yet though.
As he took his third pill of the day, Simon hoped that tomorrow would be a better day.
Chapter 8- Black Sails
Simon awoke late in the morning to the sounds of the crew's excited voices and the quick thuds of running feet atop the deck. He pressed the sleep from his eyes and forced himself to get up and find out what was occurring. The pills had made him groggier than normal, so it was a struggle just to awaken.
Leaving his bunk, the young man realized that he was the only one to still below the deck, except for the mate from the last steering shift of the night. When he arrived on board, Simon found the morning light stronger than he wished and was forced to shield his eyes against the bright sun's rays. The crew was moving around excitedly just as he had expected from the noise. Most were moving boxes to openings along the sides of the vessel, and, as his eyes adjusted to the sun's brightness, he found that they were quickly installing a dozen culverin.
He also noticed his brother and Janus at the aft of the ship along with Captain Dernick. Simon strode over to join them immediately. The loud snapping flutter of the sails above his head distracted him long enough for him to notice that the Patar was at full sail. It was the quickest that the captain had let her run all trip.
"So what's all the excitement about?" he questioned upon nearing the group at the stern of the ship.
Gerid pointed towards the horizon. A small, black set of sails was just barely visible to his eyes. "Pirates," the younger man explained his face's worry to his brother.
The captain nodded at Simon's questioning glance. "A little over a half an hour ago you could scarcely see them with the telescope. If they keep gaining on us like this, they'll catch us late in the afternoon."
"We can't outrun them?"
Dernick shook his head worriedly. "Not unless
they decide to give up. The Patar is the quickest ship in the Harken fleet. I haven't seen many vessels in my travels that can outrun her, but we carry cargo and theirs doesn't. The pirate ship also has ten oars to drive her on either side. They're all in use and whoever's doing the pulling is incredibly strong. Unless they can't hold their pace for long, that ship will overtake us and they're a lot larger than us. I'd hazard a guess that the ship has at least seventy men."
"Isn't there anything that we can do? Dump the cargo or something?"
"It wouldn't be enough to pull away from them. No, we need to pray that they tire from chasing us. They are going to be hard pressed to catch us even so after all, and pirates avoid trying to attack in the dark. It's just too dangerous. We can only hope that we get lucky."
Simon looked back at the black sails behind them and could have sworn that they were already larger to his eye and closer. He chided himself for allowing panic to color his thoughts and override his senses. The clatter of the sailors installing the cannon inspired a question. "If they're too fast and powerful, why are you setting up your weapons?"
"We may still be able to use them to save ourselves, so we're getting the Patar prepared for battle just in case. If their hull is soft looking or worn, I might risk battle in the hopes of damaging her enough to slow her down. Besides, it gives the crew something else to think about and they know that I don't just plan on rolling over and playing dead for the bastards."
Simon fully understood the need for hope, and moved away.
The sun had passed its zenith above them a few hours later. The crew and passengers had already taken their lunch, while the opportunity was still there. Simon was rereading the same passage of his current book for the hundredth time in a vain attempt to remove his mind from the dark ship still closing on them, when a cry from the crow's nest above startled him totally alert.
"Pirates to starboard!" the man cried out the alarm.
Simon jumped up to look. He noticed Dernick moving to the starboard side of the ship with his
As he took his third pill of the day, Simon hoped that tomorrow would be a better day.
Chapter 8- Black Sails
Simon awoke late in the morning to the sounds of the crew's excited voices and the quick thuds of running feet atop the deck. He pressed the sleep from his eyes and forced himself to get up and find out what was occurring. The pills had made him groggier than normal, so it was a struggle just to awaken.
Leaving his bunk, the young man realized that he was the only one to still below the deck, except for the mate from the last steering shift of the night. When he arrived on board, Simon found the morning light stronger than he wished and was forced to shield his eyes against the bright sun's rays. The crew was moving around excitedly just as he had expected from the noise. Most were moving boxes to openings along the sides of the vessel, and, as his eyes adjusted to the sun's brightness, he found that they were quickly installing a dozen culverin.
He also noticed his brother and Janus at the aft of the ship along with Captain Dernick. Simon strode over to join them immediately. The loud snapping flutter of the sails above his head distracted him long enough for him to notice that the Patar was at full sail. It was the quickest that the captain had let her run all trip.
"So what's all the excitement about?" he questioned upon nearing the group at the stern of the ship.
Gerid pointed towards the horizon. A small, black set of sails was just barely visible to his eyes. "Pirates," the younger man explained his face's worry to his brother.
The captain nodded at Simon's questioning glance. "A little over a half an hour ago you could scarcely see them with the telescope. If they keep gaining on us like this, they'll catch us late in the afternoon."
"We can't outrun them?"
Dernick shook his head worriedly. "Not unless
they decide to give up. The Patar is the quickest ship in the Harken fleet. I haven't seen many vessels in my travels that can outrun her, but we carry cargo and theirs doesn't. The pirate ship also has ten oars to drive her on either side. They're all in use and whoever's doing the pulling is incredibly strong. Unless they can't hold their pace for long, that ship will overtake us and they're a lot larger than us. I'd hazard a guess that the ship has at least seventy men."
"Isn't there anything that we can do? Dump the cargo or something?"
"It wouldn't be enough to pull away from them. No, we need to pray that they tire from chasing us. They are going to be hard pressed to catch us even so after all, and pirates avoid trying to attack in the dark. It's just too dangerous. We can only hope that we get lucky."
Simon looked back at the black sails behind them and could have sworn that they were already larger to his eye and closer. He chided himself for allowing panic to color his thoughts and override his senses. The clatter of the sailors installing the cannon inspired a question. "If they're too fast and powerful, why are you setting up your weapons?"
"We may still be able to use them to save ourselves, so we're getting the Patar prepared for battle just in case. If their hull is soft looking or worn, I might risk battle in the hopes of damaging her enough to slow her down. Besides, it gives the crew something else to think about and they know that I don't just plan on rolling over and playing dead for the bastards."
Simon fully understood the need for hope, and moved away.
The sun had passed its zenith above them a few hours later. The crew and passengers had already taken their lunch, while the opportunity was still there. Simon was rereading the same passage of his current book for the hundredth time in a vain attempt to remove his mind from the dark ship still closing on them, when a cry from the crow's nest above startled him totally alert.
"Pirates to starboard!" the man cried out the alarm.
Simon jumped up to look. He noticed Dernick moving to the starboard side of the ship with his
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