A Middle Earth Story: The Corsairs of Oros

Chapter Seven: Fickle Lady Luck /Part One

     Caston sat atop a large barrel watching the approaching dark line on the horizon shifted his weight for the third time in less than a minute. He had been glad when land was spotted, but wished it hadn't been one of the elves. He spat and cursed their superiority, especially Dahari and Lendethiel. Lendethiel, as far as Caston was concerned, was a typical elf, glowing with wisdom and ethereal beauty. Dahari was different. Caston couldn't quite place it, but something about the ancient elf, it was obvious he was much older than any of them, set him on edge. Much of the crew shared in his unease about Dahari. It did not help that the elf's appearance was that of an exhumed corpse brought back to life. Caston had wondered if he was sick at first but decided against it.

     Talf walked across the deck with a mop in hand. At least he behaved somewhat human, Caston thought. By other men's definitions, Talf was a coward who ran when the going got tough. Caston preferred to think of him as more human than even Morien, who reeked of the lowest type. Caston still hated the elf though.

     "Oi! Git over there and help Talf with cleaning, boy," Oros shouted at Caston. Caston groaned and limped over. He passed Calen, who animatedly told one of her stories to Es, who listened with rapt attention. The little Hobbit leaned against Dahari's back while he pretended to ignore Calen and stitched up a torn sail. Caston made sure to step on the sail as he passed by.

     Talf handed Caston a mop and bucket. Caston scowled at the elf and stalked off to the prow. Water sloshed out of the bucket as he walked. Sloppily he swiped the mop across the deck grumbling to himself. Eventually, he lost himself to the steady rhythm and focused only on the end of the mop. He found his black mood lightening and, for once, welcomed it.

     "Less water," Fendwall growled as he walked by. Caston kicked the bucket over with a clatter. Fendwall paused with his back still to Caston and hand twitching. For a long moment he stood there, biting his lip. Finally, he walked quietly away. Caston grunted in satisfaction.

     The sun quickly dried the excess water. When he finished, Caston let the mop fall to the deck and left it there. Near the main hatch the crew was gathering around Captain Oros. Caston slipped past Morien, who purposefully moved and knocked him off balance. Caston shot a glare back at Morien, who sneered at him.

     Qrow stood a little apart from the rest of the crew and acknowledge Caston with a nod when he approached. Oros stood in front of them all, feet planted firmly on the deck. Caston hated that someone so short could command the respect, if it could be called respect, of others.

     "A'ight, you sorry lot," Oros barked. "Luck ain't been on our side, but maybe she'll come to her senses today." Some of the crew snickered. "Ain't a lot o' water left. Maybe enough fer a few more days. Ain't any food, but we can go without that fer longer. I ain't gonna lie, if we don't find water on this here island some of us ain't gonna make it, possibly none of us."

     The crew mumbled anxiously. Already they could feel the beginnings of dehydration. Their tongues were thickening from want of water and mistakes were made doing the simplest of tasks. Even Calen was growing quieter in the four days following the attack of Nightshade.

     "Now, before we all leave ship, I'm sendin' a small group out to find water. When they return a larger group will be sent out to help collect it. After that we'll see about food." Caston saw Morien lean over and whisper into Livian's ear. He scowled. Oros saw it as well and frowned. "Fendwall, Estella, Norin, and Talf will be heading out first. The rest of us will stay here and put the White Raider back together." Oros dismissed them. Caston ran off with Qrow before their captain could find something for them to do.

     Fendwall recruited Dahari to help him prepare the row boat while Estella and Talf disappeared below deck to put together what was left of their supplies for the scouting mission. Oros watched his crew carefully. They were quiet, too quiet. The hair on the back of his neck prickled. Something was off. He started to walk toward Fendwall.

     In that instant fighting erupted all over. Crew mate against crew mate. Oros felt something heavy slam into him, sending him sprawling. He shouted and leapt to his feet. Morien stood before him with an ugly grin on his flat face.

     "Your ship is mine now."

     "How dare you!" Oros growled. Morien attacked Oros before the captain of the White Raider could draw his weapon. No matter how much he struggled, Oros could not break free from Morien's grasp as the man forced him to his knees. Beside Oros, Caston hit the deck with a heavy thump and didn't move.

     The deck was awash with fierce fighting. Fendwall fought back to back with Dahari against Livian and Calen. Qrow desperately tried to pull Caston away from a furious Norin. He tripped and fell. Bodies fell to the deck, blood, thick and hot, trickled between the planks into the depths below. Sailor fought against sailor until none knew who they were fighting against, only that they must survive.

     Oros felt his ship shudder under the horror. Numb, he let Morien bind him tightly.

     "I'm sorry," he whispered, bending down and touched his forehead to her deck.

...

     Fendwall heard them before they reached him. He spun around, ax in hand and blocked what would have been a crippling blow from Calen. With a grunt, Fendwall kicked at her. She spun out of reach and snarled at him.

     "What are you doing?" Fendwall growled. From the corner of his eyes he saw Livian approach. Behind him he felt Dahari move to cover his back. Calen didn't reply to Fendwall's question. Instead, she flung herself at him with frightening speed. At the same time Livian attacked Dahari. She stumbled away with a cry, nursing a shallow cut along her wrist before launching herself into the fight again.

     Both women tried to get Fendwall and Dahari to separate, but the defenders refused to step more than a few inches apart. Whether the fight lasted minutes or seconds, Fendwall couldn't tell. His strength was greatly decreased after days of taking less than his share of rations. Calen and Livian were furious fighters, refusing to back down even when they sported more cuts than the defenders.

     Fendwall lunged forward and it proved to be a grave mistake. Calen slipped between his guard and shoved him with all her might. Off balance, Fendwall stumbled backward, tripped over Dahari's foot and fell onto the startled elf. They clattered to the deck, Dahari just barely managing to throw his spear aside to avoid impaling himself. His face smashed into the deck, ripping skin and drawing blood, on the rough planks. Calen's sword bit deep into Fendwall's calf. He bellowed a string of curses at her. She sneered. Beneath him he felt Dahari writhing and struggling to draw breath.

     Calen grabbed Fendwall by the arm and began dragging him toward the main hatch. Fendwall sprang to life and attacked her, but she slammed her pommel against his head, knocking him senseless, but still he was awake as she dragged him off the elf and toward the center of the fight. Behind him, he heard Dahari utter a string of curses more passionate than even Fendwall himself could conjure.

     By the time Calen hauled him over, the fighting had ceased. Morien stood smugly over a silent Oros, a grin creeping across sallow lips crusted with dehydration and salt. Fury lent Fendwall strength and he lunged toward the traitorous rat, but with a quick snap of her fist, Calen sent him sprawling to the deck.

     "Stay down, dog," she hissed. Fendwall spat on her shiny boots and she kicked his cheek.

     "Easy, Calen," Morien said. "I want him awake. Where are the others?" Seconds later, Talf and Estella burst through the door to the storage bay, weapons in hand. Talf took one look at what had happened and let his sword fall with a deafening clatter. Estella raised her twin blades as if to fight, but quickly decided against it and dropped them.

     "Well," exclaimed Morien, gleefully looking at the subdued crew members at his feet, "I think it is high time for a change in captaincy."

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I am SO SORRY!!!!

I know it took me forever to update this and I have absolutely no excuses, but I am sorry. Thank you for being patient with me. I really want to get this story right, I feel like I owe it to ya'll for such an amazing crew of characters to work with. I can't wait to get to later chapters where we get to explore them more and see what each one is like. 

Again, really sorry about not updating for months.