Dark Waters Rising

Swing

"It was a blow to the head," Castor said frantically as Wesley hurried to Roman's side. "He's still breathing, but I don't know when he'll wake back up."

Wesley eyed the man briefly before looking over the deck of the Queen Adelaide. 

The sirens had already returned to the waves, so the only immediate danger was presented in the beast that was quickly sinking the ship. They needed to get Roman to the Blight of the Sea before their ship was severed completely. 

With another glance past the Kraken, Wesley formed a plan.

"Quickly," Wesley said, grabbing a fistful of Roman's shirt with his good hand while the other was held close to his chest. "We need to get higher."

Castor did as he was told and hurried to help Wesley haul the unconscious man toward the back of the ship. Her stern and bow were already high in the air, due to the crushing grip of the sea creature at her main. The angle of their journey was steadily becoming steeper, and as the structure of the ship collapsed beneath the Kraken's assault, both Wesley and Castor struggled to stay on their feet. 

"One of my hands is broken," Wesley shouted to Castor as they ascended. "Use the taffrail to keep yourself from slipping. I won't be able to as long as I'm dragging him."

Castor nodded, using the rail to help drag them higher. Wesley was panting from the exertion and the pain, but he was determined. 

"How far do we go?" Castor asked.

"As far as we can. We need the height to make the distance to the Blight of the Sea. Especially now that the main deck is below water."

Looking back, Wesley realized that the top of the masts were tangled together, keeping the two halves of the ship connected even as the ship itself sundered. 

The sea beast's tentacles carefully retreated as the ship split completely, no doubt to cast the same fate on the still intact pirate ship floating a short distance away. Hopefully Ambrose would have better luck holding the protection charm than Wesley had. The only comfort in that came from knowing his father was a far more experienced magic wielder. 

"We're not going to be able to get much higher," Wesley relented, feeling his boots slip every other step. "Can you hold him on your own?"

Castor nodded, knowing that if he couldn't, Roman would start sliding back down the deck and into the treacherous waters between the two halves of the ship. "I think so."

Wesley let go, letting Castor take the full weight of the man as he stumbled toward the taffrail. With eyes scanning the available rigging, Wesley realized many of the ropes had already snapped or been cut for an escape. One, however, seemed like it would do the trick. 

"Hoist him up, if you can," Wesley instructed as he started unraveling the rope from its tie. He would have cut it, but they were going to need the extra length. 

Castor pulled Roman's form up and pinned him between his chest and the taffrail, using both hands to keep them in place as the aft of the ship rose higher. 

"Tie this around him." Wesley slung the rope behind Roman and Castor caught it as it rounded him. 

Castor maneuvered the rope under Roman's armpits and hastily tied a familiar and reliable knot at the front. 

"You'll have to go with him," Wesley said, "and sever the rope once you've landed. The mast should still be sound enough to hold you, but it won't be for much longer."

Wesley held onto the taffrail now, one of his boots planted on one of the balusters, since the previously vertical spindles were now horizontal enough to provide him a brief form of stability. 

"Run that way," Wesley pointed in the opposite direction of the pirate ship, "and you should have enough momentum to come around to the ship."

"What about you," Castor asked when he noticed the other ropes present were unsuitable for such a launch. 

"I'll find another way," he said quickly. 

"You better, Wesley Horatio Roberts, because if I have to lose my best friend for a third time, I'm going to kill you myself."

Wesley smiled. "Good luck."

And with that, Castor and Roman were gone. 

Wesley held his breath, eyes trained on the soaring pair as they made a wide arc toward the Blight of the Sea. 

Their height was too low and there was a bruising blow against the hull of the ship, but luckily, Castor was able to reach a hand up and find a hold on the pirate ship's taffrail before their momentum was lost and they were dragged back. Friendly onlookers quickly moved to hoist them up and Wesley let out a relieved sigh as the two were lifted to safety. 

Now it was his turn. 

Praying to every god he could think of, Wesley kicked off his boots and maneuvered himself to the other side of the taffrail. Then, he took a moment of calm to envision a pair of gills, and without another moment to think about how he might be captured or eaten alive by a hoard of angry sirens, he dove backward into the sea. 

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A/N

What is your favorite kind of firework? I like the ones that trail down like a weeping willow tree.

See you Monday,
-Mora Montgomery

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Useful Terminology:

Stern - back of the ship

Bow - front of the ship

Main - middle of the ship

Taffrail - wooden railing around the perimeter of the ship to stop pirates and cannons from falling overboard

Mast - the tree trunk sized pole protruding from the top of the deck that holds up the sails

Sunder - split apart

Rigging - the mess of ropes leading between sails, masts, and anchor points on deck that keep things in place and allow for changes to the sails from the deck

Aft - back of the ship

Baluster - the vertical wooden spindles, often decorative, on a railing

Hull - outer shell of the ship

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