The Fires of Summer (first draft)

For a while, Haley tosses and turns in his bed, unable to rest. His mind rocks to and fro between the bliss of his encounter with Axel and the horror afterwards, of a confession he can't bring himself to return, of Ellamia's face burned into his head. His sobs die down slowly until they leave him with just a deep ache in his chest. With it comes an unusual feeling, a desire to be close to Axel again, to tell him he's sorry and to be held by him. Haley tries to ignore it but it claws into him until it's all he can think of, and it's only exhaustion that finally pulls him into an uneasy sleep.

He sleeps for longer than usual. He can sense it in his brief moments of being awake, that time is passing around him, but he just can't seem to keep his eyes open. In a way, he doesn't mind, but eventually when he starts to wake for longer and longer periods of time he notices something is wrong. He starts to feel sick, and suddenly lurches over the side of the bed. It feels like his throat is being ripped apart as he expels something covered in a thick black goo, and then more and more. When Haley's eyes refocus, he suddenly makes out the shape of lungs, and he vomits again out of pure disgust. Everything hurts so intensely that he ends up collapsing back onto the bed and passing out in agony.

Next time he awakens, it's to Axel and Keaberos, who is holding a briefcase. He looks around the room, and it seems like he must have gotten up in his sleep, because the black goo is all over the place, as though he's gone and smeared it everywhere. For reasons unknown to him, he starts to cry at the sight of the mess, even though the pain is unbearable with every sob. The room had just been done up for him, and now it's wrecked and the floor is covered with his insides.

"Haley," Axel coos, coming forward to hold him. Keaberos seems to be in awe at the whole thing and Smock doesn't blame him - nobody should be alive after quite literally spewing their guts up.

"Axel," Haley clings to him. His craving for the other's touch is sated and immediately he knows he never wants to let go as he buries his nose in the man's shoulder, clinging to him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"It's okay, it won't be that hard to fix," Axel runs his fingers through Haley's hair gently. "What's all this about?"

"My body's changing to be an Archangel's again," he sobs, voice straining against the pain.

Keaberos sets his briefcase down on the bed and opens it up. "Would it be best to give you injected painkillers or oral?"

Haley turns to him and stares for a moment, frowning as he continues to cry. "Maybe injected."

It's his best guess; as an Archangel his insides could absorb anything he ate or drank quickly, so perhaps medicine will be the same. Keaberos prepares a needle and Axel presents Haley's upper arm, where it pierces. It's nothing compared to the pain inside of him and so he takes it with ease, but the effects hit immediately, and his pain subsides. He doesn't stop crying, still staring at the room, but it's nice to feel physically better. Keaberos' concern doesn't fade. "Does this have to pass on its own or can I help in any way?"

"On its own," is all he responds, burying his face now in Axel's chest, but he's gently pushed away.

"I need to get this cleaned up. Sorry Hales," he pets the man's hair. "I'll be right back."

Haley tries to cling to him so hard he realises that he has to stay put and has no choice, but it's to no avail, as he gets up and leaves the room. Keaberos stays with him until Axel returns and starts cleaning up, then he takes his leave, wishing Haley well.

The Archangel simply puts his head down and goes back to sleep.

The final time Haley wakes up, he does so screaming. He keels over in bed, grasping the sheets so tightly that his hands ache. There's a blazing pain and pressure next to his shoulder blades, piercing his skin, something tearing its way out of him. Soon he's in the company of Axel, who rushes into the room and grabs Haley's hands.

"Are you okay?" he asks, his tone full of concern.

Haley can't speak. He's only able to cry out in pain as it worsens and worsens, until it peaks with a horrific burst, and then another, and then another, drawing shrieks from his throat. He squeezes Axel's hands until both of their knuckles are pale, and pants when the pain begins to lower into a dull ache. He lifts his head to look at Axel, only to see him staring at something past Haley.

That's when he begins to realise there's something there. Six limbs, getting , he understands, too painful to move, but then he feels the wetness of bloody feathers, and he knows right away what it is.

"They're beautiful," Axel gawps, even though they're probably covered in black goo - his new blood - and wet.

"Thanks," Haley half-heartedly exhales. "I need a wash..."

An Archangel does not sweat, but they are capable of feeling absolutely filthy. Axel lifts him to his shaky feet and holds him as they walk, careful to not let him fall in his pain, and he takes him to a wash room with a much larger bath than the cabin, more akin to a pool than a bath. It fills with the same incantation as the cabin bath, and Haley lets Axel help him undress before he's lowered into the water, the heat of it easing his aches. At first, the wounds his wings sprout from sting, but they ease into a dull thrum soon enough.

Haley turns to Axel, who is also stripping down to join him. His mind is torn between whether he wants to be flustered by the other's nakedness or uncomfortable, with Ellamia creeping back to him but only in brief flashes, enough to make him feel guilty but not enough to want to leave. He averts his eyes and draws the water over his body. "How long has it been since... you know?"

Axel takes a deep breath and clears his throat. "About four days. We couldn't wake you up."

Immediately his stomach twists. "Four days? No, that can't be right."

"I'm not kidding. Everyone's been worried about you," he frowns, finally flexing his wings. Using them is like second nature to him, and he lowers them as far as he can into the water, shaking them to dislodge the goo. It dissolves into the water the same way as blood.

Axel seems to be staring at him more than usual, focused on his body. He can't help but feel as though it's wildly inappropriate for the topic at hand, but he says nothing of it, knowing he's already screwed things up enough. "We need to get moving again."

"Are you going to be okay?" the changeling asks, reaching out a hand to take Haley's again, squeezing it.

"The wings should heal fast. As soon as that's done, we can go," he doesn't want to go out with his wings on show. An Archangel is able to summon their wings, as sometimes they could get in the way with tasks, though most of the time as Azrael he had them out. Now, though, the thought makes him nervous, and Archangels are easily-recognisable from their six wings, which wouldn't look too good for him.

"If you're sure," Axel offers a smile. At first, he lingers, leaning in slightly, but then he seems to think of something and retracts, sinking back into the water.

Haley watches as he runs his hands over his body, bringing the water up over his shoulders. He moves with a grace almost otherworldly, like he's being controlled by some greater force, beautiful and elegant. The Archangel does the same, relieved to feel clean again.

Axel reaches around to a panel in the wall and pulls it open to retrieve lotions for them both to use on their bodies. Haley is offered the floral scents which he gladly takes, enjoying the smell that arises from them. He can faintly scent what Axel is using, that familiar rose smell emanating from it. He wonders if there's still be a hint of blood on him, even though he's clean, making up that intoxicating concoction that is him.

Eventually they finish in the bath. Haley goes to stand on his own when the bath is drained and he has a towel wrapped around him, but his body is still weak, so he allows Axel to press close to him again, helping him along the way back to his room, the water dripping from his wings and leaving a trail behind them. He stops to shake the water out of them, drenching Axel's corridor, six sets of feathers flicking off droplets everywhere.

When he gets back to his room, he sits down and dries himself off before laying down in bed again on his front. This time he doesn't rest, his body having done enough of that, so instead he closes his eyes and waits for the ache to go away. Axel lays next to him on top of the blanket, his arms behind his head, watching the ceiling the whole time. They must be there for hours before the pain begins its gradual descent, healing coming easily to his changing body now that it courses with power.

"I think I'm almost ready," Haley tells the other.

Axel gets up, stretching his arms. "I'll go tell my guys to prepare to leave, then."

"Alright," he agrees, though his mind yet again hates the thought of the changeling leaving him. He wants to attack his brain, to shake it and stop it from craving Axel. We just had sex, he tries to tell himself, there's no reason I should want him this badly.

Axel goes and Haley sits up, deciding against wallowing in self-pity. He tests his legs on the ground, finding that they're finally regaining their strength now that he feels better, and walks a lap around his room with his wings out, then puts them away and goes again. There's still a shakiness but it isn't anything he can't manage. He unpacks the contents of his coat, keeping only his map. He'd kept the cutlass from the ship and now it sits against his rocking chair, so he slides it into its spot on his belt.

Some time later, Axel returns to him with a smile. "Everyone's going to head down within the next few hours, so... do you want to cook with me, maybe? Your body could probably do with getting some food in it."

Admittedly, he isn't that hungry. Without a stomach now, there's little need for him to fulfil that need, but he supposes it would be nice to have the tastes, and it'll give him some time with Axel without having to face anything if he's focused on cooking. He follows Axel up top to the cabin, where the man begins to bring out ingredients from his pantry. First he sets down something for a savoury dish, then another entirely different collection of ingredients for something else. Haley doesn't ask, instead waiting to be told what to do.

"I'm going to make something called strapatsatha, then plushki for dessert," he explains, bringing out his pan. He lights the fire with magic and pours in some oil, then offers Haley a tomato. "Here, chop this to pieces about as big as your fingertip."

Haley grabs one of the boards on the side of the worktop and places them down there, next grabbing a knife and starting to chop them as Axel said. The changeling chops quickly, and is done before Haley, dumping his pieces into the pan. He follows soon after, then watches as they're salted and peppered. Axel gives him a spoon and tells him to mix until the juices have evaporated and he does so obediently as the other gets to making something else that he mixes until it becomes a dough.

"When that's done, beat four eggs in a bowl and then pour it into the pan and stir," Axel tells him, all of his focus now on the other task.

Haley does as he's asked. He doesn't cook often, but he feels very accomplished when he does it, especially when he pours in the eggs and they start to shape as he stirs them. Axel puts away what he's working on into the pantry, then grabs a new bowl and starts to make some sugar-cinnamon blend.

Axel turns to see the eggs done and grabs two bowls and his final ingredients. Taking the pan from Haley, he separates it into two servings, the eggs and tomatoes somewhat conjoined. He tops it with feta and a little parsley, already cut - he must prepare that sort of thing to save him time - and then sets the plates down on the table, where they both sit. He eats slower than usual, and at first Haley is worried he's messed up the dish, but then Axel speaks. "Good job, Hales. Tastes really nice, and the egg is perfect."

Haley smiles with pride. Admittedly, it does taste pretty damn good, and he enjoys every bite of it. "Thanks Ax. I'm glad you like it. I didn't really do that much, though..."

"Nonsense, you took care of the tomatoes and the eggs. Those are two important things and you did them well," he assures him, smiling.

Blushing lightly, Haley focuses on eating. The praise seems to feel especially good and he can't quite place why. Maybe the pain got me feeling all soft and weak.

When they finish eating, Axel takes their plates and sets them aside before taking his dough out of the pantry again. He cuts it into smaller balls of dough, then flattens it on a floured board and lightly brushes it with some butter before adding the sugar and cinnamon mixture. He rolls it, presses the edges together, and then cuts it and spreads it out to be heart-shaped. He then butters a tray and places the hearts onto it, setting them in a spot under the stove.

He comes back to sit with Haley for a while, his tail tapping the tail impatiently, but they manage to pass the time with chat. "I'm sorry if I was acting weird when you first got here. I wasn't totally with it that first night."

"Oh, it's fine Ax," he says at first, but as he thinks back on it and to all the questions Axel had been asking when they ate together the next day, he realises that he probably deserves some sort of apology. It hadn't just been catching up, it'd been a quiz to test him, to prove his identity or something along those lines.

"I hope so," he shrugs, frowning a little. "I don't mean to drive you away or anything."

"I know," Haley's unease at the memory quickly fades away when he hears the tone of Axel's voice. "You don't, Axel. I'm just... it's been a lot, with my wife and all, and finding out what happened."

"Yeah, I get it," Axel sighs, resting his chin on his hand. "I'm... really sorry."

"It's alright, it's not your fault. It's Corvus'," he thinks to the man and his court, how he holds himself, how he acted at the ball. There's nobody he wants to wrap his hands around the throat of more.

"I guess so," Axel offers a dull smile before turning his attention to the pastries.

Haley watches them too as they slowly turn golden in colour. There's no doubt they'll be really nice, having been made by Axel. So far everything he makes seems to be perfect. Over so much time he must have learned to perfect his food, but Haley finds himself sitting on the question of how he managed to recall recipes his mother taught him. It must have been such a long time ago, and he can barely remember to make drinks to have food with, so it's a wonder how he can still replicate the foods she spoke of. Haley wonders whether he could make the food that the Raven Queen and her raven elf followers would eat, but when he thinks of it the only thing that comes to mind is how the food looked. He recalls lots of particular spices, and rice, and bread and veg and potato. He recalls in particular a meal, and figures Axel will know the name.

"Do you know that one dish the raven elves have that's made with grape leaves?" he asks. "I thought I would remember but it's been so long and my raven elf dad never cooked much. There weren't many raven elves out at sea at all."

"Oh, you're on about warak enab. Why, do you want to make some sometime?" Axel smiles, his mood clearly shifting.

"Yeah, that'd be nice," he smiles too. "Maybe with some of the bread and... hummus, I think it is?"

"That's right. You're thinking of fattoush. It goes nicely with hummus. I have a raven elf cookbook we can look at together," the changeling gives an excited lash of the tail, then he remembers his plushki and heads over to retrieve the tray with some gloves. Then, he sets them down on a clean plate and brings them over.

Haley doesn't grab one yet, knowing they'll be far too hot. He thinks fondly of the desserts the Raven Queen would have. She'd always save him one, or multiple if it was something he particularly liked. He recalls that many of them were topped with or made with nuts, which seemed to be quite popular among her servants and followers.

When they're cool, he takes one of the plushki and takes a bite. The cinnamon taste is subtle and pleasant, and he finds himself craving seconds. With four on the plate, he guesses two each was the plan anyway.

They get moving again soon after, just the two of them walking down the mountain this time, everybody else having gotten further ahead. The sky isn't too far from darkening now, but they still have enough time to make it down before it goes completely black. As they go, Haley feels the brush of a pinky finger against his, so subtle and gentle, and he knows what Axel is asking. He doesn't deny him, grabbing his hand and holding it tight. He sees the man turn to look at him with adoration, and he offers a smile in return. Axel is pretty when he looks that way, with that glimmer in his eye.

"My mother, she taught me about plushki. It was another one of those things the peasants made, so she liked it," he says, his bony fingers squeezing Haley's.

"What was her deal with her father anyway? It sounds like she wanted nothing to do with him," the pirate asks.

"She didn't talk about him much, but from how she did speak about him you'd think he killed kittens," Axel's morbid comparison takes him by surprise but makes a point. "She told me once she wanted to run away, but it was hard as a princess underground - where can you really go, y'know?"

Haley hums, thinking to his friend, Valas. They haven't seen each other in years, but he reminds himself to ask about Avalia and see what Valas knows if he ever sees him again. "Did she tell you much about him?"

"I know he was the King of the dark elves. She never called him 'father' or anything like that, just by his name, Veladon. She said she thought he preferred the company of men over women and she thinks that's why he never cared for his children - he never wanted them with someone of the opposite sex. Which, I guess, is fair enough to some level. He was also albino which was hailed by the dark elves and even then most people, bar her, were afraid of him, which is why he was a King. The dark elves, you know, they were matriarchal; men were next to useless to them, so being a man in power was never heard of until him."

To most people this is precious information. Dark elves don't exist in Aldelis - the only one was the Queen. As such there's nothing known about them, and most people don't even know what they are, think it's some strange fairytale. They can't be blamed for the lack of knowledge in the world. Still, Haley wonders what they'd be like if they were here, perhaps if they were pirates, what songs they would sing.

"Well he must have done bad things if everyone was afraid of him and his daughter would rather be with peasants than be a princess," Haley remarks. Most people live their whole lives wishing they could have that status, but it sounds like Avalia had none of the fantasy lifestyle that people always dream of.

"Seems like it," Axel shrugs. "Then again, most people found it hard to get along with my mother, apparently. She was very headstrong and prone to using her fists to solve problems. I don't see why that's an issue, personally."

"Because you also solve problems with your fists," he suggests warmly.

"It works perfectly well!" Axel protests, though he's smiling behind his words.

"Sure it does," Haley smiles back. "She must have meant a lot to you."

"She did. She taught me a lot about how to survive in this world, which I guess ended up coming in handy," Axel starts to look a little melancholy. "I can't really read or write very well, though. Kallisto teaches me sometimes, and helps me when I need to read."

"That's good. You speak very well though, Axel. You can speak, what, four languages including common?" Haley squeezes his hand.

"I guess so. I only speak common and raven elf well. My dark elf and Gorik is limited," he says, though there's a light flush on his face from the compliment. "I just wish I could read and write it. I'm lucky that my work is mostly verbal."

"I mean, I can always help too, with Kallisto. I used to do a lot of reading and writing as an Archangel, especially writing - I had to keep track of all of the dead," Haley offers.

"That'd be nice," Axel says. "So, is that what you did?"

Haley smiles. "Yeah, a lot of writing. I comforted mourners too and carried souls across to the next life."

"Did you see dead people?"

"Yeah, I saw dead people."

"When you took people's souls did they look like they did when they were alive or did they look all dead or injured or stuff?"

"Well, they usually looked how they saw themselves. When an elderly person died, sometimes they'd appear as a child or a younger version of themselves. It wasn't often I saw an injured soul."

"Didn't it like... creep you out?"

Haley chuckles. "Not really. It became the norm to see that kind of thing daily. I very rarely saw people get killed, just the aftermath."

"Well I see the opposite, you know. I always see people getting killed, but not the aftermath. Weird, huh?" Axel seems to think the idea is a little funny. Haley doesn't.

"I wonder why Ax," he returns.

"I wonder what I'd look like if you had my soul," the man muses.

"Pff, you probably don't have one," Haley jokes fondly. Really, he imagines that the prince would have a soul befitting of his status, something beautiful and elegant. He wonders if it would move with his same ferocity, like the coiled serpent he always embodies.

"Wait, what would happen if someone didn't have a soul?" Axel asks suddenly, as though he's just come up with the craziest question ever.

Admittedly, it is food for thought. Haley has never met anyone without a soul, at least that he's known of, and you certainly can't lead a soulless person to the afterlife. "I guess they'd just disappear, but then what makes them alive? There must be something else that drives them on, so maybe that's what remains."

"Yeah, that's crazy to think about," he sighs, his tail lightly lashing behind him for a moment, as if in thought. "I've always thought you were the most misunderstood angel. People always see you as a bringer of death, but you're more like death's close friend that holds your hand and sweeps you into a warm embrace, or something poetic like that."

"That is poetic," Haley agrees. "I think so too. A lot of people were afraid of me when I would come to them. I guess I kind of get it. Death is nobody's desired endgoal, yet it comes all the same in the end."

"What a pessimistic but accepting way of putting it," Axel laughs his pretty laugh.

"I wouldn't call it pessimistic - it's just the truth," he insists.

"Alright, pessimistic to some," Axel corrects himself jokingly, although Haley isn't joking. He doesn't find anything wrong or pessimistic in the march of time and its inevitable end.

"Sure," he agrees after a few moments of silence. "I guess it's kind of nice to be able to talk about it. It's been my biggest secret for the past thirty-ish years, and now..."

"Yeah. It's always good to get things off your chest," Axel nods, his hand squeezing again, gentle this time. "I'm glad you're talking to me about it. I've always looked up to you. I can't believe all of this time it was my best friend that gave me the feather as a child."

"I can't believe you kept it," Haley laughs. "It could've made a lot of money, you know."

Axel stops walking for a moment, looking him in the eyes. "Can I show you something?"

Usually that sentence never means any good in relation to the Archangel of death, but he still accepts regardless. "Go ahead."

Axel reaches into his belt and retrieves his dagger. He turns it around in his hand and offers it to Haley, who takes it. Immediately power beats through his fingers, something strong and familiar, and he'd recognise it anywhere.

"I put it in there," Axel says quietly. "It's my prized possession. I don't go anywhere without it. Without you."

Though it's a little bit creepy, Haley can't help but feel a little honoured that his feather became something so loved. "I'm glad it could be used for something so prized."

"Yeah," Axel smiles, taking the dagger back and slotting it back into place. He returns his hand to Haley's and starts walking again, a gentle look upon his face.

They arrive at the bottom of the mountain and Axel takes on his demonkin form as he guides Haley through the back of the streets. As they cross a certain spot, Haley looks through the gap in the alleyway and sees a familiar face there, talking to someone. He drags Axel back, stopping them out of sight before he can be spotted, and he watches from the corner. Lukas is talking to some other guard, this one in the armour of Canis' local forces. His high elf ears aren't honed enough to make out what they're saying, but Axel seems to get it, with his ears, despite being covered in jewellery, still having their dark elf touch.

"They're talking about hardening the security of the bay. We better hurry," Axel seems to be itching to go, but he waits until the guards turn their backs and start heading onto the main street. From there they run to the dock, Haley this time wasting no time in bolting past the guards and onto the ship. Everyone is waiting, and Axel does a quick head count before waving to Ophelia, who seems to catch on to the urgency.

Haley helps to open the sails and the wind catches in them just as the guards start filling in. They start running for another ship, a galleon where they have many more men. Still, the group are ahead of them, speeding out across the bay.

There's the boom of gunfire heading their way, and Haley runs to the front of the ship to cover from it, but there's only the sound of the water splashing nearby as the shot misses them by what must be inches. They're going as fast as they possibly can through the water, and when Haley looks around the side of the ship he can see that while the Sanguis ships are kitted out for battle they are not kitted out for speed, so it slowly begins to lose distance until they're too far ahead to be under any threat at all if they keep up their pace.

Eventually the ship turns tail and heads back to Wolf's Rest, no chance of catching up to them. Haley watches them go, an eye on their cannons. They have at least one extra row than their galleon, and with all of the Sanguis' wealth there's no doubt their cannonballs can do some damage. It's a wonder their shot missed - the guards must have been thrown off by their sudden rush.

"That was a close call," says Kallisto, who had come to his company, staring over the side of the ship too. "I guess we're living like pirates already."

"With Corvus' rule we sure as hell are," Haley retorts before turning his attention to the others, who have gotten back to work. Even Rabia is out, seemingly having made a full recovery, which is near enough a miracle with how bad it'd been. He looks to Keaberos with admiration. Adayre and Maya are out running some supplies up top, and he decides to head over to them.

"Hey," Maya greets him as she puts her box down, probably full of gunpowder.

Adayre follows after her, "Hello, Haley."

"Hey guys," he returns with a smile. "How's it been? Did you like your room at Axel's place?"

"Yeah, it was nice having a room to share for once," Maya smiles back. "We couldn't really have sleepovers together back at home."

"Maya snores too much," Adayre jokes.

"Well I'm glad you could have a change to that. It must have sucked to be apart like that," Haley replies, "even if one is a horrible snorer."

"Hey!" Maya protests. "It's not my fault if I'm comfortable."

"Totally is," Adayre shoves her shoulder light-heartedly. She pushes them back gently, then they remember Haley is right there and quickly stop.

"Anyway, yeah. It's been really good being here," Maya says with a deep warmth, her eyes bright.

"I'm glad to hear it," he opens his arms to welcome them both to a hug, and they both lean in happily to take it, though with the summer heat they don't stay pressed together for too long. "Anyway, I don't mean to interrupt your work."

"It's absolutely fine, it's nice to talk," Adayre looks at him with their dark and shiny eyes, a certain brightness in them that backs up their words.

Haley leaves them to it, pacing over to the side of the ship to watch what's going on. They pass through the rim of the bay and into the open ocean, but there's something that feels off about it. Haley wants to feel safe, to feel as though they've escaped from danger, but there's a creeping feeling that he can't get rid of that sticks under his skin. Nobody else seems to notice anything, and for a while he thinks he must be crazy, until he heads for the top deck and gazes out at the bay behind them.

There's two sloops on their tail. Being smaller and less gun-heavy, the ships are catching up to them fast. Haley can just about see the men leading them, all in Sanguis armour, with one particularly strange-looking man standing at the front of one. Haley recognises the man right away as the guard that chased him through the streets, the guard that seemingly had some otherworldly powers. That unnatural glow emanates from his eyes and Haley can see it even from a distance.

He doesn't panic like he usually would. In fact, he feels completely calm as he watches them grow nearer and nearer. Haley turns simply to Ophelia, who is at the helm as usual, and with an even voice tells her, "We're being chased."

"What?" she asks, terror rushing into her voice. "By who?"

"Sanguis ships," he answers, looking to check on the ever-closing distance between them. "Only two of them. We should be able to engage just fine."

"With two ships? Are you crazy?" Ophelia hisses, looking back too for just a moment before returning her eyes to the wheel.

"We can take them as long as we place our shots well," Haley assures her. "I'll let the others know to prepare for battle."

Before she can say anything else, Haley speeds down the steps and jumps onto the rigging. Already there are eyes on him as he hangs from it, facing them all.

"Battle approaches," he begins, unsheathing his cutlass and waving it to emphasise his words. "Sanguis ships have decided to pick a fight, and we're gonna show them that they've picked it with the wrong pirates!"

The crew don't cheer, scrambling to ready their cutlasses. A few rush to the cannons to double check that they've been prepared, and Julien and Rabia rush downstairs, probably to fetch the stored cannons.

"You're a talented bunch, so I fear not for your safety, only theirs," he tries again to rouse them, but they just look very serious, nothing like the pirate crews he's used to egging on. So he decides to draw his speech to a close, climbing down.

Let's fuck 'em up, he thinks, taking to a cannon and preparing to fight.