Though Yanez had reported the path was clear, everyone was nervous and kept their eyes fixed on the jungle. His lordship appeared unconcerned, yet from time to time he would turn and cast a menacing look at Marianna, perhaps to ensure she did not try to flee.
Yanez, remembering the old man’s threat and believing he had meant every word, had not let him out of his sight, ready to rush to protect the young woman at the first sign of trouble.
They had travelled about two kilometres, always advancing in the deepest silence, when a whistle sounded from the bushes lining the right side of the path. Yanez, who had been expecting the attack at any moment, unsheathed his sword and placed himself between his lordship and Lady Marianna.
“What are you doing?” asked Lord James, promptly turning about.
“Didn’t you hear that?” asked Yanez.
“A whistle?”
“Yes.”
“What of it?”
“It means my friends have now surrounded us,” Yanez said coldly.
“Traitor!” howled his lordship, drawing his sword and galloping towards the Portuguese.
“Too late, sir!” yelled Yanez, moving to shield Marianna.
Two lethal discharges thundered from both sides of the path, knocking four men and seven horses to the ground. Then thirty men, thirty Tigers of Mompracem, rushed out of the bushes, filling the air with indescribable cries as they charged towards the troops. The soldiers had gathered behind the horses. Sandokan, at the head of his men, rushed into their midst, and with a single blow, felled the first man who appeared before him.
His lordship growled angrily. Drawing a pistol with his left hand and a sword with his right, he advanced towards Marianna, who was clutching the mane of her horse. Yanez quickly jumped to the ground, pulled the young woman out of her saddle, and shielding her as best he could, attempted to move away her from the fight, a difficult task, for the Dyaks were defending themselves with furious desperation.
“Make way! Make way!” he yelled, his voice thundering over the din of musketry and the ferocious clash of metal.
Unfortunately, no one was paying much attention to him, except of course, for his lordship, who was cocking his pistol. Yanez, already at a disadvantage, was plagued by one last piece of bad luck: the young woman fainted in his arms. He set her down behind one of the fallen horses, just as his lordship, pale with rage, fired at him. He ducked to avoid the bullet, then unsheathed his sword and shouted, “To us, old man, I’ll give you a taste of my steel.”
“Traitor! I’ll kill you!” cried his lordship.
They rushed at each other, Yanez prepared to sacrifice his life to protect the young woman, his lordship determined to do whatever necessary to deny her to the Tiger of Malaysia.
While the two were exchanging blows, the pirates and the British fought with equal fury, both sides trying to gain the advantage. Lord James’ escort, reduced to a handful of men, defended themselves courageously from behind their fallen horses, the Dyaks matching blow for blow, countering the Tigers’ howls with savage battle cries. They fought mercilessly and when they ran out of bullets they grabbed their rifles by the barrel and used them as clubs. They retreated, they advanced, all the while refusing to yield.
Sandokan, sword in hand, tried in vain to smash through that human barrier and rush to aid the Portuguese, who was working hard to fend off the old man’s tumultuous attack. He roared like a beast, splitting heads, and stabbing those before him. He rushed at the enemy bayonets, leading his men forward, their bloodied weapons and heavy swords flailing before them.
The British resistance could not last long. The Tiger and his men charged once more and finally broke through their defences, the soldiers scattering in all directions.
“Hold on, Yanez!” thundered Sandokan, furiously battling a soldier that had attempted to block his path. “Hold on, I’m almost there.”
A vigorous blow snapped the Portuguese’s sword in half; he was now unarmed, defending an unconscious woman with Lord James standing just paces before him.
“Help, Sandokan!” he shouted.
His lordship lunged at him, howling triumphantly, but Yanez did not give in. He jumped nimbly to one side, avoided the thrust, and in a last desperate move, smashed his head into his lordship’s skull. Both men fell, recovered immediately and attacked, attempting to strangle one another as they rolled among the dead and wounded.
“John!” shouted his lordship, seeing a soldier fall a few feet from him, his face gashed by a hatchet, “Kill Lady Marianna! That’s an order!”
Gathering his last remaining strength, the soldier rose to his knees, drew his dagger, and started to move towards her.
But he would not reach her.
Outnumbered, the British fell one by one to pirate steel. Sandokan was now only two feet from his beloved. With irresistible force, he knocked the men before him to the ground, attacked the soldier advancing on Marianna and killed him with a swipe of his sword.
“At last!” exclaimed the pirate, drawing the unconscious young woman in his arms.
He leaped from the fray and escaped into the nearby forest, while his men dispatched the last remaining soldiers. His lordship, alone and exhausted, lying by a tree where Yanez had thrown him, could only look on helplessly at the bodies strewn about the path.
Chapter 24
The Tiger’s Wife
THE NIGHT WAS magnificent. Stars twinkled like diamonds; the moon bathed the jungle in a soft blue light. A gentle wind, rich with the fragrances of the forest, rustled gently through the trees, brushing over the silvery waters as it swept towards the western horizon. A peaceful silence ruled over the sea, broken at times by the moan of the breeze, the roar of the waves and a few quiet sobs from aboard the prahu’s deck.
The fast ship had already emerged from the mouth of the river and was fleeing towards the west, Labuan quickly disappearing in the darkness.
Three people were on deck: Yanez, sullen and taciturn, sat at the stern with a hand on the tiller; Sandokan and Marianna sat at the bow in the shadow of the large sails. The pirate held the beautiful young woman in his arms, wiping away the tears as they formed upon her lashes.
“Do not cry, my love,” he said, “I’ll make you happy, immensely happy. We’ll travel far from these islands, bury my past and never hear speak of pirates again. My glory, my power, my vendettas, my name, I renounce them all!
“For you my beloved, I’ll become a new man. As the Tiger of Malaysia I was cruel, fierce, merciless; I had to be. But now that you’re mine those days are passed. I’ll hang up my sword, disband my men, and leave this ocean I once proudly called my own. Do not cry, my sweet, our future is bright; we’ll fill it with happiness.
“We’ll go far away, so far we’ll never hear speak of these lands; and though we may leave friends and family behind, we’ll start life anew. I’ll find you an island, our own little paradise, far from the roar of cannons, far from the ghosts that haunt my past! There will be no more battles! You can be sure of that! Every day I’ll tell you that I love you, that I’m yours for all eternity. Marianna, my sweet, say again those lovely words you’ve engraved upon my heart!”
The young woman embraced him, murmuring between sobs, “I love you, Sandokan; I love you more than anyone has ever loved before!”
The pirate held her tightly and kissed her golden hair.
“Now that we’re finally together, no one will ever take you from me,” he continued. “Come tomorrow, we’ll be safe on Mompracem, where no one will dare attack us. Then, my darling, once the danger has subsided, we’ll sail to wherever you please.”
“Yes,” murmured Marianna, “Far from here…”
She sighed and fainted in Sandokan’s arms. Almost simultaneously a voice cried out, “Little brother, we have company!”
The pirate spun about, Marianna still in his arms, and found Yanez standing before him, pointing to a bright speck above the water.
“The enemy?” Sandokan asked angrily.
<
br /> “I just spotted that light. It’s coming from the east. It could be a ship coming after the young woman.”
“We’ll defend her, Yanez!” exclaimed Sandokan, “We’ll fight anyone that tries to block our path. I’d challenge the world to defend Marianna.”
He cast a glance at his new foe then unsheathed his scimitar just as the young woman was coming to. At the sight of the blade gleaming in the moonlight, she cried out in terror.
“Why have you drawn your sword, Sandokan?” she asked, turning pale.
The pirate gave her a tender look, fell silent for a moment, then drew her gently to the stern and pointed at the light advancing towards them.
“A ship?” asked Marianna.
“Yes, my love.”
“Good Lord! They’re following us?”
“It’s probable, but they’ll only get cannonballs and musket fire for their trouble.”
“But what if they killed you?”
“Killed me? Their weapons cannot harm me!” he exclaimed with a smile as he drew himself up to his full height.
The cruiser’s masts were now visible against the clear night sky; black smoke spewed from her smokestack, a few sparks swirled in the air. Her bow sliced rapidly through the sparkling waters, the wind carrying the sound of her wheels churning through the waves.
“Come, you wretch!” exclaimed Sandokan, daring the ship with his sword as he held his beloved in his other arm. “Come measure yourself against the Tiger. Summon your men to battle. Make your cannons roar, I dare you!” Then, turning toward Marianna, who was anxiously watching the enemy ship draw ever nearer, added, “Come, my love, I’ll take you to your cabin where you’ll be safe from those men. Yesterday, they were your countrymen, today they are your enemies.”
He stopped for a moment, fixed his eyes upon the advancing cruiser, gave it a sullen look then led Marianna to her cabin. It was an elegantly decorated room. A large gilded lamp hung from the ceiling, the walls were hung with exquisite tapestries, and the floor disappeared beneath soft Indian rugs. Furniture, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, beautifully crafted from the finest ebony and mahogany, filled the corners.
“You’ll be safe here, Marianna,” said Sandokan. “The stern has been armoured with metal plates; it’ll protect you from enemy fire.”
“And you, Sandokan?”
“I’m going to the bridge to take command. If the cruiser attacks, I’ll lead my men into battle.”
“But what if a bullet should strike you?”
“There’s no need to worry. As soon as she opens fire, I’ll shower her wheel with so many bullets and cannonballs, she’ll stop dead in her tracks.”
“Sandokan—”
“Death fears the Tiger of Malaysia,” the pirate said proudly.
“And if they board us?”
“I’m not afraid of them, my love. My men are brave warriors, ready to sacrifice their lives to defend us. Let your countrymen try to board us! We’ll kill them all and throw them into the sea.”
“I do not doubt your word, my brave friend, yet I’m still afraid. They hate you, Sandokan, and they’ll do whatever’s necessary to capture you. Be on your guard, my love. They’ve sworn to kill you.”
“Kill me!” Sandokan exclaimed contemptuously. “Kill the Tiger of Malaysia! Let them try if they dare. Now that I have you, I could stop their cannonballs with my bare hands. Do not fret, my love. I’ll come back to you as soon as I’ve punished those insolent fools.”
“In the meantime, I’ll pray for you, my brave Sandokan.”
The pirate looked at her affectionately, put a hand to her chin and kissed her hair again.
“And now,” he said, “time to deal with that damned ship.”
“Lord, protect him!” murmured the young woman, falling to her knees.
Awakened by Yanez’ alarm and by the first round of cannon fire, the crew had rushed on deck, ready for battle. As the ship drew closer, the pirates quickly manned the cannons and swivel guns, ready to unleash a shower of steel at the first provocation. The gunners had lit their matches and were about to ignite the cannons when Sandokan appeared on the bridge. At the sight of him a cheer broke out amongst the crew.
“Long live the Tiger!” they cried.
“Hold your fire!” thundered Sandokan. “I alone will punish that insolent ship! Her wretched crew won’t go back to Labuan to brag of how they fired upon our flag.”
He walked to the stern and rested a foot on the back of a cannon. His eyes blazed darkly as he fixed them upon the enemy ship. The dreaded Tiger of Malaysia had awakened for battle.
“You dare challenge me?” he roared. “Come! I’ll introduce you to my wife! She’s below, defended by my sword and my cannons. Come take her if you can! Come challenge the Tigers of Mompracem!”
He turned towards Paranoa, who was standing close to him, manning the tiller, and said, “Ready the mortar.”
Minutes later, ten pirates slowly hoisted a large mortar up on deck and tied it to the mainmast with large heavy ropes. Once secure, a gunner loaded it with a ten-pound shell, eight-inches long, that would unleash a barrage of metal shards.
“Now we’ll wait for dawn,” said Sandokan. “I want to show that cursed ship my flag and my wife.”
He climbed onto the stern bulwark, sat down, crossed his arms and fixed his eyes on the cruiser.
“Have you gone mad?” asked Yanez. “She’ll be in range within minutes and it’s very likely she’ll open fire.”
“So much the worse for her.”
“Well then, that’s settled. We’ll wait.”
The Portuguese had not been mistaken. Despite the prahu’s speed, ten minutes later the cruiser moved to within two thousand metres. A light flashed suddenly from the ship’s bow, and a loud roar filled the air, but not a single shell came whistling towards them.
“Ah!” sneered Sandokan. “They demand we stop and show our flag? Yanez, raise our colours. Let them know we’re pirates.”
The Portuguese immediately obeyed.
At the sight of that banner flapping defiantly in the moonlight, the ship quickly doubled her speed. When she was within a thousand metres, she fired a cannonball. It was a final warning shot; for the shell whistled over the prahu.
Sandokan did not move.
Though the gunners still stood at their cannons, no one replied to that new threat.
The ship continued to approach, but slowly, with great caution. The silence had begun to worry her crew, for pirate vessels were renowned for being well armed and manned by determined men. At eight hundred metres she launched a second shell, but it had been badly aimed and fell into the sea, barely grazing the metal armour protecting the pirate ship’s stern. Seconds later, a third ball thundered onto the prahu’s deck, piercing the fore and mainsails, while a fourth smashed against one of the two stern cannons, showering the bulwark with metal just paces from where Sandokan sat.
He stood up, stretched his right arm towards the enemy ship, and shouted, “Fire! Fire, you dogs! I’m not afraid of you. When the time comes, you’ll get a taste of our steel.”
Two more lights flashed from the ship’s bow, followed by two thunderous discharges. A cannonball destroyed part of the bulwark just two feet from Sandokan, while the other decapitated a man near the forecastle. The crew howled in rage.
“Revenge, Tiger of Malaysia!” they cried.
Sandokan scowled at them.
“Silence!” he thundered, “I’m in command here.”
“That ship isn’t sparing us, Sandokan,” said Yanez.
“Let her fire.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“Dawn!”
“It’s madness, Sandokan. What if a cannonball were to strike you?”
“I’m invulnerable!” cried the Tiger of Malaysia. “Look, I dare them to fire upon us.”
He jumped onto the stern bulwark and grabbed onto the mast.
Yanez felt himself shudder in fear. The moon was high on the horizon, the reckle
ss pirate was purposely exposing himself to their cannons; anyone with a spyglass could have spotted him from that ship.
“Come down, Sandokan!” yelled Yanez. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
A contemptuous smile was his only reply.
“Think of Marianna!” continued Yanez.
“She knows I fear no one! Enough talk! To your post!”
It would have been easier to stop the cruiser in her tracks than to make Sandokan climb down from the mast. Knowing how stubborn his friend could be, Yanez fell silent and retreated behind one of the two cannons nearby.
Displeased with the outcome of her shots, the cruiser suddenly suspended fire. Her captain undoubtedly wanted to draw nearer so as not to waste more ammunition. She continued her pursuit for another quarter of an hour, and when the distance separating the two ships had shrunk to five hundred metres, the shelling resumed with even greater intensity.
Cannonballs rained down upon the little prahu, whistling through the sails, blunting yardarms and slicing through rigging. Shells thundered against her sides, rattling noisily as they glanced off the armour plates. A cannonball sailed across the bridge, grazing the mainmast. Had it been aimed a few centimetres to the right, the prahu would have halted in her tracks.
Despite that dangerous shelling, Sandokan did not move. He coldly studied the enemy ship, listening to her engines straining to gain ground, smiling contemptuously each time a cannonball whistled past his ears. At one point, Yanez saw him jump to his feet and advance towards the mortar, but he quickly stepped back murmuring, “Not yet! Not yet! I want them to see my wife!”
The cruiser bombarded the little ship for another ten minutes, but the prahu merely held her course, ignoring that rain of steel. Eventually, the guns fell silent and Sandokan, eyes trained on his foe, spotted a large white flag unfurling from her mast.
“By Allah!” he exclaimed. “They’re inviting us to surrender! Yanez!”
“Yes, little brother?”
“Show them our flag.”
Sandokan: The Tigers of Mompracem (The Sandokan Series Book 1) Page 21
