Ben's NaNoWriMo Log

Chapter 37 added Sep 23, 2005
The sun was low in the sky, and the Just Reward was draped in shadows. They had heaved to near the small island known as Neville's Rock. It was occasionally used as a landmark by sailors returning to Westway from Moril, but generally ignored by westbound vessels. Sarah was standing at the wheel, with her first mate pacing behind her. She hadn't felt so much anxiety since the moments before the first battle at Sienda. The stakes were far higher now, but she was far more confident in her abilities now than she had been then. She had seen the guts of war, and the knowledge exorcised the worst of her fears. What she felt now was altogether different. Then she had been one of many, following the orders she was given. Now the orders were hers, and the worries of command were on an altogether different scale. The deck was thick with sailors. Many were poised at their stations, waiting for the order to let the sails out. Still more were clustered amidships with Molly and Lars, grapples and boarding planks close at hand. Carathix stood at the bow, head down, hands gripping the rail lightly. Finally, he raised his head. Sarah looked out to see a gull gliding toward the wizard's outstretched hand. He removed something from around its neck, then sent it aloft once more. He trotted aft, joining Sarah on the poopdeck. He pocketed the small silver charm that had been around the gull's neck as he made his report. "They're about twelve miles out at a relative bearing of approximately three-thirty. I estimate their heading as two-sixty, give or take." He shrugged. "I'd be more precise, but I haven't figured out how to train a gull to read a compass yet." Sarah grinned. "I'll forgive you. The important thing is that we've seen them before they see us." She turned to her first mate, who was plotting lines on a chart set up nearby. "How does it look?" "If they keep that heading, they should pass us on the north two or three miles away." He turned to Carathix. "How fast were they going?" "I'd say about five knots." Walking his divider quickly along the projected course, Mordial announced, "We've got about half an hour until we sight them, then probably two hours until they pass us." Sarah nodded. "All right, let's begin." She stepped to the rail and called out, "This is what we've been preparing for. The time is at hand." An excited murmur spread across the clustered men on deck. Carathix strode to the port rail and produced a pair of dull gray spheres the size of plums from within his robe. He tossed them out into the water. They landed with two tiny splashes, bobbing on the waves. Just a few heartbeats later, the water around them began to bubble, causing a thick mist to rise up and surround the Reward Carathix waved his hands northward, and the mist began to drift in that direction. Soon, he was nearly hidden from view, save for a golden glow emanating from the amber cabochon on his ring. After a few minutes, Sarah quietly gave the order to make way. Ropes creaked as the men below turned the sails. The light breeze began to propel the ship forward ever so slowly. As they slid silently through the water, the mist thinned slightly, spreading out over a wider area. The sun kissed the horizon, turning the floating vapor around them the color of blood. Bit by bit, the dance of rudder and sails brought the Reward around to match the heading of their quarry. A gentle slapping sound from the water below heralded the crossing of the frigate's wake. Though could not see the other ship, they now knew the direction it was in and, from the size of the wake, how far ahead it was. Both ships were at a close reach, tacking into the trade wind that blew across the south end of the Dragon Sea. The very wind that was propelling them would be dispersing the mist, and so they now needed to make better speed. Carathix stood at the bow, hands held out before him. Sarah could see the faint rippling around his body as he drew energy from the area around himself. The breeze blowing across the deck slowly increased, and their speed picked up accordingly. As they neared the Navy vessel, Sarah allowed the Reward to drift slowly to port with the wind. By the time they drew even with their prey, there was enough distance between the two ships to provide a thin veil of mist to hide their approach. She gave a quiet order to Mordial, who passed it forward through the crew. The sound of moving ropes and swords whispering free of their sheaths was all that announced their attack. Sarah turned the wheel sharply, causing the ship to lurch as it swung to starboard. The Navy frigate appeared through the mist as if by magic, Its rail was four feet higher than the Reward's, and the sailors standing near it gaped in shock. Many things happened at once then. Carathix, who had climbed to the crow's nest during their approach, loosed a stream of golden flame that burned away the mist in its path. Even as it struck one of the frantically gesturing mages on the enemy ship's deck, Carathix flung his hands up to block two returning jets of fire. Simultaneous to this exchange was the swarm of grapples that flew across the rapidly dwindling gap between the two ships. Sailors hauled on the ropes, bringing the two ships together with a resounding thump. Planks thudded onto the rail of the Navy ship, their sharpened iron hooks biting deep like fangs. Lars and Molly led the way as two teams rushed across the lightly guarded deck. The Navy archers loosed arrows as the boarders crossed the rail, but the crude shields they had fashioned from cut down planks blocked most of the first volley. Rather than stopping to fight the men on deck, the two columns made directly for the fore and aft hatches that were already opening to admit more marines to the weather deck. Meanwhile, the duel of wizards continued in the air above the two ships. Carathix's second attack struck true, taking down the second of the three enemy mages. He had no time to erect a defense against the return blast from the remaining wizard, instead leaping from the crow's nest. The great gray cloak he wore billowed, slowing his descent as he arced gracefully down to the enemy ship. As his feet touched the weathered planks, he released a third and final bolt of magefire, clearing away the last of his magical opposition. He leaned heavily against the rail for a few moments to recover. The fighting at the hatches was fierce, but they were finally secured. Each hatch was spiked shut and further covered by heavy barrels found on deck. Scattered pockets of resistance were still present, but the bulk of the Navy fighting men were effectively trapped below decks. Molly and Lars led their groups to the cargo doors. They hauled them open, but were forced to fall back as arrows flew up from below. Molly called for archers, and a squad of pirates came forward with bows. Carathix came near the cargo bay and tossed in a small brass sphere. It bounced down into the belly of the ship, exploding with a bright, silent flash as it reached the bottom. The Reward's archers came forward to press their advantage, firing rapidly down into the mass of dazzled marines. The Navy men withdrew back into the fore and aft passages from which they had come. Grapples and ropes were transferred from the ship's rail to the cargo bay, and soon the doors below were spiked shut as well. Employing the ship's own block and tackle, the pirates began hauling crates of weapons up to the weather deck. As soon as each one was brought up, it was carried over the the Just Reward by grinning seamen. The raiders in the hold had to work quickly, as the marines had found axes and were busily chopping down the spiked doors. The last of the crates were hauled up with whooping pirates riding atop them. As the final load was carried across to the pirates' ship, Lars went to the frigate's wheel and chopped it to pieces with his woodcutter's axe. Ropes and planks were disengaged, and the just Reward let out sail, making a northward course into the deepening twilight at top speed. }}}
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