GREY SEA
It was daunting, how the rolling tides turned from blue jewels of life into an ungodly swarm of wrath. Foaming, like hounds, to drown men on solid ground should they not reach shelter in time. The animals sensed the brewing storm with innate fear and fraying temper as they are tended to, while merchants and sailors rushed to store their wares and ready their ships to weather the storm. What could be constructed in time, was made to stiffen the less sound.
Nothing but the castle was sound enough.
Like ants, a small stream rose towards it, the guards patrolling the road until the very late strugglers, of the young and old. The ones without ties, to home or family.
And too far to do anything but pray, was a single boat. Manned by one man, too far out at sea to heel about and reach the harbour. The sailboat marched on towards the storm, while its captain...
Marched with it.
``hung!-uh.`` his hands moved quickly ensuring the few rigs the sailboat had, would stay secure. The wind was, fortunately, arriving from the side, feeding the sails forward as the rigs intended. Grunting in annoyance, he lengthened the rope at his hand. The rope was slick from the sea, as was most at the boat except for the small cabin, while he persisted in wrangling it into a knot around the cleat that would have sailors box in his ears.
``Hng, damned sea, god damn bleating no good scrap.`` he took a deep breath and an even deeper grip on the wad of rope on his right arm connected to his waist and mast. The wind howled, buffeting the ship with salt water, and tilting the Boat as it sailed. The preparation had already been done with the sails being double-reefed, for the cost of some coins and speed, and Robel hardly needed to be outside with the ship's course determined. Until it started tilting and the small fishing cabin became a death sentence if the boat capsized.
The storm was still building up, it had not started to rain yet but the sea was boiling, waves thundering against the front of the boat. He gripped the wood until it creaked, hand turning pale under stress and cold.
Snap!
Went one of the stays that held the mast, the boat unbalancing before marching on. The course having been altered, Again.
``Enough!, enough for damn sake!``Robel yelled, at the storm, at the sea and the cold that kept numbing his body and grip. The heaven answered with rain, his head turning upward as his jaw fell.
``Shit.``
There was no time, the cabin was merely a few meters away from the front of the boat. Robel slacked his grip on the cleat, the other hand pawing at the rope around his waist while he slid down towards the cabin. Thump, crashing against the wall he put more effort into trying to lose the rope, the knot having been a mishmash of in and out.
``loosen up, loosen up you shit!``he said thumbing down on it, finally unravelling it before barely throwing it and jumping into the cabin.
Shoulders crashing against the cabin wall, he stood up with a small cough from the impact. There was space as intended, and as he closed the door and fastened the latch down, he could see the rain through the illuminating stained glass in the direction of the boat's front.
Shifting in seconds from a drizzle to a downward flood, the very sound of it drowning out the wind and storm. The weight of it felt like it would sink the boat. Robel hoped it wouldn't. The boat was specially made for this, for a storm. But rather than test fate, he looked around for a red thread.
Thud, Creak and Snap. Another stay snapping, the rope or line unable to handle the freak weather and unbalancing the mast with it. Robel tried to lean towards the roll as the boat was unbalanced, but he was neither a sailor nor was he great at balance. He leaned against the cabin wall, grumbling a curse about scrap wood better used as coal and ember, he looked inside the few compartments before finding a red threaded scarf.
``scissor, scissor, where is the scissor? if two is for thread, the third to separate...There! `` Reaching his hand into the third compartment, he found it beside some flowery jugs and plates. The metal scissor itself was more like a flowery show thing, its handle twisting around softly. One of the handles was far shorter, while the finger ring was elongated enough for 3 extra to fit, and the blades bowed down. He skillfully put it on, the other hand holding the scarf with experience.
Pulling the scarf around his neck, Robel tucked it behind his back and returned it front. he aligned the ends of the scarf, slightly overlapping them before snipping the air, a warm glow emerged from the bowed inner edge of the scissor. He aimed it before snipping the scarf ends in a red light as metal touched thread.
The red scarf ends melted, then merged, hardly any smoke or thread out of place. Stroking the metal, he let it fall into its compartment before latching up, the hot edge turning to cold steel before skin even touched it. Making sure the red scarf fit, he gave it a tug, the material working as a divide between the back, arms and chest. Sighing, he sat down on the floor, the boat rolling side to side.
Looking out the stained glass, the rain kept hitting wood ever faster. Until a bright Light appeared in the distance splitting the darkness around it, and thunder followed. Robel sighed again while patting the floor.
Haa, do not break on me you piece of scrap wood. I've put too much effort into you... perhaps I'll even invest more coin in the future to return you to prime, with new oil paint. If you can simply buckle down through this storm. A simple and beneficial deal, truly.
Time went by, slowly.
It had been 15 minutes or so, the time measured by the only sand glass on board while the storm danced at sea. Robel had already given up the journey as a fiasco. The ropes that kept the boat mast on point were slowly losing their magic, snapping under the strain of wind and rain. The cabin itself felt more humid and cold by the minute, and nothing was showing on the stained glass beside the sea, the rain and its own soft light that filled the cabin.
The boat wouldn't sink, it would shatter before that happened. But Robel didn't fancy a swim, and more importantly, he would wash up ashore and deal with more than one fallout if that happened. Please, please have some mercy. The words kept running around his mind, but nothing kept happening.
SNAP!
Another line went, simply infuriated now by his luck Robel didn't even get to open his mouth before the heavens fell. A bright light seared his eyes, with thunder following it like rolling boulders. Having tucked his body inwards he couldn't believe this...this shit! The main mast was smoking, and the boat was very much capsizing, the sails slowly going down towards the boiling sea. His body ached, banged by the lightning fuelled tumble. Mind and vision flickering.
His last thoughts were of the greyish colour the sea suddenly had and the shining stained glass.
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The silver moon shined, cutting into the night sky. Its light reflected on the silver sea below, a soft mist hanging over the mirror-like and unmoving ocean yet not mirroring the only celestial body above it. Accepting its light, but not its visage.
And hidden in the mist, a small broken boat stilled. It was over 8 meters long and looked built for fishing even in harder weather, having room for half a dozen men on deck and a small cabin for rest. And yet it looked battered and wounded, its mast splintered with lines barely holding it in place and its sail torn and burned. Barely afloat as something lurked.
Swimming below, a predator approached as soft ripples spread a few meters away. It hummed, the sound echoing around the area slowly as a sonorous wail from its gullet. Waiting for a few seconds, it moved curiously towards the boat with a simple push as a scaly hand parted the still surface. It crooned softly while scratching the hull, unused to the wood nor the smell that stuck to the boat's deck. It raised its scaly hand, reaching for the edge, for the faint scent.
But its hand stilled, body propelling downwards as the sound of splitting water surface reached it. Casting a single look at the boat, it swam downwards with an urgent hum, as it was taught. Vanishing into the depths.
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A ship slowly parted the still sea and its mist, sound and light emitting from it as it came closer. And as it reached a few hundred meters, a bell chimed from the top of the ship and down, its course changing as it headed for the boat.
``Find anything of worth for once, Stoney? Something worth a few coins so we can leave this dreadful place, ye?`` Looking away from his telescope, the man glanced down from the crow's nest at the shouting crewmate below. Looking mulish, he simply rang one of the bells beside him twice, starboard & centre, ignoring the man's grumbling as he returned to scouting the silver sea.
``You heard the bell, bastards! Get to work and someone tell the cap't about the damn thing. He ain't coming unless you tear him away from the maps, ait?`` The crewmate from below shouted, and a few ay's rose.
Feet stomped on hardwood, as men worked the ship slowly towards the small boat. It was a long and thin ship, with 3 masts fully displayed as some worked and others lingered at the railings looking at the boat. A gangly man walked towards them, clothes frayed by sea and wearing a mix of brown and white. A simple shirt with a brown coat, and dark trousers. The only thing standing out is the black glove on his left hand, and how gaunt he looked despite his apparent health.
``Rightly, you can stop gawking at the thing and help me out now`` he said, looking at a broad-shouldered man leaning over the rails as the squinted at the boat. The man towered over the rest of the men around him and wore the same mix of brown and white as well as a white glove on his right hand in contrast with the spindly crewmate.
``huh, oh, yah I'll help. Where be the ladder, I'll get it... `` He said, turning around. The other man simply shook his head, before pointing at a crewmate.
``You there, get the large ladder and bring it by starboard beam. Tell them I allowed it, and take the rest of the lily-livered lubber with you`` Ignoring their angry stares, he walked towards the railing. Turning his head, he said ``It's where is the ladder not where be the ladder, Rightly, and stop coddling the new mates. You're one of their leading officer, not their nanny, ay?``
``ay, Leftly``
Rightly could only nod, face slightly down. He knew Leftly meant senior crewmate and Gunner, but his brother always wanted to sound proper. But not coddling the rookies usually meant bullets went flying and being called cowardly never stopped itchy hands. Until you lost them.
``I hear ye...you. But they rookies never been to the real sea you know`` He mumbled, walking towards the rookies as they dragged the rope ladder towards them. It was large, more like a net than a ladder as its rough rope added to the weight, the rookies struggling until Rightly swooped it up. The rookies looked stumped at the strength, before hurrying at tying it and throwing it overboard.
Leftly simply smiled, the men smiling from cheek to cheek as Rightly nodded at them. Stick and carrots, brother, stick and carrots.
The boat was no more than a few meters away now, humming slightly, Leftly took a few steps back before vaulting over the rails, a hand snapping the rope below. Smirking at the alarmed shouts, he waited a few seconds before kicking away from the ship and to the boat while dropping the ladder.
A tuck and roll later, he looked at the Men's awed faces.
Bang
Till Rightly simply jumped over the distance, and rocked the boat. Glaring, Leftly could only shake his head at the cheeky smile in return, raising a hand for a thrown rope and tying it around a cleat. But stopped slightly, before calling the other man closer.
Rightly nodded, brows scrunched. He shrugged before saying.
``ye see, can't not coddle rookies or they do this.``
On the hooks meant for the line, a ball of rope completely surrounded the cleat. Rather than say anything, Leftly cut it with the dagger at his waist. Having decided it was too much effort, for something they would either deconstruct or renovate.
``Some idiot let his idiot son onboard, and now they don't have a boat`` Lefty snorted just thinking about it, while Rightly tiptoed towards the cabin. Seeing this he trudged after his brother.
``Oi, I get the first pick! you know the...Oi, Rightly! cheeky fuck, you hearing me!?``
At the ship, the captain walked towards the deck holding a map and a long grey coat on him. it looked fancy, without smudge nor stain on it, and with changing shades like falling waves. And at the breast 3 black feathers poked outwards, matching the 3 feathers engraved in the blue sash around his waist. Tucked under the sash were 2 flintlocks and surprisingly a Straight sword.
``hmmm, a boat of all things? This far out at the Bastard's Home?``He scratched his chin, wondering how the boat made it anywhere near them at sea. The closest one is the grotto, but the flimsy thing wouldn't make it through the gates. How curious.
Finding an empty barrel, he sat on it. The deck was slowly filling out, one by one, the crew having been inside barring the ones on night duty. Hearing some clamour by the starboard waist, he rolled the map.
``Watch the foot, will you! And grab his arm, not mine, you idiot!?``He couldn't help but chuckle, amused by the sight of 6 men trying to help only to be in the way of their seniors. He did laugh when they started bringing the presumed boat owner by arms and feet starfished above the ground.
`` Catch a mighty fish, did you? No? Then let the poor boy down, yah fiends!`` And it was truly only a boy at hand, wearing clothes far better than his perhaps... but still a boy.
Not a hair to his chin, nor knife by his side. He knew the men would see to, ah, the repossession of any arms before bringing him aboard, but he doubted the boy had any by the clothes he was wearing. Turning towards his men, the Boatswain answered his appearance at the deck. But not before sending a glare towards the others holding the boy's legs, leaving a small bang as his legs crashed into the wooden floor.
`` Captain! A truly pleasant surprise to see you away from your cabin and maps, What's the occasion? A new maybe, perhaps or possibly uncovered treasure? `` Leftly said, a hand under the boy's shoulder as Rightly held under the other, a small smile on his face.
`` Watch the tone or I might need some assistance on our next course, little weasel`` He shook the hand holding his map, as the men 'falsely' shivered.
``Please don't joke about that cap't Lark, yeh? We even got you a offering, might even come with some wealth...`` Rightly proceeded to lightly shake the boy, while the captain looked intrigued.
``Do tell. Perhaps we can even figure out where he is from and how he found himself here. And didn't I tell you to call me Captain James or Captain, yeh? I ain't that old...`` Captain James said, grumbling while he studied the boy closely.
Young, dark and soft. Captain James stood up, walking towards their new captive. Or perhaps not a captive...-no, hostage might fit better. Nobles and southern merchants always pay well...
``you know the lad, cap't?`` Rightly said, the men getting curious about the boy who held their captain's attention. Only maps did that, and mostly treasure maps at that.
The captain startled slightly, not knowing he had been so deep in thought. ``Don't mind me, lads, you were talking about something you found on the boat?`` he said.
A smile flickered between Leftly and Rightly, a happy glint in their eyes. They each lifted 2 fingers, as if planned, and Leftly dropped the boy before turning towards the crowd.
``Let it not be said that we are not charitable men, for we will share with you our bounty. We of gracious nature will give you a piece of heaven, for a simple sum...`` Leftly preached, hands moving back and forth between his heart, his forehead and at one point his neck as if he had to simply speak.
He better not start squirming like last time.
The captain didn't have faith in a single word he said, simply watching bemused along the more experienced members as the newer crewmates got hooked like fish.
Rightly would chime in with a ``as he said`` every sentence, as a warning.
But by my beard lad, only once burned do they learn. The poor fuckers are dense.
Seeing the increasing crowd, James coughed, interrupting the spirited performance. Sending an unamused look, he twirled his hand for Leftly to hurry up.
``4 jugs, inscribed with high runes. And some flowery plates...that Rightly found I guess`` Leftly said, ignoring his brother as he had ignored him.
The entire crew at the deck gasped, chattering if they truly heard right to each other. 4 Jugs with high runes?! From the little boat, they found wandering the Bastards' home, in.... The Grey sea, of all places.
truly?
``ha, haha...hAHAHA. STONEY! OI, STONEY YOU OLD SHIT! Come down here, we are having a feast tonight!`` The captain erupted in laughter, the men eagerly running towards the kitchen for tables and food. The mood rising as men left to call up their brothers of the sea, with empty barrels in orders as men arrived with their fiddles and drums.
The silver light shining above the festivity, while music started playing.
Leftly and Rightly simply left, dragging the boy away. The former more eagerly than the latter.
The captain simply looked at the boy as the door closed behind their back, face having turned blank from the previous joviality.
creaeek! Click!
The two brothers walked down the passageway, the room filled with doors as they walked towards the one 3 doors away from the dead end. A spiralling stair meets them as they continue uncaringly for their 'hostage'.
Another door led into another corridor, like a maze, but they continued walking until they reached a rusty metal door. There was dirt and cobwebs around the edges, but still mostly clean as if someone had been cleaning it.
clang! clang, creaeek!
The heavy metal gave way and the door opened inwards, showing a row of prison cells to the right and thick wooden walls to the left. A single lantern hanging by the left wall, casting shadows over the place. Walking towards the last cell, Leftly took out his knife.
Bang! Bang!
Using the knife handles' metal cap, he banged the cell's iron bar. ``Good morning, fishbone! Are you awake? No? Well, you see the place doesn't have a lot of rooms, so you will, unfortunately, be sharing yours. Savvy?`` Leftly said, eyes on the used bed. He was still holding the knife when he opened the cell door, face morose.
Dropping the boy, he inched closer to halfway between Rightly and the bed as his brother dropped the boy on the unused one.
The crazy bastard didn't attack like a rabid dog for once. Leftly kept the knife by his side until he went out, making sure to lock the door. Giving it one small kick, he said.
``Do keep him alive, we found him floating on a boat. Oh! Perhaps you fellas can trade tales about that?`` An impatient tug from Rightly stopped him from saying more, the two walking towards festivity as the metal door closed behind them with a thump.