Posthumous: Rough Waters

For the first time since he awoke dead, Liam was cursing.  Pretty much every word he learned, and even a few he seemed to be making up on the spot.  Not that anyone was listening to him. 

It had been three days since the pirates had captured them on the path to Booty Bay.  Three days since Liam got caught.  By a net, no less.  As the rain came down upon his cage Liam didn’t feel it, but he knew shame just the same.  Liam looked up at the grey clouds and wondered how he had gotten to this moment.  He had died, the circumstances of which he still had no knowledge of.  He came back, and surprisingly found Drake waiting for him.  They met Kheiro, and by met the Tauren literally saved their life as it were.  But what was the point?   To suffer? 

Looking around, he took in inventory of his surroundings.  Not much had changed from the last time.  An Orc passed out in a nearby cage, two guards holding them, two more at the top of the stairs, and Grillsen’s door was still closed.  The smug captain was so proud of himself that Liam wanted nothing more than to put an arrow up through his jawbone and watch it come out the top of his head.

“A Tauren and an undead.  Should make for a sizeable coin purse.”  Yeah, he was all smiles when the three of them were caught.  When Drake bit one of the pirates through the net Grillsen realized he had more than a simple mutt in front of him…though where the dog was now, Liam couldn’t say.  He had no idea where Kheiro was.  Actually, he didn’t even know where he was.  Somewhere on the ocean. 

Two days earlier he remembered seeing a small port from far away as the ship set sail and headed north.  Did someone mutter something about Bay?  Booty Bay, what was supposed to be the original destination of he and Kheiro?  It wasn’t as though Liam could even fathom what the place looked like or how to find it now anyway.  He could get close, since he was always pretty good with directions once he had been somewhere.

But now he was nothing more than a prisoner.  He had no idea if the friends he had in this after life were even with him anymore, though he had a strange feeling Drake was still nearby.  There was no way of knowing with Kheiro, though.  Liam saw the efforts made to keep him and the Orc captive, he imagined they’d have a setup tenfold for his Tauren friend. 

“I don’t suppose I get to know where we’re going yet?” Liam wondered aloud to the guards.

“What it matter to ya?  It’ll be there’n we get there.”  Friendly as ever, that one. 

“He’s still drying out from last night, don’t mind him.”  The other guard had a calm voice about him.  Not like Kheiro, but certainly not the kind befitting of the rest of the lot he’d seen.  “The rain here on deck doesn’t help things either.  But since we’re going to be a while yet, we’re crossing The Great Sea.”

Liam couldn’t help but shake his head.  The last time he’d been in waters connected to the Sea, and on a boat, was coming from Menethil Harbor with the dwarf.  Only this time, there was no land in sight.  “Could I ask one more question of you?”

“I’m in a good mood, why not.  What else would you have me answer, dead man?”  Now he fit in.  He had that same smirk Grillsen had.  Liam had to keep his emotions in check ever so slightly.

“I just wondered if you might tell me where my friends are.”  Liam spat as the ran came down harder.  “I’ve not heard them or mention of them since we left.”

The guard smiled at his partner.  “That big fellow, the Tauren.  He’s passed out down below.  Handy having an alchemist in the ranks to keep him that way.”

Liam looked away in disgust.  The mighty Kheiro, bested by a simple liquid.  Then again, at least he was alive.  Why was a completely different question.

“Aren’t you going to ask me about that hound of yours?”  Liam really didn’t like the tone he got from the guard.

“G’on.  Ask’m.”  The hung over one was grinning widely now and if Liam’s stomach could turn, it probably would.  He looked away from the two of them, more comfortable with the unknown than whatever they were suggesting.  

A hand reached through the cage and grabbed Liam by his hair, snapping his head back.  The rain came pouring down on his face.  “Look you undead son of a bitch.  Open your eyes and see for yourself where that filthy dog is.”

Liam’s eyes were open, but the rain was pouring in.  Slowly he focused through the rain.  Through the bars of the cage.  It still took a moment to see.  Halfway up one of the sails, on an outstretched beam.  Hanging from the beam was his truest friend in the world, completely limp.