Stacy held the letter carefully.
The royal seal was still intact.
STACY:
“This made him a privateer?”
CAELWYN:
“Yes.”
STACY:
“He could attack enemy ships?”
CAELWYN:
“Yes.”
“Take their cargo.”
“Capture their crews.”
“Sink them, if necessary.”
Stacy turned the letter over.
STACY:
“And the king approved?”
CAELWYN:
“The king demanded it.”
Silence.
STACY:
“Then why are soldiers waiting for him?”
Caelwyn looked toward the horizon.
A ship was approaching the harbor.
Slowly.
Confidently.
Coming home.
CAELWYN:
“The war ended three weeks ago.”
Stacy looked back at the letter.
STACY:
“But he doesn’t know.”
CAELWYN:
“No.”
STACY:
“So yesterday he attacked another ship.”
“Exactly as this ordered him to.”
CAELWYN:
“Yes.”
STACY:
“And now he’s a pirate?”
Caelwyn nodded.
Stacy stared at him.
STACY:
“What changed?”
“The ship?”
CAELWYN:
“No.”
STACY:
“The captain?”
CAELWYN:
“No.”
STACY:
“What he did?”
CAELWYN:
“No.”
She looked down at the royal seal.
STACY:
“Then what?”
A long pause.
CAELWYN:
“A signature.”
Stacy frowned.
STACY:
“His?”
CAELWYN:
“No.”
The soldiers began moving toward the quay.
Stacy watched them.
STACY:
“Then the king made him a privateer…”
“…and another piece of paper made him a pirate.”
Caelwyn shook his head.
CAELWYN:
“No.”
“The king gave him permission.”
STACY:
“What’s the difference?”
Caelwyn watched the ship coming home.
CAELWYN:
“Permission can expire.”
A pause.
CAELWYN:
“Consequence doesn’t.”
The ship entered the harbor.
Its sailors began cheering.
They had finally made it home.
They had not yet noticed…
the soldiers waiting for them.
🜍 THE KING’S FIRE
Yesterday, patriot.
Today, pirate.
Same man.
Same ship.
Same cannon.
Different signature.
If someone else can decide when your cause becomes a crime…
was the fire ever truly yours?
🏴☠️ Black Flags, Deep Waters
A living Pirate Borg campaign where the world changes while you’re sailing through it.
👉 https://startplaying.games/adventure/cmpms9fi200f5if04i70p6741
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