Though many things from the study had disintegrated into ash, there were some books that had survived the fire. Along with some extra information gathered from the townspeople, one of Dana's men had created a rather detailed map of the Southern Isles.
"I think this this the spot Dustin told the Admiral to make port at." Sky's finger hovered over the worn parchment. Laid out before them was the tangled chaos of the peaks. Sky had never seen detailed maps of the south and knew why Dana had wanted a map. "It seems stupid for the King to try and get into that mess."
The peaks lay around the three bigger islands of the southern isles. The sharp daggered rocks would make it impossible for any big ship to get in to the inhabited islands. It occurred to Sky why the people there would be more confident in their ability to rebel; they had the perfect impenetrable stronghold. Only smaller ships could slip though the cracks and even then, manoeuvrability such as that would take great skill. To the far side the peaks became more scattered. One small island was exposed and Sky could only assume that it would be the place Dustin had meant for The Maribelle to wait.
"The King won't go in." Dana's eyes scanned the peaks memorising the layout of each pillar; it would only take one to rip apart their damaged hull. "If what we've heard is correct, these people will want to fight and by the King placing himself with the fleet, the most rebellious among them will be drawn out, blinded by the chance."
The men nodded. They were back in the dining room where Sky had been with a completely different group of men a week before. Most of the Cormorant ship reconstruction was to be finished this morning. They had worked through the night, going so far as to take apart some of the abandoned homes to use the stronger timber, but they would have to complete the final things while on the sea. There was not enough time to dawdle.
Sky had explained the situation to Dana. The woman had listened only nodding occasionally and clarifying details of Dustin's plan. When Sky had mentioned the union of Admiral Balthid the woman had kept her reaction carefully neutral to Sky's disappointment.
It seemed nothing could surprise the Cormorant leader, but Sky could sense her unease at hearing the Kings men had joined their cause. Sky had argued that Dustin had been very persuasive and the Admiral really did seem to respect their cause once he realised the Kings intentions.
"Yes. It is not betrayal from the navy men I'm concerned about." Dana had said to Sky's defensive comments with a huff. "That boy was always too much of an officer. I am concerned that when the moment comes he will hesitate. And after spending time with a man such as Balthid..." Dana had sighed and shook her head as if end the stream of thought. At Sky's questioning protests she had waved her hand declaring that there was nothing more to say on the subject.
Did she really think Dustin would go to all this trouble to falter at the end? Sky had thought angrily as the conversation moved on to how long it would take before they could set off. The others would be halfway to their destination, but if the Cormorants left before midday, they might make it to the isles before the Kings fleet. To meet them on the seas by themselves would be death.
Sky remembered Dustin's promise to spare James. She looked at Dana who was talking in her straight way. She led very differently to Sky's Captain, not with passion and inspiration but rather commanded through her assertive personality. He wouldn't hesitate would he? The pirate followed what he felt was right, that was what Sky loved about him, that he would do the honourable thing regardless of the cost to himself. No, he wouldn't betray their cause now.
"Good." Dana stood up from where she had been leaning over to study the map. "We thank you for all you have done for our cause." She addressed the few townspeople in the room with a smile bow of respect.
"If you don't make it we will continue to spread the message. The king will be weak after a battle like that and we may have to strike again soon." Herb declared. Dana nodded at this but Sky saw her doubt. Maybe this was their only chance and the plan to share the rebellion cause was one last mercy. For when they all died, at least they would die with hope.
"Come on," Edward leaned into Sky as the room started to clear, "Let's get something to eat before we start to ready the ship."
Sky smiled at the thought of one last hot meal at the Tavern but there was something she had to do first. "You go on ahead. I have to talk to someone."
Sky was dreading the conversation. She had spent most of the night explaining to Dana what had happened and then had fallen asleep in one of the manors empty rooms. Many of the cormorants had done the same, savouring their last night in a bed.
"Alright," Edward shrugged. "We'll see you soon."
Sky left the manor and headed down towards Elise's small house. The windows were out and the door propped open with a wedge of wood to allow the breeze off the water to cool the warm air. Inside, the woman was crocheting a light brown cap, her fingers moving quickly. Elise did not look up as Sky knocked on the frame of the door.
"Come in." Sky hesitated guilt twisting inside her chest.
"Morning," Sky winced as the woman looked up at her from under her hair. Sky took a deep breath to tell her what she was dreading to speak. I have to break my promise.
"It is after noon Sky." Elise smiled warmly and put her cap aside as she rose.
"So it is." Sky laughed awkwardly. She had spent a week with this woman. They had talked long into the evenings sharing stories, Sky speaking of her father and her time on his fishing boat. Elise had spoken of her own time growing up on Harpers isle and how she would go searching for wild berries and go swimming in the bay trying to catch fish with nets. They had visited the market each morning and eaten together. Sky had begun to depend on the woman's company to take her mind of the war. There were small moments when she had felt like she could settle here with her. And then, Sky's stomach twisted sharply, there were moments when she felt like these were the kinds of things she had missed out on. Things a mother did with her daughter.
"I will miss your company Sky." Elise leaned in to kiss the younger woman softly in the cheek.
"I- I'm sorry." Sky looked down at her feet feeling ashamed. "I promised you that I would help."
Elise gave her a gentle laugh. She truly was beautiful and Sky couldn't help but feel that Marle was lucky to have met her. "You have helped." Elise looked down at her with light eyes. "You have made four blankets and I will have more than enough food to last for weeks in those garden beds."
"But I said you wouldn't be alone in this." Sky frowned. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say. "Your child, I promised to help you..."
"And you have." Elise smiled again in a motherly way. "Skyler, we will be alright. I have friends here who have offered to assist me as well. I will be alright." When Sky said nothing Elise turned from her and began to boil some water. "You need to go Sky. You place isn't here with me. I know that and I won't keep you."
Sky sat down on one of the chairs at the small table. She didn't speak as Elise made each of them a cup of black tea. "You will be a wonderful mother Elise." Sky spoke quietly.
Elise sat across from her with a warm smile. "I'm glad. I had not expected to be a mother, when I realised I was devastated, but now I have begun to feel glad for the gift. Even after he is gone I will have them to give all my love to." She rubbed her stomach absentmindedly, then looked back to Sky. "My place is here where I will raise my child. Yours is out there Sky. I can rest a little bit easier knowing you are with them defending our land. I can only hope that you make this Kingdom a better place with your actions."
"Me too." Sky spoke honestly the weight on her shoulders lifting. "I hope we can make it safe for your child to grow up."
Elise smiled as she drank. Sky held her mug but did not finish the amber liquid. After a soothing silence Elise spoke. "When you see Marle can you tell him something for me?"
"Anything."
"If he will hear it, will you speak with him on what you know of me? Just things that we have discussed, we were able to discuss so little together. Please tell him that I will tell our child stories of how the crew of The Belladonna save us, how bravely he fought and tell him-" Elise hesitated. "Tell him I will always love him. And that it's not his fault."
The woman had shining eyes. Sky blinked slowly and let out a sad breath. "I will."
"Thank you." Elise wiped her eyes and smiled as she rose to take Sky's still full cup. She didn't seem to notice as she placed the two cups on the counter. "Now, you had best head off, would hate to be left behind again."
"Yes." Sky said in a sly voice. "Dustin is not going to be happy to see me."
Elise laughed and Sky stood to leave. She walked over to where her white pistol lay on a folded pile of blankets. "I think he will be quite surprised."
They hugged. Neither of them wanted to let go but Elise pulled back to kiss Sky's check and this time Sky did the same. "I will see you off by the pier." Sky gave her a curt nod then turned back to the town leaving the woman smiling in her door frame.
Sky made her way to the market and saw a large group of cormorants outside the Tavern. The Cormorant frigate carried a significant amount of people. Dana had sent most of the rebel group out onto the trade ships but there were at least sixty cormorant members on Harpers Ilse. Most were still working on the ship but Sky counted almost twenty as she walked into the Tavern.
Some of them recognised her and smiled. There were women scatter amongst them too and they varied in age. Sky greeted some with a smile or handshake as she scanned the crowded Tavern for the messy dark hair of Edward.
"So it is true then? The lass is here." A gruff voice from her side addressed her. Sky turned to look at the speaker and grinned. "Was beginning to think Ed was losing his wits after the voyage."
"Sav." The older man stood from his table his dark beard was cut short and his intelligent eyes glinted. He wasn't a lone either and Sky faced towards his blond headed companion. She was thrilled to see the two men. "Timothy."
"What's this about me losing my wits?" Edward placed four steaming hot bowels of soup and a loaf of rye on the table.
Timothy stood to clasp Sky's hand with his easy smile on his face. Sav did the same and Sky sat on one of the tavern's long benches sliding across to let Edward slip in next to her. He passed out the bowls and gave the older man a dark look.
"Oh please Ed, you spent the first few days with a bucket." Timothy laughed as he broke the bread to dunk in the hot soup.
Sky lifted a brow grinning at her friend's expense. "Not used to waves huh?" Edward turned his dark look to her.
"Very funny Sky. We didn't all grow up on a boat." They ate in happy conversation. The tavern was buzzing around them and started to clear just as Sky was scraping her bowl with the last bit of bread.
"I was out there this morning." Sav was telling them how the repairs were coming along. "Will need a bit more work but she'll get us there. We also added a few jib sails to the front and a larger top sail to the main mast to take the strain off the fore mast."
"That's good." Edward leaned back and his shoulder brushed Sky. "Any added speed will be useful. We may have hindered the fleet's departure, but it took us a long time to get here. Even with the Jane Duchess they must be just over half way."
"Dustin and the Admiral would be arriving in a few days." Sky had looked at the maps and with her vague recollection of a wind patter map Fane had lent her, she knew that the currents heading south were stronger eastward. The mainland of Karniva inhibited the flow and so the Kings fleet would move slower. "With more sails we might be able to get there in just over a week."
The others nodded. Timothy collected their plates and rose. "I imagine Dana will be getting the men ready to go soon." Sky looked around the tavern and noticed that many of the cormorants were gone.
"I guess this is it then." Sky said as Edward stood next to her.
"This is it." He grinned down at her as he offered her a hand up.
They left the tavern with the remaining cormorants and made their way down to the docked frigate. Sky lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the high afternoon sun. The frigate looked like one of Elise's patchwork blankets. Her starboard side hull had long planks of wood nailed against it offering extra strength. It looked as though they'd used timber ripped straight from houses; white cracked paint standing out against the water-darkened wood. The foremast was standing tall. Running alongside it were sturdy looking support pillars. The crack had been effectively clamped together with iron bolts.
"She may not look like much," Timothy laughed at Sky's lifted brow, "But I'd bet she's stronger than ever before."
Sav grunted at this statement as he pushed past them onto the pier. "She'll hold. Let's hope."
Sky too was sceptical; they were after all not just going for a nice sail. This ship had to last a fight. But the carpenter from the town insisted that all was fine when Edward had asked him and so Sky pushed aside her worries. This mismatched ship was her last chance.
"Davion." Dana walked over to where the group of friends stood giving them a look.
Timothy and Edward politely excused themselves saying something about someone wanting them to check something. At Sky's betrayed look Edward shrugged before following his friend. Dana watched them with fond before her gaze turned, hardening slightly, in Sky's direction. Sky had seen her speaking with some of the men on her ship with a concerned face as she gestured to the rigging. Many of the Cormorants eyes snapped to Sky. She couldn't read what was in their expressions.
"With all due respect, Ma'am." Sky began hesitantly, "I wish you wouldn't call me that. Sky is fine, or even Skyler."
Dana watched her with a turned down lip. "Davion is your name, is it not girl?" There was something about the way she said it that unsettled Sky, as if she were accusing her.
"Yes but-" Sky cut herself off. But it links me to James. She never thought she would feel ashamed to be related to her brother.
"That name was your fathers before it was Commodore Ash's." Dana told Sky her eyes showing unexpected emotions. "You now have a rare opportunity to right both their wrongs."
Confused, Sky frowned deeply at that. But my father did no wrongs. He had served the kingdom with dignity and respect. He had saved people during his service. He had helped build a better place during his time in Karniva and he had helped promote trading among the outer islands. James and Sky had grown up listening to his epic feats.
"It is his gun the King intends to use in this war." Dana spat the words and Sky filched. She had rarely seen that much emotion from the woman. But before Sky could even begin to think on the oddity Dana turned. "Regardless, some men can be redeemed if their heart is in the right place. Your Captain is an example of that."
Sky smiled. The last time Dana had called Dustin her Captain they had both argued the statement. Now it made Sky feel like she belonged somewhere. Even if she was angry at him.
"Skyler." Dana's voice grew cold and serious. Her silvery gaze held Sky; she seemed to be considering her next words thoughtfully. "You have given us all of the information you know about Hawk's plans?"
Sky nodded slowly trying to read where the conversation was leading. She had a bad feeling she knew the point of a question such as this one. And the realisation made her uneasy. You didn't get rid of your informant when the still held vital information.
I wonder if it's too late to change my answer?
Dana hummed low in response and looked back towards the small crowd that was gathering to assist the rebels. "There is still time to change your mind, you know?" Dana turned back to Sky with a knowing look. "Dustin left you for a reason. I suspect it was one of the few times that boy has been truly selfish."
That made Sky pause in her argument planning. She reflected on Dana's words. Dustin had left her, and while that stung to hear, Sky knew his reason. But it was the other thing Dana said that stuck her. He was being selfish? He had left her out of love and to keep her safe, but maybe he had done it not for her, but rather for himself. He left her because he loved her and to keep her safe, but also because it would tear him apart if he lost her.
"Listen, I honestly don't care whether you come or not girl, one more hand on deck may even be useful, but I would advise you to think about your answer carefully. Dustin made his choice, will you respect it?"
Sky thought long and hard. Leaving her here was his only comfort for heading into this war. And Sky could take it away. Sky felt the white pistol in her side pocket and made her decision.
"This is bigger than us, isn't it?" She lifted her gaze to Dana who nodded in approval at her choice.
"Yes, it is." Dana said. "But if the King has proven anything in his latest years of ruling, it is that it can take only one person to tip the balance and change everything." With that, Dana left Sky standing alone on the pier. Feeling guilty for her choice.
The right choice can be hard. Her father's voice came to her mind unexpectedly and Sky smiled. If they lived through this she was sure Dust would forgive her and if he didn't then if didn't matter anyway.
The rebels were ready to set sail within the hour, once the men were used to the additional sails. They would have to get as much wind on this still warm day as possible if they wanted to catch up. While cormorants bustled around her, Sky helped load some barrels of water from the stream and stored them below the gun deck. The berth deck sat below the water line and Sky smiled listening to the soft lapping of waves against the ship's hull. The hammocks hung still around her as she rolled the water barrel to the side with the other supplies.
"Sky!" Edward's voice trailed down the ships steep stairs. "We're ready to go."
Sky ran to the main deck, taking the stairs two at a time, to find the many cormorants all positioned at their stations. The poop deck was almost full with men crowded around Dana. A tall man was steering at the wheel next to her and Sav stood on her other side. Sky looked out at the dock of Harpers Ilse feeling an odd sense of déjà vu. The townspeople, now much fewer than before, stood on the shore with sober faces. Scanning each one, Sky saw Nandi and the two boys. She saw Herb and some of the women from the Tavern. They stood still, very differently from their exited waves previously. As Sky got to the last of the faces, she smiled forlornly.
I guess we both broke our words to each other. She turned her gaze past the market to the direction of Elise's home. Farewell my friend.
The ship's sails clapped as they caught hold of the gentle wind and began to pull the long frigate away from the island. Onwards, Sky thought looking out to the bow of the ship. Onwards to the Southern Isles, to war, toward the man she loved and their shared fate.