The Girl who Loved the Whales by Marc Secchia

Author:Marc Secchia [Secchia, Marc]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-03-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22: Hunter

Softly brace the wind, deftly curve the sail,

And when the instant whispers its culmination,

Slide the dagger home most tenderly.

Anonymous Bard, What the Pirate Promised

FOur Moons lit the deep mid-nightsong as Joidé’s vessels, marginally faster through the water, finally made their gains count over the more efficient sailing methods of their enemy. Sailing upwind of the small Rejjioi fleet, they manoeuvred into a position whereby they stole enough wind to luff the sails; after that, overtaking was a given. Bardsong howled over the waves, summoning the Whales to clash in battle. For this event, Joidé had depleted his resources dangerously, fearing the War-Titan’s onslaught. Two or three Bards working together could stymie the giant, he claimed.

The Holy Scourge would not turn aside from his purpose. First, he would punish the ambushers. Then he planned to swing about and cut for the safety of the large Argalioi fleet racing along behind.

As the Yellow Moon waxed to engulf the Windward horizon with fulsome radiance, its light grew bright enough to cast shadows across the hitherto murky wave crests. The leading Argalioi full-rigger now drove toward the hindmost Rejjioi from astern, overtaking its own shadow while coming under heavy fire as the Helmsman deliberately aimed for a glancing collision. Grapnels shot across the space separating the vessels, fouling the rigging or snagging on the sturdy bulwarks. The sailors heaved in twenty-strong teams braced low on the decks, while arrows peppered both sides. Then, the first warriors swung across the divide, swooping over a sea boiling with fighting Whales. The clanging of weapons and distant shouts seemed to fade slightly as Joidé’s new flagship drove in further, searching for the War-Titan.

Zhisu did not know where he was. She had not sensed him since that first inkling two daysongs before, but she suspected he must be with the second Rejjioi fleet still lurking further to the Leeward, the one they had spotted coursing along three to four turns ahead of the Pain-Lords.

Ganging up on a fleeing Rejjioi full-rigger with another whale-rigger, Joidé’s ship launched its grapnels as eager warriors lined the plank strakes, the stern deck and the rigging shrouds above. As the lines tightened, bringing the two ships into a splintering tangle of rigging, Zhisu risked a backward glance. Aye. Now that they had engaged, the other fleets would overhaul them hand over fist, despite the relatively light nightsong winds. The four moons illuminated the chaos with evocative brightness as the fighting spread out, seeming to gleam off every cord and timber and upraised weapon. Several Rejjioi vessels tacked away into the wind, while the smaller, more manoeuvrable Argalioi brigs tried to bring them to heel.

The Holy Scourge ran to the battlefront as a huge feline in shimmering armour made the leap onto their bowsprit; with a yowl, it sprang upon a knot of Argalioi warriors and began to tear them limb from limb. Instantly and hauntingly, Zhialeiana learned how Captain N’guulak had earned his scars. But by working together, the warriors brought down the huge feline, at the cost of nine of their number.

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