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Authors: Julia P. Lynde
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offer to elaborate.
"Are you going to make me ask?"
She didn't respond.
"Captain, why haven't we lost?"
"Because the lookout reports land."
"Tendaria?"
"Possibly Norinia, but more likely the Marsh of Neebo. I haven't taken a sighting since this morning, but I was aiming for the marsh."
"Another fifty miles and you could have run us aground in Tendaria, perhaps made it to the port at Terini. "
"Yes. What bad luck."
At that, the Enigma fired from one of it s bow chaser cannon's. I couldn't even see where the ball landed.
"That seemed silly," I said.
"He is just saying 'hello'." Dareena turned to me. "It is time for you to go below."
"Please let me stay."
"It is too dangerous. Your life is too valuable. And yes, I recognize the irony."
"The stern most cabin is going to be distinctly safer?"
"You will be hiding in the safe locker. It will protect you from all but a direct cannon ball strike."
"You're going to lock me in a closet for the next several hours?"
"I'm sorry."
I eyed the other ships. "You won't consider surrender?"
"No."
"You have time to tell me your plan at least."
"We are shallower than they are. There are countless shoals off the Marsh of Neebo. Maybe they'll run aground. If not, and we can't escape, I'll drive the ship to shore. You and I will flee inland while my men draw them off in another direction."
I started to laugh. "You have never been to the Marsh of Neebo. It is, well, a Marsh. There is no inland. If you wreck us there, the only way to leave is by boat. Plan accordingly. Where is the safe locker?"
"Follow," she said. She headed to the ladder leading from the poop back to the main deck. I followed behind her, taking one last glance at the pursuing ships. It would be a fight soon.
She entered the passageway to her cabin but stopped at the first door on the right. She held it open for me. It was an exceedingly thick door of solid timber. She ushered me in.
"Please don't lock me in here."
"I a m sorry. Get in."
Meekly I stepped past her. There was a small bench. I sat down on it.
"Meorie, you will remain in this room with the door closed until someone comes to get you, the fighting has clearly stopped, or you are in immediate danger of drowning. You will take all precaution with your own safety. If you leave this cabin and are not in my company, you will make all effort to travel to the palace in Rendarin and present yourself to the guards. Do you understand?"
I hung my head. "Yes."
She pulled a watertight satchel from inside her tunic. "Meorie, you will keep this safe. Put it inside your tunic and do not lose it." I had no choice but was forced to do as she said. "You will leave it there until I ask for it back or until you present it to the queen in Rendarin."
"It ' s the treaty?"
"Yes."
"It's real?"
"Yes."
She began to close the door. "Please don't leave me here, Dareena." I paused. "I will cooperate."
She stopped closing the door and looked at me. "Why would you offer that?"
"The worst is not knowing. Not knowing what will happen during this battle. Not knowing what will happen at the trial. Not knowing if you have been lying to me. Not knowing if my sister is suffering for what she has done, if you aren't lying. Not knowing how you will execute me." I paused. "Not to mention, this is a jail cell. I haven't been convicted of anything yet." I smiled wanly . "Will my time in here count towards my punishment after the trial , along with my tortures earlier ?"
She offered a small laugh. "I am truly sorry."
Then she closed the door.
"Dareena! Please!" I said to the closed door. There was no response. I banged my hands against it several times, but she had forbidden me opening the door.
I slumped in the dark.
* * *
A while later, there was cannon fire. I felt the ship maneuvering, changing direction. I wondered if people were dying.
It seemed like perhaps there was a lot of firing with little effect. We would maneuver, and then I would hear the cannons, and then we
"Are you going to make me ask?"
She didn't respond.
"Captain, why haven't we lost?"
"Because the lookout reports land."
"Tendaria?"
"Possibly Norinia, but more likely the Marsh of Neebo. I haven't taken a sighting since this morning, but I was aiming for the marsh."
"Another fifty miles and you could have run us aground in Tendaria, perhaps made it to the port at Terini. "
"Yes. What bad luck."
At that, the Enigma fired from one of it s bow chaser cannon's. I couldn't even see where the ball landed.
"That seemed silly," I said.
"He is just saying 'hello'." Dareena turned to me. "It is time for you to go below."
"Please let me stay."
"It is too dangerous. Your life is too valuable. And yes, I recognize the irony."
"The stern most cabin is going to be distinctly safer?"
"You will be hiding in the safe locker. It will protect you from all but a direct cannon ball strike."
"You're going to lock me in a closet for the next several hours?"
"I'm sorry."
I eyed the other ships. "You won't consider surrender?"
"No."
"You have time to tell me your plan at least."
"We are shallower than they are. There are countless shoals off the Marsh of Neebo. Maybe they'll run aground. If not, and we can't escape, I'll drive the ship to shore. You and I will flee inland while my men draw them off in another direction."
I started to laugh. "You have never been to the Marsh of Neebo. It is, well, a Marsh. There is no inland. If you wreck us there, the only way to leave is by boat. Plan accordingly. Where is the safe locker?"
"Follow," she said. She headed to the ladder leading from the poop back to the main deck. I followed behind her, taking one last glance at the pursuing ships. It would be a fight soon.
She entered the passageway to her cabin but stopped at the first door on the right. She held it open for me. It was an exceedingly thick door of solid timber. She ushered me in.
"Please don't lock me in here."
"I a m sorry. Get in."
Meekly I stepped past her. There was a small bench. I sat down on it.
"Meorie, you will remain in this room with the door closed until someone comes to get you, the fighting has clearly stopped, or you are in immediate danger of drowning. You will take all precaution with your own safety. If you leave this cabin and are not in my company, you will make all effort to travel to the palace in Rendarin and present yourself to the guards. Do you understand?"
I hung my head. "Yes."
She pulled a watertight satchel from inside her tunic. "Meorie, you will keep this safe. Put it inside your tunic and do not lose it." I had no choice but was forced to do as she said. "You will leave it there until I ask for it back or until you present it to the queen in Rendarin."
"It ' s the treaty?"
"Yes."
"It's real?"
"Yes."
She began to close the door. "Please don't leave me here, Dareena." I paused. "I will cooperate."
She stopped closing the door and looked at me. "Why would you offer that?"
"The worst is not knowing. Not knowing what will happen during this battle. Not knowing what will happen at the trial. Not knowing if you have been lying to me. Not knowing if my sister is suffering for what she has done, if you aren't lying. Not knowing how you will execute me." I paused. "Not to mention, this is a jail cell. I haven't been convicted of anything yet." I smiled wanly . "Will my time in here count towards my punishment after the trial , along with my tortures earlier ?"
She offered a small laugh. "I am truly sorry."
Then she closed the door.
"Dareena! Please!" I said to the closed door. There was no response. I banged my hands against it several times, but she had forbidden me opening the door.
I slumped in the dark.
* * *
A while later, there was cannon fire. I felt the ship maneuvering, changing direction. I wondered if people were dying.
It seemed like perhaps there was a lot of firing with little effect. We would maneuver, and then I would hear the cannons, and then we
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