"Thy craft lies ready. I wish to thank thee for bringing Welfo to our island. She will be a wife to my son and a daughter to Downyrose and myself. Mayhap the seas will carry ye back this way one day, who knows? Speak no more now, but go, Let good fortune attend thee and may thy desires be fulfilled, the earth needs good creatures like thee."
No sooner had they cast off than the small craft was swept out into a swiftly running sea, even without the aid of a sail. Triss took the tiller as Shogg unfurled the sail and trimmed up the ropes. The sea made little noise. There were no crests of white foam on the grey-green waves, which moved with an alarming speed and smoothness. When Triss looked back, Peace Island was far away and rapidly diminishing below the horizon.
There was little time for talk or reflection as they hurtled along with the ma.s.sive oily swells. Shogg relieved the squirrelmaid at the tiller, allowing her to prepare some food for them both. Triss glanced anxiously at the towering green walls of water as the ketch scudded from valley to peak of each one. There was hardly any wind, yet the current was running faster.
She enquired cautiously of her friend, "Are we still on course, Shogg?"
Staring dead ahead and clenching the tiller tight, the otter replied, "Can"t say, matey, we"ve even lost sight o" the island to use as a point. I reckon we"ll do well just to stay alive in waters like these. Better reef in our sail, Triss, afore a wind springs up. It might come from the wrong direction, an" these waves"d swamp us."
There was no sign of the high seas abating as darkness fell. It was going to be a long and sleepless night. Taking a crust of bread and a flagon of water, Triss stationed herself in the bows, keeping a lookout for anything at all that lay ahead. She found herself gazing over desolate watery wastes every time they rose on the waveswell.
Shogg manoeuvred the tiller, hoping against hope that Triss might sight land. Dark cloud ma.s.ses, muddy purple and smoky cream, began obscuring the stars as they boiled up over the horizon ahead. There was no hint of a breeze. Then suddenly an earth-shattering boom crashed overhead and lightning ripped the heavens into fleeting brightness.
Shogg roared at Triss, "Get back "ere with me, there"s a big storm brewin"!"
The wind came then, howling out of nowhere. It soaked Triss, whipping water over the bows as she retreated to the stern and grabbed the tiller with Shogg.
Squinting their eyes against the blinding rain, they huddled together, awed by the mighty forces of nature. Every moment Shogg expected one of the mountainous waves to crash down on the tiny craft, but miraculously it stayed afloat, still whipping onward over the storm-rent deeps.
Triss dashed water from her eyes, pointing ahead. "What"s that?"
Shogg saw it also. "A light, it"s a light!"
Seaspray washed into the squirrelmaid"s mouth as she shouted to make herself heard. "Is it land, Shogg?"
Prince Bladd lay in his bunk, a blanket wrapped about his head as he wailed in terror, "Der shtorm, it vill sink de boat! Help me!"
At that same moment, Kurda staggered across the deck, holding on to Captain Riftun"s spearhaft as he went ahead of her. They barged into Plugg"s cabin, where the fox was swilling grog with Tazzin and Grubbage. He looked up.
"Aharr, "tis the lovely Princess "erself. Wot can ole Cap"n Plugg do for ye on such a pleasant night, me dearie?"
Kurda was shaken by the sudden storm, but she would not let the Freebooter see her fear. "Is der ship in danger? Vill de shtorm sink us?"
Plugg, grog slopping down his chin, grinned crookedly. "Nah, it wouldn"t dare sink a ship carryin" a prince an" a princess, specially one who"s as good wid a sword as you!"
Riftun banged his spear angrily on the table. "Watch yore mouth, Plugg. Is there a safe cabin aboard, one where Princess Kurda can ride out the storm?"
Plugg gestured upward with his grog beaker. "Aye, there"s one above this on the stern peak, comfy liddle berth. I usually sleep there meself, but "er "igh royalness can "ave it fer the night. Best cabin on the ole Seascab, Seascab, still as a rock an" safe as "ouses!" still as a rock an" safe as "ouses!"
Kurda rapped out imperiously. "It vill do for der night. Captain Riftun, you vill take me dere!"
A mixture of wind, rain and seaspray whooshed into the cabin as Riftun opened the door. He was slammed back against the bulkhead, Kurda with him.
Plugg roared at them, "Gerrout an" shut that door!"
The pair departed, with the rat captain struggling to close the door behind them. In the silence that followed, the silver fox hooted with laughter.
"Aharrharrharr! Still as a rock an" safe as "ouses? Hawhawhaw! She"ll spend the night goin" up an" down like a toad in a bucket. I"ll teach the snotnosed liddle whelp t"stand there givin" Plugg Firetail orders. Hawhawhaw!"
Grubbage, as usual, had not heard his captain properly. But he joined in the laughter, pretending he had. "Hee- heehee! A frog an" a fly take borders. I like that "un, Cap"n. Heeheehee!"
Chit on deck, Kurda and Riftun negotiated the small set of stairs to the stern peak, their heads bowed against the storm"s onslaught. Immediately after they gained the top deck, Kurda knew that Plugg was playing one of his wicked jests on her. The Seascab Seascab was rolling wildly, plunging up and down like a madbeast in its death throes. The Princess was flung against the stern rail, where she clung grimly for dear life. Riftun slithered and skated about on the seaslick deck, then dug his spear point in the timbers and hauled himself to her side. Thunder rumbled out of the distance and banged overhead in a loud explosion. A sheet of lightning followed. Kurda was bent over the rail, facing the sea. In the brief illumination from the lightning flash, she screeched, "There dey are, there dey aaaaaare!" was rolling wildly, plunging up and down like a madbeast in its death throes. The Princess was flung against the stern rail, where she clung grimly for dear life. Riftun slithered and skated about on the seaslick deck, then dug his spear point in the timbers and hauled himself to her side. Thunder rumbled out of the distance and banged overhead in a loud explosion. A sheet of lightning followed. Kurda was bent over the rail, facing the sea. In the brief illumination from the lightning flash, she screeched, "There dey are, there dey aaaaaare!"
Not half a boatlength away and slightly astern of the Seascab Seascab was the small stolen vessel, with Shogg and Triss, soaked to the skin, clinging to the tiller. The small, light craft was rapidly overhauling the huge Freebooter ship. Kurda saw the pair look up, their faces showing clearly in the lights from Plugg"s rear cabin window. She seized Riftun"s paw. was the small stolen vessel, with Shogg and Triss, soaked to the skin, clinging to the tiller. The small, light craft was rapidly overhauling the huge Freebooter ship. Kurda saw the pair look up, their faces showing clearly in the lights from Plugg"s rear cabin window. She seized Riftun"s paw.
"Get one of dem mitt your spear, de streamdog. I vant de other von alive. T"row, kill der streamdog!"
Shogg and Triss were horror-stricken. The light they had been sailing for was a huge Freebooter ship, with their archenemies, Kurda and Riftun, aboard. Frozen with shock, they sat staring up at the mad-eyed Princess urging her captain to slay Shogg. Riftun raised his spear, grinning cruelly down at them. It was a throw he could hardly miss. He brought the weapon back over his shoulder for a stronger cast. Bang! Craaaaaack! Bang! Craaaaaack! A bolt of lightning struck the iron spearblade. A bolt of lightning struck the iron spearblade.
Hurling the tiller to port, Shogg sent the little craft skipping nimbly by, narrowly missing the Seascab"s Seascab"s stern. stern.
Kurda did not know what had happened for a moment, as she had been watching Shogg, waiting for the spear to strike him. Turning, she saw the rat Captain lying rigid on the deck, every hair on his body standing up like a needle. His paw was welded to the smoking and shattered spear, rain sizzling as it spattered on the momentarily red-hot iron blade. Riftun was dead as a doornail.
The beautifully built little ship, which Agarnu had commissioned for his royal offspring, flashed by and was swallowed up into the gale-torn night, Plugg shielded his grog from the wetness that blew in as the cabin door slammed open again. "Was you born in a field? Shut that clatterin" door!"
Looking anything but regal, the saturated Pure Ferret left Grubbage to struggle with the door as she staggered into the cabin, flailing her paws like a windmill.
"Mine ship, I haff seen mine ship, mitt two slaves in it, sailing by ... out dere!"
The Freebooter fox took a gulp of grog and belched. "Well, ain"t that a turnip fer the ship"s log. Where"s ole pastyface Riftun, swimmin" after it?"
Kurda ignored the fox"s heavy-pawed sarcasm. "Riftun is slayed by der lightnink, he vos stricken! Mine ship is getting avay, you vill catch her!"
Plugg shrugged noncommittally. "I never took to that Riftun, "e was a snootynosed rat. Don"t worry about yore pretty liddle ship. If"n she"s still afloat by mornin", we"ll run "er down all right. Just one other thing, missy, if"n ye ain"t got double the value o" that ship, well, "tis mine. Yore pa said I gets double the value of any booty we bring back. So if I sails back inter Riftgard with "er in tow, ye can kiss yore ship goodbye. She"ll be sailin" under Plugg"s colours!"
Kurda did not have her sabre to paw. She stood in front of the Freebooter, shaking with murderous rage. "If I had not left my sabre in der cabin, you vould be a deadbeast now, seasc.u.m!"
Plugg winked at Slitfang and smiled sweetly. "Ain"t she the one, mate. Pity ye didn"t bring yore sword out on deckthe lightnin" would"ve struck you, me pretty one. That might"ve brightened yore night up, aharrharr!"
The Princess stamped her paw as she poured forth venom. "You stupid mudbrained slug, von day I vill haff your head on a spike, den ve see how you laugh, yarr! I vill tell mein father how I vas treated by you. De only double revard he vill give is to haff you chopped in two halves!"
Plugg tossed his empty grog flagon aside and got another. "Teh tch, naughty naughty! A bargain"s a bargain when anybeast makes it wid Plugg Firetail, missie, ye"ll soon find that out. Well now, ye can stand stampin" yer lid-die paw there as much as ye like. There ain"t a thing t"be done "til this storm blows over an" we got daylight enough t"see wot we"re chasin". So you toddle off now, to that there snug liddle cabin I let you "ave fer the night."
Kurda curled her lip and scowled at him. "I go back to mine own cabin, but first I vill choose a Ratguard to attend me. I do not trust you, yarr!"
Plugg turned to his messmates, speaking with mock sincerity. "D"you lot "ear that? She don"t trust dear old Plugg! That"s "ow you never got t"be a princess, Grubbage, by puttin" yore trust in me."
Grubbage nodded sagely. "Aye, a rusty flea, Cap"n, that"s me. Shall I show the Princess back to "er cabin?"
Kurda pushed Grubbage roughly aside. "I find my own vay!" She strode regally from the cabin, with the raucous laughter of Plugg and his cronies ringing in her ears.
21.
Sometime just before dawn the storm abated. Thunder echoed dully, far off across pale, slate-streaked skies. Rain slacked to a drizzling curtain in wan daylight. The sea was still running high. Shogg and Triss were sleeping, sitting draped over the tiller, worn out and exhausted after their tempestuous ordeal. The otter slid forward bit by bit, until his nose b.u.mped against the tiller arm. He sat up straight, blinking through salt-crusted eyes, immediately aware of the sound of waves pounding across reefs and breaking on the sh.o.r.e.
"Triss, wake up, mate! Tis land, straight ahead. Land!" The squirrelmaid woke, shivering, damp and cold. She stared at the approaching coastline, rocks and shingle broken by patches of sandy sh.o.r.e. It did not appear very welcoming, but it was a marvellous sight to a pair of escaped slaves.
"Where are we, Shogg?"
Her friend applied his attention to the tiller. ""I ain"t got a clue, but well be in big trouble if we runs afoul o" those reefs, matey. Let"s try to slide in easy-like."
Recalling the previous night, Triss scanned the horizon. "Where"s the big ship gone, d"you see it anywhere?"
Shogg smiled grimly. "T"the bottom o" the sea, I "ope. I don"t see it about, but there ain"t any sense in takin" chances. We won"t put up the sail in case it gives us awaya sail can be seen from a good distance off. You see if"n there"s any dry vittles left, an" water, too. I"d give me rudder for a mouthful of fresh water right now. Attend to that an" keep yore eyes peeled. I"ll try an" get us to sh.o.r.e safely."
Viewing the strange new land, Shogg felt a thrill of antic.i.p.ation as the sh.o.r.e loomed closer. He used all his skills to tack between the perilous rocks, some poking up out of the sea, others lying beneath the surface. Centering his attention at a sprawling stone outcrop on the tideline, Shogg sent the vessel toward it.
Triss found some apples that were undamaged. She uncorked a flagon of drinking water and tipped it to her mouth, washing out the heavy salt taste of the sea. It was sweet and refreshing. She pa.s.sed it to Shogg, who wedged it against the tiller.
"I"ll take a drop when I gets us past this tricky bit, mate. There! "Tis a straight run to land now. Let"s drink to our escape, Triss, we made it!"
As the keel sc.r.a.ped upon sand, Shogg leaped over into the shallows and hauled on the headrope. Triss was about to join him when she spotted the double sails bellying out on the horizon.
"It"s the big ship! Look!"
The otter acted promptly as he sighted the Seascab. Seascab. "Quick, let"s pull "er in behind these rocks. I "ope they ain"t caught sight of us!" "Quick, let"s pull "er in behind these rocks. I "ope they ain"t caught sight of us!"
Between them they managed to push and shove the vessel to the lee side of the outcrop. Shogg began stripping the sail from the mast and rolling it up, whilst Triss salvaged what food she could from their spoiled stores.
Empty grog flagons rolled about on Plugg"s cabin floor as the ship swayed gently. He sat with his head on the table, snoring in his chair.
"Laaaaaand hoooooooo!"
A moment later the silver fox was stumbling out on deck. "Land ye say, where away?"
Tazzin, who was on duty as steersbeast, pointed. "Straight on as she lies, Cap"n, dead ahead!"
Kurda came bounding up from amidships. "De land, mine new captain see it first, yarr. He say somet"ink move, over by der rocks. See!"
Plugg was too preoccupied with their position to pay the Princess much heed. He scanned the coast up and down.
Kurda slapped her sabre blade against the rail. "Vot you lookin" for, vy you don"t listen to me?"
Plugg spoke as he continued inspecting the sh.o.r.eline. "There should be a river runnin" out across the beach. That"s where the chart says we make our landfall. I"m lis-senin" to yer, missy. Now who saw wot, eh?"
Kurda beckoned a tall, grave-faced Ratguard to her side. "Diss von, he is Vorto, mine new captain- Tell him!"
Vorto saluted with his spear before reporting to Plugg. "I saw it, a liddle boat, runnin" fer those rocks, showin" no sail. May"ap "tis moored behind the rocks, Cap"n."
Plugg turned, bringing his face close to the new officer and squinting into his eyes. "Vorto, eh, you got a fair ole pair o" peepers on ye. Oh well, I"ll "ave to take "er in an" scout the coast "til I finds a landmark. Tazzin, you steer "er landwards, but stop before those big reefs. I"ll be in me cabin, a-studyin" the chart. Shout out when yore droppin" anchor."
Kurda blocked Plugg"s way, gesturing with her sabre. "You t"row down de anchor by de reefs, how ve get ash.o.r.e?"
The Freebooter pushed past her, heading for his cabin. "Yore free to wade or swim, but if"n you stops playin" wid that toy sword, I"ll let ye ride in the ship"s boat wid me. Slitty, make ready the jollyboat fer when we anchors."
From their cover in the rocks, Shogg and Triss watched the Seascab Seascab heading in a direct line for the outcrop. The otter shouldered the rolled-up sail. "Cut an" run, Triss, "tis all that"s left to us. We ain"t stoppin" round "ere fer Kurda to practise "er sabre on us." heading in a direct line for the outcrop. The otter shouldered the rolled-up sail. "Cut an" run, Triss, "tis all that"s left to us. We ain"t stoppin" round "ere fer Kurda to practise "er sabre on us."
The squirrelmaid hefted a stone-tipped spear, part of the simple weaponry Bistort had left aboard for them. "I wish I could stay and pay her back for murdering poor old Drufo. I"d give her the same chance she gave him. None!"
Shogg weighed the bag of slingstones and the sling he had armed himself with. "Aye, but there"s prob"ly a full crew o" Freebooters an" a pack o" Ratguards with "er. We wouldn"t stand a chance, Triss. Right, we"d best move. Let"s go east an" a touch north, keepin" those rocks atween us an" them so they don"t see us. Kurda will try to track us, ye can rely on it."
They set off at a brisk jog toward some dunes.
Kurda did not wait for Vorto to a.s.sist her. She leaped from the jollyboat and splashed off through the shallows toward the rocks. Plugg had brought Prince Bladd along with him but, when the Freebooter captain jumped overboard into the shallows, the fat young princeling kept his seat in the jollyboat"s centre.
"I get mine paws vetted if I jump in dere, I not like vet paws!"
Plugg shook his head in despair. "Slitty, you "n" Ripper give Prince s...o...b..rchops a lift ash.o.r.e, an" don"t get "is paws wet, "e don"t like it!"
Vorto waited until all the Ratguards had waded ash.o.r.e. Lining them up, he marched off to find the Princess.
Kurda was standing on the lee side of the rocks, leaning against the stolen boat, studying the pawprints that ran off toward the dunes. Vorto arrived with the Ratguards and saluted smartly.
The Princess smiled. "Yarr, mine good Vorto, you vere right. Here is der ship, and der tracks, see!"
Plugg came swaggering up with a few of his crew. He inspected the vessel, stroking its sides and patting the stern in admiration. The Freebooter liked what he saw.
"Haharr, she"s an "andsome liddle beauty. The slaves who built this"n knowed wot they was doin". Now then, yer "igh royalness, I wouldn"t be stannin" gapin" at those pawtracks all day, if"n I was you. This drizzle will soon wash "em out."
Kurda gave him a supercilious stare and drew her sabre. "Tchah! You know about der sea, but I know all about der land. Vere is Riggan?"
At Vorto"s command, a rat stepped forward. She was of wiry build, older than the rest, with a long nose and slitted eyes. Kurda"s sabre pointed to the fugitive tracks.
"You can find dese creatures, yarr?"
Riggan crouched and sniffed the prints. She rubbed a few grains of sand in one paw and licked them lightly. "Find "em? Yer "ighness, Riggan can find "em as easy as findin" vittles on a plate fer dinner!"
The Pure Ferret smirked at the Freebooter Captain. "n.o.beast has ever escaped Riggan, She is mine father"s special slavecatcher. Dis rat can track a b.u.t.terfly over de solid rocks. A drop of der drizzle vill not stop her!"
Plugg"s voice oozed sarcasm as he answered. "Ye don"t say? Now, ain"t that nice. Right ho, me beauty, you take yore rats off an" play yore liddle "unting game. As fer me, well, I"m only a simple ole Freebooter. I"ll "ave me crew cast about fer landmarks so we kin find this Mossflower place, while I stops "ere an" polishes me new liddle boat up. May"aps ye"ll bring me "er sail back when you catches up wid those slavebeasts. Now, be careful ye don"t rip it, I"m partickler about me property, eh, Slitty?"
Slitfang grinned. "Aye, very partickler, Cap"n!"
But Kurda was not listening. She had set off with her Ratguards, slightly behind Riggan, who was travelling at a fast, easy lope over the wet sands.
Shogg and Triss headed east over the dunes, making for an outcrop of trees in the distance. The squirrelmaid got slightly ahead of her otter friend. She stopped and waited for him to catch up.
He hitched the bundle of sailcloth higher on his back. "Runnin" takes some gettin" used to, matey, after all that sittin" on me rudder in a boat fer long days. Let"s keep on goin", me paws are beginnin" to feel better now."
The land was mostly scrub gra.s.s, with patches of broom and thistle. They ran steadily, side by side, with Shogg occasionally glancing back over his shoulder.