Sekali, "The Sister City"
Chapter 50
Sekali had never been on a ship, and it wasn’t long before his stomach told him so. Soon he was up on deck, trying with all the control he had to keep his breakfast down. Now he knew for sure this ocean was cursed. It made him sick if he drank it . . . or sailed upon it. It was vile, and he vowed he would never step foot onto a ship again if ever he survived this horrible ordeal. Clutching the rail, Sekali concentrated weakly, having half a mind to slip into shadow. But he did not. He would suffer with this curse; the mission was far too vital to miss anything. Besides, he had to be there for his companions if they should need him.
It was Uther who saved him from the curse of sea sickness. Uther hated sailing, and made no pretense about it. But Uther was prepared with a plant Finyat had “purchased” the day before. Uther pulled out a leather pouch and pulled free a piece of serrated, two-finger wide, leaf.
“Here, suck on this, but do not swallow the leaf itself.” Sekali took it, placing it in his mouth. It was sweet, but the texture was very coarse and prickly. After a few minutes his stomach stopped torturing him and his head no longer spun. He thanked Uther and headed to the front of the ship, curious to see the workings of the ship through this deep water. For hours he watched, feeling the ocean spray misting over him again and again.
That evening, while the three were up on deck, some of the crew were throwing dice up topside, the captain watching on with no expression. Finyat wanted to play, but Uther touched his shoulder and shook his head once. Finyat sighed sadly and resigned himself to just watching. Sekali could have sworn Finyat was near to drooling, but he did as Uther bade and witnessed the gambling . . .and without picking one single pocket. They played on into the night as Sekali stood at the stern of the ship watching the large waves continuously dash against the sides, the stars slowly revolving across the heavens.
As he watched, mesmerized by this new experience, Sekali noticed Uther and Finyat nearby. They were sneaking sips of something out of a very small keg Uther had stowed away on board. Without hesitation, Sekali walked over to the two and snatched up the keg from the hands of Finyat and sniffed it. It was kohakk, and they’d already had a bit to drink. Without a thought, he threw it overboard and began to walk away. Behind him he heard the unfastening of Uther’s axe as he growled viciously. Finyat stood quickly and walked away.
“You wasted kohakk, elf!” Uther roared and advanced.
Realizing what was about to occur, and realizing what he’d just done, Sekali quickly looked about him to make sure there were no obstacles nearby.
The captain and her crew slowly gathered in a half-moon about the two and watched in dead silence. It was obvious this sort of behavior was forbidden on the Harbringer, for the look on the captain’s face, and all her crew, plainly showed disapproval.
Uther looked like a wounded and cornered basilisk, and seemed ready to strike. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked truly out of his senses. Sekali knew now that he should have spoken with him instead of reacting, but it was too late now. Maybe he had misjudged Uther; maybe he was far too unstable to rely on. Never before had a companion turned on him, he was truly at a loss as to what to do.
“Uther, stop!” Sekali held up his hands and did not draw his blade in an attempt to calm him down.
As Uther took a step forward, the ship suddenly slammed into something and was shoved sideways through the water, sending those near the railing hard up against it. Uther staggered back, slamming into the railing as the ship dangerously submersed down into the water. There was a splintering sound as wood gave way to the force of something below. They hadn’t struck something; something had impacted the ship, and it was not small.
Three men fell overboard with a wave that came over the side, Uther being one of them. Instantly the captain’s voice could be heard, yelling out the order to fight. Sekali saw Uther being carried away and lunged to grab him with all the speed he could, the wave of water up to his knees and washing him frightfully toward the side. Men falling over the rails cried out in terror.
Sekali felt the solid rail of the ship as he slammed into it. Luckily, his armor relieved him from most of the impact. His armor! Sekali realized, for the first time, that it was death, should he fall overboard. He grabbed hold of the railing as he shot out with a hand to grab hold of Uther’s foot. He had one chance, or the dwarf, and his amulet, would be lost. He felt his hand strike the ankle of Uther as a violent spray of sea water shot up the side of the ship. Gripping with all his might, Sekali held on to him and the railing as he, too, was hurled over the side. He closed his eyes against the sting of the saltwater, hearing the cries of men and women behind him.
The confusion lasted but a few brief moments as he held on tightly, feeling another wave splash across him. The ship felt as though it would capsize, but did not. It righted itself as the captain screamed loudly, “Brace, brace!”
Sekali concentrated all his will upon his grip on the rail, his other hand clutching Uther’s foot. He heard Uther sputter and curse in rage and fear and didn’t know what he was more afraid of, Uther, or falling into the ocean that threatened to swallow them all. At one point Sekali opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of Uther. He still had his battle-axe in hand. He could see its reflection from the moon and stars reflecting off its surface.
Then one of the men, in all the confusion, yelled, “Sea Turtle, Sea Turtle!” There was a sudden cheer from the entire crew, cut short by the captain’s voice barking out swift orders.
“Lower the sails, all but one . . . turn this craft about! Get those men out of the water! Get below and check the damage to the hull! Move, move!”
The crew, as if one, set to her commands. A few hands gripped Sekali’s arm and heaved them both back up on the water-soaked, disorganized-deck. It wasn’t easy holding onto Uther as they pulled him to safety, but he managed to somehow and both were saved from a watery grave.
The ship’s sails were lowered, all save one. The two other men who had fallen overboard were retrieved, not long after the gargantuan Sea Turtle had submerged. The collision had no doubt startled it, for within a moment it had vanished.
The damage to the ship was repaired before the light of morning began to illuminate the horizon. Sekali was amazed at the swiftness of the crew. Truly they were men and women adept in their trades. A bucket brigade fought against the water pouring through cracks in the side of the ship, as other members of the crew grabbed wide planks and tools to patch over the damaged sidings. Pitch was heated and applied to the patch, which stopped the water from invading the Harbringer. The captain oversaw everything without panic. Sekali admired her unshakable mind and the powerful presence she bolstered her crew with. The entire crew seemed to know her mind, and worked in perfect unity together. By sun-up the last of the water was gone back into the sea where it belonged and the ship was at full sail once again. It was as if it had never happened, and the crew was back to their duties. There was even a game of dice being enjoyed topside, as before.
As Sekali dried himself off, Uther approached him axe still in hand and growled, “If you ever waste kohakk again, I’ll pike your head, elf!”
Sekali ignored him and checked his neck to make sure he yet retained his third of the key. It was there, on the chain about his neck still.
Uther put up his axe. “Oh, thank you for saving my life, elf. I’ll call it even and forgive you.”
Uther held out a hand which Sekali took, much to the relief of one Shallant who had not been seen until that moment. Where he was the entire time, Sekali did not know, but now he was here, and once again his jovial self . . . soaked and wet.
Sekali thought the captain would have words with them, but she ignored them, not speaking one word about the alcohol incident.