The Lucky Bastard

[Erik]

Eventually, Erik rouses himself, dresses, and heads out onto the deck to make sure everything's in working order. He does his best not to wake Dacey.

[Deleted]

Dacey woke slowly with a yawn, and blinked and shielded her eyes from the blazing sunlight that shone through the cabin window. It was hot, and she could hear strange birds calling. She looked around for Erik, but he was already up and out.

"Madam," her maid said, coming forward with a towel for her bath. "We've reached Pentos."

"We have?" Dacey got to her feet quickly and went to the window, rubbing her eyes. She saw a large harbor before her, with countless ships docked. Fishing boats bobbed in the bay, and she heard gulls and stranger birds overhead. It was bright and sunny, and down on the docks men called in strange and foreign tongues. In the distance, she could see the square brick towers of the Free City, lit up in the late morning sun. There was a massive red temple among the brick towers, and a great palace that must surely belong to the Prince of Pentos.

Dacey bathed quickly, dressed and went out onto the deck.

[Erik]

Erik is addressing the crew when Dacey comes up on deck, but quickly wraps things up and sends them to drink and whore to their hearts' delight. He approaches her and gives a low bow.

"My lady, you're up, good. I'd..." He trails off, looking over her shoulder onto the dock, before giving a cheerful shout at a man walking toward the ship. Mortimer Pyke climbs on board, and the two shake each others' hands, laughing.

"Should have known you'd find out we were here in a hurry," Erik tells him, "I assume you got the axe."

"Of course, of course," Mortimer replies, unslinging a bag from his shoulder. From it he removes a beautiful weapon, the handle worked iron, while the blade is Valyrian Steel, blue and green dancing in the morning light.

Erik takes it, speechless, running his hands up and down the pictures carved into the handle.

[Deleted]

Dacey's eyes grew wide as she looked over Erik's shoulder, drinking in the bright glint on the sharp edges and the dark smoke of the steel. "That is finely wrought, my lord."

[Erik]

"Yes..." Erik mutters, still in a reverie. Eventually he manages to shake himself out of it, and approaches a barrel that had been left on the deck. He brings the axe down on it in a great overhead swing, shearing through one side like nothing at all. He pries it out and turns back to Mortimer and Dacey, all smiles.

"I picked a good name. Now I just hope it isn't too long before she gets baptized." He slips the weapon into his belt. "Mortimer, the ship is yours for the time being. Dacey," He holds his arm out for her, "Shall we take a turn about the city?"

[Deleted]

"What did you call it, Caskcracker?" Dacey smiled. "It's beautiful, my lord. Is it Valyrian steel? It reminds me of the sword the King's Justice uses."

She took his arm and kissed him lightly. "Yes indeed we shall."

[Erik]

"Kegsplitter. Yes, she's Valyrian Steel. And a fine piece, at that."

Erik leads Dacey off the ship and into Pentos proper.