ECLIPSE, grishaverse

iii. the cursed prince

                     THE SEA WHIP WAS SUPPOSED to be a folk tale, but there it was in all its glory, the creature of dreams that lived on the edge of maps. There was no doubt, it was as real as the stag.

Yelena saw a man standing on the boat nearest the sea monster, a harpoon on his hand taking aim. But the dragon's white tail lashed through the sea, split the waves and came down with a slap, sending a rolling wall of water up against the boat's hull. The man almost fell. Other harpoons were flying towards the mythical animal but it bucked, it's tail going back and forth then reared up like a snake, hurling it's body from the water. It's translucent winglike fins, gleaming scales and watchful red eyes hung suspended in the air for a few seconds that seemed to be minutes in Yelena's eyes, the creature looked right at her before revealing a pink tongue and rows of gleaming teeth. It was almost like smiling. It's body came down on a boat with a with the loud crash of the wood, splitting it in two while men poured into the sea. The next thing she heard was the screaming of those men and their bodies swimming through the bloodstained water.

Another harpoon flew and got through the monster's mane, the creature started emitting a lovely sound, more beautiful than anything she'd ever heard. But the wordless song wasn't in fact, a song. The sea whip was crying out, it's snake like body struggling to shake the hooked tips of the harpoons. Yelena's chest hurt, feeling the creature's pain like her own. She took a few step towards the scaled creature, wanting to help it but a hand stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"We are losing the longboard." the Darkling's voice reached her ears, with an exasperated edge in it. "Clear the mist now or your friend will get hurt." he looked at her in the eye and she noticed how serious they were. She knew he'll do it without hesitation, she didn't have much of a choice. Yelena nodded and he smiled satisfy. Soon after a girl in purple silks came close to her and touched the shackles, they fell to the floor instantly. "You attempt anything against me and he dies." Kirigan warned her.

"Yes, moi soverenyi." she said bitterly.

Yelena felt the power flooding through her once again. She opened her arms wide and started closing them slowly, only with her thumb, index and middle fingers extended. The mist faded quickly after. The Darkling and his Grisha stood on the starboard side, their attention focused on the longboat that now seemed to be rowing away from the whaler. But on the other side, a ship had appeared as if from nowhere, a sleek schooner with gleaming masts and colors flying: a red dog on a teal field and below it, in a pale blue and gold, the Ravkan double eagle. She looked at the ship and heard another series of thunks and saw steel claws studding the whaler's portside rail.

A howl went up from somewhere, like a wolf baying at the moon. Men and women swarmed over the rail onto the whaler's deck, pistols strapped to their chests, gleaming swords or knives in their hands, barking and yowling like a pack of wild dogs. Yelena turned around to the Darkling again, her confused eyes were met by his full with rage.

The deck erupted into fighting, gunshots rang out and for a moment she thought she was back in the wet and dirty streets of Ketterdam, but without the urine odor.

"To me, hounds!" Yelena turned around to the sound of a voice and found muddy green eyes and red hair. Sturmhond was turning against the Darkling.

Down in the water away from the madness on the deck, the men on the longboats had a struggling sea whip in tow, a brisk wind was driving them directly towards the schooner. But when she looked closer, a crewman was standing in the longboat with their arms raised, a Squaller.

Yelena's mind was buzzing with information. So Sturmhond is saving us? Or selling us to someone else? He's a pirate so he's probably been brought, the question is by whom? And how come he has Grisha in his side? Does he slave them like in Kerch?