02 The Encircling Sea by Adrian Goldsworthy

Author:Adrian Goldsworthy [Goldsworthy, Adrian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Historical, Action & Adventure
ISBN: 9781788541879
Google: sNlADwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B075645VBR
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2018-05-30T05:00:00+00:00

XVII

THE SMALL SHIP rose on the wave, lifting high until it pitched forward into the next great trough, cold water bursting over the deck. Ferox braced himself and pulled his cloak tight, for soon they were rising again. An hour ago a shower of hail had left the deck white, until the spray washed it back to the dark wooden planking. Apart from a couple of tiny cabins at the stern there was hardly any shelter. Some men went to the hold, but most came back up fairly soon. Down there every movement of the ship was magnified, with no warning of the next lurch until it began. Even men with strong stomachs were soon vomiting, and the reek made others do the same. It took either great courage or a mind as empty as their bellies for men to stay there, crammed in between barrels and sacks and hoping the lashing keeping them in place would hold, not knowing whether the ship was about to go down. At least on deck you could see disaster coming, even if you could do nothing about it.

This was the third day at sea. The first had been perfect, a wind more southerly than westerly filling the ship’s sail and driving them along across a smooth, blue-grey sea. Everyone felt the elation, and spirits were high. The Batavians leaned over the rail, laughing and joking, saying that this was no more than the rivers of their homeland. Some, like the one-eyed Longinus, knew how quickly the sea’s mood could change, but it did not dampen their mood. They were doing something, going to fight men who deserved to be killed and save a lady they all loved, who was one of their own. Bran was even more excited, helping the sailors whenever he could, hanging around them the rest of the time and watching what they did, for he had never been on such a large boat. Vindex and the scouts were suspicious, for they did not care much for the sea, but after a while admitted that this was not too bad, less crowded than the trireme and without its lingering smell of stale sweat. Quintus Ovidius beamed at everyone, asking them to call out if they saw a whale or anything else of interest. The philosopher was a surprising addition to their party, added on the insistence of Crispinus. Ferox was still unsure why.

The second day started well, until the wind died away to nothing. Now and then a brief flurry would stir the sail and carry them a short distance before fading away.

‘Glad we are not further north,’ the master said. ‘Not and be this close to the shore.’ On a calm day like this it would be easy for the Novantae or other raiders to row out in their little boats and catch becalmed ships. Fortunately they were still near the Roman province. Ferox thought that he could see Alauna, but was not sure in the hazy sunshine. He wondered whether the message they had sent in one of the transport ships had reached Brocchus.

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