Page 85 of If I Go Down with This Ship

Mick leads me to one of the only open spots at the end of a swaying table and passes me a tankard with the amber liquid.And as I lift it with a weak smile to the people surrounding me, there’s nothing I want more than to tell them the truth.

There is simply too much life here for it to be wiped away, and I don’t want these people to die.

“Tarly!”someone calls.“Won’t you play us a song?”

The musician sits two tables down, perched on the end as he plucks lazily at his instrument.His worn and battered fingers waggle playfully as he poises them over the strings.He glances up, the corner of his lips curling as he takes in the waiting crowd.

“Ah, why not!”

The crew cheers as he slides off the bench and steps up onto a swaying table.People bang their tankards and mugs, the crew riotous and impatient as Tarly adjusts the tuning slowly.He knows full well that they’ll wait until he’s ready.

“Any requests?”he asks.

“Play us a love song, won’t you?”someone asks.

I find Astra at the other end of my table, smiling softly down at their tankard.They’ve been smiling a lot more since they enacted their revenge.Maybe for some people, killing is the only way to move on from the past, to heal.They glance up and meet my gaze, lifting their ale in a silent cheers before taking a long pull.

Tarly grins as he scours the mess.“Always enjoy a good love song.”

With a flourish of his fingers and wistful look over our heads, he plucks out a tune and begins to sing, his voice full of humor and melodrama.

It’s been ten long years

Since our crew came to land

My lady’s since fled.

Taken in by ’nother man.

My bed’s now cold,

Alone I do shiver,

But when I spot her face,

It’s to her I do wither.

Lady, oh lady, what shall I do

Won’t you take me in, abandoned by my crew

Lady, oh lady, however might you see

I’m just a lonely man, spit up by the sea.

I feel a hand at my shoulder and crane my neck back to see who it is.Silas smiles down at me.

“Silas—” I start.

He lifts a finger to his lips and nods to Tarly as he plucks at the strings.“Don’t want to interrupt the man’s playing, now do we?”

“Paul, you ratty dog,

Get up off your knees.”

“No,” I beg to her

“Won’t you stay with me, please.”