Chapter 21

  When the pirates attacked the “Elena”, Don Armando was playing on deck with a dog. The dog was the same one that Corporal Green had rescued from the doomed Innoto mansion. It seemed that the Ludrian had actually intended to eat it, but Valria had not only stopped the lizard-man's culinary endeavours, but had forced the corporal to take custody of the animal. As she said, "for the purpose of willpower training". Green was obviously upset, but he obeyed the order faithfully, and in time he even became attached to the dog. Now he walked the pet on deck every day and hissed jealously at anyone who tried to pet the dog without permission. Armando and the other members of the company were not concerned, however; they could pet the tailed trophy as much as they liked.

  A shout from a sailor in the crow's nest distracted the don from the important task of making the dog chase a piece of rope with a thick knot at the end. De Gorazzo and the dog raised their heads at the same time, staring at the top of the mast. The lookout shouted something else. Armando didn't understand a word, but the superstructure door swung open with a jerk, and a dishevelled, sleepy skipper came tumbling out. The bearded elf whirled to the floor, tucking his shirt into his trousers. His daughter came up behind him with a quick step, neat and calm as ever. De Gorazzo gave the rope to the excited dog, patted him on the head with the palm of his hand, and headed for the gangway. As he approached Dorlt, he asked:

  - What's going on, Captain?

  - Skipper, ha-ha! Skipper! - the elf corrected him. - I think we're about to be robbed, ha!

  - What are you talking about? - Don didn't understand. He tried to follow Dorlt's gaze, and saw a dark spot on the island off the starboard bow.

  - A two-masted caravel, - Elena explained, pointing her finger at the spot. - No doubt it's on an intercept course. The wind favours them. If we don't change course, we'll meet them soon. If we change downwind, they'll be on our tail and we'll be forced into the open sea.

  - It can't be a coincidence? - Armando clarified. - The waters here are lively.

  Indeed, the “Elena” was crossing the Silenna’s traverse, the westernmost port of Iolia on the continent. Every now and then she came across ships flying the flags of all the countries of the world - huge merchant hulks, old cogs, ponderous nefs, steep-sided roundships, caravels of all stripes, and even formidable military galleons in the colours of the Republic. Singly or in caravans, they travelled from north to south, from south to north, or away from the continent to the colonies of overseas Ludria. The skipper called these encounters a necessary evil. It was clear that by questioning the captains of ships rushing southwards, the pursuit would easily find out where and when the "Elena" had passed - someone would have remembered her.

  - No, Don Armando, it's not a coincidence, - the skipper shook his head. - The ship was obviously hiding behind the island and only came out when we got close.

  - Then maybe it's the Iolian military?

  - On a shell like this? Hardly. I see a couple of guns on the bow and one on each side. Not serious. But there could be a lot of boarding parties hiding in the hold.

  - What are we going to do? - Armando squinted, trying to get a better look at the distant silhouette of the ship. He hadn't brought his telescope with him. - Should we try to break away?

  - It's not going to be easy. - Navigator Elena twitched her ears. She did it much less often than Valria did, whether by nature or because the Anelon's short ears were simply less mobile. - We can break away, but they'll be in our keel for a long time.

  - Besides, they have cannon on the bow, and we don't have guns on the stern. Ha! - Dorlt slapped his palms on his mighty chest. - If they start firing, they'll damage the rigging, and we've only just repaired it. No. We'll play our trumps. All hands on deck! Ship to battle!

  The watchman struck the bell, and a moment later the bosun's tune sounded. The navigator habitually stood beside the helmsman and put her palm in a thin glove on the tiller. The commander of the "Elena" rolled down the gangway to the gangplank, where the anxious sailors were already assembled. He shouted new orders as he went along.

  Armando ran downstairs to fetch his telescope and warn his comrades. He returned in the company of almost the entire team. Only Maria and Dallan, who had decided to put on their cuirasses, were delayed. In those minutes the “Elena” had time to take a course to beam-hauled. The ship, obeying the skilful hand of the navigator, sailed towards the wind in alternating tack, trotting the bow back and forth. The sailors were frantically dragging swivel guns from the armoury, dismantling sabres and crossbows. A few men were removing Amagi's sailcloth, as the lizard slept during the day, hidden from view, only coming out at night to stretch his wings. Now he was roaring in his sleep, shaking his head dazedly.

  The manoeuvre of the Anelon caravel should have taken its two-masted counterpart by surprise. However, it was hard to tell from the ship's movements how surprised her crew was. But through his spyglass de Gorazzo saw the other ship lowering the Iolian flag. In its place, a scarlet cloth with a white spot in the centre, the "Blood and Bones", the usual banner of pirates, was hoisted over the mainsail. The bow guns of the two-masted ship fired a salvo, but no bursts followed the shots. They were blanks for the first time.

  - Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! - Skipper Dorlt, who had returned to the helm for a moment, burst out laughing. - If we were fat, law-abiding merchants, we'd be wetting our trousers and praying in fear!

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  - We are merchants, - Elena reminded her father sternly. - Law-abiding.

  - But we're not fat, - the elf said reasonably. - Okay, it's our turn to scare. Akira! On the wing!

  The young rider repeated the command to the dragon. Amagi, black as night and decorated with crimson stripes, spread his webbed wings. He gave a triumphant roar, pushed off the deck and soared. For a brief moment, the “Elena” sagged forward, almost scooping up water, and the men on the deck hastily clung to the bulwark or tiller to keep their balance. Akira stayed below - there was a battle to be fought, and a rider would only hinder the lizard.

  The two caravels were approaching each other so rapidly that it seemed as if they were about to collide. The cannons of the pirate ship fired one after the other, the gunners obviously impressed by the dragon's flight. A pair of cannonballs whistled to the left and above, sending fountains of white foam far astern of the “Elena”. After the salvo, the two-master turned slightly to the side, dodging the collision. The navigator took advantage of this, also shifting her helm. "Elena" turned, caught the wind, accelerated... and found herself on the same course with the enemy. The caravels exchanged volleys from a hundred and fifty paces away - the pirates' single onboard cannon against the “Elena's” three guns. Pirate buckshot killed a couple of sailors on the battens and left holes in the lower sails. The return salvo wreaked far greater havoc in the enemy's ranks. Several bodies tumbled overboard, others fell to the deck. A minute more, and the ships collided to the deafening crack of wood. Boarding hooks flew from both sides.

  Naturally, no one demanded that the passengers take part in the fight. Moreover, Elena, the navigator, even suggested that they wait out the fight in their cabins. Captain Valria rejected her suggestion almost with indignation, but the rest of the company unanimously supported their commander. Immediately after the collision, the “Elena's” swivel guns rumbled, the sailors' crossbows clicked, and the ringing shots of Maria's rifle joined the cannonade. The pirates managed to fire a few crossbow shots in response... and then Amagi landed on their deck. Such a trick was impossible with a warship. The dragon would have been met with a hurricane of lead from volley guns, steel nets over the deck, and magical shields. The pirates could afford nothing of the sort. So the winged lizard came at the caravel from the freeboard without much finesse, plopped down in the middle of the deck, and worked its tail, paws, and mouth. The bodies of the sailors flew in all directions like broken marionettes. The enemy's formation, shaken by the volley, broke completely.

  - Attack! - Shouted Skipper Dorlt, swinging his sabre. - Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

  The “Elena” sailors, led by their commander, rushed aboard the two-masted ship. The mercenaries followed them. Armando kept pace with his companions, though he was not eager to join the front ranks. The battle immediately rolled aft, as the pirates, scattered by the dragon, were unable to close ranks, and the Dorlt sailors pressed on, giving no respite. De Gorazzo jumping over a corpse ripped open by dragon clawsand and saw a hatch open in the deck. A couple of enemies had rolled down there in a panic. The Don pointed his sword at the hatch and rushed in with the Lady Maria and a dozen boarding parties. The narrow gangway would have been a convenient place for defence, but the pirates who had fled down below did not even try to defend themselves - they fled further away, throwing down their weapons. Leaving the pursuit to the sailors, the former bailiff looked around. The chase led him to a corridor on the lower deck, flanked by doors. Locked from the outside with sturdy deadbolts. The deadbolts were crudely made and seemed unnecessary.

  - When a pirate ship is locked from the outside, it's not a good thing, - Armando muttered under his breath. - Ladies! This way, please!

  Maria was immediately at his side, clutching a naked sword in her hand. Heavy scarlet drops fell from the long blade - though her weapon was not particularly suited to boarding, the girl guard had slain three or four enemies with it. Nodding to the pale lady, Don de Gorazzo unlatched the bolt on the nearest door and pushed it open. Cautiously peered inside. He swore quietly through his teeth as half-naked, skinny men flung themselves away from him, covering their heads with their hands....

  The pirate ship was in the hands of the “Elena's” crew in just half an hour. It took another half an hour to check all the nooks and crannies where the most sneaky enemies could hide. Most of the pirates were killed on deck, two dozen surrendered. The “Elena's” losses were six men killed, ten wounded, and Amagi suffered a couple of scratches from axe blows to his fender. The damage to both caravels was negligible. It was for the best, for in the holds of the two-masted ship the Anelonians found fifty prisoners, mostly merchants and sailors from merchant ships.

  - It was our ship, - said one of them, a gaunt Northerner, squinting into the sun that was not bright at all. - The “St. Brigitta”. We were on our way with a cargo of salted fish from the archipelago. We were captured a month ago, not far to the north-east. We took a hell of a beating on the bastards' shell, so they took the "St. Brigitte". I was first mate, captain was killed in action.

  - Are all these prisoners your men? - Elena asked, taking over the conversation. It took place right on the deck of the trophy ship, among the corpses, which the former prisoner was looking at with visible pleasure.

  - No. - The Northman sighed heavily. - Ten of the men are mine. The rest were from other ships captured later. Northerners, Iolians, Erdosians... I gather those bastards wanted to sell us to the Steppe once the holds were full. Sounds like they had connections in a southern port.

  - But their luck has changed, - said master Carlon, who was standing nearby and listening to the conversation.

  - That's right, - the northerner grinned wickedly into his dirty russet beard.

  - Unfortunately, we can't take you to the harbour, Herr Heufmann, - Elena told the former prisoner. - We have our own business to attend to. But this ship is in good working order and you have enough men to run it. They are exhausted, but it's not far to shore, and you'll probably meet Republic warships. Ask them for help, hand over the prisoners. Don't be in a hurry to avenge the pirates, there may be a bounty on their heads.

  - Yes, of course, - the northerner nodded tiredly. - We'll get to Silenna now. What can I do for you, lady Navigator? The pirates' treasury is supposedly yours now...

  - Keep it, - the black-haired elfess said graciously. - If you want to show your gratitude, don't rush to tell the details of your escape. Especially don't mention dragon. Some of your sailors will tell, but don't let it happen until later.

  - I see, - said the Brigitte's first mate with a chuckle. - I won't ask any questions.

  - And another thing, - said master Carlon. - You are from the Northern Isles. Do you have connections in Elvart?

  - Well... yeah. More like a couple of our merchants than myself.

  - Then would you be so kind as to deliver one letter to the duchy when you get to land? In the quickest way possible. - The imperial mage stroked his thick beard. - Give me half an hour to compose it. It will be the best thing you can do for us, Herr Heufmann...