Chapter 4 Part 6

The third day of the voyage across the ice found the Westward Cutter drifting along lazily in the mid-morning. The wind had died down significantly and though still making headway, the tacking ship had slowed considerably. Skimmer and the dwarven captain were skillfully trimming the ship's sails and airfoils to squeeze every bit of speed from the light breeze.

While in the ship's rigging, Skimmer called out that he had spotted another sail off to the south. Everyone approached the railing to see what the visitor looked like, but it was far too distant to be seen from the deck. So, Heineken ordered the boy to remain aloft and keep watch.

After an hour, the other ship had closed the distance enough to be seen by those below. Heineken gave Norwind the helm and walked up to the bow of the ship to get an unobstructed view of the stranger. Samson was already there shifting sandbags in preparation for the next tack.

"We will not be tacking immediately," the dwarf told the big man. "Yonder boat is the larger and courtesy demands that we allow them to make the first tack. That way we can tack upwind of them and both boats can continue on their way. If he tacks upwind of us, we would come to a dead stop." The dwarf shielded the sun from his eyes and peered out toward the other boat.

"She is flying Tycarian colors, captain," Skimmer called down from the rigging.

"That is odd," the old dwarf murmured.

"What is it, captain?" Samson asked.

"She looks as if she is coming from the Ice Kingdom's royal port, but she is flying Tycarian colors, and her destination appears to be the Twin Cities."

"And that is strange?"

"Tycho is presently in a state of boycott with the Ice Kingdom as are many other city states. They may be carrying passengers as I am doing, but why then would they be using such a ship?"

"Maybe that is the only vessel that was available." Samson offered.

"I am sure you are right," the captain agreed reluctantly. "I am just getting suspicious in my old age."

"If they were carrying passengers between the Ice Kingdom and Tycho, why are they destined for the Twin Cities?" Keeneye asked.

"Perhaps she is off course," Samson suggested.

"Tycho is too far south for an ice port, so there is a treaty between the cities that allows Tycho untaxed dock space in the Twin Cities. It is a very beneficial arrangement. Tycho has a stronger economy and much business flows through the Twin Cities. Also Tycho pays for the privilege with cheap agricultural goods," the old dwarf explained. "So any Tycarian ice boat you see probably has its home port in the Twin Cities."

"How did the Twin Cities get their name?" Keeneye asked. "We only saw one city."

Heineken laughed. "Long ago when they were still two separate townships and much smaller, the government was still under an old chieftain system. It just so happened that a set of twin brothers each became chief of one of the two townships. Since then the original names of the villages hasn't been used. They are just called the Twin Cities. Of course now they are a single city but the name still holds."

About the time that Heinekin concluded his tale, the larger ship slowed and changed direction. As the ship's new course was set, Norwind brought the Cutter about likewise. Though still some good distance apart, the lighter Cutter was moving slightly faster. Slowly, the other ship got closer.

"By tradition," Heineken explained to his passengers, "we must yield right-of-way to the larger vessel. We should also allow her a good ten to twenty second distance of separation."

Skimmer had scrambled down and was arranging the sandbags. Others were watching the other boat. Even Seymore had climbed up the stairs to see.

"She is a big vessel," Heineken observed. "Probably a freighter."

"Her stern markings identify her as a merchant ship, captain," Skimmer said as he pushed a sandbag across the deck.

Keeneye squinted his eyes. "There are several people on deck watching us," he observed.

"Why not," Samson remarked. "We're watching them."

"Should we go into our non-human slave disguises?" Keeneye asked.

"I don't think so," Heineken replied. "Though they appear to be coming from the Ice Kingdom, they are flying Tycarian colors and Tycho has a non-human population. I think we will be fine as we are. But when we get close enough to them, we will see if they have anything worth doing a little business for."

In reality, it was about half an hour before the Cutter actually approached close enough to permit yelling from ship to ship. The captain of the other vessel stated that he was carrying animal pelts to Midway Island by route of the Twin Cities. At the mere mention of pelts, Marlena issued a soft sound of disgust, which Samson covered tactfully with a sneeze. The other ship's captain admitted that he was overloaded and some of the pelts would not keep for the whole journey. He offered to sell his excess to Heineken at less than half cost.

"At under half cost!" Skimmer exclaimed. "Why?"

"If he doesn't sell them to someone, they will rot and he won't get anything for them," Heineken explained. "This way he gets something for them."

Heineken called back that he would buy as much as he could afford. He then sent Skimmer to the task of pacing the other ship while he went to his cabin to check his funds. He was busily reviewing his ledger and log book when he heard his apprentice cry out in agony. Fearing the worst, he could hear his passengers yelling as he raced up to the deck.

The sight on the deck was dreadful. Skimmer was pinned to the base of the mast by several crossbow bolts. Although still breathing, he was bleeding profusely. Keeneye was rushing down to the other hatch, probably to get arms and help. Norwind was at the helm dodging arrows with an unnatural agility, while Samson was standing erect at the ship's bow with a sword in his massive hand and yelling some kind of challenge. Heineken sprinted towards the stern of the ship. Their visitors were obviously pirates disguised as merchants and flying the colors of a major city, which was how they got their victims to walk into their trap. And, as soon as the victim cut his sail, the marauders attacked. Heineken was angry with himself for being caught so easily.

Heineken ran past Norwind and barked an order for the monk to retrim the sail. "We need speed and we need it now!" With Norwind hauling on the ropes, Heineken grabbed a short dagger from the railing and cut loose the sandbags that had been dragging along behind the vessel as brakes to slow its velocity.

Turning around, he saw that the reinforcements had arrived on the deck, while Samson and Norwind were working on the sail. The two wizards, coming from below, were reaching into various pouches for the gods only knew what. The lady Marlena was standing not far away with her arms outstretched and her head thrown back. She seemed to be mumbling in some foreign language.

Heineken jumped to the helm and spun the wheel turning the ship with the wind. The other ship did likewise. Norwind and Samson were hauling on the halyard to raise the mainsail when a tree flew across and snapped the line. Looking back, Heineken saw several pirates reloading a huge ballista with a pole about three meters long.

Samson too had seen this and he ran towards the side of the ship. Heineken thought for a instant that the big man was going to jump overboard, but instead Samson bent over and picked up one of the counterweight sand bags. When the pirates launched the ballista again, it was aimed directly at the Cutter's rudder mechanism. The damage would have been fatal, except at the last minute, Samson heaved the sand bag over the side where it intercepted the missile and saved the ship's steering system.

To his left, Heineken saw Keeneye launching a deadly barrage of arrows. They were obviously having some affect because the incoming missiles were decreasing in number. By the mast, Heineken saw Avery carrying the limp form of Skimmer below deck. The quiet halfelf should have been helping with the fight, he thought, but he did not object to Avery tending to the youth.

Suddenly, twin streaks of blue fury reached out and touched the enemy's ship. The mages' magic sent figures scattering and a huge fire erupted on deck. At the same time, Norwind tied off the main halyard. The Westward Cutter's sails snapped tight and the deck lurched forward. Without pausing to think, Heineken dashed back to the helm and held the wheel tightly.

The pirate ship was falling behind at an alarming rate and it took the old dwarf a moment to realize that this new wind was exclusively his. The answer to its origin could be seen in the lovely woman standing near the bow with the wind whipping through her deep chestnut hair. Her arms were raised as if she were a conductor of a music company leading them through a performance. Lightning and thunder bent to her will, while the wind drove the ship faster than it had ever traveled before.

Heineken watched critically as the pirate ship quickly dwindled to a dot on the horizon. Norwind came aft while holding to the railing to keep from being blown down by the saving wind. He offered to relieve the captain so that he might see to his apprentice, but Heineken refused. Instead, he issued orders and directions to drop the sail and trim the airfoil for a high speed turn back towards the Twin Cities. He was confident they were far enough from the pirates that they would not make another attempt on them.

It took several hours for Marlena's conjured storm to dissipate. In that time, the Westward Cutter made superb time. Heineken felt even better when he was told that Avery had managed to save Skimmer. The healer recommended rest for about a week before returning to work, a prognosis which Heineken was all too happy to oblige.

Heineken was overly grateful towards his passengers for saving his craft. He even offered to refund their fee, but Marlena refused, causing Ultrecht to bite his tongue. The next day they saw the shoreline north of the Twin Cities on the horizon. Heineken promised his passengers that they would sleep in a tavern for that night; it was the least he could do, and as night fell, the Cutter pulled into her berth and was secured by dock hands.

Heineken insisted that he be allowed to buy them a meal and at least a one night's stay in an inn owned by one of his friends. Marlena accepted on behalf of everyone arguing that she needed a good bed to get some sleep in for a change. Seymore, feeling in a jesty mood, commented that it was beauty sleep that she really needed. This earned him a menacing scowl.

That night Heineken entertained a good fifty patrons in the tavern with a tale of how he and a few of his friends had fought off pirates coming out of the Ice Kingdom. The company was highly amused as each of them heard the number of ships increase with each passing telling of the tale throughout the night. Finally, the innkeeper closed the tavern and everyone retired.