Lazybones
Adventurer
Book 10: ADVENTURES ON THE HIGH SEAS
Chapter 240
Standing on the aft deck of the Golden Gull, Li Syval already fading into the horizon behind them, Galendra Sond felt free for the first time in weeks.
She stood at the gap in the human-sized railing, where a small platform built specifically for her overlooked the main deck below. A large post as thick around as her waist rose up from the center of the platform, wound in thick coils of hemp rope.
She stepped up onto the platform and watched her crew work her ship. The Gull seemed to leap across the waves, as if it too was eager to leave the city and its “civilization” behind.
Her expression slipped a bit as she saw a figure stumble over a coil of ropes below, but even that did little to erode her mood.
“Some of those new hires act like they’ve never been on a real ship,” she said.
Trev, standing at the full railing behind her, said, “There wasn’t much to choose from, Captain. Not after they learned our destination.”
She looked over her shoulder at her second-in-command. “You all right, Trev? You’ve seemed distracted of late.”
He looked at her, his pale blue eyes intense. “I’m sorry, Captain. Just thinking about the crossing, I guess.”
“Well, think about it where the crew can’t see,” she said. Turning back toward the bow, she added quietly, “It will be all right.”
There was a small commotion as her passengers came up onto the deck. Some of them, at least; she would be surprised if the dwarf had recovered enough for a stroll up-decks, and they hadn’t even hit serious water yet. The half-elven woman saw her and waved; Sond allowed herself an acknowledging salute.
“What do you think of our guests, Trev?” she asked.
“They know enough to stay out of the way,” her second replied.
She felt a sudden change in the breeze. “Time to step up,” she said. Trev started toward the rope-covered post, but she forestalled him with a raised hand. “I think we can hold on that for now,” she said. Time for a show, she thought. A proper display of what the tiny captain of the Gull could do might be just the thing, both for the new members of the crew and for the passengers whose gold was paying for this voyage.
She didn’t bother with an announcement, just stepped up to the front of the raised platform. For a moment nothing changed, then some of the old hands saw her and nudged their newer compatriots. Soon everyone not directly involved in a critical task was watching her, including the motley assortment of passengers standing in a close knot beside the main mast. Perfect she thought.
She raised her hands, and embraced the wind.
She had done this hundreds of times, but it still never ceased to fill her with amazement when the wind responded to her call. The sails, which had begun to droop as the breeze shifted, now filled again. They surged against their spars and lines, causing the entire mast to creak from the effort of holding the sails back. But the solid wood held, and the entire ship surged ahead in response. Such was her control that the passengers’ cloaks were barely ruffled. They looked impressed, or at least were looking at her in a new light.
Galendra laughed as the wind swirled around her and carried the Golden Gull forward across the waves.
Chapter 240
Standing on the aft deck of the Golden Gull, Li Syval already fading into the horizon behind them, Galendra Sond felt free for the first time in weeks.
She stood at the gap in the human-sized railing, where a small platform built specifically for her overlooked the main deck below. A large post as thick around as her waist rose up from the center of the platform, wound in thick coils of hemp rope.
She stepped up onto the platform and watched her crew work her ship. The Gull seemed to leap across the waves, as if it too was eager to leave the city and its “civilization” behind.
Her expression slipped a bit as she saw a figure stumble over a coil of ropes below, but even that did little to erode her mood.
“Some of those new hires act like they’ve never been on a real ship,” she said.
Trev, standing at the full railing behind her, said, “There wasn’t much to choose from, Captain. Not after they learned our destination.”
She looked over her shoulder at her second-in-command. “You all right, Trev? You’ve seemed distracted of late.”
He looked at her, his pale blue eyes intense. “I’m sorry, Captain. Just thinking about the crossing, I guess.”
“Well, think about it where the crew can’t see,” she said. Turning back toward the bow, she added quietly, “It will be all right.”
There was a small commotion as her passengers came up onto the deck. Some of them, at least; she would be surprised if the dwarf had recovered enough for a stroll up-decks, and they hadn’t even hit serious water yet. The half-elven woman saw her and waved; Sond allowed herself an acknowledging salute.
“What do you think of our guests, Trev?” she asked.
“They know enough to stay out of the way,” her second replied.
She felt a sudden change in the breeze. “Time to step up,” she said. Trev started toward the rope-covered post, but she forestalled him with a raised hand. “I think we can hold on that for now,” she said. Time for a show, she thought. A proper display of what the tiny captain of the Gull could do might be just the thing, both for the new members of the crew and for the passengers whose gold was paying for this voyage.
She didn’t bother with an announcement, just stepped up to the front of the raised platform. For a moment nothing changed, then some of the old hands saw her and nudged their newer compatriots. Soon everyone not directly involved in a critical task was watching her, including the motley assortment of passengers standing in a close knot beside the main mast. Perfect she thought.
She raised her hands, and embraced the wind.
She had done this hundreds of times, but it still never ceased to fill her with amazement when the wind responded to her call. The sails, which had begun to droop as the breeze shifted, now filled again. They surged against their spars and lines, causing the entire mast to creak from the effort of holding the sails back. But the solid wood held, and the entire ship surged ahead in response. Such was her control that the passengers’ cloaks were barely ruffled. They looked impressed, or at least were looking at her in a new light.
Galendra laughed as the wind swirled around her and carried the Golden Gull forward across the waves.