The Key: Sails and Tide

Chapter 13: Troubled Times

Sweat laid on tanned skin as fleck of snow. Breathing rather absurdly, he battled for air from the exhaustion of his attackers assault. Smoothening his neck on which rough hands once laid, he contemplated if it was already bruised.

"Stop messing with my head." Growled his attacker.
Ander!

Breathing hardly, he suffered yet torments from his victims words. Simons words were truth, torturing in its fury, stabbing with bitter effect.

Four days had passed and yet the doctor remained in the den of desperate ill intent men. Two days was enough to administer treatment to the terribly inflicted and watch improvement in health. But even after this, he found himself still nested in Anders custody, and even now the feeling that he too had become a prisoner to the vile man had been proven.

But in those four days, the doctor's methods had proven quiet effective. Making tactical suggestion to tensive and frustrated men as Ander' was a cheap tool the doctor was master to. In their desperation, came their confusion.
The longer they remained at that deck, the more difficult things were for them, and they knew it.

Four days was enough hunger strike to allow convictions stick steadfastly in heart.

"If you keep assaulting me like this I may just quit attending to your wounded men. Believe me, a lot of them still need attention."

"Then why do you keep up with your pessimistic talk?"

"Pessimistic? My words are fact not negativity." Simon curled his lips. Then pressed on.
"So you believe you have better grounds in this battle?" Simon spoke,with an intimidating gesture.

When no words were yet given, the man pressed on. "Your plot would have almost been a brilliant success."

"Almost?" Ander frowned.

"Of course. Did you not learn anything from our revolt against Goor?" The doctor spoke again, this time whilst changing up the bandage of a critically wounded man.

"The idea of this siege was to buy time with your hostages, whilst breaking open the strong house, so you could equip your men with food, arms and supplies, and subject Elreal and his team to beg in surrender from hunger. What you failed to understand is that while we plotted against Goor, this idea crossed our mind, though we weren't certain of its proficiency. Its not a shame it isn't doing any well for you." Simon shrugged.

"What are you saying?" Ander folded his hands in a disproving style.

"I am saying that Elreal thought of being locked out of food and starved to surrender, and we all made plans to avert this. A due quantity of food was thus stashed in the Captains cabin in events as this."

"Why are you telling me all this?" The rebellion head spoke with a coarse tone that told of his infuriation.

"I am telling you this because I believe you are smart and capable of rational thinking. While your men suffer in hunger and tension, Elreal and the rest ship men are well fed above, only waiting for you all to die of starvation. A victory surely without a fight!"

"Well it wouldn't be us alone who would be dying of starvation." Ander stuck out a finger to the doctor.

Simon sighed.
"It was a price I thought carefully to pay while coming down here with you. Did you remembered it was voluntarily?"

"My men are strong in heart and might. If it comes to fighting, we are ready to bring as many as we can down with us to the abyss."

"And does it have to be this way?"

"No, because soon, this chamber would fall before our will." Ander sneered.
"And then what? Uhhhh? You are even unrealistic than I thought."

"Keep flapping your lips while you have the chance."