Swashbuckling in the Dark

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Another long wait; I apologize. A second chapter will be up shortly as well. This part has been split into two separate chapters rather than one super-long one. Enjoy! Comments are appreciated. :)

I leaned on the rail of the port side at the bow, watching the ship streak silently through the calm, black waters like a black phantom. The moon was waning, the stars surrounding it dotting the sea with speckles of light. Wind was almost absent, that was good. The night was calm and dark, a perfect time for an ambush.

With an uneasy groan the ship creaked beneath my booted feet, arcing left towards the black mass that was our destination. Behind me, at the helm, Dark expertly guided his prized vessel closer to the island, inching it towards a pre-determined nook out of sight. The men held their positions on deck: some at the rails, waiting and watching, while others scurried up the ropes with the silence of stalking panthers, dousing the oil lamps and reining in the rigging as we made our way out of open sea.

The warm, tropical wind pushed the vessel into the shallows with a soft breath before the sails fluttered and then stilled. Dark made a series of gestures with his hands, which were repeated by Raoul to the others to communicate in lieu of speaking. With another flurry of near-silent motion, the crew set to work.

As the ship bobbed along into a deeper pocket of water near some rocks, I peered up at the sheer cliff rising into the sky.

"The island is long and narrow," Dark had explained earlier, when the entire crew and our English shipmates had gathered to hear the plan of attack. "With a curve here, like a fish hook. The entire place is covered by jungle-completely impassable."

The ship was now roaming the cliffside at the northwest corner-the rounded end of the fish hook. Our target was around the bend, at the most treacherous point. When I heard the sounds of water rushing out and spilling into open sea, I perked up.

"The only way in is here," Dark had said, pointing to the sharp end of the hook. "The river mouth opens to the sea, and winds up through the cliffs to the mountains. Grimm's hideout is there."

"Any sentries?" Raoul had asked, studying the map hastily hand-drawn by the captain.

"Aye," Dark continued, indicating the hook again. "Two here at the river's mouth. The challenge will be taking them out afore they signal the others further upriver. There are two more here...and here, where we'll leave the boat, is another one."

This first challenge was completely up to me. In reality, the entirety of Dark's plan rested on my shoulders-I would determine its success or failure. Hefting the longbow in my hands, I prayed that Dark's unwavering faith in my dormant skills wasn't unfounded.

I turned from my post and leaped onto the rails, climbing up the ropes with practiced skill and grim determination not to fail. When I'd reached the highest vantage point that the ship allowed, I threw my leg over the topmost cross mast, sliding along until I reached the middle.

It was cold up here; far below me the inky black waters lapped against the rocks. If I fell, the drop would be quick, cold and more than likely fatal. Looking straight down into the dark waters, I pushed back the memory of my dream-the horrible storm, the water reaching up to grab me, Duncan, his hand outstretched-and gripped the bow.