Captain Mervak

I’ll be the greatest pirate around!

✨🐉✨

Mervak grew up in the streets of Napoli, his old name was Edmundo
he watched his entire family die from the plague
only he survived because he was lucky enough—or cursed enough
to have a dragon for a father
a dragon who long abandoned him.

because of being abandoned, Mervak chooses not to embrace his dragon side too much.

He sails the seas, annoying Captain Jaune every chance he gets
his crew remains loyal to him
they call him Il Drago Madro (the dragon mother) because of his
protectiveness for his crew.

Eventually, him and Jaune meet on common ground
they join the uprising, of people rebelling against the colonizers
he serves as a refuge for the Wanted and the defenseless
however, the wars take many of his family away from him

The boy who dreamed of becoming the greatest pirate around
grows up into a defeated, dejected man
he takes the remainder of his crew and leaves for the uncharted waters.

Mervak and Jaune cross paths again, in the jungles of Papua
Mervak asks about the result of the war he left behind
she misses him, his usefulness, his company
nobody won
everything ceased—for now.

Jaune spends the remainder of the week with him
they sail neighboring islands, running into rival pirates and colonizers
she saw the violence in him when he fought them
she saw how angry he would be towards anyone who wasn’t his crew
which is now composed of six people, out of the original sixty, then fourty four
twenty six
ten
and now six

Jaune wishes that annoying, haughty boy would return
he hasn’t even lived a full life, and yet his mind has aged to thousands of years

Jaune invites him back into the life of a pirate
oh so wanting that old adventurous life back, he accepts her offer
back in the caress of the ocean, and in Jaune’s care
Mervak and his tiny crew begin to heal with the help of this new support family

On trips to unknown, dangerous areas
she sees bits and pieces of that playful boy return
a smile, a joke here or there or a teasing action like taking her hat
but at night the terrors come
night sweats, twitches, crying or waking up screaming

he wants it all to end.

One day, he comes to Jaune happy, telling her about the greatest treasure
to make them rich beyond all belief
the crew is interested, and Jaune follows his lead
she questions his sudden happiness and he says
”I haven’t had a bath in a marble tub in ten years.”
ten years, the day he lost his old ship—which had a marble tub, when colonizers shot it with their warships

when they reach the island in uncharted waters
when they bypass all the dangerous creatures
when they finally reach the cliff and the purple gem’s altar
an enormous purple dragon appears before them

Wishgiver

”Kin of my kin, you come to me with great pain in your heart.”
she leans closer, “what is your wish?”
upon hearing that magic word, the entire crew dashed for the dragon
In the hungry crew’s pursuit of her wish, Mervak was lost
caught in the rush, everyone was swayed by her wish

”I can’t. I’ve come so far!”

For the first time in a long time, he transforms himself into a dragon
he rises above the crowd and boldly declares

”I AM YOUR INVOKER.”

To him, she spake
gently, in a voice calm and full of love
the crew members are silent as they gaze on

”is your wish betterment or a sacrifice?”
”A sacrifice. I want to forget the war and the family I lost—the people I lost.”

When Jaune hears this, her mouth falls ajar

”Why? Why would you forget? You learn from it—“

”Silence. I’ve already learned enough. Do it, quickly.”

The dragon wastes no time in imbuing Mervak with her power
the tip of her claw makes contact with his head
he screams as the power pulls everything from within
she closes her eyes, feeling the pain, the loss
she sucks all of it away with her power and she destroys every trace of his old crew
he falls from the sky and it is Jaune whom catches him

”You led us here, for this? You deceived us so you could no longer suffer?”
her voice cracks and trembles
the crew gathers ‘round, in silence
the moon shines brightly, Jaune rarely notices it
she takes a glance at the sky, then back at him
he does not awaken for three days.

When those three days come, out at sea, Mervak awakens with a brand new lease on life
he acknowledges the holes in his memory, and thanks Jaune for her help
out on the ship deck, he leans against the railing
eyes cast on the wide open sea, seemingly endless
he wants to depart from her ship
to take his small family of six elsewhere, but...

”I’m still attached to y’all, I guess. It’ll be a while before we think about leaving.”
Jaune wipes a tear from her eye
”we’ll be happy to have you, for a little while longer.”

(how many hours have I been working on this)

TRIVIA

• Edmundo means “prosperous protector” or “protector of prosperity.” Pretty fitting for a pirate. Although, I wanted a name that meant protector :/
• designed by Ziggy on VK, as part of NekoPaws Shop. Must ask for a version with normal colors.