The High King: A Tale of Alus

by Wigboldy, Donald

  With a meaningful glance at both generals, the High King started to turn away. Before he could take more than a step, Terris questioned, "Are you sure that this is right, my king? Even the innocents are not to be spared in the killing?"

  Half turning, Merrick glared past his shoulder plating at his general, "Do you question me, Terris?"

  "I was only seeking to clarify if I heard correctly, my lord," the man replied trying not to foolishly draw the High King's wrath.

  "You have your orders, general. I expect them followed as I have stated. Follow them completely," Merrick's level tone held no tolerance for any more questions as the conqueror returned to his armies outside the city.

  Mairgar spoke quietly as he passed on his instructions to his officers. Looking at Terris, the general added, "I suggest that you follow his orders to the exact word, general, or find a way to hide your indiscretion perfectly. If you value your life, you'll not question him further. No other man has said more and still lives. Your knights are probably the only reason that you still live even now." The man's eyes glanced around as if looking for eavesdroppers before leaving Terris to his grisly duties.

  The former king strode grimly forward to fulfill the most vile act that he had ever been charged with in his life. Even as Terris did so, the man wondered if he could convince Mairgar to join with him when it came time to finally overthrow the tyrant. But as the man walked through the halls to join his men, Terris suddenly caught himself searching their faces for spies hidden among them.

  The former king looked to men that he had known for years and feared what they were all becoming as Merrick's darkness continued to grow.

  The sounds of the wind pushing into the sails drew Gerid's eyes upward. The light rain had ended early in the morning and soon the bright light of Arcturas had served to warm the air and dry the deck. With the rains forgotten and left behind, a steady wind had begun to blow and the lines of rope vibrated in a seemingly happy way as the large fabric of the sails billowed out from the captured air. The three masted sloop pulsed strongly over one wave and then another as it nearly flew over the white caps. The mid-sized vessel was perfect in his eyes and he knew that soon it would be time to test her.

  Calling his ship Vengeance, Gerid had bought and outfitted the vessel well, or at least he believed so. Though smaller than many typical warships, the sloop had been customized to carry more than sixty men. It was well beyond what most would expect by about twenty. Also added were the four small catapults that could be shifted around the deck quickly to make best use of fired stones nearly the size of a normal man's torso. In theory, the damage caused by the quick firing apparatus would still be enough to sink the larger classes of warships, but in most sea battles the decision would be won by the strong arms and sharp steel of he and his men in close combat. That was where the giant believed even a smaller ship like the Vengeance would serve him well since it would be Gerid himself who would lead the charge onto an enemy vessel. His land victories had served to sharpen his skills beyond those of most sailors that they would be facing. With those men in the attack party that had been trained to near his ability, only the most stalwart crew or an enormous vessel with great numbers could hope to stop them.

  It was the plan that the Vengeance, which was so quick and easy to turn by the skilled crew and swift as any vessel on the water, could easily catch their prey whether large or small. Using several lines with sharp talon-like hooks attached, they would be able to pull the Vengeance into the vessel and Gerid and his forty soldiers would fight to take control. After nearly a week at sea, however, they had yet to meet up with any of Kloste's vessels or any pirates to test the theory.

  Captain Ferrin was the man he had hired to oversee the sailors and sailing of the ship, and he had set a course due west from Camerton after he had procured the writ for privateering from the king's officials after Carter's backing had opened the way. Thinking back on that visit to the castle of Rhearden's king, he felt somewhat disappointed that the king himself had nothing to do with issuing the writ, at least not in person. With no king to spice up the visit, the meeting with officials, who simply treated the matter like any other license and sent him on his way, seemed more tiring than exciting. Gerid had hoped to meet the man for whom he fought, but, whether it mattered to the king of Rhearden or not, Gerid was now a privateer for the kingdom.

  "Ship to starboard!" an excited shout from the crow's nest above broke Gerid from his musings and returned him to the now. A moment later the lookout clarified the find, "Looks like a Klosten merchant ship."

  "Helmsman, set a course for that ship," Gerid ordered over his shoulder to the man who had held the wheel in a steady line for hours now.

  As the helmsman sought to turn the ship and began shouting orders to the sailors for rigging changes, Captain Ferrin moved closer to Gerid and warned quietly, "It could be a trap. Perhaps we should wait long enough to check her for escorts, Gerid."

  Gerid shook his head, "No, we're going right after her, Captain. Trap or not, this is the time to go after her. The day has come for the first conquest. I want it now." Looking at the men moving excitedly around him, he added, "The men have been at sea too long without a nibble. They need action and a chance to boost their morale. We'll wet our teeth on the merchant and if it is a trap, we can always sail the Vengeance away quick enough to elude capture."

  The captain shrugged, "If you say so, sir. You are the one paying the bills after all. You wouldn't mind if I went up to assist the lookout until we're in range though, would you?"

  Gerid nodded assent saying, "You've been sailing longer than I have, Ferrin. If your instincts are warning you, then I want you to watch. I have confidence in my ship, my crew and myself, Ferrin. Caution is useful, but I tell you honestly that we'll take her and any others that might come to her aid. You just watch and see destiny fulfilled this day."

  He watched the captain move up the rigging fluidly to take his place in the crow's nest alongside the lookout. The captain seemed less worried after hearing Gerid's confidence. Sailors were as superstitious as soldiers and Gerid hadn't lied when he had said that it felt like destiny. Ferrin had two decades of experience as a sailor and almost half that time aboard privateering vessels. The giant trusted the captain's instinct as he had said, but everything told him that it was time to take his first conquest.

  Another need for capturing a ship as soon as possible was his finances. It was imperative to bring back at least one haul to back the next journey. He hadn't enough experience to get any merchants to trust in him to deliver their goods yet, so Gerid would have to make his money by either selling a ship or its goods. If he could, he would also have a merchant's goods in his hold, but to get them the man needed proof of the Vengeance's abilities to both defend itself and return. It was the maiden voyage that would determine his career.

  As the Vengeance picked up speed and drove along with the stiffening winds, the merchant ship reacted by turning away and tacking back to the north. It was a test by the other crew to see if the Vengeance was actually interested in them. "Keep on them, Braigham," he ordered the helmsman. "We won't hide our intentions from them. We'll run them down, so keep up our best speed to close on them. I want to have that ship before darkness falls." Looking to the sun, Gerid knew that it was only about one, but, with so much distance still to be made up, the man still had to worry. Both Ferrin and the other captains that he had met had warned him of the dangers of night attacks and the fledgling owner had no wish to try and keep them in sight during the dark to fight in the morning.

  The helmsman answered him soberly, "Don't worry, sir. The Vengeance will have caught her early enough to start an early supper."

  Gerid grinned at the man's bold promise. "You get us on her that quick and I'll see to an extra portion of pie for your supper tonight, Braigham," he laughed and clapped the man on the shoulder.

  The sounds of metal clanking alerted Gerid to his men and their preparations. Finneas and Rastei were already pre
pared for the battle. The men under their command looked forward to the enemy with glory in their eyes. The men were geared up the same way that they had been for the battles in the heat of summer. Without any real armor on their bodies, except for the occasional metal guards on the wrists and forearms, they were ready for the possibility of falling into the water. With lighter weight swords and shields as well, the men looked forward to their first sea battle.

  It took only about an hour before Gerid realized that the helmsman was going to earn his reward of pie. Already only a few boat lengths remained as the Vengeance surged towards the Klosten merchant. The sloop was just too much for the heavy laden ship. Gerid and the half dozen men assigned to cast the grappling hooks were ready in the foremost part of the bow and, as the sloop brought itself the final boat length of distance, the men cast their lines. Half a dozen men ran forward to pull at each rope even as the men aboard the merchant tried desperately to cut their lines. With more than twenty archers launching their missiles from the Vengeance, however, no line was lost and the ships came the final yards towards each other.

  A loud thud and crunching of wood signaled the collision of the two ships and the true beginning of battle. Gerid raised his huge battle axe to stop the archers and leapt across to the Klosten. The remaining sailors aboard the enemy ship spied the giant and his axe and all nine dropped their weapons without a word.

  Before his men could begin to celebrate over their easy catch, however, a cry from the crow's nest broke the air startling them, "Another ship to the east, commander! It's a warship, sir!"

  Gerid looked back at the form of Ferrin and cursed under his breath before turning to issue orders. Calling over a handful of his crew men and leaving three of his soldiers to guard the Klosten seamen, Gerid had the Vengeance move away and turned to face the new threat. He called over Captain Ferrin as the man made his way to the helm.

  The captain had already checked the

  approaching warship so Gerid asked, "What are we looking at, Captain?"

  "A Kloste four master, Gerid. I'd have to be a little closer to be sure, but I believe that she's most likely of the klereon class. Those can hold over a hundred men for short trips like bringing their soldiers closer to our borders, but usually they'll only carry a maximum of ninety. The merchant must have been a trap after all, sir."

  "How many crew to sail her best?" "For full crew changes? Nearly thirty, I would guess."

  "So we're facing upwards of sixty or seventy fighting men when we meet, with maybe a hundred if they fight to the last man or use them all to try and overwhelm us?" He thought a moment before revealing his decision, "Have Braigham bring us around to the rear of the Klosten leaving as much distance between us in the first pass. I'll have the men prepare the catapults. I think that we can take the ship with minimal damage to either hull and still return home happy and wealthy."

  Ferrin looked at him with only slight surprise and asked, "Are you certain? They'll outnumber us by almost double."

  Gerid replied, "Bring me to her at best speed, Captain. I think we'll surprise them... and you," he added with a slight smile.

  Over the next half hour as the ships closed the distance between each other, Gerid and his men worked to move three of the four catapults into the front half of the Vengeance. He left the last in the aft as the plan came together in his mind. Gerid went back to his navigator, Braigham, finally and found Ferrin there as well.

  At his return, the captain looked at him with worry and asked about one of the items brought out for battle, "You've brought out a gangplank for this battle? I think that you are going to find their deck too high for that unless the water looks to become choppy enough to jump across when they sink below our rail."

  Gerid waved a hand and replied, "Of course not, Ferrin. You can see the sea as it is. My men will have to cross differently with the ropes. The plank is actually just for me and that is why I wanted to talk to the two of you."

  Ferrin raised one eyebrow questioningly, "What are you planning now? We already risk our lives and this ship by trying to take the Klosten, what strangeness do you have planned? Careful planning and luck will only take us so far. The catapults are dangerous and a risk if you still want her intact. Now you think that we can use a gang plank in this battle?"

  "Calm down, my friend. The gangplank will actually be less of a risk to the ship and crew. Allow me to explain. First, I want every man to have a shield and sword at the ready, even you two. My plan is still going to bring the two ships in arrow range when they pass."

  The two sailors looked at each other and waited on what Gerid had in mind.

  Gerid took up a position near the middle of the sloop. It was the widest part of the hull and across from him was the gangplank laying lengthwise pointing toward the rail. The ships were nearly upon each other now. Archers stood next to or behind any high pieces of wood atop the deck. Others stood behind a soldier who was prepared to lift a shield to defend them both. They were as ready for the warship as they could be and their enemy showed archers in their masts and a pair of catapults aimed at them betraying their preparation as well.

  The Vengeance was now at full speed even as the warship tried to furl sails to slow its approach and to try and cut into their path. The larger ship was obviously hoping to close up the distance and try a bit of close quarter’s combat where their numbers would most likely prevail. Braigham was ready for their attempt and masterfully countered each twist of the enemy with an even quicker movement that kept them exactly parallel to the course of the warship.

  Gerid waited until both ships were well within accurate range to strike with their catapults. His men were masters with the machinery and their near perfect aim shattered both of the warships catapults after only a handful of tries. The enemy was suddenly sent scurrying in an attempt to bring their remaining catapults around to defend themselves. The Vengeance hampered that attempt as the catapults continued to fire shrapnel and larger stones and archers took their toll on exposed men across from them. In the confusion, the gangplank was slid out to its maximum length past the railing and clamped down tightly to the deck. Gerid waited only a moment to see that Braigham had brought the Vengeance as close as he dared to the enemy. It was close enough to bait several hooks to be thrown from the enemy. Gerid's men were ready and cut away the few that held with their axes. As the cords fell away, their shields raised to renewed archer fire from the Klosten warship.

  It was then, as both ships passed each other only dozens of feet away that Gerid leapt up and on to the plank. Running at full speed he ran across the deck and board. Near its end, the daring man jumped up high and landing at the plank's edge, the giant used its upward swing to propel himself high through the air and across the remaining distance to the warship. Still in the air, Gerid roared his battle cry and landed solidly on the deck. He attacked the nearest soldiers mercilessly. The commander knew that there would be no more help for him until the Vengeance could come around for a second pass, but that was what he had decided already. Gerid had refused to lose any men needlessly in his war and until the odds were more even he would work to even them himself.

  The Klostens met him head on at first only to find out that he was more than he appeared. When twenty men had been cut down with his great axe, many of the men sought to flee before him. A group tried to capture him from behind with a net only to pay for the attempt with lost limbs and lives as he turned to greet them. The remains of the netting lay where they had fallen.

  The enemy archers tried to save the day by launching their arrows as their fellows pulled back from the raging giant. Most of the missiles came from above where the men clung to the rigging for best advantage against the Vengeance, so Gerid simply raised his shield over his head to catch the barrage even as he fended off an attack from a pair daring enough to race in and try their luck.

  With a grim smile, Gerid stepped through it all and sliced the cables holding the nearest sails. The securing lines sent canvas cascading down on
top of most of the archers atop that set of rigging. Those who weren't sent toppling were forced to cling tightly and lost their weapons in their desperation.

  As the force of nature started to make his way to the next mast, a stabbing pain in his calf distracted him and told that the first arrow had found its way through to his flesh. Hissing through his teeth from the pain, he limped to the second set of cables to bring the next group of archers down as well. The Klostens saw his wound and tried to take advantage of his weakness, so when a second arrow caught in his left bicep, Gerid found himself facing a dozen attacking soldiers.

  He met their charge ignoring the pains. Without lowering his shield and using the wounded left arm, Gerid clove the first two men cleanly into halves. "Come and die!" he thundered.

  Seeing his determination, two of the men dropped their swords and fled from his wicked axe. Five more were dead and the third rigging was lost when the cries of fear and even reverence were given by the Klostens. The blood rushing through him was loud as thunder and nearly masked the accents of the Klosten men. Swords were dropped and men began to bow before him. The archers who had not fallen came down from their roosts to join their fellows. No resistance remained as the entire crew knelt fearfully before him knowing that this must be some sort of god.

  The pain of four arrows and three or four major sword cuts masked the cries of `Turas, spare us'. The men believed him to be the war god as others had before them. This time the man didn't bother discouraging the worship as he laid down his shield and began pulling the first of the arrows free. Gerid cried out angrily with the torture of it, but his strength never faltered as he pulled. The new cries of anger and pain sent many of the Klostens to quaking in fear. The giant pointed to the nearest of the soldiers, "You, come pull these arrows from me."

  The man turned even paler, but rose to obey a god. The soldier did as he was ordered. Gerid gritted his teeth and refused to utter another sound until the remaining arrows were pulled from him. After the last was gone, he turned to the man and asked, "Where is your captain?"