skirt swirled around her ankles as she twirled on the table and grinned as she laid eyes on her lover.

“Julian!” she cried as she jumped of the table and placed her tankard down on the bar as she headed over to him, a loving smile spread across her cheeks, “Where have you been?”

“I was on the ship waiting for you,” he said as he tilted his head and gave her a cheeky smirk, “My love, are you drunk?”

“Me? Drunk? No…I am just delaying the inevitable,” she laughed although the drink induced red of her cheeks suggested otherwise.

“You know we do not have to travel to Death Isle yet if you do not desire it,” he said as he brushed a long stray strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“I wish that were true, but I fear time is running short.”

“Then we shall find a way to lengthen it,” he said as he raised his hand to the barkeep and motioned for two more pints of mead. “Join me for a dance?”

“I thought you hated dancing?”

“I hate formal forced dancing, performative bard dancing, I love. And dancing with you, nothing could beat it,” he smiled and bowed before he placed a kiss onto her knuckles, “So would you do me the honours?”

“Of course, my bard,” she blushed, took his hand and guided him towards the centre of the floor and up towards the longest table. The tavern sprung into life again as the resident band begun to strum a joyful tune that only the crew of The Black Bess knew, and the crew banged their tankards on the tables in time before they joined in with the chorus.

“I never knew you were one for tavern games,” he said as the two of them span in circles and skipped every time the song missed a beat.

“There’s still a lot about me that you don’t know yet, and a lot that I wish to know about you.”

“And that we shall do, together. I am sure we have many years ahead of us to know each other both inside and out,” he purred as he pressed a kiss to the Captains cheek.

“Julian…”

“Willow…”

“Hmm, you make it hard to remember that the crew cannot know about us.”

“Perhaps they should.”

“But what if they turn against me and start another mutiny?” she sighed as he twirled her into his chest and kept his arms wrapped around her.

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