A murmur ran through the crew. Every man aboard had signed the Sea Witch’s articles—a stained, bullet-pocked parchment nailed to the mainmast. It wasn't a law of mercy or justice. It was a law of survival.
The silence stretched like a taut rope. Then, one by one, the pirates raised their hands. Not for Silas. Not against Elara. They voted on the open question. pirates law
"Why?" Silas whispered. "Why show mercy?" A murmur ran through the crew
As the Sea Witch unfurled her black flags, Elara touched the parchment nailed to the mast. The ink was smeared, the edges burned. But the words remained clear: It was a law of survival
"Because the Pirate Code is not about tyranny, Silas," Elara said, hauling him to his feet. "It's about order. Without it, we're just animals tearing each other apart. With it, we are the last free nation on the sea. And a free nation doesn't waste good men."
The vote was eleven for Elara, nine for Silas, and three abstentions.