"I am Captain Grindal of the Nightshade and your ship and her provisions belong to me."

Oros sputtered indignantly as the Nightshade crew swarmed over the White Raider. The crew was covered head to toe in eastern garb. All that could be seen was their dark eyes glittering with malice.

Eastern corsair scum, Oros thought as he pulled his ax from his belt. Roaring with rage he attacked the man nearest to him. The man jumped back, narrowly avoiding swift death by an angry dwarf. The crew of the White Raider followed their captain into battle. Fendwall found Oros and the pair stood back to back creating a storm of metal and blood. Qrow and Caston battered a large man, trading blows with wooden boards they had procured from somewhere. At the bow of the ship Calen fought alongside Livian and Morien. They had trapped four men between their blades and the open ocean, but were slowly being overwhelmed as more enemies flooded the ship.

Oros cursed when the second wave of Nightshade's crew separated him and Fendwall. Over the din of the fight he heard Fendwall roar in anger. Hacking viciously at the legs of the pirate in front of him, Oros shoved his way toward his first mate. A red shirt and yellow sash stepped in front of him and held a glittering rapier to his chin. Grindal sneered.

"Come, little dwarf, let us dance." Grindal's lip twitched. Oros bared his teeth and snarled.

...

Morien had become separated from Livian and Calen and he was in trouble. A short, swift man had cut him along the upper thigh before Morien dispatched him with a slender knife between the ribs. The man gasped in surprise as he fell slowly to the bloody deck. He turned and felt cold steel against his neck. The knife slipped from his hands.

Before Morien stood a second small man, maybe the brother of the one he'd just killed. Morien cared not. The man grunted something unintelligible and raised his sword.

"Wait!" Morien exclaimed. The man paused. "If it is this ship your captain wants, I can get it for him." The sword lowered. "The crew is already turning on each other. All they need is a little push, my friend."

"Ship? Friend?" the man asked. Morien nodded vigorously.

"If you spare me, I will deliver this ship to your captain at the shores of Mithlond."

"Swear it," the pirate grunted.

"I swear on my life," Morien pledged.

"Turn."

"Wha-"

"Turn!"

Morien turned to face the battle. The White Raider was overrun. Near the helm he could see Oros fighting against Captain Grindal. Something heavy hit the back of Morien's head and he knew no more.

...

Es huddled between two massive barrels, watching the fight in sheer terror. All around her huge men with yellow teeth and foul breath roared in anger. Heavy boots thrummed across the deck, sending vibrations up Es' feet and rattling her teeth. A body thumped solidly against the barrels. Es let out a strangled whimper when a barrel hit the back of her head.

"Eh, 'oo's there?"

Es bit her tongue.

"Well, well, well, what 'ave we 'ere?" A massive, dirty paw reached down between the barrels and pulled Es up by her arm. She screeched and kicked out, but her captor held her far away from his body. He peered at her with bloodshot eyes.

"Let me go!"

"Yer a little rat you are," he said. "A fine little snack for the fishes." He dragged Es, fighting tooth and nail to the fight.

...

Adrahil, sword in his uninjured hand, stood with his back against the mast while Brandt covered his right side. Three woman, identical in appearance sparred against them. Two women fought against Brandt, who barely kept them at bay. He was slowing rapidly, sporting dozens of superficial cuts that stung. Adrahil early on had suffered a devastating blow to the side that steadily trickled blood. The woman he fought against now kept trying disarm him by placing a well-aimed kick at his side, but Adrahil threatened to cut off her foot should she try.

Blood loss darkened his vision and the pain radiating from his hand muddled his thoughts, but he struggled on. The dark haired woman smiled triumphantly and pressed her attack. Gasping from fatigue and fear for his life, Adrahil pressed himself against the mast. Brandt shot him a frightened look. Both were losing the battle.

The split second distraction allowed the woman to batter the sword from Adrahil's grip, leaving him utterly exposed. He screamed when she kicked his side. Brandt shouted his name, but as soon as he turned the other two women jumped on him and he went down under a hail of fists and iron pommels. Adrahil crumpled to the deck, lifeless.

...

Oros ignored the screaming of his fallen crew. Grindal bore down on him with terrifying strength. Always Oros had known his size was a disadvantage at sea, but never before had he faced such overwhelming odds. Grindal with bigger and stronger than even Fendwall, the tallest man Oros had ever known until this day. The Nightshade's captain, however, was not quick, but his powerful strokes struck a deep fear in Oros, making him timid to take any openings.

Grindal backed Oros against the railing, a malicious grin on his grizzled face. He raised his sword high above his head. The sun glinted off its sharp edge as he brought it down to Oros' neck. A grey shafted arrow sprouted from Grindal's arm. The man's bloodcurdling scream washed over the White Raider, halting the fight for just a moment.

With a shout and a clash the fight for control of the White Raider resumed. Oros leapt over Grindal and escaped down the stairs while the corsair groaned in agony. No sooner had he gone down the stairs then a hedge or prickling steel appeared before him. Oros stumbled backward up the steps and felt a knife against his back. Grindal stood behind him breathing heavily.

"Surrender and I will spare you, your crew, and your ship."

Oros hesitated. He looked around his beloved ship, her bloodied, scuffed deck groaning under the horror she had witnessed. The waves rocked her gently as if to soothe her distress. His crew were on their knees. Fendwall lay flat on his stomach, fighting to break free from the grip of four men each near his own size. Lendethiel was likewise surrounded by four men who held her as she fought savagely against them. Her dress was torn and bloody. Talf knelt near the anchor, head hanging over his chest in defeat. Qrow was supporting Caston with his shoulder.

Oros slowly raised his hands in surrender.

"Smart," Grindal said. "Tie them all up and strip the ship's provisions. Leave enough for two weeks quarter rations. That should get them to the port of Mithlond if they hurry."

Half the Nightshade's crew tied their captives far apart from each other so that none could reach the other while the rest of the crew scoured the ship for supplies. Oros fumed silently while his hands were forced behind his back and his arms and feet tied together.

"Captain Grindal," a scrawny cabin boy came from the bowels of the White Raider, "ain't much left anyhow. 'Bout a week's half rations left."

Grindal eyes the White Raider crew carefully. "Hmm, they're a bit scrawny looking. Caught in that tempest I suspect." His eyes traced the deep gouges in the deck from where the fore mast had fallen.

"Take it all."

"Aye, Captain Grindal." The boy skittered away. Grindal stood next to Oros.

"A fine ship you have here. To survive that tempest," he whistled softly, "an even finer crew."

Oros refused to say a word. Grindal grinned.

"Ah, the silence of dwarves. You have my respects, Captain."

Oros spit on his boots. Grindal frowned and turned to board his own ship. As the Nightshade sailed away Fendwall shouted a furious string of curses at Grindal and what he'd like to do with various parts of the captain's body. Oros tried to free himself, but his hands were bound so tightly he couldn't move. The rest of the crew was encountering the same problem.

Oros had rubbed his wrists raw and bloody when a shadowy figure dropped onto the deck with a soft thud. In the fading light he could not make out who it was, but Fendwall laughed loudly.

"You crafty old sea rat," he exclaimed. Dahari brandished a knife and quickly went to work setting the crew free. Oros began laughing with Fendwall. The crew, those that no longer possessed their sanity, joined them.

When Dahari reached Caston the boy flinched, but at a word from Qrow allowed Dahari to free him. Oros stretched his fingers gratefully when his bonds were cut. He noticed a small bow strapped to Dahari's back and an empty quiver at his hip.

"Thank you for saving my life," Oros said. Dahari nodded curtly.

"I was aiming for his heart."

"You're a right terrible shot then," Talf quipped. Dahari shot the elf a scathing glare as he freed Es. Talf flinched. Es shed her bonds like water and attached herself to Dahari's leg. There were tears in the poor halfling's large eyes. Dahari gave her an awkward pat of the shoulder. He had to bend down to do it.

Lendethiel and Estella were already tending to Adrahil and Brandt. The two were the worst off. Both had suffered heavy blood loss and a multitude of wounds. Fendwall stood beside Estella and inquired whether or not they were fit enough to work. Estella snapped harshly and even Lendethiel spat hard words at him. Fendwall raised up his hands in defeat and walked away.

The rest of the crew was better off, scraped and bruised, but nothing that a few days' time wouldn't heal. Their pride and commoderie was an entirely different matter. Once again, Dahari came to the rescue by passing around a small bottle filled with sweet wine.

"Where did you get this?" Fendwall demanded. The White Raider kept no wine on board. Only ale and some spirits.

"The Nightshade," Dahari replied simply. "They shall shortly find their wine seeping into the sea and their food spoiled. Their rudder has also been dismantled."

"You did that all yourself?"

"No. Estella helped."

Fendwall laughed and pounded Dahari's back, earning a grunt of pain from the grey elf.

"I am glad you are on my side, elf."

Dahari grimaced and rubbed his throbbing shoulder. A stiff breeze blew from the east and the three elves suddenly turned to the same direction. Talf began walking toward the bow of the ship.

"What is it?" Fendwall asked, his voice dripping with concern. Dahari glanced at him with a feverish light in his eyes.

"Land."

***********************************

I am finally, FINALLY, done with high school. I can breathe the free air again. So to celebrate I finished up this chapter. Now I'm going to go finish my chapter from Phantoms of the Past. And then! I will continue working through War Doves.

Thanks to @autumn_sunfire for nominating War Doves for the Fiction Awards. Nominations end May 20th so head on over here https://www.wattpad.com/567243462-the-fiction-awards-2018-nominations-open/comment/2745992121 to nominate War Doves under Best Fantasy. Voting begins soon!