“what do you mean, get out?”
“I’ve got no more use for you. Sorry, love, but I just don’t need you anymore.”
To think that after all this time he had made it back to the sea again made Dray almost want to cry. The smells, the sounds- just the whole atmosphere. It brought a smile to his lips that hadn’t been there in a very long time.
Walking along the docks, scanning for that one particular ship. Home. They should be here, if he hadn’t gotten his days mixed up again. That seemed to happen a lot. But no, he was sure this was they day. He had checked with the dock manager the day before, ignoring how the man looked at him with a mixture of confused pity.
Okay sure, Dray knew he wasn’t looking his prime right now. Too long hair, dirty clothes, and scars on every visible surface of skin. But cleaning up would take money, money he didn’t have. And besides, that all wouldn’t matter once he found the Lavender’s Green.
Off towards the end of the dock, he thought he spotted it. His heart lept into his throat. It had been so long since that day when he had been knocked overboard, unconscious during a battle and fished out by the wrong side. They probably thought he was dead. Wouldn’t they be surprised?
He ignored the looks he got has he darted down the dock, swerving people and jumping over crates. He was out of breath when he reached the gangway, but he didn’t care. He was finally back.
Dray climbed aboard, looking around the deck. He got some strange looks from crew he did not recognize. New hands, he thought. He headed towards the cabins at the end of the ship but someone put their arm out to stop him. “Where do you think you’re going?” He sneered.
Dray frowned. “I’m going to see the captain. Now let me by, or you’ll wish you had.”
The man looked almost surprised for a second before he started laughing like it was some great joke. “Is the beggar man threatening me? Hey fellows- this guy’s threatening me.” That drew the interest of several other sailors.
Dray’s fingers twitched and he clenched his fists. “Is Issac Pyke still captain of this ship? If so, I need to speak to him. Please.”
“So the beggar mongrel actually knows ho-“ There was a crack of fist hitting the sailor’s cheek, snapping his head to the side and sending him reeling. Dray’s knuckles were smarting but he never felt that anymore. “Don’t. Call. Me. That.”
Two sailors grabbed him from behind and he tried to pull away, panic rising in his chest. “Let go!”
“What in the twelve seas is going on at this hour of the mornin?!” A booming voice rolled over the deck. “There is no fighting on my ship while in port.”
Dray wanted to grin. Isaac. He would fix this and Dray would be home again. The other sailor didn’t look so happy, holding his bruising face. “He attacked me like some wild dog! Just came aboard and attacked me!”
Isaac turned to look at the offender. Dray just looked up at that mountain of a man and smiled. “Long time no see, Hey Isaac?”
An unreadable look passed over the captain’s face. “Let him go. You- follow me”, he said pointing at Dray, and he happily did.
Once in the privacy of the captain’s quarters, Isaac turned to Dray. “How are you even here?”
Dray looked confused. “What do you mean? After that battle, you left. I was fished out by scavengers and sold off like a horse! All this time I’ve just been trying to get back.”
Isaac sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why did you feel the need to attack one of my men?”
“He was asking for it”, Dray said, folding his arms across his chest defensively. “I’m honestly surprised. You usually run a tighter ship- don’t let you men act like that.”
“So you’re going to tell me how to do my job now?” Isaac boomed and Dray flinched involuntarily. “Because if I’m not mistaken, you were the one that threw the first punch. So you have no room to be talking in this.” He sat down at his desk and pulled a stack of papers over. “I’m sorry Dray. Im glad you’re alive and okay, but I don’t think I have room on my ship for someone like you anymore.”
“W-what?” No- no no this was home, this was-
“You heard me Dray. Don’t make me repeat it. Get out.”
“What do you mean, get out?! Isaac you don’t know how much I went through to get back here, I-“
“I don’t have anymore use for you. I’m sorry Dray, I just don’t have room in my crew for someone like you.”
Those words broke something inside. And he thought there was nothing left to break. “I- I see. I’ll go then.” He slowly and walked towards the door.
“Dray wait...”
Dray looked over his shoulder hopefully, hardly daring to believe that Isaac would change his mind-
“Where are your wings?”
Right. Of course. He was just a curiosity, even to Isaac. “I don’t use them anymore.” And then he walked away from what he had thought was his home- for good.