by D C Ware
Oxley was jolted out of his thoughts by a loud explosion. Splinters and shards of wood flew past his face, cutting his cheeks and nose but missing his eyes and forehead. Some of the crew of the Crimson Oar had started lobbing grenadoes - gunpowder filled casks - at the crew of The Adamante.
Oxley lost sight of Captain Milan in the smoke and flames but could see Rodrigo being overwhelmed as more and more men from The Crimson Oar rushed toward him where he was taking a terrible toll on their crew. In desperation many had started tossing the grenadoes at him in spite of their own mates being harmed in the explosions. Oxley started to run toward him but looked up toward the forecastle and could see Lucretia - the Quartermaster.
Her clothes were torn ragged and she had blood all over her. Most of it not her own. She held a broken saber in her right hand and the weather compass in her left. Oxley saw her raise the snapped saber at the dark Dimmerian pirate that had killed Arnold just as he ascended the steps to the forecastle.
He slapped her broken saber away with his left hand and grabbed Lucretia by the throat with his right. Oxley ran faster than he had ever ran before. The huge skirmish with Rodrigo having cleared a lane in the spar deck so that he made it to the steps of the forecastle just as Lucretia was starting to turn blue and lose consciousness. Oxley raised the studded club with both hands and let out a yell with a fury he had never felt before.
“Let her go!!!!” He said as he brought the heavy studded club crashing sideways into the Dimmerian’s right arm. The arm snapped and Lucretia fell to the deck. The dark skinned Dimmerian screamed and tried to swing his arm around in a back strike against Oxley but it was no use. It just sagged from his elbow.
Oxley raised the club for another swing but just then the captain of the Crimson Oar made it to the Dimmerian from the foremast area of The Adamante.
“Constables!” He yelled to his large dark skinned bosun. “M’fume come! We must go, the Constables are coming!”
He started to lead the dark skinned bosun away by his left arm and was then joined by two others of his crew.
“Karf help M’fume back to the ship. Allen tell the men we are leaving, constables are coming!”
Just as he turned to follow his crew down the steps of the forecastle Captain Tartoga stopped and noticed Oxley standing over Lucretia.
“The fat boy! You are the fat boy!” His eyes turned hot and he drew his cutlass.
“I swore I would make you pay no matter how this endeavor turned out and now I will keep my word.” He said as he closed on Oxley.
“Tartoga! I stole your compass! Not the boy! And with it I stole your secret!” It was Captain Milan. Behind him was Alonzo, Rodrigo and three other crew of The Adamante!
“I have seen your face fat boy and I will remember it well. Let that keep you up at night!” Tartoga sheathed his sword and jumped over the rail onto the gangway below and escaped.
The battle was over. And Oxley was alive.
“King’s Harbor Maverick. That’s where the port master said The Adamante was last reported to be. He said it turned back because of a storm two days ago.”
Lyla was all packed and leading two horses also ladened with food and supplies.
“So nothing I have told you has changed your mind. Not the dead prostitute, the notorious pirate Captain and his crew or the dangerous journey through the Wooddam Forest?” Maverick made one last attempt to dissuade Lyla from trying to track down Oxley. He knew it was pointless but he tried one last time nonetheless.
“Look Maverick I said you do not have to come. You really don’t. I can take care of myself. I have been to Kings Harbor once before with my father.”
“You were five years old Lyla!”
“So. It still counts.”
“Ok, ok. Look Lyla even traveling by horse and assuming we don’t get delayed its a six day ride to Kings Harbor. Whose to say The Adamante will still be there?”
“Who said we were going by horse. I’ve paid for passage on a speed ship to Kings Harbor that can have us there in four days and besides its the last place Oxley would have been at Maverick. Even if The Adamante is gone its our best chance of getting some reliable news on his condition.” Lyla stopped and just stared at Maverick pleading with her soft green eyes and pouting bottom lip.
“Oh don’t do that. Ok, ok. What is this speed ship you’ve bought passage on.”
Lyla pointed toward the docks. “I don’t know but here comes Gilbo now, he can tell you anything else you need to know.”
Maverick turned just as the mild mannered old traveler arrived.
“Hello young lady and young lad. I have secured the two of you and your mounts passage on a Bilander belonging to a fellow trader from Futuretown. It leaves in three hours.”
“Us and the mounts?” Maverick said looking at Lyla.
She hunched. “I didn’t have enough gold left for passage back.”
Gilbo laughed. “The ship is called the Bread Cake and its captain’s name is Gregor.”
“The Bread Cake!” Both Lyla and Maverick exclaimed at the same time.
“What can I say it’s the dessert that made ole’ Crumbler rich! Crumbler being my trader friend of course. Speaking of friends, I hope you find yours. The Adamante can be a tough ship to sail on. I hear they are in the midst of a terrible feud with the crew of The Crimson Oar and its Captain Joshua Tartoga. I don’t think your large friend took to me but I kind of liked him. Very direct. Very simple and plain. That kind of man makes a good friend if you can win his friendship.” Gilbo finished now staring kindly at Maverick.
“Speaking of The Adamante, you didn’t have anything to do with them press ganging him shortly after our transaction did you?” Maverick said ignoring the reference to his friendship, or lack thereof, with Oxley.
“Not at all as I explained to the young lady. My name and reputation are worth far more than Captain Milan could ever afford to pay me for my duplicity. Besides if I had, I would have earned more betraying you on the ship. It would of been easier for them to take you two and they would have been able to keep all their gold and the compass.”
“Well they got half the gold and the compass.” Maverick shot back.
“Not at all young man. Any gold your friend had on him when he was press ganged will be given to and inventoried by the Quartermaster, Maria Lucretia. It will be used to pay his expenses and the rest given to him when he earns the right to spend it.”
“Well I feel better already.” Maverick said sarcastically. “Come on Lyla we better start heading to the “Cup Cake”. It’s going to take us at least an hour with all the supplies you purchased.”
Gilbo laughed and waved at the pair as they headed off. “That’s the Bread Cake!” He yelled. “The ‘Cup Cake’ is captained by his cousin Mario! Mazel Tov friends. Mazel Tov and be sure to bring me something from your travels!”
The ground shook in front of Midas, the large giant came rushing through the imaginary flames. Midas’ illusion had been discovered and now Goliath was coming at him full of fury and strength.
Midas rose from the edge of the river and gathering his robes sought to run. Whether Sir Ebros was ready or not there was nothing else he could do. Midas tripped. His robes had gotten wet and clumped around his legs causing him to fall in his haste.
Goliath was upon him with a roar, lifting his massive spear in the air.
“Filthy monk! Your tricks merely delayed the inevitable! I am Goliath and you cannot escape my wrath!
But the giant stayed his hand because in that moment he saw the clouds of dust and dirt from Sir Ebros’ warhorse, Starlight descending upon him.
“The knight!” Goliath had almost forgotten about the knight.
He stepped over Midas’ body and braced himself for the knight’s charge. He could not run from it now, to do so would mean his certain death. He would meet it with his spear and large bronze shield.
Sir Ebros’ called out to the giant.
“Goliath, Goliath, enemy of the crown! This
day your doom has found you out! This day the King’s Justice shall be visited upon you!
With that Sir Ebros’ increased the speed of his charge, lowered into his saddle and couched his heavy ash lance under his right arm. Sir Ebros observed the giant’s stance and knew he meant to evade the charge at the last instant and spear his horse. But they had been trained for such maneuvers and he called out a command to Starlight.
“Oblique! Obligue Starlight! Oblique!”
Immediately the warhorse adjusted its gallop in a right arc taking to the giant’s right side. Goliath saw this and turned to face the charge from that direction. Then the warhorse adjusted again this time to the giant’s left. Goliath shifted and turned that way but once again the warhorse adjusted right coming ever closer and closer. Goliath was confused he did not know whether to shift again or remain and wait. Time was running out and the warhorse had not altered direction action. He turned to his right.
“Charge!” Sir Ebros yelled! And Starlight shot straight at the giant once more. He had no time to react. The large wooden lance bore into his open stomach. Luckily for the giant he had shifted again at the last instant to catch most of the lance on his bronze shield. But the lance had went straight through it and pierced twelve inches deep into his gut.
Goliath fell to his knees and screamed “aaaaaaahhhhh!” and then he roared “oh, oh, oh, oh, oooohhh!” He grasped the lance and snapped it off eighteen inches from his stomach. His shield was useless and he tossed it. He picked up his spear and looked to his left to see where the knight had gone.
Sir Ebros had wheeled releasing the spent lance as it struck. He drew his sword King’s Justice from its scabbard and pulled on Starlight’s reins hard. Starlight reared!
“Come at me knight! I am not dead yet! Come at me or I will spear this monk!” Goliath pulled Midas up by his collar with his left hand, holding his spear in his right.
This was the first time Sir Ebros had thought about Midas since going to don his armor and mount his warhorse. He had assumed Midas had gotten clear of the area.
“Killing him will not save you giant. My wound will claim you all the same. Release him and I will leave you your head.”
“To hell with you knight! I have survived wounds like this for days only to be healed. Fight me or I will snap this monk’s neck in my hand and still kill you!”
Sir Ebros paused. He had not considered the possibility of the giant being healed. If he could endure the wound and remove the lance he could surely be healed, maybe even by Midas were he to force him to do so after killing the knight. There was nothing left to do. Sir Ebros would have to engage him in single combat and finish him off.
Sir Ebros did not speak. He came at the giant cautiously atop Starlight. Slowly circling him and drawing closer as he did. Unlike most unmounted foes he had no advantage over the giant by being mounted and they faced each other eye to eye.
Finally, Goliath tossed Midas off to his left clutched his spear with both hands and drove it into the warhorse Starlight. Blood shot out and washed over Goliath who started howling and laughing in a demented ecstasy!
“Ha, ha, ha, haaah! Ah that was good!” Goliath yelled and re-positioned his spear for another thrust.
Starlight screamed “heeeeeee!” and went down in a slump, nearly trapping Sir Ebros underneath its weight. Sir Ebros jumped clear and briefly looked down at his trusted warhorse and most constant companion. He then looked up to face the giant.
“Have at you giant!” He yelled and came at the giant with his sword held high.
Goliath swung his mighty spear in a vicious arc across the front of his body, the very point catching Sir Ebros’ armor and rending it open like parchment. Blood did not shoot out but started to ooze from the wound beneath.
But the blow did not slow Sir Ebros’ and he brought his mighty sword King’s Justice down upon Goliath’s right shoulder with a terrible crash. Goliath’s right arm went limp and he screamed again dropping his spear. Without thinking he rushed upon the knight and tackled him. Using his left arm he started beating Sir Ebros with his bare hands mostly denting his armor but bloodying his face, nose and lips horribly.
Sir Ebros tried to bring his sword to bear but could not so he released it and reached for his long knife at his waist. Goliath’s left arm went up again and Sir Ebros plunged the long knife into his arm pit so hard it hit bone. Blood spurted out over the knight’s battered face and Goliath screamed again and tried to flail at the knight even harder but he could not move his right arm and his left would not go all the way up. Moreover by now the lance wound was taking its toll on him. The fighting and moving having shifted the lance inside him doing even more damage.
Goliath toppled over and off Sir Ebros. Sir Ebros stood slowly. Blood still steadily oozing out of his abdomen. He walked over and retrieved King’s Justice, his sword, and then stood over the dying giant.
“I..told you..I would take your head…giant. And now I will do so…and with it your reputation!” Sir Ebros raised King’s Justice in a shining arc that caught the last rays of the sun and sliced off the giant’s head with one blow. Goliath was dead. The last act of the giant being an attempt to curse and spit blood upon the knight as the blow fell.
Then Sir Ebros collapsed.
Maverick sat in corner on the port side of the poop deck. The Bread Cake had passed through bad weather two nights in a row. On the second night the waves were so bad the captain had ordered the ship to move further away from the coast for fear of being thrown onto the shore. That had only made Maverick’s sea sickness worst. Maverick had tried to ignore the initial symptoms of sweating, nausea, dizziness and a headache. He had even tried eating to fill his stomach and settle the queasiness he was having. But that only made the vomiting worse when it started.
He had already vomited six times in the last two nights; the first four times being the night he had eaten, the last two on the second night when the ship moved further out to sea. Since that time he had spent the last day and half lodged in a corner of the poop deck. The wedge seemed to mitigate the effects of the ship’s undulations on the waves and it gave him quick access to the side of the ship when he had to vomit again.
Lyla had come to him a half dozen times in the last day and a half and tried to talk him into going below deck but Maverick refused. He had no intention of standing again until they made port. Apparently though he had not made that clear enough to Lyla because she was coming once again and this time she had someone with her.
“Hey Maverick, feeling any better?” Lyla smiled.
“I’ve been better…whose your friend? Let me guess the ship’s doctor?” Maverick replied sarcastically.
Lyla ignored the sarcasm. “Maverick this is Levi, I met him when I was asking around to see if there was a doctor on board.” Lyla made the traditional wave of introduction toward Levi.
“So Levi, if you are not a doctor, then what do you do?” Maverick asked before Levi could speak, hoping to hurry the conversation along and send them both on their way.
“I make things.” Levi replied with a smile.
Maverick had to chuckle. “You make things? You seem a bit old to still be tinkering around? So what do you make?” Maverick eyed Levi mockingly as if he couldn’t wait for the answer.
“I make many things. Yes. I am a Maker of Many Things.” Levi said, half to Maverick and half to himself.
To Lyla’s surprise, Maverick did not have a witty reply. He merely nodded his head as if the inventor’s response made perfect sense and then pulled his knees in closer to his chest.
“Well Maverick I just wanted to introduce you two. Levi lives in Futuretown but travels a lot and we have been discussing selling some of his inventions. I even told him that I think Gilbo would be interested in buying a few or helping him find buyers.”
“Gilbo.” Maverick said under his breath. “Great just be sure you don’t mention what happened to the last oaf you introduced to Gilbo.” He said out loud referring to Oxley.
> Lyla scowled. Maverick’s retort had obviously hurt her.
“I’m sorry Lyla, that wasn’t fair.” She ignored him.
“Come on Levi. We can talk more over lunch below deck.”
“Good day to you Mr. Maverick.” Levi said with a smile as he followed Lyla down from the poop deck to the quarter deck and away.
‘She’s a big girl.’ Maverick thought to himself. ‘Besides at least she could eat.’ He had not eaten in two days and his stomach was roaring harder than the sea was right now but, just like standing, he had no intention of eating either until they made port. Until then his thoughts would have to sustain him. Thoughts of standing, thoughts of eating and more recently thoughts of the inventor Levi.
‘Hmph, maker of many things? I wonder what he meant by that? What kind of things? And how many?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Back Tracking
Midas rolled the knight over. His face had been terribly battered. Even with the strongest healing it would never look the same. Slowly Midas removed the knight’s crushed and battered helm to inspect his head. There was a large contusion at the back that looked serious to Midas. If not reduced it could put pressure on his brain and cause him to go mad.
Midas closed his eyes and placed his right hand over the contusion. The knight reflexively jerked from the pain but Midas kept his hand there, firm but gentle. Then Midas recited the words of healing:
“In the Name of The Christ I heal you of this wound.”
Midas waited and slowly his hand began to glow, to heat up - warm but not hot. As the glow receded and the heat dissipated the contusion was gone. Midas removed his hand and took three slow breaths. The wound had been more severe than he thought and it had taxed him more than he had anticipated it would have.
Midas continued his inspection moving down from the head to the neck and the other extremities. His left arm was fractured. He had three - no four - broken ribs. Multiple cuts and slashes. Then Midas saw it. The gash across his abdomen. It was oozing blood. Midas looked to see if he could remove the armor without aggravating the wound. He could not. The slash had indented the flesh into the metal of his armor. Midas could not attempt to remove his armor here. Weak and without proper stitches the knight would surely die.
