The ship, Majestic, was a fairly well sized vessel. It was single-remed and depended on the power of its sails for propulsion more than the drive of rowers. This could be viewed as good, but it left the crew and goods onboard to the whims of the trade winds. If a storm blew such a ship off course, the crew of an undermanned vessel could easily be considered as good as dead.
One week after their departure from Weldox, Sandrylene, Clar, and Tren find themselves in a dangerous situation...
"...and basically, that's how you play King's Corner," Clar says to Tren. "It's not as difficult as it sounds." He is sitting opposite the Marian on the deck of the ship in the sun. Before him is an equilateral triangular board of colored squares. On these squares are tiny stones with runes carved upon them.
"Ho! Clar!" Sandry shouts. She is high above them in the crow's nest. She adjusts the telescope through which she is watching the horizon. "Dark clouds up ahead! They look ominous!"
Clar is on his feet within a few moments. He tells Tren to pack up the game. He takes to the rigging, seeming more like a monkey than a man, and climbs into the crow's nest. Sandry hands him the spyglass and he, too, sights the thunderheads before them.
"So much for fortuitous winds," he breathes before turning to Sandry. "You and Tren make certain the rations are secure. The last thing we need is to be blown off course without food."
Sandry nods and slides down a bit of the rigging. She lands on the deck and walks over to Tren. She tightens her shoes, thanking the fact that they had found a ship willing to trade supplies for their meager monies. With a sigh, she glances at the musician. "We have to make certain the food is stowed securely in the galley," she says.
"What of Clar?" is the blonde youth's reply.
Sandry glances up to see her childhood acquaintance bolting down the sails deftly. Thankfully, his father worked with ships and taught Clar much of his knowledge. "He'll be fine for now," Sandry replies. She grabs Tren's wrists and drags him below the deck to the galley.
"Clar!" Sandry shouts, trying to be heard above the rising winds. "Clar! Get in here!"
"I can't get the final sail tied down! I'll be there in a moment!" he shouts back.
"You can try ‘til the rain comes!"
"Fair enough!"
"Hurry!"
"Could you please stop pacing?" Tren inquires as they await the arrival of Clar. "It's really getting quite unnerving. The rain has yet to begin."
Suddenly, the door to the area below the deck flies open. Clar slams it shut and heaves a sigh. Water drips from him as if he is a rain cloud himself. "The sails are secure and the rain is just now beginning. I pray it does not do much save dampen our spirits." He grins.
Sandry is about to give him a hug, to show that she is glad that he is safe, before she stops suddenly. "Get changed. You'll catch a cold otherwise," she commands. She pulls a pile of blankets from an armoire and tosses them to her companion.
"You're all heart, Sandrylene. Not even a thanks." He grins and leaves the room for his bunk to change. Outside, the storm begins to rage.
"It's a good omen; we weren't stricken by lightning," Tren muses. He takes a deep breath of the now-cool air.
"We were, however, damaged nonetheless." Clar motions to the main mast. It has been severed near the mid-section and the other half (including the crow's nest and sail) is now lost at sea. "We'll be done for without textiles or lumber with which to replace it." He mulls this over in his mind as Sandrylene locates the telescope.
Birds are in flight nearby. There appears to be many off the starboard bow. Sandry watches that horizon for a little as the ship gets dragged towards who-knows-what.
"Land," she breathes after a moment.
"What?!" Clar and Tren ask simultaneously.
"Land," she repeats.
"Where?" Clar demands.
Sandry hands him the spyglass and joins Tren. The pair glare off at the horizon, watching the landmass from afar. "I wonder if anyone lives there?" she asks herself.
"We'll find out soon enough. The tide is dragging us in that general direction," Tren points out. He is now watching the water and the Majestic.
"Is this fate?"
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