Manorborn: The Battles Between

Chapter 9

The battles on the other two Blood Sail ships happened in similar fashion to the way Galen and his crew took down their vessel. In under an hour, all three ships had been defeated,taken, and claimed by Mahrmia as part of her plunder. She strode the deck of the Leal, eyes bright with satisfaction, face flushed with excitement, and a lightness to her steps she had not possessed in years.

Beside her, Beag stomped along with the firm, solid steps of her people. She felt good,very good, for having beaten the cursed Shaiden, and taking three Blood Sails was an act to celebrate. However, the blonde dwarf's face was one of musing and contemplation as she walked next to her captain and friend. Her eyes saw all that Mahrmia did, but only on the peripheral; her gaze was turned inward, reflective of the thoughts that whirled in her mind.

"What's on your mind, Beag?" Marhmia asked as they strode to the quarterdeck, and turned to look out over the Leal. Repairs were going well on all the ships, and the young pirate captain was already contemplating ways and means by which she might make use of the other three ships she could now claim ownership of. It was the law of piracy and the sea; you keep what you capture. Crews were currently cleaning the Blood Sail ships, buring the accursed sails, repairing holes in the hull, end emptying the store rooms of anything they found that was unacceptable. The Shaiden who had been captured were currently bound on deck, a full 3 score of them, seated and watching all that happened around them with hateful, glaring eyes.

They had no hope of freedom, nor any desire to serve their captors. But there was, through all their hatred, a current of fear. Nof in regards to Mahrmia and her crew, but towards what awaited them at the hands of their master for failing him.

"Have you thoughts on our prisoners?"

Beag seemed startled by the question, then shook her head.

"Truth be told, Captain, my thoughts are more on them."

A nod of her head indicated Jaryd, Benjamin and Galen standing and talking with some of the crew regarding repairs and such. Many of the Leal regarded Galen with favour, fully aware it was his plan that had won them the victory. Indeed, more than a few clearly thought of him as being almost on level with the Captain now, in regards to authority on the ship, and that did not sit well with the protective First Mate.

"Aye? And what be those thoughts, Beag?"

"Ucertainty." Beag watched the three with wary, cautious eyes as she spoke. "Galen, that blonde, we knew was a fighter, and a good one, I'll give thim that. He seems to mean what he says; that he has no desire to be captain in yer place, and he fought for you in the attack, even lead it on his target, and no one has aught but praise for him. But I would give a months rations to know what his plans are."

The dwarf gave a shrug of her powerful shoulders, her eyes on the blonde young man.

"I believe him when he says he does not want to be captain of the Leal, but what does he want? For that matter, what do any of them want?"

Mahrmia nodded, following her friends gaze.

"I see your concern, but I do not get the sense they have any dark purpose in mind."

"Even men with pure purpose can cause sacrifice and pain."

The captain noddedto her First Mate's words.

"Aye, tis true that."

"And then there's the other two. The big one, Benjamin. I'm told that, during the battle, he was laying about with that big hammer of his, and every Blood Sail crew he hit was sent soaring off the ship to tall into the sea. I've no complaint for him killing our foe, but what man can strike another so powerfully that he sends him flying off the ship? Further, more than one swears that he took blows to his body that should have dropped any man, no matter how strong he is, yet he stayed standing and fighting. And look at him now, talking and chatting as if no blows struck him at all, yet the crew I talk to say he was struck so hard several times they would have sword he should be on the surgeon's table."