The Legend of Beldin

[The Dread Pirate Beldin]

Prologue:

"Beldin! Git yur lazy ass up on deck and show these goddamn landlubbers how to set the rigging!"

"Yes Captain Trenchard!"

------

That's my earliest memory. When I was about 13, Captain Trenchard had found me floating in the bay near Mhaura. I was barely alive.. He took pity on me and had a few of his crew hoist me on deck. The white mage who was on board helped me restore my health as I rested in the Captain's Quarters.

When my strength had returned, Trenchard asked me my name.... Only.... I didn't know it. He decided to name me Beldin after his dead son and basically adopted me as his own. He kept me on his ship as a cabinboy until I was about 15. Then he promoted me to being a Powder Opo-Opo. While on his ship, I came to know the seas of Vana D'iel and everything about ships. In time, he promoted me to being his 1st mate.

With him constantly changing crews, I came to have only one real friend, Marcus. He was the white mage who had restored me on that fateful day, all those years ago. We became good friends and Trenchard came to rely on us heavily.

On my 25th birthday, Trenchard called me into his cabin to give me a very important message...
"Beldin, as you know, I'm getting on in years. As it is, I had me 78th birthday jist a few monthes ago. Our next raid, I fear, will be my last... After that, we're sailing to Kazham and I'm naming you Captain."
"Me?!? But Captain..."
"You have been on my ship longer than anyone, save Marcus. Yet he doesn't have the same love of adventure you have. Now, is that clear Beldin?"
"Yes Captain."
"Good. Have the rest of the day to yerself and think aboot what I've said. We strike at dawn..."

Our final raid was on a ferry running to Selbina. It was a quick and easy raid; mostly young newbies and fishermen. As we went to board our own ship, Trenchard froze in mid-step. The glimmer of life faded from his eyes as he fell to the deck, an arrow protruding from between his shoulder blades. In a fit of rage, I jumped to the opposite deck and slashed the throat of the young Ranger who had shot him.

We sailed on to Kazham and buried Trenchard near the Temple of Uggalepih. Then, I accepted my responsiblity and became Captain of the Sea Dagger. Since then, I have sailed the seas of Vana D'iel. Plundering, drinking, whoring, and stealing what I want. People have come to know my name and fear it. I am the Dread Pirate Beldin, Dagger of the Sea.

~The Legend Of Beldin Pt. 2~

Of Mutiny And Allies

"This is mutiny!", I shouted as my ban of cut-throats threateningly approached...

Marcus asked the forming mob pleadingly, "Why are doing this to us?"

"We be sick of takin' order from ye two! It be high time we gut a new Captain," said one as he grabbed a near-by marlinspike off the deck.

I smiled at him, but there was no warmth in my smile, "Do you consider yourself suited for the job? Is it you who wishes to challange your Captain? If so, come closer man and let us settle this the old-fashioned way."

I slowly unsheathed my saber and held it in preparation for an attack. The man took a set back and sank into the increasingly dangerous mob.

"HA!", I barked, "You be nothing but yellow-bellied cowards. You run better than you fight!"

Crack

I had narrowly evaded the large darksteel hook that had be thrown at me, but Marcus wasn't so lucky. The hook smashed into his skull, knocking him limply over the railing on the deck to the watery grave below. I didn't need to turn around to know he was dead before he hit the water.

Then... they attacked.

-------------

I awoke in the waters near Jeuno. I had no sword, no gil, no crew, and no ship. I had nothing but my life. I swam over to the airship docks and pulled myself up out of the cold water. I quickly covered my face. I was known well enough by sight. I just hoped I didn't get stopped by the Jeuno Guards.

I quickly walked to the Mog Houses and rented one for myself. Checking my Delivery Box, I realized I had my Emergency gil. 100k; Not much, but enough to get me to San d'Oria and set myself up with a new life. As I stood up, I happened to look in the mirror. I've had short hair and been clean-shaven all my life, but if I want to keep on living thats going to have to change.

I walked up the stairs to Lower Jeuno and went for the Auction House. I bought myself a Sword, Field Tunica, and Brais. As I stood there in my garb I realized I was going to need allies. And I knew exactly who to find. So I walked next door to the Tenshodo HQ and waited for him to arrive.

It didn't take long. His name was Richard. A Ranger by profession and not nicknamed "Bloodbathrich" for nothing. I had met him a few years back while I was between crews.

He had known who I was and what I did. It didn't seem to phase him. He had made me an offer, and at the time, I had laughed in his face and flatly refused. But now....

"Hello Richard."

He turned around quickly to find out who had spoken to him. "Oh, hello Beldin. Geez, what happened to you? You look like crap."

"I noticed. I really wish I had a hat..."

"Here, take this one. Its a Baron's Chapeau I made. You can have it."

I donned my new hat then and there. "Thank you Rich. By the way, I'd like to take you up on that offer you made."

With that cheesy grin of his, he shook my hand. As I walked out of the door on my way to San d'Oria he said, "Welcome, Beldin. Welcome to the Bloodguard..."

~The Legend Of Beldin Pt. 3~

Red Mages and Tigers and Chocobos, Oh My!

"DAMN CHOCOBO!"

The damn bird had kicked me off and ditched me in the middle of Jugner Forest.

"Thats the LAST time I rent a Chocoo from an over-weight, annoying GalkAAHHHHHH!"

During my ranting a Forest Tiger had crept up behind me and leapt my my exposed back. Slashing through my Tunica.

Instinctivly, I had unsheathed my sword, spun around and slashed its throat as it pounced again. It fell to the ground convulsing, with blood foaming from the sides of it gaping jaw. Then, it went limp.

I touched my hand to the wounds on my back. Putting my hand infront of me, I saw the blood, my blood, that stained them.

"Damn..."

With that, I fell to the ground and slipped into unconsiousness.

------

I awoke in a soft bed in a neatly furnished room. My torso was covered in bandages and they smell of a pugnant poultice. Someone had brought me here and had dressed my wounds.

"Ugh, I gotta stop getting knocked out. Where the rarab am I, anyways?"

A women's voice came from thefront of the room, "My room..."

I sat up in the bed to see who had spoken to me. A tall, beautiful, Elvaan woman stood in the doorway. White hair spilled out from underneath her Red Mage's hat.

"Who...?"

She waved away my question with a flip of her hand. She came over to me, "Let me see to your wounds."

The beautiful Elvaan began to unwrap the bandages around my chest and my back. As she ran her fingers lightly over my wounds, she said in a soft, comforting, voice, "They're healing nicely. Another week of bed-rest and you'll be as good as new! Well.. Except for a few scars that is. You lay back down and I'll bring you some Mandragora-Leaf Stew."

"Wait! Hold on! Who are you? How did I get here? Whats going on?"

Then, she smiled at me. It was a kind smile full of warmth.

"Okay. If you must know, my name is Skriel. Rich sent me to find you when you didn't show up in San d'Oria two days ago."

Something she said just didn't seem to ring true... "Skriel isn't your real name. Now is it?"

She laughed and her beauty seemed to be enhanced by it. "You caught me, Beldin. You're right. My real name is Kate."

At that point, I got up. I slipped into my Brais and my repaired Field Tunica. I put on my Baron's Chapeau and made myself ready to leave.

"Well, Lady Kate, I thank you for your hospitality, but I've over-stayed my welcome and must be going."

Kate fixed me with a cool look and pushed me back onto the bed with one hand. She sat down on my lap and gave me a deep, passionate kiss.

As I lay back she climbed in bed next to me. She put her arm lightly along my chest.

"You're not going anywhere just yet..."

~The Legend Of Beldin Pt. 4~

Assassination

A week later, I left Kate's home and made my way down the beautifully paved streets of North San d'Oria. Whistling a nameless tune, I walked past the Catherdral and stopped. I thought of filling my religious duties and offering up my prayers to the gods. I didn't. The gods are too much of fickle bitches for my taste and didn't deserve them.

Still whistling as I walked into the Lumberyard, watching all the people work, I decided I needed a good strong drink. Cause a good drink is better than any potion, in my opinion, for healing pain. So I made my way over to "The Rusty Anchor Tavern" for a Hume Pale Ale.

When I reached the door, something mae me freeze dead in my tracks. My hand flew it my sword hilt as I loosened it in its scabbard. Someone inside was asking questions about me so loud that I could hear him right through the Oak door. He didn't sound like a guy you wanna have a drink with.

I prepared myself to barge in and confront whoever this mystery man was. However, old habits die hard. So instead, I climbed the door frame and jumped to the open window above. I sat in the sill, listening, and looked down.

He was a brute of a Galka, with massive, hairy arms that looked like he could snap a Gigas in two just by squeezing it. A Dark Knight, or so I assumed, from the giant scythe that hung on his back. He held the owner, effortlessly, off the ground with one hand and had him pinned to the wall.

"Where is Beldin?", he said in a loud, deep voice that seemed to shake the very rafters above us.

"I d-d-don't know! P-p-please leave us alone!", the owner screeched, trying to escape the Galka's vie-like grip, but to no avail.

"Wrong answer," said the Galka threateningly. HE tossed the owner into a corner behind the bar a drew his scythe.

I could take it anymore. I stood in the sill and called down, "I doth find, mine friend, that one doth not like thine tone nor how thou treatens those weaken than thou art."

At that point, I jumped down from the sill onto a near-by table, drawing my sword, I returned to normal tones. "So, you son of a dhalmel, if you've been looking for Beldin, you've found him and he ain't pleased."

"Well Beldin," he said quite coolly, "I've never meet a man so willing to die."

With that he swung his scythe over his haed and lashed down at me. I danced nimblely aside and ducked just as he where my head had just been half a moment before.

"I find your accuracy lacking my friend. Why don't you quit and leave with you life now before I have to do something drastic?"

He roared at me and, once again, swung his scythe at my head. Instead of ducking as I had done before, I fell forward and, using my free hand for balance, I extended my body and drove my sword into the assassin's throat.

The trick worked.... barely. He fell to his knees, dropping is scythe, and clutching his throat, futilley try to stop the never ending flow of blood. Then he fell dead to the floor.

I cleaned my blade off on his tunic and snached up the paper that had fallen out of his pocket.

"Bartender! How 'bout a drink? A Hume Pale Ale if you have any!", I said, sitting my self down at a table and using the Galka's corpse as a footrest.

The bartender hurridly brought over a tankard of Ale and said it was on the house. I opened up the slip of paper that had fallen and read it:
"Kill Beldin
"X"

Who is X?

[The Dread Pirate Beldin]

Re: The Legend of Beldin

~The Legend Of Beldin Pt. 5~
A Rat In San d'Oria

Who is X?
I couldn't get that off my mind. Someone wanted me dead and all I had to go on was a tiny piece of paper with the signiture 'X'. I decided to take a little trip out of San d'Oria because whoever wanted me dead apparently knew where to look.

I was walking towards the East Ronfaure gate when I heard a slight whistling sound. On instinct more than anything, I dove to my left. I'm glad I did. An arrow was plunged into the terf where I had been standing a moment before.

Frantically, I looked around for my would-be-assassin. Upon the ramparts stood a man, dressed in a black cloak that whipped in the wind. He looked down at me and waved his hand. With that, he vanished into thin air with no trace except for the arrow less than 3 meters away from me.

"Well, it looks like I underestimated X. He had a back-up assassin just in case his first one failed... Which, by chance, he did."

There was no place safe for me to hide. Whoever this 'X' was seemed to know exactly where I was at every moment. I needed help and information. The latter of the two being of the greater importance. I knew just the Elvaan to get it from too. He may be a third-rate thief and a snitch who'd sell his own grandmother out, but he usually knew what was going on in the underbelly of the world.

I walked into the San d'Oria Residential Area and ducked into a dark alley, where I waited in silence for my prey to show up.

------------------

It was close to sundown when I first caught glance of his ugly mug from the shadows where I hid. Quietly, I grabbed him by the back of his robe and threw him into the alleyway. I held him up against the wall and put the point of my blade to his thoat.

I pulled up close and whispered in his ear, "I need information, and you're going to give it to me the easy way or the hard way. It's your choice Sorin." I put the tip of my blade into his neck and drew blood just for emphasis.

He squealed and pleaded in a high-pitch, nasally voice, "The easy way! The easy way! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

Grinning evilly, "I won't kill you... Unless, that is, you give me an answer I don't like. Someone is trying to kill me. I've had to deal with two assassins already, one of them happen to be trying to find a job as a door-nail currently. Now, TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW!"

"I d-d-don't k-know much. Only rumors! Please don't kill me."

"You say that one more time and I'm going to kill you. Tell me what you've heard."

"Th-th-that there's a m-man who's a worker in Bastok Metalworks. Very well connected. The rumor is you killed his brother," he started crying, "Please don't kill me! I've told you all I know!"

I grinned coldly, "You've given me the info I need. I find your answer acceptible. However, maybe I should kill you anyways. As my duty, as a citizen, for the Temmple Knights."

I threw him on his rump and stood over him.

"Leave me, Sorin, and never let me see your fat, piggish face again!"

He ran squealing for his home.

To be entirely honest (shocking, I know), I was quite pleased with the information given to me. Now I had a destination. Bastok. There, I'd meet up with an old friend and take care of X.

~The Legend of Beldin Pt. 6~
Drunks and Monks

I arrived in Bastok just in time to see a bald hume crash through the window of the 'Steaming Sheep Restaurant'.

"HOW DARE YOU TRY AND PASS OFF FALSE GIL IN LADY HILDA'S RESTAURANT! DON'T EVER LET ME SEE HIDE NOR HAIR OF YOU AGAIN!", a booming voiced bellowed from inside.

I looked at the bloody and unconcious hume laying on the ground. "Well," I said to myself more than anyone else, "I guess he did keep his word after all."

I made my way into the restaurant and found a behemoth of a Galka crouched over, sweeping up glass from the broken window. Hilda was calling down to him from the balcony above. "Thank you, Ruthless Bear. Once again you've proven your worth to me!"

The Galka simply stood up and dump the glass into the barrel with a smile on his face. As he dusted himself off, he called back up to her, "Think nothing of it, Lady Hilda. It's what you pay me for. Speaking of which, I'll pay to have the window repaired myself this time... Seeing as its the third one this week."

She laughed a merry little laugh, "What would I do without you, Ruthless Bear?"

"Let's hope we never have to find out," he said to himself in a quite voice.

"Geez, only you could find honest work and still be a brusier," I said after I had snuck up behind him.

I've never seen a Galka move so fast in my life. Bear spun around and caught me in a spine-crushing bear-hug so quickly that it literally lifted me right off the ground.

"Beldin, you scoundral! Its been too long! How've ya been?"

"Fine until you started crushing my ribcage." He let go and I fell, uncereimoniously, onto my ass. He smiled at me, a bit embarassed.

"Sorry, sometimes I forget my own strength," he called up to the balcony, "Lady Hilda? Do you mind if I take my break a little early today? An old friend just dropped in town."

Laughing at what had happened between us she replied in a light-hearted tone, "Of course not, Ruthless Bear! I think you deserve it. There's a good keg of Hume Pale Ale in the backroom that you and your friend can spilt. I'll be right here if you need anything."

We smiled at each and said in unison, "Thank you, Lady Hilda!" He led me to the backroom and I looked around. There were a few kegs, some cups, two chairs, a cot, table, and a mannequin dressed in full Monk Artifact Armor. I took in what I saw and assumed this is where Bear also lived.

"Last I saw you," he began as he handed me a mug brimming with a cool ale, "you were sailing of in that giant ship of yours with a cargohold overflowing with gil and jewels, Captain. Now you look like a rootless vagabond just trying to get by. What happened?"

Draining my mug, I handed it back to him to be refilled and replied in cool, even tones, "Well, you're more or less correct. I was cast from my own ship by my own crew. They also killed Marcus."

"A mutiny?" Bear asked in astonished tones as he handed me back my mug.

I nodded, "Why don't you keep that keg near me so you don't keep having to get up....Thata boy. Now, where was I?"

As we drank... Well, I drank and he sat there... I told him what had happened. About Rich, the chocobo, the tiger, Kate, the assassins, and Sorin. He sat there in mute amazement as I unfolded my story. "...so in other words," I finished, "same sh*t, different day... We're outta ale."

He brought me over another keg. "You talked about assassins. Do you have any idea who's trying to kill you?"

I refilled my mug and took another good, long, drink. "I have a few ideas. Nothing certain though. All I know is the he works in Bastok Metalworks and is very well connected. Oh yeah, and supposedly I killed his brother."

"Well, you're the 'Dread Pirate Beldin'. Killing people is kinda in the job description. Whoever this is, must be very rich as well."

I put down my mug and gave him a serious look, "How do you know?"

"Listen, Beldin. I was part of this world's underbelly too you know. From the descriptions of the assassins, I'd say this 'X' took out a contract with the Guild of Death. They arn't cheap and they're the most skilled assassins in the world."

"Hmm... by any means, I didn't come here just to chew the fat with you and soak up all your ale."

"Coulda fooled me," he retorted, looking at the empty keg and the half empty keg beside me.

"Will you shut up and listen to me? I need your help!" I stood up, I was getting very hot under the collar. Even though I was shaking with vehemence, I pointed at the mannequin in the corner, "Will you join me Bear? Will you don the armor once more and fight along side me!?"

The question hung in the air like a dagger by a thin chord. Neither one of us moved nor averted his gaze. Finally, after a few moments, Bear dropped his eyes and looked away from me. I gave him a hard look and said in flat, unemotional tones, "Okay then. I see how it's gonna be."

I left Ruthless Bear sitting there, alone. Staring at the armor I had just asked him to wear for the last time.

[The Dread Pirate Beldin]

Re: The Legend of Beldin

~The Legend of Beldin Pt.7~
Battle in Bastok

"That stupid son of a mangy hound," I swore as I wandered into Bastok Metalworks, still fuming from my encounter with Ruthless Bear. Still swearing, I made my way into the Blacksmith's Guild to hopefully calm myself down and maybe find a clue as to who X is.
After much questioning and even more aggravation, I sat down on an anvil and stared into the ruddy forge, listening to the continuous ring of steel on steel...
"I've got it!" I exclaimed out loud, jumping up from where I sat. Noticing that I had said that louder than I expected I turned around to be met with all the eyes in the shop on me.
"Ahh...ummm... I've... ah... gotta go," I said, feeling more red than the forge I had been staring into. To avoid further embarrassment, I ran out of he guild, down into the temple to continue my celebration. I had him! I knew who X really was!
----------------
"...-ade agreement with those stupid Tarus in Windurst cannot fall through. We need that revenue to continue operations. What we shou-... YOU! WHAT ARE! YOU DOING HERE?!?!"
I looked at the red-faced, puffing man quite coolly. Instead of answering, I leaned back in his chair, put my feet up on the desk, and continued to peel an apple with my dagger. After I finished peeling the apple, I gave him a cold, ruthless grin, "Just trying to find out who X is Mr. President. However, my search is now over." I bit the apple defiantly and spit it in his face.
You could see the rage building in him, as his wiped the apple off him, he just seemed to get redder and redder. He fumed at me in a shrill voice, "How the bloodly hell did you know it was me you gad-damn scoundrel?!?"
I laughed, but there was no joy in it, "Actually, I just realized it recently. But once I realized who it was, all the clues made it kinda obvious. With a job like mine, you don't live ver long by being stupid. You're the only man of high station in BAstok to have a brother die in the past two years. Dying during a sea voyage too no less... Coincidence? I don't think so. So, if you don't mind," I hefted a large sack of gil over my shoulder, "I'll be taking my leave."
I shoved my way past him and walked quite calmly down into the plaza to leave. However, I've noticed, men with power are seldom smart. I guess common sense is just too common for them.
"IRON MUSKETEERS! GET THAT BLOODY PIRATE! I WANT HIS HEAD ON A POLE BY SUNDOWN!"
"Dammit," I said under my breath. I drew my dagger and sword and dropped the large bag of gil. I turned around to greet the fifty plus soldiers the red-faced politician had sent after me.
"GET HIM!" he shouted from the top of the embassy steps.
The front line charged at me and collapsed in the intervening space between me and the horde. I turned around and a beautiful sight greeted my eyes. Two Rangers, with guns still smoking, and two Samurais, with bows still drawn.
"Hey Mate," Rich shouted over to me, "Who said you could have all the fun?"
"Fine Rich," I shouted gleefully back to him, "You guys can play too. Only if you save some for me though! There's only about seventy of them!"
"By the way Bel," Beo shouted over as he tossed two things to me, "Consider this a gift from the Bloodguard!"
I tossed my blades aside and picked up the two just tossed over to me. A Nadrs and a Harpe. Grinning evilly, I prepared myself with my two new toys. "Well," I said as the came over beside me, "Let's have ourselves a little fun."
And so the battle ensued. Rich and Beo shot down troops where they stood while Cheleborn, Maggus, and I chopped at whoever came close. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse. A Musketeer had snuck up behind Rich and knocked him out could with the butt of his axe. I sliced the offending soldier across the throat for his actions. We drew a protective circle around our fallen comrade in hopes of protecting him from further damage.
They surrounded us... No where to run... No where to move... We were doomed...
"CHI BLAST!"
A huge ball of light shot past us, taking down a quarter of the surrounding masses. A faint flame of hope sprung up as a hulking Galka in monk armor crashed his way through the army around us like a bear enraged.
They didn't call him Ruthless Bear for nothing.
"Glad o see you finally decided to show up my friend," I said to him as he joined our group.
"I had a little trouble fitting into my armor. It seems I've gained a few pounds."
He punched a soldier square in the face, caving in his helmet and sending him flying into his buddies as I ducked under a clumsy sword thrust of another and stabbed him in the stomach.
"Beldin!" Maggus shouted over the noise of the fray, "We can't keep this up! Rich is still out cold and the number of the enemy keeps increasing. For every one we kill, the President sends two more after us! Ad as long as he keeps doing that, we're done for!" He cleaved in the helmet and shoulder of an approaching soldier and kicked the limp corpse off his katana.
As I slashed at another Musketeer's throat, I called out, "Beo! Do you think you could get a clean shot on the President?"
At this point, Beo had abandoned his gun and fought using his two knives. He Parried and over-head downward thrust, spun around and knocked out athe soldier with the hilt of his knife while defending himself against another soldier with his other knife. "Of course I could. He's standing at the top of the steps, shouting like an idiot for Titanssakes. Easy target. However, I'm kinda busy at the moment."
I crossed my own blades and flipped another soldier's sword out of his hand and sliced his throat in one quick motion. "Dammit all! We're never going to survive at this ra-"

*CRACK*

Both sides froze. No one moved or fought. All eyes turn to look up the stairs.
During the fight, Sorin had shown up. Stealthily, he had snuck up behind the red-faced puffing president and had knocked him out with him maul.
Laughing, I broke the eerie silence, "GWAHAHAHA! Sorin, you piebald son of a mangy dog, I could kiss you right now!."
He called down humorously, "Please, spare me that, Beldin!"
Still laughing, I shoved my way through the still stunned soldier with my friends. We quickly mounted the steps. Ruthless Bear had picked up the still unconscious Rich and held him over his shoulder while Beo went up behind the president, yanked his hair back, and put his knife to the red-faced man's throat.
"Now," I called down to the army below, "My friends and I are going down to the docks and commandeering a ship.."
"Stealing," Sorin corrected.
"What?"
"Don't you mean we're stealing a ship."
I put on an injured tone, "But stealing has such a nasty ring to it. It means the Same in the end anyways." Raising my voice, I continued, "Now, as I was saying. My friends and I are stealing a ship. If anyone of you tries to stop us, my blood-thirsty friend here is going to cut your fat president's throat. Now, MOVE."
Like a great sea, the troops made a path and let us by. We made our way down to the Docks unencumbered.
--------------------
"So," Bear said as he shifted the limp form of Rich slightly, "Which one down you want?"
I pointed to a large, 3-mast, galley, The President's Pride. "That one."
We went up the gangplank, leaving the president on the docks... I took the tiller.
"Cut the land lines! Set the mainmast to half sail! Make ready to sail!"
"Captain!" Sorin called up, "Rich is waking up!"
"Good. Maggus! Take the tiller! Keep'er straight for three leagues and then turn her hard to port."
"Aye, Aye, Captain," he responded as I made my way downstairs into the President's Quarters.
It was an opulent room with a large, oak dresser, a grand table, with soft chairs. All attached to the floor. Rich himself was laying down in a giant, hippograph-feather bed with his head bandaged up from the scalp wound he had received.
"how ya doin' Rich?"
"I'll live," he replied dryly, "Where are we anyways?"
I gave him a proud smile, "The Lady Kate, named her meself."
"We won I take it."
I gave him a lofty expression, "no Rich, we lost. We're all dead and this is just a coma dream you're having."
"You're a droll man, you know that?"
I gave him a florid bow, "Tis all part of me charms doncha know."
Laughing, he propped himself up, "So, where to next?"
"Well," I replied, "First we're going to Khazaam, then... who knows?"
He looked at me quizzically, "Wait, why are we going to Khazaam?"
"That’s where my fiancée is."
He gave me an even more perplexed look, "Who?"
"Kate, or Skriel... Whatever you wanna call her."
In serious tones he said, "Does she know she's your fiancée yet?"
I looked at him with a completely straight face, "No, but she will soon enough."
We held that gaze for perhaps a moment longer and then fell into howling gales of laughter.
--------------------
And so this Legend is ended... I still sail the sea of Vana D'iel, searching for adventure and plundering riches. Yet, I am no longer alone. My only hope that someday, my son Trenchard, will grow up to be the finest pirate ever... Just like his grandfather.

The End