It was three days and nights before the first attack came.  It was Wesley that saw the boat first.

"Ahoy down below!" shouted Wess.  "Mister Beckett!"

"Yes, Wesley!" yelled the first mate from the deck.

"I see a ship!" yelled the faeling.  "Port side!  White sails...they're just kind of...flapping."

"Thank you, Sergeant!"  Beckett acknowledged.  He dashed to the captain's stateroom where he found Zahdu teaching Kayla the star charts and how to use them for navigation.

"Captain?"

"Yes, Mister Beckett," Zahdu said seemingly annoyed he was being disturbed.

"Captain, we have a ship on the port side," Beckett reported.

Zahdu stood from his chair and pulled his spyglass from its rack on the wall.  "Very well.  Let's take a good look shall we?"  He smiled to Kayla and they trio walked out to the main deck and the captain extended out the spyglass to get a closer look at the boat.  Zahdu scanned the boat carefully.  It was not a large ship—maybe a thirty footer.  A white flag was raised up top the main mast.  Large bundles of fishing nets covered her deck.  Crewed by twenty or more.  The captain nodded.  "Let's take a closer look Mister Beckett."

Beckett gave a gap-toothed grin and yelled to the helmsman.  "Helm!  New heading!  Due north.  Steer us along the side of that fisher."

"Aye, sir," said the helmsman.  He was a portly man called Nev with arms like tanned tree trunks. 

Zahdu gave another order, "Beckett, sound my Heesh to arms and get me ten men with crossbows along the port side deck.  I want to be ready for anything."

"Aye, captain."  Beckett brought the pipe whistle tied around his neck up to his lips and blew a low pitch blast that rose up to a high piercing squeal.  No other commands were necessary.  The majority of the crew lined up at the armory as the man-at-arms handed each crewmember their preferred weapon.  From there they went about their business as usual except for the ten crossbowmen—half men and half women.   

In a short time, the Lady lowered sails and coasted alongside the fishing boat close enough for them to hear each other.

"Ahoy!" screamed the captain of the fishing boat.  He was a thin, rough looking dwarf with a trimmed brown beard and well-worn sailing attire.  "I'm Captain Brayla of the Crooked Trout!  Rudder's busted!"  The dwarf pointed to the rear of the boat.  "D'ya have a carpenter aboard and spare timber?  We've fish for trade!"  He pointed to two dinghys that were filled to the rim with fresh caught fish packed in salt.  There was a man in each craft ready to row.  "You're welcome to our full catch!"

"Hail!" screamed Zahdu.  "I'm Captain Zahdu...Shady Lady...we can send over a carpenter and timber, captain.  Send over just one boat of fish if you wish!  No need for your full take!" 

"We insist, Captain!" Brayla retorted.  "It's the least we can do for your assistance!"

Zahdu was not about to turn down free supplies especially fresh fish for his men.  "Very well!"  The Hiinghi man turned to his first mate.  "Mister Beckett.  Send over our new carpenter and a few helpers of his choosing."

"Aye, captain," Beckett said.  He looked for Otis.  "Where is Master Stonesinger?" The first mate queried out loud. 

Otis came running in response.  "I'm here.  What's the trouble?"

"Their rudder is busted up.  Take some men with you, some wood, and see about repairs.  Can you handle that, Master dwarf?"

"I'll see what I can do, sir," Otis shrugged.  "Kayla, see if you can find Haygen.  I'll scrounge up Wesley."

"I prefer the wizard to not leave the boat, O-tees," said Zahdu.  "For all our safety, it would be best to keep her on board." 

Otis thought a moment and tried to put himself in the captain's position.  "Very well, captain.  But I won't be stepping off this deck without the other two.  If not, find yerself another carpenter.  Besides, I'm a blacksmith by former trade!"

"Very well, O-tees," said the captain with a smile.  "Take whoever else you want.  The elf stays aboard.  She will protect you from the deck...I'm sure of it."  He turned to Kayla.  "Yes?"

"I'll watch their every move," Kayla said assuring him.

Otis nodded.  "Let me gather some tools.  Prepare a skiff for us." 

The dwarf went below deck and gathered the tools he would need in a box and big Haygen brought up some long, straight boards.  They signaled Wess to come down from the crow's nest and the three of them armed themselves.

Beckett ordered his men to lower a skiff down into the water using a pulley system controlled by two of the crew.

Once the skiff was in the water, Otis, Haygen and Wesley climbed down a rope ladder over the side of the ship and into the dingy boat.  Haygen grabbed the oars and began to work them.

"On our way, captain!" shouted Otis.

The captain gave him a salute and watched as the boats of fish came along side the Shady Lady.  "Hoist up that first boat of fish, Beckett."

"Aye captain," said Beckett already in motion.  One man was rowing the boat and he attached the hoisting hooks to the boat of fish.

"All secure!" said the man in the boat.

"Hoist up!" Beckett ordered.

The first boat of fish rose out of the water slowly and eventually made it to the deck where Beckett's men pulled the boat on deck and readied the hoist for the next boat.

By the time the next boat of fish was hooked up, Haygen had rowed across to the wounded vessel. 

"Bring us 'round to the stern...to the rudder at the rear," said Otis.  He stood one foot on the bench of the dingy.  "Let's get a look at what we're dealing with." 

The next boat of fish was attached to the hoist and the men began to lift it up.

Beckett turned to Zahdu.  "Second boat of fish coming up, captain."

"Thank you, Mister Beckett," said Zahdu while keeping his eyes locked on captain of the wounded vessel.  The man was pacing back and forth a bit and playing with the hilt of his sword.  Perhaps he's worried about his ship, or what he's going to tell his crew, thought the captain.  He didn't like sitting out in the open.  "Have men prepared to raise sails at my command, Mister Beckett."

Kayla gave Zahdu a sideways stare.

"Just a precaution, magi-shan, have no fear," said the captain.  "I will not leave any of my crew behind."

The elf held her stare a moment longer and she could feel tension building in the Hinghi man.  She removed a bit of charcoal from a belt pouch and rubbed it on her palms.  She too was ready for anything now.

"Just a bit closer," Otis told Haygen and the half-orc moved just his right oar to make the adjustment.  Otis looked the rudder up and down and shook his head. 

Wess got up from his seat and stood up onto the front edges of the boat balancing like he was a permanent fixture.  "See anything, Otis?"

"It's peculiar," said the dwarf.  "I'm not a naval man, but it appears the rudder has bits of broken wood attached to it."

Haygen turned and looked at it.  "What the...?"

Otis shrugged.  "The rudder itself appears to be intact."  He slid over and grabbed a hand saw from the toolbox.  He lowered his head and whispered low for he knew that sound traveled far over the water.  "Arm yourselves you two.  There's nothing wrong with this rudder." 

"How bad is the damage?" yelled the captain of the broken vessel over the side and down to the men in the dinghy.

Haygen called back to him.  "Looks like it's jammed up with somethin'!  We're cuttin' the debris loose!"

The captain nodded looking a bit perplexed. "Good!  We thank you!"

Wess waved to Kayla and patted the top of his head three times, stopped, then repeated the motion.  Trouble.

Kayla cupped her hands behind her ears.  I hear you.  She turned to Zahdu.  "Something is wrong, captain.  Ready your men for battle."

Without hesitation, Zahdu readied his wicked harpoon and calmly gave the command to Beckett.  "Battle stations, Mister Beckett.  All fighters to arms."

Beckett nodded.  "To arms!  Battle stations!  To arms!  To arms!"  Men and women of the Shady Lady scrambled to the armory.  The crossbowmen shouldered their weapons on the lookout for archers on the other craft.

The second boat of fish was hoisted onto the deck, and at that, a filthy pirate stood from under the pile of the gutted catch and yelled, "Now!" sixteen pirates all stood from their cramped hiding place with drawn swords and attacked the crew of the Shady Lady. 

Hearing the attack call, a row of archers appeared on the deck of the Crooked Trout with bows drawn.  Without hesitation, the crossbowmen from the Shady Lady fired at them hitting only three.  The archers and crossbows exchanged volleys as swordfights broke out on the deck of the Shady Lady.    

Kayla stood beside Zahdu and the crew found themselves accosted by thirty sea hardened pirates.  Arrows flew past her on her left and pirates were coming straight at her.  We're being flanked, she thought.  What a setup.  She cursed the wooden deck she stood on for she could not use her preferred spells.  Instead, the wizard grabbed onto a coil of rope at her feet and uttered a magical incantation.  "Razahcun aylahun definash!"  The rope spun alive and wove itself around three of the pirates completely immobilizing them.  The other two attacked Zahdu with their swords.  Kayla saw an opening on one of his attackers, drew her dagger, and slashed the man's midsection.  No further attack was needed as Zahdu made short, bloody work of them with his jagged harpoon.  The rest of the crew attacked and made short work of the remaining pirates.  There were still more pirates and archers attacking from the other ship.

[][][]

Otis, Wess and Haygen witnessed the sudden ambush aboard the their ship.

"Let's get into this fight!" Otis screamed.  He pointed up to the deck of the Crooked Trout.  "Up you go, Haygen.  Lead the way."

"My pleasure."  With a bounding leap, the barbarian was one third up the rudder using the broken pieces as hand holds.

"Right behind you," said Wess as he clenched down on Ravenwing with his teeth and followed closely behind.

Otis picked up the mooring hook and line lying inside the dingy, tied a quick knot, then heaved the heavy hook to railing of the deck.  He gave the rope a tug and steadily made his way to the deck.

Haygen made a great leap from the upper part of the rudder, snatched Icefang from its sheath mid-air, and landed on the main deck with a loud, thud!  Captain Brayla and twenty of his crew lept back with a start at the sight of the half-orc.  Wess slithered over the railing next and was soon followed by Otis.  The pirates drew their weapons from their sheaths in slow, practiced moves.

"Lay down your arms, Captain Brayla," said Otis as he revealed his warhammer.  "Perhaps Zahdu will let this attack go without a hanging!"

Brayla looked to his left and right and finding the numbers in his favor gave orders to his crew.  "Bring me their heads!"

Otis attacked Brayla, but the dwarf captain was quick with his sword and parried away the incoming hammer blow. 

Haygen went straight into the pack of pirates with an arcing strike of his large battle ax.  Icefang sang through the air in a low-pitched, thrum, and cut through several of his enemy leaving signature icy wounds.

Wesley sank low next to his half-orc companion and made his way to the middle where Otis and Brayla were battling.  Brayla's men were coming to their captain's aid against Otis, so the assassin evened the odds by picking them off one at a time.  He sent Ravenwing flying into the throat of one pirate who looked to be a race of troll he was not familiar with.  He continued to slice and cut away at the ill-armored pirates as his magic Tenchi dagger made its return flight back to his hand.

The archers noticed they were being attacked and drew their aim from the opposing deck to their own.  Their largest target was the barbarian with wild blood shot eyes.  Their leader, a man of tall stature, yelled out command, "Draw down on that beast, or he'll be the death of us!"

Otis heard the archer's call and hailed his own, "Archers are on us, boys!"  He swung his warhammer square into Brayla's knee and a loud crack told him the joint was crushed.  Brayla collapsed to his good knee with a painful howl, but kept fighting. 

[][][]

An arrow thudded into the mast right in front of Kayla's face.  She had enough of the arrows coming her way.  The archers aboard the Lady seemed like good men, but they couldn't shoot worth a damn.  She ran to the edge of the port side deck, then the wizard drew a bit of charcoal and ground it into her hands.  Seeing that her friends were near the bow section of the ship, her target was clear.  She struck out with both of her hands and screamed her incantation across the water.

"Arsonas Rundalla!"

     A flaming sphere flew in a shallow arc across the watery gap of the boats and hammered into the side of the Crooked Trout knocking the archers flying and setting the ship ablaze.

     "That should keep them off our backs for a while."

A/N This chapter is dedicated to JaydenStrider!
If you enjoyed this chapter please consider hittin' that star :)