⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵. . . "Tour of the Gulf of Aden". . . (cont.)
[Last time...]
Everyone stood frozen, their weapons drawn. The King fell back into his chair, a defeated man.
“An' noo King, Ahh'll hav th' truth!" Galligan said with blood in his eyes!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[In the Palace…]
Commander Galligan held his sword steady, inches from the King’s chin. Everyone stood motionless as the King finally looked about him and realized that there was no way out of the dilemma…
“Yes…yes, I know this Arab trader Asif!” He said with a deep sigh as he folded his hands on his chest.
“He was haur 'en?” Galligan asked intently.
“Yes, he was here, some ten weeks ago.” (See: https://steemit.com/steemsilvergold/@joshuaslane/silver-adventures-captain-joshua-slane-03fe19-it-is-something-that-no-one-in-the-world-must-know )
“An' fur whit purpose, certainly nae jist tae rob yer silver markit?!" Galligan said with a hard tone.
The King looked up at Galligan and there was anxiety and fear in his eyes…
“Please, lower your weapon. There is no need for threats.” King Radwan said nervously, “He came to strike a treaty…”
“A treaty? Whit kinds o’ treaty?”
“A treaty…for the Jinn…”
Galligan’s eyes narrowed down. He didn’t have a clue what what being said…
“Th’ Jinn?”
“Yes, the Jinn of Aden!”
“Who is... th' Jinn o’ Aden?!” Galligan asked as he tilted his head in curiosity.
“The Jinn is …an evil man really…but he controls the Gulf of Aden and all the waters surrounding it.” The King revealed.
Petty Officer- Ropemaker Ickied raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Seaman- Ordinary Seaman Andofzara, who shrugged his shoulders.
“When did thes come aboot? Uir ship sailed in th' Gulf o’ Aden nae mair than fower years ago an' we traded silver wi' nae threat frae th' King o’ Aden o’ anyain else!” Galligan assured.
“Being a military man yourself…you must understand that being a King in this part of the world is no safeguard…”
“Spick plainly! What's happened tae th' King o’ Aden?!" Galligan said with impatience.
“He’s…dead!”
“Deid?! By whit means?!"
The King sat up on the edge of his throne and spoke solemnly…
“Two years or more ago…the Jinn’s fleet appeared off the southern coast of Aden. The King sent out messenger boats with word of good will. The Jinn had them all slain and their bodies hung from the mast of their vessels!” King Radwan informed, his eyes now growing red, “He then sailed directly into the Bay of Aden, towing the boats behind his great Dhow fleet! He bombarded the city, killing and maiming civilians and destroying the harbor guard post!”
Galligan’s eyes grew bigger as the news sunk in…
“An ‘en?”
“Then he stormed the palace, killed the King, capturing the queen and adding her to his concubines. He has held the city ever since!”
“Ain whit has aw 'att got tae dae wi' a treaty wi' ye?”
“He sent a messenger…Asif. He offered a treaty…allow the Jinn to use the port of Victoria for his pirating base, or…” The King hesitated.
“O’ whit?”
“Or he would make Seychelles his next campaign!”
“Hmm..." Galligan excalimed quietly, in deep thought, "An' naethin' in it fur ye at aw but ta avoid war??”
“Well, I did agree, for a small tribute…”
“A slice o’ th' piratin' booty…Hoo much?!”
Once again the King hesitated, but the menacing blade of the Commander began to rise back up…
“Twenty five percent.”
“Twenty-fife percent o’ aw th' booty pirated in th' entire Indian brine?!! ‘Att's a sizable fortune!!"
"Bilge rats!" Seaman- Carpenter's Crew Errislravenhill muttered to herself in disbelief!
"Blye me!" Seaman- Ordinary Seaman R.me-up also whispered in surprise.
⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵
(See: https://steemit.com/steemsilvergold/@joshuaslane/silver-cycles-strategy-of-buying-selling-and-holding-silver-04fe19-how-it-works )
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"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need a private chat with the Captain?" - joshua.slane@aol.com
References: Pictures froms: www.freeimages.com, www.pexels.com, pixabay.com, steemit.com an’ www.google.com/maps. Data loosely interpretted froms: www.wikipedia.org an' sometimes reit from th' author's extensiff personal experience an' such.