History Is Written By The Victors

[Vera Silvertooth]

When Chak ordered the Phantom to be sailed close to the wreckage of the Zephyr and a sunken Waverunner ship so that they could pick up the survivors that clung to the flotsam, Vera recruited a few helpers from among the crew to assist her in the galley. Once safely aboard and resting on deck, their allies found themselves handed bowls of porridge studded with mango and nuts, as well as cups of tea to warm them. The surviving pirates plucked from the sea found themselves in the brig.

A hare that Vera recognized from the crew Robert had led to the Zephyr was helped over the rail. Chak approached him. "Whar be Rob?"

The hare shook his head. "Lost sight 'o him during the fightin', chap. Sorry."

Vera watched as the otter blew an exasperated breath. "He might be getting picked up by another ship, Chak," she offered, though her own hopes for the hedgehog's survival were quite small.

The otter grunted and went back to scanning the waves.

After a while, a rowboat was spotted making its way towards them. A small figure waved to the Phantom and called out.

"Ahoy!"

Vera shaded her eyes to look and grinned. "It's Plink! Chak, it's Plink and I think she's got Robert with her!"

The sea otter bounded to the rail and gave directions for ropes to be thrown to the rowboat. Then he went over the side himself. Moments later, his voice rang out. "Rob be 'urt! Somebeast lend me a paw."

Vera leaned over the rail, noting the weakened hedgehog slumped at the prow of the rowboat. Red-stained cloth had been wrapped around one of the hedgehog's legs and though he smiled and tried to shrug away the otter's attempts at help, he clearly was in no shape to stand, much less climb the rope to the Phantom.

Vera tapped a claw to her lips then ran across the deck and down into the crew's quarters, where she grabbed one of the hammocks that they slept in at night. Wadding the canvas in a lumpy ball so she wouldn't trip on it, she hurried back to the rail.

"Use this to get Robert aboard," she said and a pair of sailors knotted ropes on either end of the hammock before lowering it down.

In short order, the hedgehog had been helped aboard and taken to the stern cabin with the other wounded. Vera lingered by the rail until Plink came over it.

?Plink! You?re alive! I was worried about you."

?I'm fine, Miss Vera," the rat muttered as she turned to look back at the flotsam from the Zephyr.

?I?m sorry. You probably had friends there, didn?t you??

But the rat shook her head. "Not friends, just... I didn't want them to..."

Vera took a deep breath and put her paws on the rat?s shoulders. ?Plink. I want to apologize.?

She looked up at Vera in surprise. "To me? What for?"

?For what I said back on Dead Rock. For blaming you. What happened to me... that wasn?t your fault. You were only trying to protect yourself. I would have done the same in your situation. I?m sorry I reacted so badly.?

Plink shook her head, frowning. "But it was my fault. I stole an' lied an' I deserved everything you said." She began digging in her pocket. "I know it ain't gonna make up for any of it, but I got this..."

?Oh, Plink, that?s not necessary.? She put a paw on the ratmaid?s arm. ?You don?t owe me anything. It?s enough that I know you?re alive. I?m so glad you got off that ship. I can?t help but feel responsible for it. If I had....? she trailed off as Plink shrugged away from her paw and pulled out something on a silver chain.

?Cap?n Blade had this,? Plink muttered. ?An? I remember Cap?n Ciera had it an? that I thought it was yours... I thought, maybe, you'd like to have it back. I...? She held up the ruby amulet, offering it to Vera. "I'm sorry, Miss Vera."

Shakily, Vera took it from Plink?s paw. ?I thought it was gone forever...? she whispered and looked at it lying in her paw for a moment. Then she closed her fist around it and threw her arms around Plink?s neck, which drew a startled squeak from the rat. ?Thank you, thank you, thank you,? she murmured. ?You... didn?t have to do this,? she released Plink, who was obviously uncomfortable from the vixen?s affections. ?You have no reason to apologize or be sorry. I?m sorry too, because I was wrong. I?ve been wrong about a lot of things. Things I hope that I can make right, somehow.? She looked down at the deck of the ship for a moment, then back up. ?Listen to me, Plink. I know you think you don?t belong and that there?s not a place for you, but I know there can be. I don?t know what you plan on doing from here on out, but if you ever need a place to stay, or a job, or a home, you tell me. I mean that. You?re my friend and I?ll help you in whatever way I can.?

Plink stared at her, then blinked rapidly and nodded. "Aye, arright. I'll... arright."

Vera straightened and tucked her amulet back in her pocket, next to Fildering?s picture. The solemnity of the moment was shattered suddenly by Hylan grabbing her and whirling her around in a hug.

When she managed to extricate herself a moment later, Plink was gone, vanished into the crowd. Vera guessed that the ratmaid had gone after Robert and made a note to check up on her later.

?Smell that, Vera!? Hylan crowed, dragging her attention back to him. ?It?s the smell of freedom and victory.?

?It?s the smell of black powder and me needing a bath,? she responded tartly, actually looking down at herself for the first time in a while. ?I?m filthy!?

?Aye, more a black fox than a red one, eh?? He grinned at her and took a deep breath as he tilted his head back. ?You have no idea how good it feels, Vers. My own beast again, after all this time.?

She started back towards the galley with him beside her. ?I bet you?re looking forward to going home.?

The pine marten suddenly stilled. He looked out to sea, his branded brow furrowing. ?Home... I... guess I hadn?t thought about that...?

?What do you mean,? Vera asked. ?Don?t you want to go home??

He stood quiet for a long time. ?I do. I really do. But I guess... I gave up hope of home seasons ago. I thought I?d die in that mine, like I saw so many others do. Even when we escaped, I was so certain that we?d die taking out Blade...? He shrugged. ?What?s the point of longing for something you can?t have again.? He reached a trembling paw up to his face, touching one of the brands on his cheeks. ?How can I go back like this??

Vera swallowed and slowly took his paw down from his face and held it in hers. ?Hylan, nobeast will care. You were thought to be dead. Going back to Birchwood might be hard at first, but you were loved there. Everybeast will be so happy to see you.?

"I?m not the same beast I was. I?ve changed.?

She gave his paw a squeeze. "Don't worry. We'll go back together." Somebeast shouted from the bow, spotting more survivors in the water. "Keep helping, Hylan. We'll talk later. I need to make sure food and tea has been brought to the injured."

He exhaled slowly and went back to work, leaving Vera to her own duties. Now conscious of just how filthy she was, Vera scampered back to the galley and took a moment to change into a clean apron and wipe off the worst of the soot from her fur.

While changing the apron, she pulled out Fildering's picture and her newly regained amulet. The scarlet jewel shimmered in her paw, but somehow it just didn't look as beautiful as Vera remembered it once had. She once would have tossed everything aside in exchange for the necklace in her paw, but no more. Other things were far more precious and valuable.

She placed her two possessions, amulet and shell-encased picture, in the pocket of a clean apron, and went in search of her helpers to make sure there was enough soup and tea to go around.

Out on deck, she spotted Colonel Swiftpaw being helped over the rail. Vera snagged one of her earlier recruited helpers and sent him scurrying for food for the colonel as she took charge of the tea pot and the last cup.

An otter helped Colonel Swiftpaw over to the stairs leading up to the poop deck, where he slumped wearily.

"Good to see you in one piece, Colonel," Vera said, bringing him the tea. "We've found a few survivors from your group."

"Thank you, Vera. Have you found Mister Rosequill yet?"

"Yes, he was brought aboard a short while ago."

Colonel Swiftpaw rolled the tea cup between his paws. "Good. I've important news for him."

"I'll pass it on to him, if you like. You look positively exhausted."

"Not so young as I once was," he admitted with a small smile. "If you would, please let him and Mister Ku'rill know that Blade is dead. Atlas made sure of it, this time."

Vera turned to enter the stern cabins, "I'll do that straight away, Colonel. Anything else?"

The hare sighed and nodded. "Tell them that Atlas is dead, as well."

***

The sun painted the sky myriads of colors as it slowly descended into the waves that evening. The Phantom and most of the Waverunner ships sat at anchor. Vera, Plink, Chak, Reedox, Rindclaw, Hylan, and Colonel Swiftpaw all lounged around the captain's cabin of the Phantom, sipping hot mulled cider as they discussed the next move.

"Rob an' I were talkin' afore that 'ealer kicked me out," Chak said. "Vera, 'ate ta take away yer new toys, but we agreed we need ta get rid o' those cannons an' the black powder ingredients."

Vera pouted, but Hylan gave her a nudge as Frederick said, "I agree. Those weapons are too dangerous in the wrong paws. It's best if they lie on the ocean floor where they can hurt nobeast." The others nodded and murmured their assent to the plan.

"All right," she sighed. "I'll have my cannon crews hoist them overboard first thing in the morning."

"Speakin' o' mornin', I'm thinkin' I'll dive down ta the Zephyr, if it ain't restin' too deep."

"What for?" Plink asked sourly. "Sink the cannons an' let them an' Blade rot together down there."

Chak gave her a toothy grin. "Be nice ta 'ave a little o' that treasure Blade loaded up. Lots o' beasts on this ship're gonna need ta start new lives an' a li'l gold'll make it easier fer 'em."

Vera thought back to the cave where she'd encountered Maurick and Plink and remembered the piles of treasure still left behind. When she cast a glance at Plink and found the young rat looking at her as well, she wondered if Plink were thinking the same thing. The vixen shrugged. A small pawful of gold was all she needed, really. Just enough to cover any expenses of traveling back to Birchwood. For Hylan's sake, Vera knew she'd need to stay with him for a little while.

Vera rested a paw on the pocket of her apron, feeling the two lumps there. When the time was right, she would take a trip to northeastern Mossflower.