Perry laughed as he loaded another arrow. “Mine’s Shorty pulling sails on the starboard bow.”
“I’ll take Bignose loading his crossbow,” Kron said. They fired. Arrow and bolt found their mark. Bignose took a bolt in his chest. Shorty copped an arrow in his midriff.
Talarren used rope and cloth from the cluttered floor of his longship to bind and gag Olaf. Then he ordered Highlanders to form a circle underneath the yowling, levitating yeti. Perry, Kron and Caspar joined them. Razel broke her spell. The yeti thudded heavily into the snow. Caspar’s mace smashed its leg. Kron’s heavy battle axe cleaved its head. Perry’s sword cleaved its chest. Two glaives lanced its side. Two more glaives crashed into its back. It emitted its final ear-splitting scream, then died.
A village militiaman turned to Talarren. “Are two hundred Thane Landreth warriors coming to help?”
“No, indeed, my man,” Talarren answered. “We fooled them with Caspar’s Mass Ventriloquism! spell. Now, everyone, we must follow these pirates to their lair. Robert, Bruce, will you and your men row with us? Militia, who will take up oars?”
“They still have two longships and at least sixty men,” Robert replied, incredulous at Talarren’s preposterous suggestion. “Why further endanger ourselves? We have routed them, and taken their chief prisoner.”
“They will regroup and return,” Talarren answered. “And they will seek revenge.”
“We need to bury our fallen,” Robert countered.
Caspar spat. “Let those who remain bury them,” he suggested. “Are you…?”
“Caspar is right,” Talarren agreed, preventing his cleric from what he knew would be an inflammatory accusation. “You have shown great bravery. Together we won this battle. But a war continues. We must hunt and destroy them now while we have the chance.”
Perry turned to Bruce. “We have a powerful priest and a spellcaster, a mighty Ranger and his fearsome hippogriff. Do you doubt we can defeat them? Have you no confidence in Talarren after what we have accomplished under his command?”
“Your bravery and magic are impressive,” Robert responded. “But on open seas? We have no experience fighting on board ships. We are hopelessly outnumbered.”
Talarren threw his gagged, one-armed pirate chief to ground. “Listen everyone. These seventeen prisoners will be our rowers. Every man that joins us will make our pursuit faster and our battle easier. At sea, they have no element of surprise. We must catch them.”
A militiaman stepped forward with bow and sword. “Talarren, these devils took my wife and boy. I will follow you.”
“So will I.”
“Count me in, my Lord.”
“Same goes for me.”
“My weapon is yours, o Ranger.”
All remaining militiamen bar one, simple farmers and fisherman, shouted together. “We will come. Death to them pirates.”
Bruce turned to Robert. “We have come this far, Robert. Let us finish it, or die.”
“What do you say men?” Robert asked.
“We follow Talarren,” a Highlander horsemen replied. “We rid ourselves forever of these vermin.” His fellows cheered.
“We follow, Talarren,” Robert cried. “Lead on, Lord Ranger.”
By now women, children and two more Highlander horsemen gathered around the pier, their shawls and cloaks wrapped around their shoulders. Their jaws dropped at the scene of bloody carnage before them. They rushed to husbands and fathers. Some wailed upon sight of their dead.
Chapter Nineteen
All At Sea
TALARREN, WITH HUNTER AT his feet, ordered barrels of water, food provisions and supplies to be loaded onto their commandeered longship. He instructed Highlanders to retrieve every arrow and militia to arm themselves with Norse weapons. They said goodbye to their womenfolk and children. They herded their prisoners on board. Each pirate leg was manacled with chains found on board the longship, the very chains destined to be used for them. Elfindi thread a rope through each loop each and tied it around the central mast.
“One false move,” Kron threatened, his blood-spattered battle axe resting comfortably on his broad shoulder, “and you taste Brave Rasputir.” But the growling wardogs, lips pulled back to reveal lethal teeth, provided sufficient incentive for them to obey without encouragement from Brave Rasputir.
They tied Olaf to the central mast, cloth tightly wrapped across his mouth. Caspar bandaged the stump of his forearm, but much blood had been lost. Highlanders took up oars with militia and prisoners. They rowed unsteadily, not accustomed to such activity. Perry warned their prisoners that if their pace slackened he would use his village horse-whip with relish. For good measure, he cracked his whip noisily, sneaking a glance at Razel to see if she’d noticed his proficiency with it. Unfortunately for her, she had. She quickly turned away, but not quick enough. Perry nodded smugly. Elfindi rolled his eyes. Caspar glanced at Perry with disgust. Kron smiled.
After some hours rowing against a headwind, the oars still clumsily hitting the surface of the water, their stronger and more experienced quarry gained distance. Highlander fishermen could row no more. Exhausted, they dropped their oars. Some time later the Highlander soldiers dropped their oars with fatigue. Under the watchful gaze of wardogs and Rasputir, the more experienced and conditioned pirates continued on.
“We cannot continue at this pace,” one pirate complained.
“We will never catch them,” another added. “They have too many oars.” By now both longships were mere specks on the horizon and shrinking.
“Keep rowing,” Talarren ordered. He nodded to Caspar who performed a Dispel Fatigue! spell on the pirates. Once Caspar completed his incantation, half the pirates rowed with renewed intensity. Others dropped from sheer exhaustion. Presently a wind turned in their favour. Talarren ordered the pirates to unfurl and man their sail under the careful watch of wardogs and militiamen standing behind them with swords and axes.
Soon a ship appeared in the distance. “We’re gaining on one of them,” Perry shouted.
It was not long before they approached the longship. Elfindi noticed it was aimlessly drifting.
“They’ve scuttled one ship,” Elfindi said. Esmay raced ahead, her keen eyes scanning the vast open ocean. She returned shortly, squawking. “They’re directly ahead,” Talarren said. He pointed to one of the two pirates who had voluntarily surrendered. Elfindi took him to Talarren at the rear of the longship. Caspar and Razel stood beside him.
“How far away is your base?” Talarren asked.
The pirates, while rowing, watched on with keen interest as one of their own was brought before Talarren and questioned. Wardogs and militiamen patrolled with the particular vigilance of the inexperienced. “They’ll kill me if I told you,” the pirate said as his arm swept before his fellows glaring at him.
“Do they look like they’re in a position to kill you?” Talarren asked.
“Bad answer,” Razel stated, exhilarated by Talarren’s presence and power. “We’ll kill you unless you answer his question.”
“Razel, step away, please,” Talarren said sternly.
For fifteen minutes, the entire longship observed a private conversation taking place in whispers between Talarren, Caspar and this turncoat. Ready to pounce on anyone even contemplating raising their hand against her master was Hunter. Their body language intrigued everyone. It was relaxed, even friendly. There was much gesturing and pointing.
Kron exchanged looks with Perry. “That Ranger can turn a yeti, I reckon, if he can turn one of these barbarians.”
A pirate rowing beside Kron spat. “Carloff has always been soft,” he snarled.
“Well, isn’t it just like our Ranger to identify your soft one? He’ll be revealing all your secrets,” Perry told him. “Now get rowing or I’ll make you sharkbait.”
He glowered at Perry.
“I prefer to see him ripped apart by wardogs than made sharkbait,” Kron told Perry.
“Sharks will do a better job,” P
erry returned.
“I’m surprised you haven’t wagered on it,” Razel uttered as she approached Perry and Kron.
“We may yet,” Kron answered.
Perry laughed. “And you, Razel, sounds like you’ve been told off by His Lordship. Acting like a spoilt maiden again?”
“How dare you?”
“I’d want to be more grateful,” Kron warned Perry. “She saved your life more than once by charming these barbarians into defending your sorry backside. I didn’t need her spells, of course.”
“Having fun?” one pirate growled. “I’d rather be sharkbait than listen to your drivel. Push off, why don’t you?”
Kron turned in surprise. “Did I hear that lowlife correctly?” He faced his interlocutor, glaring savagely from narrowed eyes.
“Listen, dwarf,” he quipped before Kron could speak, “if you’re going to kill us, be done with it. But spare us your drivel.”
Kron placed his axe gentle on the planks forming the floor of the longboat. He dropped to his haunches, lowering his eyes to the same level as the pirates. Everyone nearby looked on with apprehension. Kron slapped his face hard. He lifted his battle axe in strike position. A wardog growled menacingly at the pirate.
“He’ll keep, Kron,” Perry consoled him as he guided the smouldering dwarf aft. They could not afford to lose an oarsman.
Carloff, Talarren’s turncoat pirate, was taken back to his rowing seat. Talarren called everyone together. He retold them what he’d learned. Village fisherman struggled keeping pace with instructions about the sails given by pirates ordered to man them. Highlanders patrolled or watched on carefully while other pirates rested. Wind filled the sails and drove them forward.
“Can we trust him?” Kron asked.
Talarren nodded. “I believe he’s telling the truth. Their captain will confirm this. They’ve set up base on a small island in an archipelago two day’s sail from here. It has a secluded bay hidden by what looks like trees but is in reality a camouflaged gate, guarded on both sides. Trees and hills surround it, concealing their den from passing ships. Two hidden guardposts on either side of the island are manned all day.
“Their island interior contains dozens of wooden dwellings. Some house slaves, prisoners and supplies. A large hall dominates its centre where they hold their folkmoot. Vegetables and grains are grown in small plots all over. Chickens and goats roam at will. Numerous enclosures contain sheep and cattle herds. Twenty five fighting men remain on their island.
“A handful of wives and children live with them. Their captain lives in chambers cut into a rocky hill. Booty from raids is stored somewhere in a locked treasury guarded by a yeti lair in a neighbouring chamber. Two yeti reside there now. Apart from pirates guarding the slave quarters and two lookouts, everyone else will be either tending animals, engaged in domestic duties or relaxing.
“He could be leading us into a trap,” Elfindi said.
“I think not,” Talarren replied. “In any case, it won’t be hard to discover the facts. But first we need to reduce enemy numbers before attacking them with spells. I will return.” Talarren stuffed his full quiver with more arrows, mounted Gladron and sped away over open waters.
After what seemed an eternity he returned. Caspar smiled when he noticed Talarren’s empty quiver. “They will need to ration their crossbow bolts,” Talarren said. “Twenty arrow-riddled pirates have been thrown overboard. Gladron’s claws shredded their sails. We will catch them before nightfall. By then, no pirate will be alive.” Talarren gathered three quivers of Highlander arrows. He flew off. After two hours he returned without one arrow in his quiver. “All are dead or wounded.”
Everyone cheered. Highlanders and militia banged their weapons together. Tears began to flow. The scourge of the Highlands was defeated. Their nightmare was over.
“Do not rejoice too soon,” Talarren warned. “We need to destroy their base, along with their iniquitous den of slavery.”
“And carry off their booty,” boomed Kron.
“Our booty,” Perry corrected him, his smile so large it almost swallowed his ears.
Upon hearing these words, their prisoners visibly slumped. Their only hope lay in their fellows on the island. But if this turncoat Carloff truly planned to divulge their secrets, what hope remained for them?
When the wind changed direction, their prisoners began rowing. Perry’s horsewhip cracked in their ears. Caspar cast a Speed! spell on the pirates, then a Dispel Exhaustion! spell. Every fisherman eagerly joined in rowing, as well as many Highlanders. Others patrolled, weapons ready, accompanied by wardogs. Before nightfall they approached the pirate longship, then drew alongside it.
Bodies filled with arrows lay everywhere. Here and there pirates groaned. Pirates chained to their oars looked on horrified. Their mates had been slaughtered by this Ranger’s High Elf bow and his hippogriff, helpless to defend themselves, even by crossbow. Any hope of being rescued sunk to the bottom of the sea.
A handful of Highlanders threw across grappling irons. They secured the longships together. Talarren ordered their bodies to be searched. Anything of value was gathered in a pile on deck. Dead bodies were cast overboard. They transferred anything of value, including ropes, food, weapons, other provisions and treasure into their own longship.
Tinkling coins lit up Kron’s glinting, desirous eyes. “Not much, but it whets our appetites.”
Talarren addressed his party. “Highlanders and fishermen have faced these pirates with equal bravery.”
“I wouldn’t say that about all of them,” Kron countered, firing off a glance in Robert’s direction.
“It is my conviction,” Talarren began, “that whatever treasure is to be gained on this island, we share among all, including Highlander and deceased militia families. And I also propose we give an agreed amount to Thane Landreth to help rebuild Highlander communities.”
Kron’s face fell. Elfindi and Perry’s face fell with it. “Are we agreed?”
Talarren waited. Everyone eventually nodded, some more reluctantly than others. “I believe we should also provide a fund to be administered by Robert and Bruce for pirate prisoners to return safely home; and to make restitution for damages inflicted on villages and families who have suffered at these pirates’ hands.”
“What?” Kron said. “How much?”
“How big is your heart, Kron?”
“There won’t be anything left for us,” Perry complained loudly.
“I also suggest,” Talarren continued, to Perry’s consternation, “that should the pirate treasure hoard amount to more than fifty thousand gold pieces, we give everything over that to a competent authority on trust to distribute among the poor and needy and for worthy causes.”
Kron grunted, believing they would not find such an amount. “I’ll wager a gold piece we won’t find that much.”
“I’ll take that wager,” Perry returned enthusiastically.
Everyone agreed.
“Talarren,” Caspar said. “This is not like you to discuss treasure before it falls into our hands.”
“True,” Talarren said, appraising Kron, “but I know what gold does to men’s hearts. If we agree now, it will not cause dissension later. Greed has always been the common enemy of man.”
“What about Thane Landreth’s reward?” Kron asked. “Surely we have a right to keep that for ourselves? Or should we donate that to his maidservants?”
“Yes, we keep that,” Talarren agreed. “It forms part of our contractual agreement.”
Kron snorted, then walked away.
They sailed onward, leaving longship two adrift.
Cold, loss of blood and despair left Olaf weakened. He slumped against the masthead, ropes holding him fast, still gagged. They sailed til dark. Highlanders checked prisoners manacles before retiring to sleep. Wardogs resting their long jaws between strong paws staring at the prisoners. Talarren set a watch.
Early next morning they gathered around Carloff to discuss their next move. P
erry and Kron advocated storming the island, particularly if only twenty five armed men remained. Talarren and Caspar preferred a stealth approach. They did not wish the island yetis to be set loose. They decided to sail directly for the island, guided by their two new pirate recruits.
“Traitors!” a pirate oarsman yelled. “You know our code. We will we get out of here. You will pay dearly. You will wish…”
Perry kicked him hard in the ribs.
Carloff and his fellow traitor suggested they follow their normal routines as they approach the island. This would avoid suspicion. It entailed blowing their distinctive conch three times, the signal for safe arrival with heavy losses. The watchtower guards, Carloff explained, will understand. They will open the camouflaged gates. Men will gather around the lagoon as usual, but won’t suspect anything.
Three hours later, after a favourable wind, land came into view. As they sailed closer, they identified hundreds of small islands and atolls, many identical to look at, clustered together over a vast area. Without guidance, it would be impossible to locate the pirate hideaway.
“Caspar, perform a Suggestion! spell on our wounded captain here,” Talarren told his friend. “If he succumbs it will make our task much easier.”
They rowed between half a dozen islands, all very similar, surrounded by hills and trees. No sign of life could be seen save arctic birds and occasional seals and fish.
Carloff blew the conch three times. It echoed throughout the leafy islands. They rowed toward what appeared to be land, but turned out to be a fake line of bushes. They eased through them. Behind an enormous rock a canal flowed as it followed its way into the island centre. Presently they came to what appeared to be a line of trees in an eerie swamp, filled with arctic mangroves.
Caspar made an incantation and placed his palm toward his gigantic, one-armed prisoner-captain. “I suggest you co-operate fully with us.” Sleep deprived and hungry, weak from loss of blood, with an amputated arm and few prospects of escape, Olaf could summon little resistance to Caspar’s spell. He fell heavily under its power. They ungagged and untied him. “Do not raise the alarm!” Caspar ordered.
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