~~The Ambitious Corsair~~
Part III
Gimilthôr lived out the remainder of his youth on the seas, growing accustomed to the harsh seafaring life. He partook in many raids for his captain, and he grew his prowess in battle. But his ambition could not be tempered by petty spoils, for he still longed to captain his own Great Ship. Oft his thoughts went out to challenging the captain to single combat or to overthrow him by some other means; but then he would remember where he came from and how this captain had offered him a hand where others would not - albeit naught had come for naught. Then he would ban these thoughts of treachery from his mind and think no more of it.
But fate decided that the captain would grow grievously ill, and soon he perished during a moonlit night at sea. Gimilthôr was quick to take his place, though there were other corsairs among their crew that challenged him for the captain’s seat, yet they could not beat him; so quick and so skilful had he become with blade and axe; much to the dismay of the other crewmembers. Few were willing to follow this arrogant youth and many left next they made port. But Gimilthôr heeded it not, for he only had eyes for his new ship and the horizon.
As captain to his own Great Ship, which he renamed the Azruzagar, he treated his rowing slaves with less cruelty than the former captain had, and he gave them lodging in the city and good food after every raid. He was one of the first to pay his slaves, albeit only a small part of the spoils, to give them a sense of freedom they did not possess. All this made it so that his ship became one of the fastest in the corsair fleet.
Treating his slaves better than most was not only a smart decision, but a profitable as well, as he had less need of new slaves and could spend his hard-won spoils elsewhere. He sold captured slaves inland, which provided him with thrice the wealth of raiding spoils. Thus it happened that every so often he would return to Umbar with captured slaves and he would sell them inland to chieftains of the Haradrim or to other corsair captains. Among these slaves were not only Gondorians, but Southrons also.
After every raid, a fair part of the spoils would first go to the Lords of Umbar as tribute. Then he would share some of his spoils with the devoted of the Temples of Sauron and Morgoth, who he also gifted one of his captured slaves to be sacrificed. This way he believed he blessed his next voyage. From what remained he then took his share to care for the ship and to trade for food and water. But the largest part of the spoils he gave to his crewmen, as to appease them. Lastly, he would pay his slaves the little that was left.
This and more made him a curious case among his people. He began talking openly of his hopes for conquest and he relayed his plans to anchor in Belfalas to his crew. But he was too blind with ambition to see that they heeded it not and that they thought him mad. For the strength of Gondor was not so easily toppled, and how could this young captain succeed where great lords of men had failed in ages past? Verily, what good could come of it?
Unbeknownst to Gimilthôr, he had sown the seeds of mutiny.
