Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 374: Sharing power

Chapter 374: Sharing power

The gentle sway of the Roaring Axe accompanied the captain of the ship like a mother's lullaby. Inside the captain's cabin, Blake sat at the large oak table.

The Roaring Axe, or better yet its name, had once been his father's vessel, a symbol of power and pride in the days when his father commanded the respect of ten ships. Now, it was Blake's flagship's name , a legacy he carried both proudly and heavily as a way to honor him.

Across from Blake sat Kroll, his long-time friend, leaning back in his chair with an easy air. Between them on the table were two empty cups, their polished metal gleaming faintly in the lantern light. Blake had invited Kroll aboard earlier that day, the rare lull in the chaos of leadership offering them a chance to reminisce.

Before the breaking of the Treaty of Seabreak, a fragile pact with the Imperials which limited pirate activity outside what the Romelians regarded as their seas, that now layd in tatters, the two had seen little of each other. Both had been preoccupied with their own pursuits—Kroll raiding far to the west while Blake cemented his position as captain of his personal fleet. The demands of their lives had kept them apart, but now, with the fleet preparing to scatter once more under Blake's orders, the opportunity to share a moment presented itself.

The air in the cabin was warm and thick with the scent of salt and old wood. "This feels like old times," Kroll said, his voice rich with nostalgia, though his tone held an edge of weariness.