Dragon Clan #5: Tanner's Story

CHAPTER TWENTY

Tanner sat on a mushroom-shaped device at the bow. There were two of them, used to tie the ship to the pier when in port. The huge ropes were wrapped around them. When he crouched behind them, he would be safe.

When he stood with his bow, his surprise for them would be that his arrow would be ready to fly. They were expecting minimal opposition. As quickly as he found a target, the first arrow would be released and another fitted to the bowstring.

He anticipated getting off three arrows before ducking to safety. In the space of two breaths, he would loose three arrows. If only one stuck a target, and one from each of his archers, the fighting men of the Far Seeker was reduced by a quarter.

The wind had slackened and now only rippled the surface of the water. The Rose stood up straighter and moved at half the speed of earlier. There was little movement of the deck. He glanced behind and saw the other three archers in their positions. He was at the bow, and they’d take his lead. When he stood, so would they. There was no reason to speak or issue orders. All knew their duties.

He saw men on the other ship moving about. Most were either on the starboard side or heading there. Their starboard side would pass The Rose’s port. The Far Seeker was the faster ship. If Tanner were the captain, he would have chased The Rose until he caught her. Why was Captain Brice attacking from the bow?

Fear. The move was intended to create fear on The Rose. He was allowing them to see and understand he was going to take their ship. Brice would slash by them; the crew armed with bows of their own. They’d shoot so many arrows that a normal cargo ship would drop their sails and surrender. If they didn’t, Captain Brice would make a sharp turn and give chase, since his ship was the fastest on the sea. When Captain Brice caught up with them, grappling hooks would be thrown to draw The Rose close enough for his crew to board.

Captain Brice wanted to take The Rose intact. Tanner didn’t have the same objective. He would burn the Far Seeker and sink her. That difference could turn the battle.

“Steady,” he heard Captain Jamison call.

Tanner looked behind again. He saw no crewmen exposed. Then back to the other ship. He could make out individuals now. Even some of their dress. More than a few trimmed their black uniforms with red bandanas or red sashes around their waists. They appeared fierce.

Some shook blades of one sort or another in the air for the sunlight to glint off. Another scare tactic only. The blades would do nothing on the first pass, except to terrify a crew. Others held bows. Short bows half the size of the longbows Tanner and his people held. Of course, it took upper arm strength and practice to use a longbow.

Their bows made perfect sense—at other times. This time, things would be different. Tanner heard the shouting and taunting. The time was getting close. A few of the ten at the rail of the Far Seeker shielded their eyes from the sun.

Tanner had three arrows laid out in front of him where they would be easy to reach without looking. He knelt. An arrow was fitted and ready.

He tensed, but waited. Tanner quickly stood, noting the shock of surprise on the men no more than fifty paces away. Since he was at the bow, he took aim at the last in the row, thinking Carrion and the two archers would aim at those closest.

His arrow flew as he reached full height, but instead of watching where it landed, he reached for the next arrow. Without aiming, he used instinct to let it fly as he noticed that the first had struck its mark. The arrow stood out from the man’s chest, his hands clasping the shaft.

Tanner reached for the third, as the ship quickly slipped past. He fired after it, at the single man he saw still standing. It was Captain Brice.

The first part of the battle was over. He didn’t see if any of his other arrows struck their targets, and he didn’t see Captain Brice fall. He assumed he’d missed when the Far Seeker began a sharp turn.

It turned and took chase. Tanner almost smiled. The Far Seeker had expected an easy capture. At least one man took an arrow to his chest, and The Rose had fought back.

Captain Jamison held the course steady, directly for the main port in the Marlstones. The sun touched the horizon as they all let out collective sighs. A sailor ran to Tanner’s side. “Sir, the Captain wishes to know if you want flames for your bows.”

“Yes. Small bowls of oil, rags, and two men to light the arrows and hand them to us. All of us will be at the stern.” Tanner gave him a pat on his shoulder as the sailor raced to tell the Captain. Tanner moved down the deck to the first of the archers. “How’d you do?”

“The ship took a dip as I released my first. I only managed to put it in his leg.”

“Any others?”

“Can’t rightly say. I was busy trying to get them off before that ship went out of range.”

“I had one direct hit, so with yours, they’re down two. I’m going to talk to the others A sailor will bring oil, flame, and wrap them for you when it gets closer.”

“Yes sir, this is where that damned black learns what a longbow is for. I’ll put ten into her before she gets close enough for one of those little bows to reach to us.”

“Meet us on the stern.” Tanner gave him a slap on his shoulder as he went there next. The archer knew one of his, hit an arm, and he believed another hit a man’s stomach, but the man may have been ducking instead of being hit, it was impossible to be sure. Tanner passed on the information about the arrows and moved to where Carrion waited.

“How’d you do?” Tanner asked the men when all four were on the stern.

“Missed all three. My first went high when the ship shifted. The others were off the mark, too. What about you?”

“Between us, there are three definite hits, maybe one more. Two wounded and one dead, perhaps two,” Tanner explained, sounding proud of their success.

“Three men out of commission and they know we’re not going to roll over for them,” Carrion snarled. “Any chance of them turning away? No, I suppose not.”

Tanner explained where the oil and rags waited. Together they watched the black ship overtaking them. He ran to the wheelhouse and felt like saluting as he entered. The air was tense, the Captain checking on a hundred items as he prepared to defend his ship.

Tanner said, “They’ll plan to board. When that doesn’t work, they’ll shoot flaming arrows. Have your men standing by with buckets. They can fill barrels with seawater before the Far Seeker gets here.”

“What if they board us?” Captain Jamison said, a tremor betraying his fear.

“They won’t. We’ll take care of that. Have at least three or four men ready to run to the rail and cut the ropes to the grappling hooks. But I doubt if there will be any.”

“No? Why?”

“Numbers. At least three of them are already down. Maybe four. Someone has to steer the ship. That leaves only ten men at the most. Probably less. Not enough to board and fight.”

“We have a few more men, but they are not pirates who are used to fighting.”

Tanner shrugged. “Count to three slowly. In that space of time, I can put three arrows into three men at fifty paces. The distance will be less, and the other three archers are at least as good with a longbow as I.”

“You don’t think they’ll ever come alongside.”

“No, I don’t. Before we can shoot at men, we’ll use fire. We’ll be prepared, but as the Far Seeker gets closer to us, we’ll have time to put fifty flaming arrows into her. All over the ship. They’ll be too busy putting out fires to use their bows or try to board. After their ship has a dozen fires, I’ll switch to regular arrows and hit anyone trying to put them out.”

“They’ll shoot back and set The Rose aflame.”

“Not with their bows. Ours reach twice as far. They will not even get into range if we do our job back there.”

“You have a lot of confidence in your bows. They look plain and awkward to me.”

Tanner said, “All of that is true. But remember our bows have twice the range and more accuracy. You told me that the Far Seeker is only a little faster than The Rose. That means it will be close enough to use our bows long before they can return fire. If Captain Brice is smart, he’ll veer off.”

Captain Jamison stuck his head out of the open window of the wheelhouse and said, “If you’re right about how far your arrows fly, there’s hardly time for you to get back there.” His eyes had taken on a wild, excited look. He almost looked happy.

While running to the stern, Tanner decided men react differently to danger. He felt excited also, but with more than a little fear was mixed in. And determination. A cold resolve that mirrored that of Carrion. Both of them had the ability to shut emotion out while they fought. He suspected the two archers were much the same. While serving in King Ember’s army, they had learned to take orders and fight with a discipline that others would not.

He pictured them standing suddenly and firing arrow after arrow while the charging enemy bore down upon them. If they stood their ground, they would win. If not, the battle was lost.

The narrow stern of the ship was crowded with six men. Carrion was ordering each archer to a spot where he would have the room needed, but he moved the bowl of oil further away. He showed the two crewmen how to wrap only the tip of the arrow, and not too much cloth. Then he dipped and held it near the small flame of a lamp.

He said, “Don’t light it until one of us reaches for it. You can dip and ready as many as you wish. When I let one fly, I’ll be reaching for the next. Keep the flame end pointed at that ship. Any questions?”

In the waning light, the two crewmen shook their heads.

Tanner watched the black ship gaining on them. It was just out of range. His fingers gripped the bow tighter.

The archer to his right said, “My bow will reach them from here, but not with the rag on the point. Just a little closer, my devious enemy.”

His mumbling reminded Tanner that while their longbows could reach further, firing too soon would give Captain Brice the opportunity to turn aside. He spoke to them all, “We’ll wait until their archers are almost ready to fire at us, but still out of range for them. This is not the same as before. We’re going to start as many fires in as many places as possible. The upper sails first. Then the lower, and put arrows high on the hull, and on the deck.”

Carrion said, “Remember. The sails first. And masts. If we get them burning, they’ll fall to the deck and start more fires. Like Tanner said, spread out your shots.”

Tanner said to the crewmen, who were each holding an arrow already dripping oil onto the deck, “Keep your lantern shielded from them until I say. We don’t want to tip them off for what’s coming at them.”

The crew of the Far Seeker crowded the port side rail as the ship turned slightly to starboard. It would come alongside The Rose upwind. At least three men held grappling hooks on long, thin lines they would throw when they were alongside, then they’d pull the two ships together while their fighting men swarmed to the other ship.

While attacking a cargo ship, the crazy screaming and waving of swords and knives would terrify the crew. Most would surrender without a fight. He imagined Captain Brice’s anger when at least three of his men fell to arrows. This was a battle Tanner couldn’t lose and survive.

“I kin hit them from here easy,” the one crewman whispered.

“Hold on,” Tanner ordered. Just a little longer. He drew ten more measured breaths ignoring the concerned looks from the other three archers and the two crewmen. In a voice as cold as the water racing below the hull he said, “Light and hand me my first arrow. Fire at will.”

The hand of the crewman shook so hard Tanner feared it might put out the fire before he managed to hand the arrow off. But Tanner finally had it fitted to the string. He pulled the string so far back his hand touched his cheek. He lifted it higher and let it fly, half expecting it to go over the top of the sails. Instead, it struck a mid-sail near the mast.

“Shoot high. The arrows drop fast,” he said, as another flew and hit the mainsail, near the bottom.

He reached for another, but had to wait until the crewman had one lighted. Two more arrows drew flaming streaks across the water, one missing the sails on the forward mast and striking the second one. The other must have had something hard on a mast, perhaps an iron band because it struck and fell. But it landed at the bottom of the sail and ignited a small fire that spread quickly.

On the Far Seeker, men left their fighting stations and ran for buckets and water. Tanner imagined them shouting that it was unfair. They were supposed to do that to the other ship. He released his second arrow, aimed at the wooden structure of the wheelhouse. The wood was, at least, twenty years old, painted a hundred times. It was as dry as tinder. With the help of the oil, it spread down as well as burning upwards.

He reached for another arrow as he watched the air between the two ships. It seemed there was an arrow streaking through the air at any time. All were traveling the same direction. He pulled and released another at a section of the sails without flames, and grinned as he saw two arrows strike in nearly the same place. One of the other had the same idea, but he didn’t know if it was Carrion or one of the archers.

Tanner held out his hand for another arrow as the black ship veered sharply away. He accepted the burning arrow and wished he could shake off the flame. There at the rail stood Captain Brice amid the crew racing to put out the fires. When they splashed water on them, it only serves to spread the flames. The oil fires refused to be extinguished by water.

The flaming arrow would have to do. He pulled, aimed a little ahead of Captain Brice, and a little above. He released. The arrow looked like it would overshoot the retreating ship, but then it lost speed and began to fall. It struck the deck only a step away from him.

Captain Brice screamed in fury, shaking his fist. Tanner reached for an arrow and quickly pulled the unlighted rag from the tip. He drew again, as the archer at his side said, “Save it. Too far.”

Tanner pulled beyond his cheek, almost to his ear and let it fly.

Captain Brice turned and looked right at him. As he leaned on the rail to bellow another obscenity or threat, the arrow struck. It hit the railing directly in front of him, between his hands. The sudden appearance of the arrow made him leap backward so fast his feet couldn’t stay underneath, like a clown taking a pratfall. He fell to the combined laughter of all six men on the stern.

“Guess it wasn’t too far after all,” the man said, “but that shot will be the makings of a tale I’ll have to be drunk as a skunk to pass on because nobody’s going to believe it.”

From the way Captain Brice reacted, he didn’t believe it either. Picking himself up from the deck while watching The Rose, he shook a fist. But the separation between the two ships continued increasing.

As darkness fully fell, they could still see the Far Seeker and the flames rising to the top of her masts. Tanner said to the men on the stern, “How many fires do you think we caused?”

Carrion said, “I think I started ten.”

“She’ll be lucky to stay afloat,” a sailor said.

Carrion snorted, “It’ll stay afloat, mark my words. Evil men like him have a way of surviving.”

“We’ll see him again,” Tanner agreed and hoped that when they did the circumstances were favorable.