He walked into the tavern, his dog following close beside him. The goblins greeted him and welcomed him home. He continued to walk, up the stairs and toward the very top of the shoddy inn. His footsteps resonated throughout the wooden establishment until he approached the last door to the left. Dropping his bags, he banged on the door.
Slowly, the door creaked open and a human with gray hair and a black eye patch over his right eye looked out. “What is it?”
“I’m back, you mangy old dog.” Cristianno’s Common was close to fluent and he wasn’t afraid to use what he knew. The human grinned, many of his teeth already missing.
“Well, that didn’t take long, you scoundrel.”
Cristianno half smiled and nodded. They met outside the room, in a dark corner of the inn. The wench served their drinks and as the captain lifted his mug to his lips, he muttered, “What brings you back with your tail between your legs?”
“I… don’t have my…”
“It’s all over your damn face. It’s pathetic.” Cristianno leaned back, staring at the captain’s aging face. “What? Did that Rose- what’s her name, leave you?”
“Yes, actually, she did, you ass. Thanks for mentioning it.” Cristianno threw back his drink and pounded the mug on the table.
The captain laughed, “There are plenty of wenches out there, boy. Go and have fun.”
“I met someone else.”
“I hope you didn’t fall in love, you idiot.”
Cristianno smirked, “I did, jerk.”
“See, that’s your damn problem. You fall too quickly for these wenches and then they break your bloody heart.”
“Captain, why aren’t you married?”
The human looked at him and grinned, hissing through his teeth as he laughed. “They’re a waste of time. They want your attention and you have to give them everything while they hold your balls in their hands, ready to twist them off. That’s not the life for me.”
“Yet, you had your affairs and adopted a son.”
The captain slurped his alcohol and slammed his mug on the table, splashing red droplets upon Cristianno’s face. “Listen, you ungrateful bastard, if I took you in, it was because I owed Mr. D’Avros a favor. He requested that I take care of you in his dying wish. He had certified a lot of my merchandise and because of him; I managed to be who I am. That’s why I took you in.” His eyes danced with tension as he glared at Cristianno.
“I am grateful, captain. I learned everything I know from you, but don’t you wish you had a home? A woman to wake up to every morning? Heirs?”
The captain hissed again in laughter. “The sea will be my home and my grave. I have women everywhere I go. And I have an heir. What more do I want?” He slurped up his drink once more and wiped his lips with his sleeve. “Where are you going with this dainty talk?”
Cristianno leaned back against his chair and rubbed his eyes. “She doesn’t like me as a pirate.”
The captain threw his head back and laughed so loud, several parrots began to squawk throughout the inn. Other captains and pirates began to scream throughout the inn, and bottles were being flung, crashing against the walls. “She doesn’t like you as a pirate? Oh, boy, that’s wonderful. Did you slap that wench?”
“I’m not going to slap her.”
His eyes almost burning through the elf’s eyes, the captain smirked. “So you have gone soft. I told D’Avros that you would go back to being one of those typical yellow livered elves. That man would not understand. He had a thing for your mother, you know.”
Cristianno nodded. He remembered the human who followed the Darkmoon caravan only to see his mother, the dark haired elf who sold flowers when the fair settled in Elwynn Forest. “Yes, I knew.”
“He wanted to raise you well, so he passed you as a bloody high elf in Stormwind. Unfortunately, you age slower than he did. Some fool had to take you in.” The captain pointed a stubby finger at himself.
“I understand that, captain.” Cristianno was losing track of the captain’s rantings, but he respectfully remained quiet.
The captain stared at the elf. “You came for advice?”
“Maybe.”
“You’re cut out for that marriage thing. If you found someone, throw that net at her and reel her in.”
Cristianno blinked at him. “Are you really telling me that?”
“No, damn elf, I like hearing the sound of my old bloody voice. Of course I just said that to you!”
“But sir? What about the expedition? What about me?”
“You said you learned everything you knew from me.” He smirked, his brown teeth quite visible, “Put it to good use. No one has to know what you really are. Continue your trade, but…” He lifted his mug slightly, “Become a true D’Avros.”
“What?”
The foul smelling hiss escaped the captain’s mouth; “You think he was always a righteous businessman, your human father?” Cristianno lifted an eyebrow and leaned forward again, eager to hear the truth. “Marcus D’Avros was a vile pirate, boy. Killed many in the course of his youth, but when he grew older, he met a woman he couldn’t live without.” He leaned back and glared at Cristianno. “Your elf mother.”
A slow grin began to spread across the elf’s face. “Really?”
“He had a thing for this dainty skin your kind has. He left the crew, got some of that education, and started his business as a notary to protect lousy scallywags such as myself.” He slurped his drink once more. “When your heavenly mother died, he was a broken man, but he had you to care for.” He whistled through is teeth. “Got it? Go out and become a pussy pirate.”
“What…what about you?”
“What about me? I’m going out to sea and live out the rest of my days plundering and pillaging. My men still need me. You, on the other hand, my boy, don’t.”
“But…how do I get started?”
The captain reached down to his belt and pulled off a respectfully large bag of coins. He also dropped onto the table an envelope. “Take those coins and that’s the ship I had saved for you. Feel free to name it whatever you wish, except, promise me you won’t name it something dainty. Every port has a notary who is willing to help and legalize your goods, for a price, of course. That’s the secret to the goblins’ trade. We just never stopped by because we were in a hurry. Use them, befriend them. Don’t trust them, but trust them. Some of your transactions will be legal, others may not, but that’s what they’re there for. Pay them well and make sure the illegal paperwork looks legitimate. Oh, and take your damn Ziggly with you, boy. He’s worthless to me, but he’ll help you with the ports, particularly the goblin ports. Stay away from the Princes. They don’t like you interfering in their trades. However, if you do deal with them, be prepared to lose quite a lot. Then again, you’ll have that idiot Ziggly with you.”
Cristianno nodded, utterly shocked at what the captain was telling him. “Yes, sir.”
“And one more thing, boy.”
“Yes, sir?”
The captain pushed himself off the rickety old chair and walked around the table, opening his arms, “Don’t forget where your home is.” Cristianno quickly walked into his arms.
“Booty Bay is always my home, captain.”
The human hissed through his teeth once more. “The sea boy. That’s where your home is.” He pulled away and looked at him, “Clean up, boy. You look like a bloody pirate.”
Cristianno smiled. “I’m not anymore, huh?”
The captain lifted a stubby, dirty hand to his forehead as he saluted. “No, Captain D’Avros, you’re one of those bloody merchants us pirates steal from if you’re not careful.”
Cristianno smirked and lightly punched the captain’s gut. “Steal from me, Captain, and I’ll kill you and your mess of jackals.” The captain laughed loudly and hugged him once more.
“Make me and Mr. D’Avros proud,” the captain said. Cristianno felt the captain’s shoulders moving and he fought back the tears in his eyes. Life was a risk, and he was taking a very big risk with this change. He only hoped it was well worth it.
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