Chapter Text
Val blinked twice. Empty bottles of wine and rum littered the beach. He had been sure that these were the last of his days, marooned on a deserted island that was little more than a glorified sandbar. It was too far out to swim back to shore, no food, no fresh water. The prison rags he still wore offered little protection against the elements. His torso was exposed entirely, his bare feet cut and blistered, his skin burnt and peeling over the dark ink of his tattoos that crawled up his arms and crossed his back. He took a small comfort in knowing he’d die of exposure before he’d starve to death. He’d spent an age sitting on the craggy outcrop of rock, beneath a withering juniper tree – the lone source of shade on the small beach, staring out at the ocean, thumbing the cork of his last bottle of rum.
He’d heard the boat scrape across the sand over the sound of the surf, and he was certain that dehydration and hunger had his mind playing tricks on him; he had to be hallucinating. Or perhaps that last bottle of Rotmeth had been a little off after all. There was no other explanation for why a Breton woman would be approaching him on the beach of this deserted island.
He squinted into the light as she drew closer, his brow furrowed. If his mind were to imagine someone, he would have conjured up an image closer to his normal tastes. She was a little too slight, drowning in an oversized tunic, that he’d describe as well-worn if he was being considerate. Her honey brown hair was tied back messily, and her cheeks were flush, either from exertion or stung to a rosy hue by the wind.
“Are you Captain Serano?” The woman asked, stopping just short of where he sat in his drunken stupor. Her voice was soft and light, almost lost in the wind.
“Depends on who’s askin’.” Val shook his head and tried to stand up, only to be greeted with a sharp stabbing sensation in the side of his skull. He winced; this had to be a dream.
“I’m Aelyn Ravenspire, and I’m looking for the captain of the Dark Rose.” She crossed her arms, looking down at him.
“Well, you found him or what’s left of him.” Val groaned as he stood up, swaying slightly. He looked a mess, his dark blonde locks were disheveled and unkempt, blown about by the wind, and it had been a few weeks since he’d had a decent shave. Still, his green eyes assessed the woman keenly as she tried to tear her gaze away from his bare chest to look him in the eyes. Val smirked as he watched the rosy hue of her cheeks spread across her features. Good to know his physique hadn’t wasted away too badly over the last few weeks. He flexed his arms and shifted on his feet, trying not to grin as her eyes tracked the movement once more. She cleared her throat before she spoke.
“Your crew mutinied against you?” She asked without any preface. Val looked over her shoulder at the small boat that had been pulled ashore. He could knock her out and take the boat. He considered it for a moment, why throw away valuable resources? She was obviously capable enough to track him down; perhaps he could stretch her utility a little farther. His mind was already four steps ahead; he needed to play this right. If he did, he’d have had a clean slate in Solitude at least and then…
“That’s a matter of opinion.” He scoffed. Mutiny. Right. His crew hadn’t mutinied, it’d been a hostile takeover engineered by his First Mate and his predecessor. Aelyn was silent for a moment, looking down at the ground, almost an expression of guilt if he didn’t know any better.
“I have a job if you want it.” She shifted on her feet, and he was caught off guard by the striking blue of her eyes. Clear and deep, like the open sea – a thousand secrets hidden in their depths, but shot through with an orange-gold streak. Odd. She was half-elven then; he noted the pointed tips to her ears. Something like guilt tickled the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it. He’d drown out his guilt over using her later, when he was free, along with the rest of his regrets.
“What kind of job?” Val watched her carefully. He was almost taken aback when a genuine smile bloomed across her face, and she chuckled. She wasn’t his type, not by a long shot, but there was something in how she carried herself that drew him in. He’d need to be careful.
“We can discuss the particulars in a more…” Aelyn glanced around them, “Ammeniable location if you like.”
“I just want to get off this damn rock. Wherever you’re going is fine by me.” Val scratched the scruff that had grown thick on his jaw over the past few weeks, eager to get back to civilization.
“I thought you might feel that way,” Aelyn said with a grin, heading back to the small dinghy grounded on the beach.
The Winking Skeever was as crowded and noisy as ever. Val pushed his golden locks back, finally feeling a little more human after getting a good shave and a bath. He was more than a little suspicious of this Aelyn Ravenspire, but he wasn’t going to complain. She’d rescued him from being marooned, helped him get clean clothes, and had them put up at the inn for the night. All of that for a job seemed a bit much.
It was suspicious, but he didn’t care; he’d clear his name and be days away before she was ever any wiser. The job offer did intrigue him, though, perhaps he could work it all out in his favor. He needed some quick cash anyway, all his funds were otherwise tied up or inaccessible to him at the moment.
“Some people would call you a pirate, you know.” Aelyn sat across from him, taking stock of his appearance in an almost clinical way.
“People say a lot of things, most of them wrong.” Val grinned charmingly, “I’m a Relic Hunter. Certain items are very profitable with the right buyer.”
“And those items are… legal?” She lifted a brow, and it made him smile broadly.
“My buyers don’t ask a lot of questions, as long as I can deliver.” He leaned in closer and added conspiratorially, “And I always deliver.” He winked, even though it was obvious he was hinting that she was asking too many questions herself.
“So, you steal things, and then you smuggle them.” Aelyn clasped her hands in front of her on the table and watched his reaction carefully. She wasn’t sure why he was trying to convince her he wasn’t a known pirate, as if every port didn’t know the name Serano from Solitude to the Summerset Isles.
“It’s not stealing if they don’t have an owner.” He leaned forward, lacing his fingers together on the table before him, mirroring her. “And I couldn’t care less about protecting the East Empire Trading Company’s profit margins on shipping the exact same thing.” Aelyn looked skeptical; the noble pirate and vigilante routine wasn’t going over as well as he’d hoped.
“Why did your crew turn against you?” She sat back, increasing the distance between them, as she crossed her arms over her chest. Val shrugged, also sitting back, her body language was closed off. He’d have to work harder at charming her, so he mirrored her space to make her feel more comfortable. He swept his hands out in an open gesture, palms up, non-threatening as he inched closer. His deep green eyes met her gaze with a smile.
“Why does anyone betray anyone?” He sighed, sounding forlorn, “Gold. They thought they could get more than I was giving them.” He frowned, letting the sadness seep into his expression. Did he want her pity? No. Would he use her pity? Yes. He glanced up when she sighed, watching intently as she chewed her lip. “We had sailed together for a long time. My first mate and I had been shipmates since we were boys. I thought we were friends.” He cast his gaze down at the table, intently studying the wooden grain while he let his words sink in.
“I’m sorry. That must be hard.” She looked genuine, but Val shook his head.
“I knew better. I just… Hoped differently.” He wiped non-existent tears from his eyes and took a steadying breath before looking up at her once more. “So, about this job…”
“I need help finding a relic.” Aelyn finally said. “While some would call you a pirate, and I’m inclined to believe them… I’ve also heard you’re the best at finding lost treasures.” She handed Val a folded piece of paper, which he took in hand and immediately opened; it was an advertisement for some museum opening in Solitude.
“You’re looking for a lost treasure?” Val sat back in his chair, watching the Breton smile like a cat across from him.
“Ah, well, treasures. I work for the Dragonborn Gallery and am contracted to find lost relics for the museum curator, Auryen Morellus. While my current assistant is quite knowledgeable, we require some additional support. Someone with a little more… Skill.” Aelyn tapped her fingers in front of her. “I’m offering twenty percent of everything we make.”
“Twenty percent?” Val repeated. It was a generous offer; he’d be a fool not to take it, but the eagerness in her eyes told him that he could work her over for a little more. “What about hazard pay? We are talking about relic hunting, so I imagine you understand what that entails. Ancient ruins, underground caves, traps, Falmer…” He started to list them off and paused, raising his brow in question to see if he needed to continue.
“Twenty percent,” Aelyn repeated, then rolled her eyes and added, “plus hazard pay.”
“Who is this assistant of yours? Where are they?” Val glanced around as if they would suddenly appear and introduce themselves.
“We’ll meet up with her soon; she’s in Markarth doing some background research for our next expedition.” Aelyn smiled in thanks to the barmaid who dropped off their dinner and refilled their drinks.
“And what is your next expedition, praytell?” Val leaned forward, his excitement getting the better of him. This sounded like fun. He was again assessing Aelyn, letting an endearing smirk deepen the corner of his mouth. If anything, he could take their job out from under them and sell whatever it was for twice the profit. It was then that he noticed a certain glint in her eyes.
“That depends. Are you taking the job?” Aelyn smiled benignly right back at him, unaffected. This was business, and there was no way the pirate was going to charm her into revealing her next big haul before he signed their contract.
He’d moved too quickly, and she had caught on to his antics. Val let his smirk grow. Maybe doing the job together wouldn’t be so bad; he might even manage a few extra perks if he played his cards right.
“If I’m putting my life on the line for this, I’m going to need at least forty percent,” Val announced as if it were a perfectly reasonable demand. He knew it was outrageous, but that wasn’t the point.
“Forty percent?” Aelyn scoffed, and when he didn’t budge, she stared at him in shock.
“Plus hazard pay.” He added after a moment of silence, smiling confidently.
“Twenty-five.” Aelyn conceded, biting the inside of her cheek, convinced he was out of his mind thinking he’d get forty percent of anything.
“Thirty-five.” Val tapped the table. “With hazard pay and expenses.”
“Twenty-five percent with hazard pay.” She narrowed her eyes at Val. She wasn’t budging.
“Plus expenses.” He was pressing his luck, and he knew it by the hardness in her eyes.
“Only expenses required for the expedition. I’m not picking up your bar tab.” Aelyn huffed.
“Deal,” Val kept that carefully curated smile in place as he spoke. His curiosity was piqued; he wanted to know about this expedition and why she had sought him out specifically. The smile he found forming on his lips was genuine.
“I thought you might agree.” Aelyn reached into the satchel attached to her belt and pulled out a folio. Val’s brow rose; she had come prepared. He didn’t like that she had known he would agree. His eyes narrowed as she passed the folio to him, his smile vanishing. “Terms and conditions for this job.” He opened the contract and began to read through it.
“In the event of accidental death, remains and earnings will be forwarded to a party of the individual’s choosing prior to the start of employment. Charming.” Val sighed. Was she planning to have him killed then? She wouldn’t be the first to try. He held out his hand for a pen to sign the agreement, which Aelyn promptly supplied, already primed with ink. He quickly signed the contract and handed it back to Aelyn, who smiled broadly. “Now, will you tell me what we’re looking for?”
“Something called the Aetherium forge.” Aelyn slid a book toward him titled ‘The Aetherium Wars’.
“Aetherium? Those nifty bits of blue glass? You know you can’t use them for anything, right? They’re pretty much worthless.” Val bent his brows in confusion.
“As just little bits of broken glass, yes. We’re setting off for Markarth in the morning, so handle whatever affairs you have left to settle so we can leave on time.” Aelyn went to stand but paused when Val sat up straighter.
“About that-” He smiled a little sheepishly. Here it was, had he roped her in enough to get her to help him? “There is a small matter I could use your assistance with, that really needs to be taken care of before I skip town.”
“Oh, right!” She sat back down quickly, and Val frowned, finding her reaction odd. She didn’t seem surprised or suspicious at all. “What sort of small matter?” Aelyn asked flatly, sitting back down.
“I’m still a wanted man in Solitude. I’d like to clear my name before we leave.” He leaned back in his chair once more, assessing her reaction. She nodded, waiting for him to continue. “We’d better talk to Captain Aldis first thing, before I get arrested again.”
“They think you stole something?” Aelyn let her hands rest on the table once more, leaning in to hear him over a sudden rise in chatter in the tavern.
“Well, technically, I did steal it.” He cleared his throat before continuing, trying to gloss over the finer points of his circumstances. “Listen, it was in a tomb filled with Draugr, and I didn’t think anyone would miss it! Turns out, I was wrong.”
“How did you end up in prison again?” Aelyn asked, curious.
“Fathis, that bastard, framed me for theft, and turned my crew against me.” Val let the name go with a bit of a snarl. “ I spent over a month in Solitude’s jail before I escaped.” He felt his blood heat with anger as he spoke. “ And then? The ungrateful bastards left me on that island.” Val looked up to see Aelyn paying rapt attention to his story; he took a deep breath to calm himself and regain his composure. He couldn’t let his anger get the better of him at a time like this. He needed her sympathy and her cooperation. “That’s why I looked so rough when you found me. I wasn’t stuck on that island for very long, fortunately.” Val offered her a smile, letting his knuckles accidentally brush against hers briefly.
“Wait, let’s just back up a second; your first mate turned you in? For stealing?” She asked confused, as if the information didn’t align in some way.
“The Blue Palace would’ve never noticed if Fathis hadn’t turned me in.” Val huffed somewhat indignantly, as if the failure somehow lessened his value.
“Right.” Aelyn hefted a deep sigh. She shouldn’t be surprised. After all, she couldn’t say that these weren’t all the reasons why she tracked him down. “No job is without a catch. Fine. Let’s get your name cleared. Most of my dealings are conducted in Solitude, and I can’t be toting a wanted man around with me. Bad for business.” She stood up, obviously waiting for Val. He gave her a strange look, a raised eyebrow, an assessing eye.
“Really?” He sounded surprised.
“Don’t worry, Val. Think of it as an investment on my part.” That little feline smile was back, and he tried not to stare. Unsure of what to make of her, Val followed her out of the Winking Skeever and paused briefly. Something wasn’t sitting quite right with him. He’d never told her Fathis was his First Mate, and she’d brought up his time in prison before he had. His eyes narrowed as he wondered exactly how and why she had come by that information.