Summer 25, 509 AV Will clung to the halyard, as the deck pitched beneath his bare feet. The rain was slanting horizontally, driving like nails against his skin, and the wind in the rigging howled like a demon. The summer storm had blown up out of the east with a sudden fierceness that had caught even the most seasoned windwatchers of the pod off guard. And the timing was bad – very bad. Saffra was just being brought to her first childbed, and the young Svefra was wailing in agony down belowdeck. Hard enough to bring a child into this world when the waters were calm. But the ship was yawing onto its beam ends practically, and it was all the poor girl could do to stay in the tilting bunk. The Lea had sent Will up to speak to the man at the wheel, to tell him to try to set a course more westerly, to hopefully bring them right into Mura itself. With the gale blowing as it would, they’d risk losing their masts, running before the storm like that. But it was doubtful they’d be able to wrest control of the ship from the jagged swell anyway. Reaching the wheel house, Will was almost tossed overboard as a wave crashed over his head, taking his feet out from under him. But he clung to the line and as the water receded, he staggered up the steps to the quarter deck. “Lea says to steer more westerly,” he yelled, trying to make himself heard over the screaming wind. The coxswain squinted his eyes against the sheets of rain, and nodded, but bellowed back, “I’ll do my best. Tis about all I can do to hold the gods damned wheel!” Will nodded his understanding, then went to the side, as the ship tilted crazily again. Holding onto the gunwale, he tried to peer out into the grey blank that was the middle of the storm. Laviku, he prayed silently, Take pity on poor Saffra – help us reach Mura, soon. Or send help. Something! Anything! Scanning the churning water dismally, Will thought he saw something bobbing on the crest of a wave. He scrunched his eyes and stared hard. Yes, there was definitely something there. Or someone. He was about to turn to the coxswain and give the word – man overboard. But where the one in the water might have sprang from, he had no clue. Perhaps some hapless soul swept overboard from another vessel? But as he looked, he could make out that the creature was swimming easily on the top of the waves. Swimming towards them! Unbelievably, he watched as the swimmer, long, pale hair floating out like a wild fan about her, swam closer. |