Seafaring on Jord

by Allan Joyal

  "Captain?" I asked as Culax ducked under the boom and scrambled to put his arms around the mast just as another trough had the ship tilting forward steeply.

  "Look past the bow," Ushcail called out. "This squall is going to pass shortly. They are preparing to pull in the anchor so that we can get underway."

  "But, is that all?" Panalope said. She was still kneeling on the deck, but no longer sounded distressed.

  "For today," Ushcail said. "This time of year most squalls are short and not all that severe. I wouldn't want to ride out one in a galley, but even a galley can survive a storm like this one. Gypsy here does a lot better."

  "I'm now sure that we can make the journey," Jessop said. "This ship held up well against the squall. That was my biggest worry. Once we leave Oerste Isle and head west there will be no more places to shelter from a storm until we encounter the lands that belonged to the Empire."

  "We'll make it," I said firmly as the rain stopped as abruptly as it started. The wind was also dying down. I could see that Culax and Hadlor were pulling on a rope hanging off the bow.

  "Lucis, we'll need to get the sails back up,"Ushcail said. I'll take the second position. Panalope, follow me and watch. Kaven, you need to shadow Lucis."

  "Should I let him do anything?" Lucis asked.

  "He can help pull on the ropes as we raise the sails, but this time he needs to watch and understand what we do," Ushcail said.

  "We'll make sailors of these two," Lucis promised as he started forward. I followed him, trying not to shiver as my soaked shirt started to dry.

  Chapter 6: Family Matters

  Lucis proved to be a hard taskmaster. He would show me what he was doing and then expect me to do the same the next time we trimmed the sails. When darkness finally fell and Ushcail called for the sails to be brought in I could barely raise my arms.

  Culax and Lucis headed to the bow where they curled up against a couple of barrels. I was so tired that I collapsed against the wall separating the raised stern from the rest of the ship.

  A moment later Panalope dropped down to sit next to me. She stretched her legs out. I was surprised to see that her feet were bare.

  "Where are your boots?" I asked as Ushcail opened up a door just to my left and disappeared into the ship.

  "Ushcail put them in his cabin," Panalope said. "He offered it to me, but I thought that I should be crew and sleep on the deck. That's where we will sleep during the crossing. At least that's what he told me."

  "You shouldn't have come," I said.

  "Why? Because I'm a woman?" Panalope said scornfully.

  "Well, Ushcail and Jessop appear to be safe, but you had no way of knowing how the rest of the crew might react. You could have ended up...," I said. I found myself unable to say more.

  "And that won't happen back with my father? He's been pressuring me to marry one of his ship captains. Do you know what kind of men work for him? I'm safer here than I was at home," Panalope said angrily.

  She looked down at the deck. "And here I still have a chance to end up with you," she whispered so quietly I was not sure I had heard her.

  I found that I had no more to say. I leaned back against the body of the ship and closed my eyes. Hadlor was still moving around, making slight adjustments to the sails as the ship made its way westward under a starry night sky.

  Much later, I felt a hand touch my shoulder. It shook me until I opened my eyes and looked up. Hadlor was crouched down next to me. "You got some sleep?" he asked me.

  I shook my head to clear it as I looked up. The sky seemed almost completely dark with only a few faint stars providing any light. "Some," I said carefully. "It doesn't feel like enough."

  "It never does," Hadlor said. "But if we want to sail into Isla Magestica in style I need someone to help me."

  "Why me?" I asked.

  "You need to learn," Hadlor said. "But first, get out of those boots. We can't have you slipping on the deck because you wore boots."

  "What about protecting my feet?" I asked.

  "You should be fine," Hadlor said. "Just don't allow a rope to wrap around your legs. I've been on one of the sailed galleys and watched a man lose his foot when a breeze caused the sail to shift. The moving sail yanked the rope and tore his foot right off."

  "Shouldn't I wear boots to protect against that?" I asked.

  "It wouldn't help. If the wind shifts and the ropes get pulled, they can cut through anything. Boots just make it harder to get out of the way," Hadlor said. "Now get the boots off and then go to the tiller. It's tied off, but I'll need you to move it. Watch my hands."

  I took off my boots. Hadlor watched me and then pointed to a box sitting under the stairway leading to the stern and the tiller. "Put them in there. I'll talk to the captain about getting you a proper locker for your belongings. You'll also want to lose the shirt later."

  I put a hand on the shirt as I climbed to my feet. The leather was stiff and crusted with small white crystals. "What happened to it?" I asked.

  "Spray from the sea," Hadlor replied. He watched me put my boots into the box he had indicated. "It will ruin your breeches as well. That's why Culax, Lucis and I wear so little. It’s a waste to wear more. Now get to the tiller. I'll signal you with my hand about which direction to pull it. Keep the movements small. We only have to make a slight adjustment."

  I climbed the steps. It felt strange to walk on my bare feet. I stubbed my toes while moving from one step to another.

  "Damn," I swore as pain awakened me fully.

  "That will happen," Hadlor said unsympathetically. "You'll learn to watch where you step. Now get to the tiller."

  "You seem in a hurry," I said.

  "There are some rocks ahead. Ushcail says it’s the remnants of an island that collapsed back into the sea," Hadlor called out. I realized he was near shouting.

  The tiller had a rope tied around it. The ends of the rope were tied to the railings on both the starboard and port side, locking the tiller so that it was in the middle of the ship and pointing directly at the mast.

  "Remember to untie both sides," Hadlor said.

  "What do I do with the rope?" I asked.

  "There is a pair of metal rods mounted to the starboard side of the tiller. Wrap it around those," Hadlor said. "And keep the tiller amidships until I signal."

  "Amid ships?" I asked. "What is that?"

  "Where it is right now. This is not a difficult maneuver. I am going to skirt the rocks," Hadlor said.

  "Why not go through. This ship can easily navigate the passage. It would save you half a day," a very feminine voice said. It sounded like it was coming from the water just over the starboard side of the ship.

  "What?" Hadlor asked. He looked over the railing. "A woman?"

  A giggle rose up from the water on the port side. "Why is that the first question a man always asks?"

  Hadlor turned around. He was standing on the starboard side of the ship. "What sorcery is this?" he asked.

  I had untied the rope from the port side railing. It was a simple process to unwind it from the tiller and then wrap it around the poles that Hadlor had told me about. The giggling continued from both sides as Hadlor looked back and forth.

  "What do you see?" I asked.

  "I can't see who is on the port side, but over here I see a beautiful young woman just swimming alongside the ship," he said.

  "Miss," I called out. "Your father is asleep."

  "I know," the feminine voice from the starboard side said. "But Undine and I wanted to help him. Mom said you are trying to get to Isla Magestica."

  "And did she say you could reveal yourselves to us?" I asked.

  "Who?" Hadlor asked, turning to look at me.

  I looked directly at him as I stood up and put a hand on the tiller. "Ushcail told Panalope and me that he had two daughters. I get a feeling that they have decided to make an appearance."

  "But?" Hadlor said. "Who is their mother?"

  "He says her name is Syrina. She s
howed up just before the storm. At least I heard a voice speak and saw him reach over the side of the ship. She said that the storm would be easy to survive on this ship," I replied.

  "That was mom," the voice from the portside said. "Was she wrong?"

  Hadlor laughed. "No, but what do you mean you'll guide this ship through some passage?"

  "There is a trench that runs through the rocks you are trying to avoid," the voice from the starboard side said. "Its not hard to navigate and it will be safer for us."

  "For you?" I asked.

  "You'd have turned south to avoid the rocks. But the zone just south of the rocks is home to a school of Raptorfish," the port side voice said.

  "And if I recall, your mother told you never to enter that territory," Ushcail said. His voice was coming from just ahead of and below me. I watched as he emerged from the chamber beneath my feet. "Undine, did you let Syrina know you were coming?"

  "You were going to leave us behind," The voice from the port side said. "We don't get enough time with you as it is."

  "The magic that allows you to walk can only be used one moon cycle a year at your age. Your mother and I promised that we'd find a way to allow it for the harvest festival," Ushcail said.

  "But we could have followed the ship. You didn't even say we could do that," the other voice said petulantly.

  "Nereid. I am traveling far beyond the islands. Syrina and I had some long talks about this after I agreed to captain this journey. The legends of your people say that the only groups to swim west have never returned. We couldn't risk you," Ushcail said.

  "So her name is Nereid? She is quite beautiful," Hadlor said wistfully.

  "Why thank you, sailor man," Nereid said cheekily. There was a slight splash. Right after that I heard something large slap against the water.

  "Did I just see?" Hadlor asked. I could see that his mouth was agape as he stared over the starboard railing.

  "She has a beautiful blue tail doesn't she," Ushcail said.

  "A tail," said a stunned Hadlor. "I know you said you had been rescued by some magical woman, but I never thought about it. I just knew you were the best captain on the seas."

  "She does have a beautiful voice," I said. "And it seems she's willing to guide us through some passage through the rocks ahead. I'm just waiting for signals as to what to do."

  "Kaven, I'm going to wake your friend. She can handle the tiller. You and I can handle the sails. I think Nereid has left Hadlor a bit dazed," Ushcail called out.

  I could hear giggling from the port side of the ship. "Mom told us that men would fall over themselves if they saw us," Undine said.

  "Just don't drag him overboard," I called out. "We need him."

  "I wouldn’t do that," the voice of Nereid said playfully. "He's too cute to waste that way."

  "Panalope, get up the stairs and take the tiller from your friend. He's corrupting my daughters," Ushcail growled.

  "Only if they promise to teach me how to sound so alluring," Panalope said. "I need to snare a certain man."

  Panalope was laughing as she strode up the short stairway. She seemed to glide over the deck until she was standing in front of me. "Go," she ordered. "The captain needs you."

  I carefully took my hand from the tiller. Panalope immediately ducked under my arm and put both her arms around the metal bar of the tiller. I could see the muscles in her arms strain as she tried to hold it firmly amidships. "I've got it," she affirmed.

  Nodding, I moved to the railing and jumped from the stern to the area next to the mast. I landed in a crouch. I looked up at Ushcail and noticed a fierce scowl on his face.

  "Don't do that," the captain growled. "It works in a calm sea, but the first time you do that on a rolling deck you'll be swimming. And I'll tell my daughters to drown you if you fall in."

  "Yes, Ushcail," I said. "Now what do you need me to do now?"

  "We're going to have to adjust the sails with each turn. Get forward and take the ropes for the foresail on the starboard side. Hadlor will help and I'll send Lucis forward to handle the portside ropes when he wakes," Ushcail said. "A mistake could cause us to hit a rock, so listen closely and do what you are told without arguing."

  "Got it," I said. I ducked under the boom and rushed forward.

  "Call out the turns Nereid!" Ushcail shouted as I took hold of one of the ropes holding the foresail in place.

  I heard the unseen girl shout something back. After that all I wanted to do was impress Ushcail and the others. I listened for his commands and the instructions coming from the others as the ship weaved its way through a series of tight turns. My hands ached as ropes pulled against them. My palms were torn by a rope that slashed them after my grip slipped during a hard turn to starboard. But before the sun had finished rising in the east we were once again sailing directly west. Culax was telling us that we should see Isla Magestica on the horizon shortly.

  "Be good to stop there and load up on provisions," Ushcail said as Jessop began distributing some dried fish to everyone. "Also I expect Marrisey will want to hear how the voyage went."

  "I want to see a woman before we head to our doom," Culax muttered. I watched Ushcail's eyes narrow, but the man said nothing. He just took another bite of the dried fish he was holding and looked out to the west scanning the horizon for the next island we would be visiting.

  Chapter 7: A Race to Isla Magestica

  Hadlor decided that I needed more instruction. As soon as I had washed down the dried fish with a mug full of extremely watery ale he grabbed me and dragged me back to the mast. He had a couple pieces of short rope and as we continued to sail west he instructed me in the tying of various knots he said I needed to know.

  The instruction was intense. Several of the knots proved to be tricky. If one of the strands was even slightly out of position the knot could come undone. Hadlor insisted that I practice each one until he was satisfied. He finally relented when my shaking hands were unable to grasp a rope firmly.

  "You still need practice," he said sternly. "If you tie the wrong knot, we could lose a sail."

  "He's better than you were after a day of instruction," Jessop said as he came over. "Kaven, show me your hands."

  I walked over to him and held out my hands. He nodded at me. "As I expected. You have a couple of blisters. I can tell you haven't been doing anything quite like this."

  "What do I do?" I asked.

  "Not much we can do right now. I'll pick up some salve from my wife when we visit Isla Magestica," the old sailor said. "Your hands will toughen up over time."

  "What about Panalope?" I asked.

  "What about her?" Jessop asked. "It looks like she's going to be put in charge of the tiller. It’s a post requiring some responsibility, but won't tear up her hands like working the sails will."

  "Isn't that your job?" I asked.

  "I can handle the sails. I'll help there. I'm also going to be taking soundings and watching our speed. My eyesight is very good," Jessop said. He sounded like he expected me to challenge him.

  "Galley off the starboard bow!" someone shouted.

  I looked out over the starboard bow. Hadlor and Lucis had both rushed to the bow and were shading their eyes as they looked out over the sea. "It has a sail!" Lucis said. "They are turning to the south. I expect we'll pass in front of them. They will lose way as they turn."

  "What do I do?" I asked Jessop.

  "Stop asking that and listen. Get to the port side and check the ropes on the foresail. If they hail us we might want to reef the sail. It depends on what Ushcail decides," he said.

  "If its from Isla Magestica we can hail them. Otherwise they have no jurisdiction," Ushcail said.

  "But could they attack us?" I asked.

  "We're moving too quickly. Ships are too valuable to risk sinking so the goal is to board a ship. That's how galleys fight. They either ram or if they have a brave captain, they might try to throw a grappling hook and then board," Jessop said.

  I nodded, pret
ending that I had understood what Jessop had said.

  "Pan, we should try to turn a bit toward the galley. It should be from Isla Magestica and failing to hail them would be an insult," Ushcail shouted. "Push the tiller to port just a handspan or so."

  I could feel the ship start to tilt to port. "Shorten the lines on the port bow," Lucis shouted to me. "We need to angle the sail to hold the wind better."

  I leapt towards the bow. The sail was billowing erratically as the ship began to slowly turn to head toward the galley. I could see that one of the ropes holding the bottom of the sail down was no longer taut. I grabbed at it and then ran to the railing to resecure it.

  "Captain, I see someone waving," Culax shouted.

  "Fine, I'll hail them. Check the boom and the mainsail. We need to reduce sail so we can slow down and chat," Ushcail said.

  Culax ran from the bow. He ducked under the rope I was securing and nodded at me. "You're doing fine," he muttered.

  "Hail Gypsy! I see you haven't sunk!" someone shouted from the galley.

  "Is that you Sparentce? What are you doing out here?" Ushcail shouted back.

  "High Guard Chasterman wanted your ship escorted to the harbor. Said it might help impress a couple of the Seres who are visiting," was the reply from the other galley.

  "I don't think you can keep up," Ushcail said.

  "I've got the best crew on the sea. They'll keep up."

  "Oh boy," Jessop said. "You don't challenge the captain. Not that way."

  "Let's see if you can," Ushcail roared. "Jessop, forget reefing sail. Come on you lubbers. Let's show these fakers just what a real crew can do. Sparentce, you'll be buying the first round at the Broken Tiller. I'll be waiting there after we see High Guard Chasterman."

  Jessop slipped under the foresail and joined me on the port side. "We're probably going to raise even more sail and then angle it to catch more wind. Right now the wind is blowing out of the northwest and we want to go west. Its going to be tricky."

  "Is that why the galley thinks they can keep up with us, since we are sailing almost into the wind?" I asked.