Birthright: Lord of Arda (7 page)

Chapter XII

Alexander

Alex grabbed hold of the door frame as the ship rocked from side to side. Magnus grumbled in the corner, he hadn't taken well to being at sea. The first two nights they had been clearing up after his sick having to blame it on poor Troy. The boy seemed to get his sea legs almost instantly and was the first of them to be up and around the ship.

"Stay here."

The two were unlikely to move, it was almost midnight and Troy was struggling to keep his eyes open. Alex shut the door behind him and made his way down the hall to the main mess room. Ducking through the door, he spotted the same three men around the table that he met every night. They looked up and smiled at him as he walked in.

"Here for another game?"

"Hmm only a short one, you took most of my coin last time."

One of the men pulled out the chair next to him and waved him over. As he sat down at the table he spotted a fourth man in the room. He was sat quietly on his knees in the corner, his head down in his chest. The man was covered head to toe in plate armour, Alex's blacksmith's training took hold. He looked over each separate piece of metal, they were all expertly crafted and inlaid with intricate runes and designs.

"A Knight of the Stone Order. Pretty rare to see one this far south."

One of the men observed as he pushed over a small cup to Alex before dropping five dice next to it.

"You roll. Three Kobels."

"You know that’s all I have, why would I bet it all on the first game?"

"Because that is the only way you are going to make any money."

"Two Kobels and you roll first, Sven."

The man conceded and picked up the dice and cup from in front of him. He did his customary blow on the dice, three shakes over his right, one on his left before throwing the dice out onto the table. Alex took a sharp intake of breath, it was a good roll. He had three fours, a two and a five. He needed a big roll if he was ever going to come off the ship with more money than he had come on with. He picked up the dice and cup, gave it one big shake then threw them back down.

"Oh for the love of the gods."

Alex broke out into laughter, he had rolled five ones. Five of a kind, the best roll of the game. He held out his open palm to Sven who reluctantly placed two bronze Kobels in his hand. He smiled at the man before handing the cup over to the man opposite, who began to bet with the final man at the table.

"So these Knights of the Stone. Who...?"

"Who are they? I guessed you wouldn’t know too much about them. You don’t see too many this far south, only a few roam the Kingdom of Arda, they mostly spend their time in the northern Kingdoms fighting off the heretics from the mountains. They are a military order for the faith, born during the Old Empire. They roam the known world defending the believers and striking down the heretics. Their armour is supposedly blessed by the gods themselves and is handed down from one Knight to the next. Each suit is hundreds of years old."

"Actually I remember a few people mentioning one or two at the Roost before."

"They are normally seen in pairs, each knight is tasked with finding an apprentice to train in the arts of the Stone Order and when his days are finally over a trained successor to take their place in the Order’s Knights."

Alex looked over to the man who sat completely still even as the ship rocked from side to side. Laid in front of him was his sword and shield, a round piece of polished steel with an engraved hand in the middle. The man opposite Alex swore as he smacked his hand down onto the table, Alex looked down to see three three's and a pair of sixes. A full house, the man handed over a few bronze Kobels of his own before the victor looked over to Alex.

"Five Kobels, all or nothing."

After his last roll, Alex felt confident about his chances, luck was on his side tonight. He nodded taking the cup and dice. Again he gave it one big shake before dumping them out on the table. He immediately regretted his choice, two fours, a three, a one and a six was laying on the table. The man opposite smiled, as he picked up the dice, he gave it a few shakes and then threw. As he did another man barged into the room an anxious look in his eye.

"Everyone move, Now!

Chapter XIII

Braden

Braden looked out over the open sea, he could just make out the shoreline in the black of night. His hands rested on the rail of the Summer Wind, the captain had boasted of her speed and grace during their first night aboard, she was truly a beautiful ship. Whereas others had maxed out their holds to transport cargo, the Summer Wind had a whole lower deck just for passengers and crew. The rooms were not large and had only two small bunks to sleep in. Braden and Alex had taken turns as to who got a bed, leaving the other for Troy and Magnus to share. The two had become attached over their time in the cabin. Braden and Alex had agreed that it was best for Troy to stay in the cabin with Magnus at all times, not only to keep the lion cub quiet but when the winds changed the deck turned into organised chaos, if Troy got caught up in it he could easily get hurt or worse thrown overboard. It was Braden’s turn to sleep on the floor tonight, but he had decided to go up on deck. He also needed time to think about all that had happened. It was strange to think that it had been almost two week since the attack and his mother had passed. He had spent every waking moment since then with Alex at his side, their friendship had grown stronger yet distant in that time. Alex had brought up the discussion about his father a few times and either Braden had been able to deflect the conversation away or Troy would barge his way in. He hadn’t known what to say, to either Alex or his father when he saw him. Would he be angry? He thought so, but there was still so many unanswered questions. All he knew was that he needed to get to Alton. He heard the creaking of the wood all around him as the boom swung around. He turned to watch the man at the helm spin the wheel to the right before standing still again the man turned to look at Braden.

“That’s it. We have made it around the point, only a day or so until we reach the mouth of the River Tal then another to sail to Talbot.”

“That’s good news. I heard this journey is normally a lot longer?” Braden replied.

“Yes it is, but you were lucky, with the second moon above the seas are calm so we can make excellent time.”

Braden looked up to the moon, it sat high in the midnight sky surrounded by stars. Looking over the horizon he saw the bright white of the second moon lighting up the sea, it was already beginning to fall from the sky. It would be gone completely in two days returning in six weeks.

“I thought the sailors hated the second moon, that it made the weather crazy not calm.”

“That’s true over the Great Eastern Sea, but here on the White Sea it makes the water as flat as a blade.”

“Why is that?”

“No idea, perhaps the gods don’t like the Eastern Sea. They say its good luck if you sail under the two moons.”

“Well, Teddy you must be lucky."

He reached out and shook the sailor’s rough callous hands, he noticed the sword hanging at his hip, most of the crew were equipped with some sort of weapon. The White Sea was an inland expanse of water nearly half the size of Arda. It was plagued with pirates, he had heard one or two stories about the evil pirates who stalked the shores of Arda and Eridth, from the sailors. One man had told him a story of when he was captured by a pirate crew, but they didn’t kill him because he had the sharpest eyes on the Carass sea and could see for miles. He had kept watch for them and helped spot their next prey in payment for his life. The captain had told Braden shortly after, that the man had lost his mind a few years ago and that he made up stories from time to time. But his eyes were the best out there so he kept him around.

"What brings you to the Summer Wind?"

"I'm travelling to the Capitol. Me I am looking to join the city guard."

"Well it’s nice to meet you."

A thud echoed across the bridge of the Summer Wind followed by a gargling. Braden turned to see to see an arrow sticking out of Teddy's neck. A second was embedded in the wood to one side. As his body slumped to the floor, the wheel spun to one side the wind dragging the ship towards the coast. The sudden lurch in the ship had saved Braden's life as he watched an arrow pass by in front of his eyes to where his head had been. As he fell to his knees, he reached out and grabbed the wheel stopping the ship from turning into the cliffs.

"We're under attack!" He screamed from the bridge.

Within a split second, the deck below erupted as two sailors echoed his calls. The closest ran up the steps to the bridge taking two in each stride. As he reached the top he spotted Teddy's dead body next to Braden, the arrow still protruding from his neck. He moved quickly to the rail looking over the edge, quickly darting back under the railing as another arrow shot past.

"Pirates... Everyone to the deck!"

This time the ship erupted into full action, the second sailor swung open the hatch to the lower deck and screamed “pirates” into the hold. The first sailor helped Braden pull the wheel back away from the direction of the cliffs, pointing the ship back out into the ocean. He looked down at the sword hanging at Braden's hip.

"I hope you know how to use that."

Braden nodded, drawing the blade, he kept one hand on the wheel as the sailor drew Teddy's blade.

"We need to hold the bridge area, the Captain and the crew will secure the main deck. Hopefully they will send someone up here to help us. Luckily, we are at the at the highest point of the railing, so it makes it harder for them to get to us. I’m Stephen by the way"

As he looked down at the main deck he watched as the second sailor began to light a number of lanterns before tying them to the main mast and the front and rear hatch, creating a line of light down the middle of the ship. It was just bright enough to reach the end of the deck either side.

"It temporarily blinds the pirates as they come over the edge their eyes have adjusted to the darkness whilst rowing here so the bright light will blind them giving our men a chance to attack."

Within a few minutes the majority of the crew was on the main deck all with weapons drawn. Alex had also come up with his blacksmith hammer in one hand and the short sword he had brought, in the other. He was stationed at the entrance to the lower deck with another sailor. As they began to take their positions, Braden spotted another man he had not seen before standing in the middle of the ship near the captain. He was covered neck down in plate armour, a round shield in one hand and a sword in the other. The first of the pirates launched himself over the railing just as the sailors had finished taking their positions. As more of them dropped to the floor, a dozen arrows shot over their heads, most of them were too high, sailing straight over the ship into the water on the other side. One hit a sailor in the chest killing him instantly. The pirates charged, some covering their eyes slashing their swords from side to side.

"Here we go!"

Braden looked over at the sailor next to him as he stood with one hand on the wheel the other gripping the sword tightly. As the first pirates crashed into the sailors Braden felt his chest begin to heat up, he thought about the adrenaline that must be rushing through him. It reminded him of when he used to fight Bronn, how excited and nervous he used to get before a session. But this was a hundred times stronger. The threat of death got his blood pumping, he reached down touching his chest and he could feel his mother's ring underneath his shirt. Reaching under, he lifted the ring out, kissing it softly as he whispered a prayer to Kora, the god of justice.

"You ready kid?"

Looking up he spotted two pirates split off from the main group and head up to the elevated bridge.

"I'll take them you keep the ship straight."

"You sure kid?"

Braden didn’t have time to reply as the first pirate reached the top of the stairs. He was tall and skinny, his arms looked like small sinews of muscle each covered in scars, some healed some fresh and pink. He had a small blade in his left hand and what looked like a pick axe in the other, his face was covered in dark matted hair from his beard and head. As soon as he spotted Braden, feet a shoulder width apart, his blade held in front of him, he smiled revealing a missing tooth before he lunged forward. It was quick, so quick, almost as if it hadn't happened. The only evidence to Braden was the dead man on the floor, face down a pool of blood forming under his chest and the second on his knees in front of him, his head rolled back with Braden's sword sticking out of his chest. As he let go of the sword the pirate dropped to his side, his head cracking against the floor. Braden looked back toward the first pirate and then up to the sailor, who had a shocked look in his eyes, his mouth hung slightly open.

"Wow kid, you were so quick. I don’t think they even knew what happened."

"I don’t think I did either."

"Well... Watch out."

Braden turned to see another pirate charging up the steps towards him, he felt the heat rise again. Ducking down he pulled his sword from the second pirate’s body, swinging it up to meet the downward slash from the pirate’s chipped and bloody sword. The impact vibrated up Braden's arm, the pirate took another swipe, which he parried away to his left, a third to his right and on the fourth he was able to roll out of the way and get to his feet. As soon as he was standing, the pirate charged again drawing another sword from behind his back. He started to hack away at Braden again, forcing him to take steps back to stop the man from cleaving him in two. Parrying left, right, up and down, Braden could see the pirate’s short swords had the edge over his long blade, only Bronn's training was saving his life. Then he felt the wood rail at his back, he had nowhere to go and from the grin on the pirate’s face, he knew it too. The pirate started hacking away again, this time more ferocious. The blows harder and more direct, he was going for raw power instead of finesse, Braden's wrists began to ache at the pressure of the pirates attack. Then it came, the pirate raised both blades above his head and swung them down at Braden who raised his sword one more time, to save his life. As the blades struck, the pressure ricocheted Braden's sword from his hand, leaving him defenceless.

"Bad luck me pretty."

The pirate’s teeth were rotten, his breath worse. He pinned Braden down with his left arm, the blade at his throat. Braden pulled back his right arm. Aiming the point for the pirate’s heart he thrust just as blood spirted out, covering his face and the weight on his neck lessen. Dropping to the floor he looked down at his shirt which was covered in blood, but he couldn’t feel anything. Looking up, he saw the pirate still standing there a glazed look in his eyes, a sword embedded in the side of his neck. He watched as Stephen yanked the sword from the pirate, blood continued to squirt out of the gaping hole before he kicked him onto and over the railings. He reached down and pulled Braden to his feet, before picking up his sword and handing it back to him.

"You alright, kid?"

Braden was still in shock, he thought he had been killed. He just nodded in reply. The sailor put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"It’s over now, the bastards ran. They lost too many, I guess their captain didn’t think we were worth it."

Braden slunk back down against the rail, his sword hung in his hand to the side. The burning in his chest was gone now, he felt cold and tired. At the sound of people coming up the stairs, he raised his head and gripped his sword tighter, the captain came into view, he relaxed again resting up against the rail. The man strode onto the bridge his right arm and face splattered with blood. Behind him came two more sailors and finally Alex. His friend looked wide awake, the adrenaline still flowing through his system. The captain looked down at the two dead pirates then to the blood trail and two swords lying on the ground.

"Your handy work, First Mate?"

"No Captain, it was the kid's."

The Captain looked over to Braden, he probably wasn’t in the best of shape. He knew he was covered in blood and looked exhausted from the nights fighting.

"Well, it seems it was my good luck that brought you on board, young man."

"Luck didn’t have anything to do with it Captain, the kid has talent with a blade, he killed those two in a blink of an eye then held off another one whilst I was able to get to him from behind."

"Can you stop calling me kid?"

Stephen just smiled back at him, as Alex came over to his side.

"Well, luck or skill, I owe you something for saving my First Mate's life. How about you eat with me tomorrow night? I'll get the cook to rustle up something special and I’ll open a bottle of Dorian Wine."

"Wine sounds good to me."