The Home Stone

They sailed for the rest of the day in calm waters and that evening after sundown everyone that stayed below, came up on deck for some well-deserved fresh air. It was stuffy below with five extra people housing in a cabin designed only for two.

“If we have good weather and a strong breeze we should reach the isles in about ten days,” Brendan claimed. “But if we run into bad weather, we could be blown off course and end up who knows where.” Ashley detected a little humor in his voice.

She guessed that it was his way of passing time on this boring trip. These were elven waters, so there should be no problems. Not at least until they get closer to the Dragon Isles. Besides, with an elven warship shadowing them, what could possibly go wrong?

The next two days passed like the first. Just over the horizon they could make out the warship sailing behind them. It was one of the Elvin ships escorting them until they reached the halfway point.

“Weather’s coming in,” announced Brendan on the morning of the third.

“How can that be?” asked Ashley, who had just finished her watch and was prepared to go below and get some rest.

“I can smell it on the wind,” he replied. “Before the end of the day we will have a storm. How strong? I don’t know yet, but we will have one.”

By the afternoon meal, Brendan spoke to the entire crew. “We have better go on deck and batten down everything. The storm is beginning to move in.”

Ashley was the first on deck to check the sky and sure enough, clouds were closing fast from the north. They secured everything that could wash overboard. Brendan then ordered everyone below and make sure all was secure there. “Nothing like having a tea kettle hit you on the head while you’re lying on the floor,” he teased. Even Sean was told to stay below. Only Brendan and William remained on deck. If the storm got out of hand, the skipper would need a strong pair of hands to help with the rigging. The rest would only get in his way.

As the storm intensified, Brendan ordered William to help him pull in the sails. He also dropped the bow anchor, which would act as a drag, keeping the ship turned into the wind. Lastly, he called below for another pair of hands to help lower the main mast as the storm picked up.

“It’s no use having all that sail and no mast to unfurl it on,” he joked. But everyone could tell by his voice that he was concerned. “Should we get water down here in the cabin, there is a hand pump in the bow locker. Sean can show you where it is and how to use it.”

The winds now howled and the tiny craft was buffeted by the large waves. Up on deck William and Brendan had tied themselves with a strong rope and secured that to iron rings bolted to the flooring of the deck. This was so they would not be swept overboard. Dressed in oilskins that were waterproof they rode out the storm. The rain battered their exposed face like tiny pellets of ice. Even shielding the exposed parts with your hand seemed impossible. At one point William turned his back to the wind for more protection from the pounding rain, only to have a large wave crash over the deck right into his broad shoulders. Had he not been tied down he would have been swept over the side and probably lost forever.

Down below the others fared no better. Every time a wave swept over the deck some of the water found its way down into the cabin. Although the ship was water tight, the sea found its way in and before long had everything soaked. Even the bedding was wet. They would have to wait for the storm to ease before they could begin to dry everything.

Kirin had wrapped the arrows that were given to him in another oilcloth so they would stay dry. Ashley kept on checking her pouch to see if the vial was still intact. Shannon also was concerned about her second backpack. She had held on to it ever since the storm began.

The ship was rocked back and forth for two days and nights. No one slept. They took turns manning the hand pump. Exhaustion was beginning to set in. Outside the storm raged, while inside one after another began to feel the sea working in the pits of their stomachs. Then as quickly as it began, it ended. One moment they were slamming into things, trying not to land on anyone and the next, the tiny craft was still. It was an eerie feeling.

Then the cabin door opened and a worn wet soaked face smiled down at the friends. “It’s over!” Brendan exclaimed, “and we’re still in one piece.”

Slowly Shannon and the rest of the party, made their way up on deck. It was late in the afternoon and the sun sat on the horizon. In the fading light she could make out the torn canvases that had covered their supplies. They were in luck. None of their equipment had been lost to the storm. Wet? Yes, but not damaged.

Within the hour the mast had been replaced, the sail unfurled and the tiny ship was underway once more. Brendan determined that they had been blown farther south and now were sailing in the treacherous waters known as “The Serpent Sea.”

“Here is where all those stories of sea monsters come from,” he joked, but not everyone was laughing. The stories told of giant fish and squid that could swamp the ship and kill everyone on board, but here on this vessel no one had ever seen a monster. Nor would any of them want to.

“If we sail and not make too much noise, then maybe we can avoid being swallowed up by one of them,” Brendan ribbed.

“Well from what I have heard,” William broke in, “I wouldn’t want to be here if any one of those creatures show up. I have heard that only the very lucky ones still live today to tell their story.”

With boots removed, everyone except for Brendan and Sean went below and lay down. They continued to sail northeast and into the waters of the Dragon Isles, leaving the dangerous waters of the Serpent Sea behind. A strong westerly wind was blowing and they made good time, but it took another two days of hard sailing to reach sight of the outer islands of their destination. Now the party found relief from the dangers below their feet and could concentrate on the ones ahead.

As they approached the largest of the outer islands a light drizzle began to fall. There was a chill in the air and a thick mist sat on top of the calm waters. The wind had died leaving the sails to hang limp. With no more forward motion, Sean dropped the bow anchor and began to fish.

William came up on deck with a bandanna wrapped around his head, to hide his elven ears and topped with a floppy looking hat. It made him look more of the part that he would play.

Then from out of nowhere a ship appeared. It caught both William and Sean off guard.

“State your business here!” one of the deckhands ordered.

“My father and I are just fishing,” replied Sean. “Is there a problem? We’ve fished here and in the straits many times and never had any problems. If we need special permission, then please tell us where we can obtain it. We don’t want to cause any trouble.”

William just stared, for he had never seen a ship manned by dwarfs before. Especially by dwarfs. They were known to live underground thus giving them the name Gray. Since there is no sunlight their skin had taken on a shade of gray. But here on the open water, there they were. Manning a ship and not one dwarf hanging over the side. He studied the dwarf that had spoken to Sean and was ready for a fight if the necessity arose.

The dwarf studied the two for another few minutes and then deemed that no threat forthcoming from them spoke. “No, you don’t have to have special permission. Go on, do your fishing and then be gone.”

It sounded more like an order than a welcome, but Sean bowed and thanked him before turning back to his line and continued fishing. The dwarf ship disappeared into the mist as quickly as it came. As soon as a slight breeze began to blow, they pulled up the anchor, and sailed the little craft past the outer island and into the straits. Half way between the two shores they dropped both bow and stern anchors, keeping one side of the ship facing the main island. Here they waited until the sun went down. While waiting they continued to fish in case they were approached again. The few fish they caught were brought down to the tiny galley to be cooked and eaten. Then after sunset, in the fading light, three small canoes were launched and a party of seven silently began to paddle towards the main island, leaving Sean and the elf to wait for their return.